Authors Note - Thanks for the reviews guys getting them really keeps me writing and glad people like Lacey to. Don't worry there will be more her and Barba moments in time to come.
Chapter 3. Devastating Story Pt 2
Lacey was sitting in Barba's office at the table he had in there with her feet propped reading a book as it was already night time. They had to call in Heather because her case was taking a turn for the worse day by day. And after that conference that Buchanan posted on LMZ it just made everything more worse. Amanda was texting on her phone while walking inside the office as Lacey continued to read.
"You to huh?" Lacey asks flipping a page.
"Yeah, it was supposed to be Liv but some last minute issues with Noah came up so she sent me instead." Amanda said having a seat. "When did you get here?"
Lacey shrugged. "Eh not to long ago and is Noah alright?"
"Yeah he should be probably nothing to bad." Amanda said.
"This way please." Barba said opening the door as Heather and Professor Dillon walked in making both detectives look up. He closed the door offering them a seat as he walked past he slapped Lacey's legs off the table. "Have a seat please."
Lacey glared before standing up along with Rollins she just leaned against the wall and let Barba explain what was happening.
"Alleged assault?" Professor Dillon interrupted him. "Heather was gang raped."
Lacey lowly scoffed leaning off the wall slowly walking behind them. "If that's true, Zach Franklin was not involved."
Heather shook her head. "I could have sworn he was there it was dark but I heard his voice."
Amanda nodded. "Because you told us that they called him by his nickname that you heard him respond."
"Well, maybe that happened in a nightmare I haven't been sleeping." Heather said lowly.
Lacey shook her head wondering why she was lying all she had to do was tell them who really raped her so this could be over with.
"Survivors have unclear memories but the other boys are guilty." Professor Dillon said Barba looked over at Lacey who was giving Dillon an annoyed look. "You have their DNA."
"Well they're claiming it was consensual." Lacey shrugged.
Professor Dillon scoffed. "And you believe them over Heather?"
"Professor Dillon I think it's best if Heather speaks to the A.D.A." Rollins said.
She just nodded Lacey sighed seeing she wasn't getting it. "She means alone."
"I disagree," Professor Dillon shook her head.
"Yeah, well you know that's your opinion." Lacey shrugged.
Professor Dillon shot her a glare which Lacey returned. "I'm the only one who's been here for her."
"You've advocated enough it's our turn." Barba said. "If you want this case to continue I need Heather to tell me exactly what happened to her. And you need to tell Detective Vaug-" Barba was about to say until he saw Lacey's look he shook his head. "Detective Rollins I meant, exactly what Heather disclosed to you."
"We told everything to Skip Peterson." Professor Dillon said.
"Mm-hmm we're talking to him right now too." Barba nodded to her.
Rollins took Professor Dillon into the conference room as Lacey took a seat next to Heather and decided to let Barba do the questioning. If needed be she would jump in but they had a way of getting the truth out of people. She could already tell Barba wasn't really a believer of Heather being gang raped either.
"Start from the beginning Heather." Barba said taking his spot behind Lacey's chair but he was turned to Heather.
"I went on a date with Brian we got a little drunk then we made our way back to the frat." Heather said looking neither of them in the eye as if trying to make sure her story was right. "I thought he liked me but it went wrong it was horrible."
"Focus on the facts." Barba quickly said resting his hands in his suit pockets. "Did Brian lead you into a dark room where three of his brothers were waiting?
"His room was dark but it was empty at first." Heather said as Lacey brow raised in confusion that wasn't what she said before Barba looked at her confused. "So Connor Howell and Lance Mosconi weren't waiting there?"
Heather quickly shook her head. "Connor came in later I'm positive of that."
"And Lance?" Barba asked.
"I don't know I know he was outside but it was dark I was drunk confused." Heather said.
"Confused about what?" Lacey asked.
"Professor Dillon told me that I was so traumatized. That it would take a while for me to process what had happened." Heather replied.
Barba and Lacey shared a look before looking back to her. "Heather Did Brian Mackey rape you?" Barba asked.
"I was drunk he started to have sex with me he moved really fast." She said lowly playing with her fingers.
Barba gave her a look. "Did you move with him?"
"I guess in the beginning." Heather shrugged.
"So it's possible it was consensual." Lacey said her phone vibrated she pulled it out seeing it was a text from Carisi.
"I'm not sure I passed out when I woke up Connor Howell was on top of me he was raping me." Heather said looking at them making Lacey look up she was right it was only one guy and the one she suspected. "I absolutely didn't want that I remember Brian coming back into the room."
"And the others?" Barba asked.
