He enters the dining room, carrying the Thanksgiving turkey. He looks at the formal dining room, and smiles. His dining room table seats eight, and until recently was never used. He puts the turkey on the table. His wife smiles at him. She sits at the head of the table. To her right sits his daughter, and her husband, and a little boy. He walks around the table, after he finishes carving the turkey. He takes a seat next to his wife. A toddler with his eyes sits on her lap. The little girl smiles widely at him. He looks to his left, a little boy with Olivia's smile sits next to him, in a booster seat. Cadence clears her throat.
"So this marks our fourth Thanksgiving together as a family," she begins.
Trevor looks over at her, "Do you want to start?"
"The head of the table should start," she argues.
Trevor looks over at his wife, "Go ahead."
Olivia smiles, "I am thankful for the same thing that I was thankful for last year," she admits.
"Tell us anyway," Cadence insists.
"I'm thankful that we're all together."
"Dad?" Cadence questions.
"I am thankful for all of you. My incredibly amazing wife. My hardworking, amazingly intelligent daughter. And two of the orneriest twins, Melody, and Lyric."
Cadence smiles, "Lyric what are you thankful for?"
The boy with an angelic face, blonde hair, and big brown eyes giggles, "Pie."
Trevor shakes his head in disbelief, "And that folks, is my son. Melody what about you, sweetie?"
The little girl with dark curls, and big blue eyes answers sweetly, "Not pie. I'm thankful for everybody."
Trevor looks across the table, "Jason?"
"I am thankful for my beautiful wife, and my insanely smart, handsome son."
"Cadence?" Olivia questions.
"I am thankful that we all found each other."
Cadence looks at the six year old sitting to her right. "Ok buddy you're up. Joshua tell them what you're thankful for this year."
"I'm thankful for my sister."
Trevor cocks an eyebrow, "Your sister? Josh-y, buddy, you don't have a sister."
"There's one in mommy's belly," he answers.
A smile creeps across Olivia's face. Trevor looks at the six year old, completely stunned. He shakes his head, and allows his glance to fall on his oldest daughter.
"You guys are having a baby?" he asks.
"Yeah," Jason confirms.
Olivia scoots her chair out. She places Melody on the seat of the chair, and makes her way around the table. She stops next to her daughter's chair. Cadence scoots her chair out, and rises to meet her. Olivia wraps her arms around her.
"Congratulations."
"So you're having a girl?" Trevor questions.
Jason speaks up, "We haven't found out yet. Josh just keeps calling the baby his sister."
Olivia sits in a lawn chair on top of the precinct. Some of her co-workers sit at a table, and eat, while her husband mans the grill. She looks over at the family sitting around the table with her. Her twins sit next to each other, gnawing ears of corn. Joshua sits on Jason's lap drinking a bottle of water. Cadence sits next to her, holding a precious baby girl. Olivia vacates her seat, and heads over to her husband. She smacks him on the butt.
He turns around, and smiles at her. He kisses her.
"I was hoping that was you."
"Happy fourth of July," she beams.
"Can you ask Amanda what she wants on her burger?"
"Yeah," Olivia nods.
She turns and looks at the tables in front of her. Her family, the one that shares her DNA sits at one table. At the other tables her extended family, her brothers, and sisters in blue sit. Nick, and his family take up on table. Amanda sits at Fin's table, with her husband. Cragen sits at a table with John, and his new bride. Fin looks up at her, and winks.
"You wanna grab me another beer?" he questions.
She nods, and reaches into the cooler at her feet. She walks over to his table, and hands him the beer.
"Thanks, Liv."
She feels herself being nudged awake. She opens her eyes, and looks at the man lying in the bed next to her. He lies on his side, with his elbow in the mattress, and his head propped up on his fist. He leans over and kisses her.
"Good morning," he greets her.
"Morning."
"We should continue our conversation from yesterday."
"There is no need."
"Really?" he questions, placing his hand on her stomach.
"Everything is going to be alright."
"How do you know?"
"I just do," she insists.
"How did you sleep?"
"Fine."
"Did you have any good dreams?"
"Yeah."
"Really? No more nightmares?"
"No."
"You're sure."
"I dreamt that we had twins."
"Twins? We're not having twins are we?"
"Not as far as I know."
"When is your next ultrasound appointment?"
"This morning."
He stares at the picture in his hand, as she finishes getting dressed. He shakes his head in disbelief.
"Can you believe that guy?"
Olivia smiles, "Which part?"
"Some bullshit about vanishing twin syndrome. That was not a very compelling argument. That sounds like junk science to me."
"You're angry?"
"How did he not notice before?"
"You're angry that we're having twins?"
He looks over at Olivia. He smiles at her, "No."
"Good."
"Can you hold this for a minute?" He hands her the picture. She takes the picture from him. He bends down as if he's going to tie his shoe. He rest on the floor, on one knee. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a box. She looks at him in confusion.
"What are you doing? Get off the floor. You have no idea what is on that floor."
"Marry me," He opens the box.
She furrows her brow as she looks at the box, and the rings.
"Where did you get those?"
"Are you referring to the Altoid box, or the ring?"
"Both."
"I found them in your drawer."
"I see."
"So what do you say? Would you like to carry on our tradition of a shotgun wedding at the courthouse?"
"A wedding at the courthouse still seems a little white trash to me."
"We can have a big wedding. You can have whatever you want, just say yes."
She smiles, "I already have everything I want."
"So that's a no?"
"Of course I'll marry you, again."