Chapter Text
Oliva sighed as she closed her computer. It had been a long week. A missing child case that for once had a happy ending, well happy for the little girl at least, a multi hour interrogation that finally resulted in a confession that no judge would be able to throw out and a mountain of paperwork to go with it all had left Oli\va with an aching back that almost distracted her from her aching heart.
She had forbidden herself from counting the days any longer but it had been just shy of two years since her partner had walked out of her life, leaving a gaping hole that she hadn’t been able to fill. Everything around her had continued to move forward. She had new cases and new coworkers, more takeout dinners working at her desk and drinks after work with Fin and Munch but nothing filled the void that used to sit across from her.
Olivia clasped her hands above her head and reached for the ceiling, trying to pop her back and relieve some of the pressure. Her partner, Nick, had been at a conference all week so she had picked up the extra slack. She didn’t mind, most of the time she preferred to work alone.
“Hey Liv, you ready to head out?” Fin asked, coming over to her desk. The blank look on her face caused Fin to shake his head and laugh. “You forgot, didn’t you?” Liv rolled her eyes.
“What exactly did I forget?” she asked as Fin continued to laugh. She watched the grin stretch across his face and she was reminded of a younger Fin from when times were simpler.
“It’s movie night,” he said, continuing to grin like a madman, “and it's my turn to pick.” Olivia groaned. Once a month, Fin and Olivia would take a break from their caseload and head to the local movie theater to watch a new feature, the more absurd the better. It had started one night, right after Elliot left, when Fin found Olivia sitting at her desk, staring off into space, a shell of her former self. Fin silently cursed Stabler as he gently took Liv by the elbow and led her out of the precinct, determined to take her mind off the asshole for at least a little, and as such, a tradition was born.
Olivia would always be grateful for Fin, especially during those first months. He had saved her from falling into a deeper depression and he supported her like a big brother, keeping her head above water with late night text messages and cheesy movies.
“Of course, I didn’t forget,” she said with a smile but she was sure Fin didn’t believe her. She pushed in her chair after standing and grabbed her coke from the back. “What are we seeing?”
“Something called “Mutant Zombie Blood Suckers” Fin answered. Liv rolled her eyes again.
“Sounds amazing, let me just head home and change and I’ll meet you there in an hour,” Liv responded, shaking her head with a smile.
“See ya there.” Fin laughed out loud as he walked with her to the elevator.
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“You want popcorn?” Liv calls to Fin, as he heads off towards the bathroom.
“Yeah, extra butter, and Junior Mints,” Fin called back before he walked out of sight. Liv laughed to herself as she slowly moved forward in the line. It was crowded in the theater, especially for a Friday night. Kids were running around and Liv idly wondered if a new cartoon had recently been released.
“Olivia!” she heard called behind her as she was paying for the popcorn, candy and two bottles of water. Turning around, she spotted a pair of eyes she hadn’t seen in almost two years but on a much younger face.
“Dickie,” she said as the young man walked up to her.
“It’s Rich now,” he said with a laugh when he reached her. Rich raised his arm to wave someone over. “I thought that was you and I told Lizzie that I just had to check.”
“Lizzie is here too?”
“We are all here,” he said with a smile, as he was joined by his three sisters. Olivia felt a moment of panic at the thought of seeing her former partner before Rich continued. “Or at least all of us who still live in the states.”
Olivia looked at the smiling faces around her. Dickie, she didn’t care that he wanted to be called Rich, he would always be Dickie to her, had grown into a handsome young man, who looked remarkably like her partner when she first met him, before the world had beat them both down and was still filled with wonder. Kathleen and Lizzie were beautiful, so much like Kathy but with their fathers eyes. And Maureen? Maureen was positively glowing, with her hand rested on her swollen belly, she must have been at least 7 months pregnant.
She fought back the tears that were beginning to fill her eyes, “You guys have grown so much!” Lizzie rushed up and gave her a hug while Maureen placed a hand on her arm.
