Olivia felt great that night and that morning. It wasn't until she got to work and saw Lieutenant Tucker that she knew there was a problem.
"I didn't shoot anyone, and Elliot's not even here!"
Whatever he wants, he can choke on a dick.
"Well thank you for that declaration, but I'm here to investigate the death of August Rivas."
"Never heard of him."
"He crashed into your car yesterday afternoon."
"That asshole! He almost killed me and Kathy."
"He died in his vehicle."
"What are you investigating? I had a green light."
He had to acknowledge that. "We have footage from the accident."
"So it sounds like a shut case to me."
"Why didn't you render aid to him?"
Are you nuts? "I'm not a paramedic. I called them by the way. They didn't show up for like 40 minutes."
"You didn't think to check on him?"
"My best friend's wife told me her water broke, and the baby was coming. I didn't even think about the driver who hit us or that he might be injured."
What was his theory of liability? Negligence, perhaps that was true, but Olivia called in for assistance that she never got. It's not like she left the scene.
"You forgot about the driver?" Or you left him to die on purpose.
"Have you ever seen a woman give birth?"
"I can't say that I have."
"Well if you had, then you would understand how I forgot about the driver. I had to deliver the baby myself. I was more up close and personal with Kathy Stabler than I ever wanted to be, and I'm sure she would have much rather had her baby in the hospital delivered by a real doctor and with an epidural."
There was no automatic desk duty for car accidents; this wasn't like an officer-involved shooting.
"Consider yourself on notice that you are under investigation for conduct unbecoming of an officer."
Consider yourself on notice that you're an asshole who likes to waste people's time.
"Are you done now? I have a real job."
Elliot watched his son sleeping in the nursery. This was the first time his work kept him from his child's birth. He knew he was already in the doghouse with Kathy, even if she had been too tired to express it the day before.
"I don't know how, but I'm going to find away. We're going to pull through on this as a family."
"First time father?" The nurse asked him.
"Fifth time father actually. Somehow, I'm most nervous about him."
Eli slept without a care in the world.
Before Alex knew it, Cassie was turning five years old. This would be the first birthday party Alex had ever thrown for her and the first one Cassie had since starting school.
Not wanting to cause hard feelings, Alex invited everyone in Cassie's class for an afternoon at the Romp Around (an indoor theme park) and a pizza lunch.
Twelve of Cassie's fifteen classmates came to the party, which meant Alex had her hands full trying to watch everyone. Olivia was there to help as were Margo and Liz.
"I want to go on the rolling slide." Cassie pointed to a slide made of spinning wooden cylinders. Olivia got on with her just to curse herself internally. This shit hurts!
Hundreds of little children ran around where they bumped into each other, crashed into bouncy walls and padded implements, played video games, and raced each other.
Liz watched Olivia grimace as she went down the slide. "I am way too old to be doing stuff like that."
Olivia felt the same way, but she was a sucker for blonde beauties.
"There's a bouncy ball pit!" Cassie pointed.
Olivia knew this was going to hurt.
Two hours later, Olivia was relieved to escape all the games. Alex reserved a room where the children got either margherita or salami pizza. They had juice, water and milk to serve along with the pizza.
"This looks better than the greasy junk they usually serve in places like this," Margo commented. Usually these places had Chuckie Cheese-esque.
Alex paid an extra fee so she could have the pizza brought in from an authentic Italian pizzeria. "I wanted something that would be lighter, since we're also giving them cake."
The blonde was sure to get lots of pictures. She wanted to start a family photo album. Unfortunately, she hadn't thought to take many pictures when Cassie first came to stay with her, but she had some from the Fourth of July and her relatives had taken plenty at the family reunion.
"It's time for cake," Alex told them as the ice cream cake arrived.
"YAY!"
Cassie was a bit small for the chairs, so she sat on Olivia's lap while she blew out her candles. With Alex right beside them, it was the perfect family photo.
Marsh took a deal where he would plead guilty to one count of murder 2. In exchange, Steele would recommend a sentence from 25-30 years. It was hardly the life sentence without parole that Steele wanted, but Marsh wouldn't be able to leave jail until he was an old man.
McCoy tried to console Steele without revealing his hand too much. "Remember, he only gets this deal if he honestly testifies against Margaret."
"Of course he will … won't he?"
"I would prepare for him not to do that," or to refuse to testify after all. McCoy already knew that Kessler's second chair had some kind of connection to Marsh. He assumed they had a common strategy, one designed to leave Steele holding the bag in court. It was McCoy's job to make sure that didn't happen. If Greenfield didn't get convicted, McCoy knew Donnelly would kill him, as she should. They couldn't keep Alex safe last time. No way would they let anything happen to her or Cassie this time.
