And so once again, time marched on for Olivia and her family.
January turned into February.
Which gave way to March.
This month really dragged for Olivia, although didn't dare say this aloud around Alex, Amanda, Sophia, or Casey. Each of them were in their final homestretch of pregnancy. Everything was just too real.
"Olivia?"
She jumped as she was jolted out of her own thoughts. Amanda was at her office door.
"Wow." Amanda gave a nervous laugh. "Are you okay? I've never seen you jump at the sound of your own name before."
Olivia stood and helped Amanda over to her sofa. "How are you?"
Amanda eased herself down and groaned as she felt her babies kick her, just for sport. "I am great."
"How many hours do you have left until maternity leave starts?"
"Too many." Amanda checked her watch as Olivia sat with her. "One down, three more to go. I'll be hanging with the Novaks until Dominick is done here for the day. Nothing but labor will make me leave the house after that. I am tired."
"I don't know what it's like to have two babies on the inside, but I do remember the feeling of just one. Are Trip and Lady Day kicking a lot today?"
Amanda nodded. "Like nothing else. Carryings twins is a super weird feeling. At least things have clicked with Jesse."
"How is that going?"
"Jesse Olivia has finally realized why my lap disappeared, and it has not been a fun learning experience." Amanda framed her big middle with both hands. "But I do come to your office bearing home-front news."
"Of the Atlanta variety?" Olivia asked in hope.
Amanda spoke eagerly this time. "Yes! My new sisters, Eden Lily and Haven Astor, and my brother, Benoît Etienne Junior, were born an hour ago. Everyone is as healthy as can be expected. So is my mother."
"How are you?" Olivia asked her friend again with a more maternal air.
"I'm elated because I really love being a big sister. Now I've got five younger siblings. Kim and I also count Harper..."
"But what?"
"I'm also relieved." Amanda wiped at her eyes as tears fell. "Don't get me wrong—I viewed my mother's whole pregnancy from the perspective of an excited sibling, but there was a part of me that was just so worried."
Olivia rubbed Amanda's back. "Those feelings are perfectly normal because Beth Anne is your mother."
"Are you sure?"
Olivia took pity on Amanda because she was very pregnant, hormonal, and overemotional. There was no need to wind her up. She just needed the straight truth.
"Yes, Amanda. I'm very sure." Olivia said patiently. "Being concerned about your mother is very normal."
"We only just started getting along since the arrival of Sophia. I don't know what I would have done… if…" Amanda graciously accepted a tissue from Olivia and used it to blot at her tears.
"You don't have to worry. Beth Anne is safe and sound. I bet that if you give her a couple of days, she'll be happy to hear from you in a video call."
Amanda perked up. "That would be a great idea."
"Yes, it would. Who gave you the word on Eden, Haven, and Junior?"
"That was Kim's doing. I would tell Dominick, but he's out right now."
This was true. Even in these days where time had stopped, they had still managed to get a case. Carisi and Fin were already pounding the pavement.
"I think that's a good idea." agreed Olivia.
"I bet Kim will have called Sophia by n—"
Amanda's words were cut off by Olivia's phone ringing. When Olivia checked the screen, it was to see her firstborn's name. She answered quickly and set the phone on speaker.
"Hey, Soph!" she called. "You're on speaker with Amanda and me, and I just heard about the news in Atlanta—how are you?"
Sophia beamed. "I'm so over the moon, mom!"
Amanda called out to her sister. "How are your babies?"
"Perfectly content. Neither of them are in any rush at all. "Agnes is actually asleep, but I just received a jab from Esme. She nailed me with a knee. Both of my baby girls have opposite sleeping schedules."
"And your leave also starts today, right?"
"Mhm. At three, just like yours. Casey doesn't start until three. She'll be meeting me at work when she's done."
"I'll be at The Watering Can later, too." Amanda said quickly. "I'll be seeing you."
These words provided Sophia with a great deal of cheer, so she replied, "See you then."
Amanda echoed the words back. "See you then."
Sophia called out to Olivia, "Will we be seeing you around sometime, mom? A certain tiny love really wants to see you and Alex. She's been telling everyone she can about her school adventures."
Melissa had recently started preschool.
"Then we'll have to rectify that, won't we?" Olivia said seriously. "I'll call you later."
"Sounds good, mom." chirped Sophia. "Catch you later."
"Good bye."
Sophia gave one more farewell and hung up. Just as Olivia ended the call on her end, a text came through for her. From Harper. Olivia answered it quickly before turning to Amanda once more.
"That was Harper. She knows about the triplets, too."
