"Ok, Honey, I think we have everything planned, but the flowers and of course we still haven't picked a date." Alex had taken several days off after Christmas to try and finish planning their wedding. It was only the 30th of December and so far she had accomplished more than expected. Her only problem, they couldn't completely agree on a date. Both knew they wanted it fairly soon, but that was easier said than done. "I was thinking mid-March." Alex said looking at her planner.
    "Sure…ok…" "Or, maybe the end of February…would that give you enough time?"
    "Uh…huh…"
    "Honey, which is it…February or March?"
    "Whatever…" Alex finally looked up and found him staring into the fire, not even listening to her.
    "Walker, you aren't even listening to me." She said standing up.
    "Huh? I'm sorry, were you saying something?" He asked finally turning his attention to her.
    "I've been trying to discuss wedding plans with you."
    "Oh…sorry…"
    "What's the matter?"
    "Nothing…" His gaze went back to the fire.
    "Nothing? You know I would appreciate a little help…I only have two more days to try and get this wedding planned. We don't even have a date yet!" Alex was quickly picking up her things and grabbing her coat.
    "Alex, where are you going?"
    "It's obvious this has been a waste of time. Maybe we should re-think this whole thing."
She turned on her heels and headed for the door. At the door she stopped expecting him to
come after her. When he didn't she went to her car and headed back to Dallas. Tears streaming down her face she drove and drove. Forty-five minutes later she found herself at
CD's. She didn't really want to go inside, but she also didn't want to go to her lonely apartment.
    "Honey, what in tarnation happened to you?" CD asked as Alex came in.
    "Walker happened to me."
    "What is that supposed to mean?"
    "I am about three seconds away from calling this entire wedding off."
    "Now you know you don't mean that." CD replied bringing her a cup of coffee.
    "The hell I don't. You know maybe I was right…they say you are supposed to go with your first impulse. He's mulheaded…stubborn…I can keep going." Alex said thinking back to their first encounter. Boy had he made her feel like such a fool in front of that courtroom.
    "Alex, honey, you should know by now that Cordell is just hard to reach sometimes."
    "I know CD, but we haven't even set a date yet…maybe that's a sign that we aren't supposed to get married…"
    "You and I both know that is not true. Why don’t you go home and get a good nights sleep…tomorrow will be another day and things will look different."
    "You're right…thanks CD." Alex got up and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
    "Everything will work out, just you wait and see. Tomorrow is New Year's Eve and we both know what that brings for you both." Alex just smiled and shrugged her shoulders.
    "I wouldn't hold my breath…if things don't change pretty soon I am not sure I will even be here tomorrow night." With that Alex turned and left. CD just watched her walk out.
Shaking his head he took her coffee cup to the kitchen, walking back out he found Walker
sitting at the bar. Immediately CD could tell Walker was worried…chuckling to himself he
knew it was about Alex…those two...they both were as stubborn as the day was long and
yet for some reason the spirits felt they belonged together.
    "Have you seen Alex?"
    "Yes, she was just in here a minute or two ago…what on earth happened?"
    "I don't know. Something to do with the wedding." Walker hadn't realized she had really left until minutes later. He had finally come out of his trance and turned to talk to her, but she was gone. When he called her apartment and she didn't answer he got worried. Finally hopping into his truck he drove to CD's hoping to find her there.
    "She's pretty upset huh?"
    "That's an understatment."
     "I better go and see her."
    "Let her rest…talk to her tomorrow." Walker nodded and headed out the door. CD just shook his head, some things would never change. It was just something about that time of the year. Must be something in the air, what ever it was those two always managed to find their way back on New Year's Eve.     "Alex…Alex…open up." Walker had come over to see her early the next morning to talk. She hadn't returned his calls from the night before and that bothered him.
    "Walker, right now I don’t want to see you." Came the reply from the other side of the door.
    "We need to talk."
    "I tried that last night, you didn't seem up to it." Alex opened the door just far enough to tighten the chain lock.
    "Will you be at CD's tonight?"
    "No. I need to think."
    "At least let me explain about last night…"
    "Walker, I think you should just leave." With that Alex shut the door and she could hear Walker heading back down the hallway. Once again the tears filled her eyes. The night before she had cried for hours, until her body had finally fallen asleep from sheer exaustion. Awaking to the doorbell she was surprised to hear Walker. He had left two messages the night before and she had been elated to hear how worried he sounded…"Serves him right," she thought to herself.

    "Big Dog, we have to figure something out…I've never seen Walker like this." Trivette had stopped at CD's for supper, hoping to find Alex and talk some reason into her.
    "They will be alright…just give them time."
    "Walker went to her apartment this morning, and she told him that she wasn't coming tonight. It's New Year's Eve she has to be here. Do you know if Walker told her about yesterday?" Trivette asked CD just then remembering the events of the day before.
    "No…what happened?"
    "We got a call, domestic abuse. A son was holding his mother hostage. Before
we arrived he shot her in the back as she tried to escape. We found her husband cradling
her in his lap…let me tell you, that wife looked just like Alex. Walker turned and left…I
didn't see or hear from him until this morning."
    "Why don't you go over and talk to her. She has to be here, Walker has something really special planned. CD stopped and looked at Trivette and noting the questioning expression he filled him in on the details.

