You guys made this chapter get here before the actual episode. Your reviews are just awesome. Can't thank you enough & also for understanding it takes a ltl time to write each chapter, I am a stickler for detail :)
Okay so I forgot something in the last chapter tho; the rumor about Sam & Amanda spending the night in the same room at that conference in Houston was planted by Patton. I'm going to correct that but just so you know cause it is mentioned in this chapter. So Patton is the culprit yet again.
No Rollaro in this chapter but don't worry, it will come.
And are we ready for the actual episode? No I don't think so but I still want to see it. The previews are killing me as much as the promos.
Next chapter will be a hard read, just giving you a heads up. Give yourself a big hug before you plant yourself in front of the TV tomorrow! XO
Chapter 6
"There's a difference between giving up and knowing when you've had enough" - unknown
Fin slowed in, let his car roll down the street slowly as he spied out the window. He feared he'd driven too far, she'd been hazy on the address. But just as he was about to turn back around he saw her step out of the shadows, Frannie by her side. He leaned over and opened the passenger door for her. She shoved Frannie in first and Fin helped direct the dog to the backseat after he'd given her a quick pet. Amanda got in and Fin watched her as long as the light in the front was on. Her cheeks were red, she could be flustered but it could also be the cold.
"Can we go?" she asked once they were embraced in darkness and Fin took off. No one said anything for a while. He thought he could sense her spying out as though she was looking for something or perhaps someone. She soon started rubbing her hands together, putting them between her thighs and he leaned forward to up the heat. Frannie popped her head forward and Amanda told her to lie down which she immediately did.
"What the hell are you doing all over here?" he finally asked, not able to contain himself any longer. She didn't answer immediately but then;
"I… I just kept walking and… then Frannie stepped on something. I would've grabbed a cab but I didn't bring cash."
She was usually a good liar but this was one of her really bad tries and he wasn't even sure she wanted him to buy it. Her tone was shaky as well and he wasn't sure if it was because she was freezing or if she'd actually been terrified.
"You want to stop and get something warm to drink? You look cold," he asked instead of pushing her on her lie. Even in the dark he saw her shake her head.
"Just take me home," she said after a few beats and then she added a please.
"No problem partner," he said and stepped a little on the gas.
Once he stopped outside her building she wasn't as usual half way out the door already but just looked around a little.
"I'm coming with you upstairs," he said but she immediately objected.
"It's not for you," he said opening his door, "It's for Frannie, since she stepped on something remember."
He got out, opened the back door and called out Frannie. He grabbed her leash, shut the door and made it all the way around the car before she made it outside. She looked a little unpleased but something told her she also was a little relieved. He made sure the doors shut properly on his car and caught her looking up and down the street as he turned back around. He didn't call her out on it. Yet.
He let her have the leash right outside her door and he made sure the corridor was cleared before he closed the door behind them. He didn't wait for an invite but since she'd already made her way inside he figured she didn't mind him being there. She'd disappeared down the hallway but he found Frannie on the couch and had a seat next to her.
"You're okay girl, right," he said rubbing around her neck.
"Question is what's going on with your mama right," he whispered a little closer to her ear.
Frannie raised her head to be able to look down the hall and Fin was yet again impressed by how smart this dog was but what could he expect, it was his partner's dog after all.
Fin heard a door open and close down the hall and he reached for the control to put the TV on while he waited for his partner to be brave enough to face him again. It took a while but then she came back, now covered in oversized sweats, the hoodie pulled up over her head, hair tucked back in it.
"You want something?" she asked as she passed him and went in to the kitchen.
"Something to drink would be nice," he said after her. She came back with two sodas.
"No beer?" he teased as she handed him one of them.
"You're driving," she said trying to sound brash as she climbed up on the couch and sat down on the other side of Frannie tucking her legs in underneath herself.
"So you're not letting me stay the night," he teased, "I'm disappointed."
She shook her head as she kept her eyes on the TV but he could see she was smiling. Felt good to know he could make her smile and that she wasn't offended by their usual banter. They watched the TV for a while but he knew her mind was elsewhere or otherwise she would've asked him what the hell they were watching.
"So you're going to tell me what you were doing all over on that side?" Fin finally asked.
"I was just walking Fin," she tried. He let her be for a few moments but then tried again.
"You wanna tell me who you were looking for then? Out on the street," he said. He didn't have to look at her to feel how uncomfortable she felt, she squirmed.
"Don't go," he said just as she was about to get up. She got a little stunned that he'd sensed it, it also made her emotional for some reason and she had to bite down hard on the inside of her cheek to not start crying.
"I just want to help, I don't want you to have to be afraid… of anyone," he said. He knew better than to stare her down but he had to throw glances just to make sure he wasn't pushing too far. Frannie laid down on her owner's lap as though she sensed her need for comfort. It served another purpose as well as she was unable to leave but Fin sensed the need to run had passed.
"Whatever it is Amanda," he said carefully, "I promise you I'll be here."
He could see tears in her eyes and he turned to watch the TV to not embarrass her. He could see out of the corner of his eye how her arm went up to quickly swipe away tears that maybe escaped her eyes but it quickly came back down again landing on Frannie not far from where his hand was petting the dog. Her hand found its way out of the sleeve and he saw her fingers trail through the dogs short fur. She soon leaned her head back down against the couch. He knew nothing more would be said on the matter so he focused on the show on the TV that he quite enjoyed even though he'd already seen this episode.
It was his time to get a little surprised as her hand suddenly reached in under his arm and she wrapped her delicate fingers around his wrist. She didn't make it all the way around his wrist with her small hand but it wasn't important. The important thing was that she latched on and it was all he could ask for right now. They sat there for a while but it didn't take long until her grip started weakening but before she lost it completely he sneaked his hand down to land in hers. He thought he felt her tug at it but when he looked over she was sound asleep next to him. He turned their hands over so her hand rested in his as he watched the rest of the show. He stayed for the next show as well but then he turned the TV off and made sure Frannie stayed put as he got up.
"You watch her okay," he whispered as he took the throw and carefully draped it over both dog and owner. She was already slightly tilted so he helped her down all the way by as carefully as possible guiding her down. He pulled back her hood a little so it wouldn't cover her face and he traced her hair back behind her ear. He made sure the throw covered her properly and then gave Frannie one last pet before he silently made his way to the door. Her spare keys was hanging by the door so he took them as he wanted to lock the door properly behind him, he would give the keys back in the morning.
