Last week, Law and Order: SVU fans were devastated when Kelli Giddish officially left the drama after 12 seasons — and they weren’t the only ones. Mariska Hargitay echoed their sentiments, as she got emotional on Instagram while saying goodbye to her longtime co-star and close friend.

In a new picture posted ahead of Kelli’s final episode, Mariska shared a sentimental note to honor the duo’s time on the NBC series. She opened up about how much she’s enjoyed telling compelling stories on the small screen with her. But the lead actress didn’t shy away from revealing how bittersweet the moment was as well.

“Kelli, I’ve loved acting, learning, growing, talking, laughing and crying with you,” she wrote on Instagram on December 8. “I’ve loved watching your achingly beautiful performances. I’ve loved watching our friendship deepen and grow and blossom. I’ve loved every single minute of it, and I will miss you so much. You have my respect, my gratitude and my love forever. xo M.”

Mariska further emphasized her sadness by adding the hashtag”#RolliviaForever,” referencing their respective characters, Olivia Benson and Amanda Rollins.

When Law and Order: SVU fans saw Mariska honoring her longtime friend on social media, they immediately got emotional with her. Many immediately took to the comments to express their thoughts.

While Mariska’s heartfelt post could’ve been enough, she chose to take it one step further. Shortly after Kelli’s last appearance in the Law and Order universe, she shared a photo of their characters holding each other tightly. She captioned the pictures, “I’m holding on tight to this one. Love you kgid .”

As folks know, Kelli’s character experienced a well-rounded send-off. In between helping Olivia resolve her feelings for Stabler (Christopher Meloni), Rollins accepted a position as a college professor of forensic psychology and eloped with Sonny Carisi (Peter Scanavino).

Despite Kelli’s unexpected departure, she and Mariska’s bond will certainly continue outside the procedural drama. Who knows, maybe we’ll get an update on how Rollins is doing when the show returns on January 5…

Story by Adrianna Freedman source