Helplessly Hoping IV
Title: Helplessly Hoping
Summary: Olivia stumbled into her apartment, beaten and broken, drowning herself in a bottle of tequila. He did it. He always did it. And she kept going back because she loved him. 'Heartlessly helping himself to her bad dreams...' [incomplete]
Author's Note: Sorry it’s been awhile since I’ve worked on this. I kind of hit a block that I’m trying to work through. All feedback is appreciated, I intended this to be a vignette but it has become more plot driven.
Fandom: Law and Order: Special Victims Unit
Chapter: 4
Disclaimer: The show belongs to Dick Wolf and the NBC network. I nagged the title from the CSNY song.
xxxxxx
Olivia and Elliot stood in silence outside the door to the Washington Heights apartment. The sole florescent light that hung from the ceiling flickered sporadically, only amplifying Olivia’s sallow skin and bruises. Elliot glared firmly at the stained burgundy carpet, avoiding his partner’s still pleading gaze. She disgusted him; she spat to herself, biting her tender lip. He couldn’t even look at her. Mere seconds passed like hours in silence before the door finally began to open.
A young blonde woman peered out from the cracked door, just above the security chain.
“Can I help you?” She asked nervously. Elliot pulled out his badge.
“Detective Elliot Stabler and my partner Detective Olivia Benson of the NYPD Special Victims Unit. We’re here to see Peter Hernandez.” Elliot looked directly at the girl. She bit a pasty pink lip.
“You’re here about Erica huh?” She asked. Olivia and Elliot nodded. The door closed, and they could hear the chain being removed, before it was opened again.
“Come in.” She motioned towards the house. They were finally able to get a good view of her. She was about Olivia’s height and broad shouldered for a female. Her dishwater blonde hair was pulled back into a straggly ponytail and her pale complexion and acne scars were only amplified by the cake-y foundation that was piled on her face. She had an aged look to her eyes that was far too common in the area, but still couldn’t have been any older than twenty. “I’m Ashley Desjardins. Peter’s girlfriend.”
“Nice to meet you Ashley.” Olivia stuck out her hand. Ashley stared at it hesitantly with steel-gray eyes, before timidly shaking her hand and nodding. The girl baffled Olivia. They’d interviewed Peter, the twenty-four year old brother, a few times. He dark and handsome and from everyone they’d spoken to a real charmer with the ladies. She was expecting his girlfriend would be fiery and beautiful to match. Maybe she had an amazing personality and was just very shy, Olivia countered, slightly disgusted that she was making such a superficial assumption.
“Umm… Peter’s not here.” She shrugged, grabbing some empty beer bottles of the table. The apartment wasn’t exactly lavished furnished, but there was a huge flat screen TV in the family room with leather couches. The walls were recently painted. Compared to the grimy halls and crime-ridden streets right outside the door, it was an oasis. “I-I really don’t know how I could help you. I have to finish cleaning the house before Peter gets home.” Her nervous energy was apparent; Olivia and Elliot had been with enough perps to smell it a mile away. However, when Elliot went to make eye contact with Olivia, to give a knowing eyebrow raise, she quickly turned away. She couldn’t even look at him anymore, even for the job.
“When is Peter getting home Ashley?” Olivia asked, staring straight at the girl who was absent-mindedly picking up dishes only to set them down elsewhere on the counter.
“I dunno,” she shrugged.
“Then why the rush to pick up after him?” Olivia raised an eyebrow. There was something else about her that she couldn’t put a finger on. She was obviously hiding something; any rookie could point that out. It was a matter of what she was hiding.
“Well he might be home any minute… he might be home in a few hours. He get off work early sometimes, sometimes works late, sometimes goes out with friends for a drink…”
“He’s not going to call you?” Olivia asked. Ashley stopped wiping the counter and looked up, meeting her soft gaze. She looked baffled, as though Olivia had just suggested she put a leash on her boyfriend.
“No. But he won’t be happy if the apartment isn’t clean…” She shook her head and went back to wiping the spilt beer in circles, shaking softly.
“Ashley… we just want to know who hurt Erica. Doesn’t Peter want that too?” Ashley put the towel down again and looked between the two detectives. With the most strength she’d used since they had arrived, she stood up straight.
