Author's Notes: Thanks again to everyone who has reviewed. I'm lovin' it!

Sorry for a shorter chapter but I promise that you will find out more information in this chapi.

Also, I'll probably update once a day but please be sympathetic this weekend since I'm going home and it's Easter. I'll do my best thought:)

Disclaimer: Well my plan to steal the characters has failed but I'm trying again. I'm heading over to the Harry Potter fanfiction page to borrow an Invisibility Cloak. That should help so don't look for a disclaimer next chapter hahahahaha…

Now onto the Meat and Potatoes

Lizzie

Strange discoveries

Stabler entered the tiny grocery around four that afternoon. He was exhausted and began looking for an energy drink. Grabbing a Mountain Dew off the shelf, he opened it immediately and began to down it. He needed to stay awake because he had no idea when he would sleep again. Food also sounded good so he headed back to the Deli area, where he ordered two pieces of fish and a side of cole slaw. When the young man behind the counter rang him up, Stabler pulled out his badge.

"Is there an Ally Gall working today?"

The young man nodded before going over and taping a woman in her early thirties on the shoulder. She was busy dipping potato salad but she nodded her acknowledgment to Stabler and held up a finger to show she would join him in a minute. Stabler nodded and gestured to a table. He paid for his lunch and found a seat, continuing to drink his soda.

A few moments later Ally, a young woman with chestnut brown hair that was pulled back in a neat bun and glasses pulled up the second seat.

"I'm Ally Gall. What can I do for you?"

Stabler pulled out a picture of Benson and slid it to her.

"I'm Elliot Stabler from New York PD. This is my partner Olivia Benson. She was staying at the Leisure Inn Hotel where you also work. I talked with some of the staff and they told me you have information on Olivia."

Ally cursed silently under her breath. "Damn Addison." She shook her head before turning to Stabler.

"I didn't mean to eavesdrop, Detective Stabler, but she seemed to be in a bit of a rut." Ally's accent was thick but Stabler was able to pick up almost everything.

"She was a bit jumpy and than this guy showed up. He was a good looking gent and he said they were going together. They fought a bit but he didn't seem dangerous. He seemed to be concerned about her."

Stabler nodded. "You know his name?"

"Nah but I think he's a copper. I know she was."

Stabler jotted down more notes. "Any good with drawing or know anyone who might have some talent with a pen?"

Ally nodded. "Yeah, my ten year old kid, Jacob, is an outstanding drawer." She got up, went back behind the counter and emerged moments later with a piece of paper in her hand.

"This is a self portrait he did of himself." She pulled his picture out of her wallet and handed both to Stabler. The detective stared at both. It was almost a mirror image.

"Ally, do you think Jacob could draw the man who was with Detective Benson based off your description?"

Ally bit on her lip and nodded. "Sure, he's real good."

Stabler nodded and stood up. "Can you leave?"

Ally shook her head. "I'm not off the clock for another hour."

Stabler turned to the back where a man in his mid forties was going through inventory.

"You Ms. Gall's manager?"

The man nodded and held out his hand, which Stabler shook. "Charles Napier and yes, I am."

Stabler pulled out his badge for Mr. Napier to see. "I have an ongoing investigation that I need Ms. Gall for. Can I borrow her for a bit?"

Napier looked to Ally. "You wanna be cut short an hour?"

Ally shook her head vigorously. "No, but I gotta help Detective Stabler."

Napier nodded. "Okay, but I can't offer you a make up time yet."

"Got it." Ally walked back behind the counter for the second time. "Let me get my things, Detective."

Stabler muttered a thank you to Mr. Napier and bought a cookie for himself and one for Ally. She appeared moments later and both started up the street.

"Jacob should be home by now. I just hope I can help."

Stabler knew this was shaky but it was all he had. "What did you overhear, Ms. Gall?"

Ally shook her head. "I shouldn't say."

"Look, I'm a cop. I'm also Olivia's partner. I won't get you in trouble, I promise."

Ally didn't nod or even acknowledge anything. She looked nervous.

"Promise that you won't get me fired. I have three kids and a mortgage. I need my jobs."

"Promise."

This time, Ally nodded and continued with her story, remembering the events from almost three days ago.

Ally had maintained a distance from Benson and her companion as they returned to room 324. Benson had unlocked the door and both had entered. Ally had waited thirty seconds before approaching. She looked around to make sure she was truly alone before pressing her ear to the door. She was able to pick up the continuation of the gentleman's rant.

"…them, don't you? You say you love them like family and him, he's like brother to you. Those were your own words, Olivia."

"And they're true." Benson's voice was calm but her tone was sad.

"Than how could you do this?" The man's tone was no longer angry but desperate. "You'll probably never see them again!"

There was silence for several minutes. When Benson answered, she sounded as if she was crying.

"Don't you think I know this? You have no idea how much I hate this but they would respect my decision. My conscience is demanding I do something. I wouldn't be doing my job if I turned a blind eye."

Ally wished she could have seen what was going on inside the room. There was nothing now except the occasional sniffle.

"This isn't your case, Olivia. You're here on vacation. You should be taking pictures of Big Ben and Westminster, not teaming up with London PD to work on a case you stumbled upon out of shear bad luck."

