Relentless

Dean Porter ran through the lower east side of Manhattan desperately trying to put the pieces to Borgen's past and present together. He was running on no sleep and he was too proud to call Elliot for help. He stood in front of the now office building of what used to be Borgen's orphanage. Nobody in the building knew anything about its' history. He was given several phone numbers to call, but because of the holiday season his attempts had been thwarted by voice mail and answering machines.

"Come on, somebody's gotta be old and Jewish," he muttered to himself as he walked to the nearby shops hoping that one would be open and not full of immigrant workers that barely spoke English, let alone knew anything about the building on the corner.

His boss had been leaving nasty phone messages all morning and again the cell phone on his belt went off like clockwork.

"Corbin, I haven't got any new information…why…because it's Christmas and Borgen has seemed to change his course….I've got a team of men set up around the building, we got nothing. When I find out I'll let you know. Of course, I've got everything under control….hello?"

He growled as the other end of the phone went off the hook. His only step was to call Stabler, but he had to try one more thing until he did it.

SCENE

"HEY, Merry Christmas!," Simon, Olivia's brother, beamed when he opened the door to find Olivia and Elliot standing on the other side. "Elliot, I didn't realize you'd be joining us."

"Me either," he smiled. "I'm not. I just came to drop Liv off and to say hi."/

"Livvie, Livvie, Livvie, Livvie," cried Simon's son Mikey, who came running towards her from the living room.

"Merry Christmas kido," she smiled as she bent down and lifted him up. "How are you?"

His four-year-old face flushed with shyness as he held onto her. "Good."

"What did Santa bring you?"

"Dinosaurs," he screamed before wiggling out of her grasp and racing for the other room.

"Simon shook his head. "I personally thought the remote control helicopter was better. Had I known the ten dollar Dinosaurs would have made his day, I would have kept it for myself."

;"Elliot laughed as he stood next to the bubbly brown haired siblings. "Been there. Next year buy a video game. He'll be just old enough to think it's cool, but too young to really play it. Best present ever."

Simon returned his comment in manly laughter and patted him on the back. "Why don't you stay awhile?"

"Thanks, but I gotta get to my mom's."

"Ah, come on, just stay for a half hour. Come in and meet my ma and Julie's parents."

Olivia looked at the watch on her wrist and grabbed his attention. "El, you got time, stay for a few."

Before he could say another word he was sitting in the living room next to Julie's father and watching Olivia play with Mikey on the floor in front of him. His thoughts started to shift and shape into depression with each second of family conversation. He wondered how his kids were doing. In the middle of past holiday images Simon handed him a beer and took him away from the warm couch.

"Come here, I want to show you my new toy."

They headed to the garage where Simon revealed the red Harley Davison motorcycle to him.

"Wow, that is a beaut. You just get this today?"

Simon took a sip of his beer and touched the leather seats. "Yeah, I've been wanting one of these since high school, and we finally got comfortable enough financially to do it. I can't tell yeah what it feels like to ride on one of these babies. Makes you feel young again, like you could do anything and not get caught."

"Yeah."

As Simon went on about his bike Elliot's eyes went past the many layers of tools and garage junk laying about the counter tops and corners of the room. His eyes stopped on a pair of binoculars and a silky lacy material sticking out of a red toolbox.

"Man if I would have had one of these things in school I would have had all the girls, yeah know. Doesn't it suck that you can never afford the real shit until you're old and married."

"That's how it goes," Elliot said moving closer to the toolbox without Simon realizing what he was doing.

Simon turned around and shot him a look. "You wanna take her for a ride?"

"Ah, man, that'd be sweet, but I really should get going, my family is waiting for me."

"Family, they can wait. You have to feel the motor between your legs. It's better than any woman you've ever done."

Simon grew close to Elliot and a dirty feeling came over him. He wasn't sure if it was the sick feeling he'd had from the recent turn of events or the fact that Simon gave him the creeps, but he was getting extremely uncomfortable.

"You sure like the ladies don't you," Elliot muttered.

"Who doesn't, bro?"

"You ever cheat?"

Simon made a low grunting snicker and handed Elliot the helmet. "Have you?"

"No."

"That's good cause I hear you're staying with my sister."

Elliot's lips tightened and he pulled the helmet from Simon's hand. "On the couch."

"Right. We'll see how long that lasts."/

"What are you getting at?"

Simon took a step closer to him. His cheeks were flush with a hint of alcohol. "What I'm getting at is if you break her heart I will personally…"

"Whoa, wait, Si. I've known your sister far longer than you have. If anybody's gonna say those kinds of things it's gonna be me."

