Disclaimer: SVU and its characters belong to Dick Wolf. I own nothing. Quotes that are in italics and are underlined are taken directly from the show, and not my own dialogue.

Elliot sat in bed, having just opened the first of the files that Fin had sent to him. This one didn't have to do with Olivia in any way, but had to be connected somehow, unless it had been sent in error. However, a William Lewis was attached, and unless he was mistaken, that was the name that Olivia had called out earlier during her flashback. No, in this particular case, the victim was a woman by the name of Alice Parker.

He didn't know what to think in regard to this particular perp. It had been over three years since he'd read details of a crime like this, and while he still had his fair share of nightmares on occasion in regard to the job, they had never been this graphic. This case seemed like something out of a horror movie, and had he not known for a fact that the events had happened in real life, Elliot wasn't so sure he'd have been able to believe them.

Burned off fingerprints...an unconfirmed identity...a 'simple' case of public indecency and exposure spiraling out of control into a horrifying nightmare for the woman who had reported it. Even before he had all the facts, Elliot had quickly been able to connect the dots and deduce that this William Lewis was a psychopath. His anxieties heightened and his stomach began to churn at the mere thought of a individual like that being anywhere near Olivia, even in an interrogation room.

As Elliot read his former Captain's report, he could easily understand the guilt the man must have felt when he had failed to notice the danger Alice Parker had been in the night he had stopped at her apartment. But there would have been no way for him to know that William Lewis had been standing just beyond the door.

When he saw the horrific details of just what had been done to Mrs. Parker, Elliot rethought his former analysis. Lewis was more than just a psychopath – he had no conscience whatsoever. He was the epitome of pure evil. It had been years since he'd been immersed in that world he'd left behind, and yet he felt his old instincts returning. He didn't want to swipe the screen to get to the next page, because he knew what was coming next. For now, as long as he didn't see the printed words in front of his eyes, he could choose to live in denial for a little while longer. Eventually, though, he would be forced to face the inevitable – that William Lewis had somehow gotten his hands on Olivia.

Taking a deep breath, he scrolled the page and read on. The next thing he was reading was Alice Parker's own statement in regard to what she had endured at Lewis's hands. It was accompanied by photographs that had been taken at the hospital, and Elliot felt his stomach churn again. If he hadn't fully comprehended the warnings from Don and Fin before, he did now. But now fear was starting to creep in again, too. He dreaded what he would see when Olivia's files would come up on his screen.

Elliot forced himself to look at the images in front of him, that reminded him of something out of a macabre horror novel. Suddenly, the term psychopath didn't seem appropriate enough in describing this monster. He didn't know if a word actually existed in the English language that could. The only hope he could cling to was that by the time he reached the end of this heinous report, he would learn that William Lewis was either rotting in a jail cell for the rest of his days, or was six feet underground. At the moment, either would be preferable, and he hadn't even seen the details yet of what Olivia had had to live through.

In disbelief, Elliot's eyes widened as the incredulity of Alice Parker's case played out before him. Unfortunately, the woman had died of a heart attack as a secondary result of her assault, and Lewis had very nearly escaped trial. If not for the work of an Amanda Rollins, who Elliot had deduced must be one of the Detectives at SVU in the wake of his departure, they might not have had enough evidence to take him to court.

But then, an unforeseen snag - by a strange and disturbing twist of events, it had appeared that Lewis had been sleeping with his public defense attorney. When Olivia had tried to make the woman aware that this was a pattern for the criminal – he'd allegedly even murdered a previous attorney, in addition to torturing several other women – it only served to give Vanessa Mayer more ammunition for her case. At trial, she'd claimed that SVU, and Olivia in particular, had a vendetta against her client.

Though he'd already seen it coming from a mile away, Elliot felt sick to his stomach when he read that Vanessa Mayer had paid Lewis's bail fees. To make matters worse, Alice Parker's case had ended in a mistrial.

The last part of documentation Elliot saw, just before the addendum that the files were attached to another case, was a hand written note from Cragen. It detailed that he had sent an overworked Detective Benson home for a minimum of two days, and that the rest was to be mandatory. Anxious now to know what had happened next, Elliot advanced to the following page, but he'd reached the end of the file. He clicked to the next one, and promptly forgot to breathe. Suddenly, the words he'd overheard Olivia utter on the phone earlier that evening made even more sense. She'd said she was going to authorize it so that Fin could send her files. He just hadn't wanted to accept she'd been speaking in the literal sense. Glaring up at him from the screen of his tablet in harsh print was a brand new case number, and the name of the victim was listed as Olivia Benson.

Maybe it had been denial on his part, maybe it had been something else entirely. Up until now, Elliot had been refusing to believe that his Olivia – the woman he'd spent thirteen years walking beside only to leave without a word – could fall victim to one of the very monsters they had always worked so tirelessly to put behind bars. If he were to be completely honest with himself, he'd known the truth ever since he had first laid eyes on her the night before.

Given the nature of what he was about to read, and what he had witnessed with her behavior today alone, Elliot was surprised that Olivia was opening up and letting him in this soon. Although she had already become exposed and vulnerable in front of him on more than one occasion. For her to go on hiding what had happened would only increase his concerns, and he knew she was aware of that.

It might have helped that he'd already told his own story earlier this afternoon – for Olivia to learn just what he had gone through and where he had been had given her the confidence to share her ordeals. Yes, he would have preferred to have heard the words directly from Olivia herself, but he also knew just how much it had taken her to reveal this much. As it was, he would likely be hearing her voice in his head as he read her statement, anyway. Inhaling deeply, Elliot released a shaky breath, and continued on with his reading.

Four days. Olivia had been at the mercy of that psychopath for four days. Something else that came to his attention that he hadn't paid much attention to initially was the fact that Brian Cassidy had been the one to come to the station asking if anyone had seen her. Brian Cassidy – as in the same guy who had been with their unit back in the early years of his and Olivia's partnership, who she'd had a regretful one night stand with? How on earth had they managed to cross paths again? Moreover, it appeared they had become quite close, too.

As quickly as they had surfaced, Elliot tried to bury his feelings of jealousy. He had no claim on Olivia, not anymore. If he were truly honest with himself, he'd never had a claim on her to begin with. Besides, that wasn't what mattered here. Even though he knew that Olivia had in fact survived her ordeal – she was sleeping just down the hall – for him, reading this account was like living the events in real time.

