Wesley Alexander

Just want to be married.

A small part of Maddie felt bad hearing his sincerity. Not that she loved him any less or that she didn’t want to go through with it, but… It was the fact that she didn’t care that much about it. She and Wes were basically married already anyway, so the piece of paper didn’t hold that much significance to her.

But it obviously meant something to him, and that’s all that really mattered.

Madison pushed her laptop away and made her way to Wes’ lap. She gave him a kiss on the cheek and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Is there anything even remotely traditional about me? Book it, Alexander. Officially put a ring on it.”

Wes beamed up at Maddie. "Really? Alright then, I’ll set it all up!” He didn’t know why he ever thought she’d say no. Ok, so many a part of him thought she had gotten cold feet and with the pandemic keeping them grounded and together so much......maybe she’d prefer to jet off somewhere halfway across the world than live any sort of quiet life — or more so a life with occasionally quiet moments. After almost a year of pandemic-related restrictions, a part of him had feared the quarantines would have made her yearn to flee and go on some adventure somewhere

But now, they’d be tied forever, and Wes could go to sleep knowing that no matter how far her adventures took her, she’d always end up coming home. To him.

maddiecolesman​:

Maddie had a terrible case of tunnel vision when it came to her work. The engagement had been months ago, but it may as well have happened yesterday or ten years in the past for her. She wasn’t an insincere or detached person, but she very much lived in the present. In the now. So in the moment, she was exhilarated by Wes’ proposal. But as soon as it became clear that the virus was going to keep a wedding at bay, it was quickly shoved to a back burner in the back of her mind.

Wes was a good man, and more than she believed she deserved. She’d done shady things in the name of revealing “the truth”, and he was so pure. So noble. She admired his integrity and respected his ethics.

But Maddie just couldn’t seem to keep up her end of the emotional load that a couple was meant to share. So when he asked her about the weekend, she blinked rapidly behind her bottle-lens glasses.

“Mar-married? This weekend?” She pushed her laptop down her lap and met his eye across the room. “Um. Is that what you want? I figured you’d want to do the whole thing. Like an actual wedding.”

Not an immediate no, so that’s a good sign. Wes smiled at his fiancé.

“Well, I don’t have much in the way of blood relatives, so I’d be inviting a handful of friends and some coworkers, and if it’s going to be a small gathering, we can always have a party later.”

Wes shrugged. “I really just want to be married, and the courthouse is there, so...”

His romantic life had been nothing like he’d thought it’d be. As a child, he figured he’d be married pretty quickly after college, like his parents had been, but life had had different plans for him. And quite frankly, Maddie had been worth the wait, but why wait any more?

Wes was fiddling around on his laptop while Maddie was on her own in the living room. They often had quiet time like this, each doing their own thing, her on the couch and him in the arm chair. He kept glancing over at her. It was an unspoken rule that they didn’t talk much, but he’d been dying to ask her yet another question as the months had passed since their engagement.

There was no telling when the pandemic would end, and they hadn’t really done much wedding planning because of it — not to mention their jobs still kept them busy, especially with Wes having to take part of Morgan’s caseload once she quit. It only made Wes want to take advantage of the present moment even more, so he broke their silence and asked.

Wes walked up to Maddie’s apartment door, take out bag in hand. It was not unlike their regular plans, but unlike most nights, a small cube weighed down Wes’ coat pocket. 

He’d thought about proposing ever since they had that fight about Maddie’s partners never accepting her life. He couldn’t lie, it wasn’t always easy. Wes sometimes lost sleep over the stress of not knowing if Maddie was ok. Specializing in conflict, there was no telling where they’d send her next, or if she’d have a reliable cell signal or wifi. He had to try his best not to dwell on worst case scenario. He couldn’t let his mind live there. He had to gravitate towards hope.

The ring in his pocket was the ultimate hope — that she was as crazy about him as he was about her.

That he’d finally found a partner capable and willing to love him like he’d always dreamed.

It’d been on his mind ever since it’d come up months ago. This idea that he’d one day make her decide between him and her job. Maggie had become the most important person to Wes. She brought him alive in ways he hadn’t though possible anymore, and he wanted to make sure she knew, that when it came to choices, he chose all of her. Job included.

He just had to prove it to her

Wes looked down at the rings in the case. Many were large, flashy. They’d impress other women, but not Maddie. The perfect one had to be practical — so that it wouldn’t get in the way when she’s on assignment, or draw unwanted attention to her.

“Fuck. This would be so much easier if there was dirt on his wife that we could exploit. I guess I’ll just keep calling him out on my show until his ego frays enough for me to get him to face me.”

That......might work. I don’t know. Good luck, Tori.

Diane: I want to know where they engineer people like her. This is going to be a mess and I want no part of it.

Diane: Wesley, how ridiculous is the Arazi woman? I have a feeling Jeffrey may go behind my back and do this interview. I'd like to know what would come of it if it comes to pass.

“Mock mock mock all you want Wes, but i’m going to nab this sonofabitch, because that’s what I do, and when I do I expect a resigned sigh of disappointment from you.”

You misunderstand me. Nothing would make me happier than you taking Saltman down several pegs. I just don’t think it’s going to happen as easily as you’ve laid out.

“I’m not afraid of anything… except the inside of a pomegranate.”

“Please, strange is relative, and if you keep this up you’re not invited to my next end of season wrap party.”

Yeah, yeah.

My billing rates help keep the lights on in this office.

Oh come now, Wesley. I’m always right.

And two things are reasons why we pay you the big bucks.