Breakable SVU CH 6

Olivia Benson was a product of rape, she admitted it to herself and she had a exceedingly low tolerance for rapists and people who defend them. This man Cragen had sent her and her partner to pick up had been taunting them for the better part of a month, daring them to find him and he had finally made his big mistake. He'd not killed his last victim and she had recovered long enough to pin the rape on him.

Olivia was the first to arrive at his door and she heard a childs terrified crying inside. She snap kicked the door open and charged in, gun drawn. The man was caught in the act of trying to rape the girl who had been badly beaten. "Freeze, asshole, or I'll blow your brains all over the floor." Olivia told him.

"Jeez, Liv. Give me a chance to kill him, too." Elliott growled to her a second later. "Get your hands up, Grennett."

"Can I at least pull my pants up?" the man asked.

"No." Olivia said.

"He has a gun!" The victim sobbed scooting away from him on the floor.

"Face down on the floor now." Elliott barked at him.

Grennett made as if to comply, but he reached in front of himself and Olivia saw him pulling something. She kicked him between shoulder blades and he fell. He had been reaching for a gun and it went off between his legs. Luckily it shot harmlessly out of the way, but it gave them another charge to add to a long list already. That of endangering the life of an officer in the performance of his duty.

Olivia knelt on the mans kidneys and handcuffed him while Elliott read the man his rights. Elliott lifted the man to his feet and turned him around toward the door so everyone outside could get an eyeful. "Sorry, forgot." He said belatedly pulling the mans pants up, none too gently. The man winced and glared at Elliott who just gave him a level stare.

Two uniformed officers took him out to the squad. Olivia went over to the girl who was sobbing in a heap against the couch. She took a blanket one of the uniforms had brought in and wrapped the sobbing victim in it. Paramedics had been standing by and hurried in to take care of the her.

Olivia looked around and her eyes met her partners. "We better see if there's anyone else in here." He said.

The found the others in the back bedroom. They shrieked when they saw Elliott so Olivia went in to calm them down. Other officers came in and wrapped them in blankets and took them out to be transported to the hospital and reunited with their parents.

Olivia pulled out her phone and dialed the captains number. "Captain, it's Olivia. We have him and the girls are safe."

"Did you read him his rights?" Cragen asked.

She grinned wickedly at him, though he couldn't see that. "Everything is by the book, sir."

"Good work, detective. When he's booked in, go ahead and call it a day."

"Yes, sir. See you in the morning. Elliott, how'd you like to go see your kids tonight?"

"What about our perp?" he asked.

"The captain told us to call it a day as soon as he's in booking. I thought you'd like to see them tonight."

Elliott grimaced. "That figures. They're visiting Kathy's mother upstate this week before she goes on vacation for the summer. I'll keep working, you go home."

"We could-go do something together." She asked sotto voce.

"Sounds good to me." He said quietly giving her a wink.

She ducked her head to hide her grin of anticipation. "I'll meet you back at my place after work. You drive." She told him loudly.

"I planned on it." He replied grinning.

They left CSU swarming all over the mans apartment and headed back to the precinct. Captain Cragen had left already. They took the perps to central booking and headed upstairs to punch out.

"Want to catch a burger or something?" Elliott asked casually.

"No, I have a date tonight. I'm going to go home and get all dolled up for him. He's pretty special to me."

"Oh, well, another time then. Have a good time." He said pretending not to care.

It was all an act. They left the precinct at separate times, in separate vehicles and went separate ways, but it was for the benefit of anyone watching. Elliott parked down the street from Olivias apartment and let himself inside with his key. He went into the kitchen and started to cook dinner. She came in about 15 minutes later and walked up behind him, slipping her arms around his waist, caressing his stomach. "Mmmm. Something smells good."

"Dinner." He said.

"That wasn't what I was talking about." She said huskily.

He grinned. "I believe you have designs on my body." He said already turning off the burners on the stove.

"I'd like to have more than designs on your body." She told him.

Elliott turned to her and put his arms around her. "Hello." He kissed her luscious lips. Diving in again and again for more.

She reached up and pulled his head down so it stayed there. He slid his hands up her back while she snuck her tongue into his mouth. His cell phone went off. He lifted his head and blinked at her, trying to overcome the dizzying effects of her kisses before he answered. Otherwise it would be a dead giveaway. "Stabler."

"Dad? Have you seen Mom? She was supposed to come get us tonight but we can't find her. Grandma is sick and we need to get home. Mom has our car since hers is in the shop. Can you come get us?" Dickie asked.

"Sure. As soon as I'm done here, I'll head out. How sick is Grandma?"

"She has one of those headaches."

"Okay, son. Try to keep yourselves quiet and I'll be there as quick as I can." He hung up the phone and sighed. "The kids are stuck at their grandmothers house and they can't find Kathy to get them." He sighed and rested his forehead against hers for a minute. "Damn."

She chuckled. "This feeling isn't going to go away. I'll still be here when you get back."

"I might have to stay with the kids tonight if Kathy isn't home. I'll let you know."

"Go ahead. I love you."

"Love you, too." He kissed her quickly and left the apartment.

