For reference, the kids are about 2 1/2 (Theo) and 1 1/2 (Grace and Isabel)

Chapter 2

Tuesday

5:24 p.m.

Alex shifted Isabel against her left hip and Grace on her right, hearing her cell phone ring in the kitchen from the island. She stepped to the island and then stopped, turned around and then moved to the sofa, placing the girls on the puffy, fabric surface before moving back to the island and lifting her phone. The name Cragen was on her screen. Furrowing her brow as she walked back into the living area.

"Bah!" Isabel pointed up to the ceiling. "Bah! Bah!"

Alex looked at the ceiling for signs of anything foreign but didn't see anything before sliding her screen to answer the call. "Hey Captain…" she looked up once more at the ceiling and then returned to the sofa and inched her backside in between the girls, and now watched Theo who had been scooting around on a plastic tricycle since they had arrived home twenty minutes prior from spending some time in the park.

He stopped in front of the TV that was currently showing ABC World News Tonight and just sat, mesmerized.

"Hi, Alex. How are you? How are the kids?"

Alex smiled. "They're doing well. I'm doing well, Captain. How have you been?" She felt her girls begin climbing on top of her and she looked down, welcoming them onto her lap. They leaned against her.

"I'm doing good. Busy but good."

"Dat no knop knop," Isabel spouted, looking and pointing at the ceiling again.

Alex looked up, as well, scanning for a possible six-legged invader of any kind.

"That's good to hear, Captain," Alex offered.

Cragen continued, "Hey listen…I called your wife a few minutes ago and left a message. But can you make sure she calls me sometime tonight? I need to ask her a question about the undercover op. Just some last-minute details so that we can get everything ready."

Alex narrowed her eyes, the couch jostling to her left and right as the twins stood and wobbled around. The blonde angled her head so that her shoulder held her cell against her jaw and then held her forefingers out, Isabel and Grace grabbing on and using her for balance. She smiled at her babies. "Yeah!" she cooed. "OK. I'll do that Captain. She should be home any minute. I had her stop by the grocery store and the pharmacy but she should be home in a few minutes."

The twins began a sort of in-place marching now, their little feet sliding off of her upper thigh as they stomped.

"I'll have her call as soon as she comes in, Captain." Alex smiled.

Theo got off of his bike now and moved toward the sofa, eyeing his sisters and then Alex before pressing his belly to his blonde mother's knees and putting his hands on the top of her thighs. He leaned closer, whispering, "I want to eat."

Alex grinned at their little boy—little Levi's and a red t-shirt on, his chocolate hair combed to the side, huge blue eyes—and nodded. "I know, Baby. We'll eat soon."

"Thanks, Alex. And thanks for understanding about this whole case. Talk later."

And the call disconnected.

Alex let go of the phone and let it slide down her front and in between the cushions as she tickled the twins' bellies and they caved into it before they fell to their mother's sides, giggling. She then reached forward and brought their son onto her lap, as well. "Mama's coming home with some chicken from the grocery store and we have rice and yellow squash cooking. So, when she gets here, we'll eat. How does that sound, guys?" she asked, raising her eyebrows and looking at each of them.

A round of yum yum's and yea's were had just as the garage door opened, Olivia entering with two grocery bags on her arms, looking sleek in her black jeans and black and white silk blouse, her keys in her left hand.

"Hey guys!" She set the canvas bags on the island and then moved back to close the door.

Before she had a chance to turn around, Theo was wrapped around her knees, hugging her with force.

"Hey, Baby." She bent over and lifted him into the air before settling him against her hip. "How's my boy?"

Theo smiled and immediately clenched a handful of her hair in his fist, leaning his head onto hers. Olivia smirked at Alex and headed toward the sofa. She turned around and sat on a vacant section to the right of Isabel and was immediately clobbered by the girls, as well—sloppy kisses and hugs given.

Olivia looked to her left at the blonde. "Hey, Babe. How was your day?" Olivia scanned her ensemble, smirking once more.

Alex's teeth began grinding of their own volition and she flared her nostrils, not able to keep from smiling. "Go ahead and say something about my outfit."

Olivia's jaw dropped open in mock shock. "I wasn't going to, Babe. I personally love the buttery soft feeling of that particular set of joggers and that hoodie." She leaned into the blonde. "Navy always looks good on you." She wiggled her eyebrows.

Alex huffed, eyeing her wife's face that was now so close, waiting. She leaned in and kissed her quickly before looking into those deep brown eyes. "It's my second day off for summer break and I don't have anywhere to go, especially when I have you to do everything for me."

"At your service, Al. As usual, your Highness."

Alex reached for her wife's side and pinched firmly.

"Ow, Alex! Jeez!" Olivia winced, rubbing her side. "My little housewife is feisty and I love it." She chuckled.

