Latin: "knowledge which is worth having"

In which a captain is attacked, and while taking a trip and acting as protective detail, Frank realizes that, for once, he knows more than a few other people. There's something very satisfactory about that fact.

Also known as "Jumped In" from Law & Order: SVU, because . . . well, it was a huge three-parter and gives me the chance to include Stone. This is actually part one of two, and if you think there's action here . . . you may not want to know what I have planned next time.

***

Frank had always envied friends-turned-couples who had almost no problems at all when they started dating. He had watched relationships fall apart within a matter of weeks, even days, when one or both couldn't handle the shift from platonic to romantic. The irony was that, after he had seen so many dumpster fires from those relationships, he had sworn he would never have that type of a relationship.

Joke's on me, he thought with a small chuckle, and the hand in the crook in his arm tightened at the sound. "Something funny?" Nolan raised an eyebrow.

"Just a random thought," Frank shook his head with a smile, adjusting his position to allow Nolan to step closer. "Nothing worth mentioning."

The prosecutor linked their arms tighter as they walked down the sidewalk, making Frank's smile widen. In the past week since they had decided to start officially dating (because Nolan and Sam were absolutely right, they basically had been dating in all but name for weeks), they had determined once they returned to their jobs, they would keep their relationship under wraps while they navigated how to balance their professional and their personal lives now that they were more intertwined than ever. It had been a slow day on Frank's end, mainly paperwork and prep for court hearings with Nolan and Sam, but there was a new rush of anticipation for the end of the day that hadn't been there before. Still, he and Nolan had established such a routine over the months that neither Jalen nor Kate batted an eye when he left for the evening. Judging by the smirk on Nolan's face when he reached the courthouse, neither had Jack nor Sam.

"I got a call from Sylvie before I headed out for the night," Nolan said as he adjusted his coat; Frank gently tugged, and Nolan walked so he was as close as possible to the detective without their arms around each other. Even then, their sides brushed with every step. "She's looking into when she can come back and check in on the paramedicine program here."

"Really?" Frank smiled. Maybe it was just something about the Prices, but he had a soft spot for his lover's confident, compassionate little sister. "Any chance she may bring company with her?"

Nolan grinned. "Who's asking? You, or your daughter?"

"Both," Frank admitted, sheepishly smiling as Nolan laughed. "I told Jalen, I don't know if I mentioned it to you . . . Lily is constantly texting back and forth with the Dardens, and I liked Casey and Severide when I met them."

"Yeah, I had a feeling you would get along with them," Nolan chuckled fondly. "But I'm glad Lily and the Dardens got along as well as they did. The boys really suffered in Portland . . . well, they suffered after they initially relocated from Chicago, but Portland is where everything essentially came tumbling down. They bonded quickly with Sylvie, and they knew a lot of the veterans at 51, which helped them start trusting the newer members . . . but with Lily, it was almost instantaneous. That was good for them."

Frank smirked. "I guess we Cosgroves just know how to get Prices on our good sides."

Nolan threw back his head and laughed. "They're Casey-Severides more than they are Prices, Frank."

"They're in the same household as a Price," Frank shrugged. "I'm counting it."

Nolan snorted. "If you say so."

Two mopeds zoomed past them, and Frank had to stop in his tracks so the resulting gust of wind didn't knock him into Nolan. "Geez," he scoffed in derision, scowling as the mopeds whipped around a corner. "Kids these days."

"It's only when they cause an accident that anything will happen," Nolan shrugged.

The echo of a gunshot rang through the still night, and instinct had Frank seizing Nolan by his shoulders, pulling him to the ground, and twisting so he placed himself between his lover and where he guessed the shot originated from. Nolan dropped without hesitation, tucking to make himself as small a target as possible. When no other shot happened, Frank rose to his feet and swiftly unholstered his sidearm. "Stay here!" he ordered.

Nolan nodded and moved into the shadows of the buildings as Frank sprinted down the sidewalk, all senses on alert as he tracked where he could hear the sounds of combat. He rounded the corner just in time to hear the revving of engines, then the two mopeds were zipping in his direction. Frank skidded out of the way so he wouldn't be hit, and by the time he recovered his bearings, the pair of vehicles were gone and out of sight.

A pained gasp from behind him made him turn, and he balked when he saw the woman who stumbled and leaned against another vehicle for support. "Oh, my God," he holstered his gun and ran over, his other hand pulling out his phone and sending out a quick text. "Benson?"

Olivia coughed weakly as she bent over double, one hand pressed against her stomach. "Cosgrove," she croaked, looking up at him with wide eyes, one side of her face already starting to swell.

"Were you hit?" Frank demanded, looking the captain up and down. "We heard the gunshot."

"No," Olivia panted, shaking her head as pounding footsteps approached. "No, I fired the shot."

"Captain Benson?" Nolan's eyes were wide as he ran to join them, his head on a swivel as he scoped the surroundings. "What - " He cut off when he looked towards the buildings. "Is that the BX9 symbol?" he sputtered.

Frank's head shot up, and he saw the spray-painted symbol that Nolan had on the wall of the West Side Grand building: a bee with two rifles forming an X behind it. "What the hell is the Bronx gang doing here?" he asked as he pulled out his phone.

"It's a long story," Olivia mumbled as she looked around. "My son . . . "

Nolan's eyes sharpened. "Where's Noah?" Olivia silently pointed at the apartment building, and Nolan nodded. "I'll check on him, OK?"

"Thank you, Nolan," Olivia sighed, reaching up to gingerly touch her face.

Her flinch made Frank finally dial the number he had pulled up. "9-1-1, what's your emergency?" the dispatcher answered.

"This is Detective Frank Cosgrove, NYPD Homicide," he answered as he watched Nolan enter the apartment building; he had barely entered before a boy with dark curls slammed into the prosecutor, Nolan's arms winding around him protectively. "I have a 10-13 at the West Side Grand Apartments. Send additional units and a bus as soon as you can."

"Copy, Detective. Help is on the way."

***

"Counselor Price and I were heading for one of our preferred bars when we saw two mopeds drive by and around the corner," Frank explained to the officer interviewing him, his pale eyes constantly moving from the officer to Olivia, who was getting interviewed by another officer, to the doors of the apartment building, where he could see Nolan speaking to Noah, the boy trembling in the prosecutor's arms. "When I heard the gunshot, I told Price to stay, and I ran to respond to the shot. It was a few seconds, tops, before the mopeds drove back in my direction, right for me. I had to jump out of the way, and they were gone by the time I got reoriented. That was when I realized their target was Captain Benson, and I called in the 10-13 to 9-1-1."

"She claims she was attacked by BX9," the officer said as he noted down Frank's responses.

"Well," Frank gestured pointedly to the spray paint on the wall. "She collared a few of their guys on a case, and that's their symbol on the wall. Math adds up to me."

The officer nodded and clicked his pen. "Thank you, Detective."

Frank nodded and stepped away, walking over to where Olivia was blowing into a breathalyzer tube. He saw Nolan look at him and raise an inquisitive eye, but Frank shook his head and held up a hand, silently telling him to stay put. Nolan frowned but nodded, and Frank joined Olivia, his hands tucked into his pockets. "Nolan can stay with Noah as long as needed," he said. "Stone's likely already been called, too."

"They want me to go to the hospital," Olivia muttered, wincing as she pressed an ice pack to her cheek.

She hissed at the sting, and Frank's eyebrows rose. "Yeah, that sounds like a terrible idea."

Olivia gave him a dirty look, then the slamming of car doors made both turn. "Frank!" Jalen jogged towards him, worried eyes taking in the mass of squad cars blocking off the street. "What the hell happened?"

"I'm fine," Frank shook his head, holding up his hand to stop Jalen. "Captain Benson was the target."

