Disclaimer: I don't own and wouldn't really know what to do if I did. Please don't sue.

A/N: This is a sequel to In the Back of My Mind. Again, AU and I really don't want flames. If you feel you must criticize, please do so constructively, after all, no one is making you read anything. Thank you!

In the Front of My Heart

Chapter 1

I hate time. When you want to savor a moment, it rushes forward, not caring if you boarded the train or not. If had my share of time's practical jokes and I've got to say, I'm starting to wish it would just leave me alone. The first time I fell victim to the clock, I was sixteen. My father, being a cop and all, had sent me to a camp that his partner from homicide, who is now my captain, was in charge of. My sister Jessica was enrolled as a counselor and her boyfriend was going along, but I was adamant in my thinking that Cop Camp in the Poconos was going to suck.

As it turns out I was partially right, but that's not what matters now. My family always told me that I'd fall for a girl with spirit. Kathy has spirit, I'm not disputing that, but she had more spirit than that of a wild stallion. The first time I saw her was on the bus and I couldn't tear my eyes away. She was the last one on, with long dark hair and tan skin. While most girls wore miniscule shorts and halter tops, she was wearing an outfit that I would have donned if it was my size.

She was beautiful yes, but I think I fell hard when she climbed onto the armrest of the bus seat to put her bag away. She didn't stand and whine like most girls I know would have, she solved the problem herself. I saw her foot go out from under her a few seconds before she started to fall and my instincts kicked in, I caught her and set her down gently, commenting on her 'boyfriend' to find out if she was single. Turns out she was.

That summer was the best of my life, it started out dangerously, a girl was raped and she just had to solve the case that the police didn't believe existed. Looking back on that day, I'm shocked that Melanie talked to her, knowing what I know now, getting a victim to tell you what happened is often the hardest part of the job. Well, that and having to tell their family.

Olivia Benson. She's probably married with two kids now, living upstate in a huge house with a devoted husband. She probably gets to stay at home and jump huge horses over four foot fences. She's definitely not still thinking about me.

I've been a detective for a couple of years now. I got married early, had a kid and went to Queens Community College. I aced the police exam without being in the academy more than a year and picked up a job with Special Victims. If anyone asks, I say I requested the assignment because sexually based crimes are big law enforcement. In truth, I'm hoping that if for some bizarre reason Olivia were to ever become a cop, she'd join the SVU squad too. That's part of why I work in Manhattan and not Queens.

Crack. . .

There goes another pencil. John Munch gives me a warning look. Basically all of the people I work with now went to that camp. Unfortunately for me, none of them know where Olivia went after high school. I bet Fin knows, but I haven't seen him since that summer either.

"Are you going to quit breaking office supplies?" Munch asks me casually when I grab another pencil. Damn my nervous habit.

"Are you going to tell me what happened between you and my sister twelve years ago?"

Munch glares at me from over his glasses, "No," he finally says,

I raise an eyebrow at him, "Well then there's your answer." To be kind though, I do put the pencil back down.

Brian Cassidy rolls his eyes at his partner before turning to me, "Know who the newbie is?"

I shake my head. The hand on my watch isn't moving. I should take it off so I'm not staring at it every two seconds. If time races when you want it to be slow, it seems to grow roots and plant itself into a spot when you are waiting for something.

"I'm going to grab a quick lunch, anyone want anything?" I hoist myself out of my chair, for an almost thirty year old man, I'm surprised that I still function so well.

The guys all shake their heads, but Monique takes me up on my offer.

"Salad," she trills, slapping a five dollar bill on my desk before making her way into Don's office.

I pass a young woman on my way out of the precinct; she's wearing a brown blazer over a blue tank top and jeans. Her dark hair is short and hangs loosely around her face. Her eyes make me stop for a moment but she offers me a smile and continues moving towards the stairs, not the elevator even though she doesn't need the excersize.

My brain is working overtime and I have to speak out loud to make myself believe that I didn't actually just pass Olivia Benson on my way outside. Besides, even if I did, it wouldn't matter. I'm married now with four kids, two of which, the twins, are only toddlers. Kathy isn't upset yet because I've somehow managed to keep good hours for the past few weeks, but then again, I'm not out on cases without a partner.

Apparently Cragen wanted this Detective. The only thing I knew was that my new partner had just graduated the academy and was two years younger than me and that's not a lot to go on.

I grab a half a turkey sandwich for myself and a salad for Monique before heading back towards the stationhouse. Coming here was just an excuse to pass time so that I wouldn't be moping around waiting for my new partner to come and meet me. Whoever they are, apparently they have a friend who was shot on the job and had a delay because they wanted to check on them.

I walk back to the precinct, playing a stupid game and trying to avoid the cracks. As I near the stationhouse I start to wonder what that woman I passed earlier needed here. I didn't get a good look at her; just want she was wearing because I was staring at the floor at the time. Dark hair, that was about all I saw. If she has a case, it's mine because I am so ready to hit the streets with my new partner, whenever they get here.

I take the elevator up to the fifth floor, because I'm feeling too lazy to walk up the stairs. That's what desk duty does to me, it sucks the life out of my limbs. The whole unit stares at me when I walk to my desk. I toss Monique her salad and she mutters a brief thanks but continues to stare at me. Munch shoves a pencil into my hands.

"You're going to need this!" he says calmly, I can read the shock in his voice and now I'm nervous.

"Come meet your partner," Cragen calls from his office.

Fighting the butterflies that are break dancing in my stomach, I walk slowly to the door and step inside. The woman I passed has her back turned to me, her blazer is neatly draped across a chair and she pulled her hair back into a ponytail. I check to make sure that my gray shirt is still tucked into my jeans before I clear my throat.

"I'm Detective Stabler," I say as she turns around and my breath catches in my throat.

"I know," her answer is casual, like we saw each other only yesterday. "I'm Detective Benson."

Her title sounds good and I let the words slide through my head for a few minutes. Benson, Olivia Benson, Detective Benson, Detective Olivia Benson. I smile broadly. Cragen sends me a proud look. He knows, and I know, that we worked well together twelve years ago, probably still do.

"See why I waited?" he asks me and I hope I nodded, because I meant to. "I'll leave you two to catch up."

He beelines for the door and Olivia's eyes flick to it as it shuts behind her.

"Sorry I'm late," she says quietly,

"That's fine." I answer quickly, "I heard your friend was shot, is everything alright?"

She nods, and I notice that she gets a handle on her tears a millisecond after they threatened.

"Fin's fine, took a bullet to the shoulder while taking out a dealer, I was a beat cop on duty."

"Wait," I stop her for a moment, "Fin's a cop?"

She smiles shyly and I wonder what she's thinking.

"NYPD narcotics. He has to support his family somehow." For a moment I'm afraid she means herself. "He has an eleven year old son and a young wife, she never finished college and barely finished high school."

"Eleven?" I repeat what she said, "He would've been,"

"17," she finishes for me. "I told him not to!"

We both laugh softly at that and she smiles again,

"Seriously though, sorry to have kept you waiting,"

I shake my head, "Don't worry about it, it wasn't that long!" I assume she's talking about being late in today, with Fin being shot I'm ready to forgive her.

"Twelve years is a long time El!" she whispers.

We both know that we were meant to be partners if nothing more.

Tbc… i think, let me know!

Sour-Skittle