NOTE: Some dialogue is taken directly from "Beast's Obsession" episode. Those sections will be bolded and italicized.

Olivia kept pacing. Nervous energy radiated off of her. They were waiting. The team was headed to Dr. Cole's place after the woman had been missing from work. They all knew it was bad. They all knew Lewis had been there. Now she waited, and paced. Elliot knew she was terrified of what damage had been left in Lewis' wake.

She jumped when her phone rang. Elliot watched as she continued to pace while on the phone, worry lacing her brow.

"Okay," a pause, "okay." Another pause. "I'll be there." She let out a frustrated sigh, "I don't give a damn what he says. I'm coming. I'm not ignoring a victim." With that, she hung up the phone.

Elliot sat up straighter, waiting for her to relay whatever terrible news she had just learned.

"We need to go to the hospital." She dropped her head into her hands, "He made the victim memorize my name and he told her to ask for me," she cleared her throat.

Hell no. No. This psycho was not calling the shots. No way. "No Liv." He took her hand, forcing her to look at him, "This is his way of controlling the game. Controlling you."

She pulled her hand away. "This isn't a game! We are talking about the lives of these young girls. How can I ignore that?" She breathed heavily and he worried she might hyperventilate, "And we need to find him! We aren't going to ever catch up if we don't play into this sick game."

He tried touching her again, dropping his hand on her shoulder and letting his fingers run the length of her arm. Her breathing slowed, and he tried to voice his worry, "I don't like it, Liv." He muttered, "Not at all."

He winced as she lashed out, "You think I'm thrilled?" Her voice raised with agitation. "I don't want to do this! I don't want to do any of this, but I don't have a choice." Tears threatened her eyes, and he wanted to hug her, but with how high strung she was at the moment, he knew it would be a bad idea.

He hated this. He knew she would be safe. He could keep her safe, at least physically. There was no way he could get anywhere near her physically, but he worried about the mental game. What kind of sick manipulation would he put her through? Even though he didn't have her, he was victimizing her all over again, and he hated that he couldn't do anything about it. Most of all he hated that she was right. She couldn't let those girls suffer, not if there was anything she could do to change it.

He took her hand, and squeezed it gently. "Let's go then."

-000-

They exited the elevator, and Elliot trailed a step behind her, keeping his hand just behind her lower back.

Lieutenant Murphy met her before she made it down the hall. "Sergeant Benson, you shouldn't be here." Murphy scolded.

Elliot couldn't agree more, but he knew Olivia, and there was no stopping her from helping this girl in any way she could.

"If I needed you I would have called you." Murphy tried to reason with her.

He suddenly wondered who called her. Murphy obviously hadn't called her. Had to be Rollins, or Amaro, but he would bet it was Amanda. He wanted to be angry at her, but he couldn't. This was the right thing to do, even if he hated it.

Olivia continued to plead her case with the lieutenant, and Elliot stood just behind her, trying to provide silent support. Luckily, Murphy appeared to be a reasonable human being and after only a moment of convincing, he acknowledged the futility of arguing with her and allowed her back to see the victim.

Elliot let out a long breath, mentally preparing for the next level of the mind f-ing game Lewis Olivia in to. He kept a hand on her arm, but just before the door Murphy stopped them all. Olivia, Elliot, and their two person entourage. "I'll go in with Benson," his eyes locked with Elliot's specifically, "You all can wait out here."

Elliot opened his mouth to protest. There is no way in hell he was letting Liv stand more than a few steps away from him. She wasn't going into another room without him. No way. It didn't matter that Murphy would be with her. He didn't know the man and his presence provided zero comfort for him.

Before he could get a word out Olivia gave him that look. The one that basically said, shut up. I can take care of myself, and if you jump in here I'm going to cut you. And if the look wasn't enough, she added a soft, "It's fine, El. I'll be fine." She squeezed his elbow reassuringly, and even though he wasn't at all reassured, he let her go.

-000-

Air. She could breathe air. That may be the only thing she could do. She calmed her mind. This wasn't about her. This was about this girl and her pain. Pain Olivia felt responsible for. She shouldn't have left him alive.

She felt sick as she approached the sweet looking girl in the hospital bed. God. She was just a kid. That sick feeling churned in her gut, but she had to persevere. She could do this. She had to do this.

Lauren told her story and Olivia felt her chest clench with anxiety. She knew the paralyzing fear Lauren described because she had lived it. She reassured the girl throughout the story, but she felt herself slowly dying inside. She knew this was his plan. He used this girl as a pawn. Another victim in his sick game to get to her. Her stomach turned. This assault wasn't about this girl or her sister, it was about her. Olivia. And while she knew on the surface none of this was her fault, the guilt ate at her all the same.

