Title: Welcome Home

Author: ZombieJazz

Fandom: Law & Order: SVU

Disclaimer: I don't own them. Law and Order SVU and its characters belong to Dick Wolf. The characters of Jack and Benji have been created and developed for the sake of this AU series.

Summary: Olivia continues to work at establishing her family and learning how to navigate motherhood while still serving with SVU. There's lots of challenges for her ahead as she adjusts to the changes in her life, surmounts new situations and legal troubles for her and her adopted children, and tries to find some time and space for herself in it all too. This is the sequel to Hello, Goodbye.

Author's Notes: This AU series is for SVU fans and readers who want Olivia to have something that resembles a more normal life outside of work and a family of her own - hopefully somewhat realistically within the canon of SVU. Most of the chapters will ultimately take place outside of the work environment, so there aren't going to be too many references to cases from the show. But this story would generally be starting in about Season 15 of the show. Please let me know what you think and if you distribute elsewhere.

"Here," Alex said and put out her hand. "You want me to take the pictures on your phone or on mine?"

Olivia glanced at her from where she was readying the candles on the cake. "I can do it," she assured.

Alex made a face at her. "No," she said firmly. "You and Jack are going to be in the pictures. Let me handle the camera. Give me your phone."

Olivia sighed but stopped what she was doing and fished the phone out of her pocket and handed it to the other woman. Alex was already flipping through the photos that she'd taken before Olivia had a chance to say anything more.

"You think you took enough photos?" Alex teased.

Olivia just shrugged. "There's been lots to take pictures of," she provided.

Alex nodded. "I've been sending you some as I go. You'll have to send me some of these. And whatever Jack and Brian have been taking too."

"Brian doesn't take very good pictures," Olivia commented.

She'd learned that over the summer. Brian took pictures of stupid things. Signs, maps, GPS settings, tools. Occasionally the lake his cabin was on. People? Not so much. She'd actually be interested to see what he'd been taking pictures of at the party. She'd seen him with his phone out and standing like he was taking photos. But she really doubted they were of the kids. Jack hopefully had some better ones. Though she hadn't seen him with his phone too much. At least not taking photos. She was pretty sure he'd been texting or something at certain points during the party. She hoped he wasn't in some back-and-forth across time-zones and datelines with that Australia girl again. He didn't seem ready to just drop that as an impossibility.

Lunch had gone well, though. Even if Jack had taken the opportunity to retreat across the room and fiddle with his phone.

Benji had wanted near everything on the buffet line when she'd gone down it with him. She'd eventually forced him to settle on two "Dino Wings", a handful of cheezies, veggies and hummus and a corn-dog bite. His plate of food had looked pretty heaping to her but he'd managed to clear it all away.

Most of the kids had steered clear of the chili or Manwich options. Just as many steered clear of the Brian's drumsticks. So it was a good thing that Alex had made so many bite-sized alternatives. Though, most of the parents seemed fine with letting their kids take a plateful of chips, Jell-o and desserts. Olivia wondered if they'd eaten before coming? Because it was her son's special day and she wasn't even willing to let him eat that much junk in one sitting. Chips and cake was enough for one afternoon. She'd likely let him open one candy – she assumed it'd be the M&Ms – after the kids destroyed the piñata too.

Thankfully the adults ate the food that was actually food – and the firefighters dug in like they were starving when an announcement had gone out that the food was ready. They'd all gotten compliments on the food and the choices available. So at least that was nice – even if most of the kids didn't seem thrilled with the options. Olivia tried not to think too much of that. Benji was happy with his drumsticks. He had sauce and a smile from ear-to-ear and Jack had packed away two heaping Manwiches. So her boys liking it was good enough. When Eileen had come over to briefly speak to her too she'd complimented the chili, so that was nice as well. Though, Olivia suspected she was likely just trying to be polite to the party hosts.

