Okay, Author's Note that I forgot to include on Ch. 1: This story is loosely based off of Intoxicated, which Dick Wolf based off the case The State of Florida vs. Valessa Lyn Robinson (1998). I will obviously be adopting some names and events from these sources, but I still don't own SVU. Also, the plot and events of Family Feud are completely fictional in and of themselves. Regarding relationships: George Huang is gay and has a boyfriend, Olivia is gay but no one knows and she is struggling to deal, Elliot is dating Selena Mercy (OFC; Kathy DOES NOT EXIST), and as for the others you'll have to wait and see! This story may/may not be continued as a series. Okay, I think that's it. I still don't own anything, and please! If you read it review, even if you don't like it! I'd like to hear any feedback. And thank you so much if you do review, reviews make my day! =D
ok, anyways... Here's Ch. 2.
DOINK DOINK
Olivia arrived at the Eldridge residence and knocked on the door. The house was an immaculate white and the front yard was neatly organized into perfect little flowerbeds bordered with ornate decorative statues. Olivia upturned her nose just looking at it, it was all far to sterile. It reminded her of the houses she had seen that they tested nuclear weapons on, the picturesque little townhouses with mannequin families of four, just waiting to be incinerated…
"Who is it?" Ms. Eldridge's voice croaked from the interior.
"Detective Benson, SVU, I'm here to talk to you about your complaint."
The dead bolt clicked open, and the door opened slowly. "Yes, well, it's about time you showed up. Unfortunately, you're too late."
"Wha- Ms. Eldridge what do you mean?"
"What I mean is, that I am in my best mood right after my morning cup of tea, which I have already had. Had you been available when I visited your office, maybe I could have spoken with you, god knows I wasn't going to present my problem to that old dust-plate Donny."
Olivia didn't know what to make of this reasoning. "Well, all right," she said carefully, "should I come back tomorrow?"
"Yes you very well should," Ms. Eldridge snapped. "10:30 on the dot is when I'll expect you."
"Well, thank you Ms. Eldridge I'll be here then."
"Good day Detective." The final click of the dead bolt ended their conversation.
Olivia raised her eyebrows and stood there for a moment before turning away.
"Did you call the police!" Came an incensed voice from inside the house. Olivia stopped. "Mom I can't believe-" "Just go to your room and don't question my decisions ever again!" "You know what! I've had about enough of your bull-" Silence, Olivia turned around, and tried to peer through the opaque glass panels next to the door, but she could make out nothing. It seemed like Ms. Eldridge had slapped whoever was back-talking her, who Olivia assumed was her daughter. "Err-ah! You son of a bitch!" Came the younger voice, shattering the silence. Olivia heard a crash, followed momentarily by a slamming door from the second floor of the house, and then more silence. Hesitating, Olivia couldn't decide if she should knock on the door again, or if Ms. Eldridge would bite her face off. She made up her mind to wait a moment to see if the heated argument would continue, but after the house remained silent Olivia decided it was safe to leave.
SVU SVU SVU
Olivia and Elliot were packing up their things in a side room at the precinct.
"So how did your visit with Ms. Eldridge go?" Elliot inquired.
"Horrible." Olivia said. "She told me to return tomorrow after she has her morning cup of tea. The old dirt bag."
"Hm. Someone's a little heated?"
"Well, she was just terse and rude, her house is too neat, her clothing is just one huge faux pas, and when I was leaving I heard her get into an argument with her daughter, which seemed to turn violent. Elliot I just can't stand it when parent's are assholes to their children."
"Yeah, I see. What's her beef with her daughter?"
"I don't know, Cragen mentioned something about accusing her boyfriend of raping her, but didn't give me any other details, and clearly neither did the girl's mom. There's some tension between Ms. Eldridge and Cragen."
"Yeah, Munch told me about that," Elliot said.
"Well, I'm going back to see her tomorrow, maybe I can figure some of this out."
"Good luck with that. I'll heading out to meet Selena for dinner, so I'll see you tomorrow Liv."
"Oh! Ok, have a good night!" Elliot had been dating Selena Mercy for three months now, and their relationship had been going really well. They had meet while SVU was investigating a case where a rape victim had turned up dead near the docks; Selena was the one who first saw her and called the police. She was a sailor and alternately ran a ferry or her small fishing enterprise, with a dilettantish interest in treasure hunting, which she entertained from time to time on the weekends. The precinct had an ongoing joke that treasure hunting was not the only thing being entertained on these weekend ventures, of which Elliot had been a part of recently.
Olivia was a little jealous of Elliot's new romance, not because she liked Elliot (God forbid!) but merely because she had no one. But that wasn't quite it, the real cause of her envy was that Elliot was free to seek out relationships, while Olivia's true romantic interests were still unknown to anyone but herself. She just wanted to be normal. She still wasn't completely happy with being gay, because there was so much stigma associated with homosexuality. Hell, a good portion of SVU's cases dealt with homosexual abuse, discrimination or violence. Olivia didn't want herself to be associated with these things. But then again Huang had been doing so well since he came out… Well, she was dealing with it, she would be seeing him tomorrow and talking through all of this with him. Well, that was the plan at least.
Olivia shut her locker and heaved a sigh, hoping that this would be all over soon. She gathered her things and headed back to the main part of the precinct.
Fin had left but Munch was still at his desk working on something, and Cragen was still in his office. Olivia was going to bid them farewell before retiring but then Alex Cabot walked in again.
