A/N: Yes, hello… it's me. I told you I hadn't forgotten about this little story over here. I'm slower than molasses in frickin' Antarctica, but I DO update—eventually. ;)

So, we'll pick up with Abby graduating high school…

I kid. She is still a wee baby. ;)

I hope this is worth the wait.

##

Ed took a seat in the gallery just as Judge Linden announced the hearing in session.

He'd been to visit Abigail as often as he could since the day at the brownstone, sometimes going with Olivia, sometimes without, and after the last visit, he'd given his cell number to Donna, asking her to please call him if there were any updates to the case that she could share with him as the search for Abigail's family progressed.

Today, that call had finally come. There was to be a hearing in family court. He'd been able to rearrange his schedule to attend, but Olivia wasn't so fortunate, unable to get out of a meeting with Dodds.

Settling into his seat in the gallery, Ed wasn't surprised at all to find he was the only one there, but it made his heart ache to see with his own eyes how few people other than himself and Liv truly cared about the well-being of this little girl.

"Good afternoon." Judge Linden was stoic as she looked out at the nearly empty courtroom. "We're here for a status check on Abigail Brooks, FKA Baby Girl Doe. It's my understanding she has been in DCS custody for nearly two weeks. Is that correct?"

"That is correct, your honor," Donna affirmed from her seat at the table to Ed's left.

Judge Linden nodded, clasping her hands together. "And has there been any progress made to locate a living relative who is both willing and able to care for the infant?"

Ed watched as Donna stood up to brief the court. "We were able to locate a grandmother, on the maternal side," she reported. "However, she is in an assisted living facility in rural Indiana."

Looking down, Judge Linden nodded somberly. "Is this woman able to provide any clues that may assist in finding another blood relative?"

"She suffers from severe dementia, your honor," Donna shared, shaking her head. "She has no recollection of Abigail's birth mother."

Ed cleared his throat subtly, wringing his hands together and looking down at his lap.

"Very well." After a brief pause, the judge continued. "Does this exhaust the search?"

"No, your honor," Donna shook her head, shuffling papers in her file. "We do have one lead on the paternal side that we're still following up on."

"Alright," the judge sighed, and Ed took a deep, cleansing breath in the gallery, nodding resolutely to himself. It wasn't over. There was still hope. "We'll meet again next week, and hopefully," the judge leveled a somber stare at the court, "we can get this poor girl where she belongs. With family."

"That is our hope, too, your honor."

"Court is adjourned."

At the bang of the gavel, Ed stood, wiping his hands on the thighs of his pants as he slowly made his way to where Donna was gathering her files into her briefcase.

"Glad you could make it, Captain," she smiled at him. "I'm sorry we don't have better news right now."

Ed nodded, "It's somethin'. Hopefully that lead works out," he shrugged. Roughly, he ran a hand down his face, and heaved a deep sigh. "Thanks for the call."

##

"Patty cake, patty cake, baker's man…" The playful lilt of Olivia's voice carried down the hallway as Ed made his way toward the playroom.

After the hearing, he'd stopped by the precinct to see her, but Fin told him she'd gone on a personal errand. At the time, he'd thought it was something to do with the wedding, which was imminent—now only two days away. In retrospect, he should've known better, should've known he'd find her here.

"Bake me a cake as fast as you can…"

Ed smiled, hearing the smile in her voice as she played with Abby, and sure enough, when he stood in the doorway, resting his shoulder against the frame to watch them, he was met with the sight of them staring at each other with matching grins on their faces.

"Pat it, roll it," Olivia took Abby's small fists in her hands, lightly tapping them together before rolling them around each other as the song dictated, "Mark it with a B. Put it in the oven for Abby and me!" Olivia finished singing, laughing when Abby squealed her delight and flashed her a big, toothless smile. "You love Patty Cake, don't you, sweet girl?" Olivia cooed, lifting the infant and bringing her knees up so she could cradle the baby on her thighs.

Stepping further into the room and dropping his jacket along the back of a nearby chair, Ed smiled. "She sure does…"

Olivia turned to look at him, smiling as she pointed him out to Abby, gasping for dramatic effect, which Abby thoroughly enjoyed. "Look who it is," she said excitedly, kissing the baby's cheek.

Ed waved at the baby, chuckling when she swirled her wrist in an almost-wave and blew a spit bubble in lieu of a verbal hi. When he got close enough, Olivia extended a hand to him in greeting and he took it, lowering himself to the floor beside her, so close their sides were touching.

