Four.

Ed laughing in his sleep awoke Olivia. At first she attempted to ignore it and go back to sleep. Her husband rarely made noises in his sleep, so his sounds initially startled her. However, when she realized he was laughing, no, he was giggling, she propped herself up and watched, amused, as he enjoyed his dream. His mouth twitched and contorted in between the tee-hees. This was something worthy of a video recording, but she chose not to do that and keep the memory only for herself. When he stopped and settled back into a peaceful slumber, she remained awake, studying him. Even in his sleep his features were hardened and defined, but now she saw his face as ruggedly handsome rather than intimidating. Gently, she touched one of his cheekbones with her index finger. Unable to resist more contact, she snuggled into his side, and he subconsciously drew her to him. Not yet satisfied, she kissed him on the lips. He didn't react at first, so she kissed him again. His eyes shot open and he lifted his head, startled.

"You okay?" He asked, his voice heavy with sleep but still no less concerned.

"I'm fine."

"I hate that word," he grumbled, suddenly wide awake.

"I know." Olivia smiled at him. "You were laughing."

Ed blinked a few times and a smile crossed his face as he recalled his dream. "We brought home the baby."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. And Noah was running around talking to each one, bossing them around."

Olivia grinned. "Each one?"

"There were at least a dozen."

"Oh God."

"And we were just standing there…laughing."

"Sounds like a good dream."

"It was." Ed wrapped both his arms around his wife. "Sure you're okay?"

"Yes."

"You feel any different?"

Olivia tried not to laugh at his sincere, sweet question. "No. No I don't."

Earlier that day, two healthy embryos had been transferred into Olivia. After listening to the doctor's advice, reading dozens and dozens of articles and message boards, and having had many serious late night and early morning conversations, Ed and Olivia requested as many embryos as possible be implanted. Their team of doctors, however, refused to transfer more than two. The embryologist argued there were several "perfect" specimens and the ones not used could be frozen and used at a later time if need be.

Ed spread his palm across her still-flat belly. "How long did he say we had to wait?"

"Nine days. Then they'll test again a couple days later."

Ed groaned impatiently.

"You gonna make it?" Olivia asked.

He adjusted his grip and held her even more tightly. "I will. You?"

"I'm excited. A little nervous."

"Nervous about the procedure or the whole thing?"

"More like, I want this so badly and if it doesn't happen I'll be devastated."

"Hey." Ed sat them up. "We've gone over every single scenario. Even the worst-case ones. No matter what, we have each other and we have Noah. Right?"

"Right."

Even in the darkness he could see tears welling in her eyes and he shot her his trademark smirk, "But no more worst-case scenarios for us, remember? We're done with those."

"Okay."

"Everything'll be fine, Liv. You'll see."

"I thought you hate that word."

He appreciated her sass. "Only when you use it."

….

Brooke snagged a small table at the local Starbucks and waited for her father. With Olivia at work and Noah at gymnastics for an hour on this Saturday morning, Ed invited Brooke to meet him for coffee. Since he and Olivia revealed their intentions to have a baby, Brooke had been distant. Olivia hoped it was a coincidence, that she was simply busy, but Ed had a feeling there was more to it. Brooke cancelling her normal Thursday afternoon with Noah only added ammunition to his argument.

Ed showed up a few minutes late. "Sorry," he huffed. "Been here long?"

"Only a few minutes."

Ed draped his jacket over the back of his chair. "Be right back. You need anything else while I'm up there?"

"I'm good."

Ed went to the counter and returned with a venti dark roast. He removed the lid and looked at Brooke through the escaping steam. "How's everything?"

"Good," Brooke answered. "Busy but good. This school. These parents. They're on top of things. I'm still not used to it."

"Miss the old job?"

"A little. Two different worlds really."

"Speaking of jobs, Sarah seems to be liking her new gig." Ed smirked proudly as he thought of his younger daughter who finally seemed to be getting a handle on life.

"Who wouldn't like it? Her salary doubled and she has less work."

Ed raised his eyebrows at the sharpness of her tone. "Brooke?"

"Sorry," she mumbled. "I just…I have a lot on my mind."

"Wanna talk about it?"

"Not really. But, I assume you're gonna make me?"

Ed finally took a drink. "No," he said hesitantly, "I'm not gonna make you do anything."

