This is my new fic. It will focus on Amanda (and you don't even need to ask if it's Rollaro), but it's going to be a little different from my other stories (at least that's the plan) and I hope you're going to like it.

As the title suggests this takes place a year later… you will get more answers as the story goes on, but this year starts a few months after Amanda comes back from the "vacation" following Forgiving Rollins, it will make more sense later .

I don't own any of the original SVU characters (why do I always forget to write this...)

A year later

Amanda turned on the light and the darkness was gone in an instant. If only it was that simple in life, pull a switch and everything is suddenly illuminated, everything is clear and good.

She took off her jacket and tossed in on the couch. She's been planning to buy a coat rack since moving in, but it's been a little over a year and she still let her coats rest on a chair or on the couch.

Amanda poured herself a glass of water and opened the fridge, it was empty. With all the changes in her life there was one thing she could count on – she didn't like cooking. Her diet consisted of too much take out and coffee, but these days she's been trying to drink less of it, couldn't get over the cooking thing though.

There was some leftover pizza and Amanda grabbed a piece and ate it quickly, she didn't bother heating it because she was starving.

The empty apartment was quiet, Frannie was at her neighbors' place. They were a nice family, two parents and two children, a boy and a girl. A real picture perfect family, but they were great. Amanda met them when she moved in and the kids fell in love with Frannie in an instant, and Frannie liked them back, so whenever Amanda had to work late they helped taking care of her.

She couldn't believe it's been more than a year. If anybody, back then, would have told her she'd be back in Atlanta she would have rolled her eyes at that person and try (really hard) no to say something mean. But here she is now, back in Atlanta, more than a year.

It was just after one a.m. and Amanda was exhausted, the last couple of days were grueling and Amanda wanted nothing more than to go to bed and fall asleep. She turned the light off in the living room and carefully made her way to the bedroom. She didn't even bother turning the lights on this time. She quickly undressed and put on a pair of sweatpants and the t-shirt she always slept in and got under the covers. She closed her eyes and was about to welcome sleep when she heard ringing. Amanda ignored it at first, hoping it was just her imagination. But no such luck, the phone kept on ringing and Amanda let out a frustrated grunt before getting out of the covers. She hurried to the living room to answer. It took her a moment to realize she left the phone in the jacket.

"Yeah?" she didn't check the caller ID and didn't bother answering the usual 'Rollins' but then the man on the other line said it and she recognized him before he identified himself.

"Rollins, this is Lieutenant Murphy"

She hasn't heard from him since he left SVU in the middle of the Ellie Porter case. Why was he calling her so late, and after all this time?

"Yes?" she wasn't sure what to say.

"Rollins, I'm sorry to call this late, but I need you help, we need your help back in New York"

Amanda needed a moment to make sure she fully understood him "you need my help in New York? At Vice?" last she heard he was doing undercover work, why would he need her there?

"No" Murphy replied "we need your help in SVU"

"Oh" it was all Amanda could say, she was still confused, Murphy was back at SVU? Sure, she didn't keep in touch with her old squad. At first she and Fin talked once in a while, exchanged birthday wished and such, but it faded and she had no idea what was going on there. So maybe it made sense that Murphy was back without anybody telling her.

"Rollins?" his voice brought her back to the conversation "can you come here, it's important"

"Eh…well" what did he want her to do? Jump on a plane right this moment?

"Rollins" his voice got even more serious "I wouldn't have called you now if it wasn't important, because it is. Can you get on the next plane to New York?

Amanda wasn't sure why, but she didn't think before answering "yes".

"Thank you, I will pick you up from the airport"

Amanda hung up and stood in silence for a moment, staring at a wall in the dark room. Did she just agree to travel to New York? Maybe it was a dream. She looked at the phone in her hand, knowing full well it wasn't. Murphy did call, she agreed to fly there, now.

Amanda walked back to the bedroom to change. He didn't say much, but knowing Murphy, he wouldn't call her so late if it wasn't vital. Why didn't he tell her what was going on? Why didn't she ask him?

She took a small bag and put some clothes inside it. Not that Amanda could just leave like this, she had to go to work in the morning. She booked a flight quickly and hurried to get to the airport.

Amanda got some sleep in the plane, just couple of hours, but it was better than nothing, and it kept her from thinking about New York. She hasn't even visited since leaving. Now they need her? In the middle of the night?

She woke up just before the landing and looked at the lights outside. No turning back now.

She spotted Murphy leaning on a wall, looking at his phone. He hasn't changed a bit, it's been a long time, and he seemed just the same. She was different, at least a part of her was, but seeing Murphy brought her back to their first meeting. It was a painful memory, who she was back then, how low she had fallen. But it was also a start of something new, of sobriety. Whatever others may think of Murphy, he was good to her, helped her out. So she trusted him.

He raised his eyes from the phone and saw her walking towards him.

"Rollins" he greeted her with a nod.

"Lieutenant"

"Thank you for coming, come on" he walked to the exit and Amanda followed him.

"Are you going to tell me why I am here? I still have to be at work tomorrow and…"

"I was hoping you would call and ask for a few days" he turned to look at her "I've got to say I was surprised to hear you were back with the APD"

Amanda wondered how much he knew. He was smart and realized, back then, something had happened, but does he know what?

"When did you get back to the squad?" she opened the car's door and sat down.

"Earlier today" she was surprised to hear his answer.

"So what is it? Why did you ask me to come here?"

"Something has happened" he started "and I need your help because you know this squad"

"Ok, but what is it?" Amanda was impatient, getting more and more worried as the seconds passed.

"Benson has been attacked in her apartment" he replied "she is at the hospital"

"Will she be alright?" her voice was a bit cracked.

"I don't know, she's in a medically induced coma, we don't know anything" he glanced at her for a moment before turning to look back at the road.

"And Noah?" Amanda hoped he was safe.

"We don't know where he is"