Chapter 3 – Now the story comes to life so a small leap in time.
Manhattan SVU, Manhattan, New York
Wednesday, September 9th 2015
4.26 pm
Olivia was sat in the office with Don Cragen, it had been a relatively quiet day and she was not complaining. She slowly played with her Captain's shield that she had been given just three days ago.
"You still in shock?" Cragen asked as he watched the shield move in her fingers catching the light ever so often.
"Yeah, never thought I'd be more than a uniform cop so being Captain now ... it's unreal Dad." She smiled as she placed the shield on her desk.
"You deserve it princess." He smiled and she laughed at him calling her princess, he did it often but it never stopped sounding funny.
"I just don't know if it's going to be something I can do you know, you're here for the rest of the week and then from next week on I'm on my own doing this." She explained as she leant forward on the desk.
"I'm only on the other end of the phone if you need me Liv, don't hesitate in calling your old man for advice and help with this job, it isn't easy for anyone." He smiled gently, he knew she would want to be able to do this job without any help as she was too independent. "Did I ever tell you the story about when I first became Captain?"
"No." Olivia shook her head and sat back knowing that her father was about to tell her the story.
"When I first became Captain I had no idea what I was doing. Captain Howard had been killed in a standoff with a perp and so there was no one to show me the ropes, I was literally thrown in the deep end. Captain Powell of the two one saved my sorry ass, he would call every day just ask if everything was going ok and if I needed anything and after a few days of him calling I understood that he knew how it felt to be in position so I let him help me and after a few months I was able to do the job like I had been doing it all my life." Cragen smiled just as the phone began to ring.
"Cragen." Olivia answered. "Oh hey Mom...Uh I don't think so check the calendar...No...Mom it's four thirty now...Have you tried her cell?... She probably didn't charge it I'll call the school... Ok ... yeah I love you too bye." Olivia sighed and hung up the phone before quickly grabbing her cell phone.
"What is it?" Cragen asked knowing it had been his wife on the phone.
"Melly's not home from school yet, she should have been home over forty minutes ago." Olivia explained before knocking the call button for Melissa's school.
"Hi this is Captain Olivia Cragen-Stabler I'm Melissa Jasmine Cragen-Stabler's mother." Olivia said into the phone. "Yeah I've just received a call from Melissa's Grandmother to say that she hasn't arrived home from school today but on Wednesday's she doesn't have any afterschool activities till six I was just wondering if you can find out if she did leave the school..." Olivia looked at Cragen and waited as the receptionist went to see what she could find out.
"She's probably with a friend Liv don't worry." Cragen said seeing the worry lines appear on Olivia's forehead with every second she didn't know where her eldest child was.
"Hello? Right ok... yes... thank you, bye." Olivia sighed and hung up. "She left the school with Brittany right on the bell Ms Thomas their teacher walked out with them as they were the last to leave." Olivia explained softly.
"Ok why don't you put a BOLO out on her and I'll go and get everyone in here and we'll begin a search." Cragen suggested knowing that right now Olivia's mind was going wild and she wouldn't be able to make any coherent suggestions.
"Yeah." She nodded picking up the radio. "All units be on the lookout for Melissa Cragen-Stabler daughter of Captain Olivia Cragen and Sergeant Elliot Stabler of Manhattan Special Victims, She has hip long blonde hair, is wearing a knee length blue cashmere coat and is carrying a pink backpack with her name on it and should be en route from Sacred Hearts of Jesus school. Over." Olivia placed the radio down and leant on the desk as Elliot came into the room.
"She's not gone far." He smiled softly even though he felt as worried as she looked.
"I know." Olivia nodded just as the phone began to ring.
"Cragen." She answered. "Yes...right I'll wait here." Olivia hung up the phone her face pale and fallen and Elliot and Don knew this wasn't good news. "A child matching Melissa's description was snatched outside a candy shop on the corner of Lexington and East 83rd street." Olivia said as she tried to stop her legs from going from under her as the fear built inside her.
"Who was on the phone Liv?" Elliot asked making her turn towards him.
"Missing Persons that was Captain Jenkins he's bringing the security tape up now." Olivia explained her voice shaking as she spoke.
