AN: Sorry for the delay. The friendship between Olivia and Nick is AU. Hope you enjoy. Please review and let me know if I should continue. If I get 10 reviews by tonight, I will try to post a chapter by tomorrow. Haha.

Chapter 2

She had faced fear many time in her life, starting with the first time her mom came home drunk and re- enforced everything she came face to face with a desperate criminal armed with a gun but nothing struck more fear in her than the prospect of entering a beautiful house on the beach. She was terrified at the prospect of seeing him again. She had finally gotten over the disappointment of not seeing him everyday. She was finally at the point where she no longer cried herself to sleep over a clearly one-sided relationship. She had gotten to the point where he was replaced as number one on her speed dial. She was getting over him. This would ruin that, this would ruin her. She couldn't go in that house.

"Liv, this is- " Owen starts but quickly realizes that his cousins' daughter was already ending a hug with his girlfriend. "Wait,you know each other?"

"Ah, we… I…we" Olivia nervously starts but fortunately is cut off by the sound of voices approaching from the side of the house Eli had just come from. Two women turn the corner deep in the throws of a friendly conversation. Olivia recognizes one of them immediately as Bernadette Stabler. If there was any doubt how fuck she was, there wasn't now.

Bernadette embraces Owen as soon as she realizes he is there. Her view of Olivia is obscure by Owen. "Owen, I am so glad you could make it. I haven't seen you in at least 2 years. Where is the new girlfriend? Bernie rambles as she hugs Owen.

"Aunt Bernie, I want you to meet Olivia, my girlfriend." At his words, Owen ends the embrace with one final squeeze and steps to the side to show her off.

Olivia hears the audible gasp from the other woman as she comes into view. Bernie recovers quickly as a smile crosses her face- a huge knowing smile. " Olivia dear its wonderful to see you" Olivia is shocked by the force with which she is pulled into hug by the elderly woman. She doesn't know if she should return the hug, after all she had only met the woman once and even though Bernadette had shared some intense memories with her, they were hardly close. However, as she felt the warmth of her arm she imagines this is what it felt like to have a warm mother. She knows Bernadette had her issue but at least she was warm. Olivia can't help but return the hug.

"Am I missing something here, Liv? How is it that you know my family?"

" Owen dear, Olivia use to be Elliot's partner before he left the force." Bernie answers before she gets the chance, not that she would be able to anyway given that she is still trying to wrap her head around what is going on herself.

"You were my cousin's partner?" Owen questions in disbelief. "For how long?" He asks again when she nods.

"Twelve years." The answer saddens her. For twelve years, he was her right hand and now she dreads the thought of seeing him. A thought occurs to her then, maybe he isn't here, maybe its another cousin that is here. Maybe its another cousin besides Elliot that is here. Maybe the drama she imagines this long weekend will bring is all in her head and when she finally gets in the house she will feel silly for all the anxiety she has caused herself.

"Wow! Thats a long time, I am sure El will be happy to see you this weekend." The balloon of optimism she had just allowed herself exploded at the woman, she had yet to be introduced to but assumes is yet another cousin, statement. "I am Chris, by the way, Owen's and … well Elliot's cousin." The woman confirms Olivia's suspicion.

"Hi, nice to meet you, I am Olivia Benson." She extends her hand to the slender blonde woman.

Suddenly the door to the house is forcefully opened from the inside and Olivia swears her heart actually stops beating.

"Ma, Do we have any beer?"

She hears his voice before he appears and that cause a chill down her spine. For three years, every thing she answers the phone, she had hoped to hear that his voice but now all she wants to do is run away. She thought nothing was as bad as hearing his voice until two seconds later he appeared on the porch. He looked like he always did minus some hair. He looked like he did the last time she saw him except more relaxed. He no longer had the stress that comes with dealing with sexual abuse and rape victims. He looked like he never knew that stress and that pissed her off. She didn't want him to be able to forget because she feared that meant he had forgotten her. She didn't want him standing there in shorts and t-shirt with a fucking tan. She didn't want to see that fucking smile on his face. She finds pleasure when the smile disappears from his face when he comes face to face with her. Their eyes meet and everyone around them disappears. They are no longer in sync enough anymore for her to read his thoughts but she doesn't have to, to see that he is surprised to say the least.

"Olivia?" She is not sure he meant it to come out as a whisper. Her name on his lip, in that voice goes straight to her heart. It also angers her, how dare him say her name like that after all this time. How dare he say it at all.

"Ha, You remember my name, thought for sure you forgot." She can't keep the anger out her voice. She needs to get away from him now before she causes a scene. "Babe, I need to make a call." She says to Owen as she kisses him gently on the lips, hoping to avoid questions she is not ready to answer. She can already see the confusion on his face. "I will be right back." She turn and walks around the house towards the beach. She pulls out her phone and starts to call her new speed dial number one. She needs to talk this one out. She knows after Elliot recovers from his initial shock, he would be following her. At least the old Elliot would, she has no idea what the beach bum Elliot would do but she suspects she has five minutes tops.

She doesn't allow the recipient of the call their usual greeting instead cuts them off. " Nick, I need your help. " She sits on the steps of the back porch and begins recounting the days events. She vents to her partner about her old partner while he tries to calm her down. They are coming up with a plan when she feels his presence behind her. She wants to hurt him the way he hurt her. "Nick, thanks. I don't know what I would do without you." She knows the old Elliot loved to be the only man in her life, a fact that made his leaving ten times worse. She knows he loved that he was the only man she had ever truly loved, so she know what to say to really hurt him. Nick and her had began saying it whenever their conversation was personal. It was an attempt on her part to have a different kind of relationship with her partner. A relationship with no secrets, where they said what they felt. Nick had become her brother, her best friend, she had learnt to trust him completely and for the first time in her life she had someone with whom she can openly express her feelings to. "Love You." She pause as he returns the sentiment. "I will talk to you tomorrow."

As she ends the call, she sighs. She knows he is behind her and she knows she has no choice but face him. She just wish she didn't.