"Double Time" Sequel to "Stepping Time" (Highly recommend you read Stepping Time before starting this sequel but including a brief synopsis of where Stepping Time ended below this chapter)
The main characters of Law and Order SVU belong to Dick Wolf and NBC Universal. This is meant for entertainment, not profit.* There are several characters I have created. I hope you enjoy, and I welcome feedback.
Author's Note #1 (Especially for laurelhardy) Characters guide-Primary SVU Characters Olivia Benson, Alex Cabot Primary Original Female Characters Army Lt. Col. Erin Mathison, Attorney Angie Secondary SVU and L&O Characters Elliot Stabler, Casey Novak, Abbie Carmichael, Serena Southerlyn Secondary Original Characters Jeff Stockton, Amelia Stockton, Dylan Mathison, Petraeus (Erin's Chihuahua), Senator Rushing, TJ McCoy
Author's Note #2 Once upon about 20 or so chapters ago, the chapters were somewhat synching with the actual months. Now however-incredibly behind, but thankfully two very welcome developments have happened in the real world. Gay marriage legal in New York and DADT certification-so on Sept. 20, 2011 gays and lesbians will finally be able to serve openly. Besides being incredibly happy with both, referencing both here because currently in Double Time it is only Feb. 2011 and DADT certification and gay marriage in New York are not yet realities for Liv and Erin and the others.
Author's Note #3 Taking a little bit from Season 12 episode "Pursuit" for this chapter and possibly the next. "Pursuit" is the episode where Sonya Paxton returned for a final time and it happened to air in February. Harding, played by Debra Messing, was the character who hosted a program like "Dateline Predator." In the "Pursuit" episode her sister had been murdered 25 years earlier and Paxton had been involved with that case from the start. I know "Double Time" certainly isn't cannon, but liked Paxton and my muse wanted to incorporate a little bit of that cannon in Liv and Erin's world as "Double Time" wraps up. #-#
"Double Time" Chapter 38
8:30 p.m., Monday, Feb. 14
Erin propped her feet on a pillow on the coffee table in her apartment. She lifted her left leg several times and curled her toes, still amazed how light the extremity felt now that it was finally cast free. She sighed as she assessed the muscle tone in comparison to her right calf, knowing that she still had a long road back to full recovery. Still it was nice to finally be relieved of the cumbersome cast and have a clean shaven lower leg again. She had sent a picture to Olivia on her phone earlier, but had only received a quick but loving text back and a promise to Skype as soon as she got home.
Erin knew the latest case had been taking a toll on Olivia. She had worked through most of the weekend and Erin had seen the exhaustion on her face during their two weekend Skype sessions. Even with the long hours Erin smiled as she looked to her dining room table and saw the beautiful red and orange roses that had been delivered to her office just before lunch. Yes, it was easy to send the flowers; it had taken her mere minutes to the do the same for Liv, but it was wonderful to come back to her office after a two hour meeting to see the gorgeous flowers adorning her desk. So far Erin's position was going well. She had a civilian secretary, Mrs. Keady who had been at the Pentagon for nearly twenty years. She was well-liked and well-connected and was answering unasked questions from Erin, making the transition to her new position flow smoothly. Six work days into it and so far Erin's days were consumed with meetings, briefings, and reading…seemingly endless reading on everything and anything regarding the repeal of DADT.
#-#
"Hey baby," Erin smiled as she answered Olivia's Skype call.
"Happy what's left of Valentine's Day," Olivia smirked, running a hand through still damp hair from quickly showering prior to calling Erin. "The roses are gorgeous. Thank you."
"Thank you too. Any good leads today?" Erin asked.
"We're not there yet. And this Harding woman is reckless among other things," Olivia sighed. "Sonya and I had words today. I like her, she's tough, but she can be so fucking aggravating."
"What did she say to you?" Erin questioned assertively.
"It's okay babe. It's over. We patched things up. Tensions are just running high. Like I told you this weekend, she's been on this one for essentially 25 years. It's personal to her and probably a bit too personal."
"And you pointed that out to her?" Erin queried with a slight chuckle.
"Yeah, yeah I did, but because it is affecting her judgment, which affects or can affect our case. I want to catch the bastard too," Olivia stated defensively.
"Then you were right in pointing that out to her," Erin replied softly. "I think we all have to be reminded of that in certain instances."
"Yeah," Olivia chuckled. "She reminded me of my pursuit of trying to find my rapist father. Low shot, but true. But especially low because it was in front of the captain."
"That was totally uncalled for," Erin huffed.
"It was, but like I said we worked it out later. She started her drinking over this case years ago. I don't want to see her do it again…Enough of my work babe. How's the leg feeling and how was work?"
"Feeling great and work was fine. Short day with going to the doc. I was reading one of the instructor's guides to training the troops on the DADT repeal. Any Army training manual is pretty dry reading, but this beats most I have read." Erin said and then took a drink of her soda. "Oh and Major Kelly stopped by office just before I went to my doctor's appointment."
"Really?" Olivia smirked sarcastically.
"She sends congrats on our engagement," Erin said sheepishly.
"I'm sure she does," Olivia chuckled as she sipped her beer.
"She knows I'm absolutely off the market. She had a meeting at the Pentagon so she stopped by," Erin replied.
"The Pentagon is such a small building. Wasn't out of her way at all to stalk you in your office," Olivia smiled. "She came to see if you dumped me and were back on the market."
"I'm not saying they were sincere congrats," Erin laughed, "but she did say congrats."
"And what else did she say?" Olivia questioned playfully.
"That she has meetings at the Pentagon pretty often and we should catch up over drinks sometime," Erin said matter-of-fact. "I didn't commit to drinks."
