Chapter One: Rookies and Guilt
It had been a week since Detective Rollins had gambled on the Jets and Patriots game, she was walking into the squad room where all eyes focused on her. She could discern the thoughts her coworkers were imagining; it started to make her apprehensive. Ever since Nate, her former sponser from GA confessed to having sexual relations to her recently convicted friend she couldn't make decisions rationally. She felt as if the only person she truly fell for turned out to be another person to screw her over. Det. Rollins sat down in her cubicle. Sergeant Benson and her partner Tutuola began to stare at her.
"Something up". She said trying to get her mind off the guilt of gambling.
"Nah, we just were wondering if you're okay you've been distant lately", Fin began to explain.
"You know you can tell us anything Amanda", the newly promoted Sergeant added.
"I appreciate you looking out for me, but I'm alright, what do we got on the Pollison case". She said changing the subject.
"Melinda came back with the DNA results, turns out that Pollisons' DNA doesn't match the victim, so we released Pollison and we're back at square one", Benson explained.
"How we caught him trying to grope another victim and he confessed to having sex with her?" Rollins wondered.
"Well just because he gropes women doesn't mean he raped her". Amaro said jumping in the conversation.
"Well, Barba wants us to drop the charges unless we can find more incriminating evidence and I don't think this guy is good for this. Speak of the devil we were just talking about you" Benson said.
"Oh, I bet you were" Barba stated sarcastically.
ADA Barba walked in with his suitcase and nicely pressed black suit with a cerulean shirt and light blue tie. With him walked a beautiful girl of mixed race with long perfectly curled hair, piercing green eyes, and aesthetic mocha colored skin. The squad room stopped they were confused and wondered why ADA Barba brought this woman with him.
"This is our new captain in charge of SVU until we find a permanent replacement, Linae Montano will be stationed with us for a few months", the counselor said introducing them.
They glared at her, breaking the silence Olivia gave her a firm handshake and showed her Cragen's old desk. Det. Rollins introduced herself and so did the rest of the squad.
Cpt. Montano smiled and said, "I'm so glad to be here, it's really nice to get to do something like sex crimes".
"It has a funny way of growing on you" Amaro said jokingly.
"Hey, I hate to break up small talk but there's a rape vic in mercy hospital that was brutalized and sodomized", Benson said looking at her iPhone.
"Well this is my que to leave, keep me posted with the case" Barba said as he walked out of the squad room.
"All right well why don't we have Sgt Benson and Det. Amaro go speak to the vic" Cpt. Montano had ordered.
After they had left Rollins stayed behind and sat back at her desk where she sunk her head into her hands. "Is everything okay", Montano asked as she pulled up a chair sitting down at her cubicle.
"Yeah, I'm alright" she responded.
"The hispanic detective is a cutie, dont'cha think", Montano said in a complimentary tone.
"I think I should help out with the case", Rollins remarked.
Rollins had always known she was infatuated with Amaro, she soon quickly decided it was best to get over him because of his divorce with Maria and she saw the effect it had out on him. Breaking the awkward silence and tension Linae asked Rollins the in's and out's of svu and they got to know each other better. Finally she asked the question the detective feared the most, "How has your gambling journey been?"
"Um, I'd rather not discuss my personal life with you"
"Well, I'm going to make this easy for you. If I find out I have a detective with a problem and you've relapsed, I'm firing you", she said sternly.
"I'm not a drug addict, okay I just had a problem gambling. I go to GA, so I don't need you to allude old demons", Det. Rollins retorted.
"Not so old, huh" Cpt. Montano threw down a file of photos of Amanda gambling in a bar, on the Jets and Patriots game.
Amanda was intimidated by the tan green eyed beauty. She questioned herself on how she was able to find these pictures but then she figured Cragen had given them a summary on everyone's progression on SVU.
"How'd you get these", she asked nervously.
"I have connections, I'm a better investigator than you think. I'm not asking much of you, this can even be our secret. One wrong move and you're done, you've got that", Montano said.
"Alright, anything else you wanna tell me", she said cheekily.
"Yeah, I can tell there's tension with you and Amaro, what's that about"
"Last week we busted a case dealing with an AA sponsee and sponsor and I went off on Nick when really he was trying to look out for me", Det. Rollins explained.
The Cpt. stood up and walked into her office. Amaro and Benson had came back from Mercy hospital.
"Whatch'y'all got on the vic?" Fin asked
"She says she was drugged and doesn't remember much but that her friend from high school raped her" Benson said.
"She also doesn't want to press charges, I think she's covering for someone" Amaro added.
The Captain ordered Amaro and Rollins to question family and friends.
" Det. Tutuola and Sgt. Benson I want you guys to delve deep into the victims past to see any priors", the Captain commanded.
As all the officers scurried away to their various jobs, Rollins and Amaro awkwardly entered into the squad car.
"Uh, look, if we want to work together cohesively we need to put what happened in the break room aside", Rollins said.
"Look, I know I was out of line with what I said. In the end I was just trying to protect you", he said starting up the car and backing up into the street.
"I appreciate your concern", she replied.
