"Montserrat, you better get going!" Kara exclaimed while Montserrat lazily drank the remainder of her orange juice by the kitchen sink. "Don't you have work or something?"
Montserrat drowned the last of her orange juice then dumped the glass into the sink. She turned to her roommate with hands on her hips. "Yes, why are you pushing me so much? Don't tell me you're inviting Sonny over because that's just too early."
Kara deadpanned her for a good minute before responding. "You're just going to be late. You told me you were dealing with a tough case. You shouldn't waste time."
"I won't," Montserrat promised on her way into the hallway. "I'm just going to get changed then go."
Kara started picking up her own breakfast plate and brought into the kitchen. As she was depositing it into the sink, someone knocked on the door. "I got it!" she warned Montserrat before heading for the door. To her surprise, she found Rafael standing on the other side. "Uuh...should I get Montse?"
Rafael quickly shook his head. "No. I thought she'd be at work by now."
Kara rolled her eyes. "That's what I'm saying. She's running so late today!"
Rafael wished she would speak lower. If Montserrat was still in the apartment it meant she could overhear them.
It took Kara a couple seconds to realize that if he hadn't stopped by for Montserrat, it meant he wanted to talk to her. "What do you need from me?" she asked in confusion.
Now Rafael had thought long and hard about talking with Kara. On the one hand, it wasn't any of his business...but on the other hand, he wanted to help Montserrat. And because he was more inclined towards the latter, he was right there. "That surprise party you're doing for Montserrat next month...maybe it's not such a good idea."
Kara made a face that basically told him he was crazy. "Why would you say that?"
"Because…" And there was the trouble, wasn't it? Rafael knew exactly why Montserrat wouldn't want any party because she told him...but he couldn't tell Kara that.
"Oh God," Kara's eyes widened in alarm, "Does she know about it already?"
"No!" Rafael said fast. "I'm just thinking that since Montserrat's not very comfortable with her age she might not like a party."
Kara instantly calmed and even snorted. "Please. She'll like this party just as she liked all the other parties I've thrown for her. It's sort of our little thing. She pretends she doesn't want a party and then I make her a party and all is well with the world."
"I think this one might be the exception," Rafael said bluntly, his hard look making Kara frown.
"Why would you say that?"
Before Rafael could come up with another lie, Montserrat emerged from her bedroom. "I swear to God if that's Sonny already, Kara…!" she came out of the hallway fixing the collar of her blouse, stopping when she saw their guest. "Morning, councilor. I didn't know you knew where I lived."
"Not that hard to figure out when you have Casey around," Rafael briefly glanced at Kara, both silently agreeing not to mention their conversation to Montserrat. "I just wanted to know if you're working things out with your brother now…"
Montserrat made a weird smile but nonetheless nodded her head. "Yeah, um things are better. Since you and Casey blabbed to my Dad he basically threatened to punish us until we talked. Thank you for that, smart-mouth. Did I mention I really hate that mouth of yours?"
Rafael rolled his eyes. "You're welcome."
"I'll be in my room if anyone needs me," Kara backtracked into the hallway for her bedroom, though she was sure neither actually heard her.
"Did you really come all the way here to ask about me and my brother?" Montserrat turned for the living room to get the remainder of her things.
"I was in the neighborhood," Rafael shrugged, eyes still flickering to the hallway. He was sure Kara was planning that party as they spoke.
"Really?" Montserrat clearly didn't believe that for a second.
"Yes, really," Rafael mimicked her tone, flashing her a smile afterwards. "You caught me, though. There was another reason I stopped by."
"And what would that be?" Montserrat picked up her jacket and started slipping her arms into it.
"Your birthday," Rafael watched how she froze for a second then resumed her daily routine. He felt like he needed to do something for her, because he was sure if that party went through and she still didn't want it...it would be chaotic.
"What's there to talk about? It's like a month away and, as I've said before, I'm not celebrating it," Montserrat made a quick show they should leave and only yelled at Kara that she was leaving.
Yet another clue that she didn't want anyone to know about her birthday.
"I understand - halfway anyways - but have you considered your reasons for that?" Rafael followed down the hallway.