"Thank you for calling me a target instead of a victim," Olivia sighed.

"Well, you took a hell of a beating, Captain," Kate remarked as she stopped next to Jalen, only giving Frank a quick glance before focusing on Olivia. "But from what we heard, you sent them running."

Fin folded his arms, the normally stern and stoic sergeant looking concerned as he examined his captain. "Not as pretty as Rollins, but I'll try my best with this emotional support thing," he finally said.

Olivia snorted. "Between the two of you, we both know who's softer."

Kate carefully patted Olivia's shoulder. "We'll let you two talk."

"Appreciate it, Lieutenant," Fin nodded.

"Frank?" He turned at Olivia's voice, and the captain swallowed. "Thank you. And thank Nolan, too, will you? For looking after my son?"

"I will," Frank nodded. "We'll stay with him until you want to make other arrangements."

Olivia nodded and turned to speak with Fin, and Frank led his partner and his lieutenant towards the apartment buildings. "This is a little out of your area, isn't it, Frank?" Kate looked around.

"Nolan and I were heading for one of our favorite bars when we did the crawl after the Nichols case," Frank shrugged. It wasn't even a lie; they just weren't going to take separate cabs after the date. "We were around the corner when we heard Benson fire her weapon. Nolan stayed, I went to see what happened. After the BX9 bastards fled, Nolan came here to stay with Noah, and I stayed with Benson."

Jalen whistled lowly as he looked at the spray paint on the wall. "Ballsy move to attack a New York City captain on her home turf."

Kate shook her head grimly. "Ballsier still . . . attacking her in front of her kid."

Frank swung open the door, and Noah sat up straight from where he sat with Nolan. "Is my mom OK?" he demanded, wide eyes filling with tears.

"Noah, she has been hurt," Frank crouched in front of him so he was eye-level with the boy. "She's getting checked out right now, and she'll be back as soon as she can be here, OK?"

Noah swallowed hard and nodded timidly. "She told me to come inside and call 9-1-1 about a 10-13," he said.

"You were very brave to do that," Frank smiled encouragingly, and Noah gave a small smile in return. "You did a good job, Noah. Your mom will be so proud of you."

Noah's smile brightened at the words, then the door to the building opened. "Sergeant," Kate nodded respectfully.

"Lieutenant," Fin returned, then he walked over to Noah. "Hey, kid. I'm gonna take you on upstairs, OK? Your mom's going to get checked out, make sure she's OK."

"Are you gonna stay?" Noah asked.

"You think I'm gonna miss out on time with my favorite little man?" Fin smirked. "Yeah, right. I'll stay."

"OK," Noah nodded.

Fin turned to Nolan as the prosecutor stood. "Thank you for looking after him," he said gratefully.

"My pleasure, Sergeant," Nolan nodded, shaking Fin's hand. "Is Stone - ?"

"He's Liv's emergency contact," Fin explained. "He's on his way to Mercy right now. McCoy kicked him from the courthouse as soon as the call came in."

Jalen snorted. "Sounds like McCoy."

"Alright," Nolan nodded. "Let me know if there's anything I can do to help?"

"Copy that," Fin nodded and turned to his fellow cops. "Thanks for everything."

"I'm just glad we were in the area," Frank looked at Nolan, who nodded grimly in return. "Like Nolan said . . . you need anything, give us a call."

"We all appreciate that," Fin smiled. "I hope we won't need that, but I'll tell Liv and Stone."

"Stay safe, Sergeant," Kate extended her hand.

"Likewise," Fin shook her hand.

Nolan fell into step with Frank as the quartet exited, and Jalen leveled a dirty scowl at the BX9 symbol on the wall. "Is it bad that I kind of hope we'll get to take a shot at these scumbags?" he asked.

"No," Kate shook her head. "Not when they just brutally attacked one of our own."

***

"You know, my complex has higher security than this neighborhood," Nolan pointed out as he walked into Frank's house.

"After that happened at Benson's building?" Frank shook his head as he locked the door behind them, and he crossed the foyer to cup Nolan's cheek. "Call me paranoid, but I feel better with you here tonight."

Nolan's multicolored eyes softened to hazel, and he gave him a reassuring smile. "I should've known you'd be overprotective."

"Better too much than not enough," Frank shrugged.

Nolan leaned in and kissed him quickly. "And I love you for thinking that way."

Frank pulled Nolan closer to deepen the kiss, and the prosecutor made a sound that resembled a purr. "And I love you for indulging me," Frank smirked.

Thundercloud gray rolled across hazel, but before Nolan could respond, there was a sharp knock at the door. Both men tensed, and as Frank drew his sidearm for the second time that night, his other arm drew Nolan behind him. The knock was followed by a distinctive pattern of two-three-one, and Frank frowned as he crossed to the door. He checked through the spyhole, then he opened the door to a crack. "Stabler?" he asked.

"Cosgrove," Elliot nodded in return. The detective looked exhausted, and he appeared tenser than a strung bowstring. "Can I come in?"

Frank looked over his shoulder at Nolan, giving him the silent option to retreat further into the house if he so desired. Nolan shook his head and instead moved into the kitchen, moving around with such familiarity that Frank couldn't help but smile. Until they had shared their feelings in Nolan's apartment, they had never visited each other's homes. Since then, if Frank wasn't spending time with Lily, they had spent all their vacation time with each other in one place or the other. Frank knew every nook and cranny of Nolan's loft, and Nolan navigated Frank's house like it was second nature. "Come on in," he nodded and opened the door for Elliot to enter.

Elliot rubbed a hand down his face as he stepped inside, and he stopped in surprise when he saw Nolan. "Detective," Nolan nodded as he held up one of the glasses he pulled from a cabinet. "Can I get you a drink?"

"Yeah," Elliot cleared his throat. "I'm parched, actually. Sorry, Price. I didn't expect you to be here."

"Nolan was with me when Captain Benson was hit," Frank explained. "The bastards drove right by us to get to her street. I have no idea if they got a good look at either of us, but I was in their eyesight longer than Nolan. Still . . . I'm not feeling very generous right now about giving BX9 a chance to target another high-ranking member of Manhattan's justice system."

Nolan snorted in amusement as he filled their glasses. "You really know how to flatter me, Frank."

"Oh, I've had practice since the Nelson case," Frank smiled innocently.

Nolan rolled his eyes. "You're usually more subtle about it, though."

Elliot had been silent as his eyes darted between the two men, and he finally spoke up when there was a break in the bickering. "You know, word spread on the street that unless you want a certain prison sentence, you don't commit homicide within the 27th's jurisdiction," he said. "I'm starting to see why."

Nolan chuckled as he handed Elliot one of the glasses. "We have the right partners to help make the magic happen."

"I can't argue about the results that come from that," Elliot nodded, gratefully downing half of his glass. "Thank you, Price."

"No problem," Nolan handed another glass to Frank before taking a few respectful steps back. "If this is something between the two of you, I can - "

"No," Elliot held up his hand, stopping Nolan from saying anything further. "If Frank trusts you to keep a secret, you can stay."

"I trust no one more," Frank said seriously.

Elliot blinked, looking thrown by the statement, but Nolan took a seat in one of the chairs, carelessly slinging one leg over the other. "Point still stands," the prosecutor shrugged. "You need me to leave, say the word."

Elliot nodded, looking hard at Nolan. "This stays between us."

Nolan's multicolored eyes hardened. "Heard, Detective."

Elliot nodded and looked down at his glass. "Liv got lucky," he finally said. "No broken bones, but she'll be in a lot of pain for a few days. Ayanna is making arrangements to keep eyes on Stone just in case Liv wasn't the only target." He took a deep breath. "But Liv isn't why I'm here. I'm here about Noah."