"Hey," Olivia sighed contentedly, leaning into him almost immediately. "You're a sight for sore eyes today," she told him.

"Just today?" Ed reared back to look at her, smirking when she huffed out a laugh, glad his joke landed. Olivia shook her head and he wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer. He captured her lips in a soft kiss while Abby gurgled unintelligibly and flailed her arms in Olivia's lap. Pulling away, he winked at Olivia before leaning closer to the baby. "You get kisses, too, little one," he promised, attacking her face with little kisses until he felt her tiny hands pushing on his cheeks, pushing him away.

Olivia reached for a nearby toy, one that lit up and made sounds, to keep Abby occupied more or less on her own for a minute. "I went to the courthouse as soon as I got out of my meeting, but you guys were already gone, so I came here instead," she explained, absently rubbing Abby's belly with one hand and squeezing Ed's hand with the other.

She had tried hard to be there with Ed once they'd gotten the call about the hearing, but her squad had been wrapping up their involvement in a custodial kidnapping case that had crossed state lines, and she had to turn over what they had to the Feds.

Her eyes darted between Ed and the baby, the funny faces she was making to entertain Abby a stark contrast to the seriousness of her tone when she addressed Ed. "How'd it go?"

Ed sighed, offering Abby a knuckle to suck on and glancing at Olivia out of the corner of his eye. "Maternal side was a bust," he shared. "But they have one lead on the father's side they're still workin' on. Linden wanted another hearing next week."

Olivia nodded slowly, processing the information. She knew the next hearing would be pivotal—either Abby would be set up to go live with family, or she would enter the system. "Okay, so," she paused. "That's good… There's still a chance of family out there that can take care of her."

"Still a chance," Ed confirmed, though his tone was noticeably less hopeful than hers.

Abby wriggled in Olivia's lap, and sensing that she wanted to be down, Olivia shifted, putting her on the floor and making sure she had toys within reach. The new position allowed Olivia to get a better look at Ed, and she eyed him carefully as he watched Abby play.

"They'll figure this out, Ed."

Ed tore his eyes away from the baby, getting swallowed up in the warm brown of Olivia's gaze. "I know," he nodded. He gave her a small smile to reassure her that he was, in fact, okay. "So," he moved to change the subject. "No more work for you, right?"

Olivia nodded. "No more work until next week."

"You ready to marry me in a couple days?" He reached a hand over to her, palm up, and smiled when she laced their fingers together.

"I am," she smiled, leaning over to kiss him chastely. "The roof, however, is not…" she added, shaking her head. "Heather's going to come by tomorrow after we get the marriage license and we'll finish up."

Ed couldn't hide the small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Wouldn't be us if we weren't waiting until the last minute, right?" he quipped.

Olivia shrugged good-naturedly, patting their joined hands. "Better late than never."

The next few days promised to be busy, and intense, so for a little while, Ed and Olivia immersed themselves in this quiet time with Abby. Soon, they would have to leave her there to go home and continue preparations for what would be the biggest day of their lives to-date.

Olivia knew they were taking good care of Abby here, but it was temporary. She felt the ache in her heart for this baby girl much like she did every time she had to leave Noah before he was placed in her care. She hoped, in her heart of hearts, that this precious girl would soon find the family and stability she deserved.

Olivia scooted closer to Ed, leaning her weight lightly into his side as she passed Abby another toy. They both watched as Abby turned it over in her chubby hands a few times and then tried to put it in her mouth before promptly chucking it a few feet away and smiling proudly at Ed when it landed with a loud bang on the floor.

Taking in Abby's sparkling blue eyes and soft wisps of blonde hair, what looked like a couple of new teeth just starting to cut her gums, Olivia released a sigh. "She just gets more beautiful every time I see her."

Ed nodded, nudging Olivia playfully with his shoulder before turning and planting a quick kiss on the top of her head. "Kinda like someone else I know…"

##

"You know, you never told me how house hunting went last weekend…"

Heather was on the ground, feeding the slack of a string of white lights to Olivia who was standing on a step stool, wrapping the strand around an arbor.

"Um, you know, it went okay…" Olivia shared with a smile, looking down and over her shoulder at her friend. "Noah wanted us to buy every place we saw," she chuckled.

"That's what you get for bringing a kid with you to look at houses," Heather smirked knowingly.

