Thank you all for your reviews as always you guys rock! I intended this to be just a one shot but since some of you asked me to continue I thought I'd oblige but I'm not sure how many chapters it will be. Have a busy summer ahead of me :)

Does detective Olivia Benson's life hang in the balance of one William Lewis, a vicious and vile rapist? After reading many other creative works I decided to give my take on how season 15 could open. As always please read and review

Two weeks after her horrible ordeal Olivia returned to work but she wasn't quite ready to get back to the beat with her unit just yet. Before she could return to full duty she needed to be cleared by psych services. Her ribs were slowly healing but still quite painful in dressing and her bruises were starting to turn a yellowish brown, a clear sign her jaw, wrists and chest were in the healing stages. Coughing was still a chore as she had to hold a pillow to her chest when the urgent need came to cough. Her left lung that had suffered a partial collapse had healed nicely and she was done with her in home oxygen treatments. No more pain medication was needed to aid in her rest/sleep. The surgeon who stitched her head up left no trace of evidence where he sewed the wound together.

Her scent always set off his membranes and when he got a whiff of her he turned to see the lovely Olivia Benson, his partner, walk in with coffee and copy of the NY Times in hand as always accompanying her in her daily arrival.

"Welcome back stranger you were missed." Nick said as he pushed back his chair as she entered the squad room. Flowers adorned her desk signed by everyone who worked on the 4th floor. She smiled at him at the others as she walked slowly to her desk looking at the beveled glass vase that held a beautiful arrangement of pink, white and yellow roses, red and yellow carnations, white and purple gerbera daisies and hot pink lilies. Nick rose and opened his arms welcoming his partner back. He was careful not to squeeze her, only a light wrap of his strong arms and his fingertips encircled her. His hug felt good better than the pain medicine that temporarily erased the deep trauma she endured. Olivia quickly remembered the last time she smelled his cologne and after shave was when they hugged right before she left for her Christmas vacation last year. His skin was warm and smooth, fresh evidence he shaved recently. His cheek brushed against her hers and she felt his lips gently touch her cheek right below her ear. Olivia felt a slight tingle to a sensitive spot right below her left ear lobe. His lips were soft and his breath warm with a hint of cinnamon she noted, his preference of toothpaste of course. Her eyes were closed as she rested her chin on his shoulder listening to the footsteps of the others coming up to welcome her back.

"It's good to see you back Liv, Fin said lightly touching her shoulder as she opened her eyes to see him standing in front of her. She felt Nick's hands slide down her back exiting at her waist. Olivia lifted her head slowly and smiled at Fin, his arm slowly slid down hers taking her hand in his.

"I'm still holding on to that rain check you wrote me."

"I'm all for it as soon as I can sit without grimacing." Fin smiled backing away letting Amanda and Munch come forward.

"Glad your back Liv." Amanda told her holding her hands in hers.

"Thank you. Where's the captain?" Olivia asked letting go of Amanda's hands looking past her to his empty office.

"He's in San Diego, his sister passed away." Munch added.

"Peacefully or?" Olivia asked Munch.

"In her sleep," he told her. Olivia's look of sullenness made the conversation change quickly as her colleagues took witness to her expression. She replayed a conversation she had with her captain last year. They had just finished a two week marathon case that took a toll on all of them.

Nick, Olivia, Amanda, Munch and Fin had gathered at their local favorite watering hole to de-stress after 2 grueling weeks of finding and a serial rapist. After a couple of rounds of drinks Olivia remained and as usual Nick was the last to leave. His hand slid across her back offering a ride but she declined. "Thanks but I live just a few blocks away." He said goodnight and passed the captain on his way out. Captain Donald Cragen took Nick's stool next to his senior detective. They were the only two at the bar, well not counting the regular drunk at the end of the counter who usually fell asleep before the 11'o clock news. The bartender wiped the counter in front of them keeping an eye on their drinks, ready to refill if asked.

"She's my only sibling I have left. We were never close growing up; we sort of migrated back in touch after our parents had passed and I had just gotten my first command with Narcotics."

"Tragedies always bring people together. After entering the police academy it was then I found out what is was like to have a mother who cared." Olivia told him.

"I'm glad you two found your way back. Family is important."

"Agree," Olivia said holding her glass up. They clinked their glasses. "What's important now is that you did find one another again and you see one another once year."

"I just feel guilty like I should be there."

"You said your brother-in-law is there and is taking great care of her. It's not easy havng a loved one so sick and we're so far away."

"You know Liv I only have two years to go and I will have 40 years on the force and I'm thinking San Diego is where I'm going to retire."

"Out grew New York huh?"

"Nothings left here for me anymore, I mean Marge is buried here but Nadine is my family and I want to be near her."

