"Okay, what's with you? You've been… bouncy ever since you came home."
It was later, and Sophia was home for the night with her family. While Melissa and Noah played together in the hallway, Sophia and Alex were watching Olivia get ready for her meeting Elliot at The Yellow Viper Lounge for drinks.
After changing out of her work clothes and into a more casual outfit, Olivia let Sophia and Alex in. They'd helped her decide on what shoes to wear, and now they were watching her put her makeup on, but just like Alex had noticed, Sophia was bouncy.
That was because before leaving the cafe, she and Casey had agreed to tell their families that they were together, and that they would until after Halloween, the end of the month, to tell everyone else.
"Well, for starters, I had fun with Casey today."
"Go on." Alex and Olivia said in unison.
"We went to eat at a cafe near her place, and she even helped me decide what style of medical ID bracelet to order."
Olivia nodded in approval; she and Alex both knew about Sophia's newfound medical conditions, and they were both pleased that she was taking measures to be more aware of them.
"Let me guess—it's got elephants on it, somewhere, huh?"
"Oh, yes. I gave her the baby shoes, by the way, and she loved them, just like you guys said she would."
"We know Casey well and can read her like a book."
"She said the same thing about both of you, actually, mom."
Beside her, Alex arched an eyebrow. "You and Casey are already dangerous together."
Sophia almost burst out laughing, right then and there, but somehow, she managed to be sly. "Just about as dangerous as you and Olivia, eh?"
The older brunette gave a noisy, pointed cough as she finished her makeup and began to do up her hair. "Sophia, you're beating around the bush. Come on."
"When I had tea with the Novaks, I told them that I'm going to pack up my apartment tomorrow, and they offered to help. I told Casey about it since she wasn't there, and now she's coming, too."
"All of the Novaks in one place will be a neat experience." Olivia remarked.
"And we're packing up my place tomorrow." said Alex. "Make sure Melissa is ready to go for the day in due time tomorrow, and she can go hang out with Lucy and Noah."
Sophia gave her a mock salute. "Will do."
Finished with her appearance now, Olivia faced her daughter with her hands on her hips. "Now you're just stringing us along—I have to go soon, and I want to hear what's got you so bouncy."
"This is just between us, Casey, and the flower shop Novaks until at least Halloween, but today was officially mine and Casey's first date because she and I are officially together now!"
The next thing Sophia knew, her mothers were both hugging her and congratulating her, very happy for her.
"Hey!" Alex said suddenly. "What if between Casey and the three of us, we all became Missus Benson?"
Hearing that, Sophia chortled. "We imagined that scenario."
"It would just make my head hurt," Olivia muttered. "But my mother would have been very tickled."
Alex checked the time on her watch. "Babe, don't you have to go?"
"Yeah, you don't want to be late, do you?" Sophia added.
"Are you two trying to get rid of me?"
"No!" they said quickly and together.
"You two together are dangerous."
Again, they spoke in unison. "Thank you."
Olivia shuddered. "See?"
Laughing, Sophia said, "Oh, go hang out at The Prancing Panda, or whatever!"
"Sophia, it's The Yellow Viper!"
"I know." she said cheekily.
Olivia turned to her girlfriend. "Alex? Help?"
Just as cheeky, Alex shook her head. "Nu-uh! She's totally your kid right now!"
"And when is she yours?"
"When we talk about knitting!"
Sophia had spent the afternoon engaging in her hobby when she'd returned from her outing. Melissa promptly ran away, knowing that her mother could force her to try on her newest completed project. On the other hand, Noah had sat next to Sophia, leaning against her and asking questions about the process, watching the progress of the needles and yarn, hypnotized. Olivia was impressed that her daughter had an exceptional talent in the craft, and Alex, delighted to find out there was another knitter in the family, took out her supplies and sat by Sophia, working on one of her own projects.
Olivia hung her head. "I still on't understand how you two still have the same old lady hobby…"
"Hey!"
Checking the time on Alex's watch, Sophia said, "Mom, scoot! You really have to go!"
"Alright, alright!" Olivia laughed. "I'm going!"
After grabbing her purse and a jacket and then giving quick goodbyes to Melissa and Noah, Olivia left to go meet Elliot.
THE YELLOW VIPER LOUNGE
710 WEST 86th STREET
MANHATTAN
The Yellow Viper Lounge was the name of a bar that Olivia had been going to for as long as she'd been part of the SVU. She and Elliot had had many heart-to-hearts there, so it only made sense that they'd use it again after all these years.
The barkeep was a woman by the name of Tess, and she remembered Olivia's and Elliot's favorite beer. After serving them, she moved down to the other end of the bar to serve the other customers.
Olivia took a swig of her beer. "I'm glad this case is over. How's Elizabeth?"
Elliot took a swig of his own beer. "She's going to be in a cast for awhile, and she's getting new glasses tomorrow, but she's recovering. Thanks for asking."
They clinked their bottles together.
"I'm glad we're doing this, El." Olivia told her friend. "I do miss you, but I can't drink anything alcoholic at home without feeling guilty."
"Because of Alex and Sophia both being pregnant?"
"Yeah, exactly. Hey, when does Yardley leave with her wife to Spokane?"
"On Sunday—they're having a going-away party tomorrow and I'm going to stop by, but I don't know how long I'll stay."
"You don't want to be the old man cramping her style?" joked Olivia.
"Yeah, something like that." Elliot laughed. "She's a good kid, and I'm really going to miss her, but I think it's a good plan for her to get out of Queens Narcotics. I'm thinking about it, too, for that matter."
This had Olivia's attention immediately. "Why?"
"I've already been there longer than the average run, but both Dansforth and Jeffers are leaving, too."
"Where are they going?"
