okay, I'm sorry I haven't updated in a few days but I have been camping with some friends and haven't been on the computer much. This chapter is mostly about the big case but it all ties into the story. Happy reading and DO NOT FORGET to REVIEW!
Around three in the morning Olivia's call phone rang. She woke, startled to find herself in Elliot's arms. Finally, she pulled away to answer her phone, "Benson."
After hearing about another victim with the same MO as the one last night, Olivia told the officer on the other line she and her partner would be right there. When she turned around she found herself staring eye to eye with Elliot. He looked at her with so many questions in his eyes when he remembered what went on just a few hours earlier but what he seen in her eyes was a look of total regret.
"Elliot, this was a mistake," she said as she jumped out of bed pulling her robe around herself.
"Liv, don't..." Elliot started but she stopped him.
"Elliot, we are partners, best friends, and this could mess it all up. Not to mention we could be seperated and even transfered if this go out."
Elliot pulled on his boxers and walked towards her. He took her hand but she pulled away, "Elliot, we have another victim, we have to go. This can wait until later. Here is the address, I will meet you there," she said quickly as she handed him a slip of paper.
He stepped in front of her as she headed towards her closet, "Liv, we need to..."
"Later," she interrupted as she pushed past him, "get dressed, we need to go."
Elliot lowered his head in defeat because she was trying to push him away. He began to pull his clothes on, "I take it we aren't riding together?" he asked. "No, I'm gone. See ya at the scene," she said as she grabbed her gun and badge off the dresser and left him there alone.
"What do we got?" Olivia asked the officers at the scene. "Female, late twenties, no ID. Warner is with the body," one officer responded.
Olivia walked down to find Warner leaning over the body. "Same killer?" Olivia asked.
"Without a doubt," Warner responded, "Same torture marks, same cuts and bruises, knife to the heart is what killed her. She hasn't been dead for more than a few hours. Rigor is just now starting to set in."
Olivia nodded, "Same knife?"
Warner stood up and looked at Olivia, "Looks like it, but I will have to get her back to the morgue to be sure. Forensics will tell us more later as well...I haven't turned her over yet, do you want to do that now?"
"Let's go ahead and check. We have to find this guy," Olivia said.
"Check for what?" Elliot said as he joined the two women.
"To see if he marked her," Olivia said without making eye contact. Elliot nodded and turned towards the CSU guys, "Hey can we get a camera over here," he yelled.
Olivia knelt to help Warner sit the body up, "Elliot, we don't even know if there is going to be anything here," she said as they pulled the body up.
Sure enough the words 'bastard child' were written on her shoulder blade. Elliot pointed, "Call it a hunch."
Olivia rolled her eyes, "Please," she said coldly.
Warner looked back and forth at the two detectives. She could tell that something was a little off between them.
Elliot took a deep breath. Why was she being so cold to him. He decided to address it later. "Looks like we may have a serial killer on our hands," he said. Warner nodded. "You got a time of death for us doc?" Elliot asked Warner.
"Somewhere between 11 and 1 last night," Olivia said as she walked past him towards her car. She did not even bother saying bye to Warner. She couldn't even think with him standing next to her. She did not know why she was treating him like this. He wasn't just another lay, he was her partner and best friend, no more, no less. Yet she couldn't breathe around him and that scared her. He now knew her better than any man ever had. He had made her feel more vulnerable and weak, and then more passionate and beautiful in one night than anyone else had in her life. He brought every emotion inside her to the surface and that was something that terrified her to the core. She had to get a handle on it and in order to do that she had to get away from him.
Warner looked at Elliot with questioning eyes as Olivia walked away without another word. They both turned and watched her get in her car and pull away. "What's wrong with her?" Warner asked.
"I think this case is hitting her hard," he said. That was some of the truth but definately wasn't all of it.
Warner nodded in understanding knowing that there was something more. She also did not want to push. She knew about Olivia's past but she had never talked to her about it. She couldn't imagine what was running through her head right now but she also knew that Elliot was about the only person Olivia would open up to. "Just be there for her. That's all you can do. I will call you guys after the autopsy but if it is anything like the last girl, don't expect a lot." Warner said as she motioned for one of her assistants to come and get the body.
Olivia called missing persons on the way back to the precinct. She decided to keep herself busy and work this case like any other one. She was going to do her best just to act like nothing ever happened between her and Elliot no matter how hard that might be. She just wanted things back to normal.
"Missing persons came up with two matches. They should be faxing over the photos and information any minute now," Olivia told a tired looking Cragen that had his head propped up with his hand while sitting behind his desk.
"Was she marked just like the first vic?" he asked her.
"Yes, same word, same spot," Olivia answered.
"Where's your partner?" Cragen said looking around for Elliot.
