A/N Yay again another one, i have Chapter 16 already typed and I'm on to 17 now, sorry i havent posted in a bit, i was having my lip pierced...it hurt so bad and my parents weren't happy, but ah well, anyway I've been watching L&O wiht my sister (she actually wants to watch it wiht me after ages of teasing me for it) anyway, i hope you enjoy and please R&R
It had been a fun day for Ilsa, even though she was now home alone, Josh had had a great time at his birthday Olivia and Captain Cragen had even managed to stop by and wish him a 'happy birthday' and he loved the presents he had been given, especially the puppy, It was Sam's night with their son, and although neither Josh nor Ilsa wanted to leave, Ilsa needed to get home and get some sleep for the coming day. She was supposed to meet Casey for a day on the town.
Ilsa was snuggled in bed, cocooned in the blankets and with her trusty teddy nestled to her chest, she was in that place between being awake and deep in sleep, her breathing slow and deep as she drifted off to dreamland, she was almost out cold.
Ilsa's eyes shot open as a knock sounded through the still night air "Who the fuck…" she mumbled sleepily, taking a look at the bedside clock she decided to ignore the knocking 'who in their right mind knock on someone's door at 1:30 in the morning' she thought as she shifted under her blankets to get comfortable again, sighing contently as she found a comfortable spot.
Knock knock! Ilsa groaned and sat up, feeling incredibly irritable at being woken up when she had finally been able to fall asleep without problems. She threw the blankets off in a huff and reached to her bedside table and grabbed her gun, slowly she touched her feet to the ground and made her way to her front door.
Leaning up against the door, she leaned to look through the peephole "What the fuck" she muttered harshly. She opened the door and saw a very dishevelled ADA Casey Novak on the other side. Casey smiled when she saw Ilsa.
"Hey you!" she yelled and threw her arms around Ilsa, Ilsa didn't move just patted Casey's shoulder.
"Uh…Hi" she answered awkwardly 'what is she doing at my apartment in the middle of the night?' she asked herself, quickly getting an answer when she smelt the alcohol on her friends breath.
"Casey what are you doing here?" Ilsa asked as she gently pulled the ADA off of her.
"I just wanted to see my friend and introduce you to one of mine" Casey said, her words slurred.
"Um…" Ilsa wasn't feeling to articulate at this point in time "Who did you want me to meet, and why at one thirty in the morning?"
Casey tugged her friends hand "Come on, I had to tell someone, he's waiting outside"
Ilsa quickly threw on a coat before she went out into the cold night air, and made sure she had her keys in her hand "Casey your drunk!" Ilsa pointed out as they unsteadily made there way outside.
"No I'm not" her friend slurred "I'm just really happy"
Ilsa rolled her eyes and continued to be pulled along, she regretted not putting something on her feet as they hit the cold pavement outside, Ilsa straight away noticed a yellow cab waiting outside, she didn't have a choice about approaching it, Casey wasn't letting go of her hand.
A Man was sitting in the back seat and turned his head as he saw the two women approach
"He didn't do it" Casey slurred happily
"Fascinating!" Ilsa said sarcastically, she was confused about the whole situation "What didn't he do?"
Before she got an answer the man smiled "I didn't know you were going to get a friend to join us, this should be a fun night"
It clicked for Ilsa after that, this guy wasn't a friend "Where did you meet Casey?" Ilsa asked as she pulled the ADA closer to her, trying to stop Casey form falling down on the sidewalk.
"At a bar tonight, she's really into me, if you get my meaning, but I don't mind sharing" his smile was sleazy and Ilsa wanted nothing more then to smack the smile right off his face.
Ilsa glared at the man "Well I don't know what you think is going to happen tonight but she's not going anywhere with you" she said coldly.
The man stiffened in his seat "She already agreed, were going to my place"
"Look at her" Ilsa spat angrily "Does she look like she can agree to anything! She's drunk off her ass!"
