RESIDENCE OF AUGUSTÍN & VIOLET NOVAK

LOFT ABOVE THE WATERING CAN

777 5th AVENUE

MANHATTAN

Understandably, Casey was a mess, but somehow she managed to keep it together long enough to oversee Melissa being discharged. She also brought her for a quick visit with Beth Anne.

By the time they arrived at Casey's childhood home above The Watering Can, she was very glad that her parents had (politely) insisted on her and Melissa staying the night. She wouldn't have been able to function, otherwise.

Casey had spent the first sixteen years of her life living in the loft above her parents' flower shop. It was very small, but it was home, and she wouldn't change a thing.

There was a main door that led down to a hallway that led to the shop area, and also to a back exit where the rear parking lot was. Other than a side hall that led to a restroom, bedrooms, and two linen closets, the rest of the loft was an open floor plan with a kitchen, a dining area, and a sitting area with furniture and a fully-equipped entertainment system.

In pride of place atop the china cabinet was a figurine of The Virgin Mary, and next to that was a figurine of Jesus. The elder Novaks were proud Irish Catholics.

Besides those, the rest of the common area showed signs that a family had lived there, and that most of the children who had grown up there had grown up and left. Casey had long ago lost count of how many pictures of her, her siblings, and her parents from other the years were still on the wall. Different books and toys in the living room were indicators that Savannah and Abby still called the loft home. And as if the plants downstairs weren't enough, there were at least four different types in the front room alone.

As the building had been an old flour mill before Senior and Violet had purchased it when they were just starting out, they nicknamed the loft 'The Old Mill,' and now, their children, grandchildren, and friends all referred to it as such.

Casey loved it there, and every time she came home, she felt warm and very safe.

After she got settled, the first thing she did was call Olivia.

"Casey," the brunette said after they exchanged greetings. "I take it that you and Melissa are out of the hospital?"

"Correct. We're at my parents' place above the florist because I couldn't be alone."

"Well, I'm glad you're with your parents. You're their kid, and they look after Sophia, so I know they'll take care of Melissa, too."

"They had eight kids—taking care of people is just in their nature."

Casey gave an audible yawn and then apologized. "I'm sorry, Liv. I'm practically wiped out."

"Don't worry about it. Just get some sleep."

"I'll do my best."

Olivia paused for a moment, then said, "Alex just asked if you could send us a picture of Melissa, please."

"You got it. See you tomorrow."

Casey hung up her phone and looked around. Melissa was no longer next to her, as she had been. She had seen Abby on the love-seat opposite them, and moved over to her. Abby was delighted that her niece wanted her, but when Casey approached her, it was to see a surprised look on her youngest sister's face. Abby was now laying on the couch, and Melissa was curled up against her, holding her tight.

"I think Melissa likes me." Abby said as Casey propped her up against a couch arm and put a few pillows behind her.

"She does." Casey confirmed as she spread a blanket over the children. "She also knows that you're calmer than me."

"That's true. Is holding Melissa part of being a good auntie?" Abby stroked Melissa's brown locks. "She just wanted to cuddle."

"Holding her is definitely part of being a good auntie. "Are comfortable?"

"Uh-huh. Melissa is a love bug," Abby glanced at the toddler, and became tickled to see that her eyes were closed. "And I think she fell asleep."

Casey checked. "She did, so keep still."

"My Melissa's had a long day..."

"A very long day."

Abby stopped to think about something. "Does she need my bed?"

Casey smiled. "That's really sweet, but she's going to share with me."

"Good."

"I'm going to take a picture to send to her nanas, okay?"

"Got it."

Casey quickly snapped a picture and sent it to Olivia and Alex, both.

"Casey?" Abby said as her sister pocketed her phone.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry that Sophia's gone."

"Thank you." Casey kissed her sister on the top of her head. "It's okay if you fall asleep, do you understand?"

Abby's response came out in a yawn and her eyelids began drooping. "O-okay…"

"I'm going to go talk to ma, pops, and Savvy now."

Abby just nodded before nodding off into sleep. Casey made sure Abby and Melissa were secure on the couch and not in any danger of falling before joining her parents and her sister at the dining table. Though all of her siblings had arrived at the hospital, it was just Casey, her parents, and Savannah, Abigail, and Melissa back at The Old Mill.

"Forgive me," Savannah said when Casey joined them. "But how are you?"

"Exhausted, and so worried." Casey sighed. "I might be hungry soon."

"What can we do?" Senior asked.

"Just staying here is enough, pops. Thank you."

Beside Casey, Violet patted her daughter on the shoulder. "You can always come home to us, no matter what."

