Olivia and Elliot don't get off work until three that morning. They get home around four and crash without even checking on the kids. All the kids have gone to school by the time that they wake up. The nanny is there when Olivia wakes up. She wakes up a few minutes after ten. She showers dresses and goes downstairs to the kitchen. She finds Sarah warming a bottle for Sophia.

"Sorry did I wake you?" Sarah asks her.

"No Sarah you're fine," she answers.

Olivia grabs a bite to eat and leaves Sarah with the baby after she finishes. She decides to get caught up on laundry. She starts collecting clothes in the basement. Dickie's room is the worst of course. She drops the laundry off, and then goes to Elizabeth's room. Her room isn't bad. She throws the dirty laundry into the basket and then heads for Ava's room. She quickly gathers all of Ava's laundry, even though there isn't much, a pair of pajamas, and a pair of jeans from the day before. She looks over and sees that all of Sophia's clothes are neatly folded in a pile. Then she spots a stray sock sticking out from under her bed. She reaches down to pick it up. She lifts up the bedskirt to see if there are any more socks hiding under the bed. There aren't but there is an open notebook. Olivia knows she shouldn't read it, but she can't help it. She grabs the spiral bound notebook, and begins reading.

I'm losing my mind. Mom left and left me in charge. I had to take care of not only Sophia, but everyone else. I had to feed them, and make sure they got baths, and their homework was done. Then Kathleen finally came home. But that didn't help the evening any since she was drunk, and that it was after curfew. You'd think that she'd learn. Oh well guess I can't take care of everyone. It makes me so mad sometimes the way they act. They're supposed to be our parents, but they don't do a very good job sometimes. I mean their work is more important to them. It's like we're an inconvenience, or an after thought. They basically live at work. They're there and when they come home they sleep, and we never see them. Or we're asleep. And even when they are around it's like they're not because they're so exhausted, or can't get a case off their mind. Or they get called into work, it's crap. Sometimes I almost think I could do better on my own. At least then I'd only have myself and Sophia to take care of. And who knows what it's going to be like when the twins come. I'll probably have to take care of them too. I mean I did six loads of laundry after dinner just to make sure that everyone would have clean clothes. Then I had to do dishes, and make lunches. I've always got to be the adult, which isn't exactly fair. Do they even realize how much I need them? I'm sixteen with a baby for heaven's sake. I need as much support as I can get, but instead I've got to do everything on my own. It's not like I'm not used to it though, I mean I've only been an adult my entire life. I'm so sick of it too. I mean I've finally got two parents but neither of them seem to give one iota about me, or any of the rest of this brood. I just need a break–no I need a life.

By the time Olivia is finished reading she's in tears. She wipes away her tears on the sleeve of her shirt as she leaves Ava's room. She goes into the laundry room, and loads the washer, as well as the dryer.

She hears Elliot come in behind her as she shuts the dryer drawer. She leans against the dryer. He walks up behind her and wraps his arms around her.

"Liv are you crying?" he asks.

She turns around and buries her head in his chest.

"Babe what's wrong?"

"I'm failing," she mumbles while still pressed up against him.

"Liv look at me," he demands as he backs up a step or two.

She looks up at him with tears streaming down her face.

"I'm failing," she repeats.

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm failing her. She hates me,"

"What are you talking about?"

"Ava. She hates me. She hates our jobs, she hates living here she hates everything. I'm failing her as a parent. I'm never there for her. She needs me and..."

"Liv we've been through this before,"

"I know but we never came up with a solution. And by the time we do we'll have two brand new babies to take care of, then all of a sudden she'll be eighteen, and she'll be out of the house,"

"She's not going to leave the second she turns eighteen,"

"How do you know? Ava could leave now if she felt like it. I mean she's got enough resources to be independent,"

"I'm sure that she does but Liv she's not going anywhere. She still needs us,"

"Yeah but we're never there. We work all of the time. We never see any of the kids. Ava takes care of them. She feeds them, gets them ready for bed, and makes their lunches she shouldn't have to do that. She isn't their parent, we're their parents, as well as hers. And she does need to be responsible, but not for everybody,"

"I know that Liv. But what do you think we should do?"

"I don't know. I don't know what to do, and that's what scares me. I don't have the answers. I'm just so afraid to lose her,"

"Liv calm down,"

"How?"

