Chapter 22. Dick Wolf owns the SVU characters and I own mine. Enjoy.

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Sedating her had been the only way to calm her and she now lay in a deep sleep, one that Fin was thankful for because she needed it, knowing that along with the horrors she'd suffered at Harlan's hands, exhaustion was playing a huge part in her current emotional state.

It was only after the doctor assured him that she'd sleep till morning that Fin had agreed to leave her side to allow his wounds to be tended to. He was beyond grateful that Elliot had arrived at that point - there would be someone to keep watch, make sure she'd be safe and though he had his own differences with the man, there was no one he trusted more to have Olivia's back.

"I thought she told you to stay away" Fin reminded his former colleague upon returning from the nurse.

"She did and I'm doing what she wanted... Granted, not exactly as she wanted but..."

"Look, I get it Stabler. I don't want to but I do. What she went through last year...it'll probably feel like a walk through the park compared to this. We all need to be strong for her, I just need to know that you're up for it cuz if not... If you're gonna run again..."

"I'm not running and I won't push. She'll let me in as little or as much as she wants but I'm here. I just... I can't not be. Even if she doesn't know I am, I have to be here."

Elliot looked down nervously at his hands. They were curling into fists and he quickly got up, trying to shake off the anger.

"I hear the prick who did this to her is dying up there in Pennsylvania."

"The scalpel she cut him with was old... The rust on the blade caused an infection..." Elliot couldn't help the smile that spread across his face.

"She really cut it off?"

"Completely. When they found the fucker he was holding it!" Fin grinned.

"I hope he suffers. I hope every second until he takes his last breath is hell!"

.

Bronwyn sat at Harlan's bedside, dutifully holding his hand as she gazed lovingly at him lying there pale and weak. Her husband had been a formidable man and now to see him like this, so decimated...so still...so...

"Bronwyn..." He murmured, his voice as weakened as his body was.

"My love..." she smiled

"When I die..."

"You are not going to die!"

"When I die..." He continued "you don't let that whore get away with it" he ordered before a fit of coughing overtook him, alarming Bronwyn, especially when a trickle of blood came out and ran down the side of his mouth. Bronwyn quickly but gently wiped it away.

"I want you to make her suffer." He mumbled almost incoherently through his pained exhaustion. "She... She already killed yer brother and now me. I..."

"My brother? Sir, you're tired, you're not thinking clearly."

"You don't, she... That she-devil took my boy. Enchanted him...made him obsessed then killed him."

"I was there. I saw firsthand how she railroaded William." Bronwyn sympathized bitterly. "And now she ran off with my baby"

"Don't let her... Have him, don't let her have him. You get my boy!"

"I promise I will."

"You get him and you raise him right. Whatever you have to do... Kill that worthless bitch..." His body was again wracked by coughing that went on for a long moment before stopping, causing him to spit up even more blood before settling back against his pillows with Bronwyn's help.

"You're so weak" she cried fearfully.

"You listen to me, you get my boy, you raise him right. I want her gone... Promise me."

"I promise."

"Say it!"

"I will kill her. I'll get our son and I'll kill her." She swore with all sincerity.

"Kiss me." He demanded through ragged breath. Without pause she did as she was told, kissing his lips softly while her hand lay upon his cheek.

"How long til that damn nurse comes back?" Harlan asked, breathing heavily when Bronwyn pulled away.

"Ten minutes"

"Good...just enough time... If imo die I wanna have somethin nice before I go." He knew that this was his own daughter in front of him but she didn't, and in his mind that made what he was about to ask of her perfectly acceptable. Besides, he thought, now that I done already fucked the cow, it don't matter!

"Anything" she blindly promised.

"Take off yer panties and give em here!"

"Sir?"

"Do it!"

Without argument Bronwyn nervously reached under her skirt and took off her undergarment then wadded them before pressing them into Harlan's palm. He slowly raised his hand to his face and began sniffing the crotch of her panties, rolling his eyes as if the very scent brought him pleasure. But it wasn't her scent it was the scent, and the scent reminded him of Olivia's scent - even on his death bed he couldn't get enough.

