"Wow!" Billie's voice echoed off the walls of the little two-story's living room. She spun around in a circle on the laminate. "It's big!"

Frannie barked, spinning in circles with her. Amanda pulled the leash taut. The last thing she wanted was for Frannie to tear up the laminate with her nails, considering this was hopefully a temporary setup. She looked over at Carisi, talking with one of the officers that were assigned to float the block while they were under protection. He'd rolled his sleeves up, ditched his jacket, and looked frustrated. The kids weren't picking up on it, too excited to be staying in the new house. "Hey, guys?" Amanda called, and the excited chatter slowed. "Let's go see what they've got in the fridge, huh? And did any of you take your shoes off?"

"We will!" Jacob kicked his sneakers off and set them by the door, Jesse and Billie following suit. The three of them ran into the kitchen, and Amanda heard the fridge door open. "Sonny, they have juice boxes! Can we have one?"

Carisi was still talking to the officer. "Yeah, Jake, that's fine!" Amanda called. She nodded to the officer and walked Frannie into the kitchen, and let the dog out to run in the big backyard. The kids were sitting at the big table. Amanda was in awe of the kitchen. Had this been any other situation, this house would've been her dream.

The front door closed. Amanda waited for Carisi to come into the kitchen, but he didn't. Curious, she poked her head into the living room, saw him on the couch, staring at the blank television. She slid down next to him. "Are you okay?" she asked him. "I mean, I'm not okay with any of what's happening right now, but you seem to be taking this really hard."

Carisi blinked, turning to look at her as if he had just realized she was there. Maybe he did, Amanda thought. He sighed, pulling her close to him. "I'm sorry. You've kinda had to be the strong one today and that isn't fair considerin' this is my fault."

Amanda snorted. "Your fault?" she countered. "I wasn't aware you were a modern-day mob boss with a penchant for murder and extortion." She eyed him. "And how did Richard Wheatley get into our living room?"

"Don't even joke about that."

"Yeah, you're right. He got too close today the way it is." She closed her eyes, leaning into his chest. "But, this isn't your fault, Counselor. Wheatley is a compulsive narcissist on the best of days. You and Stabler wounded him in court."

"Yeah, I backed a caged animal into a corner, so he went after the weakest prey."

"No," Amanda disagreed. "This is more like…" She searched for the right analogy. "It's more like a fight for dominance. The better man won."

"Sure doesn't feel like it," Carisi said. "So now what, Professor?" he asked, eliciting a roll of Amanda's eyes. "What happens next?"

"You enjoy your time off since you've been recused, we spend time with our kids, and we let Liv and Stabler nail Wheatley's ass to the wall. And we protect our kids."

"Y'know I was hopin' for some time off, but I never thought this was how it was gonna happen. Kinda wish I was still a detective. Liv would let me keep goin'."

"Yeah, me too, if only because I'd love to slap the cuffs on Wheatley myself," Amanda agreed. "He screwed with the wrong family."

Carisi smiled. "Yeah, he did." He rubbed his hands together. "Okay, let's go see how stocked this kitchen is, or if I need to have Wymann go pick us up a pizza." He got up, but Amanda grabbed his hand and pulled him to a stop. He looked down at her.

"Hey. We've got this," Amanda said. "The kids are safe. We're safe. Wheatley's gonna screw up," she said. "His narcissism is going to get the best of him, and he's gonna make a mistake."

"What, you're psychic now?" Carisi teased.

She let go of his hand so she could whack him in the hip.


"You lookin' for someone in particular?" Velasco walked up to the statuesque woman talking to the desk sergeant, and studied her. Curly brown hair, beautiful eyes, wearing a smart green blouse and black slacks.

She eyed him. "Not you," she said with a smile, tapping her left ring finger against the manila envelope marked EVIDENCE in her hand. "Olivia Benson?"

"Cap's in her office," Joe replied, pointing. She nodded to him and threaded her way back.

Fin chuckled. "Nice try, rookie," he told Velasco as Joe sunk down into his chair. "She's married to Taylor at the crime lab."

