Moonlight Sonata
Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Law and Order, nor is Gia McNeil my character per se, created by RRSherlock. The rest, I'll own up to.
Jack McCoy took a look at the case load for the week, dividing the files between cases that could be pleaded out and cases that required investigating. All in all, the two piles didn't look too bad. The ones ready for trial were all set to go for him and Alex Borgia.
Going through the investigation pile, the first folder he opened dealt with an assault of a student by a teacher. Given that it was the teacher's first offense, Jack felt certain that pleading the case out shouldn't be a problem.
By the time he got to the bottom of that particular stack, he should have known better.
--
"Do you have the Solano folder handy?" Alex asked with her hand out expectantly.
He nodded as he sifted through the stack. "Why?"
"The attorney has a fascinating argument I want to shoot down before it takes flight," she said.
Jack gave her a look as he handed off the folder. "Dare I ask?"
The expression on his assistant's face was one he knew all too well – and it usually meant someone was in trouble.
"The student made her do it." Alex thumbed through the papers. "Solano says that the student harassed her into doing it."
Jack scoffed. "I thought Cristina Solano was a professional?"
"What she is Jack, is a moron," Alex said.
"Whatever happened to competence?"
The door behind Alex opened to a tall, attractive woman walked in as Jack and Alex exchanged their remarks.
"Tsk, tsk, Jack. Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty?"
Jack rose from behind his desk. "Georgia McNeil," he said taking her hand. "What case could possibly capture the interest of the law firm of Stokes, Fife and Associates?"
"Cristina Solano of course," she said plainly. "For the record, my client says she didn't do it."
Jack matched her thin smile. "And I'm sure you know we've heard that as often as your client's heard 'the dog ate the homework.' Seriously, Georgia-."
"Jack, you should know me by now." She took out a blue-back and handed it to him. "My motion to suppress."
"On what grounds?" Alex asked surprised.
Jack didn't say a word, choosing to glance over the motion as the 'showdown' between the women took place.
"Sweetheart, if you've ever bothered stepping into a classroom, especially a high school classroom, then perhaps you'd understand." With a pause, Georgia added, "Of course, you've probably only left such a school only a few years ago, right?"
Jack bit the inside of his cheek hard. "That's low even for you, Georgia. Look, we're set to go to trial and I can't wait to hear what Judge Bradley has to say about the suppression hearing."
Georgia gave her best smile. "Now Jack, you know how low is low." She gave him a peck on the cheek then left.
Alex's eyes burned with rage. "If she calls me 'sweetheart' again, Jack, I'm not held accountable for the actions that follow." She turned to look at him. "Was your comment about the remark or the motion?"
"Both." He handed her the packet and watched her rage turn to a frown.
"She can't be serious."
Jack nodded. "Georgia's never been accused of having a sense of humor, Alex."
"Well," she said tossing the blue-back onto his desk, "nothing good will come out of this."
--
It was later than Jack wanted to admit as he sat at his desk in the office. The motion hearing went in their favor for the Solano case and he was pleased. However, he also knew that meant a call from….
"McCoy," he said answering the phone. "Gia." He listened to the woman he had once dated in law school and hoped he didn't betray a smile in his voice. "Oh no…..You see, the next time you and Alexandra meet, I intend to be on the far side of the room." He listened to her a bit more. "Why? I like the idea of avoiding violent conflicts, that's why."
He laughed, thankful that Alex had a date to go out on. For him to be caught on the phone with Georgia would be his death. "Fine. Do you want to meet at-?" He furrowed his brow. "What do you mean my place? Just because you think you know m-." He sighed. "Well, no, that hasn't changed, but-."
Jack rubbed the bridge of his nose as he committed himself to a late date – at his place. As he hung up the phone, he could hear Alex's voice in his head – 'Nothing good will come out of this.'
--
He'd say this for Georgia – she looked outstanding in jeans and a sweatshirt with her long black hair pulled back into a ponytail. It brought back memories of their midnight marathon study sessions.
"So, how's Stanley?" he asked, hoping to put a cold splash on anything that could develop. The last thing he wanted to deal with was an irate beau – especially Stan Brenner.
"We're done," she said handing him a bottle of scotch before waving a bare hand in front of him.
This was news to him. "Oh? I'm sorry." He wasn't, though, given that what he knew of Brenner was that he was a bona fide bastard.
Georgia shrugged as she made herself at home. "Don't be. It wasn't meant to be. Of course, he's yet to get the hint, but…" She stood beside Jack in the kitchen as he poured them each a glass of scotch. "Speaking of hints, Jack…"
"Yours is loud and clear," he said handing her a glass. "Of course, you should know that I get defensive when defense thinks it's all right to insult my assistants."
"Oh, relax. I meant nothing by it."
Jack raised an eyebrow. "You are Georgia McNeil, grand master of misery, are you not?"
