Waking up to Jacob's first cry the next morning, Olivia groaned. Damn Elliot and that workout, she thought as she slid her legs out of bed and bent with a soft hiss to lift Jacob into her arms.

Once at the station, she forced herself to walk normally, instead of the slower hobble she'd adopted. She grabbed a mug of coffee and sat in her chair. Cragen walked out of his office and looked at the squad room. His gaze fell on Elliot and Olivia, both drinking mugs of coffee, Elliot reading a file and Olivia was trying to find something online.

"Benson! Stabler!" he called, beckoning to them with one finger. Both detectives stood up, slightly more slowly than they normally would and made their way into Cragen's office. Cragen arched an eyebrow as Elliot leaned gingerly against a bookcase and Olivia sat carefully on the arm of a chair. "Have fun at the gym last night?"

"Oh yeah," Elliot chuckled.

"Are you two up to checking out the PO Box on our guy today?"

Olivia sat up a bit straighter. "Casey got the warrant?"

"Yep and you can get the papers from the post office anytime this morning. Let's see if we can get this cleaned up by tonight."

"Got it," Elliot said with a nod as he pushed himself up. "You wanna drive Liv, or should I?"

Olivia shrugged, opening Cragen's door and heading for her desk. "I don't care. I'll drive."

"Hey!" Cragen called as his detectives grabbed their coats. "Call before heading over to his place."

Olivia nodded. "We'll just bring him in, then interrogate the hell out of him."

As they drove to the post office Elliot reached over and linked his fingers through hers. "I called Maureen last night. She said she's baby-sit Friday night so we can have that romantic evening I've been promising you."

Olivia nearly rear-ended the car in front of them as she goggled. "Do you mean what I think you do?"

Elliot smiled gently and squeezed her hand. "If that's what you want. If not, it can just be a regular date."

"No, no I'm definitely ready to take that step. But how did you pitch it to Maureen?"

"I asked her to stay with the kids so we could have our way with each other."

"What?" Olivia exclaimed, horrified, even as Elliot laughed.

"Liv, hon relax. I just asked her to baby-sit. Anything else she inferred on her own. She said she'd bring clothes to spend the night so we can be as late as we want."

"She's okay with this?"

"She and Katie are both fine with us. Dickie and Lizzie might not know, but if they did, they'd be happy too." He paused. "Are you sure you're ready for this?"

Olivia smiled warmly as they pulled up to the post office. "I've been ready for this for seven years, Elliot."

He beamed and reached over to brush a kiss over her lips. "Let's go see if we can finally get an address for this guy."

When they arrived at the post office, the manager was waiting for them, clearly aggravated. "I don't like doing this, but here's the guy's application. He comes in about twice a week to pick up his mail, but he hasn't been in since last week."

Elliot nodded as Olivia took the application and began reading it. "How's he seem to you?"

The guy shrugged. "Never paid much attention. I guess normal enough, my staff hasn't complained about him."

"Here's my card," Elliot said, handing it over. "Call if he comes in?"

"Got it."

"Ready to go, Liv?"

She looked up and nodded. "Yep. Guy's name is Kyle Chavez. According to this, he lives three blocks from our crime scene. I'll call Munch and Fin, have them pull the guy's records while we're driving."

Elliot held out his hand for the keys as they walked towards the car, Olivia still reading. Once in the car she called Cragen and gave him the information, telling him they were going to see if they could bring Justin in for an interview.

They found Kyle in his apartment. It was disgusting; pictures of naked, beaten women adorned the walls. They hauled him down to the car and began driving back to the station. While Justin waited in the interrogation room Cragen called his detectives around him.

"Munch? Fin? What'd you get on our boy?"

"Kyle Chavez, age 22. There's nothing on his record but a few parking tickets. But that also doesn't mean his juvie record's as clean," Fin said.

Munch picked up from where Fin left off. "He attends Columbia, obviously, but doesn't seem to pay much attention to his classes. He's been on academic probation since his freshman year. And he seems to be on the ten year plan."

"Ten years?" Olivia asked, surprised.

"Probably not on purpose," Munch chuckled. "But that's what happens when you only take 10 credit hours a semester and fail half of those. His parents live in Jersey and Casey's calling down there to see if we can get an unofficial look at his juvie record. But for now, we have Anna and Veronica coming down for line ups. Hopefully, with positive IDs we can compel a DNA sample."

"Has he asked for his lawyer yet?" Cragen asked.

Elliot shook his head. "Nope. Let's go take a crack at him, Liv. If he confesses, it'll just make Casey's job easier."

Olivia nodded with a grin. "Good cop or bad cop, El?"

"Hm…I think I'll take good cop today. Let you go bad cop on his ass." He held out a hand to pull her from her chair. "Ready partner?"

