Cabot and Associates, 63 Serendipity Way, Monday

[glasses-justice.livejournal.com]

Alex had been in town for the better part of a week, and still hadn't woken up in the hospital to someone explaining that this was a vivid dream brought on by pain medications. So she might as well make herself useful. If they were letting her keep the name Alex Cabot, then she was going to practice law.

She hadn't seen a courthouse in town, and her file had hinted that it was best for her to stay on the island instead of looking for work on the mainland. She hadn't seen any law offices to lend her services to, either.

She had found a vacant building marked "Legal Aid." Therefore, Alex had spent the weekend handwavily cleaning up the place and filing the necessary paperwork to buy it for herself. The etching on the window now said The Law Offices of Cabot and Associates -- a polite lie, but it sounded nicer that way. The smaller lines read LEGAL SERVICES • LEGAL AID.

It was a small nod to the previous owner, and hopefully, a sign that she would take any case, regardless of ability to pay. It sounded noble. Really, she missed the law, after only a week away, and she didn't need the money.

There was a temporary sign in the window which read, Now Hiring. Alex sat at her new desk, going over paperwork, and trying not to watch the door too expectantly.

(Open! Hiring! Law offices! OCD-free!)

Comments

[cutsthestrings.livejournal.com]

Someone slipped in not too late in the day and started looking around. The girl in question was dressed rather plainly, but there was nothing dull about the blue eyes peering around the office that finally found her.

Fiona had first thought to see if her professor might be hiring despite his references otherwise but had rethought this plan. She'd looked at a few of the restaurants before deciding it would be an exercise in irritation. Then, oddly enough, she'd come upon the law office.

Law had been one of the things she'd been allowed to study and as they'd considered legal precedents to be fair play in vocabulary insult since she'd been able to correctly pronounce "ejusdem generis", she was probably a little more versed in the subject than the average teenager.

It was better than bussing tables anyway.

"Miss?" she asked politely, walking up to the desk, "Is the sign true? Are you hiring?"

...somewhere on the Pacific Ocean, Louis was laughing.

[glasses-justice.livejournal.com]

Alex looked up sharply when the girl came in, eying her for suitability as a client. Her comment caused a quick change in direction.

"I'm hiring," she nodded, offering a hand. "Alex Cabot, attorney-at-law." It felt strange not to refer to herself as the ADA. "And you are?"

[cutsthestrings.livejournal.com]

"Fiona Post," she said, "student."

If she wanted to know anything more about her, she could ask. That covered the basics.

[glasses-justice.livejournal.com]

There was a school on the island; in fact, it seemed most of the island was connected to the school somehow. Students could file paperwork as easily as college interns.

"One that's looking for a job," Alex continued, making the obvious assumption from the girl's question.

[cutsthestrings.livejournal.com]

She nodded in reply.

"I am. And your office seemed like the best choice."

[glasses-justice.livejournal.com]

"Why is that?" Alex asked. She couldn't help it; she'd been a prosecutor for far too long not to interrogate people when given an opening.

[cutsthestrings.livejournal.com]

"It isn't food service, it isn't manual labor, or there's a low probability for it to be, and I can present skills that might be useful to you. Also, I'm reasonably well read on legal precedents and find the subject interesting."

Eliot was best at remembering the specific cases, but her skill with Latin usually made any insults using legal terms fall flat.

[glasses-justice.livejournal.com]

She was blunt. Alex approved. "Can you type?" she asked. "Do you have any experience with basic office work, like filing and answering phones?"

[cutsthestrings.livejournal.com]

"On a typewriter," she admitted slowly, though she'd only ever been allowed to use it once in a while on while helping her Mother with apartment business.

"And I've done filing, but never answered phones."

They weren't allowed, she bit back.

[not-jaded-yet.livejournal.com]

Jennifer came into the office after knocking on the door.

"Excuse me?" she said, trying to be polite.

[glasses-justice.livejournal.com]

Alex smiled at the girl in her doorway, professional but hopefully reassuring. "Come in," she said, setting her pen down and flipping her file folder shut. "How can I help you?"