"I left him at the crime scene. He will be here in a minute," she answered nonchalantly. She looked over her shoulder as she heard a commotion. It was Fin and Munch walking in together. "Are you guys arguing already? It is not even daylight yet," Olivia commented.
"We're not arguing. He's bithing and I am trying my best not to listen," Fin stated dryly.
"Here are those missing person reports," Cragen said handing Olivia the papers as he seen Elliot entering the precinct. "You two try to identify the victim," Cragen told Olivia and Elliot before he turned to Munch and Fin, "and you two start canvassing the surrounding buildings as soon as you see a ray of sun."
"Ugh, we always get stuck waking people up and pissing them off and then they never have anything to say," Munch complained.
Olivia leaned towards him with a small grin, "It's because the government somehow brainwashes them and screws with their short term memory," she said just loud enough for the other three detectives to hear.
"Don't get him started this early. I have to put up with him for the next 15 hours at least," Fin stated honestly as they all tried to muffle a laugh.
Elliot finally turned toward Olivia, "You ready to go to the morgue and compare the pictures with the vic?"
"Yea, I'll get my coat," Olivia said trying to act normal but never making eye contact and making sure their bodies did not brush when she walked by.
The second victims name was Molly Pate. She was 18 years old and had recently graduated from Christ the King High School. "What was a girl from Queens doing in Manhattan?" Olivia asked puzzled.
"Maybe he stalks his victims, I mean esspecially if he is picking them because they are products of rape." Elliot said while keeping a close eys on his partner's reaction.
"Let's just hold on a minute, don't jump to any conclusions. Go talk to her parents and get this girl's story." Cragen stated.
"Cap, I am willing to bet my next paycheck that this girl's story is the same as Andrea Stinson's," Elliot said.
"Maybe they knew each other. Is there any kind of support group or something that they could have went to?" Fin asked. All eyes except for Elliot's fell on Olivia. Elliot was standing close enough beside her that he could feel her nerves.
"What? Do I really seem like the kind of person who is going to go to any kind of support group. I don't think so!" Olivia snapped with a hint of sarcasm.
"Good point," Munch said simply.
"Oh and the missing persons report was filed by her roommate, not her parents. Maybe we should talk to her first," Olivia told the guys.
"You and Elliot go talk to the roommate and bring her down to ID the body," Cragen told Olivia before turning to Munch and Fin, "You two finish canvassing."
Olivia and Elliot arrived at Molly Pate's apartment a little after 7 am. Elliot knocked on the door and waited for the roommate to answer. Finally, the door opened and a middle aged woman, probably around 30, peered out. Elliot held up his badge and Olivia did the same. "Are you Anna Smith?" Elliot asked.
"Yes, is this about Molly?" the woman questioned as she held the door open them to enter.
"Yes, it is. I'm Detective Stable and this is my partner Detective Benson. We understand that you filed a missing persons report on Molly four days ago," Elliot stated.
"Yes, she never came home from work. I waited until the next day before I called the police. I thought maybe she would call but she never did," Anna cried.
"What about Molly's parents? Did you call them?" Olivia asked.
"Ha, Molly has never met her father and her mother was probably to drunk to notice that she hasn't called or came by in a week," Anna scoffed.
Elliot glanced at Olivia who was staring at the floor. He knew that was big blow and she was remembering her mother's same addiction. "We are going to need you to come with us. I'm sorry but I think wew may have found Molly last night in Manhattan," Elliot said as gently as possible.
"Oh my God! Is she alive?" Anna cried.
"I am so sorry Ms. Smith, but the girl we found was murdered," Olivia said softly.
They took Anna to the morgue and she identified the girl as Molly Pate. She also gave the detectives the address of Molly's mother and the place where Molly worked. Elliot and Olivia were now on their way to Sylivia Pate's apartment. Elliot could tell that Olivia was tense and nervous. "Liv, you okay?" he asked calmly.
"I'm fine," she responded shortly.
"Okay," Elliot said never breaking his calm tone.
"Let's just do this," she said getting out of the now parked car and putting her shaking hands in her pockets. 'Just keep it together Olivia. This is not the place to fall apart' she told herself.
Elliot could see how uneasy she was even though she was doing her best to hide it. He gently squeezed her shoulder, "Ready?" he asked.
"As, I'll ever be," she responded. She hated it because he knew exactly how she felt. She hated that she could not hide herself from him. No matter how hard she tried, he could see right through her facade. He noticed every detail from her shallow breath to her shaking hands that were hidden from his sight. He could tell in the way her voice cracked ever so slightly when she tried to be nonchalant with her tone. And still she tried to hide from him, to push him away even when she knew she needed someone to lean on. Why couldn't she just let him in. Why was she so afraid of someone getting close. She tried to shake these thoughts out of her head as they walked up the steps to Sylvia Pate's front porch. She just needed to focus on the case at hand right now.