"Let's go."

They walked off to the interrogation room and Cragen paused, realizing that they were even walking in synch. He'd have to be blind not to realize that something was going on between Elliot and Olivia. They'd always been close but the last few weeks had pushed them even closer. Now looking at them was like looking at two halves of same person. Separate they were still strong people who could take care of themselves. But together both seemed more relaxed and content than he'd seen either of them in a long time.

An hour later, Elliot and Olivia emerged from the interrogation room, both furious and frustrated. Kyle admitted to knowing the victim but not to anything else. He said that he had taken a couple of classes with her, knew her by face and by hearing her name, but that was it, he'd never been out with her and whoever claimed to have seen them must have been mistaken. As for the porn in his apartment? The girls were all over 18, it was legal and as long as it was pictures, they weren't hurting anyone, were they? And there was nothing they could do until the lineup.

Both the victim and the witness identified Kyle, which Casey said was enough to compel a DNA sample. All they had left to do was wait. At 5:45, Olivia and Elliot were still waiting for an answer from the lab. Cragen wanted to question Kyle as soon as the DNA came back so Olivia left to pick up the kids from daycare and bring them back to the station for dinner.

"Elliot!" Brian exclaimed, racing into the station. "We get to stay here tonight!"

Elliot laughed as he pulled Brian into his lap with a hug. "I know, isn't that exciting?"

Brian nodded. "And Olivia said we can have Chinese food!"

"After you finish your homework," Olivia said with a smile as she walked into the station with Jacob in one arm and Maggie clinging to her fingers of her other hand.

"Right," Brian sighed.

Maggie smiled and climbed into Elliot's lap also, pressing a gentle kiss to his cheek. "Hi Elliot."

"Hey there baby girl." Elliot beamed, cuddling her close. "Did you have fun at daycare?"

Maggie nodded, grinning. "I made Livvy a picture." She pulled a folded up piece of paper from her backpack and opened it to reveal a little yellow squiggle and a larger brown squiggle that might have represented people. Next to both was another brown squiggle. "See, that's me an' Livvy an' you."

Elliot beamed and nuzzled Maggie's neck. "That's a beautiful picture Maggie Mae. Do you think you could make me a picture tonight?"

Maggie thought for a minute, then nodded. "Okay."

"How about you?" Elliot asked Brian, tickling his ribs gently. "What are we looking at for homework?"

"I have to use a computer, we're writing reports on presidents," Brian sighed.

"Who do you have?" Munch spoke up, interested.

"John Kennedy. He was president a long time ago."

Munch chuckled. "Come on over here Bri, I'll tell you everything I know about John Fitzgerald Kennedy."

Brian slid off Elliot's lap and hurried over, perching on Munch's desk. Olivia arched an eyebrow in their direction. "Facts only John, no conspiracies," she warned.

"Got it," Munch said with a wink to Brian.

"Uncle John, what's a conspiracy?"

"It's the truth that the government doesn't want us to know."

"Why not?"

Olivia sighed and looked at Elliot. "Why do I even bother?"

He laughed. "I don't know. How's the little man doing?"

"Wonderfully. He has a full tummy and is perfectly content." She brushed a kiss over his hair. "Now we just need someone to stay up for a little while so he'll sleep at night."

Cragen walked out of his office and smiled when Maggie waved from Elliot's lap and called out, "Hi Cap'in Cwagen!"

"Well hello Miss Maggie." Cragen held out his arms and scooped Maggie up when she raced into his arms. "Elliot, Olivia, I'm sorry to tell you this but there's a crime scene you need to visit."

"Captain I have the kids," Olivia objected, rubbing Jacob's back.

"I know and I'd send Munch and Fin but they're needed across town."

"What?" Munch looked up, surprised. "Why?"

Olivia glanced at Brian who was all ears and Maggie who looked to be paying attention also. "Bri, why don't you take Maggie upstairs to the crib and you can watch a video?" she suggested.

"Are you and Elliot going out?"

She sighed. "I think so. But we'll come up and tell you before we leave, okay?"

Brian nodded as he slid off Munch's desk. "Come on Maggie. Let's go watch a video."

Maggie nodded and when Cragen set her on the ground, she took her brother's hand and they walked up the stairs together. Olivia watched them, then turned back to her Captain. "What's up?"

"There was a little girl stolen from Joi de Vivre daycare this afternoon. She's six years old, name Theresa Milner. The daycare's on the corner of 7th and Grand. Six blocks away, Kayla Jefferies was taken from another daycare called Creative Learning. She's seven."

"Jefferies?" Munch asked, surprised. "Any relation to Monique?"

"Don't think so. But I want Olivia and Elliot to go Joi de Vivre and Munch and Fin head to Creative Learning."

