Ok people, there's no need for threats! I promise I'm writing as fast as I can =]

Disclaimer: everything belongs to Dick Wolf and NBC

"How long has he been like that?" Jo asked as she watched Elliot figuratively-but almost literally-bite off the head of yet another uniformed officer, and then curse out Munch for his 'chicken scratch handwriting that is worthy of doctor status' in the same breath.

Fin, listening to Munch's retort, which had something to do with aliens and government implantations, chuckled in amusement. "Pretty much since he showed up this morning," he told the ADA. "I think he's going through Benson-withdrawal."

Jo laughed with Fin this time. It made sense. Elliot hadn't even been back to work solo for four hours, and he was already turning into the Hulk. It was interesting to watch how he functioned without his partner; the answer, plain and simple, seemed to be that he didn't.

"I don't care what you think, Stabler, the sunglasses stay on!"

Everyone in the room turned to look at the normally calm and collective Munch, who had just blown up at the volatile and hot-headed Stabler.

Fin walked over to rest a hand on his partner's shoulder; the sergeant was still glaring daggers at Elliot. "Calm down, man," he tried to diffuse the tense atmosphere. He looked over at Elliot; he understood that the man was upset at having to work solo for now, and that he missed Olivia, but the attitude really needed to stop, now. "Elliot, take a few minutes, go cool off," he directed. He refused to deflate under the glare that he was getting. It seemed the world class Detective Stabler did not take to being given orders very well unless they came from Cragen or Olivia. Fin drew closer and lowered his voice. "Elliot, I get it, we all miss her." Elliot's eyes softened and he visibly drooped. Fin continued, "But you can't keep ripping into anyone around you simply because they're there."

Elliot took a deep breath, and looked up. There was gratitude in his eyes as he looked at Fin, and guilt as they flicked over to Munch. "Sorry, John," he apologized softly. Munch nodded, and, with one last look, Elliot headed out of the squad room to get some of that suggested fresh air.

Cragen came out of his office as Elliot left. At his entrance, everyone who had stopped what they were doing to watch the spectacle hurried to go back to work.

Cragen raised his eyebrow. "What did I miss?" he asked Fin and Munch curiously.

Fin sighed and shrugged. "Elliot being Elliot," he replied.

As Fin and Munch made to sit back down at their respective desks, Cragen crossed his arms across his chest. "I wasn't aware that he was that interesting," he commented.

Fin looked up at the captain. "When he's Elliot without Olivia," he smirked, "trust me Captain, he's quite a sideshow."

Cragen looked confused at that cryptic statement, while Fin dodged the pen Munch had thrown at him.

"Hey, man, what was that for?" Fin asked, annoyed.

Munch glared. "It wasn't you he was insulting," he complained. "I personally didn't find it that entertaining."

Cragen cleared his throat, effectively ending the conversation that was quickly turning into an argument. When the detectives looked at him, he asked, "Where are we on leads?"

Munch and Fin looked at each other. "Still working on it," Fin replied. "Everything we've got so far has turned into dead ends."

Cragen nodded. "Keep working on it."

With that, he headed out the door, following Elliot and hoping that he might be able to get him to pull back on the aggressiveness, at least a little bit.

XXX

He was on the roof, as Cragen knew he would be. Arms resting on the railing, leaning out over the edge, he was looking at the absolutely gorgeous view of New York City.

Elliot heard someone come up behind him, but he didn't turn to look.

"Beautiful view, isn't it?" Cragen settled next to Elliot on the railing, also taking in the scenery.

Elliot didn't answer. Cragen ripped his eyes off of the view and turned to face his detective. "Elliot, we all miss her," he said gently.

Elliot sighed and looked down at his hands. "I know," he whispered back.