She slowly began to realize something. This game wouldn't end until he had her again. How many people would need to be hurt in order for her to be safe. The seeds were planted. She knew what needed to be done, even if it meant facing him again. The game wouldn't end until he had her. It was only a matter of time. She knew that when the time was right she would have to make a sacrifice, and she knew she would be the one laying on the altar.

-000-

When Olivia left the hospital room she looked as if she had been punched in the stomach. Amaro, who stood closest to her, asked if she was okay. Elliot's mind screamed the same question, even if he already knew the answer.

"No." she admitted.

Elliot felt himself pulled to her without consciously deciding to do so. His hand found her elbow, and she nearly fell into him. His arms came around her, and her breathing shook. He knew he should have gone in there. If nothing else but to shield her from this. Murphy had left her alone, which was probably what Liv asked for, but something happened, something was said that hurt her. Not only that, something felt different. Off. She seemed more resigned, and more decided on something. But he had no idea what.

Murphy's voice startled him and he dropped his arms from her waist. Murphy's eyes were squarely on Liv, "Sergeant, can I have a word with you?"

Elliot's hand immediately reached for hers, indicating his unwillingness to leave her again. "El, I'm fine," she insisted. He resisted the urge to yell, Like hell you are.

Murphy turned, "Just a moment," he motioned for her to come, and his eyes indicated that he wanted only Olivia to join him.

Elliot was about to protest when he felt a different feminine hand on his arm. "Elliot," Amanda was trying to keep her voice soothing, but the only thing that could soothe him right now was Olivia's hand in his.

Amanda gripped harder into his elbow, and more insistently added, "She'll be fine." She dropped her voice, "She's safe."

Elliot nodded, and released Olivia's hand. Everything inside of him told him not to let her out of his sight, but he tried to trust the instincts of both Olivia and Amanda on this. If they trusted this Murphy guy, then maybe he could try to as well.

He kept his eyes on the pair, but he was unable to hear the topic of conversation. "What do you know about Murphy?" he asked Amanda, without taking his eyes off Olivia.

"He's a good guy. Good Police. I promise Elliot, I wouldn't let her anywhere near him if I didn't completely trust him."

Elliot nodded, but Amanda's reassurance eased some of his anxiety. That is, until Olivia suddenly broke away from the lieutenant and started walking down the hall. The second Murphy grasped her arm and pushed himself in front of her, Elliot bolted.

In a flash he was between Murphy and Olivia. Olivia gripped his upper arms, "Get out of the way," she pulled back on him, but he refused to be moved.

Murphy backed off a step, and explained, "She wants to give the press a statement," he paused, and eyed Elliot. He seemed to be assessing how much information Olivia might have provided Elliot with. "She wants to tell the truth about the beating."

Elliot knew exactly what Murphy was talking about, and he spun back to Liv. "No way," he argued.

She pushed away from him in an attempt to get around him, but he blocked her way. "Get out of the way Elliot!" She was in his face, but he stayed calm.

"No!" he returned. "You are not torching your career or your life over this!"

She pushed against him again, "Damn it Elliot. Move!" She pressed her fists into his chest. "Its MY career and MY life. Not yours." She leveled her eyes on him, and he immediately read all the stubborn decisiveness there. She was not backing down, but everything inside of him wanted her to reconsider.

He dropped his voice, "Please don't," he pleaded.

"He has a little girl." Her eyes were filled with tears.

Murphy stepped to the side of Elliot, "If you give him what he wants he just might kill the girl anyway. He's doing this for you." Elliot was suddenly grateful for the lieutenant who was making a brilliantly logical argument. "While he's waiting for you to move, he won't move. THIS is when we hunt him down."

Elliot held his breath, and hoped Olivia would listen to reason. Her breathing slowed. Thank God. The lieutenant's words seemed to curb the crisis…at least for now.

A voice called from down the hallway, "Lieutenant!" Fin met the group, "They found Dr. Cole's car."

Murphy hurried after Fin, and once they were out of sight, Olivia dropped into Elliot's arms. He hated this. Dark circles were beginning to form under her eyes and he thought she might break from all the stress. She leaned into him, and he felt like he was supporting the majority of her weight. She was coming to pieces, and he felt helpless in the wake of it all. He kept his arms tightly around her and prayed to God they could survive this…together.