Once out on the street he couldn't help himself but took a good look both up and down the street. She usually wasn't skittish, if something scared her tonight, if she thought she was being followed there could be something to it. There were cars parked up and down the street but they all looked abandoned. He kept watching though as he walked over to his car. He was just about to get in;
"What the f…" he mumbled as he hunched down by his car door. He dragged his finger along a scratch that went all the way to his back door. He rose up and looked around again. This was not made accidentally by some car. This was man made.
Liv finished up her second day in Atlanta with not much more then what she had from the day before. They'd managed to get a hold of the civilian that had claimed charges against Patton for harassing her. She had a rather straightforward but still despicable story to tell. She'd worked as an escort, been busted in a police raid and exchanged a sexual favor to Patton to get off scotch free. She'd been young at the time, using escort to pay for her college education but the bust had scared her straight and she'd tried to quit. Patton had not though.
When it finally got enough she walked in to the station but had pulled her charges after Patton had paid her a hefty sum that covered the rest of her college time. She wouldn't be a good witness and she wasn't so keen on sitting in court and reveiling her past since her close ones had no idea what she'd been wrapped up in.
They had time to visit Mona Asbury again, she'd hardly sobered up but at least restrained from spitting that morning. She refused to go on the record and wouldn't disclose what she'd been through more than to say she'd never met a bigger monster in her life than deputy chief William Patton. She had little faith he would get what he deserved but Liv promised she would do her best to see to that. Mona Asbury said though that the only punishment that could be sufficient enough would be to cut his wiener off. Liv hoped it would be enough to do it in the jurisdictional way.
Detective Jonathan Sawyer from IAB took her to the airport in time for her noon flight. He followed her all the way to the gate and they discussed how he could proceed without her and he promised to give her regular updates even if he came up empty which he of course hoped wouldn't be the case.
Liv made sure to show her gratitude and hugged his hand warmly as they said their goodbyes.
"I'll see you up there before trial okay," Sawyer said letting her hand go, "Hopefully with some more evidence for you. These are the cases you really feel eager to bring down the bad guy."
"Careful Sawyer, you might get me to think IAB actually have heart," Liv winked.
"I think I know who you're referring to," Sawyer said a little secretive. Liv gave him a curious look.
"Perhaps the same one that told me to watch out for you? That you could have a certain part of me for dinner if I didn't watch myself." Liv let out a chuckle.
"I don't think you have anything to worry about Sawyer, I can tell the good from the bad," she smiled.
There was a silent pause as both just tried to control their smiles.
"I hope we can get some justice for your detective as well as the others," Sawyer said seriously and Liv nodded.
"Me too."
"I got to admit that most of the time my job isn't so rewarding but if we can get this guy it will be all worth it."
"Yeah, that would feel really good. Let's make it happen okay," Liv said and then had to get going so she wouldn't miss her flight.
Back home in New York her squad was working a new case. A man had been sexually assaulted outside a gay bar during the night and not found until the wee hours of the morning. Nick was first on scene and had called in the rest of them. The man had been taken to the hospital already, was lucid and Nick asked Fin and Carisi to head over there as he stayed behind with Rollins to process the scene.
Fin was reluctant to leave Amanda behind, having an uneasy feeling she really was being watched by that someone who had scratched his car last night. He couldn't tell Nick anything though, knowing Amanda would kill him if she knew he asked someone to keep an eye on her. She was busy though trying to let go of the uncomfortable feeling of being left with Nick on the scene. She still felt embarrassed about the other night and her emotional outburst. That was two completely nutcase displays that did not prove her any less insane than her sister and she had to wise up. Get a grip.
As Liv got on the plane her squad had more or less solved the case. The assaulted man had seen the man that attacked him, he'd been inside the club earlier and with a little digging and watching surveillance tapes they soon had both his image and his name. Meanwhile Amanda's scolding yesterday had paid off and another set of surveillance tapes were delivered to their squad room. Nick let her and Fin get on it and Amanda couldn't believe their luck as they caught a guy looking just like the witnesses had described coming out and grabbing a cab right outside the building.
They were going to head out to pay the cab company a visit as Nick stopped them. He'd heard from Barba. Patton had been in arraignment court a little earlier. He'd been let out on a rather high bail. Trail date set to next week already. Amanda didn't show much emotion and after a silent pause she just asked if that was it and if they could head out. She'd turned before he said anything and Nick and Fin exchanged glances before Fin went to catch up to her.
Nick and Carisi were the only one in when Liv arrived at the station, she'd wanted to head straight there as she'd heard from both Dodds and Barba about Patton and the set trial date. Dodds was his usual cheerful self, gone from stressing over not wanting to charge Patton at all to worrying they didn't have enough to actually convict him. He said the rest of the police community would not look kindly on them if they charged an outsider only to see him acquitted.
Liv was worried about Patton's acquittal as well but not for the same reason. Her thoughts were on the victims. All those women he'd scared or threatened to silence, his rank was threat enough. Sam's words also echoed inside her head. She had a detective on her own squad that may know more than she was letting on and Liv had to figure out a way to get her to talk.
Nick was the first one in to her office as she arrived and he was eager to find out what she'd dug up. He could tell on Liv's face that it wasn't such good news. Carisi joined them as Liv started filling Nick in. She told them about the women she'd talked to, what they'd disclosed but had to end every recount with the discouraging reality that they wouldn't testify against Patton.
"So we have Taymor for the rape and Rollins to vouch against Patton's character, will that be enough?" Carisi asked.
"I'm not giving up on Angela Morris," Liv said, "And detective Sawyer will keep digging."
"Will anyone from Atlanta testify against him?" Nick asked, "What about captain Reynolds? He seems okay and Rollins talks well about him."
"I wouldn't count on him," Liv sighed as she went through her inbox.
"So Patton will have plenty of character witnesses," Carisi complained, "that will all say he's some righteous man who just happens to pull blonde officers to help them climb the latter as long as they climb him in the process."
"Carisi," Liv scolded, looking up to give him a harsh look.
"Sorry serge," he excused himself quickly.