Olivia saw the half cooked meal and decided she didn't want it without him and put it in the frig. She took half a gallon of ice cream out of the freezer and went in to the living room to eat it. She turned on the tv and sat back to watch. A news bulletin flashed across the screen that Grennett had been arrested and was awaiting arraignment. The ice cream didn't taste so good anymore.

She put it back in the freezer and moved around the apartment restlessly. She had been looking forward to spending time with her partner. She went in to take a shower and felt better afterward. It was tough to release the tension of the case. She moved over to the window and looked outside. Her mind went back to the picture in her mind of the terrified girls in that apartment.

She picked up the phone and dialed a number she didn't realize that she'd memorized. "Breakable, this is Jennifer."

"Oh, I, uh, expected to get the answering machine."

Jennifer sighed. "I didn't expect to be here, but as long as I am. Can I help you?"

"My name is Detective Olivia Benson. I have a certificate for…."

"Yes, I remember you and I've been expecting your call."

"You have?"

"You are the only one from your squad I haven't had a visit from yet. I've been hoping you'd call."

Non plussed, Olivia blurted out "Why?"

Jennifer laughed. "Don't sound so surprised. I find women who work in law enforcement round out a department. They balance the male perspective, you might say. Things tend to get a bit skewed if its only one gender present most of the time."

Olivia smiled to herself. "You're right about that. So can I book an appointment or would you rather I call back in the morning?"

"Either way. My plans fell through for the evening so I'm free either way."

"Could I come now?" Olivia asked more because she was curious than that she expected to get an affirmative answer.

"Now? I guess you could. It's after my normal business hours, but what the hell? That's why I'm in business for myself. What exactly are you looking for in a room? Do you have any particular choices you'd like to use?"

"Well, there has been this case lately…."

"The one that they've splashed across the papers every day?"

"Yeah, that one."

"Ah, I understand. The media made it so much worse than it had to be. I wanted to smack them and I'm not a violent person." Jennifer laughed mirthlessly. "I can see what I can do. Is there anything else?"

"There was an element of alcohol and intellectual elitism."

"Ha, gotcha. You want to come in say an hour or tomorrow?"

"I'll be there in an hour."

"Good. You'll need to bring a few things with you."

Olivia jotted down the list and hung up. She went into her bedroom and changed from her work clothes to jeans and a T-Shirt, grabbed a jacket to cover her weapon and went to get something to eat before her appointment. She found herself both anticipating and dreading the experience, though she'd heard nothing but good things about the place. And she'd certainly been given the benefits of Elliotts earlier visit there. That caused another smile. Elliott, oh damn, she forgot to leave him a note incase he came back tonight.

She picked up her phone and called him. "Stabler."

"Hey, it's me. Listen, I'm going to Breakable so if you come back, I don't know that I'll be there."

"Right. I'll be prepared." He said. There were shades of warmth in his voice that were impossible to deny.

"I'll see you later."

She hung up and left the restaurant. She was early to Breakable, but Jennifer didn't seem to mind. She smiled at her. "Welcome, Olivia."

"Excuse me while I lock the door. I don't want any unexpected visitors. Make yourself at home."

"Do you get a lot of late night visitors?"

"I never used to. I think some of the neighbors are starting to get upset over my being here. It's just a feeling, I have. I'm probably being paranoid. I prefer not to take chances. So, where were we? Ah, yes, your papers."

Once the legal things had been taken care of Olivia chose her weapon. She was torn between a baseball bat or a golf club. She ended up taking the golf club. It had more swinging radius.

Jennifer smiled at her and took it from her. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, but I can't guarantee I can answer it."

"Fair enough. Why did you choose law enforcement? You're pretty enough to have been a model. Or maybe that was the reason. You're also smart enough to make detective. See I answered my own question. Why special victims?"

"That's your second question." Olivia teased, liking the woman.

"And I'm being too nosey. Never mind. So, are you ready to see your room?"

"Wait a minute. I'll answer your question if you slow down. I'm a product of rape myself. It's not something that I tell everyone, but it's no secret. I want to stop people from having that happen to them if I can and especially children that have to deal with that crime. You were a cops wife, didn't you ever consider going into it?"

"No, I wanted to be a foster parent, even a temporary one, but Daves work schedule was too hectic and there was some concerns over his temper so the opportunity just slipped away. I'm not tough enough for a cop, I'm a nurturer by nature. The maternal type, if you will."

"There's nothing wrong with that. There are a lot of children who could use that kind of care. You could still do it."

"I'd probably never qualify. I'm single, older and I live over this business, for heavens sake."

"If you decide you want to try, I'll help you. It's something I…." Olivia stopped, she wasn't usually this gregarious with people she'd just met.

Jennifer nodded. "I understand. So, let's go knock some heads together."

Olivia smiled and put her weapon and badge inside the drawer and followed the other woman into the room. For there being a short time from the call to the visit, Jennifer had put together a remarkably complete room. There were some mannequin heads that looked like they'd been through the ringer once already, but some of them had had moustaches painted on them, making Olivia want to giggle at the effect.

