Olivia's nurse came in to check on her. Her vitals were stable but the pain was still moderate so she gave her Tylenol and a painkiller for later if she needed help sleeping. Roxanne had gone to the nursery to give new moms and dads rest but Olivia was nervous and fidgety and who could blame her after what happened in Connecticut. The nurse told her they would bring her daughter back and she could stay the remainder of the time with her parents in the room. This delighted her. The staff also brought in a crib for Leo so the family could all be together. Next morning when he awoke, Nick rubbed the back of his neck. The recliner looked comfortable but sleeping in it was a different story.

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"I had a neighbor once named Leo, we called him Beo Leo, you think people are gonna call our Leo Beo Leo?" Olivia shook her head yes smiling at him. "So Liv, Roxanne…what are we doing with her last name?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean, is she going to be Roxanne Benson Amaro or just Roxanne Amaro?

"Nick…honey I love to you to pieces but I just had a baby less than 24 hours ago do you seriously think I want to have this discussion with you right now?"

He was slumped over next to her on her bed, half his lower body hanging off with one leg to the floor as he spoke softly to his daughter who was asleep in her mother's arms. Just then they heard a knock at the door.

"Come in." Nick said. His mother came through with a sleeping Leo in her arms.

"He's asleep she whispered smiling at Nick and Olivia. "He just loves his stroller and being lulled to sleep in it. You did too Nick."

"Lupe you're a godsend I don't know what I'd do without you, thank you." Olivia told her reaching for her hand.

"It's the least I can do, I wish there was more I could do for you both."

"Be our nanny?" Nick said with hopeful eyes.

"That I can not do mijo, who will feed my kids at school? But I will take vacation leave this week to help you get settled Olivia if you wish?"

"I would love that, NO we would love that." She quickly added smiling at Nick, running her fingers through his thick wavy black hair.

"Ma I wish you worked at my school when I went through the lunch line, those ladies were mean who served us."

"Oh that's nonsense you kids were just too picky, all you wanted was junk to eat."

"Times haven't changed much have they?"

"Hey we try our very best to serve healthy balanced meals, it's just when kids get home from school and all they want to do is play on the computer and eat junk and drink soda pop."

"I remember if I wanted a soda to drink I would have to buy it on my way home from school, my mother would never have that stuff in the house. She did buy Twinkies and Ho-Ho's though; she loved her cake and sweets. Nick looked at Olivia. Alcoholics generally do like sweets because of the high sugar content in wines and when they are not consuming alcohol they need the sugar from other sources. He thought.

"You're mother knew best Olivia, all it does is rot the teeth." His mom added.

"Nicky you two should talk with your sister, she has a very good baby sitter and I'm sure she could use the extra money, of course when you're ready to go back to work Olivia, not now."

"We just might do that ma." Olivia was more reserved than Nick when it came to someone watching her kids. Are they certified in first aid and cpr? That's a must and are they academically sound? So many things to think about when hiring someone. Olivia thought.

His mother had gone home after dinner and Olivia's doctor stopped by and told her she wanted her up walking the maternity wing before she could discharge her since Olivia complained of a lot of cramping and pain from her lower abdomen. Her milk still had not come in but that wasn't anything to be alarmed, for some mothers it takes a few days or a week so they set up an appointment for the lactation specialist to visit their home in the next day or two. Nick's sister stop by with her family and also on day two of Olivia's hospital stay their colleagues from the Special Victims Unit came by with balloons and flowers.

"Hey guys come in." Olivia said sitting in the rocking chair holding Roxanne.

"Special delivery for a special detective." Amanda said. When the three saw Nick in the room they were somewhat shocked. When they got the call yesterday afternoon and his absence from the squad room had them thinking but as soon as they saw him there in her room it was evident who the father of Olivia's baby was. They acknowledged Nick who was standing against her bed texting pictures and attending to his phone.

"She's so beautiful Liv, I love her name." Amanda said kneeling beside the rocking chair wooing the baby.

"Thank you she said softly continuing to stare down at her. "She's my Roxy with the moxy." Olivia added chuckling."

"Yeah just like her momma." Fin added. When Nick made eye contact with his colleagues they smiled, it was a bit awkward but even out of the office they were all brothers and sisters in blue. Nick put his phone away and cleared his throat.

"Listen guys I'm so sorry I couldn't say anything." Sergeant Munch stepped to the front coming over to Olivia. Fin's eyes stayed on Nick and Amanda stepped to the side to give Munch room.

