ENCHANTED, R.Barba

.𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐀𝐃𝐀.

ELLIE STABLER YAWNED AS SHE SAT AT HER DESK. She looked up as Olivia walked over to her. She smiled. "Tired?" She asked.

Ellie nodded. "Paperwork. Always makes me tired," she said as she stretched. She looked to Olivia. "I thought the captain was coming back?" She asked as she put her pen down.

Olivia sighed. "He will be. This is just a one time thing. It's late. You should get out of here. You'll be as bad as me," she told her.

Ellie grinned. "I think I'll go to the bar. Paperwork drives me absolutely insane," she said with a yawn. "See you tomorrow?"

"Yes. Things are going to be shaken up until the captain comes back. So I'd enjoy your life while you can," Olivia told her.

****

Ellie walked into the bar. She sat down and ordered a vodka tonic. "Do you have ID?" The bartender asked as he looked to Ellie.

Ellie rolled her eyes but took out her ID. She was given her drink and downed it. "Another please. I've had a long day. And I need to erase it from my mind," she said as she looked to him.

"Coming right up."

Ellie sighed as she saw someone sitting down next to her. She smiled. "You look like how I feel. Awful," she said.

"New job."

"Ah. Glad I don't have that problem," Ellie said. She smiled. "I'm quite happy with my job. Well not happy happy. As it can be quite challenging. But I am happy with the job I do. It helps people."

"Good to know."

Ellie smiled as she watched the stranger walk off. She didn't know why. But she felt as though she would see him again.

****

The next morning, Ellie was watching the interview that a rape victim had given the night before. She sighed. "She's giving as good as she gets here," Ellie said.

Amanda nodded. "But it turned ugly when they were alone."

Ellie frowned. "She's not claiming rape. But she agreed to a rape kit?" She asked.

Olivia nodded. "Well reluctantly. She has anal fissures. And a severe ligature mark on her neck," she told the young detective.

Ellie shook her head. "Yeah. Well there's a difference between rape. And rough. I've had rough sex before. Never turned into this," she said. She noticed everyone looking at her. "What? I'm not a virgin."

Fin looked to them both. "She didn't press charges?" He asked.

Amanda shook her head. "No. She's worried. You know, because of her book," she told the team.

"Her prose is pretty florid. Although I admire any author who can work in nipple clamps. And Albinoni's Adagio in one sentence," Munch commented.

"You read this?" Fin asked.

"The yentas at my mothers retirement home were passing it around. And my mother is losing her sight. So I read it to her," Munch told them.

Ellie blinked a couple of times before she shook her head. "I don't think that's something you want to read to your mother," she said.