This is a continuance to "An Unexpected Life" so you should really read that first. :)

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Running through her day in her head, Alex was making a mental list of whats and wheres. She would be in court most of the morning and then dealing with the rookies in her bureau, which of course meant another day of dealing with Jim. The man irritated to her to no end and it had only gotten worse since she'd adopted Allie and actually married Olivia. The blonde sighed as she ran a hair brush through her hair then swapped it for her glasses. As she padded in her stocking feet past the adjoining bathroom in her and Olivia's bedroom she called out, "Liv! You're going to be late!"

There was some muffled replied that she barely caught but it made her smile none the less. Stopping at her daughter's door she eased it open to peek in at the still sleeping child. Ah the joys of school holidays. Allie still had the rest of the week to enjoy before having to go back to the second grade. Easing the door closed again she made her way into the kitchen.

"See, showered and ready." Came Olivia's voice as she entered the kitchen a few moments later. "And you wonder why I went back to short hair."

Alex smiled as she watched Olivia getting her morning coffee. She'd liked Olivia's long hair, but had to admit this was her favorite look. Short hair, fitted slacks, button up blouse over a tight t-shirt, and leather jacket. The first time Alex had walked into the squad room and seen Olivia standing there, looking like that, she went weak in the knees. Even now all these years later the look still made her swoon.

"What?" Olivia asked as she turned around to find Alex staring at her with the tip of her glasses in her mouth. God she loved those glasses. There was nothing sexier then Alex Cabot in those damn black frame glasses.

"What?" Alex repeated with a smirk. "I'm not allowed to admire my wife?"

Olivia's brow went up as she slide closer to the blonde sitting at their kitchen table. "As long as mine doesn't mind when I ogle her first thing in the morning."

That made the blonde laugh. "You watched me get dressed and took a great amount of pleasure in it."

Brown eyes grew bright as Olivia smirked. "Why do you think I needed such a long shower?"

Alex accepted the kiss that was meant to keep her from replying and deepened it. If this got any more playful they'd both end up late, so she had to force herself to pull away from those wonderful lips. "You're going to be late."

"So are you." Olivia teased.

"Waiting on the babysitter." Alex replied as she licked her lips. "And don't forget Allie's appointment. I've asked Elizabeth for some extra time so we can talk to her."

Olivia nodded slowly then kissed her wife again quickly. "How do you do that?" She asked as she put the cap on her travel mug then set it on the table by the chair her jacket was hanging from.

"Do what?" The blonde ADA asked as she got to her feet and headed for the kitchen door.

"Make the most mundane tasks sound sexy." The brunette replied as she grabbed her cup and jacket and followed.

Alex didn't reply she simply grinned then headed back towards their bedroom to get her shoes.

Olivia blew out a slow breath then chuckled as she shook her head. Sneaking down the hall she slipped in to give Allie a kiss and leave her a note on the dry erase board over her desk. As she stepped back into the hall she managed to literally catch Alex in her arms. "I need to run a quick errand this afternoon before Allie's appointment, but I'll be there."

"Alright," Alex replied then kissed her wife goodbye. Ten minutes later there was a knock on the door and she smiled warmly as she let Mrs. Margolis in. "Good morning, Carlotta."

"Good morning dear," The older woman replied.

"Allie's still asleep but should be up soon." Alex said as she finished putting her briefcase together. She'd already kissed her daughter and left her own little note, so all she had to do now was make it to court on time. "I should be home around two."

"Alright," Mrs. Margolis said as she walked Alex to the door. "Have a good day."

"Good work people." Cragen said as his people peeled off their flack jackets and vests.

They'd been working a prostitution case for over a week and half and had finally gotten the break they'd needed. Although Olivia hadn't expected gearing up to raid the prep's house, she was still glad they'd nailed the bastard. Checking the clock on the wall against her watch she sighed. If she got her paper work done she could still make it out early but not as early as she'd have liked.

After processing the prep, making arguments for the victims, and taking statements Olivia was practically running out the door. She'd never make it up there and back if she took a cab so she decided to sign out a police sedan since technically she was still on call. She waited until she made it to the independent living community Sally lived in to call Alex to let her know she was running late, but would be there to talk to Elizabeth.

"Hello Detective Benson." The home nurse greeted when she opened the door after Olivia had knocked.

Olivia smiled. "Hi Carrie." She replied then followed the young woman in. She smiled as she watched Sally walk slowly across her living room and then ease into her chair. "I hope you don't mind me stopping by like this."

Sally waved her hand and tisked at the younger woman. "You're family dear. You can drop by whenever you'd like."

"I'll get you both some tea." Carrie said then disappeared into the kitchen.

"You're looking good Sally." Olivia said as she took a seat near her daughter's grandmother. "Stronger then you were a few weeks ago."

