A continuation and resolution to the last chapter...
Amanda groaned when her phone rang from the nightstand. "'Ello," she mumbled, without even looking at the caller-id, grateful that the call didn't come through ten minutes go in the midst of what she could only describe as another earth-shattering orgasm courtesy of the amazing man beside her who was also still catching his breath, too.
"Can I come over?" came the watery voice with a few sniffles, and Amanda could clearly tell she had been crying.
"Kat?" Amanda jolted upright and the movement caused Sonny to do the same. The hand that was gently stroking the soft skin of her hip fell the mattress between them. "What's wrong? Where are you?" She asked, pulling the sheet over herself because the loss of contact from his hand suddenly made her realize how cold it was in the room.
"Kat?" He mouthed, forehead already wrinkling in concern as he propped himself up on his elbow, while he tried to figure out if this was a work call or a personal call based on Amanda's expressions.
"I just...I just can really use a friend right now. I don't know where else to go. Celine and I had a fight and I need some space tonight." Another sniffle. "I'll be quiet and not wake up the girls."
"It's okay," Amanda said calmly, trying to decipher the background noise from Kat's call, but it just sounded like she was outside. All Amanda could really make out were the sounds of typical NYC traffic. "I can come to you."
"You don't have to call a sitter in the middle of the night because of me," her words slurred slightly. "My Uber is on the way. I was gonna get really drunk and stay 'til last call but I can't. I wanna leave, but I can't go home."
"I don't have to call a sitter. I can come get you."
"Oh. You have someone there. Never mind, then, we can talk later. It's fine. I don't wanna ruin your night...especially if you're getting laid." She added in typical Kat fashion.
Amanda rolled her eyes. "It's just Carisi!" She blurted out without thinking, doing anything to keep Kat on the line, and Sonny's eyebrows nearly reached is hairline. He was clearly amused rather than upset.
"Carisi's at your apartment at this hour?" Kat sounded incredulous.
"Uhhh, he crashed on the couch after he watched Frozen with the girls three times tonight," she lied, and Sonny bit back a snicker. The girls may have fallen asleep quickly after Frozen, but he and Amanda were certainly doing other things until not all that long ago. "You know what? Come on over, okay? I'll send him to go camp out on the floor in the girls' room. The girls will be thrilled to find him there when they wake up. The couch will be all yours. You can stay the night."
Kat sniffled again. "I know I didn't even like him at first, but making him sleep on that floor? That's just mean."
"No, it's not. Carisi can sleep anywhere. He's said it's the perks of having a big family...you sleep wherever they put you and you don't complain. He'll be fine."
Kat sighed. "Thanks, Rollins. I appreciate it. My Uber's pulling up now."
"Okay. See you soon." Amanda finished as she hung up the call.
"Are you really gonna make me sleep on the floor in the girls room?" He asked curiously, bringing his palms behind is his head and leaning against the headboard as Amanda hopped out of bed and began to get dressed.
"Of course not," she said in tone that was so light and airy and happy that he swore she only used it with him. "I just didn't know what else to say to her," she shrugged. "I'm not a lawyer, I can't think on my feet like that." She finished as she pulled the t-shirt over her head. "I needed a way to explain why you were here and not on the couch when she got here."
"Uhh...well, you might not want to meet Kat wearing my Fordham Law t-shirt, even though it looks way better on you. It'll really fuel her fire."
Amanda looked down at the shirt and chuckled. She couldn't remember the last time she wore one of her own t-shirts. She rummaged around her dresser for a minute before she found a forgotten about NYPD shirt – which, ironically, may have been Carisi's too, - and walked back over to the bed.
"Is she okay?" Sonny asked.
Amanda shrugged. "She said she and Celine had a fight and she needs some space tonight. I'm sure whatever it is will blow over by morning. I think she just needs someone to listen if she wants to talk."
"You're a good friend, Amanda Rollins," he told her softly.
Kat arrived a short while later, stumbling in as quietly as she could. Ever the detective, she noticed there were two pairs of Carisi's shoes by the door when she kicked hers off, and quickly scanned the rest of the apartment as Amanda ushered her towards the living room. Without even really looking too hard, she saw his briefcase on the hook by Frannie's leash, law books on the coffee table beside a copy of Dragons Love Tacos, and a fancy bottle of olive oil on the kitchen island.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Amanda asked gently as went to retrieve a bottle of water from the fridge for her guest.
Kat opened the water bottle, took a long gulp, and then recapped it before she spoke. "I don't know," she shrugged. "I'm not even sure what started it to be honest. We've had some really shitty cases lately and I know it probably puts me in a mood, but everything Celine and I said to each other today just started a fight. It's like the universe was conspiring against us."
Amanda nodded. "We've all been there. My best bit of advice is to look at tomorrow with clear eyes. Whatever is so bad today, probably won't be tomorrow. Time and space – no matter how little sometimes – always seem to make things clearer. In the meantime, make yourself at home. I mean it. I left out some fresh blankets, help yourself to anything in the kitchen, and I'll leave some towels out in the bathroom if you want to take a shower. We can talk more in the morning if you want."