“We told you everything we know. Please. Leave now.”
xxxxxx
Munch and Fin sat back at the precinct, staring mindlessly at their computers. They were searching for Pedro Hernandez in any database possible, the phone book, immigration reports, court records... Erica’s biological father that she was supposedly staying with was nowhere to be found, the detectives didn’t even know if he existed.
Munch pushed away from his desk with his foot, and spun towards his partner.
“Have you noticed anything different about Liv and Elliot lately?” He pushed his glasses up and stared at Fin’s back.
“Nah man. They’re just bickering like always.” He shrugged, still tying away at the computer. “Maybe some sexual tension, but that’s always been there. Nothing new.”
“I don’t mean that Sherlock. I mean something different. Like how distant and cold they are…”
“Not another conspiracy. What do you think, Liv and Elliot hooked up and things went south because he’s still technically married, or maybe because he’s just a hot head?” Fin laughed to himself, not taking his partner seriously enough to even look away from his work. “You’re nuts you know that. Cut the crap and get back to work.”
Munch glared at his partner’s back. This time it wasn’t just some nutty conspiracy theory.
xxxxxx
“What the hell was that?” He spat when they were back in the squad car.
“What was what?” Olivia shrugged drearily, looking out the window. Elliot pulled her arm, turning her around.
“Don’t give me that crap Olivia. In that apartment. Not looking at me when we were questioning her. How are we supposed to question someone if we can’t even communicate,” he growled.
“You wouldn’t look at me in the hall,” she said defiantly, pulling her arm back.
“Stop it.”
“Stop what?”
“This crap. This whiny, possessive, wishy-washy bullshit.” Elliot glared at Olivia. “When I said things are okay, I mean it dammit. I don’t want you screwing this case up because you can’t get that through your thick head. Understand?” Olivia didn’t respond, she only stared at her feet, her lip quivering. Elliot reached out and slapped her across the cheek, knocking her head into the headrest. “I said do. You. Understand? Answer me.” Olivia raised her head tentatively, as if she we were going to look Elliot in the eye, but gazed away.
“Yes. I’m sorry.”
“That’s better.” Elliot thrust the keys into the ignition. “Let’s go back to work.”
xxxxxx
Summary: Olivia stumbled into her apartment, beaten and broken, drowning herself in a bottle of tequila. He did it. He always did it. And she kept going back because she loved him. 'Heartlessly helping himself to her bad dreams...' [incomplete]
Author's Note: Sorry it’s been awhile since I’ve worked on this. I kind of hit a block that I’m trying to work through. All feedback is appreciated, I intended this to be a vignette but it has become more plot driven.
Fandom: Law and Order: Special Victims Unit
Chapter: 4
Disclaimer: The show belongs to Dick Wolf and the NBC network. I nagged the title from the CSNY song.
xxxxxx
Olivia and Elliot stood in silence outside the door to the Washington Heights apartment. The sole florescent light that hung from the ceiling flickered sporadically, only amplifying Olivia’s sallow skin and bruises. Elliot glared firmly at the stained burgundy carpet, avoiding his partner’s still pleading gaze. She disgusted him; she spat to herself, biting her tender lip. He couldn’t even look at her. Mere seconds passed like hours in silence before the door finally began to open.
A young blonde woman peered out from the cracked door, just above the security chain.
“Can I help you?” She asked nervously. Elliot pulled out his badge.
“Detective Elliot Stabler and my partner Detective Olivia Benson of the NYPD Special Victims Unit. We’re here to see Peter Hernandez.” Elliot looked directly at the girl. She bit a pasty pink lip.
“You’re here about Erica huh?” She asked. Olivia and Elliot nodded. The door closed, and they could hear the chain being removed, before it was opened again.
“Come in.” She motioned towards the house. They were finally able to get a good view of her. She was about Olivia’s height and broad shouldered for a female. Her dishwater blonde hair was pulled back into a straggly ponytail and her pale complexion and acne scars were only amplified by the cake-y foundation that was piled on her face. She had an aged look to her eyes that was far too common in the area, but still couldn’t have been any older than twenty. “I’m Ashley Desjardins. Peter’s girlfriend.”