"I know, I know, but now that I'm involved, I can't just unattached myself. I have to follow through."

"Olivia…" That was all the man said and his voice trailed off and he sounded as if he were accepting defeat.

"Look, I'm the best for the job. Yaburov is extremely dangerous. He'll kill you if he even gets a hint of your disloyalty."

"Again, you're preaching to the choir. I know what I'm up against but if I succeed, think of the number of lives we'll save."

"Olivia, he's a professional. Even if you put him out of the way, he has back up. The chances are very slim you'll walk away."

There was more silence. When Benson replied, Ally could barely make it out. "I know." Benson sounded both worried and sad but resolved. Ally knew that whatever was going on, this woman was going in for the kill.

"I'll have you on the first plane out. We already have one agent in the field; he'll help you get a spot. We're afraid he's about to be discovered so once you're in, he's gone. Are you okay with this?"

Since there was no reply before the man continued, Ally assumed Benson had nodded.

"Your plane leaves in four hours. Leave everything behind and my department will come and take care of it."

Ally waited another two minutes before the man asked a question that confused and worried Ally.

"What about your coworkers in the States? What should I tell them?"

There was silence again but when Benson came back in she sounded dead, soulless. "They'll start to get worried when I don't come home. They'll probably call and try and track me down. Make sure they can't. I want the paper trail cold. After a week, send them my belongings and declare me lost. Maybe you could have remains pop up somewhere. I don't want to leave 'em hanging."

"Here." Ally didn't understand this at first until she heard Benson blow her nose. The gentleman must have handed her a tissue, Ally concluded.

"What if you make it through this?"

Silence.

"I'll keep going. There's always going to be this problem. I won't leave until I'm dead. I might as well give my friends some closure."

"Benson, you do know what you're going to do isn't going to be pleasant. You'll see things that you couldn't concoct in your darkest nightmares. Just remember not to pounce too early. If you do, you'll accomplish nothing and they'll kill you."

Ally drifted back from the door a bit. Whatever this was, it was serious and Ally suddenly wasn't sure if she wanted to hear anymore. Fortunately, this seemed to be the end of the conversation. The last thing she heard was, "let's make you look the part."

Ally had decided that enough was enough. She had gone back downstairs where Addison was waiting.

"What'd you hear?"

Ally had thought about the question for a moment. She didn't want everyone to find out. Was she a security threat just by hearing this conversation? Deciding that this probably wasn't the case, Ally decided that she still wouldn't tell another soul. She pulled a cocky smile onto her face.

"They're simply very good friends."

Addison had smiled slightly and Ally quickly retreated to the desk and began to fill out paper work. She had busied herself until Addison called her to the desk. She went up to see Olivia Benson and her friend leaving the building. Benson had changed dramatically and while she carried herself with confidence, her expression was sad. She hugged the gentleman who was with her before getting in a cab and disappearing.

Elliot Stabler realized that they hadn't moved in thirty minutes. They were standing on a London street, people passing and sometimes shoving by them. He just couldn't get that conversation out of his head. Ally pressed on to her conclusion.

"A couple held the door open for them but when they approached the desk, the woman asked if prostitutes came by this hotel often. Addison said they didn't but the man stated that 'the lady was dressed too nicely to be a prostitute.' Said she looked more like a female pimp. That led to a fight between the two because the wife wanted to know how the hell he knew the difference between pimps and prostitutes."

Stabler barely heard these words. Olivia was gone and had been for three days. She had been getting on a plane meaning she could be anywhere by now.

"The man Olivia was talking to, you sure he was a cop?"

Ally nodded in response. "Pretty sure. Sounded like a cop. Said it was his case and not hers."

Stabler gestured toward the street. Ally seemed to realize that they had been frozen for several minutes nodded and they pressed on.

"My apartment's another three blocks up the road. Jacob should be home by now. He plays football after school. It's gotta be close to five by now. Hope he can draw quick because I've got to be to work by seven."

Stabler didn't say anything and the rest of their trip was made in silence.

Back in the United States Cragen was becoming concerned. He had called Stabler's cell phone three more times before calling Kathy.

"Kathy, it's Cragen. I'm sorry to disturb you but is Elliot around?"

"Hi, Don. No he didn't come home last night."

That was all Cragen needed to know. He thanked Kathy and hung up, promising to inform her if something happened. He dialed Fin's number first.

"Fin."

"It's Cragen. Have you heard from Stabler at all?"

"Nah, figured he's crashed somewhere. Maybe drunk, maybe not. Want me to come back in?"

Cragen thought about it. He had ordered Fin and Munch to be on rest until two that afternoon, a time still two hours away. However, it now appeared that he had two missing officers. He'd have to have them back if anything was to get done.

"Good idea. Call Munch and report back to the Pin by one."

"We'll be there." Fin hung up, semi-annoyed that Cragen wasn't in the mood to call Munch personally. He dialed the number from memory.

"Munch."

"Cragen wants us back."

"I knew it."

Fin sighed and prepared himself for Munch's newest theories on Benson's disappearance.

I'm trying to hold on. Just waiting to hear your voice. One word, just a word will do to end this nightmare.

Elton John – Endless Night