But the fact was that they couldn't go without eating forever.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Fin would have liked to scream.

Everything was going very wrong. Elliot's phone found in the sewer had made Tucker even more determined, although it was no guarantee of Elliot's guilt. They had tried to present him with alternative scenarios, mentioned that the person who had possibly kidnapped both Olivia and Elliot might have gotten rid of the phone, but their words had fallen on deaf ears.

The phone had been wet, so it had no longer worked. However, it had been handed over to the forensic investigation, which was to try to salvage any information they could from it that would give them more clues.

Because they really didn't have those too many.

They had returned to the precinct, their first priority being to find Elliot's car. The problem, however, was that they didn't have any information on which direction the car had left from Olivia's apartment, so they had more than enough work to get all surveillance camera videos. Also, it had been evening and dark, Elliot's car was dark, and there was nothing striking about it, so spotting the car from countless videos would be hard. Also, they would have to double-check both Elliot and Olivia's recent debit card information in case it turned up anything new about their location.

"What do you think?" Munch asked as he threw his coat on the rack. "How did Stabler's phone end up in the sewer?"

Fin rubbed his face and sat down at his desk. "How the hell would I know? The whole thing is so strange, but I refuse to believe that he… Tucker is messing with my head, and I can't think straight anymore in this tiredness."

"Yeah," Munch sighed. "He is trying so intensely to take the investigation in a certain direction that I am afraid that my brain will unconsciously start skipping some thoughts and clues. But we both know that this way we're not helping either of them, right?"

Fin looked at his partner for a moment, but then nodded. "Right. We don't have much to do right now, so I don't know about you, but I…"

However, he didn't have time to finish his sentence before Munch answered:

"We're going to start an informal investigation," he stated, his voice determined, and Fin pursed his lips. "And the first thing we'll start with is digging up the details of their latest case. It wouldn't be unusual if they were on to something bigger, and the perps decided to stop them before they were exposed."

Fin nodded shortly.

"Yeah. I just… I don't know, there is something fishy going on. I mean, why were Stabler's fingerprints found in Olivia's apartment?"

"What do you mean?"

"If someone kidnapped them, was Olivia their only target? She had gotten in, so had the kidnapper been waiting in her apartment? How had he gotten in? Was Elliot an accidental victim because he had gone to the apartment to help her, or was his entry into the apartment part of the kidnapper's plan? Or did Elliot even go to the apartment that night, or were his fingerprints… Older?"

Munch crossed his arms. "I know what you mean, but remember that they are also like best friends. It doesn't necessarily mean anything. And even if it did, it hardly has anything to do with this case."

Fin snorted. "Fine. Do we notify Cragen? I know he's on our side, but he's the captain after all, and he has to…"

"You do what you were going to do," Cragen's voice made them both flinch and turn towards their captain's office, the door of which had opened completely unnoticed. Cragen was standing in the doorway with a tired look on his face, and then he took a few steps towards them and handed them a small envelope.

"What's this?" Fin took the envelope and frowned, and their captain closed his eyes for a moment before sighing:

"It's… Let's say it's a reminder. I know the situation is difficult, we are all tired, and all this makes us question our own intuition, knowledge and the voice of our heart. But when you lose your faith, and it seems easier for you to turn to the path to which they are trying to lead us by all means... Look at it."

Fin dropped his gaze to the envelope, pursed his lips and opened it. Inside it was a photograph that made him gulp.

He didn't know who had taken it, or when exactly it had been taken, but it was a picture of Elliot and Olivia. The picture was taken from the side, they were sitting at their desks, Olivia was engrossed in her papers, but Elliot was leaning back in his chair, his hands in his lap, his eyes on her. His face was relaxed, there was a slight smile on his lips, and his eyes were soft, warm, smiling, and full of emotion that could not be mistaken.

Love.

Fin lifted his gaze, a lump had risen in his throat, and he turned to look at his captain, who seemed to understand him without words.

"So, if you start to feel that that man has hurt his partner..." His voice was thick. "Just look at the picture."