Liv asked Nick for a briefing on this morning's case and Nick also told her about the break in the new year's case.
"Great, that's great," Liv said. At least that was some good news and also something that would have Amanda in a good mood.
A while later Liv spotted Fin and Amanda out in the squad room and she went out to say hi. She could tell their spirits were high and she inquired on why. Fin looked to Amanda figuring she would want to tell the good news but when she didn't say anything Fin jumped in and let Liv knew that they'd gotten an address from the cab company. At that same address one of the people on their phone list lived. It was a woman but after some digging they found that her younger brother was listed at the same address and they had the cabbie coming in to identify him from a photo. That kid worked mail service at the victim's job so they were rather sure he was the person they were looking for. Liv asked if they needed any help with an arrest warrant but Fin told her they had it covered. Liv could tell they were busy but she really needed to have a talk with Amanda and she feared that if she missed this opportunity she might not get another chance today. And it had to be today as she'd learnt from Barba that he was going to prep her for the trial tomorrow.
"Amanda could I see you for a moment?" she asked cautiously and caught the look Amanda shot her.
"Why, we're…" she gestured outwards but couldn't really get the words out.
"Just for a moment, I'll be brief, I promise," she reassured her. Fin had stopped what he was doing and observed them.
"I'll fix the photo lineup, grab the cabbie when he comes in, you go," he said to help Liv out. He was also keen to get Amanda to talk to her about whatever it was she so obviously needed to get off her chest.
"C'mon," Liv said simply and turned back to her office to get Amanda to just follow her there. Amanda dragged her feet behind her but Liv waited patiently right inside her office, holding on to the door that she closed behind Amanda when she was finally inside.
"Have a seat," Liv offered but Amanda stayed planted just a couple of steps inside the door.
"You said it would only be a moment so…" Amanda stalled, her whole demeanor signaling a fight or flight mode. It made Liv a little on edge as well and she decided to have a seat behind her desk giving Amanda the space she seemed to need right now.
"I just wanted to catch you before you headed out," Liv said as she tried to get her own head leveled out a bit, "I heard from Barba that he's prepping you tomorrow. And that you would handle it without me being there."
Amanda had put her hands in her sides, her jaw going a little off center as Liv spoke. Liv was a little disappointed as she figured it was Amanda that had asked for her absence even if Barba didn't want to confirm it.
"And that's… okay. But if you change your mind just give me a call and I'll be there okay?"
She looked to Amanda for some affirmation and got a shifty nod. It was evident Amanda wanted to get out of there but Liv wasn't quite ready yet.
"C-can I go?" Amanda had time to ask as Liv tried to arrange what it was she wanted to tell Amanda.
"Not yet," Liv hurried to say and leaned in over the desk, closing her hands in front of her.
"I talked to some detectives and some former detectives down in Atlanta," Liv started, "I learned some truths about… Patton."
She could see Amanda squirm and Liv really disliked having to confront her but it was necessary.
"He has a very nasty track record. You weren't the only officer he pulled, Taymor and I've talked to at least five others. They all tell very… ghastly stories."
"Okay… so good," Amanda said shifting a little where she stood, "And… they'll testify…?"
Liv looked at her to the point Amanda's eyes started darting around everywhere but on Liv.
"They are all afraid," Liv said watching her reaction, "Understandable so. He's intimidated them, used his rank, his power to keep them quiet. He's really a vicious man and I want to see him go down. Desperately."
"But they're not… not testifying…?" Amanda asked, her voice barely a whisper.
Amanda looked distraught when Liv shook her head. Amanda looked down, hid her face from Liv.
"I talked to Sam," Liv said and waited for a reaction but Amanda just kept her head down.
"He seems to have had your... best interest in mind, although… I might not agree with the way he did it. Or whatever ulterior motifs he might have had."
"Sam's okay," Amanda mumbled with her head still down. Liv just nodded even if she knew Amanda couldn't see it.
"Yeah he's still trying to protect you, he wouldn't tell me exactly what went down but I also talked to a few others, that mentioned you, and I know you were at a conference in Houston together, the three of you. I know Patton… spread rumors about you and Sam after that weekend. I know he could curse you out in the squad room and also be very… touchy feely, a pattern he had with the other detectives as well. So I'm wondering if you experienced anything else of…"
Liv got distracted as Amanda let out a slight whimper or something like it and she swayed visible.
"Look I should really head out…" she managed to say and looked like she moved towards the door even though her feet weren't really following.
"Amanda," Liv said making her face her again.
"Can you go back to that detective that you were five years ago? Could you tell me, or Barba, what that Amanda experienced with Patton?"
"I really have to go…" Amanda whispered.
"I'll let you go in just a minute," Liv said, "I know I've done nothing to earn your trust Amanda, I hope I'll get a chance to remunerate that, but right now I need you to… to be really brave. Reese needs you Amanda, and I think you have to do this for yourself as well, and I…"
"I've got to go," Amanda said, voice suddenly steady and she rushed out.
Liv frowned, closing her fists with frustration. Liv exchanged a glance with Fin through the glass in her office as he'd looked up as Amanda rushed out. It looked though as the cabbie had come in and Fin got moving.
Liv massaged her forehead as she tried to get her thoughts and feelings in check. Amanda was obviously rattled so in a way she'd been able to reach her but she needed Amanda to open up and not run. The last thing she wanted was to corner Amanda but it looked as it would be her only chance. She wanted to be at the pre-trial deposition tomorrow and contemplated going even if Amanda had asked her to stay away. She would take the night to think about it.
The new year's case was unfolding quickly now. The cabbie identified the younger brother in a photo lineup and the arrest warrant had arrived even before that. Carisi asked if he could tag along to arrest the guy and the three of them went out. They knocked at the Swanson residence half an hour later, the sister answered and they pressed passed her with the warrant waving in her face. Stunned speechless the sister still managed to signal that his room was downstairs and with guns pulled they made their way down a cellar stair hidden behind a door. It was rather dark and Fin, who had lead, shouted out 'police' and the suspects name 'Eric Swanson'. They heard something crash against the floor but further in and they hurried up their steps. They caught Eric crawling out a window. Fin rushed forward to try and grab his leg, Amanda was right behind him but she was putting her gun down knowing they weren't going to catch him. Eric disappeared out the small window.
