AUTHOR'S NOTES: This story is set in the 2005-2006 season. It has been rated M for mature subject matter since the detectives are investigating a same sex sexual assault and they uncover child sexual abuse along the way.

Many thanks to my wonderful betas, Cathy and Cheri, for their feedback, patience and friendship throughout the writing process. I couldn't have done it without their love and support.

Any and all comments, critiques and other feedback would be gratefully accepted and much appreciated.

Law & Order: SVU

Echoes

Teaser

Lisa Carlson sat at her desk in the reception area of the Dean of Students' office trying to ignore the sound of the Dean's voice even though it was raised loud enough to penetrate the two and a half inch thick solid wood door that guarded his inner sanctum. The words weren't distinguishable, but the sound was enough to rattle her, since she had never in the four years she had worked for him heard Henry Jacobs' voice raised so loudly in anger.

The office had been buzzing since she'd arrived this morning, with a steady stream of phone calls between the Dean and other administrators of the college. She'd been given a list of students to call in for immediate interviews with the Dean, and over a half dozen unhappy looking young men had already passed through the office, with several more still expected even though it was almost 4 p.m. Lisa sighed heavily, steeling herself for a late night, as the outer office door opened and another student entered the reception area.

"Hi. I'm Justin Graves, the young man said nervously. "I got a message the Dean wants to see me."

"He's still with his previous appointment. Please have a seat," Lisa responded in her most professional voice as she surveyed the young man. He was about 5'5", thin and slight, with reddish blond hair and a generous sprinkle of freckles across his boy-next-door face.

"Do you have any idea what this is about?" the young man asked, a tremor of anxiety making his voice go slightly higher.

"The Dean will have to discuss that with you," Lisa said evenly, masking the irritation she felt that, although she would have said that to the student anyway, this time she really didn't know what was going on. She had heard bits and pieces of conversations about a video and assumed one of the fraternities had held a wild party that had gotten out of hand - most likely involving drugs and alcohol - but she didn't know for sure.

"Who's with him now?" the young man asked uneasily.

Lisa's eyes grew colder as she looked Justin Graves directly in the eyes. "That's none of your business," she said sternly.

Just then the Dean's voice boomed out again and his words were less muffled this time. "God dammit, David, how could you get involved in . . . . Thank God your parents . . . ."

The Dean's voice faded and the rest of the words were indistinguishable, but Lisa saw Justin's eyes go wide in shock. Before she could even rise from her seat, he was at the door to the Dean's inner office and through it. Lisa raced after him, but it was too late. She arrived at the door, an apology on her lips, but froze at the sight that met her eyes.

Justin Graves was on his knees in front of the chair David Gallagher was slumped in with his arms thrown around the other man. David's eyes had an unfocused, shell-shocked look to them. There was a muted television on in the corner and Lisa's eyes were drawn to the naked men engaged in sex acts playing across the screen. Justin and David were in the center of the action.

"Lisa," Dean Jacobs' stern voice broke through the shock that held her.

"I . . . I'm sorry, sir," she stammered unsteadily. "He bolted for the door before I could stop him."

"It's all right. It's not your fault," Jacobs said in a calmer voice. "Please step out - and I know I don't have to tell you you're not to discuss anything you've seen - with anyone."

"Of course not, sir," she said in a slightly offended tone as she withdrew.

Jacobs watched the door close behind her and quickly moved to turn the lock so there would be no further interruptions.

"Since you felt the need to burst in like that, Justin, what do you have to say for yourself?" the Dean asked ominously. "Before the two of you are expelled!"

Justin continued to hold David, who remained silent and unmoving in his arms, his hands clasped together in his lap just as they had been since Justin first reached him.

Swallowing the lump in his throat that was threatening to choke him, Justin looked up at the Dean, determination settling into his face. "I know you're going to expel me no matter what, but you can't do that to him. It wasn't his fault. He didn't know what he was doing."

"It certainly looks like he knows what he's doing," the Dean retorted angrily, as he indicated the images playing across the tv screen.

Justin closed his eyes for a minute and held David tighter, hoping he'd understand what he was about to do. "You don't understand. I invited him to come to the party, but he wasn't interested. So I invited him to come to my room instead and look at some stuff I'd picked up on a dig last summer. You know how much he loves all that archaeological shit. I gave him a beer while we were sitting and talking - I . . . I'd spiked it with a roofie. He's so intense - studying all the time. I knew if he just relaxed a little, he'd come to the party and have a good time. No harm, no foul. And he did. But you can't expel him for it. It wasn't his fault."

Jacobs could feel the color draining from his face as he listened to Justin's confession. Oh God, what have I done, he thought in horror as he looked at David's vacant eyes staring at the tv screen as Justin held him. Quickly he went to the tv and hit the off switch.

As he turned back toward the two young men, he heard David's soft, emotionless voice. "Can I go home now?"