22x08 - The Only Way Out Is Through

[bunniefuu]

In the criminal justice system, sexually based offenses are considered especially heinous.

In New York City, the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad known as the Special Victims Unit.

These are their stories.

*LAW AND ORDER SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT* [dramatic music]

One, two...

[tense music]

Three...

four...

Five.

[breathing shakily]

Imani, is he gone?

Yeah.

Are you okay?

Aneeka?

♪ - So he walked you home?

- No...

I mean yes.

Jimmy Gunn walked me home.

He kissed me good night.

And that's when you invited him inside.

No, he asked to use my bathroom, - so...

- So you let him inside.

To use my bathroom.

When he came out, he threw me on the floor.

Nora, you had a nice date with my client, kissed him.

You invited him in.

Then he got passionate with you.

No, he r*ped me.

♪ - Lily...

- Wait, oh..

- Wait, slow down.

- So hot.

- Wait, I really want...

- I know what you want.

Lily, Lily, slow down.

Okay, this was last night?

And he did what?

Can you come in?

No, I get it.

I'll come there.

20 minutes.

- A friend had a bad night?

- My cousin, actually.

We're not close.

Her family moved to Manhattan when we were kids.

- She's more of an uptown girl.

- But she knows you're SVU.

- Uh-huh.

- Go.

- I'll tell the captain.

- Thanks.

Aneeka and Imani Clark.

Is Captain Cragen or Detective Munch still here?

- Okay, hold on.

- Sergeant.

Cap, remember a case about 20 years ago...

Aneeka and Imani Coleman?

- Oh, I do.

- It was horrible.

The sisters, they were kidnapped at gunpoint and one was r*ped, and the other one was forced to watch.

Munch and I interviewed the mother.

I remember because it was right after my mother d*ed.

Yeah, I remember.

Well, Aneeka and Imani just walked in here, - asking to talk to a detective.

- Why?

Well, their mother d*ed recently...

COVID.

- Oh.

- And it brought some stuff up.

And I'm supposed to be meeting with Carisi about Jimmy Gunn's parole hearing.

- Want me to push this off?

- No, I'll talk to the sisters.

Jimmy Gunn is up for parole already?

- He r*ped four women.

- Mm.

It'd be great if they could show up to the hearing.

That's not gonna happen.

Only one...

Nora Anderson...

is even willing to speak with us, but I put the sisters in interview.

[soft dramatic music]

♪ You know, I want to go through their file.

Tell them I just need a few minutes, okay?

[dramatic music]

♪ *LAW AND ORDER SVU* Season 22 Episode 08 Episode Title: "The Only Way Out Is Through" Aired on: February 25, 2021 Yes, yes, tell him I'm on my way.

- Liv, everything okay?

- No.

That was Noah's school.

Somebody in his pod tested positive for COVID, - and Noah's running a fever.

- Oh, no.

Can you please talk to Imani and Aneeka?

- The file is on my desk.

- Yeah, your old case.

Fin told me.

I got this.

- Thank you.

- Of course.

- Go take care of Noah.

- Okay.

How's your mother doing?

She was always my favorite aunt.

Oh, until you moved?

She's okay...

I mean, as far as I can tell from Zoom.

Right, it must be tough.

I know you've always been so close.

Yeah.

So this guy, was he a friend?

More like a first date from hell.

Xavier Garcia, you've heard of him, right?

The social app billionaire?

Yeah.

How did you meet him?

It sounds a little stalkerish.

I drunk DM'd him one night.

I didn't expect him to reply.

He has 10 million followers.

So when he asked me to come over, of course I said yes.

Okay, what happened?

He ordered in fancy sushi.

We had some wine.

Then he was all over me.

I told him to slow down, and he actually backed off.

- Okay, so he listened to you?

- Until he didn't.

We were making out, and suddenly he was inside me.

I'm like, "I just told you to slow down." - Did you want to have sex?

- It all happened so fast.

By the time my brain caught up with my body, I-I told him to stop.

He didn't.

He just pinned me against a wall until he was finished.

- Am I wasting your time?

- No.

Lily, you can withdraw consent at any time.

If you changed your mind and he kept going, that's r*pe.