"Nick you don't need to explain it to us. She's our girl." He put his hand to the back of Olivia's shoulder and gave her a light squeeze. Olivia looked up at Munch with a smile. "And we know she's in excellent hands." He leaned down giving Olivia a kiss on the top of her head then tickled the baby smiling. "Mazel tov." He then moved over to Nick and held out his hand pulling him into shake hug. Amanda resumed her position squatting next to Olivia and Roxanne. It took Fin a few seconds and then he came over to Nick.

"Congratulations man it's all good."

"Thanks Fin means a lot."

"Now let me see my goddaughter." He added.

"Goddaughter?" Amanda scoffed. Fin leaned down and kissed Olivia on her cheek. Amanda came over to Nick giving him a hug. Nick took notice who was absent from the squad.

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Olivia was cleared for discharge. The security tag was removed from the baby's leg and the infant seat passed the safety inspection and then they were on their way home.

It was 1:47 a.m. and they both were asleep probably for about a good solid 45 minutes when they heard Roxann'es cries.

"I hear someone in the crib." Nick said. Olivia was curled up to the back of Nick.

"I don't hear anything." She moaned rolling over. Nick had switched sides and now it was his turn to be nestled next to his girlfriend. Her cries were soft and intermittent at first but then they became more pronounced. Olivia moved Nick's arm off her shoulder scooting over watching him sleep. She lifted up his arm at his elbow that was covering his face.

"You know I read somewhere that if men practice enough they can breast feed." She said looking at him but he gave no response except to turn away from her. "Isn't that interesting Nick?" There was a low groan from him. Olivia removed the comforter off her and picked up her daughter from her crib and headed into the kitchen. As she tested the temperature of the milk she felt a small amount of liquid ooze from her breasts. Her milk was coming in.

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"It's terrible what is happening to Maria. We never got along but now I wish I hadn't."

"No Lupe don't do this to yourself." Olivia told her holding her hand across her kitchen table. "We're all heart sorry for what Maria's going through and Zara and especially Nick who tried to make his marriage work despite the circumstances. It's the good times we all need to reflect on now." Lupe wiped the tears from her eyes as she got up to get a napkin and blow her nose.

"I worry about Zara she hasn't wanted to come up here these past two weeks."

"It's probably better she doesn't and what I mean by that is that she needs to be close by to her mom with no interruptions." Olivia got up and went over and hugged Nick's mom. The two women stood in an embrace until Olivia pulled back. "More tea?"

"No dear I'm fine." Olivia poured herself another cup.

A week had passed and Lupe had to return to her part time job as a middle school cafeteria worker. Nick was also returning to work.

"I wish you didn't have to go." Olivia said walking him to the door with Leo on her hip.

"Me either but gotta bring in a paycheck. I'll call you later." He kissed her softly on the lips then kissed Leo's head.

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"Hey Nick look at this." Olivia called him in to witness a first with Leo. He was sitting on the floor with her and Leo with Olivia's hand firmly in place supporting the baby's back. She slowly pulled her hand away and he sat up without falling backwards all by himself. Nick smiled ear to ear witnessing it then grabbing the camera that was close by snapping pictures of her and Leo.

"That's so great! Hey Leo you're sitting up all by yourself buddy. Look at me, hey Leo…smile." He put his hands together cooing at all the attention then picked up a plastic ring putting it into his mouth.

"Is that supposed to happen now?" He asked her.

"Yeah he's almost 6 months."

"Wow where does time go?"

"It passes and then we catch up to it." She added. Roxanne fussed in her carrier so Olivia rocked it seeing if she was going to stop. It wasn't quite her feeding time yet. When she didn't stop fussing Nick tossed her the burp cloth and she guided Roxanne to her breast.

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Nick had just returned from seeing Maria and Zara and called for Olivia. She hollered up to him there was food on the stove if he was hungry and she would be up soon. He picked up Leo and they went and peaked in on Roxanne.

"Yeah your sister is asleep so shhh let's leave quietly before she wakes up way too early and mommy gets mad at me." They headed for the kitchen. I missed you bud." Nick placed a kiss on his cheek while wide eyed Leo turned his head looking around the kitchen. "What's under here?" He lifted up the foil and saw a hamburger with baked beans with a note that told him there was a bowl of salad in the refrigerator.

"Mmm I love baked beans how about you." Nick took a bean and mushed it up between his fingers feeding it to him. Leo likes baked beans. "You want another one huh, yeah I don't blame ya they're my favorite and mommy makes them tatse good with all the extra's she puts in them." Leo reached his hand out after Nick had put the foil back on his plate to eat later. "Haha that's my boy, can always eat." He kissed his cheek and they headed to the bedroom. "Guess we better get you ready for bed huh?" Nick loved the he cooed back every time he conversed with him. To Nick it meant in baby language Leo knew what he was saying to him. Olivia joined them in the room with a basket of laundry setting it down on the bed.

