References: Salman Kohl (Safe & Ability)

The students had a couple of weeks off before graduation, and most had decided to stay in Quantico with their friends. But Harris' trial had sent chills through the whole campus. Because the FBI wanted to keep everything covert, Harris was being given a quick, private, group prosecution within the bureau as opposed to a mainstream court case for every girl, but it was better than nothing. All the evidence like medical reports and written statements had already been processed during their exams, so now they just needed to testify and then it would all be over. Olivia's friends had agreed to go and support her, and promised that after the trial they'd all go camping in the woods to cheer her up.

"How many of you are testifying?" Astrid asked Olivia as they entered the courthouse. It was the first day of Harris' trial. 9 am. The courtroom smelt like old mahogany and sweat.

"Apart from me, one other assault victim. Two rape victims. Twelve others have come forward with harassment claims. Well, those were the numbers initially. A few dropped out from testifying – they don't want to have to face Harris again. Most of them are Second Years or past students. He's taught at this school for six years. I guess it makes sense that he hurt so many people."

"And you were the first one to report it?" Astrid asked. Olivia nodded in response, looking away. Astrid sighed and gave her a hug before they found a place to sit – Olivia was between Peter and Charlie.

When Harris was first brought in, the crowded room went dead silent. Olivia felt nauseous. He was wearing sunglasses to cover his stitched-up eyes, but his other facial scars could still be seen. He was always a monster to her, but now he actually looked like one. It was horrifying. She hadn't expected seeing Harris again to be this hard. Memories flooded her brain all at once and she scrunched her eyes shut, wincing.

Peter felt her squeeze his hand. "That's him?" he whispered through gritted teeth. She nodded, still not opening her eyes. He pulled her close and she buried her face in his jacket, shivering like a scared child. It took every ounce of self-control he had not to run from his seat and kill Harris on the spot, but he remembered his promise to Olivia. She pulled away from Peter and put on a brave face, still holding his hand. What scared her the most – what terrified both of them in that moment – was the mutual realisation that the worst was yet to come.

They went through all the girls' testimonies, one by one. Broyles fought for each of them relentlessly, while Harris' lawyer, Salman Kohl, made it his mission to wear them all down. After a few days of watching the case, it was finally Olivia's turn to testify. She was sitting on a bench outside the courtroom, her arms wrapped around herself protectively. Peter sat down next to her and tried to hand her a coffee. She shook her head. He made her take it anyway. "Are you alright?" he asked softly.

"No," she whispered.

That stunned him. No matter how bad things got, she'd usually say she was fine.

"Olivia…"

She started shaking her head, looking down. "Peter, I…"

He took her hand and gripped it tight. She didn't have to say anything – he knew she was scared. "Olivia, you don't have to do this."

"Yes I do, Peter. I can't live the rest of my life knowing that I ran away from this. If I don't testify and they let him go…I can't let this happen to another girl. I can't."

He nodded, wrapping an arm around her. "I've never met anyone who can do the things that you do," he whispered.

As Olivia sat in the witness box, she tried to look anywhere but at Harris. His face was unspeakably disfigured with the scars she caused. She could have sworn he was staring at her through his sunglasses. He arrogantly smirked a little, as if somehow he knew that he was scaring her.

He can't see me, she reminded herself frantically. He's not staring at me. He can't see me.

Her palms were sweaty, but her throat was dry. She desperately searched for Peter's face in the crowd. He was already trembling in anxiety and anger, but in his eyes there was reassurance. Broyles began asking her to describe Harris' initial harassment and why she didn't report it. One thing that had been made very clear in the previous testimonies was how Harris always ensured that his victims had a lot to lose. She explained about him threatening Charlie, and she saw how Charlie's mouth fell open in shock and guilt. He would never have asked her to stay quiet to protect him, but that was the kind of girl she was.

Broyles eventually asked her about the assault. Having to even think it made her sick to her stomach, but she knew Broyles was just doing his job. She started recounting, but kept it as general as possible. He apologetically pushed for details. She reluctantly explained everything blow by blow. She'd barely begun when she noticed Peter was really shaking, his hands clenched. When she mentioned Harris first hitting her, he turned white. When she talked about him dragging her into the office, he turned green. When she described how he'd tried to force her into oral sex, he turned dark red and stood up. She thought he was going to beat Harris to death, but instead he turned his face away from her and charged out the door.

