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Nine Years Earlier, Bagrum Afghanistan

"Please!" PV2 Ashlee Coil sobbed into the phone. "You can't let him do this!"

"Yo, Coil, you alright?" one of her fellow soldiers asked as they came up to her. She shushed him with a flailing hand and turned her attention back to the phone.

"Mam, I'm sorry," the exasperated woman at the bank told her for what seemed to be the hundredth time. "There's nothing I can do. You gave him unlimited power of attorney, there's no way you can get your money back."

"It's ten thousand dollars!"

"I'm sorry."

"But-!"

"Good bye."

A long dial tone signified Ashlee had been hung up on.

"Fuck!" Ashlee screamed as she slammed the phone down on its receiver, making everyone in the tiny room look at her in alarm. She covered up a sob with her hand as she grabbed her weapon and rushed out of the phone room.

One of the Officers who had been waiting in line rushed after her, easily catching up with her.

"Coil, what's wrong?" he demanded with a gentle voice. "What happened? Is everything okay?"

Ashlee turned and struggled to hold her bearing in front of the officer but the tears refused to cease. "My- my boyfriend broke up with me last month, and I was fine with it, ya know? But I left him Power of Attorney an- and he stole like all my money I made so far! Like all of it, Sir! I have nothing!"

He held up a hand to silence her. She bit her bottom lip to hold back her tears but that did nothing for her composure. "Coil, you gotta calm down, okay?" The Captains voice was soft and sweet, putting the frightened Private at ease. "I'm a JAG officer and I'm gonna help you."

The soldier offered her a gentle smile and Ashlee couldn't help but smile back at the handsome Captain. She took a shuddering deep breath and nodded.

"Good," he said with a nod as he led her towards his office. Ashlee looked up at the taller man and couldn't help but notice how incredibly handsome he was. "I'm Captain David Haden by the way…"

…

Olivia's mouth fell open. Her eyes grew wide and her mouth fell open. The Detective sat in shock for what seemed to be forever to her but what was in reality only a few moments.

Ashlee let out sob and shook her head, some of her pale hair falling in her face. "I knew you wouldn't believe me!"

Olivia cleared her throat and opened her mouth to speak but no words would pass her lips. Finally she just forced a VERY forced looking smile to her face that appeared to Ashlee and others around her as more like a grimace before she got up from her desk, her legs shaking violently, and walked into Cragen's office.

Ashlee covered her hand once more only this time it was to stifle a grin instead of a convincing sob. She had read enough about her to know that she believed the victim one hundred percent until she was given absolute reason not to. Ashlee looked and played the part more than convincing enough and she knew it would only be a matter of minutes before Olivia broke up with him and he would be free for Ashlee to love once more… The deceitful blonde took a deep breath to steady herself before she regained her previous composure and bowed her head as more tears fell down her skeletal face.

…

"She's lying!" Olivia cried to Cragen the moment she had told her CO what Ashlee had said. "David was with me all last night, he didn't rape ANYONE! She's confused and mistaking him for the guy that attacked her, Captain, I know it! You can't believe he would do-!"

"Olivia!"

Olivia bit her bottom lip to keep from shouting at Cragen any longer.

Cragen took a long deep breath before he looked up at his frantic Detective. "First things first is you need to calm down. If she hears you saying that she's lying, she isn't gonna wanna cooperate alright? So knock it off with that."

Olivia nodded, struggling to keep her bearing in front of him. "Second," he continued, "you need more information on what happened. Maybe she's traumatized, her attacker LOOKS like David, she saw the picture, and it came back to her. This could all be a case of mistaken identity."

"It is," barked Olivia angrily. "He didn't do this!"

"I'm not saying he attacked anyone," Cragen said, raising his voice slightly. "But you need to hand this case off to Fin and Rollins as soon as they get back from court, do you understand?"

"Fine."

"Good. And you are NOT allowed to talk to David about this,"

"He's allowed to know he's being accused," Olivia argued.

"If Fin and Rollins feel that he's a suspect, they will talk to him and you will stay out of it. You however, are not going to mention Ashlee Coil or her attack to him, do you understand me?"

