Title: Inside These Lines – Part 6

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Law & Order. This is for entertainment only (and something I would've loved to see happen).

Pairing: Mike/Connie

Summary: With Connie in NY

Notes: This is my first Law & Order fic. I was watching repeats and I have always loved Mike and Connie and I was reading DaisyDay's fic and I've always had an idea for Mike and Connie, but I had to spend a few days trying to work around the LA thing (that I didn't like). I did like Mike in SVU I must admit.

Please note that all mistakes are mine as this hasn't been beta read. English isn't my first language however I do my best.

Bad things – Part 2

You know where I come from

You know my story

You know why I'm standing here

Tonight

Please don't go

Don't be in a hurry

I'm here to make it clear

Make it right

xXxXxXxXx

"I made it... I've got to go." Mike said with a smile on his face as he slipped his phone back into his pocket.

"You're in a good mode considering," Alex said as she handed him the file.

"I had a very nice breakfast," Mike said his smile turned wry as he took the file. "That everything?"

"I can do this," Alex replied.

"No reason you should take the hit for this." Mike removed his coat as they pushed through the doors into the courtroom. The first person Mike noticed was Tara Kane's father sitting in the second last row.

"What've we got councillors?" the Judge asked as everyone settled themselves.

"A motion to dismiss with leave to represent the charges at a later date." Mike stood as he spoke and handed the folded blue packet to the bailiff.

"No!" Came a strangled cry from the rear of the courtroom. "He killed my daughter!"

"Please, Sir. If you cannot control yourself, I will have you removed." As the Judge finished the man pushed himself to his feet, a loud bang from the wooden door accompanied his exit.

"Your Honour, my client is innocent and the state has no evidence to support the assault and murder charges. I don't see why my client should have a witch hunt by the DA's office hanging over his head." Mr Henery's lawyer continued as if they had never been interrupted

"Your client confessed," Mike stated forcefully. "It is only the state completing its due diligence that has us here today."

"A confession that was coerced." The lawyer turned his attention back to the Judge. "The state will never find someone working with my client because there is no such person."

"Well, then he has nothing to worry about." The Judge said. "The state's motion is granted"

"Your Honour in light of your ruling my client only has minor drug charges pending and doesn't warrant a remand order."

"Your client has a trafficking and passion charges pending and these will be his third stuck." Mike for the first time turned his attention to the defence table. "And Mr Henery has failed to appear on two other occasions."

"Simple misunderstanding."

"Was it a misunderstanding when the police executed a bench warren for your client and found him hiding behind a false wall in his mother's closet?"

"Enough. Bail is set at $500,000 cash only."

"My client doesn't have access to that kind money."

"Well, he does have a room waiting for him at Rikers." With that, the Judge banged her gavel. "Next."

"I guess you can call that a win," Alex said as they left the courtroom.

"I just dropped the charges against a man who confessed to killing someone. I'm not sure we are ever going to win this one." Mike opened the door to allow Alex to go in front of him.

"Well, I'd think of some other way to say it." Alex pointed at the waiting press as they stepped out onto courthouse steps.

"Does the state plan on handing this case over to federal authorities?" The first reporter asked the one question Mike didn't want to answer.

"I would like to make it clear that the DA's office and the NYPD task force are working closely together."

"So you are not cooperating with the FBI?" Another reporter asked as they pushed in front of him.

"The FBI and federal prosecutors have been kept fully informed of our progress."

"What do you say to the community knowing that Mr Henery could be back on the street?"

"I'd say that is unlikely," Mike said as he started passed the reporters.

"You said he'd pay."

Mike didn't see Mr Kane as he guided Alex and himself away from the reporters who had started to move themselves over to Henery's lawyer.

"Mr Kane." Alex used a soft tone as she made a slight move toward him.

"No!" He shouted. "No more from you." Mr Kane lowered his voice as he pulled a gun from his jacket. "He confessed."

"Mr Kane." Mike stepped in front of Alex. "This isn't helping anyone."

"Helping, you were going to help me ... but … but you let him go, he killed my baby and you let him go." Mr Kane yelled at them as his shoulders drop and his voice changed, turning calm. "You let him go." Mr Kane's eyes were rimmed red and he opened and closed his mouth and looked as if he'd all but given up, his head seem to fall with his hopes.

