DISCLAIMER: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and all characters are property of NBC and Dick Wolf.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
PAIRING: Olivia Benson/Melinda Warner.

A New Relationship
By Shaughnessy

Epilogue

5 Years Later

"Liv, honey, I'm home." Melinda called as she walked into their home, a beautiful Brownstone they bought the year before.

"Hey, Mel, we're in the bathroom." Olivia answered from upstairs. She was in the middle of giving their daughter a bath. She was a happy 2 year old, named Ellen with pretty brown curls. Olivia and Melinda had adopted her, not long after they moved into their Brownstone.

"There are my angels. How were things today?" Melinda asked.

"We had fun. We went to the book store and got some books and then we went by the pet store to look at the puppies. Ellen fell in love with this little ball of fluff and I couldn't say no."

"You bought a dog?"

"Yeah. He's very sweet and he's house trained." Olivia looked sheepish.

"Where is he?" Olivia pointed behind Mel to where a malamute puppy sat on the stoop looking at them curiously. "A Malamute? Olivia, he'll be huge." Melinda groaned.

"Shadow!" Olivia squealed from the bath. The dog bounded in and propped his feet on the edge of the tub, tongue hanging out.

"Sorry Mel. It was love, nothing I could do." Olivia said as she lifted Ellen out and began drying her off.

"Well it is her birthday, today." She reached down to scratch the pup's ears. "Welcome to the family, Shadow." Olivia grinned and looked at her watch.

"We better hurry. I told everyone 7 at the park. We'll be late." Olivia jumped up and bustled Ellen and Melinda into the master bedroom. They dressed Ellen in her favorite outfit, and then dressed themselves. Melinda put Ellen and Shadow in the car while Olivia got the cake, ice cream, presents, and locked the door without dropping anything.

They were only a few minutes late. The Captain was already there. As they pulled up, Munch, Fin, Elliot and Maureen, and Alex made their way across the park toward them. They were all carrying something for Ellen.

Melinda set up the table while Ellen was passed around to each of their friends. They sang 'Happy Birthday' to her and then they ate cake. After presents were opened and Ellen was asleep from the exhaustion, Captain Cragen made a toast with a cup of soda.

"To an awesome team and the most beautiful baby girl to become part of this family in the last year." They all raised their cups and Maureen pushed them all together for a picture with Ellen in the middle.

The picture was later framed and for as long as she could remember, Ellen had it hanging in her room.

The End

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