Chapter 34
Ed arrived on the scene and searched pointedly for one of Olivia's detectives. Luckily, Carisi saw him first and jogged over.
"Captain Tucker," he said breathlessly. "Glad you're here."
"Of course I'm here," he said simply. "Can ya fill me in?"
Carisi gave him a quick run down of the situation and the more he spoke, the tighter the knot in Ed's stomach got, but he ignored it. Olivia was depending on him and he was not going to let her down. As Carisi finished speaking, Ed took a moment to compose himself. To an outsider, he looked just like the typical, intense, and concerned IAB Captain. There was no sign of the inner turmoil swirling inside of him as he pictured Olivia, his Olivia, in grave danger inside of the townhouse.
"Anyone hurt?" Ed finally asked, looking around at the team of negotiators that had assembled.
"We don't know," one of the officers answered honestly.
Ed continued to look around and made eye contact with Dodds, who looked like he had been more on the communication side than Carisi. "Anything else you can tell me?"
"I talked to them briefly," he said calmly. "Not too long ago. They're okay."
Ed nodded, grateful for Dodds' discretion while recognizing his deep connection with Olivia. Despite the official disclosure, Ed and Olivia did not flaunt their relationship and there were many people within the NYPD that had no idea they were together. But the eye contact Dodds made with him while saying they were okay was all Ed needed. Given he was the one Olivia specifically called in, he was finally granted a radio and made contact.
Inside, relief flooded Olivia's system as she heard Ed's voice come over the radio. Trying not to give away her emotions, she bit her lip and concentrated on his words and assuring the kids as the conversation and negotiations progressed. The sting of listening to Joe rape Tess was fresh in Olivia's mind, and despite keeping her voice steady and her demeanor cool as to not set off their captors, she couldn't get the screams out of her head. Dazed, she tried to concentrate on the sound of Ed's voice and the trust she had that he would help get her, and the kids, out of that townhouse alive. She desperately wanted to be with him, in his arms, and at home with her family, away from the horror she was living.
Ed stayed on the radio, continuing to ask questions and switching between Joe and Olivia. He assumed as long as he could stay in contact, he would at least know that Olivia was alive and relatively unharmed. Officers moved about but Ed paid them little attention. In fact, he didn't flinch at any activity until Dodds emerged from the townhouse after retrieving the injured hostage Joe had released.
"Liv?" He whispered as Dodds briefly stopped as he passed by.
"She's okay," he said softly. "But we gotta get them outta there."
Ed nodded and patted Dodds on the shoulder as a sign of thanks before his eyes went right back to the townhouse. He had in no way been prepared to handle the thought of her in peril and the longer the situation went on, the more frantic he became, though no one could tell. The only outward sign was his sharp blue eyes darting around the scene and taking it in. Wanting to stay in control, and not trusting any of the officers that were not directly associated with SVU, Tucker began to protest a few of the tactics.
"Captain Tucker, you shouldn't be here. You're involved with one of the hostages and we cannot afford for your emotions to drive the negotiation."
Ed gritted his teeth. "I know what I'm doing," he said slowly, "And that was out of line, Chief. So give me a little more time."
"You're not in charge here."
The words came as an almost angry, resentful, power-hungry order. Ed's eyes narrowed and his body tensed as he stared down the chief. In any other circumstance, he might have lost his cool, but in that moment he was briefly stunned which immediately turned into anger. Knowing he couldn't negotiate angry, he stayed quiet but his fists remained balled up at his side as he watched and listened to the negotiations continue. Eyes still darting around the scene, Ed stayed completely tuned in to what was happening, including watching for any movement within the townhouse. Though the chances were almost non-existent, he held his breath in hopes that he might catch just the tiniest glimpse of Olivia.
Emma and Noah were playing an updated version of the classic Let's Go Fishing game on the floor of Olivia's apartment, Noah giggling hysterically every time Emma would catch a fish and accidentally drop it, when Lucy came back into the apartment.
