Work Text:
Amanda sighed, dropping the flyers on her desk, trying and failing to avoid the very pointed look Fin was giving her. The bolded words - if found, please return - glaring up at her and doing a great job of distracting her.
Amanda knew why Fin was staring, of course, she was late for work and they were insanely short staffed since Nick was gone - even with the constantly revolving door of detectives and officers over the last year - none of them had stuck.
Amanda looked over at Fin. “How much trouble am I in with the Lieutenant?”
She wasn’t looking forward to any disappointing looks from Olivia - Not after working so hard to not, to get back into her good graces.
“Right now, none. I covered for you,” Fin said, leaning forward in his chair, a knowing look in his eyes. “There’s nothing more serious going on, is there?”
“No Fin… I’m still clean. I swore on Jesse’s life I was going to get my shit together,” she picked up a paper and waved it around. “Been running around, putting up flyers all morning.”
Fin’s gaze turned towards the stack on her desk, as well as the one in her hand. “White people and their dogs.”
Amanda glared at him. “That my dog, Fin.”
But it was more than that; so much more. Amanda quite literally stumbled across Frannie during some of the worst possible moments of her life. After everything with Patton, Reynolds - APD as a whole - she was drowning. There had been a light at the end of the tunnel, albeit small, when she had the transfer to NYPD. In fact, it was on her drive to New York, when she saw this poor defensive creature just thrown out on the side of the road.
Amanda had fallen in love with the dog almost immediately. She was getting a second chance, and she knew the dog deserved one two.
Frannie Mae had been her rock ever since.
“I’m just saying,” Fin responded, holding up his hands. “But on a serious note, is there anything I can do?”
“Find me a responsible dog walker after all this mess is over?” Amanda grumbled, letting the flier slip from her hand to land on her desk as Olivia walked out of her office.
“What happened to Frannie?”
“Ask my ex dog walker,” Amanda rolled her eyes. She took a breath, not wanting to take any anger out on Fin - she’d given her dog walker enough for one day. “But I can and will still work.”
Even if she was already planning on consistently checking her phone throughout the day, hoping to get a phone call or a text message about Frannie.
“Good, because I need you and Fin at Bellevue,” she called as she headed towards the elevator.
“Where are you going?”
“1PP,” Olivia called over her shoulder. “To finally see about getting us some more damn bodies in this squad room.”
Fin tossed her the keys as he started walking towards the elevator; but not before stopping to grab some flyers. “Maybe we can drop some off at the hospital.”
Amanda just shook her head as she followed Fin, hoping that by this time tomorrow, she’d have her dog back.
Though that was probably a fool’s errand and she was about at her wit’s end, as the days dragged on with still no sign of Frannie. Amanda hated thinking about Frannie Mae lost somewhere - how scared or confused she was.
It was a long week, their case dragging out for far too long before they finally had a break, leading to a much needed day off. Though it was going to be much of an off day for her, considering she was going to be using it to walk the streets of Manhattan, looking for Frannie.
There was a knock on her front door while she was rocking Jesse and she was forever grateful that Sienna was so accommodating.
“Thank you again, Sienna,” Amanda said as she handed over Jesse. She slipped a jacket on and grabbed her keys. “I know it’s kind of last minute.”
“Don’t worry about it,” she glanced down at the baby in her arms. “Jesse and I are going to have a great day…I hope you find Frannie.”
Yeah, me too.
She was outside for barely an hour when her phone rang, without looking at the caller ID and out of habit, she answered it was a short quip of her last name. Hoping it wasn’t Liv calling her in for another case.
Though while the voice on the other end was most definitely male. it wasn’t Fin, considering there was a prominent accent.
“Uh, is this Amanda?”
Now it was her turn to be confused, someone she didn’t know, calling her out of the blue? Sure, she had been known to hand out her business cards from time to time throughout her time on the force; but a part of her didn’t think this was that.
The only other option was that it was about Frannie and she started to feel some hope.
“Yeah.”
“Is there any chance you’re missing a dog?”
“Holy shit,” Amanda stopped in her tracks, almost running into a man on the sidewalk, who of course cussed her out before moving along. “You found Frannie?”
“I believe I did.”
