Supreme Court – People vs. Liam Connors
Everyone was in the courtroom today. Alex, Olivia and Mackenzie, as well as Agent Hammond and some other federal agents, the whole SVU squad, SVU Bureau Chief Elizabeth Donnelly, DA Arthur Branch and a couple of other ADA and of course some family and close friends. Thankfully, the judge had ordered all of the reporters out of the courtroom, but they would still have to be faced at some point.
Today had to be one of the most, if not the most stressful day in the young attorney's life. Leaving everyone and everything you know and love and moving halfway across the country is one thing, but living in a constant state of fear because the man who shot and almost killed you was acquitted . . . that's an entirely different situation. At least while in Witness Protection, Alex knew that the authorities were trying to locate her attacker.
Alex didn't know how she would live with herself if this man was acquitted. Knowing that she tried her hardest with her testimony and this guy got off scot-free, she didn't know if she could handle it. She used to comfort victims in her situation all the time, and she would always say the same thing, "You tried." But sometimes trying just wasn't enough. Sometimes burning yourself out over a case didn't help. Sometimes guilty people walked out of the courthouse and never looked back. Sometimes.
Alex has put everything she had into her testimony, every ounce of her being. She had never in her life ever worked so hard to get a conviction.
"Has the jury reached a verdict?"
Alex grabbed Olivia's hand.
They jury foreperson stood up. "We have your honor."
Alex had to keep telling herself to breathe.
"The defendant will rise."
Liam Connors and his attorney slowly rose to their feet.
"On the count of attempted murder in the first degree of Alexandra Cabot, how does the jury find?"
Alex and Olivia held their breathe.
"We find the defendant guilty."
It was amazing how one word, just one little word, could completely change everything. Alex could breathe again. For the first time in nearly two years, she could breathe again. No more wondering if the man who shot her that cold October night was going to come back to finish the job. No more panicking every time she met someone new, wondering if that person could be the cause of all her sorrow and grief.
It was sometime before Alex came back to reality. By the time she did, the verdicts on the rest of the charges had been read and the defendant removed from the courtroom. She looked around the room at the remaining few people and that's when it all came crashing down.
"Oh my God." She turned to Olivia. "She did it. She actually did it."
"Yeah sweetie, she did it."
Alex got up and walked over to Casey, who was still at the prosecution table gathering up all of her files and getting praise from Elizabeth Donnelly and Arthur Brach. She hated to break-up their little party, but she was beyond all rational though at this point.
"That was a great win Casey." Donnelly was saying.
"Makes me think that you might be ready to move on to bigger things."
"Arthur, are you trying to steal my ADA?"
Branch shook his head. "Just something to think about."
Casey closed her briefcase. "Nobody's going to be stealing me, moving me to any other bureau nor putting me on any other cases. I'm an SVU ADA . . . I'm part of SVU. I tried to get out once. I'm not going to make the same mistake again."
Branch knew when to walk away, but Donnelly's radar was acting up now. "You tried to quit?" She asked in disbelief.
"It was my first case Liz, cut me some slack."
The bureau chief cut her losses and walked away. "It's nice to have you back Alex."
Alex nodded and Donnelly continued on her way. As soon as she was out of the court, the emotions started flowing and Alex leaned in and hugged the younger woman. "Thank-you so much Casey. Thank-you." She released the ADA and regained her courtroom decorum.
"You have no idea how much this means tome." Olivia came up behind Alex and wrapped her arms around her middle. Alex leaned into her partner. "How much this means to us." She corrected.
Casey smiled. Nothing made her happier than getting justice for a victim. "All in a days work."
"Don't cut yourself short Casey." Alex instructed. "This wasn't an SVU case. You could have easily passed it off to someone else. In fact, that would have made it a lot easier than adding this case to your already overflowing case load. It really means a lot."
"I was glad to do it. And, you were a part of SVU, so I felt that this case should stay in SVU. . . Besides, any less for my predecessor and I would not longer be a part of SVU."
"We're like a cult." Olivia chimed in.
All three laughed and shared a brief moment of happiness before the courtroom door opened and a short, balding man popped his head in. "Is one of you ADA Novak?"
Casey stepped out of the group. "That's me."
"The jury's back on the Alvarez case."
She looked surprised. "They're early."
"Is that a good thing?" Olivia asked.
She shrugged. "Could be."
All eyes turned to Mackenzie.