Opening her eyes to an unfamiliar ceiling she looked around trying to put the pictures together to where she ended up last night. Looking down on an unfamiliar sheet covering her naked body Emma Swan blinked her eyes rapidly, trying to replay last night's party. This is the 4th time this month that Emma does this to herself. She parties every chance she gets and always ends up with a stranger at the end of the night. After a tough divorce and being cheated on she's tired of trying to find something she feels is missing in her life. She looked over to her side, eyes landed on a clock "shit" she mumbled. She had to leave for work now and if she catches a taxi home to change her clothes, she could make it to work on time. She got dressed as fast as she could, clueless to a pair of blue eyes watching her
"You don't have to leave so soon" the brunette whispered, startled Emma turned to look at the beauty before her she looked at this woman's beautiful body and face as she tried desperately to remember her name but no luck, tempted to get back in bed she looked into those blues eyes and smirked
"I would love to be the nice girl in the morning and take you out to breakfast but that's not who I am (not anymore) she thought. I have to be at work in 30 minutes,"
Emma turned around to sitting on the bed to put on her shoes on not feeling the mysterious lady leaving her bed and when she looked up, she could barely keep her eyes away from the naked figure in front of her
"I guess being late for two minutes won't hurt," she smiled with lustful eyes.
She moved as fast as she could but she knew it would be no use as she was already late. The cold weather of Manhattan made her wish for a hot cup of coffee, which she didn't even have time for it this morning yet. She had her long blonde wet hair up in a ponytail; she had applied light makeup to cover up her pale skin but with this weather and running around, her cheeks were probably a light shade of pink, today was a dress down kind of day dark blue jeans paired with a blue button-up shirt tucked in her jeans she wasn't in the mood to wear anything fancy. Emma rushed into the building and marched down the hall to the elevator and pushed the button to call it up to her floor. After a few minutes she heard people talking coming from inside the elevator. It stopped when the door slid open several of the people inside were wearing the blue uniform. She looked at every single one while they look everywhere else except her leaving it a quiet ride up. She stepped out when the elevator reached her destination leaving everyone else to whisper about her. People would stare and whisper about Emma sometimes they would call her "cold hearted" or "ice queen" but she didn't care as long as she got her job done. Becoming a detective was always her dream she followed her father's footsteps and now she's here she would let no one else take that from her or make her feel bad about the things she had to do for the job. She was so lost in her mind she didn't see her boss watching her curiously. She looked up and met with his glare she tried to focus on his face and she could see that he was giving her an "I'm sorry" look meaning work will be hell today.
"Oh great," she whispered. Before walking to her desk she made her first stop in front of a pot full of bitter coffee even if the coffee here was horrible she couldn't keep herself from drinking it.
"Rough night, huh?"
That voice she would recognize anywhere she turned around and saw a face she sees everyday she sighed
"Ruby you know nothing about my nights."
Ruby Lucas was Emma's partner and she was quite beautiful. Long brown hair, bright green eyes her beautiful smile she was someone that Emma would date but being her partner she would never cross that line.
"Well, Mary told me enough to last me a lifetime of scarring, I still don't understand why it's so hard for you to commit to someone but instead you sleep with random chicks. It won't make you feel better and ever since Serena you've been going around like a headless chicken. What was this chick's name today?"
Emma smiled but deep inside she wanted to slap Mary silly for telling her work partner about her personal life.
"You and Mary buddies now? You realize she's into Whales not you right?"
Em gets close to Ruby's face with an agitated face
"Don't talk about Serena again,"
She walked away from Ruby and sat down at her messy desk, there were papers all over desk but that one blue folder with the assignment for today. Ruby sat on her desk giving her a look of excitement. Without glancing at Emma's way she put her hand out waiting for it. Ruby always sneaked a peek of their cases before she even has the chance of showing up at the precinct. Taking the folder from her she noticed how thick the file is, knowing it's not a single homicide but multiples. She hears her phone ringing picking it up without even looking at it she answers. They have found another body looking up at Ruby she mouths
"Let's go,"
Getting up from her chair she grab the file and her jacket.
