OK, so I definitely lengthened this chapter by a lot. Still writing, so maybe another chapter up later today or tomorrow. Also, I need a good description of Declan Murphy both the undercover version of him as well as how he looked when actively with the SVU squad. I can't get to any of the episodes to go back and take a look at the moment. I'm in the process of upgrading my laptop's operating system and other components to allow Hulu and Netflix to better run on it.

Thanks!

Chapter Two:

"So when does this girl come in?" Rollins asked. She and Murphy had returned to his apartment only 15 minutes earlier, and it had taken her only 10 minutes to get herself and Frannie settled in the three-bedroom apartment. One bedroom was obviously Declan's. Amanda had noticed immediately noticed the sparseness of the room and the nearly military precision with which the bed was made. The second of the three bedrooms held only a double bed, a night stand, and little else. Amanda had chosen that room to put Frannie's dog bed in, and her hastily packed suitcase in the closet. The third and final of the bedrooms had been transformed into a very efficient office. The desk was immaculate, holding only a laptop and an otherwise empty blotter.

Now, all three of them were in the spacious living room. Amanda was sitting on the couch, Declan in a chair across from her, and Frannie had been exploring her new surroundings since the moment they'd arrived and let her out of the car.

"And, we'll have to figure out some schedule of how I'll walk Frannie too. You said this woman, the one you want me to get close to... She's got a dog, right? Well, I think one of the first things to do is to find out her movements and go from there. See when she and her dog go out…"

"Very good Detective," Murphy said thumbing through a screen on his smartphone. "But remember, she's connected to Johnny D. It's not going to be that simple. You'll have to go slow. You're relatively new to this world... My world... Investigating as a cop is far different than actually being planted in the middle of it. How long does Frannie usually go without going out for walks when you're working at SVU?"

"I usually take her twice a day for a pretty healthy walk. Gives her exercise and me time to take a breath and unwind or prepare for the day. Unless I'm called in unexpectedly or working a double, then I had a neighbor who was good about taking Frannie for walks when I couldn't and checking in on her."

At the mention of her name, Frannie's ears perked up. The dog, having up until now been exploring her new surroundings and sniffing at the carpet, the furnature, and even the crack under the front door, trotted over to her owner putting her muzzle on Amanda's knee silently asking to be scratched under the chin, behind the ears, and pet continuously, until she grew tired of the attention. Amanda complied with Frannie's request, but before she had started petting the dog, Frannie lifted her muzzle from Rollins' knee and sauntered lazily over to where Murphy/Bishop sat playing with his phone. At first, she appeared to try the same tack with him as she'd done with Amanda, but before he had a chance to even scratch beneath her chin or ruffle the furr behind her ears, she put her two front paws up on his leg, nearly knocking the phone from his hand.

"Frannie, get down! Bad girl!" It was all Rollins could do to keep from laughing as she scolded the dog. But Frannie, strangely enough, didn't remove her paws from Murphy's leg. Murphy set his phone aside and began petting the dog with both hands.

"You are a jealous little girl aren't you? Anyone does anything other than pay attention to you, and you just have to make it known you're the center of attention... You're a good girl."

"I'm sorry Murphy," Amanda said apologetically. "Usually she's not that much of an attention hound."

"Maybe she has something against electronic devices. Oh, and by the way, from here on in, it's either Bishop or Declan."

"Let me guess," she added with a grin, "or honey depending on whether I'm your girlfriend or the madame." Rollins smiled. She couldn't help but notice how easily he slipped back into that smooth Irish brogue of his. It fell from his lips effortlessly, and she had to admit it wasn't unpleasant on the ears either. Amanda wondered how long it had taken him to lose the Irish accent which was apparently native to him. There were a lot of things she wondered about this man.

"Whatever you want baby," Declan said blowing her a kiss from where he sat. Her comment hadn't been lost on him, and his response, the same one he'd used when they went undercover at the gallery as a couple last year, hadn't gone unnoticed by her either. Amanda decided not to comment on that and went back to her earlier appraisal of Frannie's behavior toward him and his electronic devices.

"Maybe Frannie's got something against you and electronic devices. She never does that to me when I have my phone out. What are you doing on that thing anyway, Playing Trivia Crack?"

"No," Declan said doing all he could to keep a straight face. "I'm corresponding with a female trafficker bringing our girl in tomorrow. In less than twenty-four hours, we are taking possession of the girl. You and I are both going to have to be there for the handoff tomorrow night." His hand ruffling the furr behind Frannie's ears stilled on the dog's head. "I know this already isn't sitting well with you Amanda, but I also know if anyone can handle it, it's you. We have to work together in this now. This wasn't how I expected things to play out, but here we are."

