The Wrong Bed [A SVU Fan Fic]

{ Chapter Twenty }

Amanda walked into the courthouse with her head held high and her shoulders squared. She had been incredibly scared this morning, but now she was just determined to help get Declan a very nice prison stay.

"Hey, Amanda." Elliot spoke as Amanda and Olivia approached him.

"Hi... do we know if any of us are on the stand today?" Amanda asked quickly.

"Opening statements will be today, along with any motions that Marie might have. I'm assuming she will be claiming that Declan isn't fit to stand trial for mental or emotional reasons. But I'm sure that Judge Stein won't allow that." Peter Stone sighed.

"Are you sure? Because Declan could get away with... never mind." Olivia sighed as she started to realize what she was saying. 

"Declan won't get away with murder, Detective. Now, you three need to wait downstairs. We will get you once it's your turn."

"So we will be called today?" Amanda asked weakly.

"I guess we will see where the day takes us. Now, shoo. We are starting soon."

///

Amanda paced the waiting room as Olivia and Elliot sat together and drank coffee. They were more relaxed than Amanda was, but they also had faith in Peter Stone and the fact that he was great at his job and could win this case.

"You should sit down. Have something to drink. Maybe call the sitter to check in on Jenna and Jimmy?" Elliot sighed, since he was getting dizzy from watching Amanda pace.

"I can't sit still."

"Honey-" Olivia started, but Amanda shook her head and frowned.

"I usually try to pray that our ADA knows what he is doing. That he knows how to get a guilty verdict... but I don't know if Declan will actually get in trouble for what he did. I tried to be brave today, but I'm freaking scared. I'm scared that Declan will get a slap on the wrist and be out on the streets in a matter of days." Amanda huffed as she raked her fingers through her hair.

"Peter may not be Cabot, Novak, or Barba. But he's a good lawyer and will do a great job today. Now, sit down. Because Elliot is going to get dizzy and sick if you keep pacing. You know how he gets." Olivia spoke as she stood and grabbed Amanda's arms. 

"My babies are my world, Liv. And all I can think about is how Jimmy and Jenna might be affected by this whole trial. Like what if, by some freak chance... Declan is found not guilty, and that he can ask for custody of Jimmy again? Like what if he can say that I caused all of this and made a show of it to get him in trouble?" Amanda whispered.

"Worry all you want, Amanda. But it won't change a thing. Just tell the truth and we will too. Everything will be okay."

///

Opening arguments were started and finished before a recess was called. Peter went down to the waiting room and grabbed Amanda. She was going to be testifying first, and without Olivia or Elliot to sit there and help to calm her down.

"Do you remember the questions that we practiced?" Peter questioned as he and Amanda sat together outside of the courtroom. 

"Y-yeah, I think so..." Amanda replied nervously.

"Then just answer the questions as you did before. Be truthful and don't let him scare you."

"When we practiced, Liv sat behind your table and I could look at her... but now I don't have anyone to focus on. Declan will be staring at me and I can already see that sick smile on his lips... I saw it as he pulled the trigger and shot me." Amanda whispered.

"Carisi is going to be in there."

"What? No, he was supposed to be at work. He's trying to work as often as possible to save up for house repairs and-"

"I was in there for the opening statements and I will be there with you through your testimony." Dominick smiled. Amanda turned quickly before standing and walking to her fiance. She hugged him tightly as tears burned her eyes.

"You told me that you had a case. That you couldn't be here today because Elliot and Olivia already had the day off to be here and testify." Amanda sniffled as she leaned back and looked up at Dominick.

"Surprise." He smiled, before getting his chest smacked by Amanda.

"You should have told me that you'd be here. I needed you, and you lied to me." She grumbled, before leaning forward again and burying her face into Dominick's shirt.

"I'm sorry, but I didn't want you to get even more nervous."

"Yeah, well, I'd probably be feeling better if I had known you'd be there for me... but I'll get over it. As long as you never do this again."

"I promise, Amanda. Now, are you ready to help put this bastard behind bars?"

"I think so."

///

With every word that Amanda said, she grew more confident. She loved seeing how with every questioned that she answered, Declan grew more and more upset. She watched him shake and ball his hands into fists as she talked about how Declan never came around after Jimmy was born and rarely was around when he got the chance.

"Were you and Mr. Murphy ever in a relationship?" Marie asked once she got her shot to question Amanda.

"No, we never were." Amanda replied quietly.

"Then how did you and Mr. Murphy end up sleeping together?" Marie asked, and Amanda looked at her as if she was stupid. 

"We got snowed in at this cabin and we slept together. He went back to work as an undercover officer, while I went back to being a detective for Manhattan SVU." Amanda sighed.

"Did Mr. Murphy know that you got pregnant and that the baby was his?"

"I called him the day after I took the test and it came back positive. I was too busy with work at the time, that I was certain he was the baby's father. He didn't answer his phone, and I didn't end up hearing from him for months. He came back for a quick visit towards the end of my pregnancy, then I didn't hear from him until Jimmy was three." Amanda sighed.

"She's a whore! I honestly doubt that kid is mine! She's just-" Declan continued to yell, as Judge Stein called for silence in his courtroom.

Amanda's confidence faded as Declan called her a whore and a slut as he was dragged from the room.

"We will be calling a recess until Mr. Murphy can calm himself." Judge Stein grumbled before he stood and tried to get back to his chambers.

"I'm sorry." Amanda frowned as she stepped off of the stand and walked to Peter and Dominick.

"Don't apologize. We have him right where we want him. You did a good job, and I don't think we will even need Olivia, Trevor, or Elliot to testify. You put him in jail all by yourself."