Law & Order: SVU
"Salvation"
An Original Law & Order: SVU Story
Copyright 2011 by: K. Walsh
DISCLAIMER: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and all characters are property of NBC and Dick Wolf. All the other characters are fictional and have come from the depths of my imagination. This story is an original work of fiction set in the pre-existing world of Law & Order: SVU. All original characters and major storylines contained within this story belong to the author. The pre-existing characters have been borrowed for the purposes of good clean fun…well, maybe not clean. Take heed: this story contains coarse language and sexual violence (sexual exploitation and physical abuse of minors), brief graphic depictions of violent crime and trauma. There are also scenes of sexuality and mature themes between two female characters and two teenage characters.
Author's Note: A special thanks to Torrie and Becca Boo for inspiring The Kid. To my Lass, Gaby, for making sure nothing got lost in translation and Joe Walsh for editing this story. Lastly to all my friends who have put up with me…I know I can be a mess! Salvation is the fourth story in my 'S' series. Scent, Sideways and Sins are the others. While you don't need to have read the others to enjoy Salvation, you probably should, in that order. It will it will clear up a lot of confusion you may have and explain the short blonde, who's now a brunette, running around in the story.
Rating: 18/M
Mariska Hargitay as Detective Olivia Benson
Stephanie March as A.D.A Alexandra Cabot
Christopher Meloni as Detective Elliot Stabler
Richard Belzer as Detective John Munch
Ice-T as Detective Odafin "Fin" Tutuola
Dann Florek as Captain Donald Cragen
Diane Neal as Casey Novak
Featuring Jenna Boyd as Jess O'Malley
Special Appearance by Angie Harmon as Abbie Carmichael
SalvationPrologue
It was hard to say at this point who was happier. Detective Olivia Benson came home to a loving girlfriend, a teenage daughter and a place that felt like home. Despite how much time she spent at work Alex and Jess understood and almost never made her feel guilty about it. They understand and accept her job. Olivia felt stable for the first time in a long time. She and Alex worked at their relationship every day; trying to regain trust and learning to lean on each other.
The Kid, otherwise known as Jess O'Malley was in the midst of wrapping up her junior year at Mount Pleasant Preparatory. Something that had come out recently was that Alex and her siblings had all attended this school, as had their father. The Cabots had a long-standing attendance at Mount Pleasant Prep; they had also made generous donations to the school over the years. Jess was back down to one session a week with Dr. Hendrix. It had taken time but she was working through not only her sexual assault but also the realization that it was her father who had hurt her. She also had a standing appointment once a week with Cynthia Kingston; a producer for the record label WKA Inc. and a renowned vocal coach. Jess had liked Cynthia from the moment she met the woman in the lobby of WKA Inc. She was the teen's vocal coach and loved spending time with her. Cynthia agreed that the tiny brunette had a great voice but wanted to see her improve it and her confidence. Jess and Richard Stabler were still dating and loving the time they spend together.
Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Cabot was getting the hang of parenting. For the most part Jess made it easy; she was almost 17 and pretty much parented herself. She loved her daughter more than she ever thought she could love someone. It was a feeling Alex had never experienced before and thanked Olivia everyday for bringing the tiny brunette into her life. She also thanked her detective for giving her another chance at loving her. Alex loved Olivia Benson and had spend the last few months showing her that; she planned on spending the rest of her life showing her lover just how much she loved her. Jack McCoy had temporarily reassigned Alex for two months beginning in late January. A.D.A. Sonya Paxton had been temporarily re-assigned to Manhattan's SVU. Paxton had filled in for Cabot on another occasion late last fall and had been proven to be an alcoholic. She had since been to court appointed rehab and McCoy was giving her one last chance. During an SVU investigation Paxton became personally involved in the case and it cost her her life. On February 9th A.D.A. Paxton was murdered by a suspect and died in Olivia Benson's arms. Alex, Olivia and the rest of the Special Victims Unit attended the funeral of A.D.A. Sonya Paxton less than a week later. It left Alex realizing how short life was; it left Olivia with a haunting memory and re-opened the hole in her heart her mother's death had left.
Chapter One: The Vic
Manhattan Cemetery
Sunday May 8th, 11:01
It was the first time Jess had done this without Tony. He went with her every Mother's Day. She promised him they would be at the diner for lunch but she wanted to take Olivia and Alex with her today.
From the moment Alex had stepped out of her white BMW Jess had taken her hand. She and Olivia had put on their best poker faces when Jess asked them to come to the cemetery with her. Their daughter had never invited them and they respected her relationship with her mother enough never to ask to go with her. They had been shocked but agreed to go with her.
When Jess visited her mother's grave she spoke to her as if she were sitting in front of her. Tony had told her she should and had even spoken to Katharine as if she were standing in his diner giving him customers' orders. Jess had never spoken to her mother in front of anyone else. She tightened her grip on Alex's hand.
