Mi Salvador

Respira

Ascella's POV
I cooked breakfast as my dad fixed himself in the mirror. He wore a green jacket and grey shirt with dark pants.
He turned to me, "How do I look?"

I smiled and turned down the stove before going to him. I fixed his collar and straightened his badge, "They're gonna have you wearing a suit and tie soon...I'll iron your shirts...oh, and lose the beard."

My dad smiled and kissed my head. He looked at Zara, "Come here, mija!" She ran to him and he hugged her tight, "I'll see you guys at 10, Okay?"
"Okay, Daddy!" Zara kissed his cheek.
I nodded and hugged him before he left, "Stay safe..."

After breakfast, I looked to Zara, "Wanna go out?"
"Yeah!"
"Okay, Go wash up. I'll get your clothes out." I grabbed her dishes and washed them before going to her room and picking something cute out. I then went to get dressed myself.

I finished putting her shoes on and grabbed my keys and bag before walking out with her and locking the door. She reached out her hand and I grabbed it, walking.
"You remember what to do whenever we go out?"
"Don't talk to strangers."
"And?"
"Don't take candy from strangers..."
"Mhm..."
"Play nice, Be resp-resp-repec..."
"Respectful."
"And don't wander off."
"Good job, babygirl!" I picked her up and kissed her face.

We walked around the courts in Queens, watching the boys play. Zara skipped and talked about silly things. We passed an almost empty basketball court. I laughed while listening to her.

"Excuse me, ma'am?"
I turned and smiled.
"Daddy!" Zara gasped and went to him. He picked her up and hugged her.
"Sorry, Fin, these are my daughters. Zara, my youngest. Ascella, my eldest."
I shook his hand and smiled, "Very Nice to meet you."
Fin smiled, "You too."
I looked in the court, "Is that Stevie Harris?"
My dad nodded, "Let's not bother him...I have to go. See you later." He kissed my head and put down Zara, then walked to the car.
"I love you!"
He turned and smiled, "I love you too."

~a week later~
Nick's POV
I walked in to see Ascella and her boyfriend, Paulo. He slapped her and I was furious. I pushed him away and almost tackled him, but Ascella stopped me. He ran out.
"I-I'm so sorry, dad..."
I turned to her to see her with a busted lip. I sighed and held her to me, leaning my forehead to hers, "Did he do anything else?"

"Ella?"

We turned to see Zara, Ascella went to her and picked her up, "Let's get you back to bed...do you want me or daddy to tuck you in?"
"Both Of you..."
I smiled and we went upstairs. Ascella laid her down and kissed her head, "Te amo, mi stella..."

I kissed her head, "Buenos noches...I'm gonna bring you to daycare and pick you up, tomorrow, Okay? Ella has school."
Zara smiled and nodded. Ascella was at the door and turned off the light. I followed and closed the door and Zara fell back asleep.
Ascella walked towards her room, but I stopped her, "Has he done that before?"
She hugged me, crying, "I'm so sorry, I try not to be with him when Zara is with me..."
"Answer my question, Ascella."

She cried harder and nodded. I sighed and carried her to her room. I caressed her face and smiled sadly, "Sonreir..."
She turned away, closing her eyes.

After dropping Zara off, I sat at my desk, sighing. Amanda looked up from her work, "You okay?"
"No." I pinched the bridge of my nose.
"What's up?"
"My daughter..."
"Zara?"
"No, my eldest, Ascella..."
"How old?"
"16. Junior in high school."
"What-"
"Nick!"

I looked up to see Munch and Fin, with an unconscious Ascella. I got up quickly, getting her from Fin.
"We found her in an alley a block away...she was begging to come here..."
Cragen and Liv rushed out, "What happened?"
"Ascella?" I cupped her face, "Sweetheart?"
"Papa..."
"Que paso, mi amor? Habla conmigo..."
Ascella coughed and her hand led to a wound on her side. Liv looked around, "Call a bus!"

Ascella's POV
I woke up to a pinch on my arm.
"Ow..."
"There She is..."
I opened my eyes, adjusting the the bright white of the room.
"Ascella?"
"Dad?"
"Hey..."
"What happened?"
"I was hoping you could tell me."
I sat up slowly, "Wow. Rocks in my head...not fun..."

