Do not own any of these characters. Just the idea behind the story!
What if Dani Beck met Alex Cabot?
We were on our lunch break, grabbing something at a sandwich shop near the courthouse, when I saw her for the first time in three years.
'Livvy why'd you have to go undercover for the feds now of all times?' I couldn't help thinking as I headed towards the table the blonde beauty, who used to be our ADA, was sitting at, Dani following me a puzzled look on her face.
"Alex? Alex Cabot?" I say and I don't even attempt to keep the surprise out of my voice.
As soon as she hears my voice, the blonde's head snapped up and a panicked look appeared on her face.
"Easy Alex! I thought I recognized you when we walked inside and had to come and make sure it was you." I start to say something else when she finally noticed it wasn't Olivia I was with.
"Are they pairing you with rookies now Detective Stabler? Where's Detective Benson?" I detect a slight catch in her voice as she says Liv's name. I sigh and say,
"I'll explain in just a second," turning to Dani, I tell her to go order lunch and after telling her what to order for me I can't help thinking 'Livvy would've already known what I wanted.'
Turning back to Alex, I quickly explain to her about the Gitano case, our temporary separation, then the case leading to Liv going undercover and my getting paired with Dani Beck. Then I ask her what she's been doing since she came out of witness protection.
"I'm doing appeals at the moment. And before you ask, I have thought about contacting everyone at SVU, but at the moment I can't handle being around y'all. It just reminds me too much of what I lost for three years and the terror I had to live with." We both knew that she hated showing any sign of weakness, so this reminder had to be doubly hard on her. Giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze to show her I understood I let her continue, "Give me a bit of time and I will contact y'all again and try and get my job as SVU ADA back."
I nod my head in understanding and am about to tell her what's been going on with everyone when Dani walks up and says,
"Hi, I'm Dani Beck. How are you Miss….?" Dani was clearly trying to find out who Alex was and how I knew her.
Before answering her, Alex gave her a look all of us at SVU were well familiar with, the "you have got to be kidding me" look that only Alexandra Cabot can pull off so effectively, and answers,
"I am Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Cabot, former ADA of the Special Victims Squad. So what case are you two working on? How are Kathy and the kids, El? Isn't Mo getting ready to enter college? How are Munch, Fin, Huang, Melinda, Cragen, and O'Hallaran?" Alex asks, turning to me, feeling she has put Dani in her place, and letting her know that she is of no importance to her.
I chuckle inwardly at the shocked and somewhat insulted look on Dani's face and can't help thinking Livvy and the guys would have loved seeing Dani be put in her place by Alex, something not even Casey had been able to do. 'I guess the Ice Queen still exists in there even after what she went through.' I think to myself.
"As far as I know Kathy is good, she and I are going through a divorce at the moment. The kids are great, Mo just went off to college, Kathleen is a junior in high school at the moment and as much of a handful as ever, Dickie and Lizzie are about to enter their last year in middle school. Munch is still the same, spouting off conspiracy theories faster than I can believe sometimes, to anyone who will listen. Fin, Cragen, Huang, Melinda, and O'Hallaran are all doing well. Casey is doing ok, she's created a spot for herself but she knows there's still a spot she won't ever fill." As I say this last bit, I see Alex's face relax and realization set in as realization hits me.
'She's been afraid that Casey had taken her place in SVU and in our family.' I quickly reassured her, "Casey's good, but she's not you. She didn't put her job and life on the line in order to get justice for rape victims. She came in thinking that she could replace you, but very quickly learned that she couldn't. She has learned a lot since you came back to help prosecute Liam Connors but there are some things she will probably never know, simply because she never experienced those cases, and everything that was involved in them."
"That's good to know El. I'm sorry about your divorce, but I am relieved to know there's still a spot waiting for me when I'm ready to come back. Please don't tell anyone you saw me. Especially not Liv. Right now I'm sticking with appeals, and trying to get used to being Alex Cabot again. I'm also not ready to face the squad and all the memories that surround them. The memories are still to fresh and painful." She said, smiling sadly at me, as she finished her lunch.
"I understand Alex, but please look after yourself and know that there will always be a place for you and people who'd welcome you back with open arms to SVU." I said giving her a tight hug as she got up to leave.
"Thank you Elliot, I will." She replied returning the hug, then Alex turned to look at Dani and gave a minute shudder that only those who really knew her would have detected. As she spoke to Dani her voice took on an icy quality I recognized all to well from when she first started working with SVU, "It was nice meeting you. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got court to get to." She then proceeded back to the courthouse.