Disclaimer: Maybe I can barter with Dick to give me partial ownership...

How about a crazy-long chapter to end the story, eh?

I had to re-upload this chapter because I messed up a few things. Also, I gave the title to the sequel at the end, just in case people were wondering.

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Jess and Alex sat at Jess' dining room table looking over the wedding details as Allen washed the lunch dishes. As she picked through the color choices for the invitations, she looked up at Alex and smiled. The woman was organizing everything by size and color so Jess would have an easier time going through it all and making her decisions.

"What?" Alex asked when she felt Jess' eyes on her.

"I was just thinking…" Jess started.

"Yes?"

Jess smiled nervously and folded her hands in her lap. "I was just wondering if maybe, well I thought maybe you'd like to be my maid of honor."

"Me?" Alex asked, surprised.

"Only if you want to."

Alex smiled warmly and stood up to hug the girl. "I would love to."

As she wrapped her arms around Alex, Jess couldn't help but cry tears of joy. "Thank you. I was so nervous about asking you and –"

"Why were you nervous?"

Jess shrugged. "I don't know. I was just, I guess I thought it would be really embarrassing if I'd asked you and you'd said no."

"Jess?"

"Yeah?"

"Why would I ever say no to this?"

"I…I have no idea. I guess I just let that possibility slip into my mind because of the way I was raised and everything. I wanted to prepare myself for that possibility, which of course only led me to be more nervous about asking you and then I –"

Alex laughed. "Jess?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm going to be your maid of honor. You're going to get married in a beautiful and wonderful ceremony. Leave it at that."

Jess smiled. "I'm getting married in a month!" she exclaimed.

"I know! I'm so excited!"

"You're excited? I'm the one getting married!"

"Yes, well, I can still be excited!"

"Will you help me pick out my dress?"

Alex smiled. "Of course. When do you want to go?"

Jess thought for a minute. The truth of the matter was that she hadn't even given a single ounce of thought into what kind of dress she wanted. She had been so preoccupied with planning everything else, and getting up the courage to ask Alex to be her maid of honor, that she hadn't even thought about what dress she wanted. She shrugged her shoulders. "I, uh, I have no idea."

"How about tomorrow at three?"

Jess nodded. "That sounds good."

"Are you going to have bridesmaids?"

"I thought about it, but I'm not sure. If I did, they'd be Olivia and…well, if she'll let me, Casey. Of course, then the list of wedding guests practically gets cut in half, so I'm not sure."

Alex smiled at Jess' nervousness. Typical bride-to-be, she thought. "Jess, do you want to have bridesmaids?"

"Kind of," Jess answered quietly.

"Then you should have them."

Jess shook her head, "But then there will hardly be any wedding guests! It'll look stupid if there are more people standing up there with Allen and I than there are watching us. I don't want people to laugh."

Alex rolled her eyes and put her hands on Jess' shoulders. She looked her in the eyes and smiled. "Jess," she said sternly. "Nobody's going to laugh. I saw the list of people you're inviting and I know everyone except Allen's mothers and his two friends from school. If any of them laugh at you, I'll kill them." she waited for Jess to smile, then continued. "I promise you nobody's going to laugh. This is your wedding, Jess. It's the day all little girls dream about. Make it the way you want it, and you'll be happy."

Jess sighed and nodded in agreement. "You're right."

"Of course I'm right."

"And cocky, too."

"I'm a lawyer. I have to be cocky."

Jess smiled. "Yeah, well, don't lose it. It's one of the many reasons I love you."

"You'll ask Liv and Casey?"

"Yeah. I'll ask them tomorrow."

"Good." She looked at her watch and frowned. "I'd better go. Liv's making dinner tonight and I'd rather not miss the opportunity not to have to cook for myself."

Jess gave Alex a quick hug, then ushered her out the door. "Enjoy your dinner, and thanks. I'll pick you up at three tomorrow and we'll go hunting for a dress."

"Okay, I'll see you later." Alex climbed into her car and rolled her window down. "And don't keep thanking me for this!" she screamed as she drove away.

"You wanted bridesmaids?" Allen asked once Jess shut the door.

Jess hesitated before turning around. Something about his voice sounded almost like he was going to start an argument with her. She took a deep breath. "It's not really a big deal. It was just something I was considering."

"Jess, honey," he said sternly. "You've got to tell me those things!"

"It's not a big deal, really."

He walked over to her and took her hand. "If it's important to you, it is a big deal."

"I just…I hate asking for things," she confessed.

