Chapter 7

Sunday

4:48 p.m.

Alex pulled away from her wife as they stood on the bottom step of the bottom floor. The past couple of days had been spent at the beach, playing with the kids, and just spending time together.

But now it was time to say goodbye, for however long that would be.

Olivia cupped her wife's elbows, her eyes watering. "Take care of our babies."

Alex nodded. "I will," she said softly.

"And take care of yourself, Babe. I know sometimes—"

Alex offered a small grin. "I will take care of myself, too." She looked at her parents and Katie who were standing on the top step. "I'm sure those three will have something to say about it if I don't." She winked at them.

Olivia smiled. "I'm sure they will." The brunette trailed her hands down the underside of the blonde's forearms and then took her hands. "I love you, Al."

Alex nodded. "I love you, too."

They leaned in for a kiss—soft and gentle—before pulling each other into one more hug.

"Mama is going bye-bye?" Theo asked from Katie's arms.

The ladies pulled away and watched Theo look from Katie to them, to his grandparents, and then back to Olivia. "Mama going to bye-bye?"

"Yes, Baby. Like Mama told you."

Isabel began to squirm in Cathy's arms now, pressing on her arms to release her, her face red with exertion.

Grace watched from Bill Cabot's arms with concern.

The ladies looked at each other once more.

"Rip the band-aid off, Liv…they're gonna start fussing in a moment."

Olivia only nodded, letting go of her hands and moving to a black sedan—a man with sunglasses on in the driver's seat—waiting for her off to the side.

She waved once more and got into the backseat before the black four-door began rolling down the graveled road and out of sight.

"You OK, Pumpkin?" her father asked.

She turned now, hugging her arms and smiling, noticing that Isabel was currently beginning to whine, her little face scrunched and pink. Alex stepped up the steps and took their blue-eyed daughter from her mother's arms. "I'm fine, Daddy." She held Isabel's now relaxed form to her body, bobbing her up and down and kissing her head. "Just fine."

5:15 p.m.

Olivia continued to take deep breaths, willing her emotions away as they pulled in front of a small residence and then proceeded to go around to the back of the tiny house. It appeared to be a small, one story, gray-wooded structure, not many bedrooms, and then pulled next to a white van that had Amos Plumbing emblazoned on the side in blue writing.

This was it.

She was here.

It was now she and only she and her new partner for the time being.

The Acura stopped and she watched the driver, whom she found out was named Jake during the scant amount of conversation they had had on their drive, put the car in park and turned the engine off.

Agent Jake Descott turned and looked at her. "We're here."

Olivia nodded and removed her seat belt before pulling on the handle to exit. She closed it behind her and placed her aviators back onto her face from her forehead.

She looked at the house. It looked like it had been abandoned since the eighties. No charm. No lure. Something that could definitely pass as a house no one would be interested in.

She followed Agent Descott to the back door. It was a screen, spring-hinged door leading to a wooden one. He knocked four times and then took a step back looking at her.

A familiar face greeted them. Her superior was standing there, Captain Cragen, with Fin and another face she didn't recognize.

Opening the door, Cragen smiled. "Come on in, Detective Benson-Cabot." He motioned for her to come in and Descott followed, the screen door slamming behind them.

A darkened room, a wall of monitors, a couple of desks, laptops, headphones were the images to hit her senses first.

A few folded rollaway mattresses were off to the side, against the heavy-draped windows. After surveying, she looked up at Fin and smiled, and then at Cragen.

"You've met Agent Descott. This is Agent Lawry." He stepped aside.

She shook hands with the agents and smiled. "Nice to meet you."

"And you know Detective Tutuola."

Fin smiled at her. "Hey, Liv."

"Hey, Fin."

"You look amazing."

Olivia grinned again and looked down at her ensemble. She had been told to dress nicely and so she was wearing a black, sleeveless, linen, knee-length dress, with her strappy black heels to match. "Thanks. I clean up pretty good, huh?"

Fin only smiled.

