Author's Note: Thank you all for your reviews, they honestly do push me on writing more! I appreciated every review I receive. Huge shout out to Jen aka sheepish123 for always encouraging me to continue writing even when I am discouraged to do so. Thank you, Jen! And, please note that my case scenes may be inaccurate at times because well I am not a cop, and I am going with whatever google tells me. So, I apologize if my scenes are off and what not! Anywho, the same disclaimer applies. Enjoy, and don't forget to leave me some love down below!
Olivia strolled into the 1-6 Special Victims squad room at around eight in the morning; she carried a brown drink tray that held four Starbucks cups on it while the other her other hand held her glasses and phone. Her brown eyes watched her newest Sargent and one of her best detectives, also girlfriend huddle together by Amanda's desk engrossed on the yellow notepad that held scribble notes that laid on the blonde's desk. Olivia felt proud at how well her unit worked together, and how sync they are with one another, that she couldn't help but smile.
"I brought coffee," Olivia announced, grabbing their attention.
Amanda and Fins head snapped up; their eyes fell on their lieutenant. Fin was the first to stand up from his seat and walk over to Olivia, graciously taking the coffee cup from the tray she held, each cup had their name written on it. Taking the first sip of coffee, he was dancing inside after tasting the caramel espresso that woke his taste buds. "Thanks, Liv."
Olivia took the notion upon herself on placing Amanda's cup on the corner of her desk, since she had not moved. "Americano with a dash of whole milk and a single packet of sugar, right?" She smiled.
"Right..." her southern accent drawling out the letter 'r,' while a coyly smile appeared on her face, as her hand reached out for the cup that sat on the corner.
Carisi rushed into the squad room," morning rush hour..." he breathed out, his hands waved in midair as if he was trying to catch his breath. "Coffee?"
Olivia extended her arm with the drink tray in hand, and Carisi with no hesitation grab the cup with his name on it. "Did I miss anything?" He asked before taking a long sip of his cup.
"Uh, no we are just about to brief. Rollins and Fin-" she prompted the two to start off the briefing.
Fin sat on the edge of his desk, his eyes locked with Olivia's, "our witness Eric Lopez and Jake Ryan, both nineteen, no priors clean record. Young wanna-be gang members, trying to fit in. They were heading back to Lopez crib after a party that started getting a little too rowdy for their liking."
"They each said they were walking down the street when Lopez and Ryan heard two male voices from the abandoned home; so the witnesses hid behind the dumpster when they heard the two suspects walking out the home. Lopez and Ryan both said that the two males did not speak English, that they spoke Thai or some Asian language." Amanda chimed in, she leaned back into her computer chair, one leg crossed over the other while the yellow notepad laid on top of it.
"We interviewed them separately; their stories match the others. They also said they've seen the suspects carrying out a medium-large size red cooler and placed it on the back of the black minivan." Fin added before taking another sip of his coffee.
"Yeah, and they couldn't see their faces because they wore all black and it was dark. However Lopez said that one of the guys that was facing outwards while carrying the cooler was wearing a black ski mask," Amanda added, her eyes now glaring back at Olivia's brown.
Olivia had already discarded the drink tray; she placed her right hand on her hip while the other held her coffee, biting the inside of her cheek as she took in the information. "Okay, good..that's something. We will get more details when one of the girls wake up. In the meantime, Sonny was forensic able to give us any helpful information?" She questioned, her body now turned facing to the young detective.
"The one thing we noticed is one of the girl's bedroom, uh- Mai Arak bedroom window was open. However no fingerprints were found, and the other two according to the mothers had been missing since early afternoon," Carisi added.
"And the parents didn't report them missing?" Fin blurted.
"They did. However, the officers over at Queens police department send them home since the girls haven't been missing for twenty-four hours," Carisi answered, shaking his head at the nonsense.
Amanda rolled eyes, "they are a five and six-year-old girls, where the hell would they go on their own?" She snorted, her fingers running through her hair, nails scraping her scalp. "I know if it was my daughter that had gone missing, and they told me that…" she chuckled "all hell would break loose, that's for damn sure." She finished.
Olivia eyes locked with Amanda's. The words that spoke out of Amanda's lips did something to her, a sense of warmness filled any loose gaps in her. She wondered, if Amanda too ever thought of starting a family with her, the possibility of having kids together. "Liv!" Fin's voice halted her train of thought," Yes, sorry..what did you ask?"
"Any new on the other girls?" Fin asked for the second time, shaking his head at the obvious train of thought Olivia was.
"They're recovering from surgery; the head nurse will give us a call when one of them wakes the meantime, Fin, take a two-hour catnap in cribs. Rollins, my office, please."
Amanda rolled her eyes at the request from her lieutenant. She stood up from her chair and followed the older woman, and she would be lying if she wasn't checking out curves and thick assets that her girlfriend displayed. The way her skinny black trousers embraced her lower body with pure perfection. The way her dark green long sleeve blouse with a collar and buttons at front, with the two front buttons, undone; brought out her smooth olive skin, radiating like a summer's tan even though they were in the middle of fall. Amanda closed the door behind her as soon she entered the office, leaning against it. "Yes?"
