[I'm SO sorry for the delay, it's been crazy busy at work. This chapter's a little short, but I thought something was better than nothing!]

"I swear that child gets cuter every time I see her," Carolyn said affectionately, as she raised her glass.

Alex smiled at her sister, reaching out for her own wine glass. She was pleased that Carolyn had unexpectedly dropped in for the evening. Olivia was having a rare evening out, with an old roommate from college, and Alex had realized that she hated being alone. Not alone; she didn't mind that really. What she hated was knowing that Olivia was not at work, but was not with her. She knew she was being selfish, and she was glad that Olivia was taking some time for herself. "I'm just hoping she stays down for the night," she said. "That's all I need!"

Carolyn smiled. "I know that feeling! Does she wake up much?"

Alex shook her head. "She's very good, really. And if she does wake, it's usually for a good reason. She's just started getting the occasional nightmare, but I'm told that's common at her age. We try to make sure she doesn't know too much about Liv's work, or mine. We don't want her to have any of that in her head. It's hard sometimes, especially when Liv's had a bad day at work. Olivia's amazing though. She can come in, shattered by something unbelievably awful that she's had to deal with. But as soon as she's in front of Lily, she's so … present. She puts it all aside."

"She's a good woman," Carolyn said quietly. "It's taken me a long time to realize it, but she's the best thing that ever happened to you."

"Getting to know my sister again ranks pretty high, too," Alex spoke gently, turning away as she pretended not to notice the tears in Carolyn's eyes.

The sound of Alex's telephone interrupted them. "Yeah?" Alex spoke.

"Alex?" Elliot's voice.

For a second, Alex's heart plummeted, and then she remembered that Olivia wasn't at work, and Elliot would not be making the call she dreaded above all.

"Alex, is Liv there? I can't get through to her cell," Elliot said.

"She said they'd be at the Cavern Bar," Alex said. "The cell reception there is awful. What is it Elliot? It's Liv's evening off."

"I know that. And I wouldn't call. But … God, Alex. I don't know how to say this. Fin and I were called to a scene. Attempted rape," he spoke quietly, clearly trying not to be overhead. "It's your friend Amy. I thought you'd want to know."

Alex felt a cold shiver down her spine. "Attempted?" she asked.

"He was stopped in time," Elliot reassured her. "Her girlfriend..."

"Robyn," Alex supplied.

"That's right. She got there just … just before. But Amy's real upset. They both are."

"Where are you? I'm coming over."

"We'll be at Mercy General."

"You said she was okay?"

"She is. Mostly. Some bruising on her face, from what I can see. But she's a little groggy. She hit her head."

"I'll meet you there," Alex was already looking around for her keys. She hung up the phone, and turned to speak to her sister, who was standing there, Alex's coat in her hand.

"Go," Carolyn had gathered what had happened. "I'll stay and babysit."

Alex looked at her, gratefully. "I'll call. Or text if it's late. You can find spare pajamas in our room, if you want to stay the night."

"I'll be fine here," Carolyn said. "Are you okay to drive?"

"I only had a third of a glass," Alex glanced at her wine glass.

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Robyn looked up, seeing a familiar figure striding purposefully down the corridor. Alex pulled her into a warm hug. She pulled back after a minute. "She's in there?" Alex asked, nodding at the closed door.

Robyn nodded. "They're just... actually I don't know what they're doing. They wanted to talk to her alone," she tried to sound strong.

Alex looked through the glass in the door, seeing Elliot sitting by Amy's bed, his notebook in hand. Fin stood, his back against the wall.

"He's getting the preliminary statement," Alex explained.

Robyn nodded. "'kay," she whispered.

"How is she?" Alex guided her to a chair by the wall, sitting down next to her.

Robyn blinked. She tried to focus. "She has a mild concussion. And some bruising. On her face. On her …," she gulped. "On her breast."

Alex touched her hand. "You saved her," she said.

"She's been unhappy for weeks. I should have realized. I should have done something," she spat.

"Did you ask her what was wrong?"

"All the time. All the time," Robyn angrily brushed away a fat tear that had rolled down her cheek.