"Thanks, Rollins. I'm sorry about showing up like this."
"You're always welcome, Kat. We're family at SVU. Now, try to get some rest. My girls are early risers. I'll try to keep them quiet, but we're still working on mastering volume control." She added before she disappeared down the hallway.
Once she was out of sight, Kat pulled out her phone. Her only notification was from the group text she was in with Fin and Celine.
Fin: What's your status?
Celine: Did she buy it? Is he there?
Kat chewed on her bottom lip as she typed out the first part of her response.
Kat: ...I should get an award for my acting chops...
Fin replied with a random GIF of some celebrity showing off their Emmy Award, and she rolled her eyes.
Kat: Yes, he's here. She said he fell asleep after watching movies with the girls. She told me she'd have him camp out on the floor in their room, but I think he's in HER room
There's traces of him all over this apartment
They are a thing and there's no doubt
Fin: Are you gonna go peek and see if Carisi is in her room? Then we'll know for sure...
Kat: Hell no! I was already shot once- I don't need a repeat. You can wait til morning for more info.
Celine: You both owe me for coming up with the idea of us having a fight as a ruse to show up over there. Mojitos are an acceptable form of payment
It took Kat sometime to fall asleep – even though she needed to know if Rollins and Carisi were a thing, she still felt slightly guilty about her methods.
"Kat? Where's Mommy and Sonny?" Jessie asked before dawn as she rubbed the remaining sleep away from her eyes. Her long hair was sticking out in every which direction and she had a stuffed animal tucked under one arm.
"Oh, hi, Jess. I think Mommy's probably still sleeping, and I thought Uncle Sonny was sleeping on the floor in your room."
Jessie wrinkled her nose. "That's silly. Sonny sleeps in Mommy's bed! He doesn't sleep on the floor!"
Kat bit back a laugh as Jessie threw her arms up in a very Dominick Carisi fashion. Both of Amanda's girls took after Carisi in so many ways, that Kat would have put money on the fact that they were his biologically when she first came to the squad. "You don't call him Uncle Sonny anymore?" She raised an eyebrow.
Jessie shook her head, but didn't elaborate, she had bigger concerns at the moment. "What day is it?"
"Sunday."
Jessie's face lit up. "Oh, goodie!" She clapped her hands. "Sonny makes us pancakes on Sundays and I get to help! He says I'm the bestest helper! You should have pancakes with us! Sonny's pancakes are way better than Momma's."
"Sonny make you pancakes a lot?" Kat asked, thumbs flying across the screen of her phone to update Celine and Fin on this new development.
Fin's reply pinged her phone instantly: I'll be there in an hour to pick you up. I gotta see if the counselor's pancakes are as good as his lasagna.
"Lots of Sundays. And sometimes if he and Momma don't work, we go to Sonny's mommy and daddy's house and have 'sketti!"
"Cavatelli, Jess," Carisi corrected sheepishly from the hallway, avoiding Kat's gaze has best as he could.
"Oh, yeah!" Jessie exclaimed as she ran over to hug him. He lifted her into his arms effortlessly and she wrapped her arms around his neck before she turned her attention back to Kat. "I'm still learnin' all the names...there's lotsa patsas and lotsa people, too!" She giggled.
"I see," Kat smirked.
"You know, Kat," Carisi began as he helped get Jessie situated with a mixing bowl at the counter. "You can drop the act."
"I don't know what you're talking about," she said as she stood up from the couch and walked over to join them at the counter.
"Your fight with Celine was so bad that you needed to add a few more blocks between you and Colorado?" He raised an eyebrow.
Busted, she thought, as she watched him pour flour into Jessie's mixing bowl without even using a measuring cup. "Uhh..."
"I know Celine is visiting her cousin to help with the new baby." He continued.
"How could you possibly know that?"
"Believe or not, I used to be a detective," he quipped.
"Yeah," Jessie offered. "He was Momma's partner!" She grinned.
Sonny smiled. "I sure was, Jess."
"You were or you still are?" Kat cocked her head to the side, crossing her arms, and Carisi deflected with a shrug. "Seriously, though, how'd you know Celine was out of town?"
"I saw her at Starbucks the day she left. She talks almost as much I as do," he teased, "so I learned a few things, and I tend to have a pretty good memory. I know she won't be back for a few more weeks."
Kat laughed. "So, did you rat me out with Rollins?"
"Nah," he shook his head as he added more ingredients to the mixing bowl. "I think your little arrival was the friendly push she needed to take this public."
"Well, would know be a good time to tell you that Fin's coming to pick me up in an hour? He was in on this, too, and he wants pancakes..."
"Kat!" Carisi exclaimed as he poured way too many chocolate chips into the mixing bowl much to Jessie's delight.