"How was everything?" she asked

"Sad, hard but I had a nice long talk with Zara and I told her that I'm not leaving her…she's afraid I am. She wakes up with nightmares." Olivia came over to the bed and sat down beside him. Leo was in the middle of them sucking on one of his plastic balls.

"Poor baby, I'm so glad you went down, I know it's been eating at you since she won't come to NY and you know Nick, kids can be resilient sometimes when it comes to things like this or they can be total shut ins." They watched Leo slobber all over the ball.

"Hey did you see the letter that came last week from vital statistics? We need to put a last name on the birth certificate so we can get the official copy and file her social security card." He said falling back and lifting the baby into the air with his hands and fly him like an airplane complete with engine noise.

"Yeah I saw the letter." She added.

"So?"

"Amaro." Olivia said making throat sounds like she was going to eat Leo the next time he passed by her.

"Really you sure you don't want a hyphened last name?" Nick said surprised.

"No I hate them, they're too long to spell on an application and it's almost a guarantee they'll never come out right at a graduation." Nick sat up getting down on the floor and Olivia joined them taking the baby from him, pulling him onto her lap playing with his hands and feet. "My mom had this friend whose maiden name became her daughter's middle name." Leo gazed up at her cooing as she showered him with kisses.

"What?"

"Yeah I thought it was kinda cool, unique if you think about it." She said.

"Let me get this straight. Our daughter is going to be named Roxanne Benson Amaro?" Nick said propping himself on his elbow.

"You don't like it?" she looked surprised at him. Leo babbled and Olivia whispered to him.

"Your daddy doesn't like your sisters middle name."

"No it's not that I don't like it I have to get used to it."

"I gave up trying to think what middle name sounded good with Roxanne, you said she needed a middle name, Leo has a middle name" Olivia kissed her son's head. "I don't have a middle name, you don't have a middle name." she added.

"Ok so she won't have a middle name."

"No, she will…the more I said it the more I liked it. She's going to be a fearless leader Nick; she's going to be able to face difficulty with spirit and courage."

"And with a middle name like Benson there's no doubt she will. She's so your daughter already Liv." He said scooting close to her feeling her hair through his fingers. She put Leo down and let him crawl then pushed Nick back down to the floor laying her upper body over his. Leo started in one direction then crawled back to Olivia and Nick who started to exchange short pecks.

"Leo go fetch get your monkey." He tossed the Curious George monkey behind him.

"Will you still love me when I'm the mother of two 18 year olds? I'll love you if you'll still love me." Nick lifted his face to meet hers with a sweet kiss. "Leo, why don't you go crawl into the next bedroom for the next 20 minutes?" Olivia said chuckling. They both hummed and laughed as they started into some heavy petting.

"Yeah get lost kid." Nick said laughed continuing his assault on Olivia's mouth. The baby came crawling up to them interrupting a romantic prelude.

"Just kidding Leo this is just non affectionate nonspecific behavior, no trauma ok you're not going to remember this, are you?" Nick laughed.

"Maaaybe I should put him to bed?" Olivia said giggling.

"Leo you look tired son." Nick said wagging his eyebrows.

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Olivia was breast feeding Roxanne and softly singing to her when Nick walked into the kitchen.

"I admit I can't help it she's totally brilliant. She reached for me without me prompting her with my breast…just now."

"Can she get a job and take care of us? What good are you Roxie?" Nick leaned down kissing the top his daughter's head then pecked Olivia.

"Where did you get the shirt?"

"I bought it."

"When?" Nick looked at her while he poured his orange juice.

"When the cleaners who I've been going to for 12 years can't get a mustard stain out of my favorite blue shirt."

"You actually went out into the real world and bought something for yourself. What was it like?" She said sarcastically.

"Shut up." He laughed. "You don't like it?"

"No I do it looks great on you. Here you go Roxie say good morning to your daddy." Nick took her form Olivia's arms as she covered up.

"Aw sweet heart you don't have a care in the world right now except sleeping and mommy's breast and if your daddy was smart he would adopt the same concept. Let's give mommy a kiss."

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Nick and Olivia had his mom and sister over for dinner but when Olivia opened the door she not only found his mom and sister but a gentleman named Henry.

"Hello." Olivia said greeting them.

"Hi, how are you?' his sister asked.

"I'm good, exhausted as you can relate." Olivia added.

"Yes all too well and mines soon to be four." They three women hugged and then they entered.

"Oh Olivia this is my friend Henry Weston." Lupe said.

