He's working long hours now, trying to get the guy for Phil, trying to get the guy for Lizzie… he wants to take some time off with her after the trial, take her away somewhere, so if he pulls extra shifts he'll have more money and time to do that.
She's gonna need the break, whether they get him or not.
And another reason keeping him at the precinct… he's feeling guilty beyond belief at what he did, at how he betrayed her… Sherri had called him at the precinct the day after and he made it clear that it was a one-time thing. She'd taken it well, thank Christ, and she's not the sort to blab anyway. He prays-for the first time in years-that Lizzie never finds out. It would break her heart.
So he signs up for extra shifts and comes home and tries to take care of her and holds her close and loves her and tries not to cry when she wakes up screaming.
He can't watch the whole trial, only the first day. He can't take the time off and besides, if he showed up every day it would only lend credence to the rumors about them. The jury isn't sequestered and Melnick had already shown she'll use the press as a weapon. Better to stay away, get back to the apartment late and leave early, and stay under the radar.
After the first day of the trial she'd disappeared for the entire afternoon and evening. When she came back she was, oddly, more peaceful than she'd been since it happened. She'd kissed him with passion and said she wanted to go further, but she couldn't. It tore him apart. He never wants to make her feel that way, and he figures it was when he rolled her onto her back, his weight… he was stupid. That's how he bastard did it, so whenever she wants to try it again, he'll pull her onto his lap, and… he cuts his thoughts off but it's too late, his body has already started to respond. He tries to concentrate on anything else but it's been so long, and he's in the shower, and…
He feels vaguely disgusted with himself when he gets out of the shower. From now on, he can hold off until she's ready. It'll be fine.
He does come to the trial on Monday, though, to listen to the bastard testify. He can only take the morning, but that's all he needs.
The nurse goes first, and lies on the stand, claiming Lizzie was flirting with the bastard, that she found him attractive. He's on the edge of his seat, waiting for Stone to discredit her with what he's dug up on her-two drug convictions, using and selling-he sent the report over last week. He's relieved that he found something on her, because he figured Merritt was gonna have her in his pocket.
But to his astonishment, then anger, Stone only asks her about her salary.
What the fuck? he thinks, unable to get Stone or Robinette's attention. He's in the last row but one, and he can barely see them in the packed courtroom. Lizzie is sitting next to her parents, and Chrissy is behind her next to Peter and Miranda. He can barely see her, though he sees from her jerky movements she's tense and angry.
The doctor is up next.
Melnick goes first. 'The District Attorney has produced a tape which they claim is evidenced that you raped Miss Olivet. Is that true?'
'Of course you didn't hear the flirtations on the tape that occurred in my office, prior to the examination,' the bastard says, slippery as an oil spill.
'Was this the first time she was friendly?' Melnick asks.
The bastard shakes his head. 'Miss Olivet's dialogue was suggestive from the moment we met. As a matter of fact, she called me earlier in the day and it wasn't about her scheduled appointment. I shouldn't have made love to her, I realize that.'
He almost vomits. If he's feeling like this, how does Lizzie feel?
The bastard continues, 'I regret it. But there's no way in hell that I raped her.'
Melnick concludes with a simple, 'Thank you, Doctor.'
When Stone stands, he is praying that he fixes this mess.
'Doctor, your nurse, Miss Gregg, testified that many of your patients become suggestive with you, is that true?'
'Yes,' the bastard replies, as though it's normal, as though he's not a rapist, the scum of the earth…
'Was Dr. Olivet the only one you ever had sex with?'
Melnick stands. 'Objection. Relevance.'
'Offered to show defendant's predisposition, Your Honor,' Stone says.
Melnick snarks, 'The defendant is predisposed to have sex. He is a human being. The issue here is whether he had non-consensual sex.'
'Sustained,' the judge says, and he's just as bad, he's clearly against Lizzie…
Stone tries, 'Then tell me about your second wife, Doctor. Specifically, why she killed herself wearing a leather hood.'
The bastard looks astonished and Melnick says again, 'Objection. Relevance.'
Stone is getting angry now. 'Your Honor, the defendant tends towards aberrant sexual practices. And this is offered to show his predisposition to criminal sexual behavior.'
The judge beckons them. 'Approach.'
He's covered the microphone, so he can't hear what they're saying, but Stone looks pissed.
'The objection is sustained,' the judge calls as the lawyers make their way back. 'The jury will disregard the preceding question.'
Stone tries a different tack. 'Dr. Olivet testified that after the injection she was left immobile, nearly unconscious. Is that a typical reaction to an anesthetic, Doctor?'
The bastard shrugs. 'Some people have allergic reactions. I gave her a local, a small dosage of lidocaine. It was for her own benefit.'
'Do you usually anaesthetize your partners before sex, Doctor?' Stone asks angrily.
'Objection!' Melnick calls.
'Withdrawn. Do you call all your women bitches, Doctor?' Stone asks.
'Your Honor!' Melnick cries.
'Enough, Mr. Stone,' the judge says, and Stone throws up his hands and stalks back to the table.
What the fuck-is that it? he thinks, as the judge begins to instruct the jury. It is, apparently, because they give their closings and the jury follows out and the judge leaves and everyone rises.
He can't make his way to Lizzie, not here and not now, especially as she doesn't know he's here and he doesn't want to startle her. He spots Diana making her way towards Lizzie and remembers what she said-that she'd ask Lizzie to come back to her office with her. He makes his way out of the courtroom and over to Hogan Place.
They catch up to him while he's waiting for the elevators. Lizzie looks at him with something approaching relief, and Isobel and Nick look drained and weary. Diana is stoic, holding up well, though he knows how awful it is to see someone you love go through this.
'Jack's in court, so we can wait for the verdict in his office. I asked the court clerk to call there when the jury's back.'
'How long do you think it will take?' he hears Nick ask as he makes his way over to Lizzie, standing next to her but not touching her.
'You okay?'
'I will be when this is over,' she murmurs, then steps forward into the waiting elevator.
As soon as they get to McCoy's office they abandon all pretense and she sits next to him in one of the desk chairs, holding his hand. Nick and Isobel sit on the sofa with Chrissy, and Diana sits in the last chair.
They don't talk, just wait.
The phone rings after forty-five minutes; just over an hour from when the jury was dismissed.
'That's not it, is it?' Nick asks, and Diana shakes her head. 'Too soon.' She picks up the phone. 'Hawthorne. Mmhmm. Okay, thank you.' She looks at them. 'I was wrong. Jury's back.'
'Is that good or bad?' Liz asks.
Diana lifts her shoulders in a helpless shrug. 'I don't know. Let's go.'
This time he doesn't give a damn who sees them-if the jury's back already it's got to be good, right? Because there was no question in their mind that the bastard was guilty. He walks next to her and wants so badly to hold her hand, but he restrains himself, just letting himself rest his hand on her back as they walk up the steps to the courthouse.
