Thanks for the reviews, favourite and alerts, everyone, and just the hits too, it's really encouraging. This isn't an easy thing to write about, I don't want to upset anyone, so I've thought about Rachel's situation at every moment in the fic. Just hope I pull it off for you guys and Wheelie91
Anyway, thanks to the reviewers: hope2smith, WhatHurtsmeMost, bigbangfan91, Loner-wolf, CrazyTexan, Guest, Ilianalovee, musicwolf89, coventgirlvampire, piecesofyourheart, NZgleek91, brandy. derby, Angel Scones, ShadowCree, BellaDora Soulmates, Guest, Rujess, Faithfan2000, unbreakable86 (Hey Germany!), Niekie, mika-faberryluver4395, EmAgronsky, gllover22, LoveLight22, Guest, Guest, General Mac, Guest, yanval, angela1174, Guest and OutOfNoWhereHereIAm.
Posted: 15/10/13
Colleagues
She didn't think it would happen so quickly, but here Detective Berry was, packing up her desk, ready to vacate the precinct, and better still, with Detective Lopez in tow.
The floor was a little too quiet, but it was still first thing in the morning. It just made their departure a little lonely, as the pair cleared their things into the classic open top card board box.
Apart from the few Officers passing their office the only other body around was a fellow detective, Tony Argento. He'd reminded Rachel of Puck when they'd first met, only a little taller, and not as built. Older too, and of course he didn't have a ridiculous Mohawk. There was just something about him, that ad made Rachel, and even Santana, feel more comfortable when they'd joined the team three years ago.
She paused, her eyes lingering on the item she was packing up into the box. It was normal for people to put photo's on their desk, their pal Tony had pictures of his wife and kids, a classic in the office. But Rachel had just two, one of her, Santana, and her dads. She was in her academy uniform, it had been taken on the day she and Santana graduated. The second photo had been taken a few years later, once they had become partners. Her fathers had been visiting in the city and had wanted to take a photo of them standing in front of their very own patrol car. Rachel smiled at the memory.
In the corner of the photo frame she'd tucked the tiniest news article that she'd cut from a news paper. It had been about 'Officer Berry and Officer Lopez' and a feat of heroics they had performed, before other officers and ambulances had made it to a scene.
"So just like that, you guys are leaving?" Tony asked, disturbing Rachel from her thoughts. He was leant against the lip of his own desk, near Rachel's, his arms folded as he watched his colleagues pack up.
"Aww come on Tony, don't say you're going to miss us" Santana teased as she half heartedly dropped a few items into the box, it was just stationary and crap, she wasn't that sentimental.
"Maybe not you Lopez, but little Berry" he countered.
"Hey!" Rachel snapped and glared over her shoulder at him "I can have you in an arm lock quicker than anyone in this precinct Detective Argento, and don't you forget it."
"See, who are we gonna tease?" he just smirked back and then looked to Detective Berry's partner.
"The new guys, who replace us" Santana suggested. That's normally how it went, a little teasing for the new guys, well for off the job stuff anyway.
"I think we got one coming over from Homicide, and another from Vice" it sounded like he wasn't pleased with that, like he expected he'd have to teach these new guys how things were done in Narcotics, every department had its ways, it's own specific dos and don'ts "You know they just ain't gonna cut it like you two" he sighed, trying to grab an ounce of sympathy.
"Well then we're sorry to be leaving" Rachel sighed back, as she continued to pack away the last things from her desk. She should have done it the day before like she planned, but she'd got carried away with work, as usual.
He wandered over to them, joining them next to their opposite desks "Sorry the guys aren't all here to say goodbye but you know how it is" he smiled sadly.
"Duty calls" Rachel finished for him, with a sad smile of her own.
"Last night was a big enough send off anyway" Santana agreed. They'd taken them out for drinks, and all got a little carried away. Luckily Brittany had been there too to make sure Santana, and Rachel, got home safe.
