Work Text:
‘Arrest him… Your Honor, my detectives are here to rearrest the defendant.’
‘On what charges?’
‘The murder of Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Cabot.’
After connecting several homicides and an attempted murder to the same gun, finally Casey could get her predecessor some justice. She never knew Alex all that well, their offices having been on the same floor while they worked different departments, but they were there for each other when they needed it. She was terrified to take on her role just over a year ago, that she might be putting herself in danger too, that she’d never live up to the hopeless expectations set by Alex, the Teflon Ice Queen that she was. She was back at her office when she got the call that would change everything.
‘Novak, Sex Crimes? … Yes sir, I’ll be right up.’
Casey being called to Branch’s office was nothing new. She was slowly learning how to make the rules work in her favor, not necessarily bending them… But certainly manipulating them, just a little. SVU was a world of grey stuck in the black-and-white of the law, and sometimes putting the bad guys away meant having to blur those lines a little. When she knocked on the door and walked in, she didn’t recognise the other suit sitting at the table, who stood up when she entered.
‘Casey, this is—’
‘Agent Hammond, DEA.’
She reached out to shake his hand but he stood, stony faced with furrowed brows and she meekly brought her arm back down. She couldn’t be in this much trouble, surely?
‘… What’s going on?’
‘I’ve already spoken to Cragen at the 1-6, and I’ll say the same thing to you as I did to him. You call me up to testify at Liam Connors’ trial for the murder of Alex Cabot… I’m not gonna ruin my career by committing perjury. Is that understood?’
Casey’s eyes widened as she realised, ‘… She’s alive? How…? … You… You put her in witsec…’
He remained expressionless as he made his exit, not even acknowledging the questions she just asked him directly, or the five million more etched on her face. She looked over to Branch, still seated,
‘Did you know about this?!’
‘For about five minutes now.’
She slumped herself down into the nearest chair at the table, shaking her head ‘… What the hell have I done here?’
‘I think the more important question is, how the hell are you gonna fix it?’
She bit her lip, ‘I don’t know…’
‘Well you better think of somethin’, quick.’
She racked her brain, thoughts flashing at a million miles a second, leaning on the table by her elbows and burying her face in her hands for a moment before looking back up, ‘Think we could get a new indictment on the books for tomorrow? No loss of liberty between murder and attempted murder charges.’
‘Can’t hurt. Better get on it.’
After spending the better part of her evening rushing around the courthouse, she managed to secure another hearing with Judge Preston for tomorrow afternoon. Cutting it a bit fine considering she’d already been chewed out in her courtroom earlier that day, after the grand jury ran 15 minutes late with the original indictment when an attempt was made on a witnesses’ life. Not just any witness, but a little kid, Antonio. Nearly killed by the same gun that killed – no – nearly killed, Alex too.
That’s what got her into this mess in the first place. He was going to get away with it before she forced Olivia and Elliott to rearrest Connors in the courtroom, and now she was about to bring them down with her. Agent Hammond might have been afraid of committing perjury, but they already did, and they had no idea. She picked up her cellphone, preparing to eat a truckload of humble pie.
‘Cragen, it’s Novak… I’ve just spoke with Agent Hammond at the office, and… Yeah, yeah he told me… Listen, Benson and Stabler, they— … Uh huh… What?!’
They knew. They knew she was alive, this whole time, and humility turned quickly to frustration. Suddenly it was October 2003 again, and she was being sidelined and belittled at every turn by two detectives she barely knew that loved throwing their weight around and hated her for not being Alex. It wore off quickly as the gruelling nature of their jobs almost forced them to bond, but she still felt like, and deep down pretty much knew, that she was second best, and that’s all she ever could be. But obviously she could never accuse them of preferential treatment, given that her comparator was dead. Except she wasn’t, and they knew that. She’d come a long way in herself since then, made the job her own, getting victims the justice they deserved. Like hell was she going to go back to that place now.
‘I want them in my office, tomorrow.’ She hung up, throwing her cell phone onto the couch.
She was struggling to wrap her head around her grief now. Not dead, but may as well be. She already mourned for Alex, cried alongside most of the office at her funeral over a year ago. She thought back to the cops she saw back then. Stoic, almost intimidatingly so. She didn’t know who they were at the time, she thought it was a little off that they didn’t once show any emotion… It was those two. This whole time, they knew.
All her doubts about taking her role, the thought of filling a dead woman’s shoes, it was all for nothing. Those foundations of fear that she built her career in this department on were a fallacy.
Yet another restless night before she reached her office the next morning. That was when her eyes widened as she spotted her, in the hallway next to the conference room, flanked by two suits. Hammond and another man. Her hair was longer, her stature humbled. She wasn’t the woman she knew, but she was alive. Alive, but, in New York…
‘… Alex…?’ She turned to face her. It really was her. That really was her face. In New York. ‘What… What’re you… Oh my God…’
‘Good to see you too, Novak. I like the hair.’
‘You… You really shouldn’t be here...’
