I got my costume finally. Hawkes is supposed to coordinate, but I guess we'll see what happens. Wow. I have a date and we're coordinating...weird.

( Private )

Nothing quite like a relaxing Sunday lunch at a good diner.

( Private )

I'm exhausted. I'm back, but I'm exhausted. I think I'm set on "family time" for awhile. No rush to go through all of that again.

( Email to whoever's running SVU these days [which I should have posted a couple days ago] )

For anyone concerned, I'm leaving town for a long weekend. If I'm needed you can reach me on my cell. I know I promised you dinner, Danny, but maybe when I return and everything isn't insane.

( Private )

(This happened about a week ago. It follows storyline mainly with her sister Evie, who has been in town visiting. This is the beginning of things that have escalated between Lani and Evie. More to come. Also, I have several pieces I've written from Evie's perspective over the last few months. If anyone is interested, please say so and I'll post them in chelsea piers.)

Kala and Lani had been on the couch watching television. It had been awhile since they had been home together, so they had dinner and relaxed. Evie, who was supposedly visiting, wasn't around. Neither were quite sure where she was spending her time.

Sometime before midnight, when Lani was getting ready to head for bed, the front door opened. They both looked up as Evie walked into the living room. She had been drinking again, and it was obvious to both sisters. Until then, it had remained mostly unspoken. Kala bit her lip and kept her eyes to the TV. Whatever was going on between her sisters was getting too much for her. She hated fighting.

"Have fun?" Lani asked quietly, but dryly. Evie gave her oldest sister a blank stare then sat down on Kala's other side.

"Tons," Evie replied.

"Is that how you're gonna spend all your time here? Going out wherever and getting drunk?" All three sisters had their eyes on the TV as Lani spoke.

"Beats being here."

( .... )

One might think moving across the country would keep family away, but no.

I really need to get my own place. If anyone gets harassed by a loud mouthed 24 year old from Hawaii...I apoligize. And don't let her cute exterior fool you.

( Private )

( Email to Danny Messer )

Lani was at the coffee pot in the corner of the squad room when her cell rang. She grabbed it and answered without checking the caller ID. "Rallita," she answered.

"Hiiii!" Evie's voice rang out a bit too cheerfully for Lani's taste. Her eyes shot to the clock on the wall, it was barely six pm.

( .... )

Well my sister Bailey has finally made my parents happy. She and her fiance have set a date. They were going to wait awhile longer, but apparently decided why not go ahead. And they aren't joking around about it, either. March. Knowing my sister? Seven months isn't long enough to plan this thing, but good luck to her. She said she wants to come here to look for a dress. Should be fun.

And I really love my idiot brother. He decided to get his daughter a cat for her birthday. She's three. He's regretting it. I'm laughing my ass off. Poor little Pete (female cat mind you).

( Private )

So I've been watching this kid from my building lately. Her dad lives down the hall and he's widowed so he needs the help. When I actually have time that I'm not at work, and he needs relief, I step in. Lizzy is a great kid. She's six and she comes over here or I go there. Such a sweetheart. I've really been missing my nieces and nephews, so it's been good.

And I had coffee with Val the other day, it was good seeing her. Alive. Well.

I'm forming some kind of life here...and Messer isn't the only person I hang out with outside of work...the world must be ending.

( Private )

(Goes along with storyline I'm working on for her sister Evie. Not posting the other stuff here. If you want to see Evie's stuff, just let me know.)

( .... )

(This is me attempting to keep my journals updated..don't kick me out if I don't this month...please?

Okay, so this little fic is following a larger story arc going on with Avery. I posted the beginning of it here in chelsea piers. The next pieces are in his journal here:part 2 part 3 and part 4 of which this piece immediately follows..same night and such. Lemme know what you think. And forgive me but the computer I am on sucks and my g's and spaces may not work out..I'll try to catch and edit. You don't have to read Avery's posts to understand what's going on here...but you should. This all started weeks ago and would have been resolved if my computer didn't SUCK.)

