A/N: Thank you, Starshine, for the inspiration and help I needed to write this chapter. My muse owes you a giant thanks. To the wonderful readers and reviewers, thank you for all your love and support. :) Also, this story is almost finished and I have a new one on the way! It's a Blitz inspired story. :)

"If I talk real slowly, if I hold your hand

If you look real closely my love

You might understand

Here I go, I'll tell you what you already know

If you love me with all that you are

If you love me

I'll make you a star in my universe

You'll never have to go to work

You'll spend every day

Shining your light my way"

For You by Angus and Julia Stone

Two months later...

Alex sat at her desk staring at her phone, willing it to light up with a message from Casey. She and the redhead had been together for roughly three months now and their relationship was stronger than any other she'd had in her life. She loved Casey with all her heart and couldn't imagine life without her; there was no doubt about that.

Everything about Casey made her swoon with love. Just thinking about her could turn the blonde's whole day around. Thinking back to her lunch with Liv earlier, Alex couldn't help but smile at a question the brunette had asked her...

"Alex, what do you love most about Casey?" Liv asked as she poked and prodded her salad, clearly battling something inside.

Alex smiled brightly, excited to be talking about the woman she loved, "Easy, her smile. Her smile can change my whole day. I could easily spend my days just making her smile. Every time I see it I fall for her just a little bit more."

"Her smile?" The brunette questioned.

"Yes, why do you ask?"

"I am trying to figure out if I am in love or not..." Olivia asked blushing at her admission.

"Well, that's an even easier one. I think you know you are in love when all you can think about is the person you are with... at least that's how it was for me. I just wish I'd realized it sooner, but at least I have forever to love her." Alex gushed.

"Forever? Did I miss a proposal or wedding on the way from the precinct to here?"

"No," the blonde smiled, "I just know that Casey is the one for me. I want to spend the rest of my life with her."

Leaning back in her chair, Alex knew every word she'd spoken to Olivia was true. She did want to spend forever with Casey. The redhead brought out qualities in the blonde that she'd been missing prior to falling in love.

One quality Alex drew from the redhead was strength. She never would never have had the guts to walk back into McCoy's office and ask for her job back if it hadn't been for her girlfriend. Her encouragement and reassurance that she could always come work for her and Trevor was enough to light a fire under the blonde.

Casey also helped to bring out compassion and hope in Alex, two things that she seemingly had forgotten about over the years. She also helped Alex renew her old friendships and live again. It was as if Casey had completely opened Alex's heart, which was a wonderful thing, because it only made Alex love Casey more.

In truth, there was little she didn't love about the redhead. She loved the way Casey could make her laugh and smile. She loved the way how the redhead could put her at ease with just her presence. She was never afraid with Casey nearby. She even loved to watch Casey sleep; she thought her girlfriend was the most beautiful when sleeping.

Smiling at the thought, Alex bit her bottom lip as she remembered waking Casey the night before by pressing a soft kiss to her lips...

Alex lay in bed watching her girlfriend sleep while she mindlessly played with her silver ball necklace. She'd never felt such love for another person, it was almost overwhelming. Dropping the necklace back down gently, she scooted closer to the redhead and snuggled in deep. There was no doubt in her mind that Casey was her soulmate.

When she wasn't with the redhead, she missed her terribly. She could go on without Casey, but she didn't want to be without Casey because she loved her. She was the part of Alex's soul she'd been missing, which was why she brought out the good sides in her.

Leaning in, she couldn't help but press a soft kiss to the redhead's lips. Feeling Casey stir and take a deep breath, Alex whispered, "Sorry, baby. Go back to sleep."

Casey's green eyes fluttered open, and she smiled lazily as she pulled Alex closer. "It's okay. I love you, too."

Completely wrapped up in her thoughts, Alex looked at her phone again only to toss it down with the lack of messages. Picking up a stack of papers, she tried to get back to work. To no avail, because all she could think about was her beautiful girlfriend, their stay in Australia, and their eventual return to New York City.

Everything had changed since they arrived back in New York. They'd agreed that they would keep their separate apartments, that it would be rash to move right in together. However, they'd yet to spend a night apart. They would spend the evenings discussing cases, enjoying the company of friends, cooking and laughing. A lot of good things had come from Alex's misdiagnosis. She learned to take work a little less seriously, found love, and discovered the real meaning of being happy.

Hearing her phone ping with a message, she eagerly grabbed it and read, "Hey, baby! Just turned my phone back on!"

Quickly Alex typed back, "I missed you!"

Another ping led the blonde to read, "I missed you, too! That is a really big smile on your face. You must be talking to someone you really like..."

