Casanova

Chapter 2: Someone to Watch over Me

A/N: Thank you all of you wonderful people who reviewed the first chapter. This chapter is for IceAngelKaoru because I owe her at least spelling her SN once in a dedication LOL. She's an awesome writer and I highly recommend that you all read her story "Men of Honor", on to the story.

"Do you have any idea who it could be?" Elliot asked as he handed her the steaming cup cardboard cup. He took a seat across from her at the small table and took a gulp of his own beverage.

"Not a clue," Olivia sighed heavily, lifting the cup to her lips. She had no idea why anyone would be so messed up as to send her a human heart in a box. She couldn't think of anyone that it could possibly be but she was determined to find out.

"Have you noticed anyone following you in the past few weeks?" Elliot asked next, setting his cup on the table.

"I wasn't aware this was an interrogation," Olivia snapped quickly, standing up "We should get back to work," she swallowed the rest of her coffee almost painfully fast.

"Liv," Elliot stood up and put a hand on her arm "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to… I just was wondering… I don't want to see you get hurt."

Olivia looked at him "I know," she whispered "Thanks but I'd let you know if I thought something was off. You have to trust me Elliot," she turned and walked out of the coffee shop.

"I do trust you," Elliot murmured to himself as he followed her "It's everyone else I don't trust."

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Olivia held her gun tight in her hand as she led Elliot, Munch, Warner and a compliment of CSU techs down the jogging path. Flashlights scanned the ground in every direction, searching for the body that the note said was there. Suddenly, Olivia stopped short at a section of path that ran dangerously close to a small stream. She allowed the beam of her flashlight to glide down the bank until the light cast an eerie glow across the face of a young woman.

Her footing faltered and she nearly stumbled but regained her balance just in time "Dear God," she whispered as the rest of the group caught up, circling around her and staring in shocked awe.

Warner was the first to descend to the stream's edge where the body lay, the lower half resting in the shallow water. Slowly, the CSU techs joined her, combing the scene for anything and everything that could provide a clue to the perp's identity.

Soon, Olivia was the only one standing on the path. She was transfixed, unable to tear her gaze from the horrid incision in the woman's chest, the place where the heart that she had received that evening belonged.

Elliot climbed back up to stand beside her "Are you okay?" he asked, knowing that she wasn't.

She shook her head but answered "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Why don't I take you home?" he offered. It had been a long day for her even before all of this and as he looked at her in the pale light of the flashlights, he knew she didn't have it in her to go another hour let alone five or six of them.

Olivia was about to answer when a CSU tech called Elliot over. While the two men were deep in conversation, Olivia heard a rustling in the brush behind her on the far side of the path. Curiosity overrode any better judgment she might have possessed had she not been so worn down by the deay's events and she turned to investigate.

She'd gotten no more than two steps into the bushes when the flashlight was knocked from her hand. A large hand grabbed hold of her face "Don't scream," a deep, gruff voice commanded as lips, chapped from the evening cold pressed against hers.

She tried to make out any featured of the man but when her flashlight had fallen, it must have turned off as well because the two of them were completely surrounded by darkness. She tried to pull away from the kiss but the man held her firm. He finally separated "I'll be seeing you again soon," he told her before running off.

"Olivia!" Elliot was calling frantically from behind her. He had looked up briefly from his conversation with the CSU tech and seen that she had disappeared. His heart had begun to beat faster as he scrambled up the small embankment. He hadn't spotted her yet where she stood in the brush.

She couldn't find her voice at first. She couldn't believe that the guy had gotten that close. She took a shuddering breath "El," she called hoarsely.

He was at her side in a matter of milliseconds, overcome with relief at hearing her voice. He wrapped his arms around her and she simply buried her face in his chest as she tried to hold back the sob that escaped nonetheless. He ran his hand through her hair as he guided them back onto the path "It's okay," he whispered "I'll take you home."

Olivia simply nodded. She opened her mouth to speak; she had to tell someone what had just happened. She took yet another shuddering breath as she held tight to Elliot "He was… he was here. Elliot, he was… watching me." She refused to tell anyone just how close that he had gotten to her but when she inadvertently turned away from Elliot and spit on the ground, wiping her mouth repeatedly on the sleeve of her coat, she was sure that he knew.