"I really do care about you Rollins. I don't like seeing you hurt"
She smiled and starting to feel better about everything that happened, they then soon got out of the car and interrogated the victims mother.
"Do you know anyone that would hurt your daughter?" Amaro questioned.
"I have no daughter, Kayla is dead to me" Mrs. Quinn retorted.
"Why is that?", Amanda asked.
"She wasn't living up to the Quinn legacy. She had gotten pregnant at seventeen and was a party animal, I kicked her out" she explained.
"Are you aware she was raped and the guy that did this is still out there?", Amaro chimed in.
"That's on Kayla, if she wasn't so provocatively dressed all the time, young men wouldn't think her legs 'are a come in when you want' Kayla Quinn is no daughter of mine, she does despicable things for a young lady and Quinn's are graceful we, well my husband and I even took it up ourselves to cut her trust fund".
"You're kidding, right a few bad decisions and you kick her to the curb like a used toy" Rollins said sternly.
"Go to hell detective. You both can escort yourselves out" ,The irate women said.
Amaro chuckled as he walked out with Rollins, they entered into the car and drove back into the sex crimes unit.
"I can't believe a mother would just disown her own child" Amaro said puzzled.
"I do, my mom didn't really care too much about what my sister and I did" Rollins admitted.
"Aw, look I'm sorry I didn't mean to-" Amaro said.
"Nick its okay" she sighed, "After 32 years of living I just now am able to talk about things like family and personal struggles" she continued.
"Look, Rollins" he pulled up to the building which they worked in, he held her hand. "I know I'm probably not the nicest person to you, because I know you're a tough girl but always know that I'm here to talk if anything is on your mind, alright?"
"Wow, Nicholas Amaro has a soft spot"
"Don't push it Rollins", He said with a light chuckle.
"I'm kidding. Thank you Nick, I'm here too."
A million things were running through her head, Nick had never actually been emotionally there for her it began to spark old feelings. She leaned into hug the detective, he put his hands around her neck. They ended the embrace and entered into the building.
"Nick, I-" Det. Amaro's phone rang.
"Hold, on" he whispered to Amanda. "Hello, Maria"
"Great" Amanda said under her breath.
"Yeah what's up, No I can't pick up Zara. I have to do some stuff at work, call my mom she'll keep her 'til I get off work. You're in the squad room? Ugh okay Maria, bye".
"What's that about Amanda asked as they got out of the elevator" Rollins asked curiously.
"Just Maria, not being able to keep up responsibilities like a normal divorced parent" he answered.
"If you got stuff to do I can hang out with her for a while upstairs or I can even take her to Central Park" she offered.
"No, Rollins you don't need to do that" Amaro said touching her arm.
She looked at him in his dark amber colored eyes and put her right arm on his shoulders, "Amaro I've got this".
They walked into the station and entered out of the elevator.
"Nick, you're wife is here to see you" Montano said.
"Ex wife" he added.
"Can you please take Zara for the week I've got a few things for a work I've gotta get to" Maria said.
"I don't like you coming to my job Maria, we're not married, you can't just show up or give me Zara when it's convenient for you, do you know how inconsiderate that is?" He replied
"Please just this once" she pleaded.
"It's always just this once. You're lucky I love Zara"
"Okay, Thank you so much, Nick" she rushed out of the squad room into the elevator.
Amanda walked out with Zara hand in hand and they went down the alternative elevator.
Montano walked towards the squad, Fin, Amaro, and, Benson were all present as they all exchanged details of the rape they made up a list of possible leads and suspects. They finally came to a close the day had come to an end.
Montano handed out invites to the squad, "What's this" Benson wondered. "It's an invite to the Trump Suites for this Saturday, I want get to know each other of you better under a more relaxed setting; I see how you guys interact, it's time you get to know me" Montano said with confidence.
"So what's the dress code for this thing" Fin said bluntly.
"Uh, casual or whatever suits you" she responded.
"I'll make sure, I'm there. Is Rollins getting an invite" Amaro said grinning at his nicely decorated invite.
"Yes, but she took off, so I'll give it to her tomorrow" Montano replied.
"I'm sure this case has been the run around you guys go home and get some rest" Montano said putting on her red jacket.
"I'm not opposed to that. See y'all tomorrow" Fin said walking into the elevator.
"I'll be there Saturday, I'm glad you're the temporary captain it's nice to have you aboard". Olivia said.
"Thank you Sgt.", Montano replied.
Amaro was finishing paperwork on his desk he put a few files into his desk and finished this last DO5 documents.
"Nick I told you to go home", Montano said.
"I'm sorry, I just needed to do some of this paperwork"
She nodded and asked "So, how's everything going?"
"Good, why?"
"Well, you're ex wife seems a little bicho raro"
"Ay, muy asi, Ustedes habla espanol?"
She chuckled, "Si, yo soy fluido. I grew up in the Dominican Republic. My parents were missionaries"
"Nice, I'm Cuban raised in Miami and also speak Spanish very fluently."
"Nick it's late and I'm craving some coffee wanna go get some"
He smiled and put on his coat and scarf. "I've only got an hour. Dunkin' Donuts or Starbucks?"
"What's the difference", She said in a chuckle.