"Are we thinking these are connected?" Elliot asked, grabbing his coat.

"At this point, we don't know. We're treating them as separate cases for now though."

"What about the kids?" Olivia resisted.

"I'll stay here with them. Obviously, these cases are getting top priority so we're keeping Kyle Chavez in lock up for the night, we can do a line up tomorrow."

"Has someone called the girls?" Elliot asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Casey called them already."

Olivia nodded as she settled Jacob into his carrier with a kiss. "You be good for Captain Cragen, Jay. I'll be back as soon as I can." She stood and handed the carrier over. "He's fed and clean, but he'll probably need a new diaper in about an hour or so."

Cragen nodded. "Sleeping?"

"After he's changed, he'll probably drop off for a little while. He'll be fine in the carrier while he's sleeping, just make sure to tuck the blanket around him so he doesn't get cold. And he falls asleep easier if you hold him."

"What about our eavesdroppers?" Cragen smiled, nodding towards the stairs to the crib where Brian and Maggie were sitting, watching wide eyed.

Olivia sighed. "Here's $20 if you can order Chinese food for them? Brian needs to do his homework and Maggie will color or play with her doll. If she gets antsy, she likes reading. And if we're not back by 8:30, that's Maggie's bedtime. Um…she doesn't have pajamas, but I have a couple of t-shirts in my locker that she and Brian can wear. Brian needs to go to bed at 9, but hopefully we'll be back by then."

Cragen smiled. "Don't worry about us, we'll be fine. You go find that little girl."

"Just let me say goodbye to the kids," Olivia took her coat from Elliot and walked over to the stairs as she shrugged into her coat. "Hey guys," she said softly. "Elliot and I have to go work on a case for a little while so you're going to stay here with Captain Cragen, okay?"

Maggie wrapped her arms around Olivia's neck. "No Livvy, don't go 'way."

"I have to baby girl," she soothed. "Elliot and I have to go help someone who's in trouble."

"Why?" Maggie whined.

"Because that's what we do, we help people. And then we'll come back to get you."

"Cause you always come back?"

"Because I always come back," Olivia agreed, kissing her cheek. "I need you guys to be good for Captain Cragen, okay? Brian you still need to do your homework. Just because Elliot and I aren't here doesn't mean you can goof off."

"Okay," Brian sighed.

"And can you help Captain Cragen if he needs it with Jacob?"

Brian nodded. "Sure." He reached out and hugged her tightly. "I love you, Olivia."

"I love you too," Olivia whispered, kissing both children. "Both of you."

Elliot walked over and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Liv, we have to go." He smiled down at Brian and Maggie. "Have fun guys, we'll be back soon."

Brian wrapped his arms around Elliot's waist. "I love you too, Elliot."

"Me too," Maggie said, attaching herself to Elliot's leg.

"I love you guys too." He bent and kissed both of them, whispering in their ears. Brian and Maggie grinned and raced to Cragen's office.

"What did you tell them?" Olivia asked, standing up.

"I told them about Cragen's Twizzler stash," Elliot grinned. "Let's go, the sooner we leave, the sooner we'll be back."

She looked at him, suddenly sad. "You and I both know it won't be that easy."

Elliot reached over and squeezed her hand. "Maybe it will," he said softly. "Maybe it was a custody battle gone wrong."

"Yeah. Maybe." But Olivia didn't sound convinced.

They drove to the daycare and arrived to find uniformed officers questioning the daycare supervisor and the parents. The supervisor was ringing her hands and looking scared to death, tears welled in her eyes while the parents clung to each other looking desperate. "You want the parents or supervisor?" Olivia asked, knots starting to form in her stomach.

"I'll take the supervisor," Elliot said, squeezing her hand subtly.

Half an hour later, armed with a recent picture of Theresa, Elliot and Olivia headed back to the station house. They met up with Munch and Fin in the parking garage and headed inside. As soon as they walked in the door, they were met with the sounds of a cranky screaming. Maggie looked up from Olivia's desk, where she sat with her doll and a book. She let out an excited squeal and jumped up, racing towards Olivia.

"Livvy!" she yelled as she jumped into her foster mother's arms.

Olivia caught her and held Maggie tightly, stroking her hair and fighting tears. It was alright, she kept reminding herself. Maggie was safe, she was perfectly fine. "Hi baby," she whispered.

"Livvy, what's wong?" Maggie asked, pulling back and patting Olivia's cheek. "Why you sad?"

"Because a little girl needs my help," Olivia answered softly. "And I don't like it when little boys and girls are hurt."

"Do you need a hug, Olivia?" Brian asked softly, coming up to stand next to her.

Olivia blinked back tears and nodded. "I would love a hug right now," she said, crouching down so she could gather Brian to her also. She held them close for a minute, savoring the feel of her children safe in her arms. "Did you guys have fun with Captain Cragen?" she asked softly.

