A/N: Thank you again for the awesome reviews! They really help keep my mind on writing. :) I have tomorrow to myself so hopefully we can cover a lot of ground.
Casey walked into her office at work. It was her second week and this morning she had been notified that she would be co-chairing a case with Abbie Carmichael. Abbie was the senior ADA for the unit and Casey took it as a huge sign of success that she requested Casey for her case.
Quickly setting down her belongings she immediately headed towards Abbie's office. Lightly knocking on the door to announce her presence she was quickly greeted by the flustered brunette with a, "Novak! Fantastic you are here. We have to go right now."
"Abbie, don't you think you should prep me about the case first?" Casey asks as she runs down the hall after the ADA.
"No time Novak, we will have to prep in the car. I just got a call and we have a small window of time to meet with the CEO of Cabot Vineyards." Abbie says pushing buttons on the elevator.
Casey pales about ten shades hearing where they are going. Finally finding her voice Casey says, "Abbie, I am sorry but I can't help you on this case if it's regarding criminal activity with Alexandra Cabot, I uh, we kinda have a history."
"I hope you speak with more confidence in the courtroom than that display right there," Abbie says as the doors open and she rushes into the garage towards her Lexus. "Don't worry Novak, I know your history. I also know you two haven't been in contact for a little over eight years. Branch does a detailed background of every ADA he employs. It's fine. Plus she's not the one we are after, she's actually being very helpful, the offender was her Vice President of their vintage wine sector."
"Oh," was all Casey could manage to say as Abbie pulled out onto the busy New York streets. Driving towards the waterfront Abbie continued to fill her in on how the VP had been selling fake cases of vintage wines for enormous costs and they were in the process of uncovering the depths of the deceit and fraud in order to press charges. Alex was evidently furious about the situation and was offering all help possible to convict the VP and pay retribution to those wronged. Casey was amazed at the blonde's generosity.
Pulling into the formerly familiar parking lot, Casey exited the car with Abbie and headed to the elevator. Soon she would be seeing the one person she had run clear across the country to escape. So much for avoiding Alexandra fate seemed to keep putting them in each other's paths.
"Elliot, I don't care if you and Olivia have to ransack his house by yourselves you get me all the information I ask for!" Alex screams at her assistant.
"Out of line Alex," Don warns only to have the infuriated blonde spin towards him.
"No I am not! I don't work for you! You work for me at my discretion! This is my company and I will not let your laziness cause me to lose everything! Go get me the information I have asked you for!" Alex practically screams at the two men.
As the two men leave the office, Amanda Rollins, Alex's personal assistant, sticks her head in the door, "Alex, Abbie Carmichael is here to see you."
"Great, thanks Amanda send her in." Alex says looking out one of her floor to ceiling windows at the water. She was trying to will some of the suffocating anxiety from her bones but nothing ever worked any more. Everything was starting to seem like a waste of her time and life. Then again she didn't have a life, only work and now that might be taken from her. Hearing the ADA enter the room Alex hung her head closing her eyes for a moment while she tried to slow her heart rate.
"Bad morning Cabot?" Abbie says as she takes a seat on the blondes couch and motions for Casey to sit. Casey is in shock just looking at Alex from behind. She literally can't move.
Looking at Alex in her business slacks and lightweight sweater top and heels, Casey can almost feel Alex's stress radiating off of her. She notices Alex's hair is longer and layered, and she looks a little slimmer. Instinctively, Casey wants to run up and pull Alex into her arms, but instead she sits in one of the chairs.
"You have no idea Carmichael," Alex says turning to suddenly see the woman she loves sitting in her chair. Feeling like she is seeing an apparition or something she stands frozen with her eyes locked on the redheads beautiful green ones.
Finally she manages to say, "Casey," in almost a whisper.
"Hi Alex," is all Casey can say.
"Why? When? When did you get back?" Alex asks completely ignoring Abbie's presence.
"Three weeks ago, but Alex we need to talk with you about this case while you have the time." Casey says confidently.