"She's going to Albany, because there are 'bigger fish to fry up there,' and he's going to Chicago."
"Wow." Olivia remarked. "Big changes, all the way around."
Elliot nodded. "They're leaving at the same time as Yardley, and the replacement is a guy called Oscar Norwalk from Santa Cruz."
"California, huh?"
"Yep. His arrival coincides with the arrival of the new head of IAB."
"Who is it?"
"Constantine Kemper."
Olivia nearly spat out the sip of beer she'd just taken, but recovered, swallowing it. "Constantine 'Mad Dog' Kemper from the Chelsea SVU is coming?"
"The one and only. How do you know her?"
"Oh, after all these years, I know just about everyone, but Amanda has told me stories of seeing Constantine at the softball batting cages. She's older than me, but Amanda says not to underestimate her physical strength. She also says that Constantine gets the nickname because she's aggressive. Like her name doesn't already represent that."
"Well, you better stay on her good side."
"Knowing that she's the one taking over IAB, I totally will." Olivia decided. "Aren't her sisters Mary Elizabeth Delaney and Mary Katherine O'Brien, the judges?"
"Uh-huh."
"How…?"
Elliot laughed. "How does Mad Dog Kemper have two sister called Mary even though her actual name is Constantine?"
"Yeah, that."
"Constantine is the oldest sister in that family, but it's an Irish Catholic thing."
"And there's a fourth Kemper sister floating around, right?"
"Yep, and there's also six brothers."
"That's ten siblings!"
"They have the Novaks beat by two, and the youngest sister is Joelle Kemper Kelly. She's a local author and works at a publishing house."
"That's right." Olivia remembered. "Melissa and Noah have a boatload of her books. Her husband is a Wall Streeter, correct?"
"Yep. The Kempers have been going to my church since the fifties, so I know more about them than I want to."
Olivia just made a humming noise, distracted.
"What is it?" Elliot asked. "I know that look."
She put her beer bottle to the side and looked at him. "Even with five years apart, we've known each other for how many years now?"
"Eighteen."
"Mhm, and you know I have my happy ending with Alex now, but that we've only just gotten started."
"Yep. With you so far."
"Well, just before her, for about a year, there was someone else."
"Oh, don't tell me Cassidy came back."
Olivia laughed nervously. "He did, actually, and we dated for awhile, but we've long since broken up. He and I are neither here nor there, so just breathe."
"Okay, okay…"
Elliot had never liked Brian Cassidy to begin with, but the sake of repairing his relationship with Olivia, he kept his cool.
"If it wasn't him, then who?"
"Tucker."
Elliot stared.
Olivia sighed. "I know, I know…"
"I want to hear what happened!"
And so, Olivia told Elliot everything that had happened, right down to the break-up.
"Now I'm with Alex, and we have, in our own way, made a family together, and we have Sophia, Melissa, Noah, and the babies." Olivia finished.
"Are you guys happy?"
Olivia grinned. "We're both really, really happy, and you know what?"
"Do tell."
"I'm going to propose to Alex in a few months."
Elliot beamed. "Congrats, Liv! That's really exciting!"
"Thanks!"
They clinked their bottled again and drank to Olivia's good fortune.
"Can I tell you something else?" Olivia asked after a few minutes. "Another secret?"
"Alright."
"Because there are now five people in a three-bedroom apartment, we're Looking for new place to move to. In time, when Sophia is back on her feet, and she and Melissa have moved out, we want to adopt a baby girl so Noah can have a playmate, and so we can see what it's like raising a little girl. And who knows—we may even find a playmate for the baby, too."
"I really hope things work out, Olivia. You really deserve all of this." Elliot said sincerely. "I remember back when we first met, you weren't even sure if you wanted a family, and look at you now."
Olivia beamed, proud of herself and how far she'd come since 1999. "Time has marched on, and I've gone through a lot in just the last five years alone, so I can't afford to look back and be weighed down by the memories of what I've overcome. I found myself because of all those things, and I've healed, and I've never been so happy in my entire life."
"I'm proud of you for that, Olivia. I'm really sorry I wasn't there, but I'm really proud."
"Thanks." she patted his arm. "And I forgive you."
Olivia drained what little remained of her beer, put the bottle aside, and then flagged Tess down again, this time requesting a glass of wine. When Tess fulfilled Olivia's request and swapped out a glass of red wine for Olivia's empty beer bottle, Elliot looked at Olivia with raised eyebrows as she took a few sips.
"I know you can hold your liquor," he remarked. "But you're not as young as you used to be."
Olivia playfully slugged him in the shoulder. "I think you and I both know that us hanging out right now is more than filling in the blanks about the last five years, forgiving each other and mending bridges, and more to do with the with Sergeant Constantine Kemper."
"You're not wrong. I'm having a meeting with her on her first day—I want to change lanes and come back to Manhattan, so I'm going to have a chat with her and see what's open."
Olivia's heart jumped. "Alex and Casey will be reassigned to the SVU effective Monday, and I love the team we have now, but Amanda is on desk duty for at least a month until she heals, and then she's going back to desk duty again when she's too far along to go out in the field."
Elliot had been very surprised to find out that Amanda was pregnant, but nevertheless, he was happy for her. "Maternity leave is the next stop for her after that."
"Yeah, so we really need extra help."
Olivia held her wine glass up, and following suit, Elliot did the same with his beer bottle and waited to see what she was going to say.
"Well, if the chance to come home pops up, you have my blessing to come back. Just give me a call first so I can give everyone the head's up."
"Fair enough. Also—here's to many, many more years of friendship. I've really missed you."
"I've missed you, too. So much." They clinked their drinks. "To friendship."
They drank, and after that, their talk turned to lighter things.
