Perverted

« Docket 1935 v Olivia Benson. What does the people recommend ? » The judge announced in a cold voice. Olivia was standing next to her lawyer. Her lawyer. Words she had never thought she would pronounce. But here she was, standing on the side of the accused.

" The people recommend 250 000 on bail." Olivia whimpered as she heard the amount. She had never possessed so much. Her lawyer immediately reacted.

"This is ridiculous! Detective Benson is a decorated officer who has served her country over twenty years."

"Detective Benson has no family whatsoever and we do not want to risk that she runs." The ADA, a young man whom Olivia had only met once, was looking at her and David Jenkins with disdain, as though it was a personal fight for him. He was putting too much in this affair, it was obvious. People became nasty when it came to figures of authority presumably turning bad…

"There are 400 000 officers ready to stand by. They are their family."

But his plead was of no use. The judge had apparently already taken his decision, and soon Olivia was shipped away, brought back to prison. But before that, two things happened.

First, Olivia distinctly heard the little groan that Elliot involuntarily let escape when he heard the sentence. 250 000 on bail. The brunette just had the time to turn around a few seconds, and her eyes met Elliot's. She didn't really know what she saw in his look, but there was definitely pain and anger. And something else she still couldn't quite define. Then the officer gently pulled her arm to take her out of the courtroom. The bikers who had taken place near Olivia, just behind her in fact, all stood up in unison when she began walking away from them. The one who seemed to be the leader leaned forward and almost whispered : "I'll have some friends come to visit you, darling…"

Elliot could not describe the look he saw on Olivia's face at this moment. Pure fear. She stood still a moment and did not dare raising her eyes back to his. But Elliot had distinctly seen the look on her face, the hollowness in her eyes and paleness taking over her face, her cheeks, her lips…

When Elliot walked back into the bullpen this afternoon, he was utterly deceived. He sat down at his desk, staring at the unopened files and unread written messages piling in each corner. With no one in front of him, sat at the opposite desk, he could not get to work. He had to put all his energy trying to solve that case, to find the perp and get his partner out of prison. Soon, she would be driven to Rikers until the jury was selected. How could he allow that?

Fin sympathetically laid a hand shortly on his slumped down shoulders as he brushed past him. Everyone in the bullpen could read in his eyes, in his attitude, how defeated he was and how he missed Olivia Benson.

Olivia had been put in a cell on her own. This would be the only special treatment she would get, not being put with cellmates who knew that she was a cop and who would probably kill her before Olivia ever faced a judge again. The room was at most four square meters big. The light was dull and aggressive. Olivia was seated on what was supposed to be her bed, resting her elbows on her knees. She wanted to throw up, and this did not come from the flu. She could hardly breathe and every noise made her jump. God, she had never thought she would be back in prison, and of course not under these circumstances. Flashbacks from Sealview assaulted her, and Olivia felt her pulse become faster. When she raised her eyes towards the window, everything was blurred. She stood up and moved her shaky legs towards the little square of light, grasping the concrete boarder to breathe in some fresh air. It was getting hot in here.