I'm guessing some people don't know how writing and inspiration to write ( or lack thereof ) work. I promise, if I could churn out chapters daily, I would. Sometimes real life gets in the way, and sometimes I need to write something else to give myself / my muse a push. Coming to you at absolutely no charge is the next chapter of Witness. I hope all of you will appreciate the time and effort that went into it (I know most of you do xxx). Enjoy.

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37. Test

Olivia grips Gene's hand a little tighter when they approach the three people that are standing in the middle of the room where they will have breakfast. Frank is already here, chatting with his parents. They are just waiting for Blake and Lindsey to arrive. Anne's sister and her two grandchildren will come over around ten so it will be the seven of them for breakfast. Gene's family.

When Hank looks in their direction, Frank does the same and Olivia can see him force a smile. He feels as awkward as she does and she hopes they will be able to break the ice again soon.

"Gene. Olivia. Good morning," Anne says kindly.

When they are close enough, the older woman rubs Olivia's arm softly and Olivia is grateful that she is trying to make her feel at home and at ease. Gene does his part, cordially slapping his brother on the shoulder while shaking his hand.

"Frankie. Glad you could make it."

"Glad to be here, as always," Frank replies before focusing on Olivia at last. "Olivia. Good to see you again, too. I'm glad you decided to give my brother another chance."

She manages to smile while she looks between the two brothers, who look alike but have such a different effect on her. She remembers Frank's first comments about his brother to her, at that party - which feels like a lifetime ago now - and decides to put her own spin on them this time. She surprises even herself when she says calmly and confidently,

"Well, it looks like he's relationship material after all."

Frank's eyes light up and he grins when he wraps his arm around Gene's shoulders and squeezes.

"Indeed it does, and I for one couldn't be happier about it."

"Right. Takes the focus off of your single status, doesn't it?" Gene quips, and then they are all laughing.

Olivia feels the muscles in her shoulders relax already. She glances at the men's parents, and they are all smiles as well. Anne warns Frank that he's not out of the woods yet as far as she's concerned. She wants all her boys to share their lives with someone who makes them happy.

"And I can see you make our Gene very happy, Olivia," she adds.

Anne offers Olivia her arm then and she leads the small group to the neatly set breakfast table.

"We're not waiting for Blake of course," Hank chuckles.

Their youngest is fashionably late as always. Anne has just finished giving them the details about all the wonderful-looking foods that are on the table for them, when Blake comes rushing in, with Lindsey on his tail. They quickly sit down across from Frank, Gene and Olivia.

"Hey hey everyone," Blake says with a grin.

He looks around the table and immediately adds,

"Looks like we need one more person for a full table. Frank."

Gene laughs with his youngest brother while Frank mutters something under his breath. From the looks of it, it's a running joke among the brothers to tease Frank with his single status and it doesn't influence the harmonious atmosphere at the table at all.

Olivia sees Gene straighten his shoulders, and when he glances at her, she knows exactly what he's thinking. He is in a real, solid relationship now, for the first time in decades, and it gives him a confidence she didn't know he'd lacked. It's hard for her to believe that she is the one giving that to him. She's never been the center of someone's life before and it's still a little scary but it also feels wonderful. She's never been happier.

Breakfast is loud but cheerful and relaxed. Gene keeps an eye on Olivia but he can tell that she's enjoying herself. She even ventures into some meaningless chatter with Lindsey about some soap on TV and when she makes eye contact with him again, he winks at her.

When everyone seems to be about done eating, Gene clears his throat and Olivia squeezes his thigh under the table. He's going to tell them now.

"So, while we're all here together, Olivia and I have a little announcement to make."

"Ooooo," Lindsey squeals excitedly and her giddiness is a little contagious.

Gene grins at the blonde and then at Olivia, and finally his eyes settle on his mother, who is all ears.

"We've decided to move in together into the penthouse of one of my buildings in Manhattan."

The deafening silence after his words only lasts half a second, and then everyone is on their feet to congratulate the couple. The brothers comment that Gene is moving very fast but he responds that it's taken him twenty years to find Olivia. He takes Olivia's hand and lifts it to his lips to kiss it.

"I'm not letting her get away," he says tenderly, more to her than his family, and Olivia swallows the beginnings of a lump in her throat quickly.

"This is wonderful news," Anne says happily. "Will you move there full time, Gene? What about your house here?"

"Oh, I'm keeping the house," Gene says.

He and Olivia haven't really discussed the house, but she hadn't even wondered about it either. Of course he's keeping the house.

"Olivia is going to hang on to her own apartment too for a while," Gene adds as they all sit back down.

"And why's that?" Hank asks her.

Olivia tries not to get nervous each time Hank asks her a question but she wonders what she should tell the man. And then Gene saves her when he explains,

"Olivia's not ready to give up her independence yet, dad. We're both just trying to find our way after being alone for so long. It's happening pretty fast, after all."