On the way to the crime scene she had her partner read out the file while she drove. So far there's 3 female victims who died from strangulation; they were badly beaten and severe bruising in cervix but each rape kit came clean, no semen meaning the perp was using protection. The only connection she can see right now from it was their light auburn hair and milky white skin. Honking at cars that wouldn't move made her frustrated. Even with the siren on people just won't budge and therefore she was always late to crime scenes, it was never her fault but traffic in this city. She honks at a car in front of them who has stopped on a one-way street not giving enough space for her to drive through. Ruby opens the door on the passengers side and gets out of the car with an annoying look on her face she jogs up to the front cars window and Emma can't hear what Ruby's saying to the stranger she only sees the badge being shown to the driver. After 3 minutes her partner jogs back into the SUV with a smirk on her face as the car in front of them speeds off.
She drives and takes quick glances at Ruby "So what did you tell them this time?"
Every time something like this happens to them it's always a different funny threat that probably makes those poor people pee their pants.
Ruby turns to the window trying to hold her laughter "Well I noticed that Johnny boy had a wedding band on his left hand while the blonde next to him didn't but he had his hand almost up her skirt. I told him if he didn't move his car I would happily find his wife to give a little advice. I thought his eyes would fall out of his face."
Laughing at her partner she pulls up to Central Park where she sees all the cops cars she stops the engine but before Emma can open the door Ruby puts her hand on her shoulder
"Try to be nice to them this time, please? We have to work with them every day and I'm tired of them staring at us with a dirty look every time we walk into a room or even out here."
Emma gets out of the SUV and walks towards the scene with Ruby trailing up behind her
"Be nice? How can I be nice? They always mess up the crime scene! Remember when officer Martinez touched everything in that apartment with his bare hands? He didn't even use gloves. Adding more fingerprints for our team to analyze."
She can already see a body on a brush of leaves grabbing a glove from an officer nearby she walks up to Susan Mead who's looking at the body.
"Dr. Mead what do we have here?"
She looks to the side trying to get a look at the victim's body and she noticed right away the light auburn hair on the victim. Looking closely she lifts up the victims hair and sees handprints on her throat meaning another strangulation. Dr. Mead looks up from the body to detective Swan
"What are you doing here detective? SVU detectives are on the case."
Looking closely at Detective Swan she turns around towards the body
"Don't you look nice today detective. Another fun night?"
Hearing Ruby laughter in the back she turns her eyes from the body to the back of the doctor's head smiling
"If I remember correctly, you were a part of my late night loneliness one time… good times."
Emma smirks she couldn't see the doctor's face, but she knows she caused the doctor to blush.
"Is this the same as the other 3 victims? Hailey Campbell, Cassidy Elliot and Kendra Wilson all three were strangulated, beaten and sexually abused. So far I see that whoever doing this has a type."
Emma walks around the doctor looking at the victim's hands and feet
"He's been tying them up. Look at the marks on their wrist and ankles; I think it might be with a rope? No, maybe not… look at the pattern of the marks it's not anything I can think of. Oh! Chains!"
She looks at the doctor almost cringing since Mead doesn't like when Emma starts off without her getting a word into it. Sighing loudly the doctor looks up at Ruby who's been silent this whole time, which is nothing new there. The girl was a chatterbox but when it was something like this, she's always quiet. Keeping her eyes on Ruby
"A chain not a rope would cause the patterns. This young lady might have been sexually abused since there's bruising on her thighs but I'm not sure if she died of strangulation or the trauma in the back of her head."
Mead lifts the victim's head up so both detectives can see the wound.
"We have to do an autopsy to see which one was the caused of the death. While I work on that with my team why don't you two take her photo and run it through the database for missing people and see if you can match her to any missing person or if she's in your database."
Emma stares at the doctor with her mouth slightly jarred feeling the wind pick up she crosses her arms
"Thanks Doctor,"
She bites her cheek ready to say something to the doctor but Ruby physically turns her around and pushes her away from the crime scene
"Did you hear all that? She can't tell me what to do!"
"She's a doctor and she's right we have to find out who Jane doe is right now"
Looking ahead Emma sees a car pulling up mumbling under her breath
"Oh, hell no!"