The man smiled smugly "Well she's already decided to come back to my place and I have no intention of going home alone"
Ilsa smirked "Well it looks like it's just you and your hand tonight mate because she's staying with me" She pulled Casey to the driver and leaned in the window, reaching into her coat pocket she pulled out a few bills and gave them to him.
The stranger opened the cab door and walk around, he looked angry, like he was going to grab Casey, when Ilsa pulled her gun out and pointed it at him "Look mate, make this easy and just get back in the car"
"Are you crazy bitch!" he yelled as he made his way back around the taxi
"No" she deadpanned "I'm a cop"
With that the man got back into the taxi muttering to himself about bitches and teasing, Ilsa payed him no heed and lead Casey back into the building.
Casey was out of it, the alcohol having finally caught up to her, and she limply made her way back into Ilsa's apartment.
Ilsa opened the door and gently urged Casey inside, closing the door she quickly made her way back to her friends side and led her to the couch
"Casey what's going on?" she asked gently
"He didn't do it" she mumbled her answer
"You said that sweaty" Ilsa said placing her hand on Casey's back she started to rub small comforting circles "What did he do?"
Casey was about to answer, when she quickly placed her hand over her mouth, the universal sign of 'I'm going to blow some chunks'
Ilsa noticed and as quickly as she could with an inebriated attorney made it to her bathroom.
She had Casey by the toilet when the ADA threw up, sadly she didn't have her head over the bowl and it landed on the floor…and Ilsa's feet.
Ilsa raised and eyebrow looked down and shook her head, deciding to ignore it for the minute she held Casey's hair out of the way and rubbed slow circles on her back.
Casey finally stopped vomiting and she lent back, Ilsa grabbed a wash cloth and wet it, pressing it to Casey's forehead, she grabbed a second one and wiped the vomit of her feet and then started on the floor.
"Feeling better?" she asked after she threw cloth in the sink, she'd clean it later…or throw it out which ever was easier.
Casey didn't say anything just nodded her head slowly. Ilsa stood up and reached out for Casey, slowly pulled her to her feet and leading her to the bedroom, she sat Casey on the bed and noticed she was still in one of her suits. Ilsa sighed and went about finding something for the ADA to wear.
She pulled out a spare pair of sweats and an old shirt. She kneeled in front of Casey and smiled, gently she spoke "Here" she said placing the clothing into Casey's hands "For you to change into".
Casey didn't hear a word her head still spinning and Ilsa could tell she was out of it "Oh boy…" Ilsa said looking around the room
"OK lets try do this" she coaxed the jacket off of Casey and hoped that the young woman would regain enough brain function to get the rest of her clothes off…no such luck, Ilsa sighed and started to slowly unbutton her friends blouse, looking to the side, trying to avoid getting an eye full, once the shirt was undone Ilsa pulled it off Casey and went about pulling her spare shirt over her head, she pulled her heels off and placed them at the foot of the bed.
"Right your turn" she said to Casey "I am not putting your pants on for you, I draw the line at pants"
Casey nodded absently and stood up slowly, so she didn't fall down and started to pull her pants off. Wishing her head would stop spinning
"Whoa!" Ilsa exclaimed and threw her hands in the air; she then turned around and covered her eyes. She waited, and waited until she was sure Casey was done, slowly she turned around and saw Casey was sitting on the bed, fully clothed, with her head in her hands.
Ilsa shook her head and collected all her friends' clothes and moved them from the floor, quietly leaving the room she got a glass from the cupboard and filled it with icy water and brought it into her friend.
Casey gratefully accepted the cup and drank slowly from it. Ilsa then placed her hands on the ADA's shoulders and laid her down, dragging the covers over and smiling down at her friend. Ilsa tuned to leave but a hand around her wrist stopped her.
