A/N: Thanks to everyone who has been reading and following along. It's definitely appreciated! Thanks also to the University of Buffalo's website for their definitions of rape and sexual assault. Although I remember the charge, I couldn't remember the specifics. As always, I'm sorry for any SVU or court errors that I make; the only thing I can say is that this is what things were like for me. All names have been changed to protect those involved.

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Law and Order: SVU. That honor goes to the good folks over at NBC.

Spoilers: None.

Summary: An eleventh grader is sexually assaulted at school. Will Olivia, Alex, and the rest of the gang be able to help her cope?

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Present, Alex and Olivia

"You know," I mused, taking a seat near the coffee shop's window. "I'm a little concerned with this investigation."

"Why?" Alex asked in surprise, taking a sip of her latte.

I shrugged. "We're having a hard time corroborating Julia's story, which means—" I uncomfortably trailed off.

"Which means that I'm going to need her testimony in order to prove the case," Alex sighed in understanding. "What's her behavior and attitude been like?"

"Shy, scared, tired," I took a sip of my own coffee, staring out the window. "I hope she'll be okay by the time the trial hits," I mumbled.

"Me, too," Alex murmured.

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Alex's office, one day later

"Hi, you must be Julia," Alex warmly and confidently smiled at the young girl as she approached the couch where the student had been waiting for her.

"Yeah, hi," Julia anxiously mumbled her reply, lurching to her feet. She felt incredibly uncomfortable by her surroundings, a feeling which was only intensified due to the fact that she had never before met Alex. "And you're Olivia's friend?"

Alex laughed, shaking Julia's hand. She really didn't mind when victims called her by her first name, or in this case, as 'Olivia's friend;' ADA Alexandra Cabot was reserved more for those whom she prosecuted, as well as for other lawyers who needed to be reminded of who she was. "Alex. Nice to meet you," she ushered Julia toward one of the office's smaller conference rooms. "Are you nervous?" she softly asked.

"No," Julia shook her head, wringing her hands in anxiety. "Okay, yeah, maybe a little," she amended her statement with a slight chuckle. "I'm just, uh, this is all new to me," she half-shrugged, half-smiled.

"I understand," Alex pointed to one of the chairs in the conference room, saddened by the fact that this wasn't new to her at all; interviews like this one were unfortunately very common in her line of work. "But you can trust me; I'm on your side," she again smiled.

"I know, that's what Olivia said," Julia swallowed in nervousness, uneasily taking a seat across from Alex. "But this is still very intimidating to me."

Shoving Julia's file aside for a moment, Alex removed her glasses, setting them down on the table. "Before we get into the legal stuff, how are you doing?" she quietly asked.

"I'm okay," Julia whispered, her gaze riveted to the table. "I'm tired, but I guess that makes sense… you know, given everything." Tired was actually an understatement; the eleventh grader was exhausted. Sleep seemed to elude her every single night, leaving her tired and confused for the next day's events.

"Yeah, that's pretty common from what I understand," Alex nodded. "If it keeps up, though, make sure to see your doctor. Sleep is actually pretty important," she smiled.

"I know," Julia bit her lip, recognizing the fact that because she was so tired and unable to focus during the day, her grades were already beginning to slip.

Again reaching for Julia's file, Alex flipped to the first page. "I had a chance to read over the police report, and I have a few questions for you," she murmured. "The report mentions that you periodically giggled during your interview. Is that a nervous habit?" she gently inquired.

Julia's face burned bright red in embarrassment. "Yeah, I tend to laugh when I'm uncomfortable or scared. I don't know why I do it, it just happens. Is that going to be a problem?" she meekly asked.

"No," Alex kindly replied, slipping her glasses back on. "But it's something that the defense attorney will probably make note of. It doesn't mean the guy is any less guilty, though," she added.

Julia nodded her understanding.

"Now you mentioned the names of a couple of students who you thought might also have been attacked at one point or another by Mark," Alex continued. Julia again nodded. "Olivia and Elliot spoke to the girls, and neither are willing to come forward. They both say that something happened, but they don't want to get involved at this point."

"Oh," Julia exhaled a shaky breath. "So I guess that means I'm on my own?"

Alex gazed across the table at her. "You aren't alone," she cautiously said, "Although I'm not going to lie to you: the majority of my case will rest on your testimony."