Cragen's eyes narrowed at the emotion in his voice, his dismay at having to work without his partner by his side. Something had definitely changed. He cleared his throat. "Elliot?" He paused, but Elliot didn't look at him. He tried again. "Elliot?" Finally the detective's eyes flickered up. "Are you and Olivia…" he trailed off, then tried again. "Have you and Olivia…?" He just couldn't get the words out.

But Elliot knew what he was trying to ask. His gaze lowered again. "I don't know," he said quietly.

Cragen nodded. It seemed like an honest answer. "Just know that, if you do…" Again he couldn't complete the sentence.

And again, Elliot seemed to know what he was trying to say. He nodded back. "I know," he responded.

Cragen sighed. Elliot and Olivia were his two best and his two favorite detectives. But did they have to make everything so difficult? The entire NYPD either thought that they had hooked up or would hook up. But not one of those officers thought about the position that it would put him, their captain, in, when it happened. He reached out to rest a hand on Elliot's shoulder, and squeezed reassuringly. "Take a few minutes, then come back down," he told the detective.

Elliot nodded, and Cragen left him alone, heading back downstairs.

Elliot sighed and levered himself off of the banister, looking around at the empty air around him. This was where he and Olivia came to talk, or unwind, when a case, or life, became too much. This place had a lot of Olivia in it. He smiled, remembering, before following his captain back down to the squad room, much calmer.

Alex and Casey sat down in the crowded diner and looked around.

"Why is it that every time we come here it's impossible to move?" Casey whined as she picked up the menu and perused the options.

Alex, also looking at the menu, replied, "Because it's one of New York's best restaurants."

Casey sighed exasperatedly. "Yeah, the floor is dirty, the food is horrible, the waiters are rude…I can see what you mean by 'best restaurant'!" she retorted.

Alex looked up at her friend. "True New York restaurant, Casey, it represents the city." Casey shrugged, deflating, and Alex continued, "We can go somewhere else if you want…"

"No, that's OK," Casey interrupted quickly.

Alex smiled. This place really was a dingy little diner; there were many places that had better food and nicer staff, as well as better hygiene, but this small hole-in-the-wall of a restaurant had a certain quality about it. It just existed, without trying to please anybody. She had grown rather fond of the place, having frequented it quite often because of its closeness to the courthouse, and she knew that Casey, whine and complain about it though she might, was attached as well.

After the waitress took their orders, Casey leaned her arms on the table and looked at Alex intently. "So what's next for you?" she asked. The woman was back in the city, Africa was in the past; it was a logical question.

Alex looked at her friend and shrugged. "I talked to Jack, to see if there were any openings. He told me to give him a couple of days." She paused briefly, before continuing. "I think Jo's been talking to him about transferring, so I might be able to get back with SVU." She smiled nostalgically. "I can't believe how much I missed all of them while I was gone." As Alex finished, she noticed the look on Casey's face. Hurt and longing. "What about you?" she asked.

Casey met Alex's eyes, and then looked down. Rather than answer, she began to tell a story. "I got off to a pretty rocky start with SVU." She started fiddling with her paper napkin, slowly shredding it into confetti. "After my first case wrapped, I went to Jack and requested a transfer. I told him I didn't want it. He looked at me and said, 'you will'." Casey looked up at her friend and smirked. "He was right. All I want to do right now is go back." She absentmindedly began to gather the shredded remains of her napkin, making a small, neat pile next to the ketchup bottle. "I have a meeting with the Bar Association tomorrow. I want to get reinstated."

Alex smiled. "That's great, Casey. Good luck."

Casey returned the smile, a little more forced. "Thanks, I'll need it," she replied, just as the waitress returned with their crappy, hole-in-the-wall diner food.

I know it's short, but I have some ideas that I really want to get to, but I don't want to just add them on to this chapter, I think they deserve their own chapter, so I'm ending here, in the hopes that I can get to work on the next segment, and make it worth it!

And next…Olivia has taken a huge leap forward, but now that things are looking positive, will she take a step back? What's going on with Fin and Melinda? If you want to find out….REVIEW!