"I know, and you're right it doesn't sit well with me. But if we can keep this little girl from being trafficked further into the life, then I'll do whatever it takes to help you bring these bastards down."

Declan patted the dog once more and gently but firmly pushed her off his lap. He reclaimed his phone, unlocked the screen, and began tapping away. After about a minute of silence, he looked up. "I'm sending you all the pertinent info you'll need to your phone. I need you to study it, memorize it, and delete it tonight."

Rollins picked up the phone Declan had given her after they'd left her apartment. She had left her phone, the one in the name of Amanda Rollins, back at her apartment along with her wallet and other identifiable information. Declan had made good on his word to make it appear to anyone looking that Detective Amanda Rollins of Manhattan Special Victims Unit had simply taken her dog and left town for a while. Amanda had locked all of her personally identifiable belongings; her wallet and ID, badge, bank cards, even her cellphone inside a safe she'd installed in her bedroom closet. This way, even if 'Fin, Amaro, or even God forbid Carisi came looking, they wouldn't find any of it. Declan meanwhile, had ordered all her utilities turned off and holds placed on the accounts until further notice. After the pair had left Rollins' place with Frannie and her belongings in toe, Declan had stopped off at a major chain electronics store and had purchased a no-contract, pay as you go cellphone for Amanda, paying for it in cash of course.

Now, Amanda thumbed through the information Declan had sent to her new phone. She said nothing as she read silently everything she needed to know backwards and forwards. This was certainly new to her. She'd only worked as a u.c. one time before, back when Declan had pulled her into his takedown of the underground gambling club. But that experience was vastly different. Everyone knew there she was a cop, a dirty cop with a secret, but they knew nevertheless. Now, she was memorizing a whole new life for herself practically.

"OK," Rollins began. "So you have me coming up from down South where I was a low-level madame. My name is Amanda Taylor... Good one, very non-descript. What happens when people talk, and we all know these trafficking circles don't get to be as tight knit as they are without some level of word leaking out all over the place. What about my past history?"

"Yes. I brought you up here because you're someone who isn't known and who can help me run things. I called in a very big favor owed to me to have a basic but decent history put in place for you if word leaks out, and I'm sure it will. Hopefully though, because of who my predecessor was, and the position I now hold in the trafficking world, it isn't likely too much deep probing will be done. But I covered bases just to be certain in any case." He looked directly at Rollins and continued. "The girl's existence is a well-guarded secret at the moment. And it has to stay that way. I'm going to have to make it look as though Johnny D's day-to-day business operations are still being carried out."

"Anyone from the bust on Super Bol Sunday Timmer, Tracy, Selena... They're still in custody though, right?"

"They are, but guaranteed some of the johns have likely made bail by now. Tracy is likely to have gotten out as well given she wasn't up on federal charges; how your squad swung that one I don't know, but definitely not the smartest of Benson's moves tied to this case. The under age girls already would have gone to Social Services, and if they are resourceful would have slipped back onto the streets along with any of the legal ones from your raid on the loft before that. We can't take the chance of having you too visible, but you can't be completely invisible either. It's walking a fine line Amanda, and it isn't going to be easy." He stood up and came toward her. "Get your coat and grab Frannie's leash."

"What for?" Amanda stood up too and did as she'd been told. "We're taking her out for a walk now?"

"We are. I want you to be seen at least around here. Besides, our mystery woman is heading out now... Listen."

Amanda did. Declan was right. She heard the sound of paws on the hard wood of the hallway floor and then on the stairs. She grabbed her jacket, snatched Frannie's leash, and snapped her fingers. The dog, who had found a warm spot to curl up in in front of a window with a lot of sunlight, sprang to her feet and came bounding over to her owner. Within 30 seconds, Amanda, Declan, and Frannie were out the door and heading down.

At the bottom of the stairs, Declan held the door allowing Amanda and Frannie to exit ahead of him. "Look to your right," he said softly into her ear from behind her. "That's her."

Amanda nodded once and said to Frannie, "Come on Frannie Mae, that's a good girl..." The woman and dog ahead of them didn't turn to see who was there. They just kept going down the sidewalk. Frannie tugged at her leash, eager to check out her new surroundings. Amanda had to jog to keep up with the dog, but she didn't mind. Declan caught up with Rollins easily and took the arm not holding onto Frannie's leash. If his goal was to get people to notice them, it certainly was working. Rather, Amanda was getting noticed. He and the dog were likely afterthoughts in the minds of any of the passers by, especially any men. Amanda was a very good looking woman, and people were likely to notice that about her. He didn't look too shabby himself either at the moment. He'd ditched the scruffy look about him to a degree. The hair stayed long, but the facial hair had been carefully made to look presentable. After all, he had an image to uphold now at the top of the ladder.

