Chapter 13

"Shut up!" screamed Carisi at the furious hump they had in the cage. He had been brought in on possession of some disturbing child pornography. Carisi thought ALL child porn was disturbing, but apparently this guy held something extra special. Now he did nothing but cause a ruckus yelling for his lawyer and how he was gonna sue the entire unit. Whatever. Carisi just wanted some quiet. He turned to Rollins, "I swear I'm gonna kill him if they don't get him to the tombs asap!"

"Yeah, well get in line" she grumbled. "Stabler will be here any minute"

He leaned over his desk and whispered conspiratorially, "Hey, do you think now that the kid is back, he and Liv might…"

"Well he was sleeping with her this morning and…" she started before she was interrupted by Fin.

"Hey you two. Don't you got work to do? You shouldn't speculate on what you know nothing about" he admonished. Fin hated gossip from people who really had no clue, especially when it held so much truth. "And you in there, shut that fuckin hole before I shut it for ya!" He was exhausted and worried, but he would never complain compared to what Liv and Serena must be feeling. The other detectives went back to their work and the perp took Fin's warning to heart and finally sat quietly.

-SVU-

About ten minutes later, Elliot pulled his car into his designated space and he and Liv both got out and stopped. Serena was still sitting in the backseat, looking down. Liv climbed back in. "Baby, I know you are scared. So am I. But no matter what you were told, no one will ever hurt you again. What you have been through...I can't imagine, but sweetheart, we have to find him so we can stop him from moving on to someone else." Liv knew the horrors she imagined these past two years and all she could do was hope to hell she was wrong, or at the very least, not that bad. She watched Serena for a few moments as her child kept her head and her eyes down. Slowly, she reached over and opened the car door and stepped out.

All Liv wanted to do was forget this; pick her daughter up and take her home and hold her forever. She had to keep reminding herself that this was necessary. She was a SVU cop and she would be telling any other mother the same thing. She felt terrible as she watched her baby silently walk into the station without looking up until Elliot pressed the elevator button. "No El, we need to take the stairs" she stated as she noticed Serena start shaking at the prospect of riding up.

"No problem" he said without missing a beat and he led the way to the third floor. When he opened the doors to the unit, the first thing he noticed was how quiet it had gotten in the hour he was gone. Either they got the asshole processed and down to the tombs already, or, well he didn't want to think of the paperwork that would be associated with the or. He caught eyes with Fin, who just nodded. Elliot led the way to his office. The unit was equipped with a children's interview room, but Serena was not the typical child and he just wanted both of them in his space with him.

"Hey Baby Girl" called Fin as they made their way across the room. Olivia smiled and ran to embrace him.

"Thank you, Fin. Dear God, thank you!" she said as she nearly strangled his neck.

"Never any need. Besides, you know I like both my Baby Girls in the same place" he replied as he returned her hug. Much to Fin's pleasure, he saw Serena smile at the floor as Liv let him go. "That's right, just like your Momma no matter how old you get, that's what you'll be." He never raised his voice or attempted to approach, but he knew she was listening to everything going on around them.

"I don't know how to take that Fin" joked Olivia as she saw Serena look up and smirk. She slowly walked over to Fin and stood next to him. Just stood there, looking up into his face. At least now, she didn't have to crane her neck so far to look. Fin stood perfectly still, trying to keep his face impassive and friendly. Suddenly, Serena stood up on her toes and kissed Fin's cheek before finding the floor fascinating once again.

"It was you baby. All you, but you are welcome" Fin replied.

Elliot held his arm out for his two ladies to enter the office ahead of him. As soon as he shut the door, Serena spun around and practically burned a hole through the door with her stare. "Sorry, I will leave it open" he corrected as he remembered her reaction to the bathroom and bedroom doors last night. Serena visibly calmed and sat on the sofa instead of in one of the chairs because it gave a view of who would be coming in.

Carisi watched the exchange intently and as soon as Elliot closed his door, and immediately reopened it but stayed inside, he asked Fin, "Hey, why do you call Olivia 'Baby Girl'?"

"More importantly" interrupted Rollins, "Why does she let you?" Fin ignored them both and went to make coffee leaving the two detectives to ponder amongst themselves.

