Three hours later and Jessie and Olivia walked back into the bullpen both looking particularly worn out.

"How did it go?" Thompson asked as Olivia parked herself at her desk.

"No rape, consensual sex that she regretted afterwards." Olivia sighed as she waited for her computer to warm itself back up.

"I knew it." Thompson shrugged rattling Olivia even worse.

"That doesn't matter. You didn't know for sure and until the vic says otherwise you treat her as a vic alright?" Olivia hissed angrily.

"Alright! Alright, I'm sorry I'll remember next time!" Thompson sighed as he headed over to the coffee pot.

"Do you want some of that tea Benson?" He asked her as a means of apology.

"Yeah I'd love one thank you." She gave him a weak forgiving smile and took out her cell to call Elliot.

"Hey!" He answered happily.

"Good morning." She smiled into the phone.

"How's Brooklyn?" He asked her sensing that it was why she was calling.

"Good, the rookie's young and sweet but so far I think she's going to do well in SVU." Olivia said softly.

"Good, I'm glad to hear it." Elliot replied. "I got my temporary partner today too." He said his voice sounding a little off.

"And something tells me you're not happy." Olivia sighed.

"Nope. It's Cassidy, they needed someone who knew what they were doing and he agreed as it was a temporary post and he'd done it before that he would happily do it again." Elliot moaned.

"Well at least you don't have to train a new rookie." Olivia explained.

"I know but he's done nothing but ask about you all day, I told him to shut the hell up and he just doesn't get the message. I mean I caught him looking at the pictures on my desk earlier and it's just freaky." Elliot explained further.

"Oh well, just remind yourself it's you I'm coming home to actually that's why I was calling I was just going to let you know I'm going to stay here tonight and go out for a meal with Jessie I want to get to know her a little." Olivia said hoping he wouldn't be angry.

"Ok no problem." Elliot smiled not wanting her to think she had to come home when she had other things that she needed to be doing.

"Are you sure you'll be ok with the kids?" Olivia asked not wanting him to just go with what she suggested if he wasn't really ok with it.

"Olivia, I'll be fine. I know Lizzie has Ballet tomorrow and Calvin and Dickie have soccer. Katie has homework club and Maureen has book club. I know don't worry." He said.

"Ok well I'm going to go and write up some five's I'll call you later to say goodnight to the kids." Olivia said realising that there was a presence behind her waiting for her to finish her call.

"Don't worry if you can't they'll be ok for one night. I love you."

"I love you too El. Bye." Olivia smiled as she hung up the phone and spun her chair around to find the Captain behind her.

"Sorry about that Cap." She said.

"No problem I didn't want to disturb your call but we have some lose ends to tie up with the Lloyd case. ADA Cabot called from Manhattan and she is asking for every witness statement and as we didn't actually take them from everyone we have to call a few of them back in. Do you think you and Taylor can handle it?" He asked her.

"Yeah, about Taylor she gave me permission to see her jacket so can I have a look at that please. I'd like to see what I can make of her from that and what I've got to know about her in the past few hours." Olivia smiled.

"Yes I can get that to you before the end of play. Just keep in mind there isn't much in it as she's not exactly been in the field long. How was she this morning?" He asked.

"She just watched and listened and I'll have her do the same with these vic statements I don't want the girls getting agitated and her get frightened off but I'll talk her through what I did between each on and answer any questions she may have." Olivia explained.

"Sounds good to me, Jefferson is clearing this desk too by the way so that she can come work over here, would be easier if she could be close to you and ask you whatever questions when and if they arise." Meyers said before he turned on his heels and went to his office.

Olivia sighed and sat back in her chair, she wasn't sure if she was going to be any good and training this rookie but she also knew that she could have a deeper connection with the girl from what she had been able to tell Olivia. She was also quite surprised to find how easy Jessie had opened up to her, she was trained to get victims to open up but she hadn't even tried with Jessie deciding that her partner deserved more respect than that. Thompson placed her tea on the desk and gave her hearty smile which she returned as she began to work on her statement from that morning.

Xxx

Half an hour was all Olivia had been given to sit at her desk. She absentmindedly raised her head and saw the first of the throng of girls that they would have to speak with that afternoon.

"Jessie." Olivia said calling the young woman to her side.

Jessie nervously went up to Olivia and sat on the seat beside her desk that she had tapped on for Jessie to take.

"You nervous?" Olivia asked gently.

"Yeah a bit." Jessie said her voice a harsh whisper.