Advancing to the next page, he was met with a series of images, and his stomach lurched once more. The pictures in front of him clearly showed Olivia's apartment, but it was nothing like the way he remembered it. Chairs had been overturned, broken glass was scattered about, duct tape had been cataloged, there were even empty cans of what looked to be an energy drink littering the coffee table. Two empty bottles of vodka were beside them.

Though every instinct told him not to, Elliot couldn't resist to zoom in further on the details. Maybe it was a form of self-punishment, but he just had to know. Blood. That was blood staining her carpet. Whatever Lewis had done to her, that bastard had made her bleed. Elliot's mind began to run wild with scenarios, and he tried to remind himself yet again that Olivia was safe. He wouldn't tell himself that she was fine, because it was obvious that she was anything of the sort. But she was alive, she was here, and he would spend however long it took helping her to recover.

The next set of images on the screen puzzled Elliot, though he knew from experience that CSU would have needed to photograph everything. But why would they have been so focused on Olivia's kitchen? Suddenly, a visual came to his mind from Alice Parker's file. Lewis had burned the other woman repeatedly with cigarettes and metal objects that he'd heated up on her stove.

"Oh Liv, no. Tell me he didn't."

Elliot's anguished whisper filled the room, his plea falling on deaf ears. He hadn't even seen the photos from the kitchen yet, and he was already scrolling back to the ones from the living room. Concentrating once more on the coffee table, he saw exactly what he'd been hoping not to find – several cigarette butts tossed haphazardly about.

It occurred to him then, that ever since he'd seen Olivia again, she'd kept herself covered up. Long sleeves, and higher, crew cut necklines. In the past, he had always known her to favor v-necks. He shuddered to think just what she was hiding beneath all those layers. Again, the images from Alice Parker's hospital exam danced before his eyes, and the sheer thought of Olivia being hurt in that way made him ill. Knowing he couldn't avoid it any longer, he swiped his finger across the tablet to view the evidence from the kitchen.

The kitchen hadn't been as much of a mess as the living room. There were no empty liquor bottles to be seen, no energy drinks, no cigarettes. However, he did see a frying pan on the stove, and this puzzled him greatly. As long as he'd known Olivia, she had never been the cooking type. He hadn't even known that she owned a frying pan. Could it be that she had offered to make Lewis something to eat in an attempt to buy time? He flipped to the next slide, a feeling of dread washing over him.

Keys. As he studied them, he recognized one that stood out among the others – it was the key to Olivia's apartment – something that should have been a beacon of safety. The very thing that provided her entry into her home, and it had been used against her as an instrument of torture.

After viewing all the images, Elliot forced himself to read Cragen and Fin's personal accounts. He'd thought he'd been handling everything as best as he could until he'd come across the words detailing the smell of burnt flesh having been present in the air. That was when he could fight his rebellious stomach no longer.

Collapsed on his knees in front of the toilet in the bathroom between the two guest rooms, Elliot heaved and gagged. It had been hours since he'd eaten last, so nothing had come up, but that didn't stop his retching. Thanks to everything he had seen so far, the mental picture was so clear, he had practically immersed himself in the crime scene. He had closed his eyes for mere seconds, and envisioned himself standing in the chaos of Olivia's apartment, witnessing as Fin and Don discovered their beloved friend and coworker missing.

The guilt was washing over him in waves now, even if it was selfish of him to think like that. What had happened to Olivia was in no way about him, but Elliot couldn't help but believe that if he'd have been there, he'd have done whatever was necessary to prevent it. Still, he knew he couldn't blame anyone other than William Lewis for the path of destruction left behind.

Mentally, Elliot berated himself, and tried to pull himself together. This wasn't about his guilt. He would have to come to terms with that on his own time. What he needed right now was to be strong for Olivia. That meant learning about everything that she had been through. It didn't matter if it was hard for him to read, she was the one who had lived through it. In a way, he considered this part of the penance he must pay for having left her for so long.

Going back to the bedroom briefly to retrieve his tablet and his cell phone, Elliot settled in the bathroom to resume reading. It might be a bit extreme, but he wanted to err on the side of caution, in case the nausea should get the better of him for a second time. As it was, it seemed he was beyond the initial photographs, and would now be reading statements regarding the time Olivia had been missing and held captive by Lewis.

He'd just picked up the tablet again when he almost dropped it at the sound of a piercing scream that nearly shattered his soul. Looking at his watch, Elliot noticed that it was just about the same time as the previous night when Olivia had cried out in her sleep from whatever terrors haunted her. Knowing there was nothing he could do right now, because she had stated on more than one occasion that she didn't want him coming into her room to wake her, Elliot tried again to read. Even if she wasn't welcoming his presence now, one day she might, and he wanted to be able to understand what she had been through. That way, he could offer genuine comfort, and not mere platitudes that would sound trite and hollow in the wake of all that she had suffered.

The next thing Elliot was reading, was how Vanessa Mayer had yet again refused to cooperate, still steadfast in her belief that Lewis was innocent. Crime scene reports came up on his tablet, of the Mayer family home. Mr. Mayer was already dead upon the Detective's arrival, and Mrs. Mayer had been found in a closet bound by the arms. Much like Alice Parker, she had been raped and burned repeatedly. Before the woman had passed out in the ambulance, they were able to get a statement from her that let them know that Olivia was still alive – Lewis had forced her to watch him as he carried out his crimes, but she had been barely conscious throughout the ordeal.

There had been one other detail about the evidence found on the Mayer property that had made Elliot smile briefly, despite the grim nature of all that he was learning. Fin had found Olivia's necklace in the wheel well of the trunk of a car Lewis had stolen. Even with everything she'd already suffered, she'd still had the presence of mind to leave behind a clue, and had still been clinging to the hope that the squad would find her. The pride that Elliot had always felt in regard to Olivia surged within him, and in a way, he found himself cheering her on – even though he knew these events had already reached their conclusion. The sheer thought of Olivia ever having been kept in the trunk of a car made him ill, but he couldn't dwell on that – not now.

Lewis' trail of destruction continued on for another few pages, with no mention of Olivia. There was the murdered patrol officer, whose squad car was stolen. Then a woman and her baby ultimately found in the trunk of that squad car – shaken, but relatively unharmed. It was when Elliot was reading the details of what had been purchased at the hardware store with a stolen credit card that he found himself kneeling over the toilet once more. He wasn't sure if it was learning the identity of the purchases themselves, or the fact that Olivia had screamed out in terror in her sleep yet again that had precipitated his renewed nausea.

