Disclaimer: I don't own Law & Order: SVU, or any of the original characters. The idea's mine though. There's that.
Words in bold and italics: flashback.
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"Albertson got out today," Munch announced taking a sip of his coffee. Olivia immediately felt three pairs of eyes on her. She looked up from her paperwork.
"What are you all looking at me for?" She demanded.
Elliot was the only one to speak, "nothing." He looked back down at his desk and Munch and Fin followed suit, all Olivia could do was sigh. They hadn't needed to say anything, she knew why they had looked at her.
"Drop your weapon!" Elliot yelled out, his own weapon aimed at the perp, Jacob Albertson. When Albertson didn't comply Elliot yelled it out again, louder.
"I said, 'drop your weapon!'"
With a sickening grin Albertson raised his gun at Elliot and his finger tightened the trigger.
The deafening roar of gunfire filled the air and Olivia let her arm drop limp at her side, the gun that she held tightly in her head still smoking from being fired, her hand shaking. Elliot looked her way, then rushed over to check on Albertson. Olivia pulled herself out of the daze she was in and took out her cellular-phone and called for a ambulance. Then she too went to check to see how badly she had hurt Albertson.
The skies opened and it began to pour as she crouched down next to Elliot. He looked up at her and shook his head, his eyes void of any emotion.
"He's gone," he told her, his voice showing no sympathy for the loss of life, but for Olivia instead. He knew all to well that killing somebody--no matter what kind of person he or she may be--was not the easiest thing to deal with.
The rain had picked up speed by the time that the ambulance arrived, by then Olivia and Elliot were soaked to the bone, shivering. They told the homicide detectives what had happened and Elliot offered to take Olivia home. She protested at first, telling him that he "should be home with your family," but he stopped her. "I'm taking you home," he told her, "weather you like it or not." She knew that nothing she could say would change his mind, so, she merely nodded her head. She followed him to his car and he drove her home.
He followed her up, and Olivia invited him in for a pot of coffee. Once inside she changed out of her wet clothes and into pajama pants and a tank top. Elliot had had a bag of clothes in the trunk of his car so he retrieved them and changed as well. While he did so Olivia made the coffee.
"Now we're never going to find the accomplice," she said as she handed him his cup. She took a sip from her own as she sat down on the sofa.
"Yes we will," he said without hesitation, "don't worry about that."
She shook her head, "I just killed our only link to the accomplice, Elliot."
"You had no choice, Liv. If you hadn't I could be in his position."
She sighed and shifted positions on the sofa, pulling her legs underneath her. "I know, El, trust me. But, the fact still remains, I shot our only way of catching the other guy."
"Olivia, listen to me, we are gonna find him. Granted, it won't be a walk in the park, but if it was we'd be out of a job, eh? Regardless, we know for sure Albertson was the actual rapist. The other guy was--is--small potatoes, nothing more than an errand-boy. We got the big-fish, Albertson can't hurt any more women. That should count for something, don't ya think?"
"There's that. But, what if the accomplice decides that it's up to him to fill in Albertson's shoes and starts raping, or killing even?"
"Then we'll catch the son of a bitch, ok? Don't be so hard on yourself, Liv."
"I'll try."
They talked for a little while longer before Elliot went home, a little later on Olivia's phone rang, she was already in bed so she let the machine pick it up. It was Elliot, calling to tell her goodnight, and once again that they would catch Albertson's accomplice.
The next day, early in the morning, Olivia's phone rang. When she answered nobody spoke. So, she hung up, cursing whoever came up with the brilliant idea of telemarketing. That happened more than once that morning, and for the next few days as well.
A few days after the phone calls started she came home to find a dozen dead roses in front of her apartment door. No tag. The phone calls continued. Not a week after she found the roses she came home to find her apartment ransacked, 'murderer' written in red on her bedroom wall.
Luckily, whoever broke in to her apartment wasn't very bright or a bad criminal, and a set of fingerprints were found by CSU. After running them through the system they were linked to a man, George Albertson. The late Jacob Albertson's younger brother. After they arrested him they found that he was his brothers accomplice.
