"Elliot for the last time I'm fine, I'm just getting ready to leave the office now…no dad, I don't have any plans to go anywhere else but home, are you done interrogating me now?…I know you are worried but tone it down a little bit will ya… alright I'll see you in the morning, oh and El…thanks." Olivia Benson finally said to her partner as she hung up the phone. She loved Elliot like a brother, but she also couldn't stand being treated like less than a cop. She worked her whole life to be the person she is now…strong, independent, and yes sometimes a little stubborn, but that's who she was.
The detective smiled slightly. "Sounds like he was worried about you." A voice from just within the entrance of the squad room said. Olivia looked up, only slightly surprised to see a familiar doctor standing there. Sidney was wearing black slacks with a simple white shirt and a black coat and matching scarf, her hair was pulled up into a messy bun with a pencil stuck in it. A trade mark look that Olivia had come to recognize. It had been two days since the last attack on Emma Johnson took place. The SVU detectives had followed up on a few leads, patients that were vocal about their displeasure with Sidney and had contacted the rest of Sidney's patients that live in the city, to warn them. However by doing this they have come to a dead end.
"Yeah, well, Elliot can be an overprotective SOB at times." Olivia said while turning her chair around to meet Sidney. "Just getting off of work?"
Sidney nodded, as she walked towards Olivia and leaned up against her over crowded desk. Olivia could see the bags under the doctors eyes, she looked exhausted, Shit I can relate to that feeling. Within the past few days Sidney had been coming to the squad room as many times as her schedule would allow it, she would simply check on the investigation, which Olivia couldn't really discuss with her, and just to see if she could help in anyway. Olivia new what it was that drove the good doctor here, guilt, …even if you would like to think she comes here just to see you…whoa where did that come from?
"Another 48 hour shift come and gone." Sidney said, casting a glance across the detectives desk. "But I can see you look just as busy. Any news?" Olivia cocked her head to the side, this woman is just about as stubborn as I am.
"You know you ask me that question every time you come in here, and every time I give you the same answer, I can't dis-"
"Discuss an on going investigation." Sidney said finishing Olivia's sentence.
"Then why ask?"
Sidney shrugged, "Hoping maybe one of these times you will give me a different answer." She said honestly. "Or maybe I just like to hear you answer the question." Olivia locked eyes with the Sidney, is she flirting with me? "Um, I-I mean," Sidney stuttered after she realized what she had just uttered.
"Hey, it's ok." Olivia reassured the fragile woman by placing her hand over Sidney's, an involuntary shock climbed up the detectives arm with the small contact. Sidney couldn't help but smile as her green eyes met Olivia's deep brown ones.
"Look, I know I come around here a lot, and probably getting on your last nerves, but I just…someone is out there hurting these women because they are angry with me…over something I did…that just doesn't sit well with me." Sidney confessed. Olivia could see the guilt radiating from the woman in front of her. "And now your life is in danger."
"Hey now." Olivia said firmly, grasping both of the doctor's hands. "This, none of this, is your fault, I don't care who you pissed off, or anything like that. And as for me being in danger…shit I put myself in danger everyday I come to work, one of the many benefits of this job." The down cast of Sidney's gaze told Olivia that she could speak all the supportive words she could to the young woman…but none of it would help. "But you are kind of getting on my nerves."
Olivia waited for the smile, aw there it is, she thought as Sidney grinned. "Well hell, here I was going invite you to go grab some drinks but if I'm getting on your nerves detective, you can just forget about it." Sidney joked, all signs of vulnerability vanishing under a mask, a trait Olivia did many times herself.
"Damn, I probably should learn how to keep my mouth shut then, I mean if it costs me free drinks with a beautiful woman." It was out before Olivia could stop herself. Perfect, just scare her off. Sidney once again avoided eye contact with Olivia, but couldn't help the smile. When she realized Sidney was not going to say anything, Olivia broke the silence. "Come on, I'm starving, and I know this little deli just a few blocks away, my treat." Better avoid alcohol I think..
"Lead the way." Sidney finally agreed after a moment of silence.
…...
