Down the hall from Kirsty's apartment a middle-aged couple was having a conversation about the recent events.

"I knew Kirsty would turn up innocent." The guy said as he watched a recap of the news and his wife shook her head. "We've never had any problems with her since she moved in."

"And we've told her how many times that she should dump that bum she calls a boyfriend?!" His wife asked as she shook her head in disbelief. "Pretty little thing like her could do a lot better than a convicted felon, even if she is one herself."

"Tracy, she's also just turned eighteen, she's got her whole life ahead of her, she'll learn." The husband responded before he heard a commotion coming from down the hall. "Did you hear that?"

"I thought that was Earl's TV, hold on, I'll go check." Tracy responded before she went to the front door of their apartment and opened it. "It's not like Kirsty to leave her door open like that…oh god! Steve, I think she's being attacked! Call 911!"

"There's no way the police will get here in time." Steve responded as he grabbed his licensed firearm and went for the door. "Go grab Earl, I'm going to need some backup."

"Are you sure?" Tracy asked and Steve quickly nodded before he made his way out of their apartment.

*five minutes later*

Kirsty was a mess, her body bruised and bloody from the beating that she had just taken from the two much larger man, men she thought she could at least trust, one of whom was holding her suspended in the air by her hair and held a knife to her throat with the other hand, to put it simply, she was terrified for her life right now and one look at his face told her that no amount of pleading was about to stop him from slitting her throat right there and then, still she had to try.

"Ryan, please, you've known me for how long?" Kirsty pleaded with her attacker as Justin watched on from the side. "I just lost my temper with Mike, that's….."

"SHUT IT BITCH! Did you really think we'd be here doing this if Mike hadn't asked us too?" Ryan interrupted her and all colour drained from Kirsty's face as it set in. "Pity your mommy didn't swallow you all those years ago, it'd be a shame to ruin your nice carpet but I'm sure your landlord can replace it." Ryan added as he motioned around Kirsty's apartment with the hand that had the knife in it and Kirsty closed her eyes tight in anticipation of what was going to happen next. "Say goodnight…"

"Put her down, now!" A new voice rang out and Kirsty opened one of her eyes to see Steve holding his gun to Ryan's head. "I won't ask you again scumbag!"

"Steve?" Kirsty asked weakly as she recognized the middle-aged guy, she spotted Justin making a beeline for Steve and struggled to get free. "Steve, behind you!"

"I've got this Steve!" Another neighbour, this time an older African American man who Kirsty knew as Earl, responded as he tackled Justin to the floor and held him in place, seeing that his options had just became a lot more limited Ryan let go of Kirsty's hair letting her fall to the ground and promptly dropped the knife. "Maria, call 911!" Earl called out to his wife who quickly complied, once both thugs had surrendered and moved as far away from Kirsty as possible the two older men quickly turned their attention to Kirsty. "It's okay, your safe now."

"Am I?! Those bastards were ready to kill me!" Kirsty groaned as she slumped down into a seating position against the wall. "All because I confronted Mike about his bullshit on the court steps, fuck my life!" Kirsty groaned and the two older men shared a look.

"Don't worry about him, all that matters is that your still with us." Steve assured Kirsty who nodded weakly in spite of all the pain she was in, Maria came in briefly to confirm that the police and ambulance were on their way and Kirsty sighed.

"Why did you guys do that? For god's sake, I just spent the past month or so on trial for murdering a cop!" Kirsty groaned as she clutched her aching sides. "And that cop's ex has half the city convinced that I killed her even after the charges were dismissed."

"Criminal or not, we weren't about to let those guys rough up a girl who is that much smaller than them, besides, we've known you for two years now, we knew you couldn't have done something like that." Earl assured her and Kirst smiled weakly in response. "Let's hope the police arrive soon."