Aneeka, Imani, thank you for waiting.

I am Detective Rollins.

The captain has a family emergency, but she wanted me to tell you that she remembers your mother, - and she's so sad for your loss.

- Thank you.

It was a shock.

She was only in the ICU for a week.

We couldn't even say good-bye.

I am so sorry.

How can I help you?

We were going through her storage locker, and we came across this box.

Articles about Darryl Clark.

Okay, that can bring up a lot of feelings.

Only one... anger.

The articles say that Clark was convicted on six r*pes, none in Harlem, but our mother said that he went to jail for what he did to me.

Okay, well, he did take a deal.

- He got 35 years.

- But not for raping me?

Is that possible?

No, you're right.

He never confessed to assaulting you.

The deal he made specifically stated he couldn't be prosecuted for your as*ault.

So those three hours he tormented us...

A g*n in our faces, frozen on the ground...

- Just don't count?

- How did that happen?

The only way the DA could make the case was to take it to trial, and I think your mother didn't want to put you through that.

I didn't agree.

I was only 11, but I wanted justice.

- I know I would have faced him.

- She would've for sure.

Show her your diary.

I wrote this a week after the r*pe.

I wanted him to know how I felt then, and I want him to know now.

Isn't there anything?

There may be.

Let me call my captain.

Last time I saw Nora was at Jimmy Gunn's sentence.

She's not happy he's up for parole.

- Neither am I.

- I'm looking at Jimmy's file.

The way he manipulated his vics, what he did to 'em in trial, this guy got too good a deal.

He's not getting out, is he?

Well, it looks like he spent the past seven years checking off all the good inmate boxes.

College degree, he goes to church, NA.

- NA?

- He's not a drug addict.

Not until he got to prison, and then he realized, oh, I get points for going to meetings.

[knocks]

Detective Tutuola.

So you know just 'cause I'm here doesn't mean I'm doing this.

Understood, and thank you for coming.

- Nora, this is ADA Carisi.

- Please come in.

Take a seat.

How you doing, Nora?

Aside from night terrors...

I wake up, and it's happening again.

This parole hearing, will he be there?

He'll be there, but I'll be there too.

I'm just trying to get on with my life.

It's been seven years, but I'm still hanging on by a thread.

And that is exactly what the parole board needs to hear.

Jimmy is a conman, and if none of the vics testify, then he's gonna be able to paint himself - any way he wants.

- Can't you get someone else?

- We tried, but...

- They said no.

The guy r*ped me.

I already testified at the trial.

Isn't it your job to keep him locked up?

Restorative justice isn't usually used - in sexual as*ault cases.

- I know.

I just don't know what else we can offer Aneeka and Imani.

- They want to face Darryl Clark.

- He's still at Sing Sing.

He's not even up for parole.

I just don't know why he would agree to it.

- At least let me reach out.

- Please do.

- How's Noah?

- You know kids.

He's 100.6, and he has no other symptoms so far.

It's probably nothing.

So Kat left me a message.

Can I talk to her?

Yeah, she's right here.

- It's the captain.

- Hey.

So your friend disclosed to you?

My first cousin, actually, Lily Bustani.

Right, and she says that she was assaulted by Xavier Garcia, the tech entrepreneur?

She said no, tried to push him off, - but he insisted on finishing.

- Okay.

- Did she do a r*pe kit?

- I sent her for one.

But this guy's not gonna deny sex.

They even had a nightcap in his apartment after, and he texted her this morning.

- Did she text him back?

- Not yet.

- Should we pick him up?

- Look, he's a smart guy.

He's probably got an army of lawyers.

He's not gonna come in unless we arrest him, and we don't have enough for that.

So because he's rich, we back off.

No, have her text him and see if he'll meet her for coffee.

All right, controlled meet.

Get him on the record admitting as*ault.

I'll call Carisi.

You know, I'll do that for you.

Okay.

Okay, Captain, yeah, I hear you.

I hope Noah feels better.

Hey, tell me you got Nora to change her mind.

No, she had her AA sponsor call me.

I wouldn't count on her.

What about Jimmy's other victims?

They're not returning my calls.

The trial was brutal.

I'm trying.

Well, try harder.

Because if he gets out, he's gonna strike again.

