Authors Note: I want to thank everyone who read my fic, left a review, followed and/or added this story to your favorites—you guys are awesome!

Just a heads up, this story takes place in the future (2015), but the back story will be told in a series of flashbacks. The story will occasionally switch between the past and the present. Also, in my fic, outside of their brief hospital kiss from the Season 14 opener, and a couple of dates after that, Olivia and Cassidy were never in a relationship.

Chapter 2 - The Promotion Catalyst

Nick and Olivia began walking towards the podium at the front of the church. Nick notices that her posture is straightening, and she's regained the swagger in her step.

Just before they reached the podium, Nick steps in front of Olivia. He reaches for her left hand and traces a heart into her palm with his thumb. It was their special code that they used at work, when they were still partners and sneaking around to conceal their relationship.

She looks up at him and beneath her steely facade, a small smile forms at the corners of her mouth.

"You'll be fine up there, Benson. You're the strongest woman I know," Nick says. He squeezes her hand once more, and then turns around to take his seat in the pews.

Captain Olivia Benson-Amaro walks up to the podium, dressed in her NYPD blues, her jacket fit snugly over her growing stomach.

It's a packed house, and her red-rimmed eyes sweep over the mourners in the church. The entire precinct is there; her fellow brothers (and sisters) are all dressed in their uniforms. Her eyes pick out her "family," as she spots the ever stoic Fin and Munch's grim face in the sea of blue hats and jackets.

Two rows behind them, she sees her two favorite former ADA's sitting next to each other. Alex, her forlorn eyes peeking out from behind her Robert Marc frames and Casey, her flaming red hair cascading over her shoulders; her full lips cast in a frown. Both women nod at Olivia, silently expressing their condolences.

Even after almost two years, sometimes it seems surreal to her that she's the SVU captain. If only Cragen could be here today—he'd be so proud. She remembers the day of her promotion like it was yesterday...

Flashback

July 15, 2013 2:37pm - 16th Precinct

"Nick, have I told you how badly your coffee sucks?" Olivia said, as she popped a piece of gum in her mouth to mask the taste of the vile liquid. "It's almost like you go out of your way to make it taste this bad."

"Please, Benson, you just don't know real coffee when you taste it," Nick chided in his gruff New York accent. "Not everyone wants to drink your hoity-toity, gourmet, french hazelnut coffee, grown on the Swiss Alps or wherever the hell it's from. Your taste buds probably forgot what regular-ass coffee tastes like."

"For the record, Amaro," she said, emphasizing his last name, "The flavors are french vanilla and hazelnut, not french hazelnut, and I would hardly classify Dunkin' Donuts coffee as gourmet. But you're right about one thing, this is regular coffee—that tastes like ass," she quipped and walked back to her desk, as the precinct erupted in laughter.

Nick smiled and sauntered over to her with a file in his hand. "I see you've got jokes, huh?" he said. He bends over to hand her the file, deftly turning his head towards her ear, "You weren't complaining about my brewing skills last night," he whispers, grazing his arm against hers, as he placed the file on her desk.

A blush crept up over Olivia's face, as she felt Nick's hot breath collide with her ear and a rush of heat shot to her core. Damn him, she thought, I'm going to get him back later - in bed, as she composed herself.

Just as she opened her mouth to fire off another quip, Cragen's door swung open and he stuck his head out of his office. His eyes scanned the floor and zeroed in on Olivia.

"Benson, I need to see you in my office, now." Cragen said in his no-nonsense tone. Judging from the stern look on his face, whatever he had to say to her was pretty important.

Fuck! she thought to herself, What the hell did I do now? She sighed as she got up from her chair. Nick flashed her a confused look, but she just shrugged her shoulders and walked towards Cragen's office.

"Looks like Dad's got a bone to pick with you," Fin laughed, clearly amused with himself. Olivia shot him a look and kept walking.

She stepped inside Cragen's office and shut the door. "What's up, Cap?"

Cragen narrowed his eyes at Olivia; his poker face gave no clues as to what he summoned her for. "Liv, please have a seat." Seeing the worried expression on her face, he softened his tone, "Relax, this is news that you won't be upset about, I promise."

She nodded and sat down, trying to keep her demeanor calm and cool, as dozens of thoughts raced through her mind. Her fidgety hands betrayed her facade.

"Remember the captain's exam that you took last month? Well, I never told you, but you aced the test."

A look of shock came over her face, as she stared at him, her mouth slightly ajar. "Oh, wow, that was unexpected, since I really didn't prep for the exam. Look Captain, I took that exam on a dare from Fin and Munch. Fin said even though I had passed the lieutenant's exam on the first try, there was no way I could pass the captain's exam that easily."

His eyebrows furrowed, as the creases in his forehead deepened. "Liv, let me ask you, why didn't you ever become a lieutenant?" Cragen asked, studying her face, "I mean besides Munch, you've been here the longest."

"What about Munch, isn't he next in line for the position? He's already sergeant. I don't want to step on any toes," Liv said, careful to avoid answering his question.

