A/N: I love this chapter…I hope you do as well.

One and a half years after their parent's death…

Casey sat on the floor of the living room of Alex's Central Park apartment looking at the Christmas tree. She was in her senior year of high school and had just received the letter she had been anxiously awaiting. It was a letter from Harvard and it would tell her if she would be attending in the fall or not.

Part of her wanted to go get Alex to open it, but she was really trying to put distance between them. She had allowed herself to open back up to Alex the first Thanksgiving without her mother. The holiday had made her weak and before she realized what was happening she and Alex were back to acting like best friends. Being close with Alex again had made life bearable, until she got to close and on the Fourth of July their relationship got intimate again. Despite that one night though, that was initiated by Alex this time, the blonde once again told Casey that they couldn't be together. So once again Casey withdrew from the relationship.

Casey knew she had to get away. She couldn't stay in the same city not to mention same apartment as Alex and not be with her. It was too hard. After their parents' death Alex had consulted Cragen and together they decided it was best for her to attend Columbia because she would be closer to the corporate headquarters and be a much more present figure for the board to take seriously. Not wanting to make the daily trek from Columbia to the house Alex sold the house and bought an apartment off of Central Park. It was an amazing place, but it was Alex's and while Casey may have felt like it was their home when they had moved in after the Fourth she just felt like she didn't belong. Now they seemed to fight all of the time.

Opening the letter, Casey slowly unfolded it and read the first few lines. Her heart felt like it was going to explode. She was in! She was moving to Cambridge, she would be free from Alex soon enough.

Hearing Casey shriek Alex got up and walked out of her office and down the hall. Seeing, Casey dancing with the letter in front of the Christmas tree she knew what Casey had just read. She knew Casey was leaving her. Bowing her head, she walked down the hall and into her room. Closing the door, she climbed into bed and started to cry.

Alex knew she was wrong the morning after the Fourth. She knew her actions that night were pure. She was in love with Casey she wanted to give her the world. However, she was her stepsister and legal guardian none of those looked appropriate when it came to dating. It would look awful to anyone who saw, so she pushed her away. Ultimately, she deserved to loose Casey because she had hurt her, even if it was unintentional. Maybe it was best for her to leave. At least Alex couldn't hurt her if she wasn't here.


Two Years Later…

Alex Cabot sat in front of the Christmas tree. Casey was supposed to come home from Cambridge tonight for the holiday. She despised Alex so much now that she could only come home for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, then she would return to Cambridge not to be seen again until Thanksgiving. She didn't even come home for Alex's birthday anymore and wouldn't let Alex visit for hers. Alex had never felt so alone.

Constantly trying to take her mind off of her loneliness she had buried herself in her school work and had managed to graduate this December. She would be starting her MBA come January. She was proud of her successes and couldn't wait to take her place as the CEO of the company. Life could only be better if she had Casey in it.

Pouring a third glass of wine, Alex turned on the gas fireplace to heat up. Closing her eyes she thought back to that Fourth of July. Casey and she sat in the bay window of their apartment watching the fireworks go off throughout the city sharing a bottle of wine. Alex had said something amusing and Casey had started to laugh throwing her head back and before Alex knew what she was doing she was kissing her way up Casey's neck.

Casey didn't flinch or push away. Instead she pulled Alex on top of her as she laid back. Snaking her hands up Alex's shirt she pulled her close into her. Everything moved at lightning speed from there from kissing to removing clothes to exploring every inch of one another to mind blowing orgasms. The next morning waking up with Casey in her arms like that was magical. Alex never wanted that moment to be over. Yet, Alex had to take care of Casey and she couldn't do that if they were in a relationship. So instead she got up and said it was a mistake. Although, nothing with Casey was ever a mistake, except for pushing her away.

Hearing Casey's keys in the door, Alex stood and walked to greet her. As she walked in Alex's breath froze in her throat seeing Casey walking in with another woman. Smiling Casey said, "Merry Christmas Alex. Alex this is my girlfriend Amelia." Alex suddenly felt very ill and the big smile she had on her face turned to a frown.

"Hi. Umm, Casey I am not feeling well I think I caught the flu so I am going to bed, will you and your friend turn off the fireplace for me." Alex says walking towards her room.

"Sure." That was all the redhead had time to say before the door closed.


Two and a half years later…

Alex watched as Casey walked across the stage and accepted her diploma. She had officially graduated college. Alex was so proud of her and so happy that she was going on to law school. Casey had worked very hard and Alex knew she would excel in law school no doubt.

