A/N: This chapter is shorter than the others, but I did not want to ruin it by adding too much stuff. I hope you have all enjoyed this story. Thank you for sticking with me through it all. I thoroughly enjoyed writing it, and I appreciate the level of trust given to me in writing this requested fic.

Steple - I hope this justifies that trust. Thank you.

Thank you again!

DMAA

(50)

Upon return to the States, Alex started up with the Special Victims Unit. Every night of her first trial, she cried on the couch, Casey holding her close, soothing her. The red head had not met the detectives with whom Alexandra worked, but she heard the stories her fiancée told her about how they were stubborn, brash, and had little regard for Alex's legal advice. Casey had every confidence if anyone could overcome that, Alex could, but in the meantime, she wished the detectives could see how truly dedicated Alex was to fighting the good fight.

Still, Alex went in every day a little more cold and a little more stony than the last. The two women had talked. It was apparent that it was going to happen. That was how Alex had always dealt with stress. It also meant that she came home a little more tired, a little more upset, and a little more prone to sudden outbursts of tears. Casey curled beside her on the roughest nights, combing her fingers through Alex's silken hair the same way Alex had once stroked Casey's hair, how she sometimes still did when Casey was feeling vulnerable. At first, the nightmares came easily, second hand trauma to the stories she heard and the images she saw. For Alex, it did bring up memories of Casey's own hurt. Alex called for Casey in her sleep, but Casey never told Alex as much. She just remembered the nights when she had nightmares about Charlie how Alex would cuddle against her when Casey cried out in her sleep. The burden Alex carried was different from the one Casey carried. Casey had been the injured. Alex was trying to be the angel, but even angels had nightmares.

February rolled into March, but she managed to cope with the stress of her new unit. With their upcoming dedication ceremony, Alex found it difficult to not be elated. In New York, Casey and Alex could not legally be wed, but that did not matter to them. They had planned a small dedication ceremony that one of Alex's mother's friends agreed to marry them in spirit. Trevor was a priest in a local Pagan coven, and even though neither Alex nor Casey identified religiously as Pagan, he was content to alter his style to meet their needs. Danae, even at seventeen, was excited and had asked to be the flower girl. Neither woman had been planning on something so elaborate, but they had readily agreed with the teen.

Instead of getting standard wedding attire, the two women had decided that the two red cheongsams they had purchased in China would be perfect for the occasion. Not only was it symbolic of their new life together, not unlike the new year, but Casey had even joked that red must have been a lucky color because Alex had proposed to her that night.

Alex's parents were more than supportive of the two of them, offering to help them meet whatever needs they had in mind for the gathering. They had discussed a destination wedding but quickly decided against leaving New York. The topic of returning to Cambridge had come up, suggested by Danae. It was a cute idea, but Casey argued against it.

"Cambridge is too mixed for me, Ali," the red haired woman said one evening as the three sat around in a circle looking at magazines. She rubbed her shoulders as if she were uncertain whether or not it would be too negative. After all, neither woman had been back since Casey split it off with Charlie. There had been no need. "It's a sweet thought. I mean, I know where you were coming from, Danae. We met there. But, when we met, I was, I don't know, Alex, I was clean, I guess. And, while, I met you there, that's also where I started seeing Charlie. That's where most of the abuse took place. I finally feel like I'm in a safe enough place in my own head. I don't want to go back and risk it all. I want something that's all you and all me. Is that too selfish?"

With a soft smile, Alex leaned over the magazines they were flipping through and kissed Casey. "No, hot shot," she murmured. "It's perfect." She smiled as Casey closed her eyes, their lips meeting. Danae giggled. Alex smiled again as she sat back. "One day, Dee, you're gonna find someone you don't want to stop kissing. And, trust me, I will remember this."

"Alright, alright. I just never thought of you as the marrying type, Auntie A. You know, all that free spirit stuff you taught me when I was a kid."

Alex reached over and nudged the seventeen year old girl's shoulder. "You are still a kid."

"Am not," Danae huffed, rolling her eyes and sitting back, arms crossed over her chest in a semi-comical manner.

Eventually, they settled on a backyard wedding at the Cabot's Queens home. They made a guest list, picked and sent invitations, chose the decorations, and talked to Charlotte's friend Elsie about a spiritual hand fasting ceremony as opposed to a standard wedding ceremony. Elsie referred them to Trevor, a mutual friend of hers and Alex's mother's, who happily agreed to perform the ceremonies.

Stephanie insisted on giving Casey away, though, even without the Catholic style wedding Casey and her older sister had once thought they had wanted. Casey had just been happy that someone in her family agreed to go. She had done a daring thing and sent invitations to all of her family. Stephanie and Julie had RSVP'd immediately. One came back from Casey's brother William's wife, Anna, stating that she was sorry but Will was deployed and she would be leaving before the wedding for her own tour of duty. Casey's parents were returned to sender, unable to forward. When Casey found those in the mail, she had started crying.

