A/N: Hi everyone, thank you for all the great feedback, I really appreciate your reviews. I always look forward to reading the reviews. I hope you like this next chapter.

I looked at Alex and smiled, she touched my hand and I felt the warmth tingle up through me then settle in my stomach. The butterflies I had been feeling all night came back, I leant in and kissed Alex softly. I felt the butterflies surge in my stomach again and smiled softly; I heard the door creak to the bedroom. I pulled out of the kiss and smiled, I felt my cheeks blush.

"Are you okay?" I asked seeing Marni, she was also blushing.

"I'm good, I just need to use the bathroom." Marni slipped out of the door and into the bathroom, she closed the door, then reopened it, she grinned. "I knew you two were a couple." she closed the door.

I looked at Alex and laughed, she giggled too, "She knew before we did."

Alex took a brush and pulled it through her blonde hair, "She's a smart kid. I'm going to get some breakfast." she looked at me, then upward, "Coffee, two sugars and a cream cheese bagel."

"I'm impressed." I said softly.

"You should be," Alex kissed me on the cheek, "Marni," she called out, "I'm going for coffee and bagels, can I get you anything?"

Marni appeared at the bathroom door, she looked fresh faced and more awake now. "Tea please."

"Any sugar?"

"No thank you." Marni replied politely.

"You're sweet enough, right?" Alex joked, then left my apartment.

I smiled at Marni, she came and sat on the couch next to me; "If I get in your way, please don't hesitate to say something. I think what you're doing for me is really great, but I'm just a passing moment in your life. Alex is for keeps."

I smiled softly, I took hold of her hand, "You're too smart, y'know that?" I took in a deep breath, "Me and Alex, we're, this is new to both of us. I don't know where things are going to go with us, but it doesn't mean I'm going to abandon you. You're part of my life too."

I watched Marni smile, then look rather confused, "Why?" she asked me.

"Why what?"

"Why are you being so nice to me? What did I do to deserve it?"

I hated this question, I'd heard it many times before when dealing with victims and every time I felt my stomach sink a little. I hate that someone so young has been diminished to so little. "You're a person, and every person deserves to be treated with respect. You don't have a family Marni, and Mrs Parks abuses you, if I can look after you and keep you safe, then I will."

Marni looked at me softly and smiled, I felt her tighten her grip on my hand, "I haven't felt safe since my mum died. She's my hero, she was brave and always stood her ground. She was a lot like you actually."

I smiled at her, she had a quality that seemed to put me at ease, even though she had suffered. "I'm sure she was a fantastic person. Do you have anything to wear?"

"Only my clothes from yesterday."

I thought for a minute, "I can find you some clothes, and I'll take you shopping when I get home from work." then it hit me, what was Marni going to do all day? "I finish at five, we'll grab something to eat if you like."

"Sure, is it cool if I just hang here today? I'm worried if I go out, Mrs Parks will stop me."

"Course you can. There's plenty of food, and I have every TV channel available to mankind." I laughed handing her the control. "You know where the bathroom is, I have a spare key in case you want to go out."

"Thanks."

Marni leant over and hugged me, I felt my arms raising and hugging her back. I held her closely and felt a natural maternal instinct washing over me. I heard heels clicking along the hallway and knew Alex was back with breakfast. Marni broke off the hug, she had tears in her eyes, but quickly wiped them away when she heard the key turn in the lock.

"Who's hungry?" Alex asked.

"I am!" I said standing up and taking a bag from Alex, I got a couple of plates out and put the bagels on them. Alex handed me a coffee, and Marni her tea. We sat down and ate breakfast, I looked at Marni who looked like she hadn't eaten in a year, then at Alex. I felt a smile breach my lips. I was happy for the first time in a long time, I felt something with Alex, I hadn't felt with anyone before her. I felt special, loved, and safe. And I guessed Marni felt the same way.

Alex and I had left Marni on the couch watching Ellen reruns, we drove in and walked into the one – six. I saw Nick with Amanda working already; I smiled at them, then walked to my desk, Alex following. "I need to make a call and check up on Grace, I need to speak to Alice about the sketch as well."

"So you'll be rounding up a line up?" Alex asked.

"I plan to, we have to deal with both Sadie and our male perp."

"You're thinking about Marni, aren't you?"

Alex was right, I was. I was worrying about her being alone in my apartment, Lillian Parks knew where I lived. After all, she sent Marni to me in the first place. "I'm just worried, that's all."

"I'll tell you what, I'll call her in an hour and make sure everything's okay."

"Can't you call her now?" I asked with a grin.

"Don't give me those eyes, they're almost irresistible." Alex laughed, she put her hand on my shoulder, "Liv, we've been gone thirty five minutes, she's fine."

"You're right, okay." I said trying to straighten out my thoughts, "I'm going to call Grace, will you call Alice for me? I can't face her today, she has an attitude I can't deal with before eleven."

Alex smiled, "It's a good job I have broad shoulders." Alex turned, "I don't think you need to call Grace."

I turned around and saw Grace standing with her mother. I stood up and greeted them, "I was just about to call, I got called away yesterday, I'm sorry. How did it go with the sketch artist?"

Jessica looked at me, "I understand you're busy. This bear was on our doorstep this morning."

