The next day, Olivia and Alex don't go back to the courthouse to wait. Liz tells them the jury might not return a verdict for another day or two, so Olivia tries to keep Alex occupied for the day so she won't constantly be worrying about the impending verdict. It doesn't seem to be working.

Olivia's sitting on the couch, Alex curled into the crook of her arm, when the phone rings. It's Liz, telling her that the jury's returned and Alex needs to come to the courthouse right now. "We'll be there in a few moments," Olivia says, glancing at Alex, whose face has turned completely white. She feels Alex start to shake and absently strokes her arm. "No, she's fine . . . okay. We'll see you in ten minutes." She hangs up the phone and turns to Alex. "The jury's back."

Alex's trembling intensifies and she jumps to her feet, bolting toward the washroom. Olivia follows, her heart constricting when she sees Alex bent over the toilet and vomiting. Most of what comes up is just water; Olivia doesn't think Alex has had a proper meal in nearly a month.

She holds Alex's hair back from her face and rubs her back for several long moments. Finally, Alex finishes and stands up, wiping her mouth and straightening her spine. "Let's go," she says in as measured a voice as she can muster, and Olivia wraps her arms around her, pulling Alex into a tight hug.

"Alex, I love you. No matter what. Remember that."

"I know," Alex says quietly, but she keeps a tight grasp on Olivia's hand as they walk together to the car.

Alex can't stop shivering on the ride to the courthouse, and when they get out of the car to walk inside, the vultures swoop down upon them, snapping photographs and shouting at Alex, asking her whether she really did it, what she thinks the verdict will be, how she could have hurt such a little girl. Alex keeps her head down and Olivia takes off her jacket, wrapping it around Alex's shoulders and grasping her arms, both to propel her forward and to comfort, as if she could protect Alex from the crowd, from their angry words and morbid curiosities.

They meet Serena right outside the courtroom. "It doesn't look good," Serena says to Olivia, in an undertone, so Alex won't hear.

Olivia closes her eyes and tightens her grasp on Alex. "I'm coming in with her."

Serena nods. "Come on."

Olivia leads Alex into the courtroom, keeping a hand on the small of her back for support as she walks her to the defense table. Liz is already sitting there, her face impassive and set. She doesn't say anything as Alex sits down beside her.

Olivia wraps her arm around Alex's shoulders again, but Liz shakes her head. "Go sit down in the gallery, Detective."

Olivia sighs. She knows Alex needs her with her right now, but there's nothing she can do except obey. She presses a quick kiss to Alex's temple and goes to do as she's told.

When the jury comes out, Alex can tell by the looks on their faces that it's over. They've found her guilty. They think she molested Lauren.

Alex starts to feel faint. She reaches out for Olivia, but Olivia isn't there, and she forces herself to take several deep breaths as the judge says, "Madam Forewoman, has the jury reached a verdict?"

"Yes, Your Honor."

The judge nods. "Will the defendant please rise?"

Alex barely hears, and Liz yanks her to her feet.

"In the case of the People vs. Alexandra Cabot, how does the jury find the defendant?"

"We, the jury, find the defendant guilty of two counts of sexual abuse in the first degree," the forewoman says, and Alex squeezes her eyes shut. She feels unsteady on her feet and fears she's going to fall over, and blindly grasps Serena's hand to keep from doing so. She won't open her eyes – she won't let their audience see the tears she's trying so hard to hold back.

"The defendant is released until sentencing. Nine a.m. on Thursday," the judge says, which Alex vaguely realizes is the day after tomorrow. This is it. She has two more days of freedom, two more days with Olivia, and then she'll go to prison, for years. She doesn't know how she'll be able to handle this.

And then she's wrapped tightly in Olivia's arms, and Olivia's crying, and Alex can't help but bury her face in Olivia's neck, and she lets herself cry, too.