"Why? This is your wedding. You're supposed to ask for things. If there's something more to the wedding you want, just ask. It's okay." He saw her look away and he squeezed her hand. "It's okay, honey. Why is this so hard for you?"

She threw her head back in frustration. "I hate asking for things because I was always punished for doing it as a kid and now it's just hard for me, okay!" she forced her hand out of his grasp and took off for the bedroom in tears.

What the hell was that, he wondered. He slowly made his way to the bedroom and frowned when he saw her lying on her stomach on the bed, sobbing. He sat down next to her and placed his hand on her back. "Jess, sweetie," he said softly. "What happened just now? What was that?"

When she didn't immediately respond, he laid next to her and wrapped an arm around her. She took several deep breaths before she trusted herself enough to speak. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I yelled."

He pulled her against him and gently combed his fingers through her hair. "It's okay. It's okay honey. I'm just worried about you. I just wanted you to understand that it's okay to want something for your wedding day."

She grabbed his hand and smiled when he gave it a gentle squeeze. "I was just always…trained not to ask for things. My parents would scream at me or send me to bed hungry or something if I ever asked for anything." She laughed angrily. "I remember one time they locked me in the hall closet for two hours because I asked for new pencils for school." She paused, taking several deep breaths and trying to will herself not to cry. "They never hit me and I never really thought of it as abuse or anything, but I still have a really hard time asking for things."

He pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head. He knew her childhood had been less than perfect, but he hadn't really known much about it. This was the first time he'd heard her talk about any kind of details. "I love you," he whispered into her ear. "You never have to worry about asking me for anything. If you want something – so long as it's not something outrageous like a brand new multi-million dollar boat – I promise I won't make you feel bad for asking for it."

"It's still hard."

"Then we'll practice."

"What?"

"Ask me for something."

"Allen –"

"Anything. Ask me for a hug, a kiss…anything. Just do it."

She rolled her eyes. "Allen, this is stupid."

"Jess, ask me for something."

She took a deep breath. She felt so ridiculous doing this. "Fine. Allen, can I have a bowl of fruit?"

He smiled. "Of course." He stood up and walked out of the room, knowing that she was shaking her head and rolling her eyes behind him. He went into the kitchen and pulled out a bowl. He proceeded to pour chop up a banana, an apple, and a piece of cantaloupe. He mixed them all together. He turned around to walk back to the bedroom and smiled when he saw her standing in the doorway to the kitchen. "Your bowl of fruit, my dear," he said, smiling as he handed it to her.

She took it from him and smiled. "Thank you."

"Now that wasn't so hard, was it?"

"It'll get easier," she said softly as she took a bite of banana.

"With practice?"

She smiled. "With practice."

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"You seriously made me fettuccini alfredo?" Alex asked as she walked into the house and found Olivia at the stove mixing the sauce. It was her favorite dish, and Olivia knew it. She walked over and wrapped her arms around Olivia's waist. "What did I do to deserve this?"

Olivia turned her head and lightly kissed Alex. "You made me the happiest woman in the world…you were you." She turned back to her cooking and smiled. "Besides, you don't necessarily have to do something for me to cook for you. Did you ever stop to consider that maybe I like doing it?"

"Really? I thought you hate cooking."

"I do."

"Then why are you doing it?"

Olivia rolled her eyes playfully and spun completely around. "Alex, do you know how you always leave little flowers or notes around the house?"

"Yeah."

"Why do you do it?"

"Because I like the look on your face when you find a flower in the fridge or something."

Olivia nodded. "Exactly. And I like the look on your face when I cook you your favorite dinner. See? It's the same thing. I like cooking for you because I know you enjoy it."

Alex smiled. "Well then, cook away, Detective."

As Olivia finished cooking dinner, Alex sat down in the living room and got lost in her thoughts. There was something she'd been thinking about for a while now, though she hadn't spoken with anybody about it. She'd wanted to give herself plenty of time to think it over before she broached the subject to anybody. She took a deep breath and figured now was as good a time as any to do it. Olivia was in a particularly good mood. Maybe she wouldn't get quite as upset if she was feeling so happy.

Olivia brought out two bowls of pasta and left to get the drinks. When she came back, she noticed that Alex was shoving the pasta around her bowl with her fork. She frowned and sat her own bowl down. "Okay, Alex. Spill. What's wrong?"

She put her bowl down and sighed. As she looked Olivia in the eyes, she began to shake with fear. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Promise you won't be mad? I've been thinking about something for a while and I really need to do this. I just don't want you to be mad."

Olivia shook her head in confusion. "Al, what is it?"