But, George had a bright attorney. Who immediately went for a deal. A reduced sentence for the bodies of the women that Jacob had raped, who hadn't been as lucky as the ones he let go. Alex was inclined to accept, so agreed. He only got 5 years, though that had been four years prior.
Olivia finally broke the uncomfortable silence, "good behavior?" She inquired of Munch.
He looked up and nodded to which Olivia replied with a grunt. Nobody spoke for the rest of the workday.
As she was about to leave for home she was stopped by Elliot. He asked if she wanted to grab a bite to eat, but she knew it was just a way for him to look out for her, without being forthright. She wasn't exactly thrilled about it.
"Elliot, I'm a grown woman. I can take care of myself. You don't need to baby-sit me, I'll be fine."
"He got into your apartment once before, Liv, or have you forgotten about that--"
"I remember."
"--then, he threatened you at the trial. I just want to take every precaution, I don't want you to get hurt."
She sighed, "I am fully capable of defending myself if need be. And, I've got my gun. If that'll make you feel any better."
"Good try, but it doesn't. Who knows what he's capable of. He's been in jail for four years, no doubt he blames you. He's had plenty time to think of ways to get you back, avenge his brothers death. I don't think that you should be alone, at least not right now."
"Elliot, you have a family to look after. You should be protecting them, not me."
He fell silent for a moment before answering with a cracking voice, "what family? Kathy left me, took the kids with her to her mothers."
"Oh, God, Elliot, I'm sorry. Do you know why she left?"
"She said that she was tired of waiting up at night for a phone-call instead of for me. She was tired of me working all the time, and the fact that I spend more time with you, Munch, and Fin than with her and the kids. TO tell you the truth though, Liv, here lately it really didn't feel like a marriage. I think that putting the blame on my job was just an easy way out of the relationship for her. I wouldn't blame her if it was."
"I'm sure it'll blow over, just give it some time."
"I don't think so, not this time."
She sighed, "although I don't like that you think I need protecting, I guess I should humor you, right? You'll be on my case otherwise. You can stay at my place if it's that important to you. I really don't want another protective detail. But, don't think that just because Albertson is out of jail you can take it upon yourself to be my protector. Like I said, 'I'm fully--"
"Capable of taking care of yourself. Got it. But, that shouldn't mean I can't play hero to a damsel in distress, should it?"
"Firstly, I am not a damsel, and secondly I am certainly not in distress. But, if you want to be superman, who am I to stop you? Just, don't parade around my apartment in tights."
"Aw, no fair." He teased.
"You gonna follow me home in your car, or were you planning on flying there?"
"Well, I think I'd better drive. We don't want everybody knowing my alter-ego, do we?"
"No, Clark, we don't."
"Well, good. I'll be followin' you then."
She nodded and made her way to her car, feeling Elliot's eyes following her. She knew his intentions were good, Albertson had every reason to want to get even, Elliot just wanted to make sure that didn't happen. But, it was still a bit patronizing, even coming from him.
Then again, according to him Kathy had left, taking the kids with her. That could also have a factor in the whole ordeal. It could be that he wasn't used to being alone.
She stopped at a redlight and glanced in the rearview mirror. Elliot was close behind her, that worried look still in his eyes, his lips pursed. As she sighed to herself the light turned green, she took off again.
When she pulled into her regular parking spot Elliot found the one closest to her, which in itself was fairly far off. She took the keys out of the ignition and turned to open the door. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw Elliot hovering just outside her window.
He laughed at her and backed away from the car so she could get out. She opened the door glaring at him, wishing she could really shoot daggers with her glare. "Elliot," she said slowly, "what is the point of protecting me I'm dead of a heart-attack?!"
He just kept laughing.
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a/n: I know it's been awhile, but I'm back, I hope you liked this chapter. More to come. Let me know how I'm doing. I know I did the whole Kathy leaving thing before, but since I don't like her I don't want her in my story, so she's once again the bad guy. Anyway, go on already, review! The meaning of the title will come in later on, not sure how much later at this point, but, later nonetheless.
