Title: Inside These Lines – Part 2
Rating: T
Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Law & Order. This is for entertainment only (and something I would've loved to see happen).
Pairing: Mike/Connie
Summary: With Connie in LA and Mike in NY, how will he get her home?
Notes: This is my first Law & Order fic. I was watching repeats and I have always loved Mike and Connie and I was reading DaisyDay's fic and had an idea for Mike and Connie but I had to spend a few days trying to work around the LA thing (that I didn't like). I do like Mike in SVU I must admit.
CLE = Continuing Legal Education. I have made it mandatory for Mike to complete CLE, I don't know if they have continuing education points in the NY legal system however in Australia we do (well for pharmacist anyway).
We've all got to be Going Somewhere
The City grows cold as we start to fall
Streets are filling, bars at last call
Lookin' for love and lookin' for when
The final letter for me will be sent
And
We've all got to be going somewhere
I've got my freedom
I've got my friends
xXxXxXxXxXx
The email that greeted Mike on Monday morning was so simple the subject line stood out from the glut that waited for him. The short 'Sorry' grabbed his attention before he even had the chance to scan who it was from. However the name caused him to stop for a moment, the pointer of his mouse hovering over email hesitating for a moment before he clicked it open.
The one line brought a smile to his face, 'I shouldn't have taken my frustration out on you, Connie.' A day he thought was going to be bad had so far proven him wrong. Tapping his finger on the handset of his office phone, he knew if he thought about it for too long he wouldn't make the call. Mike tapped the phone one last time before he picked it up and typed in a number.
The sound of her voice instantly made him turn his hand over to check his watch, it was only just five in LA. Right now he wished he'd thought about time and making the call a little more than he did. "Ahh hi … sorry. I'll call back."
"Mike?"
He cringed at the sound of sleep that heavily laced her voice. "Yeah, sorry I didn't think about the time difference … I just got your email." He felt the need to explain why he was calling her so early, really why he was calling at all. "I'll let you go back to sleep."
"It's okay, my alarm goes off in fifteen minutes anyway."
"I'm the one that should be apologizing." Mike let himself fall back into his chair, his focus still on the open email. "When Dekker asked about you I shouldn't have said anything."
"It's not like you, to talk about anything private."
"I like talking about you." Mike closed the email as he realized he'd said more than he indented to. He knew he was very good at saying things that were just this side of out right flirting. "How is your Mom doing?" And he was always the one that stopped it, never really allowing her to respond.
"She has good days and bad ones."
"The bad are out weighting the good?"
"They are starting to. She was doing really well but then a month ago she started to slip."
"It's a long process, there's bound to be up and downs." Just as he had completely relaxed in his chair he heard her alarm in the background. "I guess I should let you go."
"Yeah, sorry I have a new nurse coming today and I want to get a few things ready before she gets here."
At first Mike thought she sounded tied because he'd woken her now he was starting to worry that she was working too hard. The LA office had a heavier caseload than they had in New York and she was also trying to look after her mother. "We'll talk later."
Mike placed the handset back in the cradle, the smile he had when he'd first read her email had been replaced with a sad one. Clicking the email back open he hit reply and started to type.
'Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. Don't forget to look after yourself.'
xXxXxXxXxXx
Texting had become a common form of communication for them, it was quick and easy and meant that it really didn't interrupt the others day. It also had another benefit, of a night she would turn her phone to silent and it meant she wasn't woken up by a message that arrived at 4am LA time. She had noticed that it didn't seem to matter what time of night she sent a message he always replied. Like now, it was almost two in the morning New York time yet she was sure she was about to get a reply.
If asked Connie would have to admit she was a little nervous about sending this message. Getting home, getting back to New York. She corrected herself, hadn't been possible but in a little over a week she would be there for a full weekend. It meant leaving her mother with just her sister and she wasn't sure how her brother in-law would take that.
Not wanting to think about that Connie pushed send on her screen. The message was harmless but for some reason it seemed like a big step for them. 'Coming to NY next weekend, are you free Saturday morning?' It only took a few seconds and her phone was vibrating in her hand.
