SVU: The One Shots

Red Hair and Bruises: Part Two

Per your request RainbowRhian1984! I hope you enjoy it!

TW: Violence

Casey slid down the wall of her bedroom, a streak of blood following her to the floor. Her head was bleeding, and she was so scared that she would break the promise she made to Toby. She'd never see her little boy and girl again.

"Where are they?!" Charlie demanded as he paced their bedroom. Casey swallowed hard but didn't open her mouth. If she spoke, Charlie would hit her. Her voice used to be one of his favorite things, yet now it was a trigger for him.

Charlie stopped pacing and moved to where Casey was sitting, her eyes locked to the blood under her nails.

"You stole my kids from me, Casey. Where did you take them? Did He ask for them? Did you give our children as a sacrifice?!" Charlie yelled, his hand quickly reaching out and lifting her chin so she'd look at him.

"They are safe, Charlie. He didn't ask for them... He isn't real," Casey replied. Charlie reached back and slapped her hard across the face. Casey could taste the blood in her mouth and tried her hardest to focus on that.

"He came today and asked for them! Why would you give them to Him?!" Charlie screamed as he jumped to his feet. He kicked his wife and grabbed her head before slamming it hard against the drywall, leaving a dent as her head bounced off and she fell onto her side.

///

Olivia sat in front of Toby and asked him questions about where his home was. Toby informed Olivia that they had walked for hours, but Olivia was certain he wasn't completely sure how long they had walked. Daphne needed to eat every two hours per the instructions in the diaper bag, and Olivia was informed that Daphne had eaten not long before they walked to Olivia's apartment and she always ate on time. That gave Olivia a timeline she could work with.

"El?" Olivia asked, as she left Toby to eat his snack. Elliot came out of the kitchen with Daphne sleeping in his arms.

"Yeah?"

"How long after Daphne got here was she hungry?" She questioned. Elliot looked at her like she was crazy, but quickly realized his wife was being serious. He pulled his cell from his pocket and opened up his search engine.

"Uh, I searched up how to make a bottle at one. So, she was here for about an hour and a half," Elliot replied. Olivia's face lit up as she quickly pulled her own cell out and called the precinct as she rushed to her bedroom.

Toby stood up with his empty bowl and cup and walked to where Elliot stood in confusion.

"Sir?" He asked politely.

"You can call me Elliot. What's up, Toby?"

"I'm still hungry. Can I have more?" He asked. Elliot nodded quickly as he motioned for Toby to follow him.

"C'mon, let's get you some more apples."

///

Olivia got help to figure out what a thirty-minute walking distance would be from her apartment. She realized she was making things harder for herself, but she needed to find her friend. Once Bernie agreed to watch Toby and Daphne, Elliot and Olivia went to look for Casey. 

"This would be the edge of the perimeter," Olivia spoke, as she unbuckled her seatbelt.

"Let me park!" Elliot exclaimed. He barely pulled into a spot before Olivia got out and ran to the nearest building. She looked through their list of residents before running to the next. She and Elliot checked the entire block before Olivia stopped when she saw a man spinning in circles as he held his head.

"El," Olivia whispered. He spun to face his wife, before following her finger to where the man was still spinning.

"Is that Charlie?" He asked, and Olivia nodded.

"She's close," Olivia replied.

The moments following spotting Charlie were a blur as Olivia ran down the hall of Casey's apartment building. On the front of Charlie's nightshirt was a smear of blood, which caused Olivia to grow more anxious to find her friend. 

As she reached the apartment door, Olivia pounded on it as tears burned her eyes.

"Casey! Honey, open up! Casey!" Olivia cried, her fists denting the heaving metal door slightly.

"What the hell is happening?!" a man asked as he swung open his apartment door.

"Casey Novak lives here, right?" Olivia asked as she turned to face him.

"Red hair?"

"Yes, she has red hair and two little kids. This is her apartment?"

"Y-yeah. Why? Who-"

"I'm Detective Olivia Benson. An ambulance and other officers are on their way here. Please make sure they enter this apartment when they arrive. Until then, step back. I gotta get to her," Olivia instructed. She waited for the man to step back before she kicked the door in as a loud bang filled the floor.

Olivia ran from room to room, her heart thumping hard in her chest as she discovered empty rooms. 

"Casey, baby, tell me where you are!" Olivia sobbed as she opened the last door. Lying against the wall was Casey's body. She wasn't moving, and Olivia couldn't tell if she was breathing. She ran to where she lay and fell to her knees before gently steadying her neck as tears poured down her cheeks.

"Casey, it's Liv. Please wake up, please. Charlie was arrested and those babies need you. I'm begging you, wake up!"

///

Toby trudged down the brightly lit hospital hallway, a loud yawn leaving his mouth. He looked up to where Olivia was holding Daphne in her arm while holding his tiny hand. 

"What's happening?" Toby asked. 

"You'll see," Olivia said with a soft smile, her eyes still red from crying. The last few days had been exhausting, and all she wanted to do was finish the day off on a cheerful note.

Toby continued to trust the woman his mother left him with and followed her down the hall. As they entered a room, a nurse pulled a curtain back and smiled.

"You must be Toby," she spoke.

"Yeah..." He trailed off.

"Your mommy has been asking for you."

"Mommy?" Toby asked, his eyes growing wide. The nurse nodded as Casey choked out her son's name. Toby ran to the bed and quickly scrambled onto it before hugging his mother tightly.

Olivia stood nearby and smiled as Casey looked at her.

"Thank you," she choked out, and Olivia nodded slowly.

"I'd do anything for you and your babies. Elliot is grabbing your stuff and moving it into our apartment. Enjoy your kiddos, and I'll give you some space," Olivia smiled. She walked over and kissed Casey's forehead before laying Daphne on her outstretched arm.

Olivia walked from the room before turning back around and watching as Casey was reunited with the kids she adored. Right now, things are easier than they would be. Once Olivia had to break the news that Charlie had fatally hurt himself, things would be far from easy for a very long time.