A/N: Thank you all who read my Broken Olivia series. This particular story could be the start of a whole new series, you could almost call it a "season 2." I enjoyed the original characters that I had in my first series so I will bring them back, however you don't need to necessarily read the first series to understand them as I will reintroduce the few that I'm going to use. I'll give you a quick run down of my SVU world. Liv and Alex are living together, after much growth on Liv's part. Alex now being back from WP is teaching a course at Hudson U and working with SVU so she has a full plate. That's really all you need to know, I think. Also I realize that Kathleen might be out of character, and you'll just have to deal, sorry. Sorry for the long note. Peace, enjoy Lishbug
Late Night
1.
Detective Olivia Benson tossed one last folder onto the top of her ever growing outbox. She stole a glance at her watch and noticed that she had been sitting there doing work for over 3 hours. They had a fairly quiet day at the precinct. Most of the morning was spent in meetings with Huang about a new case they picked up a few days ago. The afternoon was used interviewing a suspect for a different case and this evening they had been doing all the paperwork that had built up over the last week.
Detective Elliot Stabler looked up from his own file to watch his partner toss another one away. He had been on the same file for about a half-hour. He had too much on his mind. He had been worried about his daughter Kathleen. She had become distant and withdrawn the last month. Neither he nor his wife could get through to her. She seemed to be pushing them both away the more they tired.
/a little bit before, at another location/
ADA Alexandra Cabot unlocked the door to the apartment she shared with her partner. Stepping inside she flipped on the light and began her nighttime ritual. Olivia had called earlier in the evening and said she would be home late, so Alex had decided to just stay at the office finishing up some paperwork, less she would have to bring home for the weekend. A refreshed Alex nestled into the couch with a book and tea, ready to start the weekend as soon as possible. With a schedule like her's and Olivia's you were never sure when a weekend would get cut short.
/back with our detectives/
Olivia looked curiously across the desk at her partner. He had zoned out again. He had been pretty out of it all week.
"Elliot." She said, concern laced into her voice.
"Hmm. Yes Olivia." Elliot replied shaking his thoughts away.
"You want to get out of here, its after quitting time and you haven't gotten anymore work done in the last hour. We could go grab a late dinner."
"Um, I don't know… yeah sure."
Elliot closed up his file and stood joining Olivia as they put on their coats and exited the precinct into the crisp November night.
Olivia and Elliot took a seat in the back of Vinny's Place. They placed their usual orders of Spaghetti and Meatballs for Elliot and Ravioli for Olivia. After their drinks of two Diet Cola's were placed in front of them Olivia got down to business.
"Alright Elliot, spill." Olivia looked at him over her glass.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Elliot looked right back at her.
"Look El, I know something is up, you have been distant all week. What's going on partner."
Elliot sighed, looked into his glass for answers then started talking.
"I don't know what up Liv. It's Kathleen. She's changed so much in the last few months and Kathy and I don't really know what's going on. I feel like a terrible father. She won't talk to me anymore like she used to. She used to turn to Kathy and I when she was hurting or just wanted to talk and now she won't. I don't know what's going on, but she is distant, avoidant, and secretive. I don't think it is anything very serious, I don't think she is on drugs, and I don't think, God I hope no one has hurt her. Liv I just don't know."
Olivia listened carefully as Elliot rambled on. His frustration and confusion was evident in his voice and posture. She took a moment for him to relax before she spoke.
"I've known Kathleen for quite some time now. I think that when she is ready she will come to you and Kathy. And she should know. That for whatever reason, if she feels she can't talk to you, she can come to Alex or myself. You know that, no matter what she has people to turn to. All she needs to know is that you and Kathy love her, she will come to you when she is ready, trust me El, growing up as a girl is hard. She is a freshman in College now; things get rough, confusing. You're away from home for long extended periods of time. And Elliot I'm here for you too, you can come talk to me, Kathy too. Alright, I know I don't have kids of my own but I see yours as little nieces and nephew."
Elliot looked up at Olivia and nodded, he was afraid to talk at this point, he hated loosing his composure. He was just so passionate about his children. Their food was placed out before them and they settled into light happy talk and silence for the reminder of the meal.
/Meanwhile back at the apartment/
Alex had got to about page 3 of her book when the phone rang. Reaching behind her Alex picked up the phone.
"Hello"
"Um hi, Alex?"
"Speaking"
"Hi, this is um Kathleen, Elliot's daughter."
"Oh hi Kathleen, do you want to talk to Olivia because she is not here right now, I think she and your dad are having dinner tonight and working on files."
"No, no actually I was hoping to get you." Kathleen replied almost too quickly.
