Archive of Our Own ^beta

“So, I was just thinking that maybe if we give her a little space, you know.”

“Carisi.”

“That maybe she’ll come around. She doesn’t have to press charges right away; they’ll hold the DNA.”

“Carisi!”

“For up to six months, and I’m sure that Barba will be willing to try it later.”

Liv was becoming more and more visibly annoyed with him. Fin narrowed his eyes and was about to step in. The last thing he needed was Liv getting vicious with him and Sonny pouting about it for several days. Before he had a chance to step in and remove his admittedly annoying boyfriend, Liv whirled around and slapped him across the face.

For a moment, there was dead silence across the room. Liv reared back horrified, and Sonny staggered backward, holding his cheek. In an instant, Fin was across the room between them.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“I-I, I just wanted…”

“You just wanted what, Lieutenant? An assault charge? Who the fuck do you think you are? You can’t pull that shit here!”

“Fin…”

Fin turned around to look at Sonny, who was looking distinctly teary-eyed.

“We’re leaving. I hope you know that as soon as we get home, I’m calling IAB. You might’ve been partners with Stabler, but we don’t pull that shit. Come on, let’s go home.”

Fin wrapped a single arm around Sonny’s waist and led him towards the door. He grabbed their coats on the way out. The walk out of the building was quiet, and Fin could tell that Sonny was reaching his limit with handling this. Fin bundled him up and put him in his car, brushing his cheek as he closed the door and went to the other side.

It started as soft sniffles on the drive there. Fin could hear the tears that Sonny was trying and failing to keep back. By the time they managed to get to the apartment, it had turned into soft sobs, and Fin’s heart damn near broke at the sound. Of all the people in the world she had to make cry, why did it have to be Sonny? He was sunshine incarnate. The sweetest, most naïve person Fin had ever met in the police force, and he should be protected, not made to cry.

“Alright, in we go. What do you need right now?”

Sonny was wiping ineffectively at the tears. “I just need John right now. I just really need to feel safe.”

As they entered the apartment, John stepped into the living room, drying his hands on a towel. John was surprised that they were home so early. He caught sight of Sonny’s tears and crossed the room to the two of them.

“Hey, what’s going on?” He sent this question to Fin. Fin shook his head to forestall any questions. He didn’t think that Sonny could take it right now.

“Why don’t we get you changed out of those clothes and into something soft and comfy, alright?”

Sonny nodded and allowed himself to be led to the bedroom. Fin and John allowed him some privacy to change his clothes and stepped into the living room. As soon as they were out of earshot, John was all over it.

“Is that a bruise on his cheek? What happened that has him in tears? Is it this case?”

“Liv hit him.”

It hadn’t quite sunk in until Fin said it. He sagged against the couch and buried his face in his hands. “God, John, she just hauled off and slapped him for making a suggestion. He thought that we shouldn’t be pressing the victim so hard about pressing charges. That if we gave her a few months to recover, get her feet back under her that she’d be more equipped and more willing.”

John stared at him, not believing what he was hearing. “Liv? Who is she? That’s not the friend I knew.”

Fin nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I know. Completely different person, but I can’t let this stand. The bullying and leaving us short-staffed was bad enough. I am not letting her get away with abusing Sonny. He wants you. He needs to feel safe, and, in his mind, you are the only one of us that doesn’t exist within the context of her. Just take care of him. I need to get the ball rolling on the paperwork.”

“You know, I will. I love that kid.”

Fin smiled and stood back up. He kissed John gently on the lips and stepped into the office to make a phone call. Between the 4 of them, they managed to afford a pretty nice apartment, and Rafael insisted that an office was necessary for his sanity.

John went back down the hallway and knocked on the door to the bedroom. “Are you done, sweetheart?”

“Yeah.”

Even with just one-word, John could tell that his voice was watery. John stepped in and surveyed the damage with a keen eye. It was beginning to darken and would look pretty bad when it was done. John gave a deep sigh but knew it had to be done.

“Honey, I know this is going to suck, but I need to document the injury.”

Sonny looked up at him and nodded. John carefully took pictures of the bruise from several different angles and texted them to Fin. He would need them when he started his report about the incident.

“All finished. You want to snuggle?”

Sonny nodded, and John allowed himself to be pulled to the bed. He laid down against the headboard and drew Sonny’s head to his chest. He pressed a single kiss to Sonny’s forehead and sighed. This was one of the worst-case scenarios he had ever imagined, and things were only going to get more complicated.

Silently, he mourned for Rafael’s friendship with Liv. He had very few friends, and this was going to drive him completely away from her. It was going to drive all of them completely away from her. What else could you do when someone you love desperately was attacked?