Title: "Telling"

Author: Honey Johnson

Email Address:

Pairing: N/A

Rating: PG-13

Summary: After a report of incest made by a fifteen-year old girl, The SVU team investigates.

Disclaimer: The characters of SVU are not mine. Other characters are mine, but Dick Wolf's Law and Order SVU inspired them and the story.

Original Publish Date: Nov. 22 204

Complete or To Be Continued: To Be Continued.

Ashley sat on the doctor's table in the emergency room, alternately rocking back and forth and kicking her feet. She was grateful Detective Benson, or Olivia as she said she could call her, was with her. Olivia had such concern in her eyes Ashley wanted to cry. It made her miss her mother, but more so, miss what her mother wasn't. Her mother, regardless of the situation, would have said words like "inconvenience" and been impatient with the hospital staff. Ashley still remembered from the time she fell and broke her arm.

Olivia wasn't like that at all. Ashley wasn't sure what the police would say when she told them. Would they say she'd brought in on herself by agreeing to live with dad? She'd agonized, stomach cramped and unable to sleep. She felt so stupid for trusting him when he'd said he'd lost his chance to be a father all these years and welcomed that she stay with him. Mom had made clear how much she wanted to move in with her boyfriend Evan, though his condo was a one-bedroom. Had she known she'd have chosen Evan's couch, at least he wasn't a creep. Her father had said not to expect much, Manhattan apartments were much smaller than what she was used to, but with her mother who was always frustrated with Ashley's presence, the offer had seemed such a relief.

Olivia was out in the hall with a phone call and Ashley hated the fear that crept up on her…Oh God, is he going to kill me? Or worse…he was always threatening to make her ugly if she told. Once he grabbed her hair and put her cheek to the stove, saying if she said a word to anyone it would be on next time. Remembering this Ashley started looking at her clothes sitting in the bags marked as evidence and debated on dressing and running. Just then Olivia walked in.

"Are you doing okay?"

Ashley nodded. She hated the gown, felt so exposed and cold. Yet Olivia made her feel calmer, safer.

"We're going to have to photograph your injuries, okay?" As Olivia spoke she assessed Ashley's bruises- both her upper arms were ringed with what looked like purple handprints. Ashley self-consciously folded her arms as if she could keep them hidden. "Did your dad leave these marks on you?"

"Yes." Ashley whispered.

"Do you have other bruises?" Olivia could tell from Ashley's hesitation that there were more. "Do you mind if I have a look?"

Ashley lifted the gown slightly revealing more fingerprint bruises on her upper thighs. There was also a long red scratch on her right leg. There were other scratches too, more healed, but still bright red lines against the pallor of Ashley's skin.

"How did you get these?" Olivia asked gently.

Ashley let out a long breath. "He cuts me sometimes. Only on the legs though. It's so…" she looked at the floor. "He doesn't want me to wear shorts or skirts. He says guys will look at me."

Olivia was angry, sudden protective anger that she channeled quickly into questions. "Can you describe the knife he used?"

"It's his pocket knife. He always has it with him…I'm so scared. He's going to really hurt me if he finds out I told."

"Ashley, he already has really hurt you. But you did the best thing you could by coming to us, okay? He's not going to be allowed to hurt you anymore."

When the photographs were taken Olivia was struck by how much Ashley reacted whenever the flash went off. She winced every time. Olivia would remember that when Munch and Fin brought in the evidence from the search of Ashley's father's apartment.