Pairing: Olivia/Melinda
"The Art of Healing"
"Captain, huh? You look more like a private to me" Elliot said, as the Correction Officer pulled up his pants in Melinda's office.
"We'll have to enlarge it for the jury but it's right where Ashley said it was" Melinda said to Elliot.
"See ya in twenty years Captain" Olivia taunted as Elliot guided the perp out of the office.
"How did you know to ask Ashley about the mole" Melinda asked Olivia as she placed a pen in her upper left pocket.
"She remembered" Olivia replied.
"But you couldn't have known she was right" Melinda said as she walked over to faced her.
Olivia's eyes began to fill with tears. "I saw it, when he had me in the basement."
Melinda carefully looked Olivia in the eyes and asked, "Olivia…did he rape you?"
With tears in her eyes Olivia paused and then said, "It's the closest I've ever come."
As the tears ran down Olivia's face, Melinda took her arms and placed them around her lover. They stood in the middle of the morgue for about five minutes, Olivia crying on her shoulders.
"I'm sorry" Olivia said, as she pulled away wiping the tears from her face. "I…I gotta go."
"Are you sure you're going to be okay?"
"Yeah…I'm fine. I'll see you tonight" Olivia said as she walked away, not giving Melinda a chance to say anything else.
Melinda and Olivia had been dating for a year. Olivia went undercover at SealView without Melinda's knowledge. Olivia was in SealView a whole day before Melinda found out. She had scolded Elliot for not telling her Olivia was there undercover because of the Tuberculosis outbreak.
Melinda knew Olivia had gotten beaten up by the guards at SealView but she was unaware of what else happened. Prior to the undercover assignment, they'd make love almost every night and on the nights they didn't make love, they'd cuddle in bed and fall asleep in each other arms. All of that has seized now, Olivia had withdrawn from Melinda. Every time Melinda attempted to touch Olivia she'd pull away and Melinda didn't know why.
As the day went on Melinda couldn't shake the thought of Olivia's face when she had said, It's the closest I've ever come. "What happened in that basement?" she thought to herself. Around 6pm Melinda called Olivia. "Are you coming over tonight?"
"Mel, it's…it's going to be a while before I get off so I'll just stay at my place tonight." She had lied to Melinda. In fact, Olivia was already at her apartment.
"Oh, okay. Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow"
"Yeah…tomorrow" Olivia replied.
"Okay baby, see you tomorrow. I love you." As soon as the words, I love you, came out of her mouth Melinda's heart started pounding fast. She knew she was in love with Olivia but had never told her because Olivia had always been the type of woman to play the field. "I…I don't know why I said that" she quickly said.
"Mel, it's okay. I feel the same, I love you too. I've gotta go, bye" Olivia said and then ended the call.
"SHIT" Melinda yelled. She then grabbed her coat and went to Charley's Bar and Grille to grab at bite to eat before going back to her apartment.
"What's up, Mel?" Fin said, as he took a seat next to her at the bar stool. "I take it you're getting dinner for you and Olivia."
"Nope, just me tonight" Melinda replied. "Liv's working late"
"Doing what? Captain released her at three o'clock today" Fin told her.
The waiter comes up to Melinda and hands her a brown paper bag. "That'll be $18.50, ma'am."
Melinda gave the waiter a twenty dollar bill, "Keep the change."
"Thank you" the waiter replied.
"Fin, can I ask you something?"
"Sure, Mel"
"What happened to Olivia at SealView?"
"Mel, I…I think it would be best if you asked Liv"
"When I ask her about it, she says, nothing happened. I'm not crazy; I see the bruises on her face, arms and legs. Fin, she can't sleep and the nights she do fall asleep she have nightmares"
"I'm sorry but she needs to be the one to tell you, not me" said Fin.
Melinda sighs. "Well, I see I'm getting nowhere with you" she then hopped off the bar stool and grabbed the brown paper bag that contained her dinner. "See you later"
"Later" Fin said.
Melinda then leaned over and gave Fin a small peck on his right cheek. "What was that for?"
"For being Liv's friend" she told him.
As Melinda began to walk away, Fin grabbed her wrist, "What I can say is, she needs you now more than ever." He released her wrist and Melinda walked away. He turned to face the bartender, "Cranberry and Vodka."
Melinda was one block from her apartment building when she decided to turn the car around and go over to Olivia's place. When she arrived at Olivia's apartment she ringed the doorbell several times but no answer and had decided to leave but made one final attempt; she called Olivia's cell phone. Melinda heard Olivia's cell phone ringing, so she knew Olivia was at home. Melinda knocked on the door and called out for Olivia but still no answer. Worried, Melinda used the key Olivia had given her to enter the apartment.
"Liv…Liv, are you here?" Melinda said as she walked into the living room. There still was no answer but she could hear the shower running. Melinda had walked through the bedroom and into the bathroom where she saw Olivia hunkered down in the tub crying as the hot water hit her body.
"Liv" she softly said. When Olivia looked up Melinda could see her lover's blood shot puffy eyes. Olivia looked like she'd been crying all day.
"I'm okay, Mel"
"No you're not" Melinda said and then turned off the water. "How long have you been here…in the shower?"
"I don't know"
Melinda reached for the towel. "Lets get you out of here" she said, helping Olivia to her feet and out the tub. "I'll get your pajamas while you dry off." When Melinda returned to the bathroom she found Olivia sitting on the side of the tub. "Come on, sweetheart" she said helping Olivia to her feet, "put on these and lets get you to bed."
Melinda lay in bed next to Olivia, she wanted so much to hold her lover but she knew Olivia would only pull away from her. Olivia suddenly turned on her side facing Melinda.