A tarp, rope, wire, and a hand-held blowtorch. Elliot found himself staring at the copy of the receipt in disbelief. Please, no. He sent up a desperate prayer to a God he wasn't even sure he still believed in some days, begging that Olivia had been spared the torture that these items would have inflicted. How had red flags not been raised to the store's owner? Who the fuck needs a blowtorch to go camping? Then again, Elliot supposed, even if the man had shown any suspicion, he'd likely have ended up dead. Lewis had already made it perfectly clear that killing those who stood in his way was not an issue.

The words continued to dance in front of his eyes, and the next thing he knew, Elliot was reading his former colleagues' account of Olivia's rescue. To his dismay, Lewis had still been alive at the time of their arrival to the Long Island beach house where they'd ultimately ended up. However, one detail did catch his eye – the man had been beaten within an inch of his life with a metal bar from an iron frame bed.

"Good job, Liv. I knew you'd make him pay."

Now, Elliot was at an impasse. Though he knew Olivia had entrusted him with her files, it somehow didn't feel right to be reading her medical charts from the hospital. Plus, he wasn't sure if he was ready to see the photographs that would catalog her injuries and give him an actual visual. No – if Olivia should want him to see her scars, then it would be up to her to reveal them to him. He wouldn't invade her privacy in that way. He did, however, scan the summary of the report.

Patient was treated for concussion, broken wrist, cracked ribs, several contusions, and multiple burns on chest, torso, and arms. Blood tests came back positive for alcohol, hydrocodone, and doxylamine. Multiple bags of fluids were necessary to combat severe dehydration. All results from the sexual assault exam were negative.

Upon reading those last four words, Elliot released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. It certainly didn't negate the horrors Olivia had been made to endure, but Lewis hadn't raped her. Still, he understood all too well how the trauma of a close call can have an effect on a woman just as much as the assault itself. No doubt Lewis had spent much his time holding Olivia captive taunting her and threatening her, and Elliot had no doubt that was only part of what kept her screaming late into the night.

It occurred to Elliot that the last time he had cried this much, he had been drowning at the bottom of a bottle of whiskey. Once he had gotten himself sober, it was only on rare occasions that he would shed a tear, typically when remembering all that he had left behind. That all changed when he saw Olivia again. He had first gotten misty eyed when she'd thrown her arms around him. Then, last night, he'd openly wept upon hearing her screams and feeling so completely helpless to save her from her nightmares.

Now, tears were streaming down his face yet again, and it was all because of Olivia. Reading the statement of her ordeal had just about broken him. Just as he'd predicted, it had been her voice echoing in his head as he'd scanned the words line by line. Part of what he was doing still felt like an intrusion into her privacy, even though he knew he'd been given permission to read. This had been her way of sharing the story with him, as she'd plainly said she wasn't able to say the words aloud.

As he got to the close of Olivia's statement, still in shock after reading about all that she had endured, Elliot found himself getting angry. This woman – this incredibly brave, resilient woman – had just spent hours detailing the four days of abject horror she had been made to suffer, and of course IAB was putting her through the ringer. If he didn't know better, he would think she were the suspect instead of Lewis. At least that rat bastard Tucker hadn't been the one to interview her this time. Zeroing in on the transcript, he held on tight to Olivia's words. In reality, he knew she had been bending the truth in regard to the lengths she had gone to, but had he been there, he would have backed her play no matter what.

"I was able to break free of my restraints. There was a struggle. Uh, I managed to incapacitate the suspect and get the gun. I, uh, got the handcuff key from his pocket. I freed myself, called for backup."

Elliot read on as Olivia was questioned about what had happened next, and he could practically hear the accusation in the IAB Detective's voice. He skimmed through, trying to quell his rising anger. He didn't need to be flying off at the handle right now. Instead, he focused on what Olivia's response had been.

"He managed to get to a standing position and lunge at me. I used the metal bar from the bed frame to subdue him."

Swiping at his eyes, Elliot sniffled slightly. What a nightmare for Olivia to have to live through. From the sounds of things in the Captain's notes, she'd gone to stay with Brian Cassidy in the aftermath of her ordeal. That made the most sense, he figured. While he'd never liked the guy, better for Olivia to be with someone she knew and trusted than to have to stay in an impersonal, sterile hotel. Her apartment would have been a crime scene for some time, and heaven only knew if she would have even wanted to go back to the place. He only hoped that Cassidy hadn't done something completely insensitive and boneheaded, and that perhaps that was the reason Olivia was here in Cape May alone without him.

The last thing Elliot saw was an attachment – notes from a Dr. Peter Lindstrom, who was apparently Olivia's therapist. At first, Elliot was relieved that she had sought help, then he realized that seeing someone had likely been mandatory. Obviously, no privileged information had been included, but the only thing of concern was that Olivia had already stated that she wanted to return to work, less than six weeks after she had been found.

"Oh, Liv."

By now, Elliot had made it through what he thought was the worst of it all. Yes, there were still the trial transcripts to read, but he needed to take a brief break. Gathering his things, he decided to go back to the bedroom he was using for the remaining hours until morning. He'd long ago abandoned any thought of sleeping tonight. About twenty minutes ago, Olivia's screams had abated, allowing him to hope that she had fallen into some semblance of rest.

Elliot couldn't believe that what he had been reading could possibly get worse, until he started on the trial transcripts. At first he was surprised that Olivia had asked Fin to include them, then had figured there was something important in their contents that he needed to know. If, for whatever reason, William Lewis had managed to escape conviction again – Elliot swore to himself that he would personally hunt down the man and make him pay. The fact that there was even a trial transcript to begin with meant that Lewis had survived his injuries.

He hadn't gotten far into the court documents when he was already cursing Lewis again. Even in the pre-trial hearings, Lewis and his attorney had managed to get the judge to separate out the charges. The ADA for SVU - a Rafael Barba - would only be able to try him for the kidnapping, assault, attempted rape and attempted murder of Olivia.

Something at the end of the page caught Elliot's eye – apparently Lewis had been willing to plead guilty and spare Olivia a trial? Why had she refused? Puzzled, he read on, then immediately wished that he hadn't. In learning the details of Lewis' supposed crisis of conscience, Elliot realized just what he had planned to say in his allocution in open court upon his admission of guilt. In addition to the kidnapping and torture, he wanted to give in explicit detail accounts of his rape and sodomy of Olivia – events that had never happened. While it would inevitably make his sentence harsher, it would also serve to further humiliate and degrade Olivia – in essence making her his victim for a second time.

