Disclaimer: I do not own any Law and Order: Special Victims Unit characters.

Summary: A rape case involving a popular television star leads Olivia to meet a man who claims he is something she never had growing up. Her father.

Author's Note: This will be my second fan fiction story for Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. My first SVU story was titled Trust and it was my first fan fic ever. Please enjoy and reviews are very much appreciated. Note: This is not a sequel to Trust.

Chapter One

Anne's Pastries and Coffee House

221 Adams Street

Monday, May 5th, 2006

6:15 am

The soothing smell of fresh coffee filled the air of the corner store. It was a welcoming smell for a blustery Monday morning and it was always enjoyable. It was quiet in the coffee house and normally always was. Few people sat in there due to the fact that there was a Starbucks and donut shop across the street. This store had the best tasting coffee for at a lower price, though, which was why Olivia Benson entered it.

She sat herself down at the counter in a tall wooden seat that squeaked every time she shifted in it. She had woken up at four and couldn't get back to sleep. She went out for a run and then came home and showered, got ready for work, and then left for the coffee house.

"What could I get you, dear?" asked an old woman who stood on the other side of the counter in a simple apron that mothers would wear around the house. The store did not have their employees wear specific clothes nor ridiculous hats. They were laid back and benevolent and always treated customers as if they were family.

"Coffee, two sugars and some cream on the side," Olivia answered tiredly.

"You sound like you had a rough night," noted the woman. Her voice was the typical voice of a grandmother who cooked for the whole neighborhood. It was warm and it somehow made a person comfortable with revealing everything about them.

"Just a sleepless one," Olivia explained. The woman turned around and began making the coffee but she continued her conversation.

"Tough job?" asked the woman.

Olivia grinned to herself. "You could say that."

"Well," said the woman, "If you'd like, you could come back here at seven and I'll make you some tea you can take home. It'll sure put you to sleep."

"I'd appreciate that," said Olivia. "I can't promise I'll be here though. My job doesn't really let me run on a schedule."

"Well whenever you get the chance, dear." The woman finished the coffee and added the right amount of sugar. She glanced at Olivia. "I think you should make it a little more. You're going need enough to keep you through the day."

"Go right ahead."

The woman added more sugar to Olivia's coffee and then gave it to her. She came back with the cream and placed it next to her along with a white napkin. Olivia poured some of the cream into her coffee.

"So what do you do Miss..." The woman waited for her name.

"Olivia. Olivia Benson. Well, I work for the Special Victims Unit. It's an elite squad that investigates..."

"I know," said the old woman. "It's rough work, isn't it?"

"It can be."

"I once had to go there," said the old woman. "I was raped by a man who was a friend of my mother's."

"I am very sorry to hear that."

"It's quite alright. They had me take birth control pills so I didn't get pregnant."

"Was the man ever convicted?"

"Yes," answered the woman. "He was sent to jail and I haven't seen or spoke to him since. Neither did my mother."

There was a silence that came between the two. Olivia sipped her coffee. It trickled down her throat and was as soothing as it's smell. Mostly everyone in the coffee shop had been making brief conversation if they had come with someone else. Some sat in silence, reading the newspaper or a book.

"My mother was raped," Olivia told the old woman. Why Olivia said it, she did not know. It was the old woman's voice. The welcoming, comforting voice that allowed you to tell her your deepest secrets. Her voice and demeanor was trustworthy and it somehow made you believe that she had no need to tell anyone and she would not.

"I'm sorry," the woman said sympathetically after another brief silence.

"Don't be," said Olivia before taking a sip of her warm coffee. She swallowed. "It's why I'm here today."

"Did they ever find the man?" asked the woman.

"No," answered Olivia. "No they didn't."

"Well," said the old woman, "I strongly believe there is a reason for everything. Now, don't take this the wrong way but, maybe there is a reason why he wasn't caught. Maybe God has an event this man must go through before being caught. Maybe the man's dead, who knows?"

"He probably is dead. I wouldn't care." There was another silence and Olivia stood up. "Thank you for the coffee." She paid the woman.

"Have a safe day, Olivia Benson," said the old woman.

"You too..." Olivia glanced at the woman's name tag on her apron which she had not noticed through the whole conversation. "Pattie." The woman smiled at her. Olivia exited the coffee shop and walked onto the sidewalk.

It was the middle of spring but it felt as though summer was already here. Thankfully, it was windy. Olivia sipped her coffee in the Styrofoam cup as she headed toward her car. The streets were slightly empty. Olivia looked at her watch. It was 6:39. She had twenty-one minutes until she had to be at the precinct. She had nowhere else to go so she decided to go in early.