"Don't remind me, I'm still feeling rough, and I swear I didn't drink as much as you Santana" The shorter detective said in wonder.
"You're just a light weight" Santana taunted right back, in the way they usually did.
"Whatever" Rachel mumbled, too tired to come up with a better come back, they'd been at this for years, it was getting harder to come up with responses. She then noticed their fellow Narcotics Detective looking at them "What are you smiling at?"
His smile softened a little more "You two. Stay in touch won't you."
"I'm sure our paths will cross" Rachel reassured him.
"Yeah, what she said" Santana mumbled, in a way that got Rachel and Tony's sudden and curious attention.
Rachel raised an eyebrow while she eyed up the woman who was keeping her head firmly down, her eyes set on the box on her desk "You crying Lopez?"
"Nah, just the air conditioning stinging my eyes" she waved off
Tony just scoffed "Sure, like you haven't used that one before."
"Whatever" She looked up, fiercely, her eyes were a little puffy but no tears had escaped "You ready, we're meeting with Cragen at 10?"
Rachel checked her watch, it was nearing 20 past 9 "Yeah, we better head out" they had to get over to the 16th precinct and the traffic was guaranteed to slow them down at this time in the morning.
"Do you want a hand with that?" Tony offered, gesturing to the box on Rachel's desk
She smiled warmly up at him "No thank you, I've got it" she threaded her hands through the cardboard handles and lifted it with ease.
"But you didn't ask me" Santana scoffed, insulted, or at least just pretending to be "I swear I'm not even going to miss this place," she waved a hand at him as she kept her back to her two colleagues "you always treat Rachel like a damn queen and me..." she let out a hurt sigh. And people called Rachel a drama queen.
Tony and Rachel shared a smile, Rachel added an eye roll while Tony shook his head at the Latina's antics "Lopez, would you like me to take your box down to your car?" he offered, sympathetically.
"You know what, no, forget it, I got my own box" she grabbed the box roughly and headed towards the elevators. The whole thing was just an excuse; she couldn't let them know she was feeling sentimental and sad about leaving, so she had to make the quickest exit possible
"Oh Lopez, you can be such a guy" Rachel mocked, the amount of times people got called a girl for being so soft, these two had made it a regular thing to do the opposite. She just picked up her box and followed at a slower pace, Tony followed too.
He just watched as they got into the elevator. He couldn't really go to the car with them, he had to man the desks while everyone else seemed to be out a busy "You guys take care" he half waved.
"We will, you be careful too Tony" Rachel said, Santana just smiled sadly as the doors slid shut, closing on another chapter in their lives. The pair were silent while they watched the numbers flicker as the elevator took them down to the basement "I still can't believe you want to do this with me" Rachel mumbled.
The Latina rolled her eyes "Despite what you may think Rach, you're my best friend" she unnecessarily reminded her.
"Santana, you only became my friend because you pitied me" Rachel sighed. She did feel guilty sometimes, for dragging Santana down this path. She had to remind herself that she hadn't made Santana follow her, it had been her choice the whole way.
"True, but I don't regret it" Santana was truthful, there was no point lying. She looked to the shorter woman to say with conviction "I love you Rach" She saw Rachel scrunch up her nose and rolled her eyes "Not like that and you know it. You're like my sister. And you're my professional partner and that means a lot to us cops."
"I love you too Santana" Rachel said softly after a pause.
Santana screwed up her face "You know I'm taken right."
Rachel just punched her lightly in the arm.
Q~Q
The following story is
fictional and does not depict
any actual person of event
Law &
Order
Special Victims Unit
In the criminal justice system sexually based offences are considered especially heinous. In New York
City, the detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad, known as
the Special Victims Unit. These are their stories...
The SVU office in the 16th precinct still felt empty to Olivia Benson. Sure, the office space was still humming with activity, and somewhere a phone was ringing in the back ground, but the desk opposite her was still vacant. Not for long, however.
