cold exterior · hidden vulnerability · ptsd · assistant district attorney · law and order svu · trust issues · shark obsession · professional · fragile · romantic tension
The SVU squad's laughter faded as the bathroom door clicked shut. Alex stood alone in the dim stall, the weight of the uncelebrated years pressing down. Robert’s absence stung, but the silence was worse. Her hands trembled, not from cold, but from a panic she couldn't name. She wasn't just hiding; she was unraveling. The party outside felt like a different world, one she had no right to inhabit. She needed to escape, but the exit was blocked by her own fear.