July 1st 2007
A cold barrel pressed into her back as she walked down the street.
Where's the girl?
She tried to scream but nothing but anxious breaths came out.
Tell me where she is.
Her skin became cold as she tried to speak. Her life flashed before her eyes.
Flash bang a pain tears through her back as she coughs up blood.
Alex thrashes and seizes on the bed waking up Cassie who had been sleeping beside her.
Olivia had started sleeping in the guest room. As much as they wanted to share a bed, it was inappropriate to do so before Cassie's foster care hearing. They realized the social worker might ask Cassie about who stays in the house, and she might say something about them sleeping.
"Mama!" Cassie tried to wake her mother but the Bureau Chief was trapped in a series of fearful dreams.
"MAMA!"
Unable to rouse her mother, Cassie went to get, "LIVIA!"
The detective shot out of bed, wearing her NYPD t-shirt and boxers. She reached n the drawer and grabbed her gun
"Cassie?"
"Mama won't wake up. She keeps flailing."
Olivia ran to Alex's room where she saw what looked like an awful nightmare.
She shook her ADA awake, causing her to scream.
"Alex, it's just me. You had a night terror."
She sighed. "I thought those were gone."
Olivia never knew she had them at all.
"Mama!" Cassie was waiting outside the door.
"Cassie, are you alright?"
"You had a bad dream and I tried to wake you up like you wake me up, but you wouldn't wake up."
"I'm sorry Honey."
She scooped up her daughter.
"Can you stay with us Livia?"
Olivia knew she shouldn't, but she stayed in the bed with Alex and Cassie.
Alex didn't have another night terror. She woke up feeling safe in Olivia's arms.
"Good morning."
"How are you feeling?"
"Much better now. Sorry you had to see that."
"Don't apologize," Olivia told her firmly. "I wish I could have done more."
"You did enough."
"How long have you?"
"They started about two months after the Connors trial." They came from having to relive that night and lose Olivia again; at least that's what Alex thought it was.
And Alex was all alone, except for Antonio, who is gone now.
"Have you seen anyone since you've been back?"
"Not about this," Alex told her. She had seen someone for a couple of months to talk about Olivia and some other issues.
"Maybe you should. Cassie was really scared last night."
Alex nodded. "I'll go."
"Would it be inappropriate if I kissed you right now?"
"Yes," Alex told her bluntly. "But I'd like it anyway."
Their lips met and although it was all too short, they both said what they needed to say using no words at all.
Alex met with Dr. Huang to discuss her symptoms and to get a referral."
He was pleasantly surprised when Alex called him out of the blue. "How have you been Alex?"
"Mostly good, considering my life has been quite a mess."
"Why don't you give me a brief overview about your recent life and then we'll talk about your symptoms."
Alex started off with her new job and how it led to her getting Cassie. Then there was the abduction, the security detail, she and Liv becoming close once more and they're on the verge of getting the final arrest in their double homicide.
"So a lot has gone on in the last few months."
Alex nodded. "It was nothing like what I expected coming home. I thought Liv and I would pick up where we left off. I thought I'd reconnect with my family. I wasn't sure if I was ready to go back to the DA's office, but that's the only thing that actually happened."
"Tell me about your family."
She explained her drama with Graham and her issues with some of her more extended relatives. "Lisa, however, has been really great. I've gotten to see my niece twice and my cousin Tyler wants me to come visit."
"That's great. How's your job?"
It's hectic, especially with Alex in protective custody, but she still oversees the cases and gets her paperwork done. "I haven't gotten back into the courtroom yet. I don't have the time."
"And do you miss it?"
"I used to eat, sleep, and breathe it. It's weird how my life can feel full without it, but I do miss it."
They transitioned into her medical issues. She explained her past issues with insomnia and depression. "They also thought I might have PTSD, but I never found out for sure."
"They could be a symptom of PTSD, or they might just be from stress. How is your sleep when you don't have the terrors?"
"It's fine."
"I would suggest having a consultation with a psychiatrist who specializes in traumatic experiences just to make sure, but I think you just have way too many things stacked on your plate right now and as they get lifted, your symptoms will ease."
Luckily for Alex, her stress levels started to ease that afternoon.
Margaret Greenfield had a press release alongside her lawyer to discuss the case.
"I'm so sorry to hear about my sister's murder and her poor husband. If I had known, I would have come right away."
She made it sound like she had just come back from France, but she had been in the US for almost a year leading up to this. They let her make all of the statements they wanted to the press and when she was about to leave, they came out in arrested her.
The reporters went nuts. They moved on either side of the police, trying to get a word as she got shuffled into the cop car and taken to jail.
"Talk about a perp walk!"
They officially ended the protective detail that evening.
"There's no indication that she's tried to contact anyone else to further the kidnapping." Also there was little reason now it was known that she had no daughter.
