Part III: Bachelors and Bachelorettes

~Four Months Later~

"For the last time, Fin, I am not going to have a bachelor party with strippers!!" John said. "Alex will kill me if she finds our that I slept with some stripper the night before my wedding and on top of that, I don't want to go into cardiac arrest!"

Fin and John were walking through the station house one afternoon, discussing a possible bachelor party for John, who was getting married in a month. John was on his way out to meet Alex, his fiancé for lunch.

"John, come on now, what is the point of getting married without having a bachelor party beforehand?" Fin asked.

"I've had four, already, Fin. I don't need another." John said.

"At least agree to having a bachelor party…a lower class of bachelor party, anyway." Fin said. "Just, me, you, Elliot, the Capitan and Green and Briscoe. We'll have drinks and a good time without fine-ass women takin' their clothes off."

"The only fine-ass woman I'm concerned with, Fin, is the one sitting over there at my desk, reading a copy of Bride's magazine. " John gestured towards his desk, where Alex was sitting, patiently reading a bridal magazine. "That woman, that, brilliant, bold, ball-busting, beautiful woman, is my wife-to-be… and I'm looking forward to marrying her."

"I bet that you said that about all of your exes." Fin joked.

"Actually, I only said that about my first wife." John confessed. "Alex is the second. I looked forward to all of my other weddings with a mixture of anticipation and dread.  As for my marriage to Alex, well, this might be the best marriage I ever had after that first wife…and given my track record, that's saying something."

Just then, Alex looked up from her magazine and smiled. "Ready to go, John?" she asked, putting the magazine into her shoulder bag that bore an "A" initial on the side.

"You want to come with us, Fin?" John asked. "I mean, we have years of 'lunches for two' ahead and everything."

"No, thanks, I think I'll just leave you to it."

John shrugged. "Suit yourself." He took Alex's arm. "Let's go, beautiful."

As they, left, Fin heard Alex say, "And I thought that you didn't care about beauty."

Fin chuckled to himself and turned back, to his desk, only to be approached by Cragen.

"Was that Alex I just saw on John's arm?" Cragen asked.

"Yeah." Fin replied. "Why?"

"Uh, last I heard, ADAs don't date the detectives who work for them." Cragen said. "How long have John and Alex been dating?"

I'm beginning to see why John and Alex kept this a secret.   Fin thought, then he said. "Four years and they are getting married next month."

"WHAT?!" Cragen roared.

"He was going to tell you sooner or later." Fin said. "But, he wanted to keep it a secret from everyone…including you and I don't know why."

A short while later, after John returned, Cragen found out why John had kept his relationship a secret: to keep prevent reactions much like his.

While John was getting chewed out by Cragen, Alex, her maid of honor, Olivia and her two bridesmaids: Abbie and Serena, were at Alex's gown fitting.

"Alex, that is a beautiful dress." Abbie murmured. "You look absolutely stunning."

Alex had chosen a beautiful white silk gown with sequins all over it, a long train, and lace accents. She looked gorgeous in it as she twirled around in it for the delight of her companions.

"Isn't it?' Alex said. She was on cloud nine. "I love this dress. I can't wait for John to see me in it."

"What about your parents?" Serena asked.

All the color drained from Alex's face. "Oh, my God, I cannot believe that I forgot about that." She groaned. "John and I are going to Boston next weekend for him to meet them. This is going to be a total nightmare! I'm not looking forward to it."

"Well, look on the bright side." Serena said. "If your parents don't like him, at least you'll have two less people on the guest list."

"Serena, these are my parents!" Alex cried. "I want them to be there on my wedding day! I want them to celebrate my marriage with me!"

"Which might not happen if they don't like John." Olivia said.

Alex sighed as she went to change her clothes. "Which is the last thing that I want to happen." She murmured as her cell phone began to ring.

"Cabot."

It was John. "Alex, we have a small problem."

"Can't be any worse than the possibility of my parents hating you."

"Oh yes it can."

"And how is that?"

"Cragen wants us to call off the wedding and break up."

"He WHAT?!"

Stay tuned for the continuing drama of the next part of "Till Death Do Us Part"! Coming up next: John Munch meets Mr. And Mrs. Cabot!