Moments In Between
Pairing: Alex/Olivia
Disclaimer: I still own nothing.
Chapter 13
Olivia's first day back on the streets turned out to be a slow one. She and Elliot spent most of the day checking in with street sources for various open cases. The end of her shift had come and she was on her way out the door when they got a call. The body of a young woman had been found in an alley down by the docks. When Olivia and Elliot arrived at the scene, the ME was already there. Melinda Warner met them as they approached.
"What do we have" Elliot asked.
"White female, mid to late twenties. The officer said she had no ID on her."
"Signs of rape?" Olivia asked pulling on her gloves.
"From what I can tell, there was sexual activity. At this point, I can's say for certain that it was rape. I'll know more when I get the body back to the lab."
Elliot bent down over the body and looked for possible clues. When Olivia saw the body, she paused. Seeing the deep cuts and blood sent a cold shiver through her body. An image of a knife being thrust at her flashed in her mind. She felt a little nauseous and tightly clenched her eyes shut. Elliot was collecting the evidence bag and getting information from the uniform cop when he noticed his partner's pale expression.
"You alright, partner?"
Olivia shook it off. "I'm fine."
"There's not much more we can do here. Let's head back to the house and track down the next of kin and see what we can find out about our vic." He looked at his watch and grimaced. "I have a feeling this is going to be a long night."
Olivia nodded, suddenly relieved to be anywhere other than in that alley.
Early the following morning, Olivia was still at the station. She and Elliot had pulled an all nighter. She was now sitting in the interview room with the mother of the victim, who had finally been identified as Monica Kramer. She handed the woman a cup of coffee.
"I know this is all a shock and extremely difficult for you, Mrs. Kramer, but if you could answer a few questions for us that might help us find out who did this to your daughter."
The older woman nodded and wiped her eyes. "Did your daughter have a boyfriend or was she seeing anyone that you know of"
"No. Monica was always too busy with work to ever keep a boyfriend. She works so many hours a week, I barely see her myself. That's why I didn't worry when she didn't come home last night. I thought she was working late."
"What kind of work did your daughter do?"
"She just started her internship. She graduated from medical school last spring. She moved back in with me to save money."
"Where was she interning?"
"Bellevue Hospital. She was going to be a surgeon." She said wiping a new batch of tears.
Olivia nodded and wrote the information down. "Mrs. Kramer, can you think of anyone who might want to hurt your daughter?"
"No. Monica was a sweet girl. She got along with everyone." The woman suddenly broke down. "Why would someone do this to my daughter?"
Olivia held the woman and rubbed her back as she cried on her shoulder. "I don't know, but we're going to do our best to find out."
Alex crossed her arms and turned away from the one way mirror to face Cragen and Elliot. "So where are we on this?"
Elliot rubbed his eyes tiredly. "Right now, nowhere. So far, our victim is clean as a whistle and we've got no leads."
"Any witnesses?"
"There was a 911 call made to dispatch. All we know at this point was that the caller was male. He gave the address and information and hung up. The call was traced to a phone booth across the street from the alley. We have the tech guys working on the tape."
"What about evidence from the scene?"
"There wasn't much left at the scene to go one." Elliot pushed himself off the wall and stepped forward. "This guy was careful."
Alex sighed heavily and removed her glasses. She felt the beginnings of a headache coming on. "We need something. Branch is breathing down my neck for some kind of information to pacify the public."
Elliot frowned. "The public?"
"A pretty young woman found raped and mutilated in an alley stirs up the media. Has the ME come up with anything helpful?"
"Warner is handling the autopsy now. I should hear something soon." Cragen replied.
Olivia emerged from the other room and closed the door behind her. "Mrs. Kramer would like to plan a service for her daughter. Any idea when Warner will be finished?"
"You can tell that it will be at least a couple more days. Right now, the vic's body is all the evidence we have." Cragen said before leaving the room.
Elliot glanced between the two women and sensed that they needed to talk. "I'll tell her."
Olivia nodded and turned back to Alex after the door closed behind him. Alex looked concerned. "You look exhausted, Liv. Are you okay?"
"Yeah."
"Liv... I saw the crime scene photos. That couldn't have been easy for you to see... not so soon after..."
"I'm fine."
"You don't have to pretend that it doesn't bother you."
"I'm just frustrated. We have no suspect... no leads." Olivia shook her head. "That girl was.... She looked like a kid, Alex. The guy that did this...I don't think this was some random attack. This was personal."
Alex moved to reach out to Olivia, but the moment was interrupted by the shrill sound of Olivia's cell phone. "Benson..... yes.... sure, we'll be right over." She flipped the phone closed. "That was Warner. She has something. Elliot and I need to head over there."
