Rebel (SVU Fanfic)

36

Nicole hadn't even tried to sit up since Elliot talked to her, if the nightmare didn't count. She wasn't sure if she could sit up, but she decided to give it a shot. She was a little weak and drowsy, but that could be due to her crying and sleeplessness.

Paige straddled her sister's legs, confused. Olivia just watched.

Nicole sat up and completely as she shifted her weight and saw the little girl staring back at her. "Why you crying, sissy?"

"Because I'm sorry, Paige. I was so mean to you for no reason."

"It's okay!" Paige said. "Jus stop crying."

It wasn't that easy, because Paige tried to wipe her sister's eyes. It just made Nicole cry harder. The teenager had no other choice than to grab her sister's hands and push her away.

"Thank you Paigey," she said. She let her sister hug her instead.

When the toddler leaned back, she took Nicole's arm. There were lines on her wrist and Paige ran her finger over the pink.

"What are these?" Paige asked.

"Cuts. I hurt myself."

"Why did you hurt yourself?"

"I don't know. It wasn't on purpose," she lied. Paige couldn't possibly understand just yet.

"Is it okay now?"

She wasn't sure. "It's better."

Paige smiled, which helped her sister do the same.

Olivia watched the entire thing, tears pouring from her eyes. Nicole didn't need complicated therapy or anything of the sort. She needed more loving. And an innocent little girl could give her so much love, so much more than her mother felt she could.

Nicole was released from her psych hold 39 hours later. She went home with Elliot while Olivia talked to the doctor, along with the psychiatrist who was given her case as well as Dr.Kendall.

The meeting was not off to a good start, to say the least. Olivia was mad at Dr.Kendall. No, more than mad - furious. But she knew she had no reason to be. The man felt guilty enough that one of his patients ended up on suicide watch.

"Nobody is blaming you," Dr.Rates, the other psychiatrist, said.

"I should've been able to see it. She was close to the psychotic break."

"We didn't know what her triggers were."

Dr.Kendall supposed this was the case, but said nothing.

"I'm recommending support group. Definitely," Dr.Rates said. "Should we start antidepressants yet?"

It was then both the physician and Olivia spoke up. She said "No!" as he said, "Yes."

Dr.McCultz interrupted the mother. "Let me finish. Give her two weeks. If she seems relatively stable, no. If she is still experiencing mood swings, nightmares, things of that nature, then yes."

It seemed fair. Olivia agreed and thanked the doctors before leaving.

~•~

Olivia came home and found Elliot at the table. "Hey," she said before leaning over his shoulder to kiss him.

"Hey. How'd it go?"

"Good. They want her to go to group and see what happens."

"Sounds like a plan."

Olivia sat down at the chair next to him. "What's up?" she asked, sensing something was off.

He kept staring down at the table, all the papers in front of him. "I hate that bastard. What he did to you. To Nicole."