Vivo per ardua

From Realmofthemuse

Detective Anna Morasca is a dedicated Third Grade Homicide detective with the NYPD, working out of Manhattan's 27th Precinct. As dedicated to the law and the thin blue line as she is, she sports a slightly paranoid mindset - stemming from her rape as a teenager. In spite of her rookie status, she boasts an above-average closure rate - her way of finessing confessions out of some of the most unique and offbeat criminals her precinct has come across well-known. She is a very human-oriented detective, interested not in the how of the crime, but the why - and how human behavior and psychology intertwine with the mechanics of murder.

Contents 1 Basic Character Information 1.1 Physical Description 1.1.1 Distinguishing Marks 1.2 History 1.2.1 Childhood 1.2.2 Life-Changing Events 1.2.3 The College Years 1.2.4 From Uniform To Detective 1.3 Personality 1.3.1 Strengths 1.3.2 Weaknesses 1.3.3 Fears 1.3.4 Quirks 1.3.5 Sexuality 2 Family, Friends, Colleagues, Partners, and Lovers 3 Additional Information 3.1 RP Canon 3.2 Random Facts 3.3 Quotes 3.4 OOC-only Character Information 4 In Other Communities 4.1 [All In Order]

Basic Character Information

Detective Anna Morasca is an Original Character affiliated with the television series Law & Order. The actress used to represent her is Eva Longoria Parker.

Physical Description

Anna stands at 5'8", 120 pounds. Her body is thin but muscular and well-toned from working out constantly. She has long brown hair that reaches down the middle of her back and green eyes. Due to her Italian heritage she has slightly darker skin than most Americans.

Distinguishing Marks

• A long, prominent scar starting between her shoulder-blades and continuing down her spine at a slight angle from right to left, ending just above her waist
• A small scar below her right breast from a struggle with a suspect ending in her getting cut with a knife
• "Fearlessness" tattooed on her lower back beneath where her scar ends
• A red orchid tattooed on her right hip
• Tattoo of a paw print on her left ankle

History

Anna was born in Milan, Italy to Adriana Morasca and Stephen Brooks on July 8th, 1979 just a few months before her parents were married (Anna was born with her mother's last name since her mother wanted her first born to carry the Morasca family name). After her parents married, they headed to the United States to live on Staten Island where Stephen originally was from. Anna's mother was a stay-at-home mom while her father worked as a corporate attorney on Wall Street.

Childhood

Anna was a bright, lively child, curious and possessing a rather tomboyish personality (much to her mother's dismay). To combat this, Adriana taught Anna to sing and play guitar. While this didn't completely off-set her love for soccer, wrestling, and other "unfeminine" activities, it did provide Anna with some balance in her life and a way to channel her restless energy.

When Anna was 6, her brother Ryan was born, and when she was 8 her sister Eva was born. After Eva's birth, she took on a more domestic role as a "mother hen" - becoming quickly protective of her baby sister while her mother needed to take care of Ryan since he was born two months premature and he had a heart condition that required her constant care and attention.

As a result, Anna is extremely close to her sister (and her mother). Since their father was almost always away from home and her mother gave Ryan a lot of attention, Anna excelled in academics - turning her need for attention into a drive for learning - and she had earned the respect and fondness of her schoolteachers. However, this came with a lot of stigma from her classmates and as a result she closed off, becoming something of a loner while she focused almost exclusively on her studies. She joined the varsity soccer team in high school where she was a formidable defense player for her team, known as the "Psychic Sweeper" for her natural talent of reading people and being able to predict their moves on the field.

Life-Changing Events

On her 17th birthday, she was attacked and brutally raped on her way home from a volunteer charity event at a local summer school. She spent a week in the hospital recovering from her severe concussion and a deep blade wound along her spine - the scar of which serves as a constant reminder of her rape. Being deeply affected by the fact that her rape went unsolved, she closed off completely and became entrenched in researching rape and criminal law, also taking up martial arts to train herself in self-defense.

Her life changed drastically (yet again) when after she turned 18 her parents announced their divorce. During the divorce proceedings there was a fierce custody battle, which Stephen won since he made all the money for the family. Since she was legally an adult, Anna stated firmly she would not go with her father. After her speech the judge awarded full custody of her siblings to Stephen and let Anna choose where she would live (since was legally an adult). The divorce impacted Anna heavily, splitting her family in two and separating her from Eva - something that deeply upset Anna - and as such she harbors deep resentment toward her father for "abandoning" them and "ruining her family".

