DISCLAIMERS: See Part 1.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
MISBEHAVIN' (Part 4)
(story 4 in the Miscommunication Series aka It Sucks To Be You Series)
By cnrocks/CaseyROCKS
Bureau Chief's Office
October 19, Thursday 11:40am
Alex Cabot, at the sound of a knock at her door, looked up from the case files she was perusing. "Yes, Melissa."
The door opened a crack and a head appeared. "Ms. Cabot, ADA Novak is here."
Alex took off her glasses and set them on the desk. "Send her in. Could you hold any interruptions for a short while? Oh, and find Mr. Potter and ask him to join us. Thank you, Melissa."
"Yes, ma'am." She turned back to the office. "Ms. Novak, Ms. Cabot will see you now." Melissa opened the door wider and stepped out of the way.
Casey entered the office. She nodded her thanks to the assistant and then turned her attention to Alex. "Good morning."
"Casey. Hi." Alex got up from behind her desk and greeted the ADA. She began to put out her hand for a hand shake and thought better of it. She wrapped the surprised redhead in a light hug.
Casey's eyes widened in surprise but she returned the hug, her eyes darting all over the office. Warning... warning. Pod person alert... pod person alert. Munch was right - aliens do exist on Earth. "Hi Alex, how are you?" She uttered when the embrace ended.
"I'm good. You?" Alex moved back around her desk to sit. Before Casey could answer, Alex continued to ramble. "Where are my manners? Would you like some coffee? Of course you would. Let me get a carafe brought in. Maybe some cookies too, yes?" She looked expectantly at Casey.
"Um, I'm fine. Coffee would be great. No need to fuss with cookies, unless you are indulging. Thank you."
Alex hit a button on the intercom. "Melissa, could you bring us a carafe of coffee?" She mouthed to Casey. Sugar? Cream? Casey shook her head no.
"And did you track down Mr. Potter?"
"Mr. Potter will be here momentarily. I'll have the coffee for you in a couple of minutes."
"Thank you." She let go of the button and sat back in her chair. She clasped her hands together and laid them on the desk. "So, Casey." She hesitated searching for something to say. "How was court?"
"Two simple arraignments. Judge Bradley. I lucked out." She cocked her head at the Bureau Chief - something was just not right. "Is everything okay, Alex?"
"Ummm..." Alex was interrupted by a knock. "Come in."
"You called, Chief?" Potter said with a grin. His eyes darted between the two women.
"Nick Potter, this is ADA Casey Novak from SVU. I'm going to have you work with her on a case."
"Ms. Novak." Nick shook her hand. "I've heard a lot about you. Your high conviction rate is what Chief Cabot here keeps beating us over the head with."
Casey straightened up in her chair while Alex sat stone-faced. "Really? Who knew I had a fan?" She smirked, highly amused.
"You do have a very high win ratio and these young pups could do worse than to emulate you." Then, turning her attention to Nick, she added in an even tone, "Although I could try beating them with a rolled up newspaper to see what effect that has on their conviction rate." She raised one eyebrow. He gulped.
"Well, Nick, I asked Chief Cabot for the ummm..." She paused as she chose her words. "...pick of the litter." She smiled. "She is graciously offering you. I have the case file here with me." Casey picked up her case and opened it. She retrieved the file and handed it to him. "I need you to read it and pull as much case law as you can find for each of the points outlined."
Nick began leafing through the case file. "If I..."
"If you have any questions, I can be reached at the office and after hours my office calls get redirected to my cell."
"Got it."
"If you have any ideas on anything not covered, please feel free to share. If they are good ones. we'll see if we can... oh I don't know... give you a cookie or a pat on the head." Casey and Nick both laughed.
"How about a scratch on the belly?" He waggled his eyebrows. He sat on the arm of her chair.
"I should warn you - my girlfriend, the detective, does carry a gun."
He jumped up as if burned. "A cookie is good." He looked at Alex, who just cleared her throat and then looked back at Casey. "I'll go get started on this," he slapped the file on his thigh. "I'll call you later today or at the very least in the morning. Will that be all right?"
Alex got up to help usher him out. "Get to work Mr. Potter." She opened the door.
"That would be wonderful. Thank you again." Casey said without turning around. Her eyes caught sight of a bit of pink on Alex's vacated desk chair. She narrowed her eyes for a moment and then had to stifle a laugh when recognition hit.
"Sure. Thank you for the opportunity. Have a good day ladies."
Alex closed the door.
Casey chuckled. "Cute ass."
Alex turned around quickly. "Excuse me?"