"Considered what? It's my birthday, it's my age, it's my decision. I thought you understood the whole 'it's my choice thing'," she sent him a side-glance that left no doubt of where she stood in regards to her birthday. "It's literally your job."
"I'm not being sarcastic here-"
"-and neither am I!"
The two headed out the street.
"It's hardly a thing to get yelled over," Rafael's snap was involuntarily that time. Here he was trying to help but instead he was going to get his head chewed off.
Montserrat took the memo and moved slightly ahead to turn.l and face him. "Sorry. But why do you keep insisting on this? You're not throwing me a party right?" she laughed at the idea.
"I can swear that I am not," Rafael said with a tight smile. "But what about the others? What if they want to give you presents or...celebrate?"
"They won't because only you, Kara - and I imagine Sonny knows now - and I made it pretty clear that I don't want. You all understood and you're not gonna mention it to the rest of the squad, right?"
Once more with a tight smile, Rafael replied, "I will not."
Montserrat smiled cheerfully. "Okay, then we're good. I don't see why we need to keep talking about this...Unless you want to argue with me? But I honestly think it might be a little early for that."
"I'm good," Rafael said since he had no other options at the moment. But you won't be in a month.
~0~
Cameron tyler. The same clueless, rich boy the squad had interrogated last night now turned out to be a possible suspect.
"How the hell did we miss this guy?" Nick, for one, was quite offended the young man had pulled one over them so easily.
Olivia was nearly offended as well, but she was more focused on helping Sarah out. "Cameron Tyler puts himself at the club on Friday night, puts himself in a cab with Sarah, puts himself on her block in Brooklyn."
"Admitting what he can't deny," Fin said the obvious since they had substantial evidence of Cameron with Sarah, including one picture of Cameron holding a drunken - nearly passed out - Sara out in the street.
"But he does deny going up to her apartment," Olivia reminded, irked that it was the only thing they couldn't easily prove.
"Maybe Sarah doesn't remember or doesn't want to admit that it was somebody she knew," Montserrat threw the other alternative out there.
"Either way, we have to tread carefully," Olivia pushed herself off the edge of the conference table. "Cameron Tyler is a smart one. That condolence call? He was trying to get in front of it.
"Because he's a pro," Amanda took a guess.
Sonny purposely hung up his desk phone loudly enough to gather the attention of the rest of the squad. "That was east Hampton P.D. They're not big fans of his." he got up from his desk and move towards the conference table while he explained what he had learned about Cameron Kyler. "A year ago, he was accused of sexual assault by a cater waitress, Celine Dubois. She recanted a week later."
"Recanted?" Nick nearly snorted on the spot. He knew exactly what made that waitress suddenly recant. "How much did that cost?"
"Let's find out," Montserrat got up from her chair to get a head start on the research.
~ 0 ~
One didn't need super powers to know that Celine had been bought out by Cameron to keep quiet on her assault. Still, talking to her didn't lead to much new information. In fact, it sort of brought the squad back to the beginning.
The underground party.
Since Sarah didn't want to speak to any of them, the squad went with the next closest honest informative they could get for their case.
Nicole found herself in the interview room, pouring her guilt to Montserrat and Amanda over giving the watch to Sarah.
"I feel terrible that we gave her the watch, but Sarah was Finally ready to have a good time," Nicole brought a hand to her forehead. "If we hadn't done that...she'd still be on the path of recuperating."
"It's not your fault," Montserrat said for about the third time. "You're not the one who hurt Sarah. But listen, did you know Cameron would be there?"
Even though for Nicole it made no sense bringing in Cameron, she still responded. "No. On a fall weekend, he's usually in the Hamptons."
"Mm, but he knew she'd be there," Amanda said, not so subtly.
"Oh, well... well, he knew we were all going out. I mean, maybe Matthew texted him. I could ask him."
"Matthew, your fiance?"
"Yeah, him and Cameron grew up together. They're best friends."
"Okay, and when did you start working for Cameron?" Montserrat asked, taking note of just how close Cameron was with Sarah;s social group.