“Oh my god, thank you,” Amanda breathed out, relief rushing through her.
“Yellow pit, yellow bandana and a collar with your information on it?” he rambled off. “Answers to the name Frannie?”
The answering bark Amanda heard in the background pulled a laugh from her. “Yeah, that’s her.”
Oh thank god she’s safe.
“I can meet you at Central Park within the hour?” he suggested. “Or anywhere else that works better for you?”
“The park’s fine,” Amanda answered almost immediately, fighting against the tears she could feel prickling at the edges of her eyes.
Amanda made her way to the park, glancing around for any signs of Frannie - considering she had no idea who had found her. Just that he may or may have an attractive voice and a small part of her wonder if he had a face to match.
Damn it Amanda, pull it together.
“You’re a really pretty girl; but I’m pretty sure you clearly know that already…”
She stopped in her tracks, pausing in her reach for her phone; hearing a somewhat familiar accent, one that was much stronger than it was over the phone. She turned her head and took in the scene in front of her; the man who had apparently found her dog and Frannie glancing up at him as if she understood everything.
“I’ve been standing here and I just realized that I have no idea what your mom even looks like.”
He knelt down until he was eye level with Frannie and gave her a pet on the head. “So you’re gonna have to help me out here.”
Amanda stifled a laugh as she closed the rest of the distance. “Do you talk to every dog, or just strangers?”
He turned, causing her to suck in a breath as her gaze moved over his features and a feeling of something washed over her. But she quickly pushed the thought away - she was here for her dog for god’s sake.
The sound of her voice caught Frannie’s attention and soon the Pitbull was jumping at her legs. “Hey there, girl.”
“Gotta make her comfortable,” he told her with a grin that showed off his dimples. “And I guess by Miss Frannie’s reaction ...You're Amanda.”
“Thank you…”
“Dominick Carisi,” he said, handing over the leash. “Sonny.”
“She usually doesn’t like men,” Amanda commented, taking the leash from him, remembering that time last year when she - rightfully - barked and lunged at Sam Reynolds. “Guess that means you’re not a serial killer or somethin’”
“I could be, ya never know,” he responded, a slight curve to his mouth.
“I think a real serial killer would have invited me to his place to pick up the dog,” Amanda tossed back. “Not a very public park… Unless that’s your way of luring me into a false sense of security; but then we go back to Frannie actually liking you.”
“They do say dogs, and kids, are good judges of character.”
Amanda tilted her head, her gaze moving over him and his expensive looking suit. “Well you don’t look like any serial killer I’ve ever met.”
He balked, just a little. “You say that as if it’s a normal occurrence.”
“Maybe it is,” she told him with a shrug.
If only he knew. But having a conversation in a park with a random man about all the killers and rapists she’d dealt with because of her job was not exactly high on her list.
“If I wasn’t sure you were a cop, I’d assumed the worst because of that.”
Amanda arched an eyebrow. “How’d you even know that?”
“You answered your phone with your last name,” he glanced at her. “You’ve also got this look about ya.”
“A look?”
Sonny just shrugged. “A cop look.”
“Right…” she returned this gaze, crossing her arms. “You sure it’s not just because you work around them?”
“Guess it takes one to know one.”
“I would have assumed you were a lawyer or something ... .because of the suit,” she added at the look he gave her.
“Not yet,” he pushed out a breath. “Well I’m waitin’ on the results of the bar.”
“Well Mr. Not A Lawyer yet,” Amanda quipped. “At least let me buy you a coffee or something… for finding my dog. And for not being a serial killer.”
“Tell you what,” he said instead. “How about you let me treat you to one of my favorite food trucks?”
“So you found my dog and want to also buy me food?” Amanda asked with a laugh. “That’s not how this works.”
“Or you can treat me,” he suggested. “Or we can just go our separate ways and that’ll be that.”
She couldn’t explain it, but for some reason, she felt comfortable around him. Drawn to him, even. The fact that Frannie was clearly not worried eased whatever tension had been left in her shoulders.
Amanda held her hand out. “Lead the way to this magical food truck then.”
They fell into step, walking side by side as they made their way back out of the park; conversation easily flowing between them. From their work - Amanda finding out he worked for Brooklyn SVU - after being moved around a handful of times - and had only teased him a few times about that.
