Her Greatest Salvation -Olivia Benson

The Dumpster

Olivia never normally walked home. But after a particularly hard case, she needed to clear her head. Amanda had offered to drive her home claiming she shouldn't be out after dark alone or during a thunderstorm. As much as she appreciated the gesture, she honestly did not want to be around anyone at the moment.

A harsh noise could be heard from the ally as she walked by, Olivia stopped in her tracks staring down the wet, deserted alleyway debating on what to do. Maybe just an injured animal? she thought.

Slowly she drew her gun out, walking among the dumpsters and boxes that lined the walls. The noise becoming deafening. It took her a minute to realize what she actually heard, it was no injured animal. It was a baby.

She placed her gun back in the holster and looked around her, looking for something that could give her a boost so she could get into the dumpster. She leaned over the dumpster and starting moving boxes and papers, cringing at the foul odor.

Carefully she pulled open a box and what she was met with broke her heart. She was met with a tiny red-faced baby screaming its lungs out just wanting to be comforted.

"Oh god," Olivia muttered. She scanned the baby up and down. This was a new baby, very new judging, by the way, it still had the umbilical cord attached and it was still attached to the placenta that was sitting right next to her. The baby was also still covered in blood and fluids.

Couldn't be more than a couple hours old she thought to herself. She dug into her purse and grabbed her pocket knife she always kept in there and carefully cut the baby's cord.

"Ok sweetheart, let's get you out of here. You must be cold" she cooed to the small infant. She stripped herself of the jacket she was wearing and carefully wrapped the baby up.

"You're a little girl" she whispered. The baby still wailed in her arms as she carefully climbed out of the dumpster. "Its ok" she whispered as she shielded the baby from the rain as she started walking home.

Closing the door behind her, she carefully laid the still crying baby down on the couch and took a seat next to her. She realized she needed to give this baby a bath but she wasn't too sure how to. She could imagine the little girl probably was very uncomfortable being covered in god knows what.

"Ok honey, let's get you cleaned and then get some milk into your system. what do you say about that huh?" she said as she picked the baby back up. She walked over to her sink and plugged it, filling it with lukewarm water, being careful not to make it too hot. Carefully she unwrapped the little girl and laid her in the water making sure to support her. Carefully she ran the washcloth over her watching as the little girl relaxed into the water and stopped crying.

"You like this don't you?" she said as she got the rag wet again. She knew she was washing away potential evidence but making this girl comfortable was her main priority. After the bath, she laid the baby on a towel on the couch and got her dried off. She made sure the baby girl was wrapped up nice and tight before heading to the kitchen.

What was she going to feed this baby with? she wondered. she had no formula or bottles. "Normal milk will have to work for now" she muttered. She poured a glass of milk and headed back over the couch where the baby was sucking vigorously on her hand making agitated grunts and cries. She dipped her finger in the milk and let the tiny girl suck it off her finger. While she was doing that she pulled her phone out and texted the first person she thought of

Hey, Amanda. could you come over to my place? I have a little predicament and I know you have Jesse so maybe you can help me? -Liv

it wasn't even a minute later when her phone vibrated and Amanda had texted her back.

Sure, be over in 10. Jesse is with me -Amanda

She watched as the baby slept, trying to come up with a good reason someone would do this to a little baby. Olivia had always wanted a baby, but as she entered her 40's she knew that it was most likely never going to happen. She dreaded thinking what was going to happen to this baby. She had seen it way too many times during her career at SVU, she would go from foster home to foster home. Never learn to trust, never able to form a bond that babies so desperately need, especially during this time in their life. She would most likely be abused, tormented or if she was extremely lucky, adopted into a nice family. Olivia couldn't fathom the thought of this baby being alone in life. As she looked at the tiny girl asleep on her couch, tears came to her eyes. She had been thrown out with the garbage like she was garbage. Like she wasn't a person and that infuriated Olivia.

She was brought out of her thought by a loud knock on her apartment door.

"Thank God" she sighed. She looked back at the little girl who had stirred and fussed at the loudness. Slowly Olivia went and answered the door.

"Amanda thank god you are here" she sighed.

"Hey Liv, what's wrong?"

As if on cue the baby started crying. Amanda looked at the couch and back to Olivia gobsmacked.

"Olivia," Amanda started. "Why is there a baby crying on your couch?"

"This is my problem."

"Here let me put Jesse down." Amanda spread a blanket on the floor and laid the 8 months down as Olivia went and picked the baby up, trying to soothe her. She was obviously still hungry.

"Amanda, she's still hungry and I have nothing to give her."

"I do, hand her here." Olivia was confused as she handed to the baby over. She watched as Amanda sat down and unclipped her bra, carefully getting the baby to latch on to her breast.

"There you go," Amanda cooed. "You just eat pumpkin."

Olivia felt stupid at that moment. Of course, Amanda would have breast milk still. Jesse was only 8 months old and still breastfeeding.

"You're a lifesaver, Amanda"

Amanda just chuckled. "It's called, kids got to eat and I have what she needs. So do you want to tell me why you have a Baby?"

"I found her on the way home, someone just dumped her like garbage in a dumpster. The poor girl was screaming when I found her."

"Aww, poor baby."

"She wasn't even cleaned up or anything. Still had cord attached. I don't understand Amanda." She sighed.

"We need to get her checked out Liv."

"I know, let's let her finish eating and then we will go."

Amanda was afraid Olivia would get attached to this baby and she knew no court would let her keep the baby. She had been turned down when she had requested to adopt a while ago because of her long work hours and dangerous work environment. Amanda prayed Liv wouldn't get heartbroken again.