Olivia sighed as she rolled over to pick up her ringing phone. She groaned when she saw Elliot's name on the screen, she wasn't going to be getting anymore sleep tonight. She sat there in shock as Elliot told her what had happened. Shane Mills, their latest perp, had been attacked and raped at the Kastner Center. "Does Casey know?" she asked.
"Yeah, she's already there. I'm surprised she didn't tell you when she got the call" Elliot replied, sounding a little confused.
"She stayed at her place"
"Are you two okay?" Elliot asked.
"We're fine. This case really bothered her and she just needed some time alone. I'll meet you at the Kastner Center" Olivia said as she hung up and began getting dressed.
Olivia glanced at the photo of her and Casey that sat on her bedside table. They had dated off and on before Olivia had gone undercover with the FBI, but had begun dating seriously after she returned. The time apart made them realize how much they really cared for one another. They still had their own apartments but most nights they stayed at one place or the other, they rarely spent a night apart. Olivia knew this case was bothering Casey but she was willing to respect her request for time alone. Casey always respected her when she wanted to be alone. Olivia just hoped that Casey could keep her cool until she could get there.
Olivia and Elliot arrived at the Kastner Center and were making their way to the administrator's office. Olivia picked up her pace when she could plainly hear her girlfriends voice coming from inside. When she opened the door she couldn't believe what she saw, Casey had the administrator by the shirt and pushing him against the wall. "What the hell are you doing?" Olivia asked as she made her way over to Casey. She grabbed Casey by the arm and began pulling her toward the door as Elliot walked over to the administrator. As she was trying to push Casey out the door Casey was yelling at Elliot to get all the employee files. Olivia looked back at Elliot, shaking her head and silently pleading with him to talk the guy out of pressing charges, as she pushed her girlfriend out the door and closed it.
Olivia knew Casey had a temper but she couldn't believe what she had just witnessed "What the hell are you doing?" she asked again as she followed Casey.
Casey whirled around "He ordered his men to clean up the crime scene"
"That's my problem not yours" Olivia wasn't quite sure what had gotten into Casey.
Casey began to raise her voice to Olivia "These people didn't even call the police. That's obstruction of justice!"
"And grabbing his shirt was assault which I, unfortunately, just witnessed" Olivia could feel an argument beginning. She really didn't want to fight with Casey she only wanted to help her.
Casey got a little closer to Olivia "What are you gonna do? You gonna arrest me?" Casey now sounded like she was challenging Olivia, and this worried Olivia.
"I may not have a choice" Olivia hesitated a moment before continuing. "Casey, you're drowning here, and unless Stabler can convince that guy to change his mind" Olivia paused again hoping the gravity of the situation would sink in "I can't even throw you a life jacket"
"I'm a big girl. I know how to swim" Casey said as she turned and walked away.
Olivia stood there and watched as her girlfriend walked away. She shook her head, she couldn't believe what she had just witnessed and she only hoped the guy wouldn't press charges. It's one thing when an ADA has contempt charges against them, but an assault charge is a whole different ball game. It could possibly be enough to end her career.
Olivia had tried calling Casey several times that day but she wasn't answering. Elliot finally returned to the precinct telling Olivia that Casey had went to the hospital and Shane Mills was going to have surgery. Olivia was curious why her partner had gone to the hospital. He told her he had gone to check on Shane and saw Casey. He told her he tried talking to Casey but she was still blaming herself. Olivia was so glad Elliot had talked to Casey. She knew Elliot liked Casey but she felt like at times he didn't approve of their relationship, but he still cared about the both of them. Olivia decided to head home and get some rest. As she left the precinct she decided to go to Casey's and check on her, she still wasn't returning any phone calls. Olivia decided to try one more time, she dialed and waited for the voicemail to pick up "Hey sweetie it's me. I'm leaving work I thought I would swing by and check on you. I'll see you in a bit. Love you"
Olivia unlocked the door to Casey's apartment and walked inside. She was relieved to see the jacket Casey had been wearing earlier laying across the back of the couch. Olivia took her own coat off and laid it on Casey's and made her way to the bedroom. It broke her heart when she saw Casey lying curled up in the bed. Olivia walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed, she could tell Casey had been crying from the tear stains on her face. Olivia ran her hand through Casey's hair and leaned down and placed a kiss on her temple. Casey stirred and struggled to open her eyes which were red and puffy from crying. Olivia began rubbing soothing circles on Casey's back "It's okay just lay here"
"Liv, what are you doing here?" Casey asked her voice hoarse from crying.
"I've been trying to call you for a while and couldn't get an answer, I was getting worried. Cap said I could go home to get some rest but I wanted to check on you"
"I'm surprised you'd want anything to do with me after the way I acted this morning" Casey said rubbing her hands over her eyes.