Now that Anna has grown, as have Ryan and Eva, she's become close to her siblings again - especially now that they live in Greenwich Village near Anna's apartment that she shares with her two cats Milena and Varese. Her mother still lives in Queens, but Anna sees her weekly along with her siblings.

The College Years

Adriana and Anna ended up moving to a poor district of Queens where they lived in a rundown apartment. Adriana made ends meet by cleaning apartments and bartending while Anna worked part-time waitressing through college - she would not accept her father's offers to help her pay tuition. Anna was offered a hefty scholarship to New York University. Anna was a very studious girl who worked three jobs to pay tuition and took night/summer classes to graduate in four years, in spite of her double-major.

She completed a full internship with a private law firm in Westchester during her junior year of college. She graduated in the top of her class with a double-major in Criminal Justice and Psychology and a minor in Sociology on June 1st, 2000.

From Uniform To Detective

Anna entered the Police Academy shortly before her 22nd birthday. Anna was unleashed as a beat cop on the streets in January of 2003. She was promoted to Detective, Third Grade (on January 22nd, 2004) after her erratic investigative methods helped the Queens Homicide Unit catch a dangerous serial killer.

Originally wishing for placement with Queens SVU, she was vaguely disappointed when she was assigned to Manhattan's 27th precinct to work in Homicide under the guidance of Lieutenant Anita VanBuren, whom Anna quickly grew to respect and even admire. She quickly and easily transitioned. Unfortunately, Anna's distrust for her male coworkers (many of whom either hit on her or had no respect for her because she was a young Italian-American woman) caused a lot of tension in her line of work. In her three years as a detective, she's gone through several partners - the only one of which she still gets along with being William Carson, who transferred to a desk job after the birth of his second daughter.

Anna has spent her first four years working Homicide almost entirely, having been loaned out temporarily to Vice for a prostitution sting in which she went undercover as a stripper to catch a man who was forcing young women into prostitution. Although it was an intriguing assignment, Anna believes Homicide is the best fit for her.

Personality

Nicknamed "Spitfire" by her mother, she has grown to live up to that name. Anna is in many respects child-like in nature, a result of having to grow up too fast. She is fiercely independent and self-reliant, from caring for herself and sister growing up and having to support herself (and her mom) after her parents' divorce. Anna has a somewhat explosive (but non-violent) temper which she generally keeps in check.

Anna possesses a sharp tongue, sarcastic wit, and is known to detect conspiracies almost anywhere. From experiencing hardship in her life, she has built up a large series of walls and a thick outer shell to protect her from getting hurt. Anna is intelligent, caring, and compassionate, but this is often masked by her snide remarks and harsh attitude toward people. In spite of her (at times) explosive temper, Anna is generally a non-violent person by nature; never shooting to kill, only to disarm. Even in her greatest moment of rage and pain she is not capable of willingly taking a life and as such holds a deep resentment and hatred for those who willingly choose to kill. She is also known for being highly introspective and philosophical - her brain running 24/7. In spite of being a loner by nature, Anna is fiercely loyal to those she deems family. Her natural tendency to push people away has complicated her relationships but when she finds someone completely willing to fight the pain and stand by her side, she dedicates herself to them. With this loyalty comes a strong sense of dutifulness on her part, causing her to become extremely defensive of her friends. When Anna lets someone in, they're in for good. She makes it her duty to make them happy, to protect them, and to help them no matter what. Because of her past, she identifies deeply with survivors of rape and sexual assault. Anna holds a very strong sense of right and wrong, which does cause trouble with her partners and commanding officers.

One of her most prominent traits is her love for her job, and the impact that has on her life. She is a cop 24/7, and often a daughter/sister/friend/lover second. Being a cop - the routines, procedures, and work itself (not withstanding her fascination for) - comes almost second-nature to her, and almost defines her. She is constantly in "cop-mode" and analyzing every little thing. Though she's said to be a hot-headed cop, she is however very grounded in logic and cautious when it comes to important decisions.

Another of Anna's stronger personality traits is her astounding stubbornness and devotion. Anna rarely does things half-assed, and she is headstrong (almost to a fault). She is often most stubborn when it involves her work or her loved ones; anything she holds dear. Virtually nothing can get her to back down from something once she's set her sights on it, especially her own rape investigation, as she gives it everything she can. Anna is particularly dedicated to getting justice for victims and making criminals pay for their wrongdoings. She takes a little bit of every case home with her - a blessing and a curse - and her love for solving mysteries keeps her active in her job. Anna possesses a rather complex outlook on life. Her parents are Catholic, but she herself is non-religious. She instead leans more toward Eastern Spirituality, namely Buddhism. She believes in taking the higher moral path and is a staunch supporter of the idea of Karmic Retribution - essentially "what goes around comes around" - and Gandhi's principles of non-violence. She is very much a fighter and sees life as a constant power struggle.