[not-jaded-yet.livejournal.com]

"I was hoping to get a job," Jennifer said. "I'm really, really interested in law and was thinking this was a great opportunity."

[glasses-justice.livejournal.com]

"The law is fascinating," Alex agreed cheerfully. "It also sucks out most of your soul and crushes your will to live, but once you're out of law school, that part gets better."

[not-jaded-yet.livejournal.com]

Jennifer nodded. "I've really started looking at criminal law as my future. Recently."

[glasses-justice.livejournal.com]

"Criminal law will also destroy your soul, in new and interesting ways," Alex sighed, with a wistful pang of nostalgia. "There's nothing like seeing the depravity of the human race on a daily basis to make you start drinking early."

She wasn't trying to dissuade the girl. Really, most people who went into this line of work couldn't be, anyway.

"Have a seat," she offered.

[not-jaded-yet.livejournal.com]

Jennifer sat down. "My dad's a sheriff," she said. "I know a bit about the depravity."

[glasses-justice.livejournal.com]

"I've been a prosecutor since I left law school," Alex said, giving the girl a rueful smile. "I've just spent three years on special detail, handling sex crimes and child abuse. Sicker things than I ever imagined, day-in and day-out. And I would cut off one of my own arms if that meant I could go back tomorrow."

[stocksgrrl.livejournal.com]

On her way back to the camp from the store, Turtle couldn't help notice a new business going up. It was the sort of thing she definitely made sure to pay attention to, and she was very glad for it once a very short glance showed exactly what type of business it was. Ooooh. Legal aid! Law offices!

She was definitely ducking her head in. "Hello?"

[glasses-justice.livejournal.com]

"Welcome," Alex said, pushing aside her paperwork. She was glad there seemed to be foot traffic here; she'd been worried, with such a small island. "Is there something I can help you with?"

[stocksgrrl.livejournal.com]

"Hi," Turtle gave the woman a smile. "I've noticed you have a new business here. My name's Turtle Wexler; I co-own Turtle & Canary here in town; that's a general store. We sell practically everything. But I noticed you just getting settled and thought I'd drop in to welcome you and your business to the island. So...welcome!"

[glasses-justice.livejournal.com]

Alex hadn't expected a sales pitch, especially not from a girl who looked young enough to be a student herself. She laughed, not unkindly.

"Thank you," she said. "Does the Mayor send you out for housewarmings, or are you drumming up business?"

[stocksgrrl.livejournal.com]

Blushing a little since most people just sort of seemed to ignore the lack of subtly, Turtle ducked her head. "Well," she said, "the mayor definitely didn't send me. It's not just a sales pitch; more of a way to just sort of open up a conversation from one business owner to the other, assuming you're Cabot. Or even one of the Associates. But, if not, I'd like to speak with one of them, please. So I can say hi. I'm also very interested in law; I'm going to Harvard next year."

[glasses-justice.livejournal.com]

Subtlety was overrated. "Alex Cabot," she said. "I don't really have any Associates, unless you count the part-time employees that I'm picking up to file paperwork and answer phones. It sounds better with 'Associates.' Harvard undergrad or Harvard Law?"

[stocksgrrl.livejournal.com]

"Well, I want to get into Law eventually, but you know how that is. Got to go through one to get to the other."

And then a thought was striking Turtle; it wasn't a very firm hit, but it was definitely kicking things into gear.

"It does sound better, but it would sound better if you didn't have to add the part about how you don't have an associates. So how would you like one?"

Part-time desky jobs were for losers; Turtle went for the big guns.

[glasses-justice.livejournal.com]

Alex was intrigued. So this girl was still a high-school student, but she was a business owner, and one that had already decided her future was Harvard Law.

Alex had always thought she was driven, and this girl made her look like an underachiever. Nicely done.

"You're offering?" Alex asked. "You know, most associates are interning while in law school, not a few years shy of entering it."

That wasn't a 'no.' It wasn't meant to be one, and really, any sales girl good enough to own her own store while a minor wouldn't take it for one, either.