'I have a conference. What about Friday night or Sunday?'
The wedding was taking up most of her weekend and her flight didn't land until early Saturday morning. 'I only had an hour free on Saturday.' Connie waited and was surprised when the expected reply never came. 'I fly in late Friday, straight to my dress fitting.' Her phone was still silent.
It wasn't until she woke the next morning that she saw his reply. It was very Mike.
'If you need someone to pick you up, let me know.'
xXxXxXxXxXx
Thursday, One Week Later
"Is that everything?" Dekker asked without looking up from the file he was reading.
"It's everything you asked for." Connie replied with a smile, she was hoping to leave almost an hour ago and now she'd be lucky to make the flight. There was no way she even making it to the bathroom to change let alone her house. "Do you need anything else?" Connie paused a moment and spoke just as Dekker opened his mouth. "Before I go."
"No. Go, have a nice weekend." Dekker said finally looking up and waved his hand at her.
"Thank you, see you on Tuesday." Connie said as she ducted into her office, grabbing her bag and a coat she'd need at the other end.
Driving was something she still wasn't use to, the idea of driving to an airport in New York was foreign. In LA she could and luckily she did pre booked a parking space. She was still breathless as she thought about the dash she had had to make to get from that car space to the cramped coach seat. Connie closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath before pulling out a file and her notepad; she still remembered the six-hour flight to get to LA.
During that flight she'd been so focused on running over the worst-case scenarios of what she might find once she reached the hospital. This time she came prepared with something to do, something to keep her mind off what she was going to do with her time before the rehearsal dinner tomorrow night. She knew that it wasn't healthy to wait on text messages the way she did, but those messages were the only link to a life she missed. The bigger problem was she couldn't tell anyone that, she hadn't even told Mike that and lately she'd been telling him everything. Regardless of how stupid it may have sounded he was the only person outside of her family and work that she had contact with daily.
Originally she'd planned to fly to New York on Friday, however the late Thursday flight had been much cheaper, even if it didn't land until after midnight New York time. With the time difference that wasn't going to be her problem, Chloe hadn't been expecting her until late in the afternoon on Friday for a final dress fitting and from that she was heading straight to rehearsal dinner.
As much as Connie had been looking forward to Chloe's wedding, to being a bridesmaid, to coming home. Just how much she missed it seemed to hit her on Monday, suddenly she couldn't get back there quick enough and now that it was just six-hours away a wave of regret abruptly washed over her. Regret that she left in the first place, regret that she hadn't been back to visit, regret that she hadn't kept in contact with the people she left behind. The funny thing right now was the feeling of guilt was overtaking everything else, she'd deliberately not told Mike that she was coming a day early.
xXxXxXxXxXx
Friday – 11am
"So what have we got?" Mike pulled his coat off and hung it as he scanned the people waiting for him in his office.
"Each of the girls were attacked in a different location, one on the way home with a knife, one in a car park with what she thought was a gun, another on the subway station, that one was just grabbed … she never saw a weapon." Detective Amaro explained.
"We can link each of the cases as a daisy chain, each DNA sample links to the next." Detective Benson added.
"The last two were attacked in their houses." Mike joined the dots, thinking out loud. "Do we know where Henry was for each of the attacks?"
"For one his mother said they were having dinner, another two his girlfriend backs him up. Nothing strong for any of the dates." Olivia said. "A couple he isn't sure of."
"His mother and his girlfriend. That should be easy enough." Mike said as he started to roll his sleeves up.
"So you can tell me where you were Tuesday three months ago?" Alex asked as she looked up at Mike.
"Sure. At home." With a sad smile Mike added. "Alone."
"Even if we can break Henry's Alibi and place him in the area of each of the attacks, we still have the problem with how we got onto the DNA link to start with." Alex pushed the folder containing all the results over to him. "The defence will argue that it is all fruit of the poisonous tree."
"And we'll argue that it was only a matter of time before ViCAP put it together as a pattern." Mike waved it off. "This is all mute until we link Henry to the attacks."