Strengths

• Independent
• Self-Reliant
• Strong
• Compassionate
• Intelligent
• Loyal
• Morally-grounded
• Good sense of humor
• Dedicated
  

  

  Anna's been playing the guitar since she was young.
• Loves her job
• Agile
• Musically-talented
• Analytical
• Headstrong
• Empathic
• Good at reading people
• Fun-loving
• Resilient

Weaknesses

• Emotions can get the better of her
  

  

  Emotions are her downfall.
• Can be easily overwhelmed by fear
• Lacks common sense with relationships
• Pushes people away the closer they get
• Pride/large ego
• Gets extremely defensive when attacked
• Difficulty with apologies/amends
• Hides/runs away from her problems
• Brain doesn't always catch up to her mouth
• Doesn't always realize she's said something wrong
• Large guilt complex
  

  

  Bottling it up often hurts her in the end.
• Difficulty sustaining relationships
• Need for control - borderline OCD
• Low self-confidence/self-esteem
• Difficulty in social situations
• Self-conscious and paranoid
• Tends to bottle up her emotions
• Hates to break down and cry in front of anyone
• Has trouble expressing any feelings that could make her look "soft"
• Possesses slight Post-traumatic Stress Disorder from her rape
  

  

  Every nightmare involves fighting for her life.
• Needs medication to sleep at night
• Has jarring nightmares that leave her shaken

Fears

• Failure and making mistakes
• Losing her independence
• Betrayal
• Loss
• Not having control
• Getting hurt
• Being wrong with her profiles
• Commitment/intimacy
  

  

  The call - her brother's been hospitalized again.
• Being read like an open book
• Vulnerability/weakness
• Her rapist coming back for her
• Never finding closure
• Losing her badge
• Getting cheated on

Quirks

• Speaks Italian, English, and Spanish (fluently)
• Often switches between languages without realizing it
• Arches her right brow constantly
  

  

  The patented "brow raise".
• Cracks knuckles when annoyed
• Picks at her fingernails when bored
• Gets easily flustered
• Ducks her head slightly when nervous
• Hides behind her bangs and avoids eye contact when nervous or ashamed
• Goes off into philosophical/conspiratorial rants
• Rants are never-ending when nervous
• Blushes easily
  

  

  Brow raise, part 2

Sexuality

Anna can come off as being asexual at first. She isn't often seen fawning over handsome and attractive men, nor is she heard even remotely discussing dates and what kind of men she likes. Anna is straight, but due to her rape she is not a person who "sleeps around" with strangers. However, when in relationships she can be highly sexual - only in private though. She does not flaunt her sexuality unless she is comfortable in a relationship.

She has a natural tendency to flirt (often without realizing it) and seems more comfortable around men - her closest friends are often male. Anna's tomboyish nature, penchant for dirty jokes, and love for contests and games allows her to connect more with men. This often causes friction with her female co-workers and the girlfriends/wives of her male counterparts.

Family, Friends, Colleagues, Partners, and Lovers

===Family===

• Mother: Adriana Isabella Morasca (48)
• Father: Stephen Richard Brooks (53)
• Sister: Eva Marie Brooks (20)
• Brother: Ryan Joseph Brooks (21)
• Grandmother: Giada AnnaMaria Morasca (68)

===Friends/Lovers===

• Maria Theresa Bellicci (26)
• Adrian Joseph Bellicci (30)
• Matteo Angelus DeSilva (29)
• Lee Vincent DeSilva (24)
• Boyfriend: Detective Don Flack

===Colleagues/Partners===

• Lieutenant Anita VanBuren, Homicide
• Captain Marco Valenti, Vice
• Detective Mac Taylor, Crime Lab
• Detective Morris Anderson, Homicide
• Detective Richard Kritchek, Homicide
• Detective Antonio Hernandez, Vice
• Detective William Carson, Homicide
• Detective Don Flack, Crime Lab
• Detective Ed Green, Homicide
  

  

  Detective Carson telling Anna about his transfer.
• DA Jack McCoy, DA's Office
• ADA Connie Rubirosa, DA's Office
• Dr. Elizabeth Rodgers, NYC Medical Examiner's Office
• CSU Tech Millie Vizcarrondo, Crime Lab

Additional Information

RP Canon

Anna joined on November 11th, 2007 and quickly befriended several law enforcement officers around New York City and other people on the West Coast as well.

