In the Line of Duty: SVU

Chapter Five: Into the Dark

The Westside Inn looked exactly like the kind of place where bad things happened—flickering neon sign, peeling paint, and a lone desk clerk half-asleep behind bulletproof glass. Joe flashed his badge, and the clerk barely looked up as he handed over the guest ledger.

"Room 204," Joe muttered, tapping the page with his finger. "Checked in two nights ago under a fake name. Could be Jane."

My heart thudded against my ribs as we headed for the stairs, the weight of the unknown pressing on my chest. Joe moved ahead, his hand resting on his holster. I followed close, every nerve on high alert.

When we reached the second-floor landing, Joe glanced back at me. "You ready?"

"Always," I whispered, gripping my own weapon, just in case.

Joe rapped on the door of Room 204. "NYPD! Open up!"

For a few seconds, nothing happened. Then we heard the shuffle of movement inside—too fast, too frantic. Joe gave me a quick nod, and without another word, he kicked the door open in one smooth motion.

The room was dim, the air thick with stale cigarette smoke. A figure bolted from the corner—a woman, her hair disheveled, eyes wide with fear.

"Jane Connors?" I called out, stepping forward.

She froze, her gaze darting between me and Joe like a trapped animal. "I... I didn't think anyone was coming for me."

"We've got you now," Joe said, his voice steady, reassuring. "You're safe."

But before we could relax, heavy footsteps pounded down the hallway. My pulse spiked, and Joe's hand went to his gun in an instant.

"Stay behind me," Joe ordered, his voice low but firm.

I pulled Jane toward the corner of the room as Joe positioned himself in the doorway. The footsteps grew louder, closer—and then a man burst into view, his face twisted with anger.

"Get away from her!" he snarled, lunging forward.

Joe moved faster than I'd ever seen. In one fluid motion, he drew his weapon and stepped into the man's path, blocking him from getting anywhere near Jane.

"Stop right there," Joe commanded, his voice cold as steel. "Don't make me use this."

The man froze, his hands twitching at his sides. I could see the calculation in his eyes—fight or run—but Joe didn't give him a chance to choose.

"Hands where I can see them," Joe snapped. "Now."

With a frustrated growl, the man slowly raised his hands. Joe advanced, keeping his weapon trained on him.

"Aurora, cuff him," Joe said without looking back.

I didn't need to be told twice. I grabbed my cuffs and secured the man's wrists as he glared at me.

"You have no idea what you're getting into," the man spat. "This ain't over."

"Yeah, yeah," I muttered, yanking the cuffs tight. "Tell it to your lawyer."

Once the suspect was secured and hauled off by backup, Joe and I stayed behind to talk with Jane. She sat on the edge of the bed, trembling but alive.

"Who was he?" I asked softly, sitting next to her.

Jane wiped her face with shaking hands. "His name is Derek... he said he could help me, but it was a lie. He—he wouldn't let me leave."

My stomach twisted. "He hurt you?"

She nodded, tears slipping down her cheeks. "He said if I left, he'd find me. I thought... I thought I was done for."

Joe crouched in front of her, his expression gentler than I'd ever seen it. "You're not done, Jane. We've got you. No one's going to hurt you again."

She sniffled, looking between the two of us. "Thank you."

By the time we got Jane back to the precinct, the adrenaline had worn off, leaving exhaustion in its place. Joe sat heavily at his desk, rubbing the back of his neck. I slumped into the chair beside him, letting out a long breath.

"Hell of a night," I muttered.

Joe glanced at me, a flicker of something warm in his dark eyes. "You did good out there."

The compliment caught me off guard, and for a moment, I didn't know what to say. "Thanks. You too."

He smirked, the tension between us easing just a bit. "You hungry?"

I blinked at him, surprised. "Didn't you just eat?"

He shrugged, the corner of his mouth quirking up. "I could eat again."

I laughed—a small, tired sound that felt surprisingly good. "Alright. But you're buying."

Joe chuckled, grabbing his jacket. "Fair enough. Let's go."

As we walked out of the precinct together, the night air cool against my skin, I couldn't help but think about how different things felt with Joe by my side. He was steady, dependable—a rock in the middle of the chaos. And maybe, just maybe, there was something more brewing between us.

But for now, dinner was enough.

And that was how the slow burn began..