A/N- Sorry that took so long...Stupid research paper. But, it's over now! Yay! Although, if someone says the words "MLA formatting" to me one more time, I just might scream. And it's the return of Cadence's father! Not really happy, but he's coming back in this one. And there will be more EO fluff, cuz who doesn't love that?

The ride to the hosptial seemed much longer than it actually was. But they were finally there, and Cadence had been safely deposited in Tonya's room. Olivia was now en route to see Elliot. She finally found his room and went in. They stared at each other for a few minutes, unsure of how to react. Then Olivia practically ran into his arms.

"You okay?" He asked. He sounded like he was about to cry. She was sitting on his bed, holding his hand.

"I'm okay. You?"

"Headache." He smiled.

"They didn't give you anything?"

"Yeah, but it's wearing off." She smiled at him, and tucked her hair behind her ears. "The girls okay?" She nodded, and squeezed his hand. "You should get checked out."

"I'm fine." She kissed him softly on the lips.

"He drugged you." He said, noticing for the first time the puncture wound on her neck. "He could've hurt you while you were out"

"He didn't. All he did was knock us out, and then take Cadence and me in the car. He needed to get us away before you woke up." She ran her fingers down the side of his face. "Trust me, El. I'd be feeling it now if he did anything. He likes watching people's pain, their fear, seeing their reactions. He wouldn't have raped me while I was out."

"Since when are you a psychiatrist?" He joked. She smiled.

"I could see it in his eyes. When he was threatening me. He started in on Cadence. He looked pleased when she started crying." She felt cold at the memory, and shivered. She hoped that Elliot hadn't noticed.

"He scared you too, didn't he?" He had noticed.

"Yeah." A tear made it's way down her face. She refused to meet his gaze, even when he tried to lift her head up. All she wanted to do was sleep. Maybe when she woke up, none of this would have happened. It all would have been a bad dream. But then she would never have gotten Cadence and Tonya away from their parents, and she and Elliot would have remained just friends. It was strange the way that so much terror and pain brought them together. She laid down next to him, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Tired?"

"Mmmmhmm."

"Sleep." He kissed the top of her head. She closed her eyes. "Love you." He whispered into her hair.

"Love you." She whispered back.

"What do you mean, they got away!" Baker held the cellphone away from his ear. Michael was yelling at him. "Jesus Christ."

"Nothing I can do about it now."

"You just had to kidnap a cop, didn't you? Asshole, they're trained better than you! Cadence could've been dead and in the river by now! But, of course, you just had to have your cop!"

"You didn't even have the money to pay me, and you're yelling at me?" There was silence at the other end. "Where are you, anyway?"

"At my parents house. Haven't seen them in a while. Told them that me and Jenny had a fight and I needed some time to cool off."

"They haven't been watching the news?"

"You think I'd let them?" He laughed. "Now they're gonna be looking for you."

"I'm gonna lay low for a while. There's this girl I can stay with." He looked in his rearview mirror, convinced for a second that there was a patrol car behind him. It was simply a white car.

"In a while I'm gonna try and find them, and finish the job myself. For now, though, I'm gonna let them think they're safe."

"While you're at it, get Olivia for me. And don't make my mistake. Keep her cuffed."

"The cop? Jeez, Jon...Just let it go." Michael would do anything to get his kids and finish the job. Except go through a cop in the process. If she had beaten Jonathan once, she could do it again. "Why is she so important?"

"Because she beat me. No one beats me. I'd kill your kids myself, if you didn't want to." He turned onto a side street to get away from the car. Just in case. "I have to show that bitch who's boss." Michael sighed.

"No guarantees." He checked his mirror again. No one was following him. Good.

"Just remember, be subtle about it. Use that crap you gave me to knock Olivia out. We can't risk them causing a scene."

"I know."

Michael hung up the phone hastily. His parents were back from their trip to the grocery store. This felt like when he was in high school, and was on the phone when he wasn't supposed to be.

"Mikey, who were you talking to?" Marissa Smith asked him, putting a bag down on the kitchen table.

"I told you not to call me that, Ma. I'm a grown man, I'm married and I have two kids." His mother looked hurt. "It was Jenny." He lied quickly. "I'm going back home."

"Oh...You won't be staying for dinner?" His father, Joe, asked.

"Nope."

"Allright then, honey. Do me a favor and call us more. I miss my little grandchildren...How old is Tonya now?" His mother asked, going over to him.