Shocked, she quickly asked Broyles and Judge Van Horn if they could stop for a few minutes and ran after Peter. She found him outside, pacing furiously. She called out to him. He ignored her. She approached him and gripped his shoulders, forcing him to stop. "Peter, what -"

"I can't do this, Olivia. I wish I was strong enough a man to sit in the same room as Harris without killing him, but I'm not."

"Peter -"

"I knew it was bad. But you describing all the little details up there…It's a lot worse than what I imagined in my head, Olivia. It's too much. I can't be here. I'm sorry." He started step away from her.

"You bastard," she spat, starting to cry. "You promised me."

"No, what I promised you was that I wouldn't kill him."

"You're bringing up technicalities? Really? I should have known to expect this from you, Peter. You always run, whenever things get the slightest bit difficult. You've literally gone to the ends of the earth to run from your family, your friends -"

"Listen, Olivia, you can call me a coward, you can call me what you want, but I can't be anywhere near that son of a bitch. And that's on me – I know that. But you have no idea how hard it is for me to listen -"

She slapped him across the face. Hard.

"DON'T!" she screamed. "You are the one who has no idea! You think this is hard for you? Try being the one doing the talking in there. Try being the one who it actually happened to. Fuck, Peter - you're not the only one who wants him dead! The only reason he's not is because that glass I smashed happened to hit his eyes instead of his throat. And I still blame myself, because I should have done it, I should have killed him. And I know that rationally he is not responsible for all the bad things in the world, but he is responsible for some of them. I had the chance and I didn't take it, just like with my stepfather, and now I have to face him. Peter, there are girls sitting in that courtroom who didn't get away like I did - girls he actually raped. And you're standing here all pitiful telling me I have no idea how hard it is? It's insulting to them and to me. I resent it. And I fucking hate you."

He stood still, his head hung in shame. He shrugged hopelessly. "What do you want me to say, Olivia?"

She scoffed bitterly, tears streaking down her face. "Don't bother. I don't care anymore," she said. "Either walk away or don't, but I've got somewhere I need to be." She turned on her heels and started back to the courtroom. It broke her heart when she didn't hear him follow her.

"Liv, are you alright?" Charlie asked as she entered the room.

"I'm fine." She looked away, wiping her face.

He pulled on her arm gently. "Livvy, don't lie to me. What happ-"

"I'm fine," she snapped, breaking from him and heading back up to the witness box.

Her breath was shaky as she sat, furious adrenaline raging through her still. Broyles resumed the questioning. "Miss Dunham, the last thing you described was how you managed to briefly break free from the accused after he attempted forced oral penetration, is that correct?"

She tried to focus, but all she saw was Peter's empty seat in the crowd. "Yes," she managed to say.

"What happened next, Miss Dunham?"

"I …" She couldn't get her words out. Frustrated tears began to well up in her eyes again.

"Miss Dunham?"

There was a creak at the back of the courtroom. The door cracked open and Peter slid back inside. Her heart clenched. He came back. He sent her an intense look of apology and support as he found his seat. She knew what he was trying to tell her: he wasn't going to leave again. He knew she could do this. It was going to be OK.

"Miss Dunham, are you alright?" Broyles asked.

"Yes," she said. "Everything's fine." Then she continued her story.

The first thing she did when it was over was run into Peter's arms and let him hold her tightly to his chest as if he was guarding her with his life. They were both crying and apologising, but all was forgotten soon enough. The testimony had been hell, but it was over now.

The next day, it was Harris' turn to testify. They didn't have to watch it, but Olivia felt it was important to face him. When he took the stand, the courtroom's reaction could only be described as chaos. Some of the girls started to cry, finding that the rush of memories was just too much. Some people flew into rages, shouting obscenities. Others whispered about his scars. Judge Van Horn eventually got everyone to stay quiet long enough for Broyles and Kohl to question Harris on each of the girls. Every time, Harris would argue that the girl was lying or she was asking for it. Everyone had immense respect for Broyles in his cross-examinations – it took guts to stand up for what was right against your own friend.

