Bits and Pieces

Disclaimer: The characters do not belong to me, but I'm sure Mr Wolf won't mind.

This is the sequel to Picking Up the Pieces, where Kathy died. While you don't have to have read it for this to make sense, it will give you some background information. This is set three years on.

To Laura and Hannah, thank you for everything.

To Sam, love you heaps and I appreciated the chat ... not that it was evident last weekend, but I did.

/bitsandpieces\

Three years on

Olivia Stabler moaned and rolled over in the large, otherwise empty bed. Her eyes opened as she struggled to focus in the darkness of her bedroom.

They'd been living in this house in DC nearly six months and she still had to think twice about her surroundings when she awoke. But she never had to think twice about the cause of her late night wake up. Olivia slowly pushed herself and held her arms out as her youngest daughters came into the room.

"I'm sorry, mom, I couldn't get her to stop," said Liz, carrying her distressed three and a half year old year old sister, Molly.

"Hey pumpkin," she soothed reaching out for her youngest daughter, who bore a striking resemblance to herself but with her daddy's deep blue eyes. "Come to mommy." Molly reached out and clung to her. "Hey, hey, what's wrong, Molly, huh?"

"She was calling for dad," Liz reported, sitting down on the edge of the bed and rubbing Molly's back. "She's been like this for twenty minutes." Liz said, stifling another yawn.

"You should have woken me, baby, I would have got up to her," Olivia said trying to sit up in the bed with Molly still attached.

"You haven't been well, mom, I thought I'd do it," Liz said.

"Thanks, Liz, but I'm okay," she said, rubbing Molly's back.

"Want daddy," sobbed Molly into Olivia's chest.

"So do I, pumpkin, but he's not here," Olivia soothed.

"When's he coming home?" Liz asked.

"As soon as he can, baby, as soon as he can." She kissed Molly's head and rocked her gently.

Before long the sobs had subsided and Molly had drifted off to sleep.

Olivia eased her down into the bed beside her and covered her up. She turned back as Liz went to get up. She took her hand and pulled her closer.

"That's one of my babies happy, let me try and make it two. What's up, Liz?" she asked quietly.

"Nothing, mom," she said, shaking her head.

"You said nothing last week when you'd been in your room crying, you said it on Saturday when you pretended to be sick so you wouldn't have to go out with Jessica and you said that last night when you were laying on your bed doing nothing," Olivia said gently.

Liz sat quietly and dropped her head. Molly rolled over in bed so Olivia moved into the middle and Liz slipped in beside her.

"Talk to me, baby girl," Olivia soothed and Liz wrapped her arms around her stepmom.

"Carrie emailed me last week to say Jason is going out with Carla Ellis," she said as Olivia stroked her hair.

"Oh, baby, why didn't you tell me?" Olivia said kissing her.

"You were sick and …" she began.

"I'm never too sick for you, Liz…you could have told me." She hugged her tighter.

Olivia waited patiently and knew her fifteen year old daughter would tell her in her own good time.

And eventually she did.

"I knew when we moved it wouldn't work with me being here and Jason in New York and I know we broke up when we were back there seeing Dad two months ago but…" Her voice trailed and she sighed deeply.

"But you didn't think he'd get a new girlfriend so soon," Olivia ended Liz's train of thought.

She shook her head. "No, I didn't. I mean I know it's easier for him to get on with things, he's still got all his friends, he's not the one who had to move away…"

Olivia kissed her head again. No one was overly excited by the move to DC, but Liz was the least excited of the all. She argued against it from the first time Elliot raised the matter over dinner one night. She protested at every possible occasion and boycotted most of the packing. In the end she conceded it had to be done and she wouldn't be allowed to stay in New York with Maureen. Reluctantly, she agreed to try and be happy about it.

"You'll find someone here, baby," Olivia soothed.

"No, I won't. I hate it here and they hate me," she sobbed.

Olivia pulled back from her. "Just last week you were talking about Tori, Stacy and Vanessa. What's happening with them?"

"They're just girls in my class, I've had lunch with them a few times, not exactly friends," she said, wiping at her eyes.

"Baby girl, why didn't you tell me you were having so much trouble settling in?" Olivia asked.

"Because you'd probably have thought it was my fault because I never wanted to come here in the first place," she grumbled, trying to get up but Olivia wouldn't let her go.

"I would never have thought that, Liz," Olivia soothed. "Is there another reason you didn't tell me?"

"Honestly, didn't think you'd care…" she began.

"What?!" Olivia interrupted.

"No, I knew you'd care but you had stuff to do with the house and Molly and starting your new job. And dad was away which made everything worse and I tried to tell Kathleen when I spoke to her last week and she said it was all my fault…I didn't want to be here and to quit making everybody miserable with my problems." Liz sighed again.

Olivia shook her head; Kathleen had a lot to learn about supporting others, especially her sisters. "Elizabeth Stabler, look at me!" Olivia commanded quietly. "Your dad and I are never too busy for you; you can always come to us regardless of what else is happening. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, mom," she said and hugged her tightly. "Can I sleep with you guys tonight?"

"Sure, honey, just go around to your dad's side," she said. Liz went around the bed and slipped into Elliot's side of the bed, a place he hadn't been in just over three months. Olivia readjusted the quilt and snuggled down stretching her arm over her daughters.

"I like this bed," Liz said as fixed the pillow.

"I do too," she replied.

"It's a good size for the three of us," she yawned.

"Three of us?" Olivia questioned. "I think you have your dad's problem."

"Which one?" Liz asked, opening her eyes.

"Not being able to count," Olivia smiled.

"Mom, there are three of us in the bed," Liz said.

"Can you keep a secret?" Olivia asked, her eyes gleaming.

"Sure!" Liz propped herself up on an elbow.

"There are four in the bed," Olivia beamed. "I'm pregnant,"

"Pregnant? Really?" Liz said.

"Doctor confirmed it earlier today when I was there," Olivia replied grinning.

"Wow!" Liz went to hug her stepmother but was restricted by Molly. She jumped out of bed and ran around launching herself at Olivia and squeezing her tightly. "I'm so happy!"

"So am I, baby," Olivia said, kissing Liz's head.

"And dad doesn't know?" she asked.

"No, I tried to ring, left lots of messages but he was out," Olivia said. "I'll find a way to surprise him."

"He's going to be so excited!" Liz squealed, obviously enthused.

"I hope so," Olivia said. They had never said no to another baby but they hadn't exactly planned on it either.

"I guess this baby has one thing in common with us," Liz said as she rounded the bed once more.

"What's that, honey?" Olivia asked.

"Baby was made in New York like the rest of us kids," Liz grinned.

In the darkness of the room, Liz couldn't see the embarrassed flush on Olivia's face. "Um, yeah," she finally conceded.

/bitsandpieces\