"I know you do. Did you get the chicken?"

"I got two. One for tonight and one for sandwiches."

They got up from the sofa, and both ladies took a twin into their arms and placed them in their highchair at the table. Olivia then took Theo and placed him on his booster seat.

"Good thinking. Or we could always use it for a soup or a casserole," Alex moved to the stove and lifted the lid of rice, deciding it was done, she returned the lid and slid it off of the element, turning the burner off. She opened the oven and peeked at the squash, which also looked done.

"Very true, Al. Maybe some chicken enchiladas verdes?" Olivia came up behind her now and placed her hands on Alex's waist, kissing the left side of her neck. "I'm gonna go change really quick and I'll be down."

"OK Babe. I'll give them some grape halves while their food cools and then everything will be ready."

"Sounds good, Al."

With that, Olivia left the room. Alex began plating the three kids' plates and set them on the island to cool. The chicken was already barely warm from the car ride and wouldn't be a problem so as soon as her wife came back down, she could cut it—always a job the brunette took instead of Alex.

She hadn't mentioned Cragen calling, but she decided she would during dinner. She was curious to see if her wife would mention this undercover case to her in any way, shape, or form, or if it would simply remain unspoken.

The ladies' plan, up until this point, was to head to Southampton on Monday and spend a few weeks. As far as Alex knew nothing had changed. But something told her that her wife was leaving pertinent information out, perhaps something she needed to know.

As for now, Alex would just have to wait and see what transpired.

Olivia shoved a forkful of chicken into her mouth before reaching for her glass of Merlot. She had changed into a pair of black joggers and a black crewneck sweatshirt, her feet bare, her hair in a loose ponytail. She forked some of the squash now. "Whole Foods Gourmet has the best rotisserie chicken. Don't you think, Al?" She held her wine glass in her right hand and leaned back, folding her left arm over her middle, and looked at her wife.

Alex nodded, wiping her mouth and chewing. "They do." She put her napkin back on her lap. "Mmmm…I forgot to tell you, Cragen called. He wants you to call him back. He said he left a message."

Olivia nodded, scooping some rice onto her fork. "OK."

She took a deep breath, chewing, and eyeing her wife. She knew she needed to tell Alex and let her in on what was happening. But right now, at this very moment in their lives, everything seemed perfect. Alex was off for the summer with only consulting and mentoring work to be done a couple days a week, they were supposed to be going to Southampton to have a little fun in the sun and let the kids spend time with their grandparents, and vice versa. And she and Alex's relationship had been at the pinnacle of suburban bliss–like that of a finely tuned machine.

Olivia lifted her wine glass again, feeling eyes on her, even from across the table. She looked at Isabel to her left who was closer to her, and Grace who was closer to the blonde, in their highchairs, and then Theo to her right, all three contentedly eating the soft squash and rice and cut-up chicken with their fingers. Olivia scooted some squash from the edge of Isabel's tray back towards the center, watching her little legs bounce up and down as she ate.

She then let her eyes move back to her wife and, sure enough, Alex was looking at her, her gaze unwavering. She managed a meek smile before sipping and setting her glass down once more.

"We should take more t-shirts and shorts this time, Liv…to Southampton."

Olivia swallowed and looked down at her plate, cutting a piece of white meat with her fork before looking up and nodding. "We should."

"And we should take my father some of that beer that he says he can't get down there…what is it? Probst?"

Olivia smiled. "I think it Pabst, Babe. Probst is the host of Survivor." She grinned broadly.

"You're right," Alex said softly, her eyes still on her.

Olivia looked down at her wife's plate, noticing that she was finished. She looked back into those blue eyes before cutting another squash circle in half. "You want more, Babe? I can cut more chicken." She looked up, popping the squash into her mouth and chewing.

Alex only shook her head.

"Ah don fah, fah, fah!" Isabel spouted.

"Mama, I'm finish!" Theo beamed.

Olivia looked at Theo and Isabel and then Grace who was only looking at her demurely. She grinned broadly and clapped once. "OK. Let's get you guys in the bathtub and listen to music and then a story and then tuck you in and go night night. OK?"

Alex stood now, taking the squash and rice serving dishes into the kitchen. She set them on the island and then turned. "I'll get their bath started, Liv. You call Cragen and get the dishes. Then come up after and help me."

Olivia caught eyes with her wife again. The brunette couldn't place it but her wife knew something. She was almost positive. "Sounds good, Al. I'll be up soon."

She had done the meager amount of dishes and had called her captain. He asked for her clothing and shoe sizes and asked if she was allergic to dogs—which she found strange. But apparently the undercover case in Easthampton might have she and her fake wife owning a dog. All part of the ruse of being married.

She stepped up the last couple of steps, thinking, as she approached the last one and then headed toward the sounds of high-pitched voices coming from the master bathroom garden tub.

