Chapter4 Entering the Ring of Fire

Fin couldn't believe it after almost three years of being together with Melinda he finally made the ultimate step and asked Melinda to marry him a move that he finally felt like he lifted a huge weight off his shoulders.

Since Melinda got up an hour earlier than Fin to do yoga Fin knew he could shower and get ready without disturbing Melinda although he knew Melinda wouldn't mind making him breakfast a gesture Fin appreciated.

Fin took a hot shower and dressed in a red shirt and black pants with black sneakers he was just hoping that today wouldn't have any real stresses.

Fin headed over to the kitchen where he actually found Melinda munching on a turkey swiss sandwich.

"Hey babe sleep well?" Fin asked coming behind his fiancée and giving a small kiss on the cheek.

"I did lucky we didn't overdue the drinking last night."

"I hear that." Fin replied going over to the coffee pot pouring himself a cup along with making a quick ham and egg roll.

"So, are we going to talk about the whole thing going on with Amanda Olivia Alex and Casey?"

"What are you talking about Mel?"

"Come on Fin don't be coy you know I'm as connected as you I've known forever that Alex and Casey have their eyes on Amanda and Olivia do you think they seal the deal?"

Fin took a gulp of his coffee before answering.

"Mel, I don't know Liv's my boss and friend and Amanda is like a sister to me I stay out of things like that."

"Come Fin it's just us here you can tell me."

"Fine but only because its you."

"That's what I thought so out with it."

"If I'm being honest I think Alex seals the deal before Casey since they've had heat between them for years frankly I don't know how those two aren't already married."

"True but I'll bet we have at least one engagement announcement sooner rather than later personally I'd put money on Alex and Olivia."

"Mel aren't you jumping the gun a bit I mean we don't even know if Liv or Amanda is into women."

"Fin open your eyes Liv is at least curious I've seen the way Liv she used to have it out with Alex there is definite heat between those two you don't fight as hard as they did without at least thinking of what it would be like to go a few rounds in bed."

"Okay I'll give you Liv and Alex being a semi-done deal but Casey and Amanda will take some convincing I'm not even sure Amanda would remotely entertain dating a woman."

"Who knows Fin crazier things have happened."

"Yeah but this is beyond crazy if either of those two relationships happen I'll be shocked."

Fin and Melinda finished their breakfast and headed off to work hoping for another peaceful day by SVU standards.

The drive over to the squad was peaceful for the most part which Fin appreciated.

"I'll see you later Mel." Fin said as he shared a kiss with Melinda before heading inside.

As Fin made his way into the squad he noticed that the lights to Olivia's office were off he looked at his watch and since it was only five to nine he chalked it up to traffic and got out some reports he had to look over.

An hour into tour he decided to get some info on his friend and boss.

"Hey Burgess you seen Liv today?"

"No Fin I figured she took a day and left you in charge."

"No, she didn't I'll give her another hour or so if she doesn't show up we'll check on her."

"Fine by me but I hope she's alright."

With that the squad returned to their paperwork hoping that Liv would show up without having to launch a search party.

Meanwhile at the Manhattan federal courthouse Lena was walking out of her courtroom after having sentencing a man who had killed his wife over a divorce as she headed into her office she found Liz waiting for her office.

"Liz what are you doing in here you have a full load this morning."

"I don't the schedule I sent you got shuffled so for the next hour I'm free."

"Fine have you heard from Alex since last night?"

"No, I haven't but I'm sure I'll hear from her and or Casey in a few hours I know they both have lite schedules today so I'm not worried."

"Well from my moles at the one-six Alex and Casey dropped big money on gifts for Olivia and Amanda and before you ask I don't know what the gifts were I just know they weren't cheap."

"I wonder what they could have splurged on?"

"I don't know Liz but I'd bet we'll find out in short order today."

"Well I'll get back now Lena we'll grab an early lunch when I get back." Liz said heading for the door.

