Whiskey 'n Lace

~ Chapter Eighteen ~

Olivia closed the heavy door behind her and sighed. Her last three hours in interrogation had been hard, but through all the games and tactics, she'd gotten the lame excuse of a man to confess. Another case of sexual abuse against children, that's killing her from the inside out, but she was slowly learning how to cope healthily with hard cases. After a deep breath and a chat with the booking uniformed officer, she headed back to the squad room, hoping to be on her way home.

"Olivia!" Munch called out from the balcony.

"No, " Olivia mumbled under breath, "what do you need, John?"

"I need you to go meet Fin and Amanda at Mercy, we've got an eighteen-year-old female rape victim, " John spoke on his way to his desk, "Fin tried to go into the room and the girl freaked, doctors say the only way we're allowed in is if I have two female detectives over there."

"John, " Olivia checked her watch, "I was supposed to clock out three hours ago, then we hooked that dirtbag and I was the only one he wanted to talk to, and now I've got to deal with another case? I'm drowning."

"We all are, kid, " Munch sighed, "with Nick on vacation we're all stretched thin. The captain is trying to get us another detective, but you know how that goes. Special Victims isn't where people want to spend their career."

"Ya, I know, but it's getting really old, " Olivia sighed, grabbing her jacket and phone before heading to the elevator.

In the elevator, she steps back and rests her tired body on the back wall. She'd been struggling to find time to sleep lately and it was taking a toll on her body. She felt like the universe was testing her and it was slowly winning. Taking the quick moment alone to check her phone she found a missed message from Rafael.

2115: Hey baby, are you coming over tonight? Do you guys need me at the station house? Let me know, love you lots ~ Rafa.

The simple note quickly replaced her exhausted frown with a small smile. She was sure he was asleep by now, but just in case he wasn't she typed off a quick message.

0045: Hey :) I'm sure you're asleep by now. Not sure I'm going to make it tonight. Just finished an interrogation and now I'm off to interview a vic at Mercy. Goodnight + love you ~ Liv.

The drive to the hospital was quicker than usual because of the falling snow. Olivia took the drive cautiously but knew the faster she got there hopefully the quicker she could go climb into bed beside her lover. She took the elevator up and quickly found Fin and Amanda sitting outside a hospital room.

"Baby girl, " Fin sighed, "how are the roads?" He questioned, brushing snow from Olivia's shoulders.

"Messy, be safe, " she yawned, pointing to the door behind Amanda, "you ready?"

Amanda nodded, "yeah."

"Alright then, let's go, " Olivia sighed, "we'll catch you back at the station house Fin."

///

Olivia rolled into Rafael's penthouse a few minutes after five, dragging like she'd been hit by a truck. Rafael was awake sipping his morning coffee in the study when Olivia poked her head in the open door.

"Good morning, " she whispered, causing his head to pull from the paper.

"Hey angel, how was your shift?" Rafael questioned, patting his lap motioning for her to come to sit.

"Long, tiring, frustrating, and sickening, " Olivia listed, sitting in Rafael's lap.

"Did we get a new case?"

"Yeah, " Olivia yawned, "an eighteen-year-old college student claiming rape by a professor."

"Claiming?" Rafael questioned.