"Thanks, Cap."

Fin handed the picture to his partner and watched as Cragen started to walk back towards his office.

Just look at the picture.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The seizure hadn't lasted very long, and it had ended almost as quickly as it had started. The people had slumped back to the ground, lying motionless, and after a moment's hesitation, Olivia, with Elliot following close behind, had gone to check their pulses. However, everyone had been alive, and they had mostly seemed to be sleeping contentedly, as if nothing had happened.

"I don't know about you," she crossed her arms and shook her head, eyeing the people lying on the ground. "But I have a strong suspicion that these substances play a significant role in why these people really believe in what "Father" feeds them."

Elliot bit his lip. "Yeah. Many people would be surprised if they knew how easy it is to confuse the human mind when the means are right."

"A little manipulation, a pinch of brainwashing, inhumane conditions and possibly constant drugging…" Olivia pursed her lips. "... And voilá, the soup is ready."

For a moment they stood in silence, alternating between looking at each other and the other people, and then Elliot changed positions, trying to be inconspicuous, but Olivia's gaze bored into him immediately. However, he knew what she was about to say.

"No."

"Elliot."

"I said no."

"But you're in pain, and you might need antibiotics!"

"We already talked about this before."

"And I think I made my point of view very clear."

"Yeah, but you saw them, Liv!" Elliot's voice had risen, and he wiped his face with his hands in frustration. "Those people weren't just mesmerized by the darkness; they weren't humans at all! Who knows what they are capable to do? It's entirely possible that they could have hurt us if we had reacted the wrong way, and I…"

His voice trailed off, he squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, and a lump began to rise in Olivia's throat. She knew her partner, she knew what he was capable of, she knew his temper, she had seen him lose his temper with criminals.

But she had never been afraid of him. During all these 13 years, there had not been a single situation where she would have had to fear for her own safety. No, her trust in him was unwavering.

And so she knew that if there was a chance that he might hurt her unconsciously, he was stubborn enough that he would rather suffer the pain than take that risk.

So she sighed and turned her gaze back to the people lying on the ground.

"Fine. But if your wound gets infected and you need antibiotics, then we won't talk about this anymore. Then you take what you are given."

"Liv…"

"No," her voice was sharp, final, and her eyes were burning as she looked at her partner. Elliot closed his mouth. "I'm not going to let you risk your life just because you're afraid of some possibility. We have to eat at some point anyway, and then…"

But she didn't have time to finish her sentence, because the jingle of keys started again at the door, and they hurriedly glanced at each other. And as if by mutual, unspoken agreement, they threw themselves on the ground next to the other people, Elliot groaning in pain.

Because whatever they did, the most important thing was that they didn't reveal that they had gotten to the bottom of what was going on in the house.

The door creaked open, between her almost closed eyelids Olivia saw natural light flood into the artificially lit room, and then two people stepped in. They walked slowly around them, she felt their eyes on her back, and then the other chuckled in a low voice:

"Strong stuff."

"It would be nice to test it sometimes."

"You know Father won't let us waste it."

The footsteps approached, stopped beside them, and Olivia squeezed her eyes shut completely.

"These are the new guys?"

"Yeah."

"Do you know why they are here? I mean, they're the first new ones in over a year."

For over a year?!

There was a moment of silence before the answer was heard:

"I'm not sure, but I think that Father wants to get new genetic bases in the program."

"Isn't she a bit too old?"

Silence.

"Maybe, but Father has his reasons. She looks quality though."

"And look at him. Their offspring will make us rich."

There was satisfied humming as the men started to walk away, and soon the sound of the door closing was heard. Olivia's eyes snapped open, her heartbeat pounding furiously in her ears, and her whole body had begun to shake as she tried to breathe, but something seemed to be blocking the flow of air into her lungs. She turned to look at her partner, whose eyes were wide with fear, and with the last of her strength, hoarsely, choked, barely audible, in distress, she whispered the only thing her brain was able to think of:

"They… T-they're gonna… Sell our… B-baby."