Alex smirked at me, she was still breathing hard. "For a straight girl you sure know how to work the lesbian angle." she said smiling at me. She leant in and kissed me again. I kissed her back.

"You're going to be late." I said running my fingers over her collar bone.

"We'll work on your pillow talk later." she said sitting up still with a glisten in her eyes.

I laughed and threw my head down on the pillow, "How about tonight?" I suggested.

Alex kissed my forehead, "Definitely." I watched as she got up and redressed herself, she brushed her hair and touched up her make up. "Are you coming with me?" she asked.

"I am." I said getting out of bed, I caught Alex eyeing my naked body, I slipped into my clothes, brushed my hair and went to the bathroom to apply some make up. Five minutes later, both Alex and I were ready, we left my apartment and headed to the court.

I walked into the courtroom and took a seat behind Alex. I watched as Lillian Parks was lead in, she was wearing a long skirt, a pale blue blouse and a cardigan, well and truly giving the impression that was a harmless old lady. The judge entered the court, took her seat and made herself comfortable.

"Miss Cabot, are you ready to make your opening statement?" Judge Ruse asked.

"Yes Your Honour." Alex answered.

"Go ahead." Ruse said, the jury had filed in and been made aware of their duties.

Alex got up and moved from her seat, she walked over to the jury box making eye contact with everyone there, substitutes included. "Ladies and Gentlemen, we're here today because the defendant, Lillian Parks has not only trafficked minors for sex and profit, she has also murdered a teenaged girl in cold blood. Mrs Parks may look like a sweet old lady, you may even see a grandmother or even a mother figure, but looks can be deceiving, as they are with Mrs Parks. The defendant was arrested when at an event she was holding in Chelsea, there she had many guests, those guests were buying underage girls for sex. Today I will show you evidence that proves the defendant is guilty beyond reasonable doubt, and it is your duty to make sure no other children suffer at the hands of this woman." Alex sat back down and shuffled in her seat a little.

Kevin Sacks stood up, he was a gentleman, there was no denying it. He straightened his suit and like Alex walked over to the jury box. "Ladies and Gentlemen," he said running his hand along the railing of the box. "Miss Cabot might have you believe my client is a sadistic murderer, but she's not. Look at my client, does she look like a cold blooded killer to you? No, she does not. Mrs Parks is a woman that has helped many young girls find love, helped them find careers, and found them a place in this world. She has taken girls from abusive and violent homes and given them what we all want. The American dream. I believe my client wanted the best for these young women, and by the time I make my closing statement, so will you. How can you find a woman guilty, when all she wants is the best for these girls? You can't." Sacks walked back over to his seat and let the words sink in with the jury.

"Miss Cabot, your first witness." Judge Ruse said.

"The people call Detective John Munch." Munch was lead into the court room, sworn in and took his seat. "Detective Munch, please tell the jury the events that lead up to the defendants arrest."

"Myself and my partner entered the Garden Space in Chelsea. There were a lot of people already there, my partner and I scanned the room, spoke to a few people, then the defendant made a short speech. Then twelve girls were shown off in their underwear. They were hand cuffed at the wrists and feet. Men started bidding on the girls, and when all the bids were finished and the girls were sold; the defendant made another speech, that's when my partner gave the signal to our back up, within seconds the room was surrounded by police officers, and the defendant was arrested."

Alex nodded, Munch was very to the point which is what she needed. "Detective Munch, can you tell us what Mrs Parks said in her final speech?"

"She said she hoped we all enjoyed the show, and that they had raised enough money to bring in more girls from Europe."

"In your opinion, by her actions that night, was Mrs Parks in control of the event? Or was she working for someone else?"

"When I was working the room, I was told by many that Mrs Parks was the best in the business, her events are always the best. So in my opinion, due to the conversations I had with her guests, I would say yes, she was very much in control."

"Thank you Detective Munch, nothing more Your Honour." Alex sat down.

"Your witness Mr Sacks." Ruse informed.

Sacks didn't stand up, he wanted to jury to see he didn't think a lot of Detective Munch. "Detective Munch did you have a warrant to enter the building in Chelsea."

