title: possession - chapter three
author: duck!!!! (i've decided my name's more of a command than an animal)
rating: p to the g-izzle, one to the thrizzle (that's pg-13 for all you non-gangsta types)
author note: so, you wanna go shotgun a beer?
disclaimer: not mine except danny, and i don't particularly want him.
-----
Danny Adler had never had any particular trouble getting a woman into bed once he'd set his sights on her. Or at the very least on a date. His rugged good looks and charming personality--described that way by the women --always worked their magic together and if he'd wanted, he could probably have a different woman every night.
He wasn't stupid though and he didn't. He always used protection and was cautious about the women he picked up. There were enough crazy people in this city for him to be wary. At 28 he knew he had the rest of a good life ahead of him and wasn't about to have it screwed over by the wrong woman. He'd even considered long-term relationships with a few of the more recent girls. He loved them all though--at least for the night--and almost every single one fell for him after ten minutes.
Which is why this Olivia Benson was a complete mystery. She'd had no rings on her fingers, so when the beautiful detective had arrived he'd turned on the charm full-blast. Her partner, an edgy and possessive excuse for a man, had reacted badly, but she'd sent him to get their car and Danny had zeroed in for the kill.
And she'd said no. Not really no per se, just that she was living with someone. He knew what that implied, but it didn't necessarily mean it was some form of significant other. Hell, the way that Stabler character had acted it could even have been him. Danny had noticed the way he'd lingered to hear her response, pretending to pick up folders or something. He'd pestered Olivia as they left but hadn't gotten any further.
So now here he was in the back of their police-issue sedan, listening to their light banter. Stabler seemed to have forgotten entirely that Danny existed, and Olivia was only asking him occasional question. How well did he know Marcus? Not well at all. Did Marcus know how to ink? He might. Did Marcus have any contact with a woman named Sheila Connor? Not that Danny knew.
He sighed as they pulled up in front of the apartment building Bobby lived in. He'd hoped to be a big help, maybe dazzle the woman in the front seat with his knowledge. Nothing doing. Perhaps if he were the one to capture Bobby she'd be impressed. It sounded pathetic, even in his mind, but women usually loved that kind of hero thing.
He exited the car on the driver's side and ignored the death glare he was getting from Stabler. How that crazy-ass man ever became a detective..he dropped that train of thought. The pair was already entering the building as he started to move. They were practically walking in step. Danny had to jog to catch up. By the time he did they were at the foot of the stairs and Olivia was on her phone as they began to climb.
"Great," she said as she flipped it shut. "Cragen said we have the go-ahead to enter his apartment if he's doesn't answer. He's already called for CSU."
Stabler stopped at the second floor. Bobby lived in the third apartment down, left side. "You want to go find the super or shall I?" he asked.
"I'll do it," Olivia offered, turning to go back down to the first floor. Danny moved to let her pass but she stopped in front of him. "Go with Elliot. If you're the one knocking on the door he won't think anything's out of the ordinary."
Danny nodded and watched her walk away. Nothing to complain about there, he smirked to himself. When she'd rounded the last corner he turned to face her partner and it occurred to him that maybe enjoying the view had been a bad idea. Now he had a face full of angry cop.
"I don't like you," the other man said slowly. There was a dangerous glint in his blue eyes and Danny fought off the wave of anger that surfaced. This man had no right to treat him like this.
"I don't care," he sneered back. "Olivia seems to like me just fine and that's about all I care about."
"You stay away from her," Stabler warned, taking another step down so he was only inches from Danny's face.
"You got some sort of prior claim I should know about?" Danny asked with a laugh. "That kind of woman wouldn't give you the time of day if she weren't your partner."
"And you wouldn't know what to do with her if she took you up on your offer for dinner." The older man's eyes narrowed at him. "Olivia's far too mature for a punk kid like you who thinks he can use her up for one night and leave a note on the pillow the next morning. You're nothing more than a bad one night stand waiting to happen."