Olivia sucked in a sharp breath as the cool air made contact with her bare face. She quickly wrapped her scarf around her neck, attempting to block some of the wind.
"It's cold. Winter is definitely on it's way." Sidney said walking right up next to the taller woman.
"That's for sure." Olivia agreed.
"I love this time of year, right before the snow, when the leaves are at their brightest."
"Sounds like you should be living somewhere else besides the middle of the city if you like trees. Mind if we walk, it's not far?" Olivia asked.
"No not at all. And I actually did grow up as far away from the city as you could possibly imagine." Sidney began to explain, stuffing her hands deep into her pockets. "I grew up in Colorado, on a big open farm, with no signs of life besides the live stock we raised."
Olivia noticed the brightness in the woman's bright green eyes even in the dark. "So then why exactly did you decide to expose yourself to such a culture shock?"
"Well, when I was accepted into med school, I did my internship here in the city. Did you know that New York Hospitals are not even close to having the full capacity of doctors and nurses needed to treat patients for just minor injuries? And are way under funded for the proper equipment needed for proper care?" Olivia shook her head negatively.
"So I'm guessing you came back to help?"
"Well yes, that was part of the reason." Sidney said. "Unfortunately my intentions were not quite as noble as that…I met someone, fell in love, got married, and he was completely in love with the city."
At the mention of hearing Sidney being married, Olivia felt a slight drop of disappointment in the pit of her stomach, and she wasn't quite sure why. "So he swept you off your feet and you stayed here?"
"Something like that." Sidney cast a sideways glance at the detective, and noticed the tightening of her jaw, and the slightly larger gap that had appeared between the pair as they continued to walk down the sidewalk. Interesting, Sidney couldn't help but think to herself. "But in the end it did not matter, we grew apart, and he decided to take a job offer in Chicago."
"But you stayed here?"
The doctor shrugged, "The city kind of grew on me you know?" Olivia did know, she had lived here her whole life, and even being exposed to the most horrendous characteristics of life as she was on a daily basis could not deter her from being in love with the city.
"So what about you Detective, did you grow up here?" Olivia could feel the familiar lump in her throat begin to form, the one that would normally appear when someone asked about her past.
"Detective Benson." Olivia whipped her head up at the sound of her name being called. Coming towards the women was the park patrol officer who had found Lilly Jones just a few days ago.
"Officer." Olivia nodded politely, talk about perfect timing.
"Mack please, nice to see you again, I hope the case is going well for you and your partner."
"We have a few leads." She responded. "Oh I'm sorry, Mack this id Dr. Sidney Hall, Sidney this is Officer Mack."
"Very nice to meet you." Mack said shaking the brunettes hand. "And it looks like Mya is also very happy to meet you." For the first time Olivia looked down and noticed that Mack was holding the leash of a gorgeous, Germen Sheppard dog, who sat at Sidney's feet with her tail wagging uncontrollably.
"She beautiful, how old is she?" Sidney asked kneeling down to scratch the canine behind the ears.
"Just turned a year last week." Mack said.
"Oh, well then she's still just a pup." Sidney replied.
"Yeah but she is one of the best on the force I promise you that."
"Your on the K-9 Unit?" Olivia asked, for the first time tearing her eyes away from Sidney, there was just something about the woman cuddling a dog that was intriguing to the older woman.
"Yeah, this will be my second year, normally I'm in the park but I thought a change of scenery may do me some good."
Sidney finally stood up from her kneeling position. "So where are you two ladies off to?"
"Just grabbing a late dinner."
"Sounds good, well I best be getting her on home, we have an early shift tomorrow. You two take care now."
"Night Mack." And with that the man and his dog disappeared into the night. Sidney turned around just in time to be met with one of Olivia's strange look.
"What?"
"Dogs huh?" Olivia raised one eyebrow.
"Hey, I love dogs, I have three of them back home." Sidney defended.
"And what four of them in your downtown apartment?" Olivia joked.
