Inocencia

“Mrs. Stone. Your husband is here to see you,” Eli, your assistant informed you over the intercom. “Y/N?” Eli said your name when you didn’t answer.

“Tell him I’m in with a client, please.” You hated to ask him to lie to you but you just really didn’t want to see Peter.

A few seconds later the door to your office swung open. Peter was standing in the threshold. “We need to talk.” He closed the door behind him. You saw Eli behind him mouth ‘sorry’ before the door shut.

“Kinda busy right now,” you said as you turned your attention back to the file in your hand. As far you were concerned Peter could go take a flying leap.

Peter rounded your desk, taking the file folder from your hand. “This is serious.”

You sighed then looked up at him. Exhaustion and stress were evident in the dark circles and disheveled appearance. “What is so important that you had to interrupt my work day, but couldn’t bother to come home last night or call me?” you questioned, leaning back in your chair, resting your hands on your belly.  

He leaned against your desk, his gaze dropping to your very pregnant form. “Last night when I was at the bar with Fin a woman approached us. She looked like she had seen a ghost when she saw me. I didn’t recognize her at first. She accused me of sexually assaulting her.”

The breath went out of your lungs. All you could do was stare at him. When you finally regained your composure you asked him, “And when did this happen?”

“It didn’t happen,” he snapped. “I have never-I would nev-”

You arched an eyebrow at him. “That’s not how I meant it, Peter.”

“Sorry. I’m-just…12 years ago.”

It was a couple years before the two of you had met which gave you a bit of relief. “Okay. What happened?”

Peter pushed off your desk and started pacing around your office. He stopped, looking at the family pictures you had displayed on the wall. He ran a finger over the glass of the most recent picture. “It was a late-season game. We went to a bar. A group of us decided to go back to my hotel room. We all had been drinking…a lot. Me and this girl. We were making out-”

“I get the picture.” You held a hand up halting any more details.

“Anyway, when I woke up I was by myself. I called her the next day. She said never contact her again, or she’d go to the police because I raped her. I swear I didn’t do anything.” Peter ran his hand through his hair.

“Wow. Peter. This is…What else did she say?”

“She smacked me across the face and left. That’s when I left and went to Fin’s we had a few more drinks. I passed out. Woke up on his couch,” he explained. “Say something, please.”

“What would you like me to say? I’m in shock here, Peter.”

“Tell me that you believe me. That you trust me,” he pleaded.

“Of course I believe you,” you reassured him. You pushed yourself up from your chair to stand in front of Peter and took his hands.

“I going to ask Liv to open an investigation,” Peter informed you.

“Wait. What? No. You can’t do that.” That was the last thing you expected to hear. When you tried to let go of his hands, his grip tightened.

“I have to clear this up. Whatever she thinks she did, she’s wrong. I can’t have this like a black cloud hanging over me,” he explained apologetically. Peter’s face was a bevy of emotion. He had made up his mind you knew that there was no changing it.

“You’re sure this is what you want?” He nodded his head. “Then I support you, whatever you need to do.”

Peter pulled you to him, engulfing you in his arms. “I love you,” he murmured into your neck.

“Where’s Liv?” you asked as you stormed into the precinct.

She stepped out of her office. “Y/N. Everything okay?”

“You arrested Peter?”

“I had no choice,” Liv said softly.

“You had no choice? Are you kidding me?” Your voice became louder, drawing attention from the rest of the precinct. Sonny came up beside you and placed a hand on your shoulder. “We have two children at home. I’m pregnant.” You started crying. “He didn’t do this, Liv. He’s the one who asked you to open an investigation. Do you not believe him? Isn’t he credible?”

Liv stood not saying a word.

You shook your head and wiped the tears from your eyes. “Unbelievable. And you call yourself a friend. Now if you’ll excuse me I have to go to my husband’s arraignment.”

“I’ll come with ya,” Sonny offered as he grabbed his coat and followed you out of the station.

The judge granted Peter ROR, thankfully. Peter wanted to stop for coffee and muffins on the way home. While you were standing in line a man started conversing with Peter. He knew a lot of people so you didn’t think much of it. When the man introduced himself as Gary Kent you started listening.

“This your wife? Huh?” Gary looked at you. “How does it feel to be married to a rapist, have children with him,” he yelled through the coffee shop.

“Leave her alone,” Peter warned as he moved you behind him.

“Whoa, this guy played for the Cubs! This guy in the nice suit, he raped my wife!”

“Gary. He didn’t do it. I’m not discrediting that something happened to her,” you said softly.

Gary pulled a gun. “Out. Everyone out!”

Peter pushed you to the door. “No! Peter, I’m not-”

“Just go, please,” Peter begged.

Before you could protest any further, you were being pushed out the door with the other patrons and employees.

“Liv. Oh, thank God. Gary. He’s in there. He has a gun on Peter, he, he-,” you stammered.

“I’m going to find out what’s going on. He’s going to be okay,” Olivia placed her hands on your shoulders.

“No. You don’t understand. My husband is in that bar,” the woman’s voice was frantic.

You watched a woman and a young girl came rushing toward you and Liv. “That’s her.”

Liv nodded and went toward Sarah. She locked eyes with you for a split second. She just figured out who you were as well. Her daughter had to be 11, maybe 12. You gasped and covered your mouth. “Oh, Jesus.” That could be Peter’s daughter. No. He, no he didn’t do it.  How could you think like that?

Officers rushing past you brought you back to now. First Gary, then Peter came out of the bar. “Peter!” you called to him as you ran to him. He caught you when you jumped into his arms. From the corner of your eye, you saw Sarah leaving when the officers took Gary away in cuffs.

“Can we go home, please,” Peter asked as his face was still buried in your neck. You weren’t sure he even saw Sarah. His arm went around your shoulders. Neither of you said anything to Liv as you walked past her.

A couple days later Reggie was arrested for Sarah’s rape. Liv was able to get him to confess. More good news, Gary was Sarah’s father.

“So this whole time she thought it was you. Not being sure all those years. Living with what happened to her. Feeling like she couldn’t tell her husband.” You took a deep breath. “When all this was happening. When I saw Sarah and Emma, there was a moment I doubted you. I’m sorry…”

“Don’t be. When all the noise was coming at me, I doubted myself.” Peter’s head rested on your chest. “Active in there tonight,” Peter remarked as his hand gently caressed your belly. When you looked down he was smiling.

Your fingers lazily ran through his short hair. “Yeah. They’re night owls.” You chuckled. “They really get going around 1AM.”

Peter was quiet for a couple minutes. “I’m going to start counseling Monday. I’d like for you to come with me,” he requested.

“Name the time and place.”