Olivia shepherds her out of the courtroom, shielding her from reporters and bystanders as they descend the courthouse steps. "I love you," she murmurs, kissing the crown of Alex's head. "I will always love you."

Alex doesn't say a word until she's home, cradled in Olivia's arms and nursing a cup of liquid whipped cream. Olivia gently strokes her hair, kissing away Alex's tears as they leak from her eyes.

"It's going to be okay, princess," she says through her own tears, but Alex shakes her head.

"No, Olivia." Alex is surprised by the strength in her own voice. "I'm going to prison."

"Alex, I will fight for you. I won't give up on you. I know you didn't do this, and I'll make the judge see that. I love you, baby."

"I love you, too," Alex says, and although she's trying hard to suppress her fear, she's absolutely terrified. She knows that prison isn't going to be a fun place for an ADA to be, especially one who's been accused of molesting a child.

But for now, there's just her and Olivia, and she knows she should take advantage of it while she can.

Neither of them can sleep that night. They sit on the couch, holding each other and staring out at the city, illuminated by streetlights and billboards and the stars visible against the night sky, and Olivia lets herself cry until her tears finally run out. She wishes she could fix this for Alex – and for herself – but she doesn't see how she can. She knows Alex is innocent, and she knows that she can't let Alex go to prison for a crime she didn't commit, but what can she do?

But she knows she can't lose her Alex.

"Please, angel, don't cry," Alex says when tears start to run down Olivia's cheeks again at the thought. She gently brushes them away and kisses Olivia's cheek. "Please."

Olivia holds Alex tighter and kisses her hair. "I love you so much." She's said the words a million times tonight – she has to, because she's not sure when she'll next have the chance.

"I didn't do it, Olivia," Alex says, and she can't help the half-sob that escapes her. "How can – how can they think that?"

"I don't know, baby." More tears leak from Olivia's eyes.

Alex burrows deeper into Olivia's embrace, surrounding herself with the warmth emanating from Olivia's skin. "Liv –"

"What is it, princess?"

"Will you –?" Alex looks away.

"Anything, baby. Just tell me what you want."

"Just – just hold me." Alex's eyes flicker up to meet Olivia's. Her baby blues are full of apprehension. "Please. Don't let go."

Olivia tightens her hold on Alex. "Never."

Olivia refuses to let Alex out of her sight on Wednesday. She knows their days together are numbered and she's not willing to waste a second with her princess.

They cuddle together on the couch and put on a movie marathon, complete with popcorn and liquid whipped cream. Olivia rubs Alex's back, strokes her hair, caresses her arm – she can't stop touching Alex. She needs to memorize the feel of Alex's body, so she'll be able to recreate it when Alex is gone.

Thursday is the sentencing hearing, and it takes Liz, Serena, and Elliot to physically pry Alex and Olivia apart. Olivia's holding her love tightly in her arms, unable or unwilling to let go, and Alex's muscles are too tight and numb for her to move.

Her body is limp as Serena extricates her from Olivia and leads her toward the defense table.

Alex barely hears as the judge sentences her to eight years in prison – four for each count. She knows in her head that eight doesn't really mean eight; it means three, with good behavior, but that doesn't even remotely lighten the blow.

Olivia's tear streaked face is burned into her mind as she's led out of the courtroom and loaded into a van destined for prison.

Olivia is broken. She's terrified for Alex and angry at herself for not being able to protect her. Olivia knows what goes on in prisons. Guards and prisoners alike are dangerous, and Alex will be all alone. Olivia is scared of the danger Alex may pose to herself. She's seen the look in her princess' eyes for the past few days. They've been filled with pain and sorrow, and Olivia is afraid Alex will do something stupid. The thought fills her with dread.

Her phone starts ringing again. Olivia has lost count of all the calls she's missed and she knows sooner or later her friends will be banging on her – on their door. It's still their apartment. Olivia will never think of it any other way. She will never abandon her Alex.

