(no subject)
Casey shifted nervously in her seat. She hated airports. They made you rush to arrive early only to be kept waiting on seats that made cement seem comfortable. She knew she needed to relax and the cramp she was getting just from sitting upright on the hard chair was not helping.
She shifted again and gazed out over the runway, thinking back over everything that had led her to this moment.
It had been nearly two years since she’d last seen the blonde. When Alex called and invited her to dinner out of the blue, Casey accepted out of complete curiosity.
They engaged in idle chitchat for a while, avoiding everything to do with work until Alex finally laid it all out at a lull in the conversation.
“I’m leaving SVU.” She said.
Casey’s eyes widened slightly. “Are you going back to Appeals?”
“No.”
Casey waited as Alex took a slow sip of her wine.
The blonde spoke again. “I’m joining a newly formed taskforce with the International Criminal Court. I’ll be prosecuting crimes of sexual violence in areas of conflict.”
Casey’s eyes widened again. “Wow.”
Alex nodded. She gazed at the redhead as if considering her next move. “I’ve heard through the grapevine that you’ve kind of been bouncing from job to job. No one’s really heard from you in quite some time.”
The redhead sighed and looked away. “Yeah well… It’s not like I can really show my face there anymore.”
“I’m sure you’re wondering why I called you.”
Casey turned back to her.
“I want you to come with me.”
Casey snorted. “In case you’ve forgotten, I’m not exactly a lawyer anymore.”
Alex shook her head. “Come as a volunteer.” Blue eyes gazed intently at her. “As a friend.”
“Sorry I’m late.” Alex smiled as she took a seat by the redhead. “Cab got stuck in traffic.”
Casey snapped out of her daze and managed a smile as she turned to the other woman. “I’ve only been here about fifteen minutes anyway.”
Alex nodded a little. “Did you check on the flight?”
“Should be right on time.”
“Good.” Alex breathed out, finally settling back in her seat, her gaze turning to the runway. She sighed softly. “That month went by a lot faster than I expected it to.”
Casey nodded. “It really did.”
At first, Casey had politely declined. Alex had said she understood but there was something in her eyes that stuck with the redhead and it was that look that caused her to pick up the phone two nights later.
“Why me?” Casey asked. “Is it just because I don’t have a job?”
“You’re good with the victims.” Alex said quietly.
“I thought I wasn’t going to be a lawyer.”
“No, but you can help me. Go with me to talk to people. Help me convince them to testify.”
Casey sensed that there was something Alex wasn’t saying. “Why don’t we talk over dinner again?”
Casey sighed and rose from her seat. Alex sat forward a little and looked up at her.
“I’m gonna go grab a coffee. Do you want anything?” Casey asked.
“A hot tea would be nice, please.” Alex smiled.
Casey nodded and walked away. She wasn’t really in the mood for coffee but she found that she needed to walk around, stretch her legs a bit. They’d be on that flight for more hours than she’d care to think about. She needed to get the jitters out before they boarded.
She groaned softly to herself when she spotted the line and checked her watch. They still had an hour until take off anyway. She took her place behind a couple with a wriggling, fussy toddler and silently prayed that kid would not end up on their flight.
“This is a big decision.” Casey said after they’d ordered and no longer had the menus to distract them.
“I know.”
“Why me?”
Alex gazed across the table at her and Casey detected a timidity there that she’d never have expected from the blonde.
“Alex, if you want me to do this, we’re going to have to be on the same wavelength.” Casey said gently. “I may not know you well, but I know you have a lot of friends… or at least acquaintances. We haven’t talked in nearly two years. Was I your first choice?”
Alex looked away. “Yes.”
“Why?”
Casey placed her order and stepped aside, drumming her fingers lightly on the counter as she waited. She was pleased when their drinks appeared quickly and she grabbed a few sugars, tucking them into her pocket before snatching the drinks and heading back to Alex.
The blonde looked up and smiled as she approached and Casey handed her the cup and a couple packets of sugar. She prepared her coffee and heard the blonde sigh beside her as she took her first sip of tea.
“This is just what I needed.” Alex said. “Thank you.”
Alex scanned the restaurant before finally looking back at her. “Because I think you need a purpose as much as I do. We’ve both lost our footing in this world. We’ve made our mistakes. We’ve paid our prices. It’s time for us to move on to bigger things.”
Casey searched her eyes, the answer startling her. After a moment, she shook her head slightly. “I withheld evidence. I was disbarred. I made a choice.” She met bright blue eyes again. “I won’t pretend to know your mistakes, but I know mine are my own dumb fault.”