Cragen continued, "Agent Berlusconi is already at the house here in Easthampton, getting situated. You two will meet in just a few minutes. But we had to bring you here so that you could take your own car to the residence."

Olivia nodded. "OK."

"So, the first couple of days, we'll be monitoring phone calls, you'll go to your art gallery opening, and make plans for a party that you and Antonia will throw. After the gallery opening, which we expect will be patronized by Camila Benetti. She's a huge lover of the arts and local artists so you should have some invites after that showing."

Olivia nodded. "All right. Sounds good, Captain."

She looked at all of the equipment again. "And all of this? We'll be monitored twenty-four seven?"

Cragen nodded, his hands in his pant pockets. "Whatever goes down there, with the party, is our first step. Anything that happens away from the house, you'll be wired and you'll also be placing bugs in discrete locations, when and if you're invited to Benetti's."

Olivia took a small, deep breath, hoping it was unnoticeable. "OK."

He moved to a desk and lifted an iPhone and handed it to her, which she took. It appeared the be the latest iPhone, one that she wasn't too familiar with, but she knew she could probably learn quickly.

"This is the only phone you'll use." He looked at her now. "You don't have any other communication devices on you, do you, Detective?"

Olivia swallowed and looked at her superior straight-on. "No. I left it at Alex's parents' house."

Cragen nodded and she shifted her eyes to Fin before looking back at the older man.

"OK. Let's get this started. Let's take her to her car." Cragen looked at Fin now.

The fivesome moved to the same screen door and exited before moving to a small, unattached, one-car garage. Cragen pressed a button on a device and the garage door began to roll upward, revealing a shiny, black, two-door Mercedes-Benz convertible with tan leather interior. Olivia's breath caught in her chest.

It was gorgeous. Black with tan interior. Shiny. Amazingly beautiful.

"You can drive a stick, right?" Fin smiled.

"My Datsun's a stick, Fin. You know that." She smiled at the mocha-skinned man.

"OK." Cragen handed her the keys. "The address is already on your phone, in Google Maps, ready to take you to your final destination."

Olivia took the keys.

"Here's your ID and we had a passport made under your assumed, married name of Olivia Libretti, just in case, along with an American Express you'll use throughout the operation. Anything else you need is at the house."

Cragen handed her a small, caramel-colored leather wallet and she took that, as well.

"Do you have any questions?" Cragen asked.

"A million. But I guess I can always call and ask. Right?" Olivia raised her eyebrows.

"Anytime, Detective. All the numbers you need are already in the phone," Fin answered. "Kick ass, Liv." He smiled.

Olivia nodded and followed Cragen to the driver's side of the car. She got into the bucket seat and sat, adjusting her dress, and placing the key in the ignition.

Cragen leaned over the opened driver's side. "Look, Liv. I know this is a hard one for you. To be separated from your family. But just call if you need anything. Anything at all. OK?"

Olivia swallowed the lump down into her throat and nodded, willing those same tears, from earlier in the car, away. "I will, Cap. Thank you."

He stepped away from the car and Olivia closed the door, turned the ignition, and mounted her phone onto the magnetic fob located just above the air and radio console. Tapping a few buttons, the map came to life on the screen. She smiled once more and then put the gear in reverse, before pulling out of the garage and making her way around the house and onto the secluded street.

Taking another deep breath, she shifted gears and put the car in drive before heading out, on to her future residence.

Alex balanced Grace on her left hip as she stirred the homemade marinara sauce, her eyes glazing over as it bubbled. They had decided on spaghetti, an easy choice for the kids, and were about to sit down to dinner so that the kids could have their baths and they could put them to sleep for the evening.

She felt a presence to her left and looked to find Katie next to her. Katie put her hand on her waist, clenching firmly, the chubby housekeeper a good foot shorter than her, before she felt a comfortable, soothing, rubbing along her back.

"How are you, Miss Alexandra? Katie asked.

Alex smiled, setting the wooden spoon on the spoon rest next to the white Le Creuset pot. It was an NYPD spoon rest that Olivia had gotten her father the previous Christmas.