"Ok let me put it this way that will never go away. You have that niggling feeling in the pit of your stomach every time you have to take victim statements. For now you're just observing this is a sensitive case and you're going to see a lot of young girls who were abused at the hands of something I consider to be a monster. If at any time you feel it to be too much just excuse yourself and leave, don't cry in front of these girls alright?" Olivia said hoping the girl in front of her was taking everything in.

"Right." Jessie nodded drinking in the wisdom of someone she admired.

"Ok come on." Olivia smiled reassuringly at Jessie as they both got out of their seats.

Olivia led the way to the children's interview room and once again she chose a teddy from the box and sat down on the couch. Jessie took Olivia's lead and sat at the table trying to hide how nervous she actually was.

"Ok when the girls come in I'm going to introduce myself and then you. React if the child looks at you with either a simple 'hi' or a reassuring smile ok?" Olivia asked.

Jessie just nodded trying to look confident when her insides were screaming.

There was a small knock on the glass and then the door opened introducing the first girl. She automatically made her way over to Olivia who tapped on the empty space on the couch beside her. The young girl carefully climbed up and sat nervously eyeing both Jessie and Olivia.

"Hello Sweetie. My name's Olivia and this here is Jessie." Olivia smiled softly and Jessie recognised the change in Olivia's voice that seemed to draw the young girl in.

"Hi." Jessie said softly making eye contact with the blond haired blue eyed girl in front of her.

"Hi." The young girl replied a nervous smile playing her lips towards Jessie.

"Ok darling what's your name?" Olivia asked feeling pleased that the girl had made a connection with Jessie but also understanding that Jessie wasn't able to take the lead on the questioning.

"Tabitha." The girl replied her voice a hoarse whisper.

"Ok Tabitha how old are you?" Olivia asked her voice still soothingly gentle.

"Seven." Tabitha replied flicking a loose piece of blond hair from her ashen face.

"Seven, ok and do you know why you're here today?" Olivia asked gently.

The young girl bit her bottom lip and nodded, her gaze shifted down to the floor and her legs began to swing subtly and subconsciously. Olivia knew the girl would be agitated without the obvious signs that she was giving off.

"Tabitha, would you be able to tell us what you remember happening?" Olivia asked leaning a little more towards the girl.

"I-I-Uh-I was coming out of the school ... and-Uh-I felt someone put something in my mouth..." The little girl's hand covered her mouth as a way of showing, silent tears dripped down her cheeks and Jessie passed the little girl one of the tissues from the box that was on the table.

"Here you go sweetie." Jessie said her voice also soft and gentle.

"Thank you." Tabitha whispered without averting her gaze from the floor.

She quickly wiped her cheeks and took a deep breath before going on.

"I just remember going to sleep. Then I woke up in a room with lots of other girls." Tabitha sniffed. "I didn't have any clothes on and my hands were tied together and tied to the wall. Then ..." The little girl began to shake as the sobs engulfed her.

Olivia automatically knelt down on the floor in front of the girl and placed her hands on Tabitha's tiny knees.

"Its ok sweetie you're doing very well, we're nearly done alright?" Olivia said softly and the little girl managed a nod as she frantically wiped her cheeks with the tissue.

"What happened in the room with the girls?" Olivia asked gently probing.

"Then men would come and they ..." Here blue eyes locked on Olivia's as her breathing became shallow the memories engulfing her small mind. "...they would hurt me." The girl whispered as silent tears slipped down her cheek.

"How many men hurt you Tabitha?" Olivia asked not really wanting to know but knowing Alex needed the information.

"Three." The girl replied.

"Do you know any of their names?" Olivia continued.

"Bobby, one of them said he was my Uncle Bobby." The girl sniffed and she extended her hand out to Olivia who took it and subconsciously began rubbing the girl's hand with her thumb.

"Ok darling that's all we needed ok. Are you ready to go back to your Mom?" Olivia asked gently.

The girl nodded weakly and Olivia helped her off the couch and led her to the door by her hand. As soon as the door opened the young girl dived into her mother's arms as the detective felt defeated and drained. Meyers nodded at her and she said goodbye before shutting the door and turning to Jessie whose head now lay in her hands. Olivia knew that she was trying to process the information they had learnt and that it had to be one of the most horrifying thing the rookie detective had ever heard.

"Jessie are you alright?" Olivia asked coming to a halt in front of the detective.

"Yes." Jessie said her head snapping up.

