"How old are you, Ms. Prenton?" Annalise asks, leaning against her table at staring down the woman on the stand.
"It's Special Agent," Olivia snaps. "And I'm thirty-five."
"So that would make you how old in 2008?"
"Um, twenty-three."
"And you were in the FBI training academy at that time?"
"Objection, relevance," Quinn cuts in.
"Overruled, get to the point Mrs. Keating," the judge orders.
"I-I was in the training academy, yes," Olivia confirms.
"I'd like to introduce item 3A into evidence," Annalise says, grabbing a stack of papers off her table and handing a sheet to Quinn, the judge, and Olivia.
"Objection, Your Honor this wasn't in the original evidence." Quinn stands, holding the paper in front of her.
"Approach, counselors." The judge commands and both lawyers come to the stand, close enough that the three can speak normally without being overheard. "What is this, Mrs. Keating?"
"It's a hospital record, it's relevant to the case. We just found it." Annalise defends.
"How exactly is a hospital record from twelve years ago relevant?" Quinn demands.
"I assure you, Your Honor if you allow me to ask a few more questions, the relevance will become perfectly clear."
The judge debates for a moment, her gaze flicking between the two lawyers in front of her. "Objection overruled. You may continue, Mrs. Keating."
Anger flares up in Quinn, but she can't argue or she'll be thrown out, so she returns to her table, sitting and waiting for this to play out. Annalise smiles over her shoulder at the other lawyer, then returns to stand in front of her table so she can continue questioning Olivia.
"Agent, can you tell me what this is?" Annalise asks, gesturing towards the paper.
"It's um, it's a hospital record...uh, my hospital record."
"Will you read the highlighted part?"
"Patient allowed for a...a, uh...rape kit but refused to...to give a statement to the police." Olivia's voice shakes and she struggles to read the words with her voice clear and steady. Quinn sighs and Meredith returns her gaze to the table instead of Olivia, both knowing where this is going. Lindsey's gaze doesn't waver from Olivia, as if she's trying to give her strength across the courtroom. The rest of the FBI team exchanges confused looks, not entirely sure what's happening.
"So you were raped when you were twenty-three in the FBI training academy, but never reported it?" Annalise presses.
Olivia drops her gaze, pulling at her fingernails. "Yes."
Meredith shakes her head slightly, closing her eyes, not finding enough strength to watch. Quinn grows even angrier, cursing internally. The courtroom erupts into soft murmurs and people shifting in their seats. Derek frowns, not sure what to think at all. Shock floods over him and he has to physically clench his jaw to prevent it from dropping open. He looks at his agents next to him, and they all look the about same.
"Order!" The judge yells, and silence falls instantly. Everyone's attention is returned to Annalise.
"And you regret not reporting it?"
"Objection, leading!" Quinn interrupts again.
"Sustained."
"You were the one who got Dr. Grey's original statement?" Annalise moves on.
"Yes."
"Why did it take so long after she was entered into the hospital to give a statement?"
"She had vocal cord damage, she couldn't speak, and she was terrified." Olivia casts a glance at Meredith, who looks miserable at the table. Just as miserable as Olivia feels, and is struggling to hide.
"But originally, she didn't want to give a statement, correct?"
"Um...yes, that's correct."
"What made her change her mind? Did you force her to give a statement that she didn't want to?"
Emotions building in Olivia all surge to the surface at once, and she can't hold herself back. "Stop right there for your own good, Mrs. Keating. This entire justice system is rigged against survivors like myself and Meredith. I didn't report my assault because I thought no one would believe me. The man who assaulted me was well known and well respected, and if I lost my case because of a lawyer like you, I would have been ruined; my life destroyed.
"I live in constant fear that he's going to come after me and finish what he started, and no woman deserves to live like that. It's barely even living. All I did was share my story, I did not pressure her into giving a statement, she changed her mind on her own." Olivia snaps, raising her voice. Her eyes darken and she never breaks contact with the lawyer in front of her. She has to force herself to remain seated in her chair.
