Disclaimer: As it turns out, Dick Wolf isn't weak minded so I left and moved onto my plan. I'm on the Pirates of the Caribbean page and looking for Jack's compass. It'll lead to the think I want most. Than I'll use the Kraken to take out NBC. We'll see how that goes…

Now onto the Meat and Potatoes

Lizzie

Late Night Visitor

Another day passed before Stabler found out more of the strange events that had occurred so suddenly. He had hoped that he would get another sighting of Benson. He'd traveled to Yaburov's mansion on the outskirts of town. This had only impressed more upon him how much this bastard earned. The mansion sprawled over sixty acres and Stabler wished he could have gotten closer but he couldn't risk walking into enemy territory.

That night, Stabler crashed on his bed and laid there staring at the ceiling, his thoughts running wild.

"Why didn't Liv shoot the bastard?" That question had been bothering Stabler for a while. "If she'd just shot him, we'd be on our way home by now…no, we'd BE home by now."

Stabler had rolled over and now stared out the window. "Certainly she didn't change sides." The second he uttered this, he berated himself for even thinking such thoughts.

"Liv's Liv and she would never side with a perp. I have to talk with her."

Stabler pulled himself up and began to prepare for bed. Yes, tomorrow would be the day. He could infiltrate a house that large. He'd find Liv, if she was around, and force her to come home. He'd arrest her if he had to.

Stabler climbed into bed, shut off the lights and fell asleep before his head hit the pillow.

BANG, BANG, BANG!!!!

Stabler sat strait up in bed. Someone was pounding on his door. He groaned and glanced at the clock, which read three in the morning. With another groan, Stabler jerked himself out of bed and began looking for a shirt. As he pulled one on, the knocking grew more urgent.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," he snarled. Whoever this was, they were going to get an earful of Stabler's ranting about waking him up in the middle of the night.

Marching over to the door, he jerked it open with purpose, opened his mouth to snarl go away and got a mouthful of blond hair as the knocker threw their arms around him, pulling him into a rib crushing hug.

Stabler was taken aback and, knowing exactly who this person was, put his arms around her waist and pulled her into the room. The moment the door shut, Stabler pulled himself out of the embrace and looked into the tear stained face of Olivia Benson.

He just stared at her for a number of seconds before pulling her into a hug. He pulled back and touched her face with his hand.

"Liv, is it really you?"

She gave him a sad smile and Stabler couldn't stop the tears. He hated crying in front of anyone but this time he didn't care. Pulling her into another hug, he let his tears fall freely, mostly onto her shirt.

"God, El, I never thought I'd see you again."

Besides her threat from the previous day, Stabler hadn't heard Benson's voice in what felt like forever. It fell on him like a sweet caress and he intensified his hug.

"You're alive, you're alive," Stabler had no idea how many times he whispered that and he didn't care. The candle he had been burning for Benson in his mind had exploded and here she was. She was alive, she was here…what was he thinking?

Stabler pulled back and seized her hand. "C'mon, we'll be on the next flight out. I don't care where it goes just as long as we're in the air by five."

Benson tightened the grip on his hand and pulled gently.

"Elliot, I'm not going anywhere."

Stabler turned around to face his partner. "We're going home, Liv. Everyone's worried sick about you. It's time to come home."

Again, Benson shook her head. "I have a job to do, Elliot, and I'm not leaving until I'm done. I just wanted to find you and make sure you were okay."

Stabler tried to keep his anger in check. He didn't need the police called because he started shouting.

"So you're just going to leave and then what?"

Benson shrugged. "I'm gonna do my job."

Stabler's eyes narrowed. "Your job is in New York City. You work for NYPD not this establishment. Who're you working for anyway?"

Stabler had expected Ulmer or even Russian police but he wasn't ready for what hit him.

"Vasyl Yaburov."

Stabler had no idea what kind of emotions he should be experiencing. Olivia Benson, the champion for victims, had just admitted to working for a known human trafficker.

