A/N: So, if you did not read the previous chapter, to recap:

Alex was kidnapped by a right wing religious splinter group, and raped by its leader. Arnott managed to be useful for the first time ever, and provided the lead which allowed the squad to track down and rescue Alex.

As for the questions in the reviews:

Did Casey's father means what he said about no one messing with the Novak's? - Yes...

Is Alex's father going to calm down? - Ummm...not right away. His daughter was kidnapped, and I guess if your daughter happens to be engaged to the offspring of a crimelord, you could probably be forgiven for assuming the two things might be related...

Are Casey and Alex going to be okay? - It seems unlikely Casey would abandon her wife-to-be in her time of need.

So anyhow, on with the chapter, thanks for the reviews, and apologies for the relentless evil, but one cannot have a story without conflict.

Chapter 25: Here

The hours after are a blur.

Elliot guided me out of the house, and even without my glasses, I could make out Casey's copper-blonde hair and pastel blue coat, and I crashed into her so hard, I swear I nearly took her out.

She didn't seem to mind, and her arms were my shield all the way back to the hospital.

She just held me, and repeated over and over 'I'm here, I'm here'.

That was all I needed.

Even as I sat in hospital scrubs, after they took my clothes as evidence, she held my hand as I numbly recounted the details. It felt like my voice wasn't my own. I wasn't talking about myself.

I was clinical, but explicit, but her hand never departed from mine, even if it tensed as I described what he did to me, even if I count feel her anger telegraphed through me.

Olivia took my statement, she managed admirably, though as we left the room I saw her head sink to the table.

God I feel guilty.

A moment of stupidity, a lapse in judgement, and all at once I've thrown so many lives into disarray.

"Take me home," Alex said when everything was done. Statements taken, evidence collected, bad guys in lock up.

There was no more to do tonight, but that set an itch in Casey's gut. So long as she was busy, she could push down her thoughts, resign them to the background.

But without the rush, the purpose, all that was left was her and Alex and an unspoken ugliness.

"They had to search our place," Casey said, softly, "I can't get anyone out to fix the door until tomorrow."

"No, take me home," Alex said again, urgently this time, and this time Casey understood.

"Alright, I'll send someone to get some of your clothes,"

For the first time, Alex didn't complain about Casey's driving as they made their way through the rain slicked New York streets. She sat in the passenger seat, face to the window, sunk low. Crumpled up, she looked tiny. Nothing like the proud woman who weeks ago stood on a stage, commanding a room with her mere presence. She was like a little girl, broken, fragile.

"I'm sorry," Casey whispered, almost to herself, but Alex heard.

"Baby, don't you dare blame yourself for what happened," Alex said, a familiar steel returning to her voice, "this is all on him. And I know you'll destroy him in court."

The road. She needed to focus on the road. She nearly rearended a semi.

"Alex, you know Branch isn't going to let me anywhere near this," Casey said.

Hell, Casey didn't trust herself in the same room as that bastard. The few steps between the prosecution and defence desks were not enough for common sense to kick in. He'd have a pen in his jugular before the judge could so much as raise the gavel. He was under heavy guard at back at the precinct cells, for his own safety, rather than anyone else's.

"I know," Alex sighed, "I just...God I need this to be over already."

"It will be," Casey soothed, "Alright, we're here."

She took Alex's hand, guiding her up the stone brick footpath. The Cabot house was gated, so they'd already been buzzed in, Joseph Cabot knew they were here and he stood in the doorway, his grey - blue eyes bloodshot and sad.

He walked out to meet them.

"Daddy," Alex trembled, rushing into a hug. Her father held her tight and Casey stood back, at a loose end.

"My little girl, thank God you're okay," he whispered, kissing the top of his daughters head. Then he looked up to Casey.

Seemingly reading his mind, Alex pulled away from him, backing up and pulling Casey protectively to her side.

"This wasn't her fault, she saved me Dad. She found me," Alex whispered.

"Lexie, you were never in any trouble until you met her her, please, just..."

"No!" Alex snapped, "you are not blaming her for this, you're not, I won't let you! She saved me."

"Saved you from something you'd never have gotten into if it wasn't for her!"

"Didn't anyone tell you what happened?" Alex said, "I was kidnapped by a cult of homophobic bigoted assholes, it was nothing to do with Casey, nothing!"

"And why exactly would a homophobic lunatic cult think to kidnap you? Why do you think I told you to keep it a secret? But no, Casey here just had to make you broadcast it to the world."

"Casey has never, never made me do anything. You're the one who tries to control me every fucking step of the way, fuck you, and fuck this!" Alex yelled. Casey felt slightly startled by Alex's tirade. Alex rarely cursed (outside of the bedroom) and the vulgarities sounded alien springing forth from her normally proper fiancé's mouth.

"Alexandra Elizabeth Cabot, I know you've had a rough day, but I will not be spoken to like this," her Dad said.

"Forget about it," Alex said, grabbing Casey's hand in a vice like grip, "come on baby, we're leaving. I don't need this right now."

Casey followed Alex back to the car without looking back. His words already burned inside her.

Regardless of her intentions, he was right. None of this would have happened if Alex hadn't met Casey. None of it.

But she couldn't let that show as she fired up the engine.

"I think I know where we should go,"

"Take me anywhere, let's just get away from here," Alex said.

I shouldn't have shouted at my Dad.

I know that.

He's shaken up, I know he doesn't mean it.

I just couldn't take it. I know his words mirrored Casey's thoughts and I couldn't. I just couldn't let him do that.

Family is the most important thing in the world, but at some point, and the demarcation line isn't clear, you just slip over it one day, your partner becomes family. Casey has crossed that line, and I will not let anything hurt her. Not even my father. Nothing.

