I know you're all going to hate me for this, but this next part takes place during Loss. A bit A/U, especially when it comes to the timeline.

Alex was in the process of securing the detectives a warrant to search Rafael Zapata's yacht a few weeks later when she got the call from Joshua's school. Her heart immediately started to race as she answered her phone with a crisp, "Cabot."

"Hi, Ms. Cabot? This is Joshua's teacher, Angela Rhinehart. Would you and Ms. Benson mind coming down here? We need to talk."

"Sure." Alex's mind was working a million miles a minute, trying to figure out what this could be about. "Is he okay?"

"Yes, he's fine," Ms. Rhinehart assured Alex. "I just think there's something we need to discuss."

"Okay. We'll be there in twenty minutes," said Alex, then hung up, trying to figure out what this was about. She hoped it didn't have to do with the adoption . . . or their marital status (or lack thereof). Ms. Rhinehart had been surprisingly open and accommodating from the start.

She called Olivia, who said she would meet Alex at Joshua's school in twenty minutes. Alex hailed a cab and met Olivia in front of the school. "What do you think this about?" asked Olivia.

Alex just shrugged. "He isn't hurt or anything. We'll find out in a few minutes."

They went to Joshua's kindergarten classroom. The bell had rung and parents were picking up their children. Joshua greeted Alex and Olivia with a smile when they arrived. Alex gave him a once over. He looked fine.

She knelt down and gave him a hug. "How was your day, Joshy?"

He shrugged. "Good. We did connect-the-dots and I made a ladybug."

Nothing seemed off about his demeanor. She stood back up and looked at Ms. Rhinehart. "What's this about?"

"Joshua, could you start to get ready, please?" asked his teacher, then beckoned to Alex and Olivia when Joshua started to pack up his bag. They sat down and waited for what she had to say. "It's not really a huge deal, but I think the two of you might need to have a conversation with him about what is appropriate to say at school and what isn't. It's not really my business what goes on in your house as long as Joshua's safe, and I know he is, but there are some things that he shouldn't be repeating to his classmates."

Alex and Olivia exchanged glances. "Like what?"

Ms. Rhinehart shifted, clearly uncomfortable. "He asked to go to the washroom today a few minutes before recess and I told him to wait because recess was in a few moments. He said the only other place they restricted washroom use was in S&M clubs. It isn't my business how he came to possess this knowledge, and while it's amusing, it is not appropriate for him to repeat these things at school."

Alex looked at Olivia, an expression of confusion on her face. Then the understanding hit her at the same time as it hit Olivia. "Munch," they said in unison. Then they burst out laughing.

Ms. Rhinehart stared at them. "I just think it's a conversation you should probably have with him."

Alex struggled to regain her composure. "Thank you for bringing this to our attention," she said, unable to suppress her smile. "We'll talk to him."

Ms. Rhinehart nodded and stood up. "Thank you."

Alex went back to Joshua, who'd finished packing up and was watching her expectantly. She took his hand and they went out to the car.

"We need to tell Munch to be careful what he says within the earshot of our son," said Olivia in an undertone, although she was still smirking. Joshua was parroting something he'd heard John say when they were at the precinct a few days ago, when he was going off on another conspiracy tangent.

When they got home, they sat down with Joshua in the family room. He looked from one to the other with trepidation written all over his face. "Did I do something wrong? Are you mad at me?"

Alex shook her head and took Joshua's hand in hers. "No, Joshy. We just wanted to talk to you about something you said at school today."

"About going to the washroom?"

Alex nodded, then paused, unsure how to explain this. How could she make him understand that it's okay for adults to say some things but it's not okay for kids to repeat them? "There are some things that adults say – especially some things that John says – that aren't appropriate for you to repeat, especially at school. Do you know what an S&M club is, Joshua?" Then she realized that she probably shouldn't have asked the question. For all she knew, he did.

But Joshua shook his head and Alex continued,

"So let's make it a rule that we shouldn't say things if we're not one hundred percent sure what they mean, okay?"

Joshua nodded. "Okay," he agreed," then offered, "I'm sorry."

Alex kissed his head. "Okay."

The next morning when they got to the precinct, Olivia was ready to give John an earful. She marched over to him, Alex at her heels, and snapped, "You have to be careful what you say around our kid."

He looked genuinely confused. "What did I say?"

"About S&M clubs," she reminded him.

John smirked. "Oh, that. He heard that?"

"He's very perceptive," replied Alex. "He picked that up from Liv."

"So what happened?"

"He said it to his teacher," Olivia informed him.

"And the blame rests solely on your shoulders," added Alex.

"But it's true! It's ridiculous how they think –" he started, but Olivia cut him off.

"We don't need to know. Apologize and move on."

"Sorry," he said, but there was no real contrition in his tone. "You just need a scapegoat, Olivia."

Olivia shrugged. She didn't even bother to deny it.

"Hey," called Elliot, coming up behind them. "Alex, aren't you arraigning Zapata in ten minutes?"

Alex glanced at her watch and her eyes went wide. "Shit! Petrovsky will kill me!"

Olivia smirked. "I'm coming with you. That's a sight I've got to see."

They scampered, and Alex made it to the courtroom exactly twenty-six seconds early. She was out of breath, but she was there, and she adjusted her glasses and tried to calm her racing heart as Judge Petrovsky, looking slightly disappointed that she wouldn't be able to hold Alex in contempt for her lateness, asked for the defendant's plea.

"Not guilty," said Zapata.

Judge Petrovsky peered at Alex over her glasses. "Ms. Cabot."

Alex took a deep breath and tried to speak without panting. "The defendant is a Colombian national with known ties to major drug organizations. He has unlimited resources at his disposal and we consider him a flight risk. We request remand, Your Honor."

His lawyer, Lionel Granger, looked furious. "My client has never been charged with anything related to drug trafficking. And I consider the People's baseless accusations slanderous and bigoted."

The judge rolled her eyes. "Noted, Mr. Granger. But I'd really like to hear your thoughts on the matter of bail."

"Mr. Zapata is a respected business and family man. He has no intention of fleeing this jurisdiction and is willing to turn over his passport for the pendency of the case," said Granger.

Alex really wanted to get this taken care of. She had ten thousand things she needed to do today and she didn't have time for this. "The defendant has among his assets a Gulfstream jet, Your Honor, as well as personal airstrips in the Caribbean and South America. Turning over his passport is a meaningless gesture," she snapped.

Granger looked outraged. "He is blessed with wealth, so he must be guilty? He has a clean record, Your Honor."

Judge Petrovsky clearly shared Alex's views about wasting time, because she said, "And his passport won't be the only thing he turns over. Bail is set at $5 million. Next case."

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