"Lucy!" Emma exclaimed, looking up from the floor and trying not to look like she wasn't happy to see her. "Did you forget something?"
Lucy came in and looked down at Noah before catching Emma's eyes.
"What is it?"
"I just…I thought I'd come hang out with you for a bit. And Noah. Ya know, until Olivia got back."
"Oh," Emma said, her eyes narrowing as she tried to read the nanny. Emma hadn't spent a lot of time with Lucy, but the few moments they had together she liked her. However this felt odd. "Well, wanna grab a rod?"
"Sure," Lucy said, shrugging off her coat and plopping down. Noah handed her a purple fishing rod and instructed her to go. Emma didn't stop observing the other young woman in the room. After several minutes of playing, Emma cleared her throat.
"Gonna tell me why you're really here?"
Lucy let out a breath. "Noah, why don't you go get Mommy's iPad. Watch a show?"
Not used to getting to watch iPad shows often, Noah's face lit up and he hurried to the back. Lucy sending Noah away had Emma's anxiety escalating quickly.
"Lucy what's wrong," she whispered harshly.
"It might be nothing," Lucy said. "But…Olivia went to check on one of my clients who was acting really funny. Then I got a weird text from her, before she stopped answering."
"She didn't respond to me either. And she always does once I tell her I'm here and with Noah," Emma said, her face showing some worry but she tried to talk her way down from it. "Maybe she just got busy. And predictive text can be really dumb sometimes…maybe that's why her message to you was weird?"
"Maybe," Lucy allowed, taking a few moments before continuing. "I went to the precinct and Sonny and Fin were going to just check in and make sure everything was okay at the townhouse," Lucy explained. "I waited around, but after a while I eventually decided to come here. Sit with you. Ya know…just in case."
"Just in case…what?" Emma asked in a hushed voice. The two didn't have time to talk anymore as Noah returned and handed Lucy the iPad.
"Mi'Mouse," he demanded, plopping onto the couch and settling in. "Mi'Mouse!"
While Lucy got Noah situated, Emma rushed to her phone, fired off a text to her father, and bit at her nails while she waited for a reply. Not hearing back from him after about ten minutes, Emma finally took to social media to see what she could find out. As she checked on various accounts, she finally landed on one and her entire body went numb.
"Oh god…"
Ed fought to keep his professional composure as the hostages were walked out of the townhouse, a gun held right into the back of Olivia's head. Throughout the entire ordeal, he lived with thoughts in his head that were merely imagined. Was she hurt, tied up, a gun pointed at her? All of that, at the time, was still a guess. Nothing was confirmed until they walked out of the house, and he saw with his own eyes that there was a gun pointed straight at her skull. Suddenly he wasn't only thinking of Olivia. He was thinking of Noah who was at home, happily playing and oblivious to the turmoil. Of Emma, who was with Noah and had really warmed up to Olivia, slowly building a relationship with her. Of Nate, who had purchased the most thoughtful Christmas presents for Olivia, despite his purposeful distancing from the unit. Ed was confident that not only could he not live with Olivia Benson, but his family - their family - would not survive if this situation went south. His eyes never leaving her body, Ed could tell she was afraid to move her head which didn't allow for him to make eye contact with her. A part of him thought that was likely for the best, as he wasn't sure he'd be able to hold it together if he saw the fear swirling in her deep brown eyes, a fear that he was sure his own eyes mirrored. But he watched the scene like a hawk, and every time Olivia winced, Ed winced too.
The officers were asked to move back several times. Each time, Ed hesitated but then did as Joe requested, realizing that even a sudden gust of wind could cause a bullet to pierce Olivia's head. He watched almost in slow motion as Olivia was able to get Joe to let the kids go, and he hurried to get them away from the scene before scanning the area, seeing that the snipers were in place and ready to take the shot as soon as they could. Ed held his breath as he watched movement and suddenly a shot rang out, Olivia stumbled forward, and Joe hit the ground.
"Lieutenant!" Carisi's call for his boss was loud, drowning out Ed's desperate cry of "Liv" as both men rushed towards the freed Lieutenant.
