Sorry for the long delay everyone, I've just moved apartment buildings and have only now got everything into some kind of order!

Olivia headed to the precinct with the twins and Eli so that she could have a private chat with Cragen. She was still recovering from her C-section so rang Fin to come down and meet her. Fin took a baby carrier in each hand and carried them up into the 1-6 for her.

"Where do you want them Baby girl?"

"Anywhere you can find some space." Olivia answered as she walked in behind him with Eli holding tightly to her hand.

Fin put them down on the desk before undoing the buckle and lifting Jade into his strong arms.

"Could you watch them for me while I go and talk to Cragen?" Olivia asked.

"Sure thing, they'll be just fine with Uncle Fin."

"Eli's not in the best of moods." Olivia whispered to Fin as she passed him.

Fin looked around the room and spotted Eli had climbed up into Olivia's desk chair and was quietly munching on a chocolate bar. Olivia had a stash in the top drawer from when she was pregnant, it was the only way she got through the day sometimes.

"He looks perfectly happy to me."

"Don't let him eat them all."

"Why how many have you got stashed in there?" Fin chuckled.

"Oh I'd say at least fifteen."

Olivia smiled before knocking gently on Cragen's door. He didn't reply immediately which she was immensely grateful for. She took a few minutes to compose herself and convince herself that this was a good idea. Cragen's call of "come in" disrupted her thoughts and she quickly entered his office before she could change her mind.

"Olivia what are you doing here? Elliot's not in."

"I know but I didn't come here to see him. Do you have a moment?"

Olivia turned back towards the open door as a tiny cry filtered into the room

"Don't worry Liv, Munch's ugly face just startled Jake. We got it
covered." Fin shouted.

"More like that hideous shirt you are wearing hurt his poor eyes."

Olivia laughed and once satisfied that her children were okay she closed the office door.

"You brought the babies with you." Cragen smiled, a real smile that reached his eyes.

Although he would never admit it, Elliot and Olivia held a very special place in his heart. Despite the grief they had caused him, despite the lies, deep down they were good people and those babies were the closest he'd ever get to grandchildren. It was his duty to make sure their parents were around to see them grow up.

"What did you want to talk about?"

"You promise to hear me out? This is going to be difficult to hear."

Cragen nodded and motioned for her to take a seat, when she refused he knew it was serious.

He inhaled deeply and prepared himself. He'd been dreading this moment since the twins were born. Every day that she didn't turn up in his office telling him she was leaving was a blessing. He didn't know what the squad was going to do without her, she was their backbone, and she'd saved them all many times. Elliot would be the biggest problem, he wouldn't be able to do this without her, a point that already had been well and truly proven. He couldn't be partners with fin, they would kill each other, he couldn't be partners with munch, the older man wouldn't be able to keep up with him and the prospect of a completely new partner was even more daunting. He would never even give them a chance.

"I want to see Merritt." Olivia said as she watched the older man for his reaction.

"What?" Cragen was shocked but secretly happy that this was all she wanted to discuss.

"I need to see Merritt." She informed him.

"Why are you talking about this with me Olivia? We both know you could get in to see him without my permission."

"Because I don't want to do this behind your back. I couldn't handle the betrayal."

"I appreciate that more than you'll ever know. Why do you need to see him?" Cragen asked as he straightened the picture of Elliot, Olivia and himself that was permanently housed on his desk.

Olivia breathed a heavy sigh.

"I need closure and he's the only one who can give it to me. I need to know where Dean is."

" Why does it matter where he is? As long as he isn't here upsetting you then we don't have a problem."

"It matters to me, it's like I can't really move on until I know. Did you question the video feed?"

"You mean did I consider it to be genuine?"

"Yes."

"No but the tech guys said they are positive it was."

"I think it was a live feed of prerecorded footage and the only reason he isn't back here is because he can't get here."

"Olivia what are you trying to say?"

"He's dead Cap."

"I don't think we should jump to that conclusion."Cragen said seriously.

"He was losing too much blood unless they got him to a hospital then he's dead."

Olivia quickly looked at the floor realizing that she may have just slipped up. If Cragen had noticed then he didn't let on, he tapped his fingers lightly on the desk before answering her.

"Nobody knows how much blood he lost beings someone poured bleach everywhere."

"I need to see him. I need to know what happened when he went inside the warehouse. He wouldn't have helped Porter escape, if he got him out of there it was for a very different reason entirely."

"What makes you think he will tell you? Nobody knows what that man is really like, he has a very twisted mind."

"I'm going to lie to him. I don't want to but it's the only way to make him tell me exactly what happened."

"What exactly do you plan on telling him?" Cragen frowned.

"I'm going to tell him that I'm under suspicion of his murder and that I need him to help clear my name. It's risky, I know that but I can't go on not knowing."

"Well then if we want to make this as realistic as possible we better get started."

"Excuse me?"

