Broken Wings

            The flashing tell-tale red lights slashed through the darkened world as the grey Sedan
came to stop next the coroner’s station wagon. Sighing heavily, Detective Olivia Benson slipped
her seat belt off and opened the passenger’s door. Stepping out onto the slick pavement, she let
the door slam shut under the influence of gravity as rubbed her chilly hands together in the vain
attempt to create heat from friction. A lock of hair fell across her face as she stalked into the
illuminated alley. “What do we have?”

            Without turning from the body, “Caucasian female. She’s probably between eighteen and
twenty-three, it’s hard to tell considering her condition. Once we get her back to the office, we’ll
do a work up and find out.” Warner said as she handed a plastic bag off to her assistant and
turned back to the young woman laying prone before her. “What I can tell you is that she was
killed somewhere else and then dumped here.” Holding a single straw of hay up for the SVU
detectives, “we found this in her hair.”

            “So, she was killed outside the city then?” Detective Stabler asked as he joined Benson
standing next to the Medical Examiner.

            “Not necessary, Elliot, some of the city run kennels use hay as bedding for the larger
dogs.” Benson said, giving her partner a sidelong glance.

            “As well as the local mounted police units located throughout the state.” Warner added as
she returned her attention back to the deceased young woman.

            “Is there anything else you can tell us?” Stabler asked as he scribbled on the pad in his
hand.

            “Not at the moment, Detective. Once I’ve got her on the table, I should be able to give
you more information.” Turning to her assistant, “let’s get this poor girl out of her.” The Asian
man nodded his head as he lifted the corpse into a black body bag. Returning her attention to the
two SVU detectives, “I’ll give you guys a call after I’ve done the autopsy.”

            “Thanks,” Stabler mumbled as he trailed after his partner.

            Benson briefly spared the coroner a nod as she stalked down the desolate alley. Coming
along side a uniformed officer, “what do you have?”

            Titling his head, the officer held up a small evidence bag. “The murder weapon,
Detective.”

            “The perp must have tossed it on his way out, but why here? Why not just dump it
someplace else? It certainly would have given him a better lead on us.”

            “He’s playing with us, Liv.”

            “Elliot, there’s something about this that’s making me uneasy.” Detective Benson said as
she brushed a rogue lock of hair from her face.

            Collecting the evidence bag from the uniformed officer, Stabler strolled back to the grungy
alley entrance with his partner in tow. “Kathy was wondering if you’ll be joining us for Christmas
dinner this year?”

            “Oh, I don’t know.”

            “With your mom gone, there’s no reason why you should have to spend Christmas alone.”

            “Is John coming?”

            “I haven’t had the chance to ask him, Liv, but I doubt that he’ll come.” Detective Stabler
shrugged as he climbed behind the wheel of the Sedan.

            Closing the passenger side door after her, Benson busied herself buckling her seat belt. “If
anyone deserves a bit of yule cheer it’s Munch.”

            Turning the engine over, “I agree. But there’s only so much nagging a fellow can do, even
at Christmas.” The Sedan pulled away from the curb and back into traffic in the wake of the two
detectives laughter.

            As Stabler navigated the city streets, Benson stared out the passenger window. The case
file in front of her open and neglected as her thoughts centered around the standoffish man that
worked with them in the Special Victims’ Unit. Year after year she knew that her partner issued
invitations to the detectives in their unit and year after year their friend declined. A few years past
she had learned that Munch was Jewish, though not very rigorous about following religious law.
As far as Benson knew, he didn’t celebrate Hanukkah nor would he eat pork in any form. Yet, she
wondered what else about the older man didn’t she know? It bothered her that they had worked
together for seven years and he knew more about her then she would ever hope to know about
him.