Elliot sat down beside Cragen in front of the desk as they waited for Captain Jenkins to arrive. He was Melissa's Godfather, when Nicole was christened a few weeks after Olivia and Elliot's wedding they had Melissa christened at the same time and Olivia knowing that Cole would have wanted some of the guys from the one six down in missing persons she and Elliot had agreed. Melissa and Nicole were a massive part of Captain Jenkins world.
"I'll call your mother and tell her to call if Melissa shows up." Cragen said stepping out just as there was a knock on the door and Captain Jenkins walked in.
"I've got the CCTV footage." He informed them and Elliot and Olivia rushed over to the screens in the bullpen while Richards, Cole's former partner, set the tape to roll.
Olivia gripped Elliot's hand while they watched the little girl leave the bodega and be dragged into an awaiting van.
"That's Melly." She whispered the tears sinking down her face.
Elliot wrapped his arms around her and looked at Captain Jenkins waiting for more answers.
"We ran the plates and they were fake, I've got officers canvassing the neighbours and officers speaking to witnesses now." Jenkins told him.
"This is an SVU case now." Olivia said wiping her tears on the back of her hand.
"Olivia..."
"Elliot!" She snapped. "Abducted children are SVU cases until they go cold, why we weren't called first I don't know but the point is, that our daughter is missing now go in my office and get one of the pictures from my desk and get the AMBER alert out. Munch and Fin go to the bodega and help the officers canvass and I am going to call a press conference." Olivia was into Captain's mode in seconds and she rushed into the office as Elliot was leaving with a picture of Melissa and Olivia from a few weeks before at Central Park.
Olivia nodded at him and he headed off to put the AMBER alert out while Olivia slumped into her office chair and set up a press conference.
"Didn't think my first press conference as Captain would be about my daughter." Olivia told her father once the phone was down.
"We'll find her." Cragen told her firmly reaching over and grabbing her hand just as there was a knock on the door.
"Come in." She called and as soon as she saw who it was she was on her feet as was Don.
"Olivia, Don." The Chief of D's nodded towards them both.
"Sir." They both nodded back.
"I got a call to say that your daughter was abducted at three thirty six outside a candy store in Lexington?" He asked.
"Yes sir, we've just reviewed the tape from the bodega, missing persons got the initial case but it's been handed over to SVU now." Olivia explained.
"I want SVU and MP to work this together, this is your Daughter Captain and we want her found as quickly as possible." The Chief replied and Olivia nodded as a tear escaped down her cheek and she quickly swiped it away with her finger.
"Thank you sir." Olivia replied.
"You and Captain Jenkins can work together without problems?" He asked and Olivia nodded, the man was Melissa's Godfather, he would want her home as much as Olivia did.
"Good then I want your officers going through Elliot and your old cases searching for ex cons and recent parolee's with a grudge, let's bring little Melissa home." He smiled reassuringly.
"Of course, thank you sir." Olivia really felt relieved that she had the Chief of D's on her side.
"No problem, I know you've called a press conference, so make sure you're in your blues Captain, your daughter or not let's stay professional."
"Of course." Olivia nodded and the Chief turned to Don.
"I'm sure you're going to be ok with pulling any extra weight?"
"I wouldn't have it any other way, that's my granddaughter that's missing Sir." Cragen replied almost angry.
"Good." The chief nodded at them both before hurrying out of the room.
Olivia sunk into her chair and dropped her head into her hands. She had so many questions circling her mind, so many statements. Was her baby alright? Was she hurt? Was she missing her parents? Did they hurt her? Why did they have her? Was she going to be raped or already been raped? The horrifying truth was until she rescued her daughter she would have no idea.
"We'll find her Liv." Cragen told her dropping his hand onto her shoulder.
"I know." Olivia nodded, she had to believe that.
Manhattan SVU, Manhattan, New York
Wednesday, September 9th 2015
5.33 pm
Olivia and Cragen stood outside the door to go into the press conference, she was getting more and more nervous with every passing minute that Melissa remained missing.
"You ready for this Liv?" He asked gently.
"Yes." She smiled weakly the tear trails on her cheeks she'd unsuccessfully tried to hide glistened in the strong lighting.
"We'll find her Liv." Cragen reassured as he pulled her into an embrace.
She was dying to cry some more but as the doors opened she managed to pull herself together and go to the podium with Cragen's hand in her own. Elliot was in the squad room running the phone operation.
They walked hand in hand to the microphone covered podium and Olivia took out the prepared speech, first she had to be professional, she would give all the information they were giving which was everything bar the fact the plate was a fake in case someone called in with that number plate because they hadn't taken it off. Wishful thinking or hoping, Olivia thought.