Special Victims Unit

6:50 am

It seemed as though Olivia was not the only one who did not get much sleep last night. Detective Odafin Tutuola was also in the precinct. He sat at his desk doing paper work and his eyes we nearly closed.

"Hey Fin," greeted Olivia. Fin nearly jumped out of his seat at the sound of her voice. "You okay?"

"Yeah," answered Fin. "Had a rough night," he explained.

"You and me both," said Olivia. She put her coffee cup on her desk and sat down at it. "Anyone else in?"

"Captain is," said Fin. "That's all. He told me we're getting a new detective."

"What?" asked Olivia who was surprised she hadn't heard the news yesterday.

"He claims he found out today," explained Fin. "He said he doesn't know much about 'em. He's coming from the Major Case Squad in Manhattan."

"So it's another guy?" asked Olivia.

"Yup," answered Fin.

"You'd think they'd hire another female detective by now."

"You're one of a kind." Fin grinned.

"Sometimes I wish that wasn't true."

Detective Munch entered the Precinct. He too managed to grab a cup of coffee before reaching work. He also managed to grab a donut.

"Didn't bother to buy me one?" joked Fin.

"I'm not made of money," answered the senior detective and he took a bite of his honey glazed donut. "Why are you in so early? I always get here before you."

"Couldn't sleep," explained Fin simply as he returned to his paperwork.

"And what's your excuse?" he asked Olivia before taking a sip of his coffee.

"Same," said Olivia.

"It must have been the full moon." Munch retired to his desk and finished up his donut when Captain Cragen walked in.

"Morning," he greeted to the three detectives. He made his way to the coffee machine and began making a cup for himself.

"Where's Elliot?" asked Munch.

"His daughter's graduating today," answered Cragen. "He won't be in until later. Any news on that missing teenagers case?"

"Well the Brooklyn Special Victims Unit doesn't seem to be doing any better than we were," answered Munch. "They still can't find that Junior High bus driver."

"Probably jumped the boarder," suggested Fin.

"He wasn't Mexican," reminded Munch.

"Doesn't matter."

"Captain," said Olivia. Cragen turned around and then followed Olivia's gaze to the entrance of the precinct. A teenage girl stood there. She was slowly walking and her make up was running down her bloodshot eyes. She was stiff as she made her way through the nearly empty precinct. Her clothes were scantily clad and she looked as though she had ran through a hurricane. Her blonde hair was a mess. She stopped when reaching their desks. Her figure was terribly thin and her skin was pale.

"Are you okay honey?" asked Olivia.

The teenage girl shook her head.

"Where are your parents?" Olivia asked in a comforting voice. She rose from her desk.

"Probably looking for me," the girl mumbled out. She talked as if she hadn't spoken a word in years. Her voice was hoarse. Her lipstick was smudged on her cracked lips. She had to have come from a late night party of some sort.

"Why are they looking for you? Why aren't you home?"

"I've been missing the past three days," answered the girl.

7:13 am

"Her name's Alexa Stewart," explained Olivia who handed Cragen a missing flier with the girl's picture on it. She looked much more alive on the flier. "She was last seen three nights ago at a party. Guests from the party didn't say much about her. They said she left early. She's only sixteen."

"Where are her parents?" asked Cragen.

"Munch is calling them now," answered Olivia.

"Do you want to talk with her?" asked Cragen. "Maybe, get something out of her."

"I'll try," said Olivia. She made her way to the room where Alexa was being held. She opened the door and saw that the girl was sitting staring out the window into the big city. She did not move when Olivia opened the door. She remained on the couch, staring.

The room was furnished as home-like as possible. It contained a table, two couches, a chair and a bed. There were several books around the room for all different ages. There was bathroom that came off from the room.

"How are you?" asked Olivia.

The girl did not answer and continued to act as if she still did not notice Olivia's presence. Olivia sat on the couch across from her's.

"Could you tell me what happened to you?" Olivia asked after a moment of silence. The girl still did not respond or make any movement.

"Alexa," said Olivia, "if you don't tell me what happened I'm not going to be able to help. You came here for help didn't you?"

The girl nodded and eventually turned to Olivia. Her blue eyes were still red. She looked scared and hopeless as her eyes and Olivia's connected.

"What happened at the party?" asked Olivia.

"I can't..." whispered the girl.

"You can," said Olivia. "You can tell me anything."

"You don't understand though," explained the girl. She coughed into her elbow and regained her voice a bit more. "I can't tell you."