Kessler's first goal was to get Cassie eliminated as a witness.
"She's only five years old," Kessler argued to Petrovsky. "She does not have the capacity to discern the truth from a lie."
Lena thought there was merit to that argument. "Five is young, and is she a necessary witness? I thought Marsh admitted his role in the killings."
"He did," Steele conceded. "But we need Cassie to corroborate his testimony. The jury is not going to be inclined to trust the testimony of an admitted murderer."
"And it's important to your case that Marsh be corroborated."
"Absolutely. He's corroborating Stuckey."
"And what do you say about Cassie's veracity?"
"Cassie is a very intelligent girl. She was able to accurately describe her parents' murders and describe the man who killed him to the sketch artist. Without her, we never would have caught him. Also, we have a psychologist who examined her and will testify that she is capable of testifying truthfully."
Lena wasn't sure if that would be necessary. "I would like to speak to her myself." She was concerned that they were putting too much pressure on a small child. If she's the case, and she cracks, there's no case and there's a broken child.
Steele knew he couldn't get out of this. Alex is going to be pissed!
"Why does she want to talk to Cassie?" This poor girl has told her story enough times.
"She's concerned that Cassie might not be capable of testifying truthfully."
"But Huang examined her."
"He did, but she wants to see for herself."
Alex sighed. "Let me know when and I'll have to prepare Cassie."
She waited until Olivia got home to tell her the news.
"Judge Petrovsky wants to question Cassie."
Olivia blinked. What? "What did she do? Talk back to her teacher."
"No?"
They both burst out laughing.
"Sorry for not giving you any context."
"I'd prefer a kiss before context."
Alex kissed her fiancée hard on the mouth. "How's that?"
"Much better, and why is Judge Scary Pants trying to talk to Cassie?"
Alex frowned. "She's afraid Cassie won't be able to tell the truth on the stand."
"Cassie will be fine."
"But she'll be in there alone and …"
Olivia kissed her. "I think Petrovsky knows not to push your kid too hard. The last thing she wants is you storming her chambers reading her the Riot Act."
Alex ruffled Olivia's hair. "How was your day?"
Olivia shrugged. "Got to do paperwork. IAB is up my ass about the car crash."
"What? Why?"
"I didn't think to render aid to the bastard who hit my car instead of delivering Kathy's baby."
"WHAT?" That's outrageous.
"It's IAB. They're always on our asses! Why do you think it is that Cragen's still an Captain?" He'd be an Inspector by now if it weren't for IAB's vendetta against SVU.
Alex never thought about it. "He's been a Captain for a long time."
"He'll retire a captain," Olivia sighed. He deserved more.
Alex frowned. Not if I can help it!
To Olivia's chagrin, Alex insisted she get counsel if IAB questions her again. "I don't want you getting shafted over nonsense. If they have it out for you, then you need counsel."
Olivia sighed, but she agreed.
Two days later, Alex took Cassie to see Judge Petrovsky. The five year old wanted to dress up for court as well, so she had on a button down blouse and a skirt along with her Mary Janes.
"Remember what we went over."
Cassie nodded. "Tell the truth and if I don't remember, say I don't remember."
"Exactly." Alex kissed her head. "You'll be great. I know it."
Steele was nervous. He had no time to prep Cassie. Alex said she'd take care of it, but it's her kid and a five year old, who knows what Alex did.
"Are you sure? We can fake sick or …"
"Cassie knows what to do," Alex assured him. "She's a natural."
Jim surrendered to his fate. The bailiff came and escorted Cassie to Judge Petrovsky's chambers.
Lena couldn't help but smile when she saw the girl. She looked like a miniature Alex; she only needed a blazer and glasses. "Hi Cassie, do you know who I am?"
"You're the Judge."
"I am, but you can call me Lena. Do you know why you're here?"
"I'm supposed to answer your questions because you have to find out the truth."
"That's right. How about we start with something easy. What's your full name?"
"Cassandra Walker, I don't have a middle name." She had gotten asked about that a lot during their first kindergarten project.
"How old are you?"
"I'm five."
"Where do you live?"
"On 84th and Park."
"And who do you live with?"
"My mama and my papa."
Lena frowned. Her parents were dead. "Who is your mama?"
"Alex."
"And who's your papa?"
"Livia!"
Lena blushed. She did not know those two were shacking up, but it wasn't a surprise now that she thought of it.
"When did Alex become your mama?"
"During the summer."
"Do you remember when?"
"June."
"Why did she take you in?"
"A mean man took my mom and dad. They're with God now."
"Do you remember that day?"
Cassie frowned but she nodded. "They screamed a lot, and then the screaming stopped."
