Olivia storms into the 1-6, even more focused on achieving Alex's freedom now that she sees that Liz has lied to her. Alex is most definitely not okay. She'd been beaten, and her beautiful golden hair has been shaved. She's been given those disgusting tattoos, and now she's acting like she really is the perp that everyone thinks she is. Wiping her eyes in an attempt to remove the remnants of her tears, Olivia once again peruses Alex's case files.

Elliot looks over at his partner for a moment. Dark rings surround her eyes and her usually toned body seems thinner each day. She's wasting away. Ever since Alex was imprisoned, Liv has been nothing more than a shell. Olivia's soul, heart, and mind are in prison with Alex. He is about to ask how her visit went, but is stopped by their Captain's voice.

"Benson, Stabler, we've got a case. A woman was raped in Central Park last night. I need you two to go interview her while Munch and Fin go to the scene."

Don hopes that getting Olivia out on a case will take her mind of the whole mess with Alex. Even it doesn't, Olivia is a cop and this is her job. If she can't do her job, he needs to make sure that someone else can. Although he loves Olivia like a daughter, she works for the city of New York. She has a duty to the citizens of New York as well as Alex.

"You got it, Cap." Elliot jumps up from his desk, almost glad that they've caught a case. At least he won't be stuck at his desk with paperwork. He starts for the door, then stops when he realizes Olivia is still sitting at her own desk, looking over Alex's file once again.

"Benson – Olivia!" Don yells to get her attention.

"Yeah?" Olivia looks up, her face drawn and weary.

"I assigned you and Elliot to a case. Get up off your ass and get to it." Don waves her toward the door.

"Captain, I . . . I am working on a case. Alex's case," she says.

Sighing for a moment and rubbing his forehead, Don feels his heart soften. He moves over to Olivia and puts a hand on her shoulder. "Olivia, I know you want to prove Alex's innocence; we would all like that, but Liv, there's nothing we can do right now. We have a duty to the city and to the victims. Alex's case is being taken care of by Brooklyn's SVU squad. We don't have jurisdiction and Elizabeth is appealing it as we speak. There is nothing we can do. Now go with Elliot."

"No, Captain. I can't."

Olivia has had enough for today. First, she finally got to see her love, only to find her nearly destroyed, and now she is being forced to go back to work as if nothing is wrong. Everyone is acting like nothing is wrong, while Alex is in prison being abused and maybe even raped . . . Olivia shudders at the thought and tries to not think about that.

"Olivia, you are a detective for this department. Alex's case is not within our jurisdiction. If you don't work on the cases you are assigned to, then you are no good to us." Don hates being tough with his detectives, especially in these circumstances. He knows how difficult this for Olivia and how hard she's taking it, but she still needs to be able to do her job. He's given her several weeks off, and now it's time to start getting back to normal. "Look, Liv, Alex would want you to keep doing your job. Remember what she said in the letter she left you? That you need to continue to protect Lauren and others like her."

"Liv, Alex wrote that she loves you but that you need to go on with your life." Elliot is only trying to help, but the look on Olivia's face makes him clamp his mouth shut.

"Go on with my life? You mean move on, right?" Olivia jumps up from her chair, glaring at her partner and her captain. She had thought that day at the courthouse when Elliot held her, he had been apologizing for accusing Alex. Now she sees that he's betrayed both of them all over again.

"Benson, Stabler didn't mean it like that. But Alex would want us to keep doing our jobs and protecting the victims," Fin says.

"Stay out of this, Fin!" Olivia snaps.

"Olivia, calm down. We aren't trying to argue with you. We're just worried about you," John says.

"Worried about me? What about Alex?" Olivia glares at the men that she's always thought of as her family.

There is a silence and a tension Olivia feels in her body. The guys know something that they're not telling her.