"Alexa, we won't be able to help you. I want to help you. I'm here to help you. That's what my job is for. Now tell me, what happened at the party and what happened to you."

The girl swallowed hard and turned away from Olivia. She stared at the carpeted floor for a bit before speaking. "I was invited to the party by this girl, Tina Steele. She's really rich and she owns a huge house. It was a pool party and everyone in the school was going. Her parents weren't going to be home. I had my parents drop me off at the mall with friends and I told her I'd call when I wanted to be picked up. My friends and I went off into the mall and met two seniors we knew from school. They took us to the party. I got there and everyone was having a good time." The girl stopped.

"And then what happened?" asked Olivia.

"I don't want to..." cried Alexa, her eyes began watering up.

"You need to tell me," explained Olivia. "I want to help but I can't do anything unless you tell me what happened."

"People were drinking," Alexa blurted out. "They were drinking and...and...smoking weed. Everyone was either drunk or high or getting drunk or something and then my friend gave me a beer and told me to drink it." She began crying. "And I did." Her crying became louder. "I drank the whole thing. And then I had another and another until I was so drunk I couldn't walk from one side of the room to the other." She put her head in her hands in an attempt to muffle her cries but it didn't work. Olivia placed a consoling hand on her back for support. The girl's cries died down a bit and then she looked at Olivia.

"When you're ready," said Olivia. "You can continue."

The girl inhaled. "I don't remember really what happened next," admitted Alexa. "I was being carried up the stairs. At first I didn't know who it was but then I saw his face. It was Kurt Steele."

"The television star?" asked Olivia.

Alexa nodded. "He's Tina's cousin. She told everyone he was coming which was why so many people came. I hadn't seen him that whole time until then. Then I remember lying in a bed. It was a large bed. I sat up and saw that the room was empty. It was one of the guest rooms. I was so exhausted that I laid back down. The room was spinning and I didn't feel good so I got up and went to the bathroom. I threw up and as I was throwing up someone came and held back my hair. It was Kurt again. When I stopped he helped me rinse out my mouth with mouth wash and he had me brush my teeth. After I was done he came at me." The girl paused and closed her eyes. A tear ran slowly down her cheek.

"What did he do?" asked Olivia.

The girl gulped. "He kissed me," muttered Alexa. "And I let him. And I kissed him back.." She began weeping again. "He lifted me from the floor and he carried me to the bed. He continued kissing me while he was on top of me. He then tore off his shirt and I kissed his body." Her words soon became barely comprehendible as she sobbed. "He then lifted my shirt over my head. He then unbuttoned his jeans and that's when I tried to get away. He pulled me back underneath him and I couldn't get away. He then removed his pants and reached up my skirt. I clawed at his back but he still wouldn't let me go. I started screaming but nobody heard me because the music was too loud downstairs. He pulled my underwear down and I told him to stop and that he was hurting me. He didn't listen. He told me to stop crying and that he knew I liked it. He then took off his underwear and...and he raped me." She began bawling and Olivia cradled her in her arms. "He...he...then left the room and left me on the bed. I grabbed my clothes and put them on and ran downstairs. My friend saw me and asked me what was wrong. I told her that I was raped and that I was going to call the cops. She told me...I couldn't because so many people were underage and drinking and doing drugs and that I'd get too many people in trouble. So I left. I didn't want to go home. I couldn't face my parents. They would have been so angry at me for lying. And nobody would believe that Kurt Steele raped me." Her bawling increased.

"I believe you, Alexa," said Olivia.

"I came here because I knew I couldn't live on the street any longer. I had to get help," said Alexa through her cries. "I didn't know what else to do besides go here."

"You came to the right place." Alexa muffled her tears into Olivia's shoulder and Olivia kept her arms around the young girl.

7:42 am

Alexa's parents had reached the precinct and were now in the room with her and she explained to them where she had been and what had happened. Olivia stood outside looking in on the room as Mrs. Carrie Stewart cried and Mr. Joseph Stewart placed a comforting arm around her.

Captain Cragen approached Olivia. "Munch and Fin are heading over to Alexa's high school to talk to Tina Steele and Alexa's friends. Would you like to go?"

"Yeah." Through the window Olivia saw Alexa run into her parents arms and she began crying. She looked so helpless in her parents arms. Olivia, like all the victims she met, felt sympathy for her. Olivia knew well that it was her job to bring justice for the victims and like all her other cases, she was going to try her hardest to convict the perpetrator, Kurt Steele and to help the victim, Alexa Stewart. What Olivia did not know was how close Kurt Steele was to her or where this case would lead her. Olivia did not know that this would be the most important case of her career that it would forever change her life.