Split second:

Summary: in a split second anything can change. Elliot, Olivia, and Alex are forced into WPP after a day in court gone terribly wrong. How will the squad deal with losing 3 of its members? How will Alex, Elliot and Olivia deal with leaving their lives and identities behind in a shallow grave in New York?

Disclaimer: in no way, shape, or form are these characters mine . . . damn.

TIME LINE (VERY IMPORTANT): this story starts in June of 2000. Elliot and Olivia have been partners for a little more then a year and a half. Elliot got divorced 6 months prier and he and Olivia have been dating, secretly of course, for three months. Alex and Fin joined the squad a year or so earlier so everyone is well aquatinted with each other and they have formed their little family at the 1-6.

Chapter 14: A Day in the Life Of

Three weeks later: June 18th 2002, New York.

Captain Don Cragen let out a low sigh; he stood in the cemetery staring down at the three graves before him. The two years had considerably taken their toll on the old man: more wrinkles on his face, fewer hairs on his head, and a gloomy look within his now gray eyes. How he missed the three people he had come to think of as the children he never had. It had been two years to the day since they had been taken away from him, struck down with their whole lives in front of them; He still couldn't believe they were gone. He knelt down and placed a simple bouquet of lilies on each grave; he wasn't sure about the other two, but he knew lilies where Olivia's favorite. Don slowly touched each headstone before standing, a stray tear rolling down his cheek and falling to the cold earth. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and began walking quietly back down the hill. Today was going to be a long day, a very long day.

June 18th 2002, Washington D.C.

"But don't you find it ironic that we officially get our lives back on the same day we were pronounced dead two years ago?" Olivia questioned as she, Elliot, and Alex made their way into the government building.

"Yeah, I guess it is pretty ironic," Alex agreed.

"Mr. Lewis?" Elliot called as he rapped lightly on the oak door in front of him.

"It's open," Arthur Lewis called back. The three entered the office, and Arthur looked up. "So who's ready to bring the dead back to life?" he asked lightly with a kind smile.

Three hours later

"Who ever thought getting your life back would be that long and tedious?" Alex asked in an exasperated voice as she slumped down in a chair beside Olivia and Elliot at a small café.

"I don't think I've ever signed my name so many times! But it feels so good to be Olivia Benson; I'm never going to complain about my life or name again."

Elliot gave a light chuckle. "We'll see about that," he said, earning a glare from Olivia, "Come on, let's hurry up and order; I think we've left Jim with Ally long enough."

New York June 18th 2002 - 1-6 bullpen

"We're never going to find those two teens; they're as good as dead anyway! What does it matter, it's no use, they're dead now!" John Munch exploded at Casey Novak before storming down the hall.

She looked utterly bewildered at John's outburst and watched him retreat, at a loss of words. "Don't mind him." Fin said softy. "Today's a bad day for him, for all of us really. He'll be back to normal within a few days…or at least as normal as John Munch can be," Fin finished with a small, forced smile. He wished he could run out like Munch; all he wanted to do was sit at home, but today that wasn't an option.

Casey picked up on Fin's tone, but didn't press the subject. They had a case to solve right now; she could ask Don about it later if she really wanted to.

June 18th 2002 Washington D.C.

"Oh, Ally was just fine, she always is," Jim informed them.

Olivia gave a slight smirk and nodded. "Good. By the way, you appear to have milk and spit-up all over you, and is that baby powder in your hair?" Olivia questioned.

He took in his appearance. "Okay, so maybe I can be a little messy," Jim said with a shrug.

"Yeah, just maybe." Alex agreed with a smile.

June 18th 2002, Queens, New York

As she opened her locker, Kathleen Stabler caught a glimpse of a picture pushed in the far corner. She reached in and picked it up. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw what the picture was of. It was her, Maureen, Lizzie and Dicky with their dad and Olivia at the last precinct picnic before the shooting. She told herself she wasn't going to think about it today, she couldn't let herself. It would just be too hard, but it proved harder to push those memories away. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. She didn't know what to do, her emotions were over taking her, so she ran.

Kathleen wasn't exactly sure by what means, but somehow she had ended up at the cemetery gate. Within five minutes, she was standing before three graves with matching lilies on them. Don must have been here, she thought to herself as she sat down between her father's grave and Olivia's. She read what each stone proclaimed to the world; the words had long since been burned into her memory, and for the first time all day, she let her body shake with sobs.

Twenty minutes later, Kathy sat down silently next to her daughter. "How did you know I was here?" Kathleen asked in a quiet, raspy voice.

"The school called when you missed your 4th period class. I know what today is and figured you'd be here," Kathy answered.

Kathleen gave a small nod. "I found this in my locker," she explained as she handed her mom the photo.

"Oh, honey," Kathy said softly as she pulled Kathleen into a hug, a fresh wave of tears washing over the both of them.

"I still can't believe that he's gone, Mom, and that Olivia's dead," Kathleen could barely bring her self to say the bitter word, "I just can't," she choked out.

"I know, baby, I know," Kathy tried to sooth her daughter.

"I want Daddy to come home," she cried, her voice barely audible due to the tears now running down her face.

"He will," Kathy replied.

"How do you know that?"

Kathy didn't answer the question but simply stated, "He will, honey."

June 18th 2002, Washington D.C.

Olivia, Alex, Sophie, Karen, Lindsay and Megan all sat around a table in one of their favorite restaurants. Everyone seemed to have gotten over the lies and understand why they had to hide the truth. Tonight was a time to be together, their last girls' night out before Alex and Olivia had to leave.

"I can't believe you two are leaving in a week," Megan pouted. "What are we going to do with out you guys?"

"Don't worry," Alex said with a small, sad smile. "We'll visit, and all of you can too, when we get all settled down, plus we still have this week," Alex finished trying to sound hopeful.

"A week suddenly seems like the shortest time ever," Karen said.

"I know," Olivia sighed. "Better make the best of the time we have."

"Hear, hear!" Sophie called as she raised her glass. "To the best damn week of our lives!"

"Hear, hear!" They called in response as they clinked their glasses together. Suddenly, things seemed a whole lot brighter.

EOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEO

well this chapter was a little different from the rest, but i really hope all of you enjoyed it! please leave a review and tell me what you thought.

remmember. . .reviews make the world go round so leave a review and make my world go round.

untill next time, LovelyLivia