A/N: So … this is a thing I have kind of had in my back pocket. Don't get too excited and scare it away now. Lol J/k Review, if you like the intro; I am working on some more. Ultimate pairing will be Rolivia.

Spoilers: None, thus far.

Rating: T, thus far

Trigger warnings: References to rape, physical assault

Diverge: Prologue

"Tell me again, how we ended up here?" Rollins asked.

"What, you mean everyone doesn't dream of a road trip to the second worst Winter state in America?" Liv returned.

The two women's voices were muffled inside the car, where they had gotten used to the rhythmic scrape of the wipers and the blast of hot air from the vents. Outside the speeding car, snow was falling in fat, wet flakes that melted as they hit the windshield.

"Manhattan is plenty cold enough for me, thanks," Rollins chuckled, rubbing her hands together close to a vent.

"We should be able to stop soon. I'm sure we'll find something hot to eat."

They had touched down in Michigan and rented the car nearly two hours ago, on their way to interview a suspected victim as part of a multi-state serial case they had been working on for a few weeks. Recently, Amanda had commented to Fin that Liv had been holding her back for a lot of desk work, rather than sending her into the field. He had been more than happy to volunteer Rollins for the trip to Michigan when the opportunity presented itself.

Weather had been steadily worsening since they had arrived, with blowing snow and freezing temperatures. Amanda had been thinking of nothing but a warm bed and a hot beverage for the last half a dozen exits. She kept peering into the white-out, wondering how they were supposed to find Nowhere Town in the middle of stormy nowhere. At long last, they passed a sign that told them they weren't far from Adrian, Michigan - normally only an hour-ish from the airport. Amanda was anxious to get out of the car and stretch, her legs bouncing in the passenger footwell.

That was when the car fishtailed on the snow-covered highway.

Startled, Rollins' hands gripped the dash as her heart crowded into her throat. Olivia said nothing in her panic, her attention focused on not stomping the brake. She adjusted the wheel into the slide and eased off the gas, waiting for the vehicle to slow down. It was over in a moment, but was enough of an adrenaline rush to leave both women sitting in silence for a couple minutes.

"I should get out and take a look at the tires," Liv finally spoke over the sound of the heater. "Just to be safe."

"No – no, let me do it," Rollins blurted, touching a hand to Liv's shoulder. "I was dyin' to stretch, anyway."

"Ok. Be quick," Liv told her, peering at the gauges behind the steering wheel.

Amanda stepped out into the blustering air, the fringes of her hair beneath her winter hat immediately catching snowflakes like powdered sugar. She stretched, relieved at the popping of stiff joints. Olivia watched her kicking snow from inside the wheel wells, crouching to look at the tires one at a time. When she crouched to the last, back tire, Liv pulled her cell from the console and tapped it, looking at the time – and the signal, of which there was none.

"Awesome," she mumbled to herself. She was getting tired of driving, and wondered if Rollins might switch. She looked up into the rear view mirror, but Amanda wasn't where she had been standing.

Turning as best she could in her seat, Olivia looked out the windows. Still nothing. Her hands went to her seatbelt, releasing it and opening her door in one swift motion. "Amanda?" she called, "Did you slip back there?"

When there wasn't an immediate response, the adrenaline started coursing again. Rounding the trunk, she was confronted with the image of Rollins' body, toppled onto her side on the quickly gathering snow. Her hat was no longer on her head, and her bright blonde hair was haloed over the snow, stained with red. "Amanda!" Liv dove to her knees next to her, touching Amanda's arm gently. "Amanda? Jesus- "

Pushing back the hair carefully, she saw a bleeding wound, and a goose egg rising from an impact. "Oh, God . . . "

If Amanda had slipped and hit her head on the car, she would have heard it. The blood in Liv's veins ran cold as she realized it looked, instead, like Amanda had been attacked

TBC