Here's the next chapter. I hope you guys enjoy and thanks for reading :)

"What?" The brunette yelled, and Alex just looked at her.

"What do you mean she has to testify?" Liv ranted and her friend just sighed. She knew this wasn't going to go well.

"Olivia, you... you need to calm down," she advised, all to aware of the other blonde in the room that was now standing in the doorway as she looked between them with a terrified expression on her face.

"Don't tell me to calm down," the brunette continued but stopped immediately at the whimper she heard from behind her.

Turning around, she finally saw Amanda and the anger immediately dissipated, replaced with regret.

"oh, baby, she said, and closed the gap between them in two long strides.

"Come here," she coaxed gently and opened her arms, but Amanda just whined before shaking her head and backing away.

"What the hell have I done?" She said meeting Alex's eyes and the attorney just sighed.

This was so not what they needed right now.

"Amanda, sweetheart," she whispered and the blonde just looked at her as tears ran rapidly down her face.

"Come here, sweetie," she tried once more. "I'm sorry I scared you," she continued.

"I promise, you're safe with me," she said, moving closer to where her friend was crouched in a corner of the room.

"He... he... he used to yell," she signed as she began shaking from the force of her sobs, and Liv just sighed.

"I'm so sorry," she said, reaching out and placing a hand on Amanda's trembling shoulder and suddenly her friend through herself at her clinging desperately to her. "Give me a second, please?" She mouths to the ADa and she just nodded in response.

For ten minutes, Olivia walked from the kitchen and through the living room and back again, attempting to calm the hysterical blonde in her arms.

Alex just looked at them, her anger rapidly increasing. "What the hell was wrong with these people?" She thought. If Amanda reacted this way to Olivia yelling, then how the hell was she supposed to get through a trial?

It took another ten minutes for Amanda's sobs to taper off, but she didn't let go of her protecter.

Alex walked over to them and looked at the brunette. "Do you want me to tell her?" She asked and the brunette shook her head. "I'll do it," she whispered.

"Hey, sweetie," she said softly. "There's something I have to tell you," she continued and the blonde looked up at her with red rimmed eyes.

"What?" She signed and the older woman took a deep breath.

"Baby, I'm so sorry, you have to testify," she whispered and the blonde began signing no repeatedly while cuddling closer to her.

"Please, don't make me," she signed as she broke down once again, burying her head in Olivia's shoulder.

"Alex," she mouthed. "What the hell are we going to do?" She continued and the attorney just ran a hand over her face.

"I need to prepare her," she said, and Olivia just looked at her, before motioning to the blonde in her arms.

"I'll give you a minute," she said before storming out of the room. Amanda didn't need to feel her anger. She needed comfort which Olivia was providing.

The detective sighed before taking a seat in the rocking chair and attempting to explain to her friend what she would have to do.

"Sweetie, can you look at me?" She asked but Amanda just held on to her even tighter. "I'm not leaving, sweet girl," she said, speaking softly. "I just need you to look at me so we can talk."

Amanda reluctantly looked up at her andOlivia nearly lost it right there when she saw the scared expression on her friends face. Amanda needed her to be strong though.

"So, sweetie," she started and the blonde just nodded. "You will have to go to court and tell the judge what the bad man did." "can... can you come with me?" She whispered and Liv looked at her. It had been more than a week since her friend had spoken aloud. "To a degree I can," she said and sighed when she saw the confusion on her friends face. This would be the hardest part of the conversation.

"I can come inside the courthouse, but I have to sit in the gallery," she spoke and Amanda's eyes widened and her breathing immediately picked up speed.

"No... no," she whined and Liv just sighed, motioning to Alex who approached the two women.

"We have to stop this," she mouthed desperately and Alex just nodded. "This will break her, having to be in the same room with him," the brunette continued and the ADA just hung her head.

"Liv," she whispered and she nodded while attempting to calm Amanda down who was hyperventilating in her arms while desperately gripping her sweatshirt.

"What if she sees the state Psychiatrist?" She suggested and the detective nodded gratefully. "We have to do something, this can't happen," she said.

"They... they threatened to subpoena her if she doesn't show up," she carefully explained and it took all of Olivia's self control to remain calm.

"What?" She said in a low voice and Alex just looked at her. "I tried to tell them she wasn't speaking but it doesn't matter to them." she continued. "They need her testimony." Olivia looked down and when she saw Amanda the tears that she had been trying to hold back came pouring out. Her friend was perfectly still, with that same glazed over look in her eyes, even with Olivia holding her. That was simply more than the brunette could take, and she herself broke down.

Alex resolved right then and there that she would do whatever she could to stop this. If she didn't, it could break them both.