"Maddy, can you tell me what happened; you can start all the way back from when you were little."

"When I was 2 my mommy died in a fire, and when I was 2 ½ my daddy was shot, he was a police officer, like you. Then I was put in foster care. As soon as I got there, someone wanted to take me in. Apparently, I didn't like peas back then, so when I was 3 he sent me back to the foster care people. Mr. and Mrs. Rudy are their names, the ones who run the agency. Since I was 3, the Rudy's said that I was a big girl and therefore I needed big girl punishments." Maddy said

"What kind of punishments?" The detective asked

"It started one night when I fell asleep without brushing my teeth. When Mr. Rudy found out, he grabbed me by my hair and dragged me into his room, and then he made…he made me pull down my pants… and he did bad things to me, and I asked him to stop but he wouldn't. After he was done with me, he would tell Mrs. Rudy if I had been good or not in the bedroom. Even if I had managed to hold back my screaming, he would tell her that I was bad and she would hit me and push me and throw things at me. Mr. Rudy told me that if I didn't say anything while he was doing it, that Mrs. Rudy wouldn't hurt me. At first I didn't believe him, and I screamed and then one night when she threatened to throw me down the stairs, I decided not to scream anymore, and she never hurt me. The only other time she would hit me would be when I didn't do something to their standards." Olivia started to well up herself, how could this little girl not cry?

"When I was 4 a couple wanted to take me in, and it turns out that the guy was an alcoholic and he beat Judy, his wife, until one night, he killed her. After she died, he took it out on me. Thankfully when I was 5, he decided to give me back. When I went back, things hadn't changed, Mr. Rudy kept hurting me, but what I don't get is why they never hurt the other kids. When I was 6 a nice man took me in, at least that's what I thought until he started doing what Mr. Rudy did to me. He continued to do it to me every day, and I could never leave the house, he homeschooled me. Then when I was 7 he sent me back."

Outside the room Casey was crying with tears on her face, and Cragen telling her that she didn't need to cry.

"I – I need to go to the restroom, no child deserves that…."

----------- Back in the room --------------

"I've been with them ever since 4 months ago when Lily took me in; she was so nice to me. She took me ice skating, to the museum, the movies, and not once did she hurt me. Then 2 weeks ago, she adopted me, and, well, now I'm here."

"Wow Maddy, that's quite a past you had, how can you be so strong?" the detective asked

"It's my way of coping, weird, I know but, that's just how I am." She replied with a hint of a smile. Olivia smiled back.

"Can I go see Casey now?" Maddy asked.

"Uh, yeah, of course" Olivia said as she opened the door for Maddy.

Maddy walked out to find Casey looking at her with a wet face.

"What's the matter Casey?" Maddy asked in the cutest little voice.

Casey said "nothing, it's fine, you know what, are you hungry? I'm going to take you out for dinner alright?"

Maddy's little porcelain skinned face lit up. "Okay!" she said, trying to hold back her excitement.

Cragen whispered into Casey's ear, "Case, what are you doing?"

She turned and whispered back, "After that, she needs something to take it off her mind"

Cragen nodded his head in agreement. Casey turned around, grabbed Maddy's hand, went to get their jackets and left with the little girl. Casey decided that they would have some pizza tonight.

------------------------- At the pizza place --------------------------

"Here we are!" Casey said to Maddy, looking down at her.

"Where's here?" Maddy asked

"Joe's pizza place, silly, come on…" she said opening the door

"Mmmmm!" Maddy said as the aroma of warm pizza and garlic danced across her nose. Casey smiled.

"Alright what do you like on your pizza?"

"Well, I've never had pizza before, so I'm not sure what's on it." Maddy said. Casey gasped in a joking way,

"You've never had pizza!?!" Maddy shook her head no, "Well then, I think you need to just start off with a classic, plain cheese!" Maddy giggled, "Okay." Maddy and Casey took their seats at an empty table near the window. While waiting for their waiter, Casey decided to start a conversation with the girl.

"So Maddy, what do you like to do?" she asked with a smile on her face.

"Well, when I was with Lily, we used to go to the batting cages, I like softball. Also, we would rollerblade in the park and play Frisbee. After we were in the park for a while, we would have a picnic." Maddy replied.

"Wow, you know what? I like softball too. If you would like, sometime next week, I could take you to the indoor batting cages, since it's winter." She said with a hopeful look on her face.

"REALLY!?! They make indoor batting cages? I would love to! Thanks a lot Casey!" Maddy said with a big grin on her face.

"Sounds like a plan." Just as Casey said this their waiter walked up, and they ordered their pizza.

-------------------------------- Back at the precinct ------------------------------

"Hey sweetie, did you have a good time?" Olivia asked.

"Yes! It was amazing, pizza tastes really good." She said in her little voice.

"Yes, we did have quite the time." Casey told Olivia.

"Hey Maddy, while you were gone, I thought you would like some clean clothes so I stopped by and brought back some of your clothes." Olivia told Maddy.

"Thanks Olivia." Maddy said smiling.

"You're welcome" she replied "Oh and guess what else, we caught the Rudy's and easily found them guilty, and their arraignment is tomorrow!"

"Good. What's an arraignment?" Maddy asked

"An arraignment is what people go to before they have to go to jail." Casey told Maddy

"Oooh."

"I have to go guys, but I will be back tomorrow after their arraignment, okay?" Casey said looking at them both.

"Okay, bye Casey!" Maddy said as she ran up to Casey and gave her the biggest hug her little body could give. Casey looked down at the child clinging to her waist and smiled as she hugged her back.

"Good night sweetie" Casey said as she turned and walked out the door.

"You really like Casey huh?" Olivia asked.

"I guess, okay yes, a lot! She is awesome; she said next week she would take me to the indoor batting cages! She is so nice, but now I'm kinda scared." She said as her smile faded into a frown.

"Why is that Maddy?"

"Because, Tom always told me that if I was ever with the police, that he would hurt everyone I know, and I don't want him to hurt Casey. Has she ever been hurt before?"

"Oh, um...Yes, people have hurt Casey before, and don't worry, we won't let Tom hurt her okay?" she said with a smile on her face trying to comfort the worried little girl.

"How has she been hurt before?" Maddy asked curiously.

"Well, she had a boyfriend, but he had a mental problem and he beat her up." Maddy began to tear up at the thought of someone wanting to hurt the pretty A.D.A, "Another time, a man brought her roses, but ended up beating her too." She said not knowing whether she should have said that. She looked at Maddy and saw her begin to cry.

"Don't cry Maddy, she is okay now." Olivia said. Despite Olivia's comment, Maddy began having pictures of her being beaten in her head. Maddy began to break down, but managed to hold the tears back enough to ask Olivia to stay with her for the night.

"Sure, I'll stay." Olivia replied.

"Thanks" Maddy said while sniffling. They walked into the squad's room with the bunk beds, and they both chose their bed. Olivia chose hers first, and then Maddy chose the one next to her. Shortly after, Olivia fell asleep. Unfortunately, Maddy couldn't sleep, she laid awake thinking about Casey and crying to herself.