"But of course," she said as she drew a finger along his jawbone. "As sure as you're 'Hot Hands McCoy.' Or has that changed?"
He held his glass steady in his hands, almost hearing an imaginary klaxon going off somewhere. "Gia…"
Before he could say any more, she pressed her lips against his, forcing him to set his glass down on the counter before dropping it. He could taste alcohol on her breath as sure as he was certain she could taste the same on his. It wasn't wise, he knew, but he already had a couple of drinks the moment he came home.
That, along with accepting the invitation/invasion before leaving work – he knew would lead to his undoing.
Jack didn't resist as she pushed his mouth open and thrust her tongue in and out, her every step pushing him back towards the wall. He kept his eyes closed as he felt her hands exposing then exploring his skin. For his part, Jack wrapped his arms around her, moving his hands under her sweatshirt and up her back.
They had dated maybe a few times after finals and the fiery time together was something mind-blowing for the third-year student. Gia took him places he hadn't been before. It was one of the few times he had relinquished control to a partner.
Now, here it was a many years since their student days and Jack found himself in the same place. As much as he knew he shouldn't let it continue, he did. His body craved it; his mind cautioned him against it. In the end, they ended up in bed.
--
"You didn't get my message last night, did you?"
Alex Borgia took a seat on the couch and looked at him expectantly as she waited for an answer.
"I thought you were out on a date," he said, hanging up his jacket before pulling the outer door open to act as a 'screen' of sorts.
Alex bit back a smile. She knew if she waited long enough, she'd have the chance to 'see' him change from one set of clothes to another. "I was," she said, letting her mind's eye put an image to the sounds she heard. It was early enough in the morning that very few people were on the tenth floor of the D.A.'s office. "But," she continued "I thought you'd be here burning the midnight oil as usual."
"Gee, thanks, Alex," he said, his voice muffled a bit as he pulled off his sweater. "Maybe I'll stay and watch the next confrontation between you and McNeil."
Alex frowned at the sound of the name. "I can't wait to see what kind of case she thinks she's got developed, that's for sure. I mean, given the evidence we have against Solano-."
"About that," Jack said, emerging fully, properly dressed now. "Have we gone over everything to make sure we can put this teacher away?"
"I don't think that's going to be a problem, Jack. I mean, given the frustrations over the Letourno's and Brighton-like cases, I doubt we'd have trouble convincing a jury."
Jack nodded. "All right. So, what order do you want to put the witnesses on the stand?"
Before Alex could answer, Arthur Branch opened the door. "What's this I hear that you're going after Cristina Solano with circumstantial evidence?"
The two of them looked at their supervisor. "Arthur," Jack said, "we've got a case."
"I want you to deal it out, Jack."
Alex held back the harsh words that came to mind. "Pardon me, sir?" She shook her head. "You can't be serious!"
Arthur's expression was still neutral. "I am and you will. Is that understood?" He turned to leave then stopped at the door. "The last thing I want is another education scandal case. Plead it out and move on."
As soon as Arthur left, Jack rested a hand on Alex's shoulder. "Well, I suppose there's a bright side here," he said.
"Oh?" she said, relishing the warmth his simple touch created. "What's that, might I ask?"
"It gives us more time on the Marshall case."
Disgusted, Alex left for her office, awaiting Jack's call and response to and from McNeil.
--
The conference room table had two people on either side – McNeil and Solano on one side, McCoy and Borgia on the other.
"Let me guess, Jack," McNeil said as she made it an obvious point of ignoring Borgia's presence, "you've finally seen reason and decided to drop the charges."
"No," he said matching her tone. "I just thought we could save a few things here, mainly time, taxpayers' money and-."
"Well, if you wanted to do that," McNeil said, "then maybe you'd simplify things by doing them yourself, Jack."
The passive-aggressive look didn't escape his notice. "And," he continued, impressed that Alex held her tongue as well as her dignity, "your client saving face. Don't think we would hesitate to take this to trial."
The smile on McNeil's face had all but tensed Alex's posture. "If you had competent help, then maybe you wouldn't be here begging," she said.
"Look," Jack said sliding the information across the table. "There's enough evidence to send you to prison for at least two to seven years, Ms. Solano. It is a class D felony."
McNeil leaned forward, her hands folded across the papers. "Mr. McCoy, do you seriously think that a jury would find my client guilty when there's really no clear-cut evidence one way or the other. For all you know, you might not have the proper motive or suspect or-."
"Please, Ms. McNeil," Alex said annoyed. "Don't insult our intelligence. We're offering your client a chance to save face, admit to what was done and serve the minimum if possible. If you want this to go to trial-."
"Swee-," McNeil began.
"Ms. Solano," Jack said raising his voice over Gia's, "the question is do you want the media to treat you like some of the other teachers in the news with their scandals? You'd be watched for years, your name and face in every paper across the nation. Will it be worth it?"
