"What's your personal opinion on Palmer?" Amanda asked.

"He's quiet, hard-working." Elliot said. "Insisted on working nights at industrial-type places. Said he was a night owl."

"And he was in the Rangers before he was a cop in Boston." Carisi read off the files.

"I think there was some drama there," Elliot admitted, "he never really wanted to talk about it, but he got honorable discharges, and an honorable retirement from the Boston PD, so I let it go. I figured he just had some bad experiences, didn't want to press it. Tried to remember it wasn't my job to follow up on a feeling."

"He has a few disciplinary records." Amanda said.

"He was habitually late his first few months. Got caught sleeping a few times on the job." Elliot said. "There was an incident a few months ago, he almost got jammed up on an assault charge."

"Tell us about that." Carisi requested.

"He was doing a patrol one night and he heard someone and when he went to investigate he swung first, asked questions never. Turns out it was just a night-time office employee who got locked out of the main building and let herself in through the back. Cops let him off with a warning to be more careful since he was just doing his job."

"Do you remember the woman's name?" Amanda asked.

"Delia, Celia, Lila, something." Elliot answered. "Sorry, it was a few months ago."

"Delilah?" Carisi supplied.

"Could be." Elliot nodded. "Sounds about right."

"One of the victims is a Delilah Gabriel. Worked at Spence Plastics." Carisi said.

"We do security for them." Elliot said. "Probably the girl he mistook for an intruder."

"Is there anything else about him that might mean anything?" Carisi asked.

Outside Olivia stepped up to the two-way mirror and stared inside, brow furrowed. It was as close as they had been to each other in almost eight years. She turned the volume up on the control panel next to the window. Fin joined her.

"...there was one day he came in, last week I think, had a huge scratch around his hand. Said he was dog-sitting, got scratched." Elliot said. "Any of the Vics have defensive wounds?"

"Beth Doe had signs of defensive wounds but no DNA under nails." Fin murmured to Olivia. "Burke said in his report that there were signs she had been sanitized after her death."

Olivia furrowed her brow. "He's an ex-cop, ex-Ranger, he'd know about DNA left behind."

"Man, why's the asshole gotta be an ex-Ranger." Fin bemoaned. He made a face. "Hold up. I gotta go check something." He ran off.

Olivia turned back to the window. It felt like the world was off-kilter, seeing her ex-partner on the other side of the interrogation table. With a sigh she turned off the voice box and walked away.

She heard a raspy, young cough as she entered the squad room and looked up at her office door. "Noah." She grinned and opened her arms. "Noah, my little man."

Noah ran to her and she hoisted him up. "Hi, mommy."

"Oh, sweet boy." Olivia murmured, holding his warm little body against herself. "What are you doing here?"

Lucy came out and greeted her with a smile. "He woke up and he insisted on seeing you. I figured the cool air couldn't hurt so we came over."

Olivia settled him on her hip. "I'm sick as a dog, Noah."

"Me too." Noah said.

"Maybe I should come home and we could be sick together." Olivia suggested with a smile.

Noah grinned and nodded. "Oh, yes."

"Oh, yes?" Olivia laughed. She gave him a kiss. "My sweet boy, you're so warm."

"My head hurts." Noah said. "My froat hurts."

"You sound like your froat hurts." Olivia said. "Is he taking his medicine?"

"Reluctantly." Lucy answered.

"There are some M&Ms from Halloween in the cabinet, he can have a few if he takes his meds." Olivia said. She smiled and bounced him gently. "Would you like that? Would you like some Emmy-m's?"

Noah grinned. "I want some emmy-m's."

Olivia gave him a noisy kiss on the cheek. "Then you have to take your medicine." She dipped him backward, sending him into a loud peel of giggles.

"It's yucky!" Noah squealed.

"But it's good for you!" Olivia declared cheerfully, swooping him up and holding him tight. "It's gonna make you feel better." She tickled his sides until he was laughing silently and wiggling.

Carisi and Amanda led Elliot out of the interrogation room and stood in the doorway watching Olivia and her son. Elliot's mouth opened slightly in surprise.

"Hey, who is that?" He asked quietly.

"Oh, that's Noah, Liv's little boy." Amanda answered. "He's been like a big brother to my little girl, Jesse. Liv's like an aunt."

"Liv had a baby?" Elliot asked.

"Adoption." Amanda answered. "He was a trafficked victim in a case several years ago when he was a baby. Liv kept on his case and the judge asked if she's be willing to foster him. It took a while and she almost lost him a few times, but she adopted him officially a couple years ago."

"He's beautiful." Elliot said quietly, watching his ex-partner express more joy than he'd ever seen from her. "They look good together."

Olivia set Noah down with a sigh and massaged her lower back. "Okay, sweetheart, mommy has to get back to work."

"No!" Noah insisted, wrapping his arms around her knees.

"Play."

"I want to play with you, bubba, but I have to get to work." Olivia said soothingly.

"Come home and see my new Legos." Noah begged.

"I've seen them, I bought them." Olivia laughed. "I'll play with you later tonight."

"Promise?" Noah asked, gazing up at her with his big, brown eyes. "Promise, promise?"

Olivia knelt in front of him. "I promise." She held up three fingers on her right hand in a salute. "Scouts Honor."

Noah smiled and repeated the gesture. "Okay."

"Kiss." Olivia requested. Noah pecked her on the cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too." Noah said. He looked up at Lucy and took her hand. "I'm sleepy."

"You can take another nap when we get home." Lucy promised.

"Thanks for bringing him by." Olivia said. "I feel better already." She watched them go with a smile that faded as they got further and further away. "I should be used to the guilt by now."

"He knows you love him." Fin soothed. "Barba got us the warrant for Palmer's DNA but we've got an issue."

"My office." Olivia said. She looked up and froze.

Their eyes met across the squad room and suddenly there was no sound, no talking, no phones ringing. Nothing and no one else existed.

Elliot smiled softly and lifted his hand in greeting.

Olivia blinked, her face blank, and she looked away before turning and following Fin into her office.

Elliot's hand dropped slowly and his smiled faded. He swallowed the lump in his throat and pulled his coat on. "I gotta get back to work. Call me if you need anything else."

"Thanks." Amanda said, staring at him questioningly, having seen the silent exchange between them, and their subsequent reactions. "And if you should have anything for us, give us a call or stop by."

"Yeah." Elliot said quietly, staring for a moment at the office door and it's gold plaque, "Lieutenant Olivia Benson". He felt a rush of pride. "See you around."

"You think Palmer might be the wrong person." Olivia said.

"No, I mean, I think someone may have stolen his identity." Fin said. "I mean, his DNA didn't pop? He's an ex-cop, a veteran. His DNA would be in the system."

Olivia made a face. "You have a point." She steepled her hands and pressed them against her lips. "So, who is he then, if he isn't Ashley Palmer?"

"It's one more thing for us to figure out." Fin said.

"Great." Olivia muttered. "As if we don't have enough to figure out."

TBC