            Glancing over at her partner, Benson knew that she had more knowledge of the older
detective then Stabler did. Nibbling on the end of her pen, she gazed out her window wondering if
Munch’s partner was the key to understanding the other man better. After all, she herself had
revealed more about herself to her partner and Stabler had done so in return, so it was only logical
to conclude that Fin would have a better insight into Munch. Resolving to speak with the other
detective, she refocused on the file before her.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

            Weaving through the busy city street, Stabler chanced a glance at his partner. He had been
debating on whether or not on inviting Benson to the house for Christmas this year largely due to
the situation on his home front. Kathy had been unusually displeased about inviting his colleagues
over for the holiday dinner, mostly because of his partner. For the last several months she had
been hounding him about putting a transfer to a different unit and when she realized that he
wasn’t going to, she began insinuating that perhaps he should at the very least request a new
partner. Since her best friend’s husband had run off with his much younger legal secretary, Kathy
had become unduly paranoid that her husband would soon follow suit.

            He had tried countless times to reassure her that he had no interest in a relationship with
another woman, but her paranoia was persistent. Her insecurities had led to several loud shouting
arguments that ended with him either sleeping on the couch. Stabler tried hard to keep his
personal life from interfering with his professional and resisted the tempting urge to flee from the
house all together during those disagreements. Despite his wife’s current irrational behavior,
Stabler was still devoted to her and their children. However much he protested Kathy’s wild and
ungrounded accusations, Stabler refused to budge on the issue of his work life. He reasoned that
being married didn’t mean he was dead and thus would not notice nor appreciate a good looking
woman when he saw her. But with his wife’s current case of paranoia, he wasn’t about to use that
reasoning with her. Stabler smiled to himself as he recalled the incident at breakfast just after the
kids had left to catch their school bus. The pang of regret at not having a video recorder at hand
to tape and then later show for Kathy was nearly unbearable.

            “Have you filed the papers yet, Elliot?” Kathy asked as she stacked the breakfast dishes
in her hand.

            “No,” he said before taking a sip of his morning coffee.

            Dropping the plates loudly on the counter, “why on earth not?”

            “I’ve told you time and time again that I’m not going to ask Cragen for a new partner.”
The newspaper crinkled as he turned the page and began to read an article.

            As the traffic light switched to green, he crossed the intersection and turned down the
right-hand road leading back to the station house. His thoughts continued to swirl around the
conversation this morning just before he left for work. Shaking his head, Stabler fought back a
chuckle at the ridiculous accusations issuing from his wife of nearly two decades.

            “It’s because of her, isn’t it? Why Elliot, why don’t you just pack a suitcase now and
move in with her?!”

            “Honestly Kathy, I’m not now nor will I ever have an affair with Liv!” Stabler said as he
dropped the New York Times on the table and turned to look at his wife. “I love you and the
kids, I would never trade what we have here and now for anything in the world.”

            “But if she...”

            “But nothing, Kathy. Liv and I are only partners, nothing more.”

            Shifting the Sedan into park outside the precinct, Stabler turned the engine off and headed
indoors. He was numbly aware of his partner tailing him as he slipped inside the building’s glass
doors and headed down the corridor towards the elevator. The door chimed as it slid slowly open
and he stepped aside to allow the uniformed officer to step out into the lobby before stepping
inside himself. As the object of his and Kathy’s earlier discussion stepped into the elevator next to
him, Stabler pushed the button.

            “Elliot, I’ve seen the way that woman looks at you.” Kathy insisted as she folded her
arms across her chest and leaned against the counter.

            “How does she look at me?”

            “Like a thirsty man looks at a watering hole mirage in the Sahara.” Kathy said as she
picked at her shirt.

            “That’s preposterous! Olivia Benson would no more be interested in me that way then
she would Fin or Munch.” Stabler shook his head as he placed a chaste kiss on his wife’s cheek.
“I’ve gotta run or I’ll be late, again.”

            Chuckling softly to himself, Stabler stepped into the squad room as soon as the doors had
slid open and hurried to his desk. Discarding his jacket on the back of his chair, he slipped into
Cragen’s office to give the captain their initial report as Benson settled herself behind her desk.

 

A/N
OMG! An actual update!! Lol.....dunno know when the next one's coming. But the yummy reviews help determine it. :)