Chapter 5

They walked into the squad room together. Fin grabbed Amanda immediately and they went to work. Olivia knocked on Cragen's door. "Morning Cap!" He waved her in, "How's she doing?" Olivia shook her head, "What do you know that you're not telling me?" Cragen asked her to shut the door. "She's a good detective, I think that was proved yesterday. She's hiding something and like I said so is Reynolds. Maybe I see you in her and I want to save one more kid before my final goodbye."

Olivia narrowed her eyes at him, "Don't look at me like that. I'm not going to be around forever. I think Munch leaving is a sign of that. Maybe I want to make sure you're willing to stick with her and help when I'm gone. So, what do you think?" Olivia thought, "She's got PTSD and it's pretty clear. Whether it's from something long ago or recent, I don't know." Olivia knew PTSD from a mile away. Although she had no more effects from being attacked in the prison when she went undercover long ago.

Olivia thought about adding in a major crush on me, but she left that alone. Olivia knew the signs. She had looks coming from both directions and Amanda wasn't the first woman that looked at Olivia that way. She still remembers ADA Cabot coming clean. Maybe ADA's were her thing.

She looked at Cragen, "It's only been a day, she seems like a good kid. What if I can't do it? What if I let you down?" Cragen looked at her, "I'm not worried about me. Don't let her down." Olivia sighed, "She's not going to sit down in a week and tell me all her pain. We'd be going in blind. You found Amaro and he's fine. Are you sure you don't want to ask around and find someone local?"

Cragen smirked, because he knew Amaro wasn't fine. He transferred for a reason. His marriage was in trouble. He recently found out in open court he had a 9 year old son after sleeping with a drug dealer's sister undercover. Olivia knew from the smirk that everyone had problems. "She's got the SVU background and training. If I pulled someone else it would be a person that needed more help."

As the day went on, Olivia saw what Cragen meant. Amanda was sharp and got it. Nick needed more help and they were teaching him at every turn. Despite Amanda's personal problems, they didn't get in the way all day. The case was harder than they thought. They had a suspect in Gabriel Thomas. Everything fit even down to the tattoo, but he had a wife and kid. Nothing made sense. He tried to explain he didn't do it. He even volunteered to speak to them without a lawyer. He didn't fit the profile, but they had DNA. When his wife turned her back on him and the bars shut, he slit his wrist in jail.

Amanda was kicking herself. Her mind was racing as she ran on the treadmill. Maybe this was a mistake. Maybe she was too cocky. She was running hard and fast until Olivia was standing in front of her. She slowed it down to a walk. "You've been running for a while. You barely touched your lunch and you've missed dinner. You wanna talk about it instead of beating yourself up?"

Amanda stopped the machine afraid Olivia was figuring her out. No one was ever able to figure her out. "I'm not. I'm just used to running everyday, but I haven't been." Olivia shook her head, "Ok, well ready to shower and eat?" Amanda agreed. On the elevator Amanda could feel Olivia's eyes burning into her. Olivia knew she was lying. Olivia sipped her wine while she watched Amanda eat. "When you were running Nick called. He and Fin got a lead."

Amanda stopped eating and looked up. "If you want to know what they found, finish your food." Olivia smiled as she got up to wash her wine glass. Amanda finished it all and showed Olivia her clean plate like a kid. While she washed her dish, Olivia explained, "Gabriel was adopted. They tracked down the birth mother at a halfway house. She's a real piece of work."

Amanda looked serious and Olivia thought it was so cute the way her eyebrows came together. Olivia didn't want to toy with her, "He has twin brother Amanda." Olivia thought the news would make Amanda feel positive. They knew Gabriel wasn't fitting in the puzzle, but his twin brother Brian grew up with a lot of trauma. Amanda pushed away and went to her room. Olivia gave her 10 minutes. If she learned anything about Amanda in the short time, she learned she had passion and didn't like getting it wrong.