"We'll go back and start with the first victim." Olivia said as she pushed herself up from the table.
"Thank you." Mike held his door open for the two detectives and someone caught his attention. "Who's?" Mike glanced back to Alex pushed the door mostly closed so the man waiting outside couldn't see him pointing.
"Tara Kane's father, he has booked a meeting with me to get an update on when to expect the man that confessed to killing his daughter will go on trial."
"Great. Good luck with that."
"Thanks." Alex stood and waited for Mike to again hold the door open. "Mr Kane."
"Are you helping with my daughter's case?" Mr Kane addressed Mike without acknowledging Alex.
"I'm the Bureau Chief Michael Cutter, I oversea all prosecutors but you couldn't ask for a better ADA than Ms Cabot." Mike meant what he said but thought it probably sounded as if he was just trying to make the older man go away. "This office will do everything we can to put the man that murdered your daughter behind bars."
"Thank you."
As Mr. Kane spoke he held out his hand and as Mike flicked his eyes up to take the offered hand he noticed someone standing silently off to one side a few feet away.
Mike guessed that Alex saw he was distracted as turned back to them in time to see Alex place a hand on Mr. Kane's back. "This way." She said with a gentle push in the direction of her office.
Mike stood frozen to the spot; it seemed to him that everything had started to move in slow motion. It was taking forever for her to close the few feet to his office door and at the same time he was trying to convince himself that she really was standing in front of him.
"Hi." He said once he'd pulled himself together.
"Nice office." Connie pointed behind into the room behind him.
"Oh yeah." Or maybe he hadn't pulled himself together just yet. "Come in." Mike stepped aside to let her past.
"Wow. It's tidy." Connie turned to face him, her eyes looked as if they were following his hand as it closed the door behind him. "Where are all the file boxes, piles of paper and ..." Connie scanned the room with her finger point in the direction she was looking. "The baseball bat, or even a baseball for that matter."
"I've got someone to do my filing now but don't worry." Mike pointed to the bookcase at the end of the office. "The bat and the ball haven't gone anywhere."
...
"They even gave me a closet." Mike pointed to a low unit that was located in the same position to his desk that his hanging rack was in his old office.
Connie smiled, she always liked it when they were finished with court for the day and he would start to relax, as with everything else he did, it was a stepped process. First the jacket would go, his tie would be loosened, next he would roll up his sleeves. Her favorite was when he had disregarded the tie all together; his shirt opened or better still, when he was in a casual polo and loose hoodie. She used to worry that he had more clothes in his office than he did at his house. He probably did considering the amount of time he spent in the office. Connie doubted anything had changed.
"So." Connie said sensing he was nervous. A surprise visit seemed like a great idea as the plane was landing at midnight, now her confidence had disappeared. "Important case?" Connie pointed to the vest from his three-piece suit, she liked him in them too. It also indicated to her how important and how hard he thought the case was going to be. If he thought it was going to be a hard sell and he needed to make a good impression.
A half smile washed over his face before he answered. "I was just supporting one of the junior ADA's." Mike said as he tapped the edge of the table. "I thought you weren't coming until later today?"
"I thought I would surprise you, take you for lunch."
"Lunch?" Mike turned his wrist and checked his watch. "More like breakfast for you."
"Coffee." Connie offered as a compromise as she watched him grab his jacket and scan his office, she guessed checking to make sure everything could wait half an hour. She found herself almost laughing as he turned back and picked up his phone.
Once he had finished telling his assistant that he would be out and if something came up he had his cell he turned back to Connie. "Still not use to that."
"An assistant?" Connie asked. "It's been a year."
"I know."
"I couldn't see one when I came in." Connie had looked for someone to find out where Mike was and to see if she could 'book an appointment', however the desk that she guessed was set aside for the person was empty. As she waited for his office door to open she guessed that he had simply done away with an assistant.
"Jenny, nice girl but she kept wanting to do things so I moved her into an office down the hall."
