Disclaimer: Dick Wolf and NBC own "Law and Order". I don't.

A/N: Here is the third installment to my M/C series. It's the sequel to "Nothing" and "Admit It". C-:

For Linus, Alana, and Sam, as well as to June with love. ~ Abby

Newly-Attached

Connie, along with her friends and coworkers Lacey Bardwell and Emma Blair, sat together at a round table at their favorite local bar.

"There's quite a crowd today," Connie observed, looking around the crowded bar.

The three of them usually got to sit at the front counter, but that day, the place was just too packed.

"Thirsty Thursday," Lacey said with a small smile and a shrug.

"Good point," Connie said with a small smile of her own.

"I sure am thirsty," Emma said flatly, shaking her head. "You may have to drive, Lacey."

"Hey, no worries," Lacey said. "So George really got terminated then?" she asked, swallowing a sip of her sangria.

They were referring to George Hendricks, a former White Collar Crimes ADA.

"Exactly what happened with him?" Lacey asked. "You know how people gossip," she added, rolling her eyes.

Connie nodded and took a sip of her daiquiri.

"Oh yeah," Emma said, also rolling her eyes. "Well, the idiot thought his conviction rate was getting too low—"

"Everyone's conviction rate is too low," Connie interjected bluntly. "The odds are overwhelmingly not in a prosecutor's favor."

"Right!" said Emma. "So the idiot thought that, so in each case he was working on, he withheld evidence from the defense—withheld it!"

Connie snorted and rolled her eyes, shaking her head.

"Really?" Lacey asked, eyes wide in disbelief. "How did he think he wouldn't get caught? What an idiot!"

"Exactly," said Emma. "So one of the defense attorneys got suspicious and went to Jack about it."

"Was it a man who went ballistic?" asked Connie.

"From what Jack told me, yes," Emma replied.

"So that's what was going on," said Connie. "Mike and I could hear him through the wall yesterday while we working, and we just looked at each other like 'what the hell'."

"I'm sure," said Emma.

She downed her tequila shot.

"I'm gonna be ordering about a ton of those," she said. "Anyway…" she sighed and then went on. "So yeah, that's why I can't use my Mets tickets for this weekend. Jack put me on two of that moron's cases, so now I have to work all weekend. I have more than a full caseload now. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm very flattered that Jack thinks I can handle it, but I'm definitely going to be stressed-out for a while. So heads-up, Lacey—you just might be getting an extra case or two yourself."

"Thanks," Lacey said, clearly not too thrilled at the idea of a couple more cases. "I mean, that's flattering to me, as well, but…"

She sighed and took another drink of sangria.

"Speaking of leaving cases behind, tomorrow is Mike's last day," she then said.

"Yeah," said Connie.

"That's really sweet of you to be throwing a going away party for him," said Emma.

Connie smiled.

"Well, of course I am!" she said. "He deserves it!"

"He really does," said Lacey. "From what you've said about him over the years, he's a hell of a lawyer."

"Oh, he is," said Connie. "No one except Jack knows that as well as I do. He's brilliant."

"I'm sure he thinks that about you," said Lacey.

Connie smiled.

"And he's right, you are," Lacey went on. "Which is why you better have put in for the EADA spot!"

"I agree," said Emma. "You should resign if you don't get the job."

"Oh, come on, you two," Connie began humbly.

"Now don't get all modest on us," said Lacey. "That job should be yours, we all know it!"

"That's what Mike said—he said the job belongs to me…" Connie said, smiling at the memory of Mike saying that to her.

"Well, he's right!" Lacey asserted. "It does!"

"He said it should be me," Connie said, melting, sure that she was blushing.

"Again, he's right!" said Lacey. "Biased as he undoubtedly is, he's right," she added with a knowing smile.

At that, Connie was sure she blushed more deeply.

"So you did put in for it, then?" Emma asked her.

Connie gave a shy smile.

"Yes, I did," she said.

"Did Jack say when he'd announce his decision?" Emma went on.

"He said he didn't want to take as much time as he did before, and that was right after Mike announced he was transferring," Connie replied. "That was around two weeks ago."

"So he'll probably announce his decision soon, then!" said Lacey. "Aw, good luck, Connie!"

"That's right!" said Emma. "We're pulling for you! Pretty much the entire White Collar Crimes Division is—as well as all the White Collar and Homicide interns, Jack's secretary—"

"Most likely Jack himself," said Lacey, "probably everyone in Homicide who didn't put in for the job, everyone at the 2-7, your whole family, and of course, the dashing Mr. Cutter."

"I don't know what to say…" Connie said, truly humbled.

"Hey, it's all right," said Lacey. "Emma and I are merely telling it like it is!"

Connie smiled.

"I'm so grateful to you guys," she said.

"Hey, not a problem!" said Emma.

Lacey nodded in agreement.

"Yeah! Team Rubirosa!" she said kindly.

"How about a good luck toast?" said Emma. "As soon as I go order another shot?" she added with a chuckle.

Connie smiled, and Lacey snickered.

