Ok I really don't have a title for this chapter, so if you have any ideas please let me know what they are because it will look kind of funny to have all these named chapters and then one that is just a number. I hope you like what is happening so far or if you don't your at least reading and yelling at your computer! Ha! Happy reading!

14

Ethan slept fitfully through the night, his head hanging down, his body shivering. It had been a fairly warm day yesterday but still not warm enough to go without a warm jacket at night. He hadn't had the luxary of that warm jacket last night. It was laying on the floor of his home, right where he had left it while he had worked yesterday afternoon. His wrist were hurting like the dickens now, the rope having cut into them as his hands swelled to the point that it was hard for him to move his fingers. He also couldn't feel his toes anymore but that was due to the cold of the night, Keelver had been kind enough to leave his feet unbound. He watched through half open eyes as Keevler got up and began to move around. He could feel the hunger pains in his stomach, as he hadn't eaten since lunch the day before. He could smell the coffee that Keevler was begining to brew. He didn't know what Keevler's plans for him where but he knew that they weren't good.

Caleb Stabler run down the stairs that morning, "Ma! Pa! Ethan didn't come home last night!"

"Caleb, quiet down!" Elliot said. He knew that his son hadn't come home last night. He had laid awake most of the night as had Olivia listening for him, waiting for him and hoping that they would here them.

"Well he didn't Pa." the boy said more quietly. "Where is he Pa? Where's Ethan?"

Elliot knelt down to the boys level, "I know son. I'm not sure where Ethan is at, but I plan to find out."

After breakfast and seeing the boys off to school Elliot caught a horse and rode first to Ethan's house. He didn't find his son but he did find his jacket and another set of hoof prints from a horse. That didn't mean much in their area but was still something that Elliot kept stored in the back of his mind from all his years as a lawman. The next thing he did was ride into town to Percy's. He went in and talked to Olivia's grandfather and found out that he hadn't seen him for days. His next stop was the bank to talk to Oliver. Oliver told him that he had seen Ethan right after lunch but he had seen him head towards his own place after they had talked for a few minutes. Elliot went to Emily next. He felt odd standing on John and Casey's doorstep acting like a lawman again instead of a friend and a father to his missing son. When Casey answered her door, she said, "Elliot! What a pleasant suprise! John's not here right now. He had to ride over to Lawford."

"I know Casey. I need to speak to Emily please." Elliot said.

Casey could see the pleading in her friends blue eyes so she went and got her daughter. Emily came to the door and when she saw Elliot her heart caught in her throat. Something was wrong with Ethan, she could tell from the look in his eyes. Those eyes that Ethan had inherited from him.

"Mr. Stabler." Emily said.

"Hi Emily. I have to ask, even though I know that you and Ethan are not on the best of terms right now."

"Ask what Mr. Stabler. And Ethan and I are fine terms right now, I just haven't seen him for a while."

"That's what I wanted to ask, if you had seen Ethan yesterday at all."

"No." Emily said, so softly that Elliot almost didn't hear her. "No. What happened to him?"

"I don't know." Elliot said. His voice was quiet and his eyes were sad. He didn't know where his son was or how he was going to find him.

Elliot left the Munch household and rode out of town and back home. He didn't unsaddle his horse but he went in and grabbed his wife into a hard hug. "No one's seen him." he said quietly to his wife.

Olivia clung to him and cried while Elliot held her. What where they going to do?

When Mr. Stabler left Emily ran to her room and flung herself down on the bed where she cried until she didn't have any tears left. She felt Lou and her sister sitting next to her as she cried but she didn't care. Ethan was gone and no one knew where he was.

As soon as Keevler finished his coffee he half threw half helped Ethan back on his horse and they set out again. His wrist really hurt now and he was sure that they were bleeding. He didn't know where they were but they kept heading south, as if they were headed towards Texas or Mexico. Ethan hoped that they weren't because he was sure that if they did make it that far he would never see home again.