"You can't make someone talk. Not until they're ready. You got there in time tonight. In time to stop … to stop the really bad stuff," Alex felt inadequate. She hated this. Olivia was so good at this. Talking to victims. Their families. She was so soft, so reassuring. And yet so strong. She gave people the confidence that their situation would be handled, and that they would be taken care of during the process. She made them think, even when the investigations, or the prosecutions, went wrong, that at least they were being heard. And that they counted. And they did. Olivia took each and every case personally. She cared about every single one. She put herself on the line, every time. And it took a toll. A real toll. Sometimes it was too much, and Olivia would crumble in Alex's arms. But in front of the victims, and their families, she remained strong.

"I'm no good at this," Alex admitted, as she squeezed Robyn's fingers. "But one thing I can tell you. This is personal, now. For all of us. And we'll all make sure that that bastard pays for what he did. You have my word."

Robyn looked up and smiled, seeing the fire in Alex's eyes. "I think maybe you're better at this than you think," she said, softly. "Thank you."

"Here's my card," Alex fished in her wallet. She hastily scrawled another number on the back. "That's Olivia's cell. And this has got my cell, and our home number. Call. If we can help, call us. Any time. For any reason."

Robyn nodded.

"You have to promise me you'll call."

"I will. Thank you."

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Alex felt the bed dip just after 2am. She had tried to sleep, but sleep had evaded her. She turned and buried herself in Olivia's front, inhaling the scent of her, reveling in her soft, warm presence.

"You okay?" Olivia asked softly.

Alex nodded.

"You sure?"

Alex nodded again. "You smell of beer," she said.

Olivia gave a small laugh. "Yeah," she agreed.

"Are you hammered?"

Olivia shook her head. "I only had two. I wasn't in the mood, really."

Alex looked up, seeing Olivia's clear – and concerned – eyes. "Kiss me?"

Olivia kissed her tenderly, feeling her respond to the kiss. The kiss lasted long minutes. Eventually, Alex pulled away, and rested her head against Olivia's shoulder. "So, you gonna tell me what's wrong?" Olivia said gently.

"It's Amy. Her boss tried to rape her."

Olivia stiffened. "Is she okay?" she asked quietly.

"Mild concussion, some bruising."

"Is Robyn with her?"

"Robyn saved her. She interrupted him. Fractured a knuckle on his face."

"Who took the call?"

"Elliot went with Fin. He tried to call you, but your cell wasn't working, so he tried here. I went to the hospital. I felt so useless, Liv. I don't know how you do it."

"I'm sure you were a great comfort," Olivia said with conviction.

"We've got to nail him," Alex said, with feeling.

"We will. I'll talk to Elliot tomorrow."

"And I'll talk to Caryn," Alex promised. "Or who's that girl who's there? Caryn isn't back at work for another ten days."

"Casey Novak," Olivia reminded her.

"You've met her?"

"I like her. She reminds me of you. Passionate. Stubborn."

"Does she have nice tits?" Alex tried to lighten the mood.

"My guess is that she does. But she's not in your league, sweetheart," Olivia kissed her again.

"That's what all the cheating men say. Before they start screwing their hot secretaries."

"You think I'm gonna go off with the hot lawyer?" Olivia teased.

Alex looked at her. "Nah," she said, eventually. "You already did that. And look where that got you," she laughed.

"Think you can sleep?"

"Now you're back," Alex snuggled into Olivia's arms. "We will get him, Liv," she said quietly.

"I know, baby. Sleep."

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"I don't know what to say," Robyn admitted as they sat together on the couch.

"They should write a manual. 'What to say to your girlfriend when she's nearly raped'," Amy tried to joke, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. She looked at Robyn. "I don't know what to say either," she said. "I should probably say something profound. But the only thing I can think to say is … thank you. If you hadn't … just thank you. You," she reached up and touched Robyn's face. "You saved me. You're my knight in shining armor."

"I knew something was bugging you. I just never imagined ..."

"I didn't think so either," Amy said. "I mean, he's always been a creep. And he liked to exert his power, made me do things that weren't my job. But I thought he was just … you know, the office perv."