Her partner of 12 years had left, without saying goodbye. He'd packed his desk and cleared out his locker under the cover of darkness, leaving it empty and sad looking, with just the computer and phone left of the metal top.
"So today is the day you two get new partners?" Sergeant John Munch asked from his new desk, situated so his back was to his ex partner.
"I don't know how I feel about breaking in a new partner" Fin Tutuola mumbled as he slouched back in his chair and swivelled it round so he could talk to both his former partner and Benson.
"I guess that means you'll miss me" Munch joked.
"We'll still all be working together" Olivia reasoned. Their partnerships weren't often set in stone, they were a team.
"And who are you kidding Fin, you're always good with the any temp, no wonder Cragen wants you to take on one of the new guys" Munch added. There were no hard feelings, people moved around all the time.
"We'll see when they get here" Fin just said plainly.
Munch furrowed his brow above his tinted glasses "They're already here"
"What?" Olivia looked straight to the door of Cragen's office, the replacements were just inside. After how close she and Elliot had been of course she was apprehensive about who her next partner would be. When Olivia had joined Elliot had already been there a number of years, so he could guide her. This time it was Olivia's turn... she just hoped her new partner would cooperate.
"They're both in Cragen's office. Got here 20 minutes ago while you were getting coffee and Fin's was on the phone with his back turned" Much explained. He'd seen the two new faces walk in, not doubting they were the replacements by the boxes in their arms.
Fin just huffed, playfully, yet sounding as serious as ever "And you didn't give me a heads up? Thanks a lot man"
"Sorry, didn't want to make a big deal out of it" he smiled to himself
"Well it is a big deal"
The three looked over to the door as they heard the door knob turn. They tried to keep casual as they all watched intently, seeing who might be their new partners. Their Captain stepped out first, and then they watched as he was followed by a fair heighted woman, with long raven coloured hair... and then a second woman, considerably shorter. She had a maturity to her face but from the back, or the side, she could have been one of those female cops they used for undercover work to lure perps. It was just an eye brow raising surprise to the team, that they would be welcoming two young women, that was all.
They looked young too, as they stood there with their boxes and listened to a last few final words from the welcoming captain. It made Olivia think back 12 years... she must have been about their age, she had been in her late 20's, they looked that age too.
Olivia, Fin and John didn't even pretend they weren't looking when Cragen finally headed their way. In fact they seemed to all sit up straighter in their seats, ready to stand and greet the newbies.
"Okay listen up, Today we welcome the two new additions to the team; Detectives Rachel Berry and Santana Lopez." he announced loud enough for the entire team to hear, not just the Sergeant and two senior detectives in the centre, but all the background members too. He then said in a normal volume voice "Berry this is Detective Olivia Benson" he pointed between the two woman "Liv, Berry's you're new partner" they shared a smile and a nod for now, while Cragen continued "And Detective Lopez this is Detective Fin Tutuola, Tutuola, this is your new partner" he let them nod to one another, and size one another up, Rachel noticed their mutual interacting and smiled to herself, yeah Santana would get along fine with her new partner "They both come from Narcotics, with high praise from their captain" having nothing left to say he excused himself "Right I'll let you get settled" Captain Cragen left again, back to his office, back to work.
"Um" Olivia stood up, putting into perspective just how much shorter her new partner was "here" she took the box from Rachel and but it on the vacant desk.
"Oh, Rachel Berry" she offered her hand forward once Olivia's hands were free, sure they'd just had Cragen introduce them but that was short.
"Olivia Benson" The senior detective shook Rachel's hand with a friendly smile, she was welcoming, she had no reason to be anything but welcoming... but at the same time she wasn't sure how she felt about this young Detective. She just didn't know her yet, she reminded herself.
"I know" Rachel let slip before mentally scolding herself and releasing her new partners hand.
"You know?" Olivia looked a little worried, only a little though.
"Yeah, um, I've read up on some of your cases" Rachel tried to explain calmly, so she didn't come off creepy "you know just the ones I can read up on and, well-"
"What she's trying to say is, she's a fan." Santana interrupted for her, and explained basically to the two senior detectives and Sergeant who were giving Rachel odd looks.