"Sir," Mike said as he lowered his tone.

In that instance Mr Kane pulled himself to his full high, looked and focused on Alex. "You said you'd help."

From that point, it all seemed to mix together. Mike heard a scream and what he thought was a shout from a court officer, maybe even the faith voice of someone calling out 'POLICE'. Whatever it was the loud crack that was echoing in his ears followed by the most intense burning pain he'd ever felt drowned everything else out.

Mike knew he was falling, but everything went black before he hit the ground.

xXxXxXxXx

"Connie." Dekker stepped into her office without knocking. "Turn on your TV."

Connie watched as he desperately searched for the remote control. "Here," she said as she lifted it from the corner of her desk. "What's happened?" Connie asked confused as she put down her pen and waited for a response that never came, instead she just watched as he flicked through channels finally stopping on MSNBC:

"Yes, John we now have confirmation that two ADA's were taken to hospital. However only one, Bureau Chief, Executive ADA Michael Cutter was suffering a gunshot wound."

Connie didn't move, all she could do was read the bright read and yellow 'breaking news' message that flashed on the scream.

'Shooting at New York Courthouse'

She'd heard his name, watched as the breaking news graphic changed to Bureau Chief Michael Cutter shot. Connie knew he was going to be there, but still she didn't think it could have happened. Not to Mike, not now. Never before had the newscast sounded so impersonal. The reporter and the anchor were going back and forth about who the shooter was and why he'd done such a thing. It wasn't until the anchor started to ask questions about the victim, that Connie was able to take the information in.

"Michael or Mike Cutter as he is known around the courthouse and the DA's office was promoted to Bureau Chief just over 12-months ago. Before that, he was involved in many high-profile prosecutions."

Connie finally reacted as the reporter went on to list many cases he'd been involved, picking out the one he believed lead to his promotion. "I need to go to New York." She said out of nowhere and turned to her computer before Dekker had a chance to respond. "If I leave now," she said as he turned her wrist over to check the time, "I can be in New York by eight."

"Okay," Dekker replied, his voice a little softer than normal.

Picking up her bag she realised at no point had she asked permission to go. "I only have the Kendall case today, the hearings not until lunch and were asking for a continuance." Connie paused. "The notes are in the file."

"I'll handle it."

"Thank you ... I'll call as soon as I land." It almost seemed to Connie that he had the look of some who thought they'd never see each other again.

xXxXxXxXx

It was hard to tell what felt longer, the fight to New York or the cab ride to the hospital. There was the standard amount at press waiting just inside the hospital entrance. No doubt they were all there to cover the live cross for the evening news, she also knew that they would brave the weather and stand outside as if they were holding some kind of vidual.

As gently as she could Connie leaned toward the nurse and asked for details on Mike.

"I'm sorry ma'ma we don't give out any details about our patients. If you wait with the rest of the press I'm sure someone will make a statement on behalf of the family."

"I'm not with the press." Connie said firmly to make her point but hoping she stayed this side of friendly. "I'm with the DA's office." Connie pulled out her badge.

"Honey that says LA and we are in New York, now I don't know were you got that from, but I suggest you wait with the rest of your friends."

"Connie?"

"Cyrus." Connie turned with relief at the sound of a familiar voice and she gave him a quick hug. "Were you hurt?"

"No I just came down to get some air … have they told you anything yet?"

"No. I was just trying to find out where he was?" Connie knew as soon as Lupo first placed his hand on her back and started to move her away into the corner that it might have been worst than she had thought. Even the news on the flight had said he'd only been hit in the shoulder.

"Mike's still in surgery. They want to clear the bullet, but it seems that he hit his head pretty hard on the step and they have detected some bleeding on the brain."

"What?" Connie shook her head. "I don't-"

Lupo started to move her toward the lifts. "It seems that he pushed Alex Cabot out of the way and somehow." Lupo paused and shrugged his shoulders as the lift doors opened. "I'll take you up."