Frank's eyes sharpened, and he leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. "How is he?" he asked. "He looked pretty spooked by what happened."

"When Stone and I took Liv back to their place, Noah was sleeping," Elliot sighed. "I never actually saw him. But Liv came to a decision, one Stone agreed with . . . as long as Liv is greenlit and targeted by BX9, Noah can't stay here."

"He's being relocated," Frank concluded.

"Yes," Elliot nodded. "Tomorrow morning, Fin is going to drive up to Woodstock, where Noah's half-brother and his parents are located."

Nolan's eyebrows rose. "Half-brother?"

"Comes with having a serial rapist as a father," Elliot chuckled bitterly. "Liv and Stone weren't too comfortable with learning that."

"I imagine not," Frank eyed his glass, suddenly wishing it was full of alcohol and not water. "And yet they're sending Noah up there?"

He was surprised when Elliot shook his head. "No. Fin is the decoy. After all Noah has been through, there is only a handful of people Liv would trust with his safety. The McCanns are nowhere near that list. And since Fin, Rollins, Carisi, and I live here in Manhattan . . . there's only two people on Liv's list that Noah can go to. So while Fin drives up to Woodstock, I'll be taking Noah to JFK and flying him out of the state." He took a deep breath and looked at Frank. "Fin told us how Noah relaxed around you. The cost is covered, and I'm asking if you would be willing to fly down with us just in case things go south. I highly doubt BX9 can reach where we're going . . . but there is no way in hell I'm going to risk Noah's safety."

Frank's eyes widened in shock. "Me?" he repeated. "You're sure?"

"Yes," Elliot nodded. "Liv told me I could pick who I wanted to accompany us. I'd pick someone from my team, but Ayanna needs Jet, and while I trust Whelan and Reyes, I want it to be someone Noah knows. And with Liv needing all hands on deck . . . Noah trusted you."

Frank swallowed hard. "If there's someone Benson trusts more . . . "

"If Rollins was still part of the team, she would probably ask her," Elliot admitted. "But she's now teaching at Fordham. She's a civilian, not a cop. You kept me on a leash when we chased after Sirenko. If there's a threat against Noah, I might need that again."

Frank gave Nolan a strained smile. "I think that's the first time I'm being called tame."

Nolan smiled in return. "I've seen you with Lily, Frank. You'd go through hell or high water to protect a child. Noah couldn't be in better hands . . . unless Shaw went with you."

Frank chuckled. "I think Lieu wants at least one of us in the squadroom with Violet." He sighed and turned to Elliot. "What time do we leave?"

Elliot smiled gratefully. "Meet us at the apartment building at 9:00?"

"I'll be there," Frank confirmed. "Are we there overnight or - ?"

"It'll be a late flight back, but Liv is asking us to make it as quick as possible," Elliot answered with a sheepish grin. "Besides . . . the person we're placing Noah with is my oldest friend. I've known him longer than Liv, so . . . I guess if I get the chance to socialize, I'll take it."

Frank snorted. "Should I be worried?"

He never expected Elliot to actually consider his answer. "Maybe."

Frank sighed and looked at Nolan. "Well, just in case I don't make it back, you know who to blame."

Nolan narrowed his eyes at Elliot. "I have no problem unleashing Sam on you if that happens, Stabler."

"I promise he'll be returned," Elliot held up his hands placatingly. "Scout's honor."

Nolan nodded without saying a word, and Frank stood from his seat. "If that's all, I'll meet you tomorrow," he said. "Do I get a warning about the weather?"

Elliot smirked as he placed his glass on the coffee table and followed Frank to the door. "Not as cold as it is up here, that's for sure."

Frank sighed as he opened the door. "That's specific."

Elliot chuckled. "You don't need a suit and tie. You'll be just fine." He stopped in the doorway and turned to Frank, all jesting wiped from his face. "Thank you, Frank," he said quietly. "When it comes to Noah, Liv takes no chances. It means a lot that you're helping."

"No child should have to live with a threat like BX9 hanging over their head," Frank shook his head. "I'm happy to help, Elliot."

The two fathers met each other's eyes confidently, and Elliot nodded firmly. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Frank nodded in agreement, and Elliot departed into the Manhattan night. Frank shut the door behind him and sighed heavily. "Jesus, Mary, and Joseph . . . and I thought everything with Booker was a mess."

"The flawed justice system is an entirely different beast compared to a gang like BX9," Nolan said softly as he watched Frank return to the living room. "Especially when a child gets pulled into the mess."

"It's a parent's worst nightmare," Frank nodded, dropping onto the arm of the chair Nolan had claimed. Nolan's arm curled around his shoulders, and when the prosecutor tugged, Frank willingly sagged against Nolan, his head in the crook of his lover's neck. "I could have predicted Benson and Stone would move Noah out of Manhattan . . . I didn't know they would move him out of state."

"If they think that's where he'll be safe, then that's what they think is best," Nolan rubbed his back. "And if there's one thing I know about Stabler, he doesn't settle for anything less than the best when it comes to the safety of children. You'll get Noah safely out of New York."

Frank nodded sullenly. "Early morning for me, then."

Nolan shrugged. "I've had paperwork start to pile on my desk with how long we were off. Might as well make it early for me, too." Frank blinked at him in surprise, and Nolan quietly huffed and ran his hand through the detective's hair. "I don't know what time you'll be back, and I have no idea where you're going. I'm saying goodbye when you leave. Got it?"

Frank smiled and rested his forehead against Nolan's. "Got it."

***

Frank sighed as he sat in the passenger seat next to Elliot, the pair of detectives watching Noah fiercely hug his mother goodbye. "God, this has gotta be killing Benson."

"It is," Elliot agreed as Noah hugged Peter next, the organized crime prosecutor running his hand through Noah's curls comfortingly. "Stone, too. I know I hadn't come back to New York when Stone took up the ADA post at SVU, but I heard all about how Noah quickly took a shine to him." He sighed and leaned his head back against the seat. "I really hope BX9 goes down for this."

"You and me both," Frank muttered in agreement.

Fin opened the back door, and Noah slid into the car. "I'll be right behind you," the sergeant said.

"Copy that," Elliot nodded.

Olivia mouthed a tearful "thank you" to the two detectives, and Frank nodded to her as Fin shut Noah's door. "Ready, kid?" Elliot asked as he shifted gears.

"I think so," Noah nodded as he buckled his seatbelt. "I still don't know exactly what's happening. Mom said she was making it look like I was going with Uncle Fin."

"That's the hope," Elliot nodded as he pulled into traffic. "And Uncle Fin is good at making people run around like headless chickens while he tricks them."

Frank snorted. "There's an image."

Noah giggled at the words, and Frank winked at him in the rearview mirror. "So where are we going?" the boy asked. "Mom said she was sending me to someone she absolutely trusts."

"She is," Elliot smiled as he plucked an envelope from his jacket and handed it to Noah, who eagerly dove into its contents. "And if I have it right - " Noah squealed in delight, making Frank blink in surprise. "You're gonna be happy with where we're taking you," Elliot finished with a laugh.

"I'm going to Austin?" Noah looked up with glee.

"Austin?" Frank repeated incredulously as he looked at Elliot. "Texas?"

"Austin," Elliot confirmed with a grin. "Liv was saying it was about time you saw the rest of the family again."

***

Living in New York meant Frank rarely dealt with humidity. He had only been out in the Austin air for a total of five minutes - the amount of time it took for them to call a taxi from the airport to the time it took them to arrive down the street from their destination - and he was already fully prepared to hightail it back home. "It's a sauna here!" he complained with a huff, removing his leather jacket and draping it over his arm.