"Thanks, ma." Casey blew out a breath and ran a hand over her middle as she felt the baby move. "I'm scared because Sophia could have a seizure from stress, and she's out in the city somewhere, with someone who doesn't know that about her. I'm also scared because this is the first time I've been mixed up in an SVU crisis and had a family."

"But Sophia is a Benson," Violet pointed out. "And from the things I've heard from you over the years, her mother is a force to be reckoned with."

"I can attest to that, firsthand."

"How so?"

"During my first case with the SVU, they were all still missing Alex, and everyone, but especially Olivia, gave me a hard time. We got into arguments like nothing else for a long time."

Violet began searching her memory. "Your first case with the squad ended with you finding a missing child?"

"Uh-huh, so at least there was that. Olivia and I didn't start getting along until a little while later when we got in another fight that ended with me telling her about Charlie, and she backed off. We started over with a clean slate, and I gave her a nice necklace as a peace offering." she sighed. "Between that first case, and then Olivia learning about Charlie, I learned how tough and stubborn she can be. Sophia is just like her."

Senior got in a new question. "Little Bean, what do you know about the Rollinses?"

"Not as much as I would like to. I've worked with Amanda before, and I know that she's as tough as nails. Kim is the wild card because she's wreaked havoc on both Amanda and the SVU before."

"What kind of havoc?"

"None that I'm going to divulge to my family. I know that Beth Anne is the matriarch, and that the used to have a heart of ice."

"But…?" the old man prompted.

"But she gives the credit to Sophia for changing it."

"And they met at the station, but didn't really become friends until the gala?"

Casey nodded. Beth Anne wasn't married anymore when her ex left and met Olivia, but she still resented him because… well… he left them high and dry. This led her to resent Sophia for just a little bit because she hadn't know about her."

"Were things explained to her by Olivia?"

"Yes, and then they had a talk during the gala that caused the changed of heart. Saying that Beth Anne's heart melted is the only real way to put it."

"Wow."

Savannah worked her way back into the conversation. "Sissy, that's both sisters and the mother. Aren't there two more people?"

"Beth Anne's second husband, Benoît—he's the president of the publishing house that The Watering Can works with. Last, but not least, is Beth Anne's younger sister."

"What's her name?"

"Also Amanda, but she's better known as Blue Balthazar, and she even looks more like Amanda than Beth Anne does."

Everyone stared.

"So that's why everyone just calls her Blue."

Savannah voiced their puzzlement. "Because she loves the color, or so as to tell her apart from her niece…?"

Violet leaned back in her chair, ignoring her daughter's bewilderment. "When this is over, we really should get all of the families together—us, Olivia and Alex and Noah, as guests of honor, you, Sophia, and Melissa."

Casey arched an eyebrow. "Don't you think it's a bit presumptuous to be making plans, ma?"

Violet shook her head. "No. Your squad is the best at what they do—they will find Sophia, Amanda, and Kim, and you will see Sophia again. You'll hold her again, too, and kiss her."

"Good, because I had two very important conversations today."

"Don't leave us hanging." chirped Savannah.

Casey cut to the chase. "Olivia gave me hers and Alex's blessing to marry Sophia."

Suddenly, a pin could have dropped at the silence that had fallen.

"Sophia and I have already talked about it before, but we definitely want to get married. We spoke about it more today, and I told her that I want to be a Benson."

"I'm proud of you, Cassandra." Senior told her, grinning. "Truly."

Violet looked like she was barely holding back happy tears. "I am, too."

"And me." Savannah added. "What did Sophia say?"

"She was very surprised, and asked me why, so I laid out the reasons. She quite liked my reasons and then agreed that when the day comes, I'll become Cassandra Stephanie Benson."

"Those reasons were what, though?"

Savannah, Senior, and Violet were now fixing her with expectant looks, prompting Casey to sigh. They weren't going to let her go to bed until she'd told them everything.

When Casey was properly tired and had eaten, she got ready for bed. She and Melissa were going to be sleeping in her childhood bed tonight, and she was looking forward to it. Even the littlest things counted as comfort right now.

Just before she went into the bedroom, Violet stopped her. She was holding something in one of her hands, but Casey couldn't see what it was because she had her fist closed over it.

"What's this?" Casey asked her.

"A certain something that I think should be yours now—goodness knows you've earned it. Hold out a hand."

Casey did, and much to her surprise, Violet dropped a beautiful vintage diamond engagement ring on to her open palm.

"This is—"

"Nana Laurel's engagement ring, correct."

Nana Laurel had been Violet's mother, back in Ireland. Casey had never known her, but according to her parents, she had many traits of her late grandmother's personality.