Brian nodded. "I found a lot for my report. I was working on the outline, then I'll write the first draft this weekend."

"Why don't we start on that tomorrow? That way we can have fun this weekend," she suggested. Brian nodded in agreement and Olivia looked at Maggie. "Did you have dinner yet?"

"Uh-huh. Ses'me chicken an' broccoli an' crab goons."

"Wow, that's a lot."

"We saved some for you," Brian added. "Elliot too."

"Thanks, buddy," Elliot grinned, ruffling Brian's hair. "Where's Captain Cragen?"

"He's with Jacob," Maggie said, still holding onto Olivia's neck. "He's cwyin'."

"Cap?" Olivia asked, her eyebrows arching up to her hairline.

"No, not me Olivia. Your son's been missing you." Cragen walked out of his office holding the fussing baby.

Olivia passed Maggie to Elliot and gathered the baby in her arms. "Hi there big boy, what's the matter?" she cooed. "Why aren't we happy? Didn't Captain Cragen feed you?"

"Oh, I fed him," Cragen sighed. "And I changed his diaper and went through two shirts."

"Two shirts?" Olivia asked, eyebrows arching, this time in amusement.

"He spit up down one and peed on the other."

"Oh," a smirk appeared on her face. "Got it." She rubbed Jacob's back and he quieted, then fell asleep.

"Olivia, you can put the little ones to bed, then we need to go over what we learned."

Olivia and Elliot carried Maggie and Jacob upstairs with Brian trailing after them. After getting the children tucked into bed with kisses and hugs all around, Olivia left the door to the crib cracked and she and Elliot began tiptoeing down the stairs.

"This is going to be a long night," she said softly. "I need to call Maureen."

"Give me your notes and I'll give them to Cragen in case you're not back."

"Thanks." Olivia handed over her notebook and grabbed her cell phone. Fifteen minutes later Olivia joined the group.

"Everything go okay?" Elliot whispered.

"Yep. Maureen's in class until 9:45, some film lecture, so she'll probably be here around 10:15 or 10:30."

"Good," Elliot grinned.

"Okay, we have two little girls, similar looks, but very different families. Joi de Vivre is a private daycare, very exclusive. Theresa Milner went missing this afternoon on a nature walk. They were looking for flowers. According to the aide, she was there one second and gone the next, no one was around, no cars, nothing," Cragen said, taping a picture of Theresa to the board. He added a picture of Kayla. "Same story from Creative Learning. But instead of being highly exclusive, Creative Learning was started to offer low-income families. Kayla Jeffries disappeared during outside playtime. The yard if fenced but there's a small hole. Kayla could have fit through but I don't think anyone larger could have."

"The families don't know each other," Fin added.

"The Jefferies aren't even from Manhattan," Munch added. "Both parents work here, but they live in Brooklyn."

"Are they related to Monique?" Olivia asked, wondering if this could be some warped plan for revenge.

"Nope, just a coincidence," Munch said.

"I didn't think you believed in coincidences, I thought everything was a conspiracy," Elliot smirked, then sobered. "Theresa's father, Nathan Milner is an ADA in homicide."

"Any tough cases lately?" Munch asked. "Maybe ones where the defendant threatened him and taking the daughter is revenge?"

"We'll have to get his old files and go through them, but if these cases are connected, it's probably not a disgruntled perp," Olivia pointed out.

"Well if the perp is pissed enough, Kayla might have just been a crime of opportunity," Munch argued back.

"Children," Cragen scolded. "These cases are too alike to not be related. So now I want us to figure out how these girls are connected. Munch, Fin, get on that. Olivia and Elliot, I want you looking through all staff lists from the daycares, seeing if they have any similarities and cross referencing them with all recently released sex offenders."

Everyone nodded and went to their desks, beginning a long night of work. They'd been at it for about 45 minutes when the clacking of high heels made the detectives look towards the door just in time to see Liz Donnelly stride though, Casey at her side.

"Why the hell wasn't I called?" she demanded. "The daughter of another ADA goes missing, Branch wants this guy caught yesterday, and we're kept in the dark WHY?"

"Because this just happened about two hours ago and we don't have a suspect yet," Olivia sighed, standing up.

"Why not? Are you just all sitting here on your asses waiting for the perp to walk through the door, because I'm damn sure that's not going to happen," Liz snapped

Elliot was on his feet too. "Well if you think you're going to find those little girls by just wandering the streets, without any research or a solid leads, be my guest because you're sure as hell not helping us here!"

"You'll be singing a different tune when you decide to do your damn jobs and get out there and find those children and need warrants!" Liz yelled, stepping closer to the detectives while Casey mouthed that she was sorry.