I looked around, "How long was I out?"
"Only a few hours." My dad smiled. I sighed, "I think I was jumped..."
"Did you see their faces?"
"No..."
"Did they say anything?"
I nodded, "Es mejor que tengas cuidado con la puta..."
Dad sighed and kissed my head, "I'm here now..."

There was a knock and I saw Fin with Zara. I grinned, "Hola, chica!"
"Ella!" Zara rushed to me and dad got her on the bed. I hugged her tight and kissed her face repeatedly. She giggled and I saw a woman there with Fin.
"Um...dad, can you introduce to everyone before they interrogate me..."
"That is my partner, Olivia Benson." He gestured to the woman with brown hair, "And these are my coworkers, Amanda Rollins and John Munch." He referred to the woman with blonde hair and the tall lanky man.
"Nice to meet you."

I held Zara close, "I'm okay, baby..."
"Do you remember what happened, Ascella?" Liv asked.
"Un momento, ve con papa. Tengo que hablar con los detectives..."
Zara nodded and dad carried her out, "Let's give mom a quick call? Then Abuelita?"
The door closed and I Sighed.
"It's starting to come back to me...last night, dad walked in on me and my now ex-boyfriend. He slapped me as dad opened the door."
"Has he done that before?"
"Yes."
"Is it only physical abuse?"
"Yes. Paulo is catholic and believes in sex after marriage."
"And you think he's connected to those guys jumping you because you broke up with him?"
"Yeah. Paulo Is involved with many people. Lives around gang activity."

Liv nodded, "We heard you say you didn't see their faces, but they said something?"
"Es mejor que tengas cuidado con la puta..."
Amanda looked confused, "Sorry. Failed Spanish in high school."
"It translates to, "You better watch out, whore"."
"What makes him so mad?"
"He doesn't like that I spend so much time with my sister...he thinks I use her as an excuse to go around a see other guys..."
Liv nodded, "I'm not trying to suggest this, but do you have the desire to see anyone else?"
I shook my head, "No...not intimately at least...I wanted to stop seeing him after he started hitting me..."
"Why didn't you break it off?"
"I was scared...I know, my dad's a cop...but I just couldn't. Oh god I'm becoming my mom..."

"What do you mean?"
"My birth mother was with a man who hit her..."
"Wait...Nick's current wife isn't your mom?"
"Nick and Maria aren't my parents. Nick adopted me when I was 5."
That seemed to shock everyone, "Are you sure?"
I laughed, "Yeah...I'm sure I would remember Nick being my dad..."
"Okay...um, elaborate on your mother."
"She was a very kind woman. My stepdad shot her when I was 5, he was involved in gang activity and Narcotic related things..that's how I met my dad. He was the arresting officer and on my stepfather's case for murder in the first. I was the only witness...He didn't get sent to jail...he walked free. He's probably doing the same thing to someone else..."
Amanda grabbed my hand, "Ascella...you were a traumatised 5 year old girl...they shouldn't have made you hold a case up like that."
I laughed bitterly and shook my head, "I was sent to a mental hospital because they thought I was lying and couldn't take me seriously because I was only 5. The only person who believed me was...Nick."
"I have a feeling you don't want to take this to trial."

"I don't even count as a Special Victim. They didn't do anything sexual. Just kicks and threats..."
"Ascella..."
"Can I at least file a restraining order against my boyfriend?"
"Yes."
"Look, I'll just not go through alley ways anymore, my mistake. There are better cases than this. You guys can go now. I'm tired..."
Dad and Zara walked back in. Zara climbed onto the bed and laid with me as I drifted off.

Nick's POV
"What happened? What did she say?"
"Why didn't you tell us that she was adopted?"
"It didn't seem so important...look, did she tell you anything?"
"About her mom.."
"Isa? She barely talks about her..."
"Said you saved her when she was 5, her stepfather walked free, mental hospital, and she doesn't want a trial...she just wants to file a restraining order on Paulo."
I sighed, "Ella..."
"Take a day off. Be with her. It's clear she's still extremely bothered."
"Nothing sexual happened, right?"
"No. She said herself that she's not a Special Victim..."
Amanda huffed, "She made it clear that she doesn't want to be."