"Help me up," she shouted as she grabbed the wall and climbed up the tipped over chair Eric had used. Fin got a little startled but grabbed a hold of her leg to help her all the way up.
"Go up," he shouted back at Carisi who turned to run up the stairs again. Fin lost her weight in his hands as she hoisted herself up the rest of the way and he saw her boots disappear out the window. He turned back and ran up the stairs, heart beating a little faster as he hated losing eyes on his partner.
Some hours later the three detectives were gathered at the nearest cop joint, Carisi in high spirit over by the bar after having spirits and his loud voice heard over the buzz at the dump.
"So there she was like fighting her way up and out the window after him like some ninja, I'm like tearing up the stairs, out on the street, have no idea exactly where any of them are. Like Fin's breathing down my ear, where's Rollins, where are they? And then we like, phew, there she is and she has this," Carisi tries to get his own laughter under control, "this prick's head in a guillotine choke, but with her legs you know, guy chipping for air. I kid you not, it was like out of an action flick. She was amazing."
And she had been. She'd taken down Eric single handedly and back at the station she and Fin had easily got him talking. Fin had enjoyed seeing his partner make the call to the victim to let her know her perp was caught and had confessed to his crime. She'd looked really happy. But now when he looked at her, tucked in at a table by the wall not wanting to take any of the glory Carisi was giving her, she looked anything but happy. She looked troubled and he made his way back over to her with the second round of beers he'd bought for them.
Her mood had changed the moment Eric had been transferred to lock-up. He knew she had a meeting with Barba in the morning to go over her testimony and he wondered if that's what had sneaked up on her. She'd been hard to persuade in to coming to the bar to celebrate but he used all the tricks and finally got her to come with. Carisi had been bragging over 'their' arrest since they got there but neither Fin nor Amanda really minded. It was a good bust and they were a squad so it was all good.
He rattled her as he put down the beer in front of her, he caught her jolting but didn't say anything but; "Here you go partner." She shot him a 'thanks' and grabbed for her beer as he sat down opposite her. He caught her frowning slightly as she tried to lift the glass to her mouth and she put it back down to not drop it.
"Your arm is hurting you," he stated. She had admitted bouncing off the brick wall once before getting the upper hand on Eric but she refused to let him take her to the hospital to make sure nothing was seriously injured.
"Is not," she answered in her usual stubborn manner.
"Prove it, pick up your beer," he challenged her. She stared at him with a peeved look but then picked up her beer with her other hand and looked very pleased as she had a taste of it.
"Ha ha," Fin said as he failed to keep a stern face. He had a taste of his own beer.
"If it's not better by tomorrow we're checking it up," he said once he'd put down his glass again. She sighed loudly but didn't object.
The easy-going mood didn't last long though, her eyes soon drifting off somewhere in the distance as her thoughts wandered away. Carisi came by with a group of cops and started gesturing in the air with both hands pointed at Amanda before he shouted;
"There she is. The ninja. The super woman I proudly call my partner."
His voice was overly grand and he laid it on thick obviously having a lot of fun with it. Fin could see how bothered she was by the attention, and the many claps she got over her back and shoulder, but she kept a brave face and in a humble way just tried to brush all the praise off.
"And I swear had he'd been able to talk he would've like pleaded us to help him cause his eyes were just begging us to get her off," Carisi laughed.
"Okay, okay Carisi," Fin finally had to say to get him to tone down, "Let the hero have her beer in peace now."
Fin smiled and Carisi took it good, turning around and the company floated a few yards away. Amanda shot Fin an appreciating look and Fin raised his glass so he could toast with her.
"Good job," he said.
"You too partner," she answered and clunked her glass up against his one more time. He tried to engage her in some small talk but she was obviously elsewhere in her thoughts and he took it easy on her, let her be. But before the beer was finished she declared she was heading home.
"Okay, let's go," Fin said without even trying to get her to stay a little longer and he started to get up.
"Where do you think you're going?" she asked as she put her jacket on, frowning a little as she stuck her bad arm through the sleeve.
"I'm walking you home," he said very matter-of-factly.
"No, you're not," she said shaking her head.
"Yes, I am," he insisted.
"No," she said very determent.
"C'mon," he urged, "After last night."
She gave him a glare.
"I got lost last night, that's all," she mumbled.
"I thought Frannie stepped on something," Fin muttered.
She gave him another glare.
"C'mon, what harm could it be," Fin asked.
He was worried about whoever had scratched his car. He realized it could've been an accident since she hadn't said it out loud that someone had actually stalked her but her entire behavior had signaled it.
"I'm a big girl Fin, I can take care of myself," she argued.
"I know that but you don't have to always."
"I need to right now okay?" she said, her voice softening a little.
"Oh c'mon, are you leaving already?" Carisi shrieked as he'd spotted she had her jacket on.
"See ya," Amanda said and sneaked away before Carisi had reached them.
"Bye Carisi," she waved. Fin had sat back down but watched her go before Carisi got in his line of sight.
"The hero has left the building," Carisi declared jokingly as some other people gathered around. Fin smiled too but caught Amanda over by the door pulling her hat on and his eyes lingered on her. There were quite a lot of people in the bar but Fin still spotted two guys standing by the bar close to the door and they were clearly checking her out. He was used to people checking his partner out though and she was a minority, he'd only spotted two other women in here tonight. Carisi said something and he got a little distracted but he caught the men getting up from the bar right after Amanda had left and they headed towards the door. Fin got an uneasy feeling by the way they kept throwing suspicious glances over their shoulder as to make sure no one saw them follow her and he got up on his feet.
"Can I buy you a beer buddy," Carisi said but Fin shook him off and tried to get around him, jacket in hand.
"Are you leaving? No, c'mon," Carisi complained.
Fin got stuck behind another group of cops and got some glares as he rudely pushed through them. His breath had picked up as he got out through the door. He looked up and down the street, not able to spot either Amanda or the two men that had followed her. He felt torn on what way to go. If she'd decided to walk home, which was a long way but he wouldn't hold it for impossible knowing her, she would've gone right but then he should've been able to still spot her. If she'd decided to take the train she would've headed east, may have gotten around the corner already so he ran that way as he got his jacket on. When he got there though he saw nothing, no sight of the men either and he felt a bit of panic. Could she have been lucky enough to find a cab waiting outside? But then where were the men? Could they have had a car waiting and kidnapped her? But he hadn't caught any sound of tires burning or an engine racing. He turned back, started running the other way, passing the bar again.