"Of course you did." Connie held up her hand as Mike pressed the call button for the lift. "What is the conference you're attending."
"Adoption law."
"Adoption law, why?" Connie asked confused.
"I need the CLE points." Mike held the door opened on the side exit that would lead them into Columbus Park. "It was the last one of the year I could attend." He said as they stopped in front of the coffee cart.
Connie listened as he ordered her coffee as if nothing had changed, and standing outside Hogan Place, the chill of winter starting to take hold it was as if nothing had changed. "So what else do you have planned for your weekend?"
"Oh the usual … date Saturday night, brunch on Sunday morning and Sunday afternoon I thought I'd go to the park-"
"So working then?"
"Yeah." Mike smiled and placed a hand on her back as he guided her toward a bench. "Chloe Martin, that's the one from White Collar crime?"
"Yes."
"Is she marrying the doctor she brought to last years Christmas party?" Mike asked as they both sat.
"You remember him?"
"I remember his friend." Mike said, before he continued as Connie shock her head at him. "From the pub after, the one that was trying to chat you up. The doctor seemed like a nice guy and his friend seemed like an ass."
"I forgot about that." Connie said with a smile, what she did remember from the Christmas party was Mike walking her home. "How is everyone?"
"You should see Jack … he still thinks he's my boss." Mike said with a smile. "And he calls Pullman, the new DA and tells him what to do."
"I can't see Pullman liking that."
"All he said is that at least he doesn't do it in front of the camera like the rest of them."
"If he having a hard time of it?"
"He's a good guy, he follows the law … even when some wish he wouldn't."
"Sounds like you two would get on well." This time it was Connie that smiled as she spoke.
"Do you think you'll be able to see him; Jack?"
"No, Chloe has my weekend pretty booked. Between dress fitting, dinner and branch I wasn't sure I'd even get to see you."
xXxXxXxXx
Saturday
"So you're a lawyer?" Gary said as he slipped in beside her.
"Deputy DA, in LA" Connie said with a polite smile. She recognized Sam, Chloe's now husband best friend as soon as she saw him. He seemed to go everywhere Sam went and it wasn't the first time she'd wondered how such a nice guy ended up with this guy for a best friend. Gary had been very 'handzy' as the photos were being taken, so it shouldn't have been a surprise when the first words out of his mouth as they entered the car to take them to the reception were 'I hear your single?'
"Yeah but Sam said you wanted to move back to New York." Gary pushed himself a little closer to her with that comment.
"I have family to think about in LA." Connie was thankful that Chloe hadn't pasted on the part about how she would only be returning if things didn't go well with her mother.
"It was really sweet of you to go back ... to take care at your mom." Gary added when she gave him a puzzled look.
"Thanks." Connie said. Sweet was the word Mike had used when she told him.
"I guessed it's a cultural thing." Gary continued. "Being Mexican and all."
"No. I thought of it as a family thing." Connie said in reply. "If you'll excuse me." Connie pushed herself up and started toward the bathroom.
She needed a few minutes on her own, Mexican. That was in contrast to Mike, he'd wanted to know if she needed help, did she have a job, 'let me know what I can do?' "Mexican." She mumbled to herself as she put the toilet seat down so she had something to sit on.
The small clutch purse she had only held her phone and the card to her room upstairs. Connie pulled out her phone, 'Great it was only eight-thirty, they hadn't even cut the cake yet and she would still have to dance with Gary. 'No way to get out of that one' she thought and she turned her phone over in her hand to see that she had a message.
'Having a good time?' mc
Biting her bottom lip, the smile returned to her face. Connie thought about her options for a reply. If she said yes, he would wish her well for the night and that would be the end of it. She really didn't know what he would do if she said no.
'No.'
Connie's teeth pressed a little harder on her lip as she hit send. The reply bubble popped up almost instantly.
'Need rescuing?'
'I wish.'
Connie choose to follow Mike's lead and answer with the first thing that came to mind.
"What time do you want me to pick you up?'
'I cant leave.'