There was bottles from booze of all sorts around, tomato juice jars, orange juice jars, the boxes with the names of ingredients for making mixed drinks filled with other glasses, mismatched but they'd shatter nicely. There were cans of drink mixes that you just add alcohol to and beer signs on the walls and free standing cardboard cut outs touting the different kinds of beer products.

It all brought back unpleasant memories. Olivia couldn't wait to get started. Jennifer recognized the look and handed her the club. "Wait til I'm out of range, please." She grinned.

It was wonderful to smash these things that had made her life so difficult. And it was more than that. Olivia felt like she was swinging for all those victims that she couldn't save, that she wasn't able to help, that couldn't help themselves. She knocked the head off of one of the cardboard cutouts that was touting the vodka that had been a special favorite of her mothers. She pounded the tomato juice cans and smashed the orange juice jars.

The heads of the mannequins she kicked against the wall several times and then lined them up for a golf swing to the face. It landed just fine in the mouth. The lying, rotten, low life's mouth. She brought the club down on the heads over and over again.

She paused to take a breath and heard the exhaust fan. The breeze felt good on the back of her neck with her hair all wet from sweat. She snarled at the boxes, still untouched of limes, strawberries, pineapples and bananas. She gave it a smash that would make a pro ball player proud and heard the crash inside. She demolished the pile of cardboard and glass to a pile of rubble.

She took out the beer signs with great relish and some well placed swings. This was great, she laughed out loud and whacked anything indiscriminately that looked like it was too big and needed to be hit again. She was sorry to hear "Five minutes to finish up." She looked around and whacked the mannequin head several more times just for good measure and laid the club down when Jennifer called for her to lay it down.

Jennifer opened the door to the room and stuck her head inside. "All clear?"

"All clear." Olivia grinned at her. "I really like this, Jennifer. This is great. What a rush."

"I'm glad. Wow. Some people leave things, but you didn't leave a thing that needs more work. Terrific job. This'll be a breeze to clean up."

"You clean this all up?"

"Sometimes I have help, but this, this is great. I can get this all by myself."

"Let me help."

"No, I can get this."

"I want to. It'll go faster with two of us."

"I shouldn't, but if you really want to."

"Just tell me where to start."

"I accept your offer." Jennifer said gratefully.

She pulled the shovels and brooms out of the closet and opened the door to the back where the dumpster was. Olivia was no stranger to using a scoop shovel. She enjoyed the clean up process. The two women chatted about all kinds of things. Things that Olivia didn't get a chance to chat with her friends about as it usually involved work. It was nice not to be a cop for a change, just Olivia. The room was spotless when they were done.

Olivia stood back and admired their efforts. "You aren't charging near enough for this, you know." She said, wiping the sweat from her face.

"Let's see. I get an aerobic work out, I'm my own boss, I get to meet a lot of nice people and I'm helping the environment. I can't see where I'm losing anything. All I want is to pay my bills and buy food. I'm content. And I can't beat the clientele. Want something to drink? I have some cold diet soda and fruit juice."

"I"d…like that, thank you." she changed her mind when Jennifer started to close up. The woman was lonely. She didn't miss the relief on her face. Jennifer had her drinks in a small refrigerator in the back she handed Olivia a choice.

"So you said your neighbors are not happy with you business?"

"It's more of a feeling. A slight coolness when I go out to get the mail or go to the store. They give me a slightly hostile look and are short to a point of rude in some cases." You know if I weren't so suspicious, I'd think it was because I have too many police clients. It kind of puts a kibosh on some of the local economy if you catch my drift. It's the kind of a perk I like."

"Don't you get lonely here all by yourself?"

"I do sometimes, but I'm seeing someone. It's casual, but who knows. So how long have you and Elliott been together?"

"We're partners." Olivia said hastily.

"I'm so sorry. I thought you knew you could trust me. Olivia, no one looks at just their partner the way you two look at each other. But if that's the way you want to call it, I'll respect your privacy. Thank you for the help."

Olivia cocked her head at the woman. "Are you going to say anything?" she asked.

"What's to tell? You and he are partners. That's not against any regulation that I ever heard of. I take love where I can find it. Mine or someone elses."

"I better go. Jennifer, thank you for letting me come tonight."

"Here, take your weapons."

"I guess I'd better." Olivia said feeling a bit foolish.

"I always thought of a badge as a weapon. Used in some cases to subdue a belligerent personality, threats for those who think they're better than the law or if all else fails use it as a projectile." Jennifer said thoughtfully.

Olivia looked at her startled. "I never thought of that. I don't know any cop who does."

"That, my dear, is because I haven't had to work so hard for one. I hope you have a good evening."

Olivia grinned at the woman. "I plan on it."

She left the office and headed home. She had a smile on her face when she pulled into her complex and saw Elliotts car. He'd made it home after all.

She bounded up the stairs. Her adrenaline was pumping and she was filled with the urge to make Elliott sit up and take notice. All of her earlier libido returned with a vengeance. She opened the door and called "Elliott?"

The bedroom door opened and he stood there with water standing on his skin and a towel around his waist. "I was just getting ready for you." he said.

With a smile, she approached him, "I'm ready for you, too, partner." She purred and whipped off the towel.

TBC