Ruby squints her eyes to see Serena and her partner coming out of the car and she puts her hand on Em's shoulder whispering
"please don't start this right now,"
Emma turns towards Ruby
"Are you kidding me right now? Why is she here? I can't work with her! She won't let me see her Ruby! It's not fair because she's the one who cheated on me and broke my heart!".
Ruby throws Em a sympathy look and turns to Detective Serena Greyson and Ethan giving them a tight smile
"Hello detectives we finished talking to Doctor Mead"
She points behind her
"She wants us to run her photo in the database to see if the victim is in the missing person's database."
Serena keeps her eyes trained on Emma giving her a questioning look
"Why are you guys here? It's our case so I would appreciate if you two would stay out."
Emma finally speaks
"We got the case this morning. Yes, it's an SVU case but as a homicide detectives we will be on the case as well and if you don't like it"
She looks straight at Serena while saying bitterly
"Ah you should talk to your boss. Have a good day detectives." She smirks
Walking away she throws Ruby the car keys
"That was rude,"
Giving Ruby a death stare Em turns towards the window biting her lip knowing Ruby was right but she can't stand being near her ex-wife.
While she's sitting waiting for their Technical Analyst to find out who's this new victim. Aside from Ruby and her boss she's always loved working with Belle known as Belle Quinn she's the best technical analyst that Emma knows. Lieutenant Hammer sighs before calling Emma to his office
'Today will be a long day' he thought.
Emma walks into the office explaining the captain what's going on but he stops her
"It's not about the case detective,"
She raises her eyebrow giving him a curious look
"What is it Logan?"
Lieutenant hesitates before spilling it out
"You'll get a new partner as of now and Ruby will ride alongside with Jayden," he cringes as he sees her face.
Emma can't believe her ears,
"What?" She steps up
"You can't be serious! She's my partner and you can't just switch us and put her with that airhead! I won't allow it!"
She breathes heavy; he pushes himself to look taller Em can be scary, but he needs her right now.
"I can do it because I'm the lieutenant what I say goes, and that's it."
She sits down trying to control her emotions she softens her voice
"But why? We've been partners for years now and I can trust her with my life. I don't want to look after another rookie."
He feels bad for doing this to his best detective
"It'll be only for two months after my retirement you can switch back and you won't be dealing with a rookie but my replacement. I just need you to show her what we do here and she needs someone to show her around the city as well she's new and I don't want other detectives busting her chops for not knowing how they work around here or treating her badly because she's new but her working with you for two months they'll respect her the same way they respect you."
She laughs "They respect me because I earned it and I don't deal with their shit I put my foot down."
She smirks
"As you said I'm your best detective that's got to earn a lot of respect."
He chuckles at her cockiness
"Well, will you please just do this for me? I'll own you."
She looks up at him 'what a big softy' she thinks and points her index finger towards him and glaring
"You'll own me that bottle of whiskey I've been waiting a while now for it"
With that she stands walking towards the door but stops turning around
"You must tell Ruby and call the SVU captain because they put Serena on the case and you know I cannot work with her."
He sighs ever since Em got a divorce she's been different
"She still doesn't let you see your kid?"
Hammer can see her eyes and he knows she's suffering. The only people she can talk to about this was Hammer, Mary and Ruby she frowns
"No, she won't let me see her and it's been 2 weeks already I bet you my own little girl doesn't remember me anymore"
"Emma she knows who you are and that little girl loves you more than anything but don't worry I'll talk to the captain"
She smiles being glad he hears her out.
Walking out of the office Em looks towards Ruby while she eats her donut while licking the frosting off first and she cringes on how nasty her partner can be
"Can you stop eating your donut like that, it's disgusting!"
Ruby flinches she got caught eating her delicious treat looking up she pushes the donut up
"Would you like a piece?"
"No, I think I'll pass" She sits down and sighs
"What did Hammer say to you?"
"He wants to talk to you too I suggest you stop eating that donut and go talk to him"
Ruby shoves her donut in her mouth making her look like a chipmunk and wipes her hand on her tissue bundled up on her desk
"thanks partner,"
Em assumes that's what her partner said once Ruby is on her way to the Captain's office she looks at the files on her desk she hears Belle calling her name. Belle walks up to Emma's desk pulling a chair on the side to sit
"I found the victim's name Mariah Taylor,"
"That was fast,"
"Her fiancé made a report on a missing person 3 days ago,"
"This means that the perp had the victim for a three days," Em cringes thinking about what the bastard probably did to that poor lady.