"Olivia, maybe you should just let Elliot go."
Olivia looked confused. "Why would I do that?"
Alex sighed. "You know why, Liv. You shouldn't be pushing yourself like this. You just got back."
Olivia took a deep breath growing more irritated by the minute. She was tired of everyone trying to coddle her. "Alex, this is my job. I can handle it."
"But Liv..."
"Alex!" Olivia snapped in a raised voice. Alex jumped slightly. She sighed and took another deep breath. "Look... we made a pact remember? This is work. As my ADA, you know that this is what I do. I need my ADA to do her job and allow me to do mine."
Alex bit the inside of her jaw and took a step back. "Of course, Detective."
Elliot emerged from the room just in time to witness the tension between them. "What's up?"
"We need to head over to the ME's office. Warner needs to see us."
"Alright."
Olivia glanced back at Alex. Neither said another word to the other as Olivia walked out the door.
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"So what are you saying? This wasn't mutilation?" Elliot asked confused.
"Oh no... this was mutilation. It was just done by someone who knew exactly what they were doing."
"Meaning?" Elliot waited for clarification.
"Meaning whoever cut and stabbed this woman had medical training." She moved around the body pointing out various cuts. "Each of these incisions were made precisely... almost like surgery."
"So you're saying that the perp was some kind of a... doctor?"
"Could be... but they definitely had some kind of medical knowledge. These weren't just random cuts. These cuts were made in places that would do the most damage. Most mutilators just cut and stab at random angles destroying the body. These cuts were very distinct."
Elliot glanced over at his partner and noticed that she was slightly pale and extremely still.
"Anything else?" He asked.
"There was sexual activity. There were fluids found and there was deep bruising around the thighs and genital area. Either this woman liked rough sex or she was definitely raped before she was killed."
"Time of death?" Olivia managed to ask.
"I estimate between the hours of ten and twelve midnight. She bled out through the aorta, which was most likely the first cut. It wouldn't have taken more than a couple of minutes for her to bleed to death. Your perp was also right handed."
"Wait... Mrs. Kramer said that her daughter was a medical intern at Bellevue." Olivia said suddenly recalling the information. "What are the odds that she'd be killed this way?"
Warner raised a brow. "What better place to look for a perp who knows medicine than a hospital?"
"Looks like we're heading to Bellevue. Thanks Doc." Elliot said heading towards the door.
"Sure. I'll give you a call when I find out more."
Once in the car, Olivia was quiet as she read over the notes from Warner's preliminary report. Elliot looked over at her for what was like the twentieth time.
"You don't have to keep watching me. I'm fine, El." Olivia said without looking up.
"It would be completely understandable if you weren't. This is a lot to come back to."
"Well, I'm okay. I just wish everyone would stop expecting me to fall apart or something."
Elliot simply returned his attentions to the road. He knew that tone. Olivia wasn't in the mood to talk.
They arrived at Bellevue in short time and made their way through the busy halls. Olivia walked up to the nurse's desk and pulled out her badge.
"Excuse me. I'm Detective Olivia...."
"Benson, please tell me you're not back here again." Came an annoyed response.
Olivia saw her less than favorite Nurse Cannon turn around. She groaned internally. "Not as a patient, thankfully. But I am on official business. Are you familiar with the surgical interns around this place?"
"Yes. We work fairly closely with them. Most of them are like babies when they first get here. They think they know everything, but haven't the slightest clue what they're in for. Kind of like some of the patients I've had." She said giving Olivia a playful glare.
Elliot smirked as he witnessed the easy rapport between the two. It still amazed him how Olivia could charm even those who wanted to dislike her. He stood back and let his partner handle the questioning.
"Did you know an intern by the name of Monica Kramer?" Olivia pulled out a photo and held it up.
"Yes, I know Dr. Kramer. Is she in some kind of trouble?"
"I'm sorry, but.... Monica Kramer was found murdered."
The nurse gasped and covered her mouth. "Oh my God."
"Do you know if Dr. Kramer had any enemies or notice anyone strange hanging around here while she was working?"
The nurse shook her head. "No, but then again the doctors and staff are asked to keep their personal lives away from the hospital. Some of the interns or residents who worked more closely with her might know."
"Can you give me those names?"
"Sure." She pulled out a clipboard with a sign in sheet on it. "These are the interns she was scheduled with this term. Her attending physicians were Dr. Dennis Wade and Dr. Charles Felder."
"Attending?"
"The attending physician is the doctor the interns go to for answers to questions, assistance and so forth. They sort of keep an eye on them. We don't just let interns run free around here." She printed out a copy and handed it over to Olivia.
Olivia nodded and took the list. "Thanks."
