33

Bolton County Courthouse

Friday, July 19th, 3:38 p.m.

Jury Verdict

The foreman of the jury, a young, long raven-haired woman with pale skin stood, her hands trembling as she held a piece of paper in her hands.

"On the count of aggravated sexual assault of a police officer, what does the jury find, in regard to Zachariah Kramer?" Judge Newman asked.

"We find the defendant, Zachariah Kramer, guilty."

Whispers and gasps in the courtroom, the sound of someone whimpering.

"On the count of kidnapping in the first degree, what say the jury?"

"We find Zachariah Kramer and Matthew Kramer, guilty."

More audible sounds of disbelief.

"For the crime of aiding and abetting in a kidnapping, what do you find?"

"We find Isaac Kramer and Pierre Choteau, guilty."

Melanie Kramer could be heard now, sobbing, her son just found guilty of this charge.

"For the crime of a bystander witnessing the kidnapping, attempted rape and torture of a detective and civilian, what does the jury find?"

"We find the defendants Isaac Kramer and Pierre Choteau and Matthew Kramer, guilty.

"And for the crime of attempted rape of a police officer, what does the jury find?"

"We find the defendant, Zachariah Kramer, guilty."

Alex looked at her wife who was smiling, tears in her eyes, her mouth inward as she nodded slowly. Brown eyes turned and looked at her and Olivia took her hand.

"Officers take these men to the jail until tomorrow. All guilty persons will be remanded to the Warren County jail overnight. Sentencing will happen tomorrow at eight o'clock, sharp."

More bustle in the courtroom as the four defendants, now guilty, were shackled, and were begun to be led out.

"But before you take them, I'd like to say a few words." Judge Newman motioned for the now-cuffed men to take a few steps further back into the courtroom. "Olivia Benson-Cabot and Alex Benson-Cabot…the town of Bolton Landing, Warren County, and I, myself, would like to personally apologize for this case. It never should have taken place. True, the justice system worked in your favor, as it should have, and everyone has their sixth amendment right to a trial by jury, but the emotional strain of preparing, testifying, and having your personal lives on display should never have happened. On behalf of the town and myself, I offer my sincerest apologies."

Alex nodded, feeling her emotions now, felt Olivia squeeze her hand, and then looked at her wife before looking back at the judge. "Thank you, Your Honor."

"Members of the jury, this Court dismisses you and thanks you for a job well done. This court is adjourned." She pounded her gavel once more, stood, smiled at Alex and Olivia and then made her way out of sight.

Although not completely happy with the idea, and she knew her wife wasn't, either, they were in a confined board room of the Bolton Landing Courthouse, opening a bottle of champagne with their attorneys. Olivia raised her glass as they toasted.

"To winning!" Bannister claimed loudly.

"To winning!" everyone recited in unison.

Olivia looked at her wife and her wife at her. She wanted to talk to her, to celebrate in private, to be with her alone, now that this was over, once more.

"To winning, Liv," Alex said softly before taking another sip.

"To winning, Babe." She wanted so badly to kiss her, right then and there, but their affection would have to wait, because she was sure that once she started, she wouldn't be able to stop loving her wife.

Things needed to be done first. There was family to call, and then they could celebrate in true Benson-Cabot, marriage style. But Olivia realized that it might not happen until they were relaxed, free of everything, and back in the sanctity of their home on the Upper East Side.

A gentle knock on the door then and everyone turned.

Judge Nancy Newman poked her head inside, black robe still on, and now that she was standing there, up close, Olivia saw that she wasn't more than five feet tall, at best.

"I just wanted to come and congratulate you and your attorneys." She smiled.

Handshakes were had by the men and the petite woman and then Judge Newman approached, placing her hand on the detective's upper arm.

"You two are heroes in my book. Congratulations on your success in this trial." She smiled. "May I give you a hug?" Her face was emotional.

It was the first true emotion Olivia had seen all trial long. The empathy in her face, in her eyes, was palpable.

Olivia nodded and felt her own eyes begin to tear and she hugged the short woman. Pulling away, she looked at Alex.

"I noticed that the stress of this really physically affected you, Alex. I hope that you can return home, to your kids, to your family, and move on with your wonderful life."

She and Alex embraced and then pulled away.

"Thank you, Judge," Alex rasped.

"Champagne?" Keyes offered.

"Not right now, Counselor. I have an arraignment in a few minutes. But…rain check?" She raised her eyebrows.

"Of course," he agreed.

Olivia looked back at her wife as Judge Newman left the room. She took another sip. "Ready to get back and let Jonathan and the kids know?"

Alex nodded fervently. "Absolutely, Liv."

Best Eastern Hotel Suites

5:13 p.m.