A look of confusion covered Alex's face as she reread the message, but Casey's voice quickly shook her from her thoughts, "Hey, Baby!"

"Casey," Alex beamed looking up to see Casey holding a tray containing coffee and yogurt. Laughing, Alex shook her head, "God, I clearly need coffee! I was so confused for a second."

"I could tell." Casey said with a smile as she walked over. Alex couldn't help but watch the silver ball necklace swing with each step Casey took. It stood out, begging for Alex to open it against the redheads black shirt.

"Are you ever going to tell me what's in that ball?"

"One day you will know, but today is not that day, my love." Casey replied with a smile as she passed Alex her coffee and yogurt before sitting down with her own.

"Not fair, Novak."

"In due time, Cabot."

"Okay..." Alex replied hesitantly, before desperately begging, "Please tell me already!"

Fixing a spoon with yogurt, the redhead grinned, "Not going to happen today. I swear you are going to unwrap all your Christmas gifts before the holidays, aren't you..." As she finished her statement, she teasingly flicked her tongue over her yogurt filled spoon.

Suddenly only able to focus on Casey's tongue, Alex forgot what she was begging to know. "Wha-?" Alex shook her head to clear her mind from the unspeakable things that she wanted Casey's tongue to do, "What?"

"When are we going out?" Casey took advantage and quickly changed the subject, "And where? Did you and Liv figure it out?"

"Yes! We are meeting at the O'Malley's at 7." Alex sighed realizing she lost the battle. Eventually, Casey would cave and tell her.

"So," Casey started blowing on her coffee, "The place where everyone knows your name..."

"Yes..." Alex replied with a giant goofy grin. She loved the fact that Casey remembered her joke about her favorite old show, Cheers. "Have I told you lately how much I love you?"

"Hmm, I think so, but maybe you should remind me," the redhead replied as she stood and leaned halfway over the desk.

Forcing herself not to start drooling over the redhead's cleavage,Alex quickly stood and closed the distance, kissing Casey softly before pressing their foreheads together, their noses still touching and eyes closed, "I love you with all that I am and I always will."

Later that evening, Alex lay back against Casey in the booth, the redheads arms wrapped around her as she laughed at the story Amanda was telling. Casey wore a big smile on her face, not quite finding Amanda's story as funny as her girlfriend, but loving the sound of Alex's laughter. In Casey's mind, nothing could be more perfect than this moment.

She loved Alex and knew Alex was the woman she intended to be with the rest of her life. Casey couldn't deny that sooner rather than later the blonde would discover what was hidden in the silver ball around her neck. She couldn't help but let her mind wander to what marrying Alex might be like...what having a family with her would be like...

Casey was quickly pulled from her thoughts when a peanut hit her in the face. Shaking her head clear, she caught Liv smirking at her. "Welcome back to earth, Novak. Where did you travel off too?"

Smirking right back at her playful friend, Casey picked up the nut and fired it right back at Liv nailing her right in the face with it. The table erupted in laughter at the scene. With Liv falling on Amanda's lap joking, "I've been hit. Call it in!"

The blonde couldn't control her laughter as she bent down and kissed her forehead, quickly silencing the brunette. "There, I kissed it and made it better," Amanda replied in a soft voice over Olivia.

Casey and Alex could only look at each other in awe before staring at their friends waiting for what would happen next. It didn't come as a surprise, when Olivia put her hand to the back of Amanda's neck and pulled her in for a kiss. Alex quickly nudged Casey, and the couple silently slipped out of the booth, leaving their friends with some privacy. As they paid their tab on the way out, they asked the bartender to let their friends know that they'd gone home.

Walking out onto the street, Alex laughed, "Well, that was way overdue!"

"Yes, it was...I guess they just needed some liquid courage to seal the deal." Casey agreed before adding, "My place or yours?"

Looping her arm with Casey's, Alex replied, "Yours, it's closer. Let's walk, the night air is refreshing after being in that bar."

"Yes, it is..." Casey couldn't help but let her mind wander again to what life with Alex would be like. Life with her girlfriend now was amazing, it was one reason why she couldn't help but wonder what life in twenty years would be like.

As they made their way, Casey pulled Alex closer and placed a quick kiss on her cheek. The blondes hum of approval was all Casey needed to ask her question, "Alex...Alex, would you like to move in with me?"

"No." Alex replied a little too quickly, causing Casey to stop dead in her tracks. Spinning on her heel, Alex faced the redhead, "I don't want to move in with you, I want us to find a place of our own and move in together."

The look of shock faded from the redheads face as a big grin appeared. "That sounds perfect." As she pulled Alex in for a kiss, Casey couldn't help but dream of their future once again...