"We follow her for a bit, then head back. Can't make it look too obvious right off the bat. " Declan said casually but soft enough so only Amanda could hear him. "Then, we're ordering dinner in."

"Yeah," Amanda said with a slight smile. "I noticed the big selection you had in your kitchen earlier. That's something that will have to change with a kid in the house you know. If we want to make it look for all intents and purposes we're living together, and even if we're keeping the girl out of sight, we still have to maintain appearances. She won't know what she's in for. She's likely been fed lie upon lie about where she's going and what for."

Declan smiled back at Amanda as he affectionately squeezed her arm. "You're catching on. You have a head for this kind of work," he said. "I have to say I'm impressed." They walked in silence for a few more minutes, Frannie occasionally stopping to sniff at the ground, or a bush, or God only knew what else was there. After about fifteen minutes Declan motioned for them to head back. "Would you mind if I take Frannie?" Declan reached for the dog's leash and took it when Amanda relinquished it from her grasp. "It might also be prudent for me to take Frannie out for a walk or two to follow our mystery woman. You'll have your hands full with the kid, and you won't be able to take her out and about. It's going to be difficult for the both of you at times. You need to be aware of that going in."

"Frannie's good," Amanda said. "She'll walk well with anyone, but the trick is be gentle but firm. She won't pick anything up off the ground, and she's great with other dogs. If there's a park nearby maybe one of us can take her there and play a little frisbee if we're going to be here long enough. She loves it, and it's a great workout on the human's part too." Amanda smiled down at her furr baby.

The three of them walked in silence, Frannie even seeming to enjoy the walk with Declan at the other end of the leash instead of Amanda. When they got back to Declan's building however, Frannie wanted to keep going. She tugged at the leash and tried to continue walking past the front steps until Declan held the leash firm. "No Frannie, this way." Declan continued to redirect the dog until she finally went up the steps and nosed the outside door. Declan put the key into the lock and pushed the door inward, allowing Amanda in first with Frannie hot on her heels. "I'll get you a key so you'll be able to come and go if needed, but it can't be all the time. We can't run the risk of the rest of your squad seeing you out and about when you've supposedly pulled a disappearing act all of a sudden."

Amanda had to agree with him. She knew he was right, but it still irked her that he was able to come and go as he pleased, but she was relegated to the same on an as necessary basis. She reminded herself again that this was the job. This was the life lead by an undercover cop at times, and she quickly dismissed her resentment toward the situation.

"How exactly are we supposed to keep a kid cooped up in here though? You do realize that's going to be the trickiest part of all of this. Tough enough for adults to deal with constant cabin fever, but kids, they're even more difficult to keep caged."

"We'll worry about that as it comes up," Declan said. "Right now, one step at a time."

Declan went into the kitchen and pulled from a drawer a stack of takeout menues. "I don't eat in much, but I have several menues fordifferent places. Both delivery and carry-out. Take a look and let me know what you're in the mood for."

Amanda perused the stack of menues until she came across one for a chinese place. She pulled it from the pile and handed the rest back to Declan. "This will be fine. But don't forget, we're going to need to stock this kitchen with food enough for all of us... You, me, the kid, and Frannie's going to need dogfood as well."

"Make a list," Declan said. "Put whatever we're going to need on it, and after we make the pick up tomorrow, I'll go to the store and get whatever we'll need. Paper and pens are in the drawer over there." He pointed, and Amanda grabbed what she needed.

She gave him her dinner order as she put together a well thought outgrocery list, including Frannie's dogfood brand. When she was finished, she handed Declan the paper. He tucked it carefully in his jacket pocket and grabbed his keys. "Let's go." Declan said.

"Go? Go where? I thought -." Amanda wondered why the change.

"Change of plans. Not ordering in, not even carry-out. I can't very well leave you here all by your lonesome, now can I?" Declan quipped. "You're a damn fine detective Amanda, and if I leave you with too much time on your hands and nothing with which to occupy it, you'll start investigating me instead of the real scumbags we need to worry about putting away." He grabbed a heavy woolen coat and handed it to her. "We're going out to get dinner and then I'm going to be seen with a woman whom nobody knows but whom everyone is going to wonder about. Now I hope this fits. If it's a little big that's fine. It's heavier than the one you brought. Can't have you seen in something someone from SVU or one of your cases might recognize. We'll have to do something about your hair color and eyes tomorrow during the day... Before we pick up the girl."

