blues and greens (barson)

xxviii.

September went quickly, as all months seemed to at this point. All four children were doing very well in school and with their respective hobbies. Maddox's art was improving, Felix was now able to play steadily through the song he'd been working on and was working on more songs, and Noah's dance company was getting ready to start casting slots for their Christmas recital of The Nutcracker.
The case of Maegan Leland, the girl who'd shot Olivia and the other officers on the roof, had been won... the man who'd led to the girl's anguish was in jail and that made Olivia feel like she'd finally helped the girl which brought her some closure.
Rafael had won four of his six recent cases and on Halloween he had another four he was working on.
October was going fun fast, too.
October 31, 2022 was a Monday, which all four children and Rafael were upset about. Olivia wasn't quite as upset as she hoped it would deter some of the massive college partying. Which it didn't, they were called Saturday the 29th from a "Halloweekend" party.
Velasco and Fin were adamant that Rollins and Liv go home to take their kids trick-or-treating on Halloween.

"We'll meet at yours at 4:30 and head out at 5?" Amanda asked Liv as they were headed to the elevator at 4 o'clock on Halloween.
"Yeah, that sounds like a good plan," Liv was texting Rafa.
"I'm glad we agreed to go together. I know your kids are typically well behaved but I think four of us and six kids will be way easier to handle."
Olivia smiled, "it's funny that you're including Barba in the adult list. He's just as excited as the kids."
"Really? He never really struck me as the Halloween type."
"I think it may just be the first big holiday with the kids and him feeding off of their excitement."
Amanda nodded, "that I can see."
"Aspen managed to convince him to dress up."
"The girls got Sonny too. Not you?"
Liv shook her head, "I apologized a million times thinking I wasn't going to be able to go out with them and it would be Lucy, Carisi, and Raf taking them."
"I told mine the same things," Amanda laughed.
"Did you tell him you were going to be able to go now?"
"Yeah, I told him not to tell the girls yet so it would be a surprise."
"I told Rafael and Lucy the same things."
"What's he dressing up as?"
"Gomez Addams," Olivia smiled, "Aspen is Wednesday. She asked him if he'd dress up with her and gave him the big eyes and he couldn't say no, so they spent forever researching and he showed her The Addams Family and it was decided from there."
"Who else have you got?" Amanda asked as they got off the elevator and headed toward the parking lot.
"Captain America and The Winter Soldier," Liv smiled, "and then Noah picked Spider-Man. You?"
"Elsa and Anna," Amanda was clearly trying to hide a smile.
"Carisi?"
"Olaf."
Olivia started laughing at the mere thought of Carisi dressed up like the snowman. She couldn't wait to see it in practice.
"See you soon!" Amanda called with a laugh as she climbed in her car.

Walking into the apartment, Liv could hear the kids cheering and clapping upstairs. She put her things down and headed that direction.
Gomez and Wednesday Addams were bowing for everyone.
Lucy was wearing a costume too, she was the first to notice Liv and fell back to speak with her.
"Is it alright if I still join you?" She asked softly.
"Of course, if you'd like to," Olivia smiled, "too late to hop on other plans?"
"Well," Lucy grinned, tilting her head, "too early and I'm already in my costume so I might as well do something."
"Who are you? Scarlet Witch?"
"The boys convinced me to join their superhero theme and then the friends I'm meeting later agreed to the Marvel theme as well so it worked out well."
"Momma!" Spider-Man ran toward her.
"Hi, Noah," she leaned to hug him, "I got done early. I can come with you all!"
All the kids cheered and gathered around. They all looked adorable and had their candy bags at the ready.
Rafael looked phenomenal in the pinstriped suit and had been working on growing his facial hair out to trim down to a mustache for the costume that he would shave later.
Olivia made them all move down to the main floor and took photos of the group of superheroes. The boys alone and then with Lucy. Then the Addams' Family. And then all of them together.
There was a knock at the door a few minutes later and Rafa went to go open it. There was hysterical laughter within moments.
"Yeah, laugh it up, Gomez," Carisi's strong Staten Island accent said.
There was quick footsteps as the princesses ran to join the superheroes and Wednesday.
Liv walked over and caught one glimpse of Carisi in the Olaf costume and it took every ounce of her being not to start laughing just as hysterically as Rafael was.
Carisi's face could just barely be seen through a bit of mesh in Olaf's mouth and he looked very unamused by Rafael's continued laughter.
Amanda squeezed her way around him into the door and patted him on the shoulder, "it's okay, Sonny."
"Oh, Dominick," Rafael wheezed out, "I needed that."
Liv has a hand over her mouth and was watching as Amanda moved further into the apartment, shaking her head.
"We should get going soon," Carisi said, "or all the good candy will be gone."
Amanda pinched the bridge of her nose and smiled, "I know, Sonny. Let us just get pictures of everyone and then we'll go."
Rafa recovered slowly and the whole group of costume-wearers gathered for Amanda and Liv to take photos.
Then they were off.
Carisi held hands with each princess and their buckets were in their free hands.
Liv walked with Rollins at the back of the group and Barba was at the front with Aspen.
He insisted they had to be up front or he wouldn't stop laughing trying to follow the 6' Olaf around.
The costumes were constantly garnering compliments and occasionally some more laughs, but the kids were all very happy with the compliments and incredibly excited to be getting candy.