"I gotta tell ya darling, that was amazin! Nice and tight, able to take a poundin…"

He could still hear the way she screamed that first time; how after a while she went quiet and just whimpered every time he slammed into her. Her cries were the goddamn sexiest thing he ever heard, fueled him. She wasn't like the others. None of them had ever turned him on the way she had. He'd broken them all after the first time but she... She had fire and he wanted to own it; thought he'd tamed her but she'd surprised him. And right now he prayed that he would live if not but for the sake of finishing what he started - owning her before he put her in her grave.

"What I wouldn't give to fuck it one more time!" He mused, Bronwyn believing that it was herself who occupied his final thoughts. He understood why Billy had become so easily obsessed. Olivia Benson was the devil; a temptress who looked like and angel but he knew better and so did Billy. God built a woman like that for sin! It was his duty to take her how he pleased and if there was any right in this world, he'd have her again.

"Hike up that skirt... Touch yerself while I watch."

"Sir, what if..."

"I'm dyin. I don't give a shit!" He protested, meaning to sound more authoritative than his dying body allowed him to. Even lying there in complete agony, his twisted mind couldn't stop itself from wanting this.

Bronwyn slowly stepped back a couple feet from the bed and apprehensively reached for the hem of her skirt, slowly raising it as she looked over her shoulder for anyone entering the small room.

When she began to timidly rub herself there, Harlan grimaced at the sight of her and squeezed his eyes shut, opening them to see Olivia there instead and he smiled weakly.

"That's it, rub it for daddy and don't you fuckin stop til you come!"

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"You been mighty quiet the whole ride home." Doc pointed out to Sam who sat, still silent and in deep thought in one of the porch chairs.

"I'm sorry sir, I just... I'm so angry."

"That woman?" Doc asked as he turned to look at his son. Sam simply nodded.

"I just don't understand the evil in the world... How people can be so sick."

"Now son, it's not our job to judge. We don't know what makes people the way they are."

"There's no excuse for hurting someone like she's been hurt, I don't care what someone's been through!" There was a brief silence between the two before Sam spoke again.

"I told her how sorry you and mom both are about what happened to her."

"I came up?" Doc asked, a nervous timbre to his voice that he tried to mask.

"Yeah. I told her that you had no idea that she was in Sheriff Holmes' house all these months."

"How uh... How did she take it?" He was suddenly very interested and took a seat beside his son.

"I don't know, she just... She was curious about you, asked a couple questions. I told her you and Holmes are old friends... That's about it. Why?"

"It's just; well I don't wanna be mixed up in this. Next thing you know, the cops will will be lookin for me to testify and I don't know anything - I would have done something to stop it if I did, you know that don't you?"

"Dad, of course I do. You're a good man. I know that if you'd known you would have stopped whatever went on in there, no way you'd let a woman be hurt..."

But Doc's mind had suddenly slipped back to the last time he was alone with Olivia; the day Harlan tore her leg open with the wire cutter and called him to stitch her up.

She was weak from blood loss but she fought him, just like a little wildcat but it didn't do any good. In the end he'd overpowered her. It felt so good to hold her down, to see the fear in her eyes when she knew he had her and that she was at his mercy. He'd almost broken her arm, shoving his knee into it hold it down while he restrained the other. He left her legs free - he wanted some struggle and god did he get it - she sent her knee to his balls when he tried to mount her, sending him falling over and screaming expletives. When he was finally able to compose himself he viciously slapped and choked her and since he was then unable to get it up he decided to teach her a lesson for denying him the privilege he felt he'd earned.

"You'll pay for that you stupid bitch!" He said calmly, grinning fiendishly, curling and uncurling his fist as he forced her legs apart "Now we explore painful pleasure!"