Somewhere in the last few months, she has become my world. She has been elevated. She's above all others. I can only hope she feels the same.

As if reading my mind, she reaches for my hand as she steers the car with the other. I take it like a lifeline.

"I love you so much," She says. Her sincerity is clear and I run my thumb across her knuckles.

A weight departs from my shoulders.

She loves me. She's driving around at night, keeping it together even though I know she's hurting, all for me. She still loves me. That thought echos in my mind, drowning out all others.

It will be okay.

It will all be okay.

Casey parked up on the street, the drive was populated by a beat up ford.

"Where are we?" Alex asked when Casey didn't immediately get out of the car.

"My Mom's," Casey said, "I know you've never met her but..."

"No time like the present," Alex said brightly, quickly vacating the vehicle, "it's alright, gives me something else to focus on."

Casey quickly caught up with her fiancé and she strode toward the door.

Her mother's was not an ideal destination, but her instinct had taken over when she had taken the wheel. She needed someone in her corner. She needed to remember who she was, and if her mother knew nothing else, she at least knew that.

After a couple of knocks, Erica Little swung the door open, a cigarette hanging from her lips, clad in a vest and levis.

"Casey, you shoulda told me you were coming," her mother said.

"Sorry Mom, I just...can we stay here for the night? Things happened and..."

Her mother stepped away from the door waving them in, "of course sweetheart, come in, it's fucking freezing out, excuse the mess, your sister is away and I wasn't expecting visitors."

Casey led Alex inside, and immediately they were greeted by the 'royal family'. Her mother's dogs.

"You must be the famous Alex," her Mom said, "meet my other babies, William, Charles and Harry. I named 'em after the British royal family. Ain't that a hoot?"

Alex flashed a tense smile, "it's great to finally meet you Mrs Novak."

Her mother swatted a hand, "please, call me Erica. I'm afraid I never married Casey's pa, so I'm still a Miss. I guess that must be a little strange for someone with your background."

"Not at all Erica," Alex said.

"Mom, Alex probably wants to get a shower..."

"Oh, sorry Al, you mind if I call you Al? The bathroom is just through there, the towels are in the cupboard to the left," Her mother said.

"Thanks," Alex said, still attempting to resist the attentions of the dog pack who were springing around excitedly at the new visitors.

With Alex in the bathroom, Casey joined her mother in the kitchen.

"You want a smoke?" Her mother said, offering her pack to Casey. She paused for a moment. Technically, she had quit. But it had been a hell of a day, and the allure was too much. She accepted, a sense of relaxation flooding her body as she took the first drag. It had been so long, she also felt a wobble in her legs. Nicotine rush.

"So tell me Caseybear, what happened?" Her mother said, exhaling a thick cloud. Casey rambled through an overview, her mother's eyes widening with every word.

"Goddamn bastard," She muttered when Casey was finished, "I hope they cut his fucking nuts off."

"If only," Casey concurred.

"Now you listen to me sweetheart, I know I don't know you like I should, and that's mostly my fault, but I know you've got a good thing going with that girl. I've never seen you so happy, and you sure haven't put a ring on no one else's finger, so you need to be strong for her," her Mom said, placing a hand on Casey's cheek.

"I don't know Mom, I don't know what to do, I just feel..."

"Useless? Helpless?" Her Mom chimed in, "I know kid, I know. This is a shitty situation, but you do what you can. Just be there for her. I know you got it in you, you've always been good at looking after people, even when they don't deserve it."

"She does," Casey said.

"So I guess that should make it easy," her Mom said, extending her arms. Casey hesitated for a moment, and her mother said, "oh come on Caseybear, get on in here, you know you want a hug from your mama."

Casey rolled her eyes but relented, sinking into a hug.

"Please don't call me Caseybear in front of Alex," Casey groaned into her Mom's shoulder.

"Oh please, I'm your mother, it's my job to embarrass you,"

Just then, Alex reemerged, her blonde hair falling in damp waves. She frowned as she spotted the cigarette in Casey's hand.

"Long day?" Casey offered as an excuse.

"I'll let you off this time," Alex said, forcing a smile.

"You tell her Al," her Mom said, "it's a terrible habit, wish I'd never started. Why don't you girls go sit down."

Casey put out her cigarette and returned to the station that had been her post all evening, by Alex's side, weaving theirs hands together.

"You know what you girls need? Ice cream, that always cheered up my Caseybear when she got a bee in her bonnet, you girls go settle in the living room, I'll run out to the store," her Mom said.

Alex smiled, only halfway, but it was a start, "Caseybear?"

"My Mom lives to embarrass me,"

When her mother departs to procure frozen dairy product, I join Casey in the living room.

We settle on the sofa, and my heart breaks when I look at her, her shoulders high and tensed, hands stationed on her knees.

I lean into her, wrapping an arm around me. She pulls me tight against her.

I reach up to touch her cheek, turning her face to mine. She looks spent. Exhausted.

I press my lips softly to hers, and she tenses. She's worried about hurting me. But what hurts me more than anything is the thought that he could change anything between us. That the last few hours could cast a shadow over our lives together. I can't. I won't let it happen.

I tangle my hand in the hair at the nape of her neck, and pull her to me. I take her lower lip between mine, giving it a little suck because I know it makes her crazy.

She let's out an involuntary moan into my mouth, and then pulls away, her face flushing pink. Guilt.

"It's still me," I whisper.

"I know," Casey replies.

"Please don't feel like you have to walk on eggshells with me," I say, "You're all that's keeping me sane right now."

"I just," She leans her head back, blinking hard, "I just wish I had got there sooner, I wish..."

I silence her with a quick, chaste kiss.

"You did nothing wrong," I whisper, "don't beat yourself up about it, please just hold me."

And she does. For the first time in hours, I feel safe.