Title: No Way Back

Pairings: Alex/Olivia, Casey/OMC

Summary: Sequel to Melted. The murder of a familiar face shakes up everyone and tests friendships and relationships. Casey tries to make wedding plans while balancing her work life and home life. Alex continues to fight her personal demons as Olivia becomes busier and busier.

We start with a short prologue. Thank you all for rejoining me!

From the end of Melted:

"Benson." Olivia put on her professional demeanor. "Yeah, of course I'm available," she said rolling her eyes. "Queens Homicide? What do they want with us?" She looked at Alex apologetically, and the blonde nodded understandingly. "Why, who is it?" Olivia began rubbing her eyes, but abruptly pulled her hand away as the caller on the other end of the line answered.

"Oh my God."

"Olivia? What's going on?" Alex tipped her head, trying to read her girlfriend's expression.

"Yeah, we'll be right there. See you in a few." Olivia clicked the end button on her cell phone and looked up at Alex quickly before sliding off the couch. "I'll let you know in the car Alex, but we have to leave right now."

There were a lot more people at the 16th precinct that night than Olivia could ever remember seeing after typical business hours. It seemed that no one from the police department had gone home, and Alex recognized a lot of people from the DA's office as well. The blonde gripped tighter onto Olivia's hand, not caring who was watching—there was definitely a reason to be afraid.

"Where is she?" Olivia demanded when the pair reached Cragen's office.

"Our morgue. Queens had her, but I requested to have Warner examine her," Cragen responded glumly.

"What happened?" Alex asked softly.

Cragen stood up and sighed. He walked over to the quiet blonde and put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "We don't know much yet, Alex. It was bad, but I promise you that you and your other colleagues will be safe."

Alex nodded. "But why would they come for her? What could she possibly have done?"

"We're going to find that out," Olivia replied, gritting her teeth.

Just then, a red head busted through the door to the office. "Captain, I have the warrant for her apartment…oh! Olivia, Alex…" Casey stopped short.

"Case, it could've been us," Alex said solemnly.

"I know. But it wasn't, okay? It's all going to be fine," Casey said reassuringly.

"We don't know that. Who says this isn't someone just after ADAs? I already died once; I don't care to do it again."

"We have no reason to believe at the moment that this won't just be limited to the one murder, Alex. We need you to remain calm so you can assist us with the investigation, alright?" Cragen looked into the blonde's eyes, and she nodded again as Casey dropped the signed warrant on the captain's desk and walked out.

"Has the crime scene been processed already?" Olivia asked.

"CSU finished about a half hour ago. They're bringing their stuff over now. I think Queens will have no problem handing this over to us. They're swamped anyway."

"And what about the autopsy?"

"Warner should be on that within the next few minutes."

"I'd like to see her first," Olivia announced.

"Me too," Alex chimed in.

"Well, you got the green light from me. I'll let Warner know you're coming down." Cragen picked up the phone as the two ladies left the room.

"Not a pretty picture," Melinda said as they stood around the paled body. "Zig-zag cuts up and down the arms and torso and cigarette burns all over her chest. Cause of death, however, looks to be a simple gunshot wound to the forehead," she posted an x-ray on the screen in front of her, "that lodged in the frontal lobe."

"If they just wanted her dead, they could've just shot her," Olivia mused. "They wanted to torture her first."

Alex just sighed.

"It would certainly appear that way. I still have to open her up of course, but that's what I'm thinking for now," Melinda replied.

"She either knew something, or the killer was in a rage. Either way, her last few minutes could not have been pleasant," Olivia said.

Alex saw a lot of herself in the corpse in front of her. About the same age, same occupation, same color hair, only a couple inches shorter. She shuddered.

Olivia looked the body up and down, from her pink polished toenails to her unkempt blonde hair. She shook her head.

"Who would want to do this to you, Gillian?"