Sidney lightly smacked Olivia's shoulder, "Unfortunately, no, with my hours it wouldn't be fair to the dog…but I do have a gold fish named Spot." Olivia couldn't help but let out a full belly laugh, the action stopped the doctor in her tracks. The sight of the detective was amazing, it changed her entire feature…she was beautiful. Before the doctor could be caught for staring, Olivia spoke up, "Ah, here we are." She grasped the handle of the door and held it open for Sidney.
"And here I thought shivery was dead." Again one of the doctors statements caused the detective to stop and wonder.
The food was excellent and the conversation was light, for the most part, mostly it consisted of Olivia skillfully avoiding questions about her childhood, and Sidney about her ex. The two women did however talk about college, and music and movies.
"You live in New York and you have never seen the musical Wicked?"
"Well if I had known that was such a high priority." Olivia grinned as she took another sip of her coffee.
"Um yeah it is." Sidney explained, "It is like, one of the best musicals on Broadway." It was almost comical to watch the highly educated doctor turn to mush over something so simple, Olivia thought…but also kind of cute.
"Sorry to disappoint."
"Well if you ever get the chance go and see it, I have never met anyone who has yet to dislike it." The doctor grasped her cup and took a small sip, and couldn't help but study the older woman across the table. She was beautiful, there was no doubt about that; her short brown hair portrayed both a feminine side of the detective and yet a tougher side. She was slim, and very well fit, Sidney could see that even with the detectives long, black, leather coat securely wrapped around her. But what really stood out to the doctor was the detectives deep, dark, brown eyes, they were sharp, ones that Sidney could get very used to, and ones that she just seemed to be drawn to.
Suddenly the shrill sound of a pager went off, breaking the comfortable silence. Sidney looked down on her hip, and Olivia could practically see her facial expression change. "Damn it." Green eyes looked up.
"Hey don't worry about it, if it wasn't you it would have probably been me." Olivia rationalized. Olivia motioned for the waitress to bring the check over.
"Oh please let me pay, I'm the one ditching you." Sidney said grabbing the check at the same time as Olivia.
"But I'm the one who invited you here."
"But- fine." Sidney finally gave up, "Next time I pay." Olivia couldn't help the fluttering feeling she felt in the pit of her stomach, next time?
Olivia quickly paid and followed Sidney out the door where the doctor waited for a taxi. She didn't have to wait long before one that was stopped at a light signaled he had seen her. "Well, thanks for the food Olivia, I am really sorry I had to cut this short."
"It's really ok, I can't tell you how many times I've had to leave date early because of work."
Sidney smiled, realizing that Olivia had not noticed she had just called their little outing a date and Sidney decided not to say anything. She hadn't noticed how close they had actually gotten until the blaring of the taxi car horn had broke their trance. Sidney jumped slightly, get a grip of yourself. She grasped the handle of the taxi and made her way in, before she shut the door she looked up at Olivia.
"Good night detective."
"Good night Doctor." Olivia said as she closed the door on the taxi and watched as it drove away. Oh boy.
…...
"What in gods name are you smiling at?" A male voice asked Sidney as she threw on her white coat getting ready for another shift. "You just got off a 48 hour shift and have just been called back in, there is no reason you should be smiling, I mean unless you got laid or something…oh my god you did get laid!"
The young woman threw her stethoscope around her neck and closed her locker. "Cut it out T.J." Sidney scolded but kept the smile planted on her face.
"So who is the lucky son of a bitch you got you in such a happy ass mood?" TJ asked. Trevor James, aka TJ was a tall muscular man with short sandy blond hair and piercing hazel eyes.
"You are such a typical guy." Hall laughed walking out onto the surgical floor.
"Well hell, I spend all my time here with you so my sex life…or lack of sex life is rather dull, come on you can't give me anything?"
"Shut up and go do something productive like I don't know save lives maybe?"
TJ sighed, displaying fake irritation, "You are no fun you know that?"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Sidney shook her head while watching TJ make his way to the ER while she turned and headed towards the surgical floor. Sidney pushed the double doors opened and welcomed the familiar excitement she felt every time she was here. This is where she belonged.
"Hall, what are you doing here?" A tall brown haired woman asked walking towards Sidney with her high heels making clicking noises on the hard floor.