"He just hired me this summer. He was a real lifesaver," Nicole said just a bit too relieved. It made the two detectives pause for a second.
"How do you mean?" Amanada finally asked.
"Mm, there was this, uh, party at Cameron's house fourth of July weekend, and I got really wasted and missed my Sunday brunch shift. The restaurant fired me, but Cameron said that he would take care of me," Nicole's missed the concerned looks from the detectives while she went on with her story. "I must have, you know, passed out. Tequila. I'm never touching that again. Uh, I think I fell. I don't know."
"Did you have any injuries?" Montserrat felt like she knew where this was going.
"Uh, sore all over. I, um... I even tore my earlobe," Nicole's hand reached up to her ear as the ghost of the memory resurfaced.
"Was Matthew there?" Amanda felt sick knowing exactly what happened at that party.
"No, he was stuck in California on business, but Cameron found me the next morning, and I was a total mess, but he was great," Nicole smiled so cheerfully, so grateful that it really just made Montserrat and Amanda - as well as those watching behind the one-way glass - want to throw Cameron in jail already. "He gave up a summer Sunday to take me to the doctor."
~ 0 ~
"Look, I know I'm a cop but can I just say I really want to kick Cameron's ass with all my might?" Montserrat didn't bother with the looks of Liv. She knew deep down the Sergeant wished the same.
"Where do I join?" Amanda came to stand beside her, the two almost high-fiving each other.
"It's not going to be easy telling Nicole any of this," Nick's words earned himself a double-take from Olivia.
"She doesn't think that she's a victim. If we tell her, we make her one."
"But if we don't, then we'l never catch Cameron," Fin pointed out. "Plus, she works for this guy. What kind of cops would we be if we let her keep working for her rapist?"
"Not good ones," Sonny went ahead and answered. "Now we can use Sarah to get Cameron to confess because other than her, we have nothing for this case."
"You mean wire her?" Montserrat wondered if Nicole would be up for that after they told her the truth.
"Cameron's guard is still up about Sarah. I mean, he thinks he got away with Nicole, so we get her to wear a wire and maybe we catch him in a lie," Sonny's plan wasn't half bad, and it really was the only thing they could do to get Cameron.
With that, the detectives turned to Olivia with the same expression.
"It's your call, Liv," Fin said, leaving it entirely up to Olivia, much to her dismay.
~ 0 ~
Inside their UC van, Montserrat shifted on her seat while she adjusted the volume of her comms. Even if she wasn't looking, she could feel Olivia's burning stare on their hearing equipment. Even though they had told Nicole what happened to her, and Nicole accepting to wear a wire to talk to Cameron, Olivia still felt like they did more harm than good to Nicole. It was guilt that would subside once they saw Cameron behind bars, but it didn't make it easier right now.
"Cameron just pulled up," Amanda informed the others who were parked near Cameron's apartment. They were to quickly go in to arrest Cameron once they had what they needed.
Olivia moved towards their desk to speak with Nicole one last time before things got started. "You ready, Nicole?"
There was a long minute of silence before Nicole answered with a shaky "yes".
Still, Olivia gave indications for the others to be ready in case of anything.
Cameron had come in with his girlfriend but sent her off to speak with Nicole. His casualness began to fade once Nicole touched base on the Fourth of July party he had. It was the first sign of confirmation for Nicole that he was guilty of her rape.
Instead of stopping her, it made her more determined to get the full confession out of him.
"I'm pregnant," the words left her mouth before she could truly think about it. However, it didn't seem like it would be a mistake considering Cameron's face paled in that minute. It got worse for him when flatout told him it was not by her boyfriend-fiancee. "I think something happened to me at your party.. Did you see any guys with me?"
Cameron's desperate attempt at casualness was revolting. "Uh, yeah, some. I mean, by the time I went to my room, you were pretty sloppy, flirty."
Nicole swallowed the urge to slap him right there and then. She crossed her arms in an attempt to help herself. "And then you just found me the next morning, naked on that lounge chair?"
"Yeah. Yeah, you were passed out cold."
"Okay, well, I guess that I'm gonna need the names of all the guys at your party."