Brooke pressed her lips in a straight line. "You know," she began softly, "I always thought…I was good with change. I mean, look at how we grew up, changed schools three times in two years, got through a divorce, mom remarrying. Then, Sarah moving back here, you and Olivia, and Noah…all of it. I've been good with all of it."

"And now you're not?" Ed asked, disappointed.

She tucked her hair behind her ears. "Sonny's living with me. Sonny, I'm sure," she smiled through a sigh, "Wants to marry me. And I keep hoping he's not going to ask because I'm not confident I'll say yes."

"You don't have to say yes."

Brooke leaned forward, urgency in her eyes, "But why not?"

"Why not what?"

"I'd be stupid not to marry him. He's perfect."

"It's a big step, Brooke," Ed counseled, "Not being ready to get married doesn't mean you don't want to marry him or you don't love him."

"Dad, why did we not talk like this when I was growing up?"

The question startled Ed. "I dunno. How many young girls talk like this with their dads?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Why are you and Olivia doing this? I mean. You have everything. A beautiful wife. A son. I just don't get it."

Somewhat baffled, Ed forced a sympathetic smile. He and Olivia both expected any criticism to come from Sarah, not Brooke. His older daughter rolled with the punches and never expressed any extreme emotional highs or lows. Perhaps the baby news came at a bad time, given that she was apparently wrestling with other things in her life. Ed wanted to be annoyed, but Brooke appeared genuinely concerned and perplexed.

Ed started at the beginning.

"A few months ago…I brought it up. It kinda popped in my head."

"During sex?"

Happy to see a smile on her face, Ed nodded sheepishly and continued. "We'd batted around the idea of another kid before, but never seriously and I didn't know she'd had the cryo procedure done. I know it seems selfish, and maybe it is, but I, we, want something that's a part of both of us. And as long as there's even a minute possibility that we can make it happen, we're gonna do it."

There. He was kind and calm but resolute.

"How do you plan to explain that to Noah?"

"Not sure it'll need explaining. Olivia adopted him before she and I got together. He's as much my son as this new baby will be my child. He is my son. There'll never be any competition between him and his brother or sister, at least not any that comes from me and Liv."

Realizing her Dad wasn't going to completely blow up at her, Brooke fired more questions. "You don't think you're too old?"

"No."

Brooke regarded him skeptically.

"You think we're too old," he concluded, "But I'm sure a lotta people will think the same thing. I don't really have a response for that other than, no."

"Okay, we can agree to disagree on that one I guess."

"So…you're not gonna be happy for us, love your new brother or sister because you think we're too old?" Edginess started to surface in Ed's voice.

Brooke didn't want to argue, but she did want to make her point very clear. "Don't be ridiculous. I just can't help but worry. What if you don't live as long as you think you'll live? Is that really fair to this kid? To lose his or her Dad in high school? Or earlier? Are you really gonna want to chase around a little kid when you're sixty?"

Ed leaned forward and reached for her hand. Intensity oozed from his blue eyes. "Yes I do. I know you think we've rushed into this, but we've thought about all of this. Every single detail. This is what we want, and I can't constantly worry about things we can't control. We already have Noah. He already has older parents. And now he's gonna have a sibling close to his age, so, if something tragic happens, at least they'll have each other."

There was something endearing about her father just then, and Brooke's heart and attitude softened. Under the harsh glare of his daughter's judgement, Ed held firm and delivered honest, heartfelt answers, but there was something else in his tone and in his expression. He needed her support. He was desperate for it. And despite her reservations, she knew the right thing to do was to set aside her objections and simply love him, Olivia, Noah, and, eventually, her new sibling.

"Okay, Dad." She extracted her hands from his and patted his forearms. "I'm still worried. I'll be worried until the baby's born. But…I think I get it now. You and Olivia have my support, and I'll be there for you for this entire process. I promise."

Truly relieved, Ed replied, "Thank you, sweetheart."

…..

At the gym, Ed waited for Noah's instructor to wrap up the day's lesson. Surrounding him were other parents, mostly younger, but some gray like him which he found oddly comforting. At the other end of the seating area, a forty-something father stood behind a stroller, and even without looking, Ed could tell the baby was young. Slowly, he stepped in their direction, pretending he was trying to get a better look at Noah's group, until he was able to get a view of the baby. Sure enough, inside was a bundled, sleeping, cherubic infant. Ed nodded to the man, and, even though he knew men didn't really do this, he struck up a conversation.

