Everything Changes

August Seventh

Amanda appreciated that her squad was doing everything they could do to try to catch her father so they could try him for everything he'd done, but she began to get worried when, even after help from Bedelia and Maggie Blue, and Azalea and Hanakatoba, Odis Lee had managed, yet again, to evade the SVU. They'd found his makeshift home on the bank of The Lake in Central Park, but zero trace of their target.

Only because IAB stepped in, the sixteenth precinct was forced to move on to other cases.

All was quiet until four weeks later, on August seventh.

Just after the end of a very easy open-and-shut case and a record time for completing post-case paperwork, the atmosphere in the SVU squad room was that of relaxed because it was Friday, and because they were each looking forward to the next day because it was Maggie Blue's third birthday and Bedelia, who was doing a little better than she had been since her attack, was going to be throwing her a birthday party, so as to get her life back to some kind of normality. Her therapist had suggested it. 

And because everybody had worked so efficiently, they were all able to leave early.

Fin and Carisi left first, leaving Amanda, Nick, and Olivia As the remainders.

While Nick attended to a few last-minute things, Amanda gathered her things and went to say goodbye to Olivia, but when she reached her friend's office, she saw her sitting on the couch as she did a breathing exercise while holding both hands in a strategic way over an area of her lower abdomen.

Amanda immediately recognized what Olivia was doing, because she'd done it herself so many times in recent months.

Amanda knocked on the open door. "Sarge?"

The older woman smiled when she saw her. "Hey, Rollins. Excited to go home to see your babies?"

"Very." Amanda stepped forward and nodded towards Olivia's middle. "When are you due, Liv? I know that look on your face and what you're doing with your hands."

Not even trying to deny Amanda's question, Olivia grinned bashfully. "In April. We talked about Noah and Rachel having a sibling, specifically one close to Rachel's age, so she can have a playmate, but I'm not that far along, so please keep this to yourself."

"I will," Amanda promised. "But is it okay if I hug you?"

"Of course." Olivia beckoned her closer. "I'd love that."

Amanda sat with her and gave her a heartfelt hug.

"I'm so happy for you, Liv." Amanda told her as she pulled away. "I'm so happy for you, that you're getting your happy ending. You've always been so busy helping me out with my drama and my family problems, but now you've got peace in your life and a family of your own. I'm so happy for you, because you deserve it."

"Thanks, Amanda—that's one of the nicest things you've ever said to me!"

Amanda beamed like a smile child receiving praise, but then she wrinkled her nose and blew out a breath.

Olivia arched an eyebrow. "Everything okay?"

"Feel this." Amanda took Olivia's hand and held it against the left upper side of her middle, near her navel. "Grace and Zion are getting so big that they can't change positions as easily anymore."

"When was the last time they did?"

"Yesterday afternoon."

Even still, Olivia was in awe—she felt Rachel kick and turn in Alex's womb all the time, but feeling two babies at the same time was very surreal.