Disclaimer: I own nothing. All characters and stories belong to NBC and Dick Wolf.

A/N: The third story in my Mike/Connie series. I know Abbie was never going to come back in the original series, but one can dream, can't she? Each chapter is going to start with two stanzas of poetry. I am also implicating some Jack/Abbie. I will post the entire poem on my account. Please review. Thanks. Love, Lawabidingchild.

Breathing

A soft sigh
A gentile touch
A beating heart
A sweet kiss

Love is here
Love is blooming
Love is sweet
Love is breathing

Connie and Mike had had three uneventful months of cases that took them through heaps of sleepless nights. It had been three months since the Woll incident. A few weeks after that, Abbie surprised everyone with a transfer back to the District Attorney's office.

"Did you see the bastard's face after his wife testified against him?" asked Abbie after court one day.

"I still loved the fact that he admitted his actions on the stand," said Connie, smiling. Connie switched partners. Working with Mike was becoming too much of a conflict of interest for her. Luckily, she could trust Abbie, and there was a benefit for everyone.

"Hey, did deliberations come back yet?" asked Mike, who was walking up to them while on his way to a case. He clapped Abbie on the shoulder and swiftly kissed Connie.

"We didn't need deliberations," said Abbie, "the bastard admitted it on the stand. This trial was just a pile of idiots that were going to be exposed anyway."

"The only competent witness was the wife, and she provided the best testimony."

"I knew they should have taken the deal. They wouldn't have had a decent trial anyway." The two of them burst out laughing.

Mike stared at the two of them. "Sounds like it was a good trial." Before anything else could be said, a gunshot was heard throughout the room. Whoever shot had poor aim. Mike, Connie, and Abbie were pulled down on the floor. However, Judge Rebecca Steinman was shot through the chest.

"Shit!" screamed Abbie. Judge Rebecca Steinman was their trial judge. Abbie was holding her hands over Judge Steinman's chest, but it was already too late. She'd stopped breathing.

"Abbie, I think it's too late," whispered Mike in her ear. Connie was in agreement. She was leaning on Abbie's shoulder, giving her all the support that she needed.

Lupo and Bernard were on the scene, staring at every mark that was created. "Where was the shooter?" asked Lupo?

"We're not sure," admitted Connie. "We just heard a bullet break through the window and Mike, Abbie, and I fell to the floor in an attempt to protect ourselves. We stood up and Judge Steinman was on the floor."

"Any weird visits or anything within the past week or so?" asked Bernard.

"No," said Mike.

"Anything strange within the past week or so?" asked Lupo.

"No, for God's sake!" yelled Abbie.

"Abbie, they're just doing their job," stated Connie.

"Yeah, and I'm leaving!"

"Abbie," beckoned Connie. Mike grabbed her hand.

"Let her go, sweetheart," ordered Mike soothingly, "let her go."

Connie wouldn't let this one get a hold of her. She just watched Abbie leave and stride out of sight.

Abbie was sitting in Jack's office. She had an idea about what he wanted. He probably heard about her little episode in the courthouse earlier that same day. She walked in and didn't obey his motion to sit down. She just stood, watching the DA. "I know what this is about," whispered Abbie. She was staring at her feet, embarrassed that they were having this conversation.

"What happened Abbie?" asked Jack softly.

"I just saw the bullet run through the window, hit Judge Steinman and, for some reason, it affected me," said Abbie, tears forming in her eyes again.

Jack moved toward her. "What's wrong?" asked Jack.

"This shouldn't have affected me, but it kept bringing flashbacks," admitted Abbie, trying to conceal tears.

"Are you thinking about a past experience?" asked Jack. Abbie nodded, and it wasn't until then that she wasn't talking about the time when she was a US Attorney. "Ricci?" asked Jack again.

Abbie nodded again, and this time, the tears began to fall without being stopped. She couldn't get them to quit falling. They made their way down her cheeks and, somehow, onto Jack's shirt (she didn't realize that Jack pulled her into an embrace). "Hey," whispered Jack, "it's okay."

"No it's not!" stammered Abbie, her voice muffled in Jack's shirt, "you tell me when you don't feel penance for her death as well as Steinman's death- a death that could have been prevented."

For some reason, Jack couldn't take anymore. He pulled back, but just enough so he could still keep her in his arms. He leaned in and pressed a kiss to her lips. She kissed back, but then pulled back. "No," she whispered, pushing him away. "I can't, Jack. You still love her." She ran out the door.

Jack knew who she was talking about. Claire. But Abbie was alive, and he had the same unspoken feelings for her. He wanted to tell her. He wanted to tell her because she was alive and Claire was dead. Either way, it was a gamble. He didn't know that she would reject him like that.