The flight back to New York, one Amanda had made many times before, felt heavier than times past. She ached to see her daughters, to hold them close and breathe in the scent that was intrinsically them- lavender and honey. Closing her eyes, she reflected on her two-week stint in her hometown.

The trip to Atlanta had been a whirlwind, in every sense of the word. Her dad's stroke had taken her father from a roar to a whisper; the sight of him in the hospital bed had been jarring. Upon her arrival things went from bad to worse. Within days his condition worsened and the doctor recommended "getting things in order". Luckily her dad thought ahead enough to have his affairs in order. It was the only gift Amanda could remember receiving from her father. He passed away without fan fare and because of COVID protocols, very few people attended. For such a raucous life, it seemed unfair to see it end so quietly.

The captain's announcement of their pending arrival brought Amanda back to the here and now. The skyline of New York City at night was hard to beat. She had mentioned to Carisi her flight information in passing but told him she would take an Uber home.

Amanda wrestled her suitcase off of the carousel, recognizing one of Frannie's bandanas that Jesse had tied onto her luggage before she left. Her sweet daughter brought sunshine wherever she went and Amanda couldn't wait to see her and hear about her adventures. Slinging her bag over her shoulder and grabbing her suitcase, she walks towards the exit. She could use the crisp air that New York City spring brings, a welcome change from the humidity in Atlanta. While seeing a familiar face in the Arrivals area would have been welcome, Amanda realized that she asked for this. She kept people at a distance, even those she cared for the most. Shaking her head, she walked through the exit.

The cool air causes Amanda to close her eyes for a moment and lean against the brick wall near the doors. The pick-up lane had some taxis and Uber cars ready for passengers. The airport soundtrack of laughter and milling about, car doors and trunks opening and closing, horns and random curse words made Amanda smile, the familiarity refreshing. She opened her eyes slowly and took a deep breath, readying herself for her trek home.

Scanning the line of cars from right to left, her eyes still on a dark Jeep and her heart began to beat quickly. Leaning up against the car, in his Fordham University hoodie and dark jeans, was Dominick "Sonny" Carisi, Jr. His hair was impeccably styled and his smile was smaller than usual but she knew him well enough to know that he was happy to see her.

Suddenly, the enormity of her time away from home, away from her daughters, her dog, her work, her life and this man, hit her like a ton of bricks. Her eyes welled with tears and she stood, frozen. He walked over to her, briskly, and wrapped her up in a hug. She knew that they had things that they needed to work on, to talk about, to get through. All she knew, right here and now, was that she was eternally grateful for him. Every hiccup and obstacle along the way had brought her to this moment.

Seeing her father struggle, suffer and pass away in quick succession had given her perspective. The people that show up, regardless of time and circumstance, are the people that you need in life. This makeshift family made of SVU members over the years, who loved her unconditionally, would be her strength in the tough coming weeks as reality set in. Her Daddy was gone and while they were dysfunctional at best, they loved one another. His last words to her were simple but profound.

"It's all love, dear."

She breathed in the fresh, clean scent that she always associated with Sonny and strengthened her hold on him. She screwed her eyes shut when she felt him place his cheek on top of her head. Finally, she heard him quietly say her name, as though trying not to disrupt the moment.

"Manda? We should probably get going. They love giving tickets around here..."

She broke away from him and chuckled quietly, wiping at the corner of her eye as he held her at arms length, smiling widely.

"We probably don't have jurisdiction in this airport now, do we?"

It was his turn to chuckle and he grabbed her suitcase handle to pull out to the car. She watched him walk ahead for a moment, taking in his lean figure and long strides. Realizing she wasn't in step with him, he looked over his shoulder.

"You comin'? There's a canoli in the cup holder if ya want. Jesse insisted."

She nodded once, decisively, and quickened her steps. Her father's words echoed in her mind and in this moment, all she felt was love.