I know it's been a while, but I have recently moved cities, moving out of home for the first time and am starting Uni so some big life changes. I got inspired to write this chapter thanks to all of your wonderful comments as well as hearing the news that Aiden Quinn is returning as Burton Lowe in the SVU23 finale so…
Also, I'm not sure if this is a little ooc for Burton but I figure, he is an asshole, so it works.
I will say, this is my favourite chapter so far. I am coming to the end of this story, not quite sure how to end it so I'm open to any suggestions. I hope you enjoy and please leave a comment, they truly bring joy to my day.
All mistakes are my own
CW: Sealview, Lewis, Sexual Assault, Statutory rape, Grooming, Alcoholism (Nothing too explicit)
Disclaimer: I don't own anything
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On the way up to Rikers, Elliot called Fin to tell him that he was on his way up to see Burton Lowe. No explanation was needed, Fin made one call and had arranged for Elliot's visit.
As Elliot drove, his mind raced. He had held it together in front of Liv because he knew that h didn't have the right to explode. He wasn't the one hurt, he wasn't the one to be abandoned, made to feel worthless, preyed upon by sadistic fucks or taken advantage of by manipulative assholes.
He had left, and the love of his life had suffered. He didn't have many rights in the situation. He needed to be what she needed him to be, so he held it together. He didn't punch a wall; he didn't scream or yell or run off.
He listened and he was present. Two things that he had failed to do in the past. Two things that could have protected her from these traumas.
Now though, no he was in his car, Liv was safe, and he was pissed.
He hated the people who had done this to her, one was dead and the other may just well be soon enough. He also hated himself. He had promised to protect her, and he had failed. He wasn't there to check on in those two days and his returning had messed up her world and made her somewhat vulnerable to a predator.
Elliot knew that he had hurt her by leaving and probably didn't come back in the right way but, his absence had allowed others to hurt her; something he was not prepared for.
He needed to fix this. He needed to do something. Anything.
He arrived at Rikers having made pretty good time, made it through security and surrendered his phone. He had been to Rikers many times over his career to interview criminals and their acquaintances, but this time was different. This time, he wasn't there to ask questions. In fact, he would be fine if no words were uttered at all. This time, he was here to bring justice. A jail cell was not enough if this man was still hellbent on hurting Olivia.
Elliot didn't protect her from hurt then so he was going to do it now. This man was not going to use a courtroom as his predatory tool, not if Elliot had anything to do with it.
Elliot was sitting in the interrogation room inside Rikers. It was a four walled cage inside of a larger dark room. The smell of mould permeated his nostrils and the fluorescent lights flickered above his head. A guard stood just outside the cell, facing away from him as a second came through the door on the far side of the room, a man in an orange jumpsuit following behind, presumably Burton Lowe.
Elliot had a few friends among the CO's of Rikers, most notably an old buddy from the marines who he had managed to catch a few minutes with before heading into interrogation. He had been assured that the CO's would not interfere with his "interrogation" and would gladly take their lunch break early if it was so suggested.
Burton Lowe was guided into the room with a smug smirk on his face that made everyone just a little uncomfortable.
"Elliot, I presume?" Lowe said, a hint of victory in his tone. He held a little bit of power over this man, he thought. This tiny bit of information could both humiliate Olivia and frustrate the man sitting before him; both prospects he found immensely entertaining.
Elliot had a pretty good poker face, not visibly reacting to the comment but internally he was definitely confused.
How did this man know who he was?
"Who I am doesn't really matter right now. The question you should be asking, is what am I going to do to you? Because I have got a few ideas…" he responded, letting his suggestion linger. The man across from him was sitting comfortably, his legs crossed, leaning back in his chair and an extremely punchable smile on his face. Elliot couldn't help but flex his fists and clench his jaw. The urge to hurt this man slowly growing.
Burton can see the anguish in this man. He is angry, yes, but he is also guilt-ridden. He has obviously only just found out about this, a few days too late. He wants to have had prevented it but was never quite good enough.
Oh, this is gonna be fun, Burton thought. Before re-appearing in Olivia's life, he had done some research. He had a few friends in the police department who he'd worked with before for one of his books, so he had managed to get some intel, in the form of both gossip and a copy of Olivia's file.
She had been through a lot, and he knew that she was close to Elliot, but he did still wonder how much the strong, independent, Captain Olivia Benson would've told him. Either way, Burton was going to enjoy this. Taking advantage of this man's guilt whilst simultaneously hurting Olivia.
"You know detective, it is detective, right?" he continues, "Our Olivia has been through a lot in her life. Between her mother's attack and alcoholism, her childhood was a bit subpar. She never really had that much self-esteem… I mean, she let me fuck he when she was sixteen, didn't know what the fuck she was doing but she did the job."
Elliot could've killed the guy right then!
Our Olivia
Did the job…
Elliot knew that if he killed the man, Olivia would find out. She wouldn't want him throwing away his career for this piece of shit, no matter how much satisfaction he would get. He wasn't here to hurt Olivia further. He was here to stop this man from taking his case to trial. If he pled guilty, he would go to prison and Olivia would not have to testify. Lowe would not have the opportunity to publicly humiliate her. That was his goal.
Don't kill him, don't kill him, he kept whispering to himself, imagining Liv's beautiful face to keep himself grounded.
Burton has to admit that he is surprised by the amount of restraint Elliot is showing. He didn't mind though, the longer Elliot held himself together, the longer Burton could be entertained.
Although, at this stage, Elliot could restrain himself, he certainly didn't want to be here any longer than absolutely necessary.
"You're a predator. A rapist. I don't give fuck what you think have or haven't done but I can assure you that you will never hurt Olivia again, not even in a court room." Elliot's tone is even. Stern. A not so silent threat, laced through his words.
Burton laughed.