"Take a deep breath. Look Liv I know that you're afraid of losing her, but you have to give her space to grow up,"

"Elliot she's been grown up her entire life. She just wants her mother, and I'm not a very good one,"

"We don't have to go to work today,"

"So?"

"So go pick her up from school,"

"In the middle of the day?"

"Sure why not? Just go get her and spend the day with her," he instructs.

"That sounds like a good idea,"

"I know, now go do it,"

"Oh and you need to ground your daughter,"

"Which one?"

"Kathleen,"

"Why?"

"She came home past curfew last night,"

"At..."

"And she was drunk,"

"How do you know?"

"I kind of read Ava's diary,"

"Liv,"

"Sorry,"

"I'll talk to her,"

"Ok,"

"Now get out of here," he insists.

Olivia gets her purse and her coat, and heads out. Not very much later she's standing in the office of Ava's school waiting for her. Ava finally comes into the office.

"What's going on? Why did they call me to the office?" Ava asks the secretary, not even noticing her mother sitting in the corner.

"Your mother's here to pick you up," the secretary replies.

"Where?" Ava asks.

The secretary points to where Olivia is standing.

"Oh,"

Ava signs herself out, and then follows her mother out of the school. She doesn't say anything until they get into the car.

"Is something wrong?" she questions.

"No,"

"No one's hurt or anything?"

"No,"

"Do I have an appointment?"

"Nope,"

"Then why did you come get me from school?"

"I just wanted to spend time with you," she admits.

"Oh,"

"Have you eaten lunch yet?"

"No,"

"Are you hungry?"

"Yeah,"

"Where do you want to go?"

"I don't care,"

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah,"

"Ok,"

"So you seriously pulled me out of school for no reason?"

"I pulled you out of school because I wanted to spend time with you,"

"Ok,"

"So did you have fun last night?"

"Sure,"

"Really? It didn't bother you to take care of everyone,"

"No," she lies.

"Cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, taking care of the twins?"

"I don't know," she looks away.

"What's on your mind?"

"Nothing,"

"You can tell me,"

"It would just be easier if I had help,"

"Wasn't Kathleen home at ten?"

"No,"

"She wasn't?"

"No. She was a little bit late, and then... well never mind I don't want to get anyone into trouble,"

"Then what?"

"She was drunk,"

"Oh,"

"I don't know what she's thinking. I thought she would have learned that it was stupid by now,"

"You'd think. So were Liz, and Dickie well behaved?"

"Yeah. I never have problems with them,"

"Ava?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you happy?"

"Sure why?"

"I don't know you just aren't as happy as you used to be,"

"Mom I'm not a kid anymore things aren't as simple as they used to be,"

"I know. I'm sorry. Ava I hate being away from you but..."

Ava cuts her off, "But what mom? But your work is more important. You have to rid the world of evil, and do it all day everyday? It gets a little bit old. I mean when I moved here I thought that it would be great and I'd get to spend more time with you, but I really haven't. By the time you get home I'm asleep. It isn't fun. I mean it's a lot to deal with..."

"What? The insta-family?"

"Yeah. I mean I love them, but sometimes I wish I could just have you guys to myself. Just once in a while. But it never works that way,"

"What do you want me to do about it?"

"Quit,"

"I can't quit. Then we wouldn't have any money,"

"Never mind. I should know by now that you can't change a zebra's spots,"

"Ava I can't quit,"

"I know. Work comes first, at the expense of everything else. Your health, your happiness, and your family. Work is you life. You're married to the job. I've accepted that there's nothing I can do about it,"

"Ava why do you think that?"

"Because I've never been important enough, or good enough. I don't even know what it is either. I mean I'm not as important as your victims. I mean your time goes to them. I never get the time of day. I'm your daughter but you don't care about me. I mean your heart breaks for every neglected child but you're neglecting yours the most. You left me, and you just keep doing it. I used to cry for hours every time you left because I didn't know when I'd see you again, and I still don't. When you walk out the door I don't know if you're coming home or if I'm going to have to visit you at the funeral home. I don't know and it's unfair. Now I finally have a father, but I really still don't. He's never around either. Maybe I'm jaded, or whatever but you're the one that made me that way,"

"I love you. If you want me to quit my job I'll go to the precinct right now and turn in my badge,"

"I don't want to be blamed for taking away something you love. I won't be held responsible for that," Ava tells her as Olivia turns into a spot on the street.