Nightmare within a Dream

By: Liv-x-Lex4Ever & E. Scribbles

Chapter 6: Promises

Casey sighed. She'd been in these rooms before but always as an interrogator, not being interrogated. So she knew that wouldn't exactly be the case here. Big deal. It still felt...cold.

Minutes later Cragen and Donnelly walked in and closed the door.

Donnelly sighed. "Finesse under pressure. That's what I missed while you were away, Novak," she said, leaning on the table.

"Wait," Casey started, "how do you know? They're still at the hospital?"

"One shot, consistent with a winged shoulder and only that. It takes calmness, Casey. A level head," Cragen said, sitting in the chair opposite. "You weren't out for blood."

She nodded. "Just protecting Alex, protecting all of us. I know killing him would tank my reputation and I worked hard to get it back."

"So tell us what happened," Donnelly insisted.

"We didn't suspect anything. Alex and I got up from a nap and walked out into the main area. We decided what we would order from Room Service for dinner. Olivia was about to call it in when he knocked the door down and Olivia."

"Did he say anything?" Cragen asked.

"He wanted me to come with him.

"And you didn't go because you were afraid of what had happened before then?" Cragen asked.

She nodded.

"Did he have a gun? Did you see the knife pressed to Alex's back?" Donnelly asked.

"I didn't see anything, no, I only know what I was told. I only went off of what had happened before. But it wasn't like I didn't have a good reason. He shot her, t-tried to rape me... What would be your first reaction?"

Donnelly nodded, then looked at Cragen who spoke. "Olivia's discharged herself, she's outside, wants to talk to you."

"Me?" she asked.

He gave a nod. "Is that ok?"

"Yeah, fine. Peachy."

They both left the room, letting Olivia in. She stood silently by the door for a moment, before speaking quietly. "I'm so sorry, Casey. I was meant to protect you..both of you. I let you down."

Casey sighed. "No, you didn't. You tried. You didn't even know he was there."

"..But I promised Alex. I should have got up. I should have..tried to do something."

Casey walked over, wrapping her arms around her. "You did do something. You were there, just like you promised. Hell, if you hadn't been there we might not be here now."

Olivia went to speak, but there was suddenly a lot of yelling outside the room. One voice was distinguishable as Alex's.

Casey sighed. "Think it's safe to venture out?" she asked, pulling back.

"..Just stay in the doorway." Olivia opened the door. Alex was standing in from of Cragen and Donnelly, and Liz was holding her face like she'd been slapped.

"Just let me see him!"

Olivia walked out, grabbing Alex's arm. "What's going on?"

"They've brought him here, that... She's here as well. How could they bring him here!"

"Whoa! Wait! Slow down! What now? I know who he is, but who's she?"

"Casey! She's here! And they've brought him to the same building! Has everyone forgotten what he's like?"

"Probably not, but who better to deal with him?" Casey asked from the doorway. Then she got a look at Liz. "Alex, please say you didn't..."

Alex spun around to see Casey, flinching for a moment as she pictured the gun in her hand.

"Alex..."

Alex turned her back to her to continue her argument.

Casey walked over, slipping the ring into her hand and closing her fingers around it, everyone in the room – except Alex – saw the painful expression as she turned and walked back into the room, closing the door and sitting with her back to the window, visibly shaking, her head in her hands.

A few moments later, the door opened the closed, and someone stood in front of her.

"What?" she asked softly, not even bothering to look up.

Alex reached out and put the ring on the table in front of her. "You know, one day if you keep giving it back, I'm going to think you don't love me anymore."

"Why should I if you don't trust me? Alex, I didn't do that to hurt you, to terrify you. You've got to know that!"

"I do trust you Casey. I just don't trust guns. And I know why you did it. I know you wouldn't have done it if you didn't have to. It just...scares me. Now please, put your ring back on."

"Are you sure you want me to, even if I have to fire another to save you?"

"Yes. I promise. I love you, even if you..turn into a horrible gun toting, tobacco chewing idiot." Alex squatted in front of her, putting her hands on Casey's knees. "I love you."

Casey bit her lip, looking at the ring. "I love you too...and I love that you're my girl...and I want to marry you, so why do I feel so...unworthy?"

"Because we have had a horrible time in the past few months...years, even. And we've done, said things to each other that we shouldn't have, but now…now we know. Now we can make it perfect. I've quit."

"W-what? Alex, y-you said you wouldn't! Promised me you wouldn't leave me alone!" she stood abruptly, with her back to her.

"I'm not. We need to get away. Both of us. Not just a vacation...forever."

"You-you're forcing me to quit by giving me an ultimatum? You or this job? A-Alex..."

"We can get jobs anywhere, Casey."

"I don't want to work anywhere! I don't want to move! I...I just..." she stormed from the room. "Not a word," she said menacingly as she made her way into the restroom.

Alex followed her, standing in the middle of the room. "Fine! We can stay here. I don't care, Casey! Work is not important, don't you see? I don't want anything like this to happen again. I can't work here anymore. If you want to...I will stay here. I will stay at home, or I'll find a job at a law firm or…I'll work in a factory. It doesn't matter anymore, Casey! You are what matters!"

