February 1, 2022

BUZZ BUZZ

Liv's hand immediately went to her hip and laid over the phone that was attached to her belt and subtly tapped the power button stopping the ringing, as she listened to the briefing from Fin. She knew he'd heard her phone vibrate but she also knew that with McGrath standing five feet away, this was not the time to take a call.

"That's the best your team has after 2 days Captain?" McGrath said turning as Fin finished.

Liv fought to control both her face and her temper. "Chief." Liv said calmly despite the boiling rage in her stomach, "In 2 days we have connected a single rape here to 5 in other parts of the country, identified his signature and isolated DNA which is so specific that when we capture him aside from the apparent aroma we will be able to identify him out 1 in 200,000 total Americans."

"Trimethyl….whatever. Your fish odor syndrome is helpful yes but it's not enough. Captain, your team should be doing better. Why isn't Mr. Fish already in lock-up?" McGrath huffed.

"He's good at hiding. We know when and where he likes to find his victims. We've got his pattern." Liv said

"We've got the scent." Velasco muttered under his breath and Amanda bit down on her tongue to keep from laughing.

"Chief. He always waits 4 days in between." Fin interrupted and pointed to the timeline.

"I want him caught." McGrath said and threw out his chest and stormed out of the office.

Liv shut her eyes and shook her head. "Fin." Her hand went slowly out towards him as she turned slowly to her office. Fin's eyebrow cocked up and he didn't say a word. "I'm getting a coffee and taking 15 minutes to return this call."

"I've got this Liv." Fin said holding back a small smile at her desperate attempt to keep her calm exterior unflappable.

Walking into her office, Liv shut the door and sat down on the sofa. She pulled out the phone and as she suspected the call she had missed was from Noah. Automatically feeling herself slide into a better mood she pushed the video call button and two short rings later she heard his voice.

"Hi Mom!"

"Hi Noah. How are you and Lucy enjoying your day off?"

"It's ok but ya know what would make it better?"

Liv chuckled silently already knowing what was coming as she'd been hearing this same refrain since Noah had met Eli, Seamus and Kieran at Christmas time. "No. What would make it better?"

"If I could play with the guys."

Liv smiled, "I think Lucy and I can figure that out." Happy at how easily he had been accepted into the Stabler clan and how he seemed to love hanging out with 'the guys' as he called them.

"OH…and Eli texted and said that everyone is going over his house this weekend for some big family meeting and I want to go too because he said we ALL have to be there."

"Noah, as much as Elliot and his kids have accepted us we're not actually part of their family. We…" buzz buzz "hold on a second." Liv looked down at her phone and laughed aloud as she read the screen silently, texted back and read the response.

"WHAT is so funny. MOM?!" Noah said exasperatedly as he watched her smiling at the screen. As he watched he saw his mom very just barely touch her fingers to her lip and smile. He knew that smile, it meant she was talking to Elliot. Grinning Noah looked down and quickly texted Eli, 'my mom is talking to your dad'

'what r thy sayng?'

'idk..1 sec'

"MOM!"

"Sorry. Apparently you are correct, Noah." Liv said looking back at the screen and finally seeing her 8 year old son. "That text was Elliot asking us to come over for dinner on Saturday."

"So….." Noah said wheedling his bright blue eyes dancing with happiness,

"Yes, we'll go over and yes, tell Lucy you and the guys can play on the Xbox. No more than 2 hours and you have to read the same amount that you play."

"Thanks Mom!" Noah said and hung up.

Liv sat looking at her phones blank screen and wondered how she had magically gotten replaced by a fifteen year old and 2 six year olds. She smiled and tapped the screen and pulled up Elliot's message.

'I know a very happy young man.'

'You know a happy old one too. Can't wait to see you this weekend.'