"They were found guilty on all counts." Alex smiled at her wife from where she was seated on the sofa, having changed into a pair of faded jeans and a gray tank top.

Olivia entered the space now, moving into the kitchen, having changed into a pair of black Adidas track pants and a fitted black t-shirt. The brunette stepped to the counter and pulled a bottle of red wine toward her by the neck, a huge smile on her face. She opened the drawer and removed the corkscrew before beginning to open it.

Alex set her iPhone to speaker and then held it in her right hand.

"That's awesome!" Theo beamed.

"Sentencing is tomorrow morning," Alex offered, watching her wife pour two glasses.

"So, you'll be home tomorrow?" Jonathan asked.

Alex laughed lightly, her wife approaching with two, filled glasses. "We will. Probably by noonish?"

"Sounds good. I guess we'll have to clean up in here, then…get the carpet cleaners in here, call the cleaning service, get all the stains off the sofa…" Jonathan joked. "Do all the dirty dishes…"

"I'm sure it'll be spotless, John-John…"

Olivia sat, left leg tucked beneath her, and handed Alex a glass, holding her own, cupping the bowl. She took a sip and swallowed.

"Mama?" Theo's voice again.

"I'm here, Baby."

"How are you two feeling?" Casey questioned.

Alex smiled at her wife, swallowing a sip. "We're feeling stunned, relieved…but we're feeling amazing that it's finally almost over."

Olivia nodded and smiled, swallowing, her eyes not leaving her own. "It's a great feeling, Jonathan, Case…we both feel like normal life awaits and we're so ready for it…for normalcy again."

"Where are the girls?" Alex questioned, realizing that she hadn't heard their squeaky voices yet.

"Iz is at ballet workshop and Gracie is at her private cello lesson. I'm picking them up in an hour," Casey informed them.

"And then we're going to go out to Oath Pizza for dinner," Theo added enthusiastically.

"Get a couple of extra pies—a combo and a margherita," Olivia enthused. "We can have some tomorrow when we get home. Mmmm…I love Oath Pizza." She smiled.

"You do, Babe." Alex reached for her wife's knee and squeezed firmly.

"Well, guys…" Olivia began. "We're gonna relax and pack and we'll see you tomorrow. OK?"

"Sounds good," Jonathan said.

"Relax and enjoy, ladies," Casey husked.

"We love you, Theo…remember the pizzas." Olivia took another sip.

"Love you, Baby," Alex added.

"We will! I love you, too!" he beamed.

And the call was disconnected, two beeps signaling the end. Alex put her phone to sleep and then leaned forward and set it on the coffee table.

"To us, Al. To getting through this and standing by each other." Olivia held her glass in the air.

They clinked glasses and took another sip.

"I couldn't have done it without you, Babe. You're my rock…always have been."

A comfortable silence then, the two just watching each other as they continued to sip.

"Dinner? Wine? Maybe a movie? Then we'll pack?"

Alex smiled broadly. "All of that, Liv. All of it sounds like perfection."

They had made a dinner of pan-sautéed chicken, salad, and bouillon-infused quinoa. The bottle of wine was finished, dishes done, and they now lay on the sofa—Olivia lying down the length on her back, and Alex on top of her, each resting comfortably.

Olivia's fingertips were stroking the length of the blonde's back—up slowly, down slowly—as they neared the end of My Best Friend's Wedding, both having seen it for the millionth time in their lives.

"Mmmmm, that feels good, Liv…"

Olivia smiled to herself, feeling the utter relaxation from the wine, from the decrease in stress, from a full belly, and from her wife's heat and weight on top of her.

Alex moaned again and nuzzled herself further into her wife, her cheek on her breast. She felt her wife's head turn and then gentle lips brushing across her upper chest, as the blonde moaned her contentment once more.

And the sound went straight to the brunette's core. Olivia bit her lower lip then, lifting her hips slightly and adjusting her backside.

Alex lifted herself slightly on her elbows and looked down at her. "Are you uncomfortable?"

Olivia reached for a stray hair from the blonde's now-lopsided ponytail and tucked it behind her ear, still biting her lower lip. She shook her head. "Not at all."

The brunette felt the flush in her own cheeks, the heat rising up as she looked at her wife's relaxed, rosy face, knowing that the blonde was now thinking what she was thinking.

"I can't wait for our privacy again, Al. I mean…yes, we do have this hotel room, and no one will disturb us, but…"

"It's not the same as our bed, our freedom and comfort…" she began giggling then, "…our lair of love."

Olivia smiled. "Has been for sixteen years, Babe. Since Theo was a baby."

"It'll be so much more perfect there, won't it?" Alex raised her eyebrows.

Olivia nodded. "And then coffee and pancakes in our own kitchen with the family in the morning…"

"And all will be right…" Alex rasped.

