Waiting On The Gallows chapter 9
Waiting On The Gallows chapter 9
Epilogue
"Hello, Casey. It looks like we caught you just in time."
Casey had just finished packing up her degrees and personal effects from her office when she heard Rafael Barbossa's voice from the doorway. There he stood, accompanied by detective Nina Cassady. Looking between the Irish detective and the Spanish assistant district attorney, she smiled. The connection between the two of them reminded her somewhat of how Elliot and Olivia saw each other from time to time.
"Did the two of you come here to see me off?" Casey asked, putting the last of her belongings in the moving box Elliot and Olivia got for her.
"We thought it would be appropriate." Just extracting a manila envelope from her messenger arm bag, Nina gave it to Casey.
Opening the parcel, Casey smiled as she took out the framed picture of her with John, Fin, Elliot and Olivia at Central Park for a weekend barbeque a year ago.
"We thought you would want to have something familiar when you get to your new office." Nina said, giving the strawberry-blonde woman a hug. "Thanks, Nina."
"Speaking of new offices, when are the guys coming in to fix up the office, Rafael?" Nina asked.
"I told them I would call within the hour. After that, they'll be on their way in about 30 minutes with my personal effects and all the necessities to revamp this place."
"Rafael, what are you up to? Or should I even ask?" Casey asked.
"Since I'm going to work here, I should enjoy coming to work, thus I must make this office my own. For that reason, I must take measures to spruce it up a bit." Noticing the look on Casey's face, Rafael smiled. "I'll send you a picture of the office when it's all good and ready."
"If what you have in mind for the office is the same ideal you have for your wardrobe, I would professionally advise you to not have McCoy visit you here."
"Mr. McCoy will just have to understand that I will customize my work space as I see fit. He's a district attorney, not an interior decorator. Either he will have to invest in a courier or call me to his office as opposed to visiting me in person. As far as the SVU detectives are concerned, I'm quite certain that I'll have to earn their trust. If I'm lucky enough to be here long enough, they might even consider offering me their friendship." Rafael said.
With a handshake that led to more hugs, Rafael and Nina stepped to the side so Casey could walk to the door. "Take care and work hard, Rafael. I'm sure you'll grow on them eventually. Perhaps I'll see the two of you at the party."
"Work hard, Casey. I'll have the party set up for the day when Megan Nelson enters the District Attorney's office as a full fledged prosecutor."
Nina and Rafael watched as Casey walked out of the office and on her way to the District Attorney's office. "One leaves while two arrive. Isn't that the way of it all?" Nina said as Rafael sat in an empty armchair. Joining him while sitting comfortably on his lap, Nina sighed as they sat in silence. Without warning, Rafael spoke quite suddenly.
"I hear that Fontana and Munch got into a partnership and opened up a new hotspot in town called 'The Blue Wall' some time ago. If we are charming enough, we might just be able to get ourselves a VIP balcony table with a view."
"Sounds like a blast." Nina said.
A smile spread over Rafael's face as Nina nestled herself into his embrace. "Should we make the call now or later?" Nina asked.
"Let's call them now. The sooner they finish, the sooner we can pick up where we left off." Rafael replied with a smirk. Playfully slapping his side, Nina laughed.
Ten minutes after Nina and Rafael left, the 'renovation guys' came in and began their work to redesign the office.
Nina couldn't believe what she saw when they returned to the office.
She didn't even know if it could be called an office anymore.
It looked like something from the mind of Tim Burton. Various different posters depicting tightrope walkers, magicians, clowns, lion tamers, tigers, elephants, bears and acrobats swinging with the greatest of ease caked the walls, making the room brighter than it usually was. Rafael's law degree hung with care on the wall did not become inconspicuous amidst the lavish artistry. An old-style cuckoo clock hung on the wall.
He also had an old fashioned Victoria turntable for vinyl records next to his iPod deck stereo system.
Rafael showed her the couch he asked for from his old place in Coney Island that converted into a fold-out bed, a mini-fridge stocked with several appetizers, snacks, soda and bottled water.
The standard desk and phone, along with computer remained in tact along with an HD TV with surround sound, VCR and Blu-Ray player. "The Blu-Ray player and High Definition TV are gifts from the DA's Investigations Unit." He said when she asked him about it. "Before you ask, yes, I do have cable TV; an added bonus from Connie."
Looking Nina in the eye, Rafael asked, "How does it feel to be given a second chance by being part of an elite squad like the Special Victims Unit?"
"How does it feel to be the first male ADA to serve for the NYPD's Special Victims Unit? We both are getting our second chances. Nobody thought we'd make it and here we stand. The Courtroom Carnie and Detective Beauty Queen; what a pair we make." Nina said.
"What a pair indeed!" Rafael exclaimed.
Leaving the building, Rafael found himself thinking something every time he saw Nina on his arm. He had to ask before it drove him mad.
"How is it that I got so lucky to find a woman like you who would notice a misfit like me? I mean, I must have done something right in my life to have met you."
"Actually, it's all the things you do that catches my attention, Rafael." Nina replied sincerely. "You don't have any of the deceit and arrogance most other lawyers would usually have. You're actually brave enough to say what you will to judges or to any superior officers, yet at the same time, you have respect for them to a degree."
"The honest ones have my respect. Of course, if there are any left these days, they are probably in hiding." Rafael said with a smile.
"You are unpretentious, courageous, eloquent, witty without being irritating and clever. The fact that we both have been cast out at one point or another kind of helped too. In a sense, I can relate to you as one outcast to another."
"It seems so." Rafael said as they walked down the sidewalk arm in arm together. "If we hurry, we just might make it there in time for that pizza pie." Nina said.
"Nina, I can tell that this is the start of something more than just a beautiful friendship."
Nina nodded. "This is the first day towards a bright new future for us, Rafael. It's our second chance. I'm already looking forward to it."
Together, arm in arm, Detective Nina Cassady and ADA Rafael Barbossa walked down the streets of Manhattan towards their impending future.
Perhaps, one day, it would be a future they could share together.
The End
A/n: I don't know about the actual celebration soiree. I don't know how that will work out, but I'll try to think something up. I have some idea for rewriting and revising season 10. Some elements will remain unchanged while others will be changed dramatically. I will also incorporate the other shows in one way or another, but not all at the same time.
