The standard disclaimer applies: All characters are property of Dick Wolf and NBC Universal. Not mine, not making money.

The day after the verdict came in, I asked Jack for a change of assignment. He flat-out refused; he thought Mike and I worked well together.

"It was a tactic," Jack said. "Mike's a good lawyer. He'll do whatever he can to get that guilty verdict from the jury."

Fine. I had to work with Michael Cutter, but I was determined to have little to do with him otherwise. That meant that I could no longer see him outside the office. I truly enjoyed his company, but I wanted no part of a man who was willing to use me that way.

Mike, however, had other ideas.

He tried to bring up the subject whenever possible. Whenever there was a break in our professional conversation, it would happen. He'd smile at me sheepishly and use a contrite tone of voice that foreshadowed what was coming.

"Connie…"

I usually responded by bringing up the case, which always threw him off his game. God, I was still furious. Campbell could have done any number of things to me. I let Mike have his guilty verdict, but an apology simply wasn't going to be good enough.

When Mike realized that he couldn't sneak the topic in at work, the phone calls started. Now I know how he got to where he is – the man is persistent. When he wants something, he latches on and just doesn't let go.

I'd see his number on the caller ID and let the machine pick it up.

Connie, it's me, the message would always begin. I just wanted to say I'm sorry…

The erase button is a wonderful thing; I'd hit it as soon as his monologues were finished.

When Mike realized that I was never going to pick up my phone or return his calls, he switched tactics. I came into work one morning to find a fancy apology card on my desk. Inside, he'd written a long note in his illegible scrawl. Into the trash it went.

We continued to work on cases together. Sometimes, I'd look at him, and I could literally see the wheels turning in his head. He was planning the next strategy. For my part, I still felt like taking his prized baseball bat and hitting him over the head with it.

Meanwhile, gifts still accumulated on my desk. One day, he surprised me with a box of expensive candy; I gave it to the secretaries. The day after that, a dozen long-stemmed roses awaited me. Let me tell you, that caused a big stir on our floor. Even Jack tried to figure out who my admirer was.

I hated to admit it, but Mike was getting warm. Warm, but not hot.

Then, late the next night, we were in his office discussing a case. Suddenly, he stood up and walked around his desk to face me. He pressed an object into my hand.

It was a beautiful diamond pendant, suspended on a silver chain.

"Oh, Mike," I said, stunned but still standing firm. "I can't accept this."

"Connie, what's it going to take to make you see how sorry I am? I don't care how much money I have to spend."

"It's not about money," I replied, stung. "It's about you putting your own wants above everything else. You carelessly put me in danger to win a case."

He leaned in close, his lips brushing against mine. Very seductive, but I remembered my anger. I stepped back.

"You've gotta admit that we had a good thing going," he said. "Don't you want it back?"

The pendant was still in my hand. I looked at it, and then at him. His expression was like that of a penitent young boy; it told me that he truly was sorry for what he'd done, and would never do anything like it again.

He might have been sorry, but to me it still didn't seem like enough.

"Please, Connie. What can I do to make this up to you?"

"I don't know, Mike." I began to cry. As the tears came, I silently cursed myself; the last thing I wanted was to show any emotion, especially in front of him. But at that moment, I realized just how much he'd hurt me – and just how much I cared.

He put his arms around me. "I'm so sorry," he said softly, kissing my forehead.

Maybe I was weak, but this time I accepted his apology.

finis