He passed an alley and caught some movement out of the corner of his eye that made him stop.
"Hey," he shouted spotting the two men holding on to his partner down by a container. One of the men where behind her, his gloved hand covering her mouth. Both men looked up as he shouted, the guy in front of her throwing a punch in her gut as the other one let her go and they took off down the alley. Amanda crumbled to the ground and as Fin realized he wouldn't be able to catch the guys, they were too fast for him, he stopped and kneeled down by her side. She was on her knees, holding her gut. Her hat was missing and her ponytail pulled off center.
"Are you okay?" he asked trying to get a good look at her face. She started coughing a little as he held her face in his hand. She was blinking, tears stuck in her eyelashes as she chipped for air. She managed to pull a deep breath but then started coughing harder as she tried to exhale. She was trying to say something at the same time but he told her to just breathe.
"R-ree-ree," rolled on her tongue but he didn't understand what she was trying to tell him.
"Just breathe okay," he tried but she pushed his hand away.
"Reese," she whispered.
"What?" he asked, still not grasping what she was trying to relay to him.
"Reese. Taymor," she panted, "Make sure… she's al-alright."
"That was Patton's guys? Are you sure?" he asked, his hand going up and down her back.
She nodded and pushed him away again to get him on the phone. He stood up and dug his phone out as quickly as possible. He dialed Liv, hoping she would know how to get a hold of Taymor at the hotel.
"Hey Liv, are you there?" he asked as he heard nothing on the other line at first, his voice was stressed.
"Fin? Are you okay?" Liv asked having a little trouble balancing both the phone and Noah.
"No," he answered quickly, hunching down by Amanda's side again, her breathe was still strained.
"I mean I am but some guys just attacked Amanda outside the bar we were at. Roughed her up. She says it was Patton's guys and she wants to make sure Taymor is okay."
"What do you mean roughed her up?" she asked worried.
"I got her but can you make sure Taymor is okay? I think Patton is trying to intimidate the ones testifying against him."
"Okay, I got it. I'll get on it," Liv said moving towards the door with Noah in her arms, "Check back okay."
"Okay," Fin said hanging up.
"She'll check on Taymor," he told Amanda who was looking at him, "You need an ambulance?"
She immediately started shaking her hand.
"C'mon Amanda," he begged getting tired of her stubbornness.
"I'm fine," she whispered hoarsely as she tried to get up. He felt like proving she wasn't okay by not helping her cause she obviously didn't have full mobility but he couldn't not lend a hand and ended up getting a good grip around her so she could get on her feet. When she was upright he saw that her jacket was torn, her zipper ripped open all the way from bottom to end and the clothes underneath looked disheveled.
"They touch you?" he asked, temperament flaring more than before. She gave him a look.
"He punched me," she said a bit annoyed, "Bastard."
The profanity was a positive sign but he was still worried.
"We need to call the police," he said.
"We are the police," she sighed and tried to take a step which obviously hurt as she hissed slightly. She still tried another one, supported with one hand up against the wall.
Liv was on her way down the stairs, car keys and home keys in one hand and Noah in the other. She was hoping Stacey was home on the second floor, she'd sat for her before and she really didn't feel like bringing Noah to Taymor's hotel. She was in luck and left Noah and her home keys with the teenager and told her she should be back before midnight.
She'd called the hotel to have someone check in on Taymor. She cursed herself for not putting a detail on Taymor, she knew what a bastard Patton was, she should've taken precautions. She also worried about Amanda and called Fin back as she was in the car.
"How is she?" Liv asked once she'd briefed Fin she was on her way to the hotel and that she'd called ahead to have their security check in on her.
"Stubborn," Fin complained but added, "Which is a good sign I guess."
"What happened?" Liv asked.
"I spotted two guys following her as she left, went after on a hunch and found them down in an alley. One had her stifled, the other one punching her in the gut."
"Good you went after," Liv said with a sigh of relief.
"Yeah," Fin said and looked over at Amanda just to get eyes on her. She looked okay leaning against the wall just outside the bar. She pushed Carisi back and shook of some other guy that was offering her a glass of water.
"And they threaten her?" Liv questioned.
"I'm not sure, all she said was to make sure Taymor was okay so I guess."
"You taking her to the hospital?"
"No, she wants to go home," Fin moaned.
"We need to get a report on this Fin, if Patton's truly behind this it's even more important," Liv stressed.
"We'll file one tomorrow if not tonight," Fin said.
"You need to document her injuries," Liv said though.
"She looks okay Liv," Fin said to calm Liv, "maybe her gut but I think it's mostly her clothes, jacket is ripped, pride torn."
"Well document what you can, he can't get away with this Fin," Liv said as Taymor's hotel came in her sight.
"Okay I got to go now, I'll call you a little later okay, don't leave her alone," Liv said but she didn't have to, Fin had no intention of leaving his partner alone right now.
Liv parked outside the hotel not bothering with the restriction. She flashed her badge to the porter and went inside, keeping her badge up.
"Sergeant Benson NYPD," she said even before she'd reached the front desk, "I called about Reese Taymor room 576."
"Yes, she was not in her room," the woman behind the desk said, "but someone spotted her in the restaurant."
"She's kind of okay," the woman said gingerly as she pointed Liv in the right direction.
Kind of? Liv didn't get it but hurried in to the restaurant. She understood exactly what the woman meant as she spotted Reese over by the bar and Liv made her way over to her. Reese had a tall drink in her hand that spilled over slightly as she talked loudly with some people a few tables down. They looked embarrassed for her but nodded politely at whatever she had said. Liv could tell Reese was pretty intoxicated and she missed her straw as she tried to go in for another sip of her drink.
"You should really play better music in here," Reese shouted at the bartender, using more volume then she needed over the soft piano music in the background.
"I really want to dance you know," she said right before she spotted Liv. Her face lit up and she called out Olivia's name, throwing her arms around the sergeant as she stepped up by her side.
"You will dance with me right," Reese slurred as she let Liv go.