Ed reached her first and firmly wrapped his arm around her waist, feeling her body sway in a daze and shake in relief.
"I gotcha," he whispered, not caring that Carisi was on her other side and could hear everything he said. "I'm right here, Liv. You're okay. I've gotcha."
"Ed…" she breathed, leaning further into him. Carisi stayed close, but backed off slightly, recognizing the couple's need for a few moments despite the watchful eyes of many members of the NYPD. "Ed," she said one more time before finally allowing him to pull her tightly into his chest.
Ed breathed deeply, inhaling the scent of her hair, and closing his eyes as he kissed at her head. "Thank god," he rasped. "You're okay, baby."
"Noah?"
"He's at home with Emma…and I think Lucy."
"I need to see him," she said, her voice muffled by his chest but no less urgent.
"We'll get him to you, baby." Ed smile into her hair. "We're all gonna be right here. Just…let's take care of you first, okay?"
Olivia stayed crushed into Ed's chest for a few more moments before pulling back and looking up at him, gripping his shirt. "Thank you," she whispered, her eyes searching his.
"For what?" He asked simply. "You did great in there, Lieutenant. Come on. Let's get you out of here."
Hours later, Olivia came out of the conference room back at the 1-6. She had changed into black leggings, a gray sweatshirt, and white tennis shoes. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and her face was scrubbed free of makeup after her brief hospital visit. Her look, though relaxed and comfortable, accentuated the bruises she had on her face. Ed was up, on his feet, and over to her within seconds. Grasping her hands tightly in his, Ed examined her face closely and gently kissed each scrape and bruise, not caring about the prying eyes.
"Okay?" He whispered, eyes frantically searching hers.
"Yeah," she said softly, but her voice quivered and Ed could feel the slight shaking in her body. "A little sore. Ready to see my son…"
Right on cue, a ding signaled the arrival of an elevator car and Carisi came in carrying Noah in his arms. As soon as the little boy set his eyes on his mother, he squirmed to get down.
"Mommy!" He ran as fast as his little legs could carry him and Olivia crouched down, catching him in her arms and holding him close.
"I'm right here," she cooed softly. "Mommy's right here."
Ed stood above the pair, keeping his emotions in check as he watched the scene. Finally looking up, he eyed Carisi and glanced around.
"Emma didn't come with you?"
"Uh, nah," Carisi said, rubbing the back of his neck. "She was…rattled. But insisted she shouldn't be here. That Noah should go, but she would stay behind. Mentioned wanting to clean up before Olivia got home…"
Ed nodded, not overly surprised with the reaction. "Lucy still there?"
"She was, but not for long."
Meanwhile, Noah cuddled with Olivia for a minute before pulling away and frowning as he looked at her face. He gingerly took his hand and poked at the bruise around her eye.
"Easy, Noah," Olivia whispered. She didn't want him to be afraid, but even the slightest of pressure on her cheekbone hurt. "Don't touch it, sweet boy."
Noah's eyes were full of concern, but he backed his hand away. After a few seconds, he leaned over and gently kissed the bruise. "Ah'betta," he exclaimed before burying himself back in Olivia's chest. Feeling the emotions bubbling up in her chest, she looked over to Ed, her eyes pleading with him to get her out of there.
"Take me home, Ed," she whispered, her eyes locked on his, pleading with him to get her out of there and to a place where they could finally release the day's fear and pain.
Ed nodded and kissed her forehead before ruffling Noah's hair. He reached out to shake Carisi's hand and Dodds came over and offered his as well.
"Thank you, Captain," Mike said.
"I believe I should be thanking you," Ed retorted.
Mike smiled and turned to Olivia. "Take all the time you need, Lieutenant. We can handle things here."
Olivia returned Mike's smile and nodded her thanks. She squeezed Carisi's hand as she passed by and nudged Fin's shoulder, giving him a grin and a knowing nod, before heading towards the elevator, Ed trailing closely behind. As soon as the doors closed to the elevator, Ed pulled Olivia and Noah back into his arms and held them tightly.
