A/N: This chapter is split into two parts. This one and the next one. Hope you all enjoy.

"Raise your right hand...Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you god?"

"I do."

"Please state your full name for court documentation."

"Greylek, Kimberly A." The brunette replies, suppressing an eye roll at what she has long since decided to be pointless crap that just prolongs court trials.

"Miss Greylek, I highly suggest you keep your annoyance to yourself." Judge Preston warns, having gotten over the initial shock of seeing her court full of ADAs on both sides of the courtroom. Peering over her glasses at the defense, she sighs quietly before tapping her fingers against her desk. "The defense may proceed."

Abbie silently stands from her chair, clasping her hands together in front of her as she slowly makes her way over towards the witness stand. "Miss Greylek, can please tell the court how long you have known Casey Novak?"

Kim's eyes drift towards the ceiling briefly as she does the mental calculations of the question. "Probably about three or four years. I met her when I started at the DA's office."

"And has she ever come off as violent to you?"

"Not to my knowledge, no."

"And has she ever expressed any interests in pain or hurting anyone?"

"Never."

"Never." Abbie repeats with a hum as she puts her hands behind her back before she slowly begins to pace in front of the jury, making sure to make eye contact with each and every one of them. "So here we have a woman who is a respected assistant district attorney, has never openly expressed any violent tendencies, and she is being accused of committing the very crime that she prosecutes for a living." She recites before abruptly turning back towards the witness stand. "Miss Greylek, can you please tell the court how long you've known Miss Southerlyn?"

"Objection." The prosecuting ADA exclaims, shooting to her feet. "How is any of this relevant your honor?"

Abbie refuses to hide her eye roll as she glares at the green ADA before turning back to the judge. "Your honor, I am simply establishing a basis of relationship between the defendant, the witness and the accuser. I see nothing wrong with that."

"I'll allow it." The judge retorts, raising her chin in a silent direction of continuance. "Please answer the question, Miss Greylek."

Tightening her jaw, Kim briefly makes eye contact with Serena before taking a much needed deep breath. "I've known her since we were both little kids. We grew up together…"

"And has she ever seemed like a liar? Has she ever come off as manipulative? Doing anything to get what it is she wants?"

"Objection! Leading!"

"Sustained."

"No further questions." Abbie snips, spinning on her heel as she returns to her chair. As she takes a seat, she sighs quietly eying the prosecutor who is buying her time at the table.

"Who is that…" Casey murmurs quietly nodding towards the woman in question.

"Newbie. Gillian something or other." Abbie whispers in response. "With the four of us here and Kim disbarred, my guess is good ole Liz ran out of decent prosecutors."

"Miss Greylek, is it true that you were fired from the District Attorney's office?"

Feeling the question strike a nerve, Kim scowls deeply as her eyes darken with anger. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Hardwicke quirks an eyebrow, tilting her head as she seizes up the former ADA. "Answer the question."

"…Yes, that's true."

"Is it also true that you were disbarred and had your license revoked by the state BAR association?"

"So wouldn't it make sense for you to do anything to get your job back? Including cover for a dear friend who is still employed at said office?"

"Objection. Your honor, the prosecution is coercing the witness."

"Sustained." Preston responds immediately, peering down at the prosecutor. "Miss Hardwicke, be mindful of your footing."

Gillian purses her lips tightly, folding her arms as she paces the stand for a brief moment. "Miss Greylek, have the defendant ever come off as aggressive to you?"

At this, Kim scowls openly, leaning forward in her chair. "I was already asked this question."

"Then it should be no problem for you to repeat your answer from before." Hardwicke challenges, not afraid to stare the other woman down.

Relenting, Kim sighs quietly as she sits back in her chair. "No. She has not."

"I believe your answer when asked by the defense was 'not to my knowledge, no'. Was it not?"

"I-it was."

"Does that not mean that things could have been happening that weren't to 'your knowledge' as you so stated before?"

"Casey wouldn't hurt anybody. I know she wouldn't."

"Answer the question, Miss Greylek because forgive me, but I hardly think that you know everything that happens when you are not around. You just said that it was not to your knowledge. Does that not mean that there could have been something happening that was in fact 'not to your knowledge'? Remember that you are under oath."

Kim purses her lips once more as she folds her arms across her chest and crosses her right leg over her left in the chair. Now she knows the reason that witnesses and defendants always looked like they wanted to strangle her from the bench.

"Miss Greylek?"

"Yes…" she mumbles in response, hanging her head for fear of making eye contact with anyone.

"Not further questions."

000

"Has she ever hurt you? Force you into doing something that you didn't want to do?"

"If sitting through a Mets game is a crime…" Alex retorts, keeping her cool as she knows every nook and cranny a prosecutor would use to get inside a witness's head. Hell, she created most of them. "Casey and I prosecute sex crimes for a living. If she were to ever put her hands on me, someone would be the first to know about it."

"Not unless you were covering for her."

"Objection. Speculation." Abbie exclaims irritably.

"Miss Hardwicke…" Preston warns coldly.

Gillian nods her head in understanding, though she doesn't move to make any eye contact with the prodigal ADA on the stand. Even she knows that one can't hold eye contact with Alexandra Cabot for too long. "Miss Cabot, you have seen a lot of cases in your years of working SVU. That means a lot of victims does it not? How many of them were sexually assaulted by someone that they worked with?"

Alex rolls her eyes, though her face remains its typical mask of ice. "Far too many to be able to draw up a number right this second." She answers honestly.

"So Miss Southerlyn's case is not uncommon? What she says happened has merit to it?"

"Sure. If she were telling the truth." Alex replies, shooting Serena a hard glare over the ADA's shoulder. For a brief second she swears the can see a smug look being returned to her before it is replaced by that of a mask of a scared victim.