"Sure you can"
A tap at the door pulled her away from the message on her screen. "Connie are you in there?" Sarah asked her voice unsure.
"Yeah." she replied as she slipped her phone back into her clutch and flushed the toilet for show.
"They're about to do the dance." Sarah said as the door opened. "Chloe was worried and Gary's been looking everywhere for you."
"Oh I bet he has." Connie mumbled under her breath.
xXxXxXxXxXx
Mike found himself turning the phone over and over in his hand waiting for some sort of reply. He would have taken 'talk later' at this point. "You're pathetic." He said to the empty room and pushed both the phone and the file he was working on away from himself and stood, turning to the window behind him, he leaned one arm against the glass to brace himself as he took on the city lights. New York of a night really was beautiful, even the glow of car light turned the roads into rivers of red and white light. This was in stark contrast to the building he stood in. The only light on the entire floor was coming from his desk lamp.
Everyone else had somewhere to be, someone to spend time with. All Mike could think to do with his Saturday night after working all day was come back to the office. His one social event of the week was Sunday breakfast with Jack. He could go on a date, he'd had no end of people trying to set him up with someone, but until he was ready to let go of Connie. Or rather the idea of having Connie. Jack had been reminding him in recent weeks that it wasn't any fun growing old alone, and he still couldn't bring himself to give up.
Turning back to his desk see it only took him a few minutes to pack the files away and turn off his computer. He looked at his shirt, tie and suit jacket that he had abandoned for a t-shirt and loose jacket when he had arrived, They could stay here and he's send them out with dry-cleaning on Monday. Mike grabbed his overcoat and pulled his office door closed.
Walking home would do him good, well that had seemed like a good idea when he left the office however now that he was waking into the bitter chill of the wind he would have to admit he'd had better. The beep of his phone gave him something to focus on.
'Still wanted come get me?'
Mike stopped where he was, rereading the message. Taking just a minute before he replied. 'Where are you?'
'The Plaza.'
Mike flagged down the first cab he saw, still typing his reply as he gave directions to the driver.
"Nice night." the driver said as he puffed on a cigarette with the window down.
"Yeah." Mike resisted telling him that thanks to his smoking, it was no warmer in the cab than he had been on the street, not to mention it was illegal. "Been busy?" Was all he needed to ask to no longer be required in the conversation.
"Not yet, but it's only early. Normally starts to pick up around midnight." The driver continued to talk
Apart from the odd nod and agreeing when it seemed important he didn't have to say anything else in the ten-minute trip to the Plaza. Mike handed the driver a fifty, "Can you wait?"
"Sure."
Mike stepped into the bar area to see the back of two girls in matching dresses. He guessed the shorter blonde was the other bridesmaid, he smiled, something he couldn't have controlled even if he'd wanted to when she turned to face him.
"Mike." Connie said, her voice laced with relief and he took the last few steps to join the group. "Gary," she turned to face the other man at the bar for just a second, "you remember Mike Cutter?"
"Gary." Mike held out his hand and waited for the other man to reluctantly accept it. "Nice to see you again." Mike turned to Connie. "The cab's waiting."
"Oh ... Okay." Connie hugged Sarah; "I'll see you at brunch."
Mike smiled and nodded at the group as he placed a soft hand on the small of Connie's back to guide her out of the bar to the waiting cab.
"Thank you." Connie said as she closed her eyes and leaned her head back onto the padding of seat.
"Where to now?" the driver asked.
Mike could see the driver was focused on Connie; his eyes dipped low in the rear view mirror. "Where do you want to go?" Mike asked her, keeping his voice low so only she would be able to hear him.
"I just want to relax." Connie let her head fall toward him, "I don't want to be around anyone."
"Well that's the office … or … my place." Mike added hesitantly.
"Not the office."
Mike flicked his head up to the driver, who still hadn't taken his focus off Connie, so instead of giving him his address he told him the street name. The one thing that working in SVU had done was make him aware of the way people looked at each other. He was used to men looking at Connie, but he didn't like the way this guy wouldn't take his eyes off her. On the trip to the Plaza he had seemed overly friendly and now he knew better than he did in the past how dangerous that could be.