"You wanna clarify yourself?"

Benson sighed and took a seat on the bed. "I can't tell you, Elliot."

Stabler took a seat next to her and took her right hand in his left. Stabler had had plenty of fights with Benson but she had always been able to tell him anything. When he pointed this out to her, she shook her head.

"Elliot, I can't."

Stabler remembered his meeting with Ulmer. When he had demanded to know everything, Ulmer had clammed up. Yet he had talked when Stabler had lowered his expectations.

"Tell me what you can, Liv."

Benson squeezed his hand before releasing it.

"You don't have to worry; I'm not really working for Vasyl Yaburov. He thinks I am and I'm compensated for what I do."

Stabler had a horrible picture of that bastard forcing himself on Benson and her taking it in an attempt to do her job.

"You're a prostitute, aren't you?"

Benson gave a small chuckle but shook her head. "Look at me, El. Men come to Yaburov looking for young girls, teenagers or a bit older, younger many times. I'm forty three years old and I couldn't pass for sixteen, no matter how much makeup I cake on. No, I…I bring girls to him."

Stabler cocked his head at her. A pimp? Was Benson just admitting that she helped traffic young girls? No, that was wrong. Benson would never do such a thing. He kept his eyes on her, hoping she would continue to talk. She did.

"Detective Randy Ulmer in London and I met a few days ago. I can't remember how many. I got involved with a case and I just couldn't stay out. I know what you're thinking, El, and you're right. I couldn't help myself. He's been trying to catch this SOB for a number of years. He plays dumb and uninformed because Yaburov has people on his pay roll all over the world. At first, he told me that everything he knew came from research Officer Keese had found but when we were alone, he filled me in. They sent someone undercover here about three months back but Yaburov was beginning to get suspicious and Ulmer wanted him out. He wanted to send someone else in."

"And he picked you. I met the son of a bitch and I knew I should have pressed…"

"I volunteered, Elliot."

Stabler chewed on his bottom lip. Somehow, he knew this had been the case but he didn't want to admit it. Benson was always putting herself in harms way and now she'd done it again.

"Ulmer was talking about sending a woman in. Yaburov is from a place where women aren't in equal status with men. He believes them to be inferior. A woman couldn't cook up a plot to expose him for the murderer he is. I volunteered as an American. I thought it would be an interesting twist since he's setting up a brothel in New York. When I met Yaburov, he told me to fake a British accent so the local brass wouldn't become the wiser. I'm horrible at it but the locals seem to have fallen for it."

Stabler was now on his feet. He didn't like where this story was headed. To keep her job, Benson would have to actually find young women and bring them in. This wasn't something he could see Olivia Benson doing. He decided that rather than question, he'd just listen.

"I bring girls with the local cops to him. They aren't to act any the wiser. Once I find out where the different brothels are, I contact local officials and tell them where to find the girls. The cops we have posing as vics take the time to get to know the other girls in the brothels, where they're from and what other brothels they've been in. This helps us take out even more. We've found brothels in France and England but we're still cold on New York. I'm not going anywhere until I find out where it's going to be and who's working for him back home."

Stabler felt a bit better about what Benson was doing but he feared for her safety.

"Liv, what about you, personally? How're you…not your job…you, Olivia Benson."

Stabler had seen Benson in stressful situations before. This time, however, her eyes welled up and she burried her face in her hands, the tears flowing freely.

"You don't wanna know, Elliot. It's been so hard. I almost exposed myself several times. My first night here, I watched them 'break' a new girl in. She was screaming and crying and I wanted to pull the bastards off of her but if I had, they would have known who and what I am. They would have killed us both or worse."

Stabler wasn't sure how best to comfort her. Should he hug her and tell her everything would be okay? No, because he wasn't sure everything would be okay. What if she didn't want to be touched? What if she just wanted to rant? Deciding not to go with one extreme or the other, Stabler patted her on the back and quietly asked her to keep talking.

