A Jaded Miracle
The water turned off and Olivia stepped from the shower, pulling a towel around her slender frame. She was just about to wipe the condensation from the mirror when the phone began to ring loudly. She sighed and walked out of the bathroom. She was hit immediately with the cold of her apartment.
"Benson," she spoke into the cordless phone on the desk.
"Liv, it's Elliot. We've got a kid being dropped on us by the nigh shift," Elliot answered.
"Ok…I'll be there as soon as I can," Olivia answered, taking down the address.
She placed the phone back in the cradle and proceeded to pull on clothes. She ran a brush through her hair and blow dried it quickly before rushing out the door. She arrived on the scene fifteen minutes later. Just as she was climbing out of her car, Elliot approached her, the ambulance lights illuminating his face. He didn't look happy. Liv shut the door and closed the gap between them.
"What going on?" she asked, her hair still damp from the shower.
"Couple of patrol cars caught the kid wandering the streets. They followed him to this apartment building," Elliot began to explain as the pair made their way to the ambulance where an EMS tech was bandaging up a cut on the boy's left forearm.
"Why is he being handed over to us?" Olivia questioned, pulling out a pen and notebook.
"The guys that pulled him over saw all the bruises and figured abuse case so we landed it," Elliot replied just as the technician finished up with the boy's arm. The tech gave Liv a smile as Olivia bent down to the boy's eye level.
"Hi, my name's Olivia. What's yours?" Olivia greeted.
"Matthew," he answered, picking at the gauze bandage around his arm.
"What are you doing out so late Matthew?" she probed.
"I wanted to go for a walk," Matthew answered. Olivia got the feeling he was lying but it was late and she figured they'd better get him to the hospital as quickly as they could.
"I'll ride with him. We'll see you there," Liv called over her shoulder as she climbed into the bus. Elliot headed back to his own car and soon rejoined Olivia and Matthew. The boy was sitting on the edge of a hospital bed, his legs swinging just inches above the floor.
"How's he doing?" Elliot inquired of his partner as a nurse brought in a tray with orange juice on it.
"He's pretty beat up but the doctor said he should be fine," Olivia replied as she watched Matthew take the cup from the nurse and down the juice in one swallow.
"We ever get an age on him?"
"Yeah. He's eleven," Liv muttered, checking her notepad. Without another word Elliot led his partner into the room just as the nurse was leaving.
"How are you feeling, Matthew?" Liv asked, pulling up a chair.
"Better. I don't want to stay here," Matt answered, his shoes making a 'clang' sound against the edge of the bed.
"Well we can't call your parents to come and get you until you tell us where you live," Olivia explained.
"I don't want to go home," he answered vehemently.
"Don't you want your parents to know you're alright?" It was Elliot this time who asked.
"I just don't want to go home, ok. Can't I go with you guys?" he begged. Elliot and Liv shared a look before she spoke.
"I'll make you a deal," she began.
"I'm listening," Matt affirmed, leaning forward.
"You can come and stay at the precinct tonight if you tell us your phone number so we can call your parents in the morning to tell them where you are and that you're safe," she proposed. Matthew took a few minutes to think over her offer. Finally he looked up and nodded.
"Ok. Can we leave now?" he asked.
"I'll get sign the release forms," Elliot answered and left the room. Olivia got up as well and led the eleven-year-old out of the room and down towards the exit.
"Detective Stabler is going to drive you to the precinct. I have to go back and get my car," Olivia stated once all of the necessary paperwork was filled out and signed.
"See you a bit," Elliot called as he led Matthew to his car.
"So what grade are you in, Matthew?" Elliot asked as they turned down a side street.
"Sixth. I like school. I like history a lot," Matthew answered through a yawn.
"History's a good subject to like," Elliot commented as he pulled into the parking garage across the street from the precinct.
"Where's Olivia?" Matthew asked as the pair climbed out of the car.
"She'll be here in a few minutes," Elliot assured him. Before they even reached the door, Liv came running towards them from garage.
"You guys beat me," she chuckled, catching her breath.
"Come on, let's get you inside," Liv ushered the young boy into the building and up into the squad room. Despite the late hour Munch was seated at his computer, clicking through email.
"What are you still doing here, John?" Olivia asked as Elliot led Matt up to the crib.
"What else do I have to do on a Thursday night," he commented. He closed out the program and made to shut the machine down.
"The better question, is what are you doing here?" he countered with a smirk.
"We got a call from the night shift and he didn't want to go home or stay in the hospital," Olivia expounded.
"He's eleven, Munch. So we made a deal. He will stay here tonight and we call his parents in the morning," she concluded.
"How very charitable of you," he sighed and grabbed his coat.
"Have fun babysitting," he called as he descended the stairs. Olivia just smiled and headed upstairs. She found Matthew already fast asleep in one of the bottom bunks. Elliot was simply watching him.
"I can stay with him. Why don't you go home," Olivia suggested. Elliot got up and nodded.
"Have a good night. See you in the morning," Elliot called softly as he shut the door. Olivia laid down on one of the beds near Matthew and drifted to sleep. The next thing she knew she was being shaken awake. She sat up to find the room filled with light from the doorway and Elliot standing next to her.
"I thought you went home," she commented, slightly disoriented.
"I did. Liv, its nine in the morning," he told her. She ran a hand through her hair and looked over to see Matthew's bed empty.
"He's eating breakfast with Fin," Elliot answered, as if reading her mind.
She stretched and followed him down into the squad room. She smiled as Fin entertained Matthew. Olivia headed towards the coffee pot but was interrupted by Captain Cragen.
"Elliot, Olivia. The boy's parents are here. They're waiting in interrogation room one," Don called. Olivia put the cup down and sighed. Couldn't she at least get her morning coffee? Fin stood up and led Matt by the shoulder in the direction of the other interrogation room.
"I'll take him," Olivia offered and followed them. Elliot signaled for Munch to join him just as Alex walked through the door.
"Somebody want to fill me in?" she asked the two retreating detectives.
"Picked up an eleven-year-old kid last night, wandering the streets. Pretty beat up," Elliot called over his shoulder. The blond ADA followed him as they headed for the first interrogation room. She looked into the window but couldn't make herself stay there. She wanted to see the child. There was something inside of her that was tugging at her mind. She knew it was just her hopes getting up but it didn't matter. She had to look. Before Cragen appeared, she snuck out and into the viewing area of the second interrogation room. She nearly fell over. She was clutching the sill of the window when Olivia emerged.
"Alex, are you alright?" the detective asked.
"I…I can't do this," Alex finally managed to gasp out before promptly turning around and walking out of the room. Olivia began to follow her out until the pair collided with Captain Cragen.
"Where are you going?" Don addressed Olivia.
"To get a cup of coffee," she answered, sounding very much like she needed the caffeine.
"What about you? Didn't you just get here?" he asked of Alex.
"I'm sorry Captain but I can't handle this case. You'll have to find someone else," Alex stated as calmly as she could before proceeding to leave the squad room.
"What was that about?" Don asked, looking confused.
"I'll talk to her. Do you mind sitting in with Fin?" Olivia asked.
"Just make it quick. We have the parents waiting to see him," Don replied and watched as Olivia grabbed her car keys and leave the building. Wordlessly he headed for the second interrogation room.