Words in bold and italics: flashback.
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"Albertson got out today," Munch announced taking a sip of his coffee. Olivia immediately felt three pairs of eyes on her. She looked up from her paperwork.
"What are you all looking at me for?" She demanded.
Elliot was the only one to speak, "nothing." He looked back down at his desk and Munch and Fin followed suit, all Olivia could do was sigh. They hadn't needed to say anything, she knew why they had looked at her.
"Drop your weapon!" Elliot yelled out, his own weapon aimed at the perp, Jacob Albertson. When Albertson didn't comply Elliot yelled it out again, louder.
"I said, 'drop your weapon!'"
With a sickening grin Albertson raised his gun at Elliot and his finger tightened the trigger.
The deafening roar of gunfire filled the air and Olivia let her arm drop limp at her side, the gun that she held tightly in her head still smoking from being fired, her hand shaking. Elliot looked her way, then rushed over to check on Albertson. Olivia pulled herself out of the daze she was in and took out her cellular-phone and called for a ambulance. Then she too went to check to see how badly she had hurt Albertson.
The skies opened and it began to pour as she crouched down next to Elliot. He looked up at her and shook his head, his eyes void of any emotion.
"He's gone," he told her, his voice showing no sympathy for the loss of life, but for Olivia instead. He knew all to well that killing somebody--no matter what kind of person he or she may be--was not the easiest thing to deal with.
The rain had picked up speed by the time that the ambulance arrived, by then Olivia and Elliot were soaked to the bone, shivering. They told the homicide detectives what had happened and Elliot offered to take Olivia home. She protested at first, telling him that he "should be home with your family," but he stopped her. "I'm taking you home," he told her, "weather you like it or not." She knew that nothing she could say would change his mind, so, she merely nodded her head. She followed him to his car and he drove her home.
He followed her up, and Olivia invited him in for a pot of coffee. Once inside she changed out of her wet clothes and into pajama pants and a tank top. Elliot had had a bag of clothes in the trunk of his car so he retrieved them and changed as well. While he did so Olivia made the coffee.
"Now we're never going to find the accomplice," she said as she handed him his cup. She took a sip from her own as she sat down on the sofa.
"Yes we will," he said without hesitation, "don't worry about that."
She shook her head, "I just killed our only link to the accomplice, Elliot."
"You had no choice, Liv. If you hadn't I could be in his position."
She sighed and shifted positions on the sofa, pulling her legs underneath her. "I know, El, trust me. But, the fact still remains, I shot our only way of catching the other guy."
"Olivia, listen to me, we are gonna find him. Granted, it won't be a walk in the park, but if it was we'd be out of a job, eh? Regardless, we know for sure Albertson was the actual rapist. The other guy was--is--small potatoes, nothing more than an errand-boy. We got the big-fish, Albertson can't hurt any more women. That should count for something, don't ya think?"
"There's that. But, what if the accomplice decides that it's up to him to fill in Albertson's shoes and starts raping, or killing even?"
"Then we'll catch the son of a bitch, ok? Don't be so hard on yourself, Liv."
"I'll try."
They talked for a little while longer before Elliot went home, a little later on Olivia's phone rang, she was already in bed so she let the machine pick it up. It was Elliot, calling to tell her goodnight, and once again that they would catch Albertson's accomplice.
The next day, early in the morning, Olivia's phone rang. When she answered nobody spoke. So, she hung up, cursing whoever came up with the brilliant idea of telemarketing. That happened more than once that morning, and for the next few days as well.
A few days after the phone calls started she came home to find a dozen dead roses in front of her apartment door. No tag. The phone calls continued. Not a week after she found the roses she came home to find her apartment ransacked, 'murderer' written in red on her bedroom wall.
Luckily, whoever broke in to her apartment wasn't very bright or a bad criminal, and a set of fingerprints were found by CSU. After running them through the system they were linked to a man, George Albertson. The late Jacob Albertson's younger brother. After they arrested him they found that he was his brothers accomplice.