"Hey, it's okay." The A.D.A. stared straight ahead.
"Livie's not coming, is she?" The teen gazed at the headstones ahead as they neared her mother's.
"She said she'd be here."
"She's really busy. She's working a new case."
"There is always a new case. Today is once a year. She'll be here." Alex said in a tone she tried to keep causal. Jess seemed to react better when an even tone and normalcy was placed in front of her during a stressful situation. The A.D.A. had realized a while ago that that was part of the reason her daughter did so well when she testified in court.
Jess turned to the left and walked another twenty feet. She and Alex stopped at the foot of a plot. They stood in silence for a few minutes. The teen was scared and a little embarrassed to start talking to the headstone the way she normally would. Alex lifted Jess's hand to her lips and kissed it gently. This drew her daughter's attention up to her eyes. "My parents are buried upstate. It's where they retired and where the family cottage is. It's what they wanted." She pursed her lips as she looked at her daughter. "I wish we could have buried them here, in Manhattan. It would make it easier to visit them the way you do your mom."
The teen bit her bottom lip. "Do you ever talk to them…like they can hear you?"
Alex nodded. "Sometimes. My father was a Judge. Sometimes if I'm having a hard time with a case I quietly ask him what he'd do. Do you talk to your mom?"
"Yeah, it's just…"
"Weird with me here."
"Yeah. I'm sorry, it's not you…"
Alex looked at her daughter with soulful eyes. "I understand. Do you want to talk to your mom with me here? It's okay if you don't."
"I do…I just…it's weird. It's strange…I don't think…"
"It's okay. Why don't you introduce us? I mean I'm sure she's heard about me at some point."
Jess hugged Alex. She turned with one arm still around the A.D.A. "Mom, this is Allie. Al, this is my mom."
"It's nice to finally meet you Katharine. You raised an amazing little girl here." Alex held Jess tighter to her. "You should know she's the best cook at our house."
Alex played along and Jess loved her that much more for it. Olivia sidled up beside Jess as Alex finished her sentence. "What are we doing?" She asked matter-of-factly.
Jess put her other arm around Olivia. "Livie, this is my mom. Mom, this is Livie."
Olivia took the cue and didn't falter even though she didn't understand what was happening. "Good to meet you, Katharine. We're taking good care of your little girl for you." Jess leaned her head against Olivia's side in acknowledgment.
The threesome let go of each other eventually and started to tell stories about the good times they had had over the last year. Alex and Olivia let Jess have a few minutes alone before they left the cemetery for the diner.
"See mom, they're really good to me. I love them. I miss you, mom. I love you very much. Happy Mother's Day." The teen kissed her palm and placed it on top of the headstone.
Olivia and Alex leaned against the SUV and watched the teenage. A tear ran down Olivia's cheek. "Pull it together, Detective." Alex said lovingly as she took her girlfriend's hand.
"Was that normal? What we did, what happened…was that normal?" Olivia asked as she squeezed Alex's hand gently.
"For Jessie, yes. That's what she does. She can imagine her mother there. She can see her."
"How?"
"I'm not sure. Maybe it's because she lost her mother at such a young age. Maybe because she is still so young. Maybe she just needs to believe in something and she chose her mother. It's hard for you to see that, isn't it?"
The pair watched their daughter and never looked at each other.
"Yes…it is."
"You made it look easy for our daughter today. Thank you for that."
Olivia leaned against Alex. "Having her, watching her, seeing things through her eyes…it…"
"Changes your perspective."
Olivia chuckled under her breath. She loved that Alex made it easy for her. "She's taught me more than I could ever teach her."
121 Bloor
Queens, New York
Sunday, May 8th, 19:22
The Stablers', minus Eli who was at home with a babysitter, Jess, Olivia and Alex sat at a large table in the bar that one of Elliot's brothers owned. Olivia, Alex and Kathy had been honored with quite a toast from their respective kids. The bar and grill was a decent enough place and had karaoke. For the first time Jess took the stage, in front of her family, and sang. "This is to my Mamas. Happy Mother's Day."
(You with the sad eyes
Don't be discouraged
Oh I realize
It's hard to take courage
In a world full of people
You can lose sight of it all
And the darkness inside you
Can make you feel so small
But I see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors are beautiful,
Like a rainbow
Olivia and Alex smiled at their daughter. It took a lot of guts to sing in front of everyone and they realized she was becoming very comfortable.
Show me a smile then,
Don't be unhappy, can't remember
When I last saw you laughing
If this world makes you crazy
And you've taken all you can bear
You call me up
Because you know I'll be there
Alex and Olivia held hands as they thought back over the last year. It had been the best and worst they had ever had. It was strange that the tiny figure on stage had brought them together. In the end, it had been each other that had broken down the walls between them and made it last.