"Olivia, we received a report from Brooklyn SVU. That past offense that Alex is accused of – they started to reinvestigate, talked to the girl again, and it looks like it's true. Alex raped her, too." Elliot tries to hold Olivia's gaze but can't bear the pain he sees in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Liv. We got the report when you were at the prison." Don puts his hand on Olivia's shoulder, ready to comfort her. He knows she won't take the news well, but he and the other detectives will be there for her no matter what. "I know you love Alex, but –"

"But what?" Her voice has a venom to it that sends a shiver down Don's spine. Then she turns to Elliot. "And too? Alex raped her . . . too? So you really think she did it."

"Olivia, I mean –"

"No, you mean always thought she was guilty. Ever since you found out I was with her, you've been acting differently. You never liked Alex ever since she started here. You never gave her a chance." Olivia starts toward Elliot, her eyes boring holes into him.

"Olivia, I love Alex but the evidence proves that she was guilty all along. I know you love her, and love is blind, but you've not being very logical here. Have you ever even asked her about her past?"

Before Elliot even realizes it Olivia is being pulled off him by John and Fin, and Don is in her face, telling her that she needs to calm down. Elliot reaches for his nose and feels blood trickling down it.

"Fuck you, Stabler. Fuck you!" Olivia is crying now. She is falling apart. She's never fought her family like this before.

She pushes the men away from her and leans back against the wall. She feels like a wounded animal, protecting herself and her love from these ravenous wolves.

"Calm down, Olivia! Stabler, you too. Both of you knock it off or you're both suspended," Don says.

Olivia looks at each man and reads pity in each pair of eyes. They all think she is guilty. Only Liz and I seem to know Alex didn't do anything wrong. How could they do this to us? To Alex? To me?

"Fin, you will go with Olivia to the scene, and John, you'll go with Stabler to interview the young lady." Don realizes Olivia isn't going to be much use interviewing victims today, especially with Elliot.

"No." Olivia looks at the ground. She doesn't often question her captain, but she barely cares anymore. Her thoughts are focused on Alex. She has to get Alex out of prison.

Don sighs. He hates what he knows he has to do, but it's neccessary now. "Olivia, you are suspended if you refuse to obey orders. I need your badge and gun until you realize that your duty as a cop is to the city and not just to whomever you want it to be to."

Olivia looks up at Don, stunned. Tears streak down her face. Everything is going wrong. The people she thought were her family have crossed a line. They've betrayed Alex and herself. They've all broken her heart.

Without a word, Olivia removes her gun and slams it on her desk. She throws her badge down as well and runs out of the precinct.

The four men watch helplessly as Olivia leaves. Sadness fills their hearts as well as anger. How could Alex do this to their Olivia?

Taking Olivia's badge and gun, Don looks up at his other detectives. "John, you and Fin go to the hospital. Stabler and I will go to the scene. We have a job to do."

Elliot glances at Olivia's desk and notices a photograph of the two women together. It's of the day Olivia proposed to Alex. She did it at the 1-6, right in the same spot the two women first met. Olivia had told Alex that was the moment she fell in love with her. Love at first sight.

Liz hates New York traffic, she thinks as she inches her way down West 35th Street on a busy afternoon. She should have just taken the subway, but she'd decided earlier that she needed her car for the multiple errands she had to run pertaining to Alex's case. She hadn't wanted to accidentally leave important confidential papers on the subway. Although she isn't usually given to such absentmindedness, it's been happening more and more often lately.

She has only half an hour before her meeting with a judge to turn in Alex's appeal, and she doesn't want to have to wait until next Monday to get this taken care of.

"Shit."

The light in front of her changes to red. She seems to be hitting every single red light today. Why does this always happen when she's late?

Liz slams on her brakes, but her car doesn't slow down – a gasp escapes her lips as she frantically presses the brakes over and over, but her car doesn't stop, instead rolling into incoming traffic and blocking the intersection.

Olivia gets the call nearly an hour later, from a doctor at Mercy General telling her Liz has been in a car accident. She's all right, but she's asking for Olivia. Olivia says she's on her way and immediately hails a cab.

Soon she's sitting in a hospital room with Liz, whose leg is propped up in a cast and who has a cut on her forehead slightly resembling a lightning bolt. "What happened?" is the first question she asks.

