Title: The Aftermath.
Author: Cady James.
Genre: Het.
Rating: PG-13.
Chapters: 1.
Categories: Drama, Romance.
Pairing: Olivia Benson and David Haden.
Characters: Olivia Benson, David Haden.
Summary: A post-episode to February 22, 2012 episode "Hunting Ground." While Nick talks to his wife and a shrink, Olivia debriefs with David.
Author Notes: This is my alternate ending to the episode. The producer and writer in me understand why they chose to end the episode with an Amaro scene instead of anyone else - including Olivia and David - because the episode opened with them. The fan in me (and my love for Mariska Hargitay and Olivia Benson) wanted an Olivia/David scene. Disclaimer: Law and Order: Special Victims Unit does not belong to me; neither do the characters. It all belongs to NBCUniversal and Dick Wolf, and one of the most amazing casts ever assembled on television.
Captain Donald Cragen had ordered Detective Nick Amaro to go see a shrink after experiencing his first kill as a member of the Special Victims squad. Detective Olivia Benson stood nearby and understood. She remembered her first time and how it affected her. Talking to a professional helped ease the realization that she had killed someone for the first time.
But she was thankful that Nick had done it. If he hadn't killed Graham "Brewster" Winger, Olivia probably would be dead right now. She had tried to talk to the guy, trying to get him to back off. There was no emotion, no care. He would've killed her without hesitation if Nick hadn't fired.
In that moment, Olivia realized how lucky she was to be alive, how much living life meant now, and a whole new respect for her new partner.
The Captain wanted her to see a shrink but she shrugged it off, telling him she'd do it tomorrow, then she excused herself for the night. When she stepped out of the building, she pulled out her cell and dialed a newly familiar number and waited until the caller answered.
"Hey, it's me. Are you busy?" she asked and smiled at the response. "Meet me at my place, okay. Bring food." Olivia listened as the person on the other end talked. "I want to talk and... I just want to see you." She paused for a response. "Okay, see you there." She hung up her phone and grabbed a cab for a ride.
When she got home, Olivia had enough time to lock up her gun, set her badge down, got undressed and into comfortable clothes, before there was a knock at her door. She checked the peephole and saw him. Her heart skipped a beat at just seeing him. Liv opened the door and let David Haden in. She secured the door and turned to him.
"Hi."
"Hi," he replied. "I brought dinner. No one familiar saw me... I don't think."
Olivia leaned in past the door in his arms and kissed him. "Good," she replied softly against his lips before stepping back. "I mean, not good that... it's good you brought food."
"Well, you asked, I answered." David turned to set the food on the counter and started rummaging through her cabinets for dishes and silverware. Olivia grabbed two wine glasses and a bottle of wine and headed for her sofa.
David set the food on the plates and brought it, the utensils, and napkins over to the couch while Olivia poured the wine into the glasses and set the bottle down on the coffee table. He set the food down and they sat on the sofa.
Liv stared at her plate of random Chinese food for a moment, pondering where to start. David was about to put a forkful of rice into his mouth when he noticed Liv just sitting there.
"What is it, Liv?"
"I, um... I could have died tonight. I mean, I put my life on the line all the time. You've seen it, but, tonight... this was different," she began and glanced up into his blue eyes, her warm brown eyes shimmering with tears. "There was no remorse, no feeling at all. He was going to kill me. I knew it that split second before..." She choked back tears and looked forward at nothing but the images in her mind. "In that split second... and I heard a gun fire and my first thought was that he shot Haley, and then maybe he missed. Then I realized I was alive and... He wasn't.
David set his plate down and moved closer to Olivia. She was already sobbing when he took her plate away, set it down on the coffee table, and pulled her into his arms. David held and soothed her for a few minutes until she calmed down.
When she did, Liv sat up straight and wiped the remaining tears away. "Sorry. I don't usually react like this. I've nearly been killed many times before. I don't know why I'm falling apart now."
"You don't need to apology, babe. Maybe something was different this time."
"Yeah, those times I had Stabler. I'm not saying Amaro isn't, you know… He just saved my life. But, I think I've been off for a while. And tonight… I'm so grateful to Nick, and I realized how lucky I am to be alive," she explained.
"Well, thank God for Nick Amaro. What exactly happened?" David asked.
"We found Haley in this cabin, but Winger was nowhere to be found. So Nick and the others left to search for him. I stayed with Haley. Then I heard the gun cock and he was there behind me. I tried talking to him, trying to get him to back down, but he just talked about what he did and he had no remorse for it. He thought he was doing something right. I've heard it a thousand times before from suspects. But they were either under arrest, in custody, or I had my gun on me. He took both my Glock and my ankle gun when I went for that. And I didn't know where Amaro was or anyone else. Haley and I were alone and unarmed. He said I was just like all the women he'd taken."
"Where was Amaro?" David inquired, pulling her back against the couch, with his arm around her.
"As it turns out, in the crawlspace under the place. Winger had snuck in, without his dog, and snuck up on me. Amaro snuck under the cabin and waited for the perfect opportunity. I told him he should have fired before. I just sat there afterward until Amaro came in and had to get me out. I just shut down for a moment. I was sitting by an ambulance when I finally came back."
"What happened?"
"Amaro came around. I told him he should've fired earlier, and then I hugged him. I may not have Elliott Stabler anymore, but Nick Amaro is the next best thing. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him," Liv finished explaining.
"Well, I say again, thank God for Nick Amaro," David answered and hugged her close. Olivia snuggled into his warm body. She never appreciated any man in her life before until David Haden. He treated her with respect and admiration. He loved that she was independent and let her be herself and knew she wasn't fragile. And yet, he comforted her when she needed and dealt with her vulnerability. He asked questions about her past, but if she didn't want to explain, he wouldn't push her until she was ready.
There were times when David reminded her of Elliott Stabler. In the ways he pursued things or talked to her. But David didn't have anger issues. He wasn't even violent in any way…
"Liv, penny for your thoughts?" he inquired, breaking her out of her reverie.
She snapped up and looked into his eyes. Another way he was different from Stabler. She could look at Stabler and feel only admiration and a sister-like feeling for him. Whenever Olivia looked David in the eyes, she felt like butterflies and desire, and unbelievably sexual attraction. Then, she realized she had to stop comparing Elliott with David. "Sorry, just thinking about something."
"Well, I'm hungry so let's eat."
"Okay." David picked up the remote and turned on her TV to a random channel, grabbed his plate and began eating. Liv smiled at him, thanking him for interrupting the quiet of her apartment, then she grabbed her plate and began eating her egg roll.
