Hey everybody just wanted to drop in and thank y'all for your continued support and all your lovely commrnts, and... HAPPY RENEWAL! We goin to season 21!
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Two weeks later
The job was simple - watch the bodega, bust the rapist, Terrance Hughes, in middle of his nightly run for Suzy Q's, close the case.
It should've been so goddamn simple, but as soon as Captain Cragen paired Amanda and Olivia off together Olivia knew it was going to be anything but simple. Amaro and Fin were parked down the street in their own car, and she couldn't help but be annoyed with Cragen. He'd forced them into being partners after their fight in the middle of the precinct, no doubt as a way to push them to work out their differences themselves.
So far, it had been… interesting.
Olivia would have much rather preferred to take her own time with accepting Amanda as a member of the squad, and she'd been apprehensive that Amanda's desperate vying for her attention would continue. Instead, Amanda's mood had seemed to diminish with the new arrangement, and Olivia often found herself uncomfortable with her sullen silence and depressive attitude. In the back of her mind she knew it was the guilt driving her to feel the displeasure so deeply although she tried to tell herself that she could not take responsibility for Amanda's mental health. She had her own to tend to.
It'd been three weeks and a day since she'd seen Elliot on that fateful night of the Rory Halstead case, and sometimes she still felt like she was drowning. She'd replayed their final fight in her mind, word for word, until she was sick to her stomach, but it didn't change anything.
She still wanted to call him, and hear his voice. She still drank half a bottle of wine after work, convincing herself that it was better than the tears that would tear her apart for hours. She wished that none of this had ever happened, but Elliot was still gone, and she was still alone every single night…. Except for this night….
They'd been parked across the street from the bodega for less than thirty minutes, but in her mind it felt like hours. The space inside the squad car was suffocating, and her seat was far too close to Amanda's.
They'd barely spoken a word since arriving and Amanda had spent the entirety of the half an hour staring resolutely out the window at the tiny shop. Olivia couldn't even begin to wonder what was going on inside the other woman's mind, but she could feel the tension rolling of her in waves.
Maybe, I was too hard on her. The fleeting thought passed through her mind as it had half a dozen times in the past two weeks.
She'd tried to let her down gently that afternoon in the bathroom, killing her with kindness in a way, but watching Amanda wither before her hadn't been as relieving as she imagined. Her sudden and complete change of attitude left Olivia grappling as she found herself on the receiving end of the cold shoulder. She'd tried to keep her distance and keep it professional, but it was damn hard after all of the far too personal words they'd exchanged. She was loathe to admit it, but in a way she wished for the days when Amanda was quick to smile in her direction and offer unsolicited compliments.
Maybe she was right. She mused, grimly. Maybe I do miss someone stroking my ego…
Olivia clenched her jaw and glanced out the front windshield, trying to focus on the job before them. She'd never realized how distracting silence could be until now. For the past twelve years, she'd shared stakeouts with Elliot, and they'd never been uncomfortable with each other. In fact, she'd relied on his steady breathing and his unfrazzled nerves when the anticipation of making a collar got her too jittery, and he counted on her just the same. With Amanda next to her, she couldn't seem to focus for even a single, five minute period of time.
This isn't a partnership. Olivia thought, casting a glance towards Amanda's shadowed profile. This is torture.
She'd spent the previous month wishing that Amanda would shut the hell up. Now, she wished she'd say something, anything, to regain some semblance of normalcy.
In the dim lighting, she watched Amanda slowly chew on one thumb nail, her full, pink lips pouting around her moistened finger. Her fine, blonde hair was pulled back in a loose bun at the back of her head, and Olivia could see a gleam of sweat on her neck and forehead where her flyaways curled against her pale flesh-
Stop it. She ordered herself, averting her eyes.
The perspiration meant nothing. They were both wearing bullet proof vests and NYPD issued jackets over their usual attire. Coupled with the mounting adrenaline, it was no surprise that they were overheated...right?
It's one thing to pity her, She told herself, and quite another to…..to what?
Olivia reached up and tugged on the neckline of the bullet proof vest. The thirty extra pounds of pressure weighing down on her shoulders was only compounding the sensation of slowly sinking into an abyss of dread.
