all the stars | sonny carisi svu

chapter seven

"thank you carisi." i say as we come out of interrogation.

"for what?" he questions, a bit confused.

"for pulling me down, out of the way of the gunshot."

"oh right, of course." he says.

"dominick, i-"

i was interrupted by fin as he stepped in.

"did we get anything from this guy?" he asks.

"nope, nothing. how about your guy?" i ask him.

"no, but he hinted that it was personal." liv says.

"of course." i say.

"anything we should know?" carisi asks.

"not that i'm comfortable talking about, but i'm sure it's not related to that." i say. "listen, can i continue to interrogate this other guy? i wanna see if he'll tell me his motive."

"i don't know if that's a good idea." sonny says.

"i'll be fine carisi." i say. "sarge?"

"she's right. i mean she was his target." fin says.

"you think you'll be able to get him to crack?" liv asks.

"if i'm his target, yes." i respond.

"alright go ahead detective."

despite sonny's attempts to not have me go in there, i did anyways.

"i got this rollins." i say walking in.

she nods and steps out of the room as i leaned against the wall.

"so, you took an unlucky shot?" i say.

"it wasn't unlucky. if it wasn't for that son of a bitch, you probably would've been in my hands by now."

"is that so? well, i don't seem to be there, do i?" i say sitting on the chair, across the table from the perp. "so, why attempt to shoot an officer? you wouldn't have gotten away with it."

"i don't have to tell you nothing."

"oh, but you do. come on, it's just me and you. no one else. you attempted to shoot me for a reason. so tell me."

"you're the reason. the person i did it for wants you back soon. and oh what he's gonna do to you. he thought i should have done it sooner as a welcoming party. he's ready for you when he gets out. don't worry detective, you can't hide. he will find you, no matter where you are. whether you're in the bronx, staten island, or here." 

i knew what he was talking about and my eyes went wide.

"when he gets out?" i swallow keeping a strong mentality. "gets out of where?"

"prison, where you sent him."

he gave me a look. a look that sent shivers down my spine.

"what did you just say?" i say standing up. "threatening a detective, that's not smart especially after you attempted to kill me."

"russo." fin peaks his head in as he motions me to come out.

i grab the file and i noticed i was shaking a bit.

i walked out and the whole squad and now, barba was staring at me. sonny mainly was staring at me and he looked angry, but i knew it wasn't at me.

"are you alright?" rafael asks me as soon as i step out.

"yeah, yeah i'm fine barba."

"what's he talking about? when who gets out?" rollins asked.

"a perp. nothing i want to talk about." i say. "so, now what?"

"now what? ella, what does he mean about this guy you sent to prison?" olivia asks.

"el, you have to tell them." rafael says as i let out a sigh.

"when i was thirteen, i was raped by a perp, benjamin hemmingway, while on my way home from my friends. it went to trial, but the ada on the case made it clear that i did not have to testify being that all the evidence on him was clear, between the rape kit, the security cameras, and the fact that i didn't have a phone yet. being a detective himself, my dad knew everyone i talked to. we were close, so he knew i had no idea who this guy was who had done this to me. he was found guilty and sent to prison for 25 years, as much as my father protested to that, but the judge claimed it was that short of a sentence because of his past and he believed he would learn from it if he went to prison. unfortunately now, he's getting out on good behavior."

"wait, i remember a case similar to this in 2004 in the bronx." fin says.

"fin, that was her." liv says. "i remember reading about it. you didn't want your name known. there was video cams and everything added up."

"that's the case." barba says.

"wait, wait, wait, so am i thinking what i think i'm thinking?" sonny asks.

"if its that i was raped by a man who's about to be out of prison and this guy was trying to bring me back to him so he can do the same or worse to me, then yes then that's what you're thinking." i say walking out of benson's office and to my desk, where i continued my job and not think about what i never wanted my squad to know. especially not now.

"i'm sorry el. but, you had to tell them." rafa says sitting at the chair next to my desk a few minutes later.

"i know, i know. i just don't want them to treat me any different then any other detective here."

"trust me, they won't." rafa says. "if anything, it gives them more respect towards you. plus, i think carisi is ready to beat the shit out of all of them just to protect you. i've never seen him more angry then when the guy was threatening you."

that made me smile a bit knowing that sonny was so protective of me and he would especially have my back.