"She says her friend but really it's her…" Anita said laughing. Her mother pushed her daughter further into the house slapping her lightly on the back scoffing.

Hi, welcome it's nice to meet you." Olivia extended her hand.

"Likewise, it's a pleasure." Henry said shaking her hand.

"Nick's just on the phone I'll get him" Olivia said going to retrieve Nick.

"Ma?...I'm just saying hello to my mom, let me call you back…ok bye. Hey ma how are you?" He hugged her planting a kiss on her cheek.

"Oh Nick sorry this is Henry. The look on his face said it all. His mother never told him she was dating this man.

"Weston, doctor, bellhop, you can call me Henry."

"It's nice to meet you; your mother speaks very highly of you."

"Can't be all good." Nick said trying to muster up a smile shaking hands with him. When Olivia had his mother out of earshot from the men, she came over to Lupe with Roxanne in her arms.

"Where's my other munchkin?" his mom asked smoothing her granddaughter's head asking with her arms to hold Roxanne. Olivia passed the baby over to her.

"Nick just put him down a half hour ago, sorry."

"So?" Olivia crossed her arms and raised her brows with big curious and nosy eyes, gesturing towards Henry. Lupe took her granddaughter from Olivia kissing her, looking sarcastically at her son's girlfriend.

"So." She said laughing with Olivia. Nick had tried his hand at displaying his culinary skills and buried himself in the kitchen. He stood against the counter palms firmly on the counter top wondering why his mother would bring a man to dinner without consulting him and be dating him too? Olivia excused herself to feed Roxanne and then put her down.

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"This looks amazing mijo, I love Caesar salad." His mom said.

"It does sweetie thank you." Olivia added patting his arm. Nick prepared to serve the salad.

"Why don't you sit down your girlfriend just had a baby let me handle this?" Henry said.

"This looks wonderful." Olivia said.

"Salt and pepper…we need salt and pepper." Nick said getting up heading to the kitchen.

"This is how I worked my way through college." Henry added.

"Really?" Nick's sister looked at him with a smile.

"Olivia with the lovely name." He handed her a bowl.

"Thank you Henry." Olivia said smiling at him then averted her gaze at Lupe and Anita.

"Lupe with the laughing eyes." He handed her a bowl.

"Anita, beautiful daughter of Lupe." He said.

"Thank you." she smiled at her mother's friend.

"Nick." Henry went to pass the bowl to him but pulled back the bowl. "Did you ever wonder why, I mean what we know about why it's called Caesar salad? The history?"

"Um it's in the bible right? Recipe section?" Nick said sitting down taking his bowl from Henry. Olivia passed him a look feeling a little uncomfortable with Nick's standoffish attitude towards his mother's friend.

"Henry knows a lot about the history of food." Lupe said.

"It's my hobby. I like to know where things come from. There are so many things that surround us that we take for granted like this salad. Do we ever ask why have we been given this gift? No…we just eat."

"Ok I'm curious and I'm starving." Olivia said smiling.

"Ok you eat I'll talk. There was this guy, Caesar Cardinni. One day all there was to eat in the house was lettuce, cheese…"

"Anchovy." Lupe said helping him out.

"And an egg." He finished listing the ingredients. "All of sudden he threw it together and voila! Now every time I taste it I think of him and I thank him."

"I'll thank him too." Olivia said shoveling a forkful of salad in.

"Eat." Nick's mom said touching Henry's arm.

"We need some butter." Nick said getting up going back into the kitchen.

"Are you two busy Wednesday night?" He looked across the table at Olivia. "Of course, sorry."

'I have a friend who prefers to remain anonymous can fix us up with tickets to the Phantom of the Opera."

"Henry that's wonderful." Lupe said.

"Mmm." Olivia purred.

"You haven't seen it have you?" Henry asked her. She shook her head no.

"We haven't seen anything."

"Liv that's not true, we just saw Fiddler on the Roof." Nick added.

"Well I couldn't go because of the babies and all." Olivia said.

"Oh that's right honey the babies, sorry Ben we can't…not right now though" Nick was quick to say.

"But but you 3 could go. I can listen to it on tape." She told him smiling batting her eyelashes at him.

"That's very big of you Olivia." Nick's sister said continuing to eat her salad.

"Well Olivia is a pretty big person." Nick said sarcastically looking at her smiling.

"We need some water." Nick jumped up again. All four looked at him.

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The last of the dishes were put away. Olivia noticed Nick's mood as he leaned against the refrigerator with his arms crossed. She wiped her hands on the towel arranging it neatly over the oven handle.

