Chapter 2: Introductions
The following takes place during the week after the trial of Olivia Benson closed
Sitting at the head of the table seemed odd to Alex. She still wasn't used to the fact that she was now the District Attorney of the Manhattan .
"Right, thank you all for coming," Alex said, gazing around the table at her assembled team of ADA's. Two weeks into her new role as Deputy District Attorney and Alex still continued to forget that she was heading the meeting. A pregnant pause had fallen over the room, so thinking fast, she cleared her throat deliberately in a gesture that said 'I meant to do that'. She flicked a glance at the neatly printed meeting agenda occupying the desk before her and began her discourse,
"Okay, so first of all, I'd like to take this opportunity to welcome back Senior Assistant District Attorney Casey Novak, I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say it's great to have you with us again," Alex said. Casey gave a tight, awkward smile as the focus of the meeting was diverted to her, her flushing complexion suggesting she was keen to slide under the table her gaze was presently pointedly focused on. Alex flashed her an apologetic glance before continuing.
"Right, onto the next point on the agenda, I know when a new boss arrives, you're always holding your breath waiting for the needless, power tripping changes. You'll be glad to know, that's not how I do things," she paused, taking a second to straighten her glasses, this was not going to be popular, "however, over the last two weeks, I have been asked by to review your skill sets, and ensure that you are all aligned with the department that best matches your particular expertise. And as such, there will be a few reassignments."
Immediately, she had everyone's rapt attention. Before an impromptu question time could ensue, Alex quickly added,
"But since I'm in court in half an hour, I don't have time to discuss this at length. I've sent you all a memo detailing the changes, read it when you get back to your desks please, and I've cleared my diary this afternoon for anyone who should wish to go into this further, just send me a meeting invite." That was her out. No way did Alex want to spend the rest of her morning arguing with a roomful of some of the best lawyers New York had to offer. This way, the ADA's would all quickly dash back to their desks to find out if they were affected by the changes, and this afternoon, she could deal with them as on a one-to-one basis.
There was one particular meeting invite however, which Alex was not looking forward to receiving.
*****
Casey consciously slowed her pace as she made the short trip back to her office. The other meeting attendees had exited with the same muted haste as she, all eager to read the memo from Cabot.
As Casey took a seat at her desk and flicked her computer monitor back on, she had a feeling similar to when she had tried out for a play in Junior High. In a spate of youthful exuberance, after watching the movie Grease on video with her brother Zachary, she'd auditioned for the part of Sandy Olsen.
She clicked on the e-mail from Alex, titled Updated Assignments.
As she read down the list of names, searching for her own, she got the same sinking feeling in her stomach as she'd got when she'd read the final cast list for the school production of Grease:
ADA Branch, W - Special Victims Unit
The son of Arthur Branch, William 'Billy' Branch was a great attorney and also a nice guy, with a down-to-earth charm that she happened to find rather pleasant. Casey had even gone on a couple of dates with him, just after she had split up with her fiancé, Charlie, before deciding she was rebounding and it was unfair and breaking things off. That and he was her bosses son at the time.
Though he hadn't wanted things to end between them, Billy didn't hold it against her. In fact, he still had a habit of calling her Darlin' and Sugar, terms of endearment which, under normal circumstances would have earned the user a slap (or perhaps her infamous death-glare normally reserved for sex offenders), but from Billy, flavoured with his easy southern lilt, seemed sweet.
She quickly continued down the list, finally spotting her own name:
ADA Novak, C - Major Case Squad
Casey bit her lip in an attempt to quell the anger that was building up in her chest. It mirrored precisely her abortive foray into school theatre. When she'd eventually seen the cast list, she had found she was playing the part of Cha Cha DiGregorio.
This nearly sucked as much.
Casey got to her feet and began to pace her spacious office, in a futile attempt to diffuse the rage that was quickly turning into a haze.
What the fuck was Cabot playing at? Was this what Alex had been trying to tell her earlier? Was she going to have to move offices? When the hell was this taking place?
Fuck meeting requests.
Casey stormed out of her office and threw Alex's office door open with a satisfying clatter, causing her new boss and present flatmate to start.
*****
Alex looked at the seething redhead in her doorframe and wondered why she was surprised by Casey's reaction.
If she had learnt anything in her thirty-five years on the planet, it was that people essentially did not change.
