Chapter 16
STILL IN SEASON 15, BUT THEY WERE GONE TWO WEEKS AND SINCE WILLIAM LEWIS IS GONE, IM JUMPING AHEAD PAST PSYCHO/THERAPIST. SO I'M AT AMARO'S ONE-EIGHTY. KIND OF PERFECT SINCE THIS SHOW STARTS WITH CELEBRATION DINNER AT OLIVIA'S. I HAD TO CHANGE IT BUT MAKING IT WORK. I WILL END WITH TOUCHING ON JERSEY BREAKDOWN.
Nick was hitting the bag, when Fin popped in, "Hey LaHoya, we need to head Olivia and Amanda's new place. Dinner, did you forget?" Nick stopped, "Nah, just let me shower and change. They seem happy Fin." Fin looked at Nick, "Are you ok man?" Nick shook his head and went to shower. Even though Nick had his son in his life and things were going well with his son's mom as well, his ex wife took his daughter and moved to California. She went wherever the army took her.
Everyone arrived at the couples new penthouse, "Wow, this place is very nice guys! Congratulations!" Cragen held up his glass as a toast. They all sat to eat dinner together. Cragen pulled out a chair for his date, Eileen. Everyone was happy to see him with someone. They heard a knock, "Fin will you grab that, I'm sure it's Melinda." Fin opened the door, "Hey Doc!" Everyone knew Melinda from work, but when Olivia and Amanda found out that she lived in the building, they started hanging out a bit. Amanda was secretly hoping her and Fin would have something in common.
The dinner went great, and Amanda was finally getting the whole family vibe. "Guys we have to do this more often. We should have a family dinner every two weeks. The squad didn't disagree, "Hey free meal I'm in!" Nick agreed with Fin, "Nick you should bring Cynthia and Gil next time." Olivia heard Nick had a hard two weeks while they were gone. Everyone stood up and said their goodbyes, Amanda nudged Liv when she saw Fin and Melinda exchange numbers.
Nick and Fin left together, since they came together. Nick joked with him, "I saw that! Slipped your number to Melinda huh?" Fin laughed, "Hey everyone has someone, except me. Even the Captain." Out of nowhere they hear, "Police! Stop!" An officer is chasing a suspect and gets hit by a cab. Fin and Nick stay with the officer, "That kid was selling and has a gun." Fin called it in and Nick asked, "Who saw the gun?" The officer responded, "My partner." Fin stays with the officer, while Nick runs after him.
Fin calls in the radio, "Plain clothes officer in pursuit, suspect may have a gun." Nick catches up with the partner and the suspect runs in the building. They enter the building carefully and Nick holds up his badge and points his gun, "We need you to drop your gun." A woman screams, "Leave the kid alone" and records what is happening.
The other officer goes in the hallway and all Nick hears is shots, the officer goes down and Nick shoots around the corner without seeing who was shooting. He dragged the second injured officer out of harm's way. Fin finally arrived, "What the hell happened?" Before Nick can explain they hear yelling, they both jump up and enter the hallway. They see people helping the boy who is laying in the hall, "Hands up and back away!" Fin looks, "Nick where's the gun?" Nick applies pressure to the wound, but no gun is insight.
Soon the entire squad is there to support Nick. "Captain, this is a big mess." Fin explains. Cragen tells them, "Find that gun." Cragen and Olivia walk Nick to the police car waiting. Nick is clearly shook up, "Cap, the kid…" Cragen explains, "Let the doctors worry about him. You go with Olivia to Mercy and wait for your delegate. Understand?" Olivia went with Nick, she knew the situation wasn't good.
At Mercy, Nick was about to fully submit to a tox screen when his delegate arrived. "I need a moment." She questioned Nick about his night, finding out he drank and didn't eat a lot. She quickly advised him on the next steps. "Only thing left is to pray they find that gun."
Cragen and Olivia are outside talking when Lieutenant Tucker arrives from IAB and walking behind they see Brian Cassidy. They are both shocked. "We are taking over, your detective messed up and big." Fin and Amanda arrive soon after seeing IAB there, Fin says, "That's not good." Amanda looked, "Fucking Cassidy. Fin he's IAB." Fin shrugged and they joined the talks. Olivia grabbed Cassidy, "What's going on Bri?" Brian looked over at Amanda, "Honestly, I don't know, I'm only here because I was pulled. I'm trying to bounce back here Liv. After the accused rape…" Amanda narrowed her eyes at him, she trusted Liv but not him. "Congratulations, but she's a wildcard." They both looked at Amanda and Brian smirked. Olivia went to Amanda, don't start, not tonight.
This hit Nick and the entire squad hard. They were all pulled in for questioning about the party and drinks. The boy was a 14 year old without a gun and was now paralyzed from the waist down. It was on the news and in the papers. Guys even showed up at Nick's place threatening him. He had to stay with Olivia and Amanda for a while.
Nick was eventually cleared, but that wasn't the end. He received a command discipline, had to attend anger management classes, and was officially on desk duty. The squad joined around him to hear the news. Nick was once again hit with a bombshell. "How long Cap?" Cragen smiled, "Until Sergeant Benson says you're not." Everyone turned around and Nick stood up, "If this is because of me I will quit right now." Cragen informs everyone, "It's not you Nick, it was my plan, but then that night happened and I wanted to see you through it."