"He made you so unhappy, these last weeks."

"Actually, that wasn't just him. It was the job. They sent me to interview the parents of that dead boy. You remember, the four-year-old that was hit by that truck? I couldn't do it. I tried to, but when I got there, I just turned around and came back. I got an official warning for that. But I couldn't intrude on their grief like that. It seemed … indecent. So he loved that, loved that I was in trouble."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Robyn was appalled.

"It seemed so stupid. I mean, how pathetic was I? I couldn't even do a simple job."

"You can do it. You just chose not to make the nightmare worse for those poor parents. I would have supported your decision, Amy."

Amy nodded. "It all seems so stupid now. I wish I had stood up to them more."

"You did. You didn't do the interview. And I'm so proud of you for that."

"I could have lost my job," Amy whispered.

"I don't care."

"But we have rent to pay. And it'll likely go up next month, he already warned us."

"We'd cope."

"How?"

"I don't know. But we would."

"Will you take me to bed? I want you to hold me."

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"He's been doing it for years," Olivia said over the phone to Alex the next morning.

"He's been raping women?"

"He's been harassing women at work. So far, six of the women I've spoken to have had bad experiences with him, to a greater or lesser extent."

"So you'll nail him?"

"Oh we'll nail him," Olivia said firmly.

"I spoke to Novak this morning," Alex told her. "I know it has nothing to do with me right now, but she was real nice about it. Says she knows it's personal, and she's said she'll do everything she can to help. I told her you'll fill her in properly as soon as you can."

"I'm just on my way over there now," Olivia said.

"Just keep your eyes off her rack," Alex teased gently.

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Robyn was standing in their small kitchen, stirring a pot of soup, when she heard footsteps behind her.

Amy was fully dressed in her work clothes. Her face was ashen, and she looked almost ready to pass out.

Robyn was at her side in a second. "Amy? What are you doing?"

"I need to get to the office," Amy's voice shook.

"What do you mean? You spent the morning at the police station. You're in no fit state to go to work today."

"I called them earlier. Told them I'd be in this afternoon."

"Amy, this is madness. Look at you! You look like death warmed over. You barely slept last night," Robyn tried to blank out the memories of her girlfriend waking screaming and incoherent with fear.

"I'm okay," Amy wavered on her feet.

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"Benson," Alex answered her phone without looking at the caller display.

"Alex?" Robyn's voice was panicked. Alex heard noises in the background.

"Robyn? Are you okay?"

"She won't stop throwing up," Robyn tried not to cry. "I don't know what to do. She won't let me call the doctor. I don't know how to help her."

"Is she sick? Does she have a fever?"

"No. She's upset. She tried to go to work, and I was just arguing with her, and she … she kinda collapsed on me. And now she's … shh, sweetheart," Robyn turned to Amy as she convulsed once more over the toilet bowl. "I'm just talking to Alex. No, it's not the doctor," she said, as Amy moaned again. "Alex, I don't know what to do."

"Run the tub," Alex said. "As deep as you can. Then get her into it, it'll help the shakes," Alex knew instinctively that Amy was shaking.

"But she's still throwing up," Robyn said, as she supported her lover with one hand.

"Give her a basin," Alex said calmly. "Then get in the tub behind her. Hold her. Let her feel you. Hold her in your arms, as close as you can. I'm coming right over, as soon as I can get Jay here to sit with Lily. Is the door locked?"

"I'll go unlock it," Robyn promised.

"It'll be okay," Alex tried to reassure her. "It will."

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Twenty-five minutes later, Alex let herself into the apartment. "It's only me," she called softly.

"We're in the bedroom," Robyn called back.

Alex tapped gently on the door, and let herself in.

Robyn was sitting in her robe, with a similarly clad Amy in her arms. Amy was wrapped in the warm quilt, her hair damp and her face blotchy. Her eyes were closed.

"How is she?" Alex whispered.

"She's sleeping. How did you know?" Robyn asked. "How did you know what to do?"

Alex took a deep breath. "Because Olivia did it for me," she admitted.