Sure, some picked up bad or good habits along the way, maybe changed their perspective, their thinking on certain issues, their haircut. But their core being; no one changed that.
Even if she had matured somewhat, inside, Casey Novak was still the brazen, belligerent fire-haired kid that had walked into the DA's office with a head full of impractical idealism and a chip on her shoulder that would require a dumper truck of cement to even begin to fill.
*****
The following takes place the on Casey Novak's first day at the DA's office
Alex marched into the foyer of the District Attorney's office, browsing the file of the newest addition to the office. Already waiting in the foyer was a woman whose basic description, (apart from the thick framed designer glasses of course) was scarily similar to her own. Platinum blonde, tall, smartly dressed with sharply drawn features and piercing blue eyes. ADA Serena Southerlyn was the other half of the acceptable face of the DA's office and as such was also always sent over to 'buddy up' with new starters at the office. Her presence meant they must've been getting two newbies today.
"Hey Alex," She greeted with a nod, holding in her hands an identical manila file, "I've got Jordan Branning, 54, coming across from Holmes & Beighton in New Jersey, hmmm… defence attorney got a pang of conscience after too many years defending bastards, maybe hoping to make amends with the big guy before their big reunion. Any unwarranted judgements you'd like to pass on your new assignment?"
Alex open the file, "Casey Novak Jr, passed the bar at…god, 22, now 23. Last job was clerking for Judge Conway-Clark, this is their first real job. Moving straight into White Collar once they're settled in. I'm guessing precocious wannabe politician, put through law school by daddies money and given a job here because of said parents connections."
"Sounds like you're describing yourself there Cabot," Serena ribbed with a wicked smile. It was well known around the office that Alex's parents were old money, and that her father had many a friend in the DA's office. It wasn't as though that was the only reason Alex had managed to secure the role of ADA (though it had no doubt smoothed the way), and Southerlyn knew it, but Serena did like to tease. A sense of humour was a must around the office, it wasn't as though any of the attorneys had much time to indulge their fun sides on the job.
Cracking wise whilst cross-examining an accused rapist wasn't about to win any favours with the jury, or the judge for that matter.
"Harsh, even for you," Alex frowned, "shall we call them through,"
"Sure, but if yours is hot, I'm so trading," Serena said, tucking the folder into her briefcase.
"Hey, Casey and Jordan, those names could go either way," Alex said, then turned to the receptionist, "hey Rachel, could you grab the new starters from the waiting room."
"Like you?" Serena said. She was on fire today.
"Oh, you are clever, see what you did there," Alex said, shaking her head. Alex had recently disclosed her relationship with Olivia Benson to Serena, and had regretted it every second since. All the mocking had been good natured, but it was beginning to grate.
"Here they are." Serena said from the corner of her mouth, straightening up and affecting a professional demeanour. Alex did the same as the receptionist Rachel returned with two people in tow, one an older man, with still jet black hair (possibly 'just for men' assisted), and a slightly ruffled single breasted navy blue suit and a wide, red and blue diagonal striped tie pulled painfully tight around his collar, he gazed about the office like a surprised puppy being welcomed to a new home. Alex guessed that was Mr. Branning.
Alex's new charge, Ms. Novak, by contrast looked unenamoured by her surroundings, her bottle green eyes levelled at she and Serena, dark red hair cut to her shoulders, ashen complexion. The first question that entered Alex's mind upon setting eyes on the young woman was…what the hell was she wearing, and was she colour-blind?
Her blazer was a vibrant shade of lime green, which neither complimented or contrasted with the dark knee length skirt that nearly met her calve height black boots. Despite her remarkably poor fashion choices, she was still strikingly attractive. Nice features, slim legs that went on forever and even her appalling skirt could not ruin the appeal of.
All noted from an impartial viewpoint of course, Alex was very much attached, and happily so. Whilst their relationship was still somewhat clandestine, defence attorneys would give her hell every time she put Olivia on the stand, plus the interoffice jokes would be unbearable, they were presently considering getting a place together.
"Trade me," Serena whispered out of the corner of her mouth. Alex smirked. She wasn't about to do Southerlyn any favours after the jibes she'd been doling out. Besides, she didn't want to scare off the young lawyer on her first day, and unlike Serena, she had noticed the rather prominent diamond solitaire ring inhabiting the young attorney's left hand ring finger.
"Ms. Novak, nice to meet you," Alex said, stepping forward and offering a handshake.