Cameron stiffened. "What? Why?"
"Well, for a DNA test, because one of your friends must have had sex with me while I was passed out, so I'm gonna need their names."
"You don't need their names."
"What do you mean?"
"Look, you were really aggressive with me…."
On the other end of the wire, Amanda snorted and looked at the others. "Did he really just say that?"
"C'mon Nicole," Montserrat hoped the young woman had the restraint to let Cameron keep going. "Afterwards, she can smack him and throw a lamp on him."
"Gonna pretend like I didn't hear that," Olivia warned, but everyone knew she agreed.
"We had sex?" Nicole demanded to know from Cameron. "You and me? We had sex, and you didn't tell me?"
Cameron stuffed his hands inside his pockets and shrugged. "I figured you knew. I thought you were cool with it. Besides, I wore a condom, so I really don't see how-"
"Were there any other guys?"
"No, no, no. Everyone left. It was just us. Maybe this happened at a different party."
Nicole knew she was getting him. " Well, we can do a DNA test, because I need a screening anyway."
Cameron almost gaped on the spot. "You're gonna keep it?"
"Well, I really haven't thought about that. I don't know what else to do, 'cause Matthew, he'll leave me."
"Matthew doesn't have to know. I'll take care of this. Of you. Not just for the procedure, but the stress of it. This never happened."
Nicole pushed further, because it was right at the tip of his tongue. "What never happened? I was too drunk to know. I had bruises. My earlobe was torn."
Nicole felt her skin crawl when Cameron grabbed her arm. "Shh. It's okay. I'll take care of all of this. I'll wire money into your account-"
Nicole shook his hand off her. "Do you think that if you pay me, I am not gonna tell people that you took advantage of me?"
Cameron raised an eyebrow, looking almost offended she was accusing him. "Hey. It wasn't like that. You were all over me."
"I was passed out cold!"
"Did Sarah put you up to this?"
"No!"
"Does anybody else know?" Cameron inched forwards, making Nicole step back.
"No. Of course not!"
Cameron just barely grazed her arm when his front door was forced open. "Cameron Tyler! Police!" Finn's voice echoed in the living room as he lead the way inside. "We have a warrant for your house, your phone, your computer - and did we mention you're under arrest?"
Before Cameron knew it, Nick had cuffed his hands to his back. "I want my lawyer right now!"
"A little late for that," Sonny gave the nod for Nick to start dragging Cameron out.
~ 0 ~
Being the bearer of good news felt good - at least that's what Montserrat kept repeating to herself in order to lift her spirits. Whilst they'd interrogated Cameron - until they had concrete evidence of rape - she'd gotten a call from Casey with some plans for the night she wasn't particularly looking forwards to. Sonny mentioned to her she was looking pretty down despite the win they had that day.
"Just personal problems, Carisi," she mumbled and led the way into Rafael's office. Sonny knew that when she went to last names it was for a upsetting.
Together they presented their fine work for their ADA and hoped to get his confirmation that they could call it a done case.
"But Sarah's still not talking?" Rafael managed to point out their one flaw in the case. The two detectives slumped their shoulders. At the sight, and knowing exactly what he'd done, Rafael smirked. "You did well. And we don't need Sarah's cooperation with everything you've got. It's a done case, detectives."
"Hm, so Amanda was wrong? There's actually something that makes you happy, Barba," Sonny was met with a deadpanning look from the ADA.
"You mean besides the coffee?" Casey's sudden input to the conversation made them glance at the doorway. The ginger ADA stood with a proud smirk on her face. "And sometimes not even that."
If Rafael was deadpanning before, he was glaring now. "Let's not go down this road, Casey."
"Oh, calm down," Casey waved a hand at him and walked further inside. "I just came to collect my cousin. You ready?"
Montserrat barely shrugged her shoulders. "Sure, I guess."
It was clear as day that whatever they had going on, Montserrat didn't want any part in it. Still, Casey tried to act as if she didn't notice.
"Gael and Damian are coming to pick us up in five. You said you didn't want to change, but I-"
"I'm good how I am. Let's get it over with," Montserrat walked towards the door, almost pushing Casey in the process of her quick pace.