Olivia nodded. "There was one place with an actual backyard, and I didn't think we were ever gonna get Noah to want to leave."

"An actual backyard?" Heather stared at Olivia incredulously. "Are you guys thinking about leaving the city?"

Olivia took a deep breath. "It's something we're considering," she said honestly.

"But… you've lived in the city your whole life," Heather reminded her, flabbergasted.

"That's true," Olivia conceded. "But… I don't know. We saw a few places with a little more room than we'd get in the city, and," she shrugged, "it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. Y'know, to imagine living out in a suburb somewhere." Olivia paused, looking out at the skyline. She recalled how Noah had worn himself out running circles around she and Ed as they spoke with the realtor in the backyard of a nice suburban house; visions of Ed playing catch and kicking a soccer ball with Noah and his future sibling were easier for her mind to conjure than she ever would have anticipated. "We're gonna be adopting again, soon, and I don't know… it'd be nice for the kids to have space to actually… be kids."

"Isn't that what parks are for?"

Olivia laughed. "Maybe." She eyed her friend. "It's just something we're thinking about, Heather. No one has signed anything yet."

"Still," Heather argued. "Wow." Her eyebrows lifted in surprise and she cocked her head as she looked at Olivia. "That would be a bitch of a commute, though, no?"

Olivia nodded, reaching blindly into her back pocket for a zip-tie. "That's the only thing holding me back," she said. "I think Ed is in a place where he'd be fine retiring tomorrow and not even having to worry about a commute… but," Olivia shrugged, looking down and meeting Heather's eyes, "I'm not quite there yet."

"Well, selfishly," Heather winked, "I'm glad to hear that. I want you in the city with me."

"It looks like you'll get your wish, at least for now," Olivia chuckled. "We did see a nice place on the upper west side… No yard, but more space."

Heather rolled her eyes, "Please don't become one of those moms…"

"Better than Westchester," Olivia quipped, not missing a beat. She smiled when Heather could only huff in response.

They moved in silence for a few minutes, establishing a rhythm as they affixed white lights to the garland they'd hand-made and decorated with an assortment of silk flowers. The rooftop was adorned in an array of reds, burnt oranges and warm yellows in preparation for the autumn wedding, and Olivia looked proudly across the space that was starting to look less like the roof of an apartment building and increasingly like an esteemed wedding venue.

"This was a good idea," she said to Heather as she surveyed their handiwork. She'd been iffy about the color palate that Heather had suggested for the foliage, but looking at it now, Heather had been right. The deep but warm colors of fall offered a splash of vibrancy that was a perfect addition to the ambiance, and were also perfectly representative of Olivia.

Silently, Heather watched Olivia absorb their surroundings before reaching for her hand and squeezing it affectionately before letting her go. "I'm really proud of you, Liv," she said softly. At her tone, Olivia turned to face her friend, tilting her head to the side curiously. Heather shrugged. "I like to think I know you pretty well…even if we haven't known each other all that long," she explained. "I kinda thought you might…get scared," she gestured at the roof that, with the exception of a few last-minute things they'd finish tomorrow, was just about decorated. "Of all this…"

"You know," Olivia breathed, a warm smile on her lips. "I thought I would, too," she cocked an eyebrow, "It is scary." She stepped down from the stool and slid her hands into her back pockets, "I've never been here before…I mean, I've been engaged before, but not like this…I think a part of me will always be terrified that it's not going to work out." She chuckled when Heather rolled her eyes. "But I know that I don't want to be with anyone else—couldn't even imagine being with anyone else, really." Olivia smiled thoughtfully and met Heather's eyes again.

"Well," Heather said brightly, "that works out, because I'm pretty sure his whole world revolves you and Noah."

"It does," Olivia acknowledged softly, keenly aware of just how pivotal this admission was—not just the acknowledgement, but also the acceptance of it. It was a marked change for the woman who, until Ed, had been so reluctant to allow anyone to get that close to her, to help her, to really love her. Ed was the first person she really gave herself completely to, and he'd accepted all of her with no hesitation—just open arms, an open heart, and the time and space he knew she needed to be ready for everything they had the potential to be.

Both women turned when the door to the roof opened and Olivia beamed when Ed made an appearance in the doorway, a thin sheen of sweat on his forehead and biceps bulging under the weight of one of the partitions they were using to further enclose the space they were using for the ceremony.

"Last one," he huffed.

