DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN LAW & ORDER:SVU OR ITS CHARACTERS
Olivia sat on her bed, quietly, hugging her knees. She knew Serena would be home soon, drunk as always. It was the same routine: Olivia would come home from school and silently wait for her mother to get home from the bar down the street. What would happen next was always the same. Serena would scream at Olivia, finding any reason to blame her. If she was really drunk Serena would resort to beating Olivia, using anything from her fists and feet, to a belt that was laying around.
Today was like any other day. Olivia continued to hug her knees to her body, silently counting down the minutes until she heard that front door swing open. She knew her mother had been out longer than usual, which meant she was probably shit-faced. Another beating was sure to happen tonight.
Olivia heard the door open, before it quickly slammed shut. She dropped her head into her knees and tried her hardest not to cry, as she heard Serena stagger up the stairs to her bedroom. "Olivia," Serena called out, reaching her closed door. "Don't shut your mother out."
Serena opened Olivia's bedroom door, walked into the room and slammed the door shut. "Get over here," she commanded. She took a look at her daughter and scoffed. "I said get over here!"
Olivia stayed still. She hoped that Serena would get things over with, and if she stayed curled up, there was less of a chance for her to get seriously injured. Serena walked up to Olivia on the bed and grabbed her shirt collar. "You listen when I talk to you," she said, pulling Olivia up and off the bed. She pulled Olivia off the bed, and let her fall onto the floor, causing her to groan. "Get up," Serena commanded once more.
This time Olivia listened and stood. Without another word Serena slapped Olivia across the face. When Olivia didn't respond, Serena slapped her once more, this time adding a punch to the stomach. Olivia grabbed her stomach in pain. "You're such a bitch," Serena said, punching Olivia again, causing her to double over in pain.
Olivia fell to the floor and received a kick to the back. Serena continued to kick Olivia, not caring that her daughter was starting to cry. Olivia curled up into a fetal position, trying to get through today's beating. Serena continued to kick Olivia, yelling how much she hated her. Olivia began to cry, trying her hardest not let Serena hear.
The beating continued for another five minutes. Olivia could tell her body was completely bruised and bloody. "Stop," she begged. She wanted this to stop. She wanted Regina to stop. "Please stop!"
Serena scoffed. "That's what I told your father, but did he stop? No." Serena kicked her once more in the ribs, before Olivia turned to try to crawl away. She wanted Elliot to come and help her. "That boy isn't going to save you now," Serena said, getting on the floor next to Olivia. She grabbed her face and forced her to look towards her door.
Olivia widened the one eye that wasn't swollen shut. Elliot stood near her door, shaking his head. "Elliot," she whispered, trying to break free from her mother. "Elliot, please. Help me."
Elliot scoffed. "You're pathetic," he said, before turning and stepping out of the room.
Olivia heard Elliot walk down the hallway. She continued to cry as Serena began her beating once more. Olivia covered her face. "Stop!" she screamed. She tried to push Serena off of her, but she wouldn't budge. "Stop! Stop!" Serena continued to punch Olivia.
"Stop!"
Olivia sat up in bed, panting. Her body was covered in sweat and her heart was racing.
"Olivia!" Elliot jumped off his bed and raced over to her. He quickly sat on the bed next to her, and wrapped his arms around her. "Olivia, it's me. It's me," he said, trying to soothe her. "It was just a dream."
Olivia continued to pant, trying to steady her heart. When she felt Elliot's arms around her she tensed up and began to cry.
"It's okay," Elliot said, letting her head fall onto his chest. He let Olivia cry on his chest for a few minutes.
When she was finally able to regain control of her breathing, she lifted her head from Elliot's chest and sighed. "I'm sorry," she whispered, rubbing her eyes.
Elliot shook his head. "Don't be sorry," he whispered, as he continued to rub her back. "It was just a bad dream. It's over now." Elliot looked into Olivia's eyes, his heart breaking. She was hurt, and he had promised himself that he would do anything to keep her safe. "Do you want to talk about it?"
Olivia took a deep breath. "It was my mother," she said quietly. "She was beating me."
Elliot wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. "Don't worry Olivia, it was just a dream. I'm not going to let anything else happen to you." He held her tightly.
Olivia sighed. "You were there," she said silently. She felt Elliot stiffen. "You were there, and you didn't stop her."
Elliot stayed still for a few seconds, unsure of what to say. "I promise you Olivia, I will never let that woman lay another hand on you again," he said, pulling her back so she could look him in the eye. "Do you understand that?"
Olivia nodded. "Thank you," she said, wiping the sweat off her forehead with the end of her shirt. The two sat on the bed quietly, unsure of what to do next. Olivia knew it would be easiest to just go back to sleep, but she also knew she had to get the truth out in the open. "About my father," she began, watching his face.
"You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to," he said, placing his hand on her knee.
