Disclaimer: Dick Wolf and NBC own "Law and Order". I don't.
A/N: I have loved writing every single installment in this series. Each one is special to me in its own way, but this one I've been particularly excited about writing. You'll see why! As I said in the synopsis, this is the sequel to "Discerning Taste".
For June, Linus, and Alana.
Would You?
Mike met Connie and Allison at their favorite local bar for drinks after work.
When he arrived, he and Connie hugged tightly and shared a quick kiss before he sat down at the counter beside her.
"How was your day?" Connie asked him with a smile.
"Pretty good," Mike said, smiling. "Doug and I got some great new evidence entered in to the Simpson case."
"Awesome, congratulations!" Connie said.
"Thank you," Mike said with a smile, placing a kiss on her temple.
They held hands.
"How was court today?" Mike then asked her.
Connie and Allison were in the middle of a trial.
"She was fantastic, Mike," said Allison. "The defendant's been on the stand. That was a hell of a cross-examining she did today. She had him by the balls."
Connie looked down at the counter, trying to hide that she was blushing.
"I'm not surprised," Mike said sweetly. "Connie's one of the most talented people I've ever worked with. Anyone who goes up against her should be worried. Don't underestimate her. And I'm not just saying all that because I love her. I mean it."
Connie smiled at him and kissed him on the cheek.
He smiled at her.
Allison chuckled.
"Speaking from experience there, Mike?" she said.
"Actually—yes," Mike replied.
"How did that happen? I thought you two were partners," said Allison.
"We were," said Mike. "But not when it came to the Dresner case."
He then told Allison all about the time New York County Legal Aid went on strike, causing a terrible shortage of public defenders—so a judge had made Connie work as a defense attorney, pitting her and Mike against each other. He told her all about what it had been like working as Connie's opponent—especially being on the opposite side of the courtroom from her.
"A Legal Aid strike," Allison said, shaking her head. "Wow—what a mess…"
"That's putting it lightly," Connie said.
"I'm sorry about that, Connie," said Allison.
"Me, too," said Connie. "They had perfect timing, though—as soon as Mike and I reached a plea agreement, the county got over itself and decided to treat Legal Aid attorneys like human beings, so the strike finally ended."
"What a relief!" said Allison.
"Indeed!" Connie agreed.
"Sounds like you two are evenly matched—very worthy opponents," Allison observed.
"I agree," Mike said. "But I was feeling so competitive that I wouldn't have admitted it then."
"Neither would I," said Connie.
"Meh—it's easy to get caught up in competition and carried away," said Allison.
"I told Jack that if she ever decided to switch sides permanently, we were in big trouble," said Mike. "Meaning I was in big trouble."
Allison chuckled.
"You said that?" Connie said asked him, pleasantly surprised.
"Yeah," Mike said casually, as though it was nothing.
Connie smiled at him and kissed him on the cheek again.
"That was sweet of you," she said appreciatively.
Mike smiled.
"It's true," he said.
Connie gave a bright smile.
"You should see Allison!" she then said. "She does a great job when we tag team and when she first chairs."
"Aw, Connie," Allison said humbly.
"What? It's true!" said Connie. "Jack's pretty impressed with you, too!"
Allison smiled shyly.
"Miranda's a really good mentor. I learned a lot from her," she said, shrugging.
"I believe it," said Connie. "She did go to the same law school as Jack."
"That's true, she did," said Allison.
"So you're winning the case, then? Or was today the day you turned the tide in your favor?" Mike asked Connie.
"It's been a toss up," Connie replied. "Wouldn't you say?" she asked Allison.
"Oh yeah," said Allison.
"I bet you just gained the upper hand for the two of you today," Mike said sweetly.
Connie affectionately squeezed his hand.
"Here's hoping!" she said.
"I think so," said Allison. "I could just tell that cross had a huge impact on the jury. They looked thunderstruck."
"Oh good!" Connie said.
"I wish I could've seen," Mike said.
"I wish you could've, too," Connie said with a warm smile.
The bar was quite crowded. The three of them managed to snag the last free seats at the front counter.
"Good evening, guys!" Rick the bartender said, approaching them. "Sorry about your wait! That's Fridays here for you—I'm up to my ears in customers, as you've probably noticed!" he joked. "What sounds good today?"
"I would like a vodka and cranberry, please," said Allison.
"All right," said Rick. "And for you two?"
"I'll have a Corona Light, please, Rick," said Connie.
"I'd like a Blue Moon. Thanks, Rick," said Mike.
"Sure! I'll have those right out for you," said Rick.
He went to get their drinks.