"I was paged chief." The older woman shook her head in disbelief.
"Damn it, I told them not to, no one seems to want to listen to me anymore, Hall go home, take some time for yourself." The older doctor said with a authority.
"Well I'm here already can't I just-"
"No, seriously get out of here, I know you have been through quite a bit these last few days go relax." The chief said as she scribbled something on a clipboard that was shoved in her face.
"Chief please I want…I need to be here, I can't do anything to help the cops at the moment, and sending me home, where I have nothing to do would drive me crazy, please, let me stay."
The chief studied the young doctor for a moment, but finally gave in, "Fine. Um one of your patience, um Bergetti, is scheduled for surgery in 20 min. go scrub in." Sidney did not need to be told twice as she rushed off.
Surgeons. The older woman thought while shaking her head.
…...
"Sorry I'm late, MVA on the bridge, traffic is crazy." Elliot said walking into the already busy squad room. He hung his coat up and walked back to his desk, he looked up at his partner who apparently had not heard him for she continued to scribble on her paper work, and had an…odd look on her face.
Feeling someone watching her Olivia stopped what she was doing and eventually looked up at Elliot. "What are you looking at?"
"What's with the look?"
"What look?" Olivia said almost accusingly.
"You just look…content or something, did you have a good night?" Olivia caught the suggestive tone in her partners voice, but did not bring it question.
Olivia avoided the question and dove straight into work. No need to tell him that I had dinner with our main lead on the case and crashed in the crib last night. The ringing of Elliot's desk phone prohibited him from interrogating his partner any further.
"Stabler…And…ok, thanks." Elliot placed the phone back down, "That was the lab. For the James, and Johnson cases, they analyzed the rusted fragments taken from each of their head wounds, and they found microscopic pieces of what looks like to be elastic gloves."
"Like the ones we use to process crime scenes." Olivia stated, setting down her pen and leaning back in her chair.
"Yes exactly. But get this, some gloves like that are made up of latex, but thanks to allergies, most are being replaced by vinyl material…including the ones used by medical personnel." Elliot could practically see Olivia's mind racing for possible scenarios.
"Wait, do you think the attacker is doctor?"
Elliot shrugged, "Could explain why the lack of physical evidence, a doctor would know how to cover his tracks."
Olivia had to agree, "We probably should go back and talk to Sidney, we only asked her about disgruntle patients, not doctors."
…...
"Mrs. Bergetti, I'm Dr. Hall I was the surgeon who operated on you husband." Sidney introduced herself to the short, round woman who was seated in one of the lounge chairs, surrounded by two young boys, and many of her family members.
"Yes, hi. How is my husband?" The woman asked quickly rising to a standing position.
Sidney took a deep breath. "Very well. We were able to remove the kidney and reattach the new one successfully." Sidney was hardly able to get her sentence out before she was embraced tightly by the hysterical woman.
"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!"
Sidney laughed slightly, "Your husband in the recovery wing, room 314, just down the hall, if you would like to see him, one at a time though." Sidney explained, pointing in the direction of the room. "I will be in there shortly to explain his recovery schedule."
"Yes, of course. Boys, come on, lets go say hi to daddy." Mrs. Bergetti said to her boys. Sidney left the happy family to their privacy. She made her way up to the desk to fill out a chart, before moving on to her next patient.
"Excuse me Dr. Hall?"
Sidney looked up, "Yes Joe?" She asked the male nurse who had called her name.
"There are two detectives here to see you, they said it's important." Automatically, a smile gently creased the doctors face.
"Thanks Joe." The man nodded and quickly left. Sidney headed back towards the waiting room and saw Benson and Stabler standing there quietly talking to each other.
"I'm starting to think you are stalking me Detective Benson." Sidney said, making her presence known.
Olivia quickly flashed a small smile, but it quickly vanished, which told Sidney this was strictly a professional visit. "What can I help you with detectives?"
"We asked you about patience that you thought may have had a grudge against you, but what about any of your co-workers?" Elliot asked, waiting with a pen and note pad in hand.