"Oh really, what can I do for you kiddo." Alex switched ears with the phone to make it more comfortable.
"Actually I'd really appreciate, if it wouldn't be too much trouble for you to come pick me up."
Alex sat up a little straighter at the request.
"Is everything okay, are you hurt, do I need to call your father?" Alex started rattling off questions.
"Look, Alex really I'm fine, sorta, I'm not hurt I don't need SVU if that's what you're worried about I just really want to get picked up. I really just want to talk to someone, and you came to mind and really I can call someone else." Alex could almost hear the tears in her voice.
"No of course not, you called I'm coming I didn't mean to sound, look Kathleen where are you?"
"Um… actually I'm at a party in my dorm… I'm calling from my cell outside."
"Alright well why don't you step inside so you're not completely alone and I'll be over in a few minutes okay."
"Okay thank you."
"Don't thank me yet, just hang in there Kathleen I'm coming."
Alex swung off the couch, scooped up her jacket and keys, scribbled a quick note to Olivia, incase she came home while she was gone and fled down the stairs to the parking garage. She wound her way through town on her way to Hudson U.
/Olivia and Elliot at the restaurant/
After the check came and they argued over whose turn it was to pay, they headed back out into the night.
Elliot's cell phone went of in a flurry of musical tones.
"Stabler… Okay Cap… yeah we'll be there… no problem… of course… we'll see you in a few."
"We got a call?" Olivia questioned.
"Yeah, dorm party at Hudson gone wrong. Victim is at the hospital, Cragen wants us to go there first."
Olivia and Elliot strode into the hospital and flashed their badges at the Emergency room's front desk.
"I'm Detective Benson this is my partner Detective Stabler, we got a call about a rape victim from Hudson."
"Ah yes right this way detectives." The nurse had them follow her into a curtained area toward the back of the ER.
Upon seeing the girl alone in the room Olivia decided to go in and Elliot went in search of her doctor with the nurse.
"Hi there, I'm Detective Benson, I was hoping you and I could have a little chat." Olivia showed the girl her badge and pulled a chair up to the side of the bed.
"Hi."
"What's your name sweetheart?" Olivia asked as she pulled a pad from her coat pocket.
"Emily."
"Okay, and how old are you Emily?"
"19"
"Alright. Can you tell me what happened tonight?"
Emily took a deep shuddering breath and started talking. She just wanted to get this over with.
"I had been studying all evening, I was lying in my bed with my books when I must have dosed of from all the reading. Well most of my floor is freshman except my roommate, myself, our RA and two rooms at the end of the hall. Well the floor above us is mostly juniors and seniors so they were throwing a Friday night party up there, the whole building was invited. Most of my floor was going, so I heard. Anyway my roommate was at the party, and I was going to join but I had fallen asleep. One of the guys from the party must have come to look for me later but he ended up getting into my room and… and he raped me." Emily finished in a small voice.
"Okay, you're being very brave Emily, I'm proud of you. Now we have to take a rape kit. My partner Detective Stabler, went to get your doctor."
"Will you stay with me."
"Of course." Olivia smiled down at the young woman lying on the bed.
"Did you say Stabler."
"Yeah, Elliot my partner."
"I know a Stabler, Kat, she lives on my floor a few rooms down, she's a freshman."
"Really. Okay here is the Doctor, are you ready?"
"I guess so."
/meanwhile back with Alex/
Kathleen had gotten in the car, buckled up and traveled back to the apartment with Alex in complete silence.
After settling down on the couch each with a cup of warm tea, Alex really took in the sight of the young woman in front of her.
"Thanks for coming to get me." Kathleen broke the silence finally.
"You're welcome." Alex said as lifted her cup to her mouth.
"Look, I just really need to talk to someone about this, I'm just so confused, it's really hard to say."
"Take your time, its okay."
"I…I don't know what to do. I've never felt quite like this before. I mean I have but not with this. I'm so confused and frustrated. And I know my parents won't get it. I don't feel comfortable talking to Olivia about it."
"Its okay, I won't say anything until you're ready to talk. Just take your time."
"I… she… we… she… k… kissed me. It um I ah have been dealing with some stuff in my head for a while, and well this really didn't help."
Kathleen stopped and waited expecting something from Alex, a lashing, a laugh, something. Alex didn't say anything she knew Kathleen wasn't finished yet.
"I mean I've had crushes and dated guys before, but always in the back of my mind I've thought about the different girls I've seen around. I see some I want to get to know them better, you know like I would think about a guy like that. I… I just she kissed me and I… I liked it and now I'm all confused even more… my parents are going to flip out on me."
Kathleen had tears running down her face.
"When did this happen Kat?" Alex finally spoke.