"And how many times in your life have you left New York, Cosgrove?" Elliot smirked, appearing to enjoy his discomfort. Noah did, too, judging by the boy's giggles. "First time experiencing humidity?"

"Shut up, Stabler," Frank groused.

Noah bounced from foot to foot as he looked at their destination in excitement. It was a far cry from the terrified boy who had desperately clutched at Nolan the previous night. "It looks even bigger than the pictures Uncle TK sent!" he grinned.

"Yeah," Elliot gazed up at the firehouse with a wistful smile. "She's been through a lot and still comes out in one piece. She's a tough one."

"Firehouse 126," Frank read the sign on the house, and he did a double take. "Wait a minute," he turned to Elliot. "This is the house that lost all its original crew in that fertilizer explosion, right?"

"And then got blown up two years later," Elliot chuckled. "Yeah, this is the house. Count on these two to run the most unpredictable house in the city."

Frank frowned as they approached the building. "What's that supposed to mean?"

They entered through the bay doors, and Frank did a double take when he saw the drapings and decorations inside. "And you were saying I didn't need to worry about what I wore," he deadpanned.

"Doesn't look like anything's started yet," Elliot looked around curiously. "Stand Up to Cancer . . . "

"Hi there!" Frank turned at the call, and a black woman with brown hair in waves approached them, her dark eyes curiously darting between the trio. She was followed by a tall woman with her hair in a severe bun and a young man who couldn't have hidden his curiosity if he tried. "Can we help you?" the older woman asked, folding her hands in front of her.

Frank took in their crisp dress uniforms, and he sighed. "Now I really feel underdressed."

Noah giggled behind him, and Elliot smothered a grin as he stepped forward. "We need to speak to the captain of the house," he said.

The woman raised an eyebrow. "The fire captain or the paramedic captain?" she asked. "Those are two different positions."

"Fire captain, please," Elliot answered promptly. "Tell him someone took a shot at the queen. He knows what it means."

The younger members of the firehouse looked at each other in confusion, but the woman merely blinked. "Firefighter Chavez, would you deliver that message, please?"

"Yes, ma'am," the young man nodded, and he gave the trio one last curious glance before he disappeared back into the firehouse.

"Pardon me for not introducing myself," the woman stepped forward and extended her hand. "Captain Tommy Vega, I run the paramedic team here at the 126. This is one of my team members, Nancy Gillian."

"Nice to meet you both," Elliot nodded. "I assume, then, that you work with - "

The rest of his words was covered by the sound of glass shattering inside, and Tommy and Nancy both turned at the same time. "What was that?" Nancy frowned.

"Everything OK?" Tommy called.

Frank tilted his head when a dark-haired firefighter with piercing green eyes ran into view, and he jumped when Noah raced forward with a cry of "TK!" The newcomer dropped to a crouch and caught Noah when the boy raced into his chest, and Elliot sighed. "That's a yes."

"Hey, hey, bud, it's OK," TK ran a hand through Noah's curls, a gesture Frank had seen the boy's family do to comfort him. This paramedic seemed to have the same effect, for Noah visibly relaxed at the contact. "What happened, bud? What're you doing here?"

"That's what I'm wondering." Frank felt his spine stiffen at the cool tone, and he looked up as a man who looked very similar to TK approached, the bugles on his lapels and the additional decorations on his jacket identifying him as a captain. In comparison to TK, this man's green eyes were like icicles as he stared down Elliot. "Who the hell dared - "

"It's BX9," Elliot answered before he finished the question.

TK's face drained of color, and the captain swallowed hard. "What?" TK jumped to his feet, and he swayed in place; Nancy lurched forward to support him, and Frank could see other members of the firehouse, all in dress blues, start to assemble behind them. "BX9? But they're - !"

"They're from the Bronx," the captain shook his head. "Why would they hit a Manhattan captain?"

"SVU had a case that crossed into the Bronx last summer," Frank answered, causing identical pairs of green eyes to swerve to him. Based on their resemblances, this had to be a father and son pair. "It put BX9 on Benson's radar."

The captain sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "And that's all I need to hear."

"Cap?" A woman with a beautiful black hijab stepped forward, her dark eyes looking around. "What's going on?"

The captain looked around, then he pursed his lips. "TK, how about you show Noah around the firehouse while I talk to the detectives?"

"Copy," TK nodded and held out his hand to Noah with a smile. "You haven't seen the 126's rigs, have you, buddy?"

"Nope!" Noah grinned and took his hand.

"Well," TK straightened. "Let's get that fixed. First off, the ambulance, which is way cooler than the ladder."

That statement was met with loud protests from the newcomers, and the captain chuckled as he beckoned for Elliot and Frank to follow him to a corner of the house. "That'll keep them occupied while we talk."

"That old fire and medic rivalry," Elliot nodded. "Never gets old."

"Yeah, TK and I still get into that," the captain admitted with a grin that had Elliot laughing. His glee was quickly wiped from his face, and the captain straightened and leveled an impressive stern look at Elliot. "I mean it, El . . . tell me everything I need to know."

"First off," Elliot gestured to Frank. "This is Detective Frank Cosgrove, he operates out of the 27th under Lieutenant Dixon. Frank, meet Captain Owen Strand. He's the former captain of - "

"Firehouse 252, New York Fire and Rescue," Frank finished, eyes wide as he made the connection. He had been expecting Olivia to send her son to some former police contacts . . . he had not been anticipating meeting the third member of a notorious inner circle of first responders. "It's an honor, sir."

"Good to meet you, Detective," Owen nodded and shook his hand.

"Frank was in the area when Liv was greenlit by members of BX9," Elliot explained, and Owen's jaw clenched. "She wasn't bleeding, but she took a hell of a beating. We expect it was in retaliation to the gang members her team collared in the summer."

"Oh, geez," Owen sighed and rubbed his temples. "Liv . . . tell me you're going after the scumbags who did this?"

"When I left, that was what they were planning," Elliot nodded. "It sounds like they'll be teaming up with the Bronx Gang Unit, too."

"As long as the threat is ended," Owen folded his arms, watching TK lead Noah around the 126. "And out here is really the best place for him?"

"You know Liv, Owen," Elliot looked at him pointedly.

Owen sighed and nodded. "She takes no chances with Noah's safety. Yeah . . . believe me, I know."

"If there were any other options she considered - "

Owen held up a hand, and Elliot's mouth instantly clicked shut. Frank blinked, impressed; he had only seen Olivia shut the detective up that quickly. "Noah is my godson, Elliot," the fire captain said quietly. "I promised to protect him no matter what. He's staying with me, no questions asked."

The lingering tension disappeared from Elliot's shoulder, and the detective smiled gratefully. "Thank God for you, Owen."

"Bah," Owen waved the thanks away. "TK and I were talking about heading up to New York in the near future, anyway. We haven't seen any of you since you came back to Manhattan."

"We'd appreciate it," Elliot chuckled.

Owen nodded, then he smiled at Frank. "Is homicide still as eventful as ever?"

"I swear, they're either open and shut cases or ridiculous huge pieces of fish to fry," Frank admitted. "There's no in between."

"That sounds like the 2-7," Owen agreed with a laugh.

"Frank and Counselor Price were on scene to help Liv once she was attacked," Elliot added.

Owen raised an eyebrow, then he nodded respectfully at Frank. "Thank you for that."

"Just doing my job," Frank shrugged.

"They what?!"

The offended yelp from TK made the three men turn, and Owen snickered when he saw TK staring at a confused-looking Noah. "Something the matter, son?" he asked as he walked over.

"Noah just said Amanda and Sonny went and got married!" TK sputtered.

Owen did a double take, then he turned expectantly to Elliot. "Did they?"

