AN: Hello! I've been dealing with writer's block for about a year now and have hated everything I've written throughout that time, but found this in my old story files. I wrote this right after Part 33 aired ( Season 20, Episode 14). Hopefully posting this will help ease some of the anxiety I've been having and inspire me to get back to my unfinished projects! Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy.
I do not own Law and Order SVU or the characters.
Olivia's heart sank.
We the people find the defendant guilty.
Her testimony was the one that convinced the jury that this was nothing more than an angry woman murdering her husband. She had served Annabeth up on a silver platter.
Fin stared at her in disbelief, and Carisi had barged out of the room the moment the verdict was announced. Amanda hadn't bothered to stay because she knew that there wouldn't be enough room for reasonable doubt once she testified.
Peter was looking at her, only offering a small smile and she couldn't take it. It was hot and the room was full of voices and eyes. Pushing through them, she forced her way out of the room and into the hall, unsure of where to go next. So she ran to the one place she felt safe.
"Liv? What are you doing in here?" Peter asked as the light flooded the room. She was sitting on the floor with her back against the wall. Her arms were wrapped around her knees, hugging them to her chest and it was quite obvious that she had been crying for a while.
"I didn't know where to go." She admitted, quickly wiping away the tears. "I didn't expect you to come here".
"Well, it is my office" He joked, desperately trying to lighten the mood. He tossed his briefcase onto the couch as he made his way over to her, joining her on the floor.
"Don't you have to go celebrate?"
He watched intently as she tried to wipe up the streaks of mascara with her fingers, growing more and more frustrated. Reaching into his pocket, he grabbed a handkerchief and offered it to her. She stared at him for a moment before begrudgingly accepting it, drying her face.
"Look Liv, I'm sorry for what I said about keeping your bleeding heart out of my courtroom and for basically forcing you into telling the truth-"
"No" She cut him off. "You're not. You had a job to do and I was getting in the way of that...But what I don't understand is how you could stand up there and crucify her without a shred of doubt in your mind. It was obvious that he abused her Peter and you just, you just painted her as this cold-hearted killer".
When Olivia looked over she expected Peter to be angry, or defensive, but instead he gave her an understanding nod. There was a sadness in his eyes that she hadn't expected to see.
"It's my job to take the criminal and lock them away. I can't let myself think about it too much. You can't choose the vic, and I can't choose the perp".
Olivia shook her head. "This isn't the same and you know it. I understand that this is part of the job but what about my moral obligations? What am I supposed to do when deep down I know that she felt trapped? She had no other way to get out and killing him gave her that freedom from the torture of their marriage".
She tipped her head back, resting it against the wall. "That could have been me" She whispered to herself.
"But it wasn't you" Peter reminded her. "You would get yourself out of the situation before it could ever get that far" He tried to say, but she quickly used his own words against him.
"So you're saying that he did abuse her?"
He groaned, throwing his hands up. "According to the law he didn't abuse her".
"And the law is always perfect and knows everything" She retorted, rolling her eyes.
"So you're mad that I did my job and used the law, which she very obviously broke, to put away a murderer?" Peter asked, knowing that that wasn't the problem at all. He may not have known Olivia long, but he knew that if he wanted her to open up, he'd have to work it out of her.
"Yeah" She sighed, closing her eyes. "That is obviously what I was saying. I'm shocked you didn't bring up that he was a cop in your little outburst there. God knows Rollins did about twenty times".
Olivia buried her face in her hands, trying to take deep breaths and avoid another wave of tears.
"I'm not sorry for doing my job, Liv...But I am sorry for having to hurt you in the process".
She looked up at him, breaking apart the very second that their eyes met. Her heart was pounding and her body was trembling, but it felt healing in a way. She needed to let it all out. Peter's arms wrapped around her, holding her against him.
"I'm sorry Liv" He kept whispering to her, running his hand up and down her back. Peter had never seen her like this before and it was honestly quite frightening. Olivia was the strongest person he had ever met, and watching her crumble like this was tragic.
She suddenly pulled away from him, frantically trying to fix herself.
"I'm sorry. You shouldn't be dealing with this. I'm sure you have something to do".
"I do actually" He agreed. "I have to get my friend cleaned up, pick up take out for her and her son, and spend the evening trying to make up for what I did. That's my moral obligation".