Even though he'd already guessed what her answer would have been, Elliot felt another surge of pride upon learning Olivia had refused the offer. No matter how many painful memories the trial would bring up for her, she would never let anyone believe anything about her that hadn't happened. Still, he could imagine her anger and fury upon finding out what the defendant had proposed. Months later, he was feeling those exact same emotions.

Elliot skimmed through the pages detailing jury selection, although he did make a mental note of all the approved members. He was reading of how Barba approved of the jury, when suddenly a statement from Lewis himself caught his eye – the bastard was requesting a change of attorney, the day before his trial was set to begin. To make matters worse, he now wanted to represent himself! That meant, when Olivia was on the stand, he'd be cross-examining her personally!

"No, no, no..."

He didn't even realize he was speaking out loud as he read on in disbelief, the judge having approved Lewis' request. This was the part of the judicial system that Elliot hated most. He'd seen it several times over the course of his career, where the accused had taken it upon themselves to act as their own counsel. Sometimes it was a monetary issue, other times it was more sinister in nature – as the opportunity it afforded them gave them control over their accusers once more. There was nothing that he could do about it to protect Olivia now, though. The trial had already taken place. William Lewis had been allowed to defend himself. All that was left for him to do was learn the outcome.

He was going to get away with it. That was Elliot's biggest fear – that he was would reach the end of these court transcripts and learn that William Lewis's case had ended in another mistrial, or worse – a not guilty verdict. Just as he had when he'd been reading about the crime scene in Olivia's apartment, Elliot envisioned himself a spectator in the courtroom. Part of him wished he could turn back the clock, and actually have been there for her when she needed him most. The squad would not have been allowed to stay, as they were all on the witness list. Who had been there for her to center her gaze on, to concentrate on, when giving her testimony?

One by one, Elliot read in horror the way Lewis questioned the members of the SVU squad. He would systematically twist their words, portraying himself to be the victim of some grand scheme. Everything that he read, Elliot found reprehensible. But, when he got to Olivia's testimony, that was when things went from bad to worse.

For all intents and purposes, William Lewis had managed to make Olivia look like the aggressor in the situation. This painted her to look like not only a dirty cop, but a sex crazed drug addict with an attraction to bad boys. It didn't help that Lewis kept playing up the beating he had received at the end of the four day ordeal as excessive force. Maybe it had been, but Olivia had also been a victim under extreme duress. In Elliot's mind her anger and reactions had been justified.

The trial went on – seemingly endless in Elliot's opinion – though if he felt like that now, he could only imagine what it must have been like for Olivia to endure. The more he read, the more incredulous he would become at the latitude the judge seemed to extend. Lewis had practically just insinuated to Olivia's current partner – a Detective Amaro – that she could have been the one to pull the trigger on the patrol officer, because her fingerprints were also on the weapon. Logically, Elliot knew that Lewis had simply been trying to create reasonable doubt, but it still made him angry. Tricks like that always had.

Now, he was sick to his stomach again, but for a whole new reason – disgust. Once again, Lewis was dirtying up Olivia's reputation, focusing on the beating he had received. In the section Elliot was reading now, a doctor was on the stand. Lewis was dragging out the details of each injury, trying to imply that any one of them individually would have incapacitated him.

It was Olivia's turn to be on the stand next, and while he was equally anticipating seeing how she faced off against this monster, and dreading what she would have to go through, Elliot read on. To his dismay, he saw in the transcript that Lewis had asked to approach the bench and called for recess. Something about extreme fatigue due to recovery from a collapsed lung. Bastard even had a note from his doctor. Was there any end to the amount of women this man could charm?

When he was actually reading Lewis' cross examination of Olivia, Elliot felt that sick feeling return to the pit of his stomach. Once again, the monster was trying to degrade and humiliate her in whatever way possible. First, he was trying to imply that she had become sexually obsessed with him, then he had begun an inappropriate line of questions into her personal life. To make matters worse, the judge didn't seem to find a problem with it.

Olivia a hostile witness? Were they fucking serious? Elliot reconsidered his earlier thoughts about having wished he could have been in the courtroom. He'd have done Olivia no favors at all if his temper would have flared and he'd have found himself in contempt of court. His anger hasn't felt this out of control toward any one individual – save for Bushido – in years.

As the testimony became more heated and intense, Elliot could visualize the scene in his mind – Olivia seated in the box, Lewis standing right in front of her, encroaching in her personal space. The more he would have hounded her, the more insistent she would have become. He kept gripping the tablet tighter and tighter, until he had to loosen his hold for fear of cracking the screen with the strength of his grip. It also came to his attention that tears were leaking from his eyes once more. To make matters worse, at the last minute, Lewis changed his mind about taking the stand, and was ready for closing arguments. He'd claimed the prosecution hadn't proved their case.

Finally, the trial had come to its conclusion. Now all that was left to do was learn the verdict. Part of him didn't want to know. But he owed it to Olivia to keep reading. What's this now? Was he reading this right? The jury forewoman had a statement before reading the verdict? Serious reservations about the conduct of Detective Benson that they weren't sure how to address? What the actual fuck? Oh no – the forewoman – could Lewis have gotten to her, too? Could he have swayed an entire jury?

Scrolling rapidly, Elliot scanned the results as fast as he could, the anger coiling in the pit of his belly. Without even realizing it, his one hand clenched into a fist as he tried to suppress his rage.

On the charge of attempted murder, we find the defendant, William Lewis, not guilty.

On the charge of attempted rape, we find the defendant not guilty.

On the charge of assault on a police officer, we find the defendant guilty.

On the charge of kidnapping, we find the defendant guilty.

That was it? Assault and kidnapping? Granted, it was better than letting the man walk free, but who were they kidding? At least he could rest peacefully knowing that William Lewis was behind bars, and focus on helping Olivia heal. But, wait a minute – the court dates had all taken place in January of this year, it was now April. Why was Don only sending Olivia away now? Had PTSD gotten to be too much for her? Closing out the document on his screen, Elliot felt his heart crack and shatter. There was one more file that he hadn't seen, and he feared reading it would be worse than all the others combined.

The feeling of relief Elliot had felt upon reading about William Lewis' guilty verdicts was only fleeting. Even the subsequent sentencing had done nothing to allay the cold sweat that had broken out on his brow when he noticed there was yet another file left to read. Despite everything he had hoped, that monster's reign of terror hadn't ended.

Looking at the heading on this new file, he saw that the events were dated as recently as March 31st of this year. That was only a few short weeks ago. He'd been in Florida with his kids then. If something else had happened to her, it easily explained Olivia's behavior. Not that it would negate her previous trauma in any way, but it would make sense as to why she was still so very much on edge.

