Chapter One

In the criminal justice system, sexually based offenses are considered especially heinous. In New York City, the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad known as the Special Victims Unit. These are their stories. (dun dun)

It was a cold April morning. The sun had only just begun to rise, and the lights from the cars were still shining brightly into the hotel room window. Ana wasn't sure how much time had passed since she'd pleaded with Christian to stop hurting her. They were supposed to be enjoying themselves on their vacation in New York, and for the most part they were, but he just couldn't play nice when they were alone together.

Weeping softly, Ana began to pull on her dressing gown. She winced from the pain as the cotton brushed against the welts on her back. Slowly, she tried to lift herself up from the floor, but the pain in her legs was too much, and she found herself back where she started. Pulling her dressing gown around her tightly, Ana cradled her legs and continued to cry.

Traffic continued to rush by the window in both directions. The sun had started to rise a bit more quickly now, and the sky was getting increasingly brighter. She could hear the sound of birds chirping outside, and sirens in the distance. She wasn't sure how long Christian would be gone, but she knew she needed to get herself together before he returned. It was her fault. She had made him angry. She wasn't fulfilling the role of the submissive properly, and she knew she would be punished.

Seconds later there was a knock on the door. Ana tensed, and wondered why Christian was knocking when she knew he had a key to the room. Was it a trick? Did he expect her to be kneeling in the hotel room with her hands on her thighs like usual. She tried to move quickly to the corner of the room, but her injuries were too painful. He had never hurt her like this before, and she hoped he never would again.

Another firm knock sounded on the door. "Hello, is there anybody in there? This is Detectives Benson and Stabler. Please open the door".

Ana tried to move but stopped herself. She bit her lip and pulled her dressing gown even tighter. Why were the cops here? Had Christian called them.

"We're coming in" said the voice behind the door.

Elliot used the key the receptionist had given him, and rushed into the hotel room, gun ready. Olivia followed closely behind him, checking the hotel suite for any signs of life. The pair had only just got to work when Cragen had ordered then to head out to a potential abuse situation. A hotel guest at the Langham Place on Fifth Avenue had reported hearing a woman screaming, and had been worried enough to phone the cops. Sensing it was an abuse case, it had been passed over to the SVU department without a second thought.

As soon as he walked into the room, Elliot knew this would be a tricky case. The suite was large and looked expensive, and it was likely they were dealing with either a celebrity or a rich executive of some sort.

Dinner plates containing leftovers were in the suite's dining room, and Elliot could see two lots of clothes on the floor in the lounge. It was clear that a couple were staying here, but he doubted the perp had stuck around. The busy New York City traffic had meant it had taken him and Benson a little under 20 minutes to reach the hotel, giving the perp plenty of time to make a run for it.

Clearing the suite's rooms and making his way into the bedroom, Elliot stopped in his tracks. There, rested against the side of a bed was a young woman. Eyes as wide as headlights, she was clearly frightened, and he knew he would have to take things slowly in order to gain her trust.

"Clear" shouted Olivia from another room.

Realising the perp had definitely gone, Elliot put his gun safely back in his holster, and moved slowly towards the girl.

"I'm Elliot, this is Olivia, we're police officers. What's your name?"

"Ana" muffled the girl. She looked young. Maybe no more than 20.

"Can you tell me what happened?"

Elliot took a step closer to the girl and could see she'd been crying. Tears stained her face, and her eyes were all red and bloodshot.

"Christian. Did Christian send you?" said Ana quietly?

"Can you tell us who Christian is? Is he the man who hurt you?" queried Olivia as she bent down to assess Ana's injuries.

"He's my boyfriend. He didn't mean to hurt me. I wanted him to" said Ana, flinching as Olivia got close.

Olivia stood back up and moved to the corner of the room."This is Detective Benson. I'm going to need a bus at Langham Place on Fifth Avenue. Room 502."

Despite what the girl had said, it was clear that she needed medical attention.

"I'll ride with her to the hospital Liv. You go back and tell Cragen what's happened. And send Huang down to Mercy General. I'll catch up with you back at the station."