Disclaimer: All characters are the property of Dick Wolf

Chapter 1: A Friend in Need

It was a Monday morning in New York City and the city was bustling with pedestrians walking to work, horns blaring as traffic sat in a standstill, and school yards buzzing with students after the weekend. In the hallways of St. Bernard's High School Elizabeth Stabler could be found chasing after her best friend.

"Jessica! Jess, Jessica! Hold up girl." she chuckled as she grabbed her friends elbow and turned her to face her. "Jeez, you would think that you're deaf with how many times I called your name. Where were you this weekend? I thought we were going to hang out on Saturday!"

"Oh yeah sorry about that," Jessica murmured back softly. "Something came up that had me around the house all day. Sorry I didn't call you."

Noticing her friend's strange demeanor, Elizabeth started to get worried and responded, "It's ok I'll take a rain check, but is everything alright? You're acting a little strange."

"Yeah. Yeah, everything is fine." Jessica replied, and hastily trying to change the subject she asked, "So did you see Brian Trapiado this morning? He was out throwing the football around on the field and man was he smokin'."

Knowing that it was best not to push her, Elizabeth just prayed that Jessica would come to her when she was ready to talk. So instead she allowed the change of subject. "Yeah I saw him, but it's just really weird to think of him as 'smokin' ' since he is one of Dickie's best friends therefore kinda making him like a brother to me." The girls then proceeded to chat about every boy in their grade that was relatively good looking. It wasn't until about fifteen minutes later, when Jessica absent mindedly scratched at an itch on her arm that Elizabeth glanced down and noticed her friend's bruised and bloody wrists.

"Oh my god Jessica, what in the hell happened?" Elizabeth demanded grabbing her friend's wrist and turning it towards her to get a better look. "Who did this to you?"

"No one!" Jessica cried, a little too quickly, causing Elizabeth to shoot her a look telling her she knew someone was hurting her. "Look it's nothing all right? Just forget about it."

"No Jessica I'm not going to forget about it. Someone is hurting you! You're wrists are bloody and raw. And you can't say this," Elizabeth quickly pushed up Jessica's sleeves revealing the bruises she had noticed over the past couple weeks, "is nothing! You need help." With that she dropped Jessica's arm and quickly grasped her elbow and tried leading her to the school entrance.

"Lizzie where are we going?" Jessica asked frantically.

"To get you some help." Elizabeth stated simply.

"Lizzie no, please forget you saw anything. I'm fine ok? Now you should go or you'll be late for your first class." And with that Jessica spun on her heel and hurried off to her class.

Elizabeth stared after her friend and realized there was only one thing she could do to help her friend. And that was to go to her father.

A/N: So I already have this entire story planned out, I just have to find time to write. But I really hope to have the next chapter up either tonight or tomorrow.

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