She walked in to see her holding her head. "I thought you would be happy. We're close Amanda." Amanda couldn't be happy, Olivia told her she got it wrong. "Happy? I'm wrong and probably ruined a man's life." Olivia sat with her, "Amanda we're not perfect. We try hard and we fight for the victims. Do you realize how crazy this situation is?"

Amanda shrugged, still not convinced. "You know, the worst day of my career and personal life happened with one case. I was secretly dating ADA Haden and that's a big no no." Amanda looked up, "I put an innocent man behind bars as a young detective and I learned many years later I was wrong. All of that was on me and it led to my relationship being blown up. I didn't even know I was pregnant when David and I split."

Amanda looked up and Olivia rubbed her back softly. "Stop beating yourself up. No one expects you to be perfect." Olivia got to the door, "I can't help it Liv. I expect it." She came back and knelt in front of her, "If you take the job here, we need to work on that too." Then Olivia did something that blew Amanda's mind, she gently kissed her forehead. Amanda had never been shown affection. "Get some rest. Tomorrow is Friday and we're going to see his twin."

The next morning they headed to Central Park where Gabriel's twin worked. Cragen updated the team, "Fin has the report on Brian Smith. Rollins you're the blonde so we're using you." Olivia shook her head, "Captain, she doesn't know the park." Amanda was mad she didn't need protection. "Captain, I'm good!" She turned to Olivia, "Don't do that again." Amanda set out on a fake run right past the perp. Amaro followed on a bike, while Fin and Liv were on foot. Fin used the radio, "Rollins, slow down!" For a quick moment they lost sight. They found Brian on top of Amanda beating her and threatening her with a knife to her neck.

Amanda never stopped to look at her injuries. Instead she begged the Captain to let her finish and get the confession. They all watched as her and Fin wrapped up the case. They were all congratulating Amanda and everyone was smiling except Olivia. Then it happened, Amanda passed out. Amanda blinked a few times. She woke up to the same look on Olivia's face, she was pissed. Amanda saw an African American woman with a white coat. "Ouch my head. Who are you?"

"I'm Dr. Melinda Warner. I'm really an ME, but I was called to check you out. You fainted. Can you sit on this table for me?" Olivia gave her a smile, seeing her sit up and look ok. Amanda told her, "I'm fine, I didn't eat this morning." Olivia's smile went away, "I was nervous this morning." Melinda used her light to look in her eyes. "Follow my finger." Amanda listened and caught a glimpse of Olivia watching.

Melinda grabbed the hem of Amanda's shirt, "Can I take a look?" Amanda thought about the bruises but hopefully whatever Brian did would cover it up. She shook her head, "Can Olivia stay?" Amanda looked at Olivia and shook her head. Melinda lifted her shirt and saw it immediately. She was a doctor and she knew some bruises were new and forming and some were old. She felt her back and ribs. Then she looked at the small mark on her neck. "Ok, I want you to eat. No more passing out."

Fin and Amanda sat eating lunch. Melinda looked at Olivia, "Say it Melinda!" Melinda smiled, "Some of those bruises are old. You've got a reckless one. She's either not afraid or young and dumb." Olivia laughed, "She's not dumb. I'll watch her. Thanks Melinda!"

Amanda was called to Cragen's office where she saw Olivia sitting. "Amanda, we want to offer you a spot here. Olivia will be your mentor through this. What do you think?" Amanda looked at Olivia and she was happy and scared at the same time. She couldn't go back to Atlanta, but she knew Olivia was already on to her. "Thank you Captain Cragen and Sergeant Benson. I accept."

They walked out and gave the squad the good news. Everyone was happy and Fin shouted, "Dinner on me!" They all headed to eat dinner together. Amanda even did something Olivia didn't expect, "Liv, shouldn't we call Lucy?" Olivia smiled, she knew Amanda needed help and Olivia decided then she would stick by her and help her through whatever this was. "We should definitely call Lucy."