We'll all look like idiots.

Carisi, you don't think I know that?

- Good, I caught you.

- Counselor Carisi.

Yeah?

Ronnie Blevins, the chaplain at Fishkill.

- Jimmy Gunn is one of my flock.

- Sergeant Tutuola.

How can we help you?

You put Jimmy's victims on the list to speak.

He'd like to have a conversation - with any and all of them.

- I'm sure.

Right before his parole hearing so he can try to convince them that they weren't r*ped?

No, he's contrite.

Jimmy's been trying to apologize to these women for years.

I have dozens of letters.

If he wrote them, how can you have the letters?

Prison admin never forwarded 'em, which we know is their prerogative.

Appreciate you coming by.

And Chaplain, Jimmy's victims, they're not buying anything he's selling.

[dramatic music]

♪ - Restorative justice?

- What is that?

So you both meet with Darryl Clark, tell him how you feel, ask him questions.

- It's emotional justice.

- That's great.

- I'm in.

- Aneeka, hold on.

- He agreed to do this?

- He did.

He's getting transferred to a federal prison in Utah next week.

He got caught smuggling dr*gs.

He probably is hoping that this will delay the transfer.

How would it do that?

Well, normally these sessions take a year to arrange.

A facilitator meets with him, with you.

You get an agreement to the rules.

I'm not waiting that long, and I'm not going to Utah.

Can't we just do it faster?

We've waited 21 years, Aneeka.

We can wait a little bit longer.

Maybe you can.

It didn't affect you like it did me.

Okay, well, it would be better if we had time to prepare exactly what you wanna ask.

I want to know why.

Why'd he do it?

Why that day?

- Why he chose me?

- Us.

You know what I mean, Imani.

I need to face the man who's been in my head my whole life.

I need it to happen now.

♪ I know I agreed to this, but I gotta tell you.

The eighth floor sees this as a post-penetration "he said, she said," where the he is a wealthy tech titan, and she...

Can we stop using the expression "he said, she said"?

I mean, it sounds like there's no evidence and there's nothing that we can do, and why is the "he" always first?

Kat, a jury understands no means no.

They have a harder time with "yes, then slow down, "then I want you to stop.

"Even though you didn't stop, I'll still have a nightcap afterwards." Every time that you say the jury is going to have a hard time, I think you mean you.

Last night, he said he should be able to meet today.

- I can text him again.

- Do that.

And let's talk about what we need Xavier to admit to on tape.

Yeah, most importantly is that he knew you revoked consent, and he continued having sex with you - after you told him to stop.

- That's what happened.

And that, even before that, your affirmative consent was only implied, never enthusiastic.

Kat, that is not the legal issue here.

I wasn't enthusiastic.

He started out by asking if he could suck my toes.

- Like, really?

- Okay, I hear that.

But that's not what's gonna help us make this case.

What will help us is if you get him to make an admission without putting words in his mouth.

Controlled meets can be tough.

You're gonna get nervous, but we'll be nearby.

[phone chimes]

Xavier says he wants to see me, but he'd rather take me to lunch.

This is literally going to happen.

- [whistles]

- Hey, where you going?

- Don't pay them no mind.

- You know how it is.

[indistinct chatter]

Everyone wants to get a look at the vics.

- Is that how it is?

- Mm-hmm.

Well, do you mind bringing in Darryl Clark?

- Yes, ma'am.

- Why isn't he here?

- How long do we have to wait?

- We're fine, Imani.

[hyperventilates]

- What?

- Are you okay?

I-I saw a rat.

[breathing rapidly]

- It was probably just a mouse.

- No, it was there.

Like in the basement.

Clark yelled, "Lay down," but I saw a rat.

I have to get out of here.

I need to leave now.

- Imani, you can.

- You can go.

But I want you to know that you're probably being trigger flooded, okay?

And this will pass.

Look, just need to breathe, all right?

Go ahead.

Breathe?

- Yeah.

- Okay.

- It's funny.

- I don't remember the rats.

Imani, if you need to wait outside...

I'm okay.

I'm sorry.

- It's a lot.

- It is.

It's scary to see him again.

It's scary to be in this place.

