AN: Hello there! Lately, I've been really into writing.I know that I am not the best when it comes to grammar, but it's so nice to be able to distract yourself and create a world of your own with words alone. I've started a lot of EO stories lately, but I finally got an awesome idea for a Barson one! Please don't read this and think that Rafael is a complete jerk or that I think that of him. It's only for the sake of the story, so please trust me! I have a feeling that this story will be adored, or hated. So if you like what you see or if you would like to see more, let me know! I hope you enjoy it! Love y'all!
Oh, and Angelica is his live-in, hired help!
Disclaimer: I do not own Law and Order SVU or the characters.
Nervous was not a word that could be used to describe Rafael Barba. Calculated, cunning, and convincing maybe, but never nervous. Even though he knew that he was about to be in trouble for something, he entered the DA's office with a confident air about him. To some, it was unnerving, but to others it was reassuring. Regardless, he didn't care. So what if he was sure of himself?
"Rafael, sit down" His boss said in a tone that the ADA hadn't heard aimed at himself before. As much as he liked to stand, the younger man wisely chose his battles and sat as he was instructed.
"Do you want to explain why I had a video of you screaming at a random man sent to me?"
Rafael pretended to think it over for a moment before answering.
"My guess would be that some low life that has way too much time on their hands since they probably don't work recorded it".
Jack sighed, wishing that Rafael wouldn't have answered the way he had expected.
"This is a very serious matter. This incident makes four of the kind within the last six months. You are ruining your reputation as an ADA. The people don't want the guy that screams at the general public to be the guy that defends their safety in court".
"What exactly are you trying to say?"
"I'm saying that if you don't do some damage control, you will be out of a job".
"Sir, you don't know my side of the story. All of those people deserved it. They-"
"You should know better than anyone else that the public does not care about he said, she said. They care about evidence. Give them some evidence that proves you can be kind. It won't kill you. Now, get out. I have a meeting to get to".
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"I just don't get what he wants from me. He said that I have to give them evidence that I'm kind. What does that even mean? More" He demanded as he held out his glass.
"I am a kind person. It's not my fault those people are idiots. I'm a good boss, right?"
Angelica held her breath for a moment, willing her filter to work. She needed her job after all.
"Absolutely, sir" She agreed as she poured him more wine.
"I say please and thank you just like my mother taught me to. I give to charity every year, and not just for tax purposes. I am kind".
It took all of her control to keep her eyes from rolling.
"I don't know what else to do. Do you have any suggestions? Oh, who am I kidding? There's nothing I can think of, so I doubt you can".
Angelica could feel her hands beginning to shake, just itching to ring his neck. She quickly regained her composure, having trained herself to ignore his ignorant remarks long ago.
"Actually sir, there are numerous things that you could do. You could start small by randomly paying for someone's groceries, or leave a generous tip the next time you eat out. Maybe you can contact a local orphanage and buy the children some presents. Your options are limitless".
"You're right" He admitted. That alone was an act of charity coming from him. "I'll start small, starting with you. Instead of cleaning my office every night, you can clean it every other night. That way you have some extra time for your other duties and whatever it is that you do in your free time".
Angelica closed her eyes for a brief moment and took a deep breath. The man was truly an idiot.
"That's a good start, sir. Thank you".
"It feels good to be kind" He said as he held out his glass once more. As far as he was concerned, there was nothing to worry about and he would have a perfect reputation in no time.
A week came and passed, and Rafael hadn't done a single thing differently. Instead of leaving a generous tip the last time he ate out, he didn't leave one at all because the service wasn't up to his standards. He told his secretary to call around and find the most ethnically diverse orphanage that she could find, but he was still waiting on that. By the fourth day, Angelica had gone back to cleaning his home office every night because seeing trash in the can from the previous day was simply unacceptable. However, he hadn't done any more damage so that was a positive.
On his way out for the day, Sheila, his secretary, handed him a stack of mail that he would go through at home. It's not like he had anything else to do anyway. Despite the cold of early winter, Rafael had chosen to walk to work, so now he was walking back home as the sun set. He read the return addresses on some of the letters, not paying attention to where he walked. Suddenly, everything was knocked out of his hands as the weight of another person hit him.
"Hey watch-" He began to yell, quickly stopping himself. The streets were busy and the last thing he wanted was for another video of him yelling to get to Jack. He heard a low groan, bringing his attention to the disheveled woman that he had collided with. Her clothing was old and torn, and her hair was up in a messy pony tail. By the looks of it, she hadn't showered in a couple of days. Her face scrunched up in pain as she clutched her right arm.
"Ma'am, are you okay?" He asked. When she didn't answer, he reached out a placed a gentle hand on her right arm. She seethed in pain and he pulled back, but the next thing he knew, she was falling. He managed to catch her only seconds before she hit the hard sidewalk, lowering them so that she could rest against him as he phoned 911. A small crowd gathered around them as he waited for an ambulance to come and take the unconscious woman from his arms. He had planned on telling them to scram and give her space, but many of them had their phones out, capturing his heroic act. The opportunity had been handed to him on a silver platter, so why not take it? He held the poor woman and told her over and over again that everything would be okay. Maybe he had gone a little far when he added "hang in there" and "don't die on me".
The medics took over a few minutes later, and he told them exactly what happened. They loaded her into the ambulance, but didn't shut the door immediately.
"Sir, did you want to ride with her?"
Rafael was ready to explain that he didn't know this woman and had absolutely no interest in going to the hospital tonight, but then he remembered the group of people recording behind him. He could already see how fast that part would spread… So he went, planning to go for an hour or so and then call Angelica and have her pick him up. Like Jack said, it wouldn't kill him.
AN: Interested?