Eight Lives, One Heart

Eight Lives, One Heart 8 ❤️

The next day, Alexis woke up and stared at the empty food bowl that had once belonged to her dog. She had taken care of her furry friend for years, and the house felt emptier now. The grief was still fresh, but Alexis knew she had to keep going. She wiped her tears away and got dressed in her SVU uniform, the familiar clothes offering a small sense of comfort as she headed out the door.

As she arrived at the SVU precinct, Alexis forced a smile, trying to shake off the sadness that lingered. But when she walked in, she saw Elliot holding something wrapped in a small gift bag, a hopeful smile on his face.

"I got you something for your dog," Elliot said, trying to lighten the mood.

Alexis froze for a moment, the smile slipping off her face. She didn't know how to respond. She had been trying so hard to keep it together, but the thought of her dog and the loss was too much. She felt her throat tighten, and tears began to well up in her eyes.

"I... I had to put him down," Alexis whispered, her voice breaking. "My dog... he attacked my stepfather after he had surgery... I had no choice. I... I said goodbye to him forever."

Elliot's face fell as he realized what he had done. He hadn't known how deep the wound was. "Alexis, I'm so sorry... I didn't know."

Alexis wiped her eyes, trying to compose herself, but the floodgates had opened, and she couldn't stop the tears. She hadn't fully processed the loss yet, and the reminder from Elliot made it all feel too raw.

Fin, who had been sitting nearby, looked at Elliot with a mix of sympathy and frustration. "Good going, you made her cry."

Elliot shot Fin a glare, but he knew his mistake. "I didn't mean to, Fin. I thought it would help."

Alexis took a deep breath, wiping her eyes. "It's okay. I just... I wasn't expecting to be reminded like that. It's been hard, you know?"

Elliot approached her, his tone soft and apologetic. "I didn't mean to bring up painful memories. If you want to talk about it, I'm here."

"I know," Alexis said, forcing a weak smile. "It's just... some days it's easier to keep it inside."

Fin, seeing that Alexis was struggling, stood up and walked over to her. "Look, I'm not great with emotions, but I know you've been through a lot. We've all been through our own stuff. But right now, we've got work to do, and you're not alone in this. You don't have to carry it all by yourself."

Alexis nodded, appreciating the gesture. "Thanks, Fin. I'll be okay."

Elliot gave her a comforting pat on the back. "You're tough, Alexis. I know that."

Despite the emotional turmoil she was feeling, Alexis knew her team had her back. As they started to talk about the new case that had come in, Alexis did her best to focus on the work at hand. She knew she had to push through the grief for now. There would be time later to process, but for now, she had a job to do.

The case they were dealing with was complicated, but Alexis was ready to dive in. As she spoke to the team about the details, she realized that no matter how much pain she felt, she wasn't alone. And for the first time in a while, that brought her a little peace .

As Alexis wiped her tears and tried to focus, Alexandra Cabot, the SVU's sharp and determined Assistant District Attorney, walked into the room, holding a case file. Her composed demeanor immediately commanded the team's attention.