Summary: [It is my version of the summer before my version of the beginning of season 13.] Olivia is adjusting to Elliot's absence from the team, but when Kathy Stabler informs her of Elliot's unexplainable disappearance, everything is put on the line to find him and bring him home.

Note: I started writing this WAAAAAYYYYY before we even started hearing news about new characters and the legitimate reason why Elliot left SVU. Although I think it was pretty obvious why he left (*the shooting*cough cough*)…but anyway…

Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING! *sigh* if only I did… *sigh*

Hidden Truth: an SVU fanfiction

It was almost noon at the SVU precinct. The room was crowded and everyone was busy. Their latest case was almost settled, and the team was tying up loose ends. Everything seemed normal, except for one lone desk. It was empty. It had been empty for nearly a month, and no one even dared try and replace its former owner.

Elliot Stabler was gone. He had shot a young girl, and it shook him to the core; even though it was his job, even though it was his duty, even though it was the right thing to do. Something about that moment shattered his heart and he couldn't live another day at SVU. So he packed up his desk, handed in his two weeks, and walked out without so much as a goodbye.

His partner, Olivia Benson, hadn't spoken with him since his resignation, and she desperately wanted to see him, to talk to him, to gain closure. But after the weeks of nothing, Olivia decided it was her turn to achieve something. She dumped what control of her life she had left into her job, and tried to become the best version of herself without Elliot. She found her own kind of closure.

But things still seemed distant to Olivia. Every day seemed empty; as if something was missing. Nothing was right. Everything was wrong, in its own way. Olivia still couldn't bring herself to believe in an SVU without Elliot.

She had never really thought about her future in SVU, but when she did, she always imagined Elliot there. Elliot, always there to have her back; Elliot, always there to wipe away her tears, which were few and far between; Elliot, always ready to give her a lift to work at three in the morning, and tell her how great her bed-head looked. Elliot had always been there. In fact, Olivia couldn't think of a time when Elliot hadn't been right there beside her.

Partners, for better or for worse, She would think. Yeah, some promise, huh?

Today was different. Today seemed normal, or as normal as it could be without Elliot, and Olivia was in the best mood she'd been in all week. Suddenly the doors flew open and the last person Olivia expected to see burst into the room: Kathy Stabler.

"Where's Olivia?" Kathy hollered at the nearest officer, "Where is she?"

"Kathy?" Olivia called to Kathy and made her way through the crowd of people, "Kathy, what's going on? Is something the matter with El?" She asked, the thought sending shivers up her spine. If Elliot was hurt, she'd never forgive herself for not being there.

Once she was close enough to Kathy, Olivia could see the look of pure hatred and fury spread across her face. She didn't think anything of it until she saw Kathy's hand ready to strike.

"You bitch!" Kathy shrieked, smacking Olivia's face with as much might as she could. The force nearly knocked Olivia onto the ground, but she quickly regained balance. Munch and Fin, who were nearby, turned and were ready to assist Olivia with her unexpected assailant, but she motioned them away.

Olivia was completely stunned. She rubbed her stinging cheek, and stared in awe at the furious blonde who stood before her, "God, Kathy! What was that for? What happened?" She asked. She had no clue what had gotten into her ex-partner's wife, but she knew it wasn't good.

Kathy sneered, "Oh, don't act like you don't know! I trusted you, Olivia," She said, stepping forward and getting right in Olivia's face, "But this? This is cold, even for you."

Olivia was beyond confused, but she tried to remain calm, "Kathy, just tell me what's going on-"

"Where. Is, Elliot?" Kathy asked, enunciating each word with precision and rage.

Olivia's heart stopped, "Wha…what?"

"WHERE. IS. MY. HUSBAND?" Kathy repeated. Her dark, suspicious eyes burned through Olivia, who stared back, her eyes wide with bewilderment and disbelief.

*queue theme song*

The entire squad room grew quiet as Kathy and Olivia glared at each other. Neither of the two women said anything, but the situation was quite clear.

Kathy finally stepped back and took a deep breath, "I'm sorry, Liv…er, Detective Benson. I shouldn't have acted like that," She said, looking down at the speckled tile.

"No, Kathy, it's…it's alright." Olivia said, placing a reassuring hand on Kathy's shoulder, only to have it brushed away.

"No, it's not alright…" Kathy said, sitting down in a nearby chair, "Nothing is alright anymore…"

Kathy leaned forward and cradled her head in her hands. Olivia could hear a small sob from her, and felt even more alarmed. Kathy hardly ever came to her when something had happened at home, and Olivia never expected her to, especially after the divorce all those years ago.

"Please, Olivia, why don't you just tell me?" Kathy finally whispered through her tears.

Olivia was still baffled, and took a seat next to Kathy, "Start from the beginning, please I have no idea what you're talking about…"

Kathy sat up and laughed, "Oh, please, give me a break, Liv!" She rolled her eyes and glanced around the room, her eyes falling on her husband's desk. A sudden look of confusion came to her teary eyes, "Why isn't his stuff here?"

"What do you mean?" Olivia asked. The dots were beginning to connect, but she didn't want to believe it.

"Why is his stuff gone? He sits here, right?" Kathy got up and began to open the drawers, as though she was looking for something, "Why aren't his things here? Where'd they go?" She rambled off questions as she searched inside.

Olivia took a deep breath, and tried to calm herself down before beginning to explain, "Kathy, El…Elliot left. He quit."

Kathy stared at her, shocked, "What? He quit? What do you mean he quit? When?"

Olivia gathered as much strength as she could, and continued, "He resigned about a month ago; after the shooting…"

"Shooting?" Kathy gasped and stumbled to sit in Elliot's desk chair.

Olivia tried to put on a calm façade, but her compressed emotions were beginning to take over, "He shot a victim's daughter, when she brought a gun into the precinct and…Didn't he tell you?" She asked, dreading what the answer would be.

Kathy shook her head slowly, as she gazed off into the distance, "No…he didn't tell me anything…"

Both were silent as the truth settled in.

"Oh, God, Olivia…I'm sorry for this…" Kathy said, standing up and pacing the floor, "It's just, Elliot hasn't been home for nearly three weeks, and I've tried calling him, but his cell was disconnected, so I just…I thought, maybe you and he, might have… but, it was a stupid assumption, that's all…I should go," Kathy stood and began to walk away, but Olivia stopped her.

"Wait, are you saying you haven't heard from him at all?" Olivia asked, more concerned about Elliot then Kathy's hidden accusations.

Kathy shrugged and nodded, "I mean I thought he was just had an undercover thing but you didn't call and tell me, like you always do, so I got worried, and I thought maybe Elliot finally had enough of me and went to you, but, I don't know what I was thinking…Elliot would never cheat on me…" Then she cast a death stare at Olivia and asked, "Or would he?"

The question startled Olivia at first, because she hadn't expected Kathy to be so straight forward. Olivia knew Kathy was sometimes suspicious about her and Elliot, but never to this extreme.

"Elliot wouldn't do that, Kathy…" Olivia said, "Elliot has always loved you and your family, and he would never do that sort of thing, especially not with me. You've got to believe that."

Kathy looked down, embarrassed that she had questioned her husband's actions. She knew Elliot and Olivia were best friends and partners, and she knew Elliot would never cheat on his family. Then something more troubling then the fear of losing him to Olivia came to her mind, "But if he's not home, and he's not with you, then where is he?" She asked, panic resonating throughout her voice.

Olivia shook her head in defeat, "I have no idea…"

COMMENTS? Suggestions? Please R&R!