Olivia stared defiantly at Cragen who raised a brow at her. "Are you really going to test me on this, Detective?"

A long tense moment passed before she finally spoke in a voice that told him in no uncertain terms she hated the gag order. "No, Sir. I'll keep it secret"

Cragen gave her a curt nod in response. "Good." He nodded towards the door. "Go home for the day, Liv. I'm not gonna let either of you feel uncomfortable around each other."

Without another word directed at her superior Olivia left the office. After she shut the door behind her Olivia struggled to take a breath as she walked over to her desk, forcing that half assed grimace to her face once more.

"Ashlee." Olivia winced as her words expertly portrayed her anger towards the situation. She cleared her throat before she tried again. "Ashlee, another set of Detectives are gonna be here soon to take you to the hospital and get your statement, okay?"

Ashlee shook her head franticly. "No!" she cried franticly. "I don't want someone else, I want you!"

"Ashlee, listen to me-," Olivia began softly but Ashlee interrupted her.

"Please!" she cried, another sob choking her. This one was real however. If Olivia didn't investigate, there could be a chance she stayed with David, and Ashlee would rather die than have that happen. "Please, I want you to deal with my case"

Olivia ran a troubled hand through her hair as she sat down beside the victim. "Ashlee, listen to me, I can't investigate your case," she explained as gently as she could. "The man you accused is… It would be a conflict of interest for me, and it wouldn't be fair to anyone involved, including you, for me to investigate. The two detectives that will handle your case are the best I work with."

"No!" Ashlee screamed as she clenched her now shaking fists. She was ruining everything! She knew she loved David! That's why the ugly bitch doesn't wanna investigate! She doesn't want to deal with the competition!

Several people turned towards the scene and Olivia felt her face go hot with blush. "Ashlee, calm down."

"No!" Ashlee cried defiantly, "it's you or I walk out that fucking door now and if he hits again, it's on your head! And I'll tell everyone how SVU refused to help me because I accused one of their lawyers!"

"Ashlee, that's not it."

"It'll look that way to CNN!"

Olivia raised her brow at the young girl in front of her who stared rebelliously back at her. Normally when a victim would cling to one particular detective, they would look to them like a hero, never dreaming of threatening them or the unit. The two women stared at one another for several more moments before Olivia sighed and nodded. She'd rather get in trouble for disobeying then this woman not report what had happened to her. "Okay," Olivia breathed. "Okay, I'll be your primary detective."

"Thank you," Ashlee answered with a curt nod.

Olivia gave her as much as a comforting smile as she could before she spoke again. "Is it okay if I drive you to the hospital?"

Ashlee nodded, much meeker than before, and without another word towards one another, the two women headed out of the precinct with Olivia physically supporting her the whole way down. They were silent until they reached their car when a voice that normally brought a smile to both their faces reached their ears.

"Ashlee, get in the car," Olivia ordered as she opened the passenger side door and all but shoved him in the car.

"That's him!" cried Ashlee, struggling to maintain the lie that she was terrified of him, not turning towards him to further her lie. "That's his voice!"

Olivia felt like a thousand pound fist just slammed into her chest as she shut the door behind the victim. She turned just in time to see David carrying a single red rose with a smile that normally melted her heart on his face. "Hey, beautiful," he greeted as he leaned in for a kiss that Olivia dodged.

David chuckled as he nodded and took a step away from her. "Sorry, sorry. I forgot no PDA in front of the office."

"What are you doing here?" she asked as she took a step in front of the passenger side window to block Ashlee from his view.

He shrugged as he nodded towards the building, "McCoy wanted me personally to walk the paperwork through on the Dobega case. Big political names involved, wanted everything to be tight."

"The only big political name involved in that case is some mayor in Wisconsin. Why would the EADA of Manhattan need to be involved?"

"Well, it was actually my assistants assistant best friend who got the job of that, but I figured it would give me a n excuse to see you so I jumped on it. I also wanted to give you this." He handed her the rose and Olivia swallowed hard as she took it from him.

"What's this for?" she asked, hating the suspicion that lingered in her tone.

