A/N: AHOY there mateys? Maties? Mates? We'll just got with mates... Anywho, Hello! So, a quick thing you should know, my stories for a little bit are going to be quite AU. I been living in the clouds recently and thought up of this cool little new world because... the current SVU world... isn't exactly the best at the moment. Soooooo, yeah. Got any questions? Let me Know. Thoughts? Let me Know. Wanna be friends? Let me know. But in all honesty, I want you guys to get to know my characters and world that I decided to have OUR favorite characters (Rafael and Olivia) live in. SO prepare as I... do stuff. Lastly, comment and stuff because since it's going to be some AU one shots and stories, I wanna let you guys kinda control how this stuff goes. Okay? Okay.

In this Story... Barba is a Senator; Congress man! Let's do this.

It was around 9 o'clock when Rafael pulled up to his destination. He examined the outside and noted the current weather. It was gloomy, dark, pouring rain, and every so often a flash of lightning would dance across the sky. Rafael grabbed his phone from the cup holder and got out of the car to make a quick dash to the large red bricked building.

He pushed open the wooden door as quietly as he could, careful to not disturb the few people scattered throughout the church. The church smelled of dust and the only lighting were the candles that were lit at the front of the room. Marc let the door shut and walked down the aisle. He went to the wooden bench in the front row and sat down silently. He would go every Sunday with his abuelita and use the church as a getaway from all the chaos in his house.

Rafael bent over and felt the underside of the bench. He grinned for the first time all day when he felt the old carved initials 'R.B.'.

"Rafael, is that you?" He heard a fragile voice ask from a distance.

Barba sat up straight at the calling of his name and turned around. He nearly jumped out of his seat when he saw his old pastor, Francis Tesla. The man had been a mentor to Rafael when he was growing up. Francis taught him everything he knew and helped Barba when he needed it.

"Pastor Tesla!" Rafael exclaimed as he stood from his seat and approached the older man.

Francis pulled Barba in for a hug. "I'm no longer Pastor." He corrected as he pulled back.

His eyes widened. "What? Why? You did so much good for the church."

Francis shrugged his shoulders before changing the topic, "Hey! Let me buy you a drink, for old time sake."

Francis ordered a Malt Whiskey and Rafael ordered his usual scotch. They were at a small pub not too far away from the church.

"So what's wrong?" Francis asked as he sipped on his drink.

Barba eyed Francis out the side of his eye and picked up his own drink before responding, "What makes you think something's wrong?"

Francis shifted on the rickety bar stool and turned to give the younger man a look that clearly read 'Don't make me slap you'.

The look that Francis gave him was one that would scare the crap out of Rafael when he was younger. Usually, Francis would only flash it during church when little Raf was too busy talking or goofing off. And, to be honest, the look still scared him a little even as a grown man.

"I made a big mistake," Rafael confessed as he stared down into the amber colored liquid.

"You made a lot of mistakes in your life," Francis mumbled. "You're going to have to be more specific than that."

Barba laughed at the comment. "I've been seeing someone."

"I'm aware. You're dating that detective right, the one I met last year?"

Rafael nodded solemnly.

"That can't be easy." Francis stated.

"It's not," He answered. "For the past couple months since Congress convened, our relationship has been on the rocks."

"Do you know why?"

Rafael sighed. "She doesn't like that I'm away for as long as I am. We barely see each other, and I'm seldom in New York. And the times that I am, I'm working."

Francis nodded in understanding. He and his wife went through the same things when he did his stint as Senator. "How do you feel?"

"I worry about her," Rafael replied quietly. "It's hard being away and her being a cop. Olivia's job is dangerous and she could very well get shot, and I wouldn't be able to do a damn thing about it because I'm hours away."

"Do you two speak about your feelings?"

"She tried to before but I shut her down; my stubbornness got in the way."

"Your father did the same thing. But what was this 'big mistake' you were telling me about," Francis asked before taking a sip of his drink.

"Last night there was the Annual Congressional Children's Relief Charity," Rafael said. "And I ran into an old flame, Julia Stanford; she's a lobbyist."

"Raf," Francis drawled warningly, having an idea of what happened next. But Barba carried on with the story, his words pouring out of him.

"She offered me a couple of drinks and I didn't want to be rude so I took them, and… and then Julia got drunk and one thing led to another-."

"You cheated on Olivia," Francis interjected, saying what Rafael didn't want to admit.

His eyes snapped to Francis's and he nodded sadly in agreement. "I didn't mean to."

"But you did," Francis retorted angrily.

"I was drunk," Barba snapped. He knew it was a sad excuse but it was the only one he could offer.

Francis threw a finger in his direction. "And you know that Olivia doesn't' like you drinking, yet you did it anyway. You are the one who chose to drink, Rafael, and look where that got you!"

Francis's eyes were lit ablaze and saw that Rafael was trying to avoid him. So, he grabbed his arm and forced him to turn on his stool.

"Let me tell you something, Kid," Francis started angrily. "You got a good thing going with your life, don't mess it up. Do you love this woman?"

Barba let his mouth bob open and his facial features soften as he thought over his response. He was known as one of the most vocal politicians- saying what he wanted, ignoring the political correctness, and pissing off whoever if it meant getting what he wanted; but when it came to expressing his feelings he fell flat.

Sensing his contemplation, Francis loosened his grip and placed a comforting hand on Rafael's shoulder. The former pastor looked the younger man in the eyes and held his gaze.

"I can tell son," He croaked. "You do love her. Your father had look on his face when he looked at your mother. So, I'm only going to say this once; don't fuck up a good thing. You need to get your ass back on the road to New York and tell Olivia the truth before she finds out from someone else."

"I… I can't do that Frank," Rafael said. "I tell that I cheated and-"

"Son," Frank interrupted. "It's in your best interest to tell her, because if it just so happens that the media gets whiff of your affair, you are going to face political hell, your reputation will be smeared, and I'm sure Olivia will not be happy."

Rafael glared at Francis and saw pure determination and anger, a look he usually got when someone he cared was facing a dilemma. With his mind made up, Barba stood from the stool and picked up his stuff. He walked past the couple of people hanging in the pub and went to his car.

OH GOD... Don't hate me too much. Thoughts?