Healing Hearts

Amanda loved the rush putting bad guys away gave her. What she hated was seeing people hurting, especially the kids. That always made her heart ache so badly she could hardly stand it. She was sitting in the squad room drinking her first cup of coffee when Cragen came over to her. "You ready, Rollins?" he asked.

"For what, Cap?" she questioned, perking up.

"There's a little girl who needs us, only it's a little more complicated than usual. She's 5, and she's spent all her life living in Bellevue."

This saddened Amanda greatly. "Bellevue? Why?"

"Her parents left her there as a baby, and the staff took her in. In her whole life, she's never talked, but she draws, and Rebecca Hendrix called us because her pictures have gotten really dark. Hendrix is afraid she may have been abused. Would you mind going over? Nick, Liv, Munch, and Fin are all in court on separate cases. Maybe she will open up to you."

Amanda hoped she would be able to help, but she doubted it. "If she hasn't talked in all that time, what makes you think she would now?"

"I admit, it's a shot in the dark, but she needs help, and that's what we're here for."

Amanda nodded and drove over, meeting Rebecca Hendrix at the door. "Hey, Rebecca. Captain said you called into SVU about a little girl. Can you fill me in?"

"Tempe is short for Temperance. She's lived with us since the day she was born. She seemed to develop normally in every other way but her speech, so we encouraged her to draw as a way of communicating. Now, usually, she draws pictures like this one." Rebecca showed her a picture of a unicorn under a rainbow, then continued, saying, "More recently, she's drawn darker pictures like this one of a man standing over her holding what looks like a needle. Here, she also shows us blood."

"You're right, something happened to her," Amanda agreed.

"Now if we can only get her to tell us what," mused Rebecca. "Would you like me to take you to her?"

"Yeah. I think I'm gonna need your help."

They walked down to Tempe's room. Amanda let Rebecca go in first, then slipped in behind her.

"Tempe," she said gently, "Amanda's here to talk."

"I'm a police officer, Tempe," Amanda told her, bending down. "Rebecca can stay while we talk. I'm not gonna hurt you. I just want to find out what happened so I can help."

Tempe held her throat. She couldn't talk. Hadn't Dr. Becca told the police lady that?

"I know you have a little trouble finding your voice, but Rebecca said you draw really well," Amanda said, smiling. "She even showed me some pictures you drew. Do you feel like talking to me now with the pictures?"

Tempe looked at Rebecca for help.

"Go ahead, honey," she said.

She looked over at Amanda and nodded.