"I'm okay," Olivia whispered. "I'm right here."
"God, Liv," he rasped, kissing her temple and then kissing Noah's head. "It's so good to be with the two of you right now."
"Likewise," Olivia said, looking up into Ed's sparkling, but worried blue eyes and giving him a small smile. "Let's get back to Emma. How much does she know?"
Ed rubbed his face. "More than I wish she did…"
"Shit," Olivia muttered, wincing and hoping Noah hadn't heard. "Hopefully not the gunpoint part."
Ed let out a sigh as the elevator doors opened and he led them out, hopping into the cruiser he had parked illegally on the curb outside of the precinct. Once they were settled in the car, Noah snug in a borrowed carseat in the back, Ed reached over the console and cupped Olivia's face, kissing her deeply. His thumbs caught a few rogue tears that fell down her face.
"Thank you," she croaked, trying to prevent bursting into full blown sobs just yet. "Thank you for coming for me."
"I'm always gonna come for you, Olivia," he said. "Always."
"Oh fuck, is she okay?" Nate asked worriedly into the phone as Emma frantically relayed what she knew of the story.
"I guess," she said, her voice shaky but Emma refused to give into the emotion. "Dad said they are on their way back. And 'she's a little banged up'…whatever that means."
"But she's on her way home," Nate reasoned. "So I'm sure she's fine."
Emma scrunched up her face at Nate's distant tone. "I dunno," Emma responded slowly. "The news kept saying 'hostage' and that typically doesn't happen without a gun."
"Em…" Nate said with a sigh. He knew that she would be freaking out, and he could practically see her face as she worked to squash whatever she was feeling. Nate, though withdrawn, had processed the loss of his mother more than Emma and he knew his sister was a ticking bomb of emotion. She had gone through the motions of settling in, doing her work, and applying for colleges, but the entire time she had seemed relatively emotionless. During one of Nate and Ed's regular Sunday afternoon calls, Ed mentioned that Emma was warming to Olivia and that she seemed to be the one able to break through at times. Nate couldn't imagine that this scenario wouldn't set Emma off, but again, he found himself without the energy to deal with it. "Just, don't let your mind go there. She wasn't shot. She's fine."
The word 'shot' caused a jolt to run through Emma's body, but before she could snap back at her brother, she heard noises in the hallway.
"They are here…can I call you back?"
"Sure. I'm headed out soon, so just leave a message if I don't pick up," Nate said. "Tell them hey for me."
Emma hung up, surprised at his flippancy, but as soon as the door opened she forgot all about Nate's disinterest in their current lives.
As they pulled up, Olivia attempted to lift Noah out but her body screamed with soreness, so she reluctantly let Ed lift her little boy up and cradle him close. Olivia was never more than an inch or two away from Ed during the trek to the elevator and up to her floor, and as they neared the apartment, she felt herself grow nervous.
"Ya okay?" Ed was observing Olivia as she paused at her door.
Olivia shook her head, winced, and gave Ed a small smile. "Yeah, I'm fine," she whispered. "A little anxious about seeing Emma. And everything that comes…ya know…afterwards."
Ed nodded, understanding that she meant both her own emotional aftermath, and also those of everyone she loved. "I'll be right here," he soothed, shifting Noah to one arm so he could gingerly trace her bruise and kiss her lips. "Whatever happens, however you feel, however any of us react…I'll be right here."
Smiling, Olivia let out a breath. "Together," she said softly, before taking out the keys and unlocking the door.
Olivia entered first, turning to allow Ed to get inside with Noah before she quickly locked the door and trailed behind.
"Hey Em," she heard Ed whispered and caught a glimpse of him kissing her head before walking to the back to get Noah down. Olivia took a deep breath and made her way into the living room, giving Emma a small smile.
"Hey," she breathed out, moving slowly towards her.
