Aspurgeon: Oh thank you so much! I really try to keep the story consistent throughout but sometimes my mind wonders! But it's encouraging to hear (:

TubagirlBenson: It's totally fine! Thank you for your reviews (:! It helps so much!

I DO NOT OWN THE SVU CHARACTERS. I ONLY OWN THE ONES I MAKE UP LIKE BROOKLYN AND CHARLIE AND SUCH. THE SVU CHARACTERS ARE OWNED BY DICK WOLF.

Enjoy (:

*A few hours later*

"Is everyone ready to take their positions?" Olivia questioned. A dozen officers looked up from their computers and gave her a nod. She strapped on a police vest and watched the video screen.

"Amanda, we have a signal," Nick talked into a walkie talkie. Olivia watched Amanda touch the ear piece in her ear and she nodded slightly. She walked onto the bus and sat down, Fin being two rows behind her.

They had looked at the security footage on the nights Brooklyn and Charlie were attacked. On both nights, the same guy dressed in the same clothes rode the bus to and from Pennsylvania. Neither time had he shown his face. They decided to send Amanda on the bus undercover on the same night of the week that the last two attacks happened.

"The bastard is from Pennsylvania," Nick had written down on their evidence board, "Does this cross jurisdiction lines?"

"Well," Olivia frowned, "Not if we catch him in the act in New York. He can be tried and prosecuted here. It doesn't matter if he's from Pennsylvania."

The police watched as the bus stopped at different routes and let people on and off. Amanda stayed in her seat. Olivia had gathered a group of NYPD in the bus station which was the bus's last stop.

"What if he doesn't show, Liv? I mean, he knew we were in Bellevue and sent Bailey in there. Maybe he's one step ahead of us." Nick frowned and strapped on his police bullet proof vest.

"I think he will show," Olivia watched the screen, "It's a Wednesday night. Bailey and Brooklyn were both discovered almost a day after each other. He may be smart enough to know where the police were and to get rid of evidence at the crime scene but he didn't remember that all of the mass transits have security footage ever since 9/11."

"Amanda has her bullet proof vest on under her jacket, right?" Nick watched the screen with concern which made Olivia look at him in confusion. For a while now Nick and Amanda have paid extra attention to each other. Whether it was an extra-long hug to a gaze across the office, Olivia had noticed the two of them had grown closer together. She had to remember to ask Nick about it one day.

"Look! There he is. In the hoodie." A police officer pointed at the screen and Olivia looked over. A man wearing a mask and a hoodie walked on and sat across the aisle from Amanda.

"Keep an eye on him," Olivia commanded. Her phone buzzed and she looked down at the incoming text.

Brian: I need to talk to you. Now.

Olivia texted back:

Liv: Not now, Bri. Just got a crack in the case. I'll be home around 12 pm.

Brian: NOW Olivia. This isn't a joking matter.

Liv: Brian. I'll be home at 12. That's that.

Olivia turned her phone on silent and turned her attention back to the screen. The bus pulled up to the station where they were camped out. Olivia looked towards the door then back at the screen. Amanda got up and walked off of the bus, followed by the guy. Fin got up and quickly followed the two.

"Fin will be following Amanda and the guy a few yards behind. Nick I want you to follow Fin a few yards behind him in case he needs back up," Olivia commanded. Nick nodded and jogged out of the bus station.

The cold October air hit Nick in the face as he walked onto the street. He spotted Amanda's blonde hair in the crowd and followed quickly behind. Amanda looked over her shoulder and saw the masked man following a few steps behind her.

She turned down an alleyway and continued walking. She heard the guy behind her and she reached for her gun under her shirt.

'Just a few more steps,' Amanda thought to herself. She clicked the gun in place and pulled it out. Spinning around she pointed the gun at the masked man, making him stop in his tracks.

"NYPD!" Amanda yelled. Fin and Nick ran into the alleyway seconds later.

The masked man held up his hand and ripped off the mask. A boy, at least 17 years old, looked at Amanda worried.

"DON'T SHOOT!" the boy begged. Amanda looked at Fin and Nick confused then looked back at the boy.

"State your name." Amanda demanded.

"R-ricky. Look. I didn't mean to follow you ma'am. A guy paid me to wear that mask and to follow you! I didn't mean to scare you."

"Sonofabitch," Amanda put her gun down as Fin and Nick walked over to them, "He's just some kid. Not the perp."

"Shit," Fin frowned and glared at the kid, "Go home. Before I think twice about shooting you."

The kid ran out of the alleyway and Amanda looked at Fin and Nick.

"This perp is smarter than we give him credit."

"The real question is, how do we catch someone one step ahead of all of us?" Nick frowned.

Olivia walked into her apartment and shut the door. She yawned and set down her phone and gun on the counter next to her.

"Brian? I'm home," she called out. Silence greeted her. She looked at the time and sighed.

1:35.

Olivia looked towards their bedroom and noticed the door shut. She quickly checked the front door and windows to make sure they were locked, grabbed her phone, and walked over to the bedroom. Quietly opening the door, she quickly entered the dark room and shut the door again. She tiptoed over to the bathroom.

Before she could enter the bathroom a light flashed and yellow light poured into the room. Olivia jumped and spun around to see Brian sitting in bed, holding something in his hand.

"Brian you scared me."

"Liv," Brian looked down at the object he was holding and looked back at her, "You said you would be home at 12."

"Work ran over," She sighed and quickly changed into one of Brian's oversized shirts, "I'm sorry Bri. I really tried to get home sooner." Olivia walked over to the bed and looked at Brian.

"I saw your therapist today," Brian replied quietly, "I saw him in the grocery store. Asked me how you were doing and said he hasn't seen you in over two months."

Olivia stopped and looked at the object Brian was holding. It was a pill bottle. She shook her head but kept quiet.

"Olivia. You promised."

"Brian, I've just been busy. I keep meaning to go see him. But I've been fine. "

"Fine my ass, Liv," Brian looked at her and she could see the worry clouding his eyes, "You have nightmares. Night sweat. You check and double check everything in the evenings and mornings to make sure everything is locked. Liv… we haven't been… we haven't been touching each other more than necessary ever since Lewis…. You aren't fine and you know it."

Olivia sat down next to him and ran a hand through her hair, "I know this hasn't been easy for you, Brian. I'm sorry. I just…. I don't want Lewis to make or break me. I don't want to base my life off of thinking of him or dreaming of him. But every time I close my eyes… I see him…"'

"That's what I told your therapist, Liv," Brian took her hand gently and rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand, "He gave me over the counter pills to help with your sleep. I can't stand to see you hurting anymore, Olivia."

"Brian I don't need pills. I'll be fine."

"For me? At least once. That's all I'm asking. And it'll help you sleep," Brian looked at her, "I just want you back, Liv."

Olivia looked down at the pills in his hand. She sighed reluctantly and nodded slowly, taking the pill bottle from his hand.

"One time. That's it. I can't be hopped up on pills right now."

She opened the pill bottle and poured out two pills. She walked into the bathroom and ran a glass of water under the sink. Olivia quickly swallowed the pills and walked back to bed.

"I just want you to be okay, Liv," Brian pulled her against his chest. She took a deep breath, smelling his after shave. She looked up at him and kissed him softly.

"Thank you, Brian."

Suddenly, Olivia's head felt fuzzy as the pills kicked in. A few minutes later, she passed out listening to Brian's heartbeat.