"In my defense, it's only been for a week or so," Elliot held up his hands. "And they had it done at the courthouse. Just Liv, Fin, Stone, and Velasco in attendance."

TK stared blankly at Elliot, and Owen checked his watch. "Give him a second."

"I invited them to my wedding, and they went and eloped?" TK screeched, and Owen smirked in amusement. "Oh, my God, I'm going to kill them."

"TK, Rollins, and Carisi were thick as thieves before we moved here to Austin," Owen explained to Frank with a chuckle. "They were the first ones he told when he got engaged."

"Oh," Frank nodded. "Congratulations to him."

"Thank you," TK tossed over his shoulder.

"Alright," Owen rubbed his hands together and stepped forward. "Noah, buddy?" The boy looked up attentively at Owen, and the fire captain bent to be on his level. "Elliot told me what happened to your mom," he said softly. "So you'll stay with me until you can go home, OK?"

"OK," Noah nodded.

"He can stay with me and Carlos at times, too," TK added. "If it makes him feel safer to stay with another cop."

"Hey, whatever makes him comfortable," the burly firefighter who towered over the team nodded. "Cap's family is family of ours."

The rest of the firefighters nodded in agreement. "Alright," Owen turned to Elliot. "Is there anything else we need to know?"

"Just be careful," Elliot advised, eyes dark. "Considering BX9's reputation . . . "

Owen smirked. "Copy that."

"Er, Cap?" Chavez scratched his head. "I'm all for having a new roommate . . . but we have the fundraiser tonight."

"That explains the decorations," Frank looked around.

"He can stay in my office," Tommy volunteered. "It's more out of sight than Owen's."

"And considering Liv packed all of Noah's games," Elliot chuckled.

"I'll be good," Noah promised Owen.

"You always are, bud," Owen smiled and ruffled his curls.

"Thanks for bringing him here," TK smiled brilliantly at Frank and extended his hand. "TK Strand."

"Frank Cosgrove," Frank shook his hand in return. "Homicide squad."

Owen suddenly grinned, and something about it put Frank on alert. "Get this, son . . . he works with Counselor Price."

"He does?" TK's eyes lit.

"Of course, you two know Price," Elliot sighed.

"How could we not?" Owen snorted. "Rumors spread all around the department that if he wanted, he could up and leave the DA's office and join any firehouse as a paramedic."

Frank burst out laughing. "One house in particular, I'm guessing?"

"Oh, good," Owen grinned at him. "You're in on it."

"In on what?" Elliot frowned in confusion.

"One of the few failures in my career," Owen shook his head in mock sadness. "I could never get Sylvie to leave the 225 and come to the 252."

"You have met her, right?" TK looked at Frank in excitement. "Please tell me you've met her."

"Oh, I've met her," Frank chuckled and pulled out his phone. "Hang on, I have a picture here somewhere . . . " Elliot's confusion finally registered, and the homicide detective blinked and looked at him in surprise. "Hang on, you don't know?"

"I kept out of touch with the NYPD for a long time after I left SVU," Elliot reminded him.

"Which was around the time Nolan rose through the ranks in the DA's office," TK nodded.

"Here," Frank found what he was looking for, and he turned his phone so TK could look. "She was in town to implement her paramedicine program, which would hopefully decrease the amount of non-emergency calls."

"Wait, I heard about that," Nancy snapped her fingers. "It's that big program that's cut almost all of them out in Chicago, right? Run by . . . Sylvie Price?"

"That's her," TK nodded. "She was the best the FDNY had to offer for years. When I went through the academy, she taught some of the medical classes. Best teacher I ever had."

"Which is why I kept trying to poach her for the 252," Owen rolled his eyes. "But no, she made it clear she was 225 through and through."

"Well, it's practically right down the street from the courthouse," Frank snorted. "You couldn't pry Nolan and Sylvie apart with a crowbar if you tried."

"Believe me, Dad tried," TK smirked as he looked at the picture. "Aw . . . I forgot how scarily similar they are."

"I still don't know how I never knew Price had a sister," Elliot muttered.

It made Frank look up and coolly raise an eyebrow. "Because you made it clear that you know my best friend so well during the Rublev and Sirenko case, right?" Elliot scowled at him, but he didn't respond. "Funny what you learn when you take the time to get past the whole law vs. order teams. That's how Jalen and I have gotten to where we are with Nolan and Sam."

"I also know McCoy takes the Prices' safety very seriously," Owen nodded. "As Nolan rose to prominence in the DA's office, that increased the threats against him. And while it's hard to get to the prosecutors when they're behind the courthouse walls . . . a paramedic out on the streets of New York is another story."

Frank's eyes widened in realization. "You're the captain who's friends with Sylvie's chief. You're the one who helped her get transferred to 51."

Owen smiled and nodded. "Wallace was part of the reinforcements that came from Chicago to New York when the towers fell. We've tried to keep in contact ever since. When I got the news that one of his paramedics had been killed in the line of duty, it was when McCoy and the Prices realized it would be safer for Sylvie to move out of New York. I put them in contact with each other, and the rest is history."

"No kidding," Frank swiped through his photos until he came to the one he wanted. "I guess you're the one to thank for what she has now."

Owen peered at the picture, and he blinked in surprise. "She has kids now?" he asked in surprise.

"She does?" TK peeked over his father's shoulder.

"Her partners do," Frank corrected. "They took guardianship of their late best friend's sons. Nolan made sure they all returned to Chicago."

"Good for Nolan," Owen smiled. "Once Sylvie settles, she latches on and doesn't let go. I still remember how there was just . . . this thundercloud or something that settled in the area when Sylvie finally moved. It was her and Nolan for so long . . . it took months for Nolan to adjust to no longer having his sister nearby."

Frank nodded sadly, remembering the stark contrast from Nolan after Sylvie's departure. "He was like that after Sylvie left again, too."

"I had no idea," Elliot whispered.

"It's like we said," Owen shrugged. "Price rapidly rose through the ranks when McCoy hired him, and that happened after you left New York. But to Detective Cosgrove's point, too . . . I still hear all about the conflicts between the police and the district attorneys. You're all on the same side of the law. If that distrust still comes about, why should Price trust you with something as precious to him as his sister?" Elliot gave him a wounded look, and Owen rolled his eyes. "Don't give me that look, Elliot. You make that face every time I make an annoying point. Liv only trusts a handful of people to watch Noah. I guarantee Nolan is even more picky when it comes to his sister. That man would rearrange the constellations for her if she asked."

"Um, I saw him when he came to pick up Sylvie at the academy," TK shook his head. "He'd rearrange the whole solar system."

Frank snickered. "Try rearranging the entire galaxy."

"That's a little terrifying," Chavez's eyes widened.

"It's Sylvie Price," the black firefighter who stood with Chavez smirked. "Everyone in Chicago knows if you want a one-way ticket to hell, you screw with her. No one wants to see who's more dangerous to piss off . . . her brother, or her officers."

Frank snorted. "Yes."

"Well, maybe one of our trips to New York will coincide with hers," Owen rubbed his hands together. "In the meantime, we really need to get ready for this fundraiser. Is there anything else either of you needs from us?"

"No, sir," Frank shook his head. "I don't think so."

"There isn't," Elliot agreed and stepped forward. "Thank you again, Owen. Thanks, Tyler."

"Do what we can for family, right?" Owen grinned and accepted Elliot's hug. "Give our best to Liv, OK?"

"And seriously," TK bounded up to Elliot next. "Tell Rollins and Carisi I'll kill them for eloping without me."

Elliot laughed and hugged TK. "Copy that."

"Have fun here in Austin, OK?" Frank smiled at Noah. "You'll be back home in no time."

"Thank you, Detective," Noah waved at him.

