Chapter Two

Olivia sat in her car with the engine running and the radio playing. She wasn't sure what song was on. She wouldn't have been able to make it out even if she had tried.

"Unbuckle your seatbelt," she told herself then did it, "turn off the engine," she did, "Open the door," to click of the lock and the light that was now lighting up the inside of her car told her the door was open, "get out of the car," That she couldn't do. It was hard enough to make herself get into the car, hard to drive over. She didn't the other two times it happened. The third time, this time, she decided it was time do something; following through with it was the only other obstacle. Olivia finally forced herself out of the car. She walked into the hospital building holding her badge up in front of her. No one would question a Special Victims detective at a hospital. She made her way to the main counter of the fourth floor.

"Excuse me? Hi, Detective Benson of Special Victims Unit, do you know where I can find Dr. Hendrix?"

The obviously bored receptionist stopped drumming her extra long fingernails on the stack of folders and looked at Olivia.

"Ma'am, do you know what time it is? It's the middle of the night. She's gone home by now".

An older nurse came into the small desk area, "Of course she hasn't gone, Jen. She's a work-a-holic, but sorry miss; she won't want to see anyone."

"I'm Olivia Benson, she knows me, old friends, and we used to work together. I knew her when she was a cop, could you just call her?" Olivia was a little agitated.

If they knew what just happened they wouldn't think twice about getting her for me Olivia thought.

The receptionist blew a bubble blinking at Olivia then the nurse who nodded the okay and then finally dialed for Hendrix.

"Yeah, there's a detective here for you" –pause- "yeah, we tried that. She won't leave," –pause- "she says she's SVU and that you used to be friends- uh yeah, I'll send her down," Jen hung up the phone, "Corner office on the right," she told Olivia pointing behind her back towards a hallway.

"Thank you," Olivia said not even trying to hide her annoyance with the younger receptionist.

As Olivia came up to the door, she almost turned around. She raised her hand to knock and lowered it. She scrunched her eyes while she made the hard decision then when the decision was made she turned around and started walking back down the hallway. Dr. Hendrix saw her through the distorted glass on her door. She opened the door and called out to the woman now walking away from her.

"Can I help you, Detective?"

Olivia stopped quickly now wringing her hands and weighing the consequences of turning back around or keep walking away. She spun around with her arms dropping instantly to her sides. She now showed no emotion as she put on her "business" face and answered.

"Yes, you can, Doctor."

"Olivia? I didn't recognize you. You're hair is so long. I guess I haven't seen you in, well, months right?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

Rebecca's voice got softer, "Are you still undercover or…"

"No," Olivia answered shortly.

"Oh, Elliot said you left without telling him"

"Of course he did," Olivia answered bitterly. Rebecca frowned.

"You know, they said a friend had come to see me. I was under the impression we weren't still friends," Dr. Hendrix said leaning against the door, folding her arms, and raising an eyebrow all at the same time.

"Can we talk in your office?" Olivia said less business like and a little more desperate like she was worried about something.

"So why are you here and where is your partner?" Rebecca asked sitting in a chair behind her desk and pointing to another for Olivia. She shook her head no, she would rather stand. Olivia took a deep breath before starting.

"I'm here for… a favor. You might even have to use some favors of your own."

"Oh, no, Olivia. You've ran out of favors form me and I would have no favors to use anyway. In case you don't remember, you guys lost me a job and trust I had built with all of my colleagues and patients. I'm sorry, Olivia. No."

"Rebecca, I'm coming to you as a friend, not a detective. Please, just hear me out," Olivia said pleadingly.

"Olivia, I-"

"Please, Rebecca, this is time sensitive," Olivia pressed on.

"What do you want?" Hendrix asked angrily.

"I need you to do a rape kit. She was raped three times in the pat three months and is just now confessing. If you can't help her we won't catch this guy."

"Olivia, I'd love to help you, but it's late, and frankly I don't think I can help you. I'm sure you and Elliot will catch the perp another way. It's two o'clock in the morning, Liv. My answer is no. Go to bed then in the morning go with Elliot and…"

"No Elliot."

"What?"

"Elliot can't know about this one."

"Wait- why? Olivia?" Hendrix asked worried, "Liv, who's the victim?"

"Will you help?"

"Olivia I need to know what I'm agreeing to-"

"Rebecca, I wouldn't be asking you if you couldn't help me."

"Olivia, why ask me after all this time? Why 'no Elliot'? Liv, please don't tell me it's…" Rebecca looked at her friend knowingly. Yes, she knew, but she didn't want to believe. She could tell what she was about to say. Olivia used to be her best friend. After a few specific cases they, well, they drifted apart. After one particular case they pushed each other to the extremes. Rebecca, hurt by the fights with Olivia, made the mistake of flirting with her partner. She flirted with Elliot. Olivia's Elliot. He flirted back. They both lost. Both lost their best friends, Olivia lost a little piece of her heart and Rebecca lost a lot. By the end of all of that, she had lost her job, privileges, patients, trust and she had to endure the pain of watching her best friend's heart break knowing it was her that had cause it. Olivia didn't know that Elliot had gone to her for help, for a different reason of course. He talked about his father, cried a little, he talked about his split with Kathy. He went there in the first place because he had just fought his ex-partner who beat his son. All of what he said had to be told to the Captain, except what he said about Olivia. When the subject turned to her, he went through a range of emotions. Crying, anger, jealousy, and pure admiration. With all the hurt he felt, he couldn't help but admire her. Rebecca knew he loved her. It was simple to see, yet he didn't even know it. She didn't need to know Olivia as well as she did to know it. You can tell by the way they look at each other.

Now, with Olivia in her office, she tried to read her friend's face. Olivia's eyes showed worry and uncertainty. She wasn't sure how Rebecca would react when she told her. Rebecca had worry on her own face. Olivia was about to tell her and now she looked more stressed, worried, and sick than she has yet. She had become Olivia's last chance and was afraid of what she would say next.

"Rebecca, I need you to pull some doctors together, preferably ones that I know, that can help me with a rape kit and send it to people you know in the lab to process it. And again, no Elliot."

"Oh, my god, Olivia."

"Rebecca, I've been raped."