A/N: Nothing too interesting in this chapter, just making the re-introduction. It'll pick up the next chapter.

Lyrics from "Dirty Little Secret" by All American Rejects

The way she feels inside (inside)
Those thoughts I can't deny (deny)
These sleeping dogs won't lie (won't lie)
And all I've tried to hide
It's eating me apart
Trace this line back

I'll keep you my dirty little secret
(Dirty little secret)
Don't tell anyone or you'll be just another regret
(Just another regret)

I'll keep you my dirty little secret
(Dirty little secret)
Don't tell anyone or you'll be just another regret
(Just another regret, hope that you can keep it)
My dirty little secret
Dirty little secret
Dirty little secret

Who has to know?

She's even more beautiful than I remember.

Funny thought for someone whose life had just come crashing down around him.

"Elliot?"

Elliot blinked and looked at his boss. Captain Don Cragen was looking at him quizzically. "The normal response to 'Meet your new partner' is 'Hi, nice to meet you.'"

Elliot looked at her again. 15 years. 15 long years. What was she doing here?

Olivia stared back at him, her eyes betraying her calm demeanor. She looked ready to scream.

Would she say anything? She can't. Neither of us can.

"I'm sorry…I was expecting someone older…like my last partner…" Elliot extended his hand. "It is very nice to meet you Detective Benson."

She took his hand gingerly. The years had aged it, but it still felt shockingly familiar. Her memory was assaulted with all those hands were capable of. "You as well, Detective Stabler."

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"So where were you before you got this beat?" Detective John Munch asked. He was throwing paper airplanes at his partner, Monique Jeffries, who was doing her best to ignore him.

"Uh, Manhattan South homicide," Olivia replied. She couldn't keep her eyes off of Elliot, who was doing a magnificent job of ignoring her, keeping his head buried into some paperwork.

What were the chances? She hadn't seen the guy in 15 years and here they were, co-workers and new partners. It was karma at its splendid best.

And they both had grown up and become police officers. Both sworn to uphold the law and protect the public from evil and things that go bump in the night. The irony of it did not escape her, as the secret they shared burned deep in the pit of her stomach. Did he remember? How could he forget? What had he done the past 15 years to make amends?

"How were you unlucky enough to get this beat?" Jeffries asked, throwing Munch a death stare as one of his airplanes bounced of her tight curls. "Cut it out, idiot."

"As you can see you are going to be surrounded by pure genius in here Olivia," Brian Cassidy answered, laughing at Munch and Jeffries. He threw her a brilliant smile, captivated by the new detective's beauty.

"…I volunteered actually."

That got everyone's attention, even Elliot, who finally looked up from his desk. "You volunteered?" Cassidy asked in surprise. "No one volunteers for sex crimes." The remaining detectives stared at her, waiting for an answer.

Olivia shifted uncomfortably, throwing a look at Elliot. We didn't share all of our secrets. "I'm a child of rape."

Cassidy whistled and Jeffries looked down, unsure of what to say. Elliot stared at Olivia in disbelief. She's lying. I would have known something like that…she would have told me. We shared everything.

"Your mother was raped and she had you?" he asked, unable to keep the skepticism out of his voice. Munch threw him a sharp look.

Olivia, reading his thoughts, looked at him steadily in the eyes. The same way she did when they were teenagers. The same way she did that fateful day in the abandoned shack when their world turned upside down. "Yes, exactly," she said evenly. We didn't share all of our secrets Elliot.

"Well, welcome to the unit," Jeffries said, finding her voice. She reached over and gave Olivia's shoulder a squeeze. "It'll be nice to have another woman around."

Olivia smiled. She looked at Elliot who was staring at her with a faraway look.