It broke Olivia's heart to think that Casey felt that way. She urged Casey to roll over so she could face her "No sweetheart I could never feel that way. I understand you were angry and upset. I don't blame you for feeling that way. I was just worried about you. I wanted to help you" Olivia sighed "Like I told you earlier you're drowning. This case is pulling you down and I only want to be there to pull you back up"
Casey took hold of Olivia's free hand "I know and I'm sorry about the way I acted earlier. I really am. It's just, it's just like I told Elliot earlier; I put these kids in these places and I don't check them out first. If I would've checked it out beforehand I would've known what a hell hole it was and this wouldn't have happened"
Olivia squeezed her hand tighter "This is not your fault. It's not your fault that the Kastner Center doesn't run background checks before hiring their employees. It's not your fault that Shane Mills did what he did. Maybe he couldn't control what he did but he's the one that did it"
Casey stared back at her "Are you saying he deserved what happened to him?"
"No I'm not. What I'm saying is you can't blame yourself for it. The only person to blame is the person who attacked him" Olivia sat there for a moment, running her hand up and down Casey's arm, allowing what she had said to sink in. She knew how it felt to think that something she had done had caused someone else to be hurt, and she also knew that Casey had to quit blaming herself or it would slowly consume her.
After a few minutes of silence Casey looked up "Elliot came to the hospital"
Olivia nodded "Yeah he told me. I'm glad he did"
Casey began playing with the ring on Olivia's hand that she was still holding "Me too. I know he came to see how Shane was but I'm glad that he came and talked to me. I know he was concerned about me as a friend and coworker but part of me thinks he checked on me because of you"
Olivia grinned "He checked on you because of me?"
"Yeah. He saw how I was earlier; he probably knew that if you came around it would've ended in an even bigger argument. I guess he thought if he talked to me it would give us both time to sort things out. Maybe save a breakup. The reason I walked away this morning was because I knew with the mood I was in we were quickly headed toward an argument and I didn't want that" Casey said with the first smile Olivia had seen on her face in several days. "In a way it surprised me. I know he likes us both but I don't exactly think he approves of our relationship"
Olivia chuckled lightly "I don't think he does either, but I don't think he would like to see us break up either. He knows I respect his beliefs and I guess he'd rather see me happy than alone so I think he overlooks it"
"He told me if I wanted to make things right I could always come down and help you guys go through the employee files" Casey said. Olivia nodded in agreement. "When do you have to be back at the precinct?"
"I don't know, tomorrow I guess. Captain just told me to get some rest. We still don't have the files yet. We have another ADA working on getting the warrant and I doubt we'll have them before morning. So I guess I'm done until tomorrow morning unless something comes up"
Casey looked up and gave Olivia a small smile "Will you stay?"
Olivia leaned down and gave Casey a chaste kiss "Of course I'll stay" Olivia went and dug a t-shirt from one of the drawers Casey had cleared for her to keep some clothes in. She stripped down and put the shirt on and then climbed in bed beside her girlfriend. Olivia lay down and then pulled Casey over to her. Casey laid her head on Olivia's chest and wrapped her arm around Olivia's waist while Olivia wrapped her arms around Casey. They lay there in silence for several minutes, just listening to one another's breathing.
"From now on before I put someone in a place like that I'm going to check it out first" Casey said.
Olivia began running her hand along Casey's back "That sounds like a good idea. You do realize that it's not your responsibility to though"
"I know it's not but I have to. I can't put people in places like that without knowing where I'm sending them" They lay there again in silence enjoying one another's company. "I'm glad you didn't arrest me" Casey said as she snuggled in closer to Olivia.
"I'm glad I didn't have to arrest you" Olivia said.
Casey snorted "Yeah right. You know deep down there's a part of you that would have enjoyed it"
"I would not" Olivia said feigning shock and then smiling "Well maybe just a little"
Casey rose up so she could look Olivia in the eye "You know I wouldn't mind if you slapped your cuffs on me sometime" she said with a mischievous grin.
Olivia's breath hitched and she froze for a second "Well that's definitely something to think about" she said as Casey leaned in for a kiss.
Casey lay back down and snuggled further into Olivia while tangling their legs together. "Thank you for being there for me"
"Always" Olivia said as she leaned down and kissed the top of the younger woman's head. Olivia sighed "You know I've been thinking it would be so much easier to be there for each other if we were in the same place" she held her breath until Casey looked up at her.
"What are you saying?" Casey asked.
"Move in with me?" Olivia once again held her breath, she wasn't sure if now was the right time to ask but she couldn't hold it in any longer. She had wanted to ask Casey for a while and she didn't want to wait anymore.
Casey smiled and gave Olivia one of the most passionate kisses they had shared in a while "I would love nothing more than to move in with you" she leaned in for one more kiss before lying back down on Olivia's chest "Let's get some sleep because we have a lot of work ahead of us catching Shane's attacker"
Olivia held Casey tight "Yeah and then we can get you moved in"
Casey sighed "Thank you, again"
"For what?"
"For being there, for pulling me back from the edge. I love you" Casey said as she began to drift off to sleep.
"I love you too" Olivia replied as she too drifted off to sleep.