Lena sat at her desk looking at motions from various cases and hoping today wasn't a train wreck.

Back at the DA's office Alex was still thinking of the previous night with Olivia she just couldn't get the fantasy of being with Olivia out of her head she had a recurring dream of taking the brunette lieutenant in multiple ways and she had to admit the thought of tossing Olivia on her bed and using a strap-on with her was quite arousing.

Alex tried to clear the image from her head by going through ADA motion drafts and hoping Casey was better luck clearing her mind of the sexy images of Amanda from her mind she too had not so wholesome intentions planned for the southern blonde.

Back at the one-six Fin had just walked in from a scene not far from the house where he and Kim took a missing child report that luckily turned out to be the result of a parental misunderstanding.

"Dam Burgess that was one call I hope we don't get again I'm too old for that type of crap parents need to learn to communicate better."

"I hear that Fin."

"Say Fin times up and still no Liv we should head over to her place and see what's up."

"Yeah Kim I hear you let's roll Carisi Erin hold the fort down while we check on Liv."

"You got it Fin go take care of Liv." Carisi answered as Fin and Amanda headed out to Liv's place.

The drive over to Liv's was one full of tension both detectives were hoping that they'd find Olivia safely at home, but both knew that as remote as it was they had to acknowledge the fact that they were going to be in for a less than ideal situation.

A few tense moments Kim pulled into a parking space on the street and walked up to Liv's apartment lucky for them the door was slightly ajar which allowed them to go right to the elevator.

"Fin something tells me we aren't going to like what we find."

"Don't think like that Kim we have to stay positive."

When the elevator got up to Olivia's floor and headed for her door.

Fin took a breath before knocking on the door.

"Liv its Fin open up."

Fin and Kim waited a few seconds before Fin repeated his gesture getting the same result.

"Fin face it she's not inside we need to get inside."

"I know Kim that's why I have a spare key now relax."

Fin opened the door and stepped inside with Kim closing the door behind them.

"Wow Liv's place looks like it could pass a military inspection." Fin stated as he and Kim walked into Olivia's kitchen not finding her.

"Fin don't think of raiding Liv's fridge let's check her bedroom before we head back she might be a clue as to where she's at."

"Let's move."

Both detectives headed into Liv's bedroom finding the bed unmade but not finding anything out of the ordinary.

"Damn it nothing here let's get back we need to put a plan together to find Liv before we go and bring the dogs out."

"Yeah hopefully this won't come to that."

Kim and Fin headed back to the squad hoping they could handle this without having to call it in.

Meanwhile over at the federal courthouse both Lena and Liz had finished their caseloads for the first half of the day and were headed to grab a bite to eat.

"Liz where are we going to eat?"

"I was thinking that nice deli by that nice lounge not too far from the one-six maybe we'll run into Alex and Casey they always stop by to not so innocent flirting."

"Liz those two wouldn't dare flirt with Amanda in the company of others who could out them."

"Lena Amanda and Olivia are clueless."

"Are you sure they Liv's a sharp cookie."

"Trust me they don't know a thing now let's hit the deli."

Both judges headed out to their car and made their way towards the deli.

After a short drive Lena managed to find parking at the end of the block just across the way from the deli.

Once the duo entered the deli they went right up to the counter of the semi full deli where they ordered two roast-beef heroes.

While waiting for the sandwiches Lena noticed a crowd gathering by the ally not too far from where they parked their car.

"Liz hurry with those sandwiches there's a crowd by the car it looks serious."

Liz heard the urgency in her wife's voice and got the sandwiches moments later along with two smoothies and the duo headed out to the ally where they found a woman who happen to be standing by the ally jogging.

"Excuse me what's the problem here?" Lena asked.

How should I know?"

With that Lena and Liz made their way through the small crowd and happen to look over by the far side of the ally and saw two garbage bags propping up a couple of what they could have sworn were manikins.