"I'm not sure. My car wouldn't stop. The brakes were working fine yesterday." She shakes her head slightly. "I'm not going to be able to go back to work for a few days, and I told Alexandra I would see her on Monday. Will you go and tell her I filed the appeal?"

Olivia nods. "Liz, you didn't tell me . . . about Alex."

Liz sighs. "She told me not to, Olivia. I'm sorry. I didn't want to lie to you, but Alexandra didn't want to worry you, and frankly, neither did I."

"Liz, what happened to her?"

"I'm not sure. She wouldn't talk to me. I was hoping she'd tell you."

"No . . ." A tear slips down Olivia's cheek. "My poor baby," she whispers, wrapping her arms around herself. "She needs me, Liz, and I can't help her."

"I made a few calls. You can go see her again on Monday."

"Thank you." Olivia swallows hard. "So are you okay?"

"I'll live. Don't worry about me, Olivia. Worry about yourself."

And Alex, she doesn't add. She knows that goes without saying.

Alex is running as fast as she can. Olivia is on the other side of the field, and Mason is chasing her. She knows that as soon as she crosses the expanse of green, she'll be safe in her love's arms, but her legs are starting to ache and her breathing is erratic. Mason is gaining on her, and although she's pushing herself as hard as she can, she doesn't think she'll be able to make it. "Olivia," she cries, "I don't think – I can't run anymore – Liv!" She screams as Mason grabs her, and Olivia starts to shrink as Mason carries her away, getting smaller and smaller until she disappears altogether.

Alex wakes up to find Mason's hands on her throat, squeezing hard. She tries to pry Mason's fingers away. "Please – can't – breathe – please –"

Mason just pushes harder, and Alex is sure she's have a set of finger-shaped bruises on her neck in an hour. "What did I tell you yesterday, pet?"

"I – please – please, Master –"

"What did I tell you yesterday?"

"I – I don't know – please –"

Mason tightens her grasp. "Wrong answer." Maintaining the pressure on Alex's throat, she says evenly, "I told you that you are never to mention that cop's name in my presence. Otherwise you'll have to be punished."

"I didn't –" Alex chokes out. "Please –" She's barely listening to what Mason's saying; she's more focused on trying to breathe.

"Shut up." Mason presses her harder into the ground.

"M-Master – I can't – can't – b-breathe – please – p-please, Master –"

"Shut your fucking mouth or so help me, I will choke you until you pass out."

Alex gasps for air, whimpering but trying to follow Mason's instructions and stay silent. She knows her begging will do her no good.

After a moment, Mason says, "Good girl. Now you are going to have your punishment. You're going to take it like the whore you are, and you are never going to mention that cop's name ever again. If you do, your punishment will be worse. Got it?"

Alex nods frantically, and Mason releases her. Her hands fly to her neck, massaging the bruises she feels starting to form and taking advantage of the unhindered supply of air to her lungs.

Mason flips her onto her stomach. "Spread your legs, pet."

Alex whimpers and shakes her head. She won't give in so easily. She can't.

Mason pulls her legs apart and holds them there. "If you can't be quiet, I'll make you be quiet. I will not warn you again." She reaches beneath Alex and shoves two fingers inside her, then adds another.

Alex cries out at the sudden penetration, trying to squirm away from Mason. "No, no, no," she whispers. "No – please –"

A moment later, she's been turned onto her back and one of Mason's socks has been stuffed into her mouth. She gags around the intrusion, trying to spit out the sock, but Mason grips her jaw. "I warned you, pet. I told you to be quiet, but you didn't listen."

Alex just looks at her, rendered speechless by the gag. Her eyes plead for Mason to let her go, but she knows that if she says anything, she might choke on the sock.

Mason slides her fingers into Alex again, then smiles as she pulls out and brings her fingers to her lips. "You taste good, pet. Is this all for me?"

Alex doesn't answer. She tries to take herself somewhere else in her mind, pretending it's Olivia, touching her gently. Undressing her so delicately, like she's a porcelain doll, kissing every inch of exposed skin. Promising she'd love Alex forever and always.

As Mason continues to thrust inside her, she forces herself to focus on Olivia, but even that doesn't alleviate the pain.