Gillian smirks briefly before tilting her head to the side. "If she were not telling the truth, Miss Cabot, then why did the rape kit that was performed on Miss Southerlyn come back positive?"

At this, Alex's icy resolve breaks and her face falls. "What?"

"And why was Casey Novak's DNA found at the scene and on the victim?"

"I—I…"

"You had no idea did you? That you were engaged to a monster?" the prosecutor whispers before turning back towards her table. "No further questions your honor."

Alex's legs feel weak as she is told she can step down from the witness stand. As she takes her seat next to Kim, she allows the younger woman to take her shaky hands in a silent attempt to calm her all the while staring blankly at the floor.

000

"Miss Southerlyn, can you please explain to the jury what happened the night you were attacked?"

Serena shakily nods her head as she drops her gaze to hands, taking a deep breath before beginning. "I—I was only trying to be helpful." She begins softly. "I saw Casey there, at the bar I like to go to, and she looked…upset. I told her I was a little surprised to see her there. She immediately told me to go away and then accused me of poisoning her. As if I had the resources to do such a thing. She was mumbling, and slurring so I figured she was drunk. I kept trying to figure out what was wrong with her but she kept blowing me off. I was worried about her but she told me it was none of my business. I told her I only wanted to help and that's when she told me she didn't want my help and she got up to leave. I knew for sure she was drunk then. She could hardly walk straight. I was worried that she was going to end up hurting herself, so that's why I followed her out of the bar. I only wanted to be a friend and I knew she couldn't drive, so I offered to take her home, but she refused. I was staying at a hotel at the time. Doing a little home vacation if you will. I figured that she was looking for more to drink, so I invited her back to my room for a drink with full intention of putting her to bed. When we got up to my room, that's when she tried to kiss me. I moved away and told her it was wrong, because I knew that she was engaged, but she said it didn't matter. She told me that Alex would never know about it. I told her we couldn't, and I went to get her a pillow and a blanket so she could sleep on the couch. That's when she grabbed me. She pulled me to her and…and she told me that I was going to take it and like it. She told me that no one would ever believe she did anything and I would be wasting my time to tell anyone after it happened. She…she pushed me on the bed and ripped open my shirt and told me she was going to show me why Alex loved her so much. She was so drunk…I can remember the alcohol on her breath and her mouth…her hands…they were everywhere. It hurt so much and I felt so disgusting. I wanted to take a shower to scrub her off of me, but I knew that I couldn't if I wanted something to be done…I—I just want to forget what happened, but-but every time I close my eyes, I see her smirk as she has her way with me."

"No further questions…" Hardwicke murmurs, almost sympathetically before turning to her table.

Abbie purses her lips tightly as she stands up and quickly makes her way over to the stand. "If she was raping you, then why didn't you scream for help?"

"I—I was petrified." Serena whimpers, tears now pouring down her face. "I was in shock at what was happening that I couldn't scream."

"Did you try to defend yourself?"

"I tried to! She was stronger than me! She-she held me down! There wasn't anything I can do!"

"Except lie there and let her take advantage of you."

"Miss Carmichael." Judge Preston warns firmly, locking eyes with the searing brunette.

Taking a deep breath, Abbie tightens her jaw, glaring at Serena one last time before making her way back over to her table without so much as another word.

"We will break for lunch and then return in an hour. Court is dismissed." Preston states before banging her gavel.

000

"This isn't looking good for you Casey." Abbie says firmly as she is packing up her things. "Why was your DNA at the scene?"

"I don't remember Abbie, I swear!" The redhead explains, on the verge of hysterics. "I might've had sex with her, I don't know, but I know I didn't rape her! Please, you gotta believe me."

"I believe you." Abbie responds with a sigh, resting a hand on her friend's shoulder as she looks remorseful. "But I was watching the jury while she was talking. That story she just belched out got to a good number of them. Now I swear to you that I'm going to do everything I can, but all I need you to do is just trust me and tell the truth."

"I can do that." Casey responds, taking a shaky deep breath as she shakes her head. "God, why does this have to happen o me? When Gillian told Alex they found my DNA on Serena, she wouldn't even look at me. Abbie, you've gotta end this. Please. I'll do anything."

Abbie is the one who takes a deep breath before she nods. "I'm doing my best." She responds quietly, jumping when she feels someone tightly pulling on her blazer until she is pulled into a secluded corner. "What the hell-"

"Shhh, shut up." Kim hisses, before releasing the taller woman from her hold. "I need to talk to you."

"A simple 'Abbie can I see you for a minute' would've sufficed." Abbie responds, smoothing out the wrinkles in her jacket. "What's up?"

Kim glances around briefly before stepping closer. "I may have been out of the game for a little bit, but I can still tell when a case is going south…"

"And this one is tanking…fast." Abbie finishes off with a defeated sigh as she rubs at the back of her neck.

"But I think I can help. Emily is flying back in from Washington State and she has some information that can get you what you need. It can get Casey off and turn the tables."

"That's great! When can she get here?"

"That's the thing. Her flight was delayed and I won't know she's here until she lands." Kim explains, biting down on her bottom lip.

Abbie is silent for a moment before she nods. "We've still got to put Casey on the stand before the judge asks for any other potential witnesses. I don't know how long that's going to take."

"Well stall. At least until Em can get here." Kim responds, her eyes pleading for more reasons than one. "Please. I know it's our long shot but it's our only potential option of helping Casey. Casey will get off, Serena goes away, and I can possibly get my job back."

"I'll drag it out for as long as I can…"

End of Trial Part 1 of 2. No worries. I promise future Kimily and most definitely Casandra Fluffy times in the near future. Leave your thoughts!