She entered the master bedroom and then moved to enter the bathroom, smiling at what she saw. She leaned against the door frame and folded her arms, just watching her loves. Alex was about waist-deep in the shallow water, her hair in a butterfly clip, bubbles surrounding her and covering almost every inch of her body. And she was holding a foot. It appeared to be Isabel's foot, and she was running the blue washcloth along her toes, their little girl splashing and hitting the water as she did so.

"Dishes are done, Babe. Cragen has been called. Now it's just us for the rest of the evening." Olivia took a deep breath and moved to kneel next to the tub to help her wife.

"Mama! A boat!" Theo beamed, standing up and moving the blue plastic submarine around the water, his hair in a sleek, soapy fauxhawk.

"I see, Baby. Come here and let Mama wash you." Olivia held her hands out.

"I already scrubbed him, Liv. Just Grace needs to be washed."

They caught eyes again and the look on her wife's face held so much, yet so little. What was going through her mind? Did she know something and was just waiting?

If that were the case, it would be just like Alex to do that. After almost four years of marriage, they had learned each other pretty well. Too well, in fact. And something told Olivia that her wife either knew everything or, at least, knew enough to enjoy playing the waiting game with her, ready to strike, ready to pounce.

Olivia crawled on her knees to the other side of the tub where Grace was. "Come here, Baby. Let Mama wash you." Grace stood and Olivia got to work, sudsing the washcloth and wiping her down, and shampooing her short, sparse blonde locks.

"What did Captain want?" Alex asked.

Olivia kept her focus on her daughter, continuing to wash her. "Um…there's a woman in Easthampton who might be the leader of either a drug cartel or trafficking of some kind." Olivia shielded Grace's eyes and began cupping water over her head. "Squeeze them tight Gracie!" she encouraged.

"Why would you have anything to do with that? Shouldn't that be Easthampton's PD?"

"Technically, yes, but they've asked for help from the Manhattan Unit." Olivia began cleaning Grace's ears with the soapy washcloth now, their little girl scrunching her face.

"And?" Alex asked.

Olivia looked up. "And…we're helping them."

"And that's it?"

"And that's it…" Olivia answered.

For now.

Olivia looked back up at Alex, those penetrating blues still trained on her, the suds having disappeared from her skin. "I think with all this soap, they're gonna need a little rinse off." Olivia squeezed the washcloth out and set it on the ledge, standing to retrieve the shower wand and connect it to the spout.

"Not just the soap, Liv. There's liquid gold under this water, too. By all of them, I think," Alex deadpanned.

Olivia brought her lips inward, giggling. "Oh, Alex…I'm sorry…Next time it'll be me." She began rinsing the kids off as Alex released the plug to let the water out.

"Are we still leaving on Monday?" Alex asked, facilitating the rinsing of all their kids.

Olivia nodded. "Yep." She kept her gaze on Isabel's hair, rinsing out the plethora of suds, and avoiding her wife's intense gaze once again.

But Alex's gaze was burning right through her, no matter what she did or said. She would have to tell her wife soon. As uncomfortable as it was going to be, it was one of those necessary evils that simply had to happen.

Freshly showered after the kids' baths, Alex stood at the dresser mirror, brushing her damp hair, glasses on. She looked at herself in the reflection in her loose, silky, spaghetti-strapped nightgown and then set the brush down, shaking out her locks and watching her wife exit the bathroom behind her in the reflection in just a towel, her hair damp, as well.

She watched Olivia move closer and then closer still, moving up behind her.

"I was hoping that when I came out, you might just have a towel on, too," the brunette husked against her ear before placing a lingering kiss on the left side of her neck, her hands moving from the blonde's hips to the front and then clenching her lower belly.

Alex shifted her head to the side, just watching her wife kiss her neck and upper back repeatedly, the brunette getting lost in the moment and very obviously not catching the fact that the woman whom she was trying to seduce wasn't currently taking the bait.

Alex continued to watch the brunette, her hands now gliding up to cup her breasts, that mouth still working along her exposed skin.

Olivia stopped suddenly now, narrowing her eyes as she looked at her in the mirror. "Al?"

Alex turned now, Olivia now in front of her, the blonde's backside pressed against the dresser. "When were you gonna tell me about the undercover case, Liv?"

And she watched Olivia's face fall, the amorousness exiting her being, the trepidation filling that once aroused and affectionate expression.

"Well?" Alex questioned.

Olivia's mouth opened and closed oh-so-minutely, but it was there. But then Alex watched the brunette steel herself almost instantaneously. "You're right, Al. You're right. I do have something to tell you…"

A/N: Thank you to the follows and favorites. I hope you are enjoying this so far. Usually, Olivia means well but we've seen it backfire many times with Alex. I appreciate the reviews!

Have a great evening.