"Please don't go…" she heard a tired and almost asleep Casey whisper
Ilsa softly laughed and sat on the bed, she gently stroked her friends cheek, letting her know she wasn't going to go anywhere right now. Ilsa sat on the edge of her bed, with Casey holding her hand until she saw the rising of her chest and heard the deep breathing, letting her know her friend was in a deep drunken sleep. The young detective pulled her hand free, leaning over and giving her a quick kiss on the forehead she walked out into the living room, plopping herself down on the couch she placed an arm over her eyes and sighed deeply. Hoping to get a few more hours sleep 'what the hell was Casey going on about' she though as she tried to get comfy on her couch 'maybe I can ask her in the morning, if she even remembers tonight, it's a good thing she decided to come to my place in the middle of the night, wouldn't want her going home with some sleaze bag' One final shift on the couch and Ilsa was in a spot where she could fall asleep and she started to drift of again.
***
Casey groaned disapprovingly as she rolled over and covered her face, trying to block out the small streams of light that crept into the room, it was too early to wake up, and she had a massive headache, she felt like her head was going to implode or explode or something like that. She heard a voice coming from somewhere, she sat up and looked around, a bad move on her part when her head started to spin and she felt like throwing up, she flopped back into the bed and grunted, wiling herself not to throw up or pass out she slowly sat up again and looked around the room.
She paused, and blinked a few times and rubbed her eyes, this wasn't her room, this wasn't her bed and these weren't her clothes 'what happened last night?' she asked herself, looking at the bedside table she saw a glass of water and some aspirin, she picked up the pills and looked at them, her head pounded and she decided to at least attempt to get rid of it, slowly she placed the pills in her mouth and swallowed. She stood up, hearing noises coming from another room in the strange apartment. She slowly placed her feet on the ground and stood on shaky legs. Making her way to the door she wondered outside the bedroom.
She poked her head around and looked into the lounge room, wondering whose place she was at.
"Morning sleeping beauty" Casey heard the unmistakable accent ring out across the room
slowly she turned and saw Ilsa with a smile on her face "Did you take the pills?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.
Casey nodded, and then regretted it as her head began to spin; Ilsa walked over and placed a hand gently on her friends shoulder.
"Are you feeling ok? You were pretty out of it last night" Ilsa said as she led Casey to the couch and gently sat her down, she walked off and grabbed a glass filling it with some orange juice she walked back to Casey and handed her the glass "You might not want to but try drink some"
The ADA placed the glass to her lips and took a small sip before she cleared her throat "what uh what happened last night?" she asked uncertainly
Ilsa chuckled "I was hoping you could tell me, you really tied one on last night"
Casey gave her a confused look, Ilsa just smiled back and continued "I don't now what you did, you rocked up at my place in the middle of the night and I wasn't about to let you leave when you can barely walk"
Casey blushed and looked away, she didn't remember coming to Ilsa's apartment, she remembered going to a bar after work because she had had a bad day, a really bad day, bad was an understatement to her.
"Oh my god…I don't even remember last night" Casey said hiding her face in her hands
Ilsa let out a soft chuckle and rubbed Casey's back "its ok, hopefully it'll come back you to, but until such a time, what would you like for breakfast?"
Casey groaned, the thought of breakfast was not one she wanted right now.
"With that groan I take it you don't want anything to eat" Casey nodded her head
"How about some toast and coffee, you don't have to eat anymore, but try eat something" Ilsa stood and walked into the kitchen and got to work making some coffee and toast for her friend.
Casey made her way in and saw her friend, taking in the kitchen she smiled, Ilsa had her back to her but she could tell she was eating something "So how's that coffee coming?" she asked
Ilsa turned, and smiled sheepishly as she placed the bowl she was holding down, swallowing the cereal in her mouth "Almost ready, even on a day off you're impatient" Ilsa joked, Turning she pulled down two cups and then headed to the fridge and pulled out the milk.
She finished making the coffee and handed a cup to Casey; Casey couldn't help but let out a happy sigh as she swallowed the warm liquid.
Ilsa handed Casey a plate with some toast on it and motioned with her head to an array of spreads "if you want anything on it" she said and moved to sit at the small island.
