A/N: So this came to me after Wed night's episode. There are a few spoilers so fair warning if you've not seen it. A little canon mixed with my own universe. I own nothing, no infringement. Let me know what you think. Enjoy!

Closing the door of the car, Alex watched as the cab drove off down the snow covered road. She turned when she heard Olivia's footsteps heading away from her. "Liv." she whispered as she grabbed her wife's arm "Maybe we should wait." When they found out the location of the cabin Shelia was headed to, just like Olivia, she never hesitated in leaving to get their son back. Even when Olivia had tried to get her to stay behind.

"Alex, you should stay here." Olivia tried as the pair raced from the squad room. "This could get bad, and I'm probably already in enough trouble with the brass. There's no reason in you risking your job too."

"Like I give a damn, Olivia. This is our son."

She still meant every word she'd said, if getting Noah back safely meant losing her career then so be it. Now however, she'd had time to think about what could be awaiting them in the cabin. Shelia could be asleep, or Olivia could be walking into an ambush.

"I'm not waiting, Alex." she started to slowly make her way to the cabin then turned back to the blonde "Wait here." She whispered as she positioned her wife behind a tree out of sight.

As she waited Alex was grateful she had changed into warmer clothes in a quick trip home. She was especially thankful she'd put on snow boots. Olivia was still in her work clothes and boots, Alex still wasn't sure how the brunette had made it up the hill to the cabin in the snow without slipping. Now alone her mind was drifting back over the events of the last day. She'd experienced fear when she was in the program all those years ago, she'd experienced fear like she'd never known when Olivia had been kidnapped. As devastating as that fear was, this was different. She and Olivia had both experienced breakdowns since finding out Noah went missing. Not knowing where their child was, if he was safe, and if they would see him again, had gripped her with a fear she'd never experienced.

Of course the stress had caused them to mentally beat themselves up a few times, as well as each other.

Olivia held her forehead in her hand as she leaned over her desk. Now that they knew Shelia was involved in Noah's disappearance she'd run the gamut of emotions. From the fear she'd already felt, to anger at the other woman, to anger at herself for allowing her to get so close.

"Liv?" Alex asked as she stepped into the office. Her own eyes were red and raw from crying, and she could see the same was true for Olivia. "Oh baby." Alex said as she rushed across the room to catch the brunette.

"I just want him back." Olivia cried as she buried her head in Alex's neck "I just want our son."

"I know baby, so do I. And we'll get him back." Alex hoped conveyed the confidence she wasn't sure she felt yet.

Olivia finally pulled back and rested on the edge of her desk. "I just can't understand why though. We were so good to her, allowed her to get to know him."

"We let her in too much." Alex mumbled.

"What?"

"We let her in too much. She tried to take him away from us in the beginning, we should've never let her have so much access."

"What you're saying is I shouldn't have let her have so much access."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes you are. You weren't big on the idea of getting to know her, or letting her meet Noah."

"No, but I did agree we should get to know her a bit in case a judge ordered visitation."

"Yes, but you didn't like it when I wanted to let her come around a little more. You don't know what it's like not knowing where you came from or knowing your family!" Olivia's voice raising.

"You know what? I don't know what that's like. But you have a family Olivia, it's us. It's me and Noah." She pointed toward the squad room "It's the people out there. Noah has a family. He has you and me, as well as Fin, Amanda and Jessie, Carisi. And since you're so insistent, yeah I do blame you a little." Her voice broke now "I blame you as much as I blame myself for allowing her in."

Now it was Olivia's turn to rush and hold the blonde. "I guess we're both to blame."

"I guess, but fighting and blaming ourselves and one another isn't gonna bring him back."

Olivia collapsed into her chair while Alex took a seat opposite her. A few minutes passed when Fin entered the office.

"Hey Liv, I think we got something."

Alex was reflecting on the moment Fin had found the lead that brought them to this cabin. Her memory was interrupted though by a yell, and it sounded like Olivia. She knew Amanda and Carisi were on their way but she didn't know how long. Forgetting all about staying hidden she left her spot and began running for the cabin.

As she neared the cabin she could hear Olivia and Shelia's voices. She suddenly wasn't sure what to do. If she barged in it could startle Olivia, if she had her gun on Shelia it could be the distraction Shelia needed. What if Shelia had the gun? Either of them could end up shot. Her biggest concern was where was Noah in all this? The thought of her little boy barely left her mind when she heard his excited voice calling out to Olivia from inside. She stepped up on the first few steps of the porch when the door burst open and Noah was hastily pushed out by Olivia.

"Mama?!" he asked excitedly and slightly confused.

"Oh baby!" Alex pulled him into her arms and held him tightly. Without even thinking she backed away from the cabin if for no other reason than to protect Noah.

"Why are you crying?" he asked when he pulled back.

"I'm just so happy to see you." Alex tried to get her emotions under control.

The blonde then realized Noah was only in his pajamas and it was freezing. Without putting him down she managed to pull her coat off and wrapped it around him to keep warm. Her mind was still worried about Olivia in the cabin with Shelia, but the sound of an approaching siren let her know that hopefully everything was now over.

She and Noah were now sitting in the back of the warm ambulance as they waited for Olivia and Shelia to come out. A local officer had already been in, Olivia had asked for a few minutes before they came out. Noah was curious about what was going on, but luckily Alex had been able to keep him distracted about their surroundings and the wild animals that could possibly be hiding in the woods.

Hearing another siren Alex looked out and recognized one the SUV's that the squad used approaching. However it was movement from her left that sprung her into action. She saw Olivia and Shelia finally exiting the cabin. "Stay here, Noah. Mama will be right back." she sprung from the back of the ambulance and headed for the two women.

"Oh, this ain't gonna be good." Amanda said as she and Carisi jumped from the SUV and headed in Alex's direction.

Alex was aware of the young detective approaching from her right but she wasn't going to be deterred "Not a fuckin' hand, Carisi!" she twisted sharply to avoid him stopping her.

"Alex." Olivia said cautiously as her wife approached. She kept her right and on Shelia's left arm but did try to step slightly in front of her to ward off the blonde.

"You kidnapped my son!" as she stopped directly in front of Shelia. "You took our son! What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"Alex." Shelia was cut off.

"No, don't Alex me. Against our better judgement we let you in, we let you get to know Noah because we felt sorry for you, and you repay us like this?"

"He's my family." defeat in the older woman's voice.

"He's our son! Not yours, ours, mine and Olivia's. We're his family."

Shelia dropped her head "I'm sorry." With tears in her eyes she looked between both women "I really am so sorry."

Alex simply shook her head and walked away, leaving Olivia to say a few words to Shelia before placing her in the police car.

A few minutes later Olivia joined Alex and Noah in the back of the ambulance. By now they'd gotten his clothes from the cabin and Alex had dressed him and wrapped him in a blanket to stay warm. As was bound to happen, Noah began asking questions about whether or not Shelia was a bad person. Olivia did her best to explain to him that his grandma was a good person but she did a bad thing. They weren't sure he understood at his age, so they mentally prepared for more questions later.

"You know what though?" Olivia asked "Aunt Amanda and Uncle Sonny are waiting to drive us home." she grinned at Alex then back at Noah "And I bet we could stop for pancakes."

Noah smiled as he leaned slightly away from Alex's embrace and into Olivia's.

As all three members of the family held one another Alex and Olivia looked at one another over Noah's head and smiled. They felt all the fear and anguish begin to slowly dissipate. This was her family and Alex knew she would never let go.

As Olivia held her son, and looked at her wife, her words from earlier in the cabin echoed in her mind. Blood isn't the only thing that makes families.