Disclaimer: begins counting money in wallet ten…fifteen…twenty. Is that enough to own something like L&O: SVU? Damn…didn't think so…

Author's Note: I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO sorry that I haven't updated in a long time. I started another fic and that got me going. I've also had school and I noticed several flaws in this fic. In fact, I have to change a lot of it. I warn you, this chapter is CRAP. But do me a favor anyway and just REVIEW!

Time and Secrets

Chapter 7: Someone Else

By: Nimmireth

Chambers of Judge Fredrick Lawrence

"What the hell just happened in there, Counselor?" Michelle asked her after they had entered the judge's chambers.

Casey took a deep breath before responding. "I just told a court room full of people that your client raped me," she calmly explained.

"Yeah, I got that. Now what the hell is going on?"

"Your client raped me, Ms. Landenberg. What else do you need to know?"

Michelle sighed. "Casey, why didn't you tell someone before?" she asked.

Casey turned and faced the window; the tears were coming back. She closed her eyes and began to take slow, deep breaths to prevent the tears from pouring down her cheeks.

Michelle approached her and put a soothing hand on her shoulder. "Hey," she began softly. "Why didn't you tell someone?"

Casey glanced at her before looking at the ground, eyes closed. "I don't know, Michelle," she told her, her voice shaky and intimidated. "I don't know. I couldn't. I-" She choked. The tears had started to flow down the side of her face. She sat down on a green, velvet armchair and stared at her knees, arms crossed over her abdomen.

Michelle kneeled down next to her, rubbing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Hey, it's okay," she said, wrapping her arms around her. "It's okay." Casey broke down in the defense attorney's arms. Michelle couldn't help it either; tears began to glide down her face too.

Even the judge couldn't stand the feeling of defenselessness in the prosecutor; he took the sample that she had given him before they entered his chambers and walked back into the courtroom. "All rise for Judge Lawrence," said a court marshal. The judge sat down and seconds later, so did the rest of the courtroom.

"Bailiffs," the judge began. "Take the defendant into custody while detectives investigate the rape of Assistant District Attorney Casey Novak. We will return on July 10th, 9:00 a.m. sharp. We're adjourned," he said as he banged the gavel and the rest of the spectators in the courtroom stood up and began gossiping about the court proceedings.

All Elliot and Olivia could do was stare at each other. Olivia had been right; there was definitely something up, but they never expected it to be something that serious. "Elliot, what the hell just happened?" Olivia asked him, dreading the already-known answer.

He sighed. "Casey just told an open courtroom that Ross Delani raped her," he told her.

Olivia shook her head. "I can't believe this; why didn't she say anything?"

Elliot shrugged. "I don't know, but I think we should have a word with our friend, Ross, about this," he told her as they exited the courtroom at top speed.

Riker's Island

"You are SO screwed, Ross," Elliot scolded the rapist in an interrogation room. "You raped an Assistant District Attorney, let alone the fact that it was OUR Assistant District Attorney! What the hell were you thinking?"

Ross was silent for a moment. "I. Didn't. Rape. Anyone!" he told them.

Olivia nearly slapped him. "If your DNA matches what was on that woodchip than that means you did rape her; so you'd better pray that it doesn't match or you're busted!"

Ross stayed silent. "Come on, Ross," Elliot nearly shouted. "It won't matter what you say if the DNA is a match, so just tell us what you did."

Ross didn't speak. "Ross," Olivia began. "You don't know how much trouble you will be in if we find out that you raped our ADA, but if the DNA is a match, then you will and you will not be too happy. Just tell us—"

"My own SISTER was raped! Why would I rape someone if I would want to kill the bastard who raped my sister?"

"Fine, then tell us why your boss is covering for you," Olivia said.

"Oh, god. Why do you believe her? I didn't do anything to her!"

"I'm sure you didn't. That's why she didn't tell anyone at first and finally got the guts to confront you in court!" Elliot said to him.

"All she wants is to see me go to jail!"

"She's never even seen you before she was raped! Why would she suddenly have a vendetta against you?"

"I don't know, maybe because she's so positive that I did the other ones that she would accuse me of raping her!" he explained loudly.

Olivia's cell phone rang. "Benson," she answered. "Okay…thanks very much…bye," she hung up. "Elliot, Warner got results from Melissa's rape kit."

Office of the Medical Examiner

Elliot and Olivia pushed the plastic curtain and entered. "Warner," Elliot began. "Please tell me that Ross Delani is our guy."

She looked up and sighed. "Well, the semen was a dead on match to Ross Delani, but there is something rather interesting on her shirt."

"Define 'interesting,'" Elliot said.

She walked the two detectives over to Melissa's pink tank top and pointed out a small spot on it. "This spot here," she began. "It's saliva. And it doesn't match Ross. And it can't be her own." she put the karyotype up by the florescent lighting. "Look at the 23rd chromosome." she pointed to it; one sister chromosome was short while the other was long. "It's an XY chromosome: another man was there."

The detectives looked at each other, eyes wide. "Melissa failed to mention that," Elliot said.

Apartment of Melissa Albert

Elliot knocked on the door. "Who is it?" Melissa called from inside.

"Detectives Benson and Stabler, Melissa; we want to have a word with you," Elliot told her.

The detectives heard the lock on the door click and Melissa opened the door. "Can I help you, detectives?" she asked, standing in the doorway.

"Melissa, can you tell us what happened the day you were raped?" Olivia asked her.

"I did; approximately six times," she told them. "I already had my day in court and I already testified against the bastard who raped me and my story hasn't changed since that day. Why?"

Elliot sighed. "The medical examiner found saliva on your shirt; it didn't match Ross Delani's DNA." Melissa's eyes went into a V. "You didn't tell us the whole story Melissa; someone else was there. Who was it?"

Melissa's eyes suddenly went wide. "Oh, my god," she said. "Oh, my god! I-It must have been him!"

"Who? It must have been who, Melissa?" Olivia asked.

"I-I didn't think anything of it at the time."

"Didn't think anything of what, Melissa?"

Melissa's voice suddenly picked up speed. "Ross walked over to this guy wearing a green jacket. He had dark hair and was about his height. I saw him in court. I-I didn't recognize him at first, but now I know it was him! Oh, god; he must have spit on me after I blacked out!"

"Who?" Olivia asked for the third time. "Who must have?"

"His boss! Alan Lestin!" she said as her voice broke. "I saw him looking at me when Ross was walking away!"