"Be good for Owen and TK," Elliot patted his shoulder.

"I will!"

Owen's hands settled on Noah's shoulders protectively, and Noah shuffled to lean into the fire captain's comfort. Frank turned and exited first, waiting for Elliot to catch up once he returned to the car. When Elliot came loping back, Frank leaned his forearms on the hood of the car and watched him curiously. "How much does it hurt to leave them again?" he asked.

"Like hell," Elliot admitted with a sigh. "Owen and I bonded over how much the job can take over a life . . . then Liv joined SVU, and the three of us were inseparable. It was months before I heard in Rome that the Strands had relocated to Austin. It took the same amount of time, after I returned to New York, to repair the bonds that broke with them." He opened the driver's door and looked at Frank hesitantly. "How badly did I screw up with Price?"

"Well, I made sure he got a bottle of his favorite bourbon after the clusterfuck that was the Rublev shooting," Frank shrugged as he opened his door. "And considering where we're at now after I once took every opportunity to piss him off . . . I'm pretty sure he forgave you by the end of the week."

Elliot stared at him. "You're kidding."

Frank laughed loudly as he ducked into the car. "Oh, I love knowing things you don't, Stabler!"

***

Elliot hadn't lied when he said their flight back to New York would return late in the evening. Still, once he took his phone off airplane mode, he found a text waiting for him.

Jalen: Up for a drink? Lieu has something to tell us.

Frank smiled and returned the message.

Frank: Meet at the precinct?

Jalen: Copy that.

Elliot had dropped him off in record time, and Frank found his lieutenant and his partner already waiting for him. "Welcome back, man," Jalen smiled.

"Thanks," Frank nodded and accepted his quick hug. "I do not want to experience that level of humidity again any time soon."

"Did you melt?" Kate smirked.

Frank snorted as they walked down the street. "Thought about it. Decided it wouldn't be a good idea to go all Wicked Witch on Noah."

Jalen chuckled. "How kind of you."

"So, Jalen said you had something to tell us?" Frank asked Kate.

She nodded in confirmation. "I'm heading to the Bronx to join Captain Benson," she told them. "They suspect a serial rapist who targets deaf girls is still at large, and she requested me to help translate for the victims. One or both of you are welcome to come if you'd like, maybe give some advice to help rebuild the team."

Jalen wrinkled his nose. "Didn't most of the officers at the Bronx SVU get wiped out?"

"Early retirement," Frank nodded. "Whistleblower got rid of a lot of the high command when he outed them as dirty."

"Well, it's the whistleblower who brought this case to her attention," Kate said. "According to him, there were more rapes after the case was closed, but the captain refused to follow through because they already made an arrest. He kept pushing and pushing . . . "

"And let me guess," Jalen sighed. "He got fired?"

"And then he sued," Kate nodded. "Thus, the Bronx SVU is . . . well, it doesn't have a shining reputation."

Frank snorted. "That's an understatement.

"So, since we have a lull in cases," Kate gestured to the bar. "Either of you interested in a road trip?"

"What the hell," Frank shrugged. "Better than where Stabler and I took Noah. And if Shaw and I are such a stellar example of a good team . . . "

Jalen laughed loudly as Kate rolled her eyes. "I guess we're going to the Bronx!"

***

Night had fallen by the time their work was finished, and Frank shook his head in disgust as they walked away from the crime scene. "The voiceless can speak if the right person is there to translate for them," he said. "Not if the wrong people don't even give them a chance to be heard."

"And that's exactly what I've been trying to say all these years." Frank had to admit, he hadn't known what to expect from Detective Terry Bruno when the 2-7 had arrived and found the whistleblower still hard at work in the precinct. From the moment Frank had observed some of the interviews with the St. Genevieve victims, he had watched Terry's fury over the Bronx SVU's treatment of the women grow, and while he had kept it contained in front of the girls, he hadn't been afraid to make his opinion known. "And now a girl is dead because of that incompetence," Terry groused, running a hand through his hair.

"And unfortunately, while we can't fix that, we can make sure this serial doesn't strike again," Olivia told Terry.

"There's ten years for us to work with," Fin nodded. "We'll find this prick."

"Well, if you ever need a hand, we're more than happy to help," Jalen told them.

"I appreciate that," Terry sighed. "God, this . . . I wish this wasn't happening."

Frank looked around, seeing civilians peek through curtains to watch them. "If people weren't paying attention to your team before . . . they sure are now."

"For better or for worse," Terry grumbled.

"One day, it'll be better," Jalen patted his shoulder.

"Yeah," Terry sighed. "One day."

"Hang on," Fin stopped in his tracks, a frown on his face. "Y'all hear that?"

"What?" Olivia stopped as well, her head on a swivel as she looked around.

Frank heard it next: a weak groan that came from an alley nearby. "This way!" he pointed and ran through the dark.

Jalen hurried on his heels and clicked on the flashlight he still held. The beam swept back and forth until it landed on the man lying on the ground, his right side drenched in blood. "Oh, my God," he gulped.

"Call for a bus!" Frank ordered as he ran for the man's side.

"On it!" Fin stepped back and pulled out his radio.

Frank shucked off his jacket as he searched for the source of the blood, and Terry stooped over his shoulder, aiming his own flashlight on the man. "Here," he pointed towards his upper arm.

"Got it," Frank nodded and pulled out his pocket knife, carefully slicing through fabric to reach the wound.

When he pulled aside the shirt and sweatshirt, he found a deep gash in the curve of his upper arm, the wound wide open and pumping out blood. "What the hell?" Terry gulped.

"OK," Frank took a deep breath as he bundled up his jacket and pressed down hard on the laceration. "Is it too much to hope for a miracle, that someone has a med kit in the car they brought?"

"Not nearly stocked enough for something like this," Terry shook his head.

Fin returned, his expression grave. "Closest ambo is 10 minutes out."

"Ten?" Olivia balked.

"It's the Bronx, Captain," Terry shook his head in frustration. "Gangs hit targets all the time, and if that's not soaking up paramedics' time, then it's non-emergency calls."

"Where have I heard that before?" Jalen huffed.

"He doesn't have ten minutes!" Olivia gestured wildly. "He probably doesn't even have five!"

"Then shut up and let me think!" Frank barked. Olivia's mouth shut, and she stared at Frank in surprise. The detective closed his eyes and ran through his options. With the way the wound was bleeding, there was no way they could transport the victim themselves without making it worse. On the other hand, if they waited for the ambulance without giving any medical treatment, the victim would be DOA.

That left one other option. "Hold this," Frank told Terry.

"Got it," the SVU detective nodded and took over putting pressure on the laceration.

"What're you doing?" Olivia asked.

"Right now?" Frank sighed as he scrolled through his contacts. "Praying."

The tone droned three times, and just as Frank was about to give up, the line connected. "Frank! What can I do for you?"

"Give me a miracle, I hope," Frank answered with a sigh of relief. "Sylvie, I need your help, and I need it now."

Just like that, her cheerful voice turned serious. "What are we dealing with?"

"Uh," Frank crouched back down to examine the wound. "I'd say male, 40s, and there's a deep laceration close to the shoulder. It's bleeding fast. None of us have a med kit within reach, so there's no gauze we can use, and this wound is at an angle that we can't put enough pressure on it to stop the bleeding. We've improvised a tourniquet before, but I don't know how to improvise one like this."

"You said you aren't alone?"

"No, I'm not," Frank shook his head. "Jalen's with me, so are Captain Benson, Sergeant Tutuola, and Detective Bruno. We were out responding to a Bronx SVU case."

"You're in the Bronx?!"

Frank sighed. "It's a long story."

"Alright, I'm hearing about that later. Can you switch to speakerphone?"