"He's sick and twisted, El. I knew they came demented but watching it actually happen rather than just the aftermath makes me hate him even more. He just sits back and watches, even the children. He's never been that fond of me. He... I tried to leave during that first night. I felt like vomiting, and you know I don't have a weak stomach, but when I stood up he grabbed my arm and told me to stay. He wanted to know if I could handle this. I told him I could but I needed to use the bathroom. He's watched me ever since. I don't think he trusts me"

Benson paused at this statement and looked thoughtful. "Not that he trusts anyone fully but when he looks at me, I can almost feel him struggling to read my thoughts."

Now Stabler was certain that the time was right to drag Benson home. This Yaburov bastard already didn't like her and there was evidence to suggest that he was on to her. But Stabler knew better than to demand anything out of his partner.

"Liv, please come home."

Benson stood up suddenly. Stabler's hand fell to his side and he looked up as Benson locked her eyes on him. "Don't you see, Elliot, I can't. Has this guy screwed me up? Yes and I'll see that little girl screaming and crying out until the day I die. I was told that I would see nightmares that even hell itself couldn't fathom but I still came. I want to help and free the thousands of women who, just like that little girl, are suffering."

Stabler stood up and took Benson by the shoulders. He was frustrated that she couldn't see his side of the equation. He wanted to shake some sense into her. His grip was firm but not painful in any way.

"Does he think you're rating him out? Liv, if he even has a suspicion, you have to leave. He'll kill you rather than take a chance. He'll be looking at the death penalty if he's caught."

Benson freed herself from Stabler's hold and walked over to the window, staring out into the sky, which was becoming lighter by the moment. She could see that the sunrise would be upon them in a matter of minutes.

"I have to leave. I can't risk him finding me missing."

Benson hadn't looked at him the entire time. Her gaze was still on the sunrise. Stabler knew she wanted nothing more than to run with him but her conscience was holding her back. He walked over and stood beside her, hoping that his presence would help.

"You didn't answer my question, Olivia."

Benson sighed and looked at Stabler before turning her gaze back to the sunrise.

"He knows there's a rat somewhere. He makes it well known that if he finds this person, he'll crush them easily. He says he pities the fool who thought they could get the better of him."

"Does he think it's you?"

Benson, to Stabler's relief, shook her head. "I don't think so. He seems to think women are helpless and stupid. I doubt he could admit to himself that a woman might have gotten the better of him."

Benson turned away from the window and headed for the door. "I have to leave, Elliot."

Stabler knew that Benson's resolve wouldn't fold and there was nothing he could do. She needed support right now and he was willing to give all he could.

"When will I see you again?"

Benson didn't look him in the eye, something she almost always did. Instead, she concentrated on the carpet. "I don't know, Elliot."

She reached for the door but Stabler put his hand on it. He wouldn't prevent her from leaving but she wasn't walking out of his life without his knowing if he would see her again.

"If I don't hear from you after a couple of days, than I'm marching up to Vasyl Yaburov's door and raiding the place."

Benson glared at him. She moved quickly and slammed him up against the wall.

"Don't even think about it, Stabler!" Benson's voice was cold and angry. "You won't be able to arrest him based on evidence at his house. I don't even have evidence of his New York brothel. Just his word but that's heresy."

Stabler had only seen Benson so furious at him on a few occasions. This one might have taken the jackpot.

"You have eye witness testimony. We'll put him away easily."

Benson released her hold on him and shook her head violently. "Elliot, the minute he's arrested they'll destroy all the evidence to clear him. Elliot, that evidence is young women from all over the globe. If he's cleared, and the courts aren't as good here as they are in the States, he'll just start over. I don't want that, Elliot. Please don't interfere. Go home!"

Stabler was stung by her last words. "I'm not going home until you're with me."

Benson got up in his face. "Than I guess you aren't going home."

Benson's cell phone chirped and she released Stabler and grabbed it. She must have gotten a new phone while over here because it didn't resemble her regular phone. She glared at Stabler.