Alex came to the 1-6 to thank Munch and Olivia for protecting them and Stabler and Fin for working two men down in their absence.
"If you can make it, I'd love to have you all over for dinner and drinks on Friday."
"And see how the other half lives, how could I pass this up?" Fin wanted to know.
"Can I bring Kathy?"
"Of course."
Elliot thought Olivia would say something about Casey, but she didn't.
Honestly, the detective hadn't thought about her until Casey asked what Olivia wanted to do this Friday.
"Alex invited us over for dinner."
"She invited US for dinne?."
"Well, the whole team, which includes you. She wanted to thank us for our work."
Of course she did. "What time?"
"I think 7:00. Kathy is coming too."
"Great," Casey said through gritted teeth. Just what she wants, dinner at Olivia's ex's place.
The Courthouse
"What do the people request for bail?" Petrovksy asked.
"The people request remand," Steele said coolly.
"Why?"
"She is a flight risk who has been known to operate under aliases, is a threat to her young niece, and has stolen millions do dollars from her father's estate."
"She's not being tried for that," defense counsel argued.
"Her theft is integral in her motive for the murders. She hired a felon to murder her own sister, brother in law, and tried to have their child kidnapped, so she could get even more millions. She has lived in Paris for years and could easily try to hide out there. She has travel documents …"
"Bail is set at 5M, cash or bond, and should she post it, she will need to wear an ankle monitoring device, surrender her passport, and she will refrain from making any contact with Cassie Walter."
"She'll post bail by the end of the day," Alex grumbled when she heard the news.
"Not if her accounts are frozen," Trevor said as he handed her copy of the suit.
Since she had admitted to stealing half of Jessica's inheritance, and that inheritance belongs to Cassie, Trevor sued on her behalf, and requested that her bank accounts be frozen until the matter is adjudicated.
"I'm going for summary judgment." The facts were clear. There was a will. She cheated it. Jessica should have gotten it. Cassie gets what Jessica should have gotten.
"I could kiss you for this," Alex said to Trevor.
"You could, but will you?"
"No."
"Aw."
They finally had Marsh extradited from Connecticut. He was transferred to Rikers' Island where he was given a public defender.
Steele came to see if they would be interested in a plea deal. They didn't need one to convict him, but it would be nice to be able to spare Cassie from having to face him in court.
"What are you offering?"
"Two terms of 25-life to be served consecutively."
"Pahh!" he scoffed. "I'll never get out of here."
"You're facing two counts of capital murder, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, and abducting a state official. On what planet did you think you were ever getting out of here?"
"What's in this for me?"
"Whether you go to maximum or medium security prison, the privileges you have, you will always be locked up, but not all lockups are the same. If you go to trial, you will get the worst of it, guaranteed."
Marsh didn't flinch. "I'll think about it." Time was on his side. The longer this drug out, the better the odds were that something could come through for him.
When Margaret's Greenfield's lawyer came to visit him later that day, he realized he had a shot.
Friday
Kathy couldn't decide what to wear. She was just starting to show and had to limit her options a bit. She kept changing her shirt and asking Elliot what he thought of each one.
"You look great, Honey."
"You say that each time."
"It's still true."
"I just don't want to look frumpy."
"You won't. It's a casual evening. I doubt Alex will be wearing Viva Wang."
"Vera Wang."
"Whoever."
Eventually, Kathy settled on a green sleeveless shirt that hugged her body nicely.
"Now let's get to it."
When they got to Alex's apartment, Munch and Fin were already there.
"Kathy, Elliot, welcome." Alex had on a simple yellow sundress, and she looked lovely in it.
Munch had Cassie on his lap and Fin was nursing a beer.
"Olivia and Casey are on their way, and …" there was room for one more at the table. Who was the final guest?
"Is Captain coming?"
"He couldn't make it." As an AA sponsor, he had already agreed to go to an engagement.
Olivia came without Casey. "She said she'd be a little late."
The ADA had actually gone to the bar to try and loosen up before the party.
"We can hold dinner until she gets here," Alex said. She made pulled pork because it was easy to prepare, serve, and reheat.
Alex started making cocktails for the newcomers when the doorbell rang again.
"I'll get it." Cassie opened the door. "Uncle Trevor."
She jumped on Langan's leg surprising everyone but Munch.
"How's my favorite client?"
"I'm good."
He handed her a care bear.
"Thank you," she ran to put him with her other toys.
Alex poured Trevor a Scotch neat while he explained how he and Alex knew each other.
"I deemed myself king of the playground when I was in elementary school. If someone had a toy and I wanted it, I took it. I would hog the basketball court. I was basically a nine-year-old little brat.
One day, I wanted to play soccer, but Alex and her friends had the ball. I told her to fork it over and she wouldn't and when I tried to take it from her, she stomped on my foot.
