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

Chapter 1

Amanda watched Olivia walk out of Cragen's office. She was new to the squad and as a younger detective she had admired the work of the notorious Olivia Benson. When the transfer came through, she couldn't wait to meet her and learn from her. Their start was rocky though. Amanda quickly found out she was replacing her best friend and partner. Olivia had been cold the entire time.

Amanda's move from Atlanta to New York was hard and becoming harder. No one knew her truth. She left everything she knew, her family and life. She moved to get away from the mistakes and nightmares, but the city was so big and her cheering squad was smaller than before, not that it was ever big.

Fin knew what was coming, Stabler wasn't coming back. He loved Olivia like family. They had known each other almost as long, he wasn't Elliot though. "Liv, you okay?" Amanda tried not to stare. She loved hearing her nickname and hoped she would one day be close enough to use it herself.

Olivia nodded, "I'm good." Everyone knew she wasn't but gave her space. Olivia had been off for months and the addition of Amanda Rollins only made her more tense.

The phone rang and Munch took the call, "Okay, we've got it." He hung up and looked at his senior detectives. Olivia had taken the Sergeant's exam on a whim. It was really to keep her mind off of the shooting and Elliot not returning any of her calls.

Munch knew she couldn't sit on it. They had already cleared her from the usual Sergeant's duties and allowed her to stay at SVU, being that they were very short handed. Normally new Sergeants were transferred to patrol duty and then placed to their assignment.

Olivia also had a helper. She started sleeping with the executive ADA, David Haden. It was a secret, a bit of a mess, and a definite no no, but she was hurting. "We have a call, 7 year old vic at Mercy." Olivia gripped the desk and breathed hard. Munch saw the panic and so did everyone else. "Fin, take Rollins."

Olivia shook it off hearing the age of the victim and not knowing if Amanda knew what to do. She knew she was smart and did well on the first case, but this was a kid. "No, I'll go!" She looked at Fin, "Give me 5 and we'll roll."

Fin nodded and stacked his papers he was working on. Amanda quietly walked to the coffee pot, but watched Olivia walk towards the back where the empty interview rooms were. Olivia went in and pushed the door, but it didn't shut. She cried as she held onto the table and bent over slightly.

Amanda's curiosity led her to the rooms where she found Olivia crying. When Olivia heard the door and saw Amanda standing beside her she became quiet, but tears still fell. "Olivia, it's okay not to be okay. I'm sorry about your partner. I promise I'm not here to try and take his place. I just needed a new start."

Olivia knew she hadn't been kind to her at all. She also knew it wasn't Amanda's fault. Olivia leaned against the wall and looked at her. She was young and her eyes were bright blue. Amanda had fire and guts, but something was holding her back, Olivia could see it. She had asked Fin what her deal was, because detectives didn't transfer like that.

Amanda wiped her tears away with the pad of her thumb. Olivia felt a shiver run down her body. She had never had that feeling before, not with anyone, especially another woman. Olivia had plenty of experience with sex, but not love. It was something she was always looking for, something her mother who was raped and a later a drunk could never give her.

She was drowning in emotions and before she realized it, her lips were on Amanda's. The kiss wasn't deep or rough, it was soft and sweet. Olivia pulled away and was more shocked at herself then Amanda, "Fuck!"

Olivia wiped her face and ran out. Amanda didn't follow, only waited so she didn't have to face her. Amanda finally went back to her desk knowing she was gone and worked on paperwork. She found herself touching her lips and thinking of that kiss. "Hey, kid!" That paperwork won't do itself." She looked up at the stern male voice seeing Captain Cragen. She looked for Munch, but he was nowhere in sight. She looked back at Cragen. "Come see me please."

Amanda was worried immediately. He had been nice to Amanda the entire time, but that tone took her back to some bad places. She stood up seeing he left his doorway and was sitting at his desk. She walked in not knowing what to expect. "How are you doing Amanda?"

Amanda shrugged the truth was not too good, but she wasn't telling him that. Nightmares at night placed Amanda in bars looking for one night stands so she didn't have to sleep alone or worse underground gambling clubs. It was a bad habit she picked up from her no good father. It wasn't for the money, it was for the high. At least she left the drugs alone that was all her younger sister's deal and she didn't even want to think of her absorbed mother. "I'm okay." She left it at that.

Cragen finally smiled, but he wasn't sure. He wasn't sure about her situation at all. The Atlanta transfer baffled him as much as Olivia. He knew of her Captain and Amanda was young. Although she was smart and had great instincts, she probably wasn't detective ready at her promotion age.

She was ahead of Olivia and that said a lot. There weren't too many Olivia Bensons. "I'm sorry Benson isn't more helpful right now, but she'll get there. She's my best and more than likely with Munch retiring soon, my replacement. Stick close to her."