"And all will be right," Olivia repeated.

"But…can I…?" Alex raised herself higher onto her body, their faces now aligned.

Olivia smiled, eyeing the relaxed beauty in front of her. Those eyes that spoke volumes, everything they needed to say, that full, pink mouth right there, that cute nose.

The blonde leaned in closer, her breath hovering, and Olivia closed her eyes, taking in her wife's scent, the hot breath against her mouth, before those lips were finally pressed to her own. The brunette reached both of her hands down now and clutched her wife's backside firmly before letting her hands travel upward still, beneath her gray tank, and letting her digits glide along the silky-smooth skin there.

And Alex moaned again, pulling away and resting her forehead against her own, her breathing now having quickened.

"I don't wanna stop, Liv, but I wanna be home…you know?" She opened her eyes and looked into her own.

"I do know, Al…" Olivia cleared her voice of the lust and smiled. "Soon enough, Babe."

Saturday, July 20th, 12:12 p.m.

East 91st Street and Lexington Avenue

Upper East Side, New York

Zachariah Kramer got fifty years to life. Matthew, thirty. Isaac and Pierre Choteau each got twenty, with the possibility of early release for good behavior.

They had entered the city now, the lights and sounds and bustle never looking so amazing to Olivia and she looked over at Alex, who was looking out of the passenger window of the Rover, smiling. They had just exited the FDR and had taken East 91st Street and were about to turn left on Lexington—their street. Only twelve blocks until they were home.

Olivia reached over and placed her hand on the back of her wife's neck as she drove, massaging firmly.

Alex closed her eyes, still smiling. "We're gonna be in our house, Liv."

"I know, Al."

"We're gonna see our kids." Alex's voice caught.

"We are."

"Is this real?"

"It's real, Babe. It's happened. It's over." Olivia smiled, still watching the road. They were now at the light that they would turn left on to take them to their alleyway.

Alex took a deep breath and let it out. "It's over. We're here," she whispered. "We're home."

Olivia pulled the black Rover into their driveway and depressed the garage door opener, watching as the door lifted.

Slowly, she pulled the SUV inside, put it in park, and watched as everyone came out to greet them—Jonathan, Casey, Theo, Grace, and Isabel.

Their family.

And Olivia's eyes filled with tears. The relief, the love, the comfort all hitting her at once and she let her family love her, surround her, hug her, and take care of her, happy to welcome the plethora and outpouring of happiness by the ones who mattered most in her life.

Sunday, July 21st, 7:56 a.m.

Upper East Side, Manhattan

Alex rolled over and was met with the back of her wife's body—warm, soft, inviting. She smiled and reached around her middle and wrapped her arm around her, nuzzling her face into the back of her neck, feeling the tickle from her locks.

"Morning, Babe," Olivia husked.

"Mmmm, morning, Liv," Alex returned.

"Ready to go back to work tomorrow?" Olivia yawned.

"I thought we were trying to slow down, Liv," Alex cuddled her wife even more tightly. "But I do feel the intense need to be intellectually stimulated. Work has always been that for me…teaching…mentoring…"

Olivia rolled over now, onto her back and then onto her side to face her. She placed her hand on Alex's hip and just lay, looking at her.

"Intellectually stimulated?" Olivia smiled. "So, you're saying I haven't stimulated your brain over the past couple of months?"

Alex threw her an unyielding expression. "Come on, Babe. You and I…we…it's been hard. We've only thought of the case…worried non-stop…you know what I mean…but…" she smiled, "…you and me…"

Olivia raised her eyebrows. "Yes? You and me? We?"

Alex smiled and then cupped her wife's jaw, letting her thumb swipe along the now-smooth skin there. "We have a connection like no other. We don't need words. We can read each other without saying anything."

Olivia turned her face and kissed her wife's hand softly. "You're right about that, Al."

They moved into each other and pressed their lips to the other's.

Alex felt Olivia's soft, gentle tongue swipe along her lower lip and the blonde moaned, smiling and pulling away.

"Like that?" Olivia husked.

Alex nodded, her eyes still closed. "Like that," she rasped.

Alex opened her eyes then and looked into the most understanding, most in-tune cocoa orbs she had ever looked into.

They spoke volumes of love, of contentment, of connection, of a life they had built together over the past years.

One that was always meant to be, since day one of meeting each other.

And the one thing that Alex knew in her heart of hearts and in her soul of souls was that never left, love won't ever leave, and love would never leave for eons to come.

A/N: That was it! I hope you enjoyed!

Please let me know what you thought about this final chapter. I would love to hear from you. Thank you to all who have stayed with this and have shown your support and love. It has always meant the world!

Patricia