"This is Nana Laurel's ring, and you're giving it to me?"

Violet nodded. "Nobody else has asked for it, and nana bequeathed it to me on her deathbed, saying to pass it down one of my babies. Good thing, because your father had proposed to me with Nana Magda's ring."

Magda Novak had been Senior's mother. She passed away when Casey was in elementary school.

"Hey, since I have Nana Laurel's ring now, does this mean that Savannah will get Nana Magda's?"

"One day, unless her future significant other asks for it first."

Violet looked at Casey again and made a sympathetic noise.

"Go on and sleep now."

Casey didn't protest, and she fell asleep the second her head hit her pillow.

UNDISCLOSED LOCATION

BROOKLYN

Upon her abduction, Sophia was blindfolded and put into a van. She lost track of where they were after awhile, but something told her that they weren't in Manhattan anymore.

Karissa Lee Redding taken Sophia Benson as a preemptive strike because things were just taking way too long. The drugs were all gone, but the money wasn't.

Had Floyd-William given her her share, or let her in on where it was hidden, she wouldn't have had to shoot him, let alone while he was being 'serviced' by Reagan Turner.

Meeting her had been unexpected, but after seeing her john get shot to death, Reagan had shown to be indifferent it. What she hadn't counted on was Karissa Lee forcing her to come with her, as a hostage: she couldn't have witnesses.

To Karissa Lee's dismay, though, this meant that she would have to split the findings of the money fifty-fifty. It would be the only way to keep Reagan quiet.

Greed got the better of Reagan, and she developed a plan to kill Karissa Lee, take all of the money, and leave New York with it. For good measure, she pretended to develop Stockholm Syndrome. That would help Karissa Lee trust her with more important things.

Unbeknownst to Reagan, Karissa Lee had seen right through her and was already developing a counteracting plan of her own.

It began going wrong when the Special Victims Unit came sniffing around, but she salvaged things when she realized she could punish the squad. These were some of the same people who had been responsible for the death of her brother, Brannon Lee, in a courtroom shootout more than a decade prior. Even the attorney was the same.

A bonus, though, crossed her path in the form of Detective Rollins.

She could really make that work.

"Why are you doing this?" cried Sophia as she was led, still blindfolded, through a garage and across a floor. "I'm pregnant, and I have a family! Who are you?"

"Someone whose path your mother, as well as your lover, should not have crossed."

Sophia's knees buckled, but Karissa Lee caught her and hauled her to her feet.

"Stay awake!" she barked. "No fainting!"

For the sake of the baby squirming in her belly, Sophia focused on staying upright and still. This allowed her to listen to a conversation that Karissa Lee initiated with Reagan, who had entered the room.

"What?" Karissa Lee said, immediately irritated.

Reagan sounded smug. "I got them both."

"You stupid bitch! I already have this one, don't I? Getting both of them was only supposed to be theoretical!"

"But don't you know whose kids they are?"

"OF COURSE I DO—THEY LOOK JUST ALIKE! STAY HERE!"

The next thing Sophia knew, she was being frogmarched across the building and through a door.

"Be careful. It's a long way down."

These were Karissa Lee's last words to Sophia before closing the door behind her.

Sophia became paralyzed by fear at the situation, and even moreso as she heard someone coming up what sounded like a staircase. They were coming towards her, but she couldn't see because she still had the blindfold on.

"Hello? Who's there?"

The person drew level with her and spoke with what Sophia recognized as forced calm. "You're okay, but please be still—she wasn't kidding about a long way down."

Sophia's heart jumped. She knew that voice.

"Kim?"

"Yes. Be still now."

Obeying, Sophia stilled and felt her blindfold being loosened and lowered. When her eyes focused in the dim light, she saw Kim Rollins was in front of her, on a step of a long staircase. Though the situation was dire, Sophia was pleased to see her sister.

"What's going on? All I know is that there's a third person here."

"That would be Amanda." Kim told her. "I'll take you to her."

Sophia looked at the stairs again and then looked away just as quickly. She'd never seen such a steep staircase before.

"Will you help me?"

"Of course." Kim took her hand. "We'll take it one bit at a time. I've got you."

Sophia saw Amanda in a far corner of the room, sitting on a pile of big flattened boxes and leaning against the wall. Between all three sisters, she was the most shaken, so it was no wonder that Sophia hurried over to her then second the could and sat with her.

"What is going on?"

Amanda hugged her baby sister.

"Oh, it's bad, Soph. I think you, Kim, and I have gotten caught in the middle of something that's under the column of 'Ghosts Of SVU's Past.' It more than predates me joining the squad."

"Oh, my God. What's going to happen to us?"

"I just don't know."