Uh oh. I found another plot bunny that resulted in this!
I give you, Casey and Alex through the years.
I hope you enjoy.
-Jordyn
Casey took the stage, standing in front of the podium, looking out over their collection of family and friends. Alex had touched so many lives, and Casey could see them all sitting in front of her. It brought a smile to her face for the first time in almost a week, knowing that all of these people cared for Alex gave her a sense of pride that she had never felt before.
She took a breath to steady herself, and try to calm her nerves. She was a lawyer that was afraid of public speaking. She could rip into a perp without a second thought, but when it came down to talking from her heart, she froze. Alex always teased her about it. But today was different. Today she got to talk about the love of her life, and that she could do.
"Thank you all for coming today," Casey started. She took a breath and caught her daughters eye. She gave her a reassuring nod, and she smiled, going on. "Alex would be so happy to see so many of her friends here to celebrate her life. I always knew that Alex was special, and she touched so many lives. I don't think that there is a person in this room who hasn't been touched in some way by the Alex Cabot, be it personally or professionally. It makes me so proud to say that I shared my life with her. I was so incredibly lucky to have her, and to be her wife. As many of you know, we got a rocky start to say the least." Casey could see Olivia laughing, and it put her even more at ease. "Yes Liv, you know exactly what I'm talking about, and I'm sure that the rest of you have heard the stories." The crowd laughed. "When I met her that day, so many years ago, I never would have thought that I was meeting the person that was going to mean the most to me in life. Because once we realized that we didn't have to be enemies, I found my best friend, and the love of my life. Forty three years ago, Alex walked into my life, or more accurately, I walked into her apartment, and we never left.
She drove me to be a better person, and she always managed to bring out the best in me. So many people only saw Alexandra Cabot, the ice princess, but I had the privilege of seeing the true Alex Cabot. The Alex Cabot that would run around our house in sweat pants on a Sunday morning because she could, who would make pancakes in the shapes of animals because she loved them as much as our children, and who would curl up on the couch with me and watch sappy movies that she hated, but she knew I loved. I got to watch her be an amazing mother to our children, and be the best wife that anyone could ever hope for.
I can't tell you exactly what I'm going to miss about her, because I'm going to miss everything. She took the best parts of me with her, because she was the best part of me. But her legacy will live on through our children and the family that we created, and I will always be grateful to her for giving them to me. In almost every way, I consider myself the luckiest woman in the world because I was able to call Alex Cabot my wife. The day that I said I do was one of the best of my life, because being Casey Cabot-Novak has been one of the best things to ever happen to me. But let's not mourn our loss, instead let us celebrate her life, and the wonderful people that she filled it with. I love you Alex." There wasn't a dry eye in the church as she stepped back, not trying to keep the tears from streaming down her own face. As much as she wanted to celebrate Alex's life, and she knew that there were so many reasons to celebrate, but where was the joy in celebrating without the person that you love most?
Her daughter appeared at her side and slipped an arm around her shoulders, and helped guide her back to her seat next to Olivia and Hannah. Olivia gave her one of her biggest smiles, and pulled her into a one armed hug. The retired police captain was still protective of her former ADA, and friend, and it showed in her actions. Olivia had promised Alex that she would take care of Casey once she was gone, and she intended to keep that promise. Olivia had never intended to outlive Alex, actually she had expected to not make it past forty or so, especially in her line of work. But things change, and suddenly, she was taking care of Casey instead of the woman that held her heart.
"You did great Case, Alex would have been so proud of you. Your speech was beautiful, and you know that Alex felt the same way." Casey just nodded in understanding, and sunk into her embrace. She didn't have the will to fight the exhaustion anymore, and she felt safe in Olivia's arms.
"Thank you," She whispered into Olivia's shoulder. "For being here. I don't know how I would have gotten through this without you. I just feel so empty. Like a whole piece of myself is missing, and I don't know what to do. Everything is out of balance, and I'm lost, Olivia."
"Case, you just lost your wife, it's natural to feel like this. I promise you that things will get better. Spend time with Leighton and Wyatt. Remember the good times that you had together, and work on making new ones. You know that Alex wouldn't want you to stop living now that she's gone. If she saw you thinking about giving up and not living each day to your full potential, we both know that you'd be getting the Cabot stare, and that's not something that you should be striving for." Casey actually smiled at that, knowing that Olivia was right. Alex would be glaring at her while informing her that she was an idiot, because she didn't need her to live her life. Looking back up at Olivia, Casey could tell that she knew she had won this round. Sometimes, trying to win an argument with Olivia was like taking on Alex. Part of that probably came from the fact that she only dated lawyers.