"Her family contacts are in files right here," She hands the detective the files.
"Thank you, Belle you're a big part of this team,"
Belle blushes "I hope you find the person who's doing this to these poor women,"
"He's not a person but an animal," Em says with pure hatred.
"Okay" Belle squeaks out, and she gets up to leave, this guy will wish he was never born once detective Swan catches him.
Emma looks towards the Lieutenant's office seeing through the window that Ruby was pacing around. She turns her head away and picks up the phone dialing the victim's fiancé's number
"Hello Sir, this is Detective Swan we have information on your fiancee's can you come down to our precinct to answer a couple of questions, please?"
"Oh god! Is she okay? Have you guys found her? Please tell me she's okay!"
"Sir can you please come down here and we will talk to you,"
As she was giving the fiancé, the precinct address Ruby sits on the side of the room on her desk giving Emma a puppy look.
"Thank you, sir we will see you soon,"
She puts the phone down and motions Ruby to walk to her desk
"It'll be for a while and after that we will ride together again."
"I can't believe he's doing this to us right in the middle of a case!"
"Ruby it'll be okay and I'll keep you posted on the case" she flips her hand in a lazy matter as she continues
"I should be the one worried because I don't even know this lady and you know airhead," she chuckles as Ruby gives her a pointed look.
"If he so mentions anything about 'oh I can turn you straight baby' I will strangle him,"
"I think it's the other way around he can probably turn a straight lady gay after being with him," Em says with a serious face
Ruby doubles over laughing hard "You are so mean"
"You said you would strangle him and I'm the mean one?"
"Who were you talking to?"
"Oh, that's right Belle found out who's the victim, Mariah Taylor and her fiancé Casey Luthor filed a missing report 3 days ago,"
"The perp had her for over 24 hours? From the other victims reports they were to report missing and after 24 hours found dead," Ruby frowned and said
"Why did he keep this one?"
"Maybe this victim didn't fight him as much? Sedated? There wasn't a lot of cut on her body like the other victims or he knew this one personally and wanted to take his time?"
Ruby shivered looking into the pictures in the files
"You think Dr. Mead is done with the autopsy?"
"I'll call her,"
Em picks up the phone while dialing she looks at Ruby
"Would you mind talking to the fiancé while I go to see Dr. Mead?"
Ruby gives her a question look
"It's nothing like that! You know I hate dealing with the victim's family,"
"Because you think they're always hiding something?"
"People lie about everything,"
"Fine, but Hammer said your new partner will be in around noon and it's already 11 am I'm sure she's on her way,"
"Once she comes in just update her on the case and let her in when you break the news to the fiancé,"
Em drops the phone staring hard at it 'why does she hate me' she whispers loudly enough for Ruby to catch it
"If you didn't sleep with her, she wouldn't hate you but you did also you left her apartment before she woke up which makes her hate you 10 times more than normal,"
She glares at Ruby flipping her off and walks off to the elevator
Ruby laughs "I love you" she screams after Em.
Emma hates being in this place it's so dull the colors on the wall and how it's always cold in here even if it's winter or summer doesn't matter always cold. She walks through the door and find Dr. Mead on typing on the computer
"Ava?"
"What do you want detective?"
"I came down to see what you've found on the new victim,"
"I thought SVU was working on this case,"
"We're working together,"
"HA! You're working with your ex-wife? I don't believe it,"
Em shuts her jaw tightly
"Can you tell me what happened to Mariah I'm sure I'm not the only one who wants to know and I want to catch this son of a bitch before he gets another chance to do it again,"
"She didn't die from strangulation or the blunt force in the back of her head"
"What? I don't get it she fit with the other victims but not the cause of death?"
"I do believe it was the same killer, the length on the stabs meaning same knife size and the killer is still left handed but this one didn't seem she was brutally abused,"
"Ava they raped and killed her that brutal enough," she gives the doctor a hard look
"I'm saying that her body was cared for better than the other victims. He didn't hurt her that badly or stab her multiple times. We found semen with this one though,"
Em looked surprised
"He messed up? After 3 victims no DNA at all on all of them this one he left semen?"