They heard the phone. "Yeah, Fin?" Fin explained they were at the hospital and Olivia was speaking with the nurse, but they had an address of the school she was picked up near. It was the only lead they had, because she wasn't talking at all. He sent a photo of her. "Thanks Fin. I'll send Rollins and Munch to the school. Keep me posted." The little girl was found wandering the streets alone. Cragen gave them orders to visit the school and find parents.

Fin hung up as Olivia approached him. "I gave Cragen the information. Rollins and Munch are heading to check things out." He noticed Olivia wasn't herself. "Liv, are you with me?"

Olivia was shaken, but not because of Elliot anymore. She kissed Amanda and she liked it. What had she done? She had to give Fin something. Olivia looked up, "Yeah, he told me Elliot is turning in his papers. I guess you were right."

Fin tried to warn her, he had an idea Elliot wouldn't return. "Liv, it's not you. It was a tough shoot and he was struggling long before that." They had talked in the bar a week ago, things hadn't been the same in the last year. It was almost like a different Elliot Stabler.

Olivia had to get a handle on things, this wasn't her. She never let anything affect her work. "Yeah well we have a scared kid to deal with. The nurse says she won't let anyone touch her."

The nurse called for them. When they got to the door they heard her. "You aren't going to touch me!" Olivia and Fin stepped in and when she saw the badges, they saw the fear. "You called the cops? F you lady!"

Fin stepped back to give her and Olivia space. He had an idea that she would be the better choice. Olivia spoke with a soft voice, even though the little girl yelled and screamed. "Hey, we are cops but we just want to help you, I promise. Plus saying F you isn't nice." Olivia pulled her badge off of her belt and handed it back to Fin. Olivia saw her flinch when she touched her belt, sign number 1. "I'm not a cop right now, okay?"

Olivia smiled and the young girl rolled her eyes, "That doesn't mean anything, handing your badge over. And at least I didn't say the real word! Get out!" Olivia looked her over. She was so cute and little. She had light brown hair with natural streaks of some blonde and these sparkling blue eyes. She also had a bad attitude, but she acted more like she was three with her arms folded and her pouting lips.

Olivia realized she was smart. "You're right, I'm still a cop, but I can help you. You shouldn't know that F word. Don't you dare say it." Olivia waited while she calmed down and looked them over. Olivia knew she was making a decision in her mind whether to trust them or not.

She looked at her and then at Fin. She knew she was in trouble and Olivia had a nice face, but she didn't trust easily, her mom taught her that. "Who's he?"

Olivia smiled seeing they were making small jumps, "His name is Detective Fin Tutuola and he's my partner. Can he come over and talk too?" She looked at him again and relaxed her arms. Then shrugged but nodded at the same time. "So, will you tell us your name?"

She narrowed her eyes at them. Olivia hated these cases. The longer it took to gain trust the harder it would be. They weren't there for rape, but she was an unaccompanied minor with evidence of neglect. She sighed, "My name rhymes with his, it's Quinn." Olivia looked at Fin. She thought that was cool and asked for a last name. Quinn gave her everything, "My name is Quinn Olivia Anderson." Olivia froze and so did Fin. Quinn frowned, "What? Why is your face like that?"

She smiled, "Well my name is Olivia. I'm Sergeant Olivia Benson. Kinda strange huh?" Quinn agreed but still shrugged. "Quinn, can we talk about your family, your mom, your dad, any grandparents?"

Quinn looked down, "My mommy is dead and my daddy is too, but I never met him. I don't have any family, well real blood family. I live with my mommy's best friend and her son. He's like my older brother. I always lived with them. Mommy and her were together." Quinn smiled, "You know to-geth-er." Quinn giggled, "So when mommy died she got me."

Olivia sighed, "Can we have her name?" Tears filled Quinn's eyes. She knew she was in big trouble. She used to be so good, but she began acting up more and more. She didn't know why she acted up so much. She was punished every single time. She also knew the belt was coming. Olivia didn't like Quinn's reaction, "Quinn, what's wrong?"

Olivia tried not to put words in her mouth. She was only 7, but capable of explaining why she was upset. "I always get in trouble. Mer will be mad. I'm supposed to be at school, but my best friend saw a bruise on my back and she told the gym teacher. The counselor stopped me this morning and I ran."

Olivia asked to see her back and Quinn gave in easily. Olivia looked and she saw a mark from a belt. She knew it was a belt because her mother had done that before when she was drunk. "It's my fault, that's why I ran. I was getting spanked for talking back to my teacher. I moved when she told me not to."

Olivia heard her mouth, so she could only imagine, but a belt wasn't her idea of a spanking. "Quinn, you called her Mer, what's her full name baby?"

Quinn had nowhere else to run, she was stuck and definitely going to get it, "Meredith Cleary." Olivia froze for the second time, then looked at a frozen Fin. They both remembered that name very well.