Ch. 21 Alex's POV

"so what were you thinking of for a ring?" Cathy asks me as soon as Casey's gone.

"something perfect." I answer.

"I meant what kind of stone?"

"d-diamond. I want her to have a diamond. It's t-traditional. Casey should have a diamond." I stutter.

"okay so a diamond. Do you know what color band you want?"

"I have no idea it's taken me two months to come up with diamond. I have no clue what I'm even doing. I'm suppose to know what she wants and what's perfect. She deserves perfect, it needs to be perfect."

I start rambling out of nervousness.

"sweetie you need to relax. How about we go out look at a few places."

We stand in front of the store. My latest arch nemesis. The jewelry store. So starts the migraine this place insists on giving me.

"how can I help you today?" the man asks us.

"we need to look for engagement rings. Diamonds." Cathy says him.

"right this way."

I guess knowing which stone you want only narrows it down so much. This is too much information, too many decisions, but I need to figure this out. I need to find the ring.

"have you decided which cut you want?" he asks me.

"I- I- I don't know."

"well they have different meanings." he starts.

Oh god what? Meanings. What if I choose the wrong meaning? What if I pick the one that means you're as good as it gets so I guess I'll put a ring on it. No she's not as good as it gets she's perfect. She's amazing and wonderful and I love her. Where is the cut that says you're perfect and I love you more than I love breathing? Where is that cut?

Cathy picks up on my sudden shock.

"she's just nervous. Could you give us a moment?" Cathy asks him.

He excuses himself.

"I'm way out of my league here. I'm going to pick the wrong one." I whisper to myself.

"no you wont. You are reading far too much into this."

"it needs to be perfect." I remind her.

She smiles.

"you will find the perfect one for Casey. You need to give yourself more credit."

"this could make or break-"

"no. Listen to me Alex. Look at me."

I look in her eyes.

"you make or break the engagement. Not the ring. If Casey wanted you for shiney jewelry you'd know. Okay just picture Casey for a second. Go ahead. Now imagine a ring on her finger."

I like to picture Casey like that. Well among other things, but clean thoughts. Right Casey wearing a ring. The perfect ring.

"quick what color is is?"

"Silver."

"Diamond?"

I nod.

"okay now open your eyes. Do you see that ring here?" she asks.

I look among the bands. The silver ones. I scan each of them carefully. I narrow it down to two. I need clarification on the meaning of the cut thing, because in no way am I messing this up.

"what do yo want to say with the ring?" he then asks.

"I want it to say that she's my world. That I love her more than anything else or anyone ever could. That I will love her forever and spend the rest of my life trying to make her happy because she's the greatest sweetest and more big hearted person I've ever known. She deserves the world and I'll give it to her. I'll never let her go I'll be there to catch her if she falls and I will always love her."

I take a deep breath.

"you sound very confident." the jeweler says.

I leave with an appointment to pick up the ring in two weeks.

Wait did I just get the ring? The perfect ring? I have a ring. The ring. Oh god this is a dream. Did I pick the right one? I seriously hope so.

Relax Alex she's going to love it. Casey loves you and she'll love the ring you give her. She'll say yes and this is the ring that she's going to wear forever.

We get back home after a long day and my body aches and I'm still in shock over the fact I actually picked a ring.

"this is so exciting." Cathy smiles brightly.

"I'm nervous." I admit.

"it's okay to be nervous. You're allowed to be nervous. This is a big thing."

"thank you so much for helping me. I just needed alot of help."

"well like I said I'm always here for you. If you need help with anything else I'm just a phone call away." she hugs me.

I hug her back. If it weren't for Cathy I might not have a ring for another ten years at the pace I was going.

We go our separate ways and I head inside to find my beautiful Casey asleep on the couch. She's so beautiful when she's sleeping.

I kiss her lightly on the lips and lift her so she laying on me. I haven't held her in so long, because she's so nervous to hurt me somehow. My muscles are a little sore, but I don't even care because I love having her in my arms. She's happy and safe and everything that is good with the world.

"I love you." I whisper covering us with a blanket.

She fidgets so she hugging me back.

Dear God please let her say yes and marry me. Please let this be forever, because there is no way I can ever go back to living without this. I want this forever, and I want Casey to know this is forever. That I'm going to be there for her everyday every night, good bad, no matter what I'm always here for her. That I'll always love her, even if things are hard or we're mad at each other, nothing will stop me from loving her.