"How old?"

"One month," he answered proudly, "And already much easier that that one." He jerked his head in the direction of the children who were taking turns on the balance beam.

Ed chuckled knowingly.

"Yeah, seemed like it took her a year to sleep through the night. Had trouble eating. But, him," the dad gazed at his newborn son, "It's a snap. Which is good, 'cause my wife wants another one eventually."

"I have two older daughters," Ed said, "And I cannot tell you how much easier he is." This was probably an unfair comment, considering how tumultuous his first marriage was, but he was happy to banter with the stranger.

"I have an adult son. So when Lila, that's her on the beam now, came along, I had no clue what to do. Still don't, really. Poor thing. Destined to be a tomboy. My wife's on Wall Street and I'm semi-retired, so I'm on childcare duties most of the time." The man watched his daughter closely and he grinned when she completed the path along the beam without falling. "That's my girl," he mumbled, "Good job, Li."

Ed wanted to hug the guy. He also wanted to ask more questions, but class was ending and Noah came trotting over.

"See me on da beam?"

"I did, No! Good job. That looked hard."

Noah shook his head, "Not hard. It easy. Just haveta bal-ance and hold out your arms. Like dis!"

Noah walked a few paces, imitating his balance beam pace.

"You're great at that, pal. Next week I'll stay the whole time and watch ya."

Lila finally made her way over. To the amusement of her father the delay was due to her chatting away with a few other girls. "Hello, social butterfly," he said to her and then turned to Ed, "She's definitely going to have no problem making friends."

Sure enough, Lila gave Noah a pat on the back. "Good job!" She exclaimed. Noah giggled and copied her.

"Well, nice talkin' to ya," Ed offered his hand and the man shook it firmly, "Enjoy the rest of your weekend."

"You too. See ya next weekend. Oh, I'm Paul, by the way, Paul Thomason."

"Ed Tucker. And my boy's Noah."

"Nice to meet you both. We're off to a birthday party in a couple hours, but next weekend let's all grab lunch after."

"Sounds good."

Noah wanted to show Ed a few tumbling skills he'd learned that day, so they said goodbye to the Thomasons and headed over to a free mat. Noah performed a few somersaults and some sort of barrel roll Ed assumed was improvised. Nevertheless, he looked on patiently.

"I can stand on my head!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Uh-huh!" Noah buried the top of his head in the mat and positioned his hands next to his ears. He kicked his legs in the air and managed to stay balanced for a second or two before he crashed back into the padding.

After the fifth or sixth attempt, Ed suggested they leave and take Olivia some lunch.

"We bring somethin' from da pub?"

"Well, we just ate there last night, pal. What else sounds good?"

"Hoddog!"

"Alright. We can get hot dogs, but we'll take Mommy a sandwich."

They stopped at a local deli with an extensive menu so they didn't have to make two stops. Ed ordered hot dogs and fried for him and Noah and a cold turkey club and chips for Olivia, knowing she might not be able to eat the food right away. When they got to the precinct, everyone was working at their desks. It was strangely quiet, so Ed assumed they'd caught something major that morning and were in the beginning stages of the investigation.

With uniformed officers and other staff milling about, nobody noticed Ed and Noah until the little boy approached Carisi's desk.

"Hi Sonny!"

"Noah!" Carisi lifted him so he was sitting on the desk next to his laptop. "Good to see you, pal! Haven't seen ya in a while!"

"You be p'lice, Sonny!" Noah craned his neck and peered at the laptop, "Dat a bad guy?"

"Maybe," Sonny replied.

Ed held up the food, "C'mon, No. Let's give this to Mommy."

"Wanna stay wiff Sonny!"

"He's okay, Captain. I need a little break anyway."

"Yeah, okay," Ed mumbled, "No, just a few minutes then come eat your lunch."

"Kay!"

Ed said hello to Fin and Rollins and entered Olivia's office and sized up his wife approvingly. Her coloring was robust and healthy. He knew it wasn't possible that her appearance would change overnight, but he swore she was glowing. She'd pulled her hair back and secured it with a clip, so loose strands framed her face and her oversized glasses gave her a sexy, businesslike aura which Ed found irresistible.

"Wanna take a lunch break?" He asked softly and held up the takeout bag.