"That night is a blur guys harassing me as I left When I told Professor Dillon that. She said they probably all took a piece of me." Heather said.
Lacey showed the message she received to Barba who took it looking it over.
Carisi: Skip Peterson never talked to anybody else to confirm what happened to Heather not even the school he talked to Professor Dillon and then Heather in that order exact
Barba hummed in agreement taping his foot before looking up at her. "Professor Dillon told you that? Can you wait here a minute?" Heather nodded. "Detective can you come with me please?"
"My pleasure." Lacey smirked getting up following him she wasn't about to miss this Barba was officially ticked off she knew Professor Dillon had something to do with this.
Barba quickly walked in making Rollins and Professor Dillon look up. "I need to know exactly what you told Heather." He quickly said as Lacey appeared taking her spot next to him.
"What she already knew it was barbaric the way they abused her, taunted her, assaulted her." Professor Dillon said.
"But she was raped, right? Is that what she told you?" Rollins asked.
Professor Dillon nodded. "Yes."
"Okay, by how many men? And we mean the real number she told you." Lacey said hearing enough of the lies from her.
'What difference does that make?" Professor Dillon shrugged.
"Excuse me?" Lacey frowned as the three of them was now giving her a look.
Professor Dillon sighed getting annoyed. "She was assaulted does it matter by whom? for how long, in which orifice?"
"Yes! Yes!" Barba quickly said in an upset tone before taking a deep breath calming down. "Yes It matters we are talking about criminal charges based on specifics of what happened."
"It doesn't matter what happened to her." Professor Dillon said upset as Lacey shook her head in disappointment at the woman. "What matters is it happens every day and these frat boys strut around like they're bulletproof. So a few of them finally have to take responsibility? Good." She shrugged.
"Your sick." Lacey said plainly.
She scoffed. "This isn't about you or these boys or this case this is bigger than any of us. This is about eliminating rape culture once and for all."
Barba and Rollins looked at her with frowns Lacey shook her head. "Eliminating rape culture huh? Is that what you call yourself doing because if this was your big plan it failed. It blew up in your face and if Heather really was raped no one will believe her...because of you."
Lacey walked out with Barba following behind her he shook his head at Professor Dillon before walking out.
After dealing with Professor Dillon and Heather, Lacey went down the street to the bar/grill spot the team would always go to. She was spinning her straw around in her drink while going through her phone.
"Seat taken?" A voice asked.
Lacey looked up seeing Rafael and smirked before continuing what she was doing. "Free country." He smirked before joining her with his drink making her brow raise. "Scotch? Somebody must be upset."
"And your not?" His brow raised.
"Of course I am I believe Heather was raped but by Connor the rest are innocent in my eyes the kid gives me the creeps anyway. Dillon thought she was helping Heather but if anything she made it worse." Lacey shook her head putting her phone away.
Barba shook his head. "Dillon set the clock back big time still have to go to court and let them go."
"Even Connor Howell?" Lacey asked as he simply nodded. "Come on Rafael can't you at least try to keep him."
"You know just as much as I do if that even if we charge him when Heather takes the stand no jury is gonna believe her not after this." Barba said. "But if it means anything I believe you about Connor."
"Thanks." She ran a hand through her hair pushing it all to one side. "My job just will never get any easier, will it?"
"Not unless you become a receptionist." Barba shrugged getting a laugh from her.
"You got me with that one and I have been meaning to ask you, have you talked to Alex since um yah know." She nudged trying to get him to bring it up.
"No I haven't actually," Barba's look turned into an almost sad frown as he took a sip of his drink. "I don't think he will even talk to me anyway not after what I did."
Lacey sighed. "For the hundredth time Rafael you didn't do anything I know you feel like it's your fault. But in reality it isn't Alex he brought that on himself nobody made him do it. You tried having his back but you could only do so much."
"Yeah," He nodded. "I guess your right but what about you Kaitlin's birthday is coming up."
"Yeah I decided not to visit her grave this time I need to learn how to let it go, yah know?" Lacey said shrugging.
"She was your sister." Barba said as Lacey eyes flickered up he was about to step on a land mine but if he didn't say anything nobody would.
"That is true and she wouldn't he six feet under if it wasn't for me but I have to work in the morning so I gotta go." She said pulling out her wallet.
"Classic Lacey Vaughn move when it's time to let somebody in she shuts them out." Barba shook his head.
Lacey stopped looking over at him before scoffing out a chuckle. "Yeah, and maybe because the last person I let in he left and shut me out..for years." Slapping the money on the table she grabbed her coat. "See you at court Mr. Barba." She waved back at him heading out the bar getting outside she whipped her face sniffling before heading down the street.
