Water trickles, hair crinkles wet, feet slice linoleum. Stare to silence, beauty to brick, and cheek to metal. Olivia sits at the edge of her shower, scrubbing glazed scars and raw skin with the harsh fabric hand towel she had found. She feels the rush of water-cold- pounding down on her head, as grime works its way into the grouted centers of tile below. The noises transpiring beyond her small apartment echoed louder than usual in her ears as she listened to the light buzz of traffic pierce the night, trying like hell to disregard the harmful thoughts stirring in her head.
Not Him. Anyone but him.
The pungent odor of Munch's coffee stung her nose as she walked into the bullpen. The nuclear sludge was enough to send even the toughest bastard from vice running in the other direction. The rustling of papers and conflicting booms of file cabinets being opened and closed signified the introduction of yet another complicated case. A loud sigh accidently escaped her mouth as she made her way to a pair of familiar faces.
" Hey," He mumbles, handing her a Styrofoam cup. "Got you tea. Chamomile. That's your favorite, right?"
She nods as she walks over to her half of their conjoined desks, and lets out a small moan of satisfaction.
Don't look at him… Whatever you do, don't look at him.
Stupidly, she glances up briefly to see Elliot nose deep in a file. The manila folder hides more than half his face, exposing everything from his eyes and above.
God, those eyes… why did they have to be so... so blue and mesmerizing... and absolutely perfect?
" Liv?" The sudden boom of his voice interrupts her thoughts. Again.
"You okay? Where'd you go?"
She manages to give off a slight shrug and mentally slaps herself for being so out of it.
It's just Elliot. It's only Elliot. He's your partner.
"Sorry. Just... tired. I didn't get any sleep last night."
I was too busy fantasizing about you in my shower.
He replies solely with a crooked smile; which she couldn't help think of how she wanted to kiss it off. Preferably in the interrogation room. Or the cribs. Whichever would be fine.
" So about this case.." Time for work.
Snap out of it Benson.
" Uh yeah," she muttered, moving over a couple piles of paper from her desk to reveal a familiar blank file folder.
She scans the pages briefly before settling on the case description paragraph at the very bottom of the responding officer's 61.
" Vic is.. Alex Olsen. 15, he was found in the garbage chute by a neighbor, no DNA, no prints. "
Good. Stay professional.
" hmm. Rape kit done?"
" Negative for fluids, but Warner found traces of anal tearing and get this.. Evidence of chemical castration. Hydrochloric acid."
" Looks like we got a little killer chemist on our hands."
" El, his uncle works as a lab assistant.," she said, a cocky smirk spreading on her face. " Charles B-"
He was up before she could even finish the name. " Let's go pay Charlie a visit. "
As they headed toward the elevators, Cragen's voice bellowed through the precinct.
" Benson, Stabler," he acknowledged the two detectives standing by the edge of the door.
" I need both of you to cover the next shift. That all alright with you?"
You have got to be kidding me.
Olivia was sure she must've stepped on her heart as it dropped the few floors from her chest.
" Sure Cap, " Elliot chirped nonchalantly.
She replied with a slight, less-than-enthusiastic nod, and they both continued their trek to the squad car, their steps never out of sync.
She took the chance to peek at her watch. Only an hour had gone by, and they were in for an 18 shift.
This is going to be a long day.