She turned. "Y-you really mean that? So what? You slapped her and she fired you?" she asked, seeing their reflections in the mirror.

"I slapped her because she was the one who requested they bring that...man here. Here where you were, where he might be able to hurt you again. I quit over the phone while I was at the hospital."

Casey sighed. "But he didn't! Nobody here would ever let that happen!"

"Like they stopped him before?" Alex stared at her in the mirror.

"Oh, so you're turning your back on the woman who saved your life? That's really thoughtful. Hey, remind me never to do that again."

"I'm not turning my back on you, I...Casey, just...fine. Ok. Choose what you want to do. Think what you like. I quit because I thought that's what I needed to do. I'm sorry if you think that's the wrong thing, but I don't. Now, see if you like it." Alex pushed her ring into Casey's hand.

Casey grabbed her wrist. "Alex..." she whined. "I'm...I can't believe you quit the one thing that brought us together in the first place without talking to me, first. I...does that mean anything to you? When he was putting me down and you stepped up and bashed him for me, twice. It-its what brought us together. I know I shouldn't be acting so bitchy, but...can't you see part of my pain here?"

"Can't you see mine? Why is it always me fighting for us? Why is it always me having to reassure you that I love you? Why is it always me who has to convince you of things? You want me to stay in a job I no longer like because of memories? Fine. I'll go and make a fool of myself and beg for my job back. Why not, nothing I do will ever be enough for you anyway, will it?"

Casey turned, seeing the pain in her eyes. "You...you're right. You shouldn't have to do that for me. And...I'm not going to make you humiliate yourself just to make me happy." She took a step closer. "I'm sorry. I guess, part of me is worried, without you here no one will fight for me. But...that's not enough, is it? I've screwed us over." She bit her lip. "I'm so—I..." she pulled away and punched the mirror and shards of glass flew everywhere and she flinched as they embedded themselves in her knuckles.

Olivia was the one who came to her aid, silently pulling the glass out and washing the hand. Alex left the room silently.

Casey pulled away. "Let me go! Just...please let go!" she cried. "I-I just..."

"..I hope you're going to go after her."

"I would but...I think I've done too much to deserve her back this time."

"She always comes after you, Casey. Always. Even when you've made it clear you don't want to see her."'

She nodded. "How do I make this right? Quit? Say I'll move with her? Forget the...reputation that I'd never have with-without... Dammit! I have to go after her!"

"Casey, she...she just wants you. Nothing else matters...you're lucky to have found someone like that."

"And I'm stupid to let her just walk away. Without her, what do the last 4 years mean? I'll need a ride."

Olivia nodded, handing Alex's ring to her.

"Wh-where?"

"Where do you think she'd go?"

"I left the ring on the table, didn't I? And I would assume she's gone back to clean out her office. Now, the question is, do I clean out mine?"

"What would make you happiest?"

"I...this job and her have held me together, but I can always get another job. There's only one Alex Cabot, but I feel awful about just leaving you guys."

"We'll manage. Just as long as you call every so often and visit."

"We will. So, do I need stitches?"

"Looks like its stopping already. Should be fine."

She nodded. "Is Liz still out there?"

"She's left. Went back to the office."

It was hard for Alex to cry. She rarely did. But in her office, she'd thrown several books into a box as tears began to fall, and then sank to her knees, tears falling heavier, sobs escaping.

Casey walked in, nameplate from her door and desk in her hands, her heart nearly breaking as she spotted Alex. Beside her, she dropped to her knees, nameplates clattering.

Alex couldn't see who it was through her tears. The normally composed woman wiped her nose on her sleeve and hiccupped.

Casey just pulled her to her, holding her close and not caring whether she fought or not. She let out a long sigh. "Looks like Donnelly's down two ADAs."

Alex didn't fight, she just cried into her shoulder. "I don't want you to leave me."

"Baby, I'm not," she whispered, "I'm coming with you. Wherever you want to be, I'll be with you. Without you, the last 4 years of my life are meaningless. And, though this job means a great deal to me, I can find a place anywhere. There's only one of you and I want to be with you, Alex. Because I love you."

"I'll ask for my job back. I don't care. I don't want to upset you. We can stay here, please, Casey."

It suddenly struck Casey that these were the words she so often cried to Alex. "No, you're right. We need to leave here. We'll come visit, take trips. As long as I'm with you, I don't care where we are."

Alex calmed down a little, and Olivia found them a short time later, still entwined, rings back on, both whispering words of love in the other's ear.

THE END

Author's Note: So, what do you think? That's the end of this one.

There may be a one or two-shot story with the wedding, but it's a ways off.

Review thanks to: Stussy, Madds21, Tracer0403, steple, Butterscotch, Lexie, Tripperz, Wigler, Nobot4life, Cavak, Surfrider, tummer22, my-patronus-is-you, DustyMonkey, Mackster, Blitz1030, CaseLex-4-ever & iTrick

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Liv-x-Lex4Ever & E. Scribbles