She worked her teeth over her lower lip, desperately trying to think of anything to say to break the silence when Amanda spoke abruptly.
"You know. It's late. Maybe I should grab some coffee?" Her typically soft, southern tone was rigid and strained with much the same stress as Olivia was feeling.
She glanced over at Olivia, her blue eyes guarded, but Olivia could sense the plea lying underneath. Amanda wanted out of this goddamn car as much as she did.
"Sure." Olivia nodded, forcing a casual expression.
The last thing she wanted was another fucking coffee from Amanda, but she needed the caffeine and it gave them an excuse to get out of each other's personal space.
Without another word Amanda shouldered the door open, the hinges creaking loudly against Olivia's raw senses. She flinched as Amanda slammed the door behind her and began to jog across the street, her ponytail bouncing behind her, gleaming against the lamp lights overhead.
Olivia watched her go, her heart chugging in her ears. The silence was suddenly even louder. Lying her head back against the seat, she took in breath of fresh air and relief, but the exhale was nothing but a tremble of weakness.
What the hell? She questioned herself derisively, and scrubbed her hands over her face. Is she finally getting to you?
"No…" She murmured into her palms before letting them fall into her lap.
Beyond the car she could see the wide bodega windows, protected by rusting bars, and between the rungs, Amanda. She bit at her lip again as she watched the younger detective converse with the clerk before she flashed a friendly smile and turned towards the exit.
Olivia could not remember the last time Amanda had smiled at her.
Maybe that's because you told her we'd never be friends. She reminded herself sarcastically.
Shaking her head, she tried to ignore the pang of guilt in her chest, and focus on the task at hand. Narrowing her eyes, she watched Amanda exit the shop, the coffees balanced in either hand as she glanced up and down the sidewalk before crossing.
Olivia shifted over to grab the passengers side door handle, and she had the door half pushed opened before she looked up to see Amanda at a standstill in the middle of the street. A man was passing her, and she was turned, watching him retreat.
What is she….? The thought trailed away in Olivia's mind, and her stomach dropped as she recognized their rapist, Terrance Hughes, cantering towards the bodega that Amanda had just left.
The seconds seemed to pass in slow motion. She was breathless, her heart suddenly pounding anew as her gaze bounced between Hughes and Amanda.
No, don't do it, Amanda. Wait for backup. Olivia pleased silently, her hands trembling with sudden adrenaline as she pulled herself upright in the seat. Fumbling for the keys, she twisted them out of the ignition, her eyes never leaving Amanda.
She could see the exact moment when everything clicked into place like the hand of Fate itself had reached down and touched them. Amanda turned completely, then...
"Damnit!" Olivia cursed aloud as Amanda tossed the cups to the ground, and grabbed for her gun. Coffee exploded across the blacktop, and Amanda was bolting.
"Terrance Hughes!" Olivia heard her shout as she sprinted after him, her service weapon poised. "NYPD!"
"Fucking Christ, Rollins." Olivia snarled, shoving her door open, and flying out into the street after her.
She unholstered her weapon with one hand, and grabbed the radio clipped to her shoulder with the other as her boots pounded against the pavement, and the cold fall air whipped at her face.
"Target spotted!" She yelled, breathlessly in the mic. "I need backup at the bodega now!"
By the time she made it across the street Amanda and Hughes had disappeared inside the bodega. As she made it to the front door, she could hear panicked screams from the patrons and employees. She internally cursed Amanda's impulsive behavior once more as she flung the door open, causing the bell to chime loudly above her.
She slowed, bringing her weapon to bear in both hands as she assessed the scene before her. The customers were huddled behind shelves and on the floor, their glossy eyes staring back at her fearfully. Up ahead a display was tilted on its side, the Suzy Q's spilled ironically across the floor in the wake of Hughes's escape.
"NYPD. I need everyone to evacuate now." Olivia ordered, stepping over a fallen rack of USB cords and chargers that had once stood vigil at the front door.
The patrons glanced at each other with a chorus of terrified murmurs before they slowly began to scurry towards the exit.