And I'll see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors are beautiful,
Like a rainbow)
By the time Jess was finished Olivia, Alex and Kathy had tears in their eyes. The teen put the microphone on the stand and walked over to her mothers. She hugged and kissed them both. She had worried a lot about how today would go. Alex and Olivia had put her mind at ease in the cemetery and the rest of the day seemed to be so easy.
Mojito
Monday May 9th, 23:55
Carlos sat with his back against the booth. Lucia sat to the right of him and looked out onto the piano bar. She sipped at her drink; a water because he didn't like her smelling of liquor. He looked to his left slightly but never made eye contact with the man. "Do you like anything you see?"
He looked around the bar, although he could hardly call it that. Mike gazed at all the exotic women in the room and aerostatic men. He had gotten a card for Mojito from a guy he plays squash with. He had also shared women with his squash partner. They had similar predilections and that was hard to come by. Mike knew two things for sure; he enjoyed being around like-minded people and he definitely liked what he saw. "I like many things that I see."
"Benjamin told me you might, that is why I gave him my card to give to you. It's your first night at Mojito, Michael…enjoy yourself." Carlos inhaled in his cigar.
"What's her name?" Mike asked nodding to a slender, dark-haired woman in a skin-tight dress as she walked by their table.
Carlos exhaled. "That is Maria. Would you like her to join us?"
Mike licked his lips. "Yes."
As he put his arm around Lucia he leaned in so that his lips were within a half-inch of her ear. "Get Maria," he whispered.
Lucia nodded and Carlos withdrew his arm. She shuffled gracefully out of the booth, stood and walked toward Maria. They spoke briefly when she had reached the other woman and then brought her back to the table. "Michael, this is Maria." Both women smiled at the men.
Mike smiled back. "Hi, Maria. Would you like a drink?"
Maria nodded, knowing she wasn't allowed to drink liquor but saying yes was part of the deal. "Maybe we could go somewhere a little quieter?"
His eyes lit up as his smile widened. "That would be wonderful." Mike looked at Carlos. "Thank-you very much for the invitation to Mojito, I can already tell I'm going to enjoy myself." He downed the shot of rum in the glass in front of him, set it down and shook Carlos's hand.
"Please do, and remember tonight is on the house so have a good time."
Mike got up and took Maria by the hand. Lucia sat back down in the booth next to Carlos. He inhaled on his cigar again. "That's one of the new girls. Did you tell her the rules?" he asked in Spanish.
"Yes, she knows. Like all the girls I trained her myself." Lucia answered in Spanish.
"Good girl." Carlos said as he exhaled.
Maria had been told that she couldn't consume any alcohol. Carlos and Lucia wanted every girl to perform at their best; it was part of the deal. When Lucia had befriended her two months ago in the market in Urbina where she lived the very young, short, dark-haired woman had been kind to her. She spoke perfect Spanish and English. Lucia had told her incredible stories of America, New York City in particular. Maria had wanted to visit and asked Lucia how she could. The slender beauty offered to bring her back to New York City and help her find a job. Maria had been excited about this prospect. She spoke to her family and against their advice had run away and joined Lucia at the hotel she had said she was staying at. She had made all the arrangement and two days later boarded a plane with Maria to New York City. The job Lucia helped her find wasn't what Maria wanted to do. She was all alone in a city she didn't know, in a country she was unfamiliar with. The deal that was struck between Maria and Carlos Ramirez was simple; she did what she was told and he didn't kill her.
Maria and Mike had gone to a private room in the back of the bar. From the inside you would never know these rooms existed. They went through a door marked 'Office' and down a hall. Each room had a lock on the door, from the inside. Maria led Mike through the tiny maze and into the second last room. When they got inside he closed the door and locked it. When Mike looked back Maria was sitting on the bed. He went over to her and grabbed her wrists. "Tonight you're mine and according to Carlos you're free." He smiled a sick grin at her as he pushed her onto her back on the bed. Mike pulled her thighs apart and tore her panties off. As Maria struggled his penis got harder. He put his right hand around her throat. "This time 'round I'm gonna be gentle, Maria. Next time, when I have to pay for you I'm gonna give it all I've got."
He stood up and carefully unbuttoned his dress shirt. Mike removed it and placed it over a chair. He took off his dress pants, folded them neatly and put them on the chair. He took off his briefs and placed them on the same chair. Mike went back to the bed and kneeled between Maria's thighs. "Nice and gentle." He said as he pushed himself inside her.
She knew better than to resist or protest. No matter how rough it got that was part of the deal. There were times, like now, when Maria thought death would be a welcome relief. He was hard and was hurting her as he moved in and out of her. She fought back the tears and the screams she wanted to let out died in her throat. He started to push hard and faster in and out of her. She naturally tensed and brought her thighs together.