"That's funny, every woman I've been with has seemed to appreciate my skills," Danny retorted. "You jealous?"
Stabler's hands had reached out and grabbed the front of his collared shirt before he'd realized it. "You are a boy. In my world boys stay away from women or else they get hurt by men. Keep your eyes and all other body parts off her, get it?" There was such a fierce look in his eyes that Danny's own widened in genuine fear as he nodded.
"Good," he said as he released him. "Now let's find your parolee before he rapes anyone else."
Danny straightened his shirt before following Stabler down the hall to Bobby's apartment. This guy was definitely crazy, and most likely about his partner if it wasn't a clinical insanity. Danny fingered the reassuring weight of the gun in it's holster at his waist. He didn't think he'd have cause to use it, but this guy was definitely on the verge of snapping. He joined him in front of the door and tried his best to avoid eye contact.
"Well, you gonna knock?" he asked after a few seconds.
"Yeah," Danny replied quickly. He banged loudly on the door. "Bobby? It's Danny, Danny Adler. Your parole officer."
They could hear faint noises coming from inside the apartment. Danny knocked again. "Bobby I need to talk to you. You've violated your parole and if you don't talk to me you're going back to jail." He strained to listen but he couldn't hear anything else from inside the apartment. Next to him Stabler had pulled out his gun and made a move to push him aside with his free hand.
"You know how to use that gun of yours?" he asked.
"Yeah, best in the office," Danny replied snidely.
"I certainly hope so," Stabler said as he repositioned himself in front of the door.
"What are you doing?" Danny asked, but it was too late. Pieces of the door frame splintered in every direction as the detective kicked down the door. He moved fluidly into the apartment his gun extended in front of him.
"Elliot!" Danny turned around but Stabler didn't stop. Olivia was walking up with a short man in tow.
"We heard something," Danny tried to explain but Olivia brushed past him, pulling out her gun. She moved with the same grace that her partner had and Danny stared openly as she entered the apartment. He heaved a sigh and pulled out his own gun. He'd only ever once had occasion to use it when one of his parolees had gotten out of hand, but he hadn't been lying when he told Stabler he was the best shot in the office.
He edged through the open doorway, his weapon extended like a shield. In front of him the two detectives were sweeping the small apartment effectively. There wasn't a movement wasted between them as they moved together, never facing the same direction. Watching their nonverbal coordination was almost like watching a ballet dancer's elegant performance. No wonder the guy was possessive.
"Liv!" Stabler called and she turned to face the direction he was looking.
"Oh no," she said. His curiosity getting the better of him, Danny decided to move in to see what they were talking about.
"Not another one," she said as Danny came up behind them. At first he saw nothing out of the ordinary, but his jaw dropped as he caught sight of what was on the bed. His throat closed up and the dizzying urge to be sick overwhelmed him. On the bed lay a woman, completely exposed with a fresh tattoo on her stomach.
- Special Victims Unit Squad Room -
- 8:14pm -
"He must have been there when we knocked," Elliot said as he finished recounting what had happened. Olivia stood next to him, arms crossed and head bowed. Seeing the victim on the bed like that had been too much for the parole officer. He'd thrown up in the bathroom. Ever since then Olivia had been contemplating her own reaction. The woman hadn't been dead, but she had been raped and tattooed. A certain level of insulation had long since crept into her emotional responses to it. She still felt for the victims, she just didn't have that gut-checking reaction anymore.
Price of being a cop, she supposed. She was so used to seeing the same thing day in and day out that it hardly fazed her to come across the evidence that the dredges of society tended to leave behind. Perhaps the problem was that the victims were starting to mount up to just that: evidence. It was a horribly dehumanizing process that had helped her deal with the nature of the crimes at first, but after so many years of it...she just wasn't sure where it left her anymore.
