Disclaimer: Still not mine... though one day Mr Wolf and I may come to some arrangement.

Thanks for the tremendous support. I truly appreciate those who have taken the time to leave constructive reviews.

I wasn't going to post this today as I find when I post Saturday morning my time, many people don't read it. However, it's Grand Final day here in Australia for our brand of football and my team, the mighty Hawks are playing. So, as you'd guess, I am in a very good mood. I also don't know my chances of updating in the days after the game, I'll either be celebrating or commiserating.

So please read and review and cheer for the Hawthorn Hawks and if all goes well I may post the next chapter quickly (as it is the second half of the same scene).

love Nettie

xoxoxinnocencexoxox

16th Precinct

Olivia had arrived at the precinct long before Elliot and the twins. He had taken them home first to shower and dress and she was going into the precinct to check out Steve's statement before Elliot got anywhere near the 1-6. Making her way into the squad room, Olivia couldn't help but smile when she saw Fin at his desk, his arms folded on the desk and his head resting on them, finally getting some much needed rest.

"Hey, Liv," nodded Don coming from his office. "Elliot with you?" he asked as he scanned the room.

"No, he'll be here soon. What's happening with Rowland?" she asked.

"Still in the cells. Casey will be here shortly," Don informed her. "How's Lizzie doing?"

"Okay, given the circumstances," she said, dropping her jacket on her chair.

"How's Elliot?" he asked, his brow deeply furrowed.

"Ready to kill the son-of-a-bitch," Olivia sighed, looking wearily at her boss.

"I'm surprised he wasn't here hours ago, thought I'd have to handcuff him to my desk to stop him killing Rowland," Don said, leaning against the door jamb.

"So did I, but his daughter wanted him and that won out," she said, propping herself on Elliot's desk.

Fin groaned and stretched before realising Olivia was there. "All hell hasn't broken loose so I take it El's not with you," he groaned, trying to work out a kink in his neck.

"Should be here soon," Olivia said, looking towards the elevator.

"How are the kids this morning?" Fin asked, rolling his head from side to side.

"Okay. Lizzie gave us a few extra details this morning," she said.

"Hope it matches the statement, for Rowland's sake, otherwise I'll be more than willing to help him remember," Fin growled, passing the file across. Olivia sat in Elliot's chair, hoping it would somehow bring her comfort as she read; it didn't.

As she took in Steven Rowland's account of matters her eyes welled up, there was nothing in it she didn't know, and she was thankful there were no additional surprises, but his cold, callous references to the fifteen year old girl she loved chilled her. His concluding statement that 'the little slut led him on' ended all rational thought.

Quickly she got up, threw the file back on Fin's desk and headed to the cells, Fin following close behind her.

"Open it," she yelled at the uniform officer who scurried to obey.

The metal door swung open and Olivia stalked in. Steve scrambled to his feet.

"Look Olivia," he began but was quickly silenced with a right cross which landed soundly on his jaw sending him reeling into the wall, his head bouncing off the wall. Before he could stand and protect himself Olivia did it again, this time drawing blood from his lip which split on contact. She hit him a third time bruising his eye and causing Steve to groan in pain, before Fin grabbed her arm and stopped her, leaving Steve cowering in the corner.

"Looks like you've done enough damage, girl," he said, pulling her away.

"Nowhere near enough what he deserves," spat Olivia, struggling against him; every fibre in her being desperate to inflict pain and misery on the scum in front of her.

"Fuck him, Liv, I'm talking about you. Look at your hand," he replied, pulling her towards the door.

Olivia looked down and saw her deeply split knuckle and the blood spilling from it. "Shit, I didn't even feel it," she muttered as she looked at the gaping wound.

"Think you'll need to get it looked at," he said, covering it with his own hand.

Munch had taken Olivia to the nearby medical clinic before Elliot arrived. As Lizzie and Dickie waited nervously in Don's office, Elliot was briefed on everything but Olivia's altercation with Steve Rowland in the interview room doorway. Uniformed officers brought Rowland from the cells and pushed him into interrogation room two, Elliot went into the next room with Fin and studied Steve through the one way mirror.

"Looks like he had an accident," Elliot remarked, a smirk crossing his lips as he took in the swollen and bruised face in front of him.

"Yeah, just a slight one …" Fin agreed, a satisfied look on his face.

"Thanks, man," Elliot said, patting his shoulder. "I promised Liv I wouldn't do anything 'Stabler-like'. I think causing such damage would be considered 'Stabler-like', don't you?"

Fin chuckled. "Maybe you should have made Liv promise the same thing."

"What do you mean?" he asked, turning to face him. Fin held the back of his hands up to Elliot.

"It wasn't me," he said. "But you might be interested to know your partner is at the clinic having her hand looked at."

"What? Liv did this?" he asked stunned.

"Yep."

Elliot looked back through the glass at the man whom he once trusted and at the injuries inflicted by the woman he loved. "Is Liv okay?"

"I think she felt a hell of a lot better once she did it," Fin remarked, folding his arms across his chest.

Elliot smiled, knowing she'd done it out of love for him and his daughter and because he'd promised not too.

"What are you smiling about?" Fin asked surprised.

"Nothing," he replied sobering. "You ready to take Liz's statement?"

"Yeah."

Walking back into the bullpen, Elliot grabbed Fin's arm and stopped him before they got to Cragen's door.

"Fin, wait," he called, before drawing a deep breath. Of all the detectives he knew, and knowing in the circumstances it couldn't be himself or Olivia, he was glad it was Fin talking to his children. However, the idea anyone had to talk to them officially, that his twins were the victim and witness in a case for their squad had his stomach knotting and mind swirling. Fin understood.

