- - -

Chapter 12

"Hi, how you feeling?" Casey asked Amy as she and Jack entered the room, the doctors had left assuring them that Amy would be right as rain in a matter of days, physically at least.

"Tired, hungry and my feet hurt." Amy managed a smile as Jack sat down at one side of the bed and Casey sat at the other.

"At least you're dry now." Jack replied, his jeans were still wet from kneeling down in the water.

"I called mum and dad, they're on their way now, they would have been here sooner only Ellie was sick all night and Sophie couldn't cope. Anyway it's nothing for you to worry about, they should be here soon." Casey said trying to figure out how to tell Amy the news and part of her was thinking that by now their sister should be able to deal with her own kids when they got sick.

"I'm sorry I ran away, I just didn't know what else to do, I mean he's out there and I'm scared he's going to come after me again." Amy said her voice quivering slightly but her resolve not to cry was holding up, she'd done enough crying recently to last a lifetime.

"Well I have something to tell you that might help." Casey said with a sigh taking hold of her sisters right hand and began to turn the ring around on it like Amy did when she was nervous, as she played with the ring Casey took a moment to notice how small Amy's hands were compared to her own, 'almost childlike' she thought, but she knew that the last thing Amy was was a child. "They urm, caught Grant and they found a lot of evidence at his house. Pictures, clothes, you know the drill." Casey looked at Amy who nodded her head in understanding as did Jack who grabbed hold of Amy's left hand. "Well you know that they can get a DNA match off of the smallest piece of evidence now, it's amazing really when you think about it." Casey began to ramble.

"What your articulate sister is trying to tell you Amy is the detectives found something at Grants house." Jack cut in preventing Casey from leading them onto a new topic of discussion unintentionally.

"There were photos of you matching the crime scene photographs, and there were also items of your clothing." Casey was about to continue when Amy stopped her.

"I'm going to be sick!" She exclaimed and Jack passed her the bin from the side of the bed which she promptly threw up in, Casey poured her a glass of water. "I don't want or need to hear the full story Casey, just please get to the point." Amy said blankly sipping the water slowly.

"There was enough DNA evidence to formally charge him with your rape and the sexual assaults the team were investigating. He was detained the other day and charged with your rape this morning. He's locked up and he can't hurt you ever again." Casey said giving Amy's hand another squeeze.

"Promise?" Amy asked through tears of relief.

"As long as there's a breath in my body that man will never come anywhere near you ever again." Jack vowed wiping a tear off of Amy's cheek with his thumb.

"And it Donnelly gets her way along with the SVU detectives he'll receive far worse than he ever did to you, a few prisoners owe the DA's office and NYPD a few favours that might just be called in." Casey replied trying to lighten the mood.

"You think you're joking don't you? If I know Elliot and Liv there's every chance of that becoming a reality. God I can't believe I ran off like that." Amy put her head in her hands.

"You've have nothing to be ashamed of, you did nothing wrong do you hear me Amy? You did nothing wrong, nobody expected you to take this with a pinch of salt and you've coped a damn sight better than I would have." Casey said making Amy look at her.

"I was just so scared." Before Amy could say anything else Casey stood up and gave her a hug and Jack put his arms around the pair of them.

"Everything's going to be ok now honey." Jack said kissing Amy on the head as he and Casey sat back down.

"So you sure he's locked up?" Amy asked apprehensively.

"To quote Olivia 'Tell her tell her the scumbag is locked up and can't touch her, and tell her we're all thinking of her.' The last thing Olivia would do is lie about this, and you know the whole 1-6 will be thinking about you. So you believe me?" Casey asked.

"Yeah." Amy replied with a sigh as her parents finally arrived meaning any further discussion was halted in favour of Amy being fussed over like a chid.

- - -

Even though it was late when she got back to Manhattan Casey decided to call in at the 1-6 to see if anyone was still there.

"Hey Casey what brings you here so late?" Olivia asked looking up from the paperwork she was doing that once again should have been dealt with weeks ago. Taking a good look at the redhead the detective noted that whilst she still looked incredibly tired and drawn the weight had definitely been lifted off of the young ADA's shoulders.

"Just got back from my parents, I thought one of you might still be here." Casey replied settling herself in Amy's chair with a sigh.

"How is she?" Olivia asked genuinely concerned.

"She's cried, she's apologised to us for running off, she's quite frankly an emotional mess. But she's Amy, and now she knows that scumbag is safely behind bars she can start on the road to recovery."

"They released her from the hospital?"

"Yeah, she's staying with mum and dad for a while, the doctors want someone to keep an eye on her given the mild hypothermia, ideally she should still be in hospital but right now she's where she needs to be." Casey closed her eyes as she answered the week was really tiring her out.

"And what about you? Where do you need to be?" Olivia asked grabbing hold of Casey's hand.

"I'm going home to sleep, and then in the morning I'm going to my parents for the rest of the week armed with some clean clothes for Amy. Elizabeth's letting me have a few days off. I'd only be worried about Amy if I weren't with her and right now she needs to be surrounded by people who care about her."

