A/N:I have never written a full SVU fic before, but thought that this story fits best with these particular characters. I was sexually assaulted over ten years ago, and this is my experience. Although my experience is not as bad as the storylines shown on SVU (nor is it as bad as three-fourths of the sexual assaults out there), this will really be the first time that I've talked about it (in depth). I'm sorry for any SVU or court errors that I make; the only thing I can say is that this is what things were like for me. All names have been changed to protect those people involved.

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Law and Order: SVU. That honor goes to the good folks over at NBC.

Spoilers:None.

Summary:An eleventh grader is sexually assaulted at school. Will Olivia, Alex, and the rest of the gang be able to help her cope?

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Present, Alex and Olivia

Sometimes I really hate my job. Sometimes I hate my job so much, that it's all I can do not to raise my face to the sky and scream out my frustrations louder than any normal human being should be able to scream. I mean, sometimes I really hate my job.

Today is one of those times.

"What are you doing out here in the rain?" Alex quietly asked, sitting down beside me on the bench. Holding her umbrella in a way that it also partially covered my head, she gazed straight ahead, knowing that I would only talk to her if I knew that she wasn't exactly looking at me.

Shrugging, I ran a hand through my sopping wet hair, remaining quiet. I wasn't ready to talk to Alex just yet, although a very tiny part of me was grateful that she had braved the rain in order to check up on me.

"Would you like to talk about it?" Alex softly tried again, still not looking at me. "I know you must have had a bad day, given what happened."

You can't even imagine. Leaning against the back of the bench, I sighed, keeping my eyes glued to the tree on the opposite side of the path. Why am I taking this case so personally?

"Liv—"

"Did Elliot send you?" I finally asked, glancing at her for the briefest of moments. Alex's guilty expression was my answer. "So he did?" I asked, unable to keep the corner of my mouth from quirking up into a small smirk. That was just like Elliot. He loved me, but he loved me like a brother. And like a brother, he had no idea how to handle me when I started to feel emotional. He offered to take me out for a drink, or even over to the gym so that I could beat on the bag, but I really didn't feel like getting drunk or beating the crap out of something. Not yet, anyhow.

Alex further settled herself on the bench, knowing that she was starting to make some progress with me. "He called my office to let me know that you were having an even tougher time than normal with this case," she informed me, studying me with her lawyer's eyes.

I nodded, trying not to cry. I couldn't cry. I had to be tough. I had to keep it together. I had to stay in control.

When I continued to say nothing, Alex moved closer to me. "Don't you ever tire of this?"

"Of what?" I wanted to know, taking note of her closer proximity.

"Of holding everything in. I would imagine that it could be tiring."

I gave a short laugh, shrugging my right shoulder. "I don't know why this case is bothering me so much," I finally murmured, turning to gaze at Alex. Damn, she was going to get the information out of me anyhow.

"It's bothering you because your victim is getting screwed by the system."

"Yeah, that's it," I ran a shaky hand through my hair, deeply exhaling. Although the case itself was not nearly as graphic or as tragic as the rest of the cases on my caseload, both the school and the system had screwed up, and the victim was the one suffering for it.

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Lakewood High School, forty-eight hours prior

"Hey," Julia sadly walked into her 11th grade AP American History classroom, tossing the teacher a small smile. Although she had chemistry first period, she often times liked to say hi to her favorite teacher on her way to class.

"Hey, Julia, you're going to be late for first period," Mrs. Roget glanced up at the young girl with a smile. Noticing the serious and somewhat scared expression on the student's face, however, her smile faltered. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah—" Julia trailed off, "I'm fine. I guess I was just kind of confused about something," she awkwardly mumbled, shifting from foot to foot in anxiety. "I was kind of wondering what the actual definition of rape is. You know… in the legal sense."

Mrs. Roget's face fell as she gestured toward a chair. "Do you want to take a seat for a few moments? Or maybe even go talk to the school psychologist? I'll go with you, if you want me to."

"No, I'm fine," Julia repeated, taking a giant leap backwards. Jumping when the second bell rang, she turned to flee the room. "And now I'm going to be late for class." My mind is such a mess right now… I can't focus on a freaking thing. I don't want to be here. I want to go home. Why can't I just go home?

Stumbling into her chemistry room a few minutes late, Julia took a seat in the back of the room. She felt hot, she felt cold, she felt confused, she felt disoriented… she had no idea what the teacher was saying, nor did she really care; her mind was too consumed with replaying the events of yesterday to make room for chemistry.

And then it happened: busy pretending to take notes and trying not to burst into tears, Julia had no idea that her chemistry teacher had snuck up behind her, and that he was holding a completely blown up balloon between his hands. She had no idea that every student in the class was now busy watching her take notes on nothing, and she definitely had no idea that the lecture had stopped. She had no idea what was going on, that is, until the teacher popped the balloon just beside her head, and the entire class of twenty-six 11th graders roared in laughter as she jumped in fear.

Bolting out of her chair, Julia did something that she had never done before: she ran out of the room in embarrassment and confusion, darting through the halls without even thinking about where she was going.

It wasn't until she once again found herself standing outside of Mrs. Roget's room that Julia stopped to breathe. Knocking on the door frame, she stepped inside. Taking a deep breath, and holding back her tears, she whispered, "I was sexually assaulted yesterday…"

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TO BE CONTINUED