Please note: #Bensidy shows up a little later in the fic, but the initial chapters feature Olivia's "education" and the lessons she's learned.

This woman is growing weary,

Of having to be so strong,

Of having to pretend I'm made of stone,

So I won't end up with no broken bones,

I can't fight every battle alone.

-Amel Larrieux, "Weary"

Cragen's words sucker punch her in the gut. Her heart free falls into her stomach, and it's almost too much to breathe. His words replay on a cruel loop inside her head.

"Elliot put in his papers in. There was nothing I could do."

Her body numbs. "He's earned it," is all she can reply.

"And then some," he quips.

"Liv, do you want to take a day?" he implores. His tone is neutral, but his eyes are pleading.

The only thing preventing her from crashing to her knees in grief is the armor that barricades her emotions.

She just smiles and repeats her lifelong mantra: "I'm fine," and opens the door.

But they both know she's not.

She walks back to the floor, and feels someone's eyes following her every move. She looks up to see Fin staring at her; his eyes are soft with concern.

"You OK?," he inquires in his classic, nonchalant way.

"Yeah," she lies.

"We got a 10-34 on Waverly," Munch announces. A visibly deflated Olivia steps into his line of view. He observes her stance and switches gears. "Fin, take Rollins."

Olivia screams inwardly. She has nothing against Amanda, but she wasn't ready for the inevitable SVU squad "shuffle" just yet. She longed for the comfort of familiarity, and although she and Fin weren't partners, his stabilizing presence was just what she needed right now.

"No, I'll go. Give me five, and we'll roll."

Munch nods, looking suspicious as always. Fin watches her walk away until she's out of view.

She rushes towards the elevator and heads to the roof to begin her private meltdown, when she spots relief from out of the corner of her eye. She opens up the door to the interrogation room and steps inside. She closes the door and anchors herself against the wall, and she feels her knees start to buckle. She attempts (in vain) to grip the concrete walls with her nails. She turns and doubles over; her body convulses from sobbing. She squeezes her eyes shut and lets the tears pour down her face. After a few moments, she wipes her face with her shirt and walks out the door.

She makes her way outside the precinct and looks up at the sky with red-rimmed eyes, thankful for the blinding sun. She slips on her sunglasses and waits for Fin on the steps.

Seconds later, he arrives.

"You ready?"

"Yeah," she mumbles, and they make their way to the cruiser.

He notices her gait and the way she hangs her head as she walks. Wherever she is right now, he knows it's in a dark place.

He slows his walking, and she doesn't even break her stride to find out why. She's too consumed with her own thoughts.

"I'll drive," Fin offers.

"OK."

They slide into the squad car, and Fin pulls out onto the road.

He looks over and sees her flexing her hands furiously. He recognizes this from her Sealview day-it's one of her ticks to help her stay in control.

"Liv, what's really goin' on?"

She takes a deep breath and begins, "Elliot put in his papers. He didn't contact me beforehand, he just went to Cragen and put in his papers."

He keeps his left hand on the steering wheel and squeezes her shoulder with his right. Her muscles are knotted with tension. "I'm so sorry, Liv."

She doesn't say anything at first, just nods. Fin listens to her labored breathing. It becomes more and more erratic until it's the only sound in the car.

She can no longer hold in her pain and begins to unravel. "It's s-s-so hard Fin. It's s-s-so goddamn h-h-hard… I..." her throat burns as her sobs turn into hiccups.

"I got you Liv," and he knows what he has to do without her asking. His eyes begin searching for something.

In many ways, they're are mirror images of each other-both possessing sensitive hearts that beat beneath their stoic exteriors. Out of the corner of his eye, he spots what he's been looking for. He slows down and pulls into a hidden alley. He turns off the ignition and steels himself for the coming onslaught of emotion. She slumps hard against his shoulder.

"I got you, Baby Girl. Let it out."

He turns and holds her tight as she crumbles beneath him. A cacophony of soul shattering screams erupt from within her.

She doesn't think twice about her actions. Fin is the only person she would ever break down in front of. When she faced the aftermath of Sealview, it was Fin she confided in, not Elliot. It was Fin that kept her harrowing secret guarded to this very day.

On the outside, Fin was a pillar of strength, but inside, he just barely contains his rage.

Stabler, I could snap your motherfuckin' neck for what you're putting her through.

"Fin." Her hoarse whisper purges the anger from him and brings him back from the edge.

"Yeah?"

"I'm so tired. Sometimes it's exhausting battling myself. Always pretending to be in control."

"I know. I would tell you to open up more, but we both know you ain't built for sharing. And I'm not about to feed you advice that I don't follow myself."

She gives him the faintest of smiles. "I'll be OK. In time."

"I know. Nothing's ever held you down for too long." They exchange a look understanding their shared history.

"Thanks Fin. For this," she motions between them.

"Don't sweat it. You know I'm here if you need to talk. Anytime."

She reaches out and squeezes his hand. His dimples reveal themselves as he widens his face in a rare smile.

"I might take you up on your offer."

But they both know that she won't.

He nods and reaches inside the glove compartment. He hands her a wad of napkins and gives her a few minutes to wipe her face. Once she's cleaned up, he slides the key back into the ignition.

"You good?"

"Yeah," she replies, and he notices the confidence is back in her voice.

He looks at her from out of the corner of his eye and sees she's slipped back on her mask, and her vulnerability has vanished. He doesn't say another word as he makes his way to the crime scene. He knows the moment they step out of the car they'll never speak of this day again.

Olivia stares straight ahead, determined to put this day behind her. She knows that Fin is a man of few words, but his actions always speak volumes. And today, his actions told her that he would always be in her corner.

For all of Elliot's bravado, he cowered in the face of adversity. Olivia didn't think any less of him for putting his papers in. She understood better than anyone the anguish of ending a life, especially under tragic circumstances. She would never judge Elliot for quitting. It wasn't that he left; it was how he left. She saw him through some of the most trying times in his life. When Kathy served him with divorce papers, she was there for him. When his daughter was in trouble with the law, she was there. Hell, she even helped to deliver his youngest son.

After everything they had been through, the truth was a simple goodbye was too much trouble for Elliot Stabler.

Today was one of the most painful days of her existence, but she learned a valuable lesson. When things get messy or complicated, stick with the people who won't run away and will weather the storm with you, like Fin and the rest of her SVU family.

Elliot excluded.