I want to remind you that we are in control of this situation, and if it gets - to be too much, we stop.

- Got it.

- Okay.

- [door opening]

I'm here.

[dramatic music]

So what do you want?

♪ Nora, can I talk to you?

Are you stalking me now?

Sorry, your roommate told me this is where you do your meetings.

So much for anonymity.

Nora...

I know you don't want to hear this, but Jimmy's prison chaplain came to us - with a message from Jimmy.

- I don't care.

He wants to meet with you, apologize before the hearing.

No chance, and joke's on him.

I'm not even going to the hearing.

The chaplain also said Jimmy's been writing you letters from prison.

- That's bull.

- I never got any letters.

The prison program won't forward letters unless the vic requests them.

How can I request them if I don't know they exist?

You're right.

I have the letters.

Now, if you don't want 'em, I get it.

He's been writing me all this time?

- Did you read 'em?

- No, they're addressed to you.

Now, if you want me to screen 'em, I can.

Knowing Jimmy, he's just trying to work you.

Yeah, I know.

He's full of it.

There's no way that guy's changed.

Fair, I'll give 'em back to the chaplain.

No, wait, I'll read 'em.

I want to see what that son of a bitch has to say.

Okay.

I've listened to you girls.

Still something I need explained.

What is that, Mr.

Clark?

This one really still thinks she's one of mine?

- One of yours?

- I don't belong to you.

- You r*ped me.

- Not possible, sweetheart.

Told the DA that years ago.

If you really believed that, why did you agree to this?

You're getting transferred to Utah either way.

Something to do.

Or it was.

Didn't expect to be ambushed.

- Ambushed?

- Isn't that what you did to us?

I'd never touch either of you.

- You know what?

- That's enough.

You know, I've never seen these two before.

I only did white girls.

- I'd never even look at a...

- What?

Never even look at what?

- You're trying to eyeball me.

- Good luck.

Uh-huh, why don't you sit down and listen?

- Three hours on that floor...

- You took away my childhood.

You can at least listen to one page - of what I wrote at the time.

- You're gonna read to me now?

Oh, I wrote down every single thing you did.

Every single messed up detail.

Listen.

Then you can decide if you ever r*ped a Black girl.

First, Nora's not even sure that she's gonna go to the hearing, but now on the day of, she's willing to go to the prison - and meet with Jimmy?

- She read the letters.

She said she spent the last seven years of her life hating the guy.

Maybe it's time to let that go.

He's just gonna manipulate her.

What am I supposed to do, tell Nora no?

- Why don't you go with her?

- Because I can't.

I gotta babysit Kat at a controlled meet.

Hey, you got any tips on how to deal with her?

Because everything I do makes her angry.

Then don't do anything.

"When he got off me, I lay empty.

"A spit-out piece of gum on the ground.

"Imani unstuck me, and we ran.

"It's been ten days since it happened.

"Mom won't let me talk about it.

"I can't look at myself.

"I can't forget his bourbon breath.

It still"...

Bourbon, huh?

I did love my Old Crow back in the day.

So you remember you r*ped my sister?

I know it was you.

I was there too.

- How old were you?

- Nine.

If I saw you two walking together, I'd have thought you were twins.

So it's finally coming back to you?

Maybe.

Sounds like my...

What's the word?

My MO.

- Just admit it.

- You r*ped me.

It's a possibility.

I was drinking a lot then, so all I can say is, yeah, sounds familiar.

I appreciate you coming, Nora.

She came here to hear you out.

- You read all my letters?

- I did.

I only got them this morning.

All I could do is write them, Nora.

The rest is out of my control.

I don't mean to sound like I'm ducking blame.

- Then what are you doing?

- I want to listen to her.

Do you have something you want to say to me?

I do.

You remember that night, how you acted like a good guy?

I thought you were so nice.

And since then, I've never been able to trust my own instincts.

You took away my road map.

I hadn't thought of that.

Thank you for trusting me enough to be here.

- Don't get ahead of yourself.

- Of course.

Anything else you want to say to me, Nora?

Please say it.

And, Jimmy, I think there were some things - you wanted to say to Nora?

- Right.

Thank you, Chaplain.

Nora, I've traveled a hard path to get to where I am now.