Once she was finished with her questions, she gave the nurse a quick wave. She turned and showed the long list to Elliot. "How about you take the top half. I'll take the bottom?"
"I'm on it."
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"Knock, knock." Alex spoke softly as she leaned in the doorway of Serena's office.
"Cabot, what are you doing here? I thought you had court today?" Serena took off her glasses and put them aside.
"I did, but Petrovsky adjourned until tomorrow morning. I think she was just as annoyed by Langon's antics as I was." She said flopping down in a vacant chair.
Serena smirked. "And to think you actually dated that schmuck."
"I didn't date him. I agreed to dinner to get him off my back."
"I remember you calling me when you got home." Serena laughed. "You were a complete wreck because you thought Olivia would hate you forever after she saw you two together."
"Yeah." She said softly. "It's funny. I never really cared about what anyone else thought of me until I met her. Now, her opinion of me is all I seem to care about."
Serena stopped what she was doing and stared at her friend. She knew Alex better than most. She also knew that when Alex came by her office in the middle of the day, it was usually because she needed to talk something through.
"Is something wrong, Alex?"
"I don't know how to do this."
"Do what?"
"Be an impartial ADA when it's the woman that I love out there on the street everyday."
Serena sat back in her chair. "Are you saying that you don't want to be with Olivia?"
"No! Of course I want to be with her. I just don't know how."
"Where is all of this coming from? The other day you said you were fine with her going back to active duty."
"I am. Olivia and I made a pact. Work is work and we don't let our personal relationship bleed over into it."
"But?" Serena asked expectantly.
"But... I never thought it would be this hard."
Serena nodded sympathetically. "Working with someone you love is never easy... especially in your case. You're just going to have to figure out how to keep the two separate."
"I know. That's the hard part. I know Liv is good at what she does. I know that she can take care of herself. I just... I just... ugh!" Alex grew frustrated.
"You're worried about her."
"Yes."
"There's nothing wrong with being worried, Alex. We all worry over our loved ones. But you can't allow worry to rule your life. You know that she loves you and you know that she wouldn't do anything that would jeopardize what you two have. Just trust Olivia and be happy."
After a moment, Alex looked at Serena strangely. Serena narrowed her eyes. "What?"
"When did you become so good at all this relationship stuff? I feel like I'm talking to Dr. Phil."
Serena chuckled. "Nah. I don't have nearly enough strange one liners to be Dr. Phil, but when you've had as many failed relationships as I have, you tend to learn from the mistakes."
"Speaking of which... have you spoken to the good doctor recently?"
Serena shifted uneasily hoping Alex didn't see the blush rising to her cheeks. However, she could tell by the smirk Alex was wearing that her effort was useless.
"No, I haven't. Why would I?"
"Serena, it's obvious that you like her and I think she might like you too. Why don't you ask her out?"
"Alex..."
"What's the problem, Southerlyn? This is so unlike you. You're usually so confident around women."
"It's not that simple, Alex."
Alex folded her arms and waited for an explanation. Serena rolled her eyes seeing that her friend wasn't going to let it go.
"You ask women out all the time. I've seen you. Hell, I've envied how easy it is for you. So what is so different about asking this particular woman out?"
Serena shrugged her shoulders. Alex waited. Serena sighed and dropped her head into her hands. "I'm afraid okay."
"Afraid? Afraid of what?"
"I don't know. There's just something about her."
"Something good.... something bad?"
"It's been a long time since I've been that drawn to someone."
"And?"
"And the last time I was this attracted to a woman, I fell in love with her."
"And that would be a bad thing because...."
"Because the last time it didn't end all that well for me, remember?" Serena gave her a wounded look.
Alex mentally kicked herself for pushing. "I'm sorry. I forgot, Rena. I just.. I thought you were past all of that."
"So did I." She leaned back in her chair. "I've just been thinking of Abbie a lot lately. I don't even know why."
"I'm no expert at this, but... maybe the fact that you feel so drawn to Pearce is a good thing. Maybe it's exactly what you need."
"Pearce seems like a really nice person. I don't want to do anything to hurt her."
Alex grinned. "So you're saying that one date with you would be that painful?"
Serena scowled at her, but couldn't help but smile. She had walked right into that one. "Watch it, Cabot."
"It's only a date, Serena. Surely she could survive one date with you; that is if you don't bore her to death."
"Funny."
"Come on. The next time you see Pearce, I dare you to ask her out."
"You're daring me? What are we... ten?"
Alex ignored her. "The next time you two are in the same room together, I dare you to bite the bullet and ask the woman out."
"You think I won't do it?"