Olivia advanced past them, her eyes raking across the interior of the small shop for any sight of velvety, blonde tresses. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed movement from behind the counter, and she spun around, her heart skipping.
"W-wait!" The trembling clerk, a young, thin, Middle Eastern man, straightened from behind the counter, his dark eyes wide as he held up his palms. "Don't shoot, please."
Olivia huffed a breath from between clenched teeth, lowering her gun in front of her.
"Which way did they go?" She demanded, canting her hand towards the shop behind her.
He lifted a quivering hand, and pointed towards the set of black, swinging doors behind her that lead to the backroom of the bodega. The windows were dark, giving her little to no idea what lay beyond. Her heart rate spiked again. Since entering the bodega, she hadn't seen or heard Amanda or Hughes, and she tried to ignore the worst case scenarios rushing through her head.
"Okay, get out of here." She told the clerk, inclining her head towards the front door.
He nodded, and darted from behind the counter before disappearing into the night. The door chimed one last time before leaving her in silence in the middle of the shop.
She turned towards the double doors, clutching her gun higher in both perspiring palms as she took measured steps towards them. Her heartbeat was thudding in her ears, and her mouth had gone dry with adrenaline. She wouldn't be half as terrified if Amanda was by her side rather than behind those doors with a serial rapist, and she prayed that the younger detective's own stupid decision wouldn't be too costly.
She reached the doors, and she grabbed for her flashlight. She wrapped her fingers tightly around the cold metal, and aligned it with with barrel of her gun. The light washed sharply across the window, reflecting her own terrified expression for a moment before she kicked the door in.
"NYPD!" She shouted once more as she charged inside.
Her flashlight cut a wide, sharp path across the interior of the room that was filled with shelves of dry good, perishables, and household products. The spaces between the racks were narrow, and she squinted in darkness to make out any sign of Hughes and Amanda. Her breath was raspy in the silence, her boots clicking against the concrete flooring as she inched forward down the first aisle. Her shoulder brushed against a box of beer bottles and they rattled inside, causing her gasp softly. She paused, pressing her eyes shut for half a second as she tried to draw a steady breath.
Suddenly, from the dark she heard a shuffle of movement, and then a soft whimper. Her eyes jarred open, and she flexed her fingers hard around the gun as she strained her ears for a sense of direction. Her shoulders were taut, sweat forming between them beneath her vest as she edged towards the back of the room.
"NYPD. Come on out, Hughes." She called out, inciting another bout of shuffling and then a loud rattling.
He's trying to get out the back door. She thought, quickening her pace along the shelves. Not so fast, you bastard.
She spun around the end of the rack, and the LED of her flashlight caught Hughes in its glare. He was backed up against the heavy, exit door, prying at the lock with one hand, and her stomach dropped as she saw the gun in his other hand, poised against Amanda's cheek. He held her in front of him, controlled by the glinting barrell of the semi automatic, and she seemed to frozen beneath that pointed, visceral threat.
Her complexion was washed out and white beneath Olivia's beam, her blue eyes wide and dazed. Blood was fresh and bright at her left nostril, spilling over her quaking top lip. At this proximity, Olivia could hear her raspy, panicked inhales and she knew that she was completely impaired by Hughes's attack.
"Hughes, don't move." Olivia ordered, taking one more step closer before he spun in her direction.
"I'll shoot her!" Hughes retaliated, grabbing Amanda's arm as he tightened the nose of the gun against her cheek.
Amanda groaned a guttural sound, her dilated, unfocused gaze latching onto Olivia's, and Olivia could scarcely breathe. She could not dwell on the terror in those eyes, could not be incapacitated by the deadly possibilities of how this would end. She clenched her gun harder in her hand to still the tremble, and narrowed her eyes at Hughes.
"Terrance, listen to me very carefully." She urged, her voice low and thick above the underlying tremor of fear. "There's no way out of here. That door is locked. You're surrounded."
His eyes bounced away from hers towards the exit beyond her, and she knew he was contemplating his chances of outsmarting and outrunning her.