“We’ve missed you too, Liv,” she said. “Who are you here with?”
“Detective Tutuola, and I am sure he would love to see you guys too.”
“We’ve got a few minutes, let’s find him.” said Rich, turning away from the concession stand. As everyone starts to follow, Kathleen wraps her arm around Olivia and leans in as if to share a secret.
“I know you want to know but won’t ask,” Kathleen whispered. “He’s surviving. Mom and Dad took Eli to Italy but I know he is not happy. He misses us. He misses New York.” Kathleen paused and turned towards Olivia. “He misses you.”
“Katie,” Liv began, not quite sure how to respond to her. Olivia was about to answer when a gunshot rang through the theater. Instantly, Olivia pulled Katie to the ground while Rich shoved Lizzie and Maureen.
“Everyone get on the ground!” A man in black screamed as he waved an assault rifle in the air. Olivia looked around, trying to get a grasp of the situation. She watched as another man carrying a weapon joined the first man, as he led a group of people, employees by the look of the uniforms they were wearing, from the back office. She made eye contact with Fin, who had ducked behind a trash can outside of the restroom. She didn’t have her weapon on her, having locked it in her safe at home, and she assumed the same was true for Fin. Beside her, she heard Lizzie starting to hyperventilate and saw Rich rubbing her back. Tears were running down Maureen’s cheeks, the stress probably too much for her during the pregnancy. Olivia crawled over to her and took her hand.
“It’s ok,” she whispered. “We just need to keep calm and we will be just fine.” Gunfire filled the room again, this time followed by screaming. Olivia raised her head and saw a woman laying over the limp body of a man. From the body position of the dead man and the man with the gun, he must have attempted to charge the man with the gun.
“Everyone stay down!” He screamed. “No one needs to be a hero.” Olivia felt Kathleen crawl over towards her and the other Stabler children. Olivia locked eyes with Fin. There was no way for him to move over towards them, but he was also in a better position than she was to do something. She watched as both men with guns moved through the crowd, looking at their captives, occasionally pushing a gun into someone's face or stomping on a cell phone. A plan was beginning to develop in her mind, she just had to wait for the right moment.
“Listen,” Olivia whispered to the young adults around her. “No matter what happens, no matter what I say, I want you guys to stay down.” Rich opened his mouth to argue but Olivia silenced him with a look. “Rich, take care of your sisters.” He nodded as the sound of heavy boots approached them.
“Well, look what we have here,” the man laughed as he reached down and grabbed Maureen by the arm. “Aren’t you a pretty little thing?” he sneered at her. “And two hostages for the price of one. You’ll do just fine.” Rich tried to jump up as the man yanked on Maureen’s arm, pulling her to the front of the room, but Olivia held him down. Anger flared in his eyes as he stared at Olivia, unable to believe she would let his sister be taken.
“Stay down, stay quiet,” she said, harshly. “And don’t believe a word, I am about to say.” She made eye contact with Fin, and he nodded. He still couldn’t read her mind as well as Elliot could but he had gotten pretty good over the years.
“Hey you son of a bitch,” she yelled standing up. The man spun around towards Olivia, his gun pressed into Maureen’s side.
“Sit down, bitch.”
She started to slowly move towards him. “What kind of man are you? The kind who can only handle pregnant women because they are weak?” His face turned red with anger as he moved the gun away from Maureen and pointed it at Olivia. His friend had moved too close to Fin, who had taken care of him silently while all the attention was on Olivia. Fin was now armed. “She’s not a good hostage, all she will get you is a needle in your arm.” She saw the man give Maureen a sideways glance. “Take me,” she said. “I’m a detective with the NYPD, imagine the ransom you can get from me rather than some poor knocked up girl.”
“I told you to sit down!” he screamed, the gun shaking a little in his hand.