“They’ve got a reputation,” Amanda said. “But I’ve heard that Sergeant Dodds is making changes over there.”
“He’s trying to anyway,” Sonny admitted after a while. He let out a breath. “He’s probably the best commanding officer I’ve ever had.”
“Guess we all can’t get lucky.”
And Amanda knew that - she’d heard the stories of the other boroughs, how they operated, horror stories about commanding officers and knew how fortunate she was to have had Cragen and now Olivia - even if they haven’t always seen eye to eye.
“You gonna stick around?” Amanda asked, glancing over at him as they rounded a corner and she could see a food truck in the distance. “Or get out of dodge and move to the DAs office?”
They stood there for a moment after they ordered, and Amanda paid over, with a glare in Sonny’s direction - “take the treat for finding my dog”.
“I guess it depends on if I actually passed, and if a spot is open,” he responded as they stepped away to wait. Amanda had to hold back a laugh as Frannie tucked herself against Sonny’s legs.
“I see my dog now likes you more than me,” she met his gaze, turning back towards their conversation. “You shouldn’t sell yourself short; but I can understand, staying out of loyalty for your boss… It’s a nice quality to have.”
“Sound advice for someone who barely knows me.”
“You’ve returned my dog,” Amanda said with a shrug. She turned to look at him, giving him a once over - with Dodds’ reputation, it was easy to know what kind of man would be loyal to him.
“He’d definitely call me crazy for not putting my own career first,” he sighed.
“Well you do clearly want it… not everyone goes to night school while working full time as a cop for nothin’”
“I guess you’re right.”
“I usually am,” she quipped back, just as their food was called out.
“You wouldn’t happen to know any dog walkers would you?” Amanda asked him suddenly, when they walked away with their food. “Or anyone that’s reliable?”
“I’ve got a teenage niece; but she lives in Connecticut with her mom.”
“Back to the drawing board then,” she said with a sigh as she held a French fry out for Frannie who gratefully took it.
“Do I even want to know how much you laid into your ex dog walker?” He asked with a raised eyebrow.
Amanda held up her index and thumb an inch apart. “It was only a little bit.” It was actually a lot and she might have scared the girl for life; but this was her dog here.
The hum she got in response told her that he didn’t believe her.
“Okay fine,” Amanda responded with a huff. “I probably scared the girl… just a bit. Or more.”
“Don’t get on your bad side then, I take it. Good to know.”
Amanda arched an eyebrow. “You make it sound as if you're seeing me again.”
“It's not that big of a city.”
“Right,” Amanda said with a snort; but a part of her wasn’t opposed to the possibility of seeing this man again.
Amanda walked into her apartment an hour later, feeling lighter than she had in a week. She unclipped Frannie’s leash to let the pit run further into the apartment.
“You found her!”
“Well someone did,” Amanda told her as her gaze followed Frannie as the dog jumped up to curl on the couch. “At least she’s finally back where she belongs.”
Before she thought better of it, she snapped a picture of the dog.
< Thank you again for finding her.
A response came almost instantly.
> Glad I could get her back safely.
Amanda bid goodbye to Sienna, thanking her again for the short notice. Once she got Jesse down for a nap in her bassinet in the living, Amanda tucked herself on the couch with Frannie. The dog laid her head in Amanda’s lap as she flipped the tv.
“You ready for some terrible reality tv, girl?” she asked Frannie, holding out a piece of popcorn for the dog.
“What’s got you smiling?” Fin quipped the next morning when Amanda walked across the squad room.
She pulled her gaze away from her phone, shooting him a confused look. “What?”
“You,” he said, slowly, pointing a finger at her. “Have this shit eating grin on your face…. What’s up?”
Amanda pulled out her chair, dropping her bag into it. “I found Frannie,” she said with a shrug. Knowing that it was much more than just finding her dog; and by the look Fin shot her, she knew he wasn’t buying it either.
But he also didn’t have a chance to interrogate her for more details either; because Olivia had walked out of her office to give them a new case; as well as news that a new detective was going to finally be starting within the week.
If Amanda potentially had a date with the man who found Frannie - then that was her business - until she decided to share that with anyone else.