Alex shrugged and smiled. She knew her best friend was just as competitive as she was and would never be able to resist a dare. She also knew that Serena and Pearce would definitely be in the same room together soon if things went as planned.
"I dared you didn't I?"
"Fine. If you're so sure about this, the next time I'm with her I'll ask her out just to get you out of my hair. But when I win this little bet of yours, you'll be picking up the tab for a very expensive date."
Alex grinned. "You've got yourself a bet."
Chapter 14
Hours later, Olivia and Elliot returned to the squad room to compare notes. "Okay, I talked to all of those doctors and got nothing. They all said the same thing. Kramer was pleasant and did her job. They said that they all liked working with her. None of them knew anything about her personal life. They said she spent most of her time at the hospital."
"Same here." Olivia said shaking her head. "According to the other doctors, Kramer was your typical first year intern. But there was one thing that stuck out in my mind though. One of the female interns...." She looked down at her notes. "... Dr. Shelly Hagen made a remark. She said something like Kramer would be liked by most of the doctors on staff. I don't really know how to describe it, but it was just the way she said it. I don't think she liked her."
"She have an alibi?"
"Iron clad. She was in surgery observing a six hour procedure during the time the murder would have taken place. The attending physician vouched that she was there the entire time."
"Any idea why she wouldn't like Kramer? I mean... everyone we've talked to said this girl was as clean as they come."
Olivia stared at her notes. "I don't know, but I'm thinking that whatever it is it might give us a clue as to why someone would want our vic dead." She stood and grabbed her coat.
"Where are you going?"
"Back to the hospital. I'm going to go see if I can have a word with Dr. Hagen."
"No, you're not." He stood and blocked her way to the door.
"Excuse me?"
"Liv, it's late. We've been at it for thirty-six hours." He said rubbing his eyes.
"Elliot..."
"I know what you're doing. You don't have to prove anything to anybody, Liv. We all know that you can handle it, but there is no reason to kill yourself. It can wait until tomorrow." He looked her in the eyes. "Go home... call Alex... sleep... or do whatever. Just get out of here. That's what I'm gonna do."
Olivia sighed. She knew he was right. She was exhausted. "Okay... but I want to talk to Dr. Hagen first thing in the morning."
Elliot shook his head. "Deal."
Olivia hailed a cab and gave him her address. It took everything in her not to give him the address to Alex's instead. She was tired and wired both at the same time. The only thing that seemed to make her feel better when she felt this way was Alex. But she thought of how she'd pushed the blonde away and wasn't so sure Alex would want to see her at the moment. I knew I'd find a way to screw things up eventually.
She dragged herself upstairs and to her apartment. When she turned the key and opened the door, her instincts kicked in and she could tell that she was not alone. She smiled when she walked in and saw Alex curled up on the sofa sound asleep.
She quietly made her way over, carefully removing her gun and cuffs placing them on the counter top. She removed her jacket and draped it over the back of the chair as she approached the sleeping blonde. She sat down on the table in front of the sofa and watched Alex sleeping for what felt like an eternity. Apparently Alex had fallen asleep while reading over a file. Her glasses were still perched on her nose and the file clutched in her delicate hands. All she could think was how beautiful this woman was and how lucky she was to have Alex in her life. How did I ever get this lucky?
Olivia reached out and gently removed the glasses and placed them on the table. She then pulled the file from her hands. Alex finally stirred and opened her eyes. Olivia nearly fell over into the blue orbs.
"You're home." Alex mumbled.
"Yeah." She brushed a few blonde locks away from Alex's brow. "I didn't expect to see you here, but I'm glad you are."
Alex stretched a little. "I knew you wouldn't eat dinner, so I brought you some. It's in the fridge."
Olivia smiled. She never thought she'd love having someone to come home to this much. "You're still trying to take care of me, huh?"
Alex nodded sleepily. "Mmhmm.... it's my job."
"Speaking of jobs...." Olivia lowered her eyes. "I'm sorry about this morning. I didn't mean to..."
Alex placed her fingers over Olivia's lips and shook her head. "No. You were right. I have to let you do your job and I will. You're just going to have to get used to me worrying about you because I can't help that."
"Is it okay that I sort of like having someone to worry about me?"
Alex smiled softly. "Very okay."
Olivia stood and held out her hands. "Come on. Let me put you bed."
"You need to eat." Alex tried to protest over her own yawn.
"I'll eat a really big breakfast in the morning. Right now, I just want to shower, crawl into bed, and hold you."
Alex stumbled into the bedroom while Olivia locked up. By the time Olivia had taken her shower, Alex was in bed and out like a light. Olivia kissed her temple and wrapped her arms tightly around her. She closed her eyes and left the case for another day. Sleep came much easier than she had expected.
TBC...