COMPLETED | Stay

Chapter 1: From New York to Chicago

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Liv asked for the thousandth time that day. 

"I'll be fine, I've got that new position you sorted for me and I've got my fiance." Cass tried to reassure her boss but failed, as it wasn't where she was moving that was concerning Sargent Benson, but who she was moving with.

"Promise me you'll keep in contact." Olivia said.

"I promise." Cass said, knowing in the back of her mind how hard it would be. "I should take this." Cassandra said as her phone started ringing, after excusing herself from her bosses office she headed into the break room to have some more privacy.

"Hey babe." The voice on the other end spoke as she put the phone to her ear.

"Hey." Cassandra said, a small smile creeping across her face at the sound of her fiance's voice.

"The movers have just left to take all our stuff to Chicago so I was wondering if I could pick you up early so we miss the traffic?" Cassandra looked through the windows and into Benson's office, it was a slow day so she was sure her boss wouldn't mind.

"Sure can you just give me half an hour to say bye to everyone?" She asked, her question was met by a huff then a short answer.

"Okay, I'll be outside in half an hour." Ryan said before hanging up the phone.

"Come in!" Benson called as someone knocked on her office door only a few minutes after Cass had left, Liv could tell by how timid the knock was that it was her detective returning. "Is everything alright?" She asked as Cass entered her office.

"Yeah." She said. "Am I alright to leave early? We were just thinking it might be easier and we could beat the traffic." Cass explained, Liv knew it was not Cass's decision but Ryans.

"Of course." Liv said, standing up and following Cass back out into the bullpen to say her goodbyes.

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The drive from New York to Chicago had mainly been in silence, the radio playing quietly in the background. They were only taking one car to Chicago with them for Cassandra, as Ryan said he would prefer to use public transport as he did sometimes in New York. Cassandra tried to make occasional conversations about his new job or their new apartment but Ryan always shut her down saying he needed to focus on the road so not to damage the car which had been a gift from her parents. Once they reached the city Ryan drove over to the apartment they had brought, it was in a nice neighbourhood, relatively near to both their new jobs. The apartment itself was relatively small but enough for the two of them, it had one bedroom and one bathroom so it was a good job they never had guests to stay. 

"When do you start work?" Ryan asked as they began to unpack the bare essentials as it was growing late.

"Tomorrow." Cass said.

"Do you have to Cassie? I wanted us to do some sightseeing, spend some time together." Ryan complained.

"I'm sorry babe, I'm really lucky Liv was able to get me into such an amazing unit and they need me to start tomorrow." Cassandra said.

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"Everybody listen up!" Voight called as he led Cassandra from his office into the bullpen. This is Detective Cassandra Mason from New York. You two have met right?" He asked, looking at Cass and Jay, who both nodded. "I want you two partnered up, Jay'll show you the ropes." He said before heading back into his office.

"It's good to see you again Jay." Cass said with a kind smile.

"You too." Jay said, returning the smile.

"How did you two meet then?" Someone asked.

"I've worked SVU in New York since I left the academy and you guys helped out on a case a while back." Cassandra said.

"Sargent Benson's unit?" Someone else asked.

"Lieutenant Benson." Cassandra corrected with a smile. "Am I gonna learn any names or just be interrogated?" She asked with a smirk.

"Detective Hailey Upton." One of the two other women in the unit said, sending a knowing smile in Cass's direction. "Adam Ruzek and Kevin Atwater." She said, gesturing towards the guy who had asked how she had met Jay and the guy who was obviously the muscle of the unit. "Kim Burgess and Antonio Dawson." Hailey said, gesturing towards the other woman and the Latino man who had asked about Liv, Cassandra had to push the thoughts to the side of her mind as something about him sparked her curiosity.

"Who do you support?" The one she now knew as Atwater asked, pointing the pen in his hand at her accusingly. "Sports?" He elaborated when Cassandra looked at him confused.

"My family was never really the sporting type but my brother's always supported the Yankees." She said.

"So you're from New York?" Burgess asked.

"Born and raised in a little town on the outskirts." Cass said. "Oh." She said as she remembered something. "If anyone calls me Cassandra I will put a bullet in your head." She said with a super friendly smile. "Cass or Mason is fine." She added as Jay smirked, remembering getting almost the same threat when they had first met. "I hate Cassandra."

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Cassandra's first day had been pretty slow which she was kinda glad for as it allowed her to get to know her team better, Liv was right when she had said they were a good unit.

"You coming to Mollys?" Burgess asked as the majority of them stood in the locker room.

"Mollys?" Cass asked.

"Its a little neighbourhood bar ran by a few firefighters." Upton explained.

"I might pass tonight." She said, pulling her jacket on and seeing several missed calls from Ryan on her phone as she slipped it into the pocket.

"First rounds on me if you change your mind." Jay said from behind her.

"I will take you up on that just not today." She said, turning and leaving, calling goodbye over her shoulder.

Authors Note: For those who don't follow me on Instagram (@ onechicago.games) this is gonna be an Antonio Dawson centred fic once it gets going (around chapter 5 I think) I wrote this when it was announced (if you know you know... I didn't want to spoil it for people who don't read spoilers) as a way to show the writers there are still storylines for Antonio.