My ghost
Where'd you go?
What happened to the soul that you used to be?


Barba and the SVU squad sat at a conference table listening to River explain the latest change in their current victim's testimony. When she finished, Rafael spoke up, "I'm going to drop the charges."

River recoiled as if she had been slapped, "Are you kidding me?"

"River, I don't have a case," he answered as he leaned back in his chair.

"Yes, you do," she asserted. "Morrison raped her. I know that. You know that. This whole entire squad room knows that. How can you just let him walk?"

"You're right, I do believe he raped her, but she lied. Multiple times. The defense is going to tear her and her credibility apart on the stand. I can't prove it to a jury beyond a reasonable doubt."

River threw her hands up in the air, "So, that's it. We just let him go? Let him go back into the world to do it again, safe in the knowledge that his heinous crimes have no real consequences."

"Riv, he's got a point," Carisi said.

"Really, Fordham?" She crossed her arms and glared at her partner, "I know you're trying to get the man to let you shadow him on a case, but let's try not to turn on our partner while we accomplish that goal."

Olivia stood, "No one is turning on anyone, River." The older woman put a hand on River's shoulder, "Look, I understand how passionate you are about putting Morrison away. I'm right there with you, but Barba IS right on this one."

The detective turned her glare towards the ADA, "Amazing. It's like I can see his head growing bigger right before my eyes."

"River," Lt. Benson chided.

"I'd say sorry, but no one would believe me and we've already established that is a good enough excuse not to do the right thing." She snatched her jacket off of the chair she had abandoned when she first started talking, "If you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go break it to Starla that our ADAs win column is more important than her being violated."

Liv began to follow River out of the room, but Barba stopped her, "I'm headed back to my office anyway. Let me handle it."

The ADA headed towards the elevators and barely managed to slide into it before the doors close. He stuck his hands in his pockets and turned to look at River who was practically vibrating with anger. He didn't say a word as he waited for her to gather her thoughts and speak.

Her voice was as hard as steel as she demanded, "How many times, Rafael? How many times have I watched you in court? How many times have I watched you take on case after case after case that everyone else thought they couldn't win. How many drug dealers, distributors, smugglers, and gang members are behind bars because you did what no one else could? Yes, she lied. She's 18 and she's scared. I remember 18. I remember how terrifying making big life choices was in far less traumatic situations than the one she's going through right now. I know it's been almost five years, but what happened to that the guy? The one who stopped at nothing to put the bad guy away? What happened to the lawyer that strolled into every courtroom with an aura that reads to every defendant and their attorney, 'how dare you think you're going to walk away from what I'm charging you with no matter how weak you think my case against you is?' Because that's the ADA I need. That's the ADA that Starla deserves."

Barba pinched the bridge of his nose as the elevator doors opened and they exited. He acquiesced, "We don't go to court until Thursday morning. You've got two days to find me more concrete evidence or another victim. If you don't, I'll drop the charges."

River nodded, "Thank you, Rafi. I'll find it. I'll be damned if Starla doesn't get her day in court."

As River began to walk off in the opposite direction of him, he called out, "Take Carisi with you."

She turned around with a snort, "That turncoat. I'm fine riding solo."

"Interesting," Barba smirked and tilted his head to the side, "I seem to recall someone telling me I should be nicer to him."

"And yet, he took your side instead of mine. Partner rule #1. You back me in public and disagree with me in private," the detective countered.

"River, the four years ago you is showing," he said as his smirk transformed into a smile, "You're better than this. He's your partner. And, he didn't necessarily disagree with you. No one in that room did. We all want this guy put away. He just simply stated that I had a point. That doesn't mean he was saying you were wrong. It means he was saying he could see both sides."

"Low blow on the personal growth attack, Rafi." River looked down at the ground and huffed, "But you do have a point." She pulled out her cell phone and called Carisi, "Hey, Judas, get down here. Barba's giving us two days to find some concrete evidence." She listened to what her partner had to say, "Fine. We can stop for food first, but you're paying, Brutus, " She started to hang up, but stopped when the other detective spoke, "I'll stop addressing you by treasonous names when I good and feel like it. You got five minutes to get down here, Benedict Arnold, or I'm leaving without you." She hung up and she looked at Barba, "What? The name calling a little too much of my former self?"

He laughed and winked at her, "I'd say yes, but since it's Carisi? Give 'em hell kid."

A few seconds after Rafael left, Carisi came charging out of the building. When he got closer to her, he tried to apologize "Look, River, I wasn't tryin-"

"Save it, Hanssen." River cut him off and gently punched him in the arm, "We've got some investigating to do."