Brown eyes locked with blue. Olivia leaned against the front of her desk, her hand playing with the necklace she wore. "I wanted to check in."
"Check in?"
"If...um, we're okay?" Olivia mumbled nervously.
Amanda relaxed, her teeth digging into her bottom lip as a smile appeared, "We're okay," she whispered.
"You're not mad at me anymore?" Olivia inched closer to the blonde.
Amanda shook her head lightly, "I wasn't mad. I was disappointed. I was looking forward to having dinner with my girlfriend and telling her about how my meeting went."
Guilt filled Olivia, she reached out and took Amanda's hand in hers, their fingers intertwined with the one another's. "Manda' I am so sorry." She breathed, sincerely rolling out of the tip of her tongue with every word that came out.
Amanda squeezed their fingers together, they stood inches away from each other, and her lips craved for the brunette sweet lips, but she had to push that desire to aside for later that night. "It's okay, Liv. I was just, being childish. I -I.."
Olivia cut the blonde off, "no, you have every right to be mad and disappointed in me. I completely blew you off. I'm sorry."
"I know, and it's okay," Amanda replied.
Olivia dared herself to close the gap between them, to place her hands on the blonde's slender waist, and to claim the pink lips that are of her lover's, but her work ethics and common sense stopped her from moving one-inch closer, and instead, she returned the squeeze. "You come first."
"I know, and same here," Amanda comforted the older woman with gentle hand squeeze, the silent affection they were only allowed to display.
They stood still for a few moments, squeezing each other's hand as every second tick. Their body yearning and urging to claim each other's lips and to be held in each other's arms. It was a dare that neither of them could complete, a torch light that inflamed within them pleading to die out before it scorches inside them. The heat of this flame crept out from their hearts down to their fingertips.
"Would you mind if I laid down in cribs for a few? Need to clear my head." Amanda quietly asked, her eyes never leaving Olivia's.
"Of course."
It was quarter past four in the afternoon, and Amanda alongside with Olivia sat in the hospital waiting area. They had gotten the call from the head nurse that one of the girls had woken up, and is ready to talk to them, with the request of being only female officers. Not a split second that Olivia hung up the phone call, she and Amanda rushed out the precinct. They sat patiently with their phone in hand, wasting time as they waited.
Was wondering, if I could see you later tonight, after work?"
Olivia leaned back into her chair, bring her phone close to her chest; keeping the phone off Amanda's view. "Fine. I will meet you at our usual at 9 pm."
A few seconds after sending her reply, her phone vibrated against the palm of her hand,"Great! Looking forward to it, see you soon."
"Lieutenant Benson?"
The raspy and tired voice distracted Olivia from her sending the new message, quickly she stood up putting her phone into her coat pocket, nudging the blonde to follow suite. Her eyes locked with the green pair that met hers, "Yes, I am Lieutenant Benson and this Detective Rollins."
"Um, unfortunately, I come with bad news." The doctor confessed.
"What's wrong?" Amanda jumped in.
Dr. Johnson eyes lowered, he sighed in tiredness and frustration. "I am sorry but Anali, the five-year-old had passed away not too long ago."
Amanda inhaled, her right hand covering her eyes as she turned, her back now facing the doctor. She was tired, and she was pissed off. Her mind cursing out at the demonic beings that did this hideous unforgiving crime.
"What happened?" Olivia questioned.
"She suffered an infection, her body shut down fairly quickly. The injuries she had sustained were too much for her tiny body to handle."
Worked up, Olivia shook her head. The red had begun to fill her veins; she wanted nothing more than to find the son of bitches that ended two precious lives and throw them in a cage where they belonged. "How's Parveen doing?"
"She's stable. Parveen was severely raped, we had to stitch her back up. We sent out the rape kit to your people."
"Can we talk to her?" Amanda chimed in, behind Olivia.
"Yes, but please make it quick. She is still a bit out of it, but Parveen parents are allowing her to speak to the both of you."
Dr. Johnson leads the two women to the PICU floor. Amanda's eyes scanned the glassed rooms as she walked down the PICU floor, her heart breaking at each sight of young children hooked up to machines, some without their parents there with them. The beeping sound coming from each room rang her ears, sending a high pitch sound causing her to wince at the pain that came with it. Her mind wonders how these parents who left their children were just able to abandon them alone in a scary environment, feeling helpless and unsure. Her thoughts stopped when Dr. Johnson stood in front of Parveen door, and nerves hit her. She followed the doctor and Olivia behind as they walked into the room, mentally preparing herself for how Parveen may look after her attack.
"Parveen, these lovely ladies are here to ask you some questions."
Olivia stepped around Dr. Johnson and stood along beside. "Hi Parveen, I am Olivia, and this is Amanda, we are police officers." She introduced in a delicate and warm matter, showing the young girl that laid on the bed her badge.
"Hi," Parveen whispered.
"I will leave you two at it." Dr. Johnson stepped out of the room, sliding the door behind him.
Olivia took it upon herself to sit on the empty seat next to her, reaching eye level with the young victim. "How are you feeling honey?"
"Tired," the young girl admitted, her right hand picking at her left fingernails nervously, her eyes looking away.
"We are just here to ask you some questions about what happened to you, sweetie. We want to catch the people that this to you and your friends. Will you help us?" Amanda asked, she stood next to Olivia, and she held her small memo pad along with her pen.
Parveen nodded.
"Okay great. Parveen, your mommy, and daddy told us that you went missing after school. Did you know this person who took you?" Olivia asked softly.
"No."
Olivia nodded. "Okay, so how did they take you?"
"He said he had a puppy. Asked me if I wanted to see her."
"Okay, umm, could you tell me how he looked like? Was he old? Was he a teenage, like from high school? Or was he like your dad's age?" Amanda asked as she wrote down the last statement.
"He looked like he was in high school."
"How do you know sweetie?" Olivia questioned.
"I have seen him walk into the high school, down the block. And he had school basketball sweater on."
"Okay good, good. You are doing great honey. Do you remember how this boy looked like?" Olivia leaned in, her eyes searching for the young girls.
"Umm…" Parveen paused. " He was tall like mommy, dark hair like mine. Blue eyes, his skin was like mine, mommy, and daddies." She added.
"Was there anything that stood out about him? Did he have an earring? Or um, maybe a birthmark on his face?" Amanda asked as she wrote on her notepad.
"He 's Indian. I saw him outside once talking to his nānī in Hindi." She paused for a moment, " he also had a long silver stick earring that came from here and here.." she added, explaining the industrial piercing best to her ability.
"Great, honey. That is helpful. Now, where did he take you?" Olivia asked.
Parveen eyes lowered, "He took me to a black van, and he gave me a shot that made me sleepy."
Amanda remained calm, "What happened when you woke up?"
"I was in a dog cage with another girl. I was scared." She cried.
Parveen's mother stepped to her daughter's side and grabbed her hand. " That's enough officers, please. My daughter needs her rest." She demanded.
Olivia inhaled, disappointed in the sudden halt to their questions, "Yes, of course. I would like to ask a few more questions, tomorrow, if possible."
Parveen's father shook his head, "No, absolutely not. She's traumatized enough", he hollered.
Amanda walked around to the front of the bed, inches away from the young girl's father, "Please, sir. We want to catch the men that this to your daughter and the other two girls. The other two have passed due to their actions, help us find them and put them away."
Parveen's father brown eyes found his wive's, her eyes pleading him to allow it. "Very well, but once it becomes too much for her, it's over."
"Yes, yes, of course." Olivia agreed as she stood from the chair. "We will be back tomorrow morning." She turned to face the young girl that laid on the bed, one eye cover with gauze and wires coming out of her gown. "You are a brave girl."
Dusk had started to fall, and the November's cold breeze assaulted their face as they walked passed the sliding hospital doors. Amanda zipped up her leather jacket, once again cursing herself for not wearing a heavier one but luckily for her she had a hoodie underneath. "I'm so fucking tired." She declared.
Olivia turned her head to face the blonde next to her; she can see the exhaustion on her lover's face. "Once we get back, you can go home and get some rest."
"What about you?"
They reached the unmarked patrol car, and Olivia stood by the driver's side, "I wish, but I have so much paperwork to catch up on," she explained as she got in the car.
"Okay, well I can't promise I will be able to wait up for you, but I will try."
Olivia's hazel eyes met tired blue eyes, "Don't worry, you just go home take a long hot shower and get some well-deserved sleep." She whispered as she leaned.
Amanda got the hint and leaned in, claiming Olivia's lips that she waited all day to capture. The kiss was a gentle and over before it begun, but it fed the hunger they had throughout the day. She unwilling pulled away, the brunette's scent filled her lungs and head. Her blue eyes sparked, "I love you."
"I love you too." Olivia breathed out; her brown eyes spark matched Amanda's.
It was ten at night, and she found herself standing in front of the ma and pa diner, staring at the window; looking inside. Her mind daring herself go inside but also telling her to leave, that is wrong. She had angle one shoulder and the devil on the other, taunting her. Her body trembled, not from the cold but from nerves that shook her core, it tried to shake off the feeling of what she is doing was wrong. Olivia's mind switched from Amanda to the other person; it was like a puppeteer pulling her heartstrings. Shit, she cursed to herself. Her heart stopped as she turned to leave, her body bumping into who she was waiting for, and her breathing became nonexistent. The knots started to build a maze in her stomach; butterflies fluttered around it.
"Were you thinking of ditching me?"
Olivia swallowed the large golf ball size of emotions that wanted out, "No, of course not." She smiled.
Authors Note: nānī = grandmother
Encourage me...