Disclaimer: Dick Wolf and NBC own "Law and Order". I don't.
A/N: I'm a huge fan of the mentor/protégée relationship between Jack and Connie. I think it's very endearing. Jack totally has Connie's back, and she's very loyal to him, and vise-versa. So last week, TNT showed the episode where Arthur is a complete prick to Jack and tells him, "You're a great prosecutor, Jack. But you'll never be a District Attorney". Argh, that still makes me mad! I still thought, "Oh screw you, Arthur, you're an asshole for saying that". LOL I'm surprised I didn't think of this ficlet sooner. I began by being indifferent to Arthur Branch. I love his phrases and metaphors, but, for the most part, I just didn't have an opinion on him. However, when he said that to Jack, I was like, "Okay, bashing Jack like that? You, sir, are a prick" because Jack is an awesome lawyer (as well as one of my favorite characters). I also don't think he had a good reason for firing Serena. "Too passionate"? WTF? Jack was passionate, Abbie was passionate, Claire was passionate, Mike was passionate, Connie was passionate—and none of them got fired! So, though I liked his colorful metaphors and respected him for being able to separate his personal beliefs from what the law says ("I may be pro-life, but I'm also pro-law"), the guy had moments when he was just a real prick. So that's all the inspiration for this.
This is dedicated to DaisyDay. ^_^ ~ Abby
Faith
Jack and Connie sat side-by-side at the counter of their favorite nearby bar.
"I appreciate you doing this, Connie—buying me drinks like this," Jack said gratefully, swallowing a sip of his scotch on the rocks. "It's very thoughtful of you."
"Hey, no problem!" Connie replied kindly. "I figured you could use it…Geez…Bye, Arthur!" she added, making it abundantly clear that she thought the departure of former district attorney Arthur Branch was completely sudden and unexpected.
"Exactly!" Jack agreed.
He sighed.
"Shit…" he said softly, shaking his head and taking another swig of scotch.
Connie gave him a comforting pat on the arm and took a sip of her wine.
After a pause, Jack said, "Did I tell you what he said to me, not too long before he left?"
"No, what'd he say?" asked Connie.
Jack swallowed another sip of scotch, and then said, "He said, 'You're a great prosecutor, Jack—but you'll never be a district attorney'."
"What? He said that to you? What an ass!" Connie said.
Jack took another drink of scotch, swallowed, and then said, "Maybe he's right."
"What? No! No, no, no, no. He couldn't be more wrong! Wow…That was just shitty. I'm not so sure I'm sad to see him go now—not if he's going to be treating you like that. Jack, I am so sorry. I'm so sorry. Please don't take that to heart. He is so wrong. It's all about political power with him. Well, what about justice? Wow, Arthur…Wow…" Connie said, shaking her head in disbelief.
She fell silent for a moment and then took another sip of wine.
After setting her glass down, she went on, "I actually think you'll be a better D.A. than Arthur. You have the heart, the talent, and the passion for justice. Arthur on the other hand? He's got the talent and a fondness for political power. Guess which one of you I admire more."
Jack gave a small, humorless smile.
"I mean it, Jack—you can do this. You are such a talented lawyer. I have learned more from you than any other attorney I've ever worked with. You have been such a great mentor to me. I'll always be grateful for that," Connie said with a kind smile.
"It's an honor working with you, Connie, it really is. I'm very glad to have you as my right-hand woman. You truly are one of the best attorneys I've ever worked with," Jack said, smiling warmly. "And I'm not just saying that. I don't give out compliments lightly."
Connie smiled.
"That means a lot to me, Jack, it really does," she said appreciatively. "You know how much I respect you."
"Likewise," Jack said kindly.
Connie waved at the bartender to get his attention.
"Another scotch on the rocks for the gentleman, please!" she said. "Thank you!"
"Wow!" Jack joked. "I compliment you, and I get free booze! I should compliment you more often!"
Connie chuckled.
"Don't push it," she bantered.
It was Jack's turn to chuckle.
"You know, Jack—I know you're stressed-out and most likely feeling like you're in over your head, but…" Connie hesitated.
"But what?" Jack inquired.
"But I just feel like you're the right person for the job. I think things worked out this way because they were supposed to. You are just such a fantastic attorney, and you care so much about seeking justice. Jack, you are just what Manhattan needs…You're the real deal. But this isn't just about the office or our jurisdiction—it's about you, too. Jack…even though you definitely weren't expecting the job to come to you this way, and you're probably feeling as though you're about to overdose on Excedrin Migraine—I can't help but think that you want to be district attorney. I think you have for a while, actually. Am I right?" Connie said intuitively.
Jack looked at her for a moment.
