Disclaimer: The characters in this story are the property of Dick Wolfe and NBC.

As Olivia entered the room she set the cup of coffee in front of Casey before taking her seat across the table with her back to the two-way mirror. She saw Casey give her a slight smile without meeting her eyes. Casey's hands reached up and grasped the cup staring intently into the mug.

"Sorry about the coffee.", Olivia said apologetically, "It's decaf. Munch used the last of the regular this morning and didn't replace it."

Casey knew what Olivia was trying to do. She'd watched her do it a million times before. Whenever the detective talked to a victim she always started out by talking about something nonsensical to make the victim feel more comfortable before the hard questions came. Casey wondered if the technique was in the SVU detective manual. It probably was she realized. She hated that it was being used on her… not because she didn't appreciate what Olivia was trying to do but because it just further affirmed that she was a victim.

Realizing she hadn't said a word for what must have been a solid five minutes Casey cleared her throat and heard a voice that she didn't recognize as being her own force out a gravely thanks.

After another minute or two passed she heard Olivia's voice trying to coax her out of her haze again.

"Casey?…"

Without raising her head Casey's dim green eyes slowly looked up until they caught Olivia's compassionate gaze. Almost immediately Casey wanted to bolt from the room but instead she steeled herself against the table and forced herself to keep looking at the detective.

Olivia's voice softened as she leaned in closer, "Tell me what happened, Case".

Casey opened her mouth to speak and then realized she couldn't force any words out. As she tried to swallow the giant cotton ball in her throat she became acutely aware of the temperature in the room. She had been shivering a few minutes before but now her palms were sweaty and beads of perspiration were forming on her brow.

Sensing Casey's discomfort, Olivia tried to start the young woman off.

"When I spoke to you on the phone this morning you were on your way to the courthouse to try to procure a warrant in the Adams case…", Olivia began purposely letting her voice trailing off.

Casey pulled her hands into her lap and wiped her sweaty palms on her sweatpants stalling for time. Her brain was screaming at her to speak. To stop humiliating herself in front of her colleagues. To stop being so weak.

She looked back up at Olivia with pleading eyes that threatened to overflow with tears at any moment.

As she bit her bottom lip hard to keep from crying she saw Olivia stretch her arm across the table and offer her hand. Casey tried unsuccessfully to steady her shaking hand as she withdrew it from her lap and placed her palm lightly against the detective's. As soon as she made contact she felt Olivia's hand close firmly around her own.

"Casey…", Olivia said softly so only the ADA could hear, "…stay with me okay? I know you can do this. We'll take it nice and slow… just start at the beginning…"

Returning her voice to a normal volume but not letting go of Casey's hand Olivia gently asked, "What time did you leave the courthouse, Case?".

"Um…", Casey cleared her throat and swallowed hard.

"… a little after ten o'clock", she managed to reply quietly.

"And then you came here to deliver the warrant?", Olivia prompted.

"No.", Casey shook her head, "No, I couldn't get the warrant, Olivia. That's what I came by to tell you guys. I tried everything. I'm sorry". Casey looked down dejectedly but looked back up when she felt Olivia squeeze her hand tightly.

"Don't apologize, Casey. Everyone knew it was a long shot to begin with." she said trying to reassure the young woman.

"Did you notice anything strange on your way here? Like maybe someone walking kind of close to you or looking at you funny?", Olivia asked.

"No.", Casey whispered. "Though I don't think I was really paying attention…", she admitted just as quietly.

"Okay", Olivia continued gently, "what happened after you got here?"

"I um… I was tired", Casey stuttered, "the um… this case… it was kind of taking a lot out of me."

Olivia nodded understandingly but remained quiet so the ADA could continue.

"I um… I needed a minute…", Casey continued as she began to bite her upper lip again, "so I um… I ducked into the restroom…"

Olivia kept her voice controlled, "Did you notice anyone in there when you walked in?".

"No.", Casey whispered barely audibly, "No, I was alone."

"What happened next?"

"Um… I heard the door open…", Casey's voice began to shake, "I heard… footsteps… I didn't think…"

"Where were you when you heard the door open?", Olivia interjected gently.