"Hey guys guess what I just heard?" Alex announced.
"What is it?" Munch said, looking up from his work.
"The one and only Casey Novak just finished her closing arguments on the Victor v. Maryville case this morning, so she'll be back here to work soon!"
"That's fantastic!" Munch and Olivia exclaimed in unison. Alex Cabot had replaced Casey two or three months ago because the DA's office had needed Casey on a special case. SVU was all sad to see her go, but she would be back as soon as the case was finished. Alex Cabot had fit in well with the SVU team, and didn't seem bothered by the fact that they all couldn't wait for their previous lawyer to return.
The defense lawyer had quit the case out of fear, but Casey Novak was not one to be intimidated. Victor, the defendant, was accused of larceny and the rape of a Maryville Chemical Corp. employee, and it turned out that he was indeed guilty. However, he was threatening in his defense to divulge some secrets about the chemical company which evoked untraceable hate-mail and threats to his defense lawyer, who subsequently quit. In her investigation, Casey had succeeded not only in pinning Victor of rape, but of also shrewdly extracting the truth concerning Maryville's under the table deals with a foreign Chinese exporter, bringing justice to them both, although she too became the victim of some vicious hate-mail.
SVU of course had heard of Casey's triumphs and was very proud of their redheaded legal champion.
"Yeah, she shut down those lice at Maryville Corp, AND Victor Daugherty, she is really being praised everywhere. The DA even offered her a promotion but she insisted on returning to Sex Crimes."
"Wow? We mean that much to her, huh?" Munch asked, proudly.
"Well, I don't know about you in particular, John, but I do think she really loves you guys." Alex said.
Olivia was glad to hear that Casey was returning, but that meant that Alex would be leaving. She suddenly felt a twinge of despair inside her, in a way she had taken Alex's presence for granted. Even though she would just be working cases in a different precinct Olivia would still miss her dearly.
Oh what the hell am I thinking, Olivia thought to herself. She looked at the gorgeous blond in front of her. Olivia there is no way this lovely blond will ever turn out to be gay, and even if she did, even less of a chance she would fall for you. She's leaving SVU shortly and that will probably be the last you see of her. So why don't you just stop kidding yourself and get on with your life.
"Olivia what's with the frown? Aren't you happy Casey's returning?" Alex said, interrupting her thoughts.
"Oh, um, yes, yes of course! It's just that, well, now we'll all miss you, that's all!" Olivia said in explanation.
"Awwh, well I'll sure miss you all!"
Not like I'll miss you, Olivia thought quietly.
"Well, I guess I should tell the cap." Alex said. She walked over and hugged Olivia, which sent Olivia's hormones cascading about inside her, and then headed over to inform the captain of the good news. Olivia stood there for a second before grabbing her things and leaving the office, not wanting to have to face Alex again for fearing of revealing her emotions. Olivia's eyes were wet as she walked out.
SVU SVU SVU
Olivia walked home that night alone, trying to sort through her feelings. She usually walked when she had something to think through, the purposeful motion let her body rest so her mind could wander through what was bothering her. She also liked the distraction the undying city offered, the traffic and commerce, the gleaming lights of buildings and bill boards, it made her relieved to know that even if she was forlorn at least the rest of the world was still turning.
Why am I so afraid of the team finding out that I'm gay? Olivia questioned herself. It's not that I'm a wimp, my whole life I've been bold and unafraid of challenges! Why does this deter me? I put away sex offenders for god's sake!
Olivia trudged onward, exasperated. Sometimes answers weren't very easy, sometimes she just never found them.
Maybe it is because of our work. To SVU sex offenders are all scum, hands down. Maybe I am just associating the public opprobrium surrounding homosexuality with sex offenders too much, and afraid that my friends will look upon me like that. Will look upon me like I look upon homosexuals, or at least some of the perverted homosexuals we've prosecuted. But you know they won't judge you like that! Olivia's indignant defense of her friends rose up involuntarily. Maybe it is that simple, maybe I'm not as strong as I want myself to be, maybe I am really just afraid of being seen badly. Maybe I just want acceptance like so many other people. This thought had crossed Olivia's mind many times, especially because of her unfortunate upbringing. Acceptance was the one thing that she had never really had, not like everyone else had, and being gay only made it worse.
Olivia shook her head. 'Whatever, I'm not gonna go and drink myself to sleep or eat chocolate. I'm gonna go home and eat dinner, feed Shura, and go to bed, and tomorrow I'm gonna deal with this by talking to Huang about it.'
She did talk to herself from time to time like this, in encouragement. She didn't think of it as a sign of insanity, just a natural coping method with the type of work she was in.
Right. I'm not crazy, not crazy, just a little lonely, that's all, a little lonely. Olivia thought to herself as she reached her apartment complex and headed inside. And the that's why I have Shura, my little solace from loneliness.
Olivia entered her apartment to find her dark brain kitten eagerly awaiting her arrival. When she was late in getting home Shura was always anxious to see her.
"Hey there my little precious friend!" Olivia said, scooping up the adorable feline creature into her arms. "How have you been today?" Shura purred happily and rubbed her fluffly face against Olivia's. "You're gonna get some tuna tonight, that ch'u are! Yum yum yum!" Shura continued to purr as Olivia carried her into the kitchen and proceeded to prepare their dinners.
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