Summary: Set somewhere early Season 14-ish and will diverge from canon at that point. The William Lewis story arc has not happened yet (and may not).

Elliot Stabler has been gone from SVU and Olivia's life for almost a year and a half. He had become a ghost, a memory in the minds of his colleagues, and an aching hole in the heart of his former partner. What happens when a devastating event brings him out of obscurity and back into their lives? Will be E/O. Rating T because try as I might, I can't write smut, and also because I'm trying to keep it as close to the style of the show, which is generally rated TV-14.

Chapter One: The Emergency Room

Mercy General Hospital

A crew of FDNY paramedics rushed through the doors of the ambulance bay at Mercy General Hospital. There was chaos all around as they relayed information about the patient on the stretcher to the trauma team that was waiting for them.

"We have a female Jane Doe, unknown age. Was involved in a multi-car MVA. She was the backseat passenger in a taxicab that took multiple impacts. Impact number one was broadside to the driver's side, causing the vehicle to spin into oncoming traffic. Impact number two happened almost immediately after and was broadside to the passenger side, causing the vehicle to flip. Taxi driver was DOA on the scene. Patient Jane Doe had to be extricated from the vehicle. She was pinned in on both sides and from the roof of the car. Witnesses reported that she appeared to have been restrained, but the extrication crew reported that the belt was broken, possibly from the force of the impacts. Time to extricate was approximately 30 minutes from the first 911 call. Patient has been unconscious since EMS arrived on scene, but witnesses did report that she was conscious and moaning briefly after the accident.

"Pupils are round and reactive, pulse is tachy at 140, BP is 95/50. A large bore IV was inserted into left AC vein, one liter of fluids pushed. There are some first and second degree burns to lower extremities. The vehicle caught fire at the tail end of the extrication. Shortly thereafter, the vehicle's fuel tank ignited and flames engulfed the car. It was quickly extinguished but not before most of her personal effects were incinerated. This is what we were able to recover."

The paramedic handed over a small, plastic bag containing a charred bit of metal, a half burnt belt fused to a melted chunk of plastic, and some fragments of blackened card stock, one of which clearly bore the NYPD logo.

"We think Jane Doe is an NYPD officer. It's possible that piece of metal might be her badge or a piece of it. A burnt out 9mm Glock was also found at the scene and secured by NYPD personnel until provenance can be ascertained."

The lead trauma nurse nodded her understanding of all and thanks the paramedics as she and the rest of the trauma team take over and begin assessing what promised to be a long list of injuries.

The on-call trauma surgeon started barking out orders. "Get a portable x-ray in here stat! We need C-spine, pelvic, and all extremities. Call up to CT and let them know we are coming up. Tell them to bump whoever's in there; she's critical. Call up to the OR and let them know to prep for an emergency ex-lap. Page Neurology to assess the head injury, and Ortho for the fractures. Be prepared to initiate damage control protocol. We might not be able to take care of everything right away if she goes into the triad of death. Type and cross at least 3 units of blood."

Members of the trauma team rushed in and out, a swirl of activity in a well-rehearsed dance. One nurse glanced at the patient's face as she drew the blood for the lab work. A wave of recognition washed over her. She remembered this woman. She had seen her come and go from the ER countless times, interviewing sexual assault victims. She raised her voice above the din.

"I think I know who the patient is. I'm pretty sure that she is a detective with the NYPD. She works with Manhattan SVU. I think her name is Olivia Benson."