Elliot knocked on the door to Mrs. Pate's house. He heard a loud thud and then heavy foot steps coming towards the door. "Who...is it?" asked a slurred voice on the other side of the door.
"Detective Stabler and Benson. We are here about your daughter, Molly," Elliot said with his badge held up to the peephole.
The door flew open and the woman stood there with a bottle of what looked and smelled like cheap whiskey. "What tha hell do ya wanna know bout Molly?" Mrs. Pate slurred staggering to the kitchen to get a glass.
"Mrs. Pate, when is the last time Molly visited?" Elliot asked.
Sylvia Pate stopped and looked up in thought, "Ya know, I dunno. Maybe about a week ago. Why, is she...in some kinda trouble?"
"Your daughter's body was found in an alley in Manhattan last night," Olivia said a little to bluntly. Elliot looked at her before turning back to Sylvia Pate.
"My daughter doesn't go to Manhattan. She lives here in Queens. You must be mistaken," she said as she took another drink.
"Mrs. Pate, I'm sorry but Molly's roommate has already identified the body," Elliot said with a little more sympathy than Olivia.
When Sylvia did not say anything and started to take another drink, Olivia walked over and jerked the glass out of her hand. She slammed the glass down on the counter, "Mrs. Pate, let's sit down and talk about your daughter. You need to try and pull it together so you can answer some questions. You do want us to catch the man that raped and murdered her don't you?" Olivia asked.
Sylvia stopped dead in her tracks, "My daughter was raped?" she asked, finally sounding a little sober.
"I'm glad I've got your attention. Now, do you know where Molly's father is?" Olivia said already knowing the anwer.
Sylvia looked at Olivia for a long time before she answered, "No, I don't. I don't even know who he is. But I will never forget his face. Molly looks just like him," she stopped, looking down at the floor.
Olivia felt a dagger in her stomach but she proceeded to question the woman, "Mrs. Pate, what are you trying to say?"
Sylvia started speaking slowly, "Eighteen years ago I was raped. Nine months later, Molly was born. I don't know why I decided to keep her. Truthfully, it was probably not the best thing to do. But I was raised against abortion and I can't really tell you why I turned down adaption. That would have probably been in Molly's best interest. You know, most women who are raped don't have to literally live with it for the next 18 years but I feel like that is what I had to do. Every time I looked at her for the first five years of her life, all I could see was him. It got better after that but it never went away. I tried to love her like any mother would love her daughter. I always told myself that it wasn't her fault, that she was innocent. But part of me just couldn't love her the way she needed to be loved."
Elliot looked at Olivia who had tears in her eyes, "Mrs. Pate, you had a choice. Don't try and get pity from us. You could have gave that little girl to someone who could love her and give her the life she deserved but instead you raised her in your hell..." Olivia spoke through clenched teeth until she felt Elliot's hand touch her arm, stopping her words instantly. Olivia turned and walked towards the door to take some deep breaths and get her emotions in check.
"Mrs. Pate, do you know anyone that knew Molly was a product of rape?" Elliot asked.
Sylvia nodded, "Her friend Anna. I don't know if she ever told anyone else. I know I didn't. Now, if you will please excuse me, I would like to mourn my daughter alone," she said glaring at Olivia.
Olivia just rolled her eyes and muttered something under her breath. Elliot nodded at Mrs. Pate and put his hand on the small of Olivia's back, leading her out the door.
When Olivia got to the car she felt sick to her stomach. She leaned over with her hands on the hood to try to suppress the feeling but she had little luck. Elliot tried to touch her shoulder but she jerked away, "Liv."
"She barely even cried El," she said enraged. "We told her that her daughter was raped and murdered and she barely even cried."
"Liv, stop trying to see yourself here," he said quietly.
She looked at him and a single tear fell down her cheek, "Elliot, that was my life that she explained in there. She was the spitting image of my mother."
Elliot stepped closer and pulled her into a hug, and for the first time in her life she let someone hold her, comfort her. She leaned into him and quietly cried. He could feel her shoulders shaking in his arms and his heart broke for her. He didn't know what to say so he just held her until she pulled away. "You okay?" he asked.
She looked up at him, "Yeah, I'm sorry," she replied.
"For what?" he asked.
"For breaking down like that. I should have held it together in there," she said embarassed.
"Liv," Elliot said pushing her chin up so that she would look at him, "you are the strongest person I know. You have overcame so much in your life. You are so passionate in what you do and you are always thinking about others before yourself. Your only problem is that you always worry about what is inside you. Liv, you have nothing to worry about. In my opinion, your perfect," he said sincerely.
Olivia smiled a little, "El, I may be a lot of things, but perfect is not one of them. But thank you, I do feel better now."
"Glad I could help," he told her as he opened her door. She smiled again and stepped into the car.