"So your mom was taking this class and her eyes were hurting her from all the reading and Henry was in the class and he was an eye doctor and a widower who has 5 daughters of which one of them has muscular dystrophy so anyways he looked into her eyes with that light and she looked into his and…Oh I just think it's so romantic. Doesn't your mother just look so beautiful?"

"Yeah I guess, it's just feels weird that's all."

"It does? Aw they're in love, I think it's great."

"What if he's just using my mom for sex?"

"Nick!" She made a face at him feeling flabbergasted.

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Nick got ready to go to the show with his mother and Henry. He witnessed a sweet moment between his mom and her friend as they waited for him to find his coat. Olivia joined them with her son on her hip. "Try to be nice to Henry please?" she said handing him his coat.

"You gonna be ok?" he asked her.

"Yeah…no…I don't know, I've never had a baby before." She shook her head looking into his eyes chuckling.

"You're getting used to it it's becoming easier huh?"

"Not when you're involved." She smiled, patting his backside, giving him a sweet peck on the lips. "Just have fun ok?"

"Alright."

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Olivia came from the shower towel drying her hair. Nick was in the process of getting undressed.

"I talked to your mom today; she told me how your evening went."

"What did she say?"

"What's wrong with Henry?" She gave him a look of disgust.

"He's not my father, he has no business just taking over my mother's life!"

"Taking over? He's not taking over anything Nick. I don't believe you, here's a very nice man who respects and loves your mother and you can't even be happy for her!"

"He's just pushy that's all."

"Oh it would be ok for your abusive father to be pushy, a real asshole who left you and sister fatherless when you both were young kids and it took your mom years to overcome the trauma and she finally finds happiness and you begrudge her for it! Your sister has accepted it why can't you?"

"Whoa wait a minute are you nuts Liv? I don't begrudge her, I don't even know this guy."

"You do begrudge her Nick you just can't see the forest for the trees and I think you do know him Nick you just don't want to!"

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Maria's parents called Nick and informed them they were moving Maria to hospice. She may have a week or less. He took a leave absence from work and headed to D.C.

"I'm so sorry Nick, my thoughts and prayers are with her and her family and you." She hugged him long and tight as he packed his suitcase. Maria had passed away on his 3rd day there.

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When he returned home 6 days later he had Zara. It was almost 11 o'clock when they came through the door. She was asleep in his arms. Olivia came from the bed room; the couch had been all made up. Nick gently put his sleeping daughter down kissing her forehead. Nick turned to her and fell into her arms sobbing. She kissed his cheek and rubbed the back of his neck firmly pressing her other hand into his back. His tears felt warm to her as they soaked into her shoulder.

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It was the next day, Saturday morning and all five of them were in the kitchen having breakfast. Zara was quiet just pushing around her pancakes with her fork. Nick feed Leo his favorite, a jar of apples and pears. Olivia breast fed Roxanne as she smoothed her hand down the back of Zara often petting her long jet back hair. Nick excused himself from the table.

"Where are you going?" Olivia asked.

"I want my mom to be happy, I'm going to make it right with Henry." He said.

"I want to go and see abuelita too." Zara said getting up coming to him. Nick kneeled down meeting her gaze. Both their eyes still showed signs of being tired and hurt. Olivia wiped at her eyes watching.

"Piquita I need to go by myself ok, I promise we'll go this week and have dinner."

"Hey Zara sweetie, I could sure use your help with putting Roxanne down and then Leo in a little bit." The child turned and looked at her father's girlfriend with little emotion and nodded yes. Olivia held out her one arm as Zara walked over to her. She scooped her up holding her close to her side, kissing the side of her head. Nick's eyes were wet witnessing the tender moment. They looked at one another from across the kitchen. "I love you." Olivia mouthed.

"I love you too." Nick mouthed back. He grabbed his keys and gave her a wink.

The summer arrived and the babies were getting big. Leo was trying to stand at 8 months but as always the end result would be a loud thud on the carpet. He definitely had the legs of a NY Giants running back Nick proudly bragged. Roxanne was 3 months and already had distinct features of her mother, the lips, the dark dazzling smoldering eyes and 1000 watt smile. Zara was getting better. Nick had taken her to family counseling with him a few days after they returned to NY. Gil was happy to be part of Nick's growing family and finally called him dad. His divorce was final one week before the first day of summer. He asked Olivia to marry him and she accepted. The 8x10 picture of their family of 6, sits proudly on the gas fireplace mantle.

The end…

*THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR FANTASTIC REVIEWS* I may do a sequel depending on how busy my summer is. I have two college classes I'm taking to finish up my Associates degree then hopefully next spring I can transfer to New Mexico State University to study criminal justice.