"Keep quiet." She than flipped open the phone and answered.

"Hello…yes, I couldn't sleep and decided to go for a walk…of course." Stabler leaned closer to her, trying to hear what was going on. She gave me a small shove and shook her head. "They'll hear," she mouthed before continuing. "Yes…are you sure you need me now…what's happened…yes…yes, I'll be there shortly."

She hung up and glanced at Stabler.

"Gotta get back. I was gone too long and they missed me."

Stabler gripped her arm and pulled her back. There was still more information that he needed.

"Elliot," Benson gently put her hand on his and eased him off. "I've gotta go." Her voice was no longer angry but gentle and sympathetic. "I'm sorry you got dragged into this, Elliot."

Stabler looked Benson directly in the eye. He had to hear it from her lips. "Just tell me when I'll see you again."

Benson continued to meet his eyes but Stabler saw nothing by worry, fatigue and sadness there. "I can't tell you that, El. I'm sorry."

Stabler had been expecting this so he had another ready. "Just tell me IF I'll see you again."

This time Benson let her eyes fall and tried to drop her head.

"Just tell me, Liv."

"I'll send you updates whenever I get the chance. Whenever I find something out about his happenings in New York, I'll let you know."

"How?"

"There's a man I work with that I trust. I'll send word with him. He said that Yaburov hasn't trusted him in months so it doesn't matter. If he thinks he's about to be caught, he'll run."

And that was the last thing she said. When she murmured a quick good-bye, he hugged her to him one last time, hoping it wouldn't be the last.

And then she was gone.

breakbreakbreakbreakbreakbreakbreakbreakbreakbreakbreakbreakbreakbreakbreakbreakbreakbreakbreakbreakbreakbreakbreak

Munch and Fin were sure they were on the right track. They had met numerous Latvians who recognized Stabler from his photograph. Yet they still seemed to have trouble. After three days of searching, Munch had called Cragen while Fin went to get them lunch.

"I'm about to give up, Cap. He's here but no one seems to know where he goes or what he's doing here. We're trying Liv's picture too but we've had even less luck with that."

Cragen hung up the phone, discouraged. Was Stabler still there or had he taken off? Was he mistaken asking Fin and Munch to linger? What about Benson? Had Stabler had any more luck than Munch and Fin?

Cragen buried his face in his hands. This was the most stress he'd ever felt on the job. Why couldn't they get just a hint of good news?

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Elliot Stabler awoke to find himself seated in the chair by the window. At first he had no idea how he had gotten there but soon the night's events began to return to him. Benson had come and gone and he had been left standing there. Unable to sleep, Stabler had gone over to the window and watched the sunrise. Somehow, it calmed him. He still felt tense but he also felt closer to Benson by watching the sunrise. That must have been when he had fallen asleep.

"I should have cuffed her and forced her home."

Stabler checked his watch. The sun was completely up by now but for some reason Stabler didn't feel like going out.

"What's the point," he muttered to himself. "You know Liv's alive now you're just waiting for a way to help her."

His watch read three in the afternoon. No wonder he felt rested. Maybe knowing Benson was alive had calmed him. However, he knew that sleep wouldn't come again until she was out of danger. The sooner they were able to discover the plot in New York and get this guy out of the country, the sooner Benson would be able to come home. However, proving it would be difficult.

Stabler was about to drift off again when he sat up, a wonderful thought entering his head.

"Liv said that Vasyl Yaburov has a large number of people on his payroll all over the world. I wonder if they're in the United States as well."

Stabler began to pace back and forth. Surely there was a way to find out. Yes! There was and he knew exactly who to call.

"He's setting up a new brothel in the City so I'm sure the place is swarming with his cronies."

Stabler pulled on his pants and shoes, grabbed his jacket and raced out of the hotel.

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"And where were you during this time period?"

"I was watching my sister's son. You can ask him."