*later, over at the court*

"Your honour, my client is merely exercising his right to free speech and wants to see his ex-wife's killed brought to justice." Jason Gallagher's lawyer argued to Judge Caelin as he presided over the matter. "The fact that your colleague dismissed the charges against Ms. Mason is…"

"Irrelevant to the fact that it's poisoning a potential jury pool." Jack interrupted the lawyer right before a clerk called Serena over to tell her something. "The investigation into Rebecca Gallagher's death is still ongoing, but if her ex-husband keeps telling the media that we let her killer go free then we may never see justice for her murder."

"I have to agree with Mr. McCoy, given the severity of the crime I have little choice but to issue a gag order against Jason Gallagher, if he continues to besmirch Ms. Mason's name to the media he will be charged with contempt." Judge Caelin announced as he banged his gavel and the court started to disperse, but right as McCoy was about to leave Serena turned to him.

"Jack, there's been an incident, Kirsty Mason was attacked and nearly killed in her apartment." Serena whispered to Jack who reacted with the appropriate amount of shock and anger "The police are there as we speak but there may be another problem."

"What kind of problem?" Jack asked as the two lawyers left the courtroom and Serena's frown deepened.

"Kirsty was almost murdered with a switchblade, a switchblade that has blood on it." Serena added and Jack gave her a look of shock. "The paramedics reported no knife wounds of any kind on Kirsty and Briscoe and Green believe that the blood could have come from one source."

"Rebecca Gallagher?" Jack asked and Serena nodded. "See too it that they test that thing thoroughly, have them send it to the FBI Lab is they have too, did the thugs who attacked Kirsty get away?"

"No, two of her neighbours performed a citizen's arrest on them." Serena responded as she shook her head. "Ryan Davis and Justin Edwards, they are two violent felons who are associated with Mike DiFranco, the police have them in interrogation as we speak."

"Then I know where I need to be." Jack responded before he walked off.

*at the police's interrogation room*

"Well, well, it seems you guys can't keep out of trouble." Lennie commented to Ryan and Justin as he and Ed interrogated them. "From the looks of it, you guys are looking to have a combined record that matches my age."

"Yeah, yeah, we'll let you know when we commit a thousand crimes." Justin responded as he rolled his eyes and Lennie shook his head. "Why do you care about that bitch anyway? You were ready to send her to Death Row a couple of days ago!"

"We care for two reasons: one: the evidence suggests that Kirsty was innocent after all, two: I care because I don't appreciate two thugs beating up a girl young enough to be my daughter and putting her in the hospital!" Lennie responded angrily as he sat down opposite the two criminals. "And don't even get me started on your attempt to murder her!"

"You know what's funny? I could've sworn we asked for a lawyer twenty minutes ago and yet you are still yapping." Ryan chimed in with a grin on his face. "Meaning that anything we say to you will be thrown out of court."

"That's if you get that far, there's a lot of dads in the joint, a good chunk of them will have daughters as young as Kirsty, I bet they'll be thrilled when they learn why you have been sent to prison again!" Ed responded with a frown before the door opened and they looked up, "Mr. McCoy?"

"Oh good, the DA who fucked up the case against that bitch in the first place, we'll be out of here even sooner." Justin laughed in response before seeing the cold look on McCoy's face. "What?"

"I wouldn't be laughing if I were you son." Jack responded before he dropped the report on the table in front of them. "The weapon you attempted to kill Kirsty with was used in another crime, and there'll be no plea bargains for either of you unless you tell me the truth." Jack added before sliding the report over to them. "That was the same switchblade that was used to kill Rebecca Gallagher, until you tell us otherwise we'll go to trial with the intent to charge you both with her murder and Kirsty's attempted murder, and the DA has already assured me that we will seek the death penalty against you both."

"Whoa, whoa, we had nothing to do with that!" Ryan quickly asserted as the gravity of the situation set in. "I swear, we weren't anywhere near that alley."

"It's funny, because Kirsty said almost the exact same thing when we arrested her for the murder." Lennie responded as he shook his head without even letting the two thugs answer. "Here's the big difference genius, Kirsty's worst crime up to that point was resisting arrest, something we're not even pressing charges for, you on the other hand beat the crap out of a girl who doesn't seem capable of hurting a fly and then tried to kill her."

