&. * NEXT GEN !

      ❝    mom ?    ❞    zara looks up from her book as she removes the glasses from her face and sets them down on the side table located directly next to her.  zara pulls the blanket that she’d had draped around her shoulders tighter around her , before crossing the room and taking a seat next to maria on the couch.  she smiles softly , before tucking her legs underneath her and propping her head up with her hand while her elbow is supported by the couch cushion.    ❝    when did you know you loved daddy ?    ❞

       he smiled at his daughters excitement, grabbing his wallet   &   then phone, putting them in his pockets.     ❝    fine, but you’re not playing with it the whole time.    ❞    it was almost weird, to think his little girl was already driving, but at the same time, as he watched her getting her things, smile on her face, there was a feeling of pride as he watched her getting older, see who she was becoming.     ❝     ready ?    ❞

❝    daddy !!    ❞    lizzie marches back into the kitchen  ,  small hands grasping tightly to the edges of the ceramic plate her grilled cheese was currently placed on.  setting the plate back on the counter  ,  lizzie’s arms fold across her chest while an unamused expression falls upon features identical to elliot’s.  rolling her eyes  ,  lizzie peels the two pieces of bread apart  ,  to reveal the paper used to separate the pre-sliced cheese.  hands flail dramatically  ,  before she lets out a huff.   ❝    you forgot to take the paper off the cheese before you grilled it !!  you fed me cheese paper !!    ❞  

young child stops in the doorway while the hand grasped tightly onto her mother’s abruptly lets go.  her blue  ,  doe like eyes ( undeniably inherited from her father ) meet olivia’s brown ones  ,  as eyebrows start to knit together.   ❝    can we maybe just stay home instead ?    ❞  lizzie starts rocking back and forth on her heels  ,  before emitting a soft sigh.  ❝    it’s just  ...  it’s supposed to be a mama - lizzie day  ,  but every time we go somewhere  ,  at least one person comes up and says they love you , they want a picture  ,  or both.    ❞    arms fold across her chest  ,  and she now lets out a huff.  ❝    but i love you the most ! you’re my mommy !    ❞

❝    just let it go , katy.    ❞  lizzie starts gathering up all the makeup brushes kathleen had brought into her room  and places them swiftly back in her elder sister’s makeup bag.  pushing blonde locks out of her cerulean eyes , the youngest stabler daughter folds her hands into her lap and clears her throat.  ❝    mom says a lot of things.    ❞  lizzie sighs softly , head shaking as she starts twisting the ring currently on her pointer finger in continuous circles.   ❝    well , things change.  i’m not going , anymore , okay ?    ❞