They sat in silence, Ilsa sat down and picked up a book and started to read, Casey slowly ate the toast and drank her coffee.
"So we still on for today?" Ilsa asked not looking up from the book
"Yeah sure, what time were we meant to go?" Casey asked
Ilsa looked at her watch "Lets see it's 9:30 now" she closed her eyes and looked deep in thought "Maybe 11-ish, gives us time to get in and have some lunch"
"So who am I meeting?" Casey asked nonchalantly
Ilsa smiled "Nice try Novak, you'll know when you meet them, so I think I've waited long enough time to remember, what happened last night"
Casey groaned and walked over to the couch trying to avoid this convocation
"ok if you cant remember I'll try help, you went out got drunk and rocked up at my place last night, why did you go drinking" Ilsa said as she sat next to her friend
Casey groaned "I lost a case yesterday…" she said sadly
Ilsa placed a hand gently on her shoulder "I'm sorry sweetie, is that why you were drinking?"
Casey nodded her head, she remembered now, remembered why she had gone out, though she couldn't remember what compelled her to say she would go home with that man.
"Its what people kept saying after I lost" she mumbled, she seemed depressed, Ilsa moved a little closer
"Come on" she said softly "You can tell me"
Casey shook her head again, she didn't really want to talk about it
"Yes you can come on, if you cant trust me who can you trust?" Ilsa's voice was soft and comforting "look talking to me is like confessional with a priest, No one else will ever know"
Casey chuckled then sighed "I heard people talking about it, they kept saying 'Alex Cabot would have won' and other stuff like that"
"Is that what you meant when you said he didn't do it?"
Casey covered her face and nodded "I was just so tired of it" Ilsa could see Casey was getting upset so she pulled her closer, letting her friend rest her head on her shoulder
"I'm sick of being told I'm not as good as her, I feel like I cant even compete, everyone loved her and I'm just some replacement who cant match up to the great 'Alex Cabot' I'm always compared to her ghost…He couldnt compare me to her, he doesn't know who she is..."
"You are her replacement though" Ilsa said, Casey pulled her head back and looked shocked…and hurt
"No Casey what I mean is you replaced her as a lawyer not as a person, you have your own way of doing things, so did she, don't ever feel like your less of a person or a lawyer because of that" Ilsa smiled and cupped Casey's cheek "If it makes you feel any better…you the best ADA I've ever worked with and I wouldn't trade you for anyone"
Casey let out a soft chuckle , but then groaned and hid her face in her hands "I cant believe I almost went home with that guy"
"Good thing you came by my place first, though I don't know why" Ilsa said
Casey sighed "I don't know why I came by, but thank you for not letting me go home with that creep"
"Anytime I wouldn't never let you go home with some guy, but I think the reason you came by my place is because when your drunk you get totally horny for me" She said with a cheeky smile
Casey's mouth dropped opened and she picked up a pillow that was sitting on the couch and smacked Ilsa in the face "ILSA!" she yelled a light blush creeping over her cheeks
"You know it's true don't deny it Casey, every time you get drunk you seek me out, I'm starting to think you really want me"
Casey laughed and hit Ilsa again, she was happy that Ilsa could make her forget that she had been so upset the previous night, that Ilsa could make her laugh and smile…
"I have to say Casey you're a very beautiful woman, I'm flattered really" Ilsa said with a lopsided grin
Casey threw the pillow at Ilsa's face this time "Try keep it in your pants" she said still laughing
Ilsa sighed theatrically "A girl can dream cant she" she joked as she stood up and went to take Casey empty cup out.
Casey curled up on the couch and shook her head, wondering if it was at all possible for Ilsa to take anything seriously, she looked around the room, taking it in, she saw a few pictures scattered around and got up to look, she grabbed frame and looked at the picture inside.