This was just like Murphy, Amanda thought to herself as she slipped into the heavy, warm winter coat. Change it up last minute, living out on the edge but only just so far, acting crazy at times but always with a purpose in mind. He'd lived a hard life as a u.c., and in the rarest of instances, Amanda realized, it showed. In that instant, she wondered about Lt. Declan Murphy. What was he like off the job? What about his family? Why was he such a loaner? She knew at the moment she had many more questions than she did answers, and she was determined to find out as many of them as was humanly possible with whatever time she had here.

Forty minutes later, Amanda and Declan were seated in a corner table at a small, but quaint bistro. Opting to walk instead of taking the car, Declan had been able to keep both Amanda and himself as inconspicuous as possible. They were better able to blend in with the crowds of people on the street, even this time of year and in the weather such as it was. Even Amanda had to admit, Declan was pretty adept at blending in even in the smallest of crowds.

"So," Amanda began after they'd been seated and were pouring over the menu. "I've been wondering about something for a while now. But it's kinda coming out of the blue."

"Ok... You get one, I get one. Fair's fair."

"Back when you were under with the illegal gambling club -. Anton Nadari and his people... I heard you got sucker punched, and I heard through the grapevine that it was Nick Amaro whose fist you danced with."

Declan grinned. "Amanda you should know better than to believe everything you hear. But suffice it to say that if I did get hit, I got my own back. Detective Amaro is a little too easily antagonized. But I think you already know that. He's got a thing for you, whether either of your realizes it or not. Besides, I had to maintain my cover. Now your turn. This is just between us; you have my word. I told you before in this game we'll have to color outside of the lines."

"What are you saying Declan? What all did you say or do to antagonize Nick?"

He noticed immediately she didn't go on the defensive when he'd suggested Amaro had a thing for her, instead she'd left her question to whatever it was he said or did to antagonize the punch from Amaro. He let her second question hang, answering her first. "What I'm saying Amanda is if things get complicated or dicy and make no mistake in this game they will; are you going to be able to follow my lead even if it goes against everything in the book regardless what it is that needs doing?"

Amanda took a breath before she responded. She knew what he was and wasn't asking all at once. She knew to some degree just how far outside those lines he had colored in the past, and she'd heard from some of the girls brought in with him on the Super Bowl Sunday bust that he'd pimped them out,and he himself had admitted to her that he had sold girls to his former predecessor Johnny D. He'd said he was earning trust, that the girls were lying about his having pimped them out. But Amanda wondered for the briefest of moments just how much truth there really was in what she'd been told. But could she go through with actually being a party to the trafficking of girls? Declan trusted her enough to call her in, to make her a part of his world. She'd trusted him once before with her life when undercover, could she trust him like that once again? The stakes were certainly different this time, but they were just as high this time if not higher.

"I'll follow your lead." Amanda said carefully. "We don't know how this will play out but I'll do whatever you need me to do."

Declan breathed a sigh of relief. He trusted Amanda, but he had questions as to how far she could and would go when it came to working as a u.c. He'd tested her limits before the previous year, and he knew she'd been forced into an impossibly difficult position as a fully cooperating u.c. He knew how difficult the life was, but he also knew what a damn good detective Amanda was.

"Good," Declan said as he thumbed his phone locked and tucked it back in his pocket. "Because we're going to be putting that to the test tonight after we finish up here."

"What's up?" Amanda realized belatedly that she hadn't even noticed he had been doing anything with his phone the entire time they'd been seated, her looking at the menu and contemplating what Declan had meant when he'd asked her if she'd follow along blindly and do what needed doing, no holds barred.

"King's out of commission; the heir apparent takes his place. We're needed. A mid-level trafficker has a problem with a girl, and we need to step in. I'd recommend light fare for now. We can always get something else after..."

When their server returned, they placed twin orders of chef's salad. Amanda gazed at him quizzically and said nothing. He definitely was a mystery; to her and to everyone else at SVU. One minute he was the manager of an illegal underground gambling club;or he was a trafficker; when in reality he was an undercover NYPD Lieutenant who was just as much a mystery off the job as he was on the job. Who was he? What made him tick? What was he passionate about? Did he have any family, and if so, where were they? All of these thoughts and more ran through Amanda's mind as they sat waiting for their food... That was, until Declan broke the silence.