The camera lights' flashing in her eyes was distracting even though she'd done thousands of these things.
"Ok?" Cragen whispered into her ear.
"Yeah." She whispered back before clearing her throat making the room fall into silence.
"At three thirty six this afternoon thirteen year old Melissa Jasmine Cragen-Stabler was abducted from The Candy Store Bodega on the corner of Lexington and East Eighty Third Street." Olivia paused knowing that the CCTV footage would begin to play on every TV station. "She was wearing a blue cashmere coat and was carrying a pink back pack, she was also wearing her school uniform from the Sacred Hearts of Jesus Catholic School." Olivia took another deep breath and glanced nervously at Cragen as the tears built in her eyes.
"If you have any information that could help us with locating Melissa Jasmine then call the Special Victims Squad Room on the number on your screens now. Please help us bring Melissa home." Olivia whispered the last bit and the tears spilled over as Cragen rushed to her side and wrapped an arm around her pulling her into an embrace while she tried to compose herself.
She turned back to the microphone and wiped her cheeks before continuing.
"Please there is a twenty thousand pound reward for any information that leads to Melissa's safe return." Olivia finished the official part and was now able to say whatever she want while Cragen rubbed her back supportively. "If you have Melly please let her go, her family miss her so much and we just want her home. Melly if you're watching this we're not mad with you baby we just want to know that you're safe. Mommy loves you princess..." The tears chucked down Olivia's tears. "Daddy wants his Chipmunk back and your sisters and brother want you home so badly baby we're going to find you." Olivia dropped her head to Cragen's shoulder as he held Olivia he used this chance to say something.
"As you can see we all just want our Melly back. Please help us find my Granddaughter, if you have her please don't hurt her she's just a little girl." Cragen whispered before pulling Olivia out of the way for the Chief of D's.
"Thank you Captain Olivia Cragen and Former Captain Donald Cragen from Manhattan Special Victims, again if you have any information about Melissa Cragen-Stabler please call the Special Victims Unit confidential hotline on the number on your screen. As we just want to bring Melissa home safe, as you can see her Mother and Grandfather miss her so much." The Chief of D's closed it up. "If we have more information we'll call another conference at oh eight hundred hours. Thank you."
The cameras flashed again and numerous questions were fired as Olivia, Cragen and the Chief walked out into the hallway.
"I can't ... I need ..." Olivia hiccupped as she fell to her knees.
Cragen knelt down in front of her and cupped her face in his hands.
"We need to go back to the one six princess, see if anything's coming in." Cragen whispered before leaning forward and kissing her forehead.
"I want my baby back." She whispered as more tears flooded down her cheeks.
"I know and we're going to get her back but right now we need to go to the one six and you need to call your Mother and speak with the other children." Cragen told her and she nodded before letting him and the Chief help her to her shakily to her feet.
Manhattan SVU, Manhattan, New York
Wednesday, September 9th 2015
6.12 pm
"Great job on the conference babe." Elliot whispered as he rushed over to her.
"Thank you anything usable?" She asked looking at the three drawers where the tips were organised as Cold, Crazy and Use.
"I've got officers all over this Liv." He said gently before kissing her forehead.
"Find our daughter El." She told him firmly.
"I will." He replied straight.
"Listen up!" She yelled climbing onto a chair. "Not a single tip is cold or crazy until you've checked it over do I make myself clear! Find Melissa and bring her home!" Olivia yelled before letting Cragen lead her away.
In the office Olivia called her kids while Cragen put the TV on. The press conference was playing and was on mute but Olivia knew it was replaying Olivia's breakdown because there was a family photo of Don, Anne, Olivia and Elliot and the Cragen-Stabler kids and the Stabler's all at the last policeman's ball.
"Where did they get that photo from?" Olivia frowned as she put the phone down.
"No idea Liv probably the photographer who took it. They'd have paid him a fortune for it." Cragen sighed, he hated people who made money off other people's pain.
"Where's my baby Dad?" She sighed before the tears rushed down her cheeks.
"We'll find her Liv." He told her as he took her to the couch beneath the window and wrapping her up in his arms.
"I want my baby back, I can't go through this again." She cried hard into her father's chest as he held her.
"Princess this isn't the same as with Michael." He whispered knowing what she meant by going through it again.