( .... )

I'm starting to wonder if this kid will ever leave. Really. Talk about overstaying a welcome. And I'm sorry, but if he's going to be staying here Kala does NOT need to be going out with Ben. She needs to be here - keeping me from killing her friend.

( Email to Danny Messer )

I might just hurt someone. And that someone would be a little shit named, Dylan. I hated that kid when he was a kid, and I hate him now when he's crashing on our couch. Why my sister keeps in touch with him - I will never know. At least she's actually staying at home now and not leaving me alone with him. I didn't see her much the first week she was home from Italy because she was at Ben's.

I can't wait til Dylan leaves. In fact, I might be finding a hotel soon. Damn punk.

My sister is in Italy, I have the apartment completely to myself and...that's where the story ends. There is something very wrong with this. I'm itching to make a big meal...if anyone wants to come over?

( Private )

(Danny conversation used from rp with permission. Also, language warning in post. Just so ya know.)

Lani glanced at the caller ID when her cell phone rang. Her brother Ken. She sighed. This was a call she wouldn't be ignoring. She answered it and got up to take it elsewhere in the precinct. Danny had already been giving her looks, she didn't need anymore.

( .... )

Lani slipped back to her desk after a late lunch and started to settle in. "Hey Rallita," she heard across the room. She glanced up and saw one of her coworkers. "Call for you," he said motioning to her phone. She looked down at the phone and the blinking light and looked back up.

"Who is it?"

"Some guy. Says he's from the DA's office in Honolulu."

She blinked and shook her head swiftly. "Tell him I just ran out the door."

"I just told him you were-"

"Tell him I just ran out the door," she snapped. She gave the phone one more long glance before turning her focus back to the computer.

( Private )

(ooc: Again, would really appreciate thoughts. She too is struggling. And new layout!)

A phone was ringing through the apartment. Lani groaned and batted a hand at the bedside table in the direction of her cell phone. Grabbing hold of it she held it to her ear, but there was no one on the line. The phone kept ringing. It took her a minute longer to remember that it was the land line phone ringing. Not a cell phone. The phone that rarely rang. Her eyes popped open and she looked at the clock. 2:48 am. Who in the hell would be calling? Her heartbeat picked up slowly and she threw the covers off herself, then trudged down the hall. She didn't bother turning on any lights as she made her way to the living room. She picked up the phone and curled up on the couch as Kala poked around out of the hallway. Blinking sleepily, Kala leaned against the wall waiting to see who was calling.

“'Lo?” Lani muttered.

“Hey, Rallita.”

Lani groaned and waved her sister off. Kala shrugged and went back to bed. “Damn, Freddie, what's wrong with you? Did you forget there's a time difference between New York and Hawaii?”
( .... )

Lani had been working since early morning, and working hard at that. Her cell phone kept ringing with calls from her various family to wish her a happy birthday and she let them all go to voicemail. Then she would listen to the voicemails and smile. Her sister had actually woken up earlier than her (or maybe Kala never went to bed) to make Lani breakfast in bed and the two sat for an hour and ate and laughed.

It had been a good morning.

But now she was working.

Until she was distracted..

"Excuse me," someone said, clearing their throat behind her. She turned around and her eyes went wide at the bike messenger standing before her. He had a giant balloon and a bouquet of flowers in his arms. She slowly looked up at the huge balloon. She didn't say a word. The boy pointed at her deskplate with her name on it. "You're Lani Rallita?" She nodded slowly. "These are for you."

She shook her head, not wanting them.

"They are," he said. He smiled. "Happy Birthday." He put the flowers on her desk and held the balloon out to her. "This is an awesome balloon..watch!" The kids eyes lit up and he pulled the giant foil balloon down closer to her. "See..you just tap it and.."

The balloon started to sing - breaking through the usual sounds of the squadroom. Lani was going to kill her sister.

The boy chuckled and tried to hand over the balloon once more. She grudgingly took it as it kept singing. The messenger left and Lani sat frozen, balloon in hand, shock on face.