"It's ok if you're not." Olivia said softly her voice coaxing the young girl to open up.

"Honestly. I'm fine." Jessie replied trying to smile.

"You tell me if you're not. I won't think any less of you if you find this tough." Olivia said firmly.

"I know I just needed a minute that's all." Jessie replied.

Olivia nodded and sat back down on the couch knowing that they had to listen to many different girls replay the most horrible thing they had ever gone through and she wouldn't have told Jessie but it killed her inside too.

Xxx

Two hours it had taken to interview ten girls and Olivia slumped into her chair grateful at the awaiting steaming cup of elderflower tea.

"Thanks!" She called to the room unsure who had shown her the kindness but someone had and they had also placed a steaming mug of coffee on what was now Jessie's desk.

Olivia had decided that the write ups could wait until morning. She was now defeated and was tired and hungry and she had decided that Jessie needed to get out of the precinct as soon as was possible. The girl still hadn't returned from the bathroom and Olivia realised she'd been gone nearly fifteen minutes. A niggling feeling in the back of her mind made her decide to go and find the young detective and make sure she was handling her first day.

"Jess?" Olivia called gently as she opened the ladies room door.

There was no sign of Jessie inside the bathroom but Olivia could hear the sobs emulating from one of the cubicles. Slowly she made her way over to the cubicle that she knew was housing Jessie. She knocked lightly on the door and waited for a reply when none came she realised she would have to coax the girl out.

"Jessie come on. Come out and talk to me, I know it's tough and I'm here to listen to you whatever you need to talk about. It's not a good idea to bottle it all up inside." Olivia said.

"Just give me a minute and I'll be alright." Jessie's soft voice carried from behind the locked door.

"No come on. What you need is a hug a large coffee and a chat please come out." Olivia kept her voice subtle hiding the frustration she felt towards herself for not seeing Jessie's inability to handle what she had listened to all afternoon.

"I'll be fine just need a minute." Jessie said desperately wanting rid of the detective who wasn't going away.

"I will climb over there and drag you out." Olivia joked hoping the change of tactic would drag the girl out.

"No! Don't do that! Your babies!" Jessie said jumping to her feet and sliding the lock on the door.

Olivia stepped back as the cubicle door opened and she was shocked at the swollen redness around Jessie's beautiful hazel eyes. Once she was out of the cubicle Olivia pulled her into her arms and held her tight.

"I just... I just ..."

"Shh just cry sweetie, it's ok just cry." Olivia said wanting the girl to release it now and not keep it bottled up.

"I'm sorry." Jessie whimpered as she sobbed her arms wrapped tight around Olivia.

"Shh there there, it's alright to have a cry don't hold it back." Olivia said rubbing Jessie's back as she sobbed.

It took five minutes for Jessie to calm down enough to pull away from Olivia. Without saying a word she made her way over to the sink and ran some cool water throwing it over her tear ridden face. She dried herself with paper towels and took a deep breath before she felt comfortable enough to talk to Olivia.

"Sorry." She mumbled still not trusting her voice.

"It's alright. I still have a cry every now and again, it's totally normal to get upset with these things." Olivia said softly.

"Ok." Jessie said.

"Now then, someone was kind enough to leave us a hot drink, so let's go and drink them and allow our minds to process everything then I am taking you to dinner. My treat." Olivia said extending her hand to Jessie.

"Ok." Was all Jessie managed to say unsure that if she was to say anything else she would break down again.

Jessie followed Olivia back into the bullpen and avoided everyone's gaze as she took her seat. She knew that she was beginning to look worse for wear but quite frankly she didn't care. The day had been far worse than she could have ever imagined and even though she was welcoming of the opportunity to go out to dinner with Olivia Benson a huge part of her just wanted to go back to the apartment alone and crawl under the duvet and cry some more. She however knew that would be impossible as the brunette detective would be joining her in the apartment that evening.

Olivia sipped away at her tea and flicked through Detective Jessica Taylor's jacket that Captain Meyers had left on her desk. As she turned the pages she would look up at the petite girl who had probably suffered a terrible day. Olivia was hoping that Jessie would make something of what Olivia thought of her and would make good being in SVU in the same way she had. It wasn't like SVU didn't need committed hard working detectives. A part of her felt like Jessie was too young to be in the unit opening herself to some of the worst horrors of the world at the start of her career. She was relieved remembering that detectives had to endure psych tests as no one would need them more than Jessie Taylor at the start of her career.

More love for Olivia and Jessie a great partnership so far?