"We need to make it realistic, he's a smart man. Let me make a few phone calls"

Olivia's dumbfounded look made him chuckle a little.

"Did you honestly think I would let you do this alone?" He asked her before he picked up the phone and dialed a familiar number.

Olivia waited and listened intently to the phone call progressing in front of her while trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

"You better get yourself off to Rikers, Casey will meet you there."

"What about Eli and the twins?"

"We will watch them until you get back."

"Thanks Don. Everything they need is in the bag by Elliot's desk, diapers, milk, wipes..."

"We'll be fine Liv." Cragen laughed.

0-0-0-0-0-0

Merritt's head snapped upwards as the door opened and ADA Casey Novak walked in, closely followed by Olivia. He immediately noticed the handcuffs imprisoning her wrists.

"Olivia, you had the babies. I kept asking but no one would tell me anything. Are they okay? Are you okay?"

Olivia smiled and gently rubbed her 'jelly' belly as Eli was calling it. As they had relaxed together earlier in the day he had prodded her stomach gently and told her it was like jelly. She was convinced that she still looked pregnant but she knew in reality she really didn't look that bad.

"They are fine. They're perfect." Olivia smiled as a tear ran down her cheek.

"What did you name them?"

"Jacob and Jade."

The tears started to roll down her cheeks more freely as she sat down in the chair.

"Olivia? What's going on?"

"They've arrested me on suspicion of murder."

"Of Agent Porter?"

" Yes."

"They can't do that, they don't have any evidence."

"They have my blood and his blood at the scene and there are discrepancies in my statement."

"But I..."

Merritt paused and looked towards Casey.

"Either you speak or you don't Merritt. Do you realize how much trouble I'll be in if they find out about this?" Casey told him.

"It's okay you can trust her."Olivia coaxed.

"I threw some bleach over the floor, I thought it would ruin it enough."

"It was dark, it's not your fault."

"I should have done a better job." He sighed.

After a few minutes silence Olivia cleared her throat.

"Where is he?"

"Olivia you don't have to worry about him. It's all taken care of."

"If I have to go through another trial my career is over whether I'm
found innocent or not."

"I'm not supposed to tell you. You're not supposed to know anything just in case something goes wrong. We don't want them to tie it back to you."

"Well it's a bit too late for that." Olivia replied as she lifted her hands up to emphasize her point.

"You have a pen and paper?" Merritt asked Casey.

"Sure." Casey skeptically got them out of her briefcase and handed them across the table.

"They're not for me, they're for you. I'm giving you some instructions."

"No games Merritt." Casey warned him as she uncapped the pen.

"Life is a game Ms Novak."

"Merritt please" Olivia pleaded.

Olivia listened intently to the instructions as Merritt gave them to Casey and couldn't help but feel disappointed in the information he was giving.

"Merritt you need to tell me who the other guy is."

"What other guy?"

"You know who I mean."

"Olivia you need to drop this. Follow the instructions and you'll find the answers you need about Agent Porter but after that leave this the hell alone."

" Who are you protecting?"

"I'm protecting you. Please Olivia just walk away from this. If not for your sake then for Jacob and jade. Those are beautiful names by the way."

"Thanks" Olivia smiled.

"Have you got to stay here overnight?"

"Depends what they find after your instructions."

"If you have to stay I'll make sure you are safe, I promise."

Olivia reached across the table and gently stroked his hand.

"Thanks. Is everyone treating you okay?"

"Yes fine, well better than expected."

"Good." Olivia said while visually checking him over for cuts and bruises.

Casey coughed loudly to signal that they had to get moving.

"Make sure those instructions are followed exactly. You have to understand that Fin and Elliot must be the ones to go. It has to be them, promise me?"

"I don't see why it matters who goes..." Casey starts.

"It matters." Merritt finishes abruptly.

"Okay but if this is some kind of set up, I swear to God that you'll never be getting out!"

"It's not a set up although it would be nice if I could get some time off of my sentence for cooperation."

"We'll see. If and only if this works out then I might consider it."

As Casey guided Olivia out the door Merritt quickly called after them.

"Let this go Liv. Trust me it's easier this way."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Munch cringed as the baby boy's crying became louder.

"Why are you crying?"

"He's hardly going to answer you old man."Fin told the older man as he gently rocked the baby in his arms.

"I know that but you've changed him, you've held him, you've taken him for a walk, you've tried to feed him. What else could possibly be wrong?"

"He wants his Mommy man."

"I swear he's just crying to make me even greyer and to send me to an early grave!"

"He's now even a week old his brain doesn't work like that but in time I'm sure he'll get to work on that."

Fins phone starts ringing.

"Here take him a sec Munch."

"You can't be serious. What am I supposed to do with him?"

Fin carefully placed Jacob in Munch's arms and he immediately stopped crying.

"Oh."

"He must like your ugly face!"

"I'm glad someone does." Munch laughed as Fin picked up his cell.