"Eight." At least, he thought it was eight. Why keep track? They were just going to be dead soon anyway. His mother felt a pang of hurt. She knew damn well how old they were. Tonya was nine. She knew that. Why didn't her own father? "Really, Ma, I should get going. Jenny wants me home for dinner, and you know those kids. Always impatient when it comes to dinner." She shoved her suspicions into the back of her mind temporarily.

"Okay honey." She kissed his cheek. "It was nice seeing you." He shook hands with his father, and then left. His mother watched him leave, before speaking again. "Joe, there's something wrong here."

"I've been thinking that for some time now. Last night on the news, I saw the last few seconds of a segment. There was a picture of two little girls, who looked like them."

"You watched the news?" Neither of them liked watching television very much. Both had been English teachers, and had preferred books. Even if it was the news, or something.

"To check the forecast. They say it's going to be getting a bit chilly in the next few days." He half smiled. "Maybe we should call that number...What's it called again? Crime something..."

"Crimestoppers?" She knew it from subway ads.

"Yeah, that. Maybe they know something that we don't."

"Maybe we should break our rule, and start watching more T.V." She went over to the grocery bags, and started unpacking. "You call. I'll take care of this."

Baker pulled up at the white house. Just as he had remembered it, from all those years ago. He was surprised that she hadn't moved or something. Taking his gun with him, he got out of the car, and went to the house. On the first ring, no one answered the door. Two more, and she was there.

"I'm sorry, I was..." She stopped midsentence.

"Hello there, Lauren." Her facial expression was one of disbelief. "I need a place to stay for a few days. And you're going to give it to me." She couldn't make herself speak. Always when she was around him, the words got stuck. "Well, you are going to let me in, aren't you?"

"No." It was small, but it finally came out.

"I can't hear you, Lauren."

"NO!" This time it was practically a scream, as she slapped him. "Just leave me alone, okay?" She tried to shut the door , but he blocked it.

"Yes you are." He held the gun up. She froze again, and her grip on the door was lost. He pushed past her into the house, and shut it. "That's a good girl. Cooperate with me, and you won't get hurt." Her eyes filled with tears, as she stared at the gun. Her life, or her sanity? She wasn't sure which she would choose. There had to be a way to get out of this.

"Sick freak." She muttered. She thought that she had gotten past it. Apparently not. She was shaking, just like last time. And the time before.

"Just act normal. I'm just going to stay here. And you're not going to tell anybody." She walked away from him, and started upstairs. "The second I see a cop car, or something, you're dead. " She paused, and then continued on up. "Oh and there's one more thing I need from you. I need you to take me to the hospital, and use your brother's ID. See, I have a nasty little bump on my head that I need to get checked out."

"Fine, just let me get my keys." She went the rest of the way upstairs, and went into the drawer where she kept her important things. She took her brother's ID out, along with a can of mace and a switchblade. Her safety tools. Ever since her first encounter with Baker, she had been more cautious than normal. She started back downstairs. His back was to her. Finally, she could get some justice. She flipped open the switchblade, and raised it over her head. Years of anger, and pain caused by this bastard fueled her, and she sunk it into the back of his neck. She heard a yelp of pain, and pulled out. "Asshole!" She stabbed him again. He fell to the ground. She stood over him, feeling a rush of relief. She had to make sure he was dead. She bent down, and felt his pulse. Nothing. She sunk to the ground, sobbing with relief.

"What? Really? You're sure? Okay, thanks, I'll let them know." Fin was sitting next to Elliot's bed. He and Olivia were both sleeping. He shook Olivia's shoulder.

"What?" She asked groggily.

"He's dead."

"Who?"

"Baker." She smiled. "Stabbed. Apparently he went to hide out at one of his old vic's houses. She took a knife, and stabbed him."

"Wow." She was speechless.

"What's going on?" Elliot asked.

"Baker's dead. Stabbed." He smiled as well.

"Do they need us there?"

"They didn't say anything. I'm gonna go, though." He stood up to leave. "Oh, and it's great to see you again, Liv. You gave us quite a scare." He left.

"Thank God. They really are safe now." Elliot said.

"Yeah." She said, letting the relief really sink in. Soon, they would have Mrs.Smith in jail and...wait a second..."Elliot, we never found Michael Smith." His eyes opened wide, as he realized what this meant.

"So...they're not really safe..." She shook her head.

"Dammit..." she whispered. "Is this ever going to end?"