Julia's face paled, another nervous laugh escaping her lips. "My word against his word? And I suppose he'll be there, too?"

"The law gives him the right to face his accuser, so yes, I'm afraid that he'll be in the court room with you," Alex softly explained.

"Oh," Julia repeated, once again staring down at the table. "Okay." She really didn't know what else to say; she just knew that she hated being in the same school as Mark, and now she had to come to terms with being in the same room with him. With him staring at her. With everyone staring at her.

"How much do you know about the law?" Alex asked, her hands lightly and calmly resting on the table.

"I know the majority of the documents from the AP curriculum by heart," Julia replied, staring down at the floor in sadness. "And I can cite the Bill of Rights and the majority of the Constitutional amendments from memory."

Alex smiled at that; this kid was a lot like she had been when she was her age. "So you're familiar with the judicial process?"

"A little bit," Julia confirmed. "I know that it's slow, no offense," she blushed.

Alex chuckled. "It's definitely slow," she agreed. "But listen. I wanted you to know that I've been trying to decide what to charge Mark with, and I'm leaning more toward rape than sexual assualt." Julia looked everywhere but at Alex, numbly nodding. Although Alex had been considering sexual assault, a charge that does not necessarily include penetration, Mark had still penetrated Julia. "Either charge is considered a felony under New York State law, just so you know," she added.

"Okay," Julia mumbled, fidgeting with Hoot, who had been hidden in her pocket. "Olivia mentioned a grand jury," she added. "I kind of don't know what that is."

Alex leaned back in her chair, her expression serious and businesslike. "The first stop on the path to conviction is the grand jury."

"Innocent until proven guilty?" Julia quietly asked, even though she knew that Mark was seriously guilty.

"Exactly," Alex smiled. "The grand jury will include eighteen people, and aside from them, you and I will be the only other two people in the room. Their job will be to listen to my evidence—including your testimony—to determine whether or not my office has a case against Mark. There won't even be a judge in the room," she added.

"Great," Julia mumbled. "Hopefully they'll believe me," she wanly smiled.

"Just be honest with them, and you'll do fine."

"When will the grand jury take place?" Julia hesitantly asked. "Tomorrow? Next week?"

"I hate to say it," Alex pursed her lips, "But legally speaking, a grand jury can be scheduled for up to six months after the events of the crime."

"So I'll see him every day for the next six months?"

"Possibly, I'm sorry," Alex sighed. Time never worked in favor of the victim.

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Lakewood High School, three months later

"You lying bitch," a varsity football player jogged up to Michelle after school one day. "You think you're going to get away with this?" he asked, grabbing the senior by her neck and slamming her up against the wall of lockers.

"What are you talking about?" Michelle's eyes widened in surprise and panic as she registered the fact that two more varsity football players were running toward her.

"You know that he didn't do anything to you that you didn't want done," Jose, the first football player, sneered at her. Digging his fingers into her neck, he continued to hold the struggling girl against the lockers.

"Who didn't do what?" Michelle tried again, clawing at Jose's hands to try to get him to release her. Where were all of the adults? School had just ended, and there should have been a lot of people around!

Sam, another football player, stood in front of Michelle, glaring at her. "Mark. Mark didn't touch you like that, and you know it."

"I don't know what—" she started to say, grunting as Sam's fist connected with her solar plexus. "I don't know what you're talking—" she tried again, screaming when someone else's fist connected with her face, causing her lip to split open.

"You'll screw up his life if you testify, so you better not," Jose squeezed her neck once more. "So repeat after me. Mark didn't touch me."

"But he didn't!" Michelle groaned in agony. "I don't know what you're talking about!"

Sam again punched Michelle in the stomach, stepping back. "Tell us you won't testify."

"I won't," Michelle screamed, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I promise, I won't!

"You better not, bitch," Jose threw her to the ground, spitting on her prone body before walking away. "If you do—" he trailed off.

Michelle had no idea what had just happened to her, or why it had even happened. Although she was close with both Julia and Mark, Julia hadn't told her the specifics of the assault, nor had she ever mentioned Mark's name. Now, it would seem, Mark's friends were convinced that she herself was the 'snitch.'

So, so much for restraining orders and school security; apparently, they were both pointless.

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TO BE CONTINUED