(Disclaimer: These characters are part of the Law and Order universe.)

Let's pretend there was a season 21, shall we?

Keeping Warm

Chapter 1

The December blizzard unleashed its fury, making ADA Connie Rubirosa glad to step into the warmth of the somber DA's office.

After flying home for a Christmas week and having a wonderfully festive time, she returned back to work. Walking down the office aisle, she quietly nodded to the few employees who chose to stay behind.

With the bustle of shopping completed, the holiday mistletoe put away, and the bright presents unwrapped, another Christmas in New York City had come and gone.

And New Year's was just around the corner.

The office looked the same as before she left. No one had bothered to store away the measly Yuletide decorations. The lackluster garland drooped against the wall and the sad looking tabletop Christmas tree was forsaken in one corner of the room.

The DA's office was usually slow this time of year. Most of the staff was off, still celebrating their two- week holiday vacation. There were not many cases to prosecute. Even criminals had managed to let go of their law-breaking ways during this sluggish time.

And here Connie sat, amidst a stack of files at her desk.

She knew this would be the ideal time to catch up on all the paperwork. Like all jobs, the DA's office was required to keep thorough, accurate records.

Sighing, she realized she would be at her computer for awhile, that's for sure. She browsed through the file cases, recalling the many cases she had prosecuted with Mike…speaking of which…

Looking up, her eyes darted to EADA's Mike Cutter's office. She had not seen him since she had been back. He had been her boss for three years now. Of course, he would be in his office, she thought with a smile to herself.

She could see him through the glass windows, his total concentration on the file. He really was a dedicated prosecutor, she thought. Sure, he could be stubborn and unorthodox, but it was always in the pursuit of justice.

It was as if he sensed he was being observed, for suddenly he looked up and caught her gazing at him through the office windows. Intense blue eyes met soft brown ones. A blush of color flew to her cheeks as she turned and focused her eyes back on her computer screen.

Her fingers shook as she tried to calm herself. Well, that was embarrassing, she thought. She had no idea why she had been looking at Mike, though she noticed she had been doing it more and more lately. Sometimes he made it difficult for her to think clearly. There was something about him that seemed to saturate her senses. Forcing herself to look back at the screen, her mind could not compute any of the words displayed there.

"Working on a case without me?"

Connie couldn't help but give a gasp at the sound of the familiar voice. She had not realized Mike had left his office and was now sitting across from her. How long had she been staring blankly at the screen? She forced herself to try and act casual with him.

"Hi Mike," she greeted, hoping he wouldn't notice her high coloring, "I was trying to catch up with some paperwork."

"Were you trying to memorize the case? Because you were staring at the same screen display for a good ten minutes."

Had he been observing her, too? She glanced over at him, her palms suddenly feeling sweaty. What was wrong with her? Her entire body seemed to pulse in response to him. As she watched him, she couldn't help but think it was somehow indecent for a man to look so attractive, especially when he was her boss.

"So Mike, how was your Christmas?" Connie asked, trying to fill the space up with words.

Lonely and quiet, he wanted to tell her.

He usually didn't mind spending Christmas alone, but this year he felt miserable. He actually missed being in the office. Who was he fooling? It wasn't the office he missed; it was seeing Connie daily that he missed. She made him realize how nice it would be to have someone to talk and argue and share with. Someone to split his meals, and maybe even cuddle in bed to keep the winter chill away.

"It was great!" he feigned, "I hope you enjoyed your time in Los Angeles."

"Oh yes!" said Connie, "But I'm so glad to be back where I belong!"

Oh god, why she have to word it like that? Would he be able to read between the lines?

There were moments when she had been visiting in Los Angeles with family and thoughts of Mike pervaded her mind. A wistful ache would settled in, where she yearned to be back in New York. She had tried hopelessly to push those musings aside. He was her boss, after all, and they had a professional relationship, period. Or maybe it was just a comma.

"I completely agree," he simply stated.

Connie had a slight déjà vu. Mike had said the exact same sentence when a male juror had emailed Connie that she was the "total package." That had been the first time she thought a spark had passed between them, if only for a flash. She looked over at him, and if Mike had been recalling that same incident, his expression wasn't giving it away.

Because at the moment, Mike had something else on his mind. He took a deep breath in.

"Connie, I just wanted to let you know that I'll be gone from the office this coming week."

Connie's heart dropped, "Is everything alright?"

"Oh, fine, just fine. It's just a… personal matter. A friend had called, needing my help. I'll be leaving town. The office is slow now, anyway."

"A friend?"

Mike smiled at her questioning look, "You seem surprised that I have a friend!"

"No, no, it's not that at all, Mike."

Connie could not breathe as she willed herself not to give away her thoughts. She tried to appear composed when all she could feel was sadness at his departure. So he would be gone for a week. They were not exactly personal friends, so she did not feel comfortable asking about the nature of his personal business.

And for a split second, jealousy entered her mind as she thought it could be a woman Mike was helping out.

"Anything I could do to help?" Connie asked casually.

Yes, come with me, Mike thought.

Connie's eyes became amazingly large with surprise.

With a start Mike realized that he must have spoken his thought out loud; that he had inadvertently blurted out he wanted her to come with him.

"You need my help?" Connie asked, hope growing within her heart. She looked straight into his eyes, her gaze clear, "because I do have some time- off coming to me… if my boss approves, that is."

Mike felt his heart doing cartwheels. Hearing the word "boss" in that same sentence, however, kept him grounded and he once more displayed a professional demeanor.

"That would be great, for it does concern a legal matter," he replied quickly, his pulse thumping in anticipation, "and, uh, thanks, Connie."

Connie smiled, trying not to look overly elated.

"I'm just glad I hadn't unpacked yet!"

Connie was captured by his steady regard. They were looking at each other longer than was necessary. Her skin prickled with heat.

Mike experienced the same keen awareness he had felt from the first moment they had worked their first case together. Eventually, as they continued working side by side through several cases, he found her to be funny, intelligent, beautiful and intriguing. What troubled him was that he didn't know what he wanted from her.

He just knew that right now, he was happy at the reality of spending more time with her.

"Then it's settled," Connie said, feeling slightly faint at how he stared at her with blue eyes that gleamed with heat and energy.

A lazy smile touched Mike's lips.

"It's settled."

.

.

I know, I know, I had said I would be gone for awhile, but I wanted to do a holiday story, but Christmas came too quickly, so I changed my story to a New Year's Eve story! Hope you like it!

Please review