According to the report, William Lewis had collapsed at Rikers, and was transferred to Bellevue Hospital's prison ward. Once there, he had been pronounced dead, only to mysteriously regain a heartbeat and full life function ten minutes later. Elliot was in disbelief. How was the man so unstoppable?

As if the news of Lewis' survival hadn't been bad enough, Elliot learned that the man had somehow managed to convince a guard to remove his handcuffs. The guard had subsequently been killed, and then Lewis had raped a nurse, hanging her up in a closet and stealing her keys, purse, and cell phone. On the way to his next location, Lewis had used the nurse's phone to call – Olivia.

Surprised that he hadn't already done so earlier, Elliot slipped into a form of auto-pilot, as the renewed shock took over. He knew he could easily stop and read the rest at another time, that this was entirely too much for any one person to try and process in the span of one night, but he was physically incapable of putting the tablet down. Maybe it was like he reasoned to himself earlier, that this was a form of penance or self imposed punishment, but he couldn't stop reading now.

Despite all the darkness that he was encountering, one thing made Elliot's heart swell with pride. That was when he learned that in the wake of Cragen's retirement, Olivia had been promoted to Sergeant and was now in charge of the Manhattan SVU. Of course, given Lewis' escape, that wasn't to last for long, as 1PP wouldn't let her be in charge of a manhunt, given she was the prime target of the man they were hunting. Sure enough, a Lieutenant Declan Murphy was mentioned in the next paragraph, now acting commander of the squad. While Elliot felt sympathy for Olivia in losing her ground, he did agree with Lt. Murphys' first decision – putting an around the clock detail on Olivia until Lewis was back in custody.

In the middle of all the chaos, it appeared that Lewis' reign of terror had continued. This time, he had chosen to visit his doctor's house, ultimately murdering the woman before raping her oldest daughter. He'd taken the youngest with him when he'd left, a twelve year old named Amelia. Elliot's heart began to race again, as he knew exactly what the plan was. Lewis may have been a deviant man, but he was not a pedophile. Amelia had been nothing more than bait – and the trap had been set for Olivia.

With his heart in his throat, Elliot read on as Lewis led the SVU squad on veritable wild goose chase throughout the city. Finally, he got to the point where Olivia had been all but forced into making a televised confession that she had committed perjury while on the stand. There was a video link included, and he had watched, transfixed, as his former partner stood behind a bank of microphones in full dress uniform admitting to her 'crimes'. Such an act could ultimately destroy her entire career.

Elliot quickly determined what he had just witnessed with the press conference was nothing in regard to what he read next. The two decorated detectives in charge of her care – whose entire job it had been to guard her safely – had been too preoccupied. Olivia had been able to duck her detail, and commandeer a civilian vehicle. She had been determined to go and offer herself up to Lewis in exchange for Amelia. Once again, Elliot felt the need to remind himself that whatever had transpired after that, Olivia had in fact survived, and was in the same house with him at that very moment. He couldn't let himself go down that slippery slope into darkness.

The rest of the report was a collection of statements, from varying accounts. Knowing which one would give the most accurate information, Elliot clicked on Olivia's. Her words were the only ones that mattered to him right now.

Apparently, once she had received instructions from Lewis to meet him at a specific location, Olivia had driven there without question. When she'd gotten out of the car, he had approached her and taken her gun and phone. He'd also stripped her of her bullet proof vest, systematically flinging each item farther away than the last. The only two belongings of hers that he had kept had been her handcuffs and her radio. Elliot didn't even need to read Olivia's recollection of Lewis' reasoning to know that his reasons for wanting those particular things had been for ill intent.

After he'd handcuffed her hands behind her back, Lewis had forced her into a car, and driven her someplace else – this time an abandoned granary in Red Hook. He had promised to take her to where he was keeping Amelia, and for once, it appeared he was a man of his word. They'd had to climb several flights of stairs to the very top, but Olivia had soon laid eyes on the girl. She was bound with her hands above her head, and obviously shaken, but it appeared that Lewis hadn't caused any physical harm to her.

That was when Lewis had offered Olivia a choice. She could either stand by and watch while he raped Amelia, or she could volunteer to be raped while Amelia watched. Elliot's heart began to race as dread took over his entire being. He hadn't even read the words yet, but he already knew what Olivia's answer had been. No matter what the cost to herself, she would never let another person become a victim if she had the chance to save them – even if that meant offering herself up in the process.

"Liv, no."

Again Elliot whispered the plea softly into the void of silence that surrounded him. Tears pricked at his eyes and a part of him didn't want to continue reading. But he forced himself to carry on, with the reminder that Olivia had entrusted him with this knowledge. It was important to her that he learn what she had been through. He owed it to her to find out the complete truth, down to the very last detail.

Olivia related in her statement that Lewis had bound her ankles to a table, spreading her legs apart. He'd also used rope to bind her wrists, splaying her arms out as well, flattening her stomach out on the surface. Coming up behind her, he had pressed against her, and pawed at her body roughly. When she'd offered him no resistance, he'd quickly lost interest. Elliot's sigh of relief was only temporary as the monster soon turned to a new game – Russian Roulette.

Russian Roulette?

Elliot scanned those words at least five or six times in succession, convinced that he hadn't read them properly. Then, he had to fight the urge to go down the hall and peer in the other bedroom, just to check and see that Olivia really was sleeping safely in her bed. A myriad of emotions was surging through him at the moment, but he kept trying to calm himself. Certainly, it had only been suggested, and Lewis hadn't made her actually play. There is no way that Olivia had actually held a loaded gun to her head and pulled the trigger – if she had, he didn't know how he'd be able to cope with that.

Elliot was on his knees in the bathroom once more, a mixture of heaves and sobs having taken full control of his body. Oh, God. She had pulled the trigger. Not just once, but twice. Granted, it hadn't been willingly – Lewis had been aiming another gun either at her or Amelia to ensure she would cooperate with the 'game' – but he couldn't shake the images that were in his mind. What if the gun would have fired? What if she'd have been taken from him, and his last words ever to her would have been some poorly written note on a post it? Would she have gone to her death believing that he didn't care about her?

Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, Elliot rested his haunches on the back of his ankles. He was determined to finish reading this. From where he had left off, there had been only one chamber left in the gun, and the squad was advancing fast on the location. Yet again, Elliot reminded himself that even though it had been Olivia's 'turn', she had in fact survived. So, either the squad had arrived on time to take Lewis back into custody, or Olivia had managed to take him out on her own. She'd done it once before, after all.