"Not like a creepy fan, more like I admire the work the team has done..." she trailed off, realising she'd messed up already and they were just going to think she was weird, or worse, naive. "Wow I suck at first impressions." she muttered.
"I could have told you that Berry." Santana laughed easing the silence.
"Yes, thank you Santana." Rachel glared at her.
"So you two worked close before?" Olivia asked, recognising the type of banter playing out in front of them.
"We were partners" Santana nodded. She wondered if she'd miss that, being so close to Rachel, professionally of course. Then again it might be a nice break not being so close anymore, seeing as they'd still see each other and they'd still be living together.
"So... are you the detectives that just bust that cocaine trafficking project down at the docks?" Fin asked. He was more than familiar with working in Narcotics too. Either way, word floated between the precincts before the stories made them into some back page in a news paper, so naturally everyone heard about the big things. Anyway, Fin had to ask, it would have made sense if it was them as Cragen had just said
"Yeah that was us, stopped a ring of 8 traffickers, bringing it in from Peru." Santana had no problem gloating, she never had.
"Peru? I thought Colombia was the biggest exporter of Cocaine" Olivia asked, Narcotics wasn't her thing, even when a witness was into drugs they'd let it slide just to get the info they wanted.
"Peru has taken the top spot recently" Rachel informed her new partner "it's one of those never ending fights, drugs" she shrugged
"So is sex crimes" Olivia added humourlessly.
"Unsurprisingly" Santana muttered as she started sifting through her box. She wanted to get unpacked and settled as soon as possible.
"John Munch" he offered his hand out, and Rachel shook it.
"Nice to meet you, Sergeant Munch, right?" Rachel checked in a paused hand shake.
"Right" he smiled at her, surprised before he released her hand. Her research might just be paying off.
The senior detectives all went back to their seats as the new comers started to unpack "I'm not complaining but surprised by the replacements both being women" Fin noted as he leant back in his swivel chair.
"They were the best of all the applicants" Cragen's voice rang out as he passed by their desks, shortening the answer and defusing any unintentional tension.
"And don't think of Lopez as a woman, she's such a guy" Rachel teased, knowing she had to get in there first, to avoid another easy one
Santana just rolled her eyes and fell back into her chair, finding herself at home pretty easily. "Oh thanks Berry"
"Any time" she smirked to herself as she continued to stand over her box, and take the few items out.
"I know what you guys are thinking" Santana said to her new colleagues and Rachel just knew where this was going. She drew their attention in with confidence as she kept going "You might be thinking my girl is a bit on the short side" she may have got some teasing, okay a hell of a lot of teasing in the academy, and then some more when she met her first partner. It had significantly reduced one she had partnered up with Lopez "But don't mock the height, she's like a little hulk, she'll go green and tear holes through walls" she was smirking when she noticed Rachel's narrowed eyes on her "What?" she asked innocently
"Is that really necessary?" Rachel sighed distractedly, as she placed the two photo frames on her desk. She silently noted that Olivia had just one on her desk, between the files and loose pages. She didn't know who was in the frame though; she could only see the back.
"Probably" Santana shrugged. She really did look at home, slouching in her chair "Also she's really great when you need to get into a locked down building, you can just crawl through any window or gap in a fence" she wasn't smirking that time, but Rachel was still looking at her annoyed "Why are you still glaring at me? That was a genuine compliment" she defended.
"Maybe I should share some of your skills with everyone" Rachel folded her arms, and looked down on Santana "like when you were undercover, and you made a really convincing pros-"
"Yeah we don't need to go there" Santana cut her off cool-ly. The three other detectives shared amused looks, these two were certainly some interesting character. Undercover work was always useful, so good to know there was experience, and being able to get into small spaces, that could be good too, "So you think we're crazy yet?" Santana asked.
"Yet?" Munch scoffed, playfully.