"Oh, the chivalry!" Burton chuckled, "Lucky Olivia, she has her very own Knight in shining armour. Her protector…"
Burtons own words were making him laugh harder. His sarcasm clearly infuriating the man sitting across from him. Elliot had shifted in his seat, his poker face slowly disappearing.
"Well, you haven't exactly done a good job of that over the years, have you?" he continued.
"Hell, the woman has practically been raped three times! She denies is never got that far but I mean, come on, who wouldn't?"
Okay, Fuck this!, Elliot thought as he felt his body standing up and reaching over the table, grabbing Lowe by the collar and throwing him out of his chair, watching him land on the polished concrete floor at his feet.
Lowe landed of the concrete with a loud "oof". He quickly picked himself up, dramatically dusting his knees. He readies himself for a second impact, but he doesn't get it.
In those few seconds that Burton was on the ground, Elliot had managed to reel himself in. whilst a very large part of him want to hurt the man before him… severely, he had remembered Fins words.
Let her do it herself.
Elliot knew that it was unlikely that Liv would deal with Burton the way Elliot dreamed of, but he also knew that if he continued along this path, he would be taking away her control. He would be fighting her battles for her, without even consulting her.
In a way, he was still doing that even by speaking to Burton, but he couldn't simply do nothing. he could stomach this, simply talking to the man… trying to reason with him. Get him to see that a guilty plea would make his life easier. It would help Elliot sleep at night.
Elliot smoothed out his own suit before sinking back into his chair, trying to regain his façade of calm. Burton was looking directly at him, clearly trying to wrap his head around the dynamic, calculating his next move.
He knew that he wasn't going to get off for attacking Olivia, even he is willing to admit that it was a bit reckless, slapping an NYPD captain in the middle of a precinct full of cops but a part of him wouldn't take it back even if he could.
If he was going to go to jail because of that bitch, he was going to make her suffer, humiliating her in public and to the people around her. He had already begun when he had that little chat with her sergeant at his arraignment and he will be the first to admit that that was the most fun he'd had in a while. But now, watching the man in front of him try and restrain himself, brought him a whole other level of enjoyment.
"Strike a nerve, did I?" Burton spat out, "well, like I was saying, there was that time when she was undercover. Where was that… Sealview? From what I heard, one of the CO's got a bit… rough, when she had trouble complying…" he let the implication linger.
Olivia had never told Elliot about what happened in the basement. He could tell that she had been hurt but she insisted that she was fine. Fin knew, he could tell but he didn't want to violate her any more by prying for answers. He would let her tell him what had happened to her, when she was ready. But she never did… and then he had left.
Burton knew that he had said something of interest. Elliot's demeanour didn't change but his silence spoke volumes. A realisation washing through him. Burton took the opportunity to continue.
"Then there was that monster Lewis, made the news all the way out in Los Angeles. Twice. Now that man was evil, I will admit but I can't help but be a little jealous. I mean, fours days. Just imagine all the things you could do." His tone was breathy, laced with a lust that made Elliot's stomach churn.
Don't kill him… don't kill him
"That's enough!" Elliot growled.
"I don't give a single fuck about what you have to say. If I had my way, we wouldn't need to have this conversation, but I care about that woman more than I do about myself, so here we are. You think, what, you will do a couple months in a cushy prison then return to your life", it was Elliot's turn to laugh now.
"I promise you, if you cause that woman any more pain, I will make sure that the next few years of your life will not be worth living. You will wake up every morning and go to bed every night knowing that you will suffer. You will experience thing the likes, your imagination cannot even fathom. And, IF you ever walk out of here, you will be a shell and if you ever come near her again, you simply will not be…" Elliot's voice was disturbing, he knew in his heart that he would do anything to protect her, no matter what that meant.
Burton has to admit, he was slightly intimidated, but he doesn't let it show.
How bad could prison really be?
Trying to regain control of the situation, Burton continued his assessment of Olivia.
"You know, its almost funny in a way. Captain Olivia Benson, head of the prestigious Manhattan SVU, heroine to all victims. Whilst I have my doubts, she has always maintained that she was never raped. But, as it turns out, she has always been a rape victim. Since she was sixteen. She was my victim."
Burton still didn't think his actions were wrong but, if Liv insisted that he was a predator, then he was willing to run with it.
"Back then at least" Burton spits out, "She didn't exactly complain last week though."
That grin has returned. In his mind, Burton is remembering that night. The things he'd done to her, the things she let him to do her.
"She was a good fuck, you know. She's learnt a couple things in the last few decades. All I can say is that that mouth has a far better use than shouting out orders… if you know what I mean."
He winked at Elliot, thoroughly enjoying himself.
"Got a video of it too, if you want enjoy it for yourself."
He doesn't actually have a video, but Elliot's reaction was far too satisfying to pass by.
Elliot stood up abruptly, his chair falling back behind him.
"You will never hurt her again!" it was simple. A matter of fact. Elliot glared at the man for a moment… If looks could kill. He turned silently and left the room.
"What's the worst you can do?" Burton mused, but Elliot had already left.
Elliot knew that it was unlikely that Burton would capitulate to him in the interrogation room but, if he was being honest, that was only part of these reason he had come.
He knew people in Rikers, not just CO's. Through his security work overseas plus his connections in Rome, Elliot had either directly or indirectly help put a few of these criminals here. That also meant that he could help get them out when they came up for parole.
It wasn't his goal today, to convince Lowe. It was his aim to set a task and that he had done. By Monday, he was sure, he would receive word that Lowe had graciously decided to plead guilty… out of the goodness of his heart.
There had been moments when Elliot had surprised Burton, but he was ultimately unafraid of the man. Perhaps naively so.
When Elliot was out of sight, the CO entered the room to escort Burton back to his cell where certain people were expecting him…