-SVU-

Elliot and Olivia tried every which way to get answers from Serena. For almost an hour, they rephrased, role played, etc but she just wouldn't budge. She kept staring at the floor as if it were going to move. If she even so much as whimpered or moaned, they would have instantly stopped and backed off, but she was silent, so they kept pressing. Elliot was trying and failing to hide his frustration. He paced, he stood like a statue with his arms crossed and listened as Liv tried, he groaned and sighed and felt horrible as Serena flinched at his reactions. Calm down Stabler. She is Serena yes, but she is a victim of two years of God knows what! He never held back with them. Serena has seen crime scene photos on the board and heard every swear word in the book in every language the cops here know. She has seen him put his fists through walls and windows while turning so red-faced he could rival a tomato. He was so used to just letting it out with Olivia and Serena that he almost forgot the reason they were here. He knew Liv felt just as he did, but more importantly they wanted to protect her in every way.

"I'm sorry. What the hell am I doing sweetheart? I'm not mad at you, I'm mad at this situation. But you, you I adore and I have to remember to keep my temper and frustration to a minimum. It doesn't look good if the boss has to reprimand himself, does it?" He knew it was a lame attempt at levity, but he couldn't come up with anything better. "Wanna Coke?" When both nodded, Elliot left the room to go to the machine, Serena right on his heels. "You can stay here; the machine is just down the hall."

Serena grinned as she caught sight of Fin and he winked. She watched Amanda and the man who drove them home yesterday as they tried not to stare from their desks.

"You remember Amanda Rollins sweetie, don't you?" Liv spoke up. "That's her partner, Sonny Carisi. He drove us home yesterday."

That was all the permission they needed to stop pretending to work and openly watch whatever was happening. They both gave warm smiles. When she turned her head, Serena saw Elliot return with three sodas in his hands, so she took one and turned to follow him back into his office.

"About fuckin time, man!" came the voice from the man in the cage who was now being led around by an officer. "How long you gonna keep me here?"

Serena dropped her open coke can and instantly froze. Well, froze isn't exactly the word as her heart was coming into her throat and her chest started heaving. Liv put her can on her desk and faced Serena with her hands on her shoulders.

"What? What is it baby? Don't worry, he won't hurt you."

He already did Momma! I'd know that voice anywhere. I hear it in my dreams when my brain lets me sleep. Her breathing started to become erratic the more the perp yelled. Serena's eyes went wild and she started sweating.

"Hey, get him the fuck downstairs, NOW!" Elliot screamed to Carisi, who was more than happy to jump up and oblige since the officer didn't seem to know what to do. Liv couldn't get Serena to respond or even move. The man walked right up to Elliot, dragging the uni with him.

"You in charge right? Well, how come I asked for my lawyer so long ago and all I get is shit from your people? I swear I…" the perp trailed off as he looked at the girl. "Shit! Mother fucker!" and a long string of expletives spilled from his mouth. "Bitch, where's Andrew? Huh? Where that piece of shit doctor at cause I warned him…"

That's as far as the man got before Fin's fist connected with his jaw, causing him to slump in Carisi's arms. He had a bad feeling about this guy all along and he was just a bit quicker to put the pieces together than his superiors, whose minds were rightfully preoccupied. He's glad it was him though, Liv and Serena didn't need Elliot in jail right now.

"Fin!" yelled Elliot but suddenly, as if he was the one who got sucker punched, the guy's words connected in his brain. "Where's Andrew?" He looked down to find that Serena had wet her pants, unable to hold her bladder out of the pure fear radiating from her wide eyes. She was starting to hyperventilate as Liv tried everything she could to calm her down before her knees gave out. "Move Carisi!" he bellowed as he watched mother and daughter descend to the floor. Sonny half dragged, half pushed the guy out of the room, calling for the officer to get his head out of his ass. "Wait! Put him in the box, I have some questions for him. Fin stay right here. Rollins get me everything you can on that guy."

Olivia fumbled in Serena's backpack and took out the cannula. It's been barely 24 hours and the oxygen was being used far too much for her liking. Who the hell is this guy and how does he know my daughter? Good God, I'm not sure I want to know the answer to that. Her hands were trembling, and Serena could not sit still as she was trying to fill her lungs with air. Elliot placed his hands over Liv's and stilled them long enough to get everything in place. Liv started to model deep breathing for the young one and he was glad because it would also calm Liv down, and to be honest, himself as well. He was mirroring Olivia's coaching and breathing and his head began to clear.

