Melinda says "I'll call Duncan." She calls but gets no answer.

"What was it like?" Olivia asks.

"What was what like? My first death?" Melinda says.

Olivia shakes her head. "No, you already told me about that. What was it like before?"

Melinda nods. "I was a foundling, we all are. They found me in the fields, or at least that's what they told me. I was a baby, so I don't remember it myself. My mistress had no children at the time, and she took me in. Later, she got pregnant and they moved me out to the slave quarters and assigned a young one to raise me. Because my master's son and I were the only two kids on the plantation, we played together all the time. Being a year older and a girl, I was bigger and usually won. When I was five, they started giving me chores and we went our separate ways. Then his parents died and I belonged to him. He became cruel…. I don't want to talk about it."

Olivia says "Talking can help." But Melinda shakes her head and responds "I have. It has helped as much as it will. Now it only opens old wounds."

"What will happen to her…after?"

"It is up to her. It won't be easy for a modern refined woman despite all that she has seen as an ADA. But nobody, but us, has seen her dead, so she won't have to take a new identity."

"He said you fought when you…came back…"

"He had me naked on my side in an ice-cold stream. He's got one on my legs held down with his boot and the other hoisted up in the air and he's scrubbing my who-ha with a stiff brush like he was trying to polish an old boot." Melinda demonstrates the vigorous scrubbing motion. Olivia's jaw drops. Melinda grins. "I can laugh about it now."

The two sit quietly, occasionally exchanging a few words as they wait.

Finally, Melinda gets up. "My shift is about to begin. Try to get some sleep." Olivia realizes Melinda has sensed Adam's approach.

Adam sprawls on the built into the built-in sofa next to Olivia. "It will be awhile. Do the girls want to come out and play?"

Olivia glares at him. "I'm not taking my top off here."

"Are they accepting visitors?"

"Really?" Olivia accuses.

Adam gets a mischievous grin. "Just trying to lighten the mood."

"You're not. My friend is dead…"

"Not for long…"

"She was murdered…"

"That would be hard to prove when she's walking around without even a scar."

"There is a body back there, Alex's blood trail…"

"Well, that is true. But let's not worry about that now."

Adam gently holds Olivia and guides her exhausted body to lay across his legs. He rubs her back and shoulders. She relaxes. He reaches up the back of her shirt and unfastens and moves the straps of her bra out of the way. Olivia stiffens. But he withdraws and resumes rubbing her back on top of her shirt. She relaxes and drifts off to sleep.

Olivia has a nightmare. She dreams that she is a pre-immortal who comes back to find herself buried in a coffin with no light or air, and no way to fight to the surface. She can't breathe. Her hand is seized and she's pulled to the surface into a hug as she gasps for air. "You are safe. Whatever it was, it was only a nightmare. You are safe."

Olivia fully wakes up. "It was horrible."

"It wasn't real."

"I used to have dreams when I was with you… I was riding a horse… I was free to go wherever I wished, nothing could threaten me." Olivia looks to Adam and watches a smile slowly develop. There is a hint of a nod. "Somehow you gave me those dreams… but they weren't dreams, were they? They were… memories… Did you…?"

Adam shakes his head. "I would not give you a nightmare. Go back to sleep."

It seems that no time has passed, but Olivia begins to awaken to the feeling of Adam fastening her bra and straightening her clothing. She realizes Adam has sensed Melinda's approach. Melinda knocks and waits for permission to enter.

Melinda explains "Olivia, I checked her bandages. She is healing. It won't be long. You can handle this… It will be like awakening from a nightmare, but at least nobody will be trying to give her private bits a spit shine." Melinda shoots Adam a look and he looks away. "I've moved her to my bed."

Olivia cautiously moves down the hall to the room Melinda directed. She finds Alex lying on her back neatly tucked in. Olivia feels for a pulse and finds none. Shockingly, Alex is cold to the touch. Olivia sits in the chair next to the bed and takes Alex's hand.

Olivia is surprised to feel a slight tremor in Alex's hand, but she jumps when Alex suddenly gasps and shouts "No! No!" and tries to put her hands out to shield herself, looking with terrified eyes at nothing. When the one hand is restrained, Alex whirls to face Olivia and stares with uncomprehending eyes at Olivia.

Olivia hugs Alex. "You are safe." Alex looks at her like Olivia is speaking an unknown language. "Alex, it is me…Olivia Benson. You are safe." Alex has a glimmer and looks about the room expecting to see she in in an ICU. When she sees no monitors or IV's she looks back to Olivia in confusion.

"I thought I was shot."

Olivia smiles warmly. "You were."

"How long…have I been…out?"

Olivia faces the moment of truth. "You were … out for hours." Alex feels around and feels no tender areas. "You were…dead…for hours." Alex's eyes open wide trying to comprehend what she's been told. Olivia nods.

"Dead?"

"Dead"

"Dead dead?"

"No pulse, cold…stiff. I've seen dead. Trust me, you were dead. They call it a 'first death."

"You mean…?"

"Yes. You were hit by a .44 hollow point after it went through that bastard. It put a hole through your chest big enough for me to put my fist in."

"That woman…"

"She's not here."

"How did I get here? Where…is here?"

"We shoved your corpse into the trunk of a car. Here is Duncan's place. This is Melinda's room."

Alex swallows and says "Please don't use the phrase 'your corpse' in relation to me."

Olivia giggles a bit. "Welcome back Counselor."

Olivia eases the blankets back to see that Alex has been dressed in a night shirt. "I think I should take you to the…'trophy room' where Adam and Melinda are waiting." She gets Alex out of bed and onto her feet.

"I feel stiff."

"Well, that makes sense. You were a stiff."

"Please, don't use that phrase either." Alex scolds holding up her pointer finger.

Olivia guides Alex down the hall. Suddenly Alex gasps and leans against the wall. Olivia observes "That is why they wanted you with me instead of one of them. That must be the sensation they call…"

"…the Quickening." Melinda finishes Olivia's sentence as she steps into the hall smiling. "It is the same sensation I've gotten from being close to you since we met. You are as you have always been, but you've been reborn into knowing it. You will become more aware."

"What do you mean?"

"Look at Olivia. Reach out with your mind. Feel her heart beating…her blood flowing…her breathing…"

Slowly and then more quickly a smile comes to Alex. "I do! She's nervous…"

Adam steps into the hallway. "Never forget, you are both predator and prey. The fight you avoid is as good as the fight you win. But in the end, there can be only one."

"She doesn't need to think about that now." Melinda counters.

A second wave of panic hits Alex. "I've found that he can be a cold son of a bitch, but he's worth listening to…most of the time." Duncan says as he tops the stairs. "You forgot this" he adds as he tosses Olivia her phone. "Fortunately, I found it before leaving. The car is on a barge headed off to become scrap." Turning to smile at Alex he concludes. "Greetings Alex."