"I…um…well, you remember that day in the courtroom with Jennings…what Simpkins said about me not being qualified for my job?"

"Alex, that was complete bullshit and you know it! You know you're good at what you do. We all know that!"

Alex nodded. "I know I'm good at what I do, it's not that. It's just…"

"Honey, what's wrong?" Olivia asked, her voice full of worry.

She sighed. "I…I really miss actually practicing law like I used to."

Olivia smiled. "You want your old job back?"

"I won't take Casey's job away from her. She loves it and I think I love her too much to ask her to do that for me, but yeah, I want my old job back. Maybe I'll find another one someplace else…somewhere close. Are you mad?"

Olivia shook her head and wrapped her arm around Alex's shoulder. "Not at all."

"Do you think I'm weak for doing this?"

"Weak?"

"For giving up. I mean, I don't really think I'm giving up. I'm never home and the stress with being Bureau Chief is insane. I just, I think I…I think I want another SVU job." she said as she looked down to her lap. "I think I need to put those perps in jail. Plus, I know there's going to be a lot of meetings and evaluations and investigation into my abilities. I really don't want to have to deal with that."

Olivia smiled. She placed her hand on Alex's chin and forced her to look up. As their eyes met, her smile grew. "I could never think you were weak. Never. You are by far the strongest, bravest woman I know, Alex, and I will support any decision you make."

"It'll mean a pay cut."

"We'll be fine. You had a trust fund that started as soon as you turned eighteen, right?" When Alex nodded, she smiled. "And you received one hundred thousand dollars every year until this past one, right?" Another nod from Alex told her to keep going. "Then there's nothing to worry about. Do what you want to do, honey. Do what makes you happy."

"Thank you."

Olivia smiled. "I love you, Alex. I will always support you, no matter what."

They finished their dinner in silence, though it was a comfortable one. Alex let her mind travel to all the possible places to look for an SVU position where she could stay in New York. Olivia just smiled and fought the tears, amazed at the woman sitting beside her.

That night, Olivia filled the bathtub with lavender bubble bath and lit several candles around the tub. She was happy to see Alex easily slip out of her clothing and climb into the tub with her. With each passing day, Alex was becoming more and more comfortable doing this, and Olivia was ecstatic. She wrapped her arms around Alex and smiled. "You know, you did that pretty easily tonight."

"I know," Alex said, smiling. "That's because you make it easy."

"Well, I can still be proud of you."

"And I can be pretty proud of myself," Alex said modestly as she leaned into Olivia and allowed the lavender scent to envelop her.

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"Okay, Jess, ready to go pick out your wedding dress?" Alex asked as they climbed into the car and drove towards the store.

She nodded. "I think I am."

"Good. I know just the place."

They arrived at a small, yet quaint brownstone in Manhattan several minutes later. Alex skillfully parallel parked the car and they went inside. As soon as she saw all the dresses, Jess was sure this was the right place, and she wouldn't have to look at any other stores. "Alex, how'd you know this was the right place?"

Alex smiled. "Because none of their gowns are floofy or poofy or any of that other oofy stuff that you hate. They're elegant and beautiful yet simple. I figured you'd find a nice one here."

"Thank you," Jess said as she began looking. There were so many to choose from that she almost felt overwhelmed. There were several long-sleeved ones that she immediately dismissed, as well as a few that were way too long. She thought for a few minutes before deciding that she wanted a strapless gown.

"That narrows down your options considerably," Alex told her with a smile as she led her over to the selection of strapless gowns. "Now the question is, do you want to be all sparkly or do you want to be a little more plain?" She held up two gowns, one with ruffles and sparkles on the top, and the other a plain white. "Which one do you like?"

Jess smiled. "Is it bad that I like the plain white one?"

"Not at all. Besides, it's got ruffles at the bottom and it comes with a fairly lengthy tail. I don't think it's all that plain at all."

"I guess I'll go try it on."

"You should. Maybe I'll try one on, too, just for fun."

Jess laughed. "You should."

Both women took a dress and went into a changing stall. It was nearly impossible to get out of their clothing and into the dresses in such a small space, but they managed. They slowly made their way out to meet each other and zipped up each other's dress. Afterwards, they walked over to the full-length mirrors and admired themselves.

Jess' eyes widened as she saw Alex. The dress was sleeveless and slightly ruffled at the top. At the end of the ruffles, it was silky smooth and stuck out slightly at her hips, giving her more curves than she actually had, though it looked very good. Alex's long blonde hair fell past her shoulders and her bare chest accentuated the blonde color even more. Her blue eyes were crystal-colored and the dress only helped bring them out. "Alex, you look…wow," she was speechless.