"It's a good thing we weren't due in court today," said Mike. "Doug was pretty distracted. His girlfriend broke up with him last night," he said of his partner, Doug Washburn.
"Aww," Connie said.
"Yeah—she was ready to move on before he was," said Mike.
"Aww, I feel bad for him," said Connie. "I mean, you can't help how you feel, but it is still sad that he's hurting."
"Yeah—Doug's a good guy," Mike said.
"Oh my gosh!" Allison suddenly said, after reading a text message she'd received.
"What is it?" asked Connie.
"My cousin just got engaged! He proposed to his girlfriend an hour ago! Oh my gosh!" Allison replied excitedly.
"Yay! That's wonderful!" Connie said brightly. "Do you know his fiancée?"
"Yeah, he's been with her for four years," said Allison. "She's a really nice person. I definitely think they're meant to be together."
Meant to be together…
As he listened to Allison, Mike couldn't help but glance at Connie.
Hmm, he thought.
Was it possible to bring up such a heavy topic without ruining everything?
Sometimes he thought he was the only one who believed they were made for each other—yet there were also times he could swear the belief was mutual.
And there was only one way to know for sure…
He sighed.
"Mike?"
Mike snapped out of it when Connie said his name.
"Yeah?" Mike said, a little embarrassed.
"Are you all right, sweetheart?" Connie asked.
"Yeah. Yeah, honey, I'm fine," Mike said.
Well, it was kind of true…sort of…maybe…
A moment later, Rick brought them their drinks, and they paid for them.
Mike was thankful that Connie then changed the subject to that week's episode of The Mentalist.
Later that evening, Mike and Connie were out on a nice dinner date.
After only a couple bites of her dinner, Connie set down her fork.
"Okay," she said, "you have not been acting like yourself all evening. Normally, you're very talkative when we spend time together, but you've hardly said a thing. You've got something on your mind. What is it?"
Mike sighed.
"You're right—I do…" he said softly.
There came a pause.
"Mike, you know you can tell me anything, right?" Connie said.
"I do know that," Mike said. "It's just…It's just a really heavy subject. Honestly? I'll be deeply hurt if you get up and leave after I say this, but I wouldn't blame you at all if you did…"
"Mike, what are you talking about?" Connie asked sadly. "Why would I do that?"
"Because like I said—it's a really heavy subject," Mike said softly.
"Mike, what is it?"
Mike sighed again.
"Well—when Allison told us about her cousin getting engaged, I…I thought of you and me…" he answered quietly. "I've been wondering if you—if you think that could ever be us…Because I do…"
Connie melted.
"I know you think that," she said, quite moved. " 'You sound like you're trying to conduct a wedding right here, Mr. Cutter'. 'I would if I could, Your Honor'," she recollected.
Now Mike was quite moved.
"You remember that?" he asked.
"Mike, you basically told everyone at that hearing that you'd marry me. That's the sweetest, most romantic thing I've ever heard," Connie said, looking him in the eyes.
"It's the truth—I would," Mike said, returning her gaze. "Connie, is that—is that what you were thinking about when you said 'nothing'?"
He was referring to the brief conversation they'd had after the motion hearing during which Mike had said 'I would if I could, Your Honor'. He'd looked up from his work to find Connie staring at him. He'd gently asked 'What?', and she'd lied by replying with 'Nothing'.
"Yeah, it was," Connie said. "As soon as you said it, it was all I could think about."
"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"
"It's a good thing, of course," Connie said gently. "If I didn't like it that you said it, I would've rejected you. But I didn't reject you, did I? I was just…I was quite surprised to hear you say it—but pleasantly so. I just had to process it all. My partner wasn't just attracted to me—he's in love with me. That's a lot to take in. But you know, once I had processed it, I realized the true extent of how I feel. I realized that I'm not just attracted to you—I love you, too."
"I never thought I'd hear you say that," Mike said. "I've been so blessed."
"So have I," said Connie.
Mike reached across the table and held her hand.
"So…you know I can see myself marrying you," he said. "But what about you? How do you feel? Can…can you see yourself marrying me?" he asked nervously.
Connie felt very moved. She'd never seen him so anxious before.
"Yes," she said. "Of course I can."
"Really?" Mike said, starting to smile.
"Yeah—really," Connie said, feeling a smile spreading across her own face.
"You want to get engaged?" Mike asked, sounding half disbelieving, half happy.
"Yes," Connie said, smiling. "Mike, I want to get engaged to you!"
Mike smiled sweetly, his dimples showing.
Connie loved it when he smiled like that.
"God damn," Mike said. "God damn, I'm so fucking happy!"