We started fighting in the yard and we got benched for the rest of recess. I thought that it was cool that a little seven year old girl stood up to me, and we've been friends ever since."
"Alex Cabot fighting?" Munch teased.
"I would pretty much fight with Graham every day, so it was second nature to fight at school too."
"Can we play the piano?" Cassie wondered.
"What do you want to play?"
Cassie picked out Scales and Arpeggios. Alex had been teaching her how to play the piano and she could do the first third of the song by herself.
"How are they so cute?" Kathy wondered as they performed together.
Cassie and Alex:
Though it seems at first it doesn't show
Like a tree ability will bloom and grow
If you're smart you'll learn by heart what every artist knows
Your must sing your scales
And your arpeeee ee eeggioooooooooos!
The group clapped happily as Cassie did a little curtsey.
"Can I play your guitar?" Trevor asked; he had left his at home.
"You know where it is." She wasn't going to get it for him.
He went to the closet and took out her Fender.
He started strumming along and Alex matched him on the piano. They had been playing together so long they could anticipate which song the other was going to play and which lyric the other was going to sing.
It was the most unlikely friendship, but it had been forged like the strongest steel.
They started playing Follow Through by Gavin Degraw
Olivia could feel Alex's eyes on her, as she would sing. She would look over her shoulder at the audience, but she always managed to find Olivia's eyes and smile. The detective's heart was pounding.
"Who knew Langan could sing?"
"It's how he appeases his most hostile clients," Alex teased.
"You're a jerk," he told her.
Alex only flashed a cheeky grin and started to play
Alex:
Tale as old as time
True as it can be
Barely even friends
Then somebody bends unexpectedly
To Alex, the song described her and Olivia perfectly. They could barely work together at all and suddenly, something snapped for them and neither of them were ready for the abundance of love that came pouring out of them. She knew it was risky, but her heart was calling out to Olivia right now and she was sure her voice was betraying her.
Olivia was holding Cassie in her lap. She knew what she wanted, what she needed. She just had to take her time and let it happen. She wanted to rush the piano and kiss Alex right now but she couldn't.
Munch, Fin, and Elliot could all tell that Alex and Olivia weren't done yet. How wil Casey handle it?
The doorbell rang.
John opened it, and Casey had finally arrived. "Sorry I'm late." She hadn't gotten her work for the day done, and her Bureau Chief made her stay late. It was like getting detention.
"We can eat!" Fin was ready for food.
To go with the pulled pork, Alex had slider buns, crispy shallots, mac and cheese and a roasted veggie and quinoa salad. She wanted something healthy to go with the other food.
"I still remember when you set the kitchen on fire," Olivia told her.
"That was your fault," Alex retorted.
"Was not!"
"Was too!"
"How did you set the kitchen on fire?" Elliot questioned.
"Well, the PG version is I was making breakfast and Olivia decided to distract me, and I didn't manage to turn the stove all the way off. By the time I realized the stove was still on, it was in flames."
"I don't remember distracting you," Olivia teased.
"You're a fibber."
"And how did she distract you?" Trevor teased.
Not in front of the kid.
"With yoga," Alex said.
"Mom and Dad liked yoga too!" Cassie called out.
"I'm sure they did."
"Do you and Livia do yoga?"
Alex turned bright red.
Trevor couldn't stop laughing.
"Why do I get the feeling they don't actually mean yoga?" Munch said dryly.
Casey glared at Olivia who shrugged.
"I don't even know what they're talking about."
"Cassie, do you want to go swimming tomorrow?"
"Yeah."
"It's a plan."
"You wouldn't use diversionary tactics with your child," Trevor teased, "would you?"
"If you want to be a father some day, you will be quiet."
Their pointed banter was a surprise to most of the room.
After a bedtime story from Uncle John John, Cassie was ready for bed.
"Good night Cassie."
"Night Mama!"
Alex tucked her in and then proceeded to start making drinks for her guests.
"Why did Cassie keep asking about yoga?" Stabler wanted to know.
Alex laughed. "Well, I assume her parents were like mine. If I accidentally walked in on them in bed, they would say they were doing yoga. It wasn't until I was around 11 or so that I realized they just meant sex."
"Yoga?" Fin questioned.
"Most kids don't know what yoga really is, so it works."
It was more of a tame dinner party. They couldn't get too loud with Cassie asleep in the next room, but it nice having drinks and actually being able to hear each other.
Trevor bowed out around 10PM. "I have a date."
"Booty calls don't count as dates," Alex retorted.
"We're meeting at the club first, so it's not a booty call."
"It is if you don't stay at the club for at least an hour."
About 20 minutes after he left, Kathy and Elliot called it a night and then Olivia and Casey and then Fin and Munch.
Before he left Munch said, "Don't give up on her yet."
"I won't."