SOPHIE COULDN'T HELP THE smile that spread across her face as she returned to her home that evening. A bouquet of flowers sat by her door with a sweet note from her most recent client. Taking the flowers in and placing them in a vase, she snapped a photo and thanked the client via text message.
Although she usually left things with the detectives, Sophie was curious about the outcome of her investigation. A husband cheating on his wife was one thing, but cheating with a fifteen year old girl was another. With the case handed over to SVU, Sophie knew she could get a little bit of information - or she would, at least, be needed for the trial.

She wasn't in her apartment long before a text came through on her phone from Carisi. Sonny was an SVU detective that Sophie had bonded with, the pair often meeting up to discuss law related things. Sophie was proud of the man, working as a detective as well as being in night school.

Sonny; hey, are you able to come in? Barba wants to talk about the photos you took!
Sophie; yeah sure, I'll be there in like half an hour ish? I'll text when I'm nearly there!

Grabbing the coat that she had only recently discarded, Sophie left her apartment and once more made her way over to the 16th precinct. She was glad that her photos would be coming in useful but she also didn't particularly want to deal with the ADA Rafael Barba. It wasn't that Sophie hated the man, more that she didn't really like his attitude towards her and her occupation. He was often moody, something she guessed came with the job, and Sophie was not a fan of that - he was, in her mind, good looking though which would have to be his redeeming quality.

...

"Look, everything that I did was legal! It's part of my job and I witnessed a crime so I handed it to SVU!" Sophie scoffed as the ADA rolled his eyes at the private investigator. "What?"

"Miss Bright, you're not a detective, are you?" Sophie shook her head, confused at the question when Barba knew the answer already. "So why are you doing detective work?"

Sophie opened her mouth to speak but Sonny spoke for her. "That's her job, Councillor! She gets paid to follow people around and she did the right thing coming to us."

Sonny placed a hand on Sophie's shoulder and the woman smiled up at him. Barba narrowed his eyes at the pair, Sonny confused but Sophie catching on. She rolled her eyes at Barba and took a breath before speaking to him in a low voice. "Don't give me that Look Barba, Sonny and I are friends."
Sophie smirked at the man, knowing how to get on his nerves and was in the mood to do just that. "Don't get all jealous now, Rafael." Sophie noticed how the man swallowed and shifted at the way Sophie spoke his name, the PI now feeling more triumphant. However, the ADA quickly rolled his eyes again before Sophie spoke in a more serious tone, knowing she would have to once again defend her job to the man.

"Look, everything I do is legal. I have all the official documents that I need, and I also have a signed form from my client saying they paid me for my private investigation skills."

Barba nodded at Sophie "Okay, and you'll testify in court about what you saw?" It was Sophie's turn to nod at Barba, knowing she could be valuable.
"Of course I will, just tell me the date and time."

...

"Why were you taking photographs of the defendant in the first place?" Sophie looked over to the jury and smiled lightly at them before answering Barba's question.

"I'm a private investigator and I was paid by my client, the defendant's wife, to follow the defendant around. She suspected that he was cheating on her and it seems she was correct - though I doubt she thought it was with a 15 year old girl."

"Thank you, no more questions." Barba gave a nod to Sophie before taking a seat. The defence attorney stood up and made his way over to Sophie.

"What is the difference between you and a stalker, Miss Bright?" Sophie had to hold in her eye roll at the question and instead plastered a fake smile on her face.

"This is my job. I am paid to do this and as such, there are rules. No following into their homes, no following into restaurants, no confronting my clients target. As well as that, I don't choose the subject."

The man nodded before moving on, realising he wouldn't be able to discredit Sophie that way. "What makes you think my client had an inappropriate relationship with a fifteen year old? How did you even know this woman was 15?"Sophie had to hold her tongue, knowing the defence attorney knew how to push her buttons. The fact he had used the word woman for a fifteen year old girl was one thing that made Sophie feel sick.

"The young girl was known to my client as a dog walker who often helped them out. She knew that the young girl was 15 years old. As for how I knew, you are welcome to look at my camera memory and see the multiple images of the kissing and groping of the young girl."

The defence attorney gave up after that, Sophie glancing to Barba as he smirked triumphantly. Maybe Sophie had done some good, helped build a case against the man; at least she hoped that she had done some good. After being friends with people in SVU for a few years, Sophie had heard some of the things that children had to go through and she hated all of it. If she could help at least one man go to jail, she would be able to sleep a bit better at night.

...

Sophie held her coffee cup in her hands as she stood outside the courtroom with Carisi, Olivia and Barba chatting to the side. "I know I've testified in court before but usually it's divorce court or family court." Sophie shook her head as Olivia and Barba walked over to them. "I guess this is more scary."
Olivia smiled gently at Sophie, placing a hand on her arm.

"You did great Sophie, exactly what we needed you to do." She nodded at Olivia, smiling thankfully.

"I think you made a strong case, no matter the verdict you should be proud." Sophie thanked Sonny just as Barba glanced at the courtroom. Sophie followed his eyes to see that people were being let back into the courtroom which could only mean that the verdict was back.

"Jury's back." They began to make their way over, Sonny and Olivia further in front of them. Just before they entered, Barba spoke to Sophie which caught her off guard. "Carisi is right, you've done everything you can and you've done that well." Before having the chance to say anything, Barba disappeared and Sophie was left in shock for a moment. Rafael Barba, the moody lawyer she was usually butting heads with, just said something nice to her; and it made her blush.

Shaking her head, Sophie made her way into the courtroom and took a seat as she awaited the verdict. Her heart was beating fast as she waited for the elected jury member to stand up and speak, her nerves must have been showing as Sonny grabbed her hand. Sophie looked at the man, who was already looking at her, and smiled gently at him. He smiled back before giving her hand a squeeze and turning his attention to the jury member that had just stood up. Sophie took another much needed breath - it was time.