"Potter's. He's kind of cute in a puppyish way." She looked at Alex's expression. "Although yours is fine too."
"What!?" Alex moved back behind her desk.
"I'm kidding, Alex. You just looked so dumbfounded there for a second."
Casey smiled. "I do greatly appreciate the help here, Alex."
Alex nodded once. She looked down at her hands, then around the room. Then Melissa knocked and her attention was drawn to the door. "Come in."
"Your coffee, ma'am." Melissa set the tray down on Alex's desk. "Do you need anything else?" At Alex's head shake Melissa added, "Okay, I'll hold any non-emergencies until you give me the word."
"Thank you."
Alex poured two cups of coffee and handed one to Casey who had scooted her chair closer to Alex's desk.
She took a sip. "Ahhhhh." She looked over the rim of the cup. "Okay, Alex, you want to tell me what's really bothering you?"
"What makes you think something is up?"
"Well, you get more and more fidgety with every knock on the door. Are you expecting someone else?"
"It's..." Alex jumped at the knock.
Melissa stuck her head in the door. "Your lunch is here, ma'am."
Alex looked at Casey, confused. "I didn't order any lunch. Casey?"
"No, I thought we were going out."
"Well, the delivery boy just dropped this off." She walked in carrying a couple of bags and an envelope under her arm." He said it was already paid for." She set the bags on Alex's desk. "Oh, and he brought this too." Melissa handed Alex the envelope.
Alex closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. She let out a breath. When she opened them, Casey was rooting through the bags.
"Alex, this is from the best barbeque place in town. We could do much worse for lunch."
"Thanks Melissa, I guess we will be eating in."
"Yum, there is all kinds of stuff in here." Casey began opening containers. "Brisket, ribs, chicken, pork... wow, and side salads. Who loves you this much?" Casey took a deep breath, inhaling the wonderful aroma of the barbeque.
"I seemed to have picked up a stalker."
"What?" Casey put down the container. "Let me call Liv and Elliot." She reached for her phone.
Alex put her hand on Casey's arm. "A Texan stalker."
"You know who it is?" Realization dawned on Casey. "Abbie?"
"Yes. She's been sending me stuff." Alex stood up and pulled the pillow out and showed it to Casey.
"A pillow? For your tattoo?"
Alex's eyes widened. "You know?"
"I guessed. You are sitting on it."
"Right. And she sent that bear." Alex pointed to the bear sitting on the file cabinet.
"Look at the little glasses. It's supposed to be you, isn't it? That's sweet." She looked at Alex's face. "Isn't it?"
"NO... yes... maybe... I don't know." She said with an exasperated sigh. "I'm so confused."
"I thought you were getting along pretty well the other night, weren't you?"
"NO... yes... maybe... I don't know. I really don't remember much of that."
"O-kay. Uhhh, do you want to be getting along better?"
"NO... yes... maybe... I don't know." She worried with the envelope.
"Alex, what is bothering you so much about Abbie? Do you want me to have Liv talk to her?"
"NO!" Alex answered quickly. "Please don't tell anyone." She held the envelope up to her chest.
"Well, at least you picked one answer that time; it's a start," Casey snarked.
"Cas-ey," Alex whined. She tore into the envelope and looked at the contents.
"Al-lex," Casey whined back. "I can't help if I don't know what's wrong."
Alex leaned over the desk and whispered. "She sent me underwear... again."
Alex held up the boy shorts. They were bright rainbow striped with the white letter "A" on the leg.
Casey burst out laughing. "Again?"
"It's not funny Casey; it's the right size and everything." Alex read the enclosed note aloud.
Allie... (it said)
Enjoy the lunch. I wish I could join you but I am on my way back to DC.
As for the short-shorts…I look forward to seeing you model them for me on my next visit. Try not to miss me too much.
AC
"She's just trying to get your attention and it looks like it's working. The question is, do you want the attention?" Casey held up her hand to stop Alex from answering. "Let me guess – no... yes... maybe... I don't know."
"Definitely, positively, I think so, maybe."
Casey smiled at that answer.
Alex mirrored the smile thinking of the ridiculousness of it all. "I guess it could be worse." She paused. "It could be Trevor."
"Oooh Alex, not while we are getting ready to eat here."
"It does smell good. I love barbeque."
Alex and Casey picked through the containers and made themselves each a plate. Moans of appreciation floated about the room.
"Tell Abbie she can stalk me anytime. This brisket is fantastic." Casey took another bite.
"I like the pulled pork better."
Casey looked up, a twinkle in her eye. "Of course you should."
Alex looked back puzzled.
"It's Boston Butt."
DOINK DOINK
