Note to the reader: I own nothing pertaining to SVU…sadly. Anyway, I ask again, please no flames because this is my first SVU fic.

Chapter One: Nothing the Same

"How do we know you didn't coerce his confession?" The lawyer asked, basically screaming. His voice hinted knowledge but Elliot didn't know why,

"I have never coerced a confession."

"What about with Kevin ­­­Walker?" Elliot was startled.

"That was two years ago."

"But you just stated, under oath, that you have never coerced a confession."

"That was an accident, it was the medication! And it didn't hurt Kevin."

"This suspect was also medicated, was that when you got our confession?"

"Yes, but…"

'No further questions, your honor."

Olivia saw Elliot at his locker packing his things into a brown cardboard box.

"Elliot, what's going on?"

"Some how that stupid lawyer figured out about that case with Kevin Walker. I'm quitting this job."

"What?"

"What else can I do, Liv?"

"I don't know but there must be something."

'There isn't." Olivia's eyes were burning but she held back the tears; she couldn't believe this was happening, Elliot leaving? He turned and left the squad as Olivia felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned and saw Cragen there.

"How about you meet your new partner." Olivia nodded and followed Cragen back to Elliot's old desk and saw another guy sitting there in his seat. "Detective Benson, your new partner Detective Morose." Olivia heard the name but she didn't really care. She couldn't get over the fact that Elliot was gone.

Olivia walked to her apartment building and opened the door to the main building. When she reached her room she saw Elliot leaning up against the wall, head down with his eyes closed.

"Elliot?" What are you doing here" He was startled but when he realized it was her he calmly stated.

"We need to talk." Olivia nodded and continued walking to her apartment.

"Don't you have a key?"

"Yeah, but I didn't think about using it." Olivia slid the key in the lock and turned it, for some reason grateful to hear the click telling her it was open. She walked in first and Elliot followed close behind. Elliot sat on the couch, Olivia attempted to throw her coat on the hanger next to the door but failed. She ignored it though as she sat down next to Elliot.

"It's weird without you around, El." Elliot looked at her, into her deep brown eyes, true beauty.

"I didn't know what to do with my time without the squad." Olivia chuckled slightly.

"I told you that you should of found a way to fix this." Elliot shrugged, deep inside he knew she was right but there wasn't much he could do about it now. "What did you want to talk to me about?" Suddenly the burning sensation returned and Olivia blinked to stop the tears from falling. She succeeded except for a few that slipped out beneath her closed eye lids. She lifted her hand to wipe them away but Elliot stopped her,

"It's OK to cry." She opened her eyes and stared into his, in all of their deep blue glory. Truly sincere.

"Liv." He paused but Olivia never stopped her concentration from his eyes. "I love you." She blinked suddenly and then the confusion began.

"What?"

"I love you, Olivia." The tears came now, not from sorrow, from joy. "I couldn't tell you before, I had too many things keeping me from telling you." He tried to say more but Olivia pressed her finger to his lips to hush him. Her head fell into his chest and she wrapped her arms around him, she listened closely to the beating of his heart.

"Don't say a word. Just hold me." It was a simple request and she let the tears fall as he wrapped his arms around her.

They held each other close for a long time, then Olivia broke the embrace and sat up straight.

"How can it be OK to cry, even after all we've been though in the SVU?"

"We all need to break down sometimes. Especially when you always have someone there to hold you."

"I want to be with you forever. Even if nothing is the same."