Detective Elliot Stabler jumped anxiously to his feet. It was two-thirty in the morning and he heard the sounds of muffled screams coming from Hope's room. He reached for his gun without thinking and ran towards her room. He stood at one side of the door cautiously, listening through the hard oak.

"GET OFF OF ME…" A frightened voice screamed. There was crying and then gasping for breath.

Without a second thought Elliot barreled through the door with his gun drawn, not letting whomever it was in the room a moment's chance to move. What he found was Hope.

The girl lay crumpled on the bed, the blankets and sheets wrapped around her, her arms clutching a pillow. Her eyes were shut tightly but she was crying. She moved around as if someone were attacking her.

Looking down at her Detective Stabler's eyes filled with tears. His footsteps lightened, and he placed the gun down. He sank slowly onto Hope's bed, and gently shook her awake.

"Sweetheart wake up, you're having a nightmare."

Hope's eyes only shut tighter at the sound of his voice.

"Get off of me, please…please…" She stopped screaming and her voice had lowered to that of a whimper. "Just for once leave me alone. I'm so scared…just leave me alone."

"Hope, baby…wake up, you're safe now."

"I want a real dad…leave me alone. Stop hurting me, please. I want a dad that loves me…I want to be safe. Get off of me…just get off of me."

"Hope…baby girl, wake up. I'm here. I won't let anyone hurt you."

The girl then let out the most startling scream. It was loud and piercing and heartbreaking. She sat straight up, and pushed her way off the bed. She started to check and recheck whether her windows were locked.

"Is the door shut Elliot? Are you sure it's locked…what about your windows?" She stammered quickly.

"Sweetheart, sit down."

"I've got to make sure…" She stammered out.

"Hope…come sit down, you were having a nightmare."

The girl looked over at Elliot for a moment, and then crumpled to the floor. She sat hugging her knees and whimpering.

"My liiife was a nightmare." Then she kept crying, whimpering softly.

Elliot jumped up and ran to the girl. He knelt down beside her and wrapped his arms around her shaking body. He held her close for a few minutes, until the shudders left her body.

"Don't worry, baby girl, you are safe now. I won't let anything happen to you. I'm right here."

Elliot sat there rocking her for a few minutes. She murmured some soft words and fell back asleep with her head on his shoulder. Elliot picked the teenager up and laid her softly back in her bed. The man stared at her for a while, and his eyes filled with tears again. Leaning down he kissed the girl gently on her forehead.

"Don't worry, Hope. Nothing can hurt you. Daddy's here."