"No! I'm sorry... Please don't, please..." She began pleading desperately when it became clear to her what he'd intended to do.

Her body wasn't prepared for what came next; the pain so intense she simply blacked out.

"...I know my dad, the kind of man you are. Don't beat yourself up... Dad?" Sam called to Doc who seemed to be lost in thought and had a smile on his face.

"I'm sorry son"

"Why are you smiling?" Doc hadn't realized he was and thought quickly.

"The faith you have in me... I don't know what I did to deserve you but I am the luckiest man alive."

"I'm the lucky one." Sam smiled, patting his father on the back.

"Shoot! I better get going, I'm gonna be late for work" Doc said as he stood up.

"Night shift again?"

"Unfortunately"

"Could you drop me off at the garage on your way? My car will be ready at seven."

"Of course, I'm just gonna run inside and say goodnight to your mother." Doc said before disappearing into the house.

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Back at the hospital in Lancaster, the squad sat around the waiting area by Olivia's room. Brian and Nick had finally returned from the airport with Don - it had been a bittersweet reunion, seeing the captain they all loved so much but under such horrific circumstances. It had been especially shocking for Don to see Elliot there. Just like Fin, there had been a huge part of him that wanted to be angry with him for what he'd put Olivia through when he left without a word but the bigger part of him - the part of him that understood who and what they were to each other; what they would always be even after three long years of separation, that part knew that Olivia would need the man who would always be her best friend even if she didn't realize it at the moment. And it was with this in mind that upon coming face to face and quietly standing before one another, neither of the two mean sure of what to say or do, Don took a step forward and threw his arms around the man he'd grown to love like a son and had missed terribly since he'd disappeared without a word almost four years ago. Elliot hugging Don just as tightly and the two men nearly in tears.

... ... ...

"So the whole retirement was all just a cover?" Don asked. He and Elliot had been talking for the better part of an hour after having left the group to catch up.

"I'm sorry cap. I wanted to tell you..."

"...but rules had to be followed. I get it. What I'm concerned about are your intentions now." The older man said to his former detective.

"The same as they've always been... I just wanna take care of her; whatever she needs."

"Then that's good enough for me. Just... Don't push her. She'll need time. Even without what she's been through, the shock of seeing you again must be overwhelming in itself."

"...for both of us" Elliot mused quietly, sentimentally while preoccupying himself with the now-cold contents of his coffee cup.

"How does she seem?" Cragen asked. Elliot paused, pondering the question then released a deep sigh before meeting the older man's gaze.

"Lost."

... ... ...

"Fin, you gotta be exhausted!" Amanda was starting to worry about her partner. He hadn't left the hospital in the two days since they'd gotten here and his weariness was showing.

"I'm alright" Fin insisted, rubbing his tired eyes

"You look like you're gonna pass out. Why don't you go on back to the hotel and get some sleep?"

"Yeah, we can hold things down, here" Brian chimed in. "You need to rest, you're no good to Liv or anyone worn out."

"She might wake up..."

"The doctor said she'll be out for the night and you heard Cassidy, they're here. Fin, come on, please?" Amanda asked, gently placing her hand on his forearm.

"Look, if she wakes up and needs you, I'll call" Nick promised. "The hotel is five minutes from here, you can get here before she misses you."

"We'll take care of her" Brian assured him.

"You won't do anything. Man we talked about this!" Fin reminded him. "She doesn't wanna see you right nownow."

"Fin come on, she's just confused!"

"Confused or not, it's her choice and until she clears her head you and Stabler keep your distance."

"I think it's bullshit but whatever... I'm going for a walk!" Brian huffed, quite annoyed."

"He'll be back, he's just frustrated" Amanda said with a sympathetic tone.

"We all are. He's just an ass, thinking about himself as usual. I don't know what the hell Liv ever saw in that jerk!" Nick seethed.

"It's not for us to know, it's between them." Fin advised. "If you're just gonna fight with Cassidy there's no way I'm leaving!"