But, George had a bright attorney. Who immediately went for a deal. A reduced sentence for the bodies of the women that Jacob had raped, who hadn't been as lucky as the ones he let go. Alex was inclined to accept, so agreed. He only got 5 years, though that had been four years prior.
Olivia finally broke the uncomfortable silence, "good behavior?" She inquired of Munch.
He looked up and nodded to which Olivia replied with a grunt. Nobody spoke for the rest of the workday.
As she was about to leave for home she was stopped by Elliot. He asked if she wanted to grab a bite to eat, but she knew it was just a way for him to look out for her, without being forthright. She wasn't exactly thrilled about it.
"Elliot, I'm a grown woman. I can take care of myself. You don't need to baby-sit me, I'll be fine."
"He got into your apartment once before, Liv, or have you forgotten about that--"
"I remember."
"--then, he threatened you at the trial. I just want to take every precaution, I don't want you to get hurt."
She sighed, "I am fully capable of defending myself if need be. And, I've got my gun. If that'll make you feel any better."
"Good try, but it doesn't. Who knows what he's capable of. He's been in jail for four years, no doubt he blames you. He's had plenty time to think of ways to get you back, avenge his brothers death. I don't think that you should be alone, at least not right now."
"Elliot, you have a family to look after. You should be protecting them, not me."
He fell silent for a moment before answering with a cracking voice, "what family? Kathy left me, took the kids with her to her mothers."
"Oh, God, Elliot, I'm sorry. Do you know why she left?"
"She said that she was tired of waiting up at night for a phone-call instead of for me. She was tired of me working all the time, and the fact that I spend more time with you, Munch, and Fin than with her and the kids. TO tell you the truth though, Liv, here lately it really didn't feel like a marriage. I think that putting the blame on my job was just an easy way out of the relationship for her. I wouldn't blame her if it was."
"I'm sure it'll blow over, just give it some time."
"I don't think so, not this time."
She sighed, "although I don't like that you think I need protecting, I guess I should humor you, right? You'll be on my case otherwise. You can stay at my place if it's that important to you. I really don't want another protective detail. But, don't think that just because Albertson is out of jail you can take it upon yourself to be my protector. Like I said, 'I'm fully--"
"Capable of taking care of yourself. Got it. But, that shouldn't mean I can't play hero to a damsel in distress, should it?"
"Firstly, I am not a damsel, and secondly I am certainly not in distress. But, if you want to be superman, who am I to stop you? Just, don't parade around my apartment in tights."
"Aw, no fair." He teased.
"You gonna follow me home in your car, or were you planning on flying there?"
"Well, I think I'd better drive. We don't want everybody knowing my alter-ego, do we?"
"No, Clark, we don't."
"Well, good. I'll be followin' you then."
She nodded and made her way to her car, feeling Elliot's eyes following her. She knew his intentions were good, Albertson had every reason to want to get even, Elliot just wanted to make sure that didn't happen. But, it was still a bit patronizing, even coming from him.
Then again, according to him Kathy had left, taking the kids with her. That could also have a factor in the whole ordeal. It could be that he wasn't used to being alone.
She stopped at a redlight and glanced in the rearview mirror. Elliot was close behind her, that worried look still in his eyes, his lips pursed. As she sighed to herself the light turned green, she took off again.
When she pulled into her regular parking spot Elliot found the one closest to her, which in itself was fairly far off. She took the keys out of the ignition and turned to open the door. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw Elliot hovering just outside her window.
He laughed at her and backed away from the car so she could get out. She opened the door glaring at him, wishing she could really shoot daggers with her glare. "Elliot," she said slowly, "what is the point of protecting me I'm dead of a heart-attack?!"
He just kept laughing.
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a/n: I know it's been awhile, but I'm back, I hope you liked this chapter. More to come. Let me know how I'm doing. I know I did the whole Kathy leaving thing before, but since I don't like her I don't want her in my story, so she's once again the bad guy. Anyway, go on already, review! The meaning of the title will come in later on, not sure how much later at this point, but, later nonetheless.