"I'm just giving you a hard time. I trust you Erin," Olivia said sincerely.
"Thanks. I trust you too," Erin said.
"I don't have a gorgeous ex pursuing me though," Olivia smirked.
"A fling, not an ex," Erin protested.
"But still gorgeous."
"Attractive," Erin countered with a smile. "You're gorgeous."
"I'm feeling that way now," Olivia laughed. "Even with a shower I look like the walking dead."
"Still look beautiful…tired but beautiful to me," Erin said sincerely.
"How many more days?" Olivia asked.
"I'll be there in eleven," Erin sighed. "Not soon enough, but eleven."
"Wish I wasn't on call this next weekend. I'd fly down," Olivia complained.
"I know baby. Get some sleep…in our bed…not on the couch."
10:05 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 16
Olivia stared blankly across the nearly empty squad room. Elliot had offered more than once to give her a ride home, take her for a few drinks, grab a sandwich, anything to get her out of the precinct for at least a few hours. She politely declined the first few times he asked and prodded, but by the fourth time she snapped angrily at him, insisting that he leave her alone for the night and go home to his family. She knew he was only trying to help and berated herself internally for a moment…but only for a moment. After twelve years they understood each other well, and he should have known after two declines she rationalized, to stop pushing her.
"Fuck," Olivia muttered to herself running a hand through her hair and leaning back in her chair. "He'll get over it."
"He will," Captain Cragen said softly as he took a seat on the side of Elliot's now vacant desk, one leg still firmly planted on the floor. "So what are you blaming yourself for?"
"I just snapped at Elliot a little," Olivia replied.
"I'm not concerned about that," Cragen smirked. "I'm asking regarding Sonya."
Olivia's head snapped up and her jaw dropped at the unexpected comment from her captain. "What?" she questioned incredulously. "Your way of telling me IAB thinks we…I did something wrong?"
"Not at all Liv," Cragen stated firmly. "I just know you…And since Fin was, probably still is, despite my best efforts blaming himself, because he thinks if he would have taken a right at 43rd instead of going up to 45th you two would have been there in time…"
"That's bullshit," Olivia huffed. "Traffic was backed there too. He saw that. Hell, I don't think we would have gotten there in time with lights and siren…"
"And you had no justification to run them," Cragen interrupted.
"No we really didn't," Liv shrugged her shoulders. "I wanted to tell Sonya that we knew that the video wasn't her fault…Wanted to make sure she went to the meeting, not to a bar…Fuckin' Harding…she's reckless. This bastard wouldn't have gone after Sonya, if it wasn't for that news video. She made her a high-value target."
"He's ultimately responsible Liv…for however many he's killed. I can't tell you I've been happy with a lot of what Harding has done since we got involved in this, but I do know we have to catch him and we will. Phone lines are traced and officers are assigned to Harding's building."
"I know," Olivia nodded as she took a sip of her soda. "I don't think he'll make another move tonight, but I want to be part of bringing him in."
"You'll be called no matter what time it is. Now go home," Cragen encouraged. "You need to try and relax and get some sleep.
"I'm just going to crash in the crib. It's late already and I've got a bag in my locker," Olivia mumbled.
"Are you really going to make me order you to go home?" Cragen questioned more firmly.
Olivia looked down at the paperwork on her desk, tapping the pen in her hand on the desk repetitively. "I'd rather just crash here sir."
"You want to talk about it? When's the last time you ate anything decent?" Cragen persisted. "Let's go down to the diner."
"I did eat, but thank you cap'n," Olivia gave a slight smile.
"You talk to Erin yet?"
"No. She was having dinner at Senator Rushing's tonight and she has an early morning tomorrow. Just sent her a few texts and let her know I was working late," Olivia said evenly.
"It's not even 10:30," Cragen countered gently. Even if Olivia couldn't order him to leave her alone, he could tell that she needed to talk and the fact that she hadn't asked to be dismissed or said that she would go home made that more evident.
"I'll talk to her tomorrow. I don't want to ruin her night," Olivia said standing up from her desk.
"If you don't call her or Alex then you have to sit here or at the diner talking to me," Cragen said with a smirk.
"Alex called me from Albany earlier. I'm glad she had training up there this week and I'm glad Angie is up there with her," Olivia said weakly trying to keep her composure as she pressed her palms against the top of her desk. "I…I look at my hands…my fingers…and I can see…I can feel Sonya's blood…and Alex's," Olivia sighed. "And after Sonya took her last breath I looked away for a second and when I looked back down I saw Alex again on that sidewalk…And then Fin said something to me…and I was back to seeing Sonya," Olivia chuckled snidely at herself. "And it's fucked up…but I thought thank god this wasn't Alex's case."
"That it wasn't Alex there," Cragen finished. "I've been to a lot of funerals Olivia, too many, too many good people who died serving…but Alex's…I don't want to do a second time. A loss of a squad member is always brutal…but you don't need to feel guilty because you're grateful it wasn't Alex."
"I'm beginning to think being a SVU ADA is more dangerous than being a cop. At least we have training and weapons," Olivia said tersely. "They didn't sign up for this shit."
"No, but they did sign up for justice," Cragen replied. "And we're going to get it for Sonya and his other victims and their families."
"Yeah, Sonya ensured that by biting the fucker," Olivia smirked as she grabbed her coat from her chair and shrugged it on. Just vocalizing some of her thoughts to the captain had made her feel better and she knew trying to convince him that she should stay at the precinct was a losing battle. The thoughts of a long hot shower and a beer or two suddenly seemed quite appealing as well.
"Share a cab?" Cragen asked.
"Yeah…thank you captain," Olivia said as she heard the familiar ringtone from her iPhone. "It's Erin."
"I've seen you walk and talk, answer it," Cragen smiled.