"Well," he began with another smile, "you get that one as a little treat now, and then you get the rest when you come over tonight and I make you dinner."

Olivia rubbed the back of her neck with the hand not holding the flower. "I um… I actually gotta work late tonight. Maybe another time?"

"Sure," he told her without a single hint of anger or annoyance that usually lingered in her dates voice when she told them she had to work. "Can you call me when you get out?"

Olivia nodded and David chuckled as he went to push a piece of hair away from her face but once again Olivia moved away from his innocent touch. "You know, if you're not even gonna let me touch you at all, you should stop looking so hot at work," he said with a crooked grin that usually made her weak in the knees.

All she could manage was an awkward smile. His face fell and Olivia swallowed hard at the concern in his features. He really did care about her…

"Liv, is everything okay?" he asked, all hints of playfulness vanishing.

"I'm fine," she lied. "I just… it's been a long day."

"You sure?"

"Yeah,

He nodded and offered her a smile far weaker than before. "I'll call you later, alright?"

Olivia nodded and gave him a minute smile to send him on his way. After he disappeared into the building Olivia stood staring after him for a long moment before she turned towards Ashlee who had stayed surprisingly silent for a victim who had just spotted her… someone she had mistaken as her attacker.

The Detective swallowed hard before she looked down at the red rose he had given her, running her singers over the silky pedals. Olivia took a shuddering breath before she turned towards Ashlee who had tears rolling steadily down her face.

Olivia assumed it was because she had just seen and heard the man she thought attacked her, but in all actuality it was of the flower she held in her hand. Olivia didn't deserve something as beautiful as roses from a man as perfect as David. No one did because no one really loved him as Ashlee did.

Ashlee was going to make sure that bitch burned in hell for hurting him the way she was…

"I'll be right back," Olivia told the blonde. "Stay in the car, lock the doors."

Olivia all but ran into the building and spotted David just as he was about to get on the elevator.

"David, wait," Olivia called out to him as she hurried over to him. He turned just in time for her to throw her arms around him and kiss him on the lips, giving no care to anyone watching.

He stood in shock for a moment before he wrapped her arms around her waist and pulled her in closer, kissing her back hungrily.

Their lips finally broke apart but they still held on tight to one another.

"I'm sorry," she whispered as she laid her head on his shoulder, deeply inhaling the expensive subtle cologne that almost seemed to put her at ease.

"For what?" he asked as he stroked her silk like hair.

Shaking her head, Olivia pulled away from the touch, wiping away the tears that began to stream down her face. "I can't… I can't tell you. You'll find out soon though, and when you do, please know how sorry I am."

David grabbed her by the hand and gently led her away from the elevators under the stairs. "Liv, I don't know what's going on but it's hurting you so I don't care what it is. Just talk to me."

"I can't."

"Yes you can," he argued with a soft urging voice. He moved a stray piece of hair away from her face. "I hate seeing you hurt."

Olivia closed her eyes as more tears leaked out that he wiped away. "Talk to me," he whispered faintly.

She shook her head as her eyes reopened and she found herself staring deep into his hazel eyes that would normally make her go weak in the knees. "I gota go." Her voice was faint and no more then a whisper but he heard it.

"Olivia, wait," he pleaded as she began to walk away. "Tell me what's wrong…"

Olivia ignored his pleas and instead walked out of the precinct, wiping the tears from her eyes, clutching the rose tight to her heart. She got back in the car and Ashlee turned towards her, fighting against the grin she so desperately wanted on her lips. "Are you okay?" Ashlee asked when Olivia slammed the door shut.

"I'm fine." Her answer was a bit edgy but Ashlee nor Olivia cared. Ashlee looked down towards the ground before she spoke again. "Was it something I did?"

"No," Olivia told her, unable to look her in the eyes as she spoke the lie. "Ashlee, why don't you just relax, okay? We'll be at the hospital soon alright?"

Ashlee nodded before she turned out towards the window. She saw David staring at the car with a look so downtrodden and heartbroken that it made Ashlee's jump for joy.

The plan was working perfectly…

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