He takes her hand on top of the table and caresses her fingers with his thumb.

"She can take as long as she needs."

Olivia gives Gene a grateful smile and he winks at her again. When she looks at his father again, she sees him nod slightly and then the older man smiles at her too.

...

After breakfast, they venture outside, where a large outdoor sofa set that can hold at least twelve people has been arranged neatly for them in the grass at the bottom of the marble stairs. It's different at the estate compared to the last time Olivia was here; much more serene without the party setup and numerous guests milling around. Gene watches Olivia as she chooses a place to sit, turning around at the last moment to reach for his hand. He grabs it and they sit down on one of the sofas together. The weather is beautiful already and it's promising to be a warm day.

Gene drapes his arm behind Olivia on the backrest of the sofa and smiles at his father, who is sitting across from them with Frank and their mother. Frank and Anne are chatting with each other and Hank just looks around contently, his eyes settling on Olivia from time to time. Gene hopes it won't make Olivia uncomfortable again and he asks his father about the company to distract him a little. Blake chimes in too, since he is the only one of the brothers who actually works in the family business and they all chat for a while until Anne's sister and her two grandchildren arrive.

When the butler leads the guests down the steps, Frank is the first one on his feet, followed by Hank and Anne. Olivia just watches from her spot on the sofa, until Gene nudges her to come and greet even more of his family members.

The girl is about ten and Olivia estimates the boy at five years old. Frank has crouched down to the boy's level and is talking with him animatedly, making the child laugh. He then stands up straight and offers the girl his hand. When she takes it, he bows to kiss the back of her hand.

"You're growing up so fast," she hears him gush as they join the small gathering on the steps. "You're such a lady already!"

The girl smiles shyly but Olivia can tell she appreciates Frank's compliment. Then Anne beckons her to come closer so she can introduce them. Gene's aunt is called Irene and her grandchildren are Miriam and Andrew. Once everyone is acquainted, they return to the sofas. Andrew asks his grandmother if he can go for a swim, but Irene tells him it's still a bit too cold. The boy is a little disappointed and Irene tells him, maybe later. He sits down in the grass next to where his grandmother is sitting, and takes a few toy cars out of the bag they've brought along.

Miriam sits with them and chats with Lindsey for a while, but sitting with a bunch of grownups has to be boring for a ten-year old. She has a handheld video game with her and after about fifteen minutes, she sits in the grass as well to play the game. Olivia watches the girl and then the grandmother, but nobody seems to be paying attention to Miriam anymore. She glances at Gene and when he looks at her, she can tell he is as oblivious to the children as the rest of them. Coffee is served and lemonade for the children, and they all busy themselves with their drinks. After Olivia has finished her coffee, she stands up.

Gene is surprised and wonders what his girlfriend is going to do, standing up in the middle of a conversation. He gets that not everything that's being discussed may be interesting for her but he hadn't expected her to just get up and walk away.

But Olivia doesn't go far. She walks over to where Miriam is sitting in the grass and it looks like she's asking the girl if she can join her. Miriam nods and Olivia sits down next to her. The woman and the child talk for a while, and then Olivia stands up, walks up to Anne and asks her something softly. Aside from Anne, none of the others seem to notice anything, but Gene can't keep his eyes off of Olivia. She and his mother walk into the house, and a few minutes later they return, Olivia holding a sketchbook and a set of crayons and pencils. She sits down in the grass with Miriam again and hands her the items. Miriam smiles widely and they talk for a moment. Then she begins to draw while Olivia watches.

The adults all carry on their conversations but Gene can't stop looking Olivia. While Miriam sketches, they are chatting and laughing, and Miriam seems to be explaining what she's drawing. And then after about ten minutes, little Andrew stands up. He's dug a book from the bag and walks up to Olivia. Olivia's wide smile when she greets the boy makes his chest constrict. She is always beautiful to him, but seeing her interact with these children … it takes his breath away. He watches in awe when Andrew climbs in Olivia's lap and hands her the book. He wants her to read to him. Olivia pulls him close to her and Andrew leans his head against her shoulder while they read together. Meanwhile, Olivia doesn't forget about Miriam and includes her and her drawings in the story.

Gene swallows. He is mesmerized. The way she gives these children her undivided attention … the only adult to even notice them and take a real interest in them … it gives him an even greater understanding of her work and why she does what she does. She was born to be there for the children. For children who have suffered unimaginable trauma but also for children who simply need attention. When he sees her like this, he knows that she was born to be an advocate for children, but also to be a mother.

"She's a remarkable woman."

Gene looks next to him, where his father has sat down. Hank has also noticed what Olivia has been up to and Gene can see the admiration in his father's eyes.

"One in a million," he agrees, and he can't quite keep the emotion out of his voice.

Hank pats his son on the shoulder and nods, smiling. Gene knows that his father has just given them his blessing.

