SVU: The One Shots

Red Hair and Bruises

Snow blew back in her face as she held the small hand of her eldest and kept her youngest tucked in her ratty winter jacket. She kept her eyes focused on the front steps of an old brick building, knowing that she was just steps away from saving the lives of her little ones. 

"M-mama, I'm cold," Toby whispered, his teeth chattering. 

"I know, and I'm sorry. We are almost there," Casey replied quietly, as tears burned her eyes. Casey stepped over a snowdrift before turning around and lifting her son over it. After a few more steps, Casey climbed the steps and looked at the names listed on the call box. 

"W-who is inside?" Toby sniffled as he wiped his nose with the back of his glove.

"Her name is Olivia, and she's an old friend of mine. I have to buzz her apartment and leave before Daddy notices that I'm gone."

"Can't we just go home?" Toby whined as he looked up at the bruised face of his mother.

"No, baby. Daddy is going to hurt you if you go home. This is the safest place right now, so please be a good boy for her."

"Mama-"

"No, Toby. I'm begging you to be a good boy."

Casey buzzed Olivia's apartment and waited for her to answer. After a long moment, she heard Olivia's sleep-filled voice crackled as it came from the speaker.

"Who's there?" 

"Olivia, it's Casey Novak. Uh, I need your help... Can you come down?"

"C-Casey? Honey, I've been trying to contact-" Olivia started, but Casey interrupted her.

"Please come down here!"

"Okay, I'll be down there in a few minutes. Can't I just buzz you in?" Olivia asked.

"Do both... I'll see you soon," Casey replied.

Once Casey was buzzed in, she helped Toby inside before undoing her jacket and pulling her daughter from the wrap she had been sleeping in.

"Okay, Toby. Reach your arms out and hold your sister."

"Daphne is too big for my arms, Mama! Stay and see Olivia with us!" Toby cried. Casey shook her head and laid her daughter in Toby's arms before leaning close and kissing his forehead softly.

"Daddy is not doing good, and I don't want him to hurt you or the baby. I must get back and try to get him to forget... If he forgets, then he won't try to come after you and Daphne. I love you, Toby, and I will see you again. I promise," Casey breathed. She gave her children a tight hug before dropping the diaper bag on the floor beside them and walking out the front door.

///

It took a bit for Olivia to get dressed and come downstairs. Once she reached the lobby, she looked for Casey but found a little boy sitting on the floor with a baby in his arms. 

"Uh, hi. Who are you?" Olivia asked quietly. 

"Are you Olivia?" Toby questioned.

"Y-yes. Who-"

"I'm Toby and this is my sissy. Mama left us here because Daddy is mean and she doesn't want him to hit us," Toby explained. Olivia's eyes went wide as she drew in a shaky breath.

"Toby, where is your Mama?"

"She left to go home," He replied through a loud yawn. Olivia quickly ran to the front door and opened it before looking out. Snow continued to fall heavily, and Casey's footprints were already filled in.

"Where do you live? I need to find your mama," Olivia spoke, as she shut the front door and rubbed her hands together.

"I don't know. I'm little," Toby sighed deeply. Olivia nodded as she paced back and forth for a long moment. 

"Okay, I guess we should go upstairs. Let me take your sissy," Olivia replied. She took the baby from him before lifting the diaper bag and motioning for him to follow. By the first landing, Toby was exhausted and was having a hard time continuing to climb the stairs.

By the time they reached Olivia's apartment, the door was opened and Elliot stood there in his boxers and a NYPD tee.

"Liv?"

"These are Casey's kids. Can you take him or the baby? We need to get them down for the night, and then we gotta find her."

Elliot helped his wife take the kids inside before laying them down in their bed. Once Elliot closed the door quietly behind him, he found his wife pacing their kitchen as she talked to someone on the phone.

"Casey dropped her kids at my apartment and left before I could talk to her! Alex, her son said that his daddy hurts them... I think she's back with Charlie," Olivia spoke, her words shaking almost as much as her body was. Even if Casey left without telling anyone, that didn't make Olivia less worried about her friend.

"Liv-" Elliot whispered, but stopped when his wife held up her hand.

"I don't want to report her for abandoning her kids. That isn't what she did... She just left them with us because she's scared. So I need help to track down where she lives."

Olivia spoke a few more times to Alex before hanging up and turning to Elliot.

"What are we gonna do?" He asked quietly.

"Take care of those babies until we can find Casey and get her away from Charlie."

"Who's Charlie?" Elliot questioned as he walked over and started to make coffee. He knew his wife well and was certain she wouldn't be sleeping tonight. She'd probably head into the precinct and use whatever resources she could get her hands on to find her friend.

"Casey's ex. He has schizophrenia, I think, and is abusive. Before she left, she was being weird and not letting me come over. El, he must have come back, and she was figuring out what to do. I want her to trust me, but clearly, she can't trust me to save her but to watch her children instead," Olivia frowned. She sank at their kitchen table and raked her fingers through her messy brown locks.

Elliot walked over and massaged her shoulders for a long moment before kissing the top of her head.

"We will find her, Liv."

"Before or after he kills her?"