"Look, if you want to do the background work and give it to us be our guest! But until then get off our asses and let us do our jobs!" Olivia yelled back, pushed to the breaking point.

No one had seen the tiny blonde girl standing on the steps, watching the whole scene, terrified. She raced off the steps and dove under Olivia's desk, curling into a tight little ball, shaking with fear. Casey saw the streak of little blonde that ended up under the desk and, since no one was paying attention to either her or Maggie, she slipped around the desks and crouched down, peering into the darkness.

"Hi sweetie," she whispered comfortingly. "My name's Casey, we met at the park when you learned how to ride a bike, remember?" Maggie didn't say anything but nodded slightly so Casey sat down carefully. "Do you want to come out, Maggie?"

The little girl shook her head vehemently and whispered, "Lady's scary."

"You mean Ms. Donnelly?" Casey whispered back, sliding under the desk. "The lady who's talking to Olivia?"

Maggie nodded. "Very scary."

"She's not scary sweetheart," Casey tried to explain. "She's scared so she's yelling."

"She gonna hit Livvy an' Elliot?" Maggie asked nervously.

"Oh no," Casey exclaimed softly, appalled at the very idea. She held out her arms and Maggie slowly crawled into them, her fingers stuck in her mouth as she sucked desperately. "Maggie, Ms. Donnelly might get angry and yell but she would never, ever hit anyone. C'mon sweetie." She slid out from under the desk to the sound of Liz still going at it with the detectives, Maggie clinging to her neck desperately.

"Olivia," Casey called softly.

Olivia's head snapped around and she gasped when she saw Maggie in Casey's arms. "Maggie," she whispered, hurrying over and taking Maggie, who clung to her as tightly as she could. "What's wrong sweetheart? Why are you up?"

"Scary lady," Maggie whimpered. "Don't hurt Livvy."

"Oh sweetie, Ms. Donnelly isn't going to hurt me."

"Hurt me?" Maggie asked softly.

"No, no, no, no," Olivia soothed.

"Who's this?" Liz asked, confused.

Olivia turned to Liz, eyes flashing. "This is Maggie, my daughter."

Liz's eyebrows furrowed. "That's right, I heard you were fostering children. What are they doing at the station in the middle of an investigation?"

"I picked them up before we caught the case and now we're waiting on their babysitter," Olivia snapped. "Now, if you're done getting in our way, I'm going to put my daughter back to bed. And if you EVER intimidate her, in any way, ever again, you'll regret it."

"Is that a threat Detective?" Liz all but growled, taking a step closer and causing Maggie to whimper and cling tighter to Olivia's neck.

Olivia held Maggie tighter and gave Liz a look that had scared many a perp into either confessing or wetting themselves. Sometimes both. "You bet your prissy, holier than thou ass it is," she ground out before spinning on her heel and carrying Maggie back up to the crib.

"I don' like that lady," Maggie whimpered, holding onto Olivia tightly. "She's scary."

Olivia sighed and brushed a kiss over her blonde curls. "She's not really scary sweetheart. She's scared."

"How come?" Maggie asked as Olivia settled her onto the bottom bunk.

"Because a bad person took two little girls and Ms. Donnelly wants to find them."

"Oh," Maggie said softly. "They lost?"

"Kind of sweetie. Now it's time for little girls to go to sleep."

Maggie let Olivia tuck her into bed and clutched her teddy bear to her chest. "You an' Elliot find them?"

"Yeah Maggie. Elliot and Uncle John and Uncle Fin and Captain Cragen and I are going to find them."

"Livvy, I miss my bed," Maggie whispered, snuggling into the pillow. "It's more comfier."

Olivia chuckled as she nuzzled Maggie's neck. "Soon sweetheart. Maureen will be here and she'll take you home and tuck you into your own bed."

"You too, Livvy?"

"No Maggie Mae, Elliot and I are going to stay here so we can find those little girls."

"Okay." Maggie smiled sleepily. "Love you, Livvy."

"I love you too Maggie Mae." Olivia bent and kissed her forehead gently. "Now you stay up here until I come to get you, okay?"

Maggie nodded as she closed her eyes and drifted off. Olivia waited until she was sure Maggie was asleep before tiptoeing out of the room and closing the door most of the way behind her. She hurried down the stairs and found Elliot bouncing Jacob gently in his arms as the baby fussed.

"Olivia, glad you're back. Apparently the two daycares both went to the Central Park Zoo last week for a field trip. It's a long shot, but we're running the employees through the system. Plus," he grinned. "Someone wants his mama."

Olivia took Jacob, cooing softly to him as she sat at her desk and began working on her part of the list. It was slow going, entering every name into the nationwide criminal database.

