Friday 12/17/04 7:35

Elliot trudged into the precinct, a Starbucks coffee in hand. He set the coffee down on a pile of paperwork and shook the snow from his hair. As he was hanging up his coat he saw Olivia's hanging up but she was no where to be seen. He figured she was in the restroom. He sat down at his desk and started his paperwork that had seemingly increased over the past two days. Five minutes later Olivia came down the stairs leading from the Crib.

She glanced over at Elliot. When their eyes met she saw a pain there that wasn't there two days ago or at least not as obvious. She sat at her desk across from him and also started her paperwork. They worked in silence for a while until Cragen walked out of his office.

"What's up Cap'n?" Olivia asked.

"There's been an incident in Queens."

Elliot turned to face Cragen. "What?"

"All I know is a woman and her daughter was murdered."

Olivia and Elliot both sighed and got their coats.

The ride to Queens was awkwardly quiet. Elliot finally broke the deafening silence at a stop light. "Liv the other night…"

"El don't worry about it."

"I am worrying about it. You had nothing to do with me and Kathy."

"I know, it's ok Elliot."

He looked into her eyes, trying to see if she was telling the truth.

"Uh El the light…"

"Oh shit." He ignored the horns and his partner's laughs and drove ahead.

Elliot pulled the black Chevrolet sedan into an upscale suburbia. The house wasn't hard to spot since there were patrol cars parked outside it. They walked up to the front door and showed the uniform their badges.

"Follow me detectives."

They followed the uniform up the stairs and into what they figured to be the master bedroom. There was a young woman lying in a pool of her ownblood.

Olivia turned to the ME. "What happened?"

"Poor woman was beaten to a pulp and stabbed. All pre-mortem."

"Where's her daughter?" Elliot asked, looking around.

"This way." The ME led them down the hall and into a bedroom. It was painted light pink with two frilly beds. A little girl, about eight years old, lay face down on her bed.

"How?" Elliot looked down at the little girl.

"He slit her throat."

Elliot clenched his jaw. "There's two beds here, where's the other daughter?" He looked over at a crime scene investigator.

"There's a picture downstairs that had the mom and two girls in it?"

"Well where the hell is she?" The two detectives looked at each other. Elliot ran down the stairs and into the living room. He started to bark out orders. "Ok people, we have a missing child. Look in every room, closet, cabinet, anywhere she could be."

Olivia looked at Elliot. His jaw was clenched and his eyes were full with rage. He was looking at a picture of a young couple with a newborn girl and what looked like a two year old girl. The young woman and the two year old were the victims. Elliot turned to a CSU member. "What are their names?"

"Uh the woman's is…Joanne Amica. We don't know her daughter's names."

Elliot nodded and looked at Olivia. "I'd like to –"

But he was cut off by a uniform. "Detective we found her."

Olivia and Elliot followed him into a bathroom. He pointed to a linen closet. Olivia looked at Elliot and nodded. He slowly opened the closet door. Curled up in a ball was a little girl, about six years old. She had long, curly blonde hair. Elliot kneeled down in front of her.

"Hi sweetie."

Her eyes flew open. She looked at Elliot with big blue eyes.

"My name's Elliot. What's yours?" She just looked at him. "Ok cutie how old are you?" She held up six fingers. "Wow six! That's a good age." She smiled. "So are you going to tell me your name or am I just gonna have to guess?" Her smile got bigger. "Ok…um Susan?" She shook her head. "Ok…Amber?" No. "Erica?" "Katie?" "Riley?" Her smile widened but she still shook her head. "It is Riley isn't it?" She nodded. Elliot smiled and looked up at Olivia who was also smiling. Her partner had such a way with kids…

Elliot looked back at Riley who was staring up at Olivia. "That's Olivia, she's my friend." He paused. "Can I pick you up?" Riley nodded. Elliot lifted her up. She laid her head on his shoulder.

"You smell like my daddy."

Elliot smiled. "So you can talk." He carried Riley out to the car and put her in the back. "We're going to take you to the hospital just to make sure you ok, alright sweetie?"

"Ok."

Elliot shut the door as Olivia came up behind him. "She really likes you Elliot." He nodded. She laid a hand on his forearm. "You ok?"

"Yea I'm fine. Let's just get her to the hospital."

9:30 A.M. Mercy Hospital

Elliot and Olivia walked into the hospital with Riley asleep in Elliot's arms. Olivia went to the desk to tell the nurse that they neededher to be checked.

"Sure we'll get Dr. Williams on it right away." The nurse told Olivia.

Elliot turned to face the nurse. "What doctor did you say?"

"Dr. Williams."

"Why does it matter Elliot?" Olivia asked noticing the fury in his blue eyes.

Before he could answer, a tall dark-haired doctor walked up.

"I'm Dr. Williams. Is this the little girl I need to see?"

"Uh yes. Riley Amica." Olivia answered since Elliot was obviously not going to.

"Can you take her into exam room 3?" Dr. Williams asked the nurse.

When Riley was gone Elliot took his badge out and showed it to Williams. "Last name look familiar Dr.?" Williams looked at Elliot's ID. His eyes bulged out.

Olivia was looking back and forth between Williams and Elliot. She wasn't sure what was going on but she had an idea.

"Have you enjoyed my wife Dr.?" Elliot hissed as he took a step towards the doctor.

Williams jumped back. "Detective Stabler let's not do this right here and now please."

"Why not? Don't want your colleagues to know you're a lying bastard?" Elliot started walking towards Williams until the good doctor's back was against the wall. Although Elliot was shorter than Williams, Elliot seemed to tower over him.

"Look I need to look at that little girl. We can talk afterwards."