"Liv, how are we doing on the Milton Case?" Cragen asked as he walked back past her desk, back towards his office. He waited in the doorway for an answer.
She shuffled through a few pages on her desk "Uh, just need to check in on a possible third witness"
He nodded "Okay, take Berry, see what you can find" Cragen instructed.
"Yes Captain" Olivia called back as she snapped into action, packing up her desk and locking her computer, and then grabbing her shield and gun from one of the desk draws.
Rachel's was already on her hip, so she was free to go. She just followed Olivia's lead out of the office. She shared a look with her old partner, Santana mouth good luck. She knew this would all be harder on Rachel... maybe. Sure, Santana had been through a lot with Rachel, as an outsider... she'd been an outsider all this time, and now she'd be an outsider again, every day, for the job. She just couldn't get as close to them as she had Rachel. She had to know to put space between herself and the vic.
She used to be a straight up bitch, maybe she should tune in to that again, build a harder outer shell. She didn't really need to worry about that right now, she and Rachel had been evaluated, psychologically for the job, and passed, so for now it meant they were capable of doing this job.
Q~Q
"Are you okay?" Olivia asked into the silence of their cop sedan. They'd only driven a couple of blocks but the silence inside the car was a little worrying. she worried her new partner was anxious.
And secretly Rachel was a little. She knew how to do her job, but this would be revisiting her past, she just hoped she could handle it. she'd never got closure, but she'd make sure other woman, and even men, and worst of all children, would get that closure "Yeah... I might be a bit quiet the first few days, just tell me what to do" she explained. She wasn't going to pretend she knew what to do "I'm a cop, I know how to be a cop, and a narcotics cop at that, but I know this is different. The vics aren't always dead, or kids being used as drug mules. They're real victims and they need support. And your perps aren't drug runners, they're a different kind of scum, sometimes with psychiatric problems, sometimes vics themselves. So... you lead the way, not that you won't anyway, I heard you just made Senior Detective, congratulations by the way, but what I mean is... I'm all ears"
"Seems like we'll get along just fine" Olivia smiled as she kept her eyes forward "If you can stop the long winded talking"
"My previous partner would state that 'you'd be lucky'" Rachel joked... she then needed to sound more serious for a moment, she didn't want her new partner making assumptions about her old one "Forgive Santana for back there, she's not always that... forward. She'd just trying to protect me. New start, she doesn't want the comments to come back. They normally stop when I prove myself but she's trying to cut to the chase"
"I got that from her. And for what its worth we're not so immature in our unit... Munch sometimes might say something without thinking but that's just him" she added lightly, letting Rachel know everything was cool
"... So I heard you and Stabler had been partners for 12 years, it's gotta be tough losing him" Rachel tried to move the conversation along, but immediately wondered if that was still a sore spot
"Yeah, it is, but... things happen and eventually it's time to move on" the senior detective actually appreciated that Rachel acknowledged Elliot's existence "How long were you and Lopez partners?"
"Nowhere near as long as you and Stabler. We joined the police academy at the same time, graduated together, were at the same precinct for 2 years before we qualified to be partnered up, so it's been 5 years. And now we're here." She explained "Sorry for the life story."
"No, it's good to know, partners become like family if they last" she sounded encouraging "SVU, was where you were aiming?"
Rachel furrowed her brow. It had become the aim maybe a year after she and Santana had graduated, at least a silent aim for herself that she always hoped Santana would follow her to "Yeah... is that strange?"
"No... it was personal for me. But most SVU cops only last 2 years" Olivia noted, not that she wanted to be swapping for new partners anytime soon. So far so good. Though it hadn't been an hour yet.
"Well I passed the psyche evaluation for now, let's see how long we last."
"So what was your motivation?" Olivia wondered out loud. She would even be brave enough to share if Rachel asked the same question back.