"Come on," Olivia said, offering Casey her hand. "Let's get you home." Casey took the offered hand, and pulled herself to her feet. She was more than ready to get away from all the sadness and spend some time with her children. Olivia was right, she needed to remember the good times, and make new memories to hold on to.
X X X
"Ma? Are you home?" A voice came from around the corner. She nodded, before remembering that Leighton couldn't actually see her.
"In here honey," She called back, never taking her eyes from the photo album in front of her. It was one that Alex had given her on their first anniversary. At that time it only had a few pictures of them, but over the years, Alex had filled it with pictures from everything they had ever done as a couple, and as a family.
"I thought I might find you in here," Leighton said, appearing in the doorway. "Mom always liked to hide in here when she needed to think." Casey smiled, finally looking up at her daughter. She looked so much like her mother, it was ridiculous. Her long blonde hair was pulled back into a pony tail, highlighting her distinct facial features, and for a moment, Casey could see Alex in her eyes. She was a carbon copy of her mother, at least physically, but mentally, she was much more like her Ma. So while there were things about her that were distinctly Alex, there were also things that were undeniably Casey.
"You know, your mother threatened to make you sleep in the closet if we didn't find a house that had a study." Casey said with a smile, closing the album and patting the couch beside her.
"She did not!" Leighton screeched, taking the offered seat.
"You've met your mother!" Casey screeched back. "She needed her space to be DA Cabot-Novak, so that she could be our Alex at home." She smiled at the memory of Alex throwing a fit over turning the office in their apartment into a room for Leighton. It was that night that they decided they needed to move into a space that had enough room for the three of them, and eventually Wyatt as well. She had turned down more houses than they had friends before they found the perfect brownstone, and the house that they would come to know as home.
"She always tried so hard to keep work away from us," Leighton added, resting her head against her mother's shoulder, pulling Casey back to the present.
"We just wanted to protect you two for as long as we could. After what your mother and I saw on a daily basis, we didn't want you to be exposed to that kind of hate and cruelty in the world. You're lucky that we let you two out of the house at all! When it was time for you to start pre-school, your mother, briefly entertained the idea of quitting her job to homeschool you so that we could keep you safe!" She smiled again, only half joking. Leighton curled up closer to her mother and grabbed the forgotten photo album off the table in front of them. She had seen it many times before, but this time felt different. She wanted to hear about who he mother was before.
"Will you tell me about her?" She asked, handing Casey the album. She took the album with a smile.
"What would you like to know?" She asked, turning to her favorite picture of the two of them. It had been taken just after their three year anniversary, and they were both smiling. Olivia had managed to snap the picture without either one of them knowing it, and there was the New York skyline in the background. Something about the innocence in the picture drew Casey to it, time after time.
"How about," Wyatt said, appearing in the doorway where Leighton had just been. He had been outside the door, not wanting to intrude on the moment, but he wasn't going to miss one of his Ma's stories. Especially not if she was telling one about her and mom. "How you and mom met the second time? Or as I like to think about it," He said with a smile, "The time that actually mattered."
"They both mattered," Casey said, trying to be firm, but she knew she was failing. Having her children around always made it hard to be serious. "But I know what you meant. Alright so..." Wyatt instantly dropped to the floor in front of his mothers legs, ready for the story.
"Well, it was almost forty five years ago now..."
X X X
"Alexandra Cabot, if you do not get your ass home right now, I will come haul you home myself!" Abbie threatened through the phone, her accent more pronounced because the emotion in her voice. "You know I'd do it to!"
"You mean to tell me that you would come all the way from D.C. just to make me go home? All because you think that I sound sick?" Alex asked, trying to hide her smile, and attempting to sound less stuffed up than she actually was.
"No Blondie. I'm upstate with Serena, and I can be there in less than an hour. So don't think that I won't make good on my threat!" Alex sighed, knowing that she wasn't going to win. Sometimes having a federal prosecutor as a friend had major downsides.
"Fine," She sighed again, admitting defeat. To be honest, she really did feel terrible, but Alexandra Cabot never took a sick day. However, the embarrassment of Abbie throwing her over her shoulder and carrying her out of the office was enough to spur her into action.
"Good girl, and call me when you get home, from you home phone. Reenie and I might stop by later to check on you."
