Passing

Roses are Red

SVU SQUAD ROOM

Captain Olivia Benson was sitting on Fin's desk as the squad explained the details of a case on the bulletin board. That morning she strolled in into the squad room like everything's normal. She instructed both Noah and Lucy not to tell anyone about that night and to just forget about it. They promised her they won't. Though she still believe that Alejandro would keep his Promise to stay away, she still put details on both Noah and Lucy.

It has been two days since Alejandro's visit to her. She hadn't heard from him since. 'That's a good sign, right?', she thought. She was so lost in thought, she was barely listening. She had even noticed the delivery boy with the large bouquet of red roses in his arms, walk in.

"I wonder who's the lucky women.", Amanda said, breaking Liv out of her reverie. She looked up, noticing the boy.

"A delivery for a Miss Guadeloupe Pérez.", the boy announced. Liv's eyes widened. She then looked to Fin who looked to her.

"There's no one here by that name.", said Amanda.

"It's mi-", Liv started, but was cut off by Fin.

"I done told the florist that I work for the Special Victims Unit, not to send the damn flowers here!", Fin said, taking the flowers from the delivery boy. Liv let out a soft sigh of relief, thankful for Fin's save.

"You buy flowers with your badge now?", Amanda asked.

"What can I say, I like my badge.", Fin shrugged. The others laughed.

"So, you gonna tell us about her?", asked Amanda. "She must be real special for you to send her this beautiful bouquet od red roses."

"You know me, I like my life private.", said Fin.

"Come on, Fin!", Amanda whined.

"What's there to tell? She's a woman, I'm a man, we got together and that made us a...woMAN!", Fin and the others busted out laughing. Amanda stood there with a small smirk on her face.

"I'll get it out of you one way or another.", she said.

"You do that.", said Fin. He turned to look at Liv. She's been quiet ever since her past identity had been mentioned. He watched as she got up from his desk and walk straight to her office.

"What's up with Capt?" , asked Carisi.

"She seemed off ever since the flowers arrived.", Kat added.

"I'll go and find out, and I'm taking my flowers with me.", said Fin, heading to Liv's office with the bouquet in hand. When he got there, he knocked and waited for an answer.

"Come in.", came Liv's soft reply on the other side of the door. Fin entered and then went to sit in one of the chairs in front of Liv's desk, putting the flowers on the other one.

"Liv, who else knows about your identity? And don't bullshit me, Liv.", Liv hesitated a bit before answering.

"Only you and my mother and sister know. Oh and Lucy."

"Now why would Lucy send you this bouquet of red roses? Who else, Liv?", Fin was not playing around. "I need to know if you're in possible danger, Liv.", he picked out the card from the flowers and read it.

"Thanks for the very special night, Guadeloupe. Love, your man.", Fin read was on the card, aloud. "Now I know this ain't Lucy.", Olivia quickly leaned over her desk and snatched the card out of Fin's hands.

"What are you doing! That was private!"

"Stop trying to dodge my question, Liv."

"Okay, okay. I'll tell you.", she gave up. "Two nights ago, when I came home from work, a surprise waited for me at my house. I don't know how he found me, but he did.", Liv began to ramble.

"Who, Liv?"

"I found him in Noah's room, reading MY son a bedtime story! Noah was oblivious to what was actually going on. He just thought that it was a friend of mommy's. Only Lucy and I noticed the gun he held. When he saw me, he got up, took all of us to the living and tied Lucy and Noah up and took them back to his room. I couldn't do anything because he took my gun, cuffs and keys that I left lying on the counter. That was stupid of me, I always lock it up first."

"Liv, breathe.", Fin tried, but she just kept going.

"He told me how he has always wanted me, even before Juan and I started dating. He wanted to dance with me and made me look for the spanish side of me that I hid from the world. We danced to Andrea Bocelli's 'Quizas Quizas Quizas'. He then told me that Juan said that he knew I wasn't dead and that's why he had to kill him. He then made me a deal. If I slept with him, he'd leave me alone forever, so I did and that's who sent the flowers.", she finally stopped her rambling.

" Who's 'he', Liv?", Fin asked again.

"Alejandro."

...

Later that evening, Fin insisted on taking Liv home himself, even after she told him she could take care of herself. But he was having none of it.

Now she sat on her couch, a glass of red wine in hand, just thinking about the past days' events. Noah was already asleep, so she had some time to herself. She was abruptly pulled from her thoughts by her ringing phone. She picked it up and saw that it was her mother calling.

"Mamá?", she answered.

"Buenas noches, Lupe."

"Buenos noches, Mamá."

"I just wanted to hear your voice.", said Celia. "It's good hearing it."

"It's good hearing yours, too.", Liv smiled. "How's Miguel?"

"He's...around. Still trying to wrap his head around you being alive."

"He can take all the time he needs. It's a lot to process."

"Sí. How's my other grandson, Noah?"

"He's sleeping, but he's fine."

"He's such a sweet niño."

"He sure is.", said Liv.

"Mira, there was someone here at the house. A man. He said he knows who you are. How does he know you're not dead?", asked Celia. That got Liv alert and she started panicking.

"What's his name?"

"Alejandro, I think. A very handsome man."

"Mamá, don't let him come there again. Never, and I mean NEVER, let him inside your house again!"

"¿por qué?"

"Just don't, Okay?"

"Okay."

"Promise me, Mamá."

"Sí. I promise. But, he left his number. Do you want it?"

"Sí! I'll take it.", Celia read the number while Liv jotted it down. "Gracias. I have to go now. It was nice talking to you. Take care of yourselves and don't let Alejandro come near you, Miguel or anyone in the family, okay? Not even near the house."

"I won't. You take care of Noah and yourself too, okay? Te amo."

"I love you too. Goodnight.", Liv wished her mother goodnight and then hung up the phone. For awhile, after she hung up, she just sat there on the couch.

"How the hell did he send me flowers if he was at my mother's in Cuba?", she asked herself. She then picked up her phone again and dailed the number her mother just gave her. On the first ring, the receiver picked up.

"I was waiting for your call.", came that sexy, thick accent through the phone.

"¡Hijo de puta!"

...