"Thank you for doing that, babe," Olivia smiled.

"Yeah, thanks babe," Heather parroted cheekily. The childish maneuver signaled the return of Heather's normal demeanor and elicited an almost immediate eye roll from Olivia.

Smirking, Ed stopped in front of them with his hands on his hips. "This a good time for lunch?"

##

Olivia threw her plate away, taking a sip from her bottled water before rounding the wall and cocking her hip against the edge of the counter. A small smile on her face, she rested her elbows on the counter and pulled a piece of paper closer to her, the heading on top reading State of New York Department of Health: Affidavit, License and Certificate of Marriage.

"Still time, ya know," Ed offered, clearing his and Heather's plates from the coffee table and meeting Olivia at the counter.

"Time for what?" Olivia stood up straight to face him.

"To run screamin' in the other direction," Ed smirked as he pushed an errant strand of hair behind her ear. "You're not stuck with me till we sign it."

She moved closer to him, tugging at the material of his t-shirt until they were practically chest to chest, before sliding her hands into the back pockets of his jeans and pulling his body against hers. "I'm not running anywhere," Olivia leaned up, her lips catching his in a chaste kiss, "Screaming or otherwise," she smiled, kissing him again.

"Sure about that?" Ed rested one hand on her upper arm, running the other through her hair before hovering his mouth over hers.

"Pretty sure," she nodded, cocking her eyebrow teasingly. She felt his grip tighten on the back of her head, pulling her face to his, and she smiled into another deeper kiss. The warmth of his tongue teased her lip and she sighed, tilting her head and opening her mouth to invite him in, an invitation he didn't hesitate to accept.

"Oh my god," Heather groaned in mock disgust from her spot on the couch, turning around and seeing them locked in a passionate embrace. "Is your bathroom free, 'cause I think I'm gonna puke…"

"Sorry," Olivia smiled at her as she pulled away, wrapping her arms around Ed's waist and resting her head against his chest.

"No, you're not," Heather rolled her eyes, but Olivia could see the small smile twitching the corners of her lips. "Look, I'm gonna go before I end up with a front row seat to live pay per view—"

"—You mean, again?" Olivia challenged, getting a deep sense of satisfaction and amusement at the bright red blush that enflamed Heather's face.

Heather sidestepped the jibe. "I'm gonna guess, after that little display," she gestured between the two lovers, "that I can't convince you to spend the night apart?"

"I don't think so," Olivia smiled, shaking her head and holding Ed tighter to her.

"O-kay," Heather shrugged dramatically. "But I'll remind you that it's bad luck for the bride and groom to be together the night before the wedding…"

Ed pressed a kiss to the top of Olivia's head, letting his hands run lightly down her spine and absorbing her light responding moan. "I think we've pretty much shot tradition to hell by now," Ed reasoned gruffly.

"That's… probably true," Heather conceded with a chuckle. "Okay, I'm seriously leaving now." She pointed to Olivia, "I'll be here at noon tomorrow to help you start getting ready?"

"Sounds good."

The door clicked shut, and Ed and Olivia found themselves alone in the apartment. Arms securely around his waist, she leaned her head back to look at him, closing her eyes when his lips landed firmly on her forehead.

"I love you," he whispered.

"Love you, too."

Ed smirked when he felt her hands drift into his back pockets again, her digits firmly squeezing the muscle beneath the denim of his jeans and pulling his hips into hers. He combed is fingers through her soft hair, dropping kisses along her jaw and listening to her breath quicken against his skin when he nibbled on her earlobe.

"Ed," she sighed, burrowing her face in his neck and pressing open-mouthed kisses on his heated skin.

His own breathing quickly becoming labored, he pulled back from her, using the hand in her hair to pull her back slightly as well, and she blinked blearily up into his sharp blue eyes, watching as they moved over her face, the desire in them evident.

"How long do we have before we have to get Noah?"

##

"Oh my god," Olivia breathed, collapsing onto the couch.

She was the picture of exhaustion as she sunk into Ed, eyes closed, one hand tiredly massaging her forehead. He noticed the small smile on her face and smirked knowingly.

"How many?"

"Four," she said incredulously, making him chuckle. "Four stories."

"He was wound up," Ed acknowledged.

"No kidding," Olivia huffed a laugh. "I wouldn't be surprised if he comes walking out here in the next few minutes wanting to watch a movie."