Solano leaned to whisper something to her attorney. Alex and Jack exchanged looks.
"I'll neither admit nor deny guilt, Mr. McCoy. You couldn't possibly know what was going on in that school, with students who could be savages-."
"Ms. Solano," Alex spoke up, "most people don't try to carry out actions as far as you did, especially in the manner in which you assaulted-."
"Allegedly," interjected McNeil. "Or didn't you learn anything in law school?"
"Allegedly," Alex stressed, "assaulted the student. There's no justification for such actions."
Jack glanced at McNeil briefly before he resumed. "We're willing to go as low as two to seven," he said. "I'd suggest you take it."
McNeil and Solano conferred once more. "Against my advice, my client says 'deal,'" the attorney said. "Set up the allocution hearing for sometime next week, McCoy."
--
Another date took place at Jack's place, and this time he was sober from start to finish. "Gia," he said as he combed his fingers through her long hair, "you haven't changed a bit."
"Oh," she said, "but you have. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were smitten by your assistants."
He shook his head. "What were you trying to prove talking to and about Alex like that?"
"Relax. I couldn't dare let on that you and I have or are sharing a bed now, can I?" She placed her hands firmly on his chest. "Or is there something more than meets the eye between you and your assistant?"
"Don't go there, Gia," he said standing his ground. "Why did you want to set the allocution date for next week? Usually, you try to wrap cases up as fast as-."
She pressed her hips against him as she slowly undid the buttons of his shirt. "What? Is it wrong to want to see more of you, Jack?" She licked her lips. "Goodness knows, I haven't stopped thinking about you since-."
"Last time was a lapse of good judgment," he said as he lifted her shirt over her head. "The last time before that-."
"Was possibly the best sex I had ever had, Jack," she said taking one nipple, then the other into her mouth.
Her circling tongue spun his mind about as he closed his eyes. There was nothing logical about resuming this relationship based mainly on carnal desires. Then again, there was no longer the rush against the clock to meet one's goals, either.
Jack fondled her breasts before bending down to suckle them. He thought back to the first time he had seen Georgia 'Gia' McNeil in sexual harassment class. The fact that the tall woman had the nerve to show up in a tight sweater that left nothing to the imagination…
He could remember the professor's reaction as the focus was placed solely on the opposite side of the room.
The fact that the seating was done alphabetically, it was hard for Jack to keep focus on the lectures that term as Gia found various reasons to lean in his direction while she wrote. It was all he could do to ignore the comments made about McNeil being a bitch, or an overly reactive woman known for going to extremes.
The midnight marathons not withstanding, he didn't want to let her know how often he thought of her. If and when he could and would get the nerve and time to ask her out, he knew he wanted to take it nice and slow.
The first 'date' was on a stormy night in the autumn when the heaters weren't working. To stay warm, they sat beside each other, a blanket wrapped around them. It was all he could do to focus on the words on the pages as she rubbed herself against him.
One thing led to another and the next thing he knew, she was on top of him as they lay completely naked under the blankets. It didn't matter that it was freezing cold outside in the dead of night as she moved her body next to his.
For a foolish moment, he thought he stood a chance with her, a chance for something long term. Gia was so driven though, that Jack found it best to break it off officially, amicably. That didn't stop them from sleeping with each other of course, but…
And now, she moved in tight, her hand stroking him as his mouth fell open then upon her shoulder. His breathing quickened as he returned the favor.
Common sense warned him not to vest himself too much into this relationship; that it would probably dissolve the same way it had before. But, that didn't stop his body from responding to her lips, her hands, or anything else she had offered him.
Gia had made it known how she despised his choice of working for the district attorney's office when they ran into each other at some gala or another. He told her he held the same contempt for her. That was then; this was now.
He listened to her moans as they made love again, aware that he still had to go into work tomorrow, still had to put on the uniform of a prosecutor, still had criminals to put away. In the meantime, he felt as if time had stood still, a part of him in the past, a part of him in the here and now.
--
Alex Borgia sat at her supervisor's side as Solano gave an Alfred plea during the allocution hearing. It amazed her that a woman such as Solano, let alone McNeil existed, without a conscious. Alex focused her eyes on Judge Ross, thankful that strong women like her existed and helped bring order to a chaotic world.
She didn't agree with any of it – the avoidance of a trial, the length of the sentence and the facility decided upon ahead of time. Taconic wasn't Rikers.
After the statement was given and the two of them packed up their things to go, Alex looked on sadly as she heard Jack confirm plans for dinner with McNeil.
The young assistant shook her head, hoping that there was a chance, any chance that he'd see that he deserved better….
(This story is over. But, if you're curious about what happens next, may I recommend "Moonlight Serenade" on the Without a Trace board by RRSherlock?)