"In other words, who do you think the jury will believe killed that police officer, you or the girl you put in the hospital?" Ed asked and the two criminals said nothing in response. "And even without the conviction for Officer Gallagher's murder, we've got you both going down for life."

"Ever heard of the three strikes law? You are both up to three felony convictions, and I'd bet good money that McCoy here can convict you for attempted murder for what you did to Kirsty, that makes you both habitual offenders, which means we've got you both going down for life in prison no matter what." Lennie added before the door opened and they looked up.

"The defendants' legal aid lawyers are here." Ven Buren told the officers as the two lawyers entered the room.

"We would like a word with our clients." The lawyer in front of the duo added as he stepped forward. "In private."

"It's a shame too, I was just starting to like them." Lennie responded with his trademark snark and the two officers left the room with McCoy. "I don't care what Kirsty did when she was a minor." Lennie commented once the door closed behind them "She did not deserve to have those thugs set on her."

"The good news is Kirsty is doing well at the hospital all things considered." Van Buren nodded in response as the two detectives turned to her. "Bad news is, she has no insurance, someone's going to have to pay for her medical bills once she's released."

"Considering she was popular enough for two family men to get physical with two big guys about half their age? I bet her neighbours will be happy to help with that." Ed responded as he folded his arms.

"Regardless, those two had better be joking if they think they'll get any kind of deal." Jack responded before the door to the interrogation room opened and they were ushered in by one of the lawyers.

"Okay, look, our clients will plea to Assault One on the girl, in exchange they'll tell you who told them to go after her and who killed Officer Gallagher." The lead lawyer told McCoy and he shook his head almost immediately. "You can't prove that our clients are habitual offenders Jack! It's your best shot."

"They'd have a better shot at winning the World Series than getting acquitted after the jury learns what they planned to do to the Mason girl." Jack responded calmly and Ryan and Justin shared a look as McCoy went to leave.. "You have until after I leave this interrogation room to make your mind up, and don't think I won't put your victim on the witness stand."

"A recovering drug addict with past criminal convictions who you suspected of murdering that police officer in the first place? I'd have a field day tearing her apart on cross." The second lawyer scoffed and McCoy shook his head. "I guess we'll see you in court."

"I guess we will." McCoy responded before he left the room.

"It was Mike!" Ryan chimed in and everyone turned to him. "He killed that police officer and tried to pin it on Kirsty, when that didn't work he sent us to her apartment to make an example of her."

"And look at where his bright idea got you, you'd better hope that the jury is lenient." Lennie responded before Jack made his way out of the room.

*several hours later at the hospital*

Kirsty had just woken up from a nap in her hospital bed when she saw McCoy standing by her side, and she wasn't all that pleased to see him.

"Great, first I get the crap beat out of me, and now this." Kirsty grumbled as she turned to the EDA. "You know we didn't exactly have the best first impression right? You trying to send me to Death Row for a murder I didn't commit and all."

"I tend to have that effect on most people I put on trial especially accused cop killers,, you were one of the few who managed to not only be proven innocent but turn into a victim of a different crime in the same week." Jack answered and Kirsty sighed as she remembered that she wasn't going anywhere right now. "If it'll make you feel any better I'll have legal aid send Rochelle so you can have a lawyer present."

"It's fine, unless channel surfing became a crime whilst I was at Ryker's Island I've been on my best behaviour since the charges were dismissed, and the blowup at Mike." Kirsty responded as she shook her head before sighing. "What do you want?"

"Ms. Mason, what I want is for the men who assaulted you to go to prison, but we can't do that without your testimony." Jack informed her and Kirsty let out a deep breath. "At the same time, it will be the key to putting Officer Gallagher's killer behind bars, officially exonerating you in the process."

"There's gotta be a catch, you wouldn't be visiting me in hospital otherwise." Kirsty pointed out and Jack nodded. "If it's my testimony you want, you've got it, those bastards were ready to kill me."

