Disclaimer: I own none of the characters unfortunately except Rachel and Carl…
Spend all your time waiting For a second chance For a break that will make it ok.
"I'm sorry Rachel, I really am. But we have no evidence to prosecute…"Olivia explained delicately. She was talking to Rachel Healey, a 22-year-old victim of a brutal rape.
"What? I thought you arrested someone!" Rachel whispered, her chin trembling, tears in her eyes, already. She tried to pick her glass of water up but her hand was shaking too much.
"We did, but there was no physical evidence on you, you didn't see his face and there were no witnesses." Olivia tried but she knew it would never be enough. She knew the pain the woman felt and her heart bled.
"I heard his voice, I identified his voice, IT'S HIM," Rachel shouted. Olivia placed her hand on the girls arm, trying to comfort her – but she knew she'd never be able to.
"We know and normally it's enough with other evidence, but with no other concrete evidence and an alibi…a voice identification is too unreliable…" Olivia answered, struggling to find the right words. Rachel shrugged her arm off.
"You know what he said to me – don't you?" Rachel shouted. Her voice broken by sobs. Olivia nodded. "He said, 'You tell anyone and I'll kill you…' He's going to be freed and he'll kill me."
"You'll be under protection. You can go in to witness protection…" Olivia tried.
"Forget it…what's the point?" Rachel snapped. "You promised me Olivia, you promised you'd find the bastard and now you've got him, you're letting him go…Get out! Get out!" Olivia looked at the woman. She reached in to her pocked and pulled out a card.
"If you need anything…call me ok… I mean it ANYTHING," Olivia tried. She put it on the coffee table. "I am so sorry." She let herself out of the apartment and walked down to the car, where Elliot was waiting for her. She'd wanted to do it herself. She got in the car.
"I never want to do that again. We have to…to… to help her," Olivia spoke softly. "He walks out with a second chance of life, but Rachel's never going to have that, she's going to live her life with the fear of being attacked and carry the pain of what the scumbag did to her. We screwed up our first chance to catch him…. we have to help El."
It broke Elliot's heart to see Olivia worked up like this but if he was truthful he felt the same. They'd never been as close to a victim before this case… never known anyone so strong, never known any victim who reminded him of his eldest daughter – so stubborn – it really hit home.
"We will, Liv' ok, we'll do our best …" Elliot replied and they drove to the precinct.
They returned in time to see Carl Cooper strut through the precinct doors, a smug smile plastered over his face.
"What I wouldn't give to seriously hurt this guy," Elliot whispered to her.
"I got your back," Olivia whispered back. They stopped and looked at him. He walked over and stood in Olivia's face.
"How's Rachel, beautiful" he jibed.
"You better watch your tongue Coop," Elliot replied standing in between him and Olivia. Carl sniggered, and smiled before walking off.
"Freedom beckons," he shouted back at them and laughed.
"Creep. I swear to God if he hurts Rachel I'll kill him." Olivia sniped, as they made their way upstairs.
"Get in line." Elliot replied.
1 Week later.
"Still no way we can bend this and prosecute?" Munch asked Alex. It had been his nominated turn to bombard her with questions about prosecuting Carl Cooper.
"You know we can't John, don't try it." Alex snapped. "Look you guys do you think I relish in the fact that I couldn't prosecute? Because I feel really safe knowing that that sicko is out there, and no doubt will rape another woman? Because if you do then you really don't know me at all…"
They all looked down feeling somewhat ashamed, of their behaviour – Alex had worked her fingers to the bone trying to find a loophole so they can prosecute Carl Cooper.
"We're sorry, Alex, you know its been driving us crazy..." Capt Cragen apologised on all their behalf. They nodded in agreement.
"John, Fin, Elliot, Olivia I need to speak to you about the Harrington case, we need to go through possible defence questions, it's Warburton and he's really good at putting the pressure on, you know the drill…" she explained apologetically. They all got up and to go to Alex's small office in the building.
Olivia's mobile phone trilled loudly. She flicked it open.
"Olivia Benson." She stated.
"Oh God… Olivia help… please… help…" she heard a woman's voice, shouting in terror. Olivia knew immediately who it was.
"Rachel, who is it? What's going on Rachel….Rachel?" she practically shouted down the phone. The group turned and stared at her, Olivia's police instinct being over taken by the urge to panic, but she held it together- just.
"OLIVIA please… oh GOD… get away… please…. NO, no I don't want to no…ahhhhh….please…." the voice begged. The phone died.
"Rachel? Rachel!" she shouted down the phone.
"We got to get to her." She told the group and they left.
In the arms of an AngelFly away from here
Please read and review, and give me ways in which to improve this please. Sophie XXX