"I don't think he messed up I think he didn't want to use protection with this victim. There's this bruising in her cervix but like I said it looks like her cared for this one even the way he laid her out on the leaves,"
"We can run the DNA to the database and see if he was ever in the system,"
"Well, detective Serena was actually already here, and she's already doing that,"
Sighing loudly "She was here before me but wait what caused her death?"
"There was high amounts of Barbiturate in her system and when keeping someone sedated with that drug and if not knowing how to use that kind of drug can kill someone,"
"You think he used that on this one but not on the other ones because he wanted to keep her around? He didn't use that on the other victims that probably why they had so many cuts. He sedated Mariah so she couldn't fight him off,"
"I think your killer just kept his victims sedated but if he does this again, he'll either keep his victim for a long time or kill them again if given too much of Barbiturate,"
Em takes her phone out texting Ruby the information she received from the doctor
"Thank you Ava and next time pick up your phone please," She looks up at the doctor
"You're not my boss detective,"
"I know you don't like me but this is work we're not on our personal time and for work, I take it seriously as you should,"
Emma turns walking away from the doctor and out of the building to her car she looks at her phone debating whether to call or not bother. She dials the number and lifts it up to her ear
"Hello Sir,"
"Hello Sweetheart I already told you to stop calling me Sir or Commissioner if no one is around,"
"You are my boss after all" Em hears a deep laugh on the other side of the phone
"Yes, but I raised you so when you call me sir I know you are in need of something,"
"Pa you know me so well,"
"I know you're working on the case with Serena and I know my daughter can give you a hard time. I'm assuming this is what you're calling me about?"
"Yes, Connor you know after everything I can't work with her and the only reason I go to a family dinner is so I can see my little girl"
"I feel a little hurt you don't come to see your old man,"
"You know that's not what I mean I love you like a dad but I can't even see Charlotte anymore and its torture" Em tries to wipe her tears away she missed her daughter more than anything
"I'm sorry Sweetheart for everything and I'm sorry your marriage didn't work out I still remember like it was yesterday when you two fell in love,"
"I still remember like it was yesterday when she cheated on me," She hears another deep sigh
"I'll talk to her and from what my deputy commissioner said they made an arrest the perp is Mike Wilson"
"Oh, wonderful!" She says sarcastically she stops for a second
"Didn't Serena arrest him before? I'm sure I've heard of that name before"
"She did and he was proven innocent last time and he had an alibi plus the victim didn't pick him from the line up,"
"Innocent? I'm sure and Serena probably won't let me try to get him to talk"
"I'm sure she'll keep you in the loop,"
"No, she won't but thanks for listening,"
"Always, you know I promised your dad before he died that I would always look after you forever and I meant it. Just because you and my daughter fell out doesn't mean I'll leave you. You're my daughter as well and you are making your dad proud and me too. I love you Emma."
Emma couldn't stop the tears now flowing out of her eyes "I love you too Pa I have to go now"
"Be careful, sweetheart,"
"Thank Pa you too,"
"Bye,"
"Bye" she hangs up the phone and wipes her face once again. She drives out to chipotle knowing Ruby loves the burritos from that place she'll miss her partner. Maybe she'll grab something for her new partner even not knowing what she likes, a bowl just to be on the safe side.
On her way to chipotle she dials Ruby
"Hi did you talk to the fiancé?"
"Yes, and Serena arrest the perp already did she tell you?"
"Obviously not but Connor did" She stops for a second waiting for it
"You told on her? Oh man! I can't wait to see her face!"
"I didn't tell on anyone I needed to talk to someone,"
"You can talk to me,"
"I know Ruby but he's like my dad,"
"Daddy's girl,"
"If you continue, I'll turn the car around and not get food for you,"
"I'm sorry! What are you getting me?"
"Chipotle,"
"Remem- "
"Extra guacamole I know,"
"You're the best. You're new partner is here and she hot,"
"Ruby" She says in a warning voice
"Not my type don't worry but she's your type, and she's older too did I say hot?"
"Ruby"
"What?"
Emma hangs up smiling to herself Ruby hates it when she hangs up saying nothing else but she deserves it.