Nodding Alex agrees and looks to Abbie, "So I have been trying to get my hands on the original hardcopies of the manifests. That way we can see exactly what the original number of cases of the wine we had, and how many were sold which should provide us the number in which were falsely sold. However, my guys weren't able to get them yesterday but I sent them back out this morning that is what you walked up on when you arrived."
Abbie nods, "Okay, Alex that is a good start, but we need access to all your corporate records."
Alex cringes at this knowledge and closes her eyes again trying to ease her stress. Opening her eyes again she catches Casey staring right back. Looking into the redheads, eyes she feels as if someone just poured hot water all over her effectively washing all her stress away. Looking back to Abbie she confidently says, "Okay, my records are at your disposal."
Abbie chuckles a little, "Geez, Alex I wish all the CEO's I had to deal with were as easy as you."
Showing a faint smile Alex replies quietly, "I have nothing to hide. I believe in running an honest company. I am just sad one of my employees didn't feel the same way."
"Well we don't need to waste anymore of your time." Abbie says standing. As she stands she notices Casey has failed to join her, Casey is still sitting with her eyes locked on Alex's. Abbie discreetly smiles noticing this exchange. "How about I give you two a moment to catch up? Casey I will be in the hall no rush." Abbie says walking out of the office.
Alex smiles at Casey and quietly says, "I missed you."
Hearing Alex talk to her brings Casey back to reality. She suddenly realizes that she is alone in the office and quickly stands, "I need to get back to the office." As she begins to walk to the doors Alex quickly grabs her hand and turns her.
Looking into Alex's icy blue gaze, Casey finds herself powerless once again. Alex finally whispers loud enough for only Casey to hear, "Have lunch with me."
"I can't I have plans," Casey whispers back while she examines Alex's face.
"Then dinner?" Alex questions. She wants to pull Casey into her arms but she is afraid of scaring her off.
"Why?" Casey questions. She is suddenly finding it hard to breathe in the blonde's presence.
Looking Casey over Alex lets herself faintly smile again. Age looks good on Casey. It's as if the last eight years has only helped to make her look even more beautiful. Bowing her head she says, "I can't let you leave again Casey, I can't bear losing you again. So this is me asking you to please let me take you to dinner and be your friend again. Please Casey."
"Okay," Casey answers all too willingly as she runs her hand up to Alex's face. As she touches her Alex presses her face into Casey's warm palm. Feeling the intimate moment Casey quickly withdraws her hand as if it had been burned.
"You can pick me up from the DA's office at 6pm." Casey says turning to leave.
"See you then Casey." Is all Alex says watching the redhead walk out the office doors taking just one more piece of Alex's heart in her wake.
Alex paces her office. She can't believe she just saw Casey, Casey, her Casey, her Casey that she just let slip through her fingers. Her Casey, that couldn't deal with being on the same coast line as her and ran to the other side of the country to escape her, that Casey just walked into her office and sat on her couch and agreed to have dinner with her tonight. Well reluctantly agreed but agreed nonetheless.
She has to show Casey just how much she has always meant to her. She can't lose her this time. Alex has to show her just how much she has always meant to her.
Sitting down at her desk, Alex starts making calls. Casey might have only agreed to dinner tonight, but Alex is going to make it impossible for Casey to turn down another invitation to do something with her for this weekend. As she finishes her arrangements she picks up her phone to text her best friend.
Typing Alex grins a little. Even though her friend will most likely denying any involvement in this she knows she had a hand behind it no doubt. Shaking her head she hits send.
"Greylek, I am kicking your ass straight into next year for not telling me she was back. I can't believe you and Carmichael pulled that stunt on me this morning. Thank you."
Casey sat in Abbie's car driving back to the DA's office. She was so confused about what all happened she can't fully process everything. Not to mention she agreed to go to dinner with Alex! What the hell was happening to her, she wasn't even in the room with her that long.
"So when you said you and Alex Cabot had a history, you forgot to mention that you two dated." Abbie says with a chuckle.
