When Alex first returned from witness protection she'd felt as if she'd had a second chance at life. She'd actually thought of it as a type of resurrection. The Alex Cabot who'd come back to New York wasn't the same woman who left that night in the dark. This Alex Cabot had had new dreams, new desires, and new plans for her life. But not even the new Alex Cabot could have dreamed of the life Alex had now. As she watched her children playing with their mother, she felt a swell in her chest that consumed her. Never before had Alex felt such love and contenment. Sure, she had a good childhood, her parents loved her and she never wanted for anything, but even it couldn't touch the way her very own family made her feel. All those years chasing the D.A.'s seat never made her feel the way being a wife and mother made her feel.

Bright blue eyes shined with love as Alex watched Olivia set their son on his feet. She smiled as the dark haired tough as nail yet soft as a kitten detective stood behind Oliver, who had a two fisted death grip on his mother's fingers while he took shaky steps towards his sister who was cheering him on. Alex's thoughts drifted towards the past for a moment as she watched. It was hard to believe that it had been nearly two years since she and Olivia had decided to add to their unexpected but very much cherished little family. The nervousness and fear over the procedures', the pain of the failed attempts, the hope and silliness that came with Allie's little toy chicken, the sheer joy of finding out she was pregnant, the absolute bliss of holding her newborn son, and the love she felt for Olivia, for Allie, for her son all crashed over Alex in a tidal wave of emotion as she watched the result of all that emotion learning to take his first steps. Oliver was a marvel and still held his mother enthralled with this very existence. He was such an easygoing little boy and yet had this intensity about him that at times made him rather comical, but also made Alex feel as if he would be a force to be reckoned with when he was older. He could get so flustered when learning a new skill, he'd scrunch up his little face and ball up him little fists, his chubby little face turning red as his little nostrils flared, and then in the blink of an eye he'd be giggling and babbling happily as if everything around him were merely there for his entertainment.

Alex knew already that Oliver would be just as stubborn as she and Olivia were. Just the other day she'd watched as mother and son locked eyes, dark blue staring just as stubbornly into brown, over his bowl. Olivia wanted to take it off his high chair tray to wash and Oliver wanted to hold on to it so he could squish his fingers in his oatmeal. When Olivia had taken it away from him he screamed at her. Olivia scolded him for it and so started the face off. It took a lot for Alex no to laugh as she wondered who'd win. She never got to find out because as soon as Allie walked into the kitchen Olivia had been tossed aside like an old toy. Oliver adored his big sister and whenever she was in the room all his attention was on her. Alex knew that it sometimes annoyed Allie, and most likely would for the next twenty years, but Allie took it in stride. She loved her baby brother as much as he loved her. If there had ever been any doubt of how much Oliver adored his sister, not that there was, it was swept a way when Oliver said his first word.

Oliver had been sitting on his blanket in the living room floor gnawing on a soft block while she and Olivia were sitting on the couch. Allie had been out with Cassie for the afternoon and when she came in Oliver's whole face had lit up. He'd raised his arms up to her and yelled out, "Awie!" At first she and Olivia had thought he was saying owie, as if he'd hurt himself, but then he started sing-songing it when Allie knelt down to hug him. "Awie! Awie! Awie!"

Allie had been so touched over the fact that her brother's first word was her name that she'd cried. Hell, Alex had cried too. Since then his vocabulary had exploded. He was saying Mam for her, and Ommi for Olivia. He said Max clearly, though both Max and Arthur the cat were Max to him, and few other words with new ones popping up nearly everyday. Alex couldn't believe he was growing so fast and even though she took so much pride in him as he developed, each new millstone also broke her heart because it meant her baby was growing up. Soon he'd be a toddler, then he'd be five, school would soon follow that and before she knew it he'd be sixteen and asking to use the car, dating would follow that and in a blink of an eye they'd be taking him to college. Alex had to shake her head a bit to stop her thoughts from speeding to fast into the future. She didn't want to worry so much about him growing up only to loose out on watching him grow in the present.