"That bad?"

"Are you kidding? You look amazing."

Alex turned and looked at herself in the mirror. She couldn't help but smile sadly at her reflection. She would have given anything for the right to wear that dress and stand next to Olivia in a wedding ceremony. "It's a beautiful dress," she said softly.

"And you look beautiful in it," Jess said firmly. She smiled, sensing what Alex was feeling. "I think, after Allen and I get married, you and Liv should have a little ceremony," she held up her hands to keep Alex from arguing. "I know you can't get married, but you can get a civil union and put each other as your next of kin. Then you can have a lovely ceremony and exchange vows and stuff…" she let her voice drift off and waited several minutes while Alex looked at herself in the mirror. "I know it wouldn't be the same as what Allen and I are doing, and I hate that our laws are what they are, but at least it's something…"

Alex grabbed Jess' hand and squeezed. "Thank you."

Jess winked. "You're welcome. What do you say we buy both of these dresses?"

She shook her head. "I can't be your maid of honor in a wedding dress."

"True, but you can wear this when you're declaring your love for Olivia. We can search for your bridesmaid dress after we buy these."

"You're serious aren't you?"

"Absolutely."

She thought for a minute, then sighed. "I don't want to buy it just yet. I want to wait until I'm sure Olivia wants to stay together. I think I'd be jinxing things if I bought it too soon."

"Well as soon as you're sure, we're getting you this dress."

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"Jess, you invited us out to lunch today for a reason," Olivia said as she dug into her chocolate cake. "We've eaten lunch and now we're working on desert. What gives?"

Casey laughed and took a bite of her strawberry cheesecake. "Yeah, why'd you drag me away from all my paperwork that I've managed to procrastinate until the last minute?"

Two days after picking out her wedding dress with Alex, Jess decided to ask Olivia and Casey to lunch to see if they would be her bridesmaids. After eating their lunch and most of their desert, she realized she couldn't postpone asking them much longer. She set her fork down and smiled. "Well, I know this is kind of last minute, but I figured I'd give it a shot. I was just wondering if maybe you two would be bridesmaids at my wedding?"

"Really?" Olivia asked.

"Only if you want to of course. I mean I'd hate to drag you two into something –"

"Jess," Casey interrupted. "We'd love to."

Jess breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you. What colors do you like? I have to pick out your dresses and I really don't want to get a color one of you doesn't like."

Casey laughed. "Just don't get anything yellow. That color does nothing for my hair."

"And I look terrible in lime green," Olivia added.

"How about light blue?"

They both nodded. "It'll be fine," Olivia said. "Pick out the colors that go well with your decorations and everything. I promise we'll be fine with it. We'll come shopping with you next weekend for our fittings." She smiled. "Your wedding's in a month, Jess!"

"I know!" she said excitedly. "I'm so nervous!"

"Alex said you looked amazing in your dress," Casey said calmly. "I can't wait to see it."

"I just want to be married."

"Well I'm sure that day will come sooner than you think."

She laughed and sighed. "Yeah it probably will. I won't be ready when it comes and I'm sure I'll be an emotional wreck and everything, but I still can't wait. I wish it was tomorrow. I can't wait to be Mrs. Jessica Handley."

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Though everyone had warned her that it would come much quicker than she expected, the wedding day arrived before Jess knew it was even approaching. She awoke to the screaming of her cell phone. She rolled over and groaned as she answered it.

"Hello?"

"Jess, it's Alex. You have a hair appointment in thirty minutes."

Jess shot up out of bed. "What?" she screamed into the phone. "I'm not even showered or dressed or –"

"Jess," Alex interrupted calmly. "Just wear something comfortable that you can easily slip out of without messing up your hair. They'll shampoo and condition your hair before they style it. It's okay. I'll be by to pick you up in fifteen minutes."

She hung up the phone and ran to the bathroom, stubbing her toe on the door jam on the way. "Shit!" she mumbled as she quickly brushed her teeth and washed her face. As she was drying her face, she looked in the mirror and smiled. I'm getting married today, she happily told herself. After today, I'm going to be Mrs. Jessica Handley. She quickly threw on a large t-shirt and sweatpants, grabbed her purse, and ran outside to meet Alex.

"I woke you up, didn't I?" Alex asked once Jess climbed into the car.

"No," Jess lied horribly.

"You know, you're not supposed to sleep through your wedding day."