‘Heard about the case, I want to help.’
‘But, if they see you, If Connors sees you…’
‘He’s taken enough from me already. He’s not going to take my conscience, too.’
Casey smiled at her as she took it all in, ‘Okay…’ giving herself a beat to pull herself together before she continued, ‘In that case, uh… I gotta couple things to go over with you before we head to court with the new indictment, but I gotta call to make first… Conference room’s free, if you wanna make yourself at home? Coffee’s pretty bad in there, but…’
‘Sure... I always preferred the tea anyway.’
‘… Right.’
When they arrived a while later, Casey decided to leave Olivia and Elliott in her office for a just little longer as she worked with Alex in the conference room, starting to put together her testimony. Checking her watch, Casey had to stop them for now before they got into too much detail.
‘We’ll get back to this later, I gotta get some stuff from my office before we head to court…’ She rose from her chair and Alex quickly followed, ‘… You might wanna come too, actually, got some people up there that would wanna say hi, I think.’
That got the attention of the two suits in the room. They obviously didn’t have the same flair for dramatics.
She looked between the two of them before turning her attention back to Alex, ‘Benson and Stabler… I might’ve left them in there to stew a little…’ She smirked ever so briefly, ‘I just… I can’t believe they didn’t tell me you were alive, this whole time.’
She knew they had all been close, perhaps not in the same way that they were with her, and that they’d probably appreciate the little reunion, even if she was still mighty pissed off with them. They were in as much trouble as she was, and she might be angry, but she wasn’t that cold-hearted.
That made Alex chuckle a little, ‘They really did keep their promise… Warrants a little drama I think.’
They smiled knowingly at each other before leaving the room and heading down the hall. Casey took a beat before swinging the door to her office open.
‘… We work together, you should’ve trusted me.’
‘We made a promise.’
‘You hung me out to dry in court.’
‘… We gonna need lawyers?’
‘I hope not.’
Casey could tell that Alex was loving putting on a show as she walked through the door. Their little plan for the courtroom was going to go down a treat. She couldn’t help but smile, just a little, as she watched on.
‘… Alex…’
‘You didn’t have to come back?’
‘I know… But who else is gonna getcha out of trouble?’
Witnessing their dynamic threw her a little. The cases they dealt with that she never knew a thing about, the secrets shared… It was a history she’d never be able to comprehend. She still found herself deferring to comparing herself to Alex when she wasn’t actively trying to stop herself from doing so.
‘Before everyone gets reacquainted, they’re waiting for us in court.’
With a new indictment secured, and not without a little dramatic showboating on their part as Alex entered the courtroom through the authorised personnel door, they now had another problem: Antonio was terrified, and was too scared to testify after having a nightmare. Watching on as Alex talked him down, Casey saw a softer side to her she never witnessed during their years in the office.
‘I got shot… Just like you.’
‘By the Ghost?’
‘Yes, and I have to go to court, too.’
‘Are you scared?’
‘A little… I get scared that he might try and hurt me again… But then I remember that I have friends to protect me, just like you do, and it makes me feel safe…’
She really didn’t know this woman at all. ADA Alexandra Cabot would never admit to being scared. Even in her final days – or what she thought were her final days – she trembled, she stuttered, she was in fear for her life. But never, not even once, did she admit to being scared.
Antonio went home with Detective Sandoval, leaving Alex still in Casey’s office.
‘We should keep preparing my testimony.’
‘Y’know, we’ve gone over all my questions, I think you’re ready.’
‘Are you?’
Even Alex doubted her ability, she thought, and they didn’t even know each other anymore. She couldn’t let herself go back there.
‘… Casey, I’m sorry, that was… Outta line.’
Maybe not. Having to stop thinking like a prosecutor for all this time, the memories flooding back the minute she set foot in that building, Casey couldn’t even begin to imagine what was going through her head.
‘It’s gotta be hard being on that side of the desk…’
Alexandra Cabot was very much alive, but the one Casey was familiar with got lost along the way. The one she was comparing herself to, the one she was so afraid of not being able to live up to in everyone else’s eyes. That’s who was gone. The woman in front of her now, she needed her help. And she had to do whatever it took to get her justice. She had to keep reminding herself of that fact as she led Alex through her testimony at the trial the next day.
‘Finally, Ms Cabot, would you describe for the jury what happened after you were shot?’
‘I woke up in the hospital, the Marshalls were there. They told me that I was dead, officially. And that the only way they could keep me alive was in witness protection.’
‘Thank you. Your witness.’
They had the jury wrapped around her finger, she thought. Then it went to cross. She didn’t even need to remind Alex of the advice she used to give her own witnesses: keep your answers short, don’t give them anything you haven’t already told the prosecution.
Or maybe she did need a reminder, as she began to goad Connors from the witness stand, riling him up enough for him to burst into a verbal frenzy, openly threatening her, and forcing a recess. Casey furrowed her brow in confusion, listening in as Alex recalled information that could only have come from his file… That she shouldn’t know about… Unless…
‘Who gave you the file?’
