Chapter Text
December 8th, 2012 - 1PP - IAB Interview Room B
Tick, tock. Tick, tock.
The yellowing wall clock in front of Olivia Benson read 11:48pm, its tired hands aptly reflecting her overall state. Her eyes zeroed in on the big hand as it lagged with each second, each tired tick.
11:49pm. Tick, tick, tock.
She’d been undercover in a sex trafficking operation with Elliot for 3 brutal days - undercover and stressed, almost killed because their backup arrived two hours late due to “communication issues” between ESU and SVU. A piss poor excuse, if you ask Olivia.
Someone dropped the ball and it shattered into a million sharp little pieces.
When the dust finally settled and they were extracted from the UC location, she was separated from her partner and dragged to 1PP for an emergency IAB interview to endure the scrutiny and skepticism of one Lieutenant Ed Tucker, IAB pissant and rat cop extraordinaire.
Tick, tock. 11:51pm.
She needed a shower like never before. She was bone tired and her adrenaline had long since faded, leaving her shaky and a little delirious. Stale coffee and fluorescent lights were the only things keeping her awake but her nerves were fried and she knew she needed to get the interview over with so she could go home to feel her feelings.
3 days undercover can change a person. 3 consequential days undercover with Elliot changed her life forever - the final days of their partnership, she was sure of that.
“Detective Benson, I need you to tell me what happened between you and Detective Stabler in the warehouse.” Tucker repeated his question. The man was being uncharacteristically patient with her and she appreciated him for that. For once.
She thumbed off her water bottle cap, taking a long swig from the almost empty drink to buy herself just a second more time.
She was two hours into her IAB interview and she’d managed to dodge that particular question 4 times, instead recounting other parts of the UC assignment when he asked. It’s not as though Olivia planned to lie about any of it. Her and Elliot made a pact. They would be truthful - had to be truthful - because everything was on film. If either of them lied, it could bite them both in the ass. Pensions could be lost, reputations tanked, careers destroyed. Too much at stake to lie.
So they would tell the truth and the truth would set them free. Or not.
“Compton led us into the warehouse with three of his men. All armed. The big one, Christopher Bellemont, had his pistol to the back of my head most of the evening. I scoped out the place but there was nowhere to run. Only one exit to the outside and it was heavily guarded. Toward the back of the building was their… movie set. ”
11:55pm, tick tock.
“Elaborate.” Tucker instructed, his eyes diverting from her to the sheet of paper in front of him. She suspected he was uncomfortable with the direction the interview was taking, though she knew he was well aware of what happened in the warehouse before he’d even stepped foot into the interview.
“Porn set. Plain backdrop with a big bed and a bunch of cameras,” she explained, also refusing to look up at the man, “they instructed us to undress.”
“And did you?” Tucker asked.
“Yes,” Olivia replied, her voice steady but quiet, “Elliot- Detective Stabler told them no at first, said we were leaving. Compton laughed at him and said we’d be leaving in body bags if we didn’t play by his rules.”
“So you complied, got it. What happened next?”
She told him everything.
–
“Now, you fuck her,” Compton said, gesturing from Elliot to Olivia, “You say you want in, you want to be part of the group. Well, Nathan, we make movies here, we have fun, we like to share. Veronica is a nice piece of ass, we want to see her in action. And this way, we have something of yours, something you want to keep private. Gives you a little skin in the game.”
Olivia watched the color drain from Elliot’s face. This had gone too far, way too far and their backup was at least an hour behind. They were stuck.
“I don’t share and I don’t fuck my wife in front of cameras,’ Elliot sneered, pulling Olivia behind him and squaring up to Compton, “That was never part of the deal. We’re here to make money, not make porn for you and your friends.”
Suddenly, Bellemont’s gun was pressed against Olivia's temple, the safety clicked off. She gasped at the contact and Elliot spun around, eyes widening at the sight.
Nowhere to run.
“You still think you’re in control here, Nathan?” Compton laughed, “I like your guts, I really do. Tell you what - either you fuck her, or I do. I would be more than happy to take her off your hands for a bit.” He aimed his gun at Elliot as he sauntered over to Olivia, drinking in her naked form with his eyes. The weight of his gaze was nauseating but she refused to look away.
His gun was gripped in his right hand and aimed directly at Elliot’s face. One of his men stood behind her partner with his glock inches from Elliot’s back. Bellemont’s weapon was still against her temple.
Nowhere to run.
Compton brought his left hand up to her cheek and caressed it softly. She flinched just a little and her stomach lurched. Slowly, his hand trailed down her face, neck, chest and settled on her right breast. She shuddered as he pinched her nipple roughly.
“Nathan, please.” She whispered, finally looking over at Elliot.
His eyes were speaking to her louder than ever. Desperation, rage, panic, sorrow. He knew what he had to do but it would cost him so many pieces of himself, even if it would save their lives.
The decision was made.
–
12:02am, tick tock.
There was silence in the interview room. Tucker’s eyes were locked on hers. His usually suspicious gaze was soft, empathetic. It only served to heighten her dissociation.
It was all wrong. Tucker was supposed to be the bad guy. He was supposed to accuse her of lying, call her a dirty cop and insult Elliot. That was their game. That was familiar.
It was all wrong. His empathy was wearing at her.
He clicked off the recorder and cleared his throat.
“You and Detective Stabler had sex. At gunpoint.”
Olivia nodded, eyes closing involuntarily against the pain of his words.
“Detective Benson, you realize what will happen if that-”
“They filmed it,” she sneered, a traitorous tear falling down her cheek, “there’s no deniability here, Tucker. I’m certain ESU has already retrieved the tapes for evidence. Yes, Detective Stabler and I were forced to-” she stopped, grabbing the water bottle and chugging the rest. The words struggled in her throat, “We had sex at gunpoint. Our partnership is fucked. Everything is fucked. Just turn your recorder back on so we can finish this and I can go take a shower. Please , Tucker..” she pleaded with the man. She’d endured countless IAB interviews with him during her time at SVU. During most of them, she was defiant but professional - factual and clear but passionate and unwavering. Strong. A proud cop. Never a crier, she never broke.
Not until that goddamn UC assignment.
She covered her face with both hands and a sob ripped from her chest. Raw pain burst forth, no longer contained within the carefully constructed facade of Detective Benson. She was too damned tired and strung out on adrenaline to be embarrassed, too worn out to stop it.
Her and Elliot had been sexually assaulted, they wouldn’t be allowed to be partners anymore, they might both be forced out of SVU as a result. Every good in her life was about to be stolen away because she was assaulted.
The hits just kept coming.
“That’s okay, Olivia. I think we have what we need. You can go home.” Tucker responded quietly. He gathered his paperwork quickly into a folder, tucked his recorder into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief, wordlessly placing it in her hand as he passed by.
Tick tock, 12:08am.