"No I did not, I didn't need one, I..."

"So you entered a private party without an invitation, a party in which incriminated my client, but if you hadn't have entered, this case wouldn't have even made it to court?"

"Objection!" Alex shouted, "Which question does Mr Sacks want my witness to answer?"

"I'll rephrase. How did you enter the building?"

"I walked in with my partner." Munch said feeling a back and forward about to happen.

"There was a doorman was there not?"

"There was. And he let us in, we..."

"No more questions." Sacks said cutting Munch off.

"Redirect Your Honour?" Alex asked, she didn't wait for a reply. "Detective Munch, if you're invited in, you don't need a warrant correct?"

"That's correct. We went to the doorman who was letting people in, we told him we were there for the event, which we were and he let us in. If you're invited in, or given permission you don't need a warrant."

"Thank you, no more questions." Alex said sitting down again. She picked up a tape player and a small tape. "Whilst Detectives Munch and Tutuola were undercover, they were wired up. I will now play you the exact speech Detective Munch has just told you about." Alex walked over to the jury box and held the tape player in her hand, she pressed play, and very shortly the old woman's voice crackled over the tape. 'I can see that you've all enjoyed our girls tonight. We've raised enough money to go to Europe and bring back thirty more girls for your pleasure. I would like to thank all of you for coming, and I hope to see you at the next auction.' Alex stopped the tape; she turned to face the jury, "Mrs Parks took charge and control of the auction of these girls, this alone proves that she intended to traffic more young girls for her own profit."

"Mr Sacks, do you have anything you wish to say?" Judge Ruse asked.

"I do," he stood up, "This tape proves nothing ladies and gentlemen."

"Objection! The tape clearly proves the defendant was in the building and made a reference to buy more young girls and illegally bring them into the country." Alex snapped.

Judge Ruse was clearly getting annoyed, "Mr Sacks be careful, one more remark like that and I'll have you removed from this court. Stick to the facts."

Sacks nodded, "I'll retract." he sat back down, his gentlemen like behaviour was disappearing.

Alex called Fin to the stand, she questioned him, then Sacks cross examined. As the court took a break, Alex walked out and walked me to Cops and Robbers the burger bar we'd gone to the night before. She picked out a small table at the back and sat down.

"Alex what's wrong?" I asked, she'd barely said a word the whole walk.

"I don't feel right, there's something very wrong about Sacks. He's not even fighting me Olivia."

"You think he has an angle?"

"He has something up his sleeve Olivia, he's biding his time before he hits me with it."

I sighed softly, "He does seem off his game."

Alex waved over a waitress and ordered some fries for both of us, and a coffee each. We sat and ate almost in silence. I looked up at her after I'd finished; "We only have twenty minutes to get back, are you prepared?" she asked me.

"I'm ready, I know my ass is well and truly on the line now." I stood up feeling bloated and sick, I had a bad feeling that my ass was going to be handed to me on a silver plater, and by the look on Alex's face, she did too.

"The people call Detective Benson."

I was ushered into the court room, I walked through the crowd of on lookers and took my seat after being sworn in. I looked at Alex but I couldn't relax.

"Detective Benson, can you tell the court how the defendant first entered your life?"

I took a deep breath, "I first met the defendant when I took on her case."

"And what did you do?"

"I went to her house and took a statement from her."

"Was there anything that stood out? Or made you uneasy about the defendant?"

"Yes, when I left the house, I saw photos of myself as a child."

"How many photos?"

"A few, I didn't count but I'd say around five." I felt a lump rising in my throat.

"Did you confront Mrs Parks about the photos?"

"No. I left the house, it wasn't until later that I went back to Mrs Parks house to ask her about the photos."

"Why did you go back to the defendants house?" Alex asked me remaining very professional.

"A young girl came to my apartment, she had been attacked and gave me a message from the defendant."

"And what did that message say?" Alex asked, I know she liked to ask a lot of questions, the more she asked and the more I answered, the more the jury could take in.

"It said she was my mother."

"And why is that significant?" I saw the sorrowful look on Alex's face, but I knew she had to ask me before the defence did.

