AN: Thanks to everyone who reviewed thus far! Please keep reviewing, I love hearing from you! Sorry to those of you who were hoping for O/E. I will make sure I keep Olivia a central character in this story, although from this chapter on it will be more about the children, and Casey/Elliot friendship. But I will still continue to write about the case. I'm sorry that it's taken me so long to update- a lot's been happening in my life right now, and to top that off I've been having a lovely dose of writer's block. Thanks to Wynter Nytes for pulling me out of it!

A week later Casey, with Kathy's help, had managed to find a four-bedroom apartment in Queens that was within her price range, and schools for the kids. Now, she just had to finish unpacking the apartment. She smiled over at Kathy. The two women had become fast friends, and Kathy had offered to come help Casey unpack.

"Nervous about the kids?" Kathy asked.

"Beyond." Casey admitted.

Mary, Matthew and Rebecca had gone to public school for the first time today. Mary was attending the same Jr. High as Elizabeth and Dickie, and Matthew and Rebecca were going to the elementary school all four of the Stabler children had attended.

"They'll do fine," Kathy said, "They're great kids. They're nice, funny and smart, and no one has any reason to not like them. On top of that, it's only a week into September, so they haven't missed much. Besides, it's three-thirty, they'll be here any minute, and then you can ask them all about it."

As if on cue, Mary and Elizabeth walked through the door to the apartment, laughing and talking a mile a minute, followed by Matthew and Dickie, discussing something with great seriousness. Kathleen walked in last, holding Rebecca's hand. The Stabler and Johnson children had become inseperatable over the last week.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Casey greeted them, "How was school?"

"Great!" Mary responded.

"Fun," Matthew said, rolling his eyes, and cracking Dickie up.

"It was good." Rebecca said.

Casey tried not to let the relief in her heart show too evidently on her face. She may have been nervous for them; but more so she believed in them.

"Do you guys have homework?" Kathy asked.

"Yes," Elizabeth admitted, "Catch up chapters in English, Socials and French. Then, once I'm done that…a composition to finish for English class, a worksheet in Socials and vocab to memorize in French."

Dickie and Matthew's conversation abruptly came to a halt, and they stared at Mary in horror. She shrugged in response, making Casey smile.

"I thought we had it bad," Dickie said.

"I'll live."

"I can help you catch up." Elizabeth offered, "We have English, Socials and Drama together."

"Okay," Casey offered, "Why don't you all work in your rooms? I've almost finished setting them up. Rebecca, sweetie, do you have homework?"

"Yes," She said quietly.

"Kathleen can you help her?"

"Of course." Kathleen said, smiling. "Come on, sweetie. We can work in your room."

Kathy and Casey smiled after their children.

"They're getting along so well." Kathy smiled.

"So, they have three classes together?" Casey smirked,

"I pulled strings." Kathy admitted.

"Thank you." Casey said, meaning it sincerely.

In Mary's room, she had almost caught up with the chapter on the Vikings in Social Studies.

"Wanna take a break?" Elizabeth offered.

"Sure."

"So, how do you like the school?" Elizabeth asked.

"It seems really cool."

"It's okay. I'm excited for high school, though. Then I can dump straight Social Studies and go into something exciting!"

"Yeah…"Mary said.

"Are you okay?" Elizabeth asked in concern.

"No…" Mary admitted, "I'm not okay. I'm so scared about so many things. What if my parents aren't convicted? What if they're able to hurt me again? What if they hurt Matthew or Rebecca? I'll never forgive myself if I let them get hurt again! I never should have let it happen to them in the first place! I should have…oh, God!" She said, staring in horror at the door, backing away. Elizabeth looked back, and saw no one in the doorway.

"Mary?" She asked, watching as her friend backed herself into a wall.

"Oh God! No…please…please…"

Elizabeth noticed the blood trickling down her best friend's face, coming from her nose.

"Mary? Your nose is bleeding! Mary?" Mary passed out against the far wall.

"Casey!" Elizabeth screamed.

Casey and Kathy ran in at the same time, quickly followed by Kathleen.

"Mary?" Casey said, calling her foster daughter's name.

"I'll call an ambulance!" Kathy said, running for the phone.

Casey walked to her daughter, cradling her.

"Elizabeth, what happened?"

"We were just talking and she started gasping and backing herself against the wall, her nose started bleeding and she passed out!" Elizabeth said, sobbing.

"C'mon, honey," Kathleen said, guiding her sister out of the room.

"Mary, sweetheart? Hang on, honey, hang on. You're going to be fine. You're going to be fine."

Alright people, the next chapter should be up tomorrow or Friday. I'm sorry it's been so long for an update, but life happens! Check out my updated profile page for reasons why it's been so long, and info on upcoming stories!