Jess laughed. "Alex, just drive. I want to get my hair done." As they were driving, a sudden thought occurred to her. "Alex, we never had a rehearsal. This is going to be bad! We don't know what we're doing!"

Alex laughed. "Honey, relax. They're playing nice music while you're getting ready and as soon as you hear 'Here Comes the Bride,' you walk down the aisle. Remember that you chose to have a very, very simple wedding, so there's not going to be a lot of chatter. The priest'll do his 'We join these two in holy matrimony' speech, you'll exchange vows, and you'll be married."

"That sounds like a lot. What if I screw up?"

"You can't. All you have to do is say 'I do' and 'I will,' and then it's over."

Jess nodded and tried to calm down. She took several deep breaths and closed her eyes. "I just want to get my hair done and get married. This waiting really sucks."

Alex shook her head and drove to the hair salon. As Jess was getting her hair done, Alex sat and read magazines. She had opted against getting her hair professionally done and had instead decided to pull it up into a half ponytail and leave several strands hanging down in front. She always liked the way she looked with her hair pulled up like that – plus, it was easier and cheaper than having someone else do it for her.

After finishing at the salon, they headed for the park. Jess was going to change in a trailer that Fin was providing – free of charge – and then the wedding would begin. She had decided on light blue evening gowns for Alex, Casey, and Olivia, and none of them had objected. Once they finished helping her into her dress and makeup, they quickly changed themselves. The three of them hurried up to the alter to wait for Jess. They joined Allen, who was standing next to two men they didn't recognize – presumably his friends from school. They smiled politely and took their places, ready for the procession to begin.

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Just as Jess finished putting on her shoes, she heard the beginning of "Here Comes the Bride." She smiled excitedly and quickly stepped out of the trailer. As she looked up, she was happy to see Cragen, Munch, Fin, Elliot, Steve, and Dr. Pryman, along with her husband and three kids, were all sitting on her side. She looked over at Allen's side and was happy to see his two moms, along with their three recently adopted children. She smiled at all of them and continued making her way up the aisle.

"Dearly beloved," the priest began. "We are gathered here today before these friends and family, to join together this man and this woman in the estate of matrimony. Matrimony is an honorable and cherished estate, and should not be entered into lightly, but rather with honor, respect, friendship and love. It is into this union that these two persons before me now come to be joined."

He looked out to the wedding guests and asked if anyone had any objections to this pairing. He smiled, then turned his attention back to Jess and Allen. "Will you, Allen, have Jessica to be your wife? Will you love her, comfort her, honor, and keep her, in sickness and in health; forsaking all others, so long as you both shall live?"

Allen smiled. "I will."

"And will you, Jessica, have Allen to be your husband? Will you love him, comfort him, honor, and keep him, in sickness and in health; forsaking all others, so long as you both shall live?"

Jess fought the tears and smiled. "I will."

The priest continued. "Traditionally, the marking of the passage to husband and wife is marked by the exchange of rings. These rings are a symbol of the unbroken circle of love. Love freely given has no beginning and no end, no giver and no receiver for each is the giver and each is the receiver. May these rings always remind you of the vows you have taken." He looked at the two of them, then turned his attention to Allen. "Allen, repeat after me: With this ring,"

"With this ring,"

"I thee wed."

"I thee wed."

"In sickness and in health, in poverty or wealth, 'till death do us part."

He placed the ring on Jess' finger. "In sickness and in health, in poverty or wealth, 'till death do us part."

He looked at Jess. "And now Jessica, please repeat after me. With this ring,"

"With this ring."

"I thee wed."

"I thee wed."

"In sickness and in health, in poverty or wealth, 'till death do us part."

She slipped the ring onto Allen's finger. "In sickness and in health, in poverty or wealth, 'till death do us part."

The priest smiled. "Now with the power vested in me by the state of New York, I now pronounce you husband and wife." He looked at Allen. "You may kiss the bride."

As they kissed, Jess felt a few tears running down her cheeks, but she didn't care. She wrapped her arms around Allen's waist and held tight to him, never wanting this moment to end. Finally, as they pulled away and headed down the aisle, and as she heard the cheers from everyone she loved, she knew her life was complete.

That night, they had a wonderful reception. The music selection was perfect, and the dance floor was large enough that everyone could dance at the same time. It was in that moment, when Jess saw every single person dancing together, that she was happy her wedding had been such a small one. It had bothered her, at first, that she didn't have very many close friends or family. Now, however, she wouldn't change a single person for anything. She may not have had very many guests, but those that were there meant the world to her. As she danced with Allen during the final dance of the night, she couldn't wait to hop on the plane in the morning and fly to Bermuda. It was a last-minute decision to go there for the honeymoon, and she was excited. She'd never been there before, and she knew it would be romantic spending the time with Allen.