"Abbie, you don't have to..."
"I know I don't have to. But Since you won't talk to your hot cop and you finally got rid of that P.O.S. Robert, someone needs to take care of you! Besides, Serena and I are having date night in the city anyway!" Alex ground her teeth, trying to keep from snapping.
"Really Abigail?! Olivia and Robert in the same breath? That might be a new record!" Alex snapped, her patience too thin to try and contain her anger at Abbie's antics.
"I needed to make a point. Go rest, Alex. Let someone worry about you for once."
"Abbie?" Alex asked, cautiously, internally admitting defeat. She knew that Abbie was right, even if she was reluctant to admit it.
"Yes, Cabot?" Abbie could sense her change in mood, and let up on the teasing.
"Thank you."
"Anytime, Blondie." Alex sighed at the use of the awful nickname, and ended the call. Sometimes Abbie was too much, and other times she was exactly what you needed.
In one swift movement, Alex shoved all the papers from her desk into her briefcase, and took a mental note of what cases she was working on. She probably didn't need all the files, but she was too sick to care. She really did feel like something on the bottom of a shoe, and she was convinced that she looked like it too.
"Hold all my calls and reschedule my meeting with McCoy for later in the week." She announced as she marched out of her office. Her secretary scrambling to write everything down, and keep up with her train of thought. "If anyone needs me, I can be reached by cellphone, but tell them to call at their own risk."
"What should I tell McCoy if he asks why you're rescheduling?" Her secretary asked, finally catching up to Alex's thoughts.
"Tell him it's none of his damn business!" She snapped, and then instantly backpedalled. "I'm sorry, it's been a long day. If he asks, tell him that I went home sick today, and I don't know when I'll be back in. If he has a problem with it, he has my cell number." Alex started making her way down the hall when her secretary called after her, the words finally sinking in.
"Wait, you're going home sick?!" She could hear the shock in her voice all the way down the hall.
"Yes, I know it's a shock, but I do get sick just like a normal person!" With that, she turned back down the hallway, ending all further possible conversation and setting her mind on getting home.
An hour later she slinked through the door, cursing every person in the city that decided to drive their car today because of the traffic it caused. All she wanted to do was climb into her bed and sleep for a week, but first she wanted to take a hot shower to try and wash the feel of sick off her.
Dropping her clothes on the way to the shower, not bothering to hang up her suit, she took in the steam, and let the hot water pound against her, washing away the layer of germs that she could feel building up on her body. As bad as she felt, a shower always made her feel better, and she thanked whatever god was watching over the building, allowing her to have hot water. She climbed out, feeling slightly more alive, but she knew that it wasn't going to last as the mucus settled back into her chest.
She didn't bother putting clothes on as she scooted back into her bedroom, dropping her towel on the bed, and laying on top of it. She didn't even care that she was ruining her sheets, or that the apartment was a mess. She was finally in her own bed, and she was finally able to sleep. Within seconds of her head hitting the pillow, she was out.
A constant knocking on her door dragged Alex out of sleep. She tried to gain an awareness of her surroundings as she scrambled for a robe to put on. She cursed at the person on the other side of the door for waking her, and she had a pretty good idea of who it was. She vowed to kill Abbie for not using her key. There was a pause in the knocking, and Alex held her breath, hoping that it meant the person was leaving. Instead, the knocking just got louder as the person switched hands. Yanking the door open with all her might, Alex got ready to tear into Abbie, when she ended up face to face with Casey Novak, who looked more than a little uncomfortable.
"Uhm, hi." Casey said, shifting the bag in her hands back and forth, nervous under the Cabot glare she was receiving.
"Casey?" Alex asked, trying to fight through her sleep filled haze to understand why Casey Novak of all people was standing at her door. It wasn't that she didn't like Casey, it's the fact that they hardly knew each other, and Casey had been the one to sweep in and replace her while she was in WitSec. Okay, so maybe she did dislike Casey a little. But that still didn't explain why she was standing at the door holding a bag of something.
"I uh, Abbie sent me." She said, gesturing to the bag in her hands. "Her and Serena got umm, caught up, so she asked me to swing by and check on you. So I brought you some soup, and some medicine, because I figured that you wouldn't want to cook, and you need something healthier than take out." She held out the bag for Alex to take, and then started back down the hall, her job complete.
"Casey!" Alex yelled before she got far. "Why don't you come in for a minute? I really appreciate you doing this." She wasn't sure where this sudden need to be nice to Casey came from, but she had come all the way out here to check on her, the least she could do was invite her in.