"El, man, I'll do it as gently as I can … and I'll get what we need," he said in hushed tones.

"And you'll…" Elliot began.

"And I'll catch you up on it later," Fin finished for him.

"Thanks," he muttered, opening the door.

Elliot moved into the office and rested one hand on his son's shoulder while kissing his daughter's head.

"Honey, Fin is going to take your statement now, just in the interview room next door," Elliot explained. "Is that okay?"

"Can't Liv do it?" she asked, her eyes darting to Fin before settling on her dad.

"No, baby, she can't," he said quietly.

"Can she at least come in with me?" Liz asked quietly.

"Liv's not here at the moment," Don interrupted.

"Can we wait?" Liz asked in fervent hope. She really didn't want to be in a small space with any man telling him such intimate things.

"We can wait," Don nodded and Lizzie smiled.

"What about you, son?" Don asked, turning his attention to Dickie. "Are you right to go now or would you like to wait for Liv too?"

"No, it's okay, I'll talk to Fin," Dickie said, getting to his feet. "Will you be there, dad?"

"Do you want me in there?" Elliot asked. Dickie's face said more than his voice ever could and all three men in the office knew it.

It was Don who came to Dickie's rescue.

"Look, I think it may be best for Fin and Dickie to talk man-to-man, Elliot," he said, looking at his detective. "Besides, I need to speak to you on another matter. Is that okay with you, son?" he asked, turning his attention to the teen.

Dickie nodded quickly. "Yes, sir." Although his father had told him repeatedly he was not at fault, his guilt was overwhelming and he didn't want his father to hear just how much he'd let his sister down.

Moving past his sister, Dickie went to pass his father before Elliot stopped him in a half hug. Leaning in, he whispered to his son, "I'm very proud of you, son," before kissing his head. Dickie stood a bit taller as he left the room.

Tempted to watch the whole proceedings through the one way mirror but not wanting Liz to hear it, he resisted, taking Liz out to sit at his own desk.

"Dad, where's Liv? She said she'd be here," Lizzie said sitting in Olivia's chair.

"She had to go somewhere with Munch," Elliot explained.

"But she said she'd be here," she protested quietly.

"I know, honey, but it couldn't be helped," he said, gathering the files on his desk.

Lizzie leant forward, resting her elbows on the desk, her hands sitting on the desk, clasped. "Dad, does mom know yet?" Elliot shook his head. "Who's going to tell her?"

"Do you want to tell her?" he asked quietly, his posture reflecting hers. She quickly shook her head. "Then I'll do it, baby."

Lizzie folded her arms on the desk and rested her head, it wasn't yet 10:00 AM and she was already exhausted.

"Do you want to lie down in the cribs?" he asked.

"No, dad, I want to stay right here," she said without moving. Elliot just smiled and went back to the pretence of working as he studied his daughter and felt himself age ten years. His baby girl was sitting at his partner's desk, exhausted, scared, scarred and there was little he could do to help. Sleep deprived himself he let his mind wander to the thousands of victims he had worked with over his near twenty years on the job. He couldn't protect any of them from the trauma which had befallen them; he couldn't save them from the torment or the nightmares which usually followed. He'd lost so many to the dark abyss of death and destruction and there was never anything he could have done differently to save them … from the perverts … from themselves.

He shook his head to try and dislodge the overwhelming thoughts which were threatening to engulf him. Here he was; an experienced sex crimes detective, who, by his own reckoning, had never made a damned bit of difference. How the hell was he supposed to deal with his two children; one who only wanted his partner and the other who didn't want anyone?

It was his boss' hand on his shoulder which brought him back to reality.

"El," he said, nodding towards his office. Elliot got up and took one last look at his daughter before heading in. Don didn't say anything but pointed through the window into the interview room. Elliot looked in to find his son with his head in his hands sobbing.

"Think you should go in," he said, patting Elliot's back and he did.

Knocking on the interview room door as a matter of habit, he didn't wait for an answer before entering. Fin took one look at him and smiled before leaving. Elliot squatted beside his son's chair.

"Dickie," he said rubbing his back. "It's okay, son."

"No it's not," he mumbled, his head resting on his father's shoulder. "I never should have let it happen."

"You're not responsible, Dickie. This is not your fault," Elliot said firmly as he drew his son's face up to meet his. "Not your fault."

"It is … I could have stopped it," he protested, swiping at his eyes.

"When?" Elliot questioned.

"A couple of weeks ago Liz said he was giving her the creeps … I should have done something or said something then," he choked.

"Was there a reason you didn't?" he asked, trying his best not to be accusatory.

"She'd been complaining about everything and I was busy with school and football and stuff and so I ignored it," he admitted. "But dad," he continued, grabbing onto Elliot's arm. "If I knew … If I thought he would do this … that he'd touch her … I swear I'd have stopped it."

In a gesture that completely surprised Dickie, Elliot grabbed him in a strong embrace and held him firmly. "You listen to me, Dickie," he all but growled. "The only person at fault is Steve … Steve … I don't blame you, Lizzie doesn't blame you …"

"But dad," Dickie implored, gripping his father tightly. "He touched her… he was on top of her … he was going to … to …" He couldn't get the words out, couldn't even contemplate that his sister was going to be raped in her own bed and by someone they knew and trusted. And instantly Elliot realised the issue. It wasn't just the events which had happened it was what could have happened. While he had protected his children from the daily horrors and explicit details of his job, they were intelligent and astute and even as a fifteen year old, Dickie knew the darkness which often consumed his father's life and never, ever, wanted the same fate for his twin sister.

xoxoxinnocencexoxox