the heiress ( law & order: svu fanfiction )

chapter five

Chapter Five – Hell on Earth

Sitting on the stand, Maddie felt like there was a huge neon arrow pointing at her. "Ms. Campbell, the night of your attack, you told Detective Carisi that you were at a party your brother was throwing. And you also mentioned that he was the one who came to you saying that your friends had sent you a text." Barba began, standing up from his seat and buttoning his jacket.

"Yes, I did." Maddie nodded.

"And what did that text message say?"

"It said, we're on our way to pick you up for a late dinner at Via Della, we'll be there in fifteen." Maddie watched as Barba grabbed the photo of the text conversation, showing the jury.

"Ms. Campbell, what happened after that?" He asked.

Maddie folded her hands in her lap in a way to dig her nails into her palms to keep focused as she had to recount what happened. "I changed and went down to the courtyard to wait for them. I had just put my phone in my pocket when something hit me on the back of my head. I fell onto my hands, and I was dragged out of view of the streetlights. It got dark, and I could feel him taking off my pants, then his hand was on my throat as he..." Maddie trailed off, her eyes flicking to Daniel and then back to Barba. "As he raped me."

"People's Exhibit B through L." Barba grabbed the mall remote from the table and flipped through the photos showing the bruises and cuts across various parts of her body.

They both heard a juror or two audibly gasp when the image came to the bruise on her throat when the photos were taken at the hospital.

"Ms. Campbell, did you ask your friends about the text message that you'd received?" Barba asked.

Maddie shook her head. "No, I did not. They were asked about it by the other detectives."

"And what did they say?"

"They said that they hadn't sent any texts, they had even shown Lieutenant Benson their phones. She said that the signal had come from my apartment, so whoever it was would have been at the party." Maddie chanced a look to Olivia who gave a slight nod.

"And later, they had shown you a video right?"

Maddie nodded again. "Yes, sir."

"Are you comfortable watching the video again?" He asked, and she nodded slowly.

"Yes."

When the video played, Maddie's hands clenched into tighter fists, feeling the slightest bit of blood trickle out onto her palms.

Pressing play on the video, everyone in the courtroom had turned their attention to the screen, watching the events of her attack unfold.

When it came to the part if her attack where Daniel had pulled her into the bushes, Maddie turned herself away from the screen, tears filling her eyes. "Stop, stop, STOP!" She begged, her voice cracking as her shoulders started to shake.

Barba stopped the video and made his way over to Maddie. "It's okay. You're not there. You're in the courthouse. You're safe." He assured her. "Maddie, look at me." When she lifted her gaze to his, he gave her a soft smile. "See? You're alright."

Judge Barth gave Maddie a concerned look before turning to Barba. When he merely nodded and took a few steps back, he turned to the jury. "Nothing further." Turning on his heel, he looked to Rita as he moved to his chair. "Your witness."

Standing up, Rita looked towards Maddie. "Ms. Campbell, first let me say how sorry I am for what happened to you."

Maddie just blinked, a dull ringing in the back of her head starting to fill her ears.