"Hang on." Frank shifted so his phone rested on his knee, and he tapped the necessary icon. "You're on speaker."

"Jalen, are you there?"

"Right here," Jalen confirmed.

"I need you to send me a video of the wound so that I know what we're dealing with. I can think of a plan after that."

"Got it," Jalen removed his phone.

"Whoever else is there, start canvassing the area. Any open stores, any items in cars . . . hell, garden equipment, I don't care!"

"I'll start looking," Fin darted away.

"Camera's ready," Jalen said.

"Be careful when removing the pressure."

"Yes, ma'am," Terry nodded, slowly removing the jacket from the laceration.

Frank winced when he saw the amount of blood gushing forth. "Oh, no."

"Got it," Jalen nodded and sat back on his heels. "Sylvie, it's sending."

"Yeah, I got it. Alright, let's see . . . "

There was a sharp inhale that didn't come from Sylvie. "Price, that thing is pumping."

"Price?" Olivia did a double take.

"Pickles," Sylvie sighed. "Frank, with the amount of blood coming out, that looks like an axillary artery tear."

"Uh," Frank exchanged a bewildered look with Jalen. "In layman's terms, I guess that's bad."

"Very," Sylvie agreed. "This needs to be an even amount of pressure that slopes to match the curve of the armpit. I take it you don't have a junctional tourniquet?"

"A what?" Jalen blinked.

"That would be a no," Sylvie sighed loudly. "OK . . . whoever's searching for supplies, are there any motorcycles in the vicinity?"

"Let me . . . " Olivia backed down the alley and looked around. "Yes, I see one!"

"Knock on the owner's door," Sylvie ordered. "Get their helmet if you can. Whoever else is available, search the cars. If any of you have jumper cables, we can use that to tie the helmet in place."

"We've got them in our car," Jalen stood.

"Hurry!" Frank ordered.

Jalen disappeared out of the alley, and Terry looked at Frank in surprise. "You have a paramedic on speed dial?"

"He's lucky," Sylvie snorted. "Violet and I just did a drop-off at Chicago Med. If you'd called any earlier, I would've missed the call."

Terry snorted. "I'll count my blessings."

Olivia jogged back into view and held out a helmet. "Here!"

Frank held out his hands, and Olivia tossed the helmet to him. "Got the helmet, Sylvie!"

"Excellent. Press the rounded surface against the wound. Once Shaw gets back with the cables, tie it into place as tight as you can."

"OK," Frank shifted. "Change on one, two, three!"

Terry pulled away the jacket, and Frank shoved the rounded side of the helmet into the curve of the man's arm. The man hissed in discomfort, then Jalen ran around Olivia, Fin behind him. "Got the cables!" he announced.

"Good," Frank beckoned, and Jalen tossed them to him. "Bruno, help get these around him."

"Copy," Terry shifted to the other side of the man.

Careful not to dislodge the helmet, Frank manipulated the cables to wrap around the man's torso. "Any specific tie we're looking for here?" he asked.

"The tightest one you know," Sylvie said firmly. "Better for them to have to cut the cables because they're too tight than to lose the patient en route because they weren't tight enough."

"Good point," Frank sighed. "Here we go. Jalen, make sure that doesn't slip."

"Got it," Jalen nodded and placed both hands on the helmet.

Frank eyed the woozy man. "Heads up, man . . . this is probably gonna hurt."

Sure enough, the man screamed in pain as Frank pulled the cables as tightly as he could and tied them in a knot. Olivia winced at the sound, and the approaching sirens had Fin returning to the street. "Frank?" Sylvie's voice was quiet. "Talk to me."

"Cables are tied," Frank reported, wincing as he clenched and unclenched his fingers.

"And the bleeding?"

"I'm checking," Jalen ducked his head to look, and his jaw dropped. "Holy . . . " He laughed in disbelief. "That did it! Sylvie, the bleeding's stopped!"

"You're kidding!" Terry's eyes widened.

Sylvie's delighted laughter rang from the phone. "Hey, you were the ones who did all the work!"

"Never would've thought of this on our own," Frank shook his head with a grin as he picked up his phone. "Thank God for you, Sylvie. You're a miracle worker."

"I'm just doing my job, Frank," she told him. "I'm glad I could help. You need any other medical improvisations while I'm still on the line?"

Frank laughed as Fin led the paramedics into the alley. "No, but now I can say I've graduated from Improvised Tourniquets 101."

"Your professor gives you an A+ and declares you the second best student she's ever had," Sylvie joked.

Frank looked at his phone in mock defense. "Second best?"

Sylvie giggled. "My brother is still the best."

Frank rolled his eyes as Jalen guffawed. "Yeah, I'll give you that. I probably need to ride with the paramedics and tell them what happened."

"That's what they'll ask," Sylvie confirmed. "If you want me to stay on the line and walk them through how we did it, Violet's driving us back to 51."

"That's probably a good idea," Frank nodded as he followed the paramedics out to the ambulance. "Thanks, Sylvie."

"No problem. And then you can tell me what you're doing in the Bronx."

Frank snorted. "Curious creature, aren't you?"

"What can I say? I'm fully invested in anything that involves my brother."

Frank rolled his eyes as he climbed into the back of the ambulance. "This has nothing to do with Nolan."

Whatever else he said was cut off as the ambulance doors shut, and Jalen thumped the doors twice. The ambulance peeled away from the curb and down the road, and Jalen sighed and rolled his neck. "It's always makeshift tourniquets."

"Always?" Terry parroted.

Jalen snorted. "First time we met Sylvie, she and Frank had to improvise a tourniquet for a woman who cut an artery while cooking. They had to completely change clothes because of the amount of blood they got all over them." He noted the bewilderment on Olivia's face and frowned. "Something wrong, Captain?"

Olivia pursed her lips. "Did I hear her name is Price?"

"Yeah," Jalen nodded slowly. "Sylvie Price, Nolan's little sister?" At Olivia's wide-eyed look, the homicide detective did a double take. "OK, hang on," he chuckled. "You're in a relationship with Peter Stone, and you don't know who Sylvie is?"

"We don't normally work with homicide, Shaw," Fin pointed out.

Jalen barked in laughter. "Doesn't matter. From what I've heard, Sylvie is Stone's best friend from Chicago. I thought he would mention that, at least."

"Now I know to bring it up," Olivia murmured.

Jalen sighed as he checked his texts. "Gotta meet Frank at Knickerbocker," he said. "I'll see you soon."

***

Olivia wrapped her arms around herself and paced the waiting room of Knickerbocker Hospital, watching Frank and Jalen speak to a pair of doctors, Frank with his phone held out in front of him. She had heard the same female from before from the speaker, so it was likely they were explaining how they created the makeshift tourniquet.

"Motorcycle helmet and jumper cables," Fin muttered from Olivia's side. "Never woulda thought of that in a million years."

"If it works, it works," Terry shrugged. "Improvising on the spot is an important aspect of the job. Good on Cosgrove for being able to do that when needed."

The doors to the hospital slid open, and Olivia turned to watch her boyfriend walk into the waiting area, his purposeful stride causing others to veer out of his way. "Hey," Peter smiled as he walked to join her. "I wanted to see how your case is coming along. Got the better of the feds, huh?"

"It's easy to get the better of them when you're proven right, as unfortunate the circumstances were," Olivia sighed, leaning into Peter when his arms wound around her. "It's good to see you."

"You, too," Peter mumbled into her hair. "I also didn't want to go home to an empty apartment. It's quiet without you or Noah."

Olivia smiled sadly. "But definitely Noah?"

"Definitely Noah."

"He's your son?" Terry asked quietly.

Olivia nodded stiffly and gestured to the bruising on her face. "Sent him to safety after this happened to me."