Casey caught up to Alex outside the courtroom during the recess. Alex kept her gaze fixed on the floor, this really wasn’t the same person in front of her. Was that the famous Alexandra Cabot, feeling… Shame? Regret? Or was it just pride well disguised?
If she could give Casey two guesses as to who let her in on the information that she had, she would nail it.
‘Which one of them?’
‘… Olivia.’
‘You should’ve told me. Stating facts not in evidence?! Prior bad acts?! You could’ve tanked the whole trial! You know that!’
‘… I’m sorry. I just wanted to know what makes him tick… I can’t stop thinking like a prosecutor… I wanted to get justice.’
Casey felt the years of frustration finally boil over, ‘For who?! Who was that for in there, exactly?! For Antonio? His parents? The countless others this guy’s hurt?! Or did you just want all the glory for yourself again?’
Alex froze. Casey was expecting a sparring match, to go toe-to-toe with an equal. Give her a chance to justify herself if she riled her up enough. Thinking she had witnessed just a glimmer of the old Alex in there, that her fire and passion were returning home to her, she forgot, again, that woman was long gone. She already mourned for her. This was a victim now standing in front of her, that she had just berated in the middle of the courthouse, taking all her insecurities out on her. Maybe she did have a cold heart.
‘God, Alex… I’m so sorry… My turn to be outta line, I guess.’
‘… I can’t imagine how tough this has been. SVU it’s… It’s not like the others.’
‘You could say that.’
‘From what they’ve told me, you’re doing great. And as much as I wish it was still me in there trying that bastard, it sounds like the place is in safe hands.’
Casey smiled at the reassurance, ‘Thanks… I’m so sorry, it’s…. It’s gotta be rough. What you’re going through…’
‘It’s not all bad, y’know, I gotta good job, friends… Even gotta house… With a whole garden.’
Casey chuckled, ‘Gotta be nice out in Ass-Fuck-Nowhere, Colorado.’
Alex let out a loud, genuine laugh, it was almost unexpected, ‘Yeah it has its perks, it’s not the same as the city though… And uh, Wisconsin.’
‘Huh?’
‘Ass-Fuck-Nowhere, Wisconsin.’
Casey nodded, acknowledging the shared vulnerability, ‘Right.’
‘Good news for you… Antonio’s here, I spoke with him, he’s gonna testify.’
‘That’s great… uh, thank you. Sounds like you’ve still got it…’ the doors down the hall swung open, ‘… I gotta get back. You’ll stick around for the verdict?’
‘Wouldn’t miss it for the world.’
Casey closed her eyes as the guilty verdicts poured in that afternoon, letting the relief wash over her for just a brief moment, just letting herself enjoy what was probably one of her biggest wins to date. She was packing up her things as the courtroom emptied out, surprised to still hear a voice behind her,
‘You got a minute, Casey?’
She turned to find Olivia still standing at the front of the gallery.
‘Yeah, what’s up?’
‘I spoke with Alex...’ Of course she did. ‘… Look, she was a really close friend of ours, just like you are now. We might’ve got off to a rocky start, but… None of us ever doubted your ability. Not for a single second. I hope you know that.’
‘Yeah, I know. I thought I was over it all… I guess, seeing her again, kinda brought it all back. That’s on me, I’m sorry.’
‘We were all gonna go for drinks, wondered if you were comin’ with us?’
‘You know what? Why don’t we have somethin’ in the office? Get a couple of bottles in, some food… Might be safer, for Alex I mean.’
Olivia smiled at the thoughtfulness behind the gesture ‘… Sounds good.’
They started to congregate in the halls of the DA’s office a couple of hours later. Casey had managed to source some takeout, appetisers from a local Italian place, and clutched the box as Elliott approached her.
‘What’s this?’
‘Peace offering.’
‘Yeah, Liv told me what happened. Let’s just celebrate tonight, though, huh?’
She smiled ‘Sounds good to me.’
He put an arm around her as they opened the door to the smaller conference room.
‘So remind me counsellor, what was that verdict again?’
‘Guilty on all counts.’
‘I never doubted it’d be anything else.’
…
‘Alex knew just how to press Connors’ buttons.’
‘She’s a great prosecutor.’
‘And you gave her the ammunition.’
Casey pretended not to hear the conversation between the captain and Olivia. They all work in different ways. Now it was over, and they all got what they wanted in the end. Sometimes you just have to let sleeping dogs lie. Elliott began pouring champagne into the cup she was holding.
‘Don’t let me drink too much, penalty phase starts first thing in the morning!’
‘Slam dunk, live a little tonight!’
Movement behind the door.
‘Is that her? Is that her?’
Agent Hammond emerged from the door.
‘… Where’s Alex?’
‘Marshalls are moving her and Antonio to new identities… She asked me to say goodbye.’
Casey’s heart sank with the rest of the room. Not dead, but may as well be.