"Um a few days ago." Kathleen was wiping tears off her cheeks. Alex handed her a tissue.
"It will be alright Kathleen, trust me, in the end it will all be okay. I'm sure your parents won't be that bad." Alex said placing a hand on Kathleen's knee as reinforcement.
"When did you tell you're parents?" Kathleen asked still not able to actually look at Alex.
"Well lets see, my mom knew when I was in high school, she found out when I had my Girlfriend over for a Saturday, that believe me was embarrassing. She caught us kissing in the backyard. We thought everyone was gone from the grounds that afternoon. She was upset; thought she did something wrong, but in the end she still loves me. My father on the other hand I didn't tell him until I was out of college. He was good about it, he told me he loved me and to be careful. I almost think he knew anyway so he was already use to the fact."
"Thanks I'm still really confused, but I think I feel a little better knowing that someone knows."
"Well its late, so why don't you just stay the night here and I'll make pancakes in the morning."
"Okay, when is Olivia coming home?"
"Well I'd say soon, it's almost 1. She was working the late shift with your dad tonight. I think they switched out with Fin and Munch, so they could have the weekend off."
"Okay, um sure I'll stay that sounds good."
Alex got Kathleen set up in the guestroom and went back to her book on the couch. She didn't get much reading done though. Her mind was focused on the young woman in the other room. Alex remembered how hard all this was.
Kathleen was lying in the bed, staring up at the ceiling, every time she shut her eyes she could see images in her head, some good, some bad, but all of them sleep inhibiting.
Alex could hear the key in the door and see the light from the hall spill into the entryway.
Olivia shut the door behind her and ran a hand through her hair. This was going to be a rough case, however there really wasn't much that could be done now until Monday. Everything had been sent to the right labs and the paper work was completed to this point. Emily was going to spend the night in the hospital. Then her parents were on their way from upstate first thing in the morning. Fin and Munch were going to canvas the dorm tomorrow. Olivia and Elliot will join back up on Monday morning.
Olivia hung her coat on the wall peg and kicked her shoes of into the growing pile on the floor. She came around the partition separating the entry from the living room and noticed Alex, book open, small light on, her focus on the wall across the room.
"Alex," Olivia whispered.
"Hey, I thought I heard you come home." Alex broke out of her zone.
"Is everything okay?" Olivia sat down on the couch, easing behind Alex to hold her.
"Yeah, I hope you don't mind we have an overnight guest." Alex leaned back onto Olivia's shoulder, enjoying the comforting feeling of being nestled in her lover's arms.
"Oh really, who might that be?"
"Kathleen."
"Kathleen Stabler." Olivia said in confusion.
"The one and only."
"What time did she get here?"
"About 10 or so. I went to pick her up?"
"Okay good she wasn't around the dorm then, we got a call about a rape, I guess they were having a party and a girl on her floor was raped."
/with Kathleen/
Kathleen heard Olivia come home, and hushed voices talking in the living room.
Her phone started vibrating just then, it was her father. She didn't want to answer but was sure that he would just keep calling till she did answer.
"Hi Dad." She spoke quietly.
"Hi Sweetheart, I just called your room, your roommate said you were out. Are you okay?"
"Yeah I'm fine Dad. I'm at a friends place."
"Are you safe."
"Yeah." More than you know, she thought. "I'll call you back in the morning everyone else is asleep."
"Okay sweetheart, sweet dreams."
"Thanks Dad." I wish she thought as she shut her phone and rolled over to face the windows.
&&&
"So why did Kathleen come over?" Olivia asked as she rested her chin on Alex's shoulder.
"Um well she just wanted to talk for a while, and it was late so I suggested that she stay here and we all have pancakes in the morning."
"Oh sounds good, well I'm going to get to bed, I wanted to be home hours ago but we got that call."
"Is everything going to come out okay with that?"
"Well our victim can't id her attacker, but we are waiting on DNA because there was no condom used. We just have to wait until Monday and hope this guy doesn't slip out or was a visiting student." Olivia explained as she untangled herself from Alex and the couch.
"Alright, I'm sure you guys will find him, then I'll put him away."
"That's my girl." Olivia kissed Alex before heading down the hall toward their room.
"I'll be there in a few minutes."
Olivia nodded.
As she approached the guest bedroom, Olivia peaked in on Kathleen. Her back was to the door and she appeared to be asleep except for the slight shudder to her shoulders.
Olivia carefully entered the room and looked in closer at Kathleen. Her heart broke for the young girl. She was curled up quietly crying.
"Kat," Olivia whispered, placing a soft hand on her shoulder.
Kathleen swung around, wiping tears from her eyes in the process, putting on her mask of everything is fine.