She listened half-heartedly as Elliot went on about the particulars of the scene. Marcus hadn't had time to clean up from the rape so there was DNA for them to match, on which the lab was hard at work as they spoke. He'd left his ink behind, but had taken his gun. They'd hadn't found any sort of receipt for their purchase, so they were just going to assume for the time being it was stolen, which means he could have more. As for the victim, she was in the hospital. Unconscious. He'd beaten this victim in the head. Doctors were waiting for her to wake up on her own.
"Everyone go home; get some sleep while you can," Cragen ordered once Elliot had finished his report. "I want you all back bright and early tomorrow morning. He's not going to stop now that he's gotten away from us once."
The group disbanded as everyone floated off to their respective desks. Munch and Fin quickly headed out the door, but she lingered over her files. "You ready to go home?" Elliot asked her after a moment. She nodded without looking up and rearranged a few things on her desk. "Something wrong?"
"I don't know," she confessed. "I think I've stopped feeling things."
"You mean you're numb to it?"
"Yeah, and the parole officer puking at the scene only threw that into sharp relief." She sighed as she looked up into his concerned eyes. "Makes me question my humanity."
"Don't question yourself just because Danny boy couldn't hold his lunch," Elliot snorted. She narrowed her eyes, assessing him.
"You really don't like him, do you?"
"What gave it away? He's an arrogant little snot who thinks he can jump into whomever's bed he pleases." Elliot picked up a few folders and set them off to the side of his desk. "And I'm certainly not about to let him touch you after the way he looked at you."
"Elliot, I don't need your protection." It was an old argument on which they were verging; Elliot had a tendency to play big brother that was annoyingly sweet. Danny was the first guy he'd done it to in years that had probably deserved it though, the only notable exceptions being the stalkers she seemed to attract like flies from their cases. Honestly she really hadn't had anyone display interest, or had the time to pursue it.
"I know you don't," he ruefully as he rubbed the back of his neck. "But that doesn't mean I don't feel the need to protect you." He came around the side of their desks. "Forgive me?"
"I inevitably do, against my better judgment I might add." They shared a warm look before moving for the exit. Behind them, safely hidden in the shadows of his doorway, their captain smiled.
[tbc]
author: duck!!!! (i've decided my name's more of a command than an animal)
rating: p to the g-izzle, one to the thrizzle (that's pg-13 for all you non-gangsta types)
author note: so, you wanna go shotgun a beer?
disclaimer: not mine except danny, and i don't particularly want him.
-----
Danny Adler had never had any particular trouble getting a woman into bed once he'd set his sights on her. Or at the very least on a date. His rugged good looks and charming personality--described that way by the women --always worked their magic together and if he'd wanted, he could probably have a different woman every night.
He wasn't stupid though and he didn't. He always used protection and was cautious about the women he picked up. There were enough crazy people in this city for him to be wary. At 28 he knew he had the rest of a good life ahead of him and wasn't about to have it screwed over by the wrong woman. He'd even considered long-term relationships with a few of the more recent girls. He loved them all though--at least for the night--and almost every single one fell for him after ten minutes.
Which is why this Olivia Benson was a complete mystery. She'd had no rings on her fingers, so when the beautiful detective had arrived he'd turned on the charm full-blast. Her partner, an edgy and possessive excuse for a man, had reacted badly, but she'd sent him to get their car and Danny had zeroed in for the kill.
And she'd said no. Not really no per se, just that she was living with someone. He knew what that implied, but it didn't necessarily mean it was some form of significant other. Hell, the way that Stabler character had acted it could even have been him. Danny had noticed the way he'd lingered to hear her response, pretending to pick up folders or something. He'd pestered Olivia as they left but hadn't gotten any further.
So now here he was in the back of their police-issue sedan, listening to their light banter. Stabler seemed to have forgotten entirely that Danny existed, and Olivia was only asking him occasional question. How well did he know Marcus? Not well at all. Did Marcus know how to ink? He might. Did Marcus have any contact with a woman named Sheila Connor? Not that Danny knew.
