Fighting Fear

Chapter 1: Flight or Fight

It was an especially snowy and cold night in downtown Manhattan, which meant that Olivia Benson wanted to be anywhere but home. For some reason, being trapped at home in her one bedroom apartment did not satisfy her craving to be with other people. She simply felt useless, like the broken flashlight you leave in the junk drawer and forget is there until you clean it out.  She just couldn't stand being in that musty, mold-covered box any longer.

Chills exploded on her olive-toned skin the second the door opened, and she rushed to her car as her dark wool coat was lifted by the cool winds. As she fiddled through her purse to find the keys, her phone started to buzz. The name displayed across the screen was one that she had not seen in a while. One that made her heart beat faster, and made tears threaten to spill over. She declined the call, turning her phone completely off, and driving over to the local coffee shop.

"I'll have a black coffee, a small should be fine. Thank you." Her voice was soft, and a little hoarse from the temperature change since it was very warm inside. Olivia held her phone, tapping her fingers over the screen which imitated the action to unlock it. She needed to know what that person had decided to call her, why now? Why on a random winter night did something in their mind switch or shift?

    "I'll just ignore it, probably was some sort of misdial anyways." She whispered to herself, placing her phone back into her bag and inhaling deeply through her nostrils.

    "One small black coffee." A young blonde waitress places the ceramic mug in front of her, gives her a soft smile, and walks down to a booth that seated a couple. Olivia just gave a small smile in return, a thousand thoughts still swirling in her brain. She grabs to white cup and brings the hot liquid to her lips, taking a large gulp and feels the warm coffee travel down into her stomach. Something about coffee was always comforting to Olivia. It was something that she always had, almost a necessity at times. Never once was coffee not there for her.

    "The man back there, he wanted me to give you this." The bright eyed and bushy tailed waitress handed Olivia a folded up piece of notebook paper. As Olivia looked back at who the waitress was referring to, she felt like she was going to be sick. Quicker then she had before, Olivia grabbed her bag, coat, and rushed out of that shop. She didn't even have time to enjoy her coffee, but this matter was much more pressing then some cheap day old cup of caffeine she could get anywhere.

    Her heart was pounding in her chest, sounding like it was going to burst through her ears as her legs carried her back to her apartment door. Her keys finally managed to make their way into her hands, and as quick as her door unlocked, it was slammed shut. She sat down, taking off her heavy wool coat and pulled out the crumpled, folded note she had stuffed into her purse just a couple of minutes prior. Opening this note could possibly open up a chapter of her life that she might not want, but the most frightening aspect of that was that it was completely in her control. She just had to decide what to do with it.

A/N: Hello everyone! I hope you enjoy the first chapter of the new story I've been working on. I'm really proud of this one, and I have been having such an amazing time writing it for you guys!