Feb 21: Free (Post pursuit)

Note/Disclaimer: I don’t own the characters that I’m about to write about. I just had to get this out of my head and on paper it’s another fan fiction of SVU this time based on the last week’s episode pursuit. What happens afterwards and everything.

Summary: When all is said and done, former reporter Alicia Harding comes to terms with what she did herself, what happens when guilt takes over giving no room for rational thinking?

“Hey Sonya” it was a rainy Friday afternoon, nearly night when Alicia Harding came to the cemetery at the edge of Manhattan. She went through the rows of gravestone until she found the one he was looking for. She had been coming here for the last couple months ever since the trial started, Sonya had wanted to see the case through so badly but she wasn’t able to, not because the former D.A was not competent but she was dead.

“Because of me” she murmured. She still remembered the day that she had gotten the phone call, the same day she had called Sonya out on open TV it had been stupid and she hadn’t been thinking properly. As she silently cried she heard a car drive up, an unmarked police car no doubt. Since a lot of media had been following her since the arrest of the perp they had almost wanted to take her to witness protection, she had flat out said no but she was forced to agree to a protection at least until the trial was done.  “It’s all my fault” she whispered as she looked up.

Before she knew it someone was behind her, she whirled trying to smack them thinking they were going to hurt her but it was only Olivia Benson.

“Thought I’d find you here…I also know that you’ve been coming here often, you feel guilty”

“So would you if you called her out in front of open TV which triggered her getting her throat slit”

“You didn’t put a knife to her, you never would have known”

“I took his bait, my anger lead to her death, I’m much responsible as he is for the death of my sister, Sonya and the other twenty two girls”

“You’ll be happy to know that the jury came back”

Alicia looked up in shock. “please tell me you convicted”

There was a smile on the Detective’s lips as she gave her a small nod.

“oh good…oh thank God that’s the best news I’ve heard in months and years…now I can finally be free”

With that she took out a knife.

“Alicia no, listen to me this is not helping you….ALICIA!!!...This is Detective Benson I need medical help at St. John’s cemetery…oh god Alicia stay with me…why did you just do this?”

Through the blood Alicia smiled. “It’s okay Liv, you found justice…I can go, I will join my sister, and I can explain myself to Sonya and tell her how sorry I am” with that she closed her eyes.

“Sissy? Sissy open your eyes!”

Alicia looked up to see her sister Vanessa, she hadn’t seen her in twenty years she ran over and hugged her spirit or her real body she didn’t care she was so happy. She cried, letting tears stain her sister’s shirt which was the same shirt she died in apparently she never could forget it.

“V-Vane-Vanessa” she choked

“Sissy what are you doing here, it’s not time yet….”

“What do you mean, I came to join you…and…explain…explain..”

“and explain why on EARTH you just did that foolishness?” this voice was sharper, older. Alicia turned around sharply to see the D.A that had been her friend forever, she had tried pushing the woman away but Sonya had stuck with her and the investigation had brought them close. Now she stood with her hands on her hips.

“are you mad Alicia?”

“no I….”

“just tried to kill yourself”

“I didn’t try I succeeded…that’s why I’m here right?”

“no because you’re not going to stay here….Vanessa…I will look after her, but you…there’s so much you need to do, you need a life”

“With my sister and my friend, I owe you my life for taking…”

“oh stop…I knew he would kill me long before you did and I never saw that tape until after death now knock it off if this is an example of you being free than I should just go and tell Benson right now to have you institutionalized”

Alicia pulled her hand back as if to slap her but she only went through her.

Sonya laughed. “You can’t hurt spirits Alicia once we’re dead, we’re dead…but come on, we don’t have much time it’s not your time to die….case in point go on, live your life, come on back to us afterwards we’re going nowhere fast…”

With that Vanessa and Sonya pulled her by her arms and led her to a staircase, there was a mist below and the sun was shiening it was not raining like it had been when Alicia had been in the cemetery.

“Where does this staircase lead?”

“To freedom”

“oh thank GOD you’re alive…we thought we lost you what were you thinking?”

“What…who” Alicia opened her eyes, she had an IV in her apparently she missed the throat completely and had cut her shoulders instead but the loss of blood had been enough to knock her out. She was now in a hospital and Olivia was standing over her bed.

Alicia smiled. “I saw them both…they’re free, and now I’m free to live my life”