"My mother was raped, I was... I am the product of rape. My mom was open about her attack and told me long before she died. Mrs Parks claimed I was her biological daughter, and that my mom had kidnapped me."

"Did she have any evidence other than the photos?"

"She gave me a vile of blood."

Alex nodded and walked over to the jury, she made eye contact; "So Mrs Parks was desperate to convince you she was your mother Detective Benson?" I replied yes, Alex continued to looked at the jury, "So she stole baby photos of you, and gave you a vile of blood." Alex repeated for emphasis. She turned back to face me. "Detective Benson, you looked after a teenager called Marni, why did you do that?"

"Marni was the young girl who came to me with the message from Mrs Parks. She had been whipped with a belt and was bleeding profusely. I asked her who hurt her, she told me she was one of Mrs Parks' girls and she was often beaten."

Judge Ruse looked over at Sacks, surprised just as I was that he hadn't objected.

"How long did Mrs Parks try and convince you she was your mother?"

"A couple of weeks, up until she was arrested and interviewed."

"And when she was interviewed, did Mrs Parks ever tell you why?"

"No. I could only hazard a guess at why she tried to get involved in my life."

"And in your opinion, why?"

"To throw me off my game. To distract me from what she was doing, if I looked at her as a victim, I wouldn't see her as a perp."

"That's all Your Honour."

Kevin Sacks stood up, he perched himself on the edge of his desk and simply looked at me with a smirk on his face. "Can you tell me about your relationship with Miss Cabot?"

I froze, "Objection!" Alex shouted, "Relevance?"

"I'm simply trying to establish a connection that could potentially cause Miss Cabot and the witness to have a conflict of interest in this case."

Alex stood leaning on her desk, "What?!"

"Continue Mr Sacks, but tread lightly." Ruse said.

"Detective Benson, your relationship with Miss Cabot."

"She's my girlfriend." I said not hiding our relationship.

"So you're romantically involved?"

"Yes."

"Are you living together?" Sacks asked clearly getting a kick out of this.

"No."

"Okay, so Miss Cabot has been involved in the emotional turmoil and suffering you've had with Mrs Parks and the issue regarding your mother?"

"She is aware of the situation."

I looked at Alex for a split second and saw the anger in her face, this was what Sacks had up his sleeve. "So would it be fare to say, Miss Cabot and yourself hold resentment, or even hatred for my client?"

"You'd have to ask ADA Cabot her feelings towards your client."

"I'm asking you."

"Objection. Your Honour where is this leading?"

"Sustained."

"Detective Benson, do you hate my client?"

"No."

"How do you feel about my client?"

"Neutral. Like I do every suspect." I felt sick, I hated this man, I hated his invasion and I hated the fact the judge let him get away with it.

"Detective Benson, I believe you have been compromised emotionally on this case, and therefore I push for a mistrial." Sacks said turning to face Judge Ruse.

"Counsellors approach." Both Alex and Kevin walked up to the Judge, I sat sitting in the court room all eyes on me. "No more games Sacks. This trial is not a place where you can make a name for yourself. One more comment out of line and your client will need new representation."

"Redirect Your Honour?"

"Go ahead Miss Cabot."

"Detective Benson, do you want justice because you were lied to by Mrs Parks?"

"No, I want justice for Marni and the twelve other girls who were illegally brought over here, drugged, raped and sold for profit."

"Do you emotionally invest in your cases?"

"I invest my time into every case, but I can't invest emotionally other wise it would destroy me."

"So you have no feelings towards to defendant at all?"

"I feel she should be punished for harming the girls. I feel the girls should get justice, but I have no personal feelings towards Mrs Parks."

"Thank you Detective Benson."

"How screwed are we?" I asked Alex as we settled down with a bottle of wine and chinese take out.

"I'll get her in the closing statement, I still have the girls to interview. Just don't worry, it was a low blow and the Judge has spoken to the jury and told them that it was a sneak attack and they shouldn't take the relationship into consideration."

I couldn't relax, Alex clearly saw the tension in me. She put down her food, took mine out of my hand and wrapped me in her arms. Alex needed to get the trial focused back on Lillian, and away from us. Until then I felt royally screwed over. And sick.