"Wait you think one of the doctors here is responsible for this?" Sidney said in utter. "That's insane! These people are good people, they have dedicated their life to helping people, not hurting them." Sidney's voice was getting louder with each passing second.
"Hey," Olivia said in a calming voice, "we are just going where the evidence is taking us, ok?" Sidney ran her hands through her hair. Olivia could see the stress rolling off the woman in front of her, the dark circles under her eyes were more pronounced than Olivia saw last night. Olivia fought the urge to take the woman's hands in her own, and tell her everything was going to be alright, but something stopped her.
"Um, Mitch Davis, he specializes in Orthopedics." Sidney finally gave in, and gave the detectives the first name.
"What was the deal with him?" Elliot asked, noticing the look his partner was giving the doctor.
"I went out on a date with him, just once. Not long after that we were working on a patient, bad MVA accident, the man was in real bad shape. Well we disagreed on the best was to treat him, and he brought our personal relationship into the argument in front of the rest of the staff." Sidney explained, stuffing her hands into her white lab coat. "I ended it that day. He wasn't too happy."
"What happened to the patient?" Olivia asked.
"He lived, but it was close."
"Anyone else?"
The doctor shifted uncomfortably, "I don't know, Aaron Wilson, he got pretty upset over the fact that I had accepted a promotion that he and I were both up for."
"Is that all?" Elliot asked, making sure they have everyone possible.
Sidney made eye contact with Elliot. "You think I make a whole bunch of enemies here detective?" Sidney was getting upset again. The look that passed between the detectives told Sidney that she was once again out of line. Damn it. "I'm sorry, yes that is all, at least all that were vocal about it."
"I'll call Munch, have him run the names." Elliot said quietly to Olivia, he walked away pulling out his cell phone. Olivia nodded slightly, then turned back to Sidney.
"I'm sorry toy have to do this."
"I know you are just doing your job. I am just starting to get real pissed off from this whole thing." Sidney confessed.
"Look, Sidney, do you have anyone who you can stay with, family, friends, at least until this whole thing blows over?"
Sidney shook her head. "No, all my family is pretty much scattered around in different locations. And all my friends are the very people you are investigating." There was a tone in Sidney's voice that Olivia couldn't place.
"We'll get him Sidney, I promise you."
"Yeah, ok. Look, I got to go." Sidney said in a rush as she turned away and left Olivia with her foot in her mouth, so to speak. Perfect.
"So what did Munch find out?" Olivia asked Elliot , as he was walking back into the hospital after stepping outside to make his call.
"The first guy Hall mentioned, um, Mitch Davis." Elliot said flipping through his note pad, "was arrested back in 98' for assault and battery."
Nice, history of violence, you got to love it! "What do you say we go pay Mr. Davis a little visit."
…...
"Doctor Davis?"
"Yes?" A middle aged man looked away from the x-ray picture that he had in his hand.
"I'm Detective Benson this is my partner Detective Stabler." Olivia had to give Sidney props, Mitch Davis was a very attractive man. Jet, black hair, piercing blue eyes, clean shaving, and a swimmers body that even made Michael Phelps look like a teenage boy.
"Oh, you must be the detectives helping Sidney Hall." The doctor said. "It's just a damn shame, I can't imagine who would want to do that to Sidney, she is one great woman, not to mention a hell of a doctor."
"Even when she questions you medical knowledge?" Olivia jumped in with the striking question, enjoying the shock look roll over the man's face.
"Excuse me?"
"Oh you know, when she fought with you about how to treat a certain patient of yours, nearly killed him, and not to mention braking up with you just like that?" Elliot spoke up.
"What happened Mitch? I mean she broke up with you, in front of your coworkers no less, pushed your medical advice to the side like it was nothing. And you just what, decided to get back at her by raping her patients?" Olivia suddenly lashed out, causing both the doctor and Elliot to give her a strange look.
"Are you out of your mind?" Mitch said in a hushed, rough, whisper.
"Well you know Doctor, you do have a history of violence." Elliot commented, baking up his partner.
