"Stabler?" Ed questioned. "You're kidding."

"No, as if this case needs anymore intricacies, gotta throw him into the mix." Olivia remarked, handing him the clean plate and grabbed a dirty cup.

"How long has it been since you last saw him?" Ed asked, dying everything she handed him.

"2011." Olivia answered. "Almost eight years."

"Did you guys speak?" Ed asked.

Olivia shook her head. "Why would we? Rollins and Carisi are the lead detectives. I don't have time to talk to every witness or person of interest. I spend most of my time talking to One PP these days." She glanced at Noah playing in the living room. "Hey, are you feeling okay? Noah and I both have this crud pretty badly and you've been here through all of it."

"I feel great." Ed said with a smile. "I guess I'm immune." He kissed her on the cheek. "You gonna take care of me if I get sick?"

"Hmm, what were you thinking?"Olivia purred in a low voice. She dried her hands and wrapped her arms around him.

"Little nurses costume." Ed crooned. "With the little hat thing. Maybe some cute little knee-high socks, high heels?" He ducked his head down and gave her a kiss. "You can let the patient take your temperature."

Olivia giggled quietly. "Lord almighty, I feel my temperature rising."

"I'm your hunk-a hunk-a burning love." Ed said.

"Mommy, your phone!" Noah called. He swiped right. "Hello?"

"Noah, bring that to mommy." Olivia requested.

"Hi, Uncle Fin." Noah said brightly. "Washing dishes with Ed. He's her hunk-a hunk-a burning love."

Olivia swooped down and grabbed it. "Fin?"

"He's your what?" Fin questioned.

Olivia winced in embarrassment. "Uh, nothing, we were joking around, Noah didn't hear the whole conversation. What's up?"

"I did a search on Ashley Palmer." Fin began. "I found a missing person's report for a Ashley Palmer that matches our guy's DOB and service record."

Olivia sat down on the sofa. "Tell me."

"Went missing two years ago out of Boston, just after a medical retirement." Fin said. "The missing Palmer got shot in the line of duty and was given a meritorious release. He went missing about three weeks later. I spoke to Boston PD who think he may have killed himself. Apparently he was being treated for PTSD and the shooting added to that."

Olivia sighed. "What are we thinking, our guy killed him and stole his ID or just picked an unlucky identify to steal?"

"Right now, who knows." Fin said.

"Okay, we have a photo of our guy from his employee file. Fax that up to Boston and have them take it to the family, see if they might recognize him. Maybe they knew each other."

"Will do." Fin said.

"Anything else?" Olivia asked.

"I'll let you know." Fin said. "Hey, make sure you have a fire extinguisher handy if you and your hunk-a hunk-a catch fire."

"So, where are we on Palmer-Not-Palmer?" Olivia asked, entering the squad room with renewed determination.

"Rollins and Carisi are going to his home now to bring him in for questioning and his DNA." Fin answered. He smiled playfully. "Did y'all burn the apartment down last night?"

Olivia choked on her coffee. "Ha-ha-ha. No, as a matter of fact the only thing that burned was Ed's forehead at three am when he woke up coughing and stuffy. Now we're all sick."

"Better not give it to me." Fin warned. "I will kick a five year old's ass."

"Hey, he's not five yet." Olivia laughed. "We're having a party for him next week, will you come?"

"Are you kidding? Miss a chance to have a cheap-ass Carvel and some burgers? I wouldn't miss that shit for the world." Fin answered. "Tell Lil Man his Uncle Fin gonna get him the best present ever."

"Nothing too crazy." Olivia requested.

"So, no lawn darts?" Fin remarked. He grinned. "Does he have a bike yet?"

"He has a tricycle." Olivia answered.

"Imma get Lil Dude a bike." Fin declared. "A shiny red one with a bell."

"And training wheels." Olivia laughed.

"Nah, see, with kids you gotta do the swimming pool training and throw them in." Fin said.

"I think I see why Ken has his resentments." Olivia remarked.

Fin laughed. "I'll let you know when Palmer gets here."

Olivia went to her office and settled at her desk. When she opened her emails there were already seventy-one waiting for her response. She sighed and scrolled through the senders.

65

She stared for a moment before deleting it without reading it. She sat back with a sigh and jumped sky-high when her desk line started trilling. "Lieutenant Benson."

"Hey, Liv," Carisi greeted, "the apartment was a no-go. Looks like he hasn't been there in a while."

"Damn." Olivia muttered. She leaned against her hand. "I don't know what to do."

"I've got an idea." Carisi said. "Rollins and I have been discussing it and we wanna run it past you."

"Okay." Olivia said, reasonably pleased with her detectives for a change, "shoot."

"Uh, we'll talk to you when we get back." Carisi said.

"Okay?" Olivia said uncertainly.

"Undercover." Olivia said emotionlessly. "You want me to go undercover."

"It's a great idea," Rollins said quickly, "you'd be right there, we'd get him without a doubt. Since we can't get him from the outside, we gotta get him from the inside."

Olivia sighed quietly and took her glasses off, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "Guys..."

"Look, Stabler said you used to be an ace at undercover." Carisi interjected.

Olivia gave him a look. "I'm, frankly, uncomfortable with you two getting all chummy with him. Stop making friends."

"C'mon, Lieutenant." Rollins implored. "This is the only way."

Olivia looked away. For a while they were all quietly sat, listening to a new rain fall outside. She thought about all the times before, deep undercover, when her life suddenly hung in the delicate balance. Gonna have some fresh repressed memories to discuss in therapy, she thought to herself. She inhaled loudly. "Fine." She got up and turned to the window. "Call Stabler and clear it with him."

TBC