A/N: Thank you so much to all those who are reading and reviewing! I've got a lot planned for this story…hope you continue to enjoy!

Olivia was going on three months with Brooklyn SVU and was just beginning to find her stride with the new precinct. She'd kept the promise she'd made to herself and never looked back once she left the one six. She was proving that she could do her job and live her life without Elliot and not fall apart like he thought she would.

At least that's what she kept telling herself.

He hadn't called. She hadn't called. It was killing her.

She wondered if all she and Elliot had was bound within the confines of their partnership…the job. Maybe she misread the shift in their relationship that she'd perceived in the months before she left.

As pissed off at him as she was, before their last fight, she had truly thought they were heading to the next level in their long relationship. He and Kathy had separated eight months prior, and they had become increasingly affectionate with lingering touches and glances. He'd even cut his trip to Quantico short to be with her after Sonya died. He was the only one she could find comfort and security in at a time like that, and they both knew it.

But now she had to be strong on her own. She didn't have him to rely on when times got tough and that's exactly what she wanted…wasn't it?

Olivia sighed as she glanced across her desk at Detective Bradford, a wave of nausea hitting her like a ton of bricks. The truth was she didn't want a new partner. She didn't want to leave the unit that had practically defined who she was for at least thirteen years of her life. She didn't want to not trust Elliot and especially didn't want Elliot not to trust her. But she'd made her choice and she was trying her best to move forward.

She shifted in her chair and sighed. As terribly as she missed him and as much as she didn't feel whole without him by her side, she was still angry about what he'd done.

Fortunately, one positive thing that happened since Olivia had switched precincts was that her new partnership was relatively drama free. Detective David Bradford was a bit rough around the edges, about five years younger than Olivia, but he was a damn good cop. He was also funny as hell and helped her learn to laugh and appreciate the little things in life. She felt lucky to have him. There was just one thing about him that she couldn't tolerate.

He wasn't Elliot.

Olivia nearly jumped out of her chair as a pair of strong hands squeezed her shoulders from behind.

"Whoa, sorry, Olivia," he chuckled. "Why so jumpy today?"

Then there was Jim. Olivia had met him a little over a month ago when she'd gone out for drinks one night with her new unit. He was a Nassau County police officer that met up with her partner in the city after his shift. He'd seemed to be immediately taken with her and Olivia was feeling lonely.

Olivia smiled when she saw the goofy grin on his face now. Jim Lazetti was incredibly handsome. Dark brown hair, amazing green eyes, and a smile that always triggered one of her own. He was charming and sweet, and he had come home with her that first night. As much as she despised one night stands, she allowed herself to let go just once with the attractive officer.

It had been incredible. Jim was attentive and focused on her pleasure before his own. They had gone on a number of dates since that night and he was helping her fill the void that existed after she left Elliot. There was just one nagging thought in the back of her mind that something about him just wasn't right, and it plagued Olivia from time to time. She chose to ignore it because they were having such a good time together.

"Hey, Jim…I'll be done here in just a minute, and then we can go to dinner."

"No rush, Gorgeous. I'll just harass your partner here until you're ready to go," he said as he put Bradford in a headlock.

"Fuck off, dude, I'm trying to work here!" Bradford shoved him away as Olivia rolled her eyes at the men roughhousing before her.

"Boys never really grow up, do they?" She smirked at the two as she logged off of her computer and grabbed her jacket.

{EO}

Elliot moaned as her hot, wet tongue swirled around the head of is erection. He fisted the bed sheets as she drove him closer to the edge, his body breaking out into a sweat. Every muscle of his body clenched as her mouth then swallowed him completely, causing the air to rush from his lungs. He wasn't going to last much longer if she kept this up and he nearly lost it when her dark eyes connected with his as she slowly ran her tongue over his tip. Finally, unable to hold back, he squeezed his eyes shut and lost all control.

"Olivia! Fuck!"

"Elliot? Wake up; you're having another one of those nightmares about your old partner again!"

Elliot gasped for air and nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt Tracie shaking him awake. This time his dream was so vivid, he'd been sure it was actually happening. He blinked a few times and ran a hand over his face as he caught his breath.

He looked over at the women he had been seeing casually for the past two months with an apology etched in his expression. "Sorry, Tracie…I didn't mean to wake you." He gave her hand a gentle squeeze before getting out of bed and heading to her refrigerator for a bottle of water.

"It's ok…you want to talk about it? I know you never do, but you shouted really loudly this time."

Elliot took a long sip from the cold bottle and screwed the top back on as he shook his head at himself. "No, Trace…it's okay…just go back to sleep. I'm going to get dressed and head home." He reentered the room and pulled on the jeans and t-shirt discarded on the bedroom floor just a few hours earlier.

