Ok, I couldn't wait to upload this. SHOCKING TWIST luv u guys :3

Chapter 3: The Funeral

Everyone showed up. Everyone. Dana, Porter, Melinda, Alex, Casey, and even a few IAB agents showed up in full uniform. Simon, Olivia's half-brother whom she had found a few years back, showed with a bouquet of flowers. Carnations, white as snow. He said she had told him they were her favorite.

What surprised them the most were the number of victims that showed up. All people who had had their lives changed for the better, thanks to Olivia. There were so many, it made Casey sob harder. She was such a wonderful person, she thought to herself. More selfless than anyone else I've ever met. Why did it have to be her?

They all sat in their seats, facing the closed casket. Captain Cragen got up, dressed on full uniform, stepped up to the podium and cleared his throat.

"I want to thank you all for coming," he told the crowd, his voice cracking. "This turnout was certainly- more than we expected. For that we thank you." He cleared his throat again. "When Olivia -Detective Benson- first came to work at my squad, I told her "you can't pick the vic", which is basically saying you can't choose the victim. That saying has never been more true than it is right now."

"She was always a martyr, and no matter what if a case was important enough to her she would never back down," Agent Porter continued. "She would go to any length to help a victim, and sometimes it would get her in trouble. For the short time I knew her, that became self-evident."

"But she had friends," Dana. told the crowd. "I was just lucky enough to have been one of them. She would help anyone who asked for it, even if they didn't want it at the time." Dana smiled sadly. "I know from experience."

"I never knew I had a sister," Simon announced during his turn. "I probably never would have known I she hadn't come and found me. And without her, I would have been wrongfully thrown in jail for an offense I didn't commit. Even when everyone was against me, she stood by my side. That's what pulled me through."

"Because that's who she was," Casey sniffed. "She helped the little guy, no matter what it took. I can't tell you how many times I wanted to just give up on a case, and Olivia was the one who told mr I had to do something. In the end, we always got justice, thanks to her."

"That happened to me too," Alex smiled. "Olivia was never one to give up, even if it meant playing dirty. When I came back from three years in Witness Protection, she was right by my side the entire time."

"She was fantastic to work with," Fin told them all. "Her energy was enough to always keep everyone going."

"If she were here right now," Munch smiled, "she would be yelling at us to stop crying at telling us to get back our asses back to the squad to help someone else."

It earned a few smiles and laughs from the group.

"I'm gonna miss her," Fin smiled sadly. "We all will."

"Elliot," Munch asked, "would you like to say a few words?"

Elliot got up silently and exchanged positions with Munch and Fin.

"Speak from the heart, man," Fin encouraged.

Elliot stood up at the podium and cleared his voice.

"I don't think there's anything else to say," he announced, cracking a smile. "In all of my years of being partners with Olivia, I never knew she had touched so many lives, so many hearts. I wish I could say I will miss her the most of all, but I think we are all evenly matched in that area." Some people snickered.

"But there will never be another officer as passionate, or as determined as Detective Olivia Benson, and I think that's what we'll miss most of all. Her passion, her hard-headedness, her determination..." Elliot paused, "...and her love for her job. For the victims. For everyone she worked with. We'll miss you, Liv."

Someone shouted "Here here!" as Elliot took his seat, which brought up a chorus of "here here!"ing. Casey put her hand on his shoulder as he took his seat.

"That was beautiful," she told him, her eyes glittering with salty tears. "Olivia would be proud."

Elliot just smiled, but inside he felt his heart lift slightly. Maybe there was hope. Next it was the Stabler childrens' turn to speak. But, only Kathleen got up to the podium.

"Um," she began nervously, "instread of saying something, we've decided to sing something that just about sums up how we feel. Lizzie, can you please get the lights?"

Lizzie Stabler hit the light switch, until the only light was the one above Kathleen's head. Dickie strmmued his guitar, and Kathleen cleared her throat. Maureen went up to join her, and Lizzie hopped up to the podim. Dickie also set up his microphone, and began the first few chors. Suddenly, the childrens' voices sang loud.

"It must have been a place so dark, you couldn't feel the light!

Reachin for ya through that, stormy cloud.

Now here we are gathered, in our little home town.

This can't be the way you meant to draw a crowd.

Oh why? That's what I keep askin!

Was there anything,

I could have said or done?

Oh I, had no clue you were maskin,

a troubled soul, God only knows,

what went wrong, and whyyyy,

you'd leave the stage in the middle of a song!"

Tears were cascading down people's cheeks as Rascal Flatt's Why rang through the funeral home. Elliot sat proudly, watching the children smile at their father and mother. Their cheeks were also red with tear marks as they begn the second verse.

"Now in ma mind I keep you frozen

as a 21 year old,

round the corner to catch that criminal.

You always worked with passion,

no matter what the case!

When you took the stage you shined just,

like the sun!

Oh why? That's what I keep askin.

Was there anything, I could have said or done.

Oh I, had no clue you were maskin.

