Hi all… You know the drill. I don't own any of these characters… they belong to Dick Wolff… enjoy… and please R&R!!!
Another day. Another case. Another pedophile. Another rapist. Olivia rolled over with a sigh as she reached over to switch off the alarm clock. Every morning she contemplated the same thing… handing in her badge. It wasn't easy to work the same sex crime cases day after day, it got tiring, it got hard and sometimes, when they didn't catch the perp, it got extremely frustrating.
What was the point when no matter how many perps they locked up, there were still so many of them out there… so many criminals that attacked women and children, so many sickening crimes that didn't seem to get better with time, but worse.
As she dressed for work, she found herself thinking of Elliot Stabler – her partner and best friend. She didn't understand how he could do it day after day, when he had a wife and children. The job affected them both VERY differently. Olivia and Elliot often got into debates, especially when Elliot used the I'm-the-longest-relationship-you've-ever-had-with-a-man card and on the rare occasion she had to agree with him, but it didn't mean her gut was wrong.
Olivia was a hard-core cop. She worked hard, more than most, and because she had no family her attention was on her job ALL the time. And that worked in her favor most of the time. When any of her co-workers went home to their families or lives they had built for themselves outside the precinct, she stayed behind and worked on a case – the victim's were her first priority, for a short time, they were her family.
When Olivia walked into the station after seven, dressed in black slacks, a red lycra V-neck top and her favorite leather jacket and sat down at her desk, there was a cup of hot coffee waiting for her, along with a note. .
MEET ME IN THE CRIB.
She didn't have to wonder who it was from, and with a smile, she took her hot coffee, sipping it on the way and made her way to the room they all called THE CRIB. A room that was used for lockers, and beds, the place the cops went to get a few minutes of slumber when they'd been on a case for more than 48 hours at a time.
When she opened the door, she found Elliot sleeping on one of the beds, she watched him for a moment, in awe of how he managed to keep it together for the most part. Besides his quick-temper he was a good guy, he was compassionate towards the victims, and fair with the perps. Olivia admired him for many reasons, but mostly because she trusted him, and she trusted NO other man. She didn't have to ask how he felt about her, occasionally they reminded each other with a gesture – of saving the other's life when they should have been chasing the suspect. Elliot was Olivia's best friend and she was his, even his wife worried sometimes how close their relationship was. Despite the fact that there was nothing going on between them, nor had there ever been. There's was a bonded partnership that went beyond business, but never crossed the line, it was a rare find and strictly platonic.
"Elliot," she whispered softly so that he didn't jump ten feet in the air if he was asleep. There was nothing worse than being jolted awake when you'd been asleep only minutes and needed the rest.
Despite her attempt, Elliot instantly bolted awake opening his eyes and taking a moment to realize where he was. "Oh hey…" he sat up and rubbed his eyes. "You been here long?"
"No," she answered.
He yawned. "Hope you got more shut-eye than me," he climbed off the bed and he led her back out to the office. Elliot grabbed a file from his desk and handed it to Olivia.
"What's this?" she glanced over the file and her eye caught the familiar description of a case she'd worked on more than six years ago. She was still a junior in the Special Victims Unit at the time. She looked up at Elliot and frowned. "Oh my God, when did this happen?"
"Yesterday," he replied without hesitation. He knew how she was going to react to the case, that was why he had wanted to be the one to give her the file.
"When did White get released?" she was talking about prison.
"The day before yesterday," he nodded. He was thinking the same thing.
"The son of a bitch is at it again," she mumbled to herself. "When did this file come in?" she asked holding it up. She could already feel the tension building in her body, she couldn't help it, this guy was NOT just another perp, he was fixed on Olivia.
"It came in early this morning," he replied.
"Are we assigned to the case?" she asked with intense interest. "Did the Captain give the O.K. to take it over?"
Elliot shrugged looking towards the door. Don Cragen waltzed into the squad room like he owned the place and approached Olivia and Elliot.
"Benson…" he nodded as a greeting.
"Captain," she responded. "Do we get the case?"
"I don't think so," he looked unsure of himself.
"Come on, Captain," she pleaded. "You know this guy wants me."
"Yes I do," he agreed. "And that's why I think it's a bad idea. You've pissed this guy off, Olivia, he wants you and he will stop at NOTHING."
"He's gonna expect me on the case, and if I'm not, he'll think I'm scared of him… please, Captain, reconsider."
"No," he answered. "I'm gonna question him myself, you can watch if you like but your not coming in the room."
Olivia nodded.