He finally questioned Harris on Olivia's case. "Agent Harris, against Miss Olivia Grace Dunham you have been charged with two counts of sexual harassment, one count of physical assault, one count of indecent sexual assault and one count of attempted rape. Do you wish to amend your plea of not guilty on any one of these matters?"

"Absolutely not," he said smugly. Again, Olivia could swear he was staring at her. Her body tensed but she held her head high, attempting to convince the others and herself that she was fine.

"Miss Dunham claims that the first incident of sexual harassment occurred when she stayed after class to discuss an assignment. Is it true that she approached you to discuss the essay?"

"Initially, yes. But if anything, she was the one who harassed me. She was failing the class – offered to win my favour by sleeping with me. I refused, obviously, but assigned her extra credit work so she could make up her marks. But she just got angry and she left."

"If she harassed you, then why didn't you report the incident?" Broyles asked.

"I knew how easily she could turn it around. It was my word against hers."

"And the second alleged incident in the firing range?"

"That was right after she was injured in a car accident. I was merely asking how she was recovering. If she interpreted any of that concern as an inappropriate interest then I'm sorry but that certainly wasn't my intention."

"Miss Dunham claimed that you physically overstepped your professional boundaries and that you threatened her and her roommate when she wanted to report the harassment."

"No, I only carried out the physical demonstrations required for the lesson and nothing more. And no such conversation ever occurred."

"Were you marking her essays deliberately harshly as she claims?"

"No. Miss Dunham certainly had potential, but the Academy's a stressful place and most girls just can't handle the pressure. I refused to change her marks and eventually she tried to move out of my class, but that didn't work out."

"How did your relationship with Miss Dunham change following these events?"

"I maintained a professional distance, but she was very bitter towards me. There's something you've got to understand about this girl. She didn't like it when she didn't get things her way - she knew the effect she had on men and used it to manipulate them. We keep close tabs on the students, and I noticed how even while she had a boyfriend in the marines, she flirted shamelessly with two classmates in particular: John Scott and her roommate Charlie Francis. I'd always suspected she and her roommate were sleeping together. I hear she's shacking up with a bartender now. And she somehow managed to get you, Agent Broyles, to lift her grades and take her off my extra credit duty – God only knows how she persuaded you to do that."

"It is not my professionalism that is in question here," Broyles growled. "Judge Van Horn, I ask that Agent Harris' suggestions about my client's sexual integrity are stricken from the record as they are utterly irrelevant to whether or not a crime occurred in any of these charges."

"Agreed," said Van Horn. "The jury will disregard Agent Harris' answer. Agent Broyles, you may continue your questioning."

Olivia started to cry. She bit down on her sleeves to muffle her sobs. The last thing she wanted was for Harris to hear her so humiliated. She knew he was going to portray her as a slut but actually hearing it was sickening. She prayed like hell that Peter didn't believe him. It seemed like he read her mind because he brought her close. "Shhh…" he whispered. "He's full of shit. I know he is. Don't listen to him." But she wriggled out of his grasp, wrapping her arms around herself and putting on her best poker face, even though furious tears were seeping out of her eyes. He could tell she was trying to be strong and didn't push her.

"Agent Harris, explain in your own words what occurred on the night the alleged assault took place," Broyles continued.

"I was in the library, working late. I was leaving when I happened to walk by Miss Dunham. I merely reminded her not to study too late and make sure she got some rest. That car accident really put her behind, and it was obvious she was stressed to a point of desperation. She started telling me how scared she was of failing Law. She offered again to sleep with me in exchange for the exam paper so she could cheat. I told her it was ridiculous and we should both just go home."

"Your blood work from the hospital shows an alarming level of alcohol in your system. Don't you think it was irresponsible to speak to a student while intoxicated?"

"Well, I had been drinking outside of school hours, but yes, it was irresponsible. And it's something I really regret, because it gave her a certain level of physical power over me she wouldn't have otherwise."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I was pretty out of it. Before I even realised what she was doing she was all over me. It seemed like the more I tried to push her off the more aggressive she'd get. I had no choice but to get violent with her."

"In what way did you 'get violent'?"

"I grabbed her, shoved her back. I didn't hit her or anything – she's lying about that."

"Her medical report shows severe bruising and abrasions consistent with severe beating. How do you explain that?"