"I was… my eyes were closed…", Casey answered, "I was leaning against the wall… my back… my back was turned."

Olivia sensed Casey withdrawing and felt her start to pull her hand away. Olivia met Casey's gaze and held onto her hand tighter, squeezing it encouragingly, "What happened next, Case?"

"Hands.", Casey whispered, visibly shaking now. "Hands… on my shoulders. … I didn't see… I didn't know… I didn't know he was there."

"He pushed… he pushed me in… into the wall", Casey stumbled, "I… I couldn't mo-move. He… he…".

Casey faltered as a sob escaped her lips. She looked down as tears fell from her face onto the table.

Pushing back her chair but not releasing Casey's hand, Olivia stood up and walked around the table. Without saying a word Olivia knelt down next to the younger woman and began gently stroking her hair.

After giving the attorney a few moments to calm herself, Olivia took both of Casey's hands in hers.

"Casey? What happened next?

Olivia saw Casey look up at her and then look over apprehensively at the two way mirror.

"Hey," Olivia said pulling Casey's gaze away from the mirror, "just focus on me, Casey. You're doing fine."

Casey didn't look away but took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "He had his hand… around my throat. I couldn't… I couldn't breath." Tears started to slide down her cheeks again. "I can… I can still f-feel him, L-Liv… his breath… on my… on my skin…god…"

"Casey.", Olivia said firmly, "Honey, open your eyes."

The ADA slowly obeyed.

"Don't close your eyes... just look at me, Case", Olivia continued more softly, "You're safe now."

"Casey, what happened after he grabbed your throat?"

Casey concentrated intently on Olivia's compassionate brown eyes while willing herself to keep talking. "He… he… um… was… r-rubbing against me… and he was touch… touching me…"

"Honey I know this difficult.", Olivia started slowly hating herself for what she had to ask, "but I need you tell me where he touched you."

The younger woman's eyes immediately dropped to her lap where her hands where still joined with the detectives.

"He had his hand up my shirt", she responded with surprising clarity but so quietly that Olivia had to strain to hear her. "… groped my breasts. My stomach. My…"

Her voice trailed off and she paused before resuming, "he pushed up my skirt. …t-touched me."

Casey's voice sounded so distant and hollow Olivia wanted nothing more than to gather the young woman in her arms and take away her hurt. Olivia hated that she was making Casey relive this. She hated that she was contributing the pain her friend was feeling right now. She knew she had a job to do and she knew that what she was doing was going to play a part in helping Casey. … but right now she hated herself for doing it.

Olivia pulled one of her hands free from Casey's and squeezed the young woman's shoulder in support.

"Tell me what happened next, Case.", she finally asked.

Olivia could feel Casey's shoulder move up and down as she sobbed silently.

Olivia waited and was about to prompt the young woman again when she heard a whisper.

"He pushed… forced himself inside me.", Casey admitted quietly as she continued to shudder, "He ra… he r-raped me, Liv".

"God, it hurt.", Olivia barely heard her whisper.

Olivia's cop façade cracked slightly right then and she moved closer to embrace her hurt friend.

"I know sweetheart", Olivia whispered once again in a tone only the young attorney could hear. "I know. … I'm so sorry."

Olivia felt Casey hands gripping the fabric of her sweater as the ADA cried hard into her shoulder.

Olivia held the young woman tighter and rubbed small circles on her back. "Shhh… it's okay… I got you… I'm not going anywhere", She whispered soothingly.

The detective noticed that her own cheeks were now wet with tears as she continued to embrace the attorney. Her eyes drifted over to the two way mirror on the other side of the room and she could almost feel herself making eye contact with the captain through the glass. She knew she was quickly losing her inner battle to remain impartial and professional. She briefly thought that Cragen might knock on the glass and send someone else in to replace her but when that didn't happen she realized that the captain was also affected by this. She realized that this time the lines were less clear.

Olivia knew she still needed more information from the attorney but she also knew that right now it would take every cop in that squad room to come in and physically pull her out before she would willingly pry her sobbing friend from her arms. Instead she opted to hold the ADA tighter and continue to whisper soothing things into her ear until Casey decided she was ready to continue.