Olivia shook her head. "It's something you need to know." She watched as Elliot nodded, before he sat quietly, allowing her to continue. "My mother, she was raped by my father when she was in college. Because of that rape, she had me. All my life my mother has abused me, punishing me for the sins for my father." She looked up at Elliot and sighed. "My whole life I've been told I was a mistake. That I should have never been born, and because of that my mother takes all of her anger out on me."
Elliot sat there, unable to think of what to say. How could someone tell someone as amazing as Olivia things so hurtful and terrible, especially her mother. He knew from this day on he was going to make sure Serena never spoke an ill word about Olivia, no matter the cost.
Olivia, noticing Elliot hadn't spoken after a few moments, moved away from him. She was worried what he would think when she told him everything; scared to death that he would back out of everything now, fearful that she was too damaged. "I'm sorry," she said, staring at the floor. She shouldn't have told him. She should have kept quiet and let them continue their happy charade, at least until he had left again.
Elliot grabbed Olivia's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I hate that she did those things to you." He placed his hand on her chin and turned her face so she could look him in the eye. "I hate that she said those things to you. You are a beautiful, amazing, and brilliant young woman. I don't care how you got here, but I know you were, you are, no mistake."
He wiped some stray tears off of Olivia's face, before taking a deep breath. "My father also beat me," he said quickly, trying to get the words out before his voice could crack.
Olivia looked up at him, stunned. "What?" She watched as he took another breath. "Elliot, you don't have to tell me this," she said, placing her hand on his knee. It was hard telling him about her mother, and she knew it was for the best, but she didn't want him to feel obligated to tell her about his family.
Elliot gave Olivia a small smile. She was always looking out for him. "It's okay Olivia," he said softly. "I want to tell you." He watched as she nodded before he continued. "My father, Joe, was in the police force long before I was born. He had met my mother in high school and the two got married right after graduation. Right after they had my brother and well, my dad felt stressed and knew he was going to need a job to support the three of them. So he joined the NYPD. After my sister and I came along my father got even more stressed. He spent more hours at work than he did at home, and he started drinking." He looked at Olivia, took another deep breath, and continued. "One day I came home from school, angry because some bully had picked a fight with me for no reason. I didn't want to fight, so I ran home. When my father heard about it, he got mad. Said no son of his was going to back out of a fight." Elliot closed his eyes, as if that was going to stop the vivid memories from returning.
"He hit me for the first time that night. I knew my father was a lot of things: a drunk, an angry person, but I never thought he'd be someone who would lay a hand on his kids. Turns out I was wrong. He beat me that night for not fighting. He yelled at me and punched me, and when he was done, he made me go and find the kid and fight him. After that all my father ever did to my brother and I was hit and yell at us."
Olivia sat there, surprised. She had known Elliot for a few years, and never had she thought he had come from an abusive family like herself. "What about your mom?" she asked. She had never heard about his mom before, so she was curious as to why she had never tried to stop the abuse. Did she not know? Did she not care? Or was she too afraid to do anything?
Elliot sighed. "My mom has problems of her own," he began, as he rubbed his arm nervously. "My mom was diagnosed with Bipolar disorder when I was a kid, and unfortunately she never took her medicine, which meant she was never thinking clearly enough to do anything. I think that's why my dad drank so much, to get away from her and her crazy ideas." Olivia watched as a small smile flashed on his face, before quickly disappearing. "MY family is a lot different than anyone else thinks. Even Kathy didn't know the truth."
Olivia gave him a small smile, happy to know that she was one of the few that knew the truth. "So what happened to your dad?"
Elliot stared at her. It was obvious he no longer cared to show emotion for the man who continually abused and humiliated him. "He left. Two years ago he just got up and walked away, leaving my mother with me and my sister. The last time I spoke to the man was when he threatened to put my mother in a home if I didn't go into the Marines to provide for Kathy and what he thought was my baby."
"I'm sorry," Olivia whispered. "I didn't know."
Elliot shrugged. "No one did. But now you do, and that's all that matters." He gently placed a kiss on her forehead before standing. "I think we both need to get some sleep," he said with a smile.
Olivia stared at the man, curious as to how this man who had just told her about his abusive father could smile so genuinely. He was strong, stronger than she could ever be. She gave him a small nod, before laying back in bed. She watched as he moved towards his separate bed, before calling out his name. "Elliot," she said quietly, causing him to stop.
"Yeah?"
"Would you mind staying with me, at least until I fall asleep?"
Elliot looked up at Olivia and smiled. He knew she felt safer with him around, which is exactly what he wanted. "Of course," he said, climbing into the bed with Olivia. He quickly turned off the light, laid down, and wrapped his arms around her.
Trevor stood from Alex bed and sighed. "You need to tell them," he said, pulling on his shirt.
Alex sighed. She stood from the bed, walked across the room and into her bathroom before shutting the door, leaving Trevor on the other side. He was right. She needed to tell everyone, but not now. She would do it when she was absolutely sure it was necessary.
Uh oh, what is Alex hiding? Only time will tell. Anyway I hope you all read and review!
Up next: Elliot has to leave again, Alex gets confrontational, and Casey asks the question everyone is dying to know.