Chapter Four - The Rape Kit III.
Thanks to the Thorazine, the next few hours of Benson's life will forever be remembered in a blur. Olivia stands naked with both feet resting on a long white sheet of paper. She allows the evidence between her legs to fall on the paper, willingly. Some of her pubic hair falls onto the sheet. Dried blood falls on the sheet as well. Dirt and other debris fall onto the sheet. The sheet is used to collect evidence from both Liv and her attacker.
As Dr. Price collects swabs from inside of Liv's mouth, Liv begins to drift off. Her body is all bruised. It looks as if someone painted her blue and red. There are burn marks on her breasts, neck, back, and shoulders. Deep cuts decorate her entire backside. Lewis's handprints are still around her waist, like a tattoo. The doctor begins to collect evidence from Liv's fingernails with a wooden scraper. Liv just stands there. The doctor notices her calmness throughout this entire exam.
Is Liv this calm because of the medicine? Is she this relaxed because she's in shock? Or is she just completely numb?
Dr. Price helps Benson in keeping her balance by letting her lean on her shoulder. The doctor is asking the sedated detective about the events of her ordeal. The young nurse is bagging Benson's clothing and notices something amiss. Looking at Liv confusingly, the nurse asks, "where's your underwear?" Dr. Price feels Liv's body sway. Liv looks in the nurse's direction and flatly answers,"I don't know."
"Were you wearing any underwear at the time of your ordeal?" Dr. Price ways in.
"Yes," Liv let's out a tiring sigh and answers in a matter of fact tone, "but he shove them in my mouth."
"Hit the lights," the doctor orders right before the nurse grabs the the ultraviolet light. Dr. Price has always used this nurse in sexual assault exams so the procedure was nothing new to either women. The nurse turns off the light, hands the ultraviolet light to Dr. Price, and grabs the microscope slides that's about four inches, clear, and squared. The nurse places the slides on the counter while she hands the doctor more swabs.
Benson's body is shown swarming with fluids glued to her body. Her entire face is streaking with fluids. When they swab her lips, Benson's mind shows snapshots of Lewis forcing his semen into her mouth. When they swab her chest, lips, and breasts, Liv remembers his voice, fuck I'm gonna cum, you take it baby, take it all. When they swab her lower backside, Liv remembers the feeling of having Lewis's erect penis pressed against her buttocks.
"Your last menstrual cycle, detective?" The doctor places the swabs in clear slides.
Liv tries to focus. "Last month, around this time."
"Did he penetrate you vaginally, anally, and or orally?" Dr. Price asks Liv.
"He tried, anally, but no. There was no penetration." Liv closes her eyes as they finish collecting the evidence of fluids on her body. In a moment, her memory takes her to the time in her apartment when Lewis's flaccid penis touched her lips.
"Ok." Dr. Price helps Liv to the bed. "You said he drugged you. There's still a chance penetration actually happened so we'll begin the pelvic exam."
"He bit me." Liv remembers as she lies down on the bed.
The nurse grabs the hospital gown, hands it to Liv, and asks, "do you need help getting into the gown?"
Liv nods her head, "no," rises up a little, and places the gown on her body. Oddly, she becomes cold. Her entire body shivers.
"We're almost through the worst of it detective Benson. Now tell me? What else do you remember about your attack?" Dr. Price pulls up a chair at the end of the bed and squats down. She advises the nurse to grab more supplies from the kit. Liv procedurally slides her legs up, opens them, and lifts her head. Dr. Price prepares her for the discomfort this part of the examination brings. Liv ignores her and silently prays for this entire nightmare to be over. She's always heard victims complain about this examination. They would say how this was like being raped all over again. They were so right.
She feels her pubic hair being pulled. She only winces first. After more pubic hair is pulled, she begins pulling her hair out with her left hand, groaning loudly, and grabbing the sheets on the bed in a very tight grip with her right hand. The nurse notices Liv's despair and grabs a hold of her hands. "It's ok. It's almost over, just squeeze my hand."
Amaro walks the entire second floor searching for Brian. He gets to the elevator and hits the third floor button. Amaro thinks that Brian may have gone searching for Liv on another floor. When the elevator door opens, Amaro literally bumps into Fin who has tons of fast food in hand. The food falls to the ground but it's all wrapped up causing no mess. The two men pick up the wax papered burgers and hot dogs.
"This is where you been?" Amaro asks the dimpled face detective.
"Thought we could use a bit to eat. Captain says to stay put until Liv's exam is over. That might take a while."
"Well you should have called me. Cassidy and me already ate in the cafeteria." Amaro says. Fin begins walking into the waiting area and Nick follows.
"Hospital food yea right. That shit taste like ass. I'll be fine with this right here." Fin takes a seat near the window where there are less visitors.