"That was 12 year ago! A fight broke out in a bar, I was defending myself! It just so happened that the individual I was defending myself from was lawyers son. Found myself in handcuffs the following day." Mitch quickly explained, thrusting the x-ray into a nurses hand as she was walking by.
"Look, Sidney is a great doctor, and she was right about that MVA patient, she saved his life. And as for our personal relationship, it was quick, we had fun, but she and I both knew it wasn't going to last." Mitch said in a much calmer voice. "I have no bad feelings towards Dr. Hall, and I did not rape those women."
Olivia hated the fact that this man seemed to be telling the truth, and she wasn't sure why. The dark hair detective hardened her gaze at the doctor and took a half a step forward.
"Your charming boy routine won't get you everywhere Doctor." And with that shu turned on her heel and left, with Elliot right behind her.
Once out of ear shot Elliot quickened his pace until he was right next to Olivia. "So, you going to tell me what that was all about?"
"What are you talking about?"
"That, back there, when you nearly tore the poor doctors head off." Elliot explained.
"You saw him Elliot, he flashes that pretty boy smile and he thinks he gets everything handed to him on a silver platter. The guy just needed to be put in his place."
"Yeah, ok." Elliot quickly dropped the subject. He knew his partner, and knew that there was something more to that than she was letting on. But he chose to let it go. "Let's go talk to the next guy."
Olivia nodded and followed her partner.
"Dr. Wilson?"
"I'm a little busy right now." A males voice answered without looking up from the computer he was currently looking at.
Elliot shoved his badge in front of the screen. "I think you can clear your schedule for us doc."
"You must be here about that whole situation with Hall." Aaron Wilson was not the stud Mitch Davis was, he was a good 2 inches shorter, bald, and rather scrawny.
"What do you know about that?" Elliot asked.
The doctor shrugged. "Just what I've heard from the grapevine, I don't really talk to Hall a lot."
"Yeah, we heard that she got the promotion you both were up for. That must have hurt." Olivia said nonchalantly.
"That's putting it mildly. I have been doing this job since she was in diapers, and she gets picked over me!" The man said rising from the chair he was currently sitting in.
"Well, shit that would make me angry too." Olivia said while glancing at her partner. "Maybe even angry enough to get revenge."
"Sure, and what better way to do that then attack the very patients that she was helping. Show everyone that she isn't this high and mighty doctor everyone thinks she is." Elliot played along.
"Whoa, whoa! I may be pissed over the whole promotion thing, but not enough to go out and rape her patience." Wilson complained. "Take my DNA if you don't believe me!"
"We'll settle for an alibi. Where were two nights ago between 8 and 9pm?"
"I was in surgery all night. It was Hall's night off, I was on my own." Wilson said.
"We are going to need the names of the staff members who were with you." Elliot stated.
"Fine."
"Um, excuse me, Dr. Wilson?" A young male nurse interrupted.
"Yes Joe?"
"Dr. Hall sent me, Mrs. Benet is crashing, they need you in room 202." Wilson quickly ran around the counter and sprinted off.
"Hey, Joe is it?" Olivia asked the man who was picking up the discarded files that had fallen to the floor when Wilson ran by.
"Yes." The man said with a smile. "Joseph Raymond. Are you two investigating the thing with Dr. Hall?"
"Yes we are." Olivia said politely as she bent down to help the young man. "Do you work with Dr. Wilson a lot?"
"Yeah." The young man said bitterly. "Each surgeon gets one private nurse."
"It doesn't sound like you like him too much."
"The man may be good at medicine, but he is a pain in the ass. Talks down to the nurses around here, even does it to some of the doctors." Joe placed the papers back in order on the over crowded desk before continuing. "Like one time, I had fitted him with the wrong pair of surgical gloves, and the man completely degraded me in front of a lot of people."
"What kind of gloves did you hand him?" Elliot asked.
"Just the common gloves, but Dr. Wilson is allergic to latex, so he has special gloves he has to use."
…...
Ok, so I know these chapters may seem uneventful, but I promise they will get better as I develop the story! Can't wait to see what you guys think. (good or bad)