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"Allen, have I told you today just how much I love you?" Jess asked as they made their way out onto the beach. It was their first full day of their honeymoon, and they intended to spend it lying on the beach and swimming in the ocean.

He smiled and slipped his arm around her waist. "I don't think I've heard it yet today. That was nice."

They found a fairly secluded spot and spread out their beach blanket. After applying sunscreen, they looked at each other lovingly. Neither was sure what to do next. After several minutes, Jess took the first step. She shoved his shoulder gently and then took off for the water. "Bet ya can't catch me!" she yelled over her shoulder.

He laughed and took off after her, catching her just as her feet hit the water. He scooped her off her feet and carried her until the water was deep enough that he could no longer do so. They stood there, just beyond the breaking waves, and held each others hands.

"You looked so beautiful yesterday," he told her.

"Only because I was standing next to the most handsome man in the world."

Their seven-day honeymoon didn't seem like enough time to spend together away from the real world. As the final day approached, they were sad to be leaving this tropical paradise.

"Just think of it this way," Allen told her as they were boarding the plane. "Olivia and Alex are leaving for their cruise in three weeks. Once they're gone, we've got plans to add on that room. We'll be working like dogs and it's going to be so much fun. We'll get to spend some quality time with our friends."

Jess smiled and buckled her seatbelt. "Yeah, I'm actually really excited about getting that room done for Alex. Olivia was right. She's a lot happier now than she was when I first met her, but she's still got this sadness in her eyes that never seems to go away. I really hope this helps."

"I'm sure it will."

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"Alex, do you have everything you need?" Olivia asked as she zipped up her suitcase and put it by the door.

"I think so," Alex answered. She looked around the room, trying to make sure she wasn't forgetting something. "I feel like I'm forgetting something, though I have no idea what that something might be."

"Do you have your pajamas?"

"Yes."

"Toothbrush?"

"Yep."

"Hairbrush?"

"Yep."

"Clean underwear?"

"Got it."

"Bathing suit?"

Alex hesitated. There it was, the one thing she was terrified of wearing happened to be the one thing she had forgotten to pack. She hadn't really realized how much walking around in a bathing suit scared her until this moment. She looked away and tried not to cry.

Olivia sensed Alex's apprehension and smiled. "Tee-shirt and shorts?" she offered.

Alex took a deep breath and shook her head. "No. I'll wear the bathing suit."

"You're a beautiful woman, Alex, and you're going to look just fine in that bathing suit."

She took a deep breath. "As long as you're next to me, I might just keep believing that."

Olivia wrapped an arm around her waist. "Then I'll always be next to you."

Damn I want to go buy that dress, Alex thought happily. Still, it was too early. She wanted Olivia to actually propose or something before she went and spent money on a dress.

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It was just two days into their eleven-day project and already the framing for the walls was being put in place. Jess had hired a local group of builders and had promised them a substantial amount of money if they could have it done in three or four days. As luck would have it, she would be able to get everyone in there to start painting and decorating by tomorrow. Casey and Paul had agreed to help paint, and Casey had even hinted at the fact that she was pretty good at Calligraphy.

"It might be kind of weird," Casey had said earlier that week. "But I was thinking that maybe we could put one or two of her favorite songs along the trim of the room…you know, write in the lyrics or something."

Jess smiled. "Case, I really like that idea."

Casey nodded. "Okay. I'll look through some songs and see what I can find."

"Actually, talk to Olivia. If you can't get a hold of her before she leaves, she's promised that the ship has an Internet Café or something where she can access her email. That's how I'm getting half the pictures for this thing anyway."

"Okay, thanks."

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Their room was more beautiful than anything Alex had ever seen. They had a huge open area with a couch and television. Off to one corner was the kitchen and the bathroom. In the back was the queen-sized bed along with a large dresser and another TV. Next to the couch in the living area was a door to a fairly large balcony. "Oh, Liv, this place is amazing!"

Olivia smiled and walked her out onto the deck. "I thought you'd like one with a balcony. We've got a great view." She held Alex's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "We are going to have such an incredible time."

Alex returned the squeeze and looked into Olivia's eyes. "I don't think I've ever been this happy. I owe it all to you, Liv. Thank you so much for taking me on this cruise." She slipped away back into the room to retrieve something from her suitcase. A few moments later, she returned with a long, slender black box.

Olivia smiled and raised her eyebrows. "What's this?"

