Hey guys! Sorry for such a long delay! Thanks to Sarah (L.A. Lights) for being a pain until I updated this. :p And NOW, go read Red Velvet by her, because since I updated this it is now HER TURN TO UPDATE THAT! :]
Elliot frowned as he watched Casey desperately struggling to close the clasp on her necklace, her hands shaking so much that the task was nearly impossible. He slowly stood up and approached her on the other side of the room, where she was standing in front of the mirror and spewing out strings of curses under her breath that he could not even understand. He made sure she was aware of his presence behind her before he gently laid his steady hand on top of her shaking one, taking the necklace from her and closing it effortlessly.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder. She squeezed her eyes shut and nodded slightly.
"I have to." Suddenly she pulled away, retreating back to her closet, presumably in search of shoes.
"You don't have to do anything. I think this would be good for you, you know—getting it all out in the open after seventeen years. But you don't have to do anything you're not ready to."
"Well thanks, Huang," she shouted sarcastically back from her closet. Elliot couldn't see her, but he knew she was rolling her eyes just from the tone of her voice.
"I'm trying to help you, Casey." Elliot remained firmly rooted to his spot, still standing in front of the mirror. He paused, waiting for her response, but getting none. He was about to yell out again when she slowly appeared from inside the closet.
"I know. Thank you… I wouldn't have been strong enough to do this without you." She blushed and crossed her arms, focusing her eyes on the floor in front of her at this admission.
"You're strong, Case," Elliot argued, walking forward to her again. "You don't need me here to do this. You have the strength to do it on your own... you just don't have to, because I'll be here every step of the way." He looked up at her to meet her eyes, and as she slowly raised them he saw just a hint of tears glistening in her eyes, that he would have missed if he weren't staring into them. He stepped forward and gently leaned in, resting his forehead against hers.
"Thank you," she whispered, as she crashed her lips against his own, pulling him closer to her as he deepened the kiss.
Casey frowned as she walked into the courthouse, for the first time in her life empty handed. She couldn't help but feel as though she were missing something—her briefcase, a warrant… anything. Elliot, somehow always seeming to understand what she was thinking before she uttered a word, wrapped a protective arm around her waist, pressing her against his body and effectively calming her nerves slightly.
"Casey!" The prosecutor whipped around as she heard her name yelled from behind her, and barely had time to react before she felt a smaller body crashing into hers and arms wrapping around her. She felt Elliot pull back, and she smiled as she wrapped her arms around the teenager.
"Hi, Alexis," she said softly. "How are you doing?"
Alexis glanced up, tears brimming in her eyes as she kept her arms around Casey. "I'm okay. I'm so glad you're here… I was afraid you wouldn't come."
"Of course I came! I told you I would."
The younger redhead shrugged, pulling away and stepping back enough to look Casey in the eye. "Things change. One day you're just a normal fourteen-year-old girl, and the next your life has been ripped to shreds."
"Hey," Casey reprimanded softly. "This one mess will not dictate the rest of your life, Alexis. You are way too strong and way too brave to let that happen. We'll get through this trial, ideally Sean will go to jail, and you'll take some time to heal and then go on with your life. I'm not saying this isn't going to hurt, and I'm not saying you're just going to forget about it, but I know you won't let this control your life."
Alexis nodded, throwing her arms around the prosecutor again before stepping back somewhat timidly and motioning to her mom, who was waiting behind her. "We should probably go find Tracey… I think she's waiting for us. Thank you, Casey. Will you still be here after the trial?"
Casey smiled and reached into her purse, pulling out her wallet and fishing through it for a card inside. "I'll be here always, Alexis. I'll still be here after the trial, but I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. You call me anytime you need me, okay?"
Alexis nodded, beaming as she reached forward and took the card from Casey's hand.
"Hey, Casey… Alexis…" They both glanced up suddenly to see Shayla walking toward them, obviously looking hesitant to interrupt the moment.
