Disclaimer: The characters in this story are the property of Dick Wolfe and NBC.
A/N: I do appreciate constructive feedback if you've got any to offer. If you think it's terrible please feel free to let me know and I'll stop.
No more than a half hour later Casey and Alex were both sitting anxiously in the waiting room of the ER gripping each others hand.
Since Olivia didn't want to be touched it took a while for the paramedics to get her onto the stretcher but since she was also in an extreme state of shock she wasn't able to put up much of a fight when she was finally picked up and placed in the ambulance.
When they had gotten to the hospital Casey and Alex had begged Olivia to let at least one of them go in with her but Olivia had refused.
So now they were left waiting. Waiting without knowing what was going on and wanting nothing more than to comfort their friend.
Still gripping Alex's hand, Casey was the first one to speak.
"How did this happen?", she asked in a gravely voice not really expecting an answer.
Alex shook her head silently unable to form words.
After another minute passed Alex was jolted out of her fog when she heard Casey slam her free hand down on the arm of the chair.
"Damn it, Alex!", Casey yelled in frustration, "Why did she do it!"
Alex looked up to see tears streaming down Casey's face.
"Why did she have to play the fucking hero! It should have been me!"
Casey was now sobbing openly and Alex turned in her chair and pulled the young attorney into her arms.
"Honey, this is not your fault", Alex began finding it difficult to keep her emotions in check. "Put the blame where it belongs… with that worthless excuse for a human being."
Still clinging to Alex, Casey whispered into her shoulder. "I would trade places with her in a second right now if I could."
Alex held Casey tighter, her voice cracking as she spoke. "So would I, Case. So would I…"
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Though the tears had subsided the women remained in each other's arms until a nurse walked up to them and gently touched Alex's shoulder.
"Miss Cabot? Miss Novak?"
Pulling away, Alex looked up at the young nurse with bleary eyes.
"Yes? Is the doctor finished already? How is she?", she asked in a rush.
The nurse let out a small sigh. "Well that's just it. Miss Benson refuses to let the doctors examine her. We couldn't even get her into a gown and now she's demanding to be allowed to sign out AMA."
Casey shot Alex a concerned look before standing.
"Can we talk to her?", Casey asked.
"It might help.", the nurse replied, "I don't know what she's been through but I've seen women come into the ER in her condition before and it's extremely important that they get checked out."
Of course Alex and Casey already knew this (as did Olivia for that matter) but rather than take the time to explain their profession to this woman they just asked her to lead them to their friend.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Alex reached the door to the exam room first and knocked lightly on the door before poking her head in. The attorney felt a knot in her stomach when she saw that the room was empty.
"Shit.", Alex mumbled as she stepped into the room.
"She's gone.", Alex stated when Casey walked up beside her.
The blonde ADA was just turning to leave when she felt Casey grab her forearm.
"Alex.", Casey whispered.
Alex looked up and then followed Casey's gaze to the corner of the room.
Olivia was sitting on the floor in the far corner of the room hugging her knees to her chest.
The two attorneys exchanged another concerned look before cautiously making their way over to their friend.
Not wanting to seem threatening the two women slowly sat down on the floor across from the detective.
"Liv?", Alex began gently.
Olivia slowly picked her head up and Alex inhaled deeply taking in her friend's disheveled state for the first time in the light. Her silk blouse was ripped, her face was dirty except for the lines her tears had made down her cheeks, and her hair and skin were still covered in her attacker's semen.
Alex swallowed hard, forced herself to look into the detective's eyes, and gave her a small smile.
"What's going on?", she asked casually as if the three of them sat around on hospital floors all the time.
"Take me home.", Olivia whispered, her voice raspy partially from fear and shock and partially from the trauma to her throat.
Alex carefully moved in a little closer and smiled sympathetically at the detective. "I promise we'll take you home, sweetheart, but I'm worried about you. Casey and I want to make sure you're okay…"
"I'm fine.", the older woman managed to whisper before breaking into a coughing fit.
Casey moved in to comfort the woman when Olivia's coughing turned into gagging.
"She's going to be sick.", Casey called out as Alex jumped up and grabbed a basin off the table returning just in time as Olivia's body began shaking involuntarily as she wretched into the basin.
Casey gently placed a hand on Olivia's back and when the detective didn't pull away she started slowly rubbing small circles between her shoulder blades.
After emptying the contents of her stomach, which consisted mostly of alcohol, into the basin she flopped back against the wall trying to catch her breath.
The women gave Olivia a minute before Alex continued. "Liv? Why won't you let the doctors make sure you're okay?"
"There's nothing to check.", the older woman whispered taking a deep breath, "I'm fine. Nothing happened."
"Liv… something did happen…", Casey began.
"I'm fine!", Olivia interrupted somewhat loudly. "It's not like I was raped!", she choked out before experiencing another fit of coughs.
"Shhh… take it easy… try not to strain your voice…", the younger attorney said soothingly before looking over at Alex.
"Olivia.", Alex said softly but firmly, "I know you want this whole thing to go away. God, Casey and I would give ANYTHING to be able to turn back the clock and take away what happened to you. But Olivia…". Alex sighed. "You were sexually assaulted, Olivia. You were sodomized. You had a gun pointed at your head and you were forced to participate in sexual acts against your will."
Alex reached over and placed her hand gently on the older woman who was now crying silently. "That's rape, sweetheart."