"Me, too!" Connie said. "I'm elated!"
For a moment, they could only sit and stare at each other, speechless, the true weight of what they'd just decided sinking in.
Then—
"Wow," said Mike.
"Yeah!" Connie agreed.
"So we have options as to how to make it official," Mike said happily. "I think you should decide."
"Okay," Connie said, smiling.
"First off, seeing as this is the twenty-first century, who's popping the question, me or you?" asked Mike.
"Well, call me old-fashioned, but I want you to," Connie replied.
"Okay!" Mike said sweetly. "How do you want to be asked? Do you want to be asked the traditional way, or do you want me to get creative? I know some people get creative. I'm sure I could come up with something."
"Someone as good at thinking outside the box as you? I know you could come up with something. However, no offense to the right side of your brain, but again, old-fashioned me—I want to be asked the traditional way," Connie said warmly.
"Okay! And do you want me to ask you and then we'll go get your ring, or do you want to go get your ring first, so I can have it with me when I ask?"
"I want you to have it with you."
"Do you want me to ask you right after we get it, or do you want to be surprised?"
"Surprise me."
"So: I'm asking, on one knee, with your ring, and surprising you—got it," Mike said warmly.
Connie smiled.
"So when would you like to go get your ring?" Mike asked. "This weekend?"
"Yeah, absolutely! Yeah!" Connie said brightly, grinning. "This is gonna sound so theatrical, but I am just incandescent right now!"
"Me, too!" Mike said, smiling. "God, Connie, I was terrified that as soon as I brought this up, you'd bolt out of here in a heartbeat."
"No, not at all!" Connie said, smiling. "Mike, I love you, why on earth would I do that?"
"Well…I just know that the idea of marriage really freaks some people out. But I have never been so happy to be wrong!"
"You are perfectly wrong," Connie said warmly.
Like her, Mike could not stop smiling.
"Wow…you really want to marry me," he said happily.
"Of course I do," Connie said.
"I love you."
"I love you, too."
A few weeks later—
"I've never had dinner on a roof before," Connie said, swallowing a bite of grilled chicken. "This is really romantic, Mike!"
"I'm glad you think so!" Mike said sweetly.
The two of them were enjoying a candlelit dinner on the roof of Mike's apartment building.
"And this is a really good dinner, too!" said Connie.
"Thank my stove and my Foreman grill," Mike quipped.
Connie smiled.
"I still can't believe how beautiful this city is at night," she said. "You have such a great view up here. What a gorgeous skyline!"
"It's great, isn't it?" Mike agreed. "Sometimes, if I'm stuck on a case, I'll come up here. It helps me think."
"I never knew that," Connie said. "Mike Cutter, man of mystery," she joked.
"That I am—I like to keep things interesting," he bantered with a smile.
Connie chuckled.
"So does your landlady know you're doing this?" she asked.
Mike shrugged.
"What she doesn't know won't get me evicted," he quipped. "Besides—I always pay my rent on time."
Connie smiled and shook her head.
There came a pause and then she laughed.
Mike snickered.
After they finished their dinner—
"So did you get enough to eat? Are you good? Do you want another glass of wine?" Mike asked her.
Connie shook her head and smiled.
"I'm fine," she said. "That was a nice dinner. Thank you!"
"You're welcome, I'm glad you liked it!"
Connie then arose from the table, walked over, and stood at the ledge, admiring the beautiful New York City skyline and how it meshed perfectly with the starry sky.
"This is just a perfect view," she said.
Mike went over and stood beside her.
"Yeah, it is," he said. "Every now and then, I'll sit up here and watch the sun set. We should do that some time."
"We should!" Connie agreed, her eyes glued to the skyline.
"But, first things first," Mike said.
Connie turned to him.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
Mike gently took her hand and led the two of them away from the ledge.
Connie suddenly realized what he was about to do before he did it—but that didn't stop her from getting choked up.
Mike didn't get emotional over anything—but he was choked up himself as he opened the small, black velvet box containing Connie's ring and got down on one knee.
"Connie Rubirosa—will you marry me?"
"Yes!" Connie said without hesitation, blinking back tears. "Yes! Definitely yes!"
Smiling his sweet, dimple-displaying smile, Mike stood up and took the ring out of its box. Connie smiled and held out her left hand, and Mike put the ring on her.
Connie then enveloped him in a tight embrace, resting her head on his shoulder. Mike wrapped his arms around her and held her close.
The two of them stood there like that for a little while before Connie lifted her head up off his shoulder.
"I love you," she said.
"I love you, too," said Mike.
They then leaned in towards one another and kissed.