"Alex." a beautiful voice whispers.

"hi beautiful."

"sorry I didn't realize there was a mirror on my face." she jokes before giving a cute yawn.

"there isn't. You are so beautiful." I remind her.

She gives me a kiss.

"where did you go? You were suppose to be resting."

"we went shopping."

Not a total lie.

"oh what did you get?"

The most perfect ring in existence that I hope you'll accept and wear on your finger forever and be married to me.

"shoes and umm earrings."

I am such a bad liar.

"does this mean I have to move out?" she asks.

"no!" I startle her.

"relax baby it's a joke. Soon you're going to have more shoes than you'll know what to do with."

"I can get rid of them if they bother you that much. I don't really need them that much. They're just shoes." I offer.

"no you can keep them baby. You love your shoes I know."

"I love you more though."

She giggles and blushes pink.

"no really I do love you more than shoes."

"I must be really something special then."

"you are."

She smiles.

"so are you." she kisses me.

"how was your day?" I ask her.

Her face falls remembering her day. She then tells me what happened.

He sent her a note. A love note. He's sending her love notes to the office talking about how one day they'll be together. Who does this guy think he is sending that to Casey? My Casey! Sending her flowers and notes like some sort of secret admirer. She's my girlfriends and hopefully soon fiancée. Why her? Why does he have to want her? He doesn't love her, he's a psycho stalker. I love her. The only person who gets to send her love notes it me. I'm her girlfriend.

"Alex I'm so sorry."

"why are you sorry? You didn't ask for this baby." I try to keep my cool.

"because you're getting better and I spring this on you."

I'm not letting this ruin my proposing to Casey. I'll ask her no matter what this guy says or does. He can draw a million X's on my face or a mustache for all I care, but I still love her and she's still with me.

"what did Elliot say?"

"he's dusting it for prints. Tracking it through the post service. I was just a little freaked out."

I hold her closer. I don't want her to be afraid and I wish I could stop him from scaring her.

"he's not going to hurt you. I wont let him." I assure her.

"I wont let him hurt you either. I love you so much."

She kisses me.

"and I'm so glad you're home and feeling better."

"me too."

Now all I really want is to go back to the office so I can be with her and make sure she's okay. I don't like the idea of her being by herself. I guess I can be thankful being an ADA doesn't require alot of physical work. Apart from wanting to be with Casey, I miss being in the office. The doctor clears me for work after a week of reality tv marathons and romantic comedies. I was two more episodes of The Real Housewives away from going insane and doing some table flipping.

Casey is happy to know I'll be coming back. I've been worried about her being at the office without me.

"I get my terrific view back." she says with a smile.

"and I get the best view in the city." I kiss her.

"sometimes I wonder if this is how it is for normal couples who don't work together. If they miss each other when they're at work." she says.

"we can just be thankful we do work together because I've missed you so so much." I kiss her again.

"well don't think just because the doctor cleared you that I'm not still going to baby you and keep you from over exerting yourself."

She keeps to that promise come Monday. She's just short of waiting on me hand and foot.

I don't want to put her out, she has her own work to do.

"Casey I'm perfectly fine to make my own copies."

"no you are sitting and working and I'll do it."

"you have your own work to do I can figure it out." I stand up.

"humor me." she says making me sit back down.

I cross my arms.

"you're not getting out of this you're sitting there and I'm going to do whatever you need me to."

She leans in and puts her lips right near my ear.

"because if you're tired later tonight then I wont be able to give you your special surprise later." she whispers.

She pulls back and gives an evil smirk and a wink.

Why does she know how to get what she wants? Every single time.

"what is it?" I ask.

"if I tell you it's not a surprise and trust me you'll want this one. Now sit down and I'll go make these copies for you."

Alex Cabot you stand your ground on this. Casey will not win this one you can do things for yourself, and she wont use making love as a weapon.

"please." she give a hint of a pout.

She's so beautiful how can I possibly say no to her.

"yes baby." I say sitting down.

She gives a satisfied smile and leaves.

I can't wait to get her rings and finally ask her to marry me. I want that ring on her finger so badly. I love her so much and I can't wait until she knows just how much when I get down on one knee and propose.