She tended to do the same thing with Allie, stopping herself just short of dancing at her daughter's wedding. Allie was an amazing little girl. So bright and loving with just enough determination and stubbornness to make Alex forget that she wasn't biologically hers. Had it really only been four years since Allie had come into her life? At times it felt as if Allie had always been in her life, but then there were the times when Alex actually felt cheated because she'd missed out on the first six years of Allie life, and jealous of the people who got those first six years. But those emotions never lasted, she was just too grateful to those people for Allie to feel jealous of them for long. Despite all the bad linked to how they'd gotten Allie, Alex knew they'd been blessed. She truly felt as if everything, good, bad, and downright awful happened for a reason. She felt it down to her very core, down to very marrow that Allie had been meant for them.

This time Alex felt her thoughts shifting to the future as she watched Allie laughing at Oliver who was grunting to get back on his feet. What would Allie become when she grew up? She talked about being a cop like Olivia, much to Olivia's horror. Her new favorite game was to dress up in what she called her power suit, a gray skirt, her school uniform blouse, and a gray blazer she'd asked her grandmama for, slip on her play glasses, and pace in front of Oliver's play pen while arguing her case before the jury as to why the accused stuffed animal, or Max, was guilty. But she also had a very strong talent and passion for the arts, she was still taking violin lessons, she loved to sing and dance, and she was still very into drawing and painting. So many choices, so many possibilities, that it made Alex's head spin. She laughed a little, she even remembered Allie saying once in passing that she might be a Rabbi. Her baby girl's future was bright and Alex couldn't wait to share in it.

Again the blonde brought herself back to the present. No matter what Allie choose to be when she grew up, Alex wanted to enjoy the actual growing part. She didn't want to miss a moment, and she knew Olivia felt the same way. Her blue gaze shifted to her dark haired love, who was laying flat on her back while Oliver climbed over her bent legs as if she were a jungle gym. Allie was hovering over her head, intense blue eyes staring into giggling brown eyes as she asked yet again to go to the skateboard park later. At the very core of her world, at the very center of her everything was Olivia. If it weren't for her Alex wouldn't be standing here watching her family play, she wouldn't even have a family. Without Olivia she wouldn't know what it meant to feel love, or hope, or happiness. Without Olivia she wouldn't know the ache of heartache, the frustration and anger that came along with the ease and happiness. On her own Alex had been a formidable woman. With Olivia at her side Alex felt both humbled and unstoppable.

She laughed at herself again. Her mid drifting to a science project she'd just helped Allie with. Allie had done a research paper on big cats and Alex suddenly found herself comparing herself to tigers and lions. Before Olivia, Alex had been a tigress, a solitary creature living, mating, and hunting in her own personal home range. Olivia was the same way when they'd first met, and although their territories crossed at times, they never quiet became one. But now, now they were more like lionesses living their lives together in a pride. But the one thing that remained the same was the strength and furiousness of each woman, made stronger by the other's presence.

Alex was brought out of her strange thoughts by a pair of arms wrapping around her waist. She leaned back against Olivia, her head resting on her love's shoulder, and sighed as a smile spread slowly across her face. Olivia was sweaty from playing with the kids and Alex breathed in the scent like it were a fine perfume.

"What were you so deep in thought about?" Olivia asked as she held her wife tight.

Alex laughed, "I think we should take the kids to the zoo."

The look on Alex's face had been so intense that when she said the zoo it took Olivia aback. "The zoo?"

"Mmmhmm." Alex replied as she closed her eyes and soaked in Olivia's presence. "I've a sudden urge to see the lions."

Olivia looked at Alex for a long time trying to figure her out. She'd thought for sure the thoughts she'd seen passing in the blonde's eyes were deeper then lions. "Um, ok."

Alex laughed again as she turned in Olivia's arms. She slid her own arms around Olivia's neck and then leaned in slowly to kiss her passionately.

The emotion behind the kiss startled Olivia but she quickly melted into it and returned those emotions. The only reason they stopped was because Allie was laughing in the background. She hadn't reached the age where seeing her parents show affections was gross. She still thought it was cute.

"Mama, did you say something about the zoo?" Allie asked.

Alex smiled at her nine year old. "Yeap, what do you say we forgo the skate park and head to the zoo."

Allie smiled "Cool! I can test out the new camera Grandmama got me!"

Olivia laughed, "Guess we're spending the day with lions, tigers, and bear little man." She told Oliver as she picked him to get him ready for the day's outing.

"Oh my." Alex added with a laugh. This was good, her life, and no matter what lay ahead of them, or behind them, she knew it always would be.