Chapter Two: Everybody Hurts

"So, what's the call?" Olivia strutted out to the squad car where her commanding officer, Karen Smythe, was waiting for her. Smythe wasn't very close to all of the incoming officers, but she took a liking to the strong, independent brunette. She'd taken her with her on three calls so far and had seen an empathetic, passionate, and very promising young law enforcer.

"It's a domestic." Karen waited for Olivia to get settled into the car, "I've been to this place twice in the past month," She pulled onto the road, "I don't know when this lady will leave him, but until she does, we will be there."

Olivia nodded. There was nothing she hated more than men who thought they could hurt women and children. Rapists, child molesters, women-beaters – she hated them more than anything in this world. Those men made her think of her mother, made her think of her father, her entire conception. And she wants to kill these men, just like she wants to kill her father. The only person who knew these things about Olivia – that her father was a rapist and her whole life had been a burden to her mother – was Abbie. She couldn't tell anyone else because they don't get it like Abbie does.

The apartment was a four-story walk up. Karen complained about her knees the entire time, but Olivia practically sprinted.

"Police, open up!"

As the heavy door slowly opened, Mrs. Greenly's bruised face appeared at the door. Olivia searched her eyes.

"I'm Officer Benson, this is Sergeant Smythe. Is your husband still here?"

She nodded, opened the door, and motioned toward the living room.

"You called the cops?! You stupid bitch!" As Mr. Greenly charged toward his wife, Olivia placed herself in between them, while Karen stepped forward and subdued the man.

As Karen began placing the cuffs on him, Mrs. Greenly panicked, "But I don't want him to go to jail. I just want him to stop."

"Mrs. Greenly," Olivia started, "he won't stop. Not as long as you allow him to continue living with you. The next call I'll be out here on will be a homicide if he doesn't get locked up." The woman looked down and Olivia brought her fingers to the woman's chin, "Look at you. Do you see what he's done to you? You're beautiful, you don't deserve this."

"He loves me."

"No, he doesn't. If he loved you, he wouldn't do this to you." Olivia lowered her voice, "I can't make you file charges, but you should."

"Can I come down to the station to do it?"

"Yes, you can."

"Will you be there?"

"Will you come down in an hour? I will be there and I will personally take your statement."

"Okay."

"Thank you, Mrs. Greenly."

"Tabatha."

"Thank you, Tabatha."

When Olivia returned to the squad car, Karen was standing outside of it. Mr. Greenly was handcuffed in the back.

"She's pressing charges."

"What? You got her to change her mind?" Olivia shrugged, "You're good, kid. Listen we have this task force…"

XXX

Hooking up with women was easy for Alex. It helped that she was a looker, but the fact that her family was well known, that she was considered a socialite, that she could throw her money around – it made seduction much smoother.

The older women were the easiest. It seemed like they were just happy to have someone as young and as beautiful as Alex desire them. Alex was worldlier than they'd imagined her to be and it added to her old money charm. The younger girls were more of a challenge, but the moment she pulled out the shiny black Amex, their apprehension seemed to disappear.

But Morgan, she was Alex's pet project. Morgan Cunningham was very much like Alex, though just a few years younger. The county commissioners daughter, she was an undergrad at Hudson. She attended the same parties as Alex. She had long dark hair, brown eyes that sparkled whenever Alex was near her. Alex wanted her and Morgan, even if she couldn't really vocalize it, wanted her too. It had taken two months, much longer than Alex had ever been willing to spend on another person, for her to get her to bed. It had seemed worth it. It had all seemed very worth it until tonight.

As Morgan rolled off her, Alex lie their panting, completely satisfied and dying for a nap.

"I'm falling for you, Alex."

Her eyes popped open and she turned toward Morgan, "No, you're not. You're falling for who you think I am."

"I know who you are. You may try to hide it, but you are compassionate, beautiful, and maybe a little scared of what you might feel if you let someone love you. I may be 19, but I'm not a naïve little girl."

She was naïve. Very. But she wasn't wrong. "Morgan, we can't do this."

"Just leave your boyfriend. You and I could move in together…."

Alex moved out of the bed. "No, no we can't. And no, I can't. I've got too much to lose, Morgan." She started putting on her clothes, needing to leave this situation. It was too close. Too close.

"Are you seriously leaving? Alex, stop. I know you feel this."

"You don't know anything." She was two steps away from the dorm room door before Morgan spoke again.

"I'll tell everyone we've been together. Then you'll have nothing to lose."

Two steps back and Alex was in front of Morgan, "You won't say a word, if you're smart."

"What? Are you going to hit me?"

"No. But if you want your father's career to survive, you'll keep your mouth shut."

XXX

Olivia has always told Abbie that she needed therapy – a counselor of some sort. Abbie always responded with something snarky – "Sex with you is more interesting." "You use me as an outlet, Liv. Why can't I do the same?"

When Abbie was a freshman, she met a guy – a man whose name she's locked away in the deep recesses of her mind. Locked away so deep, she barely thought of it. He was a 3L – mature, self-assured, and handsome. When he asked her out, Abbie couldn't say no. This was the kind of man her mother had told her she should date. He was so sweet during their date. He invited her back to his place. She was afraid that if she said no, he wouldn't want her.

She didn't even know what Rohypnol was until the morning after. She never dated another man. She never spoke of it until she met Olivia and, even now, she didn't like talking about it or dealing with it in any capacity.

Sexuality & Gender Law was coming to a close for the day. Abbie had been late, again, and was forced, again, to sit in the front row beside Librarian Barbie (what she'd decided to call her until she knew her name).

"Excuse me?" Abbie turned around, "You left your pen." Librarian Barbie held out a blue Bic to Abbie and she took it.

"Thanks. Abbie Carmichael."

"Alex Cabot."

"Nice to meet you."

As Alex opened her mouth to hopefully say something witty, her phone buzzed in her hands.

"Oh, sorry, I've got to meet my boyfriend at his class. As usual, he left his keys."

"That's fine, I should be heading to meet my, er, friend. See you next week."

Ten minutes later, Alex was heading out of the law building, Trevor in tow. She spotted Abbie, wrapped in the arms of another brunette. And she was gorgeous.

Alex was intrigued.