Author's Note: Thank you so much for all your reviews! The more reviews I get (good or bad) the more motivated I am to continue to write!

Special thanks goes to my beta reader, XX Zero. Thank you so much, Zero!

Chester Lake's Apartment

Brooklyn

Friday, May 18th

Chester Lake glanced over at the beautiful ADA. Her head was lying on his shoulders, softly. His arms wrapped tightly around her. For the first time, Lake actually didn't pay close attention to the game on TV.

After all, having an intelligent, attractive woman in his scruffy apartment asleep in his arms, on his aged couch, was much more interesting than some game. Chester leaned back and thought about the wonderful time they had just a few hours ago.

Because Chester was new to the area, he decided to let Casey pick out the restaurant. He was all set for her to pick out the most expensive restaurant in Manhattan. Yet to his surprise, Casey had suggested that they go to a local pub on Main Street.

The pub was a decent enough joint and Chester enjoyed the food almost as he did the company.

During diner the lawyer and the cop had talked about everything from their childhood, to their careers, and to their passions. Lake had learned that Casey grew up in upstate New York to a well to do catholic family.

Her father was a former solider in Vietnam and was awarded a Purple Heart. After graduating law school, Casey became a clerk for Judge Mary Conway Clark, who became a mentor to her. Through Judge Clark, she got a job at the Manhattan DA office, prosecuting white collar crimes.

After hearing about her enriched back round, Chester felt embarrassed about telling Casey about his backround. Yet, Chester took a deep breath and told her his life story.

While Chester did have both his parents, they couldn't afford to take care
of him. They both had trouble holding a job and could barely put food on the
table. So he was taken away from his family by social services, and became a ward of the state.

Chester was in a dozen foster homes until he aged out once he turned 18. He then decided that he wanted to make something of himself and went to the Police Academy. A few years after graduating, Chester went on to be a detective at the Special Victims Unit in Brooklyn.

Of course, he left out the little detail that he committed a serious crime in his youth, and his cousin took the rap for him. As it was, Chester felt he had said too much already and wondered what Casey was thinking.

Chester almost breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her smile.

"That is quit a history!" Casey exclaimed, and took a nibble of her salad before she continued. "I can understand why you chose police work as a career, but why sex crimes?"

Chester picked up his glass, taking a big gulp of his wine, stalling so he could figure how best to answer her question. Should he say because his first case was the rape and murder of a young girl that was never solved? No, it was another part of his history that Chester wasn't willing to share.

"I guess it's because I saw so much abuse when I was in the foster
homes." Chester answered softly.

Casey only nodded in reply.

Thinking about his first case made Chester lost his appetite for his pasta.
Pushing his dish away, he looked at Casey's black vneck dress. It almost seemed to bring out the blue in her eyes.

Looking at her made Chester realize that he no longer wanted to talk about himself; he only wanted to talk about her.

"What about you? You're witty enough to prosecute homicide cases, why did you pick the Special Victim's Unit?"

Casey ginned. "Well I didn't 'pick' sex crimes, it picked me."

She went on to explain how after doing so well prosecuting simple crimes, Arthur Branch assigned her the 16th precinct after Alex Cabot's departure. And after her fist case, Casey wasn't to sure she could handle it. And yet Branch refused to let her quit.

"Do you wish that you were assigned to a different unit?"

"Sometimes… But I think this is where I belong."

They talked further and learned that, while their back rounds were quite
different, they did have a few things in common; Like the Lakes, the Novaks
had been in America before the Revolutionary War. Both of them had a thirst
for justice, as well as baseball.

When hearing what a big Yankee's fan Casey was, Chester immediately invited her back to his apartment for a drink, and to watch the Yankee Game.

Casey must have been more tired then she let on, or being in Chester's company was extremely boring because before the end of the first inning, she fell fast asleep. Not that Chester was complaining.

Making sure she was warm, Chester grabbed the thick wool blanket from the back of the couch and laid it on them both. He pulled back a piece of red hair that was blocking Casey's eyes. Chester thought it was rather ironic that it was the first time that a girl had fallen asleep before they had sex.