Casey immediately blushes as she hears her superior laugh at her expense. "It's not like that, we never dated." Casey says with a serious tone.
"But you wanted to date her and she wanted to date you." Abbie clarifies.
"How is my love life work related talk at all?" Casey asks drumming her fingers on the door.
"So I am right." Abbie states flatly.
"Fine, if you must know there was something between us. I had feelings for her that weren't returned okay. Then I moved to LA. End of story." Casey exclaims hoping that's the end of it.
"And now you are back, so..." Abbie continues to pry while she drives.
Casey takes a breath to keep from screaming. Finally she says, "Carmichael seriously. I have a girlfriend who lives here with me. Okay. I am not interested in Alex and I had no intentions of even telling her I was back. This case is the only reason why I am even talking to her."
Abbie frowns at this information suddenly feeling slightly guilty for listening to Kim and having these two reunited. Abbie shakes her head, "you never said you have a girlfriend."
"Why would I have? We don't talk about our personal lives. I only know you are married to Kim because it is common knowledge around work. Teddy is a cardiothoracic surgeon at Weill Cornell so how would you know?" Casey questions.
Pulling into the parking garage for the office Abbie sighs, "I don't know Casey. Sorry, it's just I didn't know."
"I am sorry for snapping Abbie. I just was hesitant to move back in the first place because of Alex, but Teddy got the job and it was too good for her to pass up so we moved. Anyway, things have always been difficult between Alex and me. I was in love with her but she didn't feel the same way." Casey explained.
"Are you sure she didn't feel the same way? I only ask because the way she looked at you today and her expression, it's just I have never seen her react like that to anyone." Abbie says quietly.
Casey smirks at Abbie, "Geez, how many meetings have you had with her?"
Abbie realizing her slip covers quickly, "Too many to count anyway, let's head up."
Back in her office after her lunch meeting, Casey can't take her mind off of Alex. She keeps thinking on how the blonde looked. Her hair was longer and layered now, and she was wearing glasses…black framed ones…they looked good on her. Casey chuckles a little to herself as she figures Alex probably finally made good on her threat to end her relationship with contacts. Remembering the scene of Alex screaming at the box of contacts in the bathroom that seemed to play out every morning made Casey smile. Alex also looked slimmer which either meant she was working out again or not eating well either of which were a possibility for the blonde.
Shaking her head Casey tried to clear Alex from her mind. She needed to think about the case, not sit here and just think about Alex's looks. Dinner was probably a bad idea. Plus, she hadn't told Teddy that she was going to dinner or with whom she would be going to dinner with tonight. Teddy knew about Alex being her stepsister and she knew they had had a falling out, but she didn't know the intimate details. Casey was going to have a lot of explaining to do later. Luckily she had until tomorrow to think about that since Teddy was on call tonight.
Hearing a knock at her door, Casey looks up to see Alex's personal assistant Amanda Rollins standing in the doorway. A little confused at by her visitor Casey offers a shaky, "Come in."
"Ms. Novak, Ms. Cabot wanted me to come by and bring you these files. Her associates were able to pull them today. She also wanted me to inform you that your detectives and any other investigators you would like are welcome to come by at any time, and that every employee at the corporation will make themselves available to your office whenever needed. Furthermore, she wanted me to tell you that she is looking forward to tonight's dinner." Amanda says confidently with a smile at the last part.
A little taken aback by all the information given to her Casey nods her head with a slight frown. "Thank you for relaying all of that Amanda. Tell Alex I am looking forward to catching up as well." Casey finally manages to say as she takes the files.
Amanda nods and heads back out of the office leaving a slightly confused Casey in her wake. Casey was wondering why Alex sent her assistant to her and not Abbie. Then it hit her. Alex wanted to make sure that she was still on Casey's mind. Shaking her head she realized she had a big night ahead of her and no idea what it would entail. Leaning back in her chair, Casey looked at the ceiling wondering what she was getting herself into.