Barba sighed playing with his glass. "If I knew it would hurt you that much I wouldn't have left at all..."
The next day Lacey walked in the court room and took a seat behind Barba as it was only them there. She was wearing a black suit pants and blazer with a light pink button down that had a couple buttons done up top. Black heels and her hair was out in curls like always with her bangs swooping past her eye.
Buchanan cleared his throat making Lacey roll her eyes that was one D.A that got under her skin. "Your Honor, given the collapse of this case we move for a dismissal of all charges against the four defendants."
"How say you Mr. Barba?" Judge Pepitone asked.
"We are prepared to drop the charges." He said agreeing.
The judge gave him a shocked look. "Against all four of the accused?"
"Yes, your honor all four." Barba nodded.
"Assuming no other holds, you are free to go gentlemen." She said banging the gavel ending the case.
"Thank you, your honor." Buchanan nodded as the boys celebrated bro hugging each other.
Lacey got up going over to Barba and noticed he was glaring at somebody looking to her left she saw Connor looking over at them. He had that cocky smirk on his face this made Lacey shoot him a glare that could kill. Connor's smirk dropped a bit before paying attention back to his friends.
Barba shook his head getting his stuff ready with a look of regret Lacey noticed this. Even though she was still a bit mad about yesterday she decided to let it go.
"Come on I'll give you a ride back to your office." She said as he nodded they both walked out the courtroom.
Barba scoffed letting the door close behind them. "I should have nailed him with something, how are things with the team?"
Lacey shook her head sighing. "Not good your on a string and Dodds is hanging me and Olivia out to dry."
"Typical." Barba scoffed. "Listen about yesterday-"
"Don't even worry about it I decided to go to her grave in a way you where right." She said smiling a bit as they walked outside.
"You admitting I was right?" Barba looked at her in disbelief. "Let the balloons and confetti fall from the sky."
"Oh shutup." Lacey smirked as they walked down the steps and to the car.
Lacey met up with Olivia later at Hudson since they both had to basically go on an apology tour something she hated. She hated this one the most because she had to apologize President Roberts it made her frown just thinking about it. They where both sitting in front of her desk as she sat behind her desk leaned back in her chair.
"Given everything that's happened we both wanted to apologize for our tones a few days back." Olivia said she looked to Lacey who had her legs crossed looking uninterested. "Ahem." Olivia coughed Lacey looked over she sent her a look.
Lacey nodded. "Yes we really do apologize for having tones with you it...was not right." She sighed gripping the arm of the chair that apology took a lot of her.
President Roberts nodded. "We were all taken advantage of and we both had blinders on."
"You know, it was the perfect story." Lacey said.
Olivia nodded. "It confirmed all of my preconceived notions. And that alone should have made me approach it with more skepticism."
"And, to be honest," President Roberts spoke up getting there attention. "I can't help but ask if I'd listened to Heather instead of badgering her with questions. This wouldn't have ended differently."
Olivia shrugged with a nod. "Maybe."
"Yeah, maybe she would have told you the true story because Connor Howell did actually rape Heather." Lacey said gaining President Roberts attention. "You have a dangerous predator on your campus and now that he's gotten away with it...he'll likely be emboldened."
"And you can't prosecute, but you want me to discipline him?" She asked.
"She's asking you to do what you can." Olivia said.
"A lot less than I could have last week we had an incident last night. The first thing the accused said to campus security was 'she's lying just like Heather Manning'." President Roberts said.
Olivia sighed shaking her head. "I don't blame Heather but Skip Peterson and Professor Dillon they pressured her into coming forward."
Lacey nodded. "They thought this would be the case that would change rape culture and it did alright...it set the clock back 30 years."
After the talk with President Roberts they walked out her office and down the steps.
"Thanks for having my back in there Liv." Lacey said buttoning up her coat.
"Always and I know Connor raped Heather he's just one of the lucky ones that got away we can only hope that talk worked." Olivia said with a sigh.
"Time will tell, how's Noah?" She asked putting her hands in her pocket as they walked through the halls.
Olivia nodded. "Better then before I'll tell you that but as long as he's healthy then I'm at ease."
"Motherhood is bringing out a different side to you Liv starting to see your sweet side." Lacey smirked.
Olivia chuckled. "At least people know I have one Lacey." She said smirking before walking out the door.
Lacey stopped shocked. "Hey! I have one just only on birthday and holidays." She said walking out letting the door close behind her.
That was chapter three thought I get it up before Law & Order SVU tonight I will fix mistakes later don't worry. But leave me a review letting me know what you think and see everybody in the next update!