Maureen walked into the station and was struck by the feeling of both frantic searching and startling quiet. All of the detectives hunched over their computers, glancing between the paper holders and the monitors, then writing furiously. As she watched, Munch stood from his desk, stretched slightly, and glanced in her direction.

"Hello there Maureen," he smiled. "What are you doing here?"

Maureen smiled as she walked over and kissed his cheek. "I'm coming to pick up the kids, Uncle John."

Olivia smiled as she walked over with Elliot. "Thanks for coming, Maureen."

"Don't worry about it. We're going to your place?" Maureen asked, reaching up to return her father's hug.

"Yep. I'll be back in the morning, at least to take the kids to school. What time do you have class in the morning?"

"Not until 10, tomorrow's my late day, so I could take the kids if you wanted."

Olivia shook her head and smiled. "Thanks anyway, but I'd like to see them. You can crash in my bed tonight."

"No problem. Where are Maggie and Brian?"

"In the crib, already asleep. If you can take Jay here for me, your dad and I can go up and get them."

Maureen's blue eyes lit up. "Well hand the little angel over!" she exclaimed, taking Jacob into her arms. "Hello sweetheart. Who's the sweetest little baby ever? Jacob is. Yes, that's you little man."

Elliot glanced over his shoulder somewhat nervously as he and Olivia ascended the stairs. "Should I be worried that my daughter is so in love with your baby?"

"At least it's my baby and not one of her own," Olivia pointed out with a grin.

"Don't even joke about that Liv. Those are the kinds of things nightmares are made of."

She chuckled softly as she pushed the door to the crib open. "Brian," she called softly. "Maggie. Come on guys, time to wake up."

"Wha?" Brian mumbled as he rolled over, blinking. "Why?"

"Maureen's here sweetheart. She's going to take you home so you can sleep in your own bed and get a good night's sleep before school tomorrow."

"Aw man, I still have to go to school tomorrow?" Brian whined.

"I thought you liked school?" Olivia asked as she sat down on the bed and brushed a hand over his hair.

"I do. But it'd be way more cool to hang out here all day and watch you catch bad guys. Alex would be so jealous!"

Both adults chuckled. "It's not that fun, Bri. All you'd be watching us do is toss around ideas and look stuff up on the computer. We catch most of the bad guys out in the streets and it's way too dangerous for you to come," Elliot said, shaking his head.

"Oh," Brian said, disappointed. "Are you and Olivia gonna be safe?"

"We watch out for each other," Olivia assured him. "We'll be fine. Come on now, out of bed. Maureen's waiting and morning's going to come awfully early for you."

Brian slid out of bed reluctantly and pulled on his jeans under the oversized t-shirt he'd been sleeping in. He let Olivia bundle him into his coat and accepted his backpack still half asleep. He watched Elliot walk over to Maggie and lift her gently into his arms, wrapping the blanket around her and doing his best not to wake her.

They walked slowly down the stairs, Olivia first with Brian leaning against her side as he walked, her arm around his shoulders and Elliot following with Maggie in his arms. After saying goodnight to the rest of the squad they walked outside, Maureen with them and carrying Jacob in his carrier. Elliot hailed a cab and gave the driver Olivia's address.

Olivia bent and pressed a kiss to Brian's head. "Goodnight honey. You be good for Maureen and help her with Maggie and Jacob, okay? I promise I'll be there to take you to school in the morning."

Brian nodded solemnly. "We'll be good. Catch the bad guys, okay? What'd they do, anyway?"

Olivia crouched down and kissed Brian's nose. "That is for grownups to know and little boys not to worry about."

"Okay, okay. Night Olivia." He kissed her cheek and hugged her tightly. "I love you."

"I love you too Brian."

Brian then reached up and hugged Elliot around the waist. "Night Elliot. I love you."

"Love you too, Bri," Elliot smiled, hugging him with the arm that wasn't carrying the still-sleeping Maggie.

Brian slid tiredly into the cab as Olivia handed Maureen a single key on a keychain. "This will get you in the townhouse. My alarm code is written on the back of the keychain so make sure you don't lose it. The kids shouldn't have any trouble going to bed and you can crash in my room so they can find you if they need to. Jacob's been taking a bottle around 11:30 or midnight, then sleeping through until about 5. Call as soon as you're in the house with the door locked and if you have any questions."

Maureen nodded. "We'll be fine Olivia, don't worry."

She nodded and pulled the blanket back slightly from Jacob's face in the carrier. "Goodnight big boy. I'll see you tomorrow." She kissed his forehead and smiled when he snuffled in response. "I love you, baby."

Elliot kissed Jacob's cheek, hugged Maureen with one arm, and helped them slide into the cab, then leaned Maggie down so Olivia could cuddle her.

"Livvy?" Maggie yawned. "Where we goin'?"