Having just taken over the corporations Casey didn't know that Alex had actually made it to the ceremonies so she was very surprised to see Alex walk towards her afterwards. "What are you doing here Alex?" Casey asked. Alex smiled wide handing Casey a small bouquet of flowers.

"I came to watch you graduate Casey, I wouldn't have missed this moment for the world." Alex answered.

"You didn't need to come here Alex." Casey said with a sigh.

Alex shook her head, "Wow, Casey. Okay."

"Alex, I am moving."

"Where?" Alex asked.

"Stanford." Casey replied, "I am going to school out there Alex, I am not coming back again."

Alex can't fight it this time. Casey's words are hurting her too much. The tears slip from her eyes and she nods in understanding. She caused this; she had to cause this to help Casey in the long run.

"Alex," Casey starts, "I am sorry."

Angrily wiping her tears away and putting on her icy mask Alex says, "No you're not sorry Casey, and that's okay. You shouldn't have to stay here for me especially if you aren't happy. I will have all of your finances transferred over to you. We can part ways here. I am glad I got to see you graduate. Congratulations on the rest of your life. I hope it turns out to be just as amazing as you. If you ever need anything ever please call me." With that she turns and walks away not looking back no matter how much she wants to.

Casey watches Alex leave and feels some relief. She hates to do this but she really has to if she is going to move on from the blonde. Cambridge just wasn't far enough.


Eight years later…

Casey Novak stands in her house packing the last of her boxes. Tomorrow she will be moving back to New York City to take a job working for the Manhattan's District Attorney's office for White Collar Crimes. She is so excited, she has been working in the White Collar division for the last four years in Los Angeles but now she is taking over in Manhattan.

She hasn't been back to Manhattan in over eight years and to be honest she is a little nervous about returning. Casey had left for a reason she left to break away from Alexandra. She'd been in love with Alex to such a degree that it was impossible to be in a relationship with anyone else, all those years after that Fourth she'd been hoping that Alex would come to her senses and admit her feelings but it never happened. Finally her last year of college she decided she had to leave, she had to move on even if it hurt Alex, so that is what she did.

Moving was one of the best decisions of her life. She was finally able to move past her feelings for Alex and meet someone great. Life now seemed perfect and filled with love. Taking the last book off the shelf she examined the cover. It was Alex's favorite book 1984 by Orwell.

She always thought it was a funny choice and Alex gave it to her the first Christmas after the crash to prove what an amazing read it was. Opening the book to midway through she pulls out a picture, the only one she kept of them. It was one of her favorites. They had been sitting on the apartment floor taking silly photos of each other. Casey lay down on the floor claiming she could feel the hum of the city this way. Alex set the camera on timer and leaned over Casey giving her Eskimo kisses when the camera captured the picture. It was a simple picture but the smile on each of their faces made them look so happy, like they were soul mates.

She would be lying if she said she didn't still have feeling for Alex. To be honest, she thought she would probably always be in love with her to some degree. Although, there was no reason waiting around for someone that was incapable of loving you back. Placing the picture back in the book Casey places the book in the box and tapes it shut. Now all she had to do was avoid Alex in New York and she would be fine.


Alexandra Cabot finished her run through Central Park and crossed the street back to her apartment. Passing her doorman she walked to the elevator and headed up to her top floor apartment. Walking in the door, she went straight to the kitchen and poured a glass of orange juice. Flipping through her emails on her phone she comes to one she isn't happy to read. Pulling up her contact list she calls her right hand man.

"Don," Alex says hearing her associate answer, "What is the meaning of this email Elliot sent me? I hope this is some kind of late joke. He did not send me an email saying we are being investigated for fraud did he?" Setting the phone down on the counter she turns on speaker phone while she prepares her smoothie.

"Alex, I wish I could say it was a joke but it's not. It looks like Marcus really screwed us big time. If what I am finding as I pull apart our records is right, I don't know how we could have had so many cases of those bottles. It is going to take us a while to uncover how deep the well of potential scam goes though." Cragen says with a sigh.

"Fucking fantastic," Alex says, "So what do we do now. I mean how bad this look for me and that particular corporation?"

Cragen begins, "To be honest, I don't know Alex. The feds have really started to crack down on White Collar crimes. They may try to make an example out of you. However, right now Manhattan is handling this case and I think if you are willing to help the ADA handling the case and make it easy for them to convict Marcus they will be forgiving of your lack of awareness to the matter."

"Fine, who is the ADA do I know them?" Alex asks while pouring her smoothie into a cup.

Donald Cragen takes a deep breath, "That's what I need to talk to you about Alexandra."