"The doctors think I'm pushing myself to hard." The old woman huffed. "What do they know? I've known this body a lot longer then they have."

Olivia smiled at that.

"So what did you want to talk to me about Mamele." Sally asked after Carrie had given them their tea.

"Well," Olivia said, suddenly unsure of how to approach the subject. She'd had it all worked out in her head when she'd come up with the idea. Finally she decided to just say what ever came to mind. "See, Alex's family has this long family history that they're all aware of. Stories about people and events and stuff. I don't have that. I know very little about my mother's family and nothing about my father's." She paused a moment to collect her thoughts then looked up at Sally. "I want Allie to have her history. The story you told us about your family and about the first time you saw a Christmas tree, and about who you are and where you came from and who she is."

Sally smiled and nodded. She understood. "You'd like me to record my stories in some way, so that Allie will always have them."

Olivia nodded. "Alex and I can and will give Allie everything we can, but there's just some things we can't."

"I have always kept a journal." Sally said as she glanced over at a small desk where a leather book sat. "It was hard for awhile when I couldn't hold a pen, but I can write again so I've begun to catch up so to speak." Then she looked at Olivia again. "They will all go to Allie of course. Everything I have will go to her."

"Would you consider recording your stories, audio or video, or something like that?" Olivia asked carefully. "Something so she'll have the sound of your voice."

Sally looked at the younger woman for few long moments and then nodded. "It's hard on the heart when you wake up one morning and realize you can no longer remember the sound of your mother's voice, yet you can still her hear words."

Olivia nodded as she looked down into her tea. New Year's Eve, it had been the first time she could remember her mother's voice without the fear in it, without the terror she heard in the audio of her statement to the police.

"For my Allie," Sally said as she leaned over and placed her hand on Olivia's knee. "And for you, I will do this."

Olivia smiled warmly, lovingly, at the older woman. "Thank you Sally."

Alex looked at her watch again and sighed. Where was Olivia? Allie's session was almost over and they were due to talk to Elizabeth as soon as it was.

"Sorry I'm late." Olivia said breathlessly as she suddenly popped into the room and into the chair beside Alex.

"Call?" Alex asked. If she weren't apart of Olivia's work world, she'd be really annoyed at it. No wonder Elliot and Kathy had issues.

Olivia shook her head. "Ran out to talk to Sally." She began to explain and the paused when the office door opened and Allie came bouncing out.

"All done getting my head shrunk." The girl said cheerily.

Alex rolled her eyes. She hated when Allie called it that. "Mommy and I need to talk to Elizabeth for a few moments, baby girl. Can you sit out here with Jackie for little while?"

Allie looked over at the doctor's assistant and then back at her mother. "Alright Mama." She smiled brightly. "I brought my DS."

"Which means you took it to school." Alex looked at her daughter as she rose to her feet. "We'll talk about that at home."

"So," Elizabeth Olivet asked as she closed her office door and waved at a pair of chairs. "What's on your minds?"

Alex and Olivia exchanged looks as they sat and then Alex explained. "Well, Olivia and I have started talking about making some changes in our lives."

"We've agreed to talk about talking about it." Olivia added in.

"We'd like to start thinking of having another child." Alex went on.

Elizabeth smiled as she leaned back in her own chair. "And you want to know if Allie's ready for it?"

Both Alex and Olivia nodded.

"It's only been a year since this all started, barely a year since she came into our home." Alex said. "We don't want to push anything if she isn't ready. We'll wait if we have too."

"Have you talked to her about it?" Elizabeth asked.

"No," Olivia answered. "We wanted to see if it was a good idea first. She's not having as many night terrors now, just normal kid nightmares from time to time. She's doing well in school, and she's excited about taking art classes this summer and violin lessons on the weekends, and softball with Casey this spring."

"She's alright about us going out, but we still have to call in." Alex picked up as Elizabeth just listened. "She still doesn't trust anyone outside her little circle, and she's still very leery of men other then her uncles and a few people in our building. She still worries that Olivia or I are going to leave her, but only after something stressful has happened or she's had a night terror."

Elizabeth smiled. "Sounds like you two just said about as much as I could have told you. Allie's adjusting well to her new life with the two of you. She feels safe and secure and willing to taking tiny steps outside her safety zones as long as she knows you're there if she needs you. The trauma from her grandmother's attack we're still working on, but at this point in her progress it's a totally separate issue."

Again Alex and Olivia shared a look before Alex asked, "So it's alright to talk to her about the idea of another child?"

"I think she'd make a great big sister." Elizabeth smiled. "Just watch and wait for the right time to bring it up. You two know your little girl well. Trust yourselves."

Olivia smiled, "Thanks Elizabeth."

"It's what you pay me for." The other woman teased and then laughed. "Besides, it's what friends do."