"Honey listen to me. That man is NOT going to hurt you. He's not even here on a violent charge. He had pictures of naked kids." He watched Serena squeeze her eyes shut at that bit of information. "Believe me, he is not going anywhere and, in a few moments,, he'll be praying for death. Tell me. Do you know that man?" Elliot held his breath once again as he watched Serena grab hold of Olivia's arm with a grip so tight he thought she may crush Liv's radial bone. She gave an almost imperceptible nod. "Okay. Did he hurt you?" He realized how loud and stern he sounded but it couldn't be helped. You could hear a pin drop in that squadroom as no one was pretending to work anymore. Elliot was trying so hard to keep his temper; he couldn't fly off the handle, especially not when all eyes were on him. But that was all he could ask because at that moment, Serena stopped hyperventilating and fainted.

-SVU-

Olivia knew that the moment Serena passed out, her breathing would regulate, but that knowledge did nothing to quell the heartache she was feeling at the reaction her daughter had to a man arrested for kiddie porn. Elliot had promptly carried Serena to the couch in his office with Liv assuring Rollins that she didn't need to call a bus. Carisi put the now irate prisoner in the box and left him there to sweat and everyone was trying to figure out what the hell is going on. Elliot was just about to step out to get some info when Serena began to stir.

As Olivia coaxed her daughter awake, she mentally prepared herself for what was to come. Since Liv was squatting on the floor in front of the couch, Serena climbed into her lap. Liv made a noise that was a cross between a silenced sob and an aborted hiccup, but Elliot was standing so close he of course heard it. Just like he did in the car, he positioned himself behind Olivia with his legs and arms wrapped around them both. He didn't care at that moment that the door was left open, he just wanted to comfort his family. That's what they always were to him, family, but they meant more than that. The office was silent, and that silence seemed to spill out and continue in the squadroom as well. Not before long, Fin appeared in the doorway.

"Hey, can I try somethin?" When both his superiors nodded their consent, Fin worked his way down on the floor in front of them. "Hey Baby Girl. Amanda asked me to give you these. I know how embarrassin it is to have an accident and have to stay in wet clothes and if you say one word Stabler, I'll clock you" he said evenly, never looking up but he saw Elliot smirk from the corner of his eye. He probably wouldn't live that down. "Amanda is like this thin" he said as he held up his pinky finger "So these leggings should fit you just fine." As he handed her the pants, she took them willingly and made eye contact. He jumped at that opportunity.

"Baby, you saw me punch that guy out there right?" Nod. "I need you to tell me exactly why I did that. I need to know how he knows you so I can make sure my paperwork is in order, because I can get in a lot of trouble for doing that." Fin hoped the side of her that loved him as an Uncle overrode her fear of giving a statement. It seemed that the room stood still for several moments, not even breathing could be heard. Finally, she gave a small nod and looked back at the floor. "Okay, but do you think we can sit on the couch? This floor is killing my back!"

Serena looked from him and side-eyed Olivia. Fin took another chance that he was reading her hint correctly. "How about this? Why don't you change and then you and I can go to the fun room and talk, just the two of us. Would that be okay?" He knew he was going to get ripped a new one by Liv for suggesting it, but he saw Elliot tighten his hold on her arms and she immediately bit back her retort. Serena got up from Olivia's lap and went to pull down her pants.

"NO!" shouted both men out of reflex, making the poor girl jump but Elliot spoke first. "Sorry, sorry baby. Here, you change in here, Uncle Fin will get his things together and I'll stand right outside the door to make sure no one looks in. Okay?" As they hastily made their exits. Serena found her glasses on the arm of the couch and positioned them back on her face. She then sat down to untie her sneakers while Liv stood by Elliot at the door. The only difference was that he was facing outside like a guard dog and she was watching Serena.

Olivia watched as Serena carefully took off her shoes and stood up to remove her wet jeans. Since she was closer to Elliot's desk, Liv didn't have the best vantage point, which she supposed was a good thing right now because she couldn't handle a breakdown at the moment if she were to catch a glimpse of scars or other bruising. The first think Liv noticed was that she wasn't wearing any underwear. Secondly, and more importantly, Serena's legs were so thin, she looked like a walking skeleton. Amanda's leggings that Liv has seen the athletic detective wear to work out, should have been the perfect fit for Serena, but they hung a bit baggy. Liv vowed to keep feeding her daughter seconds and thirds for four, not three meals each day. When she was ready, Serena walked up to Liv at the door, holding her wet pants shyly.

"It's okay, I have a ton of laundry to catch up on when we get home" she said as she took them with a smile. Serena walked out towards Fin, who held his arm out to guide her, but never touching. At the door to the children's interview room, Serena looked back at her mother, who stood with her back to Elliot and his hands on her shoulders, both standing ramrod straight with what were meant to be encouraging smiles. Fin left the interview door slightly open, but neither approached.

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