"Oh, no you don't." Mike said as he leaned over her and put his right hand around her throat. He squeezed on her larynx. "Open your legs, bitch." He forced himself harder into her prying her thighs apart before she could relax them herself.
Maria cried out slightly at the force and because she wasn't getting enough air to breath. Five more thrusts and Mike held his breath and then came. He relinquished his hold of Maria's neck and pulled out of her. He headed to the bathroom, which was on the right side of the room. When he came back she was still on the bed. That was part of the deal. She had to lay there until the client left the room; she wasn't to assume that because he had gone to the bathroom that their time was over yet.
Mike walked over the chair and got dressed. He looked at her. "Until next time, Maria." He turned, unlocked the door and left the room. Maria sat on the bed and cried for five minutes. She gave herself five minutes after every client. She went to the bathroom, washed up and went back out into the bar.
Residence of Candice and Liam Andrews
14 Avenue C, Apartment 12D
Tuesday, May 10th, 00:45
He woke up terrified and in a cold sweat. When he rolled over he realized what he had done. Liam sat up and pulled the blankets off himself. He quietly got out of bed and walked to the dresser in the room. He opened one of the drawers and pulled out new pj's. Liam undressed and put on the clean clothing. He took the wet pajamas and opened up the hamper in the room. He pushed the dirty pj's all the way to the bottom and closed the lid. Walking from there back to the bed he pulled the soaked sheets off and made them into a ball. Liam did his best to stuff them into the hamper as well. Clean sheets were in the linen closet beside the bathroom; he was going to have to leave his room, walk down the hall, past her room and around the corner to get them. He prayed she had fallen asleep in front of the television. No matter how bad the dream was his reality was worse. Liam stepped out into the hall and he could hear the television from the living room. He silently moved down the hall, past her bedroom, around the corner and to the linen closet. He opened the door without a noise and pulled out sheets. Closing the door he turned and jumped back.
"Why are you up?" She asked.
Liam couldn't look at her. He looked at the floor. "I n…needed new sh…sheets." He tried to get out.
"Why do you need new sheets?" she scowled at him.
"I…uh…wet m…my bed." Liam stammered still unable to look up.
"Liam, what happens when you wet the bed?" Candice asked in an angry tone.
"I g…get the b…belt." Liam started to cry.
"That's right! Get you're ass in there!" Candice yelled.
He dropped the sheets and ran to his room. Candice went back to her room and grabbed the belt hanging over a chair. She walked to her son's room where he was waiting. The only light in the room came streaming through the doorway from out in the hall. Her body cast a horrifically long shadow across his bed and up the wall.
"Lay down." She commanded as she stood beside the stripped bed.
Liam laid on his stomach. She pulled his pj's off his backside with her left hand. She lifted the belt in her right and came down with it as hard as she could.
Thwack.
He had leaned not to scream, protest or move.
Thwack.
She seemed to let him cry as long as he didn't make a sound. The tears fell as the buckle came down a third time.
Thwack.
The first few whips with the buckle hurt.
Thwack.
After a few times it stung more than hurt.
Thwack.
The sound of the buckle hitting him was almost as bad as the contact itself.
Thwack.
"What happens to you when you wet the bed?"
Liam chocked on his tears. "I g…get t…the b…belt."
"And after that?" Candice asked.
"A c…cold sh…shower." Liam managed to get out through the pain.
"Get up." She demanded as she walked out of the room, down the hall and into the bathroom.
Liam did as he was told and followed her. Candice watched as he took off his pajamas and got into the shower. She turned the cold-water tap all the way and pulled the small device to make the water run through the showerhead. As the water hit his body Liam whimpered. It was so cold.
She peered into the shower where her son was standing. "Are you gonna wet the fuckin' bed again?"
"Noooo." Liam cried as the front of his body started to become numb from the water.
"Turn around."
Liam tuned and the water hit his backside first. He inhaled sharply as the water came into contact with the raw flesh.
"Stop wetting the fuckin' bed!"
He started to cry harder. "I w…will." The cold water was now on his back as well. It was so cold.
"Stop lying to me about wetting the bed, Liam. You're nothing but a no-good, lying piece of garbage! I should throw you away!" Candice screamed.
"Pl…please d…don't. I wo…won't do i..it a…again." Liam pleaded.
Candice shut off the water. She looked at him one last time before leaving the bathroom. "You're lying, Liam. Mommy knows you're lying."
Liam shook as he got out of the tub and out of the bathroom. He took a towel out of the linen closet and wrapped it around himself. He picked up the sheets from the floor and got his pajamas out of the bathroom. Liam dried himself, put his clothing on and put the sheets on his bed. When he crawled in under the sheets he was shivering. When he woke up in the morning he was still shivering.