-Okay, I'm pretty sure that this is the last chapter before I post Mackenzie's story. Although I did say that about the last few chapters. And with report cards coming soon and a not-so-good French grade, Iwill not be able to post that often.
-Also, a few of my chapters will havedifferentLaw & Order characters. The same disclaimer applies, Dick Wolf and NBC still own them. Although sincethey're not on the show anymore, maybe he will let me have them.
-I realize that my story had many dates it it-just ignore them. With Alex coming back next month, these datesno longerwork.
At first neither Olivia nor Casey recognized the woman sitting with Mackenzie, but after a minute of watching the two through the window they figured it out. "Cases getting to easy nowadays councilor?"
The woman stood up and turned toward them. "Long time no see Serena." Casey added.
"Olivia. Casey." Serena greeted.
Knock. Knock.
"Sorry to interrupt, but you forgot this." Cragen said, handing a tape recorder to Olivia. He nodded toward Serena before leaving. "Ms. Southerlyn."
Olivia turned back to Serena. "So councilor, what are you doing here?"
Serena smiled. "Well, it's nice to see you too Olivia."
Olivia laughed. "Sorry, I didn't mean for it to sound like that."
"It's okay, I know what you meant." She sat back down. "Well, a little bird told me that Mackenzie here didn't have a lawyer, so I volunteered."
Olivia looked to Casey. "A little bird huh?" She and Casey moved from the doorway and took the two seats next to the bed. "What's a homicide prosecutor doing representing a teenage rape victim anyway?"
Serena's posture immediately changed. "Can I speak with you two outside for a minute?" She turned to Mackenzie, "I'll be right back." Once they were outside and the door was closed, she began. "I'm not a prosecutor anymore. Branch fired me a few weeks ago."
"What?" "Why?" Olivia and Casey asked at the same time.
"He claimed that it was because I was too passionate…And, according to him-a prosecutor can be zealous, but never passionate."
"That's total bull shit." Casey exclaimed.
"Serena that's bull. Alex was incredibly passionate and they never even thought about firing her."
"Yes, but those are two totally different jobs. I was homicide. Alex was Special Victims. You guys have to be passionate. You have victims, live victims that you have to stand up for. I had murderers that I needed to prosecute." She shook her head. "But I also don't think that's it. There has to be something else to it."
"Like what?" Casey asked.
Serena turned to Olivia. Casey wouldn't understand. "What would you think if you had just come out to the Executive Assistant District Attorney not even two day before you were fired?"
Olivia nodded. But then again, she didn't know the lengths Jack had been known to go to keep a secret. "Why would Jack tell him?" Casey asked.
Serena shrugged. "I don't know, but I don't know any other way Branch could have found out." She opened the door. "But, you can be certain that a discriminatory lawsuit is in the works."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa." Olivia pulled Serena back out into the hallway. "That's great, but it still doesn't explain why you're here."
"Or why a sixteen year old-rape victim needs a lawyer." Casey added.
"You know as well as I do councilor that all victims are encouraged to have an attorney." She sighed. 'Why do we always have to do this the hard way?' She turned to Olivia. "When I was in law school, I worked with this child advocacy group. I was pretty much an assistant. I would file documents, set up appointments, act as a mediator during meetings and when the occasion called for it, I would be second chair in court precedings. When they heard that I had been fired, they offered me a job-and I took it. Now I will be representing teenagers in adoption proceedings, custody battles and.." She motioned toward Mackenzie's room. "Whatever else they may need me for. Except for criminal proceedings. I refuse to go own that route…Actually, just between us three and the ghosts of the hall, when Branch called me into his office the day he fired me I already had my letter of resignation typed, signed and ready to go." She turned and went back into the room, followed by Casey.
Olivia stayed outside the room for a minute-just watching Mackenzie through the window. Serena was signing her new cast. Olivia and Casey had done so the day she got it put on, a few days before. "All right, this is it." She took a deep breath and entered the room.