It was not until the middle of July, with their wedding scheduled in a week, that they received a letter from Casey's younger brother, Todd. He stated that he planned to be there with his girlfriend, April, if they would still have him. Casey had called him immediately, crying from joy as she talked to him in a fast, excited voice. Alex had found it heartwarming. While much of Casey's family still did not want to talk to her over her sexuality, she had three siblings who did not seem to hold it against her. Todd had genuinely been happy for her, happy for them both. Alex was looking forward to meeting the younger man. And, even though William was deployed, from the note from his wife, it seemed as though neither of them minded that Casey was marrying a woman as long as she was happy and well cared for.

At least that part turned out well. It was a gift more than Alex thought Casey would receive and one whose absence had troubled Casey dearly since she walked out on her own wedding to Charlie. Todd did make a comment about it being funny that it would be Casey's second wedding, first marriage. Alex had thought that was pretty cute.

The days leading up to their ceremonies seemed both to drag out and go too quickly. Charlotte took charge of the decorations and the catering, seeing to it that everything was what made her daughter and soon to be daughter in law happy. Casey did not want a lot of white, and Alex was happy to oblige her. Considering their choice in attire, the muted reds, browns, and grays accenting the natural scene of the Cabots' backyard, the underlying Oriental theme went well.

Unlike a traditional wedding, their family and friends were sitting and standing in a circle around them, Alex, Casey, and Trevor in the middle. Trevor cupped both their hands. "You two have got to be the cutest lesbian couple I've ever married."

Alex snickered. "More like we're the only."

"Completely not relevant, Alex," he chimed. That brought a few giggles from around, including from Casey. "I think, though, that we all understand what a marriage is: two people deciding that they can tolerate each other enough to live with each other the rest of their lives. I hope you two can tolerate each other well enough."

Casey and Alex looked at each other. Alex shrugged. Casey rolled her eyes. "I guess," they said in near unison.

"Close enough," Trevor answered. "Then, folks, friends, and family, we have gathered in this space to honor the dedication between Alex and Casey to each other. It's not a decision to make lightly as we will be joining two cultures, two families, two hearts, two minds, and two souls. It comes with its struggles, but it comes with so much more reward."

Biting her lip, Casey squirmed. Alex ran her thumb over the backs of her fingers. "It's okay," she whispered, just so that Casey could hear her.

"I know," Casey whispered back. "I love you."

Offering both women a brief smile, Trevor paused so that Alex and Casey could catch back up to his speech to their family. Casey nodded briefly, and he continued. "Others would ask, at this time, who gives each woman in marriage, but, as a woman is not property to be bought and sold, given and taken, I ask simply if she comes of her own will and if she has her family's blessing.

"Alexandra, is it true that you come of your own free will?"

"Yes," Alex responded, Casey's fingers contracting around hers.

"With whom do you come?" Trevor asked.

Alex's father stepped forward from the gathering. Most of the thirty or so people in attendance were Alex's family. Some were mutual friends the two had made. Four were Casey's family, but Alex was warmed by the thought that it was double what she had originally thought it would be. Casey might never receive healing or closure from her parents, but at least she had two siblings and their significant others who supported her loyalty to herself. "She comes with me, her father, and has all our family's blessings."

Alex glanced to where her mother smiled back at her. Sam grinned. Her uncle, Bill, looked proud. Kelly and her sons were there, the two boys antsy and bored with the whole affair. Danae was beaming at both women. They were Alex's family, but as she glanced back to Casey who had been looking around, she said, in repeating a conversation they had previously had, "They're your family, too, Casey."

"Casey," Trevor said, drawing both women back to him. "Is it true that you come of your own accord?"

"Yes," Casey answered.

"With whom do you come?"

As promised, Stephanie got to give Casey away, and she stepped forward. "With me, her sister."

Todd also stepped forward. "And me, her brother."

"And she has all our blessings," Stephanie finished. Casey shot them both a grateful look.

"Then, as the stars above, may your love always be constant. And, like the stones below, may it be firm, resolute. Remember that as time passes, you should grow with each other, and may you never be afraid or hold more tightly to anger than to each other. Be patient with each other, be understanding. Freely give of your affection and warmth." Both women nodded. When they had done the rehearsals, Alex and Casey had both giggled about asking two attorneys to be patient.

Alex, I cannot truly bind you to Casey. You are the only person who may do that. If this is your wish, speak and place your ring in Casey's hand." Trevor reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a white gold band with a slightly raised Celtic trinity knot with a tiny diamond and ruby set in the middle of the knot.

"It is my wish," Alex said, her voice breaking just a little. She plucked the ring from Trevor's palm and set it into Casey's open hand. The red head was trembling so finely that Alex doubted anyone but her and Trevor could see it.