"I've read the report, I am well aware of what you went through." Jack responded as he sat down next to her. "But the nature of your relationship with Officer Gallagher will have to come out because the defence will use it to attack your credibility, we've seen her financial records and we know that she had been paying for your lifestyle."

"A lifestyle that went out the window the moment she was stabbed to death, and even if that wasn't the case Rebecca never exactly told me why she was going out of her way to support me financially or even pay for my drug rehab." Kirsty sighed as she let out a deep breath. "All I know was that I had gotten a pretty sweet deal and I wasn't about to complain about it, it's not exactly every day that someone like me gets a chance to turn her life around but I worked hard to stay on the straight and narrow after my last arrest, well, the one before I was wrongly arrested for her murder, I wasn't about to throw that away!"

"It never struck you as odd that a well-respected cop took such as a keen interest in a juvenile offender who she had arrested at a drug bust?" Jack asked and Kirsty paused before shaking her head. "Rebecca Gallagher suspected that you were her daughter that she had given up for adoption, to the point that she broke chain of custody rules to send a DNA test to an independent firm to see if you were related to her."

"You're shitting me?!" Kirsty asked as her jaw dropped and Jack shook his head. "All this time I've been searching for my mom and by the time I finally found out, it's only after I was tried for her murder! As if this week couldn't get any worse!"

"I'm afraid it can get worse, the firm was sloppy in their record keeping, they lost the test result some time ago." Jack responded and Kirsty just lay there in her hospital bed with a frustrated look on her face. "I understand your frustration…."

"Frustration? That's not even half of it." Kirsty grumbled as she folded her arms. "I spent the first eight years of my life bouncing from foster home to foster home, same story every damn time, "she's so pretty, she's so smart, she'd be a perfect daughter" no one ever thought to ask if I had a temper and I've had one since I learned that my mom gave me up for adoption because she didn't know what a condom was!" Kirsty grunted as she took a few deep breaths. "Sorry, I don't mean to disrespect the dead, but Rebecca's decision to leave my care up to someone else, and that's even if she's my mom, has been boiling inside me for years, this firm screwing up the one job they were paid to do just feels like another case of life kicking dirt in my face!"

"I understand, but there is a way around this." Jack assured her and Kirsty turned to him. "We can subpoena a DNA Sample and have it compared to Rebecca's DNA if it would put your mind at ease but the defence will try to contest it if it means getting their clients off scot free."

"Look, after all the crap I put up with in foster care? You can ask one of the nurses to take a blood sample from me now for all I care, I just want to put that time of my life behind me!" Kirsty quickly asserted as she shifted her weight. "And if they do try to stop it, I'll just tell the jury what those two idiots said to me before Ryan went to slit my throat, namely that Mike had sent them to do it."

"Mike? You mean you boyfriend Mike DiFranco?" Jack asked and Kirsty quickly nodded to confirm it. "You realize that it's hearsay at this point?"

"I know, and for the record? I dumped that idiot via text right before I was attacked." Kirsty responded as she let out a deep breath. "Mr. McCoy, I don't know if you understand but my teen life has practically been one fuck up after another, I just want to move on with my life at this point!"

"Ms. Mason, I've been a lawyer longer than you've been alive, I've seen many young people in your exact position and I sympathize but I feel the only way you can move on is to leave the likes of Mike, Ryan and Justin far behind you, testifying against them would be the first step towards that." McCoy explained calmly and Kirsty let out a deep breath. "I'll need you sign an affidavit to the effect of what you just said about your boyfriend, and you will be called upon to testify in court."

"What have I got left to lose at this point? A boyfriend who basically viewed me as nothing more than eye candy and was ready to throw me to the wolves the moment I got in serious trouble? His pals who didn't even think twice about beating up a girl who's a hundred and twelve pounds soaking wet? All this is really doing is making me wish that Rebecca, if she was my mom, had raised me as a teen parent, anything could've been better than what I went through in foster care." Kirsty sighed as McCoy nodded sympathetically. "I'll sign that affidavit as soon as possible, but you realize that the hospital won't let me testify until I'm fully healed right?"