Olivia liked how, in the age of constant communication, Ed still showed up unannounced every once in a while. "Sure," she cooed. "How was gymnastics?"

"Good. Spent the first part of it having coffee with Brooke." Ed handed Olivia her Styrofoam container and a plastic-wrapped set of utensils.

Olivia cringed slightly. She knew many parents left during the gymnastics lessons and that it was perfectly okay, but she never did. Maybe it was because Ed had been a parent for longer and during a different era, but he never thought twice about dropping Noah off for lessons or at school.

"How's she?"

"A mess, actually," Ed reported.

"A mess?"

"If it's not one daughter it's the other."

"What's wrong?"

Ed swallowed his first bite. "It seems, our news, well, it came at a time when she's tryin' to figure out where her life's headed."

Olivia raised her eyebrows, "Carisi problems?"

"Not problems, exactly, more like…it's too good."

"Too good?" Olivia tore open a mustard packet and spread it on the top piece of bread. She scrutinized the rest of the sandwich and pulled out the tomato.

"Somethin' wrong?"

"Tomato looks bad," Olivia remarked matter-of-factly, "So, what's too good?"

"She's worried he's gonna propose, and she doesn't know how she feels about that."

Olivia smiled thoughtfully, "I can relate."

Ed smirked, "And she thinks we're too old to have another kid."

"I think we both knew that's how she felt."

"There's a little more to it. With all this going on, she's thinking of all these worst-case scenarios."

"And let me guess," Olivia replied knowingly, "She thinks we haven't?"

Smiling as he popped a fry into his mouth, Ed teased, "You're such a cop."

"So are you."

"What're you workin' on? Bringing someone in?"

"We're close."

"I wanna stay and watch you interrogate him."

"Stop."

"It's sexy, Lieutenant."

"Have you actually seen me interrogate anyone?"

"Couple a times." Ed took a deep breath and sighed, "Damn. So sexy."

With a furrowed brow, Olivia asked, "How do you remember all of these…instances?"

"Easy. I remember everything involving you," Ed replied, eyes dancing with affection. "Thought you'd realize that by now."

"I guess I should. But…you're not staying for any interrogations."

"Please?"

"No."

"Alright. But you'll gimme the recap later?"

"I will." Out in the squad room, Fin and Rollins were hovered over a laptop. Rollins' eyes kept drifting to Olivia's office, obviously waiting until the last minute to interrupt. She didn't have to. Noah sprinted from the break room, weaved in between the desks, and came into Olivia's office triumphantly holding an unopened soda.

"Sonny gived me dis!"

Carisi trailed him, "Uh, I didn't exactly give it to him. He swiped it from the machine before I could get it. He's…quick."

Noah fumbled with the pop top. "Gotta get dis open."

"Hey, bud," Ed motioned for Noah to give him the can, "How bout we give Sonny back his soda and we'll head home. You need to eat your hot dog and Mommy has to work."

"It MY drink! Sonny gived it to me!"

"He's right," Sonny replied sheepishly, "I bought it for him. But he was supposed to keep that between us."

Olivia scoffed playfully, "Well, sweet boy, I see you have two people in your life who sneak you soda."

"Who?" Ed asked innocently. "Sonny and Sarah?"

"No," Olivia retorted, "Sonny and Daddy."

Ed simpered at Noah, "Well, bud, we can't get anything past Mommy. We're busted."

"Busted," Noah mumbled, trying to make sense of the word.

"Busted," Olivia confirmed. "Now, c'mere and give me a kiss." Noah ran over and climbed into Olivia's lap. "I love you, Noah," she purred, "I love you so much, sweetie."

"Luvvvyou, Mommy." Noah's voice was muffled slightly since Olivia held him to her so tightly. When she loosened her grip, Noah tilted his head back and asked, wide-eyed, "We still busted?"

"Yes, baby boy. Yes you are."

…

The Saturday night bar crowd at the Landmark Tavern was heavy, but Sarah arrived early and plopped her purse and coat on two additional bar chairs, reserving them for Sonny and Brooke. Having never been here before, she perused the food menu as the bartender prepared her gin-and-tonic.

"Anything else at the moment, young lady?" The grandfatherly bartender asked as he placed the cocktail in front of her.

"No, but, well, I guess I'll order for my sister and her boyfriend." Sarah peered at the taps, "Actually, I have no idea what they'll want. I'm good for now."