"So you are saying that while Marcy Lynn was being rapped and strangled, you were babysitting?"

"Yes."

Casey Novak sat back in court listening to Lyndsey Gellhall interviewing her witness. Novak was lightly scribbling notes knowing how easy it would be to put this perp away. When first Benson, than Stabler and, finally Munch and Fin had headed off to Europe, Novak had become slightly worried. She normally worked with them and the cases where they weren't the lead, one was usually involved. In their absence Novak thought that it would be harder to put perps away. Much as she loved the quartet and couldn't wait to welcome them home, Novak had to admit that Cragen had an excellent squad overall. Even those with less experience worked hard and well together. This case had been a nightmare for Novak at first but now it seemed like an easy victory. All she had to do was confirm that the supposedly babysitting perp had waited until his nephew had gone to bed and than struck. That wouldn't be difficult since the boy's bedtime was nine and Marcy Lynn had been confirmed dead around ten thirty. Novak couldn't help but smile as Gellhall returned to her seat.

"You're witness."

Novak got to her feet and headed over to Bryan Parking. She wanted nothing more than to see this bastard behind bars for the rest of his life.

"Mr. Parking, what time did Nancy Parking, your sister, normally put her son, Paul, to bed?"

Bryan shrugged, his eyes taking in Novak. She, however, wasn't a woman to be intimidated.

"Please concentrate on my question, Mr. Parking, and not my new jacket."

Bryan had glared at her before hastening to answer. "Usually between eight-thirty and nine but since he rarely gets to see me, I decided to let him stay up."

Novak walked over to the jury, a smile playing at her lips.

"So what time did you put the little boy to bed?"

"Don't remember."

Novak whipped around. "You don't remember because you were in a hurry to go out and defile and murder Marcy Lynn, correct."

Bryan jerked forward. "I never said that, you bitch."

The judged wrapped her gavel. "Order! Mr. Parking, you will show proper respect for an officer of the court."

Parking looked furious but muttered a half hearted apology while Novak continued.

"Mr. Parking, if I put Paul Parking on the stand what will he say?"

"Objection!" Gellhall had gotten to her feet. "How can the witness possibly know what another witness will say?"

"I withdraw my question and that's all I have."

Novak returned to her seat and sat down. Tomorrow Paul Parking, a boy of nine, would take the stand and this would be over. He had been a late discovery when he had admitted to George Huang that he had been put to been early. He knew it was early because the sun was still setting. Tomorrow, the jury would get the case and Novak was expecting a conviction within the hour.

Gellhall was on her feet again. "I call Cameron James to the stand."

Novak sat back. James was a friend of Parking's and she had nothing to fear from him. He was simply a character witness. Just as Gellhall started her questioning, Novak felt her cell phone vibrate in her pocket. Wondering who would be calling her while she was in court, Novak pulled it out but kept it out of the judge's sight. She had a new text message from a number she didn't recognize. She opened it and gave a gasp of surprise. Everyone turned to look at her.

"Ms. Novak, is something the matter?"

Novak was on her feet in seconds. "I request that we reconvene this trial tomorrow. I have an emergency."

The minute the judge agreed, Novak called the number and held her breath while it rang.

"Is it really you?" Most of the people in the court were watching the ADA as she stood up. However, Gellhall soon rushed to her side when she suddenly sat down in her chair, tears welling up in her eyes.

Novak sat there for several minutes, while everyone just waited in limbo.

"Casey, are you all right?"

Novak waved Gellhall off and just sat there with the phone to her ear and cried. She had just received the two most wonderful words anyone could get: "Olivia's alive."

"You're my best friend, and I love you."

Weezer - Best Friends

Author's Notes: Thanks for the reviews. They're making my day and I love you guys for 'em! This extra chapter is because I'm going home for the first time in 2 months and I don't know if I'll be able to post any more before Sunday night. Enjoy and I'll see you Sunday night with a new chapi if I don't see you before:)