Her partner Detective William Carson took a desk job in October of 2007, leaving Anna without a partner in her squad, so she had been spending several weeks working on her own doing small cases and legwork for other detectives. On November 13th, she invited Detective Don Flack over to her Greenwich Village apartment for a dinner date and the two hit it off. They were both surprised to learn soon enough after that they were to be partners on a homicide case involving a charred defense attorney and refrained from publicly dating. Anna was sent back to the 27th precinct on December 1st, 2007 and the two decided to take their relationship to the next (small) step. Flack and Anna are now exclusively dating since they're no longer partners.

Anna is currently partnered with Detective Ed Green.

Random Facts

• Born in Milan, Italy
• Has dual citizenship for the US and Italy
• Pacifist, anti-death penalty, and avidly pro-choice
• Flies out to Venice to visit grandmother when she can
• A self-trained singer
• Volunteers at shelters for battered women and rape crisis centers
• Is the third victim of the Staten Island Rapist and the only victim who managed a look at the man's face - she was consequently the most brutalized of the eight victims
  

  

  Milena, Anna's female cat.
• Loves psychology and criminal pathology
• Has no known allergies
• Is working toward a black belt in [Taekyon]
• Has a proficiency with small weapons - knives, sais, etc.
• Favors off-the-shoulder sweaters
• Enjoys wine
  

  

  Legs from years of martial arts.
• Has two cats, Milena and Varese - named for Anna's hometown and her mother's home state
• Works out constantly - likes kickboxing, jogging, and weightlifting
• Lacks proper culinary skills
• Possesses a growing knowledge of Eastern Asian culture/spirituality/religion
• Italian is her first language
• Is currently learning to play piano from her mother
• Boasts an above-average closure record for a detective of her rank, age, and experience
• Enjoys taking down men twice her size
  

  

  Going for the daily jog.
• Outside of her family, Maria, Carson, and VanBuren the only people who know specifically about her rape are Detective Flack, the other victims, and the SVU detectives originally assigned to the case
• Was cheated on by a boyfriend in college because she wouldn't sleep with him
• Lost her virginity to Matteo DeSilva when she was 24
• Favorite colors are black and green
• Can run a mile in 7 minutes wearing heels
• Self-proclaimed atheist with roots in Buddhism
• Registered conscientious objector

Quotes

• "By giving in you give him power. You let him win." -Anna
• "The dead cannot cry out for justice. It is the duty of the living to do so for them." -Louis McMaster Bujold, Anna's work motto

*"I love New York. I've lived in the city since I was about 14 months old. It's in my blood. I've lived in three of the boroughs, only two more and I'll have traversed the entire city." -Anna, in a conversation with Lieutenant Connie Murphy

OOC-only Character Information

• "Chi cento ne fa, una ne aspetti" appears on the title of Anna's journal. It's an Italian idiom which essentially comes to mean what goes around, comes around. It fits with Anna's deep personal belief in the idea of Karma.
• Vivo per ardua - Anna's username itself is from the Latin language meaning "live through adversity", which ties into Anna's lifelong struggles and all she's overcome.
• Anna has a reputation within the NYPD for being a hotheaded feminist with the brains to read and catch criminals and the brawn to keep up with the boys. The Chief of Detectives thinks she's eccentric, potentially dangerous, and rude but stands by her promotion.
  

  

  Breaking down in her struggle to overcome her past
• She is considered by some to have Logan's temper, Goren's brains/eccentricities, Munch's paranoia, and Benson's strength/compassion.

In Other Communities

[All In Order]

This [Anna] has been through Homicide, Major Case, and the FBI in 9 months. She has had 5 partners in that time including Major Case's [Mike Logan] and Agent Kenneth Mitchel with the Seattle FBI who she was about to fall for when he transferred to Washington, D.C. She is currently in Seattle working with the FBI on a special Sex Trafficking Ring taskforce, where she's been since September 13th of 2007. Her current Homicide partner, [Detective Andrea Viviano], is the ROTM girlfriend of Detective Robert Goren. ===[Order In Dark]===

In a darker world, Anna is not the dedicated detective everyone knows. Here she is known by many names, most infamously she is the [Black Queen] - a whip-smart, cold-hearted serial killer who uses her sex appeal to lure unsuspecting men to their deaths. She is the most "evil" character in this universe, second only to her mentor - and former lover - [Robert "Moriarty" Goren]. She has committed 14 murders (to her various aliases) to this day and remains free from the NYPD's grasp.