Casey visibly hesitated, but seemed to come to the same conclusion as Alex. The past was the past, and maybe they could start rebuilding bridges they burned. She nodded letting Alex know she was coming.
She disappears back into the apartment, leaving the door propped open for Casey, who was more than a little hesitant about walking into Alex Cabot's house. All Abbie had asked her to do was stop by and make sure that Alex was home, and alive.
"Make yourself at home!" Alex yelled from what Casey guessed was the bedroom. "I'll be out in a minute." Casey took the invitation to look around. Every inch of the apartment screamed Alex Cabot. There everything was orderly, and clean. She had a post-modern style that very much represented her personality, but at the same time was warm and welcoming. Unlike so many west side apartments, it felt like someone lived in the house.
"My mother decorated," Alex said from behind her, and Casey jumped.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."
"It's okay. I was just taking in your apartment. I think it's beautiful." Casey blushed at paying Alex a compliment. Up until twenty minutes ago, they had been strangers, and almost enemies.
"Well thank you. It does what I need it to." Sensing Casey's hesitation, she decided to break the ice. "Can I get you anything to drink?"
"No, thank you though. But if you're hungry, there's vegan chicken noodle soup, and a roll in the bag. Also there's a few movies. I wasn't sure how long you were going to be home, and I didn't want you to get bored."
"Thank you, Casey. That was so sweet." Casey blushed again. She hoped that Alex let her out of the house before she looked at the movies she had picked. No such luck.
"Do you want to stay and watch a movie? I don't want you to feel like you have to rush out."
"Sure," Casey found herself saying before her brain had processed the information. Alex gave her a real smile, something that Casey had never been lucky enough to witness before. She caught her breath. How had she never realized how beautiful Alex was. She could see how Olivia had fallen so easily for the woman in front of her.
"Great! What movies did you bring me?" Alex asked as she started to get up, but Casey beat her to it.
"You rest, I'll grab them." She pulled the stack of movies out the bag before reading the titles. "Alright. We have Titanic, The Notebook, Desert Hearts, Mean Girls, and last but not least, Legally Blonde one and two!"
"You did not!" Alex screeched, grabbing the cases out of her hand. "Did you actually bring me Legally Blonde?!"
"Reese Witherspoon is hot! And it's fun to watch! Don't judge me!" Casey didn't realize what she had said until Alex was just staring at her, a slightly confused look on her face. "What?"
"You just said Reese Witherspoon was hot!" Alex said, looking her up and down, as if trying to read her mind.
"And?" Case asked, hoping that she'd catch on without her having to say it.
"Are you, uhm..." She sighed at Alex's inability to say it.
"Gay? Yes, Alex. I play softball for goodness sake! I know I don't completely fit into the stereotype, but goodness knows I'm close."
"But I never... How didn't I know?! Did you and Olivia ever...?" She asked, not really sure that she wanted the answer.
"Alex! I almost shit rainbows! Your gaydar must be broken." She teased, before her tone turned more serious. "And no, nothing ever happened with Olivia. I promise. I always looked at her as yours, even when you weren't here, and I learned the hard way not to mix business with pleasure."
"Well I guess that we learn something new every day!" Alex said, looking at the ground. She was more than a little embarrassed for making such a big deal over Casey being gay, especially considering everything that happened with Olivia.
"Yep! So," Casey said, trying to pull the conversation away from her personal life, and back to something more neutral. She wasn't a huge fan of telling her sexual history to a virtual stranger, even if it did feel like her and Alex had been friends for years. "What movie are we going to watch?" Alex gladly accepted the subject change. She didn't want to focus anymore on anything serious, or the fact that she was comfortable enough with Casey to ask that kind of question.
"My vote is for Legally Blonde! It's one of my favorites. But I swear to you that if you tell anyone else about that, I will end you and they will never find the body." Alex gave her a wicked smile that let her know she was kidding, and Casey couldn't help but smile back. That smile was contagious, and she didn't mind catching it.
"Alright, you get the couch ready and Ill get the movie going. Do you need anything while I'm up?" She offered, turning toward the DVD player, not expecting Alex to agree to let her take care of her.
"Actually, I'd love some of that soup that you were so wonderful to bring me." Casey could hear the smile in her voice, and she blushed. If she didn't know any better, she'd say that Alex was almost flirting with her.