"I will, up in your room okay?" Liv suggested taking Reese's drink from her.
"No," Reese complained, "I don't want to be confined up in there no longer. It's so boring. So… I don't want to. I want to be down here, talking to people."
Reese was steering her way towards the couple a few tables away again but Liv had a grip under her arm and more or less held her back.
"C'mon Reese, let's go upstairs," Liv said and started guiding her out of the restaurant. Reese was a little unsteady on her feet but Liv managed to get her fairly easy up to her floor. The detail Liv had called for had arrived and came up with them. Reese seemed rather out of it and didn't pay much attention to the newly arrived company. Liv instructed the officers that at least one of them had to sit outside her door at all times and then she got Reese inside.
"Okay c'mon let's get you to bed," Liv said coaxing her inside.
"But we were going to dance," Reese complained.
"We'll do that after you've had some sleep okay," Liv soothed as she helped Reese lay down. She got her shoes off and then pulled the cover over her.
"I'm going to get you some water okay," Liv said and went in to the bathroom with a glass she found in the pantry. Reese looked half asleep when she got back out but Liv still got her up slightly so she could have some water, knowing it might help her feel just a little better tomorrow. Reese frowned at the water and Liv couldn't help but smile.
"That's not alcohol," she mumbled as she laid back down.
"No, I think you had enough of that tonight sweetie," Liv said sitting down on the bed beside her, stroking away some hair from her face.
"I don't want to be here," Reese said, face frowning again.
"It's just for a little longer okay sweetie," Liv tried.
"I can't go back to Atlanta, I have to go home to Tampa," Reese said, tears forming in her eyes, "I called mom but I couldn't tell her, she's going to be so disappointed."
"No she's not Reese, she'll understand," Liv soothed.
"She'll be so embarrassed, I can never be a cop again and it was all I wanted. It's over. He's going to make sure they don't want me back home either. He'll ruin me."
"He's going to hang Reese, he's going to pay for what he did to you, we'll make sure."
"He's too powerful," Reese slurred, starting to doze off, "He always gets away with everything. He does not take no for an answer."
Reese feel asleep, snoozing immediately because of the hard liquor. Liv kept stroking her hair for a while, brushing it behind her ear and made sure she was properly tucked in. She couldn't help but see Amanda in Reese and for a moment she imagined being able to comfort Amanda like this. To stroke her hair, try and sooth her pain and make things just feel a little better. But she wasn't sure Amanda would ever let her do those things for her.
"You're going to be okay," she whispered aiming it at both Reese and Amanda, "I'm going to make sure of it."
Across town Fin closed the door behind them as they'd entered Amanda's apartment. Fin heard her slight moan as she tried reaching down to pet Frannie. She suffered through getting her boots off and Fin just watched her, frustration evident on his face as he started to get fed up with her stubborn need to have to fend for herself constantly. She caught him glaring as she got her jacket off and she shot him one back but then her face turned in to a frown as something obviously pulled as she had to reach up slightly to hang her jacket. Fin caved and gave her a hand even if she didn't want one.
Once she was inside he kicked off his own shoes and hung his jacket. She'd only made it a few steps inside when she turned back around moaning.
"Damn I need to take her for a walk," she mumbled.
"Don't worry about it," he said, "I got her but first I need to check your injuries."
She gave him a look of disbelief.
"Liv told me to document your injuries for the report," he said but caught her non-compliant look and frustration snuck up again, "It's either me or the hospital staff. Your choice but it's going to be one or the other, no way around it."
She bit down, looking peeved but so did he and finally her face eased. She did cross her arms across her chest though and if that hurt she managed to disguise it.
"Tell me what happened tonight," he said trying to not sound too pushy.
"They just told me to basically not testify," she said keeping her eyes away from his.
"What?" she asked when she finally looked at him. She didn't get the look on his face.
"I'm going to say you got a serious head wound tonight if you really think that will be sufficient enough," he said. She shook her head slightly and sighed dejected.
"Sit down," he said. As suspected she was reluctant but he just waited until she finally moved towards the couch. She sat down with a frown on her face and he went over to sit down as well.
"From the beginning," he said. She of course had to let out a long moan before she started talking.
"I went out, I didn't catch them following. I know, sloppy."
"Your mind was elsewhere," he chipped in and she gave him a brief look. It wasn't a glare though.
"I only caught sight of them when we were right outside the alley, I got one sock in on the taller one as the shorter one grabbed me."
"Grabbed you how?" he asked and she sighed.
"I guess around my torso, I'm not really sure it went by so fast. And then I was on the ground, got pulled inside the alley, the tall one got me up, put his hand over my mouth. The shorter one did the talking. And then he punched me in the gut when you started shouting."
She shrugged slightly.
"Okay, there are parts missing. What exactly did he say and how did your jacket get ripped?"
"He said I should know better than to take on a fellow cop. That he was sure I would only have good things to say if I really thought about it. And if I knew what was good for me. I think that was it," she said and shrugged again.
"You sure?" he asked and she nodded. He wasn't sure if she was being completely honest though.
"And your jacket? How did it rip?"
"I guess on the way in there," she said like it wasn't such a big deal.
"And the rest of your clothes? They looked messy."
"I think he grabbed a hold of me as he was threatening me."
"Did you recognize them?" he asked but she shook her head.
"They spoke southern though, like with a southern drawl."
"So they were from back home?"
"I guess."
"So you heard both of them speak? I thought you said only one of them did."
She gave him a look and he challenged it.
"I guess he said something then, they were both southern," she admitted.
"You want to add something about how your clothes got messed up as well?"
"No, I'm fine," she mumbled with her head down.
"So he hit you in your gut, what else?"
"Nothing else."
"I do not believe they got you in that alley without some sort of scuffle, c'mon Amanda, tell me."
"He might have hit me in the side first, and then yanked my hair."
He'd picked up her hat right by the entrance of the alley so her story checked out so far.
"I tried to hit 'em back but I couldn't get a good punch in, he kept fending off my blows. Then the gut blow, that's it."
He watched her for a bit, wondered if he should push her more but he figured she'd already had enough beefs for tonight. He got on his feet.
"Okay, show me," he said gesturing her up.
"Are you kiddin' me?" she asked stunned.
