Disclaimer: If only they were mine!

A/N: I know there are a lot of stories out there already about Olivia and Nick, but I wanted to have my two cents added as well.

S/N: Not exactly by the book, but it's my story so I went with my feelings. One shot!

It was times like these she wished she would've quit a long time ago. The stress, the anxiety, and the bodies…never seem to disappear and now that she was by herself, she just didn't know how to deal with it. She use to enjoy her job when she was called in to work, able to face another grueling day with perps and victims, but now she had a hard time even getting herself out of bed in the morning. It was never going to be the same; it would never be the way it was. Olivia missed when she could laugh off the pain or hide the uneasiness with an argument. Nope. None of that would happen now. She was alone; no family and most of all no partner. The alarm blaring brought her out of her thoughts and into the day she didn't want to start. It was time for work. Work. That word seemed so foreign to her now. How could she work when she had no one to work with?

Sighing, Olivia pulled herself out of bed and placed her feet on the cold, hard cement floor of her apartment. She felt a chill run down her spine when the cold air hit her legs as she made her way to her bathroom. Looking in the mirror, Olivia could see the past two weeks had been hell on her. Saggy eye lids, two broken blood vessels, and nearly dry eyes, she realized she couldn't do this anymore. She couldn't keep beating herself up over Elliot leaving. It wasn't her fault and as she repeated this over and over, the more she blamed herself.

Turning on the warm shower water, Olivia began undressing and stepped into liquid sensation. The water cascading down her body put her mind at ease. As she continued to let the water caress her skin, Olivia couldn't herself from shedding a single tear. She hated being alone, unattached. She hated it when she was a little girl and she hated it now. Hopping out of the shower, Olivia quickly got dressed. Pulling on her black cotton dress pants and a lavender button up dress shirt with a cream vest to go over it, she made her way out the door and down the elevator of her apartment.

The sun shine bright as the leaves began to turn. It was fall, autumn was making its appearance and Olivia Benson was without a partner. She thought back to the first day she walked into the 1-6.

Flashback

It was a warm, autumn day and the leaves had begun to fall off the trees. As she walked up the stairs, one blew into her hair. Quickly discarding the beautiful leave she entered the precinct. She rode the elevator up to her floor and headed for Captain Cragen's office. As she stepped foot inside the bullpen, she was greeted by a short, husky man with broad shoulders and hardcore demeanor.

"Hi, can I help you?"

"Yes, I'm looking for Don Cragen. Is he in?"

The husky man pointed to the left towards the Captain's office. "Right there, just knock on the door."

I thanked him and walked towards the door. I could see through the blinds that he was an older man, probably in his late fifties, early sixties. He was leant back in his chair, talking on the phone when I proceeded to knock. I remember him sitting up quickly and beckoning me to come in with his stubby hand. I entered and shut the door behind me. I took a seat in front of his desk and waited for him to finish his phone call. He hung up the phone and took in the sight of me. He must've been expecting someone else because the expression on his face told me I wasn't what he was looking for.

"Well, what can I do for you Mrs.-"

"Benson, Olivia Benson. I'm here for the detective job, sir."

"Yes, sorry I was expecting a man not a woman. Your partner has had a hard time with women and I thought they would've learned from the first five that he needed a change."

Looking down at my hands, I kinda felt rejected until the old man began speaking again.

"Well...no worries, if he doesn't do right by you then he's done completely. Come; let me introduce you to your new partner."

As we exited his office, I could tell he was a man of power. He got things done and he held everybody accountable for their actions.

"Everyone, this is the newest member to our group, so welcome her with open arms and open hearts."

Cragen gave off a type of vibe that said he was our boss and a little more. He was kind, considerate, even fatherly which made me feel at ease for the first time. I never felt at ease with a man being higher than me, but Cragen, Captain, he was the opposite of everything I had experience.

As I began meeting everyone, they all seem to warm up to me. The man I had met earlier, Fin, Cragen called him, told me he was happy to have me aboard and that if I ever needed anyone to talk to, he was always there. I continued meeting detective after detective, but I hadn't met my partner yet. I was becoming increasingly nervous that maybe he had ditched me, he saw me and didn't like that I was a woman, or he maybe he just didn't want to meet me.

The last person I met was an old, skinny guy who pulled me in for a warm welcome and told me that he out of everyone in the squad he was the only one with common sense.

I begin to laugh when I heard a voice that sounded unusual. I had talked to a lot of people, but I hadn't heard this voice, I was sure of it. I turned around to see an overly built man with ripped muscles and a strong stance. He had on a button up plaid shirt, a black tie, and some navy blue slacks and his face was scrunched up in an awkward way. He looked either upset or off guard, but I made it a point to stay quiet.

Cragen walked over and grabbed my hand as he pulled me toward this man. I had no idea as of what to say or if I should speak at all. My mind was blank and I was sure he could tell I was nervous as hell.

"Stabler this is your new partner Olivia Benson; Benson this is your new partner, Elliot Stabler."

I didn't move. I looked up at him and said the first thing that came to mind. "Hi."

The weird look on his face fell and was replaced by a half-cocked smile, "Hi. Nice to meet you."

His smile threw me for a loop until he offered me a seat at my brand new desk.

"Likewise. So how long you have been in this unit?" I asked trying to make conversation.

Elliot looked at me and folded his arms. I thought he may have felt like I was usurping his territory, but that thought changed when he began to speak.