"I can't. After I was blinded I was locked in the office for a long time, during which she could have hurt herself running down the stairs or something, I don't know. All I know is I wasn't responsible for those other injuries. All I did was grab her and shove her back, then she took something glass and smashed it against my face."

Broyles pulled out an evidence bag filled with bloody glass fragments and addressed the jury. "Note that Agent Harris is referring to Evidence Exhibit E, pieces of a broken glass vase." He turned back to Harris. "Where did she get the vase from?"

"The table in the office."

"Why were you in the office?"

"She pulled me in there."

"A small, 23 year old girl was able to drag a man of your size down an aisle into an office? That seems unlikely, don't you think?"

"Listen, Phillip, a lot of it was a blur, you know? Like you said, I was drunk and the trauma of having my eyes slashed kind of scrambled my memory a bit. So if you don't mind, I'd wish you quit hassling me over little details when all you need to know is that Olivia Dunham is a lying little slut. She came on to me, and she deserved whatever she had coming. She wanted me to-"

Olivia snapped. "DON'T YOU DARE TELL ME I WANTED IT, YOU SON OF A BITCH!" she screamed.

"Order!" shouted Van Horn.

"Don't try and rewrite history, Dunham," Harris teased. "We both know how you lie."

"YOU SAY ANOTHER WORD TO HER AND I'LL KILL YOU MYSELF!" Peter roared.

"You must be the boyfriend," Harris sneered. "What's wrong? Jealous?"

"Order, I said!"

"You're sick, Harris," Peter snapped. "I can't believe you get off on this – seeing girls crying, begging for you to stop -"

"Oh you're girlfriend sure knows how to beg," he taunted with a sleazy smile. "But I'm sure you already know that."

Peter lunged towards him, only to be held back by security guards as he flailed.

"ORDER IN THIS COURTROOM!" Van Horn shouted. "Agent Harris, you are only to speak in testimony. Mr Bishop, you and Miss Dunham either take your seats in quiet or leave the room for the duration of Agent Harris' questioning."

Peter, exasperated, turned to Olivia, softening as he saw how broken she looked even with a brave face on. "Please get me out of here," she whispered to him. He nodded and took her hand, walking through the crowd of understanding faces – there's wasn't the first outburst that had occurred during the case. As soon as they were finally alone they let themselves collapse into each others arms, holding each other impossibly tight. Her nails scratched him through his shirt as she sobbed into the familiar warmth of his chest. He seethed into her hair, his eyes watering, while he whispered oaths in her ear. "He's never gonna hurt you again. You'll never have to see him, hear his voice, whatever. If he doesn't go to jail I'll kill him with my own two hands. Whatever it takes. I'll die before he touches you. I promise, Olivia…"

Her only reply was the vibration he felt when her shoulders shook against him, and the sound of her whimpering into his skin. Peter knew that 99% of the time, Olivia was unbreakable - but when she did fall apart, she fell damn hard. He knew that she was strong, and too damn stubborn to let a guy like Harris ruin her life, but in moments like this, part of him doubted that she would ever be happy again. "Peter," she whimpered. "He said that I…It's not true…It wasn't my fault…"

"I know, sweetheart. I know you didn't do any of that. He's a liar."

After a few minutes, she pulled away, wiping her face in embarrassment. "I'm so sorry," she said hastily. "I shouldn't have let myself lose it like that. We should just go home."

She started to walk off and Peter gently pulled her back. "No, Olivia. No more of that "I'm fine" talk from you. Not today." He ran a hand over his head. "That was the last testimony. It could be days now before the jury and judge decide on a sentence. Do you want to be here for it anyway?"

She thought about it, and he could see her mask crumbling just a little. "No," she finally said. "There's too much hate in that room. Too many scared women and furious men. And Harris…" She failed to fight the wince that came to her face. "No. I don't ever want to go back in there."

He brought a hand to her cheek and gave her a slow, passionate kiss. They'd been through hell the last week – they needed to salvage whatever comfort in each other they could. "Let's go home," he said.

She nodded. He offered her his arm and she took it, leaning her head on his shoulder as they walked down the steps of the courthouse. That simple gesture made them feel that despite all the pain, maybe – just maybe – there was hope for them yet. And for now, that was enough.

That was a really tough chapter to write. I need some reviews to make me happy again! Please? *cue puppy dog eyes*