"Not kiddin' you, get up," Fin said and made even more sweeping gestures to get her up. She cursed a little under her breathe but got up.
"Get your sweater off," he said.
"Get the f," she swallowed the rest of the word, "I'm not going to offer you some striptease Fin."
"And I'm not asking but I'm going to have a good look at you whether you want to or not and it will be easier without your sweater. You can keep your tee on though or whatever you're wearing underneath."
"Well thank you very much," she said sarcastically. When she realized he wouldn't give in she started with her sweater under a lot of bottled animosity. Scratch that, not so bottled. She had a short sleeved top underneath and he immediately spotted some scratches on her arm.
"That's from earlier," she enlighten him as he curiously observed the damage closer.
"Right, forgot you've taken two tumbles today," he smiled at her and her face eased up a little. He tensed up a little though the moment later.
"So…" he said sounding a little insecure as he gestured to the hem of her tee, "Can I… like..."
She sighed loudly.
"Oh relax Fin, go ahead just keep it in your pants," she said and pulled up her tee. He mouthed 'ha, ha' but then bent down slightly to have a closer look. She felt his fingers brush up slightly against her skin and she found herself holding her breath.
"You'll get a bruise, we should take a pic of it tomorrow. And your ribs? What side was it?"
She hitched up her top on one side, he swiped it up higher though. She froze slightly as his palm went over her skin even though he was gentle. He didn't notice and made her turn around towards the light. She flinched as he ran his fingers up over her ribs and reached the part that hurt, hurt really much but of course she tried to pretend it didn't.
"You should let me take you to the hospital, they could've broken your ribs," he said giving her a grim look.
"I'm fine," she said and pulled down her hand and his hands with them, "nothing's broken."
"You're such an expert?" he said doubtfully.
"I've had broken ribs yes, this is just a sprain at most, no biggie."
"Okay, but we'll take pics in the morning and I'll write the report."
"So unnecessary," she mumbled as she sat back down.
"So not unnecessary, this creep is going down," Fin said definitely.
"So can you take her out or not, she's got the look," Amanda said, Frannie's head in her lap with pleading eyes.
"I got you girl, c'mon Frannie," Fin said clapping his leg to get Frannie to come over to him, "Can I get you something before we go?"
"I'm not handicapped Fin," she moaned as she leaned back on the couch.
Fin rolled his eyes slightly but then walked over to the door. He had to call for Frannie again as she was reluctant to leave her owner's side. He'd made it down on the street when Liv called to check in. She had already texted earlier that Taymor was okay which had calmed Amanda down. Liv let him know she'd left the hotel, she wanted to come over to check in on Amanda but Fin said there was no need. He knew Amanda would hate to have another visitor tonight, she was already prickly enough.
Liv had an ulterior motif as she wanted to try and convince Amanda to let her be there tomorrow as she talked to Barba. But she didn't manage to talk her way passed Fin and she didn't feel like pulling a sergeant card after everything that had gone down tonight. He promised to write a report in the morning and both he and Amanda would sit down with a sketch artist to get faces on the perps. He also promised to stay overnight to make sure she was safe.
After he'd made sure Frannie did her business he walked back. He kept his eyes out after anyone who might be watching the building. He got in and found her in the exact spot where he'd left her so he suspected she'd dozed off but of course she denied it, said she'd been to the bathroom and stuff.
"So can I enter your final frontier," he said a little overly dramatic.
"Why?" she said as she tried to get off the couch looking as unaffected as possible.
"Linen, for the couch," he said.
"Oh no," she said as she grasped he was planning to spend the night.
"Hell yeah," he countered though.
"Fin really, they're not going to attack me twice."
"Might," he said not ready to take any chances.
"I'm tired Fin," she said seriously, "I'll put the chain on, bring a kitchen knife to bed if it would please you."
She made a face at him but he wasn't humored.
"Or I could just sleep right here," he suggested gesturing to the couch.
"Not gonna happen," she said as she dragged herself to the kitchen, "I need to sleep, gotta see Barba in the morning, gotta be up hell-of-a early."
"C'mon Amanda, what would it hurt," he said following her, Frannie right on his trail.
"I need to sleep," she said as she poured herself a glass of water.
"You seemed to sleep fine with me here yesterday," he mocked a little.
"Well that was yesterday, thank you but get out Fin," she said putting down the glass of water with which she'd just downed two Tylenol. He was still very reluctant to leave but she stopped by his side, gave him a serious stare as she patted his arm.
"I'll be fine Fin, promise," she said.
She looked at him and kept praying inside her head that he would just go, he had to go. She couldn't take much more tonight. Those thugs. Patton's fucking goons. They had told her to keep her mouth shut. They'd put their hands on her, she knew Patton had told them just what to do and it grossed her out. She couldn't wait to get in the shower, to try and wash away tonight's filth.
"Go, sleep in your own bed, I'll see you later tomorrow," she said and more or less pushed him towards the door.
"You'll put on the chain, open for no one," he instructed.
"I know that for fucks sake," she mumble, "but thank you."
"Call," he said as he got his shoes on, "whenever. For any reason, I'll be right back."
"Thank you Fin, I'll probably just crash, I'll be fine," she reassured him.
"Okay, night," he said walking out.
"Night Fin," she said and added another 'thank you' just to make sure he knew she did appreciate his concern.
"Put the chain on," she heard as she closed the door.
She shook her head a little but did as told, not like she wouldn't have even if not. She was scared. She was terrified. She did her best to keep it together as she went down the hallway towards her bedroom but the tears had started falling before she got there. She closed the door between herself and Frannie. She couldn't even stand to let her dog see her break down. But break down she did. Sniffling hysterically as she crumbled to the floor in the middle of her bathroom. Latching on to the bathroom rug like it was her only life line and right now it felt as it was. Everything hurt. She couldn't take this much longer. She was crumbling from within. It hurt too much and she wasn't getting any air. She looked up, saw her hairbrush on the washbowl and reached for it. Using her very last energy to grab a hold of it and then crashed back down on the floor. She pressed her face down on the cold tiles as she started thrusting the brush's shaft in to her thigh over and over again as she let out a silent shriek. Outside the door Frannie whimpered, her paws scraping against the door.