"Casey, if you wish for Alex to be bound to you, then place the ring on her finger." Casey did as she was bid, her shaking becoming apparent as she nearly dropped the ring. "Now, Casey, like I cannot be the one to bind Alex to you, neither can I bind you to Alex. You are the only one who can make that choice and commitment. If you do, then speak, and place your ring in Alex's hand."

"It is my wish," Casey repeated Alex, taking the second ring in Trevor's palm, the ring Alex had proposed with, and handing it to Alex.

The blonde took the ring between her fingers, unable to stop smiling. "If you wish that Casey be bound to you, Alex, then place the ring on her finger." Alex did.

"Alex, repeat after me." Alex nodded. "I, Alexandra Cabot, in the name of the spirit that resides in all of us-" He paused, Alex repeated. "By the life that courses within my blood and the love in my heart-" Pause. Repeat. "Do take you, Casey Anne Novak, to my hand, my heart, and my spirit, to be my chosen one." Alex repeated, stumbling, for one of the few times in her life over the words as she found herself having difficulty forming the words around the permanent smile she could not seem to alter.

Trevor was patient, though, before he continued. "To desire you, and be desired by you. To possess you, and to be possessed without sin or shame as nothing is more pure than my love for you. I promise to love you wholly and completely, without restraint, in sickness and in health, in plenty and in poverty, in life and beyond, where we shall meet, remember, and love again. I shall not seek to change you in any way. I shall respect you, your beliefs, your people, and your ways as I respect myself."

He turned to Casey as Alex finished, and she recited after him the same, staring at Alex. Several times, Casey's voice dipped low, and only Alex could hear her saying the words, an errant tear straying down Casey's cheek.

"I understand the two have words they want to say to each other," Trevor said. "Please, Casey." The red head nodded, wiping her cheeks.

"Alex," Casey said, her voice shaking, tears clinging to her eyes. "You have been my first in a lot of things. My first real close friend. You believed from the beginning that anything I wanted, I could obtain, and you cheered me on through the entire ride, through the rough and the smooth. My first kiss, even though you didn't know it was me at the time." Alex flushed. Casey giggled. "My first girlfriend. My first lover. The first time someone asked me if I trusted them and genuinely wanted an answer. When we met, I was naïve. I had no idea about the world or how great it could be. Or how terrifying. And, as I grew, as we grew, you have always been the watchdog at the door, the guardian of my heart. I have no words for how I feel today to be giving you that which you so staunchly protected, my heart, for all eternity. I can only hope that you can feel my love and how it will continue to grow as we do because when I say I love you, it is not enough. I love you, Alex, with everything I am and everything I will ever be, and I am so happy to be with you."

Alex ran her thumb over Casey's fingers, smiling as she chewed the inside of her cheek. "When we met, Casey, I thought I knew everything. But, I was wrong, and you showed me how wrong I was. I had no idea what it was like to truly care about someone else, to be a part of something greater than myself, to belong with someone. Curled up against you on the couch watching movies or snuggled tight in the early morning hours, I discovered that I am merely a part. I am a part, and you are the next piece, fitting perfectly into my body, my heart, and my soul. I learned from you that I was made up of pieces, but I learned that we are more than the sum of our parts, but we are only parts of a whole. You make me more whole, more complete. With you, even the darkest hours shine brighter with your smile, and all the good, and there is so much good, is made to taste that much sweeter with your kiss. With you, I have blossomed and because of you, I know that anything is possible. I may be your watch dog in the night, Casey, but you have always been my guide." Alex reached up and cupped Casey's cheek, and neither woman could help it. Their lips touched without them being told. Indeed, Trevor had said nothing to prompt it.

Pulling Casey close to her, Alex deepened the kiss, something Casey was only more than willing to return. Casey's hands looped around Alex's neck, Alex's hands on Casey's hips, keeping her close. They parted, their foreheads pushing together. "I love you, Casey."

"I love you, too, Alex."

Trevor took one each of their hands and held them together. "I guess I don't need to tell either of you to kiss the bride," he said with a warm smile. "May your love always endure so as to be a guiding light to you both. To this audience and to all the world, I now pronounce you wed."

Casey squeaked, her arms wrapping around Alex's neck. As she latched on, Alex lifted her up and spun her around, their lips meeting again in a deep, soul touching kiss. Danae, who had taken the liberty of sprinkling flower petals all over the ground, took the handfuls still left in her basket and tossed them on the two women as they spun. Alex smiled as rose petals fell into her hair, brushed across Casey's body, and curled with the deep red of her wife's locks. "I got the girl of my dreams," Alex whispered as she set Casey back down on the ground.

"And, I got the girl of mine," Casey murmured back before kissing Alex again, too happy for words. In fact, with every genuine ounce of her being and soul, Casey could truly say that her wedding day was the happiest day of her life. It was a fairytale come true, and she doubted she could ever ask for more.