"I spoke to your doctor, you'll be discharged within a few weeks and the trial won't be for at least a month, you'll have plenty of time to get better." McCoy assured her and Kirsty nodded in response. "There is one thing I don't understand, if Rebecca's your mom than why did Jason engage in that smear campaign?"

"Hell if I know, before the trial I only met the guy once or twice, all I really know is that they divorced sometime after I moved into my apartment." Kirsty added at which point the gears started turning in Jack's head and he stood up to leave. "Mr. McCoy?"

"I have some calls to make, besides, visiting hour is almost up, get well soon Kirsty." Jack responded before he left Kirsty's hospital room leaving the eighteen-year-old alone in her hospital bed.

"What the hell have I gotten myself into now?" Kirsty thought as she stared at the ceiling. "This is officially the year from hell and I just want it over and done with!" Kirsty sighed to herself before spotting something n the bedside table and picking it up, it was a locket, on one side there was a picture of hr when she was a baby and on the other the words "keep the faith" were inscribed. "Kept that faith going throughout my childhood, and this is where it got me, I'd probably throw it away if it wasn't so sentimental." Kirsty thought with a sigh before putting the locket back. "I need to get out of here, this boredom's going to kill me otherwise!"

*a few days later at Mike's apartment*

Mike was at home, chilling out in his apartment, not realizing that he had an army of police officers waiting for him outside.

"Mike DiFranco? Open up, we need to talk to you." Lennie called out from outside the apartment and a few seconds later Mike opened the door only to be swarmed by the officers. "I forgot to mention, our chat will be down at the precinct! You're under arrest for the murder of Officer Rebecca Gallagher and the attempted murder of Kirsty Mason!"

"This is a joke! I was nowhere near that alley or that bitch's apartment!" Mike protested as Lennie slapped the cuffs on him and dragged him out of the apartment. "I want a lawyer!"

"And you'll get one, but first you need to understand a few things." Ed responded before proceeding to read him his Miranda Rights.

*later at the DA's office*

"First you arrest my client's girlfriend for the murder, then you arrest his friends for her attempted murder and now you arrest him for both crimes?" Chris Andrews asked as he sat down next to Mike who had a big, shit eating grin on his face. "I'll have the jury believing that Rebecca Gallagher is on vacation to Hawaii at this rate Jack."

"If I were you, I'd be talking to your client about a plea bargain." Jack responded as he folded his arms and Serena nodded in agreement. "You're facing the Death Penalty for the murder of Officer Gallagher alone, attempting to have a witness killed on top of that? With your prior bad acts I can tack on a life sentence."

"Those acts will never see the light of day as far as the jury's concerned! We'll take our chances at trial." Chris responded as he shook his went to leave with Mike.

"We'll put Kirsty on the stand as soon as she's discharged from the hospital, she'll testify to everything." Jack responded at which point Mike scoffed. "You and Kirsty weren't a married couple Mr. DiFranco, Spousal Privilege doesn't apply here."

"That's not what I'm scoffing at man, you really going to put her on the stand? I've seen her take pills, the kind that treat mental illness? She'll be as reliable a witness as I am a law-abiding citizen." Mike responded with a slight laugh and the two ADAs frowned. "See you in court man." Mike added before he and his lawyer left.

"Think there's any credibility to what he said?" Serena asked as she turned to McCoy and Jack frowned before nodding.

"When I talked to her in the hospital., there were signs of just how troubled Kirsty is." Jack responded with a nod before he thought of something. "Bring Skoda in."

"Why? Mike and his friends seem to be off sound mind to me." Serena asked and Jack shook his head. "Wait, you mean for Kirsty?"

"If they are going to attack her mental health on the stand, I want a professional's opinion on that subject." Jack responded and Serena nodded as she went to pick up the phone. "Kirsty will be released from hospital tomorrow, have someone drop her off at the DA's office for the chat."

"Will do." Serena responded before making the call.