Author's note: We are at the end. Thank you all for your love, support, and reviews for this story. I hope you have enjoyed the journey with me.
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She just nods, breathes in his scent, "More than ready." With that, she grabs a few files from her desk to bring home with her, and the two of them head out. Towards Noah and their future.
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Ed and Olivia arrive home to chaos. All three kids are in the kitchen, along with a huge mess. Patrick is making what looks to be tacos. Ashley with the help of Noah is making cookies. There is flour, sugar, and all sorts of other things on the counter, floor, stove, and possibly ceiling.
Noah jumps down from the chair and runs over to Olivia and Ed. Before they can stop him, he is hugging their legs leaving flour handprints on whatever he touches. Ashley brings him back to the kitchen to finish their project. "Hi Dad. Hi Liv. We will clean everything up. Dinner and dessert will be done in about a half hour."
They just shake their heads and head further into the apartment to change and settle in for the rest of the night. They enter the bedroom as the phone rings and Olivia answers it. "Hi, Trevor." She pauses, "Yeah, he's right here."
"Ed, Trevor Langen wants to speak to the two of us." With a quirked eyebrow, he walks to Olivia's side as she puts the phone on speaker. "Ok, we're both here."
"Hey, Ed. I'm in family court with Judge Linden. There is a little girl, 7 months, that has been bounced around the foster care system and has just been removed from here 5th placement. Her history is a little like Noah's. Judge Linden and I were talking and before DCFS places her in her sixth home, we wanted to know if you wanted to take her. I know this is highly unorthodox, but this little girl needs a break."
Ed and Olivia look at each other. "Hey Langen, Liv and I just got home. Give us a few minutes, we'll be at family court within a half hour."
Trevor releases a breath he was holding, "We'll all be here waiting for you."
Ed and Olivia quickly change out of flour-covered clothes into more casual ones. They go out to the kitchen and explain to Patrick and Ashley what is going on. Ed gives Patrick their keys for the storage unit in the basement and asks him to bring up the baby furniture that is stored there and begin to set it up in the guest bedroom/office.
Olivia speaks to Noah about what is happening, that there is a baby who needs a safe place to stay. He cocks his head to the side as if processing the information, turns to Ashley, "Asley, we get new sister." With tears in her eyes, Olivia hugs Noah, "My sweet boy, we'll see about that."
Ed and Olivia head off to the family court. Once there, the DCFS worker is holding a crying mixed race baby. Trevor greets them and introduces Ed and Olivia. Olivia sits, down next to the baby and talks directly to her, "Hi sweet girl. What's your name?" The DCFS worker supplies the name "Angel."
Not to be deterred by the crying, Olivia motions toward the baby and the DCFS worker allows Olivia to hold her. She stands up and starts rocking. "Well isn't that a perfect name for you. Angel."
She whispers sweet, soothing things into her ear. Ed walks over to them, and rubs her back, "Hi sweetheart." After about 10 minutes, the baby calms down and the social worker begins updating the files DCFS has on Olivia. After about another half hour, with the baby clinging to Olivia or Ed, the group enters the courtroom.
Judge Linden smiles at the site. "I see that we may have a solution." Trevor responds, "We do, Your Honor."
She nods, strikes the gavel, "We'll all be back here in 3 months to see about next steps."
DCFS, along with Angel and Olivia, follow Ed back to the apartment. The group is greeted by Noah's welcome, "Sister's home." The DCFS worker smiles and is introduced to Noah, Ashley and Patrick. She checks out the apartment and the room that will house Angel, that has partially constructed furniture. She leaves a small bag with Angel's belonging along with some diapers, formula, and wipes to get them through the night. Reminds them of scheduled and unannounced visits.
Exactly, one year later, Ed, Olivia, Noah, Patrick, and Ashley walk out of the courtroom after having signed the final adoption papers to officially make Angel a part of their family.
True to their words, Elliot and Olivia did not have any additional contact. However, occasionally little announcements would be received or sent – birth, engagements, wedding. On the way out of the courtroom, Olivia dropped a letter into the mailbox – an announcement, with a picture of Olivia's ever expanding family.