Hi guys, I hope everyone is enjoying it. This story just keeps on growing, I have so much more planned. As usual, I'm too tired to proofread so I apologise for any mistakes. I hope you enjoy and don't be afraid to leave a review.

Disclaimer: I don't own the character.

Chapter 3

Liv sits in her office, a surprising amount of calm washing over her. She gets her pocket mirror from her purse to assess the damage to her face. There's a red mark on her left cheek, likely to leave a pretty hefty bruise. She also has a small cut on her cheekbone, not too big as to require stitches but big enough that it stings.

She wipes the blood off of her face, taking a moment to fix her make-up as well. Satisfied that she is presentable, she packs away the first-aid kit, but leaves the ice pack to rest on her cheek. She looks at the clock, noting that she has to leave soon to pick up Noah from his dance class.

There is more paperwork that could be done, but just the thought of it makes her want to set fire to her office. Suddenly, she realises that she is angry. For no apparent reason. It's the same paperwork that she's been doing for years now. She isn't running late, they squad doesn't have many cases, and yet, the thought of signing a few more forms infuriate her.

She sits back down, after place the first-aid kit back on her couch. Taking a breath, she closes her eyes and acknowledges, for a moment, that she has felt this way before. From all of her experience working Special Victims, she knows that trauma can manifest in many ways; people become more irritable, seemingly irrational at times. But they are really just trying to express their pain about one thing whilst focussing their energy on another. She knows this. She's been through this before, with Lewis, after Sealview, the Townhouse incident and when Sheila took Noah.

The difference here though, is that she isn't quite ready to accept this trauma. She doesn't feel like she was raped, she doesn't have any cuts or bruises (well she didn't). Actions which she thought were good, were only poisoned upon slowly receiving information. She asks herself, Do I deserved to be traumatised?

Of course, a part of her brain is screaming at her right now. That part of her brain knows its not her fault. Burton is to blame. But she feels some responsibility resting on her shoulders. And for now, her feelings are superseding her thoughts.

She is sitting in her chair, staring out the window, watching as the evening sun streams in through her half-open blinds. Below the window, sits a shelf, full of pictures of Noah, her squad, her mum, and one, tucked right in the back, of her and Elliot, in their second year together. Her hair is in that beautiful brunette bob, and they're leaning against some railing in central park. Both of the mare grasping the railing, there fingers almost touching. She looks so happy. So carefree.

Her mind wonders, eventually landing on a particular memory from that time, that seems quite coincidental, considering the week she's just had. It was a case. The travel writer and the teenage girl. It was early on in their partnership, and they were still getting to know each other.

Elliot, obviously thinking of his daughters, was appalled by the age difference between the victim and his teenage lover. Olivia, on the other hand, recognised herself in the girl. She knew what it was like to feel like you were in love. She believed it. And she defended a predatory relationship. Stable hadn't really followed through with the rest of the conversation, but, thinking about it now, she feels even more ashamed.

As much as Elliot confused the hell out of her know, she cared for him. She valued his opinion of her. And the events of this past week might just fuck that up.

At the thought of Stabler, she ran her fingers through her hair, huffed as she stood up. Fuck this day, Fuck this whole week! She thought, as she gathered her things, heading to pick up Noah from dance class.

She came in early the next morning. Fin was already at his desk, but, other than that, the squad room was mostly empty. She nodded, at him on her way into her office. Just as she settled in, Fin appeared at her door with a look of concern on his face. She wasn't quite sure if the concern was for her, or what she would do to him when she found out what he'd done.

Without hesitating, Fin just got straight down to business.

"We arrested him, you know, me and Carisi"

Liv looks up from her desk, not knowing what to say. She had seen them run after Burton. They'd had both seen the blood on her face. But she spent most of yesterday afternoon pondering the past, completely forgetting about the man in the present. She hadn't even considered the criminal ramifications of his actions. she didn't even know if she wanted to press charges.

Waiting for her response, Fin move to sit in one of the chairs in front of her desk. Fin could see that she was lost somewhere up in her head.

"Carisis said I wasn't allowed to kill him, but I still could you know, if you wanted me to". He says, hoping to break the ice a little.

At that, she cracks a small smile and takes a breath.

Finally, she speaks "I don't know if I want to press charges"

"Look liv, this is absolutely your decision, and I got your back no matter what, but this man is dangerous. He is a predator and before now, there was nothing we could do about." He takes a breath to assess her reaction. Seeing that she is okay, he continues.

"If we can make him pay for what he did to you, maybe, just maybe, his victims can get a little bit of justice."

She looks back out of her window. "I don't know if I can do this Fin", She says, barely louder than a whisper.

Leaning forward, fin rests his elbows on his knees and looks directly at her.
"With all of the witnesses, its likely that Carisi can get him to cop a deal. No courts. But either way, no matter what, there is one thing that I do know. You, Olivia Benson can do this. We are all here to support you. We got your back and you have to know that none of this is your fault and none of us think this is your fault. We want to get this asshole."

She's looking at him now, believing him completely and yet still afraid. He stands before her, gives her a smile and heads for the door.

"Whatever, you decide, we got you", he exits, leaving her door open letting her hear the sounds of the squad room awakening. The day has officially begun.

"We have a room full of witnesses who say that you struck Captain Benson… We have the physical evidence of the injury. What else will a jury need to convict?" Carisi declares, ignoring Burton and talking to his lawyer.

They're in the interrogation room, Carisis sitting in the chair opposite Burton's lawyer and Amada leaning silently against the two-way mirror into the captains office. Outside, in the hallway, looking through the glass, is Liv and Fin, watching as Carisi offers the man a deal.

"Three months in jail, two years' probation" Carisi offers, provoking a small chuckle from Burtons' attorney.

"He slapped her, for gods' sake, he hardly deserves to be in jail", Lowe's lawyer shoots out, his tone making Amanda want to punch him in the face.

"Assaulting a police officer is a very serious charge, the best I can offer you is three months jail, with two years' probation. Take it or leave it but trust me when I say that you do not want this going to trial. You could be facing three years in prison." Carisi says, as he stands up, starting to pack away his briefcase.

Lowe's lawyer, whispers something into his ear and burton responds with a firm "No".

They're all standing now, Caris looking at Burton, "I'll see you in court then".

"Oh, has anyone asked the captain what she wants to do" Burton says with an all too familiar glint in his eye. The man is enjoying himself.

Liv had agreed to let them question Burton, hoping he would take a plea. She did not want to have to face her past in a public court of law. She can already see the headlines. SVU captains sleeps with her rapist. Burton was right, she hadn't yet agreed to testify. In fact, she wasn't sure that she would.

"Does the captain of Manhattans famous Special Victims Unit really want all of her dirty secrets revealed. Does she really want the whole world knowing all of the intimate details of our night together? All of the things she let me do to her? And I'm not talking about forty years ago" he says, his smile widening as he glances at the window, he knows she is standing behind.

"She enjoyed it you know; oh, you should have heard the noises that came out of her pretty little mouth when I…"

At that, Amanda jumped from her place on the wall and lunged at Burton, only stopped by Carisi throwing himself in front of her. At that, Burton's lawyer escorted the man back to his holding cell, passing Fin on the way out, but, to his surprise, Olivia was no where to be found.