We are having a very nasty heat wave in my part of Canada right now, and this idea came to me today while I was riding in a hot elevator. I thought about what would happen if it suddenly stopped, and I became stuck in there for a lengthy amount of time. Because I detest hot, confined spaces, I figured I would have a massive panic attack and possibly start shedding clothing to try and cool down, lol. So I thought I would write about it. :)

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"Damn, it's hot," Amanda mutters as she and Olivia climb out of the air conditioned car and into the sweltering heat of the city. The air is so heavy, it feels like she is being smothered in a wet blanket, and it is hard to draw in a deep breath. The pavement appears to wave in the humidity as they walk across the road to their destination, a seventy-five-floor building that rises up into the sky like a sleek silver giant, sparkling in the hot sun.

"Well, it is summer in New York," Olivia grumbles, as they make their way through the crowd of people on the sidewalk and into the refreshingly cool lobby. "What did you expect?"

Amanda rolls her eyes and stifles a sigh as they go over to the directory to look up the architecture firm that they are heading up to. Her boss has been in a bad mood all day, and since Fin and Carisi are in the middle of another case back at the precinct, Olivia has chosen to come with Amanda to interview the members of the firm, where a sexual assault had allegedly taken place that morning.

New York is in the middle of a heat wave and everyone has been on edge for the past week, especially since the air conditioning in the squad room keeps threatening to give out. Fin's air conditioner had broken completely in his apartment, and he is bunking at Carisi's place until the worst of the heat wave is done. They keep getting case after case that involve having to spend time outside at sweltering hot crime scenes, and at this point, they are all just getting on each other's nerves.

Olivia has been snapping at all of them for half the day so far, and Amanda is resentful at having to spend any extra time with her. She is not in that great of a mood herself, and just wants to get home to her chilly apartment and put her feet up and relax.

When Amanda sees that the firm is located on the fiftieth floor, her stomach clenches for a moment before she forces herself to relax. She is not a fan of heights and confined spaces, although she has never let on to anyone about this issue. She always tries to keep her mind blank and take deep breaths when their cases take them to the higher parts of the city, and stairs are not an option.

She releases a breath when they make it to the correct floor, and hopes Olivia hasn't noticed how tense she was on the ride up. Her boss is very adept at reading people, and Amanda doesn't wish to speak any more than is absolutely necessary. She just wants to get these interviews over with, and then hopefully they will be free to go home for the day.

It takes quite awhile to get through all the people they have to speak with and by the time they are done, they don't have much more information than they had come in with. Most people claim not to have seen or heard anything, and the few that have aren't being overly cooperative. She can overhear Olivia getting a bit snarky with a couple of them, and she herself isn't doing much better at holding in her impatience. By the time they trudge wearily back to the bank of elevators for their journey to the ground, Amanda is in the mood to bite someone's head off if they even look at her the wrong way.

The elevator doors open with a whoosh and they step inside, Amanda jabbing irritably at the button for the main floor. When the doors don't close automatically, she presses the button again, harder, and then yet again.

"You know, it's not going to move any faster just because you keep stabbing over and over at the buttons," Olivia says with a chuckle from behind her.

Amanda grits her teeth and keeps her gaze straight ahead so her boss can't read her expression. Every time she has even attempted to joke with Olivia today, it has been met with a scornful attitude, so she isn't even going to respond to the other woman's lame attempts at humor.

"Okay, you don't have to ignore me just because you're in a bad mood," Olivia mutters and Amanda whirls around to face her with a frown.

"I'm in a bad mood? You've been snarling at everyone all day, Liv! I just want to get out of here and go home. I don't want to spend a minute longer with anyone than I absolutely have to." Amanda crosses her arms with a sigh as she leans against the wall. Why does it always take so long for these damn machines to get to the ground?

"Well, the feeling is mutual," Olivia says, sounding annoyed. "I'm going home to take a cold shower and then opening up a nice bottle of wine."

"Well, hopefully we will both be enjoying our respective evenings soon, if this damn thing would move any faster," Amanda replies, glancing up to see that they are just passing the fortieth floor.

There is complete silence in the elevator shaft for a moment as both women have their eyes fixed on the glowing numbers above the door, and Amanda wills it to move more quickly. They have just reached the thirty-second floor when the elevator suddenly jolts to a complete stop, plunging them into instant darkness.

The abrupt stop causes Amanda to slide from the wall she is leaning against and she almost falls to the floor, but feels Olivia catch her just in time and hoist her back to her feet.

"Thanks," she says a little breathlessly, looking around in panic as tiny emergency lights pop on around the ceiling. "What the hell just happened?"

"I think we might have lost power," Olivia says, with a weary sigh. "So much for getting home to enjoy that bottle of wine."

"Well, maybe it'll come back on in a minute," Amanda says hopefully, clamping her hands together tightly. Her palms are already beginning to sweat and she wipes them hastily on her pant legs, hoping her boss won't notice how agitated she has suddenly become.

"Nope," Olivia replies, when they are still standing in the dimly lit little space sixty seconds later and they haven't started moving. "I guess we better find out what's happening."

Amanda turns around to face the corner, while the other woman picks up the emergency phone. Her heart is beginning to race and she can feel sweat popping out along her hairline. She listens with growing trepidation as the man Olivia is speaking with informs her that it looks like there has been a power outage in the building and they don't know what the cause is or when it is going to be fixed. They just have to hang tight for awhile, and he will try to update them soon.

It suddenly feels like all the air has been sucked out of the room and Amanda grips the cool metal bar on the wall, clutching it tightly while willing the lights to come on and the elevator to start moving.

"Okay, I guess we'll be in here for a little while," Olivia says, not sounding the least bit panicked, just tired and resigned.