"Thank you."
"You said that." Mike turned to face her instead of focusing on the driver.
"But you didn't have to drop everything to come and get me."
"Oh yeah, I forgot my busy social life." Mike smiled and before she could respond he raised his hand and pointed as the cab pulled to a stop. "Here." Once they were out of the cab Mike held her hand as he waited for the driver to pull away before he again guided her a few doors down from where the cab stopped and up the few steps of the brownstone townhouse.
"This is really nice."
''Yeah." Mike pushed the key into the front door; he'd forgotten that she wasn't around when he brought the house. "Downturn did me a favour." He stepped a side for her to enter. "To the left." He said as he flick on the hall light.
"That and the bump that came with Bureau Chief wouldn't have hurt."
"It didn't hurt." He said with a rye smile. "Would you like a coffee?" Mike asked suddenly unsure what he should do next. He didn't question why she wanted him to come get her, and if he was honest he was a little disappointed when he saw Gary standing next to her at bar. He knew she was stuck and needed a way out and if he was even more honest he really didn't care how he had gotten her here.
"You okay?"
Mike shock his head, "You look beautiful." He couldn't help himself as his eyes followed her hands as they ran down over her hips smoothing the dress as she went. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be." Connie said, her eyes softened and almost seemed to glint as she turned a little away from him toward the large bay window.
"Coffee." Mike said trying to break the tension that had settled into the room.
Connie had slipped her shoes off and settled in next to the gas heater, she didn't want to admit it but she was getting use to the warmer weather in LA. It hadn't even started to snow yet and she was freezing. "What made you buy here?" she called out, looking around the neat living room.
"Here." He surprised her as he held out the red mug. "I thought, one day it would be a nice place to have a family.'
"Mike Cutter with 2.5 kids."
"Yeah, and small yard for a dog." Mike said as Connie let out a sharp giggle. "What?"
"I can see you yelling at the dog."
"I love dogs."
"Right." Connie was still smiling as she tried to tuck her feet up under herself but failed. The tight fitted lines of dress simply wouldn't allow it.
"Do you want something to wear? Sweats?" He added.
"Ahh ... I -"
"Come on." Mike cut her off. "I'll give you the tour."
"The living room." He said as he held out his hand to help her to her feet. "The kitchen." He pointed to the open doors that lead them into a short hall and to a set of stairs, he stopped at the bottom and tipped his head to two more open French doors. "The dinning room," He started up the stairs. "I'm pretty sure it's meant to be the other way round. But I never use the dinning room and I like it better that way. "The spare room." He said as he opened the first door at the top of the stairs.
To Connie's surprise it was made up, the bed even had some throw pillows positioned neatly on top of the covers. His mother she guessed but wasn't willing to ask. "The kids room?" she said with a smile instead.
"The other bedroom," he pointed to the next closed door. "I'd open it but it's full of boxes and old books."
They came to the end of hall that led into an open area and another set of steps. "The I kids play area or something, I really haven't worked it out." Mike said as he climbed the three steps to a landing and turned to take the next set. "The master" was his only description.
Connie guessed he was trying not to make her uncomfortable, again it surprised her that the room was neat, you would never have thought of him as a tidy person if you had ever spent any time in his office when he was the EADA.
"This is a dressing room, or the estate agent thought it would make a nice nursery. I use it as a study." Mike smiled. "I know … I really should tidy it.
Connie smiled back as she took in the desk covered in files and paper; it was the first sign of the Mike she knew. "It is a very lovely home."
"Yeah." Mike pulled open the bottom draw of a large tall boy that stood at the opposite end of the study to his desk. "Here." He said as he handed her a pair of royal blue sweat paints and a light grey Hudson University long t-shirt. "The bathroom is in there." He stopped for a moment as if he almost couldn't move. "Sorry … I'll wait downstairs."
"Mike." Connie stopped him as he reached the door. "Thank you."