Amanda was finally at her most relaxed since entering her CO's office. "Kim will have made sure that she and Casey were made aware by now."
"Yes, and they both have their hands full, too. I'll talk to them later on."
As with all the other pregnant women in their lives, it seemed, Alex and Casey were also beginning their maternity leave that day. Both were due at any time.
A movement beside her broke her from her thoughts. When she looked over, it was to see Amanda holding her middle again. The detective was even wrinkling her nose.
"They're at it again." she said. "You think they would have given up on their sparring matches by now."
Olivia stood and helped Amanda to her feet again. "Go for a walk—pace the building if you want."
Amanda looked at her. "Are you sure, lieutenant?"
"Yes. We can manage without you." Olivia pointed to Amanda's middle. "Your job right now is to just be their mama."
"Thanks." Amanda offered her an endearing childlike smile. "I'll be around."
Olivia watched Amanda leave the bullpen for the hallway. It wasn't long after this that Elliot joined her.
"Here's that file you asked for." he pressed a full file folder into her hand. "Everything all good with Amanda?"
"Yes." Olivia laid the folder on her desktop and sat in her chair. "She stopped by to tell me that her sisters and brother have been born."
Elliot smiled happily. "That's great."
"Oh, yes. I also heard that they'll all be up here from Atlanta in August."
"Because of the weddings."
"Gold star for Elliot." praised Olivia.
The man just sat down at the desk, opposite his old friend. It looked like he was processing something immense.
When he finally spoke, he seemed thoughtful. "How crazy is it that our lives have become so rich and full because of one of the most intense crimefighting units there's ever been?"
"I think about that all the time." Olivia reflected. "All the same, I wouldn't change any of it for anything. So much has happened."
"Yes. Especially for you."
Olivia nodded. "You returned to SVU, and Sophia's return into my life also brought Alex and Casey back to me. I even met Harper and Serena. Plus, Noah even started opening up. My boy used to be super shy."
As Noah James was a chatterbox now, imagining him as anything but was difficult for Elliot, so he just shook his head in amazement. "You've also become very close with Amanda now. I heard from Fin that that wasn't always the case."
"He isn't wrong. Amanda used to have some bad ways about her, but she overcame all of that triumphantly. Now Amanda is my right hand. I've even been able to watch her grow up. Most of that has happened since we first encountered Sophia." here, something of a proud smile crossed Olivia's face. "Now Alex and I count her amongst our children because we love her that much."
Elliot nodded vaguely, processing something else. "You even have grandkids now. So do I."
Olivia continued to watch him. "El, what's wrong?"
"Nothing." he told her. "I don't think I could ever get married again because of badly I was burned, but love sure is in the air around here. You can't help but noticing."
"That's for sure."
Elliot counted on his fingers. "You married Alex, Casey is engaged to Sophia, and Amanda will be marrying Dominick..."
His words trailed off as thought of yet one more thing.
"Have you seen Melinda lately?"
Olivia shook her head. "Not socially. Why?"
Elliot smirked. "Our friend hangs out at The Yellow Viper. I know this because I saw her there a few nights back, and... she was on a date with Fin."
"Good. I always knew that they would end up together."
"Same here. I didn't let them see me because they were already in the far corner of the room, but that's already two more members of our SVU kin who have gotten together."
"That's crazy, but it makes me very happy. Fin and Melinda deserve a happy ending together."
"Absolutely." Elliot gave a sudden squirm. "Hey, I'm sure you've heard by now that Savannah Novak and Maureen are dating?"
"Yep." Olivia confirmed. "I found out on Christmas. Are—"
Dots connected quickly in Olivia's brain and she gasped giddily.
"Has one of them proposed to the other?"
"No, but they treated Senior, Violet, and I to dinner last night. It was very sweet." Elliot explained. "They told us that they want to get married in the next few years, and they laid out their plans because they felt we should know. Discussing it over dinner was them being adults about it."
Olivia understood this well. Sophia and Casey had done something similar with her and Alex recently.
"It's very surreal."
"I can back you on that. Time has more than marched on for you, but I'm also starting to feel it. When did we get old, Olivia? This coming fall will make two decades of knowing each other."
"I'm not sure when we got old, Elliot, but I actually like it. Everything has been worth the wait. I'm reaping rewards. You are, too. I had already decided before Sophia came back into my life that New York is where I'm going to retire. One day."
"And now that Sophia is here?"
Olivia made a happy sound. "Now I know exactly where I'm supposed to be. The answer was under my nose the whole time. It just took everything that's happened since October for to realize it."
"And what? Sophia falling from the sky with Alex and Casey was a sign?"