"Yeah, you say that now, but when she's walking around in that little silky night gown of hers, legs up to here, and lacy underwear peaking out at you every time she bends over or reaches for a cabinet, you're sister in blue is gonna be more than a shoulder to cry on. Don't you dare fuck with her, Stabler you got me? You better be damn sure this divorce is for real before you go bringing Olivia into it again. And don't think you're gonna get away with it if you do fuck with her. I'll know."

Elliot had just witnessed a side of Simon he'd wished he hadn't seen. His cop-on-perv instincts clicked on and he couldn't resist going into interrogation mode. "You like looking at your sister in her night gown, Marsdon?"

Simon flinched and backed away. "I just know how a man works."

"You mean, how you work."

"No, I know –"

"How long you have been sitting outside her window?"

Simon backed away and took the last sip of his beer. "I don't know what you're talking about, but that…that's sick."

Elliot pulled the lacy underwear out of the toolbox and shoved the binoculars into his face. "What's this Marsdon? I thought you stopped doing this? Who are you spying on now, Huh?"

"Hey, hey, settle down, El man." Simon grabbed the underwear and binoculars from him and threw them into a nearby drawer. "Those are my wife's, first off. Secondly, Mikey and I were bird watching. I don't do that. What is your problem? I was just making sure you knew who you were messing with."

"Who am I messing with?"

"Why you gotta be such a cop? I'm her brother for god's sake. Didn't I already prove that I wasn't one of your perv's? Come on, I've had too much to drink. Gimme a break. That and you gotta ride my bike."

Elliot was about to keep pressing the issue when Olivia opened the door holding a cell phone. "Elliot, Kathleen's on the phone."

Elliot gave Simon one last glare and slapped the helmet at his chest. He then took the phone from Olivia, touching her arm softly as he passed her to enter the house.

The two days of Christmas hell seemed to be getting longer and longer. If Kathleen was calling him for anything less then a Merry Christmas he was thinking about committing himself for the week.

Olivia walked into the garage with Simon. "You didn't tell me you got a motorcycle. This is so awesome!"

"Isn't it," he smiled. "Let's take it for a ride."

She smiled and walked towards him. Gently he placed the helmet on her head and watched her climb onto the black leather seats.

"Can I revve it up," she asked.

He threw her the keys and she started the engine. The vibrations grew loud in the cement garage. Simon jumped on the back and yelled towards her ear.

"Let's take it to the street. You wanna drive?"

"I'm not sure I know how," she yelled back.

"I'll teach you."

As they rolled the bike slowly towards the driveway Olivia stopped and pointed for Simon to get a helmet. He jumped off the bike and dug for the second helmet as Elliot came out of the house.

"Liv," he yelled. "I gotta go."

She pulled the helmet off and shook her rock star hair cut to the side of her face. "You need me?"

Elliot shot a quick look at Simon, who gave him a wink, and then walked up to the running motorcycle. He took the hand closest to him away from the handlebars and pulled her into a hug. "Be safe. Call me later when you need a ride home."

"You okay," she asked.

"Yeah, Kathleen drama."

"Merry Christmas, bro, call me when you want to ride the Har."

Elliot nodded with a sneer and took a step back. Simon then wrapped his hand over Olivia's and guided her into first gear as they rolled away.

The garage grew empty and silent. Elliot started for his car with a bad taste in his mouth. He knew Olivia could handle herself, but he never liked Simon. Before leaving the garage he stopped and went back to the drawer. Hoping to god that those lacy purple Victoria secrets were Julie's, he slipped them into a bag and threw them in the trunk of his car.

SCENE

"Special Victim's Unit, Detective Lake speaking, how can I help you?"

"Detective Chester?," cried a little voice.

"Robbie, what's going on? Are you okay?"

The voice on the other end of the phone was that of a six-year-old boy in foster care, who Chester had been hanging out with through the Brothers and Sisters of America Association. Lake had always contemplated adopting Robbie, but knew that he would get more attention with his foster mother than he would with a work-aholic father. Not to mention, his apartment would never hold both him and a six-year-old. Robbie was a great kid, though, and Lake made sure to take him out every chance he got.

"I'm with…a man. He said he was Santa and that he was gonna take me to see you. For Christmas."

"What man?"

Lake jumped from his chair and started flagging Fin to trace the call. He then put the phone on speaker and the whole office grew quiet. "Where are you?"

"I don't know."

"What do you see?"

"He put a fold on me. He says he wants you to leave him alone. That he doesn't need the police to help him."

"Robbie, is he there with you?"

"Yes…," he sobbed.