"Don't worry about it." He said as he took a step to leave only to have her voice pull him to a stop again.
"Would you mind helping me out of the dress." If she hadn't been too nervous herself she would have found the look on his face priceless. "I can't reach the zipper." She explained as she turned her back to him.
She didn't mean to but she flinched a little as his fingers brushed her skin at the nape of her neck. "Sorry." He mumbled.
Connie wasn't sure but she thought she could feel his hands shacking. What she could feel were the shivers running down her arms as Mike's fingers trailed down the exposed skin of her spine.
''Thanks." Her voice was hoarse once she realized he'd finished and he'd reluctantly removed his hands from her.
'This wasn't fair on either of them.' Kept running through her head as he closed the bathroom door behind her. Connie knew she could have stood up to Gary, she didn't need Mike to come to her rescue. She wasn't that kind of person, but she wanted to see him, wanted to spend time with him and Gary was the best reason she had without saying more than she was ready too.
Even if she had been ready, she couldn't say anything. Mike couldn't leave New York, his life, his career was here and right now she had to stay in LA. What scared her most, what stopped her from saying anything was the voice in the back of her mind that kept telling her all she had to do was ask and Mike would drop his life, his career for her. And that was the one thing she could never ask him to do.
"What's that?" Connie asked as she settled herself back into the same chair she'd left ten minutes ago, this time with her legs tucked under her.
"Old black & White movie."
"You watch old movies?"
"I just turned it on." Mike tried to defend himself. "Besides you're a girl you're meant to love this stuff"
"I'm a girl?"
"Woman or whatever." Mike picked up her mug and took both of them back into the kitchen. When he came back he hit the light switch so the soft glow from the television cast shadows around the darkened room.
Resting on the couch. He couldn't believe how confortable it was just to have her in the room. He'd forgotten the sense of calm she brought him. But right in his house, in his clothes, he was having trouble concentrating. While slightly different this was something he'd thought about many times, and currently those thoughts didn't lend themselves to her returning to The Plaza.
"Mike."
He blinked a few times guessing he'd been caught staring at her, "yeah?"
"You're a great catch. You have the job, the house, you're a nice guy … not bad looking."
"Really … you think I'm nice?"
"Why don't you have a girlfriend?" Connie didn't look at him as she spoke.
Mike leaned a little toward her and waited until Connie turned to look at him. "Why did you ask me to come and get you?" He knew the answer she was looking for, she knew why and he wanted to know, what he'd always wanted to know. Was there a point to his waiting?
"'I really should be getting back, it's late."
"Why don't you just stay? "Mike paused, deciding to push what he had just started. Taking in the emotions that washed across her face. He was trying to pick her reaction, and when he couldn't read her he chose to protect himself. "In the spare room."
"I don't know."
"You can come to breakfast with Jack, he'd love to see you and I would have you back in time for whatever bridesmaids duties you need to perform." Mike waited and when she didn't answer he continued. "You should hear Jack talk about his students."
"Professor McCoy." Connie said with a longing smile.
"Does that mean you'll stay?"
xXxXxXxXx
"You look good."
"Really?" Connie stared down Mike as he smirked into his coffee.
"We'll swing by the Plaza on the way to Hudson." Mike said as he grabbed his keys. "So you can change into something."
"Thanks." Connie looked down at the rolled waistband on Mike's sweat paints.
"What are you worried about, Gary might see you sneaking back in?"
"I'll hardly be sneaking."
"But you are worried about Gary."
"Always the lawyer." Connie pulled her jacket around herself as he held the door open for her.
"My God look at you." Jack said as he pulled her into a hug. "Tell me all about LA?"
"Not much to tell really."
"Trust me, now that he's out of the real world he'll listen to you talk about cases for hours." Mike added as the waitress poured each of them a coffee. "You must have a shoplifting case you can tell him about."
"I want to hear all about you." Connie brushed over Mike's comments, no matter how true they might have been. "You're teaching ethics?"
"If only the review board could see me now." Jack said with a sly smile. "How long are you in town for?"