"My gift to you."

"You got me something?"

Alex laughed. "Liv, it's our one-year anniversary! Of course I got you something. Now open it."

Olivia slowly opened the box and gasped at what she saw. Inside was a diamond necklace, complete with matching earrings. She looked up at Alex and her jaw dropped. "Alex, it's beautiful."

"I thought you might like it. I saw it at the store a few weeks ago and knew I had to get it for you."

She leaned over and lightly kissed her. "I love it. Thank you."

"Yeah, well, you outdid me by a lot with this cruise."

"Nonsense. I absolutely love the necklace and earrings. They're beautiful and they're perfect." She wrapped her arms around Alex tightly and kissed her again, though this time more passionately. There was something about being out on the balcony, the rocking of the boat, and the scent of the water, that made the kiss even more amazing. "I love you," she said softly as they pulled away from each other.

Alex smiled. "I love you, too."

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The walls were all painted a very light blue. It had barely taken an hour to finish all of them. With the help of Steve, Allen, and Elliot, the trim had been put on the wall in a matter of minutes. Afterwards, Casey, Fin, and Munch had stepped in, and everyone grabbed a paintbrush and started painting.

As everyone waited for the paint to dry, Jess took the pictures and laid them out on the floor, trying to figure out how to best arrange them on the walls. It had been decided that one wall would be just the fireplace and mantle, another would be one large picture of Alex and Olivia, the third – the one with the door – would have all the other pictures, and the fourth would be Casey's lyrics. She had decided that the trim was too small and uneven to be able to write anything on.

"Do you have a song picked out?" Jess asked.

"Yea, I do. It's called 'Beautiful in My Eyes,' and it's by Joshua Kadison. Olivia told me that she really wants that to be the song Alex see when she walks into the room. I looked at the lyrics and I can understand why."

"Let me see," Jess said as Casey handed her the piece of paper. As she read the lyrics, she smiled. "Casey, this is perfect. She's going to love it."

"I hope so."

They continued working on the room nearly all day for the next five days. The stones were set in the fireplace. Two pictures of Alex and Olivia were put on either end of the mantle, and Casey put a framed copy of "If that's what it Takes," by Celine Dion between the pictures. She had written the lyrics in perfect calligraphy, and was rather pleased with the result. Jess hired a few people to enlarge a picture of Alex and Olivia sitting on a deck by the river. Once it was the right size – nine feet by eight feet – she had it mounted on the one wall. She had initially been worried that the picture would look distorted, but she smiled when she saw that it hadn't lost any of its quality.

"I guess I just have to write the lyrics on the one wall while you put all the pictures on the other," Casey said as she admired the enlarged picture.

"Yep. We should get started. They're coming home in two days. I want this to be completely finished when they get here."

Casey got to work on writing the lyrics on the side wall while Jess started placing the pictures on the opposite wall. Allen helped put the pictures towards the top, where Jess couldn't reach. Everyone else left to return to work, but promised to return before Alex and Olivia. They all wanted to see Alex's expression when she walked through the door into her new room.

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It was the last night of their cruise, and Olivia wanted it to be special. They had been having the most amazing time, and she was sad to see it end. They'd toured ruins in Athens and Palaces in Rome. Alex had even gone snorkeling with her, which had been a blast. She had chosen her solid black, one-piece bathing suit, and it had looked amazing on her. It had taken Olivia several tries to convince Alex to remove her towel and join her in the water, but eventually she had done so, and had had a good time.

"Thanks for convincing me to go snorkeling," she told Olivia that night at dinner. "I really had a lot of fun."

"Good. I'm glad you came out with me. It wouldn't have been nearly as fun alone."

They enjoyed their dinner and decided to turn in early, wanting to spend the last night together, without anyone else distracting them. Olivia was able to convince Alex to take a shower by herself, claiming she had something to show her but first had to get it ready. Alex had reluctantly agreed and retreated into the bathroom.

As Alex was showering, Olivia called room service and told them she was ready. She had told them her plan on the first night, so they were prepared for her call. They brought up two small plates of strawberry cheesecake and a bottle of wine. Olivia thanked them and gave them a large tip. She placed the plates on the table and took out a small box from her suitcase. Inside the box was the wedding ring she'd picked out months earlier, when she'd first began planning the cruise. She gently placed the ring in the center of Alex's cake, dimmed the lights, lit two candles, and waited.

"Liv, why's it so dark in here?" Alex asked when she stepped into the room.

"Come here," Olivia said smiling. "I have something for you."

Alex approached slowly, "What?"

"Just come here."

