Written for TStabler *hug*

"Do you know what Semper Fi means?" Amanda Rollins stared up at fellow newcomer to the 1-6, Nick Amaro, with a furrowed brow.

"Yes." Amaro replied quietly, never taking his eyes off the DD5 he was working on.

"Yes? That's all you're going to say?" The blonde was confused, she had thought the other rookie would be as curious as she was to discuss their senior officer, the ever present sadness that surrounded her and her reaction to the package she had received the day before.

"It's none of either of our businesses, so yes, that's all I'm saying."

His voice had remained equally as quiet as the first time he'd spoken, but Rollins could hear the edge of impatience that was creeping into his tone and she decided to try to lighten the mood.

"Well, will you at least tell me if I'll be getting something inscribed with those words after we've worked together for twelve years?"

"No, you won't. That's something I would never give to anyone I worked with and perhaps not even to my wife." Amaro turned to look at her now, his voice continuing to remain low, but his tone becoming less annoyed and more vehement.

"Not even to your wife? Now you have to tell me. I looked it up and it's some Marine medal they give out for service, it said something about dedication to country and I…" Rollins' nonchalant tone revealed to her counterpart that for all of her competence, she didn't decode subtlety well.

"Rollins, he didn't send that her for anything to do with service to the unit or devotion to the principles of the job. Semper Fidelis means forever loyal, forever faithful."

"So if he sent that medal as something for Benson to wear around her neck, close to her heart, then he meant that he would be forever faithful…to her..." Rollins' eyes grew wide and her hand moved to cover her mouth.

"Yes." Amaro answered almost silently.

"Do you think that kind of devotion is even possible?" She questioned.

"For most people? No. From the way Benson looks at that medal and the care Stabler took in making sure she had it though, for them, it's a given."