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

Captain Cragen moved away from the two-way mirror where he had watched the entire exchange between the two woman and dropped down in his chair. Propping his elbows on his desk he began massaging his temples.

Olivia had managed to get most of the story from Casey but the detectives still needed a description of the attacker. After just witnessing one of his colleagues literally crumble before his eyes though the captain thought it better to give the two women a few minutes before pushing Olivia to continue.

Though the captain would never admit it to any of his subordinates, he held himself personally responsible for the attack on the young ADA. It was his responsibility to keep his own station house safe. The fact that one of their own was attacked literally a few hundred feet away from himself and his detectives both infuriated him and made him feel like he let a young woman down.

Determined not to fail in his duties again, he picked up the phone and dialed a four digit extension from memory.

The phone rang once before the man on the other end of the line picked up.

"Munch."

"John, it's Cragen.", the captain spoke assertively, "Olivia is still in there with Novak taking her statement but I want you and Fin to go pull the security tapes for this morning starting at 9:30. Whoever attacked Novak would have had to have walked through the door and shown their face to the camera at some point."

"You got it, Cap.", John replied but then paused a moment before continuing, "uhh… Cap? Are we sure that whoever attacked Casey walked in off the street? I mean whoever it was could work here and could have already been in the building before Casey arrived."

Cragen pinched the bridge of his nose. He had considered the possibility though the thought that the ADA's attacker was someone he might have walked past every day made his heart sink to the pit of his stomach.

"I know, John.", Cragen replied somewhat quietly. "Olivia's going to get a description from Novak shortly. Let's start with the tapes from around the time of the attack and then we'll broaden our search if we don't come up with anything."

"We'll get right on it.", John replied before hanging up the phone.

Returning the phone to it's cradle Cragen slowly rose from his chair and reluctantly walked back over the glass. Flipping the switch on the intercom he leaned against the wall and listened as the questioning continued.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Olivia was no longer kneeling on the floor but had pulled her chair around to the other side of the table so she could sit closer to the ADA.

Giving Casey's hand a quick squeeze before picking up her pen she reassured the young woman. "You're doing great, Case. I promise we're almost done I just have to ask you a few more questions. Is that okay?"

Casey nodded silently and Olivia resumed her line of questioning.

"Casey, did he say anything to you during the attack?", she asked.

Casey placed her forearms on the table and began ringing her hands together.

"He um… when he grabbed my throat… I c-couldn't breath. I thought… I was going to pass out. … that… that he was g-going to k-kill me", she admitted before taking in a jagged breath and continuing.

"When I… s-started to pass out he loose… loosened his grip on my throat and said 'You're going to want to stay awake for this baby.'", Casey said shivering.

After jotting down her notes Olivia looked up with those same compassionate eyes.

"Did he say anything else?", the detective asked.

Looking down at the table Casey nodded but didn't respond.

Reaching out and covering Casey's hands with one of her own, Olivia gently prompted her again.

"What did he say, Case?"

"Uhhh… when he… when he was t-touching me… he um… he said… 'You like that don't you baby'", she spat out in disgust.

Olivia gave Casey's hand a supportive squeeze. "Casey, did you get a good look at him? Can you describe him to me?"

"I um… I don't know…", the ADA replied nervously.

"It's okay, Case. Just take your time…", Olivia said silently praying that Casey would be able to give them some sort of description to go off of.

"He… um… he was big… heavy… broad shoulders… kind of overweight but not too tall… maybe 5'8"?", Casey sighed frustrated with her inability to describe a man who she couldn't get out of her mind. "I'm sorry.", she relented.

"Don't be sorry Casey you're doing fine.", Olivia encouraged, "How about his hair or his eyes?"

"Dark hair… dark eyes…". Though the attorney was staring intently at the table she had this tortured look in her eyes like she thought she was failing miserably at giving the detective a clear description. Dark hair? Dark eyes? She had just named her attacker as one of over half the world's population. She silently admonished herself while struggling to give the detective more details. Anything.

"Umm..", she began, "he… uh… his face. When he um… his face was rough… like he hadn't shaved."

"I'm sorry, Olivia.", she said again dejectedly, "I know this isn't helpful."

Olivia placed her pen down on the table and pulled Casey's hand until the attorney's body was facing hers.

"Honey, look at me", the older woman instructed.

Casey looked up and saw the warm caring expression on the detective's face. She was relieved to see that Olivia wasn't angry with her but that didn't mean that Casey was being any more helpful.

"Casey…", Olivia said once she had the red head's attention, "I promise, you're doing fine. I wouldn't lie to you. You just tell me what you remember and let me worry about the rest okay?"

When she saw Casey nod Olivia continued.

"How about what he was wearing? Was it a suit? A uniform? Jeans?"

Casey thought for a moment. She thought about how she had instinctively put her hand on his bare wrist when he grabbed her throat. She thought about when the fabric of his shirt touched her bare stomach. She thought about the sound of him undoing the buckle on his pants and pulling down the zipper.

Swallowing a familiar panic that was rising in her throat, Casey responded quickly "T-shirt. Short sleeved. Dark. Soft."

Tears burned her eyes as she continued.

"I could… um… when he… when he p-pushed against me… I… I felt a buckle. It was big… flat.", her hands trembled as she paused.

"Jeans.", she blurted out, "his… his leg… he used his knee to… to pry my legs a-apart. I felt the d-denim. There… there was a zipper."

Olivia tore her eyes away from Casey and looked over at the mirror. She knew this was the best description they were going to get from the woman and it was as if she was trying to make eye contact with Cragen through the mirror to get his approval to stop.

A second later she heard a light rap on the glass which was Cragen's way on indicating they had what they needed.

Turning back to the ADA, Olivia pushed her pad aside and gave Casey's now trembling body a firm hug.

"It's over sweetheart.", she whispered, "You did great."

After holding the attorney for a few more minutes, Olivia gently pulled away.

"I just need to talk to the captain for second and get his permission to take you home. Are you going to be okay while I'm gone?", Olivia asked.

Casey nodded and Olivia quietly exited the room and made her way to the captain's office while avoiding the questioning stares of the rest of the squad.

"Captain?", Olivia asked as she stepped into the office and saw Cragen standing up against the glass still watching Casey.

Cragen slowly tore himself away from the window and walked over to Olivia placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I know that wasn't easy, Liv", he said in a fatherly tone. "You did good."

Though tears threatened to fall from Olivia's eyes she kept them at bay.

Thanks, Don. was all Olivia could manage to say.

Giving her shoulder one final squeeze the captain took a few steps back as he sometimes felt uncomfortable showing his detective's signs of affection.

"Why don't you give your notes to Elliot on your way out, Liv, and take Casey home.", Cragen instructed.

Olivia nodded and turned to leave but looked back when the captain spoke again.

"Take care of her, Liv", he said quietly.

Olivia gave the captain what she hoped was a smile and nodded again before leaving the office.