"Been here for six years now, but I can't seem to keep a partner. If no one has told you, they were all women who couldn't handle their emotions which I didn't do well with. But, who's to say you aren't different?"

This time, I crossed my arms signaling to him that I was a woman who could handle her own. He must've gotten the hint because he threw his hands up in a defensive mode and began apologizing. I knew from then on that my partner and I would get along just fine. I knew that he had finally found his match, someone who was as stubborn as he was and someone who took risks no matter the cost.

End flashback

As her thoughts descended, she realized she had finally made it to work. Olivia hopped onto the elevator and was greeted my Fin. Today just wasn't going to be her day and she definitely knew it.

"What's wrong Fin?" She asked stepping off the elevator and falling in stride with the other detective.

"Something's up and I think it involves you," Fin warned her.

"How do you know?"

"I heard Cragen on the phone arguing. Your name came up so just be on the lookout."

Olivia looked at Fin, her eyes filled with worry as they walked into the bullpen. She took a seat at her desk and began review case files for the upcoming trials that she would be a witness in. Thirty minutes into her reading and typing, an average, lanky man walked into the bullpen. She could tell by his eyes that he was lost and needed some assistance.

"Hi, I'm Olivia Benson, may I help you?"

The lanky man walked over to her and shook her hand.

"Hi, I'm Nick Amaro. I'm looking for Captain Cragen."

His statement hit her lip a ton of bricks. She said almost that exact same line thirteen years ago. Was he about to be her new partner? No way was Cragen going to pair her with some kid who looked like he'd just hit puberty. Dammit. Fin was right, something was going down and she was about to be right in the middle.

"Right over there." She pointed to the Captain's old wooden door.

The young man thanked her and practically skipped over to the door. This wasn't looking good, this wasn't good at all.

He knocked on the door until he heard someone holler "Come in." That was his queue; he walked in with his shoulders pulled back and his coat thrown over his arms as he introduced himself to Cragen.

"Hello, I'm Nick Amaro. I transferred from the 2-9 and I was told to come here to see you."

Cragen rubbed his chin. He told the damn chief of D's that Olivia wasn't ready for a new partner. God they never listened to him and he was sick of it. Now he had to do something with this young lad that he knew would piss off the one person he would give his life for.

"Nice to meet you. Your partner is sitting right there, she's detective Olivia Benson."Cragen pointed.

"Yes, I just met her; she seems like a very nice detective."

Cragen chuckled for a second. He knew Nick didn't know the half of Olivia Benson and the part he was about to experience would be the total opposite of his statement. He stood and walked around his desk as he opened his door. Taking in a deep breath, Cragen hollered Olivia's name and motioned for her to come into his office. The expression on Olivia's face made his heart jump.

Olivia heard the Captain call her name as she looked up from the computer. She couldn't believe this was really happening. Her partner hadn't even been gone a full two weeks and they were already trying to pair her with someone else. Olivia didn't need this right now; she just needed to be left alone.

Olivia stood and threw a look over at Fin and watched him shake his head; Olivia continued her stride over to the Captain's office and closed the door behind her.

"Olivia, please have a seat," Cragen offered as he extended his hand to the empty chair beside Nick.

"No thanks, I'd rather stand." Olivia responded snidely.

"Olivia I know we talked about you having a little time by yourself, but Chief of D's decided two weeks was enough and this young man will be your new partner."

Olivia didn't move, speak, or blink. How could they do this to me she thought?

Shaking her head, she responded, "No. I don't want a partner Don."

Nick was about to chime in when Cragen threw him a look, "Olivia...sweetie, we have no choice."

"I do. I don't want a partner right now; I'm not over the last one yet." Olivia said as her eyes glistened with tears.

Nick looked up at her trying to figure out why she couldn't accept him as her partner. Of course, everyone loses a partner a time or two, but it wasn't that big of a deal...was it?

"Olivia, I don't mean to upset you, but do you think I'm not fit for the job?"

Olivia looked at Nick as she tried to keep her composure. Could he really be that naïve?

"Detective Amaro, I'm sure you are a fine detective, but I don't need a baby sitter. I can handle myself, thank you."

"Liv listen y-"

"Don't you ever call me Liv, you understand me! You don't know me and don't act like you know me. God, my partner hasn't even been gone a whole month and you are already trying to take his place and I won't have it."

"Olivia! Calm down. This is not his fault, this is from the people above and he will be your partner."

Olivia glared at Cragen as she silently threw daggers at his heart. She couldn't do it, she wouldn't do it. She would not have this man become her partner no matter what anyone said. Olivia turned and grabbed the door knob but stopped when she heard Cragen's voice.

"Olivia, if you open that door you-"

"I don't care anymore. He is no partner of mine."

Olivia flung the door open, grabbed her purse and keys out of her desk and headed for the elevators. She could hear Cragen calling after her and she could hear Fin's voice as well but she wasn't turning around. Olivia had gone through so much with this squad but this was where she drew the line. Nobody could take Elliot's place, nobody and she stood firm on that. As she watched the elevator doors close and heard the ding signaling they were moving, she threw caution to the wind and left the precinct. The consequences would come later; right now she just wanted to be with the one person who had turned her world upside down...she wanted to be with Elliot.

The End! I just thought I would write something before the new season started! Reviews are welcomed!