Olivia stood in front of the full length mirror in the hotel room. She adjusted her veil which hung from underneath her loosely curled bun and white flower. Her wedding dress was a crisp white and strapless gown with embellishment on the bust. It hugged her waist and thighs tightly flaring out slightly around the middle of her thighs, falling to the floor and into a rather small train behind her. There was a lightly knock at the door as Casey slowly peered through the opening.
"Hey," she said softly, walking further into the room. "You look amazing."
"Thanks," Olivia said turning around. Casey was in her blue bridesmaid dress which fell to just above her knees and fit tightly around her waist and bust with a halter top.
"We could probably head to the garden now just to be safe, in case there is traffic of something," Casey said.
"Alright. Let's do this thing," she said with a smile as she walked out of the hotel room.
Olivia stood behind the stone wall a few yards away from the aisle. All of the bridesmaids and flower girls were lined up in order and began walking around the corner as the music sounded over the speakers. She looked over as Cragen walked across the grass toward her in his full uniform attire of badges, pins and ribbons. She smiled as he approached her, but stepped forward as Amber turned the corner of the wall toward the aisle.
"Hi," Olivia said softly as Cragen stopped next to her.
"You ready to do this?" he asked.
"Oh yeah," she said with a smile.
"I'm ready too, thanks for asking," Casey said softly with a smile as she looked over her shoulder. The three of them laughed as Casey turned the corner of the wall and down the aisle.
"If I haven't told you yet, thank you for allowing me to do this," he said looking at her.
"I should be thanking you," she said with a smile.
"Well in either case, I'm happy for you and I know that this is who you have been waiting for," he said. "Now, let's do this." She laughed lightly as the music changed and Cragen held out his elbow. She placed her hand in the crook of Cragen's arm as they turned the corner of the wall and walked slowly toward the ivory aisle in front of them. Olivia smiled as she saw Mark waiting at the end of the aisle, beside the archway. She walked slowly down the aisle and reached the end, standing next to Elliot and Kathy, who were seated in the front row. She looked down at Elliot who winked and smiled. Olivia grinned before looking back up at Mark.
"Good evening folks and welcome to Olivia and Mark's wedding reception," the DJ said as he walked into the middle of the dance floor. Applause filled the room as the DJ took the microphone off of the stand. "It is my wonderful pleasure to welcome the wedding party. First, please join me in welcoming the grandmother of the groom escorted by the father of the groom, Ruth and Eric James." Mark's father and grandmother walked through the doors of the ballroom. Applause filled the room as they made their way toward a table near the front of the room where Mark's grandfather was sitting along with some of Mark other relatives. "Please welcome from the bride's side Captain Donald Cragen," the DJ said as Cragen walked into the room and over to the two tables where Olivia's colleagues and guests were sitting. "And now for the wedding party, please put your hands together for Gregory Myers escorting Megan Daniels. Anthony Friedman escorting Shannon Dryer. John James escorting Amber Thompson. And finally your best man David James and maid of honor Casey Novak." All of the couples walked to a long table at the head of the dance floor. "At last, ladies and gentleman please welcome for the very first time, your guests of honor, Mr. and Mrs. Mark James." Applause filled the room as Mark and Olivia walked into the room and through the round tables that filled the room. Mark led her around the table and to the center of the long table at the back of the dance floor. Applause continued as Eric and Cragen stood up from their seats and walked toward the DJ. "Before we begin tonight we have to very important men who would like to offer some words to the new couple."
The DJ handed the microphone to Eric who walked toward the table and stood partially in front of Olivia ad Mark. "First and foremost I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone for coming today and witnessing the wonderful union between these two people behind me. Uh, today is of course a very special day for me, and although I'm not new to the wedding reception speech being that I have done it five times before, it also reminds me and everyone in our family the very important person who is not here this evening. And that person is of course my wife and Mark's mother Rose." Eric's eyes began to water as did Mark's and pretty much the entire wedding party considering that they were all Mark's brothers and sisters with the exception of Casey. "Over a year and a half ago my wife and I were introduced to Olivia who walked through the door of our home and blew us away with her incredible personality and grace and unbelievable love for our son. Although at the time, Olivia and Mark had only been dating for I think six months, the night that they left, Rose walked into our bedroom and told me that Olivia was going to be Mark's wife someday. I know that Rose would have given everything to be here tonight to witness this amazing union, and as joyful as today is, there is also a sense of sadness that comes with it. But tonight, I stand before you two, wishing you all of the love and happiness in the world. Mark, I am so proud to be your father. I absolutely love you with everything that I have and am so happy that you now have this wonderful woman in your life. Be good to her. Love her with all of your heart. And Olivia, I could not ask for better addition to our family. You have given Mark the sparkle in his eye that Rose and I have been waiting for. Thank you for loving my son the way you do and I will forever see you as another one of my what seems like twenty seven daughters," he said as laughter was heard throughout the room. "To the both of you, congratulations, good luck and god bless you." Applause filled the room as Mark leaned over the table and hugged his father. A small tear rolled down his cheek as he embraced his dad. Olivia leaned over the table and kissed Eric's cheek lightly before hugging him.