Holding his breath, Elliot read on. Olivia's voice was an echo in his head as he read her words, reminding Amelia to look away. Lewis was taunting her incessantly this time, something about his face being the last thing she would ever see before she died. Then there was something in the report that gave him pause – Lewis had switched the gun to his opposite hand – just what was going on? Scanning the page a bit faster, he continued.

William Lewis was dead. The bastard's final act – to shoot himself in the head with his less dominant hand – had been an attempt to frame Olivia for his murder. If she had been found guilty, not only her career, but her reputation would have been destroyed. This time, Elliot allowed himself to scan a few of the images from the hospital, since they mainly seemed to be photographs of Olivia's face and hands. To see the blood staining her beautiful features was a heartbreaking sight, but it was the additional details that incited his anger.

Apparently, some incompetent idiot had had the brilliant idea to sedate a trauma victim with haloperidol. Moreover, there had been talk of admitting Olivia to the psychiatric ward? Thank goodness for this Dr. Lindstrom, and also a Dr. Reynolds, who had enough common sense to know that what Olivia needed most was not being locked away somewhere, even if it was for 'her own good'.

Elliot's rage only escalated further when he learned that Tucker hadn't even been able to wait until Olivia had been discharged from the hospital to question her. Thankfully, Trevor Langan had represented her, and made sure that it was a simple taking of a statement. Even better, on the following page, the ME's report had confirmed that Lewis' death had been ruled a suicide, absolving Olivia of any suspicion – which Elliot still couldn't believe there had been any to begin with. Then, Lieutenant Murphy had hosted a press conference of his own, informing the public that Olivia's prior statement had been made under his orders, and only to lure William Lewis out of hiding. Despite all of the attempts that man had made to destroy her, Olivia would still have everything she held so dear.

Still, Elliot couldn't imagine the toll this latest trauma was having on her. Not only had she come face to face with her own mortality – again – but she had witnessed a man commit suicide. He could remember just how shaken Olivia had been the time she had watched FBI agent Lauren Cooper shoot herself, and how that had shocked her. This would inevitably leave more of an impact. No wonder she was having flashbacks and night terrors. Even the lack of appetite and general apathy were somewhat normal considering everything she had endured. Elliot promised himself that he wouldn't push as hard from now on, but would still try and encourage her as best as he knew how.

Padding back into the bedroom, he noticed that the clock on the bedside table announced that it was almost six in the morning. He'd been up all night reading. Sleep would be impossible at this point, he was too wired with adrenaline – not to mention too emotionally charged to consider getting even a modicum of rest. As though someone else had read his mind, his phone began to ring. After a quick glance at the display, he answered, unable to keep the fatigue from showing in his voice.

"Hello, Don. I kind of figured you'd be calling."

"Elliot. I guess I don't need to ask. I've been worried about you ever since Fin messaged me and said that Olivia had authorized you to read her files. Of course, he doesn't know that we've been in contact."

The tears that he'd shed quietly for most of the night surged again, this time coming out in a more audible sob. It was much like the one he'd let loose with when he'd reached the tail end of Olivia's ordeal.

"She's so much stronger than I could ever hope to be, and I failed her. How can she not hate me? How can she not blame me? I blame me."

"Elliot, stop. You know you can't do this to yourself. You can't go there. There is only one person at fault, and he is dead."

Elliot clutched the phone tighter, ashamed to admit the other thing most on his mind right now. He was afraid it would make him seem weak, but out of anyone in the world, the man on the other end of the line would understand his struggle.

"I want a drink in the worst way right now, Don. I know that probably makes me an ass, because none of this is about me – it's about Olivia and how I can help her – but all that is on my mind right now is getting some whiskey. I want it so bad I can practically taste it."

"You don't sound like an ass, son. Plus, the best way you can help Olivia is by helping yourself. That's why I already looked up meetings near you. There is one at eight at the Presbyterian Church. I can't make the decision for you, but I think you should go."

Elliot scribbled down the information he'd been given on a note pad, nodding his head at the same time. Then, he remembered that Don couldn't see him.

"I'm going to go, I promise. You're right, I need to keep myself healthy so I can be here for her. I'm not going to do her any good if I fall off the wagon."

Don asked a few more questions after that, mainly in regard to Olivia, as he'd suspected in his interactions with her, she hadn't been entirely truthful. Elliot answered as best as he could without breaking her confidence, but in truth, there wasn't much he had needed to say. Their former Captain had already read between the lines. He hadn't been Olivia's superior officer for almost fifteen years to not know when she was keeping something from him.

"Take care of her, Elliot. If she hasn't already, she's going to try and push you away. Don't take it personally. When she's ready for it, the neighbor, Owen, will be able to help, too."

Elliot agreed, then ended the call. There was still some time left before he had to leave for his meeting, and he wanted to use it wisely. Slipping on his shoes and grabbing a jacket, he headed downstairs and out of the cottage to go on brief run. He was avoiding the beach for today, instead opting to make a couple laps around the block.

He was halfway down the sidewalk when he realized his error – he'd forgotten to leave a note for Olivia on the counter letting her know where he'd gone. If she should wake up and come downstairs in his absence, he hoped his return wouldn't startle her. That was when Elliot remembered that she hadn't gotten up until almost eight the previous morning, so he had plenty of time. He would definitely leave a note when he went to his meeting, though.

Elliot returned from his run thirty minutes later. It wasn't his most extensive exercise, but he figured he'd managed to get in a good three miles. While his mind was still muddled with all the information he'd taken in overnight, the exertion had helped to quell the rising anger and frustration within him.

When he'd entered the cottage, it was still quiet, so he figured Olivia was still in bed. Grabbing a change of clothes, he took a quick shower. It may have been yet another form of self punishment, but he reveled in the feel of the scalding water against his skin as it was just a few degrees hotter than what he could normally handle.

After dressing for the day, Elliot headed downstairs and made some coffee. He took the time to drink only one cup before deciding to leave. Not exactly sure of the location of the Presbyterian Church, he wanted to allow himself enough time to find it, so he wouldn't be late for the meeting. He left a note for Olivia, then was on his way.

Olivia awoke at eight, with her usual feeling of malaise. Rather than allow herself some latitude given what she'd been through recently, instead she only berated herself further for her perceived weakness. Padding to the bathroom, she focused on trying to feel clean, letting the water warm her body from the inside out. Only when she had scrubbed her skin red and raw did she exit and begin her morning ritual of applying lotion to her scars.