Sympathetic to her indecision, he smiled genially and went about his business.

While she waited, Sarah perused Amazon and filled her shopping cart with baby items. Deep down, she, too, had taken on some of Brooke's anxiety, but it was no match for her excitement. Someone else in the family having a baby temporarily relieved her of any pressure to start a family. Of course, no one was actually verbally nudging her toward domesticity and she wasn't currently seeing anyone, but her self-imposed expectations could be shelved for the time being. She felt free.

"These seats taken?"

Carisi and Brooke handed Sarah her belongings and took their seats.

"Hi guyyyys," Sarah greeted them sweetly, "Sonny, I'm glad to see you, I thought you'd be trapped with sex criminals all night."

"We locked 'em all up for the night," Carisi reported, "I'm all yours. Well," he gave Brooke a peck on the cheek, "Yours in particular."

"What have you been doing all day, Brookey? You were gone when I left."

"Not much. Went for a run. Had coffee with Dad. Laundry. You?"

"Brunch with a few coworkers, so basically I've been drinking all day."

"Great."

Sonny ordered beers for himself and Brooke, "Let's just make sure you eat something."

"I know, I know, I always forget that part," Sarah whined, "I'm glad you saw Daddy. You're not gonna be able to avoid him forever."

Brooke glared at Sarah, silently telling her to shut up, but Carisi immediately noticed something was awry. "What?" He asked.

"Oh fuck."

Brooke let out an exasperated breath. "Shit."

Growing more frustrated, Sonny looked back and forth between the sisters. "What?"

Wide-eyed, Sarah gulped the rest of her drink and then warned, "You can't tell anybody."

"So I guess we're telling him," Brooke muttered curtly.

"Tell me what?"

Sarah scooted closer to Sonny and held his wrists as if she were about to inform him that he was going to be a father. "Daddy and Livvie are gonna have a baby."

"Lieu's PREGNANT?"

"Shhhhhh," Brooke snapped.

Nobody paid any attention to Carisi's outburst. Sarah giggled, "No, she's not pregnant yet, they're about to be though."

"You don't know that," Brooke argued.

"They've done IVF. It's a matter of time," Sarah pointed out matter-of-factly.

Suddenly aware that she'd been kept in the dark about developments, Brooke cocked her head. "Do you know something I don't know?"

As the sisters exchanged words, Carisi screwed up his face and kept murmuring, "Lieu's pregnant?"

"She's not pregnant yet," Sarah repeated, "Get a grip, Sonny, geez. And, Brookey, yes, since you've been incommunicado for the past two weeks, I do know something you don't know. The embryos are in Livvie. Their appointment was yesterday."

"How in the hell do you know that?"

Flabbergasted, Sonny sat back in his chair.

"I was watching Noey when she came back from an appointment last week. She was all giddy about the doctor clearing them for the transfer. That's when she told me about the appointment. And yesterday I texted her, asked her how it went. Everything's been done."

"Why didn't Dad tell me today?"

Sarah shrugged and took a sip of her fresh cocktail, "I dunno. Maybe he thought you knew."

Brooke replayed the conversation and gave her Dad the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps Sarah was right. Turning her attention to Sonny, she put a hand on his cheek. "Are you okay?"

Carisi ran a hand over his head. "Wow."

"Do. Not. Say. Anything."

"I'm sure they figure we've told him already," Brooke said pragmatically, "I mean, we're roommates."

Carisi frowned. "Roommates?"

Waving her hands in the air, Sarah clarified her sister's comment, "Oh, you know what she means. I'm the third wheel. We don't have a Three's Company thing going on."

Carisi put one arm around Brooke's shoulders and one arm around Sarah's, "I love you," Carisi kissed Brooke's head and then pulled Sarah even closer to his side, "And you're not a third wheel."

"Wait a fucking minute," Sarah sat up super straight, beaming, "When did this I love you business start?"

"A few weeks," Sonny answered.

Brooke buried her head into Sonny's neck, trying to conceal her blushing face.

"Well holy fucking shit," Sarah said with a grin, "There's just way too fucking much to celebrate. I'm so happy I'm not even wallowing in sorrow."

"Sorrow?" Sonny and Brooke said at the same time.

"Yeah," Sarah replied cooly, "If I would've stayed married, tomorrow would be my one-year anniversary."

….

#Tuckson