He sighed as they pulled up in front of the apartment building Bobby lived in. He'd hoped to be a big help, maybe dazzle the woman in the front seat with his knowledge. Nothing doing. Perhaps if he were the one to capture Bobby she'd be impressed. It sounded pathetic, even in his mind, but women usually loved that kind of hero thing.
He exited the car on the driver's side and ignored the death glare he was getting from Stabler. How that crazy-ass man ever became a detective..he dropped that train of thought. The pair was already entering the building as he started to move. They were practically walking in step. Danny had to jog to catch up. By the time he did they were at the foot of the stairs and Olivia was on her phone as they began to climb.
"Great," she said as she flipped it shut. "Cragen said we have the go-ahead to enter his apartment if he's doesn't answer. He's already called for CSU."
Stabler stopped at the second floor. Bobby lived in the third apartment down, left side. "You want to go find the super or shall I?" he asked.
"I'll do it," Olivia offered, turning to go back down to the first floor. Danny moved to let her pass but she stopped in front of him. "Go with Elliot. If you're the one knocking on the door he won't think anything's out of the ordinary."
Danny nodded and watched her walk away. Nothing to complain about there, he smirked to himself. When she'd rounded the last corner he turned to face her partner and it occurred to him that maybe enjoying the view had been a bad idea. Now he had a face full of angry cop.
"I don't like you," the other man said slowly. There was a dangerous glint in his blue eyes and Danny fought off the wave of anger that surfaced. This man had no right to treat him like this.
"I don't care," he sneered back. "Olivia seems to like me just fine and that's about all I care about."
"You stay away from her," Stabler warned, taking another step down so he was only inches from Danny's face.
"You got some sort of prior claim I should know about?" Danny asked with a laugh. "That kind of woman wouldn't give you the time of day if she weren't your partner."
"And you wouldn't know what to do with her if she took you up on your offer for dinner." The older man's eyes narrowed at him. "Olivia's far too mature for a punk kid like you who thinks he can use her up for one night and leave a note on the pillow the next morning. You're nothing more than a bad one night stand waiting to happen."
"That's funny, every woman I've been with has seemed to appreciate my skills," Danny retorted. "You jealous?"
Stabler's hands had reached out and grabbed the front of his collared shirt before he'd realized it. "You are a boy. In my world boys stay away from women or else they get hurt by men. Keep your eyes and all other body parts off her, get it?" There was such a fierce look in his eyes that Danny's own widened in genuine fear as he nodded.
"Good," he said as he released him. "Now let's find your parolee before he rapes anyone else."
Danny straightened his shirt before following Stabler down the hall to Bobby's apartment. This guy was definitely crazy, and most likely about his partner if it wasn't a clinical insanity. Danny fingered the reassuring weight of the gun in it's holster at his waist. He didn't think he'd have cause to use it, but this guy was definitely on the verge of snapping. He joined him in front of the door and tried his best to avoid eye contact.
"Well, you gonna knock?" he asked after a few seconds.
"Yeah," Danny replied quickly. He banged loudly on the door. "Bobby? It's Danny, Danny Adler. Your parole officer."
They could hear faint noises coming from inside the apartment. Danny knocked again. "Bobby I need to talk to you. You've violated your parole and if you don't talk to me you're going back to jail." He strained to listen but he couldn't hear anything else from inside the apartment. Next to him Stabler had pulled out his gun and made a move to push him aside with his free hand.
"You know how to use that gun of yours?" he asked.
"Yeah, best in the office," Danny replied snidely.
"I certainly hope so," Stabler said as he repositioned himself in front of the door.
"What are you doing?" Danny asked, but it was too late. Pieces of the door frame splintered in every direction as the detective kicked down the door. He moved fluidly into the apartment his gun extended in front of him.
"Elliot!" Danny turned around but Stabler didn't stop. Olivia was walking up with a short man in tow.
"We heard something," Danny tried to explain but Olivia brushed past him, pulling out her gun. She moved with the same grace that her partner had and Danny stared openly as she entered the apartment. He heaved a sigh and pulled out his own gun. He'd only ever once had occasion to use it when one of his parolees had gotten out of hand, but he hadn't been lying when he told Stabler he was the best shot in the office.