After dressing in a pair of leggings and an oversized sweater, again preferring clothes that enveloped her frame, Olivia grabbed her phone and headed for the stairs. She hadn't heard Elliot yet this morning, which left her with one of two conclusions – either he was still sleeping, or he'd been so horrified by what he'd read in the reports that he couldn't bear to look at her ever again. It was quite possible he'd sneaked out under cover of night, and had disappeared from her life once more.

Upon setting foot in the kitchen, Olivia was greeted by the scent of coffee. Wherever he was now, Elliot had been here. Wait a minute – there was a note on the counter. If he'd left behind another medal and the words 'Semper Fi', she didn't think she'd be able to bear it. Picking up the piece of paper with a trembling hand, she began to read. What she felt when she had absorbed the contents of the note was a mixture of emotions she didn't know what to do with.

He had gone to a meeting. This was all her fault. Learning about what had happened to her had made him want to drink. What if she had compromised his sobriety? She'd never forgive herself. Though Olivia was grateful that Elliot was handling things responsibly, she couldn't help but feel like she was to blame. There must be something she could do to make things up to him.

Food – that was it. When he got back, Elliot would no doubt be worried about her, and wondering if she'd eaten. Though in her present state there was no way she could stomach anything, Olivia knew there was a way she could allay his concerns. Taking a plate from the cupboard and a butter knife from the drawer, she got to work. She realized that what she was about to do was a major deception on her part, but it the long run, it would hurt Elliot's feelings a lot less than a blatant refusal to eat.

Smearing some butter on the knife, just enough to dirty it, she placed it in the sink. Then, she opened the crumb tray on the toaster, and brushed some of the crumbs onto the plate. There weren't very many, so this option would likely only work for today, but it was all she had. She'd simply have to deal with other meal battles as she faced them. There was just no way she could force herself to eat anything.

Placing the now 'dirty' dish in the sink alongside the knife, Olivia passed on the coffee and instead opted for a cup of tea. While she waited for the water to boil, she wandered into the living room and absently flipped on the television, needing some sort of background noise to break the silence.

She had just finished flipping through the channels and settled on something when the kettle whistled from the kitchen. Putting down the remote, she quickly headed to silence the offending noise. After retrieving a mug from the cabinet, Olivia selected her flavor of tea. Opting for a ginger peach this morning in the hopes that it would somehow make her feel more invigorated, she allowed it to steep. When it was brewed to her liking, she sweetened the tea then took the mug into the living room, curling up in what was quickly becoming her favorite spot on the couch. Tossing the fleece blanket over her legs, she cupped her tea in both hands and took a careful sip.

Olivia wasn't sure what time it was, nor did she really care. She supposed that was one of the advantages about living in Cape May for a few months – unless she had scheduled appointment, time was completely irrelevant. She'd lived so much of her life by schedules or waking up to phone calls in the middle of the night, she wasn't sure she'd know what to do with nothing to govern her routine. While she wasn't exactly ready to join a gym here, there was always the beach. She could go for daily walks – or even runs – along the shore.

When she was finished with her tea, Olivia set the empty mug on the coffee table. Then, the sound of keys in the lock immediately put her nerves on edge, until she realized it was only Elliot returning. Trying her best to keep her face impassive and not show any reaction, she greeted him when he entered. The last thing she wanted him to know was that she not only blamed herself for his having needed a meeting, but that his return had frightened her. Things between them would likely be awkward enough as it was now that he knew the truth.

"Morning, Elliot."

"Morning, Liv. I wasn't sure if you'd be awake yet or not."

Olivia briefly explained that she'd been up for about an hour, dancing around the issue yet again of how poorly she'd slept. When she learned that Elliot had been for a run prior to heading out to his meeting, that did peak her interest. Trying not to sound too desperate, she merely asked that if he were to go again the following morning, that he wait for her to join.

"Of course. I was even thinking of taking a run on the beach sometime, actually."

The fact that he'd practically read her mind was oddly soothing, and Olivia took comfort in that. She'd forgotten just how much she'd missed that innate connection she'd shared with Elliot. If they could get that back, it would mean the world to her. Especially at a time when it seemed like she was losing everything else. Yes, there was still a part of her that was upset with him for the way he had left, but after hearing his story yesterday, she had a better understanding of his reasons. It hadn't completely erased all the hurt she'd felt for so long, but it wasn't anything like what she had imagined. In a way, Olivia almost wished it had been like what she'd dreamed for him instead – that Elliot had been enjoying retirement, happy with his family, and had simply forgotten all about her. That was certainly a better alternative than what he'd endured.

"Liv? Olivia?"

Olivia blinked back into the present, aware that Elliot was calling her name, and apparently had been trying to get her attention for several minutes. From the looks of things, he'd already shed his jacket and his shoes.

"I'm sorry, Elliot. I zoned out for a minute. What is it?"

"I just wanted to know if you wanted me to make you something to eat. I didn't have breakfast before I left, and was going to be in the kitchen anyway."

Hoping her face remained impassive and wouldn't give her away, Olivia prepared for her lie.

"No, thank you, Elliot. I had a piece of toast when I got up. My plate is in the sink, I didn't get a chance to put it in the dishwasher yet."

Elliot nodded, relieved that she had at least eaten something. One day, he hoped that he could convince her to eat more than just toast for breakfast, but for now, he'd take whatever he could get.

"Would it bother you if I were to cook a bagel sandwich for myself? I don't know how sensitive your stomach is, and I wouldn't want any smells to make you feel sick."

"Go ahead, make whatever you want. I'll be fine."

Before doing anything for himself, Elliot offered to make Olivia another cup of tea. To his great surprise, she accepted. He was even more shocked when she'd told him that she hadn't been drinking the chamomile and peppermint blend that he'd given her the day before, but another flavored tea that seemed to be a favorite as well. Finding it easily, he reheated the water in the kettle while he was digging through the refrigerator for his breakfast ingredients.

After bringing Olivia her tea, Elliot focused on his meal. Even though she'd said the smells wouldn't bother her, he'd opted not to use bacon or sausage this morning. Instead, he'd chosen a simple ham slice that wouldn't have an overpowering aroma as it heated through. He was just popping the bagel in the toaster when something caught his eye – the crumb tray wasn't closed all the way. Pushing it shut, Elliot dismissed it without too much concern. It was only when he was putting the knife he'd used in the sink that his suspicions were raised again.