Two days later Ethan's wrist were so sore that he was sure his hands were going to fall off. The rope bit into his already raw flesh and made him want to bawl like a baby and yet Keevler kept on. He never said much to Ethan and Ethan didn't say much to him. Ethan was sure that Keevler planed to kill him but he didn't know when. How could someone keep such a grudge against someone for so long? Ethan had just been a boy when he and Emily had escaped from Keevler after had had kidnapped them from the school playground. Today he was sure that they were no longer in Kansas because he had noticed a change in the way the land laid and also a change in the plant life. They must be in Oklahoma now, but where on Earth was Keevler taking him.

Elliot continued his search. He rode out every day widening his search and each night returning empty handed. He was slowly withdrawing from his family, because he had allowed his son to be taken away from his again. He didn't know what to do. The next day he rode to Rock Springs and talked to John. When he walked in his long time friend came up and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Elliot, how are you doing?"

Elliot looked at him with empty eyes, "How do you think I'm doing John? My oldest son is missing and I have no idea where to start looking for him."

"Well I could always telegraph Dodge and see if they know anything." John offered.

"Thanks John, I appreciate it." Elliot said before he walked out the door. He went out and searched some more. That night he and Olivia held each other and cried. What were they going to do if they couldn't find Ethan?

Ethan was getting sick of riding, sick of his hands being tied behind his back, his wrist hurt like hell and so did his head. He was ready to die and wished that Keevler would just kill him now. Then he thought, maybe that was Keevler's plan. To allow his wrist to get so raw and infected and Ethan so run down that he would just die on his own. That way if anyone found him there wouldn't be any bullet holes in his body to suggest foul play. Keevler had been feeding him very little, usually a hard biscuit a couple of times a day and only a minimal amount of water. He wished he would die.

Emily cried and prayed every day. She felt like Elliot Stabler had tore her heart right out of her chest the day that he came and told her that Ethan had gone missing. She took to her bed and only got up if she was pushed by Lou or her brother. She did notice that her brother was spending more and more time at home and with Lou. She would have said something too, if her heart hadn't been so sick. She held the jewelry box that he had made and stroked the blue velvet lining. Blue that reminded her of his eyes. She touched the locket around her neck. Oh Ethan! she cried in her mind. Where are you? Come home!

Ethan's head was hanging down and he heard Keevler growl at him, "Time to get down brat!" he spat. He pulled Ethan from the horse and threw him roughly to the ground. Then he kicked him in the ribs and said, "I think I'll leave you in Texas or Mexico. I haven't decided which yet. Maybe somebody is looking for a new slave down there. I know I know slavery has been abolished but I know down in the South they still keep a few around just for fun. Then Keevler laughed and it almost made Ethan sick. At least he was right that Keevler was headed South with him. He hoped that he didn't make it to Mexico because if he crossed the river then there would be no stopping him and for all Ethan knew if he didn't leave him in Mexico he could just toss him in that river and let him drown.

Elliot continued his search and one day John rode out in the evening with a response from the Marshall in Dodge City. "Elliot, I'm sorry but Marshall Dillon tells me that Max Keevler was let out of prison on good behavior about a month ago. Is there anyway that he could have taken Ethan?"

Elliot felt himself blanch and he felt sick. "I suppose there is. The day that I rode out to the house, I saw the tracks of another horse. I guess it's possible that he had Ethan. That bastard has him again!" Elliot felt like punching something but knew he had to try to stay calm due to his three other sleeping children. Olivia came up behind him and put her arms around him.

"It's ok El. We'll find him."

John then offered, "The Marshall from Dodge is going to send out a message to all the other Sherriffs and Marshalls in the surrounding states to keep an eye out a boy matching Ethan's description and a man matching Keevlers. I'm sorry Elliot and Olivia, that is all that can be done right now, but we're doing our best."

An angsty chapter I know but I think maybe this will wake little Miss Emily that she can't live without our boy Ethan. I also wanted to bring it back into the realm of SVU so the pitchfork people don't come after me! Please R&R. I will update as soon as I can!