Disclaimer: I do not own the show Law and Order SVU or characters, all rights go to Dick Wolf.

Chapter 1

Olivia sat at the front desk and watched all the new kids arriving with their families. It was the same thing every year. She was a little jealous that they had something like that. She thought about what she had. This happened every year.

She had a mother, but she drank a lot. She always did. She always treated Olivia poorly. On top of that Olivia had lost track of how many times she had to pick her up and help her to bed drunk and she never let it go.

When Olivia was 13, her mother caught her kissing her best friend Alexandra Cabot. She kicked Alex out and then she kicked Olivia out. Olivia showed up on Alex's front door soaked from the rain. Alex had told them what happened. Alex's parents tried to help. Olivia explained she didn't have a father and her mother would never talk about him. They kept her for 6 months and her mother died in the meantime. She was drunk and fell down the steps leaving the bar.

Olivia got 3 shocks of her life that day. One, her mother was dead and even though she gave Olivia hell, she loved her. The second thing was that she left a will, leaving Olivia 500,000 dollars in life insurance and their family home. That was dumb, because until she turned 18, she couldn't touch it. The third and smartest thing was the name of her grandmother, Elizabeth Donnelly.

Olivia learned she was a powerful judge. Elizabeth Donnelly started as a lawyer and she quickly made her way up the ranks. She was tough. She beat cancer by having a double mastectomy. She beat a hellish marriage and her own daughter turning on her. She did her best to raise Serena, but she was sneaking out and partying and her husband was no help to raise her. Elizabeth was more than happy to drop her last name Benson never wanting to be associated with him again after he split. That's when Serena really turned bad.

Olivia looked at her mother in the coffin and she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was strong and sturdy. "Hi Olivia. You're so beautiful." Olivia looked up and saw a blonde woman. She looked like her mother, but almost younger. Alcohol really did a number on her mother. "I'm Elizab, I mean I'm your grandmother. I'm sorry I didn't know about you."

Elizabeth searched her brown eyes and dark brown hair. Her skin was tan, not pale like them. "Come on baby, you're going to live with me." It was a big adjustment. Olivia was used to doing her own thing and her grandmother was tough. If Olivia did something wrong, she knew punishment was coming. It gave her the discipline and love that she needed.

Olivia had lived with her for four months and it was different. "Stop pushing your food around and eat." With Serena she ate what she wanted, when she wanted. Sometimes she didn't eat at all.

Olivia sighed, "I don't like liver." Her pallet wasn't strong. She kept pushing the cut pieces. They were brown and slimy. "Yuck!" She looked up in complete refusal mode.

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes at her granddaughter, "Well, it's healthy for you and I don't remember you saying that in the store when I bought it. So, eat now." Olivia challenged her a lot. She was almost pushing her on purpose.

Olivia pushed her plate away and stood up, "No, I'm not doing anything! You eat it." She ran to her room. Olivia didn't have an easy time.

Her grandmother finished her food, washed the dishes, and went to check on her. She had a plate with a sandwich and chips. Olivia had her head buried in the pillow crying. She put the plate on the nightstand. "Liv, talk to me."

Olivia wiped her face, she liked the nickname. It was so close to her nickname, Liz. "It's all different and I miss Alex." She told her grandmother about what happened and how she was put out. "She's just my friend. I don't know why we kissed. I liked it though. Are you going to kick me out too?" Liz shook her head and explained she just wanted her happy. "Do you know my dad?"

She didn't, she tried to think of Serena's friends especially since Olivia didn't look like her or her mom. She handed her the plate, "I want you to eat this. I will call Alex's parents and see if she can spend some weekends here and maybe you can spend some there. I know you haven't seen each other since you moved from that school."

That made Olivia happier. "Are you my only family? Where is my grandfather?" Her grandmother frowned. Olivia was searching for family. Elizabeth had to explain he wasn't alive. She didn't have any other family. "So, I'm alo…" Olivia stopped herself, she felt bad saying it. Her grandmother kissed the top of her head and told her to eat.

Olivia took a bite. Elizabeth had beat cancer, but it made her think that without her, Olivia would be alone. "Olivia Margaret Benson, the next time you tell me no like that, you won't be able to sit." She patted her butt, "I love you sweetheart. You're not alone. We'll figure it out."

Olivia remembered that moment more than anything. She hadn't heard that ever or felt loved, but she did from that point on. Together they figured it out. Olivia knew some things, well from what Serena told her. Her mother got pregnant with her in high school and she didn't know the father. She drank too much that night, like every night. Being pregnant with Olivia was her only sober moment. It was actually the moment that allowed her to get her life together.

Serena entered a GED program. From there she took a job with a real estate company. She started as a secretary and really learned quickly. She even took some college courses and finished with honors. That's how she got the house. When she was sober life was easy. She had a setback though before Olivia was old enough to remember. Olivia only knew her as a drunk. She drank at night and worked during the day.

She had lost them both by now. Her mother was first when she was 13 and her grandmother during her senior year of high school. The cancer came back and she fought like hell to stay with Olivia. She loved her so much. She was so weak in the end, Olivia didn't even cry when she passed away. She couldn't stand to see her hurting.

Olivia fixed her picture that sat at her desk just outside the dorm room. It was her and her grandmother before she went to her senior prom. It was the last picture they took. She didn't look sick, because once she learned there was no hope, she stopped all chemotherapy. She looked like her old self for a few months. Olivia smiled, "We figured it out, didn't we grandma?"