"OK so here's the deal. We're meeting with a mid-level pimp/trafficker. He's got a problem with a girl apparently causing trouble. That's bad for business, but so is killing a girl right now, so enter me..."

"And now me apparently." Amanda interjected.

"Right. Up until today I've been able to not step in to too many of these because I haven't had much in the way of extra help from the good guys or even assets that I've been able to imbed. Your background is that you're a madame; a new face; and you work for and with me. You're my right hand as far as they will know after tonight. A decision doesn't get made that we're not privy to."

When their order came, they ate without speaking. In less than 20 minutes, both their plates were cleared, and Declan was paying the check. Once outside, he took her arm and headed back in the direction of the apartment. They made surprising time, nearly jogging the distance they'd casually walked less than an hour before. As they approached, Declan jerked his keys from the pocket of his jacket and steared Amanda toward his car.

"We'll need the car," he said as they walked. "Let me do the talking. Don't speak to anyone unless you're spoken to first, and don't give anymore of an answer than you have to. The less said from you the better for now."

Fifteen minutes later, Declan pulled up to a house on a residential street in Brooklyn. The house and street were non-descript, save for the minivan with blacked out windows in the back parked in the driveway. Declan parked behind the van, blocking it in. He checked to make sure his gun was tucked safely deep within his jacket pocket and then turned to Amanda.

"I know you don't have your police issue on you. Here's an extra I keep with me just in case. Cary this with you at all times even at the apartment. Fully loaded."

He got out of the car, and Amanda followed a moment later after tucking the gun into the deep inside pocket of her own jacket. She joined him on the doorstep as he walked in without knocking or ringing the bell. Taking a deep breath, Amanda stepped up and entered the house behind. At first they heard no sound at all. Declan motioned for Amanda to silently close the door behind them. She did.

"Carlos!" Declan called. At the sound, a door at the far end of a hallway on their left opened and out stepped a man who looked to be as tall as he was wide, with massive arms which screamed either weightlifter or steroid user. Amanda assumed this must be the Carlos Declan had called to when they'd entered. He shook Declan's hand and eyed Amanda up and down appraisingly.

"Bishop... Thanks for coming. I can't do anything with this one, and I gotta send a message to my other girls."

"What seems to be the trouble Carlos?" Declan asked casually. He knew if he acted too eager to take this problem off Carlos' hands, it would look too conspicuous. He had to play it cool; see what the issue was; find out why it was exactly the pimp wanted this girl gone in the first place. "We were at dinner when you reached out. What's going on here?"

All the while speaking, Carlos turned and moved back into the room he just exited. He grabbed something with one hand and hauled it out into view. "I got this girl three days ago. She was brought in by one of the newer guys down south. He said his bottom was supposed to deliver her to you tomorrow but something went down out of state, they had to unload early. I told him I'd take her off his hands and get her to you. I know I shoulda called you sooner but he said you weren't expecting her till tomorrow, so I thought I'd just hang on to her for you till then. But this one's gonna be a challenge. She doesn't speak; doesn't make a sound. I tell her to do something, and she just sits there like she doesn't hear me. Bitch ignores anything anyone says."

At a look from Declan, Amanda moved from where she stood at his side over to where Carlos had hauled the motionless girl. She knelt down and put a hand under the girl's chin. The eyes that met Amanda's held terror in them. The face was pretty, except for the bruises forming and the visible handprints.

"Amanda, be a love and take this one outside please. I've got some business to discuss with Carlos here."

Amanda looked at the girl for only a second before saying softly, "Come on sweety, come with me." But the girl remained on the floor, motionless where she'd been dropped.

Declan turned a blazing glare on Carlos. "What did you do to her?" The slow, even question came out so softly, Amanda almost couldn't be sure she'd heard it at all.

"She's fine. Probably just blacked out is all. I slapped her around a little when shedidn't do what she was told but that's it."

In one swift motion, Declan hauled back his right hand and pistol whipped the bigger man. Blood poured from a gash just above the man's right eye and from the gizer that was now his nose. Carlos' head snapped back and Declan followed up with a sucker punch to the man's gut.

"I'll be back to deal with you later." Declan hissed.

Turning, he bent and lifted the girl from the floor as easily as if she were a rag doll. He headed back out the way they'd come, Amanda at his side.

"Get in the back."

Amanda did as she was told, and Declan eased the girl into the back seat and onto Amanda's lap as quickly as he could before hurrying to open his own door and sliding behind the wheel.