"You don't need a minute to freshen-"
"NO! Let's go!" Montserrat practically shouted before leaving, not even looking back to see the reactions of the others. She met Kara just outside the building, looking far too cheery for this night.
"Hey, why the face?" Kara asked as soon as she saw Montserrat's glare still lingering on her face. "It's your early birthday dinner-"
"-I know-" Montserrat tried to say but Kara was so clueless that she just went on without noticing Montserrat's clear intent of shooting the dinner down.
Casey had tight lips and that was only out of courtesy and understanding for her cousin, otherwise the lawyer side of her would've taken over. "Okay," she said quietly and looked at the two men with her.
"Should someone go see if she's okay?" Sonny asked while Rafael just stared at Casey. He was examining. "I fear for Kara."
"She'll be okay," Casey said fast. "You're relieved, detective."
Sonny playfully rolled his eyes. "If I get my head chewed off in the morning by her, I'm coming back for you."
"You know where to find me," Casey made a motion for her office.
Sonny bid goodbye to her and Rafael then walked out. He had half a mind to go check on Montserrat but he thought maybe he'd just anger her even more. He'd noticed on the way here how quiet and reserved Montserrat had gotten, and he just couldn't figure out why. Hopefully he'd learn soon.
"Family or friend plans?" Rafael suddenly asked Casey, startling the ginger out of her thoughts. If she'd been more alert, she would've noticed he was still examining her.
"Both," Casey turned to his desk. "Kara and Damián are like family, so…"
Rafael have a nod but he wasn't quite convinced it was just that. "And yet Montserrat doesn't seem too happy about your plans."
"It's just dinner-"
"-don't belittle my intelligence, Casey," Rafael flatout scolded her.
"I'm not lying! It's a birthday dinner!" Casey exclaimed then suddenly realized she didn't have to explain herself to him. Of course by that point it was too late to stop talking. "Gael and Damian are going away on a business seminar and they don't know if they'll be back by next month."
Once again it was the birthday topic had returned.
Rafael pushed himself up from his seat and gave Casey that sideways tilted stare that said he knew there was more. "Montserrat explicitly told me she did not want to celebrate her birthday at all. she doesn't want any mention of it to anyone who doesn't know. So…" he started moving around his desk, very watchful of Casey's subtle shifts on her feet, "... If Gael, Damian and Kara are so intent on making birthday celebrations it's because they don't know that Montserrat doesn't want to celebrate her birthday. She never told them anything. But you know," he leaned against the front of his desk, arms crossed and with a full-fledged smirk on his face. "Or else you wouldn't be giving me that look right now that's basically telling me to shut up. Did I get it...or did I get?"
Casey rolled her eyes. "This whole confident thing you carry with you is kind of annoying sometimes. And when I say 'sometimes', I really mean it's annoying all the time."
"So I'm right," Rafael's response only irritated her even more. "You know-" he pointed at her, "-why Montserrat doesn't want to celebrate her birthday. She told you."
"And she told you nothing so this conversation shouldn't even be happening," Casey warned him to stop before he crossed a boundary.
"But I'm not asking any questions about it, am I?" Rafael pointed out and made no attempt to get even a clue from her. "I know all about boundaries - it's part of my job. So believe me when I tell you that I have no intention of sneaking around trying to figure out what Montserrat is hiding because it's none of my business."
Casey looked him over with newfound curiosity. "If that's not your intention then why are we here? In fact…" she took a few steps towards him, "...why bring this up? If you don't care, which I've seen when it's real, why are we discussing this?"
Oh, now she'd gotten silence. That was rare.
"You're a confident smartass so what the hell are you doing?"
Casey made a very good point, but if Rafael was honest, he wasn't sure of the answer. He didn't know. He just knew that it irked him seeing people try to force something on Montserrat when she made it so clear that she didn't want it. Perhaps it was similar to his job, but it didn't satisfy him.
He just didn't know.
Author's Note: See, the problem is in having ao3 is that you forget that you only updated this story on one site and not the other. My bad!