Annalise grows smug, crossing her arms over her chest. "That's quite a temper you've got there, Agent. Did you use that on Dr. Grey as well?"
Olivia's jaw drops, drawing in a ragged breath as her mind struggles to catch up to what just happened. Annalise turns and addresses the judge and jury. "Clearly, Dr. Grey was forced to give a statement she didn't want to, and for that reason, I demand that both her statement and testimony are thrown from evidence on this case. Who's to say she's not exaggerating or making up what happened?"
"Objection, this is entirely speculation." Quinn stands indignantly, walking around her table. "Your honor, Mrs. Keating has no proof that Agent Prenton pressured my client into giving a statement. Why don't we ask Dr. Grey herself if she was forced?"
"That would be hearsay," Annalise growls.
"Counselors, approach," the judge stops the lawyers, and they both walk up to the stand. "I have to agree with Ms. Perkins, if you want to get Dr. Grey's testimony thrown, you have to give solid evidence. This is circumstantial and almost entirely speculation," she says, looking at Annalise.
"That testimony wasn't proof enough? It's clear Agent Prenton-"
"Enough, Mrs. Keating. I will not pull Dr. Grey's testimony until you prove that it indeed was coerced."
Disappointment and anger roll off of Annalise in waves, as she opens her mouth to say more, Quinn cuts her off.
"I'd like to request a brief recess, Your Honor."
"Granted," the judge says, picking up the gavel. "Court will resume in fifteen minutes," she brings it down, and instantly voices of everyone fill the room. Olivia is off the stands and out of the room in an instant.
"Is that true? Did you know?" Derek approaches Lindsey, stopping her in the doorway, preventing her from leaving.
The blonde hesitates, debating saying anything at all. "Yes, it's true and of course I knew."
"You didn't...she never said anything?"
"It's not my story to tell, and it's something that up until today, I could count the people that knew on one hand. Now if you'll move, I think my girlfriend needs me right now." She snaps. Derek is taken aback, and the woman pushes past him, rushing down the halls the way she saw Olivia disappear.
His team gathers around him outside the room, waiting for him to say something. "I...I had no idea." Derek speaks softly. The men and women all drop their gazes, a silence settling over them. Meredith and Quinn appear, joining their circle.
"Annalise wanted to use that to discredit Meredith and have her testimony thrown. Luckily, she has no solid proof, so we're good." Quinn reassures them. "And I thought we'd need this recess before we continue."
Lindsey pushes open the door to the women's bathroom, finding a brunette in a suit pacing back and forth across the tile floor. The room is empty except for them.
"Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck," Olivia is cursing under her breath, raking both her hands through her hair roughly.
"Liv," Lindsey quietly announces her presence. She stops pacing and faces the blonde in front of her, her face portraying so many different emotions.
"Everyone knows now. Everyone," Olivia states simply, her voice breaking. The distance between the women is quickly closed as Olivia falls into her girlfriend's arms. "I'm not gonna cry. I'm not gonna cry," she whispers, more to herself than Lindsey.
"It's okay to cry you know, I think you angry is a lot scarier."
Olivia half laughs, half sobs. "I thought I was past this, Lindsey. I-I thought..."
"I know, I know. You didn't deserve that." Lindsey is angry as hell at that lawyer, but she knows, for the time being, she needs to push her own emotions aside in order to support Olivia, who's feeling ten thousand times worse.
"It was supposed to be private. It was supposed to be...fuck, everyone knows. My boss, the people I consider my family. I can't go back out there. I can't face them." Olivia pulls away again.
"I love you."
"How can that woman do that to another woman? It's just a fucking case, the man she's defending isn't worth it. I don't understand, I-I...why?" She continues, oblivious to the woman in front of her.
"I love you." Lindsey sings again, a little louder this time.
"They're going to look at me differently now. I know it. They're going to pity me and look down on me and underestimate me and question if I can do my job and-"
"I. Love. You." Lindsey grabs Olivia's face in her hands, stopping her pacing and words and forcing Olivia to look at her. The agent melts at her touch, closing her eyes.
