In years past, he wouldn't have come here for the reason he is standing here now. But these days, it seems the only times he ever gets to be in places like this is if something awful has happened. And today is no exception.
Tape surrounds the area, yellow with black lettering, announcing to the world that there is a crime scene in the midst of this place. Cops are everywhere, most of them from the crime scene unit. A few are in uniform, but he and his partner are in plainclothes. The medical examiner hasn't arrived yet, but she will soon. And the whole cycle will begin again.
They cross the tape without saying anything, pulling their coats closer around each other to keep the cold away. CSU techs look at them for mere seconds before going about their tasks. One of the uniforms walks up to them, bringing with her a child. At this, the two detectives exchange glances, fearing what they already suspect.
Sure enough, within minutes, all of their suspicions are confirmed: this child found the victim. He shakes his head in disgust, and goes towards the medical examiner, leaving his partner to continue questioning their first witness. She looks up upon hearing him approach and sighs before going on to explain what little she knows from a first look.
The wind starts to pick up. He ignores it, and the cold that it brings in favor of listening, but she doesn't have much to tell him. She'll know more when she gets the body to the morgue, she says, and he nods without saying anything. Soon, the body is gone, and in its place is an imprint in the snow.
His partner comes to stand beside him at this point, shaking her head as she motions to the playground nearby. It's empty, thankfully. Only one child lost any sense of innocence today…but that one is one too many. He closes his eyes for a minute and is taken back to a time when he'd have never thought of things like this. It's warmer in his thoughts, and he can hear the sound of laughter.
When he opens his eyes again, his partner is still looking at him, an almost questioning look on her face. He doesn't say anything, so she doesn't ask, and the two of them make their way back towards the unmarked car waiting for them.
Fall has finally started its gradual descent into winter. The temperatures are falling further in the city, and the crime rate is going with it.
The only problem is that it will never fall far enough.
A/N: Yay! Another little prompt thingie! I'm starting to think that I should get bored and not have school more often...meh. Anyways, SVU is not mine. Just thought I'd let you guys know that...wanders away, rambling