There's a knock at the door before Fin pokes his head in.
"Come on in," she tells him, straining her sore body as she sits up more fully. He's a welcome distraction to rehashing their ordeal in her mind.
"Hey Liv," he begins. "How you holdin' up," he asks, wrinkling his forehead with concern.
"I'm fine," she says reaching for a cup of water. "But I'd rather be at home." Truth told she'd rather be anywhere else but in a hospital with Elliot in the adjacent room. Olivia feels like she can hear him thinking from her bed and she doesn't like it.
"You both look like you been through the ringer Liv," he tells her. "Maybe you should actually listen to the doctor this time and stay for a few days."
"I just have some bruised ribs," she informs Fin. "There's no reason to stick around for longer than a day at most."
"And when did you get your MD," asks a tall athletic looking African-American female entering the room in a white lab coat.
"Fin this is Dr. Pate," she introduces. "Dr. Pate this is Detective Odafin Tutuola."
"You can call me Fin," he tells her smiling.
"I hope you're trying to talk some sense into this one," begins the doctor. "She doesn't seem to think a concussion and three broken ribs is cause for alarm."
"Broken huh," Fin repeats smirking at Olivia. "She was just telling me they were only bruised and didn't bother mentioning a concussion at all," he adds crossing his arms over his chest.
Olivia just sits back saying nothing, like a child who got busted with her hand in the candy jar.
Dr. Pate goes through Olivia's chart and gives her a once over. She looks into her eyes with a pen light, checking for responsiveness then checks her ribs as Fin turns away. Olivia winces as the doctor examines her.
"Okay Olivia," she says disposing of her latex gloves. "I'm gonna have the nurse come in and give you something for pain. And don't tell me you don't need anything because I can tell it hurts just by the way you're breathing."
Olivia just nods. As tough as she is, she can't deny how much pain she's truly in.
"So how soon can I be discharged," she asks anxiously.
The doctor just shakes her head. She's had some patients that were impatient to leave before but the lady detective ranks up there with the hard headed ones.
"After the twenty-four hour observation period is over I'll have you discharged," Dr. Pate informs her before leaving.
"Well I'm gonna go and check on my partner," Fin tells her. "And yours too," he adds as the nurse comes in with her meds. "See you later Liv."
"Bye Fin," she tells him as the nurse pushes a syringe into her I.V. "Fin," she yells after him.
"Yeah Liv," he responds poking his head back in.
"Thank you," she says giving him a small smile.
"Anytime," he says, leaving her alone with her thoughts.
"I've been watching you two for longer than you've been watching me," he begins. "And you know what I've noticed," he asks rhetorically. "Ya'll are damn chummy with one another."
"We're partners Knight," Elliot explains. "What's your point?"
"How long have you two kids been so… friendly," he asks emphasizing the last word as he circles them like a shark.
"We've worked together for twelve years," informs Olivia. "And like he asked what does this have to do with the fact that you raped and killed three women," she says trying to divert attention back to Knight.
"I'm probably gonna die today Detective," he begins. "So excuse me if I entertain myself until that happens," he adds with a chilling grin. "I hear a cop partnership is supposed to be like a marriage," he continues. "Does it come with all the fringe benefits too Stabler," he asks stopping in front of Elliot.
"If you mean the arguments, fighting and general discord then yes," Elliot answers.
"I'm sure you know what I mean detective," he says moving towards Olivia. Knight threads a hand through Olivia's hair, leans in intimately close and nuzzles his nose against her skin.
"You're trying to tell me you weren't once tempted by this gorgeous creature," he asks Elliot seeing how hard he's trying to hide his anger.
Olivia tries to pull away from the psychopath not bothering to mask her own disgust. Knight merely tightens the grip he has on her hair. She tries not to show how much he's hurting her but he notices and increases the pressure.
"Why don't you tell us how you went from being a decorated soldier to a psychopathic murderer and rapist," Elliot asks trying to distract him from Olivia.
"Some shrapnel to the frontal lobe apparently," he answers matter of fact but releases the hold on Olivia's hair. "The military shrinks and other docs say it's affected my moral center," he says laughing. "I guess only killing who and when they wanted me to makes me crazy."
The two detectives try to go back and forth with the man attempting to stall him until the cavalry arrives. Olivia and Elliot know how unstable he is. And as calm as he's being right now, he is liable to snap for any reason.
"If you two are done trying to put off my fun," he says returning to Olivia. "I think we'll get started."
"I like to call this honesty or punishment," he tells them. "I can tell if someone's lying to me detectives," he adds giving them each an intense glare. "So if I ask you a question and I think you're being dishonest," he threatens getting an inch away from Olivia's face. "There will be consequences."
"And if we decide that we don't want to play your game," asks Elliot.
"Then me and Olivia here get to play another game all by ourselves whether she wants to or not," he taunts as he smoothes his hands over her body. "And you get to watch."
"Take your hands off me you prick," Olivia seethes as tries to wriggle out of his grasp.
"Ask your questions Knight," Elliot yells through clenched teeth.
"I thought you might see things my way," he says going back to circling them like prey. "Both of you stand up," he orders.
They struggle a bit sliding their restraints up the metal poles but manage to get into standing positions.
"Elliot," he turns. "The first question is for you and please remember to tell the truth."
Olivia startles awake. She doesn't even remember falling asleep. It must've been the ridiculously strong pain medication they gave her.
She jumps a bit not having immediately noticed Alex standing at her bedside.
"Hey, sorry to scare you," the ADA says pushing up her glasses in a nervous habit. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine," she says per her usual answer. "It looks worse than it is."
Alex is disturbed at seeing the bruises marring her friends' normally beautiful face. She steps closer to Olivia's bed and reaches for one of her hands giving it a squeeze.
"How are you really," she asks in voice filled with sincerity and emotion.
Olivia closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. She's never had a problem getting anyone to open up to her. But even having a PhD behind your name isn't enough to guarantee Olivia spilling her own guts.
"Talk to me Liv," Alex presses.
Olivia's eyes suddenly become glassy with unshed tears. She looks down at her lap and away from her friend's sympathetic gaze.
"I thought he was going to kill us," she says nearly whispering.
"What happened at that house," questions Alex. "Did he rape you?"
"No Alex," she answers honestly. "But with what he did to us mentally, he may as well have."