"I couldn't agree more with you and even if she doesn't recognize you any longer she thinks of you differently when she sees you, someone who came all this way to see her so what if your Bob or John to her, and 75 degrees year round, no snow to shovel, precipitation at a minimum, yeah I'd take San Diego any day over New York to enjoy your golden years."

"You forgot to mention earthquakes." He smiled as he took a sip of his ice tea with lemon. Olivia leaned to the right of her captain and whispered.

"For you- there won't be any." She smiled and took the last sip of her cabernet.

"Liv I know this is your first day back so when you feel ready psych services wants to sit down with you." Munch looked at her.

"Yeah I'll get that done before I leave today." She told him.

"Ok people let's get the days order of business, Munch called out walking back to his desk.

""Amanda and I are going back to Hells Kitchen to re-interview the boss. Seems after he slept off his drunken stupor and was looking at tampering of evidence and 5 years at Sing Sing, his memory has come back…shocker."

"And the two employees who found Melanie, their alibies check out but both have rap sheets as long as the NJ Turnpike so we'll squeeze them a little harder, maybe they'll just decide to come clean when we tell them they can have adjoining cells." Amanda added. Sergeant Munch looked next at Nick down the end of his glasses.

"Uh I'm going to sweat the hump in our cage a little more because he was dumb enough to smile at the surveillance camera when he dropped his load last night." Nick said grabbing his folder and handing it to his partner on his way to the interrogation room giving Olivia a warm look. Olivia looked at the traffic in front of her wishing she was part of the commotion but instead she pulled out her chair and settled in reading over cases doing her best to get caught up. Nick returned after a half hour with the grease ball but getting absolutely nowhere. He stood next to her desk with his hands on his hips thumbs hooked into the side of his trousers.

"How you doing?" he asked his partner. Olivia removed her reading glasses and looked up at him.

"He looks good for it did he cop yet?"

"No, he's being a hard ass but I know if I paraded a woman in a skirt and fish net stockings with stiletto heels he'd cream his overalls in a New York minute." Nick hunched himself to the side of her desk, a few inches from her ear. "You don't by chance happen to have a spare outfit in your locker would ya?" Olivia scrunched her brows at him.

"No," she looked at him chuckling. "Annnd Munch would have my ass in a sling if I went in there before seeing psych."

"Right, sorry." He lifted up from her desk.

"Appreciate the offer though." She added giving him a quirk of a smile. She turned in her chair to face him now.

"Tell ya what, leave him in the box, make up something, that'll give me time to go see psych then go home and change and come back then walk him through the squad room and let him have a nice look but if he tries to cut off my foot or ruins my good Gucci shoes you owe me hear me Nick?"

"I like-no I love the way you think…partner." Nick said slapping his palms together briskly walking back to the interrogation room.

Olivia took the elevator to the 7th floor and knocked on the door of Doctor Nyguyen.

"Come in." The doctor called. "Olivia, hi come in and have a seat, I've been expecting you, it's nice to meet you I'm Doctor Nyguyen."

"Nice to meet you as well and really had no choice."

"I know cops don't like having their heads shrunk or us doctors poking around but believe me these sessions do help because of the nature of your jobs."

"Is doctor Huang in this office or what?

"He very versed in the field and he wouldn't do anything different than I would."

"I know its just that I want be back out there doing what I do best and having my partners back."

"I understand but I'm not the one who can clear you to be back on the beat that will come from your primary, when do you see your doctor next?"

"Next week, I see her next week."

"And how are you feeling since the accident?"

"You mean do I have flashbacks or night sweats is that what you're asking?"

"Yes and overall physically how do you feel?"

"I do have moments where I will wake up after just falling asleep but no hot or cold sweats. My ribs are still sore but I'm a little more agile now."

"That's good. How are when you are out do you find yourself looking over your shoulder or focusing on a subject too long? Like men of Lewis's stature and physical appearance?"

"No not at all, are you asking about men in general? Your question has nothing relative to other men and no, I don't fear other men and I don't get the heebie jeebies when I see someone who resembles my attacker, I haven't been out of the house a lot lately if you haven't noticed."

"Your physical well being, any headaches or need to continue prescription medication to help you sleep?"

"No I weened myself off of the pain medication a week after I got home from the hospital. I prefer to deal with my pain without the aid of substances." No headaches but I feel tired because Ihaven't put in full days so far."

"Sleeping ok?"

"Yes and no, sometimes it's hard to get back to sleep after waking up in the middle of the night."

"What do you do to try and go back to sleep?"

"Lie there and close my eyes or move to get comfortable again."

"You may want to try some relaxation cd's."

"So noted, thank you."

"Appetite?"

"It's just starting to come back."

"Good. Now that we got the basics out of the way I want you to tell me in detail Olivia please about arresting Mr. Lewis and how you felt about him from day one leading up to your attack." Olivia let out a long sigh looking around the doctor's office. After about an hour half with the doctor her session was over and Dr. Nyguyen thanked Olivia for coming and would forward her report to Captain Cragen.