"There was no need to come in here; you should have gone straight home."

"I wanted to, Amy's one of the SVU family, besides I wanted to thank you."

"What for?" Olivia asked.

"Going to identify the body, there was no way I could have. I hear she really looked like Amy."

"Could have been her twin, I was certain it was her but I was praying that it was someone else. Do you think that she could have done something like that?" Olivia asked, she knew she was asking the wrong thing but she was wondering what Amy's next move would have been if she hadn't been found.

"Well she says she was on her way home when Jack found her, I believe her, I mean if she were to do something stupid she would have done it before Cody found her, I mean she scrubbed pretty hard at the tattoo and birthmark. Then again if you think about it she could have done something all those years ago, I mean she was terrified when the charges were dropped, didn't leave the house for a fortnight until he'd left town. But she's strong; I'd be surprised if she hadn't thought about ending it all at some point over the years; especially when she's had to relive it in various circumstances as a detective and a councillor. I don't know how she's managed to deal with it all, I've broken down hundreds of times, especially with rape cases, but yet she's always managed to put a brave face on." Casey replied.

"She's without a doubt one of the strongest women I've ever met, she'll get through this." Olivia looked Casey square in the eye when she said it.

"I know, if I'm honest I'm dying to ask her about the tattoo, and then there's Jack."

"Ah yes, she loves him but she's willing to let him go to Boston without her."

"Somehow I don't think that's going to happen anymore."

"What makes you say that?" Olivia asked thinking it would be good for Amy to go with him, or even for him to stay in New York.

"Just how they were today, he was the one that found her in a place that was special to the pair of them. He said it was at the beach that he first fell in love with her, you know what I'd put money on them lasting. He knew where to find her yet none of us had a clue, they've got one hell of a connection." Casey replied feeling much better than she had when she arrived at the precinct.

"If only there were more Jack's in this world, come on lets go for a drink I think we both deserve one." Olivia said standing up.

"Sure why not?" Casey smiled getting out of Amy's chair awkwardly. "You know what that chair really is funny."

"What do you mean?"

"It's too low for me but I'm guessing it's too high for Amy's feet to touch the floor."

"Scuff marks on the desk, she likes to swing her legs relaxes her." Olivia replied.

"That's why you're the detective." Casey smiled as they headed out.

- - -

Next morning – precinct

"Good night last night?" Elliot asked Olivia as she entered the office looking tired.

"Casey stopped by last night, ended up at the bar till late, I had a nice time." Olivia replied with a yawn.

"Good you both needed it. DA's office called Grant's bail hearing is this morning I'm planning on heading down to the court house to see how it goes. Wanna come?" Elliot asked passing her a cup of coffee.

"To arrest the judge for stupidity if they release him on bail, hell yeah?" Olivia replied.

- - -

Two hours later

Olivia pulled out her cell phone and scrolled the contacts list, reaching N she pressed call.

"Hello?"

"Amy?" Olivia asked surprised.

"Meant to call Casey?" Amy asked.

"I always forget that you're before her in the directory, I just get you on speed dial. So how are you?" Olivia asked knowing it was a question Amy was hearing quite a lot.

"Better than I was, last night I slept better than I have done in ages I just hope he isn't let out on bail." Amy said her voice conveying no emotions at all.

"That's why I was calling, calling Casey anyway."

"If he's out on bail." Amy started but Olivia cut her off.

"Remanded in custody until the trial, I was there to make sure they locked him up. You know you gave us quite a scare running off like that."

"Casey told me about the girl you thought was me, do you know anything about her?" Amy asked wanting to know who her 'twin' was. Olivia hesitated, "Just tell me Liv, don't worry I'm not going to get any ideas, besides I think I'm being checked on every ten minutes by my parents." Amy managed to inject a bit of humour, something she was good at.

"Emily Meredith, 25 year old resident at University Hospital, couldn't cope with the workload anymore; she'd been on antidepressants for weeks." Olivia told Amy knowing that the younger detective would have found out on her own anyway.

"Family?"

"Parents are devastated, didn't even know she was on tablets for the depression. Poor girl didn't think she had anyone to talk to. You know we're always here for you if you wanna talk, not just about this."

"I know Liv, thanks. Don't worry about me, I'm going to be ok, I know it's not going to happen overnight but I know I will be. I've even agreed to start therapy sessions."

"With Huang?" Olivia asked in amazement.

"No chance, Leo knows someone in Manhattan, I know I tried it years ago and it didn't work but now I want to do it."

"Good, so what about you and Jack?" Olivia asked knowing this probably wasn't what Amy wanted to talk about but she and Casey had discussed them at length the previous night.

"You and Casey were talking about me last night?" Amy asked suspiciously.

"What makes you say that?"

"She asked the exact same thing when she turned up half an hour ago, and she said you were out drinking to the wee hours."

"You gonna give me an answer?" Olivia asked with a smile.

"As soon as I have an answer for myself I'll give you one, but I do know I love him."

"Good because he's crazy about you. I'll talk to you soon." Olivia smiled hanging up.