…

The three brothers have taken off their suit jackets and are kicking a ball around with the children. Lindsey has joined in as well, to help Miriam against all those boys, as she's declared. Olivia is glad that the others are finally paying attention to the children, and she sits on one of the sofas again. It's a relief after having sat in the grass for so long, but it was worth it.

"Your granddaughter is quite the artist," she tells Irene. "She made a sketch of the back of the house in ten minutes."

"Oh, I bet she is. She was drawing on the wallpaper in the nursery even before she could walk," Irene chuckles. "It was nice of you to spend some time with her, dear."

"Well, she seemed bored."

"And you noticed that," Hank pipes up, and Olivia looks at the man who has stood up so he can sit down next to her.

"Yes, I did. I'm a cop. I'm trained to notice things," she says with a smile.

"Noticing something is one thing. Caring is another altogether."

"That's very true. I'm just glad the guys are noticing the kids now, too."

Hank nods and he settles in next to her as if he's ready for a nice, long chat with her.

"So, are you looking forward to moving?"

Olivia smiles and looks at Gene, who is jumping to kick the ball mid-air.

"I'm looking forward to moving in with Gene," she replies then. "Moving away from my own little place will be an adjustment. But I really want us to be together more."

"That's good to hear," Hank says. "Gene told me he would have moved to your apartment if that's what you'd have preferred."

She chuckles.

"He did tell me that, but my place really is very small. And it's not so much the apartment as it's the fact that it's my place."

Hank watches her face for a moment and it makes Olivia a little nervous. She feels like she's being interrogated, even if Hank is extremely nice. This little talk feels like a test.

"You're a very independent woman," he muses and Olivia nods.

"I've been alone all my life."

"What about your family?"

Olivia bites her lip. Her eyes find Gene again. He's laughing because Frank has just missed the ball and has to run between the trees that line their mother's gardens to find it.

"It was always just my mother and me, and she died a few years ago."

"Were you close?"

"Not really."

She looks at the older man and knows she will need to elaborate.

"Let's just say that my mother had issues and it was difficult for her to give me the love that I needed as a child."

Hank nods slowly.

"Is that why you notice children? And their needs?"

"I guess."

Olivia smiles and looks at Miriam, who is throwing herself completely into the little game they've started. They've split up into two teams and they're trying to get the ball from each other. Miriam is playing with Lindsey and Blake against Gene, Frank and Andrew. Gene passes the ball to Andrew and she can see that he's making sure the young child isn't being left out. Her smile widens.

"So … is that why you joined the Special Victims Unit? For the children?"

She looks at the man next to her again.

"Yes."

"For children like yourself."

"In a way, yes."

"And for women like your mother."

Olivia's eyes go a little wider and she stares at the man who has just casually made a remark about something that she always keeps close to the vest.

"I'm sorry dear," Hank continues. "Gene told me a little bit about you. I hope you don't mind. He's so proud of you and he just told me how far you've come. He's not in trouble now, is he?"

Olivia has to admit that she isn't happy that Gene has told his father about her background. It's not his story to tell. But before she can stew on that, Hank continues,

"I understand that you've been hurt in the past and maybe that's why you've kept people at arm's length for so long, just like our Gene. I was just wondering why it's different with him. What makes you trust him?"

Her eyes drift to Gene again and back to Hank.

"You mean because of his background with women?"

Hank hums and makes a wide gesture with his hands, adding,

"Just in general."

Olivia leans back against the comfortable cushions of the sofa and looks at her boyfriend again. The men are getting tired and are trying to determine which team has won the game, but Miriam and Lindsey want to continue playing. Meanwhile, Andrew has picked up the ball and is running away with it, and Frank starts chasing him, pretending he can't keep up with the five-year old. Gene watches, his hands on his hips and she feels a flutter in her chest whenever she looks at him. Olivia smiles widely and she knows then what to tell Hank Butler.

"All I've ever wanted was a place to belong. A place where I can just be me, and it will be enough. A place where I don't have to worry about what I say or do, or if I will set someone off. I have enough of that on the job. When I come home, I just want to be me and leave everything else at the door. That's what I feel when I'm with Gene. That I belong and that I'm enough."

Her own words and the thoughts behind them move her and she looks away, but Hank has already seen the emotion in her eyes. He pats her knee gently, fatherly.

"That is so wonderful to hear."

Olivia keeps looking down at her hands in her lap, and when Hank continues, she blinks furiously to keep a few tears at bay.

"You've found a place where you belong, Olivia. With Gene and with us. You're always welcome here."

Olivia manages to keep her breathing under control and finally lifts her eyes to meet Hank's dark eyes. She needs to lighten the mood before she starts to cry for real, and she asks him with a small smile,

"So I passed the test?"

That elicits a hearty laugh from Hank, and both Irene and Anne look at them when he tells her,

"You already passed the test the very first night you were here, Olivia."

...

To be continued. Reviews are life.