"You're going to go home with Maureen sweetheart. I'm staying at work and I'll see you in the morning, okay?"

Maggie nodded sleepily. "K. Love you, Livvy."

Olivia kissed the little girl's cheek and nuzzled her neck. "I love you too Maggie Mae. Sleep tight."

Maggie held out her arms to Elliot for a hug. "Love you Elliot."

Elliot beamed as he held Maggie close. "I love you, Maggie."

Olivia took Maggie back and bent, settling her into the cab. As they drove away, Maureen smiled and waved, Maggie nestled against her side and already asleep again.

As she watched them drive away, Olivia had to fight tears. Elliot rested a gently hand on her lower back and rubbed gently. "You okay?"

She nodded, then sighed. "Yeah. Yeah, it's just my first night away from them. I feel so awful putting work before them."

"You don't have a choice, Liv. Unless you want to change units…"

"I don't. But I don't want them to feel abandoned either."

"They won't sweetheart. You'll all get used to the hours. And in a few months, they won't be able to imagine anything else." Olivia sighed and Elliot rubbed her lower back gently. "They'll be fine Livia. And so will you."

She nodded and they walked together into the station house. Two hours later, she was ready to beat her head against her keyboard in frustration. There had been no matches yet between the workers in the Central Park Zoo and any released sex offenders. Maureen had called half an hour after they left to let Olivia know that they were home, the kids were in bed, the doors were locked, and the alarm was on. Now that she was assured that her children and Maureen were safe, Olivia was refocused and ready to find those little girls.

"Damn!" Fin exclaimed triumphantly. "Joseph Menke, paroled from Attica four months ago served twelve years for molesting a 6-year-old girl at a carnival he was traveling with at the time. He works as a janitor at the zoo."

"Do we have a last known address?" Elliot asked as he stood, grabbing his coat.

"Yep, 112 Touhy in the Bronx."

"Let's go see what Mr. Menke was doing this afternoon," Olivia grinned. She loved the rush of chasing down a lead, then the interrogation that followed.

"Elliot and Olivia go bring him down here, Munch and Fin I want you both looking through Menke's files to see what we can learn about him."

"Got it," Elliot grabbed the sedan keys and they headed to the door together.

Elliot pounded on the door of Joseph Menke. After a few minutes, the locks clicked and the door opened to reveal a sleepy man in boxer shorts and a t-shirt.

"D'you know time it is?" he mumbled, yawning slightly.

"I doubt Theresa Milner and Kayla Jeffries care what time it is," Olivia snapped, glaring at him.

"Who?" Menke mumbled.

"Mind if we come in?" Elliot asked, trying to look around the still half asleep man and into the rest of the apartment.

Menke sighed and stepped back. "Make if fast," he grumbled. "I have to be at work at 6:00."

"At the Central Park Zoo, right?" Olivia asked, wrinkling her nose slightly at the messy apartment. Take out containers covered the coffee table of the living room, the kitchen table, counters, and over-flowing out of the trash can.

"Yeah," Menke mumbled as he grabbed a carton of orange juice from the fridge and drank it straight from the carton. He made a face and looked at the detectives. "Can this ferment?"

"Yes," Elliot sighed. "Where were you this afternoon about 4:45?"

"Work," Menke answered without a beat. "I work every day from 6-6."

"No breaks?" Olivia asked, trying not to touch anything.

"I ate lunch from noon until 1."

"What about after work?" Olivia questioned, arching an eyebrow.

"I work twelve hours a day. I came home, had some Chinese, and went to bed. What's this all about?"

"Don't you watch the news?"

"No, not really. Why?"

"Do these children look familiar to you?" Elliot pushed pictures of the girls at Menke.

He squinted at the pictures and paused. "Um…wait…yeah, I think they were at the zoo a few weeks ago. Why?"

"Because they went missing today!" Olivia exclaimed, frustrated.

Menke's eyes narrowed. "So you come straight to me, the sex offender, right?"

"It looks pretty suspicious pal. Child molester works at a zoo," Elliot smirked.

"Wow, you guys really don't do any research, do you?" Menke smirked. "I'm a zoology major, I'm hoping to get a job as a zookeeper. But first, I'm paying my dues cleaning up monkey shit and ice cream wrappers."

"But you're still attracted to little girls, right?" Elliot all but growled.

"Look, I'm taking the shots! If you don't believe me call my PO! Call the fucking doctor at the clinic, I haven't missed one."

"We'll do that," Olivia promised.

"But…someone took those girls?"

"Yeah," Elliot sighed.

"Well if you're done harassing me, you might want to ask Larry Robeson."

"Who?" Olivia asked. "That name wasn't on the list of employees."

"He doesn't work at the zoo, he's a regular though. Hangs out around the petting zoo."

