p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"strongA/N: So, this one-shot is based on the song Late to the Party by Kacey Musgraves. :) If you haven't heard it you should check it out!/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"strongBy the way, I do completely intend to update my other works. Please bear with me, my life became an enormous roller coaster. This story is happier and sweet and well we all could use some happiness right?/strong/p
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p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Walking into the apartment, Casey is instantly met with the sounds of Alex cursing her hair from the bathroom. Smiling to herself as she hides the last minute gift she'd run out an hour ago to buy, she figures Alex isn't any further ready for the Sex Crimes annual Christmas party than she was when she left. Walking down the hall to the bathroom she can't help but laugh./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Reaching the door, she leans against the frame and smirks at her gorgeous fiancé. Alex is standing in the bathroom in her underwear curling her long blonde hair. "How's that bottle of wine?" Casey asks, jokingly mocking Alex. The blonde had warned her that if she got home late from her impromptu shopping trip that she would come home to find Alex curled up on the couch with a glass of wine and a book./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I am close to being ready, I promise. My hair just won't do a damn thing. I swear Monday morning I am having it cut shorter. It's just completely unmanageable and now we are going to be late!" Alex panicked./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Casey couldn't help but chuckle as she walked forward and kissed Alex lightly on the lips to calm her. "Stop worrying, darling. I am going to get you that glass of wine to help you calm down. No need to rush baby, it's just a Christmas party."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Olivia, has been texting me non-stop." Alex groaned, only to be cut off by Casey kissing her again while swiping her phone./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Don't worry, Amanda was just harassing me too. I will take care of it, just relax babe." Casey assured walking down the hall to the kitchen. On the way, she text Olivia, "On the way, in the cab! C."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Entering the kitchen, she smiled looking at their beautifully decorated Christmas tree. It was amazing to think in just a few short weeks she and Alex would be married. She couldn't wait for their Christmas Eve wedding. Life seemed amazing, and it was all thanks to her beautiful blonde. She couldn't help but imagine their future together./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Shaking off her daydreams, Casey grabbed the bottle of wine. Locating the opener she quickly undid the cork and grabbed a glass. While pouring two glasses she heard Alex yell, "Hair and makeup done! Just have to get dressed." Chuckling to herself, Casey poured herself a larger glass of wine and headed towards their bedroom./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Setting Alex's glass down on the dresser, Casey climbed on the bed watching Alex toss about ten outfits on the bed. "Babe, the party is casual, hence my boots, nice jeans, tank and sweater top," the redhead sweetly offered./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""That doesn't mean I can't look good..." Alex replied taking a generous gulp of wine, "That's a good bottle, thank you sweetheart."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Anytime my love."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Alex smiled at the affection as she pulled on a pair of her designer jeans. "So, how was court today?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Another win for the home team." Casey began, as she filled Alex in on the case and the direction it was going, Alex changed her outfit about ten times. However, despite the wine glasses being refilled twice and the hour hand ticking by, Casey didn't mind. In her eyes, she was right where she should be, by Alex's side./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"By the time, Alex was finally ready and they were making their way down to the doorman, they couldn't help but laugh noticing they were easily an hour and a half late. Climbing into the cab with zero anxiety, the couple gave the address to the party and drove in comfortable conversation./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"At one point, Alex was telling Casey about the presents she found while out shopping that day for Casey's nieces and the necklace she found for her mother, but all Casey could focus on was how Alex's inner beauty made her outer beauty even more remarkable. Casey couldn't imagine her world without Alexandra Cabot and couldn't wait to call her her wife. Even if Alex had a habit of making them terribly late to everything./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Pulling up outside the party venue, Casey laughed seeing Barba step outside to greet them. The Sex Crimes Christmas party always welcomed anyone who ever worked the unit and Casey was happy to see him there. Seeing both women step out of the cab, he called out, "Glad you two could finally make an appearance! I thought Cragen was going to leave before you made it!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Merry Christmas Rafael!" Alex cheerfully sang out, clearly relaxed from the earlier wine./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"As they reached the door, he hugged them both and said, "Merry Christmas you two and congratulations."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Thanks," Casey said a bit confused that was until she and Alex walked in the room and everyone yelled, "Surprise!" Quickly followed by, "Merry Christmas too!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""What is this?" Alex laughed. Looking the room over and noticing not only Christmas decorations but subtle wedding decor as well. Not to mention, a large banner reading, 'Congrats Alex and Casey!'/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Cragen walked forward and replied, "This is of course our annual Christmas party, but also a very last minute poorly thrown together engagement party as well. We never had a chance to celebrate properly and thought this might work as well, granted you almost missed it altogether..." Looking towards Olivia and Amanda, "But that's what happens when you leave those two to ensure you are on time!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Hey Cap'tan that would be an impossible job for anyone with how long it takes Alex to get ready." Finn yelled out, with a "here-here!" From Munch./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"The room quickly erupted in happy laughter with Elliot walking up and very happily stating, "Let's get this party started!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Before long everyone was happily involved in conversation and dancing. After enjoying some food and some of Melinda's special Egg Nog the couple hit the dance floor with their friends. Wrapping her arms around Alex, Casey nuzzled into her fiancé, just enjoying the closeness./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Alex whispered just loud enough for Casey to hear, "Sorry, I made us late to our party."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Casey smiled and kissed Alex softly, before whispering back, "Don't worry about it baby, I could never be late to the party with you. Being with you is good enough for me, it's like a party for two."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Cheesy, but sweet and amazing Novak." Alex grinned, before adding, "I can't wait to marry you in a few weeks."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I can't either," Casey added before kissing her fiancé and spinning her, earning a laugh. Alex Cabot was all she ever needed.../p