"Put him on the phone."

As Chester said those words the phone clicked to a dead dial tone and Fin dropped the tapping device with a sigh.

"Damn-it," Lake yelled. "Trace that call. I've gotta get a hold of Porter and Robbie's foster mother."

SCENE

The sky was growing dark, just about time to wrap up dinner and head home. Olivia was the last of the family. She read Mikey a bedtime story and headed towards the living room where she sat in a fat comatose state on the couch. "I am so full," she sighed.

"Me too," Julie replied. "It was really nice to have you here. Mikey just loves you."

"I'm glad we did this," Olivia smiled. "I should call Elliot soon. He's gonna take me off your hands."

Before either of them could move Olivia's cell phone went off and the Stabler's house number came up on her caller ID. "Hello."

"Olivia, it's Maureen."

"Maureen, you okay?"

"Yeah, we're good, but I'm getting worried. Mom and Kathleen left about four hours ago to pick up Don from the hospital, and they haven't gotten back yet. Dad's not answering his phone, Mom's not answering hers, Kathleen didn't take hers with her, and we were supposed to be at Grandma Stabler's house a long time ago. I'm not sure what to do."

"Did you call your grandma's? Your Dad said he'd be there?"

"He never showed up."

Olivia sighed and held the side of her head. "Okay, ah…I'll be there in a few."

She clicked off her phone and looked at Simon who was half passed out on the floor in front of Julie.

"Simon, I hate to ask you this. Can you drive me to Elliot's place?"

SCENE

Twenty minutes later Olivia was taking over the Stabler house in the best way that a single gun carrying cop hero could. Eli was screaming in her arms, while Maureen walked to the Walgreen's to buy baby formula. There was a pot of water boiling for the only big meal Olivia knew how to make, Spaghetti, and she paced between the kitchen and the dining room, where Dickie and Elizabeth called every phone number they had.

"Try the precinct again," Olivia said through light bouncing and shushes.

"Did that already," Dickie said. "I think Munch is getting pissed."

"Language."

"Sorry," Dickie blushed.

"That's just how Munch sounds. Call again. Ow, call Dean Porter. His number is in my phone."

Little Eli was as red as turnip. He was starving and quite frankly, by the look of the Stabler twins, they were too.

The only thing Olivia could even think about right now was how Kathy could be so selfish as to leave her children like this on Christmas Day. She threw the whole box of noodles into the boiling water and moved Eli into her other arm. His high-pitched cry was going straight to her brain.

"Oh, baby boy, you have to settle down. Livvie, is gonna rip her eyes out. Okay," she said in the sweetest voice she had in her. "Yeah, we're gonna feed you, but you gotta have some patience. Your parents haven't been grocery shopping in what seems like-"

"Weeks," Elizabeth grumbled.

"Weeks…," Olivia replied in astonishment. "Okay, we are going to preserver. Right, Elizabeth."

"Sure," she replied gloomily.

Olivia just kept on smiling. "Right, Little Eli! Preserver! Like you know what that is. You're gonna know what that is after today. Yes you are. You are, you are, you are. Ah", She groaned while bouncing the little babe. She closed her eyes and blew a piece of hair away from her face

"Liv, Dean wants to talk to you," Dickie said holding the phone towards her ear and the screaming baby.

"Dean. Little overwhelmed over here. Can't talk. ."

"Liv, I need Elliot."

"You need Elliot. I need Elliot," she said with a hint of frustration.

"Where is he?"

"Trust me if I knew where he was I wouldn't be calling you."

As soon as she said it she regretted the meaning it sent off.

"That's not what I meant by that Dean."

" I'm being serious. We needed him like two hours ago. Hi phone is off."

"I'll call you when I find him, but things are a little hectic around here, what's going on?"

"Two kidnappings in three hours. Borgen and possibly an accomplice."

"Like Santa's helper," Olivia questioned.

" Yeah, if that's what you wanna call it. I need you to look through his paperwork there. I need the information Elliot has on Borgen's childhood. He said he found something that could help us pinpoint a location."

"Um," Olivia rushed around the kitchen, baby wailing, water over boiling, and the sauce bubbling over. "I…I can't really- hang on. Elizabeth!"

"Yeah." She poked her head into the room and Olivia handed her Eli.

In a panic Olivia ran around ripping the lid off of the boiling water and throwing potholders around before heading to Elliot's desk. "I doubt there's anything here. He usually keeps it all in his car or at the office. Though it's possible he left it at my place."

"Did you find it?"

"No, everything is in my apartment if it's not there or with him."

"Well, you need to get to your place right now."