Terry smiled sympathetically. "Let's hope he's able to come home soon."

"We're hoping," Peter agreed.

Frank and Jalen walked away from the doctors and returned to them, Frank still speaking into his phone. " . . . want to say hi to Stone?" he was saying. "He just walked in."

"He's there?" Sylvie's voice perked up.

Peter chuckled fondly. "Hi, Sylvie."

"Are you OK?" Sylvie immediately demanded, barely letting him finish. "Is Captain Benson? What about Noah? What the hell made a Bronx gang go after - ?"

"Sylvie," Peter pinched the bridge of his nose. "Take a deep breath. One question at a time."

Sylvie huffed in frustration. "I heard from Frank that your family got attacked by freaking BX9, Peter. I'm a little worried."

Frank snorted under his breath. "A little."

"I heard that, Frank!"

"Alright," Peter held up his hand, even though Sylvie couldn't see him. "Yes, I'm OK. I wasn't with them when the attack happened. Liv is sore, but no broken bones or cuts. Mainly just bruises. Noah is in safe hands, we sent him out of New York. And SVU tackled a case involving BX9 members in the summer, so we assume it was a revenge hit."

An inelegant snort came from the phone speakers. "Well, considering all you've told me about Captain Benson, they're stupid as hell. Who in their right mind pokes a mama bear with a cattle prod in front of their kid?"

Olivia stared at Frank's phone in disbelief, and the senior detective burst out laughing. "Sylvie, I think you just broke her!"

" . . . wait, she's there, too?"

Peter chuckled. "Liv, this is my best friend from Chicago, Sylvie Price. She's actually EADA Price's younger sister."

Olivia cleared her throat, hastily trying to pull together her thoughts. "Nice to meet you, Sylvie."

"Nice to put a voice to the name, Captain." Sylvie's smile was audible in her words. "You've been giving my best friend the love he deserves?"

Peter coughed awkwardly, a blush spreading across his face. "Sylvie!"

"What? I look out for the people I love, Peter! I'm just making sure you're being treated right."

"Oh, my God," Peter closed his eyes and ducked his head into the crook of Olivia's neck.

Fin, compared to Olivia's shock, was laughing loudly at Peter's embarrassment. "I like this woman!"

"Yeah, we decided we liked her within minutes of meeting her, too," Jalen grinned.

"Wait until you actually see her in action, too," Frank added. "Cool as a cucumber."

"Yeah, Shaw told us about the cooking incident," Olivia nodded. "Improvised tourniquets seem to be a strong point."

"Hey, use whatever you can as fast as you can," Sylvie responded. "Especially if someone's life depends on it."

"That's what the doctors said," Frank nodded. "We needed a miracle, Sylvie. You gave us one."

"Frank, it's my brother you're supposed to be flattering, not me," Sylvie sighed, making Jalen burst out laughing. "But if you're gonna boost my ego when I'm just doing my job, I guess I'll take it."

"Is it flattery if it's the truth?" Frank countered.

"Geez, if I had a dime for every time I get told that . . . "

Peter snorted. "Casey and Severide still utterly wrapped around your finger?"

" . . . I shouldn't say what I really want to say."

Peter rolled his eyes as Frank guffawed. "You are full of surprises, Sylvie."

"We Prices always are."

"No kidding," Olivia mumbled.

"Word of advice, Captain." Olivia visibly started; Frank couldn't blame her, because he was surprised Sylvie had heard the quiet words. "My brother makes his living making sure no one ever knows what all he has up his sleeves. Everything I know about navigating political rings I learned from him . . . and I know I will never know all his tricks. He took a lot from all sides with the Rublev and Sirenko case, and somehow he came out still standing. He did that because, no matter what frustrations he felt with all of you, he's on your side of the law. Push him like that again, and you won't like what side of him you'll see. For years, he had a reputation of prosecutors preferring to swallow nails instead of facing him in court. I doubt you want to be on the wrong side of that man."

Peter was already shaking his head fervently before Sylvie finished her sentence. "No way."

Olivia grimaced at the imagery. "No, I do not."

"Then don't test my brother's patience or sabotage his case like you did again. I understand wanting the best for victims, but if my brother has a noose around his neck again because of something like that, expect me to come swinging in his defense." Where Sylvie's voice previously rang like bells, it now dripped with acid so corrosive Frank felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. "And I know how to play dirty. I will play dirty for Nolan. Capiche?"

Fin, who had been chuckling so far at Sylvie's light attitude, had stiffened at her zealous words. Olivia swallowed and looked at Frank, who returned her gaze coldly, pale eyes like a blizzard as he silently reinforced the paramedic. "Capiche, Ms. Price," she nodded.

"Excellent. Frank, do you need anything else from me?"

"No, I do not," Frank shook his head. "Thank you again for your time and expertise."

"Anything for family. I need to fill out paperwork, so I have to go. Call again if you need anything."

"Copy that. Have a safe rest of your shift."

"Thank you."

The dial tone hit as Sylvie hung up on her end, and Terry whistled lowly, an impressed look on her face. "She's a firecracker."

Peter smirked. "You haven't heard about her arson adventures yet."

Olivia did a double take. "Excuse me?"

"Man," Frank chuckled as he slid his phone back into his pocket. "You really have no idea, Captain."

***

The drive back from the Bronx took less than an hour, something Frank was grateful for when he caught sight of the glowing time on his car's dashboard. Thankfully, the late hour meant it was relatively easy to drive back to his home, which was a relief as his adrenaline began to die.

That didn't mean his trained, keen eyes didn't notice the dim lights inside, yet the door was still locked when he fitted his key into the knob. He carefully opened the door, ready to draw his sidearm if needed, but he recognized the overcoat on one of the hooks and the shoes by the wall. He chuckled softly and locked the door behind him. "You're a sneaky one," he called as he removed his coat.

"Nothing sneaky about it, since you showed me where you hid your spare key," Nolan's voice came from the living room, and Frank entered to see Nolan reclining across the couch as he flipped through paperwork. "I stayed late at the courthouse anyway, so when you said you were on your way back, I knew where I was coming."

"Thanks," Frank smiled as he grabbed a glass of water from the kitchen. "You didn't have to."

"No," Nolan shrugged and sat up straight as he returned his paperwork to his briefcase. "But I wanted to." He smirked at Frank as the detective joined him on the couch. "And Stone mentioned something about Sylvie threatening Captain Benson?"

"Ah," Frank snorted into his drink. "He told you about that?"

"And that the two of you once again improvised a tourniquet for a life-threatening injury?"

Frank sighed. "That's now what we're gonna be known for, isn't it?"

Nolan chuckled. "You saved the guy's life, though, right?"

"We did," Frank nodded. "And in forty-eight hours, I have seen both Stabler and Benson realize they know basically nothing about you other than you're the EADA."

Nolan snorted. "Dare I ask?"

Frank made a face. "It's a long story . . . that involves Sylvie threatening Benson and Elliot getting a talking-to from . . . well, the person we dropped Noah with."

Nolan nodded. "So you can tell me all about how Sylvie got away with threatening the NYPD captain who just got greenlit by BX9."

Frank grinned and stood, extending his hand to Nolan. "If you're done for the night . . . gladly, Counselor."

Nolan laughed in response and took his hand, letting Frank tug him to his feet. "Not done with you, Detective."

***

What domestic dorks these two already are. God, they're so much fun to write.

 . . . and next time, we go from fluff to angst. XD We continue with "Blood Out" next time, because Olivia's got some in-state support . . . it's time to bring someone in to Noah's chosen dad, and someone is going to notice.

In other words, the danger magnet is going to live up to her name. I'd feel more sorry if it didn't mean there would be lots of family comfort afterwards.

graphic by marvelity