"That I can handle," She said, hitting play on the DVD so that it would be past the previews when they were finally ready to watch. "I'll be right back."
Once Alex was sure that Casey was in the kitchen and out of earshot, she pulled her phone out and dialed a number she knew by heart. Casey could hear her talking to someone, and moving things around, but she couldn't figure out who she was talking to.
"No I haven't kissed her yet! Why would I?" Alex hissed just loud enough for Casey to hear. Maybe she did know who Alex was talking to after all. "Is that why you asked Casey to come over instead of you? To set us up? I'm on to your plan, Abbie, and you can't deny it." There was a pause, and Casey assumed that it was Abbie's turn to go on a rant. "Ew! Abs, that was too much sharing. I didn't need those mental images! I know that I asked, but there is a line, and you just crossed it!" There was another pause, and Casey tried to make it sound like she was doing something in the kitchen so that Alex didn't get suspicious. "Yes, of course I find her attractive! I'm sick, not blind!" Casey couldn't help but smile at that. Alex thought she was attractive. "I'd appreciate it if you could stay out of my love life though. And i swear that if the next words out of your mouth are Olivia or Robert, I will never speak to you again." Another pause. "Thank you Abbie. But I need to go, she's in the kitchen getting me some of the soup that she brought over. I know, it really was sweet of her. Yes, I will give you the details later. Goodbye, Abigail." Casey made some extra noise in the kitchen as she put the soup and medicine on the tray, letting Alex know that she was almost done.
When she emerged a minute later bearing soup and cold medicine, Alex's face lit up. She rarely let other people take care of her, even when she was sick, but something about Casey made her want to be taken care of. Casey, on the other hand, was focused on the fact that in the short time she had been in the kitchen, Alex had managed to turn the entire living room into a blanket war zone. It was a tradition that she had when she was younger; she would build a blanket fort in the living room and watch movies when she didn't feel good. But she hadn't done it in years, because she hadn't had anyone to share it with. Not since she left for WitSec and left Olivia behind. But even then Olivia rarely had time for blanket forts and animated movies.
"Are there any blankets left in New York?" Casey teased, as she handed the tray down to Alex.
"Hey! Be nice! I just like to be comfortable when I'm sick! And to answer your question, yes. I let Abbie keep her blankets. God only knows what has happened on them!" Casey couldn't contain her happiness at getting to see this childish side of Alex. A side that she was sure very few people ever got to see.
"Good choice! Is there room for one more person in your blanket fort?" She asked, moving toward Alex's side, and the pile of blankets.
"Of course!" She patted the space beside her, that Casey plopped into without hesitation. They were sitting closer together than was required, and probably than they should have been seeing as they had only officially become less than enemies about an hour ago. They both knew it, but neither of them was willing to move away from the contact.
The movie started, and after Alex had finished off the soup, and managed to choke down the awful cold medicine, they stetted in to watch the first round of movies. But half way through Legally Blonde, the cold medicine kicked in, and Alex passed out on Casey, with her head in her lap. It took every ounce of self control she had to not play with Alex's golden hair that was flowing over her legs. She looked so peaceful sleeping that Casey had to smack herself. She couldn't be developing feelings for Alex Cabot. Things like that didn't happen. They had just officially met on friend terms, and she wasn't good enough for Alex. She knew she never would be. But, she considered her options, maybe they could be friends.
Alex stirred in her lap, and curled herself up into a ball, closer to Casey's body heat. She smiled, and let her arm rest against Alex's side. She knew that Alex would be more comfortable in her own bed, but she didn't want to move her just yet.
Once the movie was finished, Casey clicked the TV off, and carefully slid her arms under Alex's and under her legs. She picked them both off the floor in swift movements, doing her best not to wake the sleeping woman in her arms. Making her way down the hallway toward what Casey assumed was the bedroom, Alex stirred and rested her head on Casey's shoulder. She was adorable when she was sick, and Casey was content to stay in that moment. Successfully reaching her destination, she carefully set Alex down on the bed and pulled the covers up around her, lightly smoothing out the few hairs that had managed to fall out of place on the trip to the bed.
As Casey pulled her hand away, causing her to completely break contact for the first time, Alex rolled over and grabbed her hand.
"Stay, please?" Alex asked sleepily. Casey knew that she shouldn't, but the adorable look on her face made it impossible to say no. She sighed, and crawled into the opposite side of the bed, and Alex instantly snuggled into her side, sighing in content. Casey knew then that she was in trouble.