And without warning, her eyes began to fill with tears and she gasped. "I'm good, Katie."

"No, you're not, Alexandra."

Alex looked at Grace now, those brown eyes searching both she and Katie, and then looked back at the petite redhead. "Olivia has a job. I know that. I only pray she comes back soon and, most importantly, safely."

Katie looked her face over then. "We all pray for that, Dear."

Alex gasped again and, like magic, she handed Grace off to the older woman. She held her left hand over her mouth and rushed out of the kitchen, down the short hallway, and to the sun room, where she had spent much time in her youth to read and just think. Entering, she sat herself on the far wicker chaise, and leaned forward, her face in her hands, elbows on her knees.

A creaking of the door and she grimaced. She didn't want anyone to follow her in here. She just wanted a few moments right now. But in a house full of people, it was almost impossible to avoid.

"Alex?" her mother's voice questioned.

"I'm OK, Mom." Alex continued to keep her face covered, sitting on the edge, her feet on the floor. She was in a simple pair of jeans and a gray tank top, but somehow she felt suddenly chilled. Her body began shivering, almost uncontrollably.

Then she felt a warmth. It was her mother, wrapping a fluffy beige sweater over her shoulders. She looked up to find her mother sitting to her left, a concerned look on her face.

"You have to be strong, Alex."

Alex laughed lightly. "I'm trying, Mom. Easier said than done, right?"

Cathy wrapped her arm around her and pressed her head to her daughter's. We're here for you...for however long it takes…"

"I know, Mom. I know you are." Alex wrapped her left arm around her mother and closed her eyes.

After a few moments, Cathy asked, "Things were left with you and Olivia...they were good, right?"

Alex pulled away and looked at her mother, into those blue eyes she knew so well. "Yeah. As good as they could be, Mom."

Cathy nodded and smiled. "You and Olivia. You've always had something special. I've always seen it. And now that you have children...I think it's just as hard, if not even harder, for her to go away, to a strange place and not get to see you or the kids."

Alex continued to watch her.

"Right?" Cathy smiled.

Alex nodded. "It has to be harder for her. I know." Alex's mouth quavered then. "I know that."

"She'll be back soon and everything will be back to normal." Cathy took her into a side hug once more, their heads resting on the other's.

Alex closed her eyes and took comfort in her mother's words, in her touch.

"Katie's put on the pasta. How about we feed the kids and ourselves and then have a little family time before the kids have their baths?"

Alex smiled and pulled away now, sniffing and wiping her eyes. Her mother reached forward and wiped a tear escaping the blonde's left eye.

Alex laughed lightly. "Sounds like a big mess with the kids and spaghetti."

"Nothing we can't handle, Dear. Nothing we can't handle." Her mother smiled.

Olivia pushed the garage door open now, pressing the button next to the door to lower the large one, and stepped inside.

The house was magnificent. All clean lines. Modern. And from her observation as she drove up the drive and around the residence, there were many windows, all facing the ocean.

She knew it was one of the most expensive houses in Easthampton but words couldn't describe the beauty, the absolute awe of the building.

She closed the door behind her and stepped forward, noticing the kitchen immediately. It was as big in square footage as their entire townhouse back home. And that was just the kitchen, itself. White marble. White-washed cabinets. Copper pots and pans hanging above an expansive island.

She stopped and listened before questioning meekly, "Hello?"

And within seconds, another woman appeared. Eva Longoria didn't do her justice. The woman that entered the room was infinitely more beautiful. The shorter brunette smiled, wearing a navy tracksuit, her hair down, and moved toward her, holding her hand out.

"You must be Olivia. I'm Antonia. But you can call me Tony."

A/N: Thank you for the follows and favorites. I just got back to reviews today and I apologize. I'll be better about that. :) I hope you enjoyed this. And, as much as I don't like to give spoilers, this WILL be over soon. Take from that what you may.

What did you think about the meeting at the small house? Alex's reaction? The house so far? What will happen? I would love to hear from you, as always! It means everything for this long-time writer of Cabenson and this amazing couple!