"Nah... I told you that I put it aside for Liv and I meant it. Go. Get something to eat, grab a shower and sleep. I'll watch over Liv. We all will"

Fin turned it over in his head for a moment before answering.

"Nobody gets in that room who isn't medical personnel!" He ordered.

"Got it."

"Arlow already talked to her today so he shouldn't be back tonight but if he does..."

"...call you. Fin, I got this." Nick insisted "Now get outta here."

"I'm gonna head back to the hotel too." Amanda said as she stood to leave with Fin.

"You sure?" Nick asked.

"Yeah, I... Have some work to catch up on and I have to um...send Murphy some files so..." She lied, fidgeting and not bothering to make eye contact. The truth was she still couldn't stand being here with Olivia like this - it hurt too much. She had been so thankful that Fin had sent her shopping; given her something to do earlier to keep her busy. It kept her away from the hospital, but at the same time she got to do something for Olivia.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow?" Nick asked.

"Yeah. Say goodnight to cap for me?" Nick nodded.

"I'll be here first thing in the morning." Fin said before turning to leave.

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In Pennsylvania, Bronwyn sat in the hospital chapel in somewhat of a daze as tears trailed her face. She hadn't noticed her attorney entering until the woman placed her hand upon her shoulder.

"Bronwyn... The car is waiting; we should go." Marilyn said coldly.

"I'm not ready"

"There's nothing left for you to do here..."

"I just lost my husband. Tell the driver to FUCKING WAIT!" She screamed.

"You don't see it now but this is for the absolute best. Now we can begin the process of distancing you from this mess."

"Marilyn..."

"Don't Marilyn me! I will be outside in the car, if you are not out in ten minutes, I come in a drag you out!" The woman said before turning on her heels and leaving the chapel, her eight-hundred-dollar pumps clicking against the floor.

When the door closed, Bronwyn looked up at the stained-glass window...

"God, first William and now my Harlan. What more will you take from me?"

She closed her eyes to allow the last of her tears to fall and when she opened them, she saw Harlan, in flowing robes, floating above the altar, an ethereal glow emanating from him.

"My love!"

"There is much work ahead of us, my child!" He said, smiling with arms outstretched.

"I won't forget"

"Keep true to the path I have set for you. Only you can avenge me. The whore must pay... Make her pay!"

"I promise, my love, she will pay! If it's with my dying breath, I will make her pay!"

She was already too far gone to see that she was slipping into madness.

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A couple hours later, Sam was on his way home and driving down the road that went past Harlan's house. He had driven a few yards past when a double-take made him do a U-turn and drive back toward the house.

He stopped his car on the side of the road and just as he thought, there it was. Through the trees, parked down the dirt road that served as a driveway, his father's car in front of Sheriff Holmes' house.

"What the hell?" He wondered before steering his car onto the property then got out and walked the rest of the way down the dirt path toward the house.

... ... ...

"I gotta find those damn recordings!" Doc said to himself while searching the basement with a flashlight. He didn't dare turn of the lights so as not to draw attention from passers-by.

"They have to be here! If the cops get their hands on them...no, don't think like that, Doc. They have to be here somewhere." He said with determination. "Come on, you son of a bitch, where'd you stash em?"

"Stash what?" Sam asked, startling his father as he appeared behind him."

"Son"

"You're supposed to be at work. What are you doing here?" He asked, turning on the overhead light.

"I could ask you the same thing."

"I was on my way home and I saw your car."

"So you decided to spy on me?"

"What? No, dad what the hell's goin on here? Why are you in this house...and in the basement no less?"

Doc hung his head and gave a deep sigh.

"Son... Do you love me?"

"Of course I love you" Sam answered, though confused by his father's question.

"Then I need you to help me."

"Help you with what? Dad, what's..."

"I'm in trouble, son. Big trouble, and you're the only person I can trust!"

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Does Doc tell Sam the truth? What is Bronwyn going to do?