Elliot stood there, his blue piercing Williams' brown eyes. Olivia saw Elliot's vein pounding in his temple. She grabbed his shoulder and gently pulled him back. "Go get some air Elliot." She whispered in his ear. He nodded and turned on his heel and walked outside. Olivia faced Dr. Williams. "Hurry up."

After fifteen minutes of pacing in the snow, Elliot went back into the hospital. As he was walking in, Olivia came out of the exam room.

"How's she doin?"

"She's fine…what about you?" Olivia asked as she sat down. Elliot sat down next to her and rubbed his face with his hands. After a long silence, "he's the guy that uh -."

"Yea he's the guy that made me look like a fool."

"Elliot wha-."

"Detectives, Riley is ready to go." Dr. Williams stood at the doorway with riley at his side. When she saw Elliot, she ran into his arms. Over her shoulder, he glared at Williams.

Olivia stood up. "Thank you doctor."

11:00 A.M. 1-6 Precinct

Outside of the precinct, Elliot bent down so he could look into Riley's eyes.

"Alright Riley, Liv and I are going to take you into a room and ask you some questions ok?"

She nodded. "Ok."

He took her hand and led her into the squad room. John and Fin were sitting at their desks. They looked up when the three of them entered.

"Riley this is John and Fin."

Riley giggled. "Fin?"

Elliot led her into a room that had a little table and chairs, stuffed animals, and toys. Riley sat at the table while Elliot sat in a little chair across from her.

"Riley can you tell me what your sister's name is?" Elliot asked in his softest voice.

"Caroline." Riley whispered.

Elliot nodded. "Riley sweetie, can you tell me what happened this morning?"

Riley began to shake and tears were forming in her eyes. She violently shook her head. "I can't."

"Riley I give you my word that no one will hurt you." Elliot placed his hand over hers.

"I-it was really early and I had to go to the bathroom. So I got up and went. I heard a man yell something at Mommy." She paused and took a deep breath. Tears were streaming down her face. "Then I heard him go into mine and sissy's room. I heard her scream then it was quiet. Then I heard him leave." She was sobbing now.

Elliot got up and walked over and crouched down beside her. "Riley you have been a very brave girl but I have one more question: where is your daddy?"

Riley looked at him, fresh tears falling down her face. "Daddy died."

Elliot took her into his arms. As she sobbed into his shoulder he looked at Olivia.

She stood in the corner watching Elliot talk to Riley. She could see the pained look in his eyes whenshe toldElliotthat her father had died.

Elliot stood up and told Riley that he would be back and walked out of the room with Olivia behind him. They went into the room next to them where Cragen had been watching through the one way mirror.

"What going to happen to her Cap'n?" Elliot asked, leaning against the wall.

"ACS said that they'll place her with emergency foster care."

"Captain…"

"Elliot what are you gonna do? Take her home with you?"

Elliot looked at him expectantly.

"No way, the department would have a fit."

Elliot sighed. "She doesn't have any family?"

The captain shook his head. "Her dad was killed two months ago and no family is available." The captain looked at his detective. "I wish she could go home with you Elliot I really do but you're already on the department's bad side."

Elliot ignored that last comment. "Let's go to lunch Liv. We'll take Riley with us Cap'n."

Elliot and Olivia sat at a table in a McDonalds, watching Riley play in the play area.

"We can't put her in foster care Liv." Elliot said staring at nothing in particular.

"There's nothing we can do about it El. It's up to ACS." She placed her hand on his.

"It's just…" he sighed. "I don't want her to become just another kid in foster care."

"Elliot there is nothing we can do about it." Olivia repeated. "What did you expect?"

Elliot shook his head. "I dunno. I just… I guess I miss my girls to much."

Olivia nodded but didn't say anything. They watched Riley play for a while. "Did you talk to Kathy?" Well duh of course he did! He wouldn't have known that it was the doctor. "Well I mean I know you talked to her but…"

Elliotglanced at her then went back to watching Riley. "I know what you mean." He paused. "She told me how long it's been going on and…" he sighed, "lets talk about it later ok?"

Olivia nodded and then got up to get Riley.

When they arrived at the precinct, ACS was waiting to take Riley. The social worker said she would be put with a family in Queens. When Elliot told Riley she was leaving, she started to cry.

"Why can't I stay with you and 'Livia?"

"Because we have work Riley. We are extremely busy. Now go with Ms. Perry."

"Will you come see me?"

"Of course I will."

When Riley had gone, Elliot fell into his chair. He was exhausted but he didn't know why. Olivia came over and sat on the corner of his desk.

"You ok?"

He leaned on his elbows. "I guess."

"You guess." She repeated.

"I'm just tired of all this Liv."

"I am too, hell all of us are, but we still have to do our job."

7:45 P.M.

Elliot and Olivia had interviewed everyone at Joanne's work; she was a receptionist for some hotshot broker on Wall Street. They hadn't been able to talk with him as he was in meetings all day. They also learned that Riley's father had been murdered two months ago, but Homicide still hadn't been able to find the killer.

"I'm betting that whoever killed Mr. Amica killed Joanne and Caroline." Munch announced to the squad.

"Wow great thinking Sherlock." Elliot said sarcastically.

"Uh huh."

"Ok people where do we go from here?" Cragen asked.

"Everyone we've talked to says that she wasn't really close with anybody, especially after her husband was killed. The few friends she did have said that she had been distant from them lately."

"Well let's find out why but right now you four go home and get some rest."

"No need to tell my twice." Fin said, grabbing his coat. "See ya'll lata."

"I guess I'll go too, I've got some things to take care of." Munch said. "See you two tomorrow."

After John left, Elliot looked at Olivia with a quizzical look. "What things would John have to take care of?'

Olivia laughed. "I have no idea." She got up and went to her locker.

"You wanna go out for a drink?"

"Sure."