A lot of soul searching, personal inventory.

And here I am at this table sitting across from you...

Asking for your forgiveness.

Can you do that?

- I-I don't know.

- I'm not ready.

You don't have to answer.

Nora, but I am truly sorry.

You did tell your cousin not to wave at us - when Xavier gets here, right?

- She's prepped, Carisi.

She wants to bring this guy down.

Game on.

- Lily, hi.

- How's it going?

- Hey.

- Good to see you.

- Thanks for meeting me.

- Of course.

What's going on?

- You're upset with me.

- I think you know why.

- Honest to God, I'm not sure.

- Whatever it is, just tell me.

Remember we talked about how important honesty is?

Okay.

It's about when we were making out.

Didn't you hear me say, "slow down"?

And I did, right?

At first, then I changed my mind.

I said, "stop." Tried to push you away.

I didn't hear that.

But if you're saying you said that, I believe you.

- And you didn't listen?

- First times are awkward.

- Awkward...

I said stop.

- You kept going.

I'm sorry you're upset, and I don't want to upset you anymore.

- I should probably go.

- Please don't.

- I didn't mean to imply...

- She's losing him.

Just give her a chance.

Honestly, you are a substantial person.

There was a real spark between us.

- I thought there was.

- There definitely was.

Can you stay please?

Let's work through this.

I'm trying to figure out if you are the sweet, funny Xavi I was DMing with or the tech titan who invites a girl over to order in just to get laid.

[tense music]

♪ Okay.

Why don't we at least start with why you targeted them.

Them?

I know for damn sure I didn't do 'em both.

- Lucky for you.

- It wasn't lucky for me.

That's debatable.

I mean, you got off easy.

- You still had your cherry.

- Shut up!

Everyone's always telling me that!

I had to lay on that ground listening to my sister crying.

- I didn't cry!

- You cried.

I saw you.

He made me watch.

He said he'd sh**t you if I screamed.

I know it's not the same thing, but it still counts.

[alarms blaring]

- Sorry, folks.

- We're done here.

- What is going on?

- A brawl in the yard.

- So what?

- Let me finish.

- Come on, we're good here.

- Not happening, Clark.

It's a lockdown.

Let's go.

- Where do you want us?

- Right here.

Just sit tight, ladies.

[alarms blaring]

Hey, they say it's almost under control.

- We just have to wait.

- Let's just go.

He acknowledged it, and seeing him in this cage for life, I'm good.

Well, I'm not.

He didn't acknowledge me.

I come all the way up here to be supportive of you, and I have to hear the same thing I've heard my whole life?

"You're so lucky.

Your poor sister had it so much worse." - Maybe because I did.

- So you agree with him.

You agree with your r*pist?

Cool.

Just stop.

I made sure he never touched you.

- You protected me?

- You were his victim.

I was his victim too.

Wasn't I?

- Yes, you both were.

- Oh, please.

I was helpless, terrified.

- That feeling never went away.

- I know.

I was the one pinned to the floor.

That's why I could never say anything.

- You just laid there!

- Nothing happened to you!

You think nothing happened?

I still can't fall asleep until I know you're home.

My mind is always racing...

Guilt, panic, rage.

How am I supposed to know how you're feeling?

- I can't just read your mind!

- You're right.

You were allowed to have feelings, and I wasn't.

I was on the sidelines during your r*pe, and that's how you and Mom treated me ever since.

- Jesus, this...

- That is not...

- It's your sister's turn.

- Mom worshipped you.

She thought you protected me from him, so you were the hero, and I was nothing.

Any love she had to give went to you, and you took it.

I was hurting too, but no one cared.

So sometime...

Sometimes I wish he r*ped me, not you.

I know it might be cliché, but I want a guy - that takes care of me.

- Nothing wrong with that.

I'm kind of old-fashioned myself.

Maybe that's why I kind of freaked out the other night.

I thought you were, but things moved way too fast.

My last relationship was a roller coaster...

Physically, emotionally.

Thank you for sharing that, Lily.

If I'd known...

What?

I would have taken more time, slowed down.

Stopped when I said stop?

Yes, exactly.

Now that we're talking about it, I realize I did hear you say stop, and I should have.

All right, good, good.

