The Santa Incident
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of LO:SVU or any other show mentioned here. I don't own the rights of the songs either. I'm making no money out of this whatsoever. Don't sue me, I have no money.
13
Leaving Riverside Church, Fin tried the cell phone again. He just flipped it open when it rang. "Yeah?"
"Cragen here," his captain's voice greeted him. "Nice to hear you over the phone again."
"Same with you, Cap," Fin agreed. "Something new?"
"Yeah. I'm on my way for the chopper after we've got a call from an officer in New Jersey, informing me that he has met Olivia and Elliot."
Fin gasped. "Really? Where are they? Are they okay?"
John looked at him interrogatively when he heard his partner ask these questions. Fin gestured him to remain silent for a moment.
"He told me that he has brought them to the nearest hospital for checkup," Cragen told him. "The chopper will take me there. Where are you two now?"
"Just outside Riverside Church," Fin said. "Is it possible to pick us up somewhere?"
"I'll ask the pilot and call you again." Cragen said and ended the call.
"So, where are they?" John asked impatiently when Fin closed the phone.
"At hospital, in New Jersey. The captain will check if we can get a ride there."
"Are they okay?"
"He just could tell that they're there for checkup. We have to wait for the next call."
Olivia sat in a chair next to his bed and watched Elliot closely. He was resting, tired, his eyes closed, but too moved by the examinations and treatments, the hospital's staff put him through, to fall asleep.
She let her view wander, across his bed to Buster who sat in an easy chair next to the window. He could not sleep either, thinking too hard about what had happened and what he would, or could, do next.
He's been lucky, Olivia recalled her conversation with the doctor. There are no frost bites which could threaten a loss of fingers or toes or even a whole limb. He's got a flesh wound on his left thigh as well as a cracked bone. The left side is badly bruised and several ribs are cracked, too, which causes very bad pain, but there's no really dangerous internal injury. His left shoulder joint must have been threatened by dislocation and therefore was badly overstretched, but it was still in place when we examined it. And there's also a crack in the left collarbone.
Very painful but not life threatening, Olivia thought. Her own wrists were adorned with thick bandages. She held his hand, offering comfort and security, and drew a similar feeling from the knowledge that he would be all right, too.
Elliot opened his eyes and searched for the young man.
"Buster," he said. "We need to talk."
"What about?" he wanted to know.
"About the rape." He eyed the guy carefully. "Tell me what happened."
Buster stood up and came closer. He looked embarrassed, his view fixed to the floor.
Olivia was surprised. She could not see any reason for Elliot to want to talk about that right now. She was curious.
Buster took his time. He did not refuse to answer, he just thought about what to say.
"Well, Paul and some of his comrades left to look for some girls. He told us that he wanted to have fun and until then he often found playmates who were ready to join in the games Paul and the others wanted to play. I participated twice and each time it turned out to be some kind of orgy." He paused for a moment to think about what he had to tell, choosing his words carefully. "This evening… When they returned the others met them at the van. Some came out, others climbed in… I could not see what happened and the others didn't tell me." Once more he paused. "When I finally came near the sliding door I heard her scream. It sounded differently from the cries I knew. It sounded scared, tormented. When I could look inside I saw them forcing themselves on her."
Now he also looked to the window. His voice became even softer. "I should have tried to help her, but I was scared, too. I should have run and call for help, but I could not move. Right then I did not know what to do… I feel so ashamed now."
"Why did you go with them last night?" Elliot asked. "Why did you help them when they followed us?"
Buster shrugged. "I can't tell. I helped to get you out of the car because I still thought that he just wanted to get away. Give you a black eye and leave you alone. When he beat you down so badly and told us to get you into the van, I was petrified… and paralyzed. I was torn between to run and call for help or to stay and see what I could do."
For a long time Elliot just stared at him. Finally, when the detective remained silent, Buster returned to his seat. Thoughtfully he looked outside in the fading night.
"You will testify at court," Elliot said. It was a statement, not a question.
Buster looked at him. At first he seemed to be skeptical but then it faded away from his features and he nodded. "Yes, I will. It's time to break with them."
Elliot nodded, too. Then he turned to face Olivia. She confirmed it with a nod of her own.
"Can you give me my coat?" he demanded.
She stood and went to get it. He was searching the pockets, but could not find what he was looking for. "And my jacket?"
She gave it to him. He was unsuccessful again.
"Must be here…" he mumbled. "Somewhere."
"What do you want? I could look for it, too," Olivia offered.
"Perhaps it's in the other coat."
"What is it?"
He looked at her almost guiltily. "My rosary," he finally replied. "I must have lost it crawling out of the van."
Olivia stared at him in disbelief.
"What?" he said. "Do you have a problem?"
"No," she exclaimed hastily. "I knew you're practicing but…" Her voice trailed off.
"Surprised that I actually have one?" His annoyed expression quickly changed into a broad grin. "Does that embarrass you?"
She thought about that before she shook her head. "No."
He chuckled. "Gentile bitch," he grumbled, but the twinkle in his eyes belied his rant.
Settling back in the bed he tried to relax again. She sat down and grabbed his hand. Gently stroking the back of it with her thumb, she hummed a simple melody. Soon all three of them were fast asleep.
Captain Don Cragen was the first who stepped in and stood there for a moment, frozen by the sight.
"Hey, Captain," John said. "What…?"
Cragen stopped him with a gesture, watching his detectives silently.
