Amanda' Reality
This takes place during Season 16 Episode 6.
Carisi and Rollins are listening to Mia give her statement about their trip to Inwood Hill Park, their disappearance, and her little sister getting stabbed and being left for dead in the middle of the woods. She is now claiming that it was all orchestrated by her best friend Perry.
At one point, one of Mia's mothers breaks in and says, "Do you see this? Perry has made a victim out of both of my daughters. There was always something off about that girl."
He notices that Rollins can barely contain a roll of her eyes. Why?
"We understand," she says with forced patience towards the mother and then looks back at the girl, "Keep going Mia."
Carisi is confused. Why isn't Rollins buying this?
Benson and Amaro interview Perry along with a court psychiatrist while Rollins and Carisi observe. Perry tells a fanciful tale about how she is under the control of Glasgowman who had communicated his wishes to her telepathically – instructing her to find him, follow him to the gatehouse, and do the horrific things that she is now admitting to. Stabbing Zoe . . . stabbing herself. She sounds mentally ill. When they come out Benson asks the court psychiatrist for her opinion on Perry. She tells them that her first impression is that Perry is not competent to stand trial.
"For what it's worth, there was no sign of this behavior before she knew that we were on to her," Benson says. The detectives had confronted the girls earlier, letting them know that the timelines they had given for the events of the previous night didn't match up with known facts.
They had both abruptly changed their stories.
But the psychiatrist holds her ground – she insists that Perry's actions alone prove that something is off.
Amanda asks incredulously, "And we don't think Mia's involved?"
"Nah," Carisi answers her, shrugging her off. "I have an easier time believing that she's under Perry's spell – she's scared to death – than believing that she stabbed her own sister and left her for dead."
He gives a dismissive shake of his head.
What a naïve fool. Even Benson can see it – there's way more to this story. Amanda walks away.
"Hey!" Carisi calls out to her, following her.
"Yeah?" she says, turning back a little.
He catches up to her. "You're not buying it?"
"Nope."
"Why?"
"Carisi look, you weren't with Olivia and me when Zoe was giving her statement. That girl is terrified of her sister and Perry."
"Perry, I get. But why would she be scared of her own sister?"
"Look, if you had been in there with us, you might get it." She studies him carefully. Or actually, maybe you might not.
Later Rollins and Carisi are sitting at their desks and she feels like she should try to explain all of this to him. Sometimes he just needs a little help understanding things – he's still a little green.
"Do you have any sisters, Carisi?"
He grins, "Three of them, yes."
"They always get along?"
"Well . . . not always. They fought you, know, when we were kids. Who didn't?"
"And it never got ugly?"
"Ugly? Are you kidding me? No, we're family. We love each other. They always kissed and made up."
"You sound as trusting and naïve as Zoe."
His brow furrows, "How so?"
"You know, we asked Zoe if Mia had ever hurt her accidentally," she emphasizes the word 'accidentally.'
"And?"
"She said that yes, it happened sometimes. But she couldn't believe that it was ever anything more than just an accident."
"Yeah, and neither can I."
She sighs, frustrated that Carisi cannot make this leap. Now it's her turn to shake her head dismissively. "You just don't understand sisters."
"I understand MY sisters," he says defensively. "And they would never ever do something like that – leave their own flesh and blood behind in the woods like that? Cut open to die?"
"You know they did more than just leave her behind, Carisi."
"No, I don't. Families . . . no . . . sisters don't do that," he replies, shaking his head adamantly, refusing to believe something so horrific.
"Yeah, you and your fluffy bunny family . . . " Amanda mutters under her breath, shaking her head and looking away.
"What did you just say?"
"Nothing." She looks back and him and gives him a hard smile that is almost condescending. "Look, it's just that you don't understand what's truly going on here – you can't. You're blind."
"A sister would not stab her own sister and leave her to die." Carisi responds firmly. "Of that I have no doubt."
"Nice world you live in." She stands up, grabs her purse, and leaves for the day.
And what world do you live in, Amanda? It's a pretty freakin' dark place.
Carisi sits with Rollins in family court listening to Perry's testimony; about how since the police have entered Glasgowman's realm and saved the girls the world itself is now an unbalanced place. Mishmash and mumbo jumbo that you'd hear coming from a troubled mind. Even though it's obvious she's crazy, Rollins still looks over at him with a 'can you believe this?' look on her face. He looks back at her, troubled.
When the judge declares that Mia is not responsible and that Perry is to be sent to a psychiatric facility until it is determined that she is no longer a threat to herself or others, Rollins agitatedly tugs each side of her jacket together. She does not look happy at this verdict. As they walk to the elevator she expresses just how upset she is that Mia got off and Perry basically got soft time.
"Rollins, justice was served, alright? Perry is Looney Tunes and Mia and Zoe would never hurt each other."
"If you say so," she says with doubt as she steps into the elevator ahead of him.
What is wrong with her? Why does she doubt him?
Mia and her mothers step in after them. And then Perry, escorted in handcuffs by a bailiff, joins them. As Carisi stands behind them he notices that Mia and Perry covertly join pinkies and exchange secretive looks.
What the hell?
With a sick twist in his stomach he realizes that the world is a much darker place than he had imagined. A place where families aren't always sanctuaries from the outside world.
Amanda knew this. But how?
Disturbed, he looks over at her. She is staring straight ahead, ignoring him.