I was just so into you, I couldn't control myself.

Oh, seriously, dude?

I can see now that, from your point of view, I forced things...

and I am sorry for that, Lily.

- So very sorry.

- That means a lot to me.

Maybe we can start over.

Oh, this is going in the wrong direction.

- We need to regroup.

- So we'll go in now.

- No, Kat, we may not have it...

- Moving in.

I am so turned on right now.

- [both chuckle]

- Me too.

Maybe we should move this to my place.

- That's enough.

- Lily, get up.

- What the hell?

- Xavier, you're done.

- And you're under arrest.

- What?

Lily, this was a setup with cops?

- Are you kidding me?

- I'm sorry, Xavi.

- I didn't know they would...

- Lily, stop talking.

I want my lawyer.

Xavier Garcia, you're under arrest.

Anything you say can and...

[phone vibrates]

Fin, I'm kind of in the middle of something.

If you can't afford an attorney...

- Be quick.

- We have a problem.

Nora fell for Jimmy's apology act.

Well, then you gotta do the hearing without her.

You gotta testify that all his victims are too traumatized to even confront him.

It's too late...

she's here, and she wants to go in.

What's worse...

I think she's gonna back him getting out.

No, you can't let that happen.

She says she has closure.

Am I supposed to tell her she doesn't?

Well, tell her that if he gets out, he's gonna r*pe again.

I gotta go.

[sighs]

Nora...

The ADA and I both have done this a lot.

We really believe Jimmy's playing you.

He looked me in the eye, listened to me.

He heard me.

Maybe he's paid his dues.

[sighs]

Impressive recommendations, Mr. Gunn.

No infractions.

This reconciliation ceremony, can you tell us what that is?

Chaplain Blevins set that up, sir.

We met in the chapel and made an offering to our victims...

A drawing, a poem, gift from commissary, then apologized.

Tell me, how did the victims feel?

That was with surrogate victims...

Members of Chaplain Blevins' congregation.

- A symbolic act.

- That's very moving.

But have you given thought to the more specific effect you've had on your victims?

- We can leave now.

- In seven years...

I want to hear what he has to say.

I thought of nothing else, sir.

I've tried to apologize to all my victims and did finally manage to meet with one of 'em.

But that's a personal matter, and I didn't do it so that I could play show and tell here today.

I know that some of them might still be angry at me..

which I understand.

It's funny.

I'm hearing Chaplain Blevins' voice in my head now.

True repentance seeks no reward.

I've tried to put myself in their shoes.

The pain, the fear, the, well, distrust, right?

I mean, I have trouble trusting people, but these women probably can't even trust themselves.

I destroyed their instincts.

What I did, that's like...

That's like trying to...

That's like trying to live your life without...

a road map.

That's very perceptive, Mr. Gunn.

It appears to me that you've made good use of your time inside, Mr. Gunn, that you had time to reflect on your crime and the effects that it had on your victim.

I was most struck by your attempts at reparations even within your limited means.

Road map?

Son of a bitch, he... he used me again.

I don't let myself trust anyone for seven years, and I fall for this?

How stupid am I?

The way he just pretended to find his words and then spit out exactly what I said.

That's why he asked to meet with me, isn't it?

I'm sorry.

He stole my words.

He's gonna get away with it, isn't he?

Well, right now when the board looks at him, they see a prison success story...

unless you tell 'em different.

Jimmy Gunn, the board is ready - to render our decision.

- Hold up.

I have a victim who would like to make a statement...

Nora Anderson.

We've already talked privately.

She doesn't need to forgive me here.

- Please let me speak.

- Mr. Gunn, sit down.

Ms. Anderson.

I met with Jimmy Gunn.

I read his letters.

I listened to his apology.

Took me a moment to realize, but it's all a fake.

The only reason he met with me is to make sure I didn't speak against him today.

What he showed you just now, the nice guy Jimmy Gunn...

well, I met that guy seven years ago.

I thought he was sensitive, sweet, someone I could fall in love with...

until he conned his way into my apartment, shoved me down, called me a bitch, and then r*ped me.

And that's the real Jimmy Gunn.

The hatred, the anger in his eyes.

He... he wanted to destroy me.