"What ya doin?" Ilsa asked as she walked back in
Casey turned and looked like a dear caught in the head lights "I was um…looking at the pictures" Casey placed the frame back down
"Who is it?" she asked still looking, it was a photo of a woman leaning on a wooden fence with a little girl sitting on it next to her, the little girl was wearing a hat way to big for her and had a huge grin on her face, the woman looked tired and they were covered in dirt and dust but they still looked so happy.
Ilsa sighed but smiled "That's my mum and me" she said sadly
"Where was it taken" Casey asked softly
"Back home, I was so happy she was taking me with her, we took that picture after we finished work, it had been a long day but I couldn't have been happier"
"Your mom was really pretty, you look a lot like her…" Casey said seeing it was a tender topic for her friend, and as she looked at the woman in the picture and the one across the room, the resemblance was incredible, from the same green eyes and mousy blond hair to the smile.
Ilsa smiled "Thanks"
"So where was home?"
"We lived on a cattle ranch, it was fun until my…'father' made us move"
"Do you know why he did?" Casey asked walking closer to her friend
"I think he was from New York and came to Australia for a trip met me mum and she fell in love, he wasn't around a lot which was good, I was happy with my mum and my brother, he came back one day and said we were moving and just like that I'm saying goodbye to everyone and thing I know, to move to a big city I've never even heard of"
"You never asked where he was from?"
Ilsa snorted "When we got here I wanted as little to do with him as I could, made my life a living hell"
"Hey we don't have to talk about this…" Casey offered a way out of the conversation
"I guess I've just been feeling a little home sick, haven't been there for a long time you know, I'm really missing my family"
Casey took Ilsa's hand and lead her to the couch "So tell me about it 'life on the farm'"
Ilsa chuckled, she didn't talk about her life a lot, but it felt nice to talk to Casey about it.
"It's fun, you know riding horses and cows-"
"Riding cows?" Casey asked confused
Ilsa smiled "I always wanted to ride a cow, and I got to while I lived there, my mum even helped me get up on it"
Casey could see a glint in her friends eyes as she reminisced about her life back home.
Ilsa looked at her watch and smiled "I'm going to go jump in the shower, don't go snooping around anymore" she warned as she walked off.
Casey smiled and watches as Ilsa disappeared into the bathroom and looked around, finding the remote she switched the TV on, changing the channel over and over again hoping to find something good.
She heard the water stop running and a few minutes later heard the door open, a freshly showers Ilsa walked out with a smile on her face, wearing a pair of dark jeans and a grey shirt with the slogan 'down under' on it and a silhouette of a kangaroo next to it. She was drying her hair with a towel
"Nice shirt" she commented with a smile
Ilsa threw the towel at Casey "Damn right it's a nice shirt, brings out my girlish figure"
Casey quickly threw the towel on the floor and laughed at what her friend said, though yes it did bring out her figure Casey wasn't about to agree.
"Um do you mind if I take a shower?" she asked
Ilsa flopped on the couch next to her and rolled a pair of socks on "Nah go for it, you can go through my clothes to find something to wear to, I don't mind"
"I'm not going to find anything bad am I?" Casey teased as she walked to the bathroom
"Only if you look in the very bottom draw!" Ilsa called after her wiht a smile
After half an hour Casey was out and was looking through her friends clothes to find something to wear, the pulled out a pair of pants she hoped would fit her and took a random shirt to, putting them on she joined her friend in the lounge room, she saw Ilsa staring at the photo she had picked up earlier.
"You ok?" Casey asked walking over
Ilsa nodded "Uh yeah, just thinking, you know" Ilsa bit her bottom lip to stop from getting to emotional.
"I guess if were shopping I have to take my car, wouldn't want the bags flying off my bike" Ilsa said as she grabbed her things and opened the door "After you" she said bowing as Casey walked past.
"And they say chivalry is dead" Casey said as she stepped out and waited for Ilsa to locked the door
"Eh stick with me long enough and you'll see its very much alive" Ilsa said as they walked off…
A/N Hope you enjoyed R&R next chapater up soon :D