Emma's eyes darted across Olivia's face, taking stock of the bruise that seemed to be getting worse. She stood frozen for a minute or two before shaking her head slightly, biting her lip, and moving into Olivia's arms. Olivia held her as tightly as her body would allow and rubbed her back, but Emma didn't stay in them long. Pulling back, she continued to observe the older woman.
"Are you okay?"
Olivia nodded and gave her a smile. "I am," she said, but continued on honestly. "Have some bruises and I'm a little…dazed. Out of it. But I'm okay."
Emma wrapped her arms around herself and cocked her head to the side. "I'm so glad you're okay," she whispered and swallowed hard as tears tried to bubble up. Olivia went in and gave her another firm hug and kissed the side of her head.
"I want to take a shower and help get Noah in bed," she said softly. "But then I'll be back out and we can talk…or not talk…or whatever. Okay?"
Emma nodded and stepped back. As Olivia made her way down the hallway, she called out. "Liv?"
"Yeah?" Olivia said, turning around.
"Are you hungry? Have you eaten? I can order," she said, her words coming out fast as she pulled up the app on her phone.
Olivia smiled. "Actually, I haven't," she replied. "Something…light? Warm?"
"On it," Emma said, falling back onto the couch and scrolling through delivery options. Finally deciding on a Thai place that Olivia had mentioned before, she ordered bowls of pho and a couple of appetizers before heading towards the kitchen, but she stopped abruptly. Eyes roaming around and taking in the cabinets, appliances, and organized clutter, Emma froze. Unable to get images of her mother out of her head, she stumbled back and to the couch, desparate to get them to stop as they were now mixed with images of Olivia. She was just coming out of it when Ed finally wandered back out and came to sit next to her, totally unaware of what had just transpired. Hoping to deflect attention off of herself, Emma immediately questioned Ed. "Are you okay?" Her eyes were wide as she studied her father's body language. Having been so focused on Olivia's safety, she had little time to think about the effect it must have had on Ed.
He let out a breath. "I'm just glad we are all together in this apartment," he mumbled honestly. Ed allowed his head to fall back against the couch and he rolled it over so he could see Emma. Her eyes were glazed over and red, but assuming it was from both exhaustion and worry about Olivia, he momentarily let it go and focused on her question. Reaching out, he grasped Emma's hand. "It was a long few hours," he said.
"Understatement," Emma muttered and Ed nodded.
"How much did you hear about what happened?" Ed dove right in, hoping to get a read on how to handle conversations moving forward. If Emma was unaware of how the hostage situation ended, he was perfectly content to keep it that way.
Biting her lip, Emma shifted nervously and Ed could tell she was trying not to think about it.
"Enough," she said shortly.
"Em…"
"Stop it," she whispered harshly. "I don't want to talk about it. I don't want to think about it. I can't…I can't let myself picture this…so just…don't."
Hands up in surrender, Ed relented. "Okay," he said softly. "Okay, Emma. It's okay."
"No, it's not," she hissed. "But right now it's not about me."
Ed just continued to analyze Emma's facial expressions. "Well," he said slowly. "It is a little bit. It's about all of us now."
Emma shook her head. "I want to stay, see Olivia again and just…see her," she explained. "Make sure she eats. Then I'm going home."
Ed shook his head, startled a bit as he assumed they were all staying at Olivia's. "Emma…"
"You stay here," she said quickly. "You have to stay here with her. But I want to go home."
Ed objected gently. "I don't think you should be alone right now," he said firmly.
"I'm fine."
Before Ed could argue, Olivia came wandering in from Noah's room. She stopped as she rounded the corner from the kitchen and observed the scene in front of her. "Am I interrupting something?"
"No," Emma said quickly. "Dad and I were just talking about plans."
Before Emma could keep talking, Ed interrupted her. "We are both gonna stay here tonight," he explained, Emma's eyes widening. "No one is gonna be alone right now."
Too tired to argue or call either one of the Tuckers on the tension in the room, Olivia sighed. "Good," she said softly, moving to the couch and plopping herself in between Ed and Emma. "This is right where I want everyone."