"Olivia, Hi," Kathleen whispered back.
"Are you okay hunnie?" Olivia asked as she gently sat on the edge of the bed.
"Yeah, yeah I'll be fine."
"Are you sure?"
"I hope so." Kat said so quietly Olivia wasn't sure if she heard her.
"What's going on Kat? Your mom and dad are all worried about you, now you're here. Are you hurt? Is someone bothering you?"
"No I'm not hurt. And no someone isn't bothering me. Look I don't really want to go over it again. I give Alex permission to tell you."
"Alright if you're sure." Alex spoke up; she had stopped to watch the exchange on her way to bed.
"I'm sure." Kathleen said as she rolled back over and went back to pretending to be asleep.
Olivia placed a comforting hand on Kathleen's back before getting up to go to her own room.
&&&
Olivia quickly showered, changed and crawled into bed, snuggling into Alex.
"What's going on here?" She asked once she was comfortable.
"Kathleen wanted to talk to me tonight about… well she has been confused about herself, and she is worried how Elliot and Kathy will take it, once she get the courage to tell them, that she is different."
"Wait what are you talking about? Kat's confused about herself?"
"Olivia, Kat is concerned because she has been having feelings, and confusion, and she is worried what it all means. And earlier this week her friend kissed her. Her friend a girl."
"Oh no. I'm sure Elliot and Kathy will be passionate about it, they love Kathleen and they are so worried about her."
"She wanted to ask me when and how I told my parents."
"Why didn't she want to talk to me?" Olivia asked a little hurt.
"She just didn't feel comfortable, she's known you for a while. And telling you is pretty close to telling her parents. I'm just a friend, you're practically family."
"Your family too."
"Yes but I'm more biased in this situation."
"I guess." Olivia said, satisfied with the explanation, she was just glad that Kathleen felt comfortable enough to talk to someone, she knows what it did to her when she wasn't talking about it.
"Let's go to sleep."
/the next morning/
Kathleen's body must have taken over and fallen asleep at some point. She lifted herself up and opened her eyes, rubbing them. Sun was pouring into the room. She glanced at her phone to get the time. All of a sudden the smell of pancakes and syrup and sausage drifted under her nose.
She swung her feet out of bed and followed her nose to the kitchen.
"Ahh Good Morning Kathleen." Alex smiled at her. She was at the stove pouring the last of the batter on a skillet.
Olivia was sitting at the table pouring Orange Juice into three glasses, she looked up and smiled at Kathleen.
"Did you sleep okay last night?" Olivia asked, as she placed the carton of juice on the counter behind her.
"Um not really." Kathleen replied as she took a seat at the table.
Olivia nodded in understanding. Alex brought over the sausage and flipped the remaining pancake.
"So you got any plans for today?" Olivia asked Kathleen.
"No, I guess not, I really want to go back to my room and change."
"Well we can take you over there if you want. After breakfast of course, then maybe we can all spend the day together."
Alex placed the pancake plate down on the table and took a seat.
"Yeah Kathleen, Olivia and I were going to go shopping today all the Christmas displays are up this is the first weekend. Thanksgiving is less than a week away, can you believe it."
"Um sure why not. If you don't mind me tagging along."
"No, no of course not." Olivia and Alex said together.
"Okay."
/at Kathleen's dorm/
Olivia and Alex went inside with Kathleen, she wanted to show them her room and have them meet her roommate. As she passed Emily's room she saw the police tape on the door. She paused and looked at Olivia, a frown on her face.
"What happened? Do you know?" Panic evident in her voice.
"Honey why don't we go to your room and talk." Olivia nudged Kathleen further down the hall.
Once Kathleen had opened the door and noticed her roommate gone she ushered the two older women in.
"What happened?"
"Kathleen, there was a party upstairs last night and one of the girls on the floor ended up raped."
"Who?"
"Emily." Olivia hesitated at the confession.
Tears started running down her face, "Emily?"
Olivia nodded, she looked to Alex. Alex and Olivia each took a seat on either side of Kathleen on her bed. Kathleen turned her face into Olivia's strong shoulder and cried as Alex gently placed a hand on her back.
"How well do you know Emily, Kat?" Alex asked, after giving the girl a few minutes.
"We were friends." She said into Olivia's shoulder. "She… um… was the friend."
A/N: well I hit my 12-page count. And this seems to be a decent stopping place. So I'm not sure how far this story will take us. As I said before perhaps the start of the second series. We'll see I'll let you know. So the big question is… what is going to happen with Emily now, how are Olivia and Alex going to help them both and Elliot and Kathy. How will the case go. And the biggest one… should I continue or scrap.
Peace enjoy, review I love 'em, almost as much as I love writing.