"You came," Casey exclaimed gratefully, turning toward her daughter as she approached. "I thought you weren't coming. Something about 'having no desire to hear about your deranged conception?'"
Shayla smirked, shrugging as she glanced from Casey, to Elliot, to Alexis. "Yeah, well, I figured I owed it to you to be here."
"Well thank you… I'm glad you are."
"Alexis…" Shayla began, turning toward the shorter girl. "I'm really sorry about all this. I hope it's not too creepy for you, knowing about me."
Alexis shrugged, shuffling her feet nervously. "You didn't do anything."
Shayla nodded, turning back to her sister and waiting for her response.
"Okay, Alexis, you should probably go find Tracey, but I'll find you after the trial, okay?" Casey smiled as Alexis nodded and her mom approached the group, resting a hand on Alexis' back as she smiled at Casey and guided her to where they were meeting Kibre.
"Well," Casey finally said, her voice dropping and her smile fading. "Let's get this over with."
Alexis shivered as she sat on the stand, the defense attorney's eyes boring into her.
"So Alexis," Langen began. "You claim that Sean McGinnis 'raped' you, correct?"
"Yes, because he did," she argued, crossing her arms and leaning forward.
"So you say. Now, Alexis, where were you coming from when Sean allegedly raped you?"
"Um, soccer practice…" Alexis responded, not bothering to keep her frustration out of her voice.
"Your soccer team is an all-girls team, but you had a co-ed practice with the boys' soccer team on that day, correct?"
"Yes."
"You have a boyfriend on the boys' soccer team, correct again?"
Alexis' eyes shot up, locking in with the attorney's before glancing over at Tracey, who offered her an encouraging nod, but Alexis could see the emotions running through Kibre's eyes.
"How did you know that?" she practically squeaked, trying but failing to keep her emotions out of her tone.
"That's irrelevant, please answer the question."
"Yes, but…"
"And are you having sexual intercourse with this boyfriend?"
"OBJECTION!" Kibre practically yelled, shooting to her feet. Alexis just stared at the creep in front of her, her mind reeling.
"Your honor," Langen began, addressing the judge before she had a chance to intervene. "I assure you that this line of questioning is relevant. If you'll give me a moment I can continue."
The judge nodded. "Keep it relevant, Mr. Langen, and don't push it. Overruled."
"Alexis, please answer the question," Langen sneered, turning back toward the witness stand.
"I'm fourteen years old!" she exclaimed, her voice rising.
"This is a yes or no question, Alexis."
"No! I'm fourteen! I am not having sex!" she felt her blood boiling, and as she located her mother sitting in the front of the room, she could see the tightness in her mother's face.
"So you're saying that you've never had sex with this boyfriend?"
"Objection, your honor," Kibre argued again, rising to her feet. "The witness just answered the question, and I still don't see how this is relevant."
"Just give me a minute!" Langen assured the judge, who nodded.
"Overruled for now, but be careful, Mr. Langen. You're pushing it."
Langen nodded. "Isn't it possible, Alexis, that you were with your boyfriend at soccer practice, and one thing led to another, and you needed a cover story?"
"OBJECTION!" Kibre practically yelled. "Speculation, your honor! This is ridiculous and unethical! The girl is fourteen!"
"You think fourteen year olds aren't having sex? Wake up and smell reality, Kibre," Langen argued back.
The judge slammed her gavel, silencing the bickering of the two attorneys. "Mr. Langen, I gave you a chance and you are pushing my limits. Back. Off. Or I will hold you in contempt. I suggest you find a new line of questioning immediately. Objection sustained."
Langen grumbled under his breath before looking up at the judge. "Fine. The defense has no other questions for this witness."
"Thank you, Alexis," the judge said softly, glancing down at the girl who had tears running down her face. "You may step down. Court will reconvene in an hour."
Alexis ran down off the stand and into her mother's arms, thanking God that that was over… now all she had to do was wait for the verdict.
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