"Thank you," she whispered in his ear before they parted. Eric shook hands with Cragen before handing him the microphone.
"Well, I'm glad that I get to follow that," he began which was followed by light laughter. "Olivia literally walked into my life about ten years ago when she volunteered for our unit in the NYPD. For years I watched Olivia grow and become a detective who I can't even find the words to describe. Her compassion and empathy towards the people that come through our doors everyday is absolutely
incredible and between her and her partner Elliot, it blows my mind how well this job can be performed two people. I, along with the people that she works with everyday, know that Olivia also has a very rough and tough side that was considerably softened when she met Mark and I feel that along with his visible love and affection for her, has changed her life for the better. I always felt that this job gave me a family after my wife died, and it was an honor today to not only walk Olivia down the aisle and give her away, but stand before you tonight and tell you why this couple behind me deserves all of the joy and happiness in the world. Olivia, you are perhaps the most amazing woman, aside from my wife that I have ever met, and I wish you nothing but love and bliss for the rest of your life which I know can be fulfilled by Mark. You are like the long lost daughter that walked into my life and for the past ten years have absolutely amazed me. To Mark, I thank you for loving her in the way that you do. And I know that you would never do anything to hurt her because if you do, don't forget that she works alongside some very strong cops," he said as laughter was heard. "I hope you two live out all of your dreams and enjoy each other's company and companionship. Congratulations." Olivia smiled as she walked behind the bridesmaids and groomsmen's chairs and around the end of the table. Her eyes began to water as she walked toward Cragen.
"Congratulations," he said softly before kissing her cheek lightly and hugging her.
"Thank you so much," she said softly in his ear. She smiled as they parted before the DJ stepped back onto the dance floor.
"At this time would Mark and Olivia please make their way to the middle of the dance floor to take their first dance as husband and wife. Olivia smiled as Mark walked around the table as the music began to "Our Song" by Elton John. Mark took Olivia's hand in his as he led her to the center of the dance floor. He pulled her close to him before kissing her lightly as they flowed to the music.
Olivia walked into the squad room ten days after the wedding to find Cragen, John, Fin and Elliot standing by the LCD board reviewing a case that they had picked up earlier in the morning. She nodded to them with a smile as she walked to her desk and removed her jacket.
"Sorry I'm late," she said as she hung her jacket on the back of her chair. "What'd I miss?" she asked as took the folder from Elliot.
"Traffic?" Fin asked.
"Yeah."
"And the trip?" Elliot asked.
"Great," she said with a light smile as she opened the folder and looked at the file and some of the crime scene photos and information.
Later that night Olivia and Mark laid in bed, the TV on with the volume extremely low. Olivia adjusted her head on his shoulder as she rubbed his stomach gently.
"Hey babe?" he asked softly.
"Yeah."
"Ever think about the future?" he asked.
"What do you mean?" she asked raising her brow.
"I don't know like, where you'll be in five or ten years."
"A little. Why? Where do you see yourself in five years?" she asked.
"Well obviously with you," he said with a smile. "We'd be laying in bed, watching the TV with the volume almost all the way down." Olivia laughed lightly and she moved her head slightly. "We'd be in our Los Angeles house full of modern art and sculpture," he added with a slight laugh. "Our two young kids asleep in their beds while we work on baby number three."
"Wait a minute!" Olivia said quickly as she sat up.
"Honey, its just me day dreaming. Except for the kids part, that's a must," he said with a smile.
"I agree completely about the kids thing but that's not what I'm talking about. Why Los Angeles?" she asked. Mark glanced down quickly before back up to Olivia.
"We need to talk," he said plainly, as his mood changed from happy to serious. Olivia's eyes widened as Mark sat up in the bed and turned off the TV.