They both were fast asleep, Elliot lying on his back in the bed, Olivia sitting in the chair next to him. She held his hand with her right, her left arm was draped over his pillow, her hand resting on top of his head and her upper body beside his. They looked peacefully.
"Cute," John said. "Do you have a camera?"
"No," Fin chuckled. "Who's this?" he pointed at the easy chair near the window.
"Doesn't your cell phone…?"
"They would kill us!" Fin replied but got it out nevertheless. Before Cragen could hold him back, he had taken two shots.
"They will kill you," the captain said.
"As long as they don't know it…" Fin remained unimpressed.
Cragen rolled his eyes at the immaturity of his other detectives. He stepped beside the bed and laid a hand on Olivia's shoulder.
"Olivia?" he said. "Hello, Olivia."
She stirred and slowly woke up. When she looked up, she gasped.
"Captain!" A smile cracked her face. "What are you doing here? Where do you come from?" Her gaze fell behind him. "Fin, John. It's so good to see you."
"It's so good to see you two," Fin replied. "We thought you would have frozen to become Frosty's competitors."
"We tried to but Frosty feared our competition," Elliot returned the teasing. Until then no one had noticed he was awake, too. "So he told us to stay with the police."
"How do you feel, Elliot?" Cragen asked, sounding genuinely concerned.
Elliot frowned at first. Like being drawn through a meat grinder, he thought, stupid question. But his captain earned an earnest answer.
"Warm at last," he finally replied. "And tired. Everything else will hurt for a while, but there's nothing that won't heal soon."
"And you, Olivia?"
"I'm fine, Fin. Thanks."
The relief everyone felt was palpable.
"And who are you?" Fin addressed the young man who was also awake by now.
"Buster helped us to overpower Mr. Cornwell and to escape the turned over van we were trapped in," Elliot explained.
"You were participated in the abduction of my detectives?" Cragen demanded to know.
Again Elliot spoke before Buster could even open his mouth.
"When he joined the others he thought that they wanted to help us after the accident at Riverside Park, but when he realized what Cornwell was about to do, he decided to play along with him to observe and try and help when there would be an opportunity." He exchanged glances with Olivia who nodded her consent.
Buster was astonished.
"He will testify against Cornwell and several other perpetrators in the case of the gang rape as well as in the abduction," Elliot continued. "I'm sure we can make a deal with the ADA."
"Is that true, son?" Cragen addressed Buster again.
The young man could only nod once. He stared at Elliot and Olivia in disbelief. "Yeah," he finally found his speech again. "Yeah, that's right. I'll tell you who raped the poor gal and how Cornwell took your detectives hostage."
"Okay." Cragen said thoughtfully and looked at everyone of the three suspiciously. "So, get some rest. You'll have to be fit for Christmas."
He smiled at Olivia and Elliot fatherly. With a tilt of his head he gestured Fin and John to accompany him when he left.
"Make sure you'll delete the damned photos, Fin," Elliot shouted.
Under the doorframe Fin turned to him again. His brown skin became darker, a sign that he blushed.
On Friday morning Olivia and Elliot met, together with Buster and his lawyer, ADA Alex Cabot.
"As I can see, your offer is quite extensive, Mr. Dickson," Cabot said after she had heard his statement. "Considering your support of Detectives Benson and Stabler, I'm prepared to return the favor and follow the suggestion of Detective Stabler to reduce the charges against you. Our deal leaves you with the minimum sentence of a half year on probation."
Buster sat at the table, silent, thinking. His gaze rested on the tabletop.
Cabot waited a moment. "Mr. Dickson?"
He lifted his view to face her. "Yes, Ma'am?"
"Did you understand what I said?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Do you have questions?"
Once more he remained silent. "What will happen with Paul?"
Elliot exchanged glances with Olivia, silently saying, he won't draw back, will he.
"He will face two separate trials on the counts of abduction, rape and bodily injury in the first, and abduction along with attempted rape and serious bodily injury as well as attempted murder in the second. As you are testifying in his trials there's no possibility for any deal. The sentence will depend on the decision of the jury."
Slowly Buster nodded. Still, he was very silent. His lawyer watched him closely as well as the detectives and ADA Cabot.
"Where do I have to sign?" he asked finally.
ADA Cabot began to settle the formalities with Buster's lawyer. Shaking hands politely they said goodbye to each other and the two counselors left.
Buster waited until they were out of view.
"I don't know where to begin to thank you," he said. "You did so much for me. No one ever did so much for me. I'm so grateful."
"We have to thank you, Buster," Elliot replied. "If it hadn't been for you we would most likely be dead."
"You would have found a way…"
"No, kid," Olivia cut him short. "Elliot's right. I wouldn't have been able to support him the same way you have done, besides having to guard Cornwell. And I wouldn't have left him. So we would be frozen to death out there."
The young man blushed.
"No need to be modest," Elliot said. "You can be proud of you. We are."
Now he blushed even deeper, but he smiled nevertheless.
"Thank you again." He handed each one of them a card. "I will join this organization to help victims. That's how you changed me. And if I ever should stray from my way again…"
"…we'll come and kick your ass," Olivia teased.
"You can bet we will," Elliot agreed, grinning mischievously.
"Thanks for this, too." Now he returned the grin. "I can't afford a big dinner, but how about hotdogs?"
"Hotdogs will be great," Elliot said while Olivia nodded cheerfully.
"Okay, then I'll buy you dinner."
Side by side they left the precinct for the next hotdog-seller.