"If you hurt my detective I will shoot you." She threatened in a measured tone. "Don't worry. I'm very accurate."
Amanda whimpered again, and Olivia felt the reactive flinch run through her entire body. She forced herself not to look at her pleading, terrified eyes again, and kept her gaze focused on Hughes.
"You wanna take your chances with me? Fine." She whispered sharply. "On the slim possibility that I miss, you might make it maybe out the front door, but I doubt it. I've got my whole squad ready to take your ass down."
Hughes shifted against the door, growing more and more ansty with every second. His eyes were bulging with desperation, flicking up and down, side to side, for any avenue of escape. He looked like a wild animal with his leg caught in a trap, and Olivia wanted so badly to put him out of misery.
"Let her go." She coaxed instead. "We've already got you on the rape, the breaking and entering, and now evading police. Do you wanna add assault on cop to that? Trust me, that won't end well."
His hand trembled, the gun pressing dangerously tight against Amanda's pale face. He was on the edge, and she knew it could go one of two ways. He'd either become overwhelmed and surrender or he would lash out and make a run for it.
"Come on, Terrance." She cajoled softly. "I don't have to hurt you if you don't want me to."
Hughes hesitated for another second, but she could see the decision forming in his eyes. Her heart rate pushed higher, her finger cinching tight over the trigger. All she needed was one good reason.
The tension in the room had reached a palpable, vibrating frequency when Hughes made his move, abruptly shoving Amanda forward. She catapulted forward into Olivia, and she caught her, swinging her away from the line of fire. The flashlight tilted away from Hughes as she used that arm to cradle Amanda to her chest, and the LED bounced over the ceiling and walls with dizzying patterns. Hughes's figure slipped in and out of her vision, but she brought her gun to bear in one outstretched hand and fired into the dark, once then twice.
BOOM! BOOM!
The gunfire resonated in the small room, and her ears immediately began to ring while the smoke filled her nostrils, thick and cloying. Above the singing of her head she heard Hughes cry out and stagger before hitting the floor.
In her arms, Amanda seemed to collapse either in relief or in terror.
"Woah, woah…" Olivia whispered, clenching her arm tight around her as she eased them to the ground.
A ragged sob emitted from Amanda's throat, and she grabbed the front of Olivia's vest with trembling fingers.
"It's okay. It's okay." Olivia whispered, tossing her gun down in order to stroke Amanda's hair, and face in search of any wounds. "Are you hurt?"
Amanda shook her head, and dug her face into Olivia's chest, her body rigid and shaking in the aftermath.
In the distance, Olivia heard Fin and Amaro's voices and the sound of their footsteps, and a wave of relief washed over her. A moment later the doors slammed open and the twin beams of their flashlight illuminated their huddled figures on the floor and Hughes's crumpled body.
"Liv, you okay?" Nick demanded, rushing over to her while Fin assessed the damage she had done to Hughes.
She heard him radio for a bus, and vaguely thought that the bastard would live to see a trial. Some Fates were just too merciful.
"Is anybody hurt?" Nick asked, dropping down beside them, his eyes darting up and down both of their bodies.
"Him maybe." Olivia whispered, her voice raspy and raw as she motioned towards Hughes.
Nick's brow was deeply furrowed as he cast a glance back towards Fin and their fallen rapist.
"What the hell happened?" He asked in a quieter tone. "One second you two are getting coffee and next we're hearing shots fired."
Olivia tightened her grip around Amanda's shoulders, and glanced away from him. Her adrenaline was still pumping, her head throbbing from the gunfire, and with the added rush of endorphins she could hardly think.
"Honestly…" She whispered, staring down at Amanda's trembling frame. "I don't know.
In some ways it was the truth. In others it was an omission to protect the woman quaking in her arms. She'd seen the look in her eyes, the pure terror, the paralyzing fear. She'd been there, cowering before a man who had but one intention to irreparably harm her. Only, what she'd seen in Amanda's gaze warned her of something more. Something like God, please, not again.
Amaro's frown deepened, and she felt him hesitate, but he didn't question her again.
Instead, he took her arm and murmured, "Okay, let's get you out of here."