I thought for a minute, "The 'Thank you'." I remembered Grace telling me yesterday about the gift she was going get.

"Olivia." Cragen shouted.

I looked at Cragen and suddenly felt like I was being torn apart. "I'll be two minutes." I said leaving to talk to Cragen.

"I need you out on a case." he told me.

"I need to talk to Grace," I said not finishing my sentence.

"How many cases are you working?" he asked me.

"I have two open cases, but sir."

"No buts Olivia! It's a twelve year old girl. I need you to go out to her now. Take Alex."

I sighed softly and walked back out of the Captain's office, "I'm really sorry, I have another case." I grabbed my coat off my chair and looked at Jessica and Grace. I could see the anger building inside Jessica. "I'm sorry, my Captain's orders." I told her.

"So my daughter's just not important now? You have another case, so you're forgetting her?" Jessica spat at me.

"No, that's not the case at all Mrs Palmwood. I have my orders, Grace's case is important to me." It didn't matter how much I cared, I couldn't break orders, not on another child case. "There's a chance this new case could relate to your daughter's, I need to talk to the victim. She could give me vital information that could help catch the people that hurt Grace." I watched as Jessica calmed down.

"I'm sorry." she ushered her daughter out of the building.

"Alex, we have a shout." I called.

"I've just spoken to Alice, she said she took a copy of the sketches to keep on file and left a copy on a folder on your desk." Alex told me, she went over and picked up a blue folder. "Pretty sure these are them." Alex opened the folder and took out two sketches. "Here is Sadie, and the unknown male."

I looked at the sketches, I didn't recognise either of them. I looked down and sighed softly, "We have another child case."

"Lets go."

Alex and I got into a Crown Vic and drove to our victim's address. The drive there was quiet, I looked at Alex every now and then; "Have you called Marni?" I asked softly.

"No, I'll call her now." she smiled at me and I felt her hand on my knee, "Liv, she's going to be okay y'know."

I took in a deep breath, "Call her after we've spoken to our vic, I'm sure she's fine."

We arrived at the small single floor house, I knocked on the door, I felt Alex brush her hand over my back and down my spine. I smiled a little, then looked around at her, I wanted nothing more than a cuddle and a kiss. The door opened, I saw a man standing in the doorway, "Can I help you?" he asked.

"I'm Detective Olivia Benson and this is ADA Alex Cabot. We're here to talk to your daughter." I informed him.

"I'm Emily's dad." he told me, "Michael Wilson. She's in her bedroom, she hasn't left since yesterday." Michael opened the front door further allowing me and Alex in.

"Has she said anything?"

"No, I literally had to drag it out of her. She hasn't spoken since she told me, I called you guys straight away."

I looked at the man, "Has Emily spoken to her mother about the incident." I asked.

"My wife passed away four years ago. Emily handled it really well, but she's been disconnected lately."

I nodded softly, "I'm sorry." I gave a few seconds of silence, "Can I talk to Emily?"

Michael showed me to Emily's room and left, I looked at Alex who hung back in the doorway. I knocked, there was no answer. I walked in and looked at Emily, she was laying still, I could have confused her for dead.

"Emily, my name's Olivia Benson, I'm a detective." I started, Emily didn't move. "Emily, I need to talk to you about what happened. Do you think you're up for it?" Emily rolled over and looked at me, but didn't say a word. She pushed some drawings into my hand. I looked at them and a sickening feeling washed over me. Emily had drawn a man, a girl, and a van. "Emily, I know you're scared, but you don't have to be any more. I'm going to catch the people that hurt you, I promise."

"I can't help you." Emily whispered.

"I just need you to tell me what happened sweetheart. Anything you tell me could help me catch them." I told her feeling at a loss already.

"There was a man and a girl in Central Park, she made me fall asleep. I remember waking up and he was on top of me, hurting me down there. He was doing something to her, I don't know what, I didn't want to know. He asked me for my address, I told him, then he dropped me off. He told me I would be getting a thank you present in a couple days." Emily suddenly stopped talking.

"Emily, do you remember what the man looks like?"

"He had black hair and brown eyes. He was tall like daddy, and he had prickles on his face."

I looked at Emily, "You're doing really well Emily. Do you remember if he had any tattoos or scars?"

"He had a tattoo on his hand, it was like this." Emily handed me another drawing. She'd drawn another picture, this time of a hand, the tattoo was an Egyptian eye, with a green iris.

"Emily, can I keep these pictures?"

Emily nodded, then rolled back over and stopped talking completely. I got up and looked at Alex, I closed Emily's bedroom door, and showed Alex the drawings.

"That's unusual." Alex said, "How many people get tattoos on the palm of their hands?" she asked.

"I don't know, people in the tattoo industry? Music maybe. Public service workers don't, I imagine office workers don't, shaking hands with people, it would look unprofessional." I paused a little, "The MO sounds the same, I need to get back to the one – six and call Grace again."

"Before you ask, yes I will call Marni on the way back." Alex smiled softly.

Alex took out her phone and called my house phone, Marni didn't have a cell phone. Alex shrugged, "She's not picking up."

"I told her to answer the phone Alex, I told her I'd call. She promised." panic ran through me. "We have to go to the apartment."

"Liv, she's probably in the shower." Alex must have seen the worry in my face, "I'll call her again." Alex shrugged again, "Nothing."