"It hurts as much." Olivia cried. "I just want my Melly home."
"I know." Cragen sighed.
As Olivia cried Don Cragen prayed harder than he'd ever prayed in his life. He was hurting too, his granddaughter was missing and as he prayed the memories of him with his granddaughter rushed through his mind, the first time she called him granddad, comforting her at her brother and father's funerals, her birthdays, their trips to the park, he felt the tears sting his eyes but hearing the woman he called a daughter sobbing loudly into his chest is what hurt the most. He would do anything to be able to take away her pain and sorrow.
The office door opened pulling him out of his prayer and make him turn but Olivia didn't even move as she sobbed. Huang walked in carrying what was visibly a medical bag and Cragen gave him a polite nod. He knew Olivia needed some medical attention, she was pregnant and the high stress situation couldn't be doing her or the baby any good.
"Olivia." He called to her softly.
She turned to him hiccupping while she cried but kept her head firmly on Cragen's chest.
"I just want to check your blood pressure ok just to make sure you and the baby are alright." He explained as he pulled out what he needed from his bag.
She nodded and rolled up her sleeve knowing what to expect but she couldn't stop crying as Huang got to work. Cragen softly stroked her hair knowing it relaxed her a little but it didn't matter she couldn't stop thinking about her daughter. She kept imagining finding her daughter's lifeless body and it made her break into wracked sobs.
"Ok Liv your blood pressure is dangerously high, I want to give you a sedative don't worry though it's perfectly ok for the baby don't worry about that, I need your body to relax for a little while and then when you wake I want you to take an anti-anxiety just so we can bring your blood pressure down ok?" He knew Olivia hated any form of therapeutic medication but she nodded knowing that her baby was in dangerous with her so worked up and at least while she was asleep she wasn't imagining her daughter's body.
Once she nodded Huang administered the sedative and went to sit down while Cragen rocked his daughter to sleep.
"We'll find her Liv, don't you worry we'll bring Melly home." He whispered as he rocked her and stroked her hair.
It took five minutes for Olivia to drop off to a dreamless sleep, dreamless thanks to the medication. Cragen looked at Huang waiting for him to speak.
"She'll sleep for a couple of hours, it's better than nothing." Huang explained, it wasn't a heavy sedative because it was developed specifically for pregnant women.
"She's in so much pain." Cragen whispered as a tear ran down his cheek which he made no attempt to stop.
"I know, I'm hurting for her and want her return so much so I can't imagine how much she's hurting." Huang whispered, he was known as Uncle George, he loved that little girl as he did all of Olivia and Elliot's kids.
"I know." Cragen sighed. "Can you go into the corner cupboard and bring out the camp bed, she'll get a sore neck and back on this couch."
"Sure." Huang nodded knowing exactly where the bed was kept having used it himself a few times.
Once the bed was set up Huang went to get Elliot and Fin to gently carry Olivia onto the bed and Elliot tucked her in and kissed her head.
"Hopefully when you wake up we'll have some news on our baby." He whispered before giving Cragen a nod and rushing out.
Manhattan SVU, Manhattan, New York
Wednesday, September 9th 2015
7.46 pm
Cragen and Huang were sat on the couch talking, a uniformed officer had been in with coffee for the two of them and they had been talking about Olivia and her coping skills for a long time. They could see that she was stirring and Huang had filled a needle with Anti-Anxiety ready for when she woke up.
"How long have I been asleep?" She asked her eyes still closed.
"About an hour and a half." Huang replied gently.
"I wasn't dreaming then?" She sighed as she slowly pushed herself to sitting.
"I'm afraid not Liv." Cragen whispered as Huang picked up the needle.
"Are you still ok with taking this anti-anxiety? It's just to help keep your blood pressure down." Huang explained and Olivia nodded and sighed softly, she didn't want to use drugs but she needed to for her unborn child.
"Liv we have a lead!" Elliot yelled running into the office.
"What?" Olivia asked desperately as Huang stabbed the needle into her bicep.
"The van." He explained. "It was on fire just off the Brooklyn Bridge."
"Any ..." Olivia swallowed. "Any bodies?"
"We don't know they're still putting the fire out." Elliot explained and Olivia and Cragen jumped to their feet and followed him out.
So where is Melissa, who has her? Why was she kidnapped? All revealed shortly!
SteffieDawn