"If he does, maybe we let him." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her body into his and nuzzling her hair. "But I'm kinda hoping he doesn't…" Ed rasped.

Olivia put a hand on his thigh, pulling back from him far enough so she could meet his eyes, his irises already darkening with arousal.

"Oh yeah?" she questioned.

"Big day tomorrow, he needs rest," Ed reasoned, and when Olivia leveled him with a playfully disbelieving stare, he chuckled against her, conceding. "…And you and I started somethin' earlier I really wanna finish…"

Ed leaned down, pressing his lips along the line of Olivia's jaw, smiling at the small sounds she was emitting as he traversed a wet path to her ear and down the side of her neck. He breathed in the subtle notes of her perfume, savored the softness of her skin beneath his lips, the way her body unconsciously arched and melted into him.

They'd started something earlier, all right, but after Heather fled from the apartment, they realized how late it had gotten with getting the roof ready and then lunch, and they didn't have much time before they'd had to get Noah from daycare.

Both still fanning the flames of arousal they'd ignited earlier, they had been teasing each other ever since.

"I don't know, Ed," Olivia sighed, tilting her head back to give him more access to her neck and moving her hand from his thigh to his chest, teasing him with light touches over his t-shirt. "Shouldn't we—oh," she moaned when he hit a sweet spot on her neck, her breath coming quicker as she continued breathily, "save some of this for tomorrow night?"

He pulled back from her neck, his thumbs rubbing circles over the skin at her hips, just above her leggings, as deepening blue eyes met lust-filled brown. "You say that like it's possible I'll ever get enough of you," he rasped. His lips were on hers before she could even attempt a witty retort, and she brought both hands up to hold is head to hers as the intensity of his kiss increased, his tongue thoroughly exploring her mouth until the need for oxygen demanded that they separate, both panting. "It's not, ya know," he said, resting his forehead against hers.

"I know," Olivia whispered. Her eyes darted between his and she traced the edge of his bottom lip with her thumb as she pulled him closer to her again. "I'll never get enough of you, either."

##

Carefully, Ed lowered the sheet until it rested just above her buttocks, taking a moment to admire the combination of softness and strength of the smooth caramel skin in front of him.

He let two fingers of his right hand lightly graze the column of her spine before his lips followed the same trail, dotting kisses up and down the heated skin of her back until he heard her take a deep breath through her nose, the muscles in her shoulders rippling as she gripped the pillow beneath her head in an understated, sleepy stretch.

Olivia's eyelids fluttered open, noticing the room was still primarily cloaked in darkness, only a small amount of light trying to sneak through the window coverings. "Do I want to know what time it is?" she croaked.

It didn't seem like that long ago that they'd fallen asleep tangled up together after making love, and beneath the heat of his adoring gaze, Olivia could feel a twinge of soreness in her muscles.

Ed huffed out a laugh; fingertips still tracing random patterns along her back, watching goose bumps erupt across her skin, her body coming alive beneath his touch. "Probably not," he whispered wisely.

Olivia groaned, letting her eyes drift shut again. "Why are we awake?"

She felt the bed shift as Ed moved, could feel the heat of his body as he hovered over hers until his breath tickled the hair covering her ear. "'Cause you're beautiful," he replied simply, lowering his lips to her shoulder. "And I woke up thinkin' about how, after today, I get to wake up to you every morning," he kissed her opposite shoulder, smiling when he felt a whimper of pleasure reverberate against his lips, "just like this." She shifted, trying to flip over onto her back, and he lifted himself up to give her room to maneuver, his fingers tracing a line between her breasts, pebbled nipples giving away her arousal, while his eyes locked on hers. "And I couldn't wait to see you," he husked.

Ed watched her blink up at him sleepily, her brown hair tousled across the pillow behind her, lips curving into a slow smile. She reached for his hand, lacing their fingers together before bringing them to her lips for a light kiss and resting them against her bare chest, right over her heart.

"Hi there," she whispered seductively.

Ed smirked, loving the gravelly quality her voice acquired in the early-morning hours. Wordlessly, he lowered his lips to her forehead before moving to her nose and finally, her full lips, slightly chapped from sleep. He lingered there; eyes fixed on hers, and against her mouth, he murmured, "Happy wedding day."

##

A/N: Next up: the wedding (for real, this time), but sadly maybe not so much Abby since they've got things going on and it's the weekend. You'll know her fate soon enough, though, I promise.

In the meantime… Review?