He edged through the open doorway, his weapon extended like a shield. In front of him the two detectives were sweeping the small apartment effectively. There wasn't a movement wasted between them as they moved together, never facing the same direction. Watching their nonverbal coordination was almost like watching a ballet dancer's elegant performance. No wonder the guy was possessive.
"Liv!" Stabler called and she turned to face the direction he was looking.
"Oh no," she said. His curiosity getting the better of him, Danny decided to move in to see what they were talking about.
"Not another one," she said as Danny came up behind them. At first he saw nothing out of the ordinary, but his jaw dropped as he caught sight of what was on the bed. His throat closed up and the dizzying urge to be sick overwhelmed him. On the bed lay a woman, completely exposed with a fresh tattoo on her stomach.
- Special Victims Unit Squad Room -
- 8:14pm -
"He must have been there when we knocked," Elliot said as he finished recounting what had happened. Olivia stood next to him, arms crossed and head bowed. Seeing the victim on the bed like that had been too much for the parole officer. He'd thrown up in the bathroom. Ever since then Olivia had been contemplating her own reaction. The woman hadn't been dead, but she had been raped and tattooed. A certain level of insulation had long since crept into her emotional responses to it. She still felt for the victims, she just didn't have that gut-checking reaction anymore.
Price of being a cop, she supposed. She was so used to seeing the same thing day in and day out that it hardly fazed her to come across the evidence that the dredges of society tended to leave behind. Perhaps the problem was that the victims were starting to mount up to just that: evidence. It was a horribly dehumanizing process that had helped her deal with the nature of the crimes at first, but after so many years of it...she just wasn't sure where it left her anymore.
She listened half-heartedly as Elliot went on about the particulars of the scene. Marcus hadn't had time to clean up from the rape so there was DNA for them to match, on which the lab was hard at work as they spoke. He'd left his ink behind, but had taken his gun. They'd hadn't found any sort of receipt for their purchase, so they were just going to assume for the time being it was stolen, which means he could have more. As for the victim, she was in the hospital. Unconscious. He'd beaten this victim in the head. Doctors were waiting for her to wake up on her own.
"Everyone go home; get some sleep while you can," Cragen ordered once Elliot had finished his report. "I want you all back bright and early tomorrow morning. He's not going to stop now that he's gotten away from us once."
The group disbanded as everyone floated off to their respective desks. Munch and Fin quickly headed out the door, but she lingered over her files. "You ready to go home?" Elliot asked her after a moment. She nodded without looking up and rearranged a few things on her desk. "Something wrong?"
"I don't know," she confessed. "I think I've stopped feeling things."
"You mean you're numb to it?"
"Yeah, and the parole officer puking at the scene only threw that into sharp relief." She sighed as she looked up into his concerned eyes. "Makes me question my humanity."
"Don't question yourself just because Danny boy couldn't hold his lunch," Elliot snorted. She narrowed her eyes, assessing him.
"You really don't like him, do you?"
"What gave it away? He's an arrogant little snot who thinks he can jump into whomever's bed he pleases." Elliot picked up a few folders and set them off to the side of his desk. "And I'm certainly not about to let him touch you after the way he looked at you."
"Elliot, I don't need your protection." It was an old argument on which they were verging; Elliot had a tendency to play big brother that was annoyingly sweet. Danny was the first guy he'd done it to in years that had probably deserved it though, the only notable exceptions being the stalkers she seemed to attract like flies from their cases. Honestly she really hadn't had anyone display interest, or had the time to pursue it.
"I know you don't," he ruefully as he rubbed the back of his neck. "But that doesn't mean I don't feel the need to protect you." He came around the side of their desks. "Forgive me?"
"I inevitably do, against my better judgment I might add." They shared a warm look before moving for the exit. Behind them, safely hidden in the shadows of his doorway, their captain smiled.
[tbc]