"One of your friends?" Elliot sneered.

"No, he just seems…off. Slow or something."

"Dangerous?" Olivia asked, wheels spinning in her head.

"No, I would have reported him if he did."

"Because you're such an upstanding citizen?" Elliot rolled his eyes.

"Because I want to keep my job! Look, check out Robeson or not I really don't care. All I know is that I didn't take those girls."

"Hold it," Olivia's eyes narrowed. "Do you know the last name of everyone who goes to that zoo?"

"Of course not," Menke sighed. "But this guy, he's there like every day. He introduced himself. Can I go back to bed now?"

"Sure," Elliot grumbled, irritated that they hadn't gotten anything out of him. He and Olivia climbed into the sedan and as they pulled away, Olivia sighed.

"I believe the idiot," she grumbled. "Yeah, he's a moron, but I really don't think he took them."

"I want to check his check out time at the zoo, but I agree. Let's check out this Robeson person. It can't hurt."

As soon as they got back to the station, Elliot sat down at his computer and began trying to find information on Larry Robeson. Olivia leaned over his shoulder. "No police file," she murmured softly. "Do we have a last known address?"

"Liv," Elliot spoke softly, arching an eyebrow. "If you don't stop standing so damn close to me wearing that perfume, I'm going to haul you into an interrogation room and give everyone here a show."

"Oh," Olivia said, blushing as she stepped back quickly. "Sorry."

"Larry Robeson doesn't have a driver's license, isn't registered to vote…"

"Social Security?"

"Wait a second, he gets government assistance checks."

"Where do they get sent to?"

"Assisted living in Harlem, want to head up there?" Elliot arched brow.

"Yeah, but I don't imagine the house mother will be too happy with us at 2:00 in the morning," Olivia pointed out.

"She can complain after we get Kayla and Theresa." Elliot answered firmly.

Twenty five minutes later Elliot and Olivia were standing in front of the assisted living facility, a middle aged woman wearing a robe in front of them.

"Larry hasn't been here for a week," she said, shivering slightly.

"Where is he?" Elliot asked, brows furrowing.

"I'm not sure, last Wednesday he went to the Central Park Zoo like he always does and he didn't come home."

"Didn't that set off any warning bells?" Olivia questioned.

"Not with Larry," the woman answered adamantly. "He'll disappear for a few days then come back. This is the longest he's ever been gone."

"How often does he pull these disappearing acts?"

"Not often. Maybe every two months or so."

"And you have no idea where he goes?" Elliot sighed.

"He doesn't have any family, his parents died several years ago and he's an only child. He likes to go to the Central Park Zoo during the day. He's there everyday. If you're looking for him, you might try there tomorrow."

Olivia arched an eyebrow. "Any part of the zoo in particular?"

"He liked the petting zoo, Larry loves animals."

"And children?" Elliot's voice chilled.

"Does he like children? I guess so. Larry is slow, mentally. He relates well to young children, they're on the same level."

Olivia sighed. "If you hear from him, call us right away," she said, handing over her card.

"I will. He's not in any trouble is he?"

"We're investigating the disappearance of two little girls. They went to the Central Park Zoo last week and one of the employees mentioned Larry's name. Said he hangs around the petting zoo," Elliot sneered.

"I'll call as soon as I see him," the woman promised. "But I can't imagine that he'd hurt someone."

"Well that was a bust," Olivia grumbled, climbing back into the car with an exhausted sigh. "We're still no closer to finding those girls than we were two hours ago."

"I know. Maybe Munch and Fin found something more substantial?"

"Gee El, I never knew you were such an optimist," Olivia rolled her eyes.

He shrugged. "It could happen."

They arrived back at the station at 3:30 and found Cragen waiting for them. "Where are Munch and Fin?" Elliot asked, looking at the empty squad room.

"We've hit a wall, I sent them home to get some sleep. You two head home too."

"Cap, those girls are still missing," Olivia protested.

"I know but hopefully everyone can start with a fresh head tomorrow morning. I want everyone here by 8. 7:30 if you can manage it. I want you two at the Zoo first thing."

"We'll head straight there," Elliot promised, turning to Olivia. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah," she nodded. They walked to the car and slid in, Olivia reached over, linking her fingers with Elliot's. "It makes my heart hurt," she sighed. "Thinking of those two little girls out there, away from their families, their moms and dads, scared…"

"Oh Liv," he sighed, bringing her fingers to his lips gently. "I know. And we'll find them. But right now, just think of what you're going home to."

She smiled slightly. "You coming back to my place?"

"If you don't mind. Honestly? I don't want to go home and think of Kayla and Theresa either."

They turned the corner onto Olivia's block and her heart dropped. All she could see were flashing lights from the ambulance in front of her townhouse.