Tracie slumped back against her headboard in disappointment. "You know you can stay the night every now and then, Elliot." She looked down at her hands, avoiding eye contact.

Elliot sighed as he tied his sneakers. He genuinely felt bad for Tracie. He had been having almost nightly sexual dreams about Olivia since she left and he thought dating someone new would help him to forget. Help him to move on and let go of the fact that she left him again. That she still hadn't come back.

Tracie was a sweet woman, but he knew she wanted more from him than he could give. The few times they'd slept together had been nice if not a little awkward, but Elliot enjoyed her company and especially enjoyed the feeling of being wanted by an attractive woman after the deep rejection he felt at Olivia's departure from his life.

God, he felt pathetic sometimes. He had a perfectly good woman that looked at him with stars in her eyes, yet he couldn't bring himself to feel more for her than companionship.

Olivia was still driving him crazy, even though she'd been gone for over three months.

The comfort he sought from Tracie was just not worth the potential pain he would put her through from leading her on. He knew he needed to break things off, but wasn't sure how, seeing as that they weren't seriously dating to begin with. He looked over at her and watched as her heated gaze raked up his body and she licked her lips.

"You sure you don't want to stay a bit longer?" She gave him a sexy smile and tilted her head in question.

Elliot briefly considered the offer before shaking his head at her. "I'm sorry, Trace…I really have to get going. Early morning tomorrow, but I'll call you when I get off, okay?" He pressed a quick kiss to her lips and turned to leave.

"This isn't working for you anymore, is it, Elliot?" Her voice was quiet and it made his heart sink.

He felt guilty bringing her into his life when his heart belonged to someone else. She deserved better.

"We'll talk later. Want to meet for dinner around seven?" He couldn't hurt her while the room still smelled of sex and she sat there half naked. He also needed time to collect his thoughts.

Tracie turned her back to him, lowering back down under her comforter. "Yeah, that's fine. Talk to you later," she said shortly. She knew what was coming.

Elliot stared at her for a moment before leaving the room and her apartment, locking the door behind him.

{EO}

The following day, Olivia and David had closed a particularly difficult case and wanted to celebrate catching the bastard responsible for over six counts of child molestation. They were both exhausted, but at the same time, too wired to fall asleep.

"Hey, Livia, why don't you call my man Jim and invite him out for some drinks with us. We really should celebrate tonight and I know he'd love to see you again."

Olivia furrowed her brow at her partner in confusion. "David, you know we just went out last night, right?"

David smiled knowingly. "Yeah, but I gotta tell you…Jim's got it bad. All the poor slob does is talk about you these days. Kinda makes me queasy, but I guess I'm happy for you two." He elbowed her side, causing her to laugh.

"Bradford, we've only been dating for two months." Her stomach dropped with anxiety. "We're just having fun…"

"Yeah, yeah…well, if you ask me, he's too good for you, Benson." He chuckled at the dirty look she shot his way. "I'm just sayin'…he's looking for a wife and you aren't the type to settle down from what I can tell."

Olivia stared at him, knowing he was just teasing her, but absorbing weight of his words all the same.

No, she wasn't the type to "settle down" with just anyone.

Shoving thoughts of Elliot down, she decided to call Jim.

A little over and hour later, Olivia, Jim and David made their way into Flannigan's Pub. Jim's arm was wrapped around her waist, pulling her close as they walked up to the bar to order their drinks in the lively pub.

"I'm glad you called me tonight," he whispered, his lips tickling her ear.

Olivia smiled and turned to wrap her arms around his neck, pressing a gentle kiss against his soft lips. She could do this. This is what it felt like to be in a normal, healthy relationship. One where she didn't have to question the guy's feelings for her and there was nothing unsettling. One that didn't consist of heated arguments and a rollercoaster of emotions. She finally felt as though she was proving to herself that she could have a satisfying life on her own. One that did not involve an overprotective, overly brooding and sometimes infuriating partner. Both Bradford and Jim appeared to trust her implicitly and she felt confident again.

She also felt bored as hell.

"Get a freaking room, you two!" Bradford shot them a look of mock disgust as he handed them two beers. He then held up his glass in a toast. "To new beginnings." The three clinked their glasses together and took a drink.

Olivia smiled, but thought of her old life, feeling a bit uneasy.

Oblivious, Jim ran a hand through her hair and kissed her cheek. As they turned to find an empty booth, Olivia bumped into someone, spilling beer all over his shirt.

"Hey, watch where you're-"

She couldn't breathe. Her chest ached.

With wide eyes and barely a whisper. "Elliot."