Olivia throws her phone across the room, accidentally hitting a picture of her and Alex. Crawling over to inspect the damage, she sees she has cracked the frame. Suddenly close to tears again, Olivia cradles the photograph against her chest, not even caring about the broken glass. Nothing can hurt her as much as she is hurting now.

Olivia is tired of evil winning and good people always getting the short end of the stick. Nowadays, if you are kind, loving, honest, and have a soul, you'll come out worse in the end. No good deed goes unpunished. Her princess has been trying to protect a little girl, and now she's been made the bad guy, and the true monster is free and blameless. He is being hailed as a hero for "protecting" his little girl.

She has to get away from their apartment. She has to get some fresh air and hopefully a fresh outlook. She can't stay here, cooped up with memories and anger and most of all, fear.

Olivia grabs her coat to leave, but then she remembers that once she steps out of the building, the reporters waiting outside will surround her like the vultures they are. They will ask her how she can continue to support her monster of a girlfriend, how she feels about Alex going to prison, if she still believes in Alex, if she still loves her. As if she could ever stop loving her Alex.

Closing her eyes, Olivia leans back against the door and slides down to the floor, pulling her coat tight against her. She feels so cold. The warmth and love in her life has been locked away, and Liz has told her she won't be allowed to see Alex for several weeks. She doesn't know how she'll survive even one more day without her princess.

Olivia shoves her hands in her pockets and her brow furrows as she feels something unfamiliar resting in one of them. She removes the object to see that it's a white envelope, addressed to her in Alex's flowing cursive.

Olivia opens the envelope, being careful not to tear it. The letter inside is all she has left of Alex today, and she won't wreck it.

Her heart constricts as she sees the tears that have stained the paper, and smells Alex's familiar perfume on the page. She feels tears rush to her own eyes as she starts to read.

To my angel, Olivia,

I will never forget the moment when I first saw you. You took my breath away with just one look. You made my heart skip a beat with your smile. You occupied my thoughts every moment I wasn't with you. You stole my heart with just one kiss. You gave me yours when you first said 'I love you'. And our souls intertwined and become one when we made love.

I'm scared, Olivia. Yes, I'm scared for myself, but I'm more scared for you. Who will hold you at night after a bad case? Who will make sure you get something good to eat when you've been working for thirty hours straight? Who will make you laugh when you need it, or comfort you when you wake up from a nightmare? Who will protect you from the monsters we see? Who will love you as much as I do?

I'm so sorry, Olivia. I've hurt you and failed that little girl. I wish I could ask for forgiveness but I don't deserve it. Olivia, I know you promised me that you would prove my innocence, but Lauren needs you, and she's more important right now. Her stepfather is still hurting her. Please, Olivia, help her.

Olivia, you can be angry at me for abandoning you. You can be angry at me for being stupid and getting myself this situation, and not being strong enough or smart enough to get myself out of it. But please don't be angry at me for what I'm going to ask you to do. What I need you to do, is to find someone else to love you.

I want you to move on. I can't ask you to forget about me or the times we shared. You have so much love inside you that you need to share with someone else that can love you as you should be. It's not fair to ask you to wait for me when I may not get out of here for nearly a decade. So I'm asking you, Olivia, please let someone fill your heart where I left that hole. You are my angel, my true love, but now is time to find someone else.

You are my soul mate and the love of my eternity. I will never forget you. I love you, Olivia.

Alex

Olivia's tears stain the page beside the droplets already marking it. How can she want me to move on? How dare she try to push me away to protect me? No, Alex you don't get to do that. I don't care if you think that you are doing it out of love. I am not giving up on you. You are mine and I am yours. I will get you out any way I have to. Olivia kisses the letter and lets the comforting aroma of Alex's perfume linger for a moment before putting the letter back in its envelope and setting it next to the broken frame. The detective opens the door and walks out with a newfound strength, beginning her mission to free her princess. I love you, Alexandra Cabot, and I'm not going anywhere.