"How'd it go?" Nick asked her as she came into view.

"It's over." Her eyes were large but her smile was the opposite she told him matter of fact. She grabbed her purse from her drawer and told Nick she'd be back soon.

"Ok, Mr. high heels and stocking fetish will be here."

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Olivia returned and definitely caught the eyes of Nick as he stilled his pen and lifted his eyes to meet hers and then slowly they traveled down her outfit all the way to her shoes when she walked in dressed to the nines. She wore a red satin blouse with just enough cleavage to tease their foot fetish perp, a knee length black skirt hugging every curve where it was supposed to and black pantyhose with the seam all the way up the back of her long beautiful legs. Her outfit was complete with her Dolce and Gabbana stiletto black pumps.

"You ready to play?"

"Am…I…ever," he said getting up circling her.

"Oh please Nick." Olivia laughed at his boyish antics. Olivia caught the eye of her Sergeant as well.

"Going somewhere Liv?"

"No, just going to give our sicko perp an eyeful so he'll come clean of dismembering our victim." Munch lowered his head looking Nick's way.

"Straight out of your play book I would assume huh Nick?"

"Works all the time dangle the bait and the dumb fish takes the hook." Sergeant Munch walked back into Cragen's office.

"Carry on children."

"Go get our boy." Olivia told him. Nick walked Bobby Lee out as she strolled through the entryway.

"I'm looking for Detective Nicholas Amaro." She said in an adopted sultry accent.

"That would be me mam just one second while I take him to lock up. This is my desk why don't you have a seat right here." Nick pulled out the chair for her as Bobby Lee started to salivate. His eyes burned into Olivia and when she sat and crossed her legs tapping her foot in the air Bobby Lee became fixated on her legs.

"Put your tongue back in your mouth Bobby Lee she wouldn't give you the time of day. Let's go."

Nick pulled him by his arm but he strained his neck almost all the way around as he stared at Olivia. Nick thought of another trick as they reached the cage.

"Aw man you know what? Before they can process you I need a little more information from you Bobby Lee. Back to the room." Olivia thought quickly seeing them come back. She rubbed her fingers along her calf pretending not to notice them as they passed by her a second time.

"Like what you see huh Bobby Lee?"

"Yeah she's a looker alright."

"Detective Amaro I don't have all day now please can I talk with you?" Nick held on to Bobby's arm looking back from Bobby Lee to his partner all the while his perp's eyes were glued to Olivia's leg. He yanked him over to Amanda's desk.

"Yeah sure. Park it and don't make a sound hear me?" He secured the perp to her desk. He walked over to Olivia and they chatted. She continued to rub her calf then take off her shoe and massage her toes. Nick thought he heard a grunt so he turned to look at Bobby Lee. His eyes flickered and rolled upwards.

"So what's your take? Is he about to cave?"

"I can feel it; his blood is pulsating in all the wrong places." Olivia smiled at the sexual innuendo. Nick's hunch was right, Bobby Lee needed to excuse himself to use the little boy's room and relieve himself and it wasn't urine he was expelling in there. He copped to raping Melanie and cutting off her foot. They found the missing foot with the partial stocking and shoe still intact two feet underneath his garage.

"I gotta hand it to you Amaro you have a knack with unusual tactics." Olivia told him after he finished booking Bobby Lee.

"It's what I do," Nick said smiling pulling back the tab on his drink and taking a long swallow.

"Well since that case is now closed I'm going home and change, curl up on my couch and read a good book I've neglected then hopefully catch some zzz's."

"You—look, nice Liv, thanks for your help."

"Don't mention it—night Nick."

"Night." He watched her go admiring how lovely she looked. Other than the red dress he saw her in when she showed up to a crime scene last year, he always knew his partner in nothing but black jeans, colorful, tasteful sweaters and boots. Seeing her dressed up like this nearly took his breath away.

"Hey Liv wait up a sec." Olivia turned to meet him.

"Uh-look I'm really sorry that I…"

"Nick don't say it, you had plans that night I would never ask you to cancel and babysit me, you know me better than that."

"I know—I just feel so-" Olivia held up her palm to him.

"You have nothing to feel guilty about. I'm going to be fine, he's dead."

"Alright, have a nice night." Nick wished her. She smiled at him as she turned and headed out.

"I'm certainly going to try." In the back of the cab ride home she thought, maybe if Maria had been a little more open with him about her ptsd they would probably still be together and now there's Cynthia who Nick has a child with. She's beautiful and they seem to enjoy each other's company and if they do get together it will be good for all of them. Why can't I find a man like Nick? If he wasn't my partner what would be the odds of us ending up together? One in one million she thought she scoffed.

Fin and Amanda returned and were filled in with the arrest of Bobby Lee Baron.

Hugs,

Jasmine :)