"I love you too." They're quiet for a long few minutes, Lindsey giving Olivia whatever time she needs to collect herself. "I didn't just ruin the case, did I?" Guilty blue eyes meet brown.
"No, no of course you didn't. Don't start blaming yourself again, Darling. It's not your fault."
Olivia nods, repeating the last four words in her head while focusing on her breathing. She smiles softly."How did I get so lucky with you?"
"I don't know, maybe it had something to do with all those four-lead clovers you saved as a kid."
Olivia laughs lightly, then her tone turns serious. "Thank you."
"It's what I'm here for. Are you ready to go back out?"
"No...but I'm going to have to at some point, so," Olivia shrugs, reaching for Lindsey's hand, a gesture that is immediately reciprocated. The women leave the bathroom and slowly make their way back to the court. When she reaches the end of the hall, Olivia freezes. "I was wrong. I can't do this now. I can't face all of them at once."
Lindsey follows her gaze, seeing the entire group of nine people crowded outside. "Too late. You got this. I'm right here."
Olivia shakes her head but continues down the hall. When Derek looks up and sees her, he starts a chain reaction, and now everyone's eyes are on her.
"Olivia, I-" Derek steps closer to her, swallowing thickly, unsure of what to say. "I had no idea. I'm so-"
"Don't. Derek, I know you're going to apologize but just...don't. It happened over a decade ago, and honestly it made me into the person I am today. A stronger, better woman. I've been dealing with this for years, on my own now's not the time to start pitying me or doubting me." She starts out talking to Derek, but after the first few words, she's addressing the whole group.
Derek presses his lips together, studying her. He wants to say more but understands this isn't the time nor place to do it. So, he nods. The others take cue from their leader, giving Olivia small smiles or looks of sympathy.
"Sorry, we need to get back in there." Quinn interjects softly after checking her watch. The group nods, heading back into the room and their seats, but Meredith lingers outside. Lindsey starts through the doors, but Olivia doesn't move.
"You go ahead, I'll be there in a minute." The agent promises. Her girlfriend nods and disappears through the doors.
"I'm sorry." Is the first thing Meredith says when they're alone.
"Don't apologize."
"You really live in constant fear of the man who did this to you?" She asks quietly. "Sorry, you don't have to answer that..."
"It's fine." Olivia shifts her weight from foot to foot. "Yeah. Most of the time I'm able to just push it down but...I know he's still out there. I feel guilty for not doing anything to stop him. But it's always there. Fear, anger, guilt, everything. I'm afraid he's going to come after me again." She admits, not looking at Meredith.
Olivia's reputation for being strong, witty, and untouchable is a stark contrast to how she feels right now. Showing weakness nad opening up has never been her strong suit. She never knows who she can trust.
"Men." Meredith sighs quietly.
"Men." Olivia repeats.
"We should go back inside." The blonde says after a moment of quiet. Olivia agrees, and they return inside the courtroom to their respective seats.
It's not long before the judge reappears, and it takes about another hour for the session to draw to a close for the day. Most spectators clear out right away, only six lingering in the hall outside.
"If things go as planned, we should have a verdict the day after tomorrow." Quinn announces.
"We're still gunning for death penalty?" Derek questions.
"That or our second option, life without parole."
"I just want this to be over." Meredith shakes her head.
"I think we all do." Cristina agrees. "Let's go home."
Meredith nods, walking out of the building with Alex, Cristina, and Derek beside her. Quinn exits as well, leaving only Olivia and Lindsey together in the hall.
"I'm gonna cry when we get home, fair warning. Maybe in the car too." Olivia says quietly and they begin making their way out the main doors, hand in hand.
"We'll order pizza, watch a crappy movie, and you can cry all you want. I stocked up on mint chocolate chip ice cream. You're gonna be okay, Olivia. I promise." Lindsey replies.
"You're amazing," the agent smiles.
"No. You are."