    "Alex, open up…it's Trivette."
    "Did Walker send you over to check up on me?" She asked opening the door.
    "No he didn't. I came over to chat…is there something wrong with a friend wanting to
talk to a friend?"
    "There is when there are alternative motives behind them." Alex went and sat on the couch.
    "So how are things?"
    "They've been better."
    "So,…what are you doing tonight?"
    "I knew it…Jimmy you couldn't even beat around the bush. I'm not going tonight. That is the end of it." Alex got up and headed towards the kitchen.
    "Alex, Walker is really upset about last night."
    "Trivette, every time I try to discuss the wedding with him he won't even listen. I'm tired of it."
    "But Alex, last night he had a really good reason."
    "Walker always seems to have a good reason." She knew she was being hard on him, but it hurt when he didn't listen to her. "You know, it isn't even the idea that he wasn't listening…I could tell something was wrong but he wouldn't talk to me. He shut me out…and it hurt…it got me thinking of all the times to come when he isn't going to talk to me."
    "Alex, I have to tell you what happened yesterday."
    "Trivette, right now I could care…"
    "No Alex…listen…"
Trivette told her of the account of the day before. "Alex, seeing that husband holding his
wife reminded him of earlier this year, let me tell you it got to me." Alex sat there a second
with tears once again forming in her eyes. She now understood.
    "Is he going to be at CD's tonight?"
    "Yes…are you?"
    "I don't know."
    "Alex…"
    "Jimmy, go on…I might show up and I might not…" Trivette had tried and he stood up to go.
    "Alex…he loves you." "I know." With that Trivette left and Alex sat back to think.

    "Jimmy, what did she say?" CD asked Trivette a little while later. "She said she would think about it."
    "What on earth is there to think about?"
    "I don't know. Is Walker here?" CD pointed to a secluded booth were Trivette spotted Walker staring off into space. "Wow…" Trivette finally muttered.
    "He's been sitting there for almost two hours." Trivette grabbed his glass and headed over to Walker and sat down. Around 11:00 Walker stood up.
    "You know I think I'm going to head on home."
    "Walker, it's New Year's Eve…you can't go until midnight. Who will I talk to?" Trivette asked as Walker looked at the other people packed into the bar.
    "I'm sure you'll find someone." Walker headed to the bar with Trivette close on his heels. "CD, I’m going to call it a night…thanks for a…" suddenly someone bumped into him.
    "Sor…" There standing before him was Alex. Her hair was swept up on top of her head and she was wearing the same dress she had worn on their first New Year's Eve. Never before could he remember seeing her look more radiant.
    "Alex…I'm."
    "No, don't say a thing. Trivette came and told me about yesterday. I just wish you would have talked to me."
    "I wanted to…but you left before I could."
    "I'm sorry." Opening his arms Alex fell into his tight embrace as Trivette and CD
looked on.
    "Alex, Ranger Walker…fancy meeting you here."
    "Judge Richardson…what are you doing here?" Alex asked noting the strange expression on the judge's face.
    "Alex…uh…a
couple of weeks ago a crazy thought came to me." Walker started as he took her hands in
his. Stammering he continued, "If you don't like the idea, well then…"
    "Walker, where is this going?" Alex had noted that the music had stopped and all eyes were on them.
    "Alex, I'm tired of waiting as much as you are…will you marry me…right here…tonight?" Stunned Alex looked first into his eyes and then looked around the room at everyone.
    "You planned this all on your own?" Chuckling he nodded his head. Tears of happiness came to her eyes as she nodded her head in approval. "Yes I will marry you."
    Judge Richardson performed the short, but sweet ceremony that finally bonded the two of them together forever. "You may kiss the bride." Walker obliged as cheers of Happy New Year erupted around them.
    "You know this New Years isn't much different than our first one…they both started with a fight and ended with a kiss."
    "Yes, but tonight you are coming home with me." Alex laughed in agreement. New Years was the best time of the year for them. Things just happened magically.
 

'Walker Texas Ranger' and it's characters belong to CBS Inc., Norris Brothers Productions and maybe other copyright holders. This story and the author is in no way connected to those copyright holders and intends no infringement on their copyrights. The story is only meant as an entertaining tribute to a great show and it's cast and crew. This story is part of a mailing ring and may be distributed and copied freely, in its entirety, for personal use. All original author and copyright information must remain intact. Any sales or other uses of this document are expressly forbidden, without the specific consent of the author(s).