Amanda doesn't answer and just keeps clenching and unclenching her hands on the bar, her eyes squeezed shut and her heart feeling like it is pounding a mile a minute.

"Amanda, did you hear me? I think it's going to be awhile, so we might as well get comfortable."

She feels a hand on her shoulder, and flinches sharply before she can stop herself.

"Hey, are you alright?" Olivia sounds concerned now.

Amanda still can't seem to respond and she just stands there facing the wall, her eyesight blurring in the gloom as she stares straight ahead.

"Amanda, talk to me. What's going on?" Olivia has both hands on her shoulders now, trying to get her to turn her around.

She continues to stand there as if her feet have been planted into the floor, and she feels Olivia forcibly whirl her around, the other woman bending down slightly to try and look her in the eye in the dimly lit room. She can't meet her boss' probing gaze, just directing her own gaze to stare at the floor as her breath comes out in short pants.

"Hey, there," Olivia says gently, all traces of irritability gone from her voice now. "Are you claustrophobic, honey? You've never mentioned it before."

Amanda nods, still unable to find her voice; it is just so hard to catch her breath.

"Okay, just take a deep breath," Olivia coaxes soothingly, her hands still on her shoulders, and Amanda rolls her eyes. If it was possible to take a deep breath, she wouldn't be on the verge of passing out right now.

"Sorry, that was probably a stupid thing to say," Olivia chuckles, rubbing her hands up and down Amanda's arms.

"It's so hot in here," Amanda chokes out, finally able to speak.

"Yeah, the air conditioning has gone out too, but it's still pretty cool right now," Olivia says, still bent down a little so they can look at each other in the dark. "It'll be a little while before it gets really hot. I think you're just panicking and it's making you feel warmer than it actually is."

"No, it's hot," Amanda insists, and she feels her anxiety level ratchet up another notch. "Liv, it's too hot; I can't breathe!" Is it her imagination or is the little box they are trapped in becoming smaller, like the walls are closing in on them?

"Okay, just try to take it easy. Here, sit down for a few minutes." Olivia gently guides her into a sitting position on the floor and Amanda slumps against the wall, her head in her hands, embarrassment mixing in with the panic. She does not want to act this way in front of her boss; doesn't want Olivia to see her so vulnerable and out of control.

She feels the older woman's hands brushing her hair back from her face. "Amanda, you're sweating like crazy," Olivia says, the concern still evident in her voice, and Amanda can hear her fumbling around in the dark for something.

"Here, drink this." A bottle of cool water is raised to her lips but her hands are shaking so hard, she can barely hold onto it. Amanda remembers that she had also tucked a bottle of water into her purse; they have been making sure to stay hydrated any time they have to leave the precinct. She hopes that between her bottle and Olivia's, it will be enough to see them through the power outage, until they are released from this stifling little box.

Amanda chokes on the water and pushes the bottle away, still unable to get herself under control. She can feel her long hair becoming matted to her head and her clothes feel like they weigh a ton, sticking uncomfortably to her hot skin. She has the sudden urge to strip completely naked, but settles for undoing a few buttons on her blouse and rolling up the sleeves.

Olivia is sitting on the floor beside her, and Amanda can feel the worry radiating off of her as the older woman takes the bottle of water from her shaky grip. "Are you feeling any better?"

Amanda shakes her head and feels tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. She desperately blinks them back, feeling like she is about to have a full and complete meltdown in front of her boss. She is angry and frustrated with herself because she has been in much worse situations than this but the panic is consuming her, clinging to her, and she can't seem to make it stop. The space they are stuck in somehow feels even tighter and hotter than it did even a minute ago.

To her horror, Amanda feels a sudden wave of intense nausea and she covers her mouth with her hands, wondering how this situation can possibly get any worse. She closes her eyes, willing herself not to be sick, and her dark little world spins around her, making her feel off balance even though she is on the floor and no longer standing up.

"Amanda, it's going to be okay," Olivia soothes softly, next to her ear. "I'm sure this will be over soon. I had no idea you had this kind of issue. You certainly hide things well, don't you?"

"Yeah, until now," she responds, wincing at the trembling note in her voice. "Liv, I can't make it stop." A tear spills down her cheek and she turns her head away in embarrassment, simultaneously wanting to be alone and craving comfort.

She feels Olivia's hand on her own, grasping her fingers, which are slippery with sweat. "Why don't you take your shoes and socks off?" she suggests gently. "That might make you a little more comfortable."

Amanda stifles a sudden sob; she doesn't even think she can move. Her heart is still thundering in her chest and her limbs feel like they have turned to jelly.

"Here, let me do it," Olivia says softly as she shifts positions on the floor, and Amanda feels her gently pulling off her dress shoes and socks. "Do you want me to roll up your pant legs too?"

She nods and feels her eyes filling with more tears as Olivia tenderly rolls up each leg of her trousers, her hand gripping the bare skin of Amanda's calf for a moment and squeezing comfortingly. "You're going to be okay, honey. I'm here with you. We'll get through this together."

Amanda feels the tears start rolling down her cheeks, one after the other, faster and faster, and she can't seem to stop the cries that come bubbling up out of her throat, the stress and embarrassment and her boss' care and concern for her mingling together as the emotions come bursting out of her mouth, and she covers her face again, the sobs uncontrollable now.

"Oh, sweetheart, come here, it's going to be okay, I promise." Despite how hot and sticky she is, Amanda feels Olivia take her into her embrace and she melts into her arms, her head resting on the older woman's shoulder.

She is shaking and sweating even more than she was earlier, her heart racing frantically, and she closes her eyes, clutching onto Olivia hard and wondering when this nightmare will end.