Emma went over to the front counter and ordered another tequila shot.

When she came back with it, she sat back down and then said, "To Connie—may she get the promotion she deserves!"

"Amen to that!" said Lacey.

Connie gave a shy smile as the three of them gave her a good luck toast.

Emma downed her shot, and then Connie and Lacey enjoyed their drinks in silence for a bit.

Then—

"What sucks about Mike leaving, though, is that there'll be less eye candy walking around the office. Darn it!" said Emma.

Lacey looked at Connie, shook her head, and then took another drink of sangria.

Connie didn't want that to be her cue to announce that she and Mike were together. Talk about awkward. There had to be a better segue into the subject.

"Oh well—it was fun gawking at him while it lasted," said Emma. "So do either of you think you'll be able to use my Mets tickets? The game's this Saturday at six-thirty."

"Can't," said Lacey, swallowing. "Charlie's brother's getting married Saturday afternoon, remember?"

Charlie, Lacey's boyfriend of two years, worked as a forensic accountant at a nearby firm.

"Oh, that's right," said Emma. "How about you, Connie?"

"I actually can't use them, either. I have a date with my new boyfriend," Connie replied.

An awkward pause ensued as Lacey and Emma stared at her in surprise.

"You date, Connie Rubirosa?" asked Emma.

Connie smiled.

"I do now," she said.

Lacey was disappointed. From the moment she first saw Connie and Mike interacting, she'd wanted them to get together. Of course, that had only been bolstered by the time when Mike had confided in her about his love for Connie during the whole Marcus Woll debacle.

She hesitated and then said, "Does Mike know?"

"Yes," Connie said. "That's an odd question."

"Why?" said Lacey. "You know he's going to be hurt—really hurt."

"Lacey," Connie said warmly, smiling, "you've got it all wrong. You see, Mike and my new boyfriend are one in the same. Why do you think I'd be with anyone else?"

Lacey smiled.

"Well," she said kindly, "it's about damn time. I think I know why Mike's transferring now."

"It's because we're in love, and we can't keep pretending like we're not," said Connie, still smiling.

"Yeah," said Lacey. "So how did it happen? Talk to us."

Connie then told the two of them all about how she and Mike admitted their true feelings for each other at their coworker's wedding reception.

"Oh my God," Emma said, melting.

"You said it," said Lacey. "That couldn't have been more perfect if it was part of a movie."

"No kidding," Emma agreed. "Wow, Connie…You are one hell of a lucky woman."

"You think I don't know that?" Connie said with a smile.

"Of course you do," Lacey said kindly. "You are not the kind of person who would take a man like Mike for granted."

"You are absolutely right. I never will do that," said Connie. "I mean, how could I when it's been done to me?"

"That fucking prick," Emma said, referring to Marcus Woll. "I hope Mike symbolically castrated him in court!"

"Oh, he did," said Connie, fondly reminiscing. "He definitely did…And the whole thing with the hidden tape recorder…God, he just played that son-of-a-bitch to the beat, it was beautiful. I remember Mike telling me about the expression on Woll's face when Mike revealed the tape recorder. He described it as 'the most priceless deer-in-headlights look he'd ever seen'."

"You know, you could've handled that with just as much finesse," said Emma.

"I could've," Connie agreed. "In fact, Mike gave me the option—said it was up to me. He said he personally thought I should do it—that it'd be the perfect way to pay the son-of-a-bitch back. But obviously I let him do it."

"Why?" Emma asked.

"Because I could tell he really wanted to do it for me as an act of love. I'm still just as moved by that now as I was then. So that's why I let him," Connie replied, smiling. "There's nothing wrong with letting the people who love you help you, right?"

"Absolutely not," Lacey said warmly.

"I agree," Emma said with a smile. "I wonder where mine is?" she then said, referring to the man who was meant to be her significant other. "I wonder if he's out there?"

"Oh, sure he is!" said Connie. "There are how many men in New York City?"

"That's a good point," said Emma. "So you need to tell us how your date goes," she added. "Even though going by what you just told us, I know it'll be all that you hope for."

"Seriously," Lacey agreed.

Connie smiled.

"Our relationship is all I've been hoping for," she said warmly. "Mike fits my definition of 'wonderful man' to a tee."

Lacey smiled.

"I'm so happy you two found each other. Hold on to what you have because it's a rare thing, it really is," she said.

"Oh, I know," Connie said with a smile. "I completely agree. It is."

"I would be such an idiot to let go of Charlie," Lacey went on.

"Charlie is a good guy," said Connie.

"He definitely is," said Lacey. "I think what I love most about him is his sense of humor. On our first date, he goes, 'Now, allow me to clear the air for a moment. As I'm an accountant, the common misconception is that I'm boring. This is not so, and I hope you will allow me to demonstrate that'."

"That is so adorable," said Emma.

"It is," Connie agreed.

Lacey smiled.

"Like Connie, I am a lucky lady," she said.

Connie smiled.

"I'm extremely lucky," she said.