Noah seemed to relax after his talk with Rafael, but he stayed seated on his lