Chapter 4

"What's going on?" Olivia asked when she nearly crashed into Elliot racing out of the squadroom. "Rape in progress, I'll explain on the way." Olivia raced out of the building with Elliot and got in the car, barely getting her door closed before Elliot squealed away from the curb.

"Someone called 911 said they could hear a woman screaming down the hall. When the police got there the door was locked. Jenny, that's the woman who lives in the apartment, won't let them in. They're not sure if it's a hostage situation or whether she's just scared to let them in. They want us there ASAP to talk to her, find out what's going on."

"What makes them think it could be a hostage? Has the guy said anything?"

"I dunno."

When they arrived at the building they went straight up to Jenny's apartment. There were cops surrounding in, all wearing vests like Elliot and Olivia. "What's going on?" Elliot asked.

"Girl won't let us open the door, says he'll kill her. We haven't heard anything from the guy, though. Hostage negotiator isn't here, there's a bank being held up and that's taking precedence. We need someone who can talk to the vics."

Olivia walked over to the apartment door and knocked. "Jenny?"

"Don't come in! Go away!" She sounded hysterical.

"Jenny, my name's Olivia, I'm a detective. I just want to talk to you." There was no answer from inside other than a faint sobbing, so Olivia continued, "Jenny, is someone in there with you?"

"No! Go away!"

"We can't do that, Jenny, we need to make sure you're okay first."

"I'm fine! Just leave me alone!"

"If you're in danger we need to know so we can help you. We know there was someone else in your apartment, what happened to him?"

"He left! Please, he left, just go away!"

Olivia looked around at the other cops. Several of them shrugged. Cragen, who had arrived just after Olivia and Elliot, signalled from Olivia to keep going. "Did he leave through the door or did he go out the fire escape? We might still be able to catch him."

"I don't want you to catch him; I just want you to go away!"

"Jenny, all you have to do to make us go away is let me in. I just want to make sure you're okay, and then I can tell everyone to leave." There was no answer. "I promise, I have no weapon, I just want to take a look around. Just me, no one else." She slid off her gun holster as she spoke and handed it to Elliot.

"What the hell is she doing?" Cragen hissed in Elliot's ear. Elliot just shrugged.

"Just you?" Jenny said, her voice coming from just on the other side of the door.

"Just me, I promise." There was a long pause, and then Olivia heard the lock click and the chain slide off. She waited a few seconds, then carefully opened the door and stepped inside. She glanced at Elliot and a furious looking Cragen before closing the door.

Cragen and Elliot waited, their breath held, for some sign of activity inside. Just when they thought they should break down the door and race in after her, the door opened again. Olivia stepped out, her arm wrapped around a young women whose face was hiding behind her long dark hair. Olivia whispered to her comfortingly as she headed through the crowd. As she stood waiting for the elevator, she nodded for everyone to go into the apartment. When she and Jenny had disappeared in the elevator, the detectives entered the apartment.

Understanding dawned on them when they saw the body in the kitchen. Jenny must have killed him and been afraid to get in trouble. CSU was called in and Elliot went back to the station to check on Jenny and Olivia. "How's she doing?" He asked when he saw Olivia.

"About as good as you'd expect. She's afraid of being arrested. I told he we'd do an investigation, but if her story's true the evidence with corroborate it."

"What's her story?"

"He broke in and raped her. When he went into the kitchen she snuck up on him with a bat. He caught her and they struggled for a while until she managed to push him off balance. They both went down, but he hit his head on the edge of the counter."

"From what CSU said before I left, looks like her story checks out. Cragen's pretty pissed at you for going in there alone."

"He'll get over it." She shrugged.

"Yeah, I guess. So how'd it go with James the other night?"

Olivia shrugged, but she couldn't hide the slow grin that crept across her face. Despite her misgivings about James, their date had gone surprisingly well. They had already scheduled another one for that weekend. "It was alright."

"Yeah, right. You're welcome." They both laughed. "What were you off doing yesterday?"

"Since when do you ask what I do with my days off?"

"Since you refused to stay for a high-profile case and then took a day off in the middle of the week despite the fact that you didn't even want time off when your mom died. Something going on?"

"You caught me: I'm cheating on you." She smiled.

"That's not funny." He couldn't help smiling, though. "Seriously, Liv, what's going on?"

"You're the one who told me to take some time off; I just took your advice."

"Since when do you listen to me?"

"Maybe I'll listen more often, you were right."

"This is unprecedented, someone get a camera!" Munch had just entered the squadroom, followed by Cragen and Fin.

"Nice going in there, Liv," Fin said. She smiled. Cragen didn't seem at all pleased, but he didn't call her into his office, so she considered herself safe for the time being.

The rest of the day went smoothly by SVU standards. Jenny's story checked out and she was allowed to leave the precinct, though she had to sleep at a hotel because her apartment wasn't yet clean. Everyone was anxious to get home as the city grew dark, but Olivia's anxiety was the exact opposite. Brittany had told her not to sleep at the precinct anymore, but she was terrified by the thought of trying to sleep alone at her apartment. "Since when are you itching to get out of here?" Elliot asked when he saw Olivia staring at the clock.

"Huh? Oh, I..." She shook her head and went back to her work without responding.

"Well, looks like we can actually get out of here on time. You wanna get a drink?"

"Uh, sure. I just have to make a quick call." Elliot nodded and Olivia left her desk and went into the crib where she would have some privacy. "Come on, pick up," she urged as she held her cell to her ear.

"Hello?"

"Hi, it's me." There was silence. "Olivia. Sorry, I guess we're not quite at the voice recognition stage yet."

"No, I knew who it was. I'm just surprised you're calling."

"I am, too." They both laughed. "I know it's late, and it's last minute, but..."

"Sure."

"I...I haven't even asked anything yet."

"Elliot's a good friend, I know what your schedule looks like. Should I pick you up or do you want me to meet you somewhere?"

"Would it be too forward to suggest my apartment?" Another pause. "For drinks, James. I don't really feel like going out tonight."

"Alright, sure. I'll be there in an hour."

They said goodbye and Olivia went to her desk where Elliot was waiting. "I think I'm gonna skip drinks tonight, but a ride would be great."

"Sure." Elliot drove her home and she went into her apartment, keeping an eye on the clock. When almost an hour had passed, Olivia uncovered her mirrors nervously. It terrified her to open her blinds, but it was night time so that wouldn't matter. She closed her bedroom door so she could turn that light off without having to walk past a dark room. When she heard the buzzer for her door, she let James in and quickly turned off the kitchen light, which really didn't need to be on. She was embarrassed to be going to such extremes to hide her fears from James, but it was better than admitting to them. At least for now.