Alex looked down at the table. When she lifted her gaze again, her eyes were sad. “I abandoned the team.” She said quietly. “If they had to choose which of us they wanted back now, they’d choose you.”
“Was that us?” Alex asked, brow furrowed as she listened intently for them to repeat the announcement.
Casey waited and nodded. “We’re up.” She snatched her small carry-on bag from the floor and rose from her chair, slinging it over her shoulder, watching as Alex did the same.
They tossed their cups in the trash and got in line, tickets ready.
Casey rocked back and forth on her feet.
“Ready?” Alex asked, smiling over at her.
Casey could see her own nerves reflected in blue eyes. She breathed deeply. “Ready as I’ll ever be.” She replied.
The blonde nodded, looking at the line ahead of them. “At least we’re together.” She said quietly.
They got together with the detectives for drinks the night before. Something hung in the air that Casey couldn’t quite place. It had been a last minute decision to meet up with them. Alex had suggested it and at first Casey was wary, but in the end she realized it was something they both needed to do. If nothing else, maybe they could both leave with a sense of closure.
Conversation had been kept to work talk for the first round of drinks, Casey sitting back quietly, unsure of what to contribute. The detectives seemed to sense it was a touchy subject because no one said much to her.
When the second round came, Olivia finally broached the subject everyone was waiting for.
“I didn’t realize you two talked.” She said, taking a sip of her beer, eyes flicking between the two.
“We got back in touch again recently.” Alex said.
Casey could see the questions in Olivia’s eyes.
“How long ago?” Elliot asked. Olivia looked over at him and Casey sensed that he’d voiced her thoughts as well.
“A month.” The redhead spoke up. “Just after she got the position.” She glanced at the blonde, not sure how much to say. “She knew I needed something to do, so she asked me if I’d like to join her.”
“Will you be prosecuting?” Olivia’s brow furrowed.
“No. Just helping Alex with her cases.”
“Window or aisle?” Alex asked, motioning to their seats.
“Doesn’t matter to me.” Casey said. She smiled slightly. “I’ll probably sleep most of the time anyway.”
Alex laughed softly. “Me too.” She stored her bag above them and slipped into the window seat.
Casey put her bag up and sank down, breathing out a small laugh. “At least these seats are comfortable.”
Alex chuckled. “For airplane seats anyway.”
The redhead smirked a little. “Maybe we shoulda sprung for first class.”
The rest of the night passed in polite conversation. Casey got the strange feeling that this would be the last time she and Alex would ever see the detectives. It wasn’t just a goodbye. It was closing this chapter of their lives completely.
On the sidewalk, they all shifted awkwardly, trying to figure out what was appropriate for a moment such as this before Fin finally pulled Alex into his arms and hugged her.
“It was nice working with you again.” He said.
“You too.” Alex whispered.
He turned to Casey and hugged her as well. “Take care, Red. It was good to see you again.”
“Thank you. It was nice seeing you too.”
She felt tears stinging her eyes as they took their turns hugging the detectives before Alex finally turned to her again.
“Walk with me for a bit?” She asked.
Casey could tell she was close to crying too and she nodded. They started down the sidewalk and Casey heard Alex sniffle beside her. She swallowed hard, still trying to fight back her own tears.
“I’m glad you’re coming with me.” Alex whispered. “I was afraid to go alone.”
Casey looked over at her. “You’re one of the bravest people I know.”
Alex shrugged slightly, tears sliding down her cheeks. “I’ve been forced to start my life over three times now. I needed someone I could trust this time.”
Casey felt a tear slip down her cheek and she brushed at it. “I’m glad you asked me.”
Alex nodded a little.
Casey gently put a hand on her arm to stop her. In the middle of the sidewalk, she pulled Alex into her arms and held her tightly as they both cried for everything they’d lost.
Casey felt the plane move and she looked over at Alex. “Here we go.” She said, quietly.
“This is it.” Alex breathed deeply.
Casey smiled slightly. “Can’t believe we’re really doing this.”
Alex chuckled softly. “Me either.”
Casey smirked. “Since we’re going to be roommates, I should probably warn you, I like the house cold.”
Alex laughed. “Uh-oh. This already isn’t boding well.”
Casey grinned. “We’ll be alright.”
Alex smiled softly. “We will.”
Casey reached over and took her hand, smiling gently. Alex squeezed her hand and they held on as the plane lifted off the ground. In some weird, cosmic way, they were connected. Despite the jittery feeling in the pit of her stomach and the overhanging fear of the unknown, Casey knew she belonged here, holding Alex’s hand as the plane carried them to their new beginnings.