A troubled soul, oh God only knows,

what went wrong! And whyyyy,

you'd leave the stage in the middle of a sooooooong!

Hey, yeaaah!"

The group couldn't help but laugh at the changed lyrics.

"Now the oak trees are swayin, in the early autumn breeze,

the golden sun is shinin, on ma face.

The tangled thoughts I hear,

the mockingbirds sing!

This old world really aint that bad, a place!

Oh why? There's no comprehendin.

But who am I, to try to explain,

oh but I, do have one burnin question?

Who told the lie? Was it worth the fight?

The grow, they lie.

Now you're over, and we cry.

Cuz it's not like yoooou,

to leave the stage in the middle of a songgg.

Your beautiful, absoluetly beautiful song."

Dickie played the last chords of the song and the lights turned back on. People began to aplaud wildly, and the Stabler children went back to their seats.

"That's a good idea!" Casey shouted. "Everyone, let's pick a song that shows how we feel about Olivia!"

"You sure, Case?" Elliot asked.

"Sure," Casey smiled. "There has to be one. I'll go next. Dickie wanna help me out?"

"Sure," he smiled. He grabbed his computer and pulled up iTunes. "What song?"

"She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5," she told him. She grabbed the microphone and went up to the podium.

She blushed slightly, but Alex Cabott got up to sing with her, reassuring any doubts she had. Then the two began to sing, and soon Fin and Munch has sang Brick House, Dana had sang Angel by Akon, and even Captain Cragen had sang Are You Gonna Ma Girl. Then soon it was Elliot's turn.

"I don't know any songs," he argued.

"Yeah you do, Dad," Dickie laughed. He tossed the microphone to him. "It was Olivia's favorite. You would sing it in the car when you thought no one was listening."

"That Daughtry song?" Elliot laughed. "Oh no, I can't-"

"Come on, El!" Cragen smiled. "For Olivia."

"Fine," he smiled. He got up to the podium, beet red, and Dickie began the song.

"I'm ten miles from town, and I just broke down,

spittin out smoke on the side of the road.

I'm out here alone, tryin to get home,

to tell you I was wrong, butchu already know.

Belive me, I won't stop for nuthin'

to see you, so I started runnin'!

All that I'm after, is a life full of laughter,

as long as I'm laughin' with you!

And all that still matters, is love ever after,

after the life we go through.

Cuz I know there's no life after you."

As Elliot sang he was surprised at how strong his voice was. He had never been a singer -at all!- and here he was, singing his feelings to a bunch of people. I don't care, he thought to himself. This is for Olivia.

People swayed as the song's accoustics rang through the building, and other people began to sing along. Soon if you were to walk by the funeral home, if you were walking your dog or going to a friends house, your red-tipped ears would be filled with the sound of voices singing to their lost friend and co-officer. Or was she lost?

Olivia Benson was sobbing as Agent Richards led her out of the funeral. Her funeral. Her chest burned as it compressed while she sobbed, but nothing hurt her more than the sight she had seen in there. They had all been there, and she couldn't even speak to them.

"Can't I say goodbye?" she pleaded as Agent Richards opened the door for her. "Please?"

"No," Agent Richards answered for the fifth time. He had been counting. "That's the point of Witness Protection; you're hidden. No one knows you're alive."

"Can't I tell Elliot?" she pleaded, her eyes watering again. She held the door open, refusing to get in. "Please, he won't tell anyone! We were able to keep Alex a secret!"

Richards sighed loudly and looked at her.

"Get in the car please," he ordered.

"No," she found herself replying. She slammed the car door and folded her arms over her chest. "Not until I can see Elliot again."

"You're not going to let this go, are you?" he asked. She shook her head no. "Fine. Get in the car, and I swear on my life we will find a way to have you two meet."

"Fine," Olivia sighed.

She climbed in and the car drove off. Inside, Elliot was looking out the door. He had thought he'd seen Olivia. But then again, he had been seeing her everywhere.

"You okay Elliot?" Cragen asked, coming up behind him. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"In a way," Elliot laughed. "Are we getting the casket ready?"

"She's ready," Cragen sighed. "Let's go."

They found themselves standing outside, in the bright Winter sun. The casket was slowly being lowered into the ground, and a priest was saying prayers as it was lowered lower and lower. Elliot didn't hear any of it- he had all of his senses focussed on the casket.

When it had hit the bottom, each guest (now only Olivia's closest friends) tossed a snowy white carnation onto it. Dirt began to be piled on, and Elliot closed his eyes. So this is it, he thought to himself. I'll never see her again. Suddenly, his phone began to buzz, and he answered "Stabler."

"Detective Stabler?" someone asked. "Fantastic. Meet me in Central Park around midnight, or you'll never see your loved one again. You know the spot, the one bench by the lake. Be there!"

The person hung up abruptly, and thoughts whirled in Elliot's head. Who did they have? After calling all of his family members, he realized that every one of them was accounted for. Then who was this man reffering to? And more importantly, what did he want with Elliot enough to kidnap someone? He decided he would have to find out on his own.