Amanda's thigh started to go numb. The physical pain along with the tears, sniffles and hyperventilating had left her feeling empty inside and she could finally breathe a little calmer. She relaxed against the tiles, exhaustion taking over as she hugged the hairbrush close to her chest. She just had to get through tomorrow. Tomorrow and then the trial, having to face him one more time. She would do her best to help Reese out. She would vouch for how degrading he was to women, how he copped feels and that would be sufficient. That would work. It had to work.
"It has to work," she mumbled as she fell asleep right there on the floor.
She woke up around 2 am, shivering slightly and jolting back from sleep from a nightmare. Not one of the most haunting she'd had these past couple of days but enough to have formed a light coat of sweat over her skin and that shower she'd been in need of even earlier felt really nice. She wasn't sure how long she'd stayed in there but she'd managed to drag herself out of there finally. Frannie was still waiting patiently outside the door and together they curled up on her bed to try and get another few hours of sleep. She gave up after a while, took another shower to try and wash some guilt off. How could she let Reese fend for herself when she held information that could put the nail in his coffin? Maybe. If anyone believed her. How could she let a slime like Patton intimidate her? He thought he could send his thugs after her. Let them grope her. And what if it didn't end there? What if he himself paid a visit next time? Just the thought made it hard for her to breathe. Her skin crawled.
She tried to get ready for the meeting with Barba. It was lucky she'd been up way before she had to cause she kept forgetting things and changed her outfit several times. Everything felt wrong, tight, itched on her skin. She made it to the court house just in time. She'd hurried up the long stairs and was a little out of breath as she reached his floor.
"No need to stress detective," she heard behind her and spun around with a slight gasp. Barba was standing in the hallway, leaning up casually against a wall with a folder in his hands.
"I'm sorry," she breathed wanting to apologize for not being there early. Barba had a look at his watch but then just shrugged like it was no big deal.
"I had a meeting in my office," he explained as he took her down a corridor, the courthouse was oddly quiet, "we didn't really have time to wrap up so I let them have my room. Court room 3 is open so I was thinking we could use it, you don't mind do you?"
Amanda shook her head but her stomach was doing flips. Would he make her sit on the stand? Today already?
"I heard about last night," Barba said just to fill the void as they made their way down to the courtroom but also because he was concerned. He'd gotten the creepy vibe from Patton, had no doubt that he wasn't guilty of raping Taymor but he did not think he would actually have the guts to attack a NYPD cop. It made Barba a little curious what detective Rollins knew that was such a threat to Patton. Liv had called him again yesterday, told him to push Rollins a little. He'd questioned why the sergeant wanted him to push one of her detectives but Benson had played it sneaky, not really wanted to explain why.
They'd reached the court room, Barba as usual genteel and held the door open for her.
"Take a seat in the hot seat why don't you," he suggested and cocked his head up the aisle. She reluctantly stepped up, brushing her palms against her pants to get rid of some sweat.
"I brought you water," he said and placed the bottle he'd been carrying in front of her as she sat down.
"Thanks," she mumbled and immediately got the lid off and took a mouthful.
Barba gave her a look before he put his folder down on the nearest desk so he could spread out some paper. She seemed a little nervous to him.
"Okay, so let's start with when you joined Atlanta PD and then move on to how you met Patton and were to join his squad," Barba said with his side turned to her and his eyes on her service paper that he'd picked up.
"Okay?" he asked and gave her a look when she didn't say anything.
"Oh, you want me to give you the answers now?" she asked a little distracted and squirmed a little in her seat. Barba smiled at her.
"No better time than the present," he said.
"Oh okay," she said and took a deep breath as she tried to focus her mind.
"I started the police academy in Atlanta in…"
They went through the basics. Barba pressed her a little on her first initial meeting with Patton as she was a little sketchy. He sensed how uneasy she became just by the mention of his name, her brows constantly getting a slight frown whenever he said his name and she avoided it best she could. Often replacing his name with him or he which made Barba have to ask if she meant Patton. She got even more fidgety as she got in to her move from beat cop to detective. She wasn't acting like her usual self up in that witness stand and Barba started to feel a little self-conscious as well.
He got flashbacks from that murder trial where he'd been forced to expose her GA sponsor and the fact their relationship went beyond sponsor/sponsee. He'd caught a look of her at the very back at the courtroom and seen how her face was cracking. When he'd caught up with her at the elevators he'd seen her sponsor by her side and he'd been ready to jump in if he did anything to harm her.
Thankfully though he'd walked off and Barba had collected enough courage to walk up to make sure she was okay. Her eyes had been filled with tears, fighting to keep them in, he'd never seen her under so much distress but now she was starting to look a little bit like that. When he asked her if she was okay, if she perhaps wanted to take a break even though they'd barely gotten started, she'd shook him off though. Just go on, she answered, so that's what he did.
"So let me get this straight, you worked for captain Reynolds but you shadowed Patton?"
"Aha," Amanda breathed. Barba had another look in his papers.
"And you say he often kept you late, and when doing so he often conducted himself improper by offering to rub your neck and shoulders and he would not take no for an answer. You will have to recount for actual events of that, can you do that?"
He looked at her and she nodded. He wanted to ask her to do that right there and then but she just looked so fragile up there he refrained from it. He wasn't sure how it would work out during the actual trial and he felt a little shameful for actually thinking that it would sell better if she looked like this during her disposition.
"Okay let's move on," he said and looked down at his papers again, making a small note on it, "At some point you were asked to be removed from Patton and work solely under Reynolds."
He thought he caught a slight nod from her and looked back down.
"Can you tell me why? How that come about and also how Patton reacted to your request?"
Barba was writing down a follow-up question as he awaited her answer. When none came though he looked up and caught only the top of her head.
"Amanda?" he asked growing instantly concerned. When she didn't even stir he dropped his pen on the desk and took a few steps closer to her.
"Are you okay?" he asked, afraid to approach her further. When she finally sat back up her entire face was pale and she looked almost like she was in physical pain. Tears spilled over out of one of her eyes.
"What's wrong?" Barba asked, tone grave and dripping with concern. He saw her take a strained breath and then another one as she tried to form words with her dry mouth.
"He raped me," she whispered.
"W-what?" Barba stuttered, having heard her but not quite able to grasp what she'd said. She looked absolutely terrified but gave him a slight nod.
"He raped me," she repeated.