Disclaimer: The characters in this story are the property of Dick Wolfe and NBC.
Olivia was once again sitting on the stool next to Casey when a young petite nurse quietly slipped around the curtain. The nurse smiled at the two women and laid a set of hospital issue sweats on the end of the exam table before telling the women to take all the time they needed and slipping out just as quietly.
After the incident with Dr. Bergman it had taken Casey a little over a half hour to calm down before letting another doctor examine her. Olivia had been relieved that Casey's new doctor had been female. Dr. Amy Grant had been extremely gentle and although she had taken every precaution to make Casey comfortable, the attorney had not said a word during the exam.
Olivia stood up and picked up the sweats aimlessly shaking them out in front of her. The detective's emotions tugged at her heart as she saw her friend sitting on the edge of the exam table, feet dangling over the edge, staring blankly at the floor.
Reaching out Olivia cupped the attorney's chin in her hand and tilted the ADA's head up until she made eye contact.
"What do you say we get you out of here huh?", Olivia offered.
After pulling on the sweats Casey sighed and sat back down as if the effort of getting dressed had worn her out.
"They're all going to be out there aren't they?", she whispered.
Olivia carefully sat down on the table next to Casey and covered Casey's hand with her own.
"Who's out there, sweetheart?", she said compassionately.
"The guys.", Casey responded while her gaze returned to a familiar spot on the floor. "Cragen, Elliot, Munch, Fin..."
Olivia sighed not really knowing how to respond. The last thing Olivia had heard before she climbed into the ambulance with Casey was Elliot calling out to her that they would meet her at the hospital.
"Yah, honey. I'm pretty sure they are", she replied honestly.
"Casey, listen to me...", Olivia started, pausing until she was sure the ADA was listening, "you're like family to us. Everyone at the station cares about you and wants to be there for you.", she said firmly while squeezing the young woman's hand. "Everyone of those guys thinks of you like a sister."
Casey didn't look up but she nodded slowly as if processing what the detective had said.
After several seconds Casey whispered something inaudible as her eyes glassed over.
Shifting her position so she was now sitting with one leg tucked under her and facing the ADA, Olivia tilted her head down trying to meet Casey's gaze.
"What was that sweetheart?", Olivia asked gently while pulling Casey's hand into her lap.
Clearing her throat Casey repeated, "Are you going to tell them?" before quickly turning her head away from Olivia and facing the wall.
Confused, Olivia paused for a moment before gently asking, "Am I going to tell them about the rape?"
Shaking her head Casey turned her body completely away from the older woman, covered her face with her hands in shame, and began crying softly.
"Hey... Case?..." Olivia whispered as she inched forward wrapping her arms around the young woman and resting her chin on the attorney's shoulder. "Talk to me, honey..."
Though she didn't withdraw her hands from her face, Casey leaned back accepting Olivia's embrace. "Are you going to tell them about what happened with Dr. Bergman?", she finally managed to ask.
"What?", Olivia replied as she pulled Casey's hands down so she could at least see part of her face.
Still shuddering Casey's voice was soft but her speech picked up speed as she spoke, "I'm so humiliated, Liv. I don't know what came over me. I'm a grown woman. I've been to a doctor before. I kept telling myself he was here to help me... but... but... h-his... hands... when he touched me... I..."
"Casey, shhh...", Olivia interrupted, "it's okay."
"No!", Casey exclaimed startling the detective.
"No, it's not okay.", she continued pounding a fist against the vinyl table. "God, Olivia I'm so embarrassed that even you saw that... I can't imagine what you must think of me. And now... oh god... what are the guys going to think?..."
Tears were now visibly running down Casey's face.
"Hey", Olivia replied firmly but lovingly.
"Cassandra Lynn Novak, you listen to me. You have NOTHING and I mean NOTHING to be ashamed of", she continued briefly tightening her arms around the ADA as if to punctuate every point. "Do you want to know what I think of you? I think you are an incredibly STRONG BRAVE woman who SURVIVED something today that no person should ever have to go through. Honey, you are absolutely justified in EVERYTHING that you're feeling right now."
Olivia loosened her grip and shifted back slightly so she could turn the young woman around to face her. The detective reached up and wiped Casey's tears with her hand before holding Casey's hands in hers and speaking again, "Case, I am so glad that you trusted me to help you through this. Please don't regret that now."
Casey sat dumbfounded for a second unsure when she and Olivia had gotten this close... unsure why she deserved a friend like Olivia. She had meant what she said before... that this woman she respected and admired had seen her act like a child and that humiliated her... yet sitting here at this moment Casey was unbelievably grateful Olivia was with her. She wasn't sure she deserved this affection and attention but she was grateful for it.
Looking up into the detective's soft pleading brown eyes, her frustration started to melt away and she fell willingly into the older woman's arms for about the 100th time that day.
"I don't want the guys to know, Liv", she whispered into the detectives shoulder.
"Then we won't tell them.", Olivia responded firmly as she stroked the back of the attorney's head.
"Case...", Olivia continued slowly, "I wish I could promise you that all this is just between you and me but we both know that I can't make that promise."
Feeling Casey's body tense, Olivia quickly went on, "What I CAN promise you though is that aside from the results of the rape kit everything that happened here won't leave this room okay?"
Casey nodded and relaxed somewhat.
"Olivia?", Casey asked still not letting go.
"Yah, honey?."
"I don't want to see them. ... the guys... I... I can't imagine what they must be thinking right now... what... what they must be picturing...".
Casey's voice trailed off.
Olivia paused for a moment. "I know, sweetheart."
"And I wish I could put you in my car right now and drive you home…", she continued, "but… you're going to have to make your statement eventually and it's better if we do it sooner rather than later."
Casey sighed seeming to ponder this for a moment before pulling herself out of Olivia's embrace.
"I don't know if I can do this, Olivia.", Casey stated honestly while staring at her lap.
At a loss for how to help her friend and wishing there was another option Olivia let out a small sigh of her own before responding.
"Casey, I'll tell you what… I'll ask the guys to back off and give you some space… and I'll take your statement myself. It'll just be me and you in that room okay? … you won't have to tell anyone else what happened right away but I'm not going to lie to you…", Olivia paused trying to gauge Casey's reaction. "You know how these things work, Case. You know Cragen's probably going to be in his office watching you give your statement from the other side of the glass and you know the guys are going to have to review what happened so they can catch this guy."
Casey frowned but nodded.
"Case? I know this is personal but like I said before all the guys love you and just want to help you.", Olivia paused before adding, "… and you know I love you and I promise you that I'm going to be with you every step of the way, okay?"
Casey looked up with tears in her eyes. "… Thanks Liv… I… I don't know what to say…".
Olivia took Casey's hand, helped her off the table, and placed a hand on the small of the ADA's back to steady her as Casey's legs wobbled slightly.
"You don't have to say anything.", Olivia replied succinctly. "Now let's get you out of here…"