"Yeah, you are," he said. "You most certainly are. I do want the job. And it wasn't until Arthur left that I realized just how much…"
Connie gave him a warm smile.
"You're going to do a great job," she said. "I have complete faith in you."
Jack gave another real smile.
"Thank you, Connie," he said graciously. "That really means a lot to me."
He reached over and gave her a fatherly hug, which she returned.
"I figured you could use a vote of confidence," she said. "But you know what you should keep in mind?"
"What's that?" asked Jack.
"Things seem like hell right now, but you know everything's eventually going to settle down, right?" Connie reassured him.
"You are absolutely right, Connie. It is," Jack said appreciatively.
Connie gave a good-natured smile.
Jack then got the bartender's attention and ordered Connie another glass of Pino Grigio.
"You didn't have to do that," she said. "But thank you!"
"Of course!" Jack said pleasantly. "And neither did you! I'm just returning the favor!"
Connie smiled appreciatively. She raised her wine glass to him light-heartedly and then took a drink.
Jack raised his half-finished glass.
"May I not lose my mind!" he toasted himself jokingly, taking a drink.
Connie chuckled.
"You'll be fine," she said.
They drank in silence for a bit.
Then—
"Hey, Jack—I don't mean to stress you out further, so you can tell me that you'd prefer not to have to think about this if it will stress you out further," Connie spoke up.
"What is it?"
"Well…I was wondering how the EADA search has been going," Connie said hesitantly.
Jack swallowed a sip of scotch and then said, "Oh, I'm not too stressed-out to think about that. It's been winding down, actually. I'm just about done with it."
"Really? That's great!"
"You're telling me! Actually, I've got it narrowed down to five candidates."
"Wonderful!"
"Amen! There's a woman from Brooklyn's Major Cases division…a woman from our Special Victims division…a guy from Queens' Homicide division…a guy from our Narcotics division, and a guy from our Homicide division."
"A guy from the Manhattan Homicide division?" Connie said. "Please don't tell me it's—"
"Oh, don't you worry a bit, it's not Josh Latham," Jack said, knowing precisely to whom Connie was referring.
"Oh, thank God. I can't stand that prick. All he has to do is enter the room, and his ego threatens to swallow you whole," Connie remarked dryly.
"Couldn't have put it better myself," said Jack. "He did put in for the job, but if he thinks I considered him even for a second, he's delusional…Don't worry, Connie—I'd never inflict him on you. I think Arthur liked him because he votes Republican. I never could see the big deal myself. I think he's an arrogant prick, too. Not only that, he's very disrespectful to me. On top of everything else I'm doing, I've got to figure out when to tell him he's fired. Consider it much overdue spring cleaning."
Connie snickered.
"But hey—it's a regime change, so to speak. You're the boss—you want someone out, well then, he or she is out," she said.
"Damn right," said Jack.
He took a sip of scotch.
"You know, Connie," he then said, "one thing I've been considering as I've been going through applicants is how well they would work with you."
"Jack," Connie said, very flattered. "That's very kind of you!"
"Well hell, you were here first," said Jack. "I think it's only fair."
Connie smiled.
"Thank you, Jack."
"Again, it's only fair…Now that I think of it, I believe I'm ready to eliminate another candidate."
"Awesome! Do you know when you'd like to have a decision made?" said Connie.
"Yeah, the end of this week—which is in five days, if you count today. I think I can manage that," Jack replied good-naturedly.
He finished up his scotch.
"Actually, if truth be told, I think I already know who I'm going to choose," he said.
"Great!"
"But I think I'd better go through everyone's resumes and transcripts one more time, just to be entirely sure, but I highly doubt I'm going to end up changing my mind. I may as well just call him up right now and make the offer, but…I'll feel a little guilty if I don't go over everyone else's credentials one more time. Do me a favor—don't tell anyone it's merely a tactic to assuage my guilty conscience."
"Jack, you've been going through the process for a while now, and you've come to a decision. There's nothing wrong with that. You have to eliminate applicants, it's part of the process. It's not a bad thing at all that you've already come to a decision—that's the point!" Connie said good-naturedly. "You've got your phone with you—call him up right now…And you're sure he's compatible with me, right?"
"Absolutely," said Jack. "You know—I think I'd rather tell him in person."
"Is he still at the office?"
"Oh yeah. He's got a hell of a work ethic. He'll still be there."
"Then that's what you should do," Connie said with an encouraging smile. "Don't doubt your first decision as D.A."
"Interim D.A.," Jack corrected.
"D.A.," Connie corrected him, smiling.
"You know it's not a sure thing, Connie," said Jack.
"I think it can be," Connie said warmly.
"Thank you, Connie—really," Jack said gratefully, patting her shoulder. "I'm certainly going to try to make it a sure thing."