"Dean, I can't."

"Olivia, these kids are all connected to the unit. We need that information now!"

"What do you mean they're connected to the unit," she questioned as her heart pounded in her ears.

"Lake's foster child Robbie, and Fin's grandson, Jeremy. They were both taken this afternoon. We also have evidence that the two men have taken the children of one of our Federal agents as well."

"So they have 3 victims, all connected to people on our case."

"Yes, so keep Elliot's kids close, and find him."

Olivia ran for the living room to look out the window for Maureen. "Oh god, I just sent Maureen to the store. I…"

"Olivia," Elizabeth cried from the kitchen.

"What," she said from the open front door.

"Liv, we got a problem!"

Olivia jogged back into the kitchen. The smell of it hit her before the sight of it did. "Oh my god! Dickie, I need you're help!"

A small flame had caught the corner of the potholder causing a boiling fiery mess over the stove. Dickie ran in from the other kitchen door and jumped at the flames.

"I got it," he yelled as he ran for the broom closet to get the fire extinguisher.

Dean's voice could be heard on the phone, but Olivia was too busy trying to stop the flames with her free hand. "Olivia, do you understand how important this is? You need to get-"

"Dean, I get it. I'll be there in….oh, my…-"/

The smoke alarm sounded causing complete chaos to erupt around them.

"Olivia, I can't hear you," Dean shouted. "Is everything okay?"/

"Fine! Elizabeth, open a window."

Dickie sprayed the fire extinguisher all over her and the only dinner they had.

"Oh…," she chocked standing frozen with the white foamy substance all over her arms and parts of her hair and face. She closed her eyes and the sounds of fire alarms, baby screams, and Dean's voice all clambered into her ears.

She hung up the phone.

"Oww," Dickie clenched apologetically towards Olivia. His face scrunched up and he slowly placed the red extinguisher on the ground. "Fire's out."

Olivia spit the foam away from her lips and wiped her face with the shoulder of her shirt.

"Liv, I'm so sorry," Dickie pleaded.

"It's okay, it's okay, please just stop the smoke alarm before my head explodes."

Finally the smoke detector stopped and the sound of Maureen coming through the door with EJ's formula could be heard in the background.

"I'm back….Holy…what the hell happened?"

Olivia stood in the middle of the kitchen blinking at the mess on the stove. Her head was throbbing again. She knew what that meant, but chose once again to ignore it. Her brain swam with a diagnosis for the problem at hand.

Dickie and Elizabeth were motionless and Eli had stopped screaming for a few seconds. They all looked at Olivia's unmoving state.

"Liv," Maureen asked inching her way towards her with the bag of formula.

Without looking at anyone Olivia slowly walked to the phone on the ground and picked it up while spouting off a list of directions.

"Maureen, make the formula, Dickie make three peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, Elizabeth pack anything and everything that Eli may need in the next twenty-four hours, then each of you make an overnight bag, you're coming to the city with me."

One more time she dialed Elliot's cell phone and shook with harsh frightened hysteria. "Come on, come on, pick up. Please. Pick up the phone!"

"You've reached the voice mail of Detective Elliot Stabler-"

"Damn it!"

Maureen watched Olivia pull at her hair and dial another number.

"Liv, what's going on? Is Dad in trouble?"

"I don't know, but he turned his phone off for a reason. I need you guys to stay aware of your surroundings. There's a man giving the precinct some issues. Dean wants us in the city. I'm sure we're fine, but just stay with me at all times. Do you know where your Dad keeps his gun?"

Maureen shook her head with a slightly fearful expression. Dickie shoved the first sandwich into his mouth and replied through the thick of the bread. "Yeah, I'll get it."

Just as the house seemed to turn quiet again the sound of police sirens blared from the front of the house and a loud banging rapped on the door.

Maureen's eyes grew red and any sign of strength left in her body washed away as she whimpered at the door. "Oh god, Olivia I can't take anymore bad news. Please don't tell me what they say. Please don't tell me."

"Maureen…" It took a second for Olivia to understand why Maureen was so suddenly upset and then she touched her arm before heading for the door. "Calm down, Maur, I called them. Get your stuff."

"The family of misfits grabbed their bags and headed towards the blinking cop car lights. Wind pushed at them like an endless sting. It was a persistent reminder to buck up. Bitter weather was the least of their problems. In the front seat of the squad car, Olivia sat next to Dickie and Officer Cartwright dialing Elliot's phone over and over again. Eli and the girls sat in the back and all three teenagers, mostly Dickie, grew excited for the first time all day when the sirens came on and the car sped full speed towards Manhattan.