I-I may never be whole again.

So he can go to church every Sunday and study the Bible on Monday, but that hatred will never die.

If you can't lock him up and keep him locked up for my sake, then do it for the sake of all the women out there who are still whole.

The women Jimmy Gunn will r*pe if he gets out.

How are you doing?

I'm so sorry, Imani.

[door clicks]

Hey, folks, lockdown's over.

I'll see if I can go get him back to you.

Thank you.

You know, whatever you want to say, we can take our time here.

What is it, Imani?

I'm thinking about that day Mom met us at the hospital.

She looked at me like I did something wrong.

That's not how she felt.

How am I supposed to know how she felt?

She never talked to me about it once my whole life.

- Me either.

- Come on.

I saw her hugging you.

Ever since then, for the rest of our life, she gave you whatever you wanted.

It was like I was invisible.

What I saw, she just felt sorry for me like I was pitiful from then on.

Maybe she felt guilty for not protecting you.

I think that's why she didn't want you to testify.

Maybe, but it's too late to know.

She never wanted to deal with it.

Neither did we.

I feel like right now is the first time you ever even knew that I was there.

- What?

- Are you kidding me?

The whole time Clark was raping me, I kept looking at you.

I saw you praying.

That got me through it.

- Imani, you never heard that?

- No.

Always just thought it was my fault.

- No, it was my fault.

- Mm.

You wanted to go straight home.

I ran ahead.

I never told Mom that...

No, no.

It was his fault.

You were being kids, and what happened to both of you, it never should have happened.

Do you understand that?

- Clark's here.

- Hang on.

Aneeka, I don't need to talk to him anymore.

Neither do I.

Tell Clark we're done with him.

[emotional music]

♪ So the eighth floor signed off on indicting Xavier?

- Barely...

- His defense attorney's gonna have a field day with that controlled meet practically turning into a second date.

- Mr.

Carisi.

- Lily.

I told you you didn't have to come to this.

I know.

I didn't realize you were gonna be here.

This is awkward.

I'm just getting ready to quietly arraign Xavier.

- What's up?

- Yeah, about that.

I changed my mind.

I don't want to do this.

What?

His arrest is all over the internet.

"Cancel Xavier Garcia" is trending.

That's not on you.

His image is destroyed already.

That feels like punishment enough.

It's my decision, and I don't want to be talked out of it.

Sorry.

- Lily...

- Kat.

Whatever you're about to say, don't.

I feel bad as it is.

Let me try to get her to testify.

Kat, it's over.

We have an uncooperative victim.

We need to close this case.

Look, she's family.

Something bad happened.

I understand that, but you didn't do anything wrong.

I still want to try and talk to her.

But thanks.

Lily, wait.

I know that you're having second thoughts, but Xavier himself admitted he was guilty.

And he apologized, and he meant it.

This opened his eyes.

It's not who he wants to be.

Lily.

Have you been in touch with him?

- Did you talk to him today?

- So?

Can't you see that you just did exactly what he wanted?

Xavier said you're gonna say that.

I know he should've acted better on our first date.

So does he.

But how could you have arrested him like that?

He's not a criminal.

And now...

him and I have a real chance.

Captain, how's Noah?

Tested negative.

He's hungry, and he cannot wait to get back to school.

So I heard Jimmy Gunn got denied parole.

All because Nora stood up for herself.

- Mm.

- She turned that board around.

Good for her.

And you were in lockdown at Sing Sing?

Yeah, actually, it was okay.

It gave the sisters a chance to work some things out.

All those years, they never talked to each other - or their mother.

- Wow.

Well, thank you both for covering for me.

Of course.

And by the way, congratulations on your award.

NYPD Women in Law Enforcement.

Like, they want to honor me now?

I have this whole Jayvon Brown lawsuit hanging over my head.

I just...

I don't think that right now is the time to be doing a victory lap.

Maybe that's why they're giving it to you.

Look, I don't even know if I'm gonna go.

- I have to write a speech...

- You got a month.

- You need to be there.

- Why?

Because it's good PR for NYPD?

Because you deserve it.

And you should own it.

And you never know who may show up.

[dramatic music]

♪ [dramatic music]

♪ [wolf howls]