On The Same Team

Set immediately after the season 18 finale.

Olivia sank down in her chair as Chief Dodds words rang in her ears, "firebomb, five dead." She looked over at Barba whose face expressed the same horror she was feeling.

"What do you need us to do Chief?" She asked when she was finally able to find the words.

Chief Dodds shook his head,"Nothing, this isn't an SVU case. You need to go home and rest."

"Chief, I want to help." She protested.

"No, I was actually on my way here to tell you to take some time off when I got the news. You've had a rough couple of months, you are more than due the time." He insisted.

"I'm fine Chief." She tried once more.

"It's an order Liv, take some family time." He told her before turning his attention to Barba, "I trust I can count on you to make sure she gets home."

Barba nodded surprised at the Chief's directness , "I'll do my best."

The Chief stood to leave, stopping in her office doorway. "You know neither of you were wrong in this, you just saw it differently and that's all right, you two will work through this." He told them before leaving.

Barba glanced back at Liv who was now in shock at The Chief's directness and and angry at being handled.

"Come on I've got an order to get you home." Barba said with a hopeful grin. That only earned him a sharp look.

"You can get me to a cab." She snapped at him walking from her office not bothering to stop as she called out to her team. "Apparently I'm taking the week off, be nice to Fin."

Barba waved off the confused looks and questions that were about to come as he followed her to the elevator. They stood in silence as they waited. He was relieved when it arrived and they were the only two aboard. Standing next to each other but not looking at each other he waited for the doors to shut before he spoke.

"Don't shut me out Liv, tell me you are mad, tell me I was wrong, and that I'm a bastard for putting you in that position but don't shut me out. We've come to far for that." He told her his voice firm.

He heard her sigh then felt a rush of warmth as her fingers wrapped around his.

"You were an absolute bastard to put me in that position. We're supposed to be a team."

"We are, even when we disagree on the play." He told her squeezing her hand watching the numbers indicating they were almost to the lobby. "Can we please finish this conversation at your place?"

The doors to the elevator opened and he felt the immediate loss of the warmth of her hand in his. They walked out of the precinct in silence, Liv walking to the curb hailing a cab. She turned back and looked at Barba who was standing there unsure of what she wanted him to do.

She rolled her eyes and then smiled at him, "Didn't the Chief say for you to make sure I got home."

Barba walked over to her using every ounce of self restraint he had not to kiss her right there in front of her precinct. Instead he gently tugged her hand pulling her into the cab with him. He quickly gave the driver her address before turning his attention back to her. He took her face in his hand and kissed her softly.

"I'm sorry, I was a bastard and put you in that position. I knew I was asking you to do something that you didn't feel right about and I shouldn't have done that." He told her sincerely. "Your commitment to the truth is one of the things I love most about you."

Olivia sighed her frustration being replaced with forgiveness. "It was a lot easier to be pissed at you before I fell in love with you." She said resting her head on his shoulder.

"Yeah, it was a lot easier to be annoyed at your moral compass before I fell in love with you." He said sliding his arm around her and kissing the top of her head.

"So, did the Chief just give us his blessing?" She asked him.

"I think so, which means when you get back from your week off we should probably disclose the worst kept secret in the Manhattan criminal justice system." He said with a laugh.

She leaned up slightly placing a kiss on his lips, "Only if you take the week off too and spend it moving in with Noah and me."

Barba moved slightly so he could see her face, "Liv, are you serious, please don't joke with me about that."

"I'm completely serious Rafael. I want you on my team at work and at home." She told him.

"We're going to disagree on plays at home sometimes too." He said playing with a strand of her hair.

Liv kissed him again, "We wouldn't be us if we didn't."

"Squabbling when we are eighty five?" He asked her.

"I'm beginning to think so." She told him with a smile before settling back against him and closing her eyes.

The End