He told the squad, "Eileen has two tickets for a six month cruise and I have enough leave that will take me to mandatory retirement." He looked at Fin and Olivia, "I told you all I didn't have long." He smiles, "I'm proud of my time here and it has been an honor working with the best detectives and this unit in the NYPD." He turned to Nick and placed his hand on his shoulder, "You are a great cop and man. You will get through all of this." He walked to Amanda , "I was never sorry that I brought you up from Atlanta. Oh and I'd do again in a heartbeat. You've grown up kid, keep going." He moved on to Fin, "For a guy who never should have been an SVU detective, you're ok." Fin smiled, "Right back at you Cap!" He smiles, "Oh and let me be the first to congratulate you, Sergeant Tutuola!" The whole squad cheered. Amanda said, "No one could ever take your place." He walked to a sitting Olivia, "Well in the meantime, Sergeant Benson will. She's ready and it's not easy going from player to coach, so go easy on her." He leans over to hug Olivia, "But don't take anything off of them." With that he walked away in his office.
The squad talked and congratulated Olivia and Fin. They were going to lead them now. Olivia excused herself and found Cragen packing up his personal belongings, "We didn't get to throw you a party." He smiled, "Good, I hate parties. Word of advice?" She sits on the desk that is now hers, "Always." He looked at her, "I made the NYPD AND SVU my whole life Andy somewhere along the way, I forgot to live my own Olivia. You've been happier in the last year than you've been your entire career. Being happy and living life hasn't stopped you from your career. Don't stop now." Olivia wiped the tears away as Cragen got closer to the door, "Liv?" Olivia was still wiping the tears, "Do something with this place will you." She laughed and they said goodbye.
Olivia jolted up from the bed to see Amanda sleeping like a baby. She could sleep through anything. She heard the noise again and went out to see Nick moving his suitcase, "Nick it's really early." Nick had a hard adjustment and his behavior didn't make Olivia comfortable with taking him off of desk duty. "Sorry Liv, I didn't mean to wake you. I've been here long enough. I've got to get back to my life." While talking Olivia's phone goes off, "Ok Nick. I've got a vic in the ER." She turns to go get dressed, "Wait I can go, don't wake Amanda." She shook her, "No you can't, that's why it's called desk duty.
Olivia was regretting staying up late and watching shows, not for her but Amanda. She was in charge now and with Nick on desk duty it was either call Fin or grab Amanda. Amanda was easier because they were together, but dealing with Amanda in the morning after not a lot of sleep was a battle. "Amanda baby, wake up we have a call." Amanda thrashed in the covers and closed her eyes tight as the lights came on. "Amanda!" Olivia used the tone, but she always thought she was so cute waking up in the morning. "I'm tapping that butt in 5, 4, 3, 2" Amanda sat straight up. "Ok Liv!" Olivia smiled, "Come on at least you can shower with me to be faster." Amanda had an attitude, "Oh what fun! Shower and no sex, not touching. Yay!" Olivia waited for her to strip and get in the shower, then she smacked that ass. "That's your warning, not to act up today."
Once at Mercy, they found a young victim with signs of assault. They transported the 3 guys at the scene to the squad room. The young girl gives them both the run around and doesn't want help or the cops. Olivia is tense and gives the girl a hard time, before leaving and heading to the squad. "Liv you were a little rough." Olivia sighed, "If she doesn't cooperate, we won't have a case."
The squad even being short staffed worked hard as usual. Nothing stopped them from working as a team. Olivia hung up from Barba, "Guys FBI is sending in someone. We just ran into a sex trafficking investigation." Nick asked for a moment, "Not now Nick." Fin and Amanda looked on, but knew better than to get involved. "Liv we are short staffed and you won't even give me a chance. I'm your partner." He eyed Amanda and dared her to say something. Amanda usually kept it professional, but Nick was going after Liv. "You mean was right Nic? Anger management is definitely working out for you." Fin shook his head and when Amanda looked at Liv, she knew she was in trouble.
Nick scoffed, "Of course, you rather be with your fuck buddy." Olivia had enough, "Nick my office now!" He turned and walked in her office and she turned and looked at Amanda, "I will deal with you when we get home." Olivia went in and slammed the door, "Do you think acting that way will get you off desk duty faster?" Nick sighed and covered his face, "Everything is falling apart Liv. I lost my wife, my kid, you, and now Cynthia and Gil." Olivia was surprised, "Nick, what are talking about?" Nick looked at her, "Cynthia and Gil are moving to California now too. Nothing is working out. I'm sorry I didn't mean it, none of it." Olivia explained, "I'm just waiting on you to finish the class Nick. I want you completely in the clear, everything before you come back. I would never shut you out."
When they came out looking happy, Nick apologized and so did Amanda. Everyone said goodnight. "Umm Liv, that was nice of Nick to apologize." She was testing the waters, "Yeah it was, too bad you'll be apologizing all night, to me." Olivia smiled and kissed her wife.