"I've already talked this over with him. Munch has no desire to move further up the ranks. Or to quote him, 'I have no desire to become a pawn in the bureaucratic bullshit world of management.' An opinion he's expressed to anyone willing to listen." Cragen said dryly. "And don't think I didn't notice that you still haven't answered my question."

She gave him a thin smile at that. So much for trying to fool him. "I didn't pursue the lieutenant position because I wouldn't want to supervise someone like me," she says with a throaty chuckle.

He smiled at her answer, and let out a genuine laugh of his own, before his face abruptly darkened. "Well, I think that you may reconsider your stance when you hear what I am about to tell you."

Her smile disappears and worry creeps in. "Captain, what's going on?"

"I'm retiring, Liv. After being a cop for over 25 years and over 14 of those years as captain, it's time for me to move on. I've wrestled with this decision for a long time, but I've recently received some news that made my decision easier to make." Cragen says with a cryptic tone.

Liv's nerves were now running on overdrive. Oh my God, she thought, What's he trying to tell me? She went to press him for more information, but restrained herself from speaking. He obviously had a story to tell, and she should just let him tell it.

Never one for talking about his personal life, the captain took a deep breath before beginning, "About two months ago, I was diagnosed with Stage 2 prostate cancer. Doctors are giving me a fairly optimistic outlook, provided that the cancer hasn't spread beyond the prostate. They'll have a more accurate prognosis after they've opened me up." he reveals.

Olivia's eyes fill with tears that threaten to fall, but she somehow keeps her composure. "Oh Don, I had no idea. I'm so sorry," she says. You're going to beat this, I know it. You're too stubborn to die on us," she chuckled nervously.

Don smiled at her half-hearted attempt at a joke, "Yeah, well I can assure you that this old coot still has some fight left in him; I'm not ready to go just yet. But it is my time to leave the force. I've been here too long, and I am way too jaded. This squad needs some new blood and a fresh perspective. Liv, I would really like for you to consider becoming captain."

"Wouldn't I have to become a lieutenant first? I mean, you can't just jump from detective to—"

Cragen cut her off, "Liv, you've already passed the lieutenant's exam, so it would be a formality at this point to give you the lieutenant ranking. But you and I both know that you're more than capable of running the show. I've already put a letter of recommendation in your file and made you a copy to keep for yourself," he says, pushing the printout on his desk towards her.

"Between your seniority and my recommendation, you should have no problem becoming the new SVU captain. Are you willing to at least consider the opportunity?"

For once, Olivia was truly at a loss for words. She felt a range of emotions at the moment: sadness (for Cragen's condition and the fact that he was stepping down), doubt, anxiety, but also hope. Although Olivia loved helping the victims get justice, and taking men, like her father, off the streets, she knew that Cragen wasn't the only jaded cop in SVU. She had seen way too many horrors, things that would cause any number of people to lose their stomach contents in under 60 seconds flat—on a daily basis. She still wanted be involved, but she didn't want to be so up close and personal—becoming captain would allow her to keep a safe distance. Plus, she would finally be able to come clean about her relationship with Nick. They had been in a relationship for months, but they had been hiding it from everyone because it violated company policy. If she became captain, they would have to come clean about their involvement.

Maybe this is a good thing,she thought, Nick and I had agreed that we would come clean soon, and we talked about the possibility of him transferring back to Narcotics once our relationship was out in the open. Better yet, if I were captain and Nick transferred, he wouldn't have to worry about breaking in a new partner, he could team up with his old partner from Narcotics. But before I make a decision, I need to talk to Nick and—

"Uh, Liv, did you hear what I said?" Cragen pulled Olivia from her thoughts.

"Hmm? Uh, sorry Cap, I was just thinking about a few things. Yes, I'll consider the opportunity, I just need a few more days to mull it over, is that okay?"

Cragen smiled the biggest smile that Olivia had ever seen, "A few days would be more than okay. Take longer if you need to."

Olivia smiled and they both stood up at the same time. "And Captain, I meant what I said earlier, you're going to beat this cancer," she went to hug him, but thought better of it. The captain wasn't exactly a "hug" kind of guy, even during his brief stint in jail, while being falsely accused of murder, Olivia only touched his shoulder or his arm affectionately as a sign of support. She reached out and lightly touched his arm.

Cragen stepped forward, and surprised her by pulling her into a hug. "Thank you, Olivia. I know that I can always count on you Over the years I've watched you grow into a seasoned detective. I watched you as you dedicated yourself to every case, championed for every victim, and after 14 years, this job still hasn't hardened your heart. I only hope that you will always keep your empathy intact. Even though I don't have any children, I've always viewed you like a daughter and I want you to know how proud I am of you."

Olivia pulled back from the hug and saw that Cragen's eyes began to water, and at that moment, she couldn't hold her tears back any longer. She pulled him back into a tight hug and sobbed, as she felt her tears bathe her cheeks.