That was an odd assortment of crumbs on that plate to have come from just one piece of toast. Elliot's musings morphed into a sinking feeling of dread as it dawned on him what Olivia had done. She hadn't eaten at all – instead, she'd simply emptied the crumb tray of the toaster onto a plate to make it look as though she had. What hurt worse was the fact that she'd felt the need to lie about it. Yes, he'd been absent from her life for several years, but he couldn't ever remember Olivia lying to him – other than telling him she was 'fine' at times she obviously wasn't. She'd omitted the truth on occasions in the past, like when she'd first learned about her brother Simon, or when she had been guardian to Calvin Arliss, but never had she openly lied to his face. It hurt more than he was willing to admit.

Knowing this wasn't the time to call her out on it, Elliot buried his feelings of hurt. Taking his bagel sandwich to the dining area, he opted to eat at the table as a precaution. Even though Olivia had said that the smells wouldn't bother her, he still didn't want to take any chances. He didn't delay too long over his meal, but also made sure that he didn't eat too fast, so as not to give himself heartburn. If he were being honest with himself, this was the first his appetite had bounced back after reading the horrendous details about what Olivia had gone through. So it would be a bit hypocritical on his part if he were to judge her for not wanting to eat. It wouldn't stop him from keeping an eye on her though. Lack of interest in food was one thing for a day or two, but if it became a habit, that would be definite cause for alarm.

Elliot knew he needed to talk to Olivia, but there was no way this conversation was going to be an easy one. He wasn't going to bring up his discovery in the kitchen, or even what he'd read the night before, but he did feel the need to address where he'd been this morning. They may have spent the last three years apart, but he could still read her, and her body language was telling him that she was feeling guilty about something. He'd bet almost anything that she blamed herself for his having needed to go to a meeting today.

Helping himself to another cup of coffee, he carried it with him into the living room, and took a seat on the opposite end of the couch. Though she had been feigning interest in the television, Olivia focused her gaze on him as soon as he'd returned to sit a few feet away from her.

"Liv, can we talk? I think I need to explain some things."

Elliot hoped that his words didn't come out in a way that made her feel pressured. That was the last thing he wanted. Though he wanted her to one day feel comfortable enough to confide in him about her experiences, he would wait as long as it took until she was capable of sharing those emotions. The sheer fact that she had opened up enough to let him in on the details had been overwhelming in itself.

"You can correct me if I'm misinterpreting things here, but I want you to understand something. I went to that meeting today for me. I haven't been to one for weeks – not since I left California. I was long overdue."

He had definitely captured her attention, Elliot noticed, but Olivia wasn't going to interrupt. She did however give an imperceptible nod, as though she were encouraging him to continue.

"I've been sober for a little over two years now. I'm not going to lie, it hasn't always been easy. But I'm committed to staying focused with the program, and I know the signs when I'm starting to slip backwards. I don't want you to have to worry about me, you need to focus on yourself right now."

Elliot was expecting to continue then, but to his surprise, Olivia held up her palm to stop him. Her voice was soft, but no less commanding.

"That's just it, Elliot. I can't focus on myself right now. I know that's what Don sent me here to do, but if I try, I honestly think I'll self destruct. What I need is to get out of my head as much as possible."

Olivia licked her lips, pulling the blanket tighter around her.

"I know you had a lot of information to absorb from what you've read last night. I'm still not ready to talk about it with you. One day, I might be, just not today. But I can tell you this – if you're going to continue to stay here, the fussing has to stop. I'll go insane if it doesn't."

Though he didn't necessarily agree with the stipulations, Elliot was prepared to concede to them for the time being. It didn't mean he wouldn't still keep a watchful eye on her though. But he recognized that Olivia wanted the kid glove treatment to stop. He could respect that.

"Fair enough, Liv. I promise I'll respect your space. But you have to at least let me cook for you once a day, even if you don't eat much. I've become quite skilled in the kitchen since you saw me last."

Olivia shook her head. He'd been back in her life only a few days, and Elliot was already negotiating with her. To be fair, it wasn't quite an argument, so she couldn't call him out on it. Plus, she had to admit that cooking was something she didn't have the energy to expend effort on right now, either. Her appetite may still be limited, but maybe she could coax herself to eat something if the meals were already prepared.

"Fine. All I ask is that you don't push me."

"Deal."

Quiet settled between them, but the silence was a comfortable one. Then something else occurred to Elliot, but he didn't know if it was within his right to ask. Figuring Olivia could always tell him to shut the hell up if he was overstepping, he forged ahead anyway.

"Liv? Can I ask you something? It's a bit personal, so feel free to say no."

"How about you ask me the question first, and I'll decide after that."

Though Olivia's tone was a bit sarcastic, she'd had a slight smile on her face as she'd spoken, so Elliot wasn't as concerned as he'd been.

"How are you feeling this morning? I mean, you were supposed to start that medication last night, right? Did it help your sleep any?"

Initially, Olivia bristled at the query, then reminded herself that Elliot had already known about the prescription after yesterday's misunderstanding. He wasn't trying to be nosy, he was asking because he genuinely cared. Then again, if he really had been awake all night reading those files, he already knew that she hadn't slept, and had likely heard her screams. She supposed she should be grateful he wasn't calling attention to her night terrors, and decided to let it go. In a move that surprised both of them, she told the truth.

"I didn't take it. I just couldn't."

Elliot was about to ask why, when a flash of memory came to him. Sleeping pills. Though they weren't the same ones that had been prescribed to her, Lewis had forced her to take sleeping pills in addition to painkillers during the four days he'd initially held her captive. No wonder Olivia had an aversion to them, even if they had been given to her by a doctor. It also explained why the quantity had been so small.

"That's okay, Liv. You can always try again tonight, or tomorrow. If not, maybe your doctor can figure out another solution."

"Thanks. I don't know if you're right or not, but it means a lot that you said that."

Not wanting to press his luck, Elliot lapsed back into silence. A few minutes later, when Olivia suggested that they watch a movie, he nodded. Her next idea was that in the afternoon they go for a walk on the beach. Understanding her need to get out in the fresh air and away from the confines of the cottage for awhile, he quickly agreed. So long as he could keep her safe, he'd do anything she asked.

A/N: Myself and a few of my friends have all either published new fics or updated current WIP's for Halloween as part of a Dark Fics challenge. If you enjoyed this update to Lighthouse, thank you for reading. Please be sure to check out the other authors as well - WriterKC, Alexis Dawn, LivBensonStabler, MrsWellRested, ANNE-SHIPS-EO, ChriskaPeach, awildmind, Liv Einziger, Allintheeyes, and Happy2BeDee.