The woman, though, had clearly been trying. She'd chatted for a few minutes about hosting an archeologist's dig and party at her farm for her eleven-year-old grandson and what a lot of work that had been. How much work she'd imagined this must've been and how nice and well organized it looked. It was complimentary language. But rather than the compliments, Olivia had been left more focused on some of her comments and having questions about who this woman was and what her relationship with Cragen was than any real interest in her party organization experience. Though, it did sound like a pretty cool idea that her family had come up with for her grandson. But grandson. That had stood out. Cragen appeared to be dating someone with a family. Though, how could you get to your 60s and not be dating someone with a family. Those options started to decrease by the time you hit your 30s.

But now wasn't the time to grill Cragen. She wasn't really sure when there would ever be a chance to have a conversation like that with him. It seemed too personal. Even if they'd had some personal conversations because of her situation, she thought having a discussion about his personal life was likely off limits. He hadn't mentioned anything about this woman to her until her presence at this party. And, he hadn't said anything to her about Cassidy. It seemed like their love lives were something that was off-limits. Even if the boys weren't.

There wasn't time for a heart-to-heart with the Captain anyways. With lunch and conversation out of the way, now it was time to get the cake on the table. She was impressed with how well the cake did eventually turn out. It wasn't the 3-D masterpiece that Jack wanted. But it was a nice pan cake – and it definitely looked like a bright red fire truck.

She finished lighting the candles and turned to search the room. She found Jack and waited until he realized she was looking at him.

"Go stand with Benji," she said softly, knowing that he likely could only see the movement of her lips but he seemed to understand and nodded and went to stand with his brother. So she found Brian next and said a bit more loudly, "Bri, get the lights." He nodded too and went and flicked them out. It was enough for everyone to quiet. She looked at Alex and said, "Now we demonstrate how much I can't sing."

Alex shrugged and started for her instead, "Happy Birthday to you …"

Everyone joined in, effectively drowning out her horid singing voice, which Olivia was grateful. Even if anyone could hear it – the sound of four to six-year-olds in song definitely was worse than anything coming out of her mouth. So that was OK too.

She got to Benji with the cake just as the song was finishing and put the cake in front of him.

"Happy Birthday, Little Fox," she told him and squatted down next to him, grabbing at the sleeve on Jack's shirt so he'd do the same and Alex could get some pictures of the three of them.

"FIRE!" Benji screamed before she could even tell him to make a wish. He started to grab at his carton of almost finished chocolate milk. "I SAVE US."

Olivia quickly grabbed his wrist. "Benj, no," she said a little in shock. "You blow out the candles, you don't pour water on them."

He glanced at her. "Mommy, you put fire out with water," he said. "Not blowing."

The people around the table laughed but Benji sat up on his knees in his chair next to his friend. "No, Benji, you blow. Like this," he said and blew in the cake's direction.

"BRYSON," his mother scolded and hurried to him.

"It's OK," Olivia said, though Bryson had managed to blow out a couple of the candles. "Like Bryson shows you, Benj," she said. "You make a wish and you blow."

Benji looked at her confused. "A wish?"

"A wish," she said. "A special thing you want."

"Like what?"

"Like anything," she said.

Benji puckered in thought. "I wish …"

"You can't tell anyone," Jack interjected. "Or it doesn't come true. You just think it in your head."

Benji squinted at him but then looked back to the cake with some skepticism. Wax was starting to drip down onto the icing.

"You want me and Jack to help you blow out the rest of the candles?" Olivia asked.

Benji nodded hard but then look at her. "You make wish too, OK?"

Olivia smiled. "I've already got my wish," she said and gave his shoulder a little squeeze and looked at Jack. "Peedg will make a wish."

He gave her a look. There was still some distracted sadness to it. Her son was hurting so much – and that made her hurt. It made her ache for her family. But he looked at the candles and seemed to think for a moment.

"OK … I'm ready," he finally said.

Olivia nodded, "OK," she said and looked at Benji. "On three, Little Fox. One … two … three …"

And they blew – Benji in the form of a raspberry that she was sure would turn all the adults to looking at the cupcakes rather than the fire truck cake.