Endless

34 Days Before

34 DAYS BEFORE

I stride into the squad room, focusing on my office. I see Elliot get up from his temporary desk and follow me into my office before closing the door behind him.

Breathe Liv breathe, "can i help you detective?" i say bitterly as i round my desk. I see him pause as i sit down. I glance up at him through my lashes to see the pain of my words quickly vanish from his face to be replaced with the professionalism and anger i remember.

"Just wanted to give you a recap sergeant," he spits that last word so harshly as if its something i am waving in his face. I close the file I am pretending to read and cross my hands on my desk in front of me, waiting for him to continue. He stands in his military stance in front of my desk, his chest high and his arms folded. "We managed to match the tire tracks at the crime scene to a torched delivery van found on 89th. We ran the plates and they match a Heather Young." I look at him a little confused on where this is going. "She lives in New Orleans shes 94 and in a nursing home. She had given the car to her grandson Michael Stamos who currently has 3 priors. 1 in Lousiana, 1 in Texas and 1 in Colorado."

"Okay, what are they for?"

"Attempted kidnap, sex trafficing and attempted rape." My eyes narrow, "he was granted bail each time and skipped on all charges. The kidnap was pled down to a misdemeanour along with the attempted rape; and he fled the state on the sex trafficing and no one has been able to find him."

"So you're thinking he's behind this range of missing children," I say reading his mind as if he never left.

"Look Liv we having missing children from all the states he was charged in, he must have help. He is just moving across the country collecting children; but my guess is he has them stationed here somewhere, we just have to find him."

"Okay so what are you and your partner going to do next?" Partner that word seems to leave an awful taste in my mouth, because i know that it no longer refers to me. That it will never again refer to me, and that makes another shattered piece of my heart break away.

"Um," he seems stunned and shaken, as if like me the word partner seems so foreign and strange when spoken in my tone. When spoken at him instead of about him. "We'll interview the New York victims families, and some of the out of states victim's families to see if there is any connection."

"Okay sounds good, call me if you need anything." I stare back at the file, still not actually seeing the words but just hoping to look busy as he leaves; but he just stands there waiting for something else.

The silence becomes thick and suffocating as my office fills with 7 years worth of unspoken words and unanswered questions. I close the file once again and look up at him with raised eyebrows.

He looks down at the floor and suddenly becomes uneasy, "Liv can we talk?"

"About what exactly?" i say holding my breath hoping it's not about what i think.

"Us."

My heart stops.

* * *

Red velvet with cream cheese icing or double chocolate oreo with chocolate frosting. They both sound disgusting. I have already chosen the plain vanilla with white chocolate frosting for myself as i feel good today so a challenge is in order. The only problem is i struggle to eat alone so i am going to take Liv a cupcake and a coffee. Just to choose a cupcake, well she does have to see Elliot all day so lets go, "and can i get one of the double chocolate oreo cupcakes please."

"Sure hun, so that is one large soy caramel frap, one large trim flat white without whip cream. One vanilla cupcake and one double choc oreo cupcake," i nod to confirm, "Okay so that will be $14.62."