It had been two years since Olivia had last seen Elliot, not that she hadn't thought about him nearly every day. Sometimes it was involuntary, a memory quickly jumping into her mind, so vivid it was almost as if he had never left. But then she looked around the squad room and it was painfully apparent that he was gone and life had moved on. She wore his medal and his badge honorably, the way he should be remembered; but he isn't dead.

Today had been uneventful by the SVU unit of measure, and she hated the feeling that the other shoe was about to drop. Not quite knowing what to do with herself and down time, she took the unmarked car to Central Park for a quick walk around. Despite being the place where she saw so many grisly murders there was serenity about the park that she loved and couldn't quite escape from. Coming close to the volleyball courts, she stopped to watch a lively game when her heart stopped cold. Playing in a light green t-shirt and cargo shorts was Elliot, a huge smile plastered on his face as he dove for the ball and scored a point.

His team gave him high fives all around, but he was punched in the shoulder by a petite woman, maybe five foot two with a short, dark, razor edged bob haircut; not unlike the one she had sported around the time Eli was born. He shoved her back and she leaned into a punch and got him in the arm; Olivia could almost hear her giggles from where she was standing. Anger sparked in her heart, if he was here all this time why not call her? Sadness started creeping in because he didn't want to talk to her, twelve years of being inseparable best friends, family for goodness sake and he didn't want to let her know he was okay, more than okay from the looks of it. Confusion because he was obviously hitting on this girl (where was Kathy?), and she was flirting back which made her blood boil. Not because she had feelings, no never, but because who was this girl who thought she could just lay claim to Elliot like that? He wasn't her partner for years; he didn't wipe up her blood or sew together her broken family life, she didn't talk Elliot's wife into staying with him time after time…The thought crashed on her like ice water: what if they had?

She had no idea what he had been up to for the past two years, and that was a long time to be silent. They seemed so at ease with each other, playing back and forth, smiling and fighting. It dawned on her that that was what their relationship had looked like from the outside. She had so many white hot feelings that she felt her mind shutting down; she wasn't going to allow herself to be emotional about this right now. Snapping into detective mode she hid behind a small shrub and watched as the game concluded with Elliot's team winning triumphantly. She couldn't believe how easily he was just walking through his life, unmarred by the fact that her life had been tumbled and shredded by his departure.

The two of them gathered their gear and walked toward the path leading out towards the street. In a split second decision she ran towards the car and hoped that she could catch them and not be spotted. Gone was practical, logical Benson. She was replaced by Olivia, woman and best friend to a man named Elliot. Curiosity was overtaking her. She followed them, three car lengths behind all the way to Queens. Elliot and the woman both got out of the car in front of a small, red brick duplex. Elliot leaned down and they hugged, skin to skin. Elliot let her go and gave her a light tap on her cheek, walked back to his car and drove away. The woman watched his car drive away but instead of turning to go inside, she started walking across the street. Olivia's heart picked up speed; she had been completely invisible to the civilian eye. Maybe the woman was going to get a drink, or eat; but closer and closer she came to the car.

Up close the woman looked so young, like one of Elliot's daughters. She walked right up to the car window and in a smooth, even voice asked

"Do you want to tell me why you have been following me ever since my volleyball game?"

Olivia kept a blank face, she wasn't intimidated easily. She held up her officers' badge and didn't say a word, expecting that to officially end the conversation. The woman laughed a little

"Oh okay. That's funny, I have one of those too" and she pulled out a badge from the side pocket of her gym bag.

Olivia furrowed her eyebrows; this wasn't what she was expecting at all. She took a deep breath and introduced herself

"I'm Olivia Benson, Manhattan SVU. And, you are?"

The woman reached her hand into the car, meeting Olivia's in mid air.

"I'm Gemma Garvin, Queens SVU, nice to meet you. Want to go get a coffee?"

Gemma? What kind of name was that? How old was this girl, she was a detective? Fighting off petty jealousy, she nodded.

"My café is down the street, we should walk"

Her tone was welcoming, but held authority in it, like a true cop. Olivia felt her muscles tense at being on the receiving end of a cop trick. Two could play that game. Small frame, short stature, how could this girl keep up with a perp? She had to have a massive partner to cover her slack. Olivia silently sized her up as they walked down the street; she was nearly half a foot taller than her. They walked into the café, a small hole in the wall with modern art on the walls, the tables all small and color blocked.

"Black coffee?" Gemma questioned in her direction.

"Yeah, poison of my choosing" Olivia tried to joke.

"Me too, makes me feel more manly" she gave a small smile and placed the order.

Olivia knew she could feel her silent judgments roll over her like waves. Why did this girl seem so familiar to her? They sat down, neither one willing to break the ice first.

"So?" Gemma proposed, not seeming at all flustered. Maybe it was an act, maybe not.

"So?" Olivia reciprocated.

"You're very good detective, I almost didn't see you. I wouldn't have if you had kept your staring in check at the park". She smiled and looked away while drinking her coffee.

"Well, I thought that I saw someone I knew" Olivia replied, that was general enough.

"You didn't think, you knew" Gemma stated, cold fact.

"Okay" Olivia tried to cover her tracks, this was a downhill fight and she wasn't used to being at the bottom.

"I'm not mad, or weirded out. I'm just curious, Olivia" she changed her tone to soft and understanding, the victim voice.

"I'm not your victim!" Olivia bristled.

"Oh I know that, I never said that. You're smart, beautiful, and full of secrets. That's why Elliot talks about you all the time" she sat back, knowing full well the intent that her words had.

So Elliot had talked about her? As in multiple times? Wait, this woman knew who she was the whole time? Olivia felt her anger rising up that she had played right into her game, fell for a cop bait and switch. Gemma continued

"Before you get really angry, I swear that I wasn't trying to bait you. I just knew that if I confronted you, you would probably run me over…or run away. I didn't want that, so I'm sorry"

Olivia took a good, hard look at her: big green eyes, framed by black lashes, pale skin with a long slender nose and lips that didn't even need gloss. She was cute, innocent and misleading. Worst of all, she was smart and witty.

"Do you want a picture, detective?" sarcasm was headed her way.

Olivia took a deep breath "I'm sorry Gemma, it's just a lot for me right now. I wasn't even sure that Elliot was still in the city, and then I just stumble onto him?"

She stopped talking, and decided that she didn't want to talk about him anymore.

"It's fine" Gemma stared into her eyes, a knowing look seeping into her eyes. Olivia felt that she knew how deep their relationship went, a mutual understanding between them, a link.

"How old are you Gemma?" Olivia shot from the hip, without flinching Gemma responded

"Twenty eight". She raised her eyebrow, daring Olivia to say something.

"Really young for a detective…" the question hung there, begging Gemma to brag or deprecate.

"Yeah" and that was the end of that. Olivia wanted desperately to know how Elliot was doing, his kids, what he was doing for a job; but she couldn't let her know that; even though she knew that Gemma already did.

"We could be friends detective…I feel that you don't have many" she spoke it softly, no judgment or accusation.

Olivia knew that was true, even if she didn't want to admit it. She wasn't going to get closer to Elliot without this woman, and she wasn't even sure that she was ready to see Elliot again.

"Yeah, you're right" Olivia allowed herself to laugh and handed Gemma her card, and got one in return.

"Nice to meet you, I have an early morning, you know" she stood up and shook Olivia's hand.

"You too Gemma".