“Maybe I was right, maybe you aren’t man enough to handle me,” she smirked. Olivia saw tears rolling down Maureen’s face but she couldn’t think about that now. She had to protect his children.
“Oh I can handle you,” he said with a smirk as he looked her up and down. As soon as Olivia was close enough to him, he let go of Maureen and pulled Olivia to his chest. She turned her face away from his hot breath and looked at Maureen.
“Get out of here,” Olivia said to her.
“Liv,” she whispered.
“Move,” commanded Olivia, harshly, trying to get the pregnant women to safety. Maureen, with panic in her eyes, rushed back to her siblings. Kathleen and Lizzie grabbed her and pulled her to the ground, covering their pregnant sister with their bodies, trying to fight off the panic attack that was raging through her body.
“Oh my God,” Maureen was crying. “Liv.” Her sisters tried to keep her quiet. Rich had a hand on her back while keeping an eye on the situation. Regardless of what Olivia said, if he had an opportunity to help, he would. He was his fathers son, after all.
Meanwhile, Olivia was trying to take deep calming breaths as she was pulled closer to the man with the gun, the weapon itself pressed deep into her side, his other hand running up her side and cupping her breast. She could feel him running his nose along her neck, could smell the sweat on his skin. She made eye contact with Fin and as she felt his teeth graze her skin, saw Fin give a small nod of his head.
The next few moments of Olivia’s life were a blur of rapid movements and slow motion at the same time. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Fin stand up and point a gun at the man holding them hostage. She heard him shout, probably identifying himself as NYPD. Olivia felt the gun leave her side. Olivia threw all of her body weight backwards, shoving her elbow into the man's ribs, flinging her head back, hoping to connect with his nose. Olivia and the man tumbled to the ground as Fin rushed towards them. The gun goes off, the sound of the shot ringing through the building. Olivia felt her body being thrown to the side, landing hard on the ground before seeing Fin and Rich tackle the man, the smell of gunpowder and the sounds of screaming overwhelming her senses before the world turned black.
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Rich could feel Maureen shaking next to him as he watched the monster causing this drama with his hands on Olivia. His blood began to boil and he could hear his father growl in the back of his mind. They may have lost touch recently due to his father’s mental breakdown but Olivia was still an important person in their lives, someone who had just sacrificed herself for his sister. Rich watched as Olivia tensed, his eyes quickly darting towards Detective Tutuola and knew that something was about to happen. As he saw Fin rise to his feet, he copied the movement, ready to rush forward at the right time.
He heard Fin and saw Olivia attack. Blood pumping in his ears, he followed Fin’s lead and rushed the man with the gun and tackled him after Olivia had fallen to the side. He thinks he heard the gun go off and his sisters screaming his name but all he was focused on was making sure his family was safe, including Olivia. He stayed on top of the man, as police rushed into the building.
“Liv?” he heard Fin say and looked towards the women. “Liv, you good?” Olivia was laying on the ground taking short shallow breaths. Rich stood up as uniformed officers took control of the man who had caused all the terror. “Get a bus!” Fin yelled. “Officer down.”
Rich rushed to Olivia’s side and grabbed her hand. Fin was applying pressure to her stomach as Rich watched crimson liquid spread across her shirt and on the ground.
“Olivia,” he whispered, “hang on.” He looked up and saw his siblings moving towards them.
“Move!” a paramedic came up behind Rich and he quickly scurried out of the way. He felt Fin standing next to him as the medics worked on Olivia.
“That was stupid, kid.” Fin said, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Just like your old man.” Together Fin, Rich, Maureen, Lizzie and Kathleen watched as the paramedic used scissors to cut open her blouse. Fin and Rich both turned away, not wanting to disrespect the woman in front of them. That was until they heard Maureen gasp.
“Oh my god,” they heard her whisper. There among the tattered remains of her blouse and through the blood and medical dressings the medics had hurried to apply, was a small tattoo on her rib cage. 6313.