Seeing a shield sticking out Lena picked it up and recognized the number she immediately turned to Liz and alerted her to her recent findings.

"Liz, I think we have a problem."

"What's that Lena?"

"Look at whose shield I found."

Liz looked at the shield and finally got why Lena was scared.

"Fuck this just got bad Lena I'll call a bus and the one-six." Liz remarked pulling out her phone which was swiftly snatched from her.

"Lena what the hell?"

"Call a bus fine but no way in hell do you call the one-six if they come down here all hell is going to break loose, I'll call over to the 12th and get this place locked down and these two to Mercy."

Ten minutes later a pair of ambulances and squad cars surrounded the scene both judges were told that they should ride with Olivia and Amanda to the hospital.

Back at the one-six Fin was hard at work with the rest of the squad tracing both Liv and Amanda's phones hoping to trace their missing friends.

"Fin any luck tracing the phones?" Erin asked.

"No, I haven't and it's getting to the point we're going to have to get the bosses in on this."

Fin keep trying the phones call the carriers if you have to if you come up empty we'll call it in."

"Sounds like a plan hopefully it works Erin."

Back at the hospital both Lena and Liz had been sitting in the waiting room for about forty minutes growing impatient with waiting.

"Liz, you need to relax we'll get answers pretty soon."

"Lena if you think I'm on edge now imagine the warpath Alex and Casey will be on when they find they weren't called as soon as we found out about Amanda and Olivia".

"You're right let's just hope we get some good news."

After another hour of waiting a 6ft brunette male doctor came out to address Lena and Liz.

"Doctor how are Olivia and Amanda?" Lena asked.

The doctor took a breath before answering.

"I'll be frank with you of the two cases Olivia's condition is the worst she has three cracked ribs we had to fix but what concerns us the most is a grade two concussion and that's not taking into account the facial gashes we fixed fairly quickly."

Both Lena and Liz were already sick having heard the severity of Olivia's injuries and knowing that Alex will be on a warpath once she finds out about Olivia and that wasn't even taking Amanda into account.

"Doctor we know about Olivia what about Amanda?"

"Well Liz Amanda is okay per say just a minor rib bruise but she also has a grade one concussion she is alert but we are watching her because we found she has a history of concussions and she's also been exhibiting signs of PTSD right now we have them both resting I would make arrangements for them to remain under watch if they progress over the next few hours".

"Thank you, doctor." Lena said as the doctor tended to other cases.

"Lena, we need to call Alex and Casey now if something happens to Amanda and or Olivia and they don't know we will be dead."

"I know Liz you call Alex I'll call Casey."

"Fine let's get this over with."

As expected when Alex and Casey found out about what happened they hit the roof.

About twenty minutes later both judges were face to face with an irate Casey Novak.

"Lena how the fuck was I not the first call you made I swear to you if Amanda dies I swear you'll curse the day you ever took the bench and if you think I'm hell Alex is walking into SVU right now and she is out for blood and just a heads up she willing to burn this city down to find and prosecute the people responsible".

As predicted Alex stormed into SVU and to say she was hot was an understatement.

"Fin!"

Fin heard Alex's voice loud and clear as she walked in.

"What's up Alex?"

"Don't play stupid with me how are you not burning this city down looking for Olivia and Amanda's attackers they are your friends for fuck sake."

"Alex, we just got the details a bit ago I've been tracking phones and trying to get security footage I want these dirt-bags as bad as anyone."

"Don't bother anymore I put into the chief of D's and pulled strings I am putting together a task force for this case if you want to help fine but no one as much as sneezes without letting me know I'll have your job friend or not."

With that Fin knew he was not dealing with any typical cop attack this one was higher than normal stakes so he knew he had to get the culprits before Alex leveled the department.

That does it for this chapter next chapter will cover the start of the case as well as Alex and Casey meeting with Amanda and Liv along with reinforcements coming from a couple of old faces.