"Mel"
"Yeah" Melinda said as she took her hand and moved the hair out of Olivia's face.
"We were all in the recreation room at SealView and the C.O. came in. He wanted me to go with him but I refused. I told him, I hadn't received my shot yet. I refused to go with him and the other inmates and I demanded to know what was going on because there were rumors about some kind of TB outbreak. The C.O. requested back up and that's when the other correction officers came in. The Captain took me and I thought I was going to solitary lockup but he took me into the basement instead. I tried fighting him off but he overpowered me. I screamed for help and banged on the door but no one heard me. No matter how hard I try I just can't get the thought of him brushing up against me and…he…he"
"What baby? Tell me." Melinda said.
Olivia wiped the tears from her eyes. "He handcuffed me to the door and pulled down his pants. He wanted me to…he took my head and…and…if Fin hadn't arrived when he did…Fin, he…he saved me" she said.
Melinda didn't know what to say. She knew whatever she said, wouldn't make Olivia feel better. So she tried her best to make her lover feel secure.
"Liv"
"Yeah, Mel"
"Can I hold…just for a little while?" As Olivia laid her head on Melinda's chest, she held on to Olivia tight. "Liv, I don't want you to get upset at what I'm about to say but, I think you should see someone."
"See someone?"
"A Therapist"
"I don't need a Therapist; I just need time…to get through this"
"Baby, you were sexually assaulted. That alone is enough to seek therapy and…"
"What?"
"Your job" said Melinda. "How're you supposed to get through this while working Special Victims?"
"Are you saying I won't be able to do my job?"
"No" Melinda replied. "I know you're good at what you do. It's just…I worry it's going to be too much for you."
"You're right…I'll see someone tomorrow" Olivia tells her.
The next day came and went and so did several weeks and still Olivia hadn't seen a Therapist. Olivia was still not sleeping at night and her colleagues and Captain Cragen had noticed the change in her work. She started drinking heavily and had broken up with Melinda. Captain Cragen had ordered her to take her two week vacation early to get herself together.
Around 1:30am Charley, the owner of Charley's Bar and Grille called Melinda and told her Olivia was at the bar drunk and needed help getting home. Melinda left her apartment to get Olivia. When she arrived at Charley's place she saw Olivia slumped over a table in the corner.
"Liv" Melinda said as she shook her.
"What…what is it?" Olivia slurred.
"Come on, lets go" Melinda took ahold of Olivia and helped her to the car. Melinda got in the driver's seat and drove back to her place. As she helped Olivia out of her clothes into pajamas Olivia began to cry.
"I love Melinda" she said crying and slurring. "Please take me back, please baby. I love you."
"Liv, you need help"
"I need you" Olivia replied. "Do you still love me?"
Melinda went silent. She never stopped loving Olivia and it was only a week since Olivia broke it off with her.
"Well, you don't have to answer. I know you do, Fin told me" Olivia said and then fell back on the bed and was out like a light.
The next morning Olivia rolled over and was surprised to see Melinda. "What are you doing here?"
"I live here" Melinda replied.
Olivia sat up in the bed and held her head in her hands as she became light headed. "How did I get here?"
"Charley called me because you were too wasted to drive"
"Oh. I've better be going"
"Liv, don't go. There's a lot that was left unsaid between us"
"I've got to go, Mel"
"I know Cragen forced you to take an early vacation. Liv, you need help. I can't imagine what you went through at SealView but if you don't get any help you could lose everything, including me."
"We're not together anymore. Or did you forget that?" Olivia sarcastically said.
"I know you still love me and I still love you" Melinda said and then went and sat next to Olivia on the bed. "Liv, I want you to get better but you've got to want it too. I know this Therapist, she's good and with her help you can start putting your life back together; our life back together."
Without saying a word, Olivia got out the bed and put on her clothes. She walked out the bedroom and a few seconds later she came back in. "What's her number?" she asked. Melinda smiled and she took Olivia's phone and input the Therapist number in it.
A week later, Olivia went to see the Therapist for the first time since being attacked at SealView. Melinda was in the waiting room; Olivia had asked her to come along so she wouldn't lose her nerve. The Therapist recommended a support group for Olivia, which she soon joined.
As days, weeks, and months passed Olivia continued her support group meetings. She and Melinda had gotten married and everything was going great for the two lovers.
One night Olivia was asleep and had awakened as she sat up in the bed her heart raced. The moving of the bed had awakened Melinda. "Liv, you okay?" Melinda asked.
"Yeah" Olivia replied. "It's just, he scared me."
"Don't worry, I'll get him" Melinda said.
"No…I'll go" Olivia got out of bed and went into the nursery. She walked over to the crib and picked up their two month old son, Joshua. She changed his diaper and sat in the rocking chair with him. She sang him several lullabies before the baby boy drift back to sleep. Olivia put Joshua back in the crib and went back in the room where Melinda was lying in bed. She snuggled against Melinda's warm body.
"That was quick" Melinda said of her putting Joshua back to sleep.
"What can I say? I have that magic touch" she joked.
Melinda rolled over facing Olivia. "I love you Mrs. Benson" she said to Olivia. Tears filled Olivia's eyes and soon ran down the side on the pillow. "Liv, honey…what's wrong?"
"Never in a millions years, I would have thought I'd be lying here next to you and our son in the next room. My life was a mess a year and a half ago but you didn't give up on me. You stayed by my side and held my hand every step of the way. You helped me heal from the wounds I suffered mentally and for that, I thank you. Mel, I love you so much."
Melinda softly pressed her lips against Olivia's, who deepened the kiss and the two women made love the rest of the night.