"Yea sure. A future filled with heart disease and diabetes." Amaro sits next to Fin.
"I'll take my chances." Fin looks around before unwrapping his burger. "Where's Cassidy?"
"Cassidy? He's.. He's gone."
Fin is puzzled. "Gone where? He left?"
"I dont know. Maybe he went to blow off some steam."
Fin takes a bite of his burger, "can't blame the guy." Chewing, Fin waits until he swallows the food to ask, "how's Liv?"
Amaro shrugs. "I mean I don't know Fin, you saw her. The doctor says they had to delay the rape kit." He takes a deep breath and looks into Fin's eyes. "Turns out she had to be sedated... He really did her in Fin, I mean, there's no coming back from this."
Fin loses his appetite as he takes in Amaro's words. Putting his food to the side, Fin eyes begin to water. "You told captain?"
Just as Amaro attempts to answer Fin's question, Brian walks in, seemingly disheveled. The detectives notices the bags under Brian's red colored eyes. He grabs the seat adjacent to Fin. Fin offers him some food but Brian turns him down. Amaro notices the bruises forming on Brian's elbow but makes no comments. He understands.
Despite the hundreds of other conversation going on in the waiting area, the three men sit in their own quietness for all of fifteen minutes. Fin pretends to be concentrating on passing level seventy of candy crush on his phone. Amaro pretends to be entertained by the young couple sitting near that's holding the loudest conversation. Brian's eyes follow every medical personnel's movement that passes the area. They all seem preoccupied by something, as if they are forcing themselves to not think about what Liv has been through or is going through. The truth? Nothing they're doing can take their minds away from the darkness. The sadness. The heartbreaking tribulations that their beautiful Olivia went through and is still going through.
Dr. Price walks into the waiting room. Amaro and Cassidy stand to their feet, Fin follows. He introduces himself to the doctor who seems to already know him. "I'm detective Fin Tutola." The doctor smirks, she informs him how she knows him. "Your son Ken and my boy are really good friends, not in that way but your son talks about you great deal. Nice to meet you."
Fin agrees. "You too. Small world, right."
Cassidy gets agitated and demands to know about Liv. Dr. Price clears her throat and turns her attention to Amaro.
"She's fine. Physically anyway. We're done with the rape kit. I'll send it off asap." Dr. Price announces.
"Can I take her home?" Brian asks.
"Well I want to keep her over night to monitor her concussion. You'll be able to take her home first thing in the morning."
"Well can I see her now?" Brian asks before the doctor walks off.
"Of course. Follow me." Brian follows the doctor out of the waiting area.
Fin and Amaro decide to wait until Brian returns. Although they want to see Liv, they are agreeing to respect her privacy. Amaro calls the captain with the update. Fin phones Amanda with the update.
Brian enters Olivia's room where he finds her standing by the window, still wearing the hospital gown. She's wearing a doctor's coat to cover her backside. Liv glares at the view of Long Island as the nurse picks up the left over mess. She doesn't see Brian standing in the door way at first.
"Oh hi. I'll just get out of your way." The nurse breaks the ice. Liv looks over to find Cassidy at the door. She turns her head, embarrassed. The nurse heads out and Brian approaches Benson. He gets close enough where they are inches apart. She never once look his way. Her eyes are glued in any direction other than Brian's.
Brian notices Liv's reluctance to face him. "Liv?" He waits for a reaction from Liv but she's stubborn. "Liv come on... Liv please. Look at me.." Benson has tears forming into her eyes. She carefully turns her head to face Brian. Her arm is in a slang and the gash on her forehead is patched. Her beautiful brown eyes had never seem so haunting. What Brian notices that really hurts him is her face. Her beautiful face is all bruised and battered. The face he's fell in love with had been molded into a monstrous sculpture. Yet, her beauty still remained.
It's all over. Liv refuses to cry. "I should of grabbed my gun. I'm-I'm sorry, I didn't do enough, I was... I was powerless." Liv's voice is very soft and shaken. She appears to be in shock as well.
Brian rolls his eyes. Anger is flowing through his blood. He has to hold it together for her sake. With a half smile, Brian replies. "You kidding me? You were powerless? Did you see how bad you kick that guys ass? You did everything right Liv. You know that come on."
"There was so many times. So many times I could have run." Liv voice slurs. She sways on her feet, her skin is going pale. Brian notices Liv's state of shock. His eyes catches the sweat forming on her forehead. He tries to grab her but reminds himself of her soreness, her hypervigilance. He feels he needs to do something to keep her balance straight. She's gonna- In a surprising moment, Liv collapses in Brian's arms. He feels her body trembling but she doesn't jerk away from his grip. Brian holds on to her tightly. "It's ok. I got you Liv. I got you."
To Be Continued...