Lena could see the girl curling up. She didn't want to ask her anymore about that day. It's bad enough she'd probably have to recount it again in front of a bunch of strangers.
"Do you go to school?"
She nodded. "I just started in September."
"Tell me about your friends."
Cassie started talking about the other girls at school. Tyra and Chloe had nice parents. Sidney's parents were mean.
"Why are Sidney's parents mean?"
"They don't like my mama and papa."
"Did they say why?"
"They said girls are supposed to be with boys."
The girl was very astute for her age. Lena was confident she could testify truthfully; it didn't make her like this anymore.
"Do you want a cookie?"
"Yes please!"
She's more polite than Alex already. Lena remembered Alex as a little girl. She'd rob the jar and then run for it.
After Alex came to get Cassie, Judge Petrovsky made her decision.
"After careful consideration, I find that Cassandra (in the record as Jane Doe) is competent to testify. She has demonstrated her ability to speak candidly and to differentiate between a truth and a fantasy.
Defense counsel is free to try to impeach her during the trial, but I'm warning you now Kessler, if you are heavy handed with that child, I will set your bail so high that you will be stuck in jail overnight. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes your Honor."
"Very well."
Kessler had more motions to file. He was hoping to bury the prosecution, but it wouldn't work. Steele had a second chair to help him, and McCoy had Rubirosa on stand bye in case they got overwhelmed. The DA's office was firing on all cylinders.
Alex reached out to her Uncle Bill to discuss both Olivia's predicament and the Captain's.
"Alex," Bill was surprised to see her. "What brings you here?"
"I wish I could say just a family visit, but I came on behalf of my former colleagues. They seem to be trapped in permanent red tape."
Directly, Bill would not be able to do much, but he could be a sounding board. "Let's discuss it and see if we can come up with an action plan."
She started with Olivia. "She was driving her partner's wife, Kathy Stabler, to the doctor when she got hit by a drunk driver."
"Heavens … is she okay?"
"Oh they're both fine, but Kathy's water broke, and Olivia had to deliver her baby in the back seat of a smashed up Chevy. Ultimately, she had a healthy boy, Elliot Stabler Jr."
"Now that's good at least. What's the problem?"
"IAB is harassing her because they say she should have left Kathy alone and checked on the driver. Olivia didn't think to do that and he died in the car before the paramedics got there."
"If he died that quickly, then what could she have done?"
"The paramedics took almost an hour to get there."
"Even so, she's probably trained in first aid, but I bet that's it. I am too and I wouldn't know what to do if someone got smashed up like that. Even if she had given him aid, she might have just made it worse. What if his spine was broken?"
Alex hadn't thought about that. "That's a good point."
"Why do you think IAB is harassing her?"
Alex explained how one IAB officer in particular was always giving them a hard time no matter what happened.
"As terrible as it is, I've seen officers shoot unarmed men without getting a second glance yet they get it every time a suspect has a bruised cheek."
NYPD's IAB was not known for being particularly passionate about their work. "Why do you think they target SVU?"
"I'm not sure why, but it's not just Olivia." She explained their other targets, Cragen, Munch, and Stabler. "Cragen should have been promoted by now and Munch should have at least been offered the Sergeant's exam. Stabler, well he might deserve some of the crap he gets."
Bill nodded. "It could be something simple, like they prosecuted a friend of someone upstairs or they interfered with a case."
Alex frowned. "I haven't gone through their case histories, so I wouldn't know."
"Well, the first step is finding out what the problem is. I suggest you leave it alone until the trial's over."
"Why?"
"You're a witness. The last thing you want is for Kessler to argue that you're one to meddle to bail out her friends. I know it's unfair, but even if you acted now, it's not like Cragen would get a promotion right away. I doubt a few months would make any difference."
"You're right," Alex ceded, "but once I can, I will find out what's going on."
"I know, and then we'll find out what we can do about it."
"Thanks Uncle Bill."
Despite Tucker's threats, nothing happened to Olivia. Ultimately, there was insufficient evidence that her conduct had been intentional. She did, however, have to retake a class on rendering aid, which she thought was bullshit, but it meant no mark on her record, and she couldn't afford any, so she dealt with the hand that the men upstairs gave her.
When Elliot came back, Olivia congratulated him, punched him on the arm, and said "You are in my debt forever."
He smiled. "I know Liv."
"I'll accept a cheeseburger as payment, well one a week, for life."
He laughed. "Haha. How was the hellhole without me?"
"Well you missed IAB all over my ass, but I didn't get suspended."
He whipped right around. "Why would you get suspended?"
"Because I delivered Eli instead of rendering aid to the man who crashed into us."
"Are you fucking me with this?"
"That's Tucker for you, apparently it was conduct unbecoming of an officer."
"Damn the rat squad must be itching for work."