Disclaimer: Standard

My apologies to all Stabler admirers. He was a convenient foil. Many thanks for all of the kind reviews.

Chapter Three

Over the next few days, Elliott Stabler unfortunately lived up to Alex's predictions. He was a jerk. He glared at Alex and Bobby when they appeared in the SVU squad room; muttered about "stupid theories" when Bobby opened his mouth; and generally refused to cooperate. The rest of the SVU squad, fortunately, was more professional and welcoming. Alex and Olivia Benson interviewed the victims' families and friends ("I don't envy you that," Bobby, his eyes dark and sympathetic, told Alex); Munch, who Alex liked for his dark, bleak humor, continued investigating patterns; Fin poured over records of similar crimes; and Bobby and Dr. George Huang tried to make sense of it all.

No additional victims appeared. "The only problem with that," Bobby said quietly at one early morning meeting. "Is that we don't have any additional information."

Stabler briefly ceased his angry prowling around the room and glared at Bobby. "You sound disappointed, Goren."

Alex scowled at Stabler; Olivia sighed; and the other detectives focused on the files in front of them.

"If that's the impression I gave," Bobby said steadily. "I'm sorry…I certainly don't want any more victims…No one does…"

"You're being unfair, Elliott," George Huang said quietly. "You know there's a two-edged sword we deal with in these cases…"

"Do we have anything close to a profile of this guy?" Munch asked. "Besides his apparent knowledge of State Road 15?"

"I know that road," Bobby said softly. "Not much to know about it." He leaned forward and rested his chin in his hand. "Dr. Huang and I have some things…a lot of it is common sense…"

Disdain on his face and in his posture, Stabler leaned against a wall; the other detectives were quietly attentive. Bobby looked at Huang, who spoke carefully.

"He's probably a white male…in his thirties or forties…" The psychiatrist glanced occasionally at his notes. "He knows something about police and police procedures…and likely has a grudge of some kind against law enforcement…"

"And women," Munch said dryly.

Huang nodded. "Women in their mid-thirties who have dark hair and eyes and are small…and all of the victims have been librarians or teachers…"

Alex shot a quick look at Bobby, who was calm and placid; as she looked back at Huang she saw that Stabler was closely watching Bobby.

"He could be," Bobby said softly and deliberately. "A cop…"

There was a collective wince among the detectives. Stabler snorted.

"Easy to target other cops, Goren," he said bitterly.

Bobby titled his head. "It's a possibility we have to consider," he said.

Alex watched her partner. He was trying very hard—and largely succeeding—at hiding his irritation with Elliott Stabler. "Probably better than I am," Alex thought. She noted that Olivia Benson glared at Stabler. "Bobby may be doing better than anyone here."

Fin broke the silence. "Do we know if this guy's got a history?"

Huang shook his head. "These killings have some distinctive touches…signatures…and there's no history of any similar cases in any databases…"

"The first victim." Bobby spoke almost as if he addressed only himself. "There were hesitation marks…It was probably his first…"

"So, you know all of this, how, Goren? Know all about him?" Stabler said bitterly.

Bobby returned from his reverie. "Not a hundred percent," he said quietly. "But it's highly likely…"

"What set this creep off?" Munch asked. "Why's he started chopping and dicing women now?"

Huang sighed. "Some crisis, I'd guess," he said. "Some professional or personal storm…or both…I hate to sound like a cliché, but it's possibly related to a wife…girlfriend…"

"Mother," Bobby said in a low voice.

"Well, whatever set it off," Munch said. "This whacko has some serious issues…"

"Ok?" Alex asked as she passed by Bobby as the meeting broke up.

Bobby glanced up at her; for a moment he looked exhausted and lost. "Yea…" He rubbed the back of his neck, and Alex glimpsed some of his dark thoughts. "It's…it's just…some of it…It's hitting a little close."

"You're handling it well," Alex said gently. "I was ready to whack Stabler up the side of the head."