Velasco sighed. "Figures."

The woman knocked on Olivia's door and waited until she was waved in. "Hi, Liv," Stella Bonasera said, giving her a hug. "How's mom life treating you?"

"Can I send Noah to you guys for help with his math homework?" Olivia laughed.

"Only if we can get Holly to babysit so you can take me out for drinks after."

"That can be arranged, I'm sure Lucy would love a night off." Olivia nodded to the envelope in Stella's hands. "Any luck?

"O'Brian's Upholstery." Stella dropped a photo off on Olivia's desk. "Adam got the name off a reflection in a parking meter."

Olivia grinned. "You guys never cease to amaze me. "

"Well, I'm not quite done," Stella said, returning the smile. "From what my guys tell me, O'Brien's is a front company."

Olivia set the picture down slowly and stood up. She caught Fin's eye and waved him into her office. "Tell me what I'm hoping you'll tell me, Stel."

"Bonasera, breakin' hearts and makin' late night house calls?" Fin asked, slipping into the room. He shook Stella's hand.

"Call it a special delivery." Stella pointed to the photo. "We did a little digging. O'Brien's is by appointment only with a phone number that goes to a cell phone that doesn't get answered. When we traced the ownership, guess whose doorstep we landed on?"

"Nah, Wheatley covers his ass a lot better than that," Fin said in disbelief.

"Wrong Wheatley," Stella replied. "It's one of Wheatley Senior's."

Olivia looked at her desk chair. "You know, I've been meaning to have that thing redone since Cragen left." She handed the phone to Fin. "Give 'em a call, and let's get an arrest warrant."


"Kids asleep?"

"Yeah," Amanda handed Carisi a beer and tucked her feet up under her legs on the couch. "Excitement of the new house, I think. Frannie ran herself ragged in the backyard," she added, nodding to the pitbull, who was passed out on a blanket in the corner of the living room. "Wymann still outside?"

"Nah, new guy introduced himself about ten minutes ago during bathtime. Arnold, I think."

"We're gonna have all kinds of new friends when this is all over," Amanda mused. "And hopefully one less enemy." She shook her phone. "Fin just called. They think they have a lead on the picture takers."

"Good. I only wish I could be there for the warrants."

"You'll get your moment with them, Sonny," Amanda assured him. She nodded to the muted television. "Sly Stallone marathon?"

"A step down from our usual," Carisi tucked an arm around her. "But it'll do. I need to watch someone having better luck catchin' bad guys than we are."

No sooner had Amanda hit the volume button, there was a pounding on the front door. Both adults jumped in surprise, and upstairs, Billie started crying. "I got her," Amanda said, uncurling herself from Carisi's grasp as he stood up, sprinting over to the door.

"It's Arnold," he said, unhooking the chain latch. Amanda was halfway up the stairs when a bullet whizzed past her ear, embedding itself in the wall. The shot woke up Frannie, who came running to the entryway, barking at the intruder.

Carisi realized it first. "Amanda! Get the kids. Frannie, go!" he told the dog, pushing back against the cop that was trying to squeeze off another shot. He slammed the officer into the banister. "You're fucking working for Wheatley, huh?"

Arnold didn't respond, coming at the lawyer again. He shoved Carisi through into the living room, finally able to pull his gun. He fired.

Carisi spun to the ground, clutching his shoulder. "Get up," Arnold hissed at him.

"Fuck you," Carisi spat from the floor.

Arnold stepped over to him and leveled the gun between his eyes. "Get up, or I trade you for one of the kids. Your call, Counselor."


Author's Note: Well, according to either the IMDb trivia or the wiki, I forget which, Benson and Carisi were the only regulars that hadn't been shot in the line of duty? Or something to that effect. (The trivia was older, not sure when it was counting back from, definitely prior to the S24 finale).

So yeah, about that.
The CSI:NY timeline would be a bit off as Stella left eons ago, but I had a request to put her in the story :) Holly Taylor is Mac and Stella's FF daughter courtesy of my friend lily moonlight, and I hope she won't mind me mentioning her ;)