Olivia was a senior in college now and she was on her own. She did have her best friend Alex. She was like her family. Her mother and father took her in so she could finish high school. When she turned 18, she not only got her mother's insurance and house, but her grandmother's as well. She sold her childhood home she shared with her mother, but kept the luxury apartment she shared with her grandmother in upper Manhattan. She went there on her weekends off. She also had a very nice bank account with the insurance money. Alex's father helped her invest it. Olivia was set for life.

Olivia and Alex were both at Hudson. Alex was in the pre-law program. It had always been her dream. Olivia's grandmother helped her love that field. Olivia was in school to be a psychologist. She wanted to be a police officer, but her grandmother made her promise to pick something less dangerous.

Olivia had always worked hard, because her grandmother didn't play games. She didn't want her to be Serena all over again. Olivia would get the spanking of her life if she was disrespectful or misbehaved. She was tough and so was Olivia. Olivia took AP classes in high school and came in ahead of schedule. So she was actually already taking courses in the grad program.

After her freshman year she took a job as a Resident Advisor. It did two things. One took away her housing and meal fee, two it gave her credit in a Psychology course. She was trained to mentor and create a supportive environment for kids away from home. She learned a lot. So there she sat watching all the new kids come in.

Olivia could spot the different types of parents immediately. One was a helicopter parent. She watched them do everything for them. They signed paperwork, helped with classes, and organized everything in the room. Another was the optimist cheerleader. They found the good in everything. It was almost more annoying than the weeper. The parent who cried silent tears the entire time and flat out boohooed once they actually had to leave them.

Olivia saw a young blonde walk in with a backpack and a duffel bag. She was wearing blue jeans and a hoodie. She was holding her paperwork in her hand and she looked lost and was alone. Olivia knew then, her parent was the absent one. It didn't happen often, but when it did Olivia knew it felt like crap. She went through it. She always tried to help. "Hey you!"

The blonde turned to look. She was super cute and her eyes were a bright blue. "Me?" Her face showed attitude. Olivia nodded behind the desk. She approached. The closer she got, the cuter she got. "What do you want?"

Olivia was shocked, this didn't happen. Normally the loner would be grateful someone was speaking to them. "Well, that's rude." She shook her name tag that said "Olivia, RA." Olivia opened her laptop, "You look a little lost. What's your name?" She just stared at her for 10 seconds before declaring she wasn't lost.

Olivia narrowed her eyes at her, but before she could say anything else, Alex jumped on her back, "Boo! Hey Liv!" Olivia knew she was lost because she missed the step to get her ID badge. She needed it for everything, so she would have been wearing it. Alex hugged her neck and the girl frowned at their exchange.

Olivia caught the look, but couldn't really read her face. "So you're not lost great, paperwork please." The blonde looked at both of them and demanded to know why. "Because I'm in charge of this lovely building. Paperwork now!" The blonde slammed it on the desk.

Olivia was shocked but it was almost entertaining getting under her skin so easily. "Amanda Rollins." Amanda looked uneasy. "Forensics major. What are you going to do with that?" Amanda held up her hand and declared a police officer. "You want to be a cop?" Olivia remembered the promise she made to her grandmother and thought about the danger. She cared about her safety already and didn't even know her. Amanda nodded. "Room 104. Hmmm."

Olivia smiled and gave her the paperwork back. "We're neighbors." Then she reached into the basket for an envelope. "This is why I called you over here. You may not have been lost, but you need one of these." Olivia had to get her a badge. She could have forced her to go all the way back to the correct office. She pointed a camera at her and said smile. Amanda smiled and Olivia liked it. She scanned the card. Olivia looked puzzled, she didn't have a meal plan. That was weird, "Read this, it's the rules. I hope you aren't a rule breaker or you'll be speaking to me a lot."

Alex giggled and Amanda rolled her eyes. Alex knew her best friend well, she had an eye for the young blonde. "This keycard will get you in any building and your room only. You don't have a meal plan. What do you plan on eating?"

Amanda snatched it, "I don't eat much and you're nosy." Olivia sighed, Amanda had a wall up. Amanda walked away. Olivia wanted to break her wall down. She figured it was just a tough exterior.

Olivia shouted, "See you around Rollins." Olivia smiled, figuring that would either piss her off or make her smile. It definitely pissed her off.

Amanda turned back quickly, "It's Amanda." If looks could kill was the only thing Olivia thought watching her. She did enjoy watching the back of her walking away.

Olivia didn't even give Alex a chance to question her, she picked up the phone and called a friend. "Hey Brian, I need a favor, this is Olivia in Branch Hall." Olivia listened, "Yeah, I will give you my notes. Can you look up Amanda Rollins? How come there is no meal plan?"

Alex listened to Olivia play mommy. "Can you hook her up?" Olivia shook her head at Alex, "Yeah Alex will be ready at 7. Thanks Bri."

Alex hit her arm, "What the fuck Liv?" Alex and Olivia actually dated both ways. When they were younger they tried each other, but they were more like sisters. Olivia was just getting over a break up with former baseball captain Johnny Drake. They broke up because he went pro and he cheated on her. Alex had a thing for Brian Cassidy. He was on Hudson's baseball team too.

Olivia rolled her eyes, "You think he's totally hot, so don't hit me. He said she could barely make her school payment." Calling Brian made her think about Johnny. "Just be careful with the baseball boys. Alex hugged her best friend.

Alex shook her head, "She doesn't look like the charity type Liv. If you like her, try telling her that. Aren't you the psych major?" Olivia smiled and had plans to get her attention her way. "Liv, if this is a rebound, you should wait." Olivia thought about what her friend said.