A life time ago

Chapter 1

The apartment was still. The only thing I could hear was the sound of the rain falling hard outside my window along with the occasional thunder. Noah was fast asleep leaving me to my thoughts.

Once again I was having a restless night. I have been tossing and turning for hours. My mind was racing. Am I expected to except this award next
week; After everything that happen with the NYPD and myself this past year? It just doesn't seem right.

The sound of my phone ringing interrupted my thoughts. I quickly grabbed it off the charger seeing the time read 4:17am. "Benson." I listened into the phone as what sounded like to be a young rookie cop explaining the case. The call ended and I began calling Rollins and our newest addition to the team Kat. I sent them the address of the crime scene. Rollins and Kat assured me that there was no need to come with them. I put my phone back on the charger and listened to the rain fall as I tried to go back to sleep.

I was awake once again. It has only been 2 hours since I had fallen asleep but I knew there was no way I was going back to sleep. I took my phone off the charger and decided to answer a few work emails and texts. At 6:30 my alarm began beeping signaling to me that it was time to wake up. I roll over in my large maybe even too large for a singular person bed and go into my bathroom. I turn on the water in my shower and let it warm up while I get my towels and brush through my hair. I quickly step into the shower as the water hits my face a shiver is sent down my body from the contact. About 25 minutes later I step out of the shower and walk Back into my bedroom. I throw on some sweats so I can do my hair and makeup without ruining my outfit. I head back into the bathroom and comb through my hair. As I finish blow drying my hair I hear my phone ding. I walk back into my room and see that it reads 7:30am and that it was time to wake Noah up and get him ready for school.

I quietly make my way towards his room and before waking him up I take in the view of him cuddled up to Eddie the elephant. I squat down to his head and gently wake him. "It's time to wake up" I say as he stirs in his head; his eyes slowly flutter open "good morning sweet boy. It's time to get up for school." He lets out a small groan as he rubs his eyes trying to wake himself up. I walk over to his dresser and closet and pick out his outfit for the day and put it on his bed. "Is Lucy taking me to school today?" Noah asked as he got out of bed. His eyes looked sad as he asked. "Nope you're stuck with me today." The smile on his face was huge he started to get ready for school so I went back to my room and began my makeup. About 10 minutes later Noah walked into my bathroom "I'm ready!" He said with a smile on his face. "Okay go make sure your stuff is ready for school and then you can watch cartoons." He began walking out as I resumed doing my makeup. I put the finishing touches on my makeup then went and put on black slacks and a navy blue blouse with a black blazer and put my black booties on.

I went into the kitchen to see Noah watching a cartoon on the couch. I began making Noah eggs with sausage for breakfast per his request. "Noah come eat breakfast." I said putting his orange juice on the counter. He jumped up to the counter and began eating as I made coffee. "Thank you." He said taking a bite of the eggs. I simply smiled at him as I poured the creamer in my coffee. As he finished up his breakfast I went into my closet and unlocked my safe to get my gun and badge. I quickly grabbed my phone off the charger, put my coat on, and grabbed Noah's backpack as we left the apartment.

       I dropped Noah off at school and decided to pick up another cup of coffee on my way to the precinct. When I arrived a few people nodded to me and said their good mornings as I walked towards my office. I began setting my stuff up and turning on my laptop as I heard a knock on my door. "Come in!" I said without looking. "Good morning Captain, we may have a suspect for this crime." Kat said at she walked closer to my desk with her iPad. "The rape survivor you and Rollins went on last night?" I asked. She nodded her head and handed me the iPad knowing very well I didn't know anything about the case yet. "The victim Sarah Howley. She came home and was attacked in the doorway by a tall, heavy set, white male. She claimed he smelled of cigars and cheap cologne." I nodded my head towards the ready of the team. Kat and I excited the office and we went to brief everyone else. I met with the victim later that day and she went through all the detail she could about what had happened to her prior to this. She told us she was being threatened and before she left we told her we would keep her safe.

      We got a lead on the case around 6:00pm but since it was so late in the day we couldn't get any court orders so we all decided it would be better to hold off till tomorrow. I slipped on my black jacket and finally got out of the precinct around 9:00pm. I mentally yelled at my self for not making it home in time to tuck Noah in; I sighed and picked up my phone and purse then got into my black SUV. My phone began ringing on the drive home and as much as I wanted to ignore it I knew that this came with the job. I hit the answer button on my phone and put it on speaker as I kept driving trying to focus on both the call and driving. "Captain Benson" the call ran longer then I planned and before I knew it I was turned around heading to a crime scene. As I arrived on scene I noticed none of my crew was there. I got out of the car and was stopped by a officer before I flashed my badge at him and said "Captain Benson SVU." purposely annunciating the captain part. "My apologies ma'am" the man quickly let me pass after apologizing and then all the sudden I had three officers in my face. "One at a time please." They all quickly closed their mouths and exchanged looks now scared to speak. A what looked to be younger woman took a deep breathe and began speaking "Captain Benson I'm Officer Bishop. I was patrolling with my partner here Officer Hayes." She nodded towards a tall limber man next to her. "A call was made around 9:00pm about a disturbance and when we got here we found this car burnt to a crisp." Officer Bishop stepped back as I processed what she had just said. "So why was SVU called?" Officer Bishop kept her head down instead of speaking up this time but a Shorter man spoke up "I'm Officer Ruiz and I'm m the Officer who decided to call you. There are signs that the person in the car was a young women maybe around 17. Which makes it SVU if I'm correct." I nodded my head and walked towards the car and examined the car from a safe distance and then it hit me "This is Sarah Howley. She is a victims in a case of ours right now." I sighed and walked towards the group of officers that seemed to be in charge. The sirens were blearing and lights were flickering but after 22 years on the job you get used to it. I began talking to the fellow officers and filled them in. That was until I heard something. Something that I never thought I would hear again. No matter how much I have seen or been through in my whole life nothing prepared had me for this.

      "Liv!" I heard a voice shout. It was faint but I could hear it over the loud sirens. I turned around to look to see who called my name and what I saw more so who I saw was impossible.

      "Elliot" I was in utter shock that I was so quiet I don't think I even heard myself say it. All the memories of the past 22 years came flooding back. All the good memories while working together but along with that all the bad memories that he caused when he left.

I'm sorry this took me so long to publish but do we like the first chapter!? Let me know by commenting and voting!! Also the count down is on till the actual reunion 9 DAYS!!!!