Everything Changes

Night Redux

16 West 82nd Street, Apartment 1H
Manhattan
8:30 pm

Olivia felt like a failure.

After departing from her visit to Bedelia, she returned to the precinct to aid in the search for Odis Lee, but the cunning that ran as deep in the Rollins family as the strong genes did appeared to have kicked in because nobody could find him anywhere. Granger actually came to visit, and when he got to Olivia's office, he got as far as Olivia closing to door behind him before she let loose and yelled at him about his irresponsibility.

The sergeant's mood was worsened before the day was out because when they finally got the warrant signed to go search Odis Lee's and Kim's room at the Lydia Motel for the cocaine, they found that except for just the smallest amount on the floor under the table, as though it had been forgotten to be swept up, the rest was nowhere to be found, flushed away, no doubt.

The only thing that didn't keep Olivia from losing her marbles altogether was knowing that she had a family to go home to.

"Please tell me something cheerful, Allie." said Olivia as she sank into bed after she put Noah to bed. "Bedelia, Maggie, and Frannie are safe, but the rest of my day was hell in a hand basket."

Alex, who had been reading What To Expect When You're Expecting, brightened up at Olivia's plea and set her book on the bedside table before surprising her by straddling her and giving her a sweet smile.

"You know how I told you that I had a day of meetings today?"

Olivia nodded. "Mhm, although you also wouldn't tell me what the meetings were about, as I recall." 

"Because I didn't want to jinx them," Alex clarified as she cupped Olivia's face in her hands. "But now I can finally tell you!"

"Oh, please do."

"After this case is over, I'm getting promoted!"

Olivia's hear skipped a beat, and she immediately hugged and kissed Alex. "That's wonderful news, baby, and I'm so excited and so proud of you! What will your title be if you're the Special Victims prosecutor now?"

That had been her title after her quiet return to the SVU and she was happy, but it was nowhere near the glory that she'd departed on. Why she'd been knocked back a few rungs on the ladder was another story, altogether. 

"I'm being backed one hundred percent by Judge Donnelley because she's always been my teacher, but I'm going to be SVU's Bureau Chief again! And I'm not the only person who this is good news for!"

A lightbulb went off in Olivia's head. "You mean...?"

Alex nodded. "Our favorite redhead is going to replace me, and believe me, this is exactly what she wants... ooo..."

She let out a puff of air and she dismounted from Olivia, lying flat on her back and holding her hands to her middle. In an effort to make her comfortable, Olivia propped her up with a number of their pillows and when Alex gave her her thanks, the older woman sat cross-legged beside her.

"Is Rachel being silly again?"

Alex nodded and pulled back her shirt to show off her middle. "She still won't kick yet, although I think it'll be sometime within the next few weeks, but she's as wiggly as all get out and she doesn't seem to like it when I sit up for too long. She was giving me grief about it all day long and was quiet again until just now."

"Poor you."

Alex made a 'hmph!' sound and just focused on the breathing techniques that she'd learned in Lamaze class; those always calmed Rachel down.