"Just till Monday." Connie paused, she flicked her eyes from Jack to Mike for a moment before returning focus back to Jack. "I really couldn't get anymore time off work."
"I wish I had known you were coming, I could have arranged a tour." Jack looked over at the main admin building. "It really is a beautiful old
College."
"I never would have thought you'd go into teaching." Connie said as he followed her stare.
"What would you like?" Mike asked as he stood, "l'll go place the order."
"He didn't tell me you were coming." Jack said as Mike left them alone.
"I didn't tell him. I'm in town for a wedding." Connie's eyes were set on Mike as he spoke to the young girl at the counter, no doubt a student at the college. "I didn't think I would have time to catch up."
"You two have been taking a lot lately." Jack paused. "No need to look so shocked. He talks about you, he is worried that you've taken on too much in LA … that you're not happy."
"He told you all that?" Connie wasn't surprised that Mike had spoken with Jack, she didn't realize she'd given so much away when she'd been talking to him.
"Like I said he is worried."
"Well I think he worries a little too much."
"You want to know what I think?" Jack waited until Connie turned her attention to him. "He misses having you around, and he won't tell you that because he would never try to make you choose between your family and … where you live and he couldn't leave New York."
"I wouldn't ask him to." Connie pulled herself up once the words she'd just said registered.
"I know." Jack smiled. "But he would if you asked."
"Asked what?" Mike pulled out his chair, his eyes flicking from Connie to Jack and back again, "If he is offering to help on a case."
"No." Connie laughed. "How often do you two do this?"
"Every Sunday." Jack answered.
She could still remember like it was yesterday, the two of them at each other. Connie having to remind Mike that he wasn't allowed to bag Jack in front of her. She could have sworn she spent most of those first few months of Jack's time as DA refereeing 'conversations' between the two of them.
Now they sat in a cafe every Sunday and if her conversation with Mike last night was anything to go by, they relied on each other. They seemed to share everything.
"I'm sorry to cut this short." Connie started as she checked her watch. "But I have to be getting back."
"I'll take you." Mike jumped in quicker then he meant to if his expression was anything to go by.
"No, don't be silly … stay finish your breakfast." Connie placed her hand on Jack's shoulder "It was great to see you."
"Don't be a stranger." He replied as he stood to place a soft kiss on her cheek.
"I'll call." She simply said to Mike before she walked to the main road to hail a cab.
"She looks tied." Mike said, his attention still on Connie as she opened the door of a yellow cab.
"Well it's early for her." Jack said in his normal flat tone.
"You know what I mean."
"Did she say how her mother was doing?"
"Only that there were more bad days than good." Mike turned his coffee cup around in circles on its saucer to avoid looking at Jack.
"Well, Mike, she doesn't work for you any more ... so what your excuse now?" Jack raised his eyebrows as he finished the question.
xXxXxXxXx
Monday 8am
"Mr Cutter?" The short older women with greying hair stood at his door holding a bag.
"Kylie how long have you been working in this office?" Mike asked as he turned to face her.
"I believe that I was appointed as your assistant almost 12-months ago."
"And how many times have I asked you to call me Mike?"
"Yes Sir." The older women continued as if he hadn't spoken, "this was dropped off for you this morning. I didn't read the note."
"Thank you." Mike said with a smile as he took the bag from her.
"Do you need anything this morning?"
"No, not at the moment." Mike heard her mumble something under her breath as she walked away yet again disappointed in him, of that he was sure.
Slightly pulling the top of the bag open he could see the sweat paints he'd loan Connie. As he lifted them up he checked underneath them and the corner of his mouth curled when he realised she hadn't returned his Hudson shirt. The note on the front of his bag had his name printed on it, on the underside it simply said thank you. He had to admit he kind of liked the idea of Connie with some of his things, he liked the idea of going to collect them in person a lot more.
xXxXxXxXxXx
Thank you to everyone that reviewed and sent PMs, everyone was very kind. Just a note, the story is finished and I want to have it posted by the end of next week. I am just playing a little with the last part.