“Nice to meet you Ashley.” Olivia stuck out her hand. Ashley stared at it hesitantly with steel-gray eyes, before timidly shaking her hand and nodding. The girl baffled Olivia. They’d interviewed Peter, the twenty-four year old brother, a few times. He dark and handsome and from everyone they’d spoken to a real charmer with the ladies. She was expecting his girlfriend would be fiery and beautiful to match. Maybe she had an amazing personality and was just very shy, Olivia countered, slightly disgusted that she was making such a superficial assumption.
“Umm… Peter’s not here.” She shrugged, grabbing some empty beer bottles of the table. The apartment wasn’t exactly lavished furnished, but there was a huge flat screen TV in the family room with leather couches. The walls were recently painted. Compared to the grimy halls and crime-ridden streets right outside the door, it was an oasis. “I-I really don’t know how I could help you. I have to finish cleaning the house before Peter gets home.” Her nervous energy was apparent; Olivia and Elliot had been with enough perps to smell it a mile away. However, when Elliot went to make eye contact with Olivia, to give a knowing eyebrow raise, she quickly turned away. She couldn’t even look at him anymore, even for the job.
“When is Peter getting home Ashley?” Olivia asked, staring straight at the girl who was absent-mindedly picking up dishes only to set them down elsewhere on the counter.
“I dunno,” she shrugged.
“Then why the rush to pick up after him?” Olivia raised an eyebrow. There was something else about her that she couldn’t put a finger on. She was obviously hiding something; any rookie could point that out. It was a matter of what she was hiding.
“Well he might be home any minute… he might be home in a few hours. He get off work early sometimes, sometimes works late, sometimes goes out with friends for a drink…”
“He’s not going to call you?” Olivia asked. Ashley stopped wiping the counter and looked up, meeting her soft gaze. She looked baffled, as though Olivia had just suggested she put a leash on her boyfriend.
“No. But he won’t be happy if the apartment isn’t clean…” She shook her head and went back to wiping the spilt beer in circles, shaking softly.
“Ashley… we just want to know who hurt Erica. Doesn’t Peter want that too?” Ashley put the towel down again and looked between the two detectives. With the most strength she’d used since they had arrived, she stood up straight.
“We told you everything we know. Please. Leave now.”
xxxxxx
Munch and Fin sat back at the precinct, staring mindlessly at their computers. They were searching for Pedro Hernandez in any database possible, the phone book, immigration reports, court records... Erica’s biological father that she was supposedly staying with was nowhere to be found, the detectives didn’t even know if he existed.
Munch pushed away from his desk with his foot, and spun towards his partner.
“Have you noticed anything different about Liv and Elliot lately?” He pushed his glasses up and stared at Fin’s back.
“Nah man. They’re just bickering like always.” He shrugged, still tying away at the computer. “Maybe some sexual tension, but that’s always been there. Nothing new.”
“I don’t mean that Sherlock. I mean something different. Like how distant and cold they are…”
“Not another conspiracy. What do you think, Liv and Elliot hooked up and things went south because he’s still technically married, or maybe because he’s just a hot head?” Fin laughed to himself, not taking his partner seriously enough to even look away from his work. “You’re nuts you know that. Cut the crap and get back to work.”
Munch glared at his partner’s back. This time it wasn’t just some nutty conspiracy theory.
xxxxxx
“What the hell was that?” He spat when they were back in the squad car.
“What was what?” Olivia shrugged drearily, looking out the window. Elliot pulled her arm, turning her around.
“Don’t give me that crap Olivia. In that apartment. Not looking at me when we were questioning her. How are we supposed to question someone if we can’t even communicate,” he growled.
“You wouldn’t look at me in the hall,” she said defiantly, pulling her arm back.
“Stop it.”
“Stop what?”
“This crap. This whiny, possessive, wishy-washy bullshit.” Elliot glared at Olivia. “When I said things are okay, I mean it dammit. I don’t want you screwing this case up because you can’t get that through your thick head. Understand?” Olivia didn’t respond, she only stared at her feet, her lip quivering. Elliot reached out and slapped her across the cheek, knocking her head into the headrest. “I said do. You. Understand? Answer me.” Olivia raised her head tentatively, as if she we were going to look Elliot in the eye, but gazed away.
“Yes. I’m sorry.”
“That’s better.” Elliot thrust the keys into the ignition. “Let’s go back to work.”
xxxxxx