Bobby smiled weakly. "Right now, I can't afford the energy to deal with that sort of thing…the case…other things…"

Alex cautiously laid a hand on Bobby's arm. He hadn't spoken of his mother recently beyond a few words. "How is your Mom?"

For a moment she thought he wouldn't answer her or would pull away, but Bobby finally spoke. "She's…she's doing as well as can be expected…At least that's what the doctors keep telling me…" He stared at the desk. "But they admit they don't know what to expect…Even the most experienced of them haven't dealt with treating someone with schizophrenia for cancer…" He took a deep breath; Alex sensed he was weighing how much to reveal to her. She realized she was desperately hoping he would trust her.

"It's…it's just hard," he said in a low, hoarse voice. "To watch her suffer more…especially…after all she's suffered…and she gets…so upset and confused…" Bobby's carefully constructed defenses wavered, and Alex glimpsed the torment behind them. "But…but…" Just as suddenly, the walls rose again. "I can deal with it…It'll be ok…"

She didn't press the issue, but Bobby remained in Alex's thoughts as she worked with Olivia Benson in the afternoon. It was dreary, depressing work requiring reviewing the accounts of the victims' husbands and fathers and mothers and daughters and brothers and sisters.

"Good grief, Olivia," Alex asked as they broke for coffee. "How do you do this every day?"

Olivia smiled wanly. "Well, you don't get used to it. If you get used to it, you need to get out."

Alex nodded. "My Dad was a cop. He always said that…and that you couldn't let yourself care too much…Nice tightrope we get to walk."

Olivia was grateful for the chance to talk. "Yea…Most of the time helping the victims…and the people I work with…It helps me keep my balance…but there are times…" She shook her head. "I need to apologize for Stabler…He usually isn't such a jerk…but I'm afraid his idea of what Goren is…"

"Yea, a lot of people have some idea of what Bobby's like," Alex said. "And they're wrong…" She smiled. "Mostly…"

"I've noticed," Olivia said, returning the smile. "He's shown remarkable patience…I've wanted to pop Elliott a few times myself…" She sighed. "Partners, uh?"

"Yea," Alex said. "Partners."

Her cell phone rang just as Alex left SVU; it was an apologetic and depressed Bobby. Carmel Ridge had called; his mother needed him; he'd told Ross.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I know…I know you…If you have a bad time tonight…you can call me…"

In spite of her worries about him, Alex smiled at Bobby's concern for her. Since what she and Bobby had come to call the "thing", he'd occasionally spent the night at her home, usually planting his large, reassuring presence on her couch or the chair in her room, but sometimes wrapped around her in her bed to drive away the nightmares. His visits had become less frequent in recent days, due both to his mother's condition and Alex's improvement, but Alex found the possibility of his presence remarkably reassuring.

"I'll be ok…but thank you for thinking of me," Alex said. "Are you sure you're ok?"

"I…I will be…I'll see you tomorrow."

Alex strongly suspected Bobby wouldn't appear the next morning and dreaded his state if he did. To her surprise, he was calm and relaxed. He and George Huang were in a deep conversation when Alex arrived at work. She placed a large coffee cup on Bobby's desk.

"Sorry, Doctor," she smiled. "I've only brought coffee for my partner."

Huang returned the smile. "Well, the Major Case coffee is better than the stuff in SVU…but that's not saying much…"

Alex took a long drink of her coffee. "You and Bobby come up with anything?"

Bobby stared at his computer screen. "We may have established a time pattern…The attacks appear to come every three to four weeks…"

Alex's throat tightened. "Which means…it's time for another…"

Bobby and Huang nodded grimly.

On cue, the psychiatrist's phone rang. He answered, a dark look crossing his face. "All right," Huang said. "I'm at Major Case…I'll be there soon…with Goren and Eames…" He frowned. "Damn…Elliott…drop the attitude…"

"Another?" Alex asked.

Huang nodded. "This time dumped near SVU…"

End Chapter Three