"Correct. So was learning the truth about my firstborn's father. Want to know what the cherry on top was?"
"Tell me." Elliot encouraged.
"Learning that Alex had been waiting for me, the whole entire time that we had been apart. There was also a part of me that had always been waiting for her. Alway. And it all paid off hugely, didn't it? We're even adding a new baby to the family that we built." Olivia said contently. "The last bit of assurance was learning about Harper and Serena. I can't imagine life without either of them now. My baby sister and my baby girl complete me."
"And if you had moved anywhere else, you wouldn't have been part of all… this." Elliot realized.
"I really couldn't live anywhere else but New York now. Having that epiphany is when I got old, I think. I love all of it." Olivia steepled her fingers. "Would it be too much to ask the universe for a promotion?"
Before Elliot could so much as formulate a comeback, there was a knock on the open office door. He immediately scrabbled to his feet when he saw who had come calling. Olivia did, too.
Why did she have to know so many important people?
Standing before them was none other than Colonel Constantine 'Mad Dog' Kemper—also known as the new head of the Internal Affairs Bureau. She come into power in the autumn, but had had yet to cross paths with Olivia. Until now.
The lieutenant couldn't possibly imagine what she was doing at the precinct. Unannounced.
"M'am." Olivia said in surprise. "Hello! What brings you by?"
Kemper strolled into the room, and gave a nod of acknowledgement when she spotted Elliot. Both of them have known each other of old.
"May we have the room, please?" she asked Elliot.
He nodded. "Of course. It's good to see you."
"Likewise."
Elliot exited, closing the door behind him.
"Please." Olivia indicated Elliot's recently-vacated seat. "Sit down. Is there anything I can get you?"
Kemper shook her head as she sat. "No, but that is very gracious. I just want to talk this morning."
Olivia did her best not to sound too nervous. "Oh, colonel? What about?"
"First of all, Olivia, I have so wanted to meet you. For years now."
"Really? How have I never heard this before?"
Kemper chose her words carefully. "The administration had me elsewhere, doing not-so-fun things while they focused a ridiculous amount of time trying to quash you, Elliot, and they old gang. It was often out of my hands or way over my head. They also told me to stay the hell away from SVU if I knew what was good for me."
Olivia tried not to stare openly. It was no secret that she and her squad had a less than perfect record when it came to dealing with any one person from the Internal Affairs Bureau. After all this time, it was just simple knowledge.
But... here was Kemper—the chief department head—being kind.
She picked up on Olivia's nervousness. "There is nothing to worry about. I promise, lieutenant. Please take a breath."
Olivia did. "Thank you. It's just that…"
"Your squad's dealings with my people are more than a little colorful." Kemper finished.
"Yes, m'am. That."
"I know all about it—my eye has been on your squad for a very long time. To say that you all are interesting would just be a terrible understatement. The integrity around here has continually amazed me."
"Wow." Olivia felt humbled. "Thank you."
Kemper went on. "I've also been watching you, in particular. You've endured more scrapes than everyone else put together."
Olivia gave the smallest of shudders. "Definitely true. There was a part of my life when I was younger where I seemed to always make reckless choices for fun. Or to test my captain's blood pressure. It seems that trouble just finds me now. I'm not sure which I prefer anymore."
"That's a conundrum I certainly can't answer for you. However, I remain amazed at how elite your squad is." Kemper surveyed Olivia. "Then there's you..."
"Yes?" Olivia sat up straight.
"Your integrity, your courage, your strength, your connectivity, your leadership is incredible. Do you know how amazing you are?"
Olivia laughed. "I don't let it go to my head, but yes, I have been made aware of my reputation over the years."
"Good answer. We would have been having this conversation a long time ago, if I'd had my way. There is a reason I made the trek over here today."
"Might I ask what that reason is, m'am?"
"It also hasn't escaped me just how unusually cruel my previous administration has been towards you over the years." Kemper said in complete seriousness. "Erasing it would be impossible because one can't erase what's written in stone, but it seems that they had a game of holding you back. That is not okay."
"Are you here to undo that?"
"In a manner of speaking. While going over the highlights of your career, I've also been examining how things have been since you took command of the sixteenth precinct." Kemper continued to disarm Olivia by smiling kindly with kindness. "I'm loving what I see."
Olivia's heart skipped a beat. "Really?"
Kemper nodded. "Yes. You're amazing at what you do. Remarkable, in another word. I've been at IAB for a very long time. Decades. I've never seen anyone like you before. Ask me what I'm really doing here, lieutenant."
"Alright. Why are you really here, m'am?"
"Olivia, I'm here to offer you a promotion."