"Oh... an old friend of mine, a mutual friend of mine and Santana's actually, she was raped. It was horrible, she became withdrawn and secluded. In the end she didn't want to know us anymore, we reminded her of the past and it hurt too much. She moved away, told us she wanted to be where people didn't know her. I just wish we could have helped her more" The lie didn't feel wrong, not completely, the whole thing had happened so long ago and was still hazy that it often felt like it had happened to someone else. It hadn't though, and she still couldn't imagine moving on int hat part of her life. "I decided, I wanted to try and make a real difference".
That was admiral, in Olivia's eyes, and something she could relate too.
Q~Q
It wasn't long until they were back at the 16th precinct, with their latest witness statements. Fin and Olivia had the clear boards out with photos, maps, and hand written notes scrawled across it. They were catching up their new partners on the current case as they worked on it too.
"Wow, a lot of new faces around here?" The group of four all looked to the double door as the new face and voice walked in. a Blonde woman in a suite, files tucked into one arm, purse slung over the other, and black framed glasses on her face.
"Oh this is Detective Rachel Berry, my new partners. And Detective Santana Lopez, Fin's new Partner" The younger detectives greeted the woman professionally with handshakes as Olivia introduced them "This is Alex Cabot our ADA"
"Speaking of new faces, where's your 'assistant'?" Tutuola asked, noticing Alex's shadow wasn't in sight
Rachel furrowed her brow "I didn't know ADA's had assistants" they had partners of their own, people they worked with but not assistants. They were sure their ADA Abbie Carmichael could have really done with an assistant right now while trying to make sure those 8 drug traffickers got convicted and served the right amount of time.
"She's not my assistant, she's my niece" Miss Cabot explained to the two Junior Detectives "And due to the unfortunate amount of cases the SVU department faces we were allowed to hire a third body to help cover the work."
"And your niece just happened to be around?" Santana asked, with her usual abruptness.
"She works hard, and she knows what she is doing." Besides it not always just what you know, but who you know too, seeing as she had an uncle and a god mother who were both judges "She worked in family court before" she added.
"Oh please" Olivia scoffed "she's your clone, a mini Alex. Same power suits, same walk, same reading glasses, same authority in your voice that can fill a court room" not that she'd paid that much attention to the Lawyers Court room routine "She was perfect for the job"
"It's a wonder how Novak puts up with you two" Fin added. Novak had been named Senior ADA, leaving Cabot as just the ADA, and a third woman as technically AADA, is they were going to keep 'rank'.
"So where is she?" Olivia asked again.
"Talking to that young officer she's been dating recently" Alex rolled her eyes. She wasn't really surprised that her niece was the type who couldn't walk through one floor of a precinct without catching someone's attention "An Officer Moreno, I think" The clicking of heels on the hard linoleum floor got Alex to look back "Oh there you are" she smiled to her niece, then that smile became a smirk. "How's your officer?"
Rachel and Santana both leaned to the side to get a better view of the 'Assistant Assistant District Attorney' "Not my officer... it's only been a few dates and-"
"Quinn?" Rachel's voice was frail with the shakiest of surprise. That was the last face she thought she'd see.
The younger blonde woman furrowed her brow as she took in the short woman with the long brown hair, in the blue jeans and leather jacket. Eventually it registered to her, and the smile that had been on her face was wiped off as she just stared at the woman beyond her aunt "... Rachel?"
"Don't mind me Q" Santana muttered sarcastically from next to her current best friend.
"Santana?" the shock only increased, and then it became worry. Why would these two women be in this department? "What are you two doing here, are you okay?"
"They're the new detectives with sex crimes" As soon as Fin explained that Quinn's shoulders dropped with relief, all before the confusion could settle in.
"You all know each other?" Benson asked, trying to break the silence.
"We went to high school together" Santana explained for the three of them, as the other two were too busy still staring at one another.
Let us know what you think... I think
... For anyone wondering Q~Q is supposed to be handcuffs, to show a cop section of the story.
There will be {}=-= (Gavel) type page breaks too for the Court room type stuff... so yeah, I'm being weird.