Consequences Part 3

Disclaimer: I don't own them. This story is just for fun.

A/N: Wow, you guys rock. I never expected this much feedback to this story. I love you all and I hope that this next chapter lives up to your expectations.

Casey ran through the doors of the squad room. She needed to know, she needed to see the evidence for herself. Not just for the warrant but for her. Part of her didn't want to know but part of her needed to. Part of her wanted to see the evidence because that part believed absolutely without a doubt that there was no way that John Munch could ever, ever do something like that. All of her believed that John was an innocent man. It was just that, she needed to… she was just really confused.

She still had a job to do and she was there to do it even if she really didn't feel like doing it at that moment.

"What do we have?" she asked as soon as she spotted Cragen.

"One dead socialite," Cragen said flatly, his gaze never leaving the floor.

It appeared to Casey that the captain was very interested in his shoes. She couldn't blame him for not being able to look her in the eye; she felt like total doom for what she was called upon to do.

"And what makes you think that John did it," Casey asked, almost defensively.

"The crime scene was meticulous," Cragen began "The vic was raped but our perp used a condom and he must have warn gloves because there were no prints," Cragen's gaze reluctantly rose from his shoes to meet Casey's. Casey could see pure misery in his eyes "And we have ten eye witnesses that saw him leaving the scene," he finally told her as his gaze fell once again to his shoes.

"Eye witnesses can be wrong," Casey stated simply. This evidence was circumstantial at best; she was not about to let herself feel complete relief but a twinge of hope fluttered in her stomach.

"I know," Cragen admitted, still sounding like grim death "but ten of them? Casey, I…" he trailed off.

"I know," she said, reaching a hand out and placing it gently on his arm "Where's John now?" she asked.

"He left the city early this morning," Cragen told her "Personal matter. He should be back in a couple of days."

Casey shuttered slightly "When did the crime occur?" she asked.

"Last night around ten o'clock," Cragen said, picking up a pen from the desk nearest to him and moving it from hand to hand.

Casey remembered the previous night when she had rode by John's building. How when she had seen the lights off she had assumed that he was not home, how she had felt slightly jealous thinking about with whom he might be spending his time. Never for a minute did she doubt his innocence but it didn't look good that he had left town the morning after the murder.

"And these witnesses identified him by name?" Casey asked suspiciously.

"They all gave a general description," Cragen began "One of them was walking through the squad room and she spotted a photo on John's desk of him and one of his ex's. She said that it was him. The other nine picked him out of a photo array."

Casey felt her stomach drop to her feet.

"Are you okay Casey?" Cragen asked.

"Yeah," Casey said but she didn't feel okay. She was worried about John, she was wondering who would want to frame him, she was feeling dizzy and queezy. She collapsed. Luckily for her she fell forward and Cragen was able to catch her before she hit the ground.

"Elliot!" Cragen called to his nearest detective "Call an ambulance!"

"What happened?" Olivia asked, coming up beside the captain.

"I don't know," Cragen said in a worried tone "We were talking about the case," he paused. Truthfully this case was enough to make him want to crumple into a little ball and retreat from the world "She just collapsed."

"Casey," Olivia spoke softly just above the other woman's ear "Can you hear me?" she asked in a concerned tone.

"Mm," Casey moaned.

"What's wrong honey?" Cragen asked as he supported her in his arms.

"Hurts," was all Casey could manage in response before her eyes drifted closed and she fell silent.

The ride to the hospital was a short one. Cragen had opted to ride with Casey in the ambulance. Olivia drove there in a squad car leaving Elliot and Fin at the station house to keep an eye on things because the perverts never rested.

When Olivia arrived in the waiting room, Cragen was already there passing back and forth.

"Any news?" Olivia asked, taking a seat and patting the one next to her.

"Not yet," Cragen informed her. He rung his hands out in front of him "I don't get it, she seemed fine just up until just a few seconds before it happened." The two of them sat in silence for a long time.

Casey's head swam in a thick fog. She drifted in and out mostly due to conscious sedation. Words drifted in and out of her brain and none of them seemed to completely register.

A nurse was standing by her head stoking her hair and saying something like "It's alright honey it's going to be alright."

Casey felt nothing but a sense of pure confusion as the doctors wheeled her into a private room. She slowly came out of her fog as nurses closely monitored her vital signs.

"What's going on?" she finally managed to ask.

"Your going to be fine honey," one of the nurses told her "You and the baby are fine."

Casey sighed and leaned her head back against the pillow. Then it finally clicked in her brain and she raised her head once again.

"Did you say baby?"

TBC

I am so sorry that it took so long to update and I am so grateful if you haven't lost interest. Please R&R.