The first person that Connie saw was Jack; next him was Alex Cabot, her arm in a sling. She knew that Mike and the gunman had been the only ones shoot so that meant that Alex must have hurt herself when she was pushed out of the way. 'It didn't seem fair, Mike could have brain damage and Alex's arm was in a sling.' Connie knew it wasn't her fault, it wasn't even fair to think it, but she couldn't stop herself.

"Connie." Jack jumped to his feet and gave her a small tight hug. "Here," he said as he guided her into his chair. "I tried to call."

"I turned my phone off at the airport ..." Connie stopped and started to feel around in the pockets of the jacket she didn't realize she was still wearing. She felt lost and she was sure she looked it. "I don't know what I did with it."

"It's okay," Jack said as he placed his hand over hers. "You're here."

The room fell into silence for a few minutes and it was the ringing of Lupo's phone and his request to Alex that she give her statement that dragged Connie back to the world around her.

"She thinks it's her fault," Jack said once Lupo and Alex were at the lifts.

"Mike knew something wrong," Connie said. "And he wouldn't have wanted Alex to take the fall."

"He said he went to see you."

"Yes." It was the first time Connie remembered smiling since Dekker had entered her office that morning. Suddenly a thought entered Connie's head. "When-"

"This morning." Jack cut her off. "I am guessing things went well. He wanted to know who he should talk to if he was relocating to LA." Jack explained. "He thought private law might be best."

'Mike in a private firm?' Connie thought to herself. "He can't leave New York." She turned to the doors that lead into god knows what. "He's worked too hard."

"I think he wanted you to know what was more important, that he didn't expect you to give anything up."

"There isn't anything for me in LA." A horrible thought crossed her mind. 'What if there wasn't anything for her here. What if Mike was gone?'

"I think the attraction to LA is you," Jack said.

"I shouldn't have moved home."

"You couldn't have stopped this, Mike couldn't have stopped this. You know that no matter how much we try, we'll never stop the crazies." Jack paused for a moment. "Or heartbroken fathers."

Just at that moment, a short woman with a dark completion and almost black hair pushed through the doors. She paused her gaze coming to rest on them; Connie felt the urge to stand, but she guessed the doctor could equally be here for the couple sitting quietly on the opposite side of the room. In the end, the doctor stood in between them. "Mrs Cutter," She said in a low voice.

At that, Connie stood, with Jack at her shoulder. "No. His not married." Connie couldn't think of what else to say.

"His hospital records have a Mrs Elaine Cutter listed." The doctor flicked back to the chart in her hand.

"That was his mother, she passed away three years ago," Connie explained

"Are you his next of kin?"

Connie's hands tightened at around herself as she opened her but nothing came out and she felt Jack pushed himself forward. "I am," he said with confidence.

"Okay," the doctor started, her focus now solely on Jack. "Mr Cutter sustained a shot a gunshot wound to his left shoulder. We were able to remove the bullet and there shouldn't be any long-term damage. In addition, when he fell he suffered significant impact to his skull, this has resulted in a fractured that is running along the lower half of the Parietal bone." The doctor waited and continued when she wasn't asked any questions. "We detected a small amount of bleeding on the brain."

"What does that mean?" Connie asked.

"Unfortunately, we don't know. The brain can be difficult, we really won't know if this has had any permanent impact until he wakes up." The doctor tried to explain.

"When will that be?" Connie asked her tone now a little desperate. "Can we see him?" She didn't wait for a respond to her first question.

"Mr Cutter wasn't conscious when he was brought in, we are hoping that he will regain consciousness in the next 24-hours."

"Hoping? What if he doesn't?" Connie didn't like what she was hearing, nothing she had been told answered any questions, they didn't know any more than when the doctor has started talking to them.

"It is just wait and see at the moment." The doctor placed her hand on Connie's arm. "He'll be out of recovery and in a room in the next two hours." Again she checked the chart. "He'll be on level 6 if you want to check into the nurses station they can direct you to a waiting room and get you when he is settled." She turned back to Jack. "They will also want some information from you."

"Yes. Thank you Doctor...?" Jack held out his hand

"Rimming, Linda Rimming," She said taking his hand, "I will be in to check on Mr Cutter once he has settled."

xXxXxXxXx

Thank you for reading. I will have the net part out very soon (not years)