Disclaimer: Dick Wolf owns Law and Order SVU and the characters. I only own the idea for the story and the new characters.

Chapter 109: Not right

A few stitches later, Elliot had driven Hannah back to the precinct, in complete silence. He kept trying to think of things to say, but nothing came out right. In the end, he'd just kept his mouth shut.

Hannah walked up to Olivia and immediately asked after Devon, where he was and what charges would be filed against him.

'Let me see your arm first,' Olivia demanded, 'Did it hurt?'

'What happened to you?' Fin asked her, 'Seriously? After just one day you're already injured.'

Hannah opened her mouth angrily, but luckily Olivia came to her rescue, 'Don't blame her, it wasn't her fault.'

Fin frowned but decided not to push the subject.

'I heard you managed to ward off a most feared attacker by sheer willpower alone,' Munch commented with his usual sarcasm, 'Any secret powers you haven't told us about?'

'Just my usual charm,' Hannah put on her best angelic face.

'Yeah, right,' the detective replied, 'Too bad we can't use that, seeing as your mother has now decided you're suddenly too young for police work.'

Olivia sighed and looked at Munch with a pleading look that seemed to say: do you really have to question my parenting right in front of the child I'm actually trying to parent here?

But Hannah told Munch, 'Don't worry. I'm leaving the case in capable well-read hands.'

'She means me,' Munch looked at Olivia from over his glasses, ever so slightly smug.

'I figured that.'

'Where's Alex?' Hannah tried to sound as casual as she could.

'Why?' Olivia asked as she tidied up her desk. For today, her work was as good as done. 'I thought maybe we could try that new place on the corner? The one that just opened up, sit down together and eat?'

'Yeah, sure...' Her daughter didn't quite convey the enthusiasm she had hoped for, 'I just need to talk to Alex about something first, okay? I'll be back soon.' And with that Hannah walked off.

'What was that all about?' Olivia asked her partner, full of questions.

'You know, it might have something to do with the call she made, down at the hospital?' Elliot thought out loud.

'What call?'

Elliot turned around and thought about it for a few moments. Then he decided, 'You know what? Never mind. I'll ask her myself. Just give me a few minutes...' And he walked off as well, which left Olivia alone at the desk with even more questions.

Elliot caught up with Hannah as she was walking towards Alex' office at the precinct. 'Hey, wait up!' he called out.

'What?' Hannah turned to face him, irritation written all over her face.

'What do you want Alex for?'

'None of your business,' she repeated for the second time that day.

Elliot sighed and managed to suppress the instinct to become strict with her. So, instead he said, 'Alright, I know you're mad at me, but I don't really know why. Can't we just talk about this?'

'Why? So you can tell me again what it is I'm doing wrong?' Hannah threw back, 'I'm sick of you having zero faith in me. You think I'm a screw-up and nothing like your perfect kids? Fine. See if I care,' and she started to walk away again.

But Elliot stopped her gently, 'I don't think you're a screw-up, honey. I don't think that at all. I think you're a great kid, but you keep getting yourself into danger and I just want to protect you. Do you understand?'

'I'm not getting MYSELF into danger!' She practically shouted, 'Weird shit just keeps happening to me!'

Elliot frowned and then laughed, much to Hannah's surprise, 'You know what? You're right. Weird shit does keep happening to you...'

'Yeah. So it's not my fault.'

'No, it's not your fault.'

Hannah didn't really know what to say next, 'So...'

'So, I'm sorry if I gave you the impression it is your fault,' he tried his best to keep eye contact with her, 'That was my bad.'

'Okay...' She never really knew what to do when adults apologized: it was so completely unfamiliar to her.

'I saw you called CPS, at the hospital,' Elliot admitted then, 'Is this about Devon?'

Hannah sighed and crossed her arms in front of her chest, 'So what if it is, you're gonna try and stop me?'

'No,' he held up his hands in an attempt to calm her down, 'Maybe I can help?'

Hannah smirked and finally softened a little, 'Flattery will get you nowhere, my friend.'

'Yeah it does,' he smiled back, 'You're still talking to me.'

Hannah looked down at the floor and made up her mind, 'Alright, well, I didn't want the people at the shelter to call the cops, because Devon's been through enough shit as it is. I know he'll face those charges, but I thought maybe I could ask Alex about a way to maybe get some leniency for him? But mainly, he needs a place to stay.'

'Where does he live now?' Elliot asked.

Hannah shrugged, 'As long as I've known him, he's been in and out of shelters with his mom. But she went to rehab a lot and then he was just on his own.'

'No legal guardian?'

'The state, I suppose? I asked the lady at CPS and she mentioned a brother, but he's been up at Attica? Which is why I need to talk to Alex...'

'Hang on,' Elliot interrupted, 'Why would the lady from CPS even disclose such information to you?'

A guilty look appeared on her face, 'I may have pretended to be the director of the shelter...?'

Swallowing the lecture, Elliot mused, 'You really wanna help this kid.'

'Yep.'

'Okay, so let me help. That way, you won't have to lie your way into the information, and we might actually get somewhere. I can get into his files and see about his living relatives, would that help?'

'Yeah...' Hannah smiled, 'It would actually. But I could've done it on my own as well!'

'I know,' he smirked, 'This is just a little bit less illegal.'

'Right...' she conceded, 'So, can I talk to Alex now?'

'I'll come with you.'

'Okay,' she allowed, and Elliot's heart nearly jumped with joy.

When they knocked on the door, they had to wait for a few moments. In those few seconds, Elliot finally asked, 'Why do you wanna help the boy that tried to stab you so badly?'

'I don't know,' Hannah shrugged, 'I guess because it's not fair. It's not his fault, so it's just... not right, you know?'

Elliot smiled and looked down, 'Yeah, I know.'

Alex called them in, but as Hannah put her hand on the handle to open the door, Elliot added, 'Hey, kid?'

Hannah looked at him, 'Yeah?'

'I'm proud of you.'

Thank you for reading and make sure to let me know what you think!