Author's note: Hey everyone. Just wanted to let you know that an upcoming chapter, most likely the one after this one, is going to be a REALLY hot date night for Casey and Olivia. I am going to try something new with this, in that I am going to open it to suggestions. If you guys could review this chapter (reviews are now open to anonymous people as of yesterday on this) with ideas of what you want Olivia to do, I'll incorporate them and credit you. I am really hoping this will be a success, because it's something new I'm trying and I want to see where it goes. So please let me know what you want her to do to Casey. It can be anything, I promise. I'll even incorporate a whip, if someone out there wants that. Let me know! You're all amazing.
Casey carefully slid her papers into her briefcase. The hearing had ended, and everyone except her and a few remaining people in the gallery had left. As Casey snapped the case shut, she let out a little yawn. She immediately swore inwardly that she was not going to let Olivia know she was even remotely sleepy, because she knew the older woman would say something to the effect of "I told you to go to bed, but you insisted on spending all night together". Casey smiled softly to herself. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad hearing that, after all.
As she buttoned her coat and grabbed her purse and briefcase, the redhead took a moment to mentally reflect on everything that had just occurred during the hearing. It had been to determine whether a man convicted of statutory rape ten years before and had just gotten out of prison was fit to take custody of his nine month old daughter now that her mother was in the hospital. Casey had fought as hard as she could to get the baby placed with her grandmother instead, but despite every ounce of evidence she had managed to find, the judge had ruled that the rights of the biological father trump everything.
Casey shook her head. Family court was definitely not her cup of tea, but on those occasions that it coincided with her job as a sex crimes prosecutor, she did everything she could to fight for a solution that made everyone happy. It was on that thought that she exited the courtroom, walking at her normal fast pace.
"Don't I even get a hello?" came a voice behind her.
Casey turned around, nearly dropping her purse in the process. Her anger quickly evaporated when she saw who had called out to her. "How about this? Hello, Detective," she responded, catching herself right before the word babe left her mouth.
Olivia smiled. "How did it go?"
"Oh, just peachy," Casey replied, her voice dripping with bitter sarcasm. "The judge ruled that the father could take his daughter home. She ruled my evidence against him as a sex offender 'irrelevant to the case at hand'." The redhead put air quotes around the last few words. She paused, realizing they were still in the middle of a very public and very crowded courthouse, and that this was highly inappropriate talking about this here.
Olivia seemed to read her mind. "Let's talk outside," the detective offered.
Casey nodded, and the two women made their way out of the courthouse and down the front steps to Olivia's car. Casey looked around for a moment. A huge crowd of people swarmed around them, but nobody seemed to be trying to listen, and even if they were, the noise levels made that nearly impossible. She turned to Olivia. "Anyway, the judge said that because the father was charged with statutory rape only, it made it irrelevant to the case at hand, since he is unlikely to touch his baby."
"Don't these people have brains?" Olivia asked, leaning against the car door on the passenger's side. "Statutory or not, he's a predator! How could anyone with common sense let that creep taking his little girl home ALONE?"
Casey shrugged. "I guess you're never truly jaded against the world until you have worked sex crimes. It gives you a whole new view on the way things work with people, and the world as a whole." She looked away for a moment, then back at Olivia. "I just wish that all predators were looked at in the same way," she said quietly. "None of this 'it was only statutory' crap."
"Statutory rape," Olivia replied, nodding in agreement. "It's as if these people forget that second part of the word. How can someone not be considered a predator when they find solace in stealing innocence from people who aren't nearly mature enough to make decisions like that on their own?" she asked. "A pedophile is someone who goes after children. Whether the child thinks they consented or not, they are still a child, and stat rape is still pedophilic." She sighed, leaning her head back and resting it against the car window. "So what are you going to do now?"
"I don't know," Casey replied. "Make his life a living hell by calling Social Services? Beyond that, there's not a whole lot I can do."
Olivia shook her head. "This world we live in is so depraved that sometimes I wonder if there is even any good left."
"I know," Casey replied. Her emerald eyes met Olivia's chocolate brown ones. Just then, another thought hit her. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "Before I forget, Cragen called." She opened her briefcase and retrieved the warrant she had managed to secure. Handing it to Olivia, she smiled softly. "Your warrant to search Hopkins' place."
Olivia took it and offered a smile of her own. "I'm surprised you managed to convince a judge to give you a warrant. Cragen had a point when he said that our evidence is circumstantial."
"Yeah, well." Casey bit her lip thoughtfully. "I've been an attorney long enough to know whose heartstrings to pull. It may not be my favorite way to get what I need, but nine times out of ten, it's the only way."
"I know." Olivia stuffed the warrant into the pocket of her coat. "Is this just for his home?"
Casey nodded. "I didn't want to push my luck with Judge Bradley. He seemed skeptical enough. Even I was surprised when he signed it and handed it back." She watched as a couple strode by, hand in hand, looking as if they only had eyes for each other. The ADA sighed softly, letting her mind wander to a wish that she and Olivia could act that way in public. But, much to the young attorney's chagrin, they couldn't, at least not for now.
"Someday," Olivia murmured, reading her thoughts once more.
Casey nodded. "Yeah. Someday," she replied quietly. She checked the time. "It's almost lunch time. You better get going before Hopkins decides to do a little house cleaning. If you don't make it to the office before your lunch break ends, I'll see you tonight at least. Right?" She met Olivia's gaze once more.
"Oh of course. I have big things planned for tonight."
Casey looked at her in confusion. "Things such as?" She knew better than to question what the older woman had in store for them, but she still couldn't resist asking from time to time.
"You'll see," Olivia replied with a wink. She walked over to the driver's side of the car and opened it. With one last look at the redhead, she smiled. "You won't be disappointed."