Although he and Casey hadn't even gotten to first base, he wouldn't have changed the night in any way.

In the past, the girls that Chester had been involved with were… Less than classy, but Casey Novak was different. Lake remembered the first time he met her, around Christmas time.

He had starting working with Fin who was trying to catch the same serial rapist. And there she was. Not only was she stunning, but Chester could tell she was determined too. Against all odds, Casey was able to get them a warrant for the renowned Dr Chanoor's office files. And now that same woman was in his apartment, sleeping in his arms, on his couch.

'Not bad for a first date'. Lake thought to himself happily.

The song Barracuda interrupted his thoughts. At first, Chester had no idea where the noise was coming from. But one glace at Casey's purse told him it was her phone.

With a sigh, Chester glanced down at Casey; her hand was still resting comfortably on his shoulder, and her deep therapeutic breathing continued softly. Chester looked back to the purse. Should he answer it? Should he wake Casey? Or could he let it go to her voice mail?

While he was debating, Barracuda continued to play it's annoying tone. Chester never realized how irritating that song was. Unenthusiastically, he decided to see if Casey was awake.

"Casey," Lake said gently nudging her. "Casey, are you awake?"

Casey muttered and put her hands on Lake's chest. Even through his thick shirt, Lake could almost feel the texture of her fingers. A hot shiver went down his spine.

Casey's phone continued to ring, and Lake groaned. He certainly loathed answering her phone, but being Casey was an ADA, the call might be something important. Leaving one hand still around her, Chester reached over with his free hand to grab her purse, and dug for the phone.

"Hello?" He answered the phone.

"Miss Novak Please."

Chester could tell by the tone of the caller's voice it was indeed important that Casey take the call. Reluctantly, Chester nudged her softly.

"Casey, wake up!" Slowly, Casey's eyes began to open. "What is
it?"

Chester motioned to the phone. "I think it's the DA's office."

With a groan Casey took the phone. "Hello?"

"Miss Novak?" Asked a gruff voice.

"Yes?"

"This is the Manhattan Coroner's office. We have a homeless John Doe with no identification but your business card in his pocket."

Only one thought came to Casey's mind: CHARELY!!

Now fully awake, Casey sat up on the couch, causing Chester's hand to pull away from her.

"I'll be right there." Casey slammed the phone shut, quickly got up to grab her coat, and stuffed the phone in her pocket.

"What was that about?" Chester asked, a frown formed on his forehead. It was obvious that something was indeed wrong.

"Nothing," Casey answered quickly, gathering her purse with her shaking hands.

Right then, Casey couldn't concentrate on anything but the worst possible explanation to who the homeless corpse who had her card was, and that was an explanation that she didn't want to share with Lake.

If she told him, she would break down and she couldn't handle that, not now. Not to mention it was really none of his concern anyway.

"It just has to do with a case I'm working on, that's all." Casey started towards the door.

"Should I come with you?"

"No!"

Chester's dark eyes widen with surprise.

Casey took a few deep breaths, carefully planning out her next sentence:

"I…I mean it would be better if I went by myself."

Before Lake could protest any further, Casey opened the door and left.

Dumbfounded, Chester sat on the couch, staring at the door. What the hell just happened? Was the call really from the DA's office?

Casey seemed to get awfully upset at a call from work. In fact, Chester thought that she seemed especially distressed when he suggested he accompany her.

Chester realized with a sinking feeling that maybe Casey was really upset
because the last thing she wanted was for her colleagues to see her with him. Did she
regret going out with him? A Native American orphan and a white catholic lawyer didn't really mix. Chester scoffed at the idea.

No, Casey wasn't shallow. However Chester couldn't help but wondered if Casey was in such a hurry to leave because she realized who she woke up next to.

Again, thanks for all the reviews!! I hope to continue the story soon but I need to figure out when each episode from season 9 took place so it coincides with my story.

Right now, I'm looking at the episode Svengali. I'm trying to find out the following:

A: What dates were showed during that episode.

B: A detailed plot: I only know that Chester got hurt. How hurt did he get? I'm looking to see if there was any interaction between Chester and Casey.

If anyone has any information, that would be great! Thanks again!.

-Mary