Fragile (Broken #2) SVU

Chapter Four.

*Liv's POV*
Tears stream down my face, my fingers gripping the steering wheel. Feelings flood my line of vision as I imagine how much pain Charlotte Baker must have felt to kill herself. Only a few short months ago we'd found her in the basement, scared and alone. Despite everything she'd suffered, she was doing remarkably well. As I think about Charlotte lying on a cold, hard slab in the morgue, I realise how anything can change in an instant.

I pull the keys from the ignition and climb the two flights of stairs to the apartment.

It's deathly silent when I push open the door. I throw my bag onto the kitchen counter and go to check Sky's room. I find her huddled in a corner of the bathroom, her knees up to her chest, crying.

"Baby, what happened? I say, noticing the drops of blood scattered over the floor. "Oh sweetie, what did you do?"

"I'm sorry mommy."

I rush to her side, wrapping a towel around her arm. I fight my own tears back as I rock her back and forth. I grip the towel tightly to stem the bleeding, praying it won't be a trip to the hospital.

"Why did you do this?" I ask.

"I can't stop seeing him, feeling him. He's everywhere Mom. I feel like my brain is going to explode."

I pull the towel away and breath a sigh of relief to see the cuts are shallow.

"Come on, let's get you in the bath."

I stand up, turn both taps on and watch the water hammer against the empty tub. Sky is still sitting in the corner, staring into space. Her skin is pale and grey, an empty defeated expression on her face. My once happy and bright child has disappeared and instead a cold, empty shell remains.

After I clean the cuts and wrap a bandage around Sky's arm, we spend the rest of the afternoon cuddling on the sofa. We exchange no words but I know from her facial expression that her brain is in overload. I have no idea how to fix my perfect little girl.

*Sky's POV*
The pain inside me claws at my throat, begging me to let it out. Cutting helps but only for a short time and then I'm back to this empty, disgusting feeling.

After last night, my Mom refuses to leave me alone. I don't blame her but I'm not looking forward to a bunch of sympathy looks from everyone.

I perch on the end of my moms desk, enthralled in reading Harry Potter for the 70th time. It helps to take my mind off things, I can get lost in this world for hours.

I turn to page 140 before I look up, and walking in proud as punch is my father. I slam my book onto the desk and stand up, taking a stance. Hatred boils in my stomach and I squeeze my hands to stop them from doing anything stupid.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I yell. "Why cant you just go away?"

"Sky, baby." He says, fiddling with his hands.

"Don't baby me. You don't get to call me that."

"This is where I work, Sky."

"Elliot, I thought I told you to back off" My Mom says, shuffling her papers in annoyance.

"Olivia, I got my old job back. I'm going to be partnering with Fin."

My mom stops and stares at my father with a piercing look even I'm afraid of. She marches over to an interview room and slams the door. A couple of seconds later, I hear yelling, a bang and then my mom struts back out, her face red with frustration.

She grabs her bag from underneath her desk, takes my hand and marches me towards the lift.

"Don't come near Sky. I'll talk to you if and when she's ready." She says, turning around.

She doesn't even wait for a reply as she pushes the ground floor button. The doors close, shutting my father even further out of my life than he already is.