As she neared the table, she saw the two plates of cheesecake and smiled. Olivia knew it was her favorite desert. She slowly pulled the chair out and sat down. She could feel Olivia's eyes gazing at her and she had no idea why. She picked up her fork and cut her first bite. As she was pulling the fork towards her mouth, her jaw dropped. She saw it. "Oh my God," she said as she put the fork down and picked up the ring. She looked up at Olivia. "Is this what I think it is?"

Olivia knelt down next to Alex and smiled. "Yes, it is." Olivia gently removed the ring from Alex's grasp and easily slid it onto her finger. She held her hands there for a few seconds, trying to gain her composure, and then returned her gaze to Alex. "I love you so much, and I would be honored if you would accept this proposal. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You make me the happiest woman in the world and I have no idea what I'd do without you. Alex, will you marry me?"

Alex felt her eyes fill with tears as she wiped her arms around Olivia. "Yes!"

"We can have a little ceremony or something. We'll sign whatever papers we have to in order to make sure nobody comes between us or anything. You're my next of kin and I'm yours…all that stuff."

"I can get that wedding dress."

"What dress?"

"The one I tried on with Jess. I really liked it."

Olivia smiled. "Then we'll go shopping as soon as we get back."

"You really want to spend the rest of your life with me?"

"More than anything else in this entire world."

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Casey, Steve, Elliot, Fin, Munch, Cragen, Allen, and Jess all huddled by the fireplace, waiting for Olivia and Alex to arrive. They were due any minute now, and nobody wanted to ruin the surprise. They kept as quiet as they could, Jess with the remote to the CD player in hand, and waited. Finally, after what seemed like forever, they heard the front door open. They held their breath as they heard the excited footsteps coming closer. As the door slowly opened, they waited for Alex to stick her head in, then they all stood up and yelled, "SURPRISE!"

"What the…" Alex said as the room suddenly filled with light. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. A new room? She looked around as her eyes filled with tears. She saw all of her friends' smiling faces first, then the huge picture of her and Olivia, then the other pictures, and finally the lyrics to her favorite song. As her eyes scanned the lyrics, Jess pressed play on the remote, and the song began playing. She felt a few tears fall as Olivia began to sing along.

You're my piece of mind, in this crazy world
You're every thing I've tried to find
Your love is a pearl
You're my Mona Lisa
You're my rainbow skies
And my only prayer is that you realize
You'll always be beautiful in my eyes...

The world will turn
And the seasons will change
And all the lessons we will learn
Will be beautiful and strange
We'll have our fell of tears
Our share of sight
My only prayer is that you realize
You'll always be beautiful in my eyes...

You will always be beautiful in my eyes
And the passing is the show
That you will always grow
Ever more beautiful in my eyes

And there are lines upon my face
From a life time of smiles
When the time comes to embrace
For one long last wine
We can laugh about how time really flies this
We won't say goodbye
'Cause true love never dies
You'll always be beautiful in my eyes...

You will always be beautiful in my eyes
And the passing is the show
That you will always grow
Ever more beautiful in my eyes

The passing is the show
That you will always grow
Ever more beautiful in my eyes...

Jess walked over and hugged her. "This is from all of us. Happy anniversary."

Alex had no idea what to say. Tears were pouring down her face as she looked at everyone. "This…you all…how did you….this is from all of you?"

"All the guys really helped with the construction and painting," Jess told her. "Olivia provided the pictures and I put them on the wall. Casey wrote the lyrics on the wall and on that frame on the mantle."

One by one, everyone in the room took turns hugging a now sobbing and blubbering Alex. "You guys, you didn't have to do all this for me! A simple Hallmark card would have been enough."

"Nonsense," Munch said. "Besides, we got to get down and dirty with nails and stuff. It was fun."

"Thank you so much. You have no idea how much this means to me."

Olivia slowly walked over and hugged her. "You like it? It was Jess' idea."

"I love it. Jess, thank you so much."

Jess shook her head. "It wasn't just me. Everybody helped."

"Well, thank you." She turned her gaze back to Olivia and lightly kissed her. "I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you. I love you so much."

"I love you, too. Always and forever."

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THE END!

Thanks to alexlivilla70 for the idea of Olivia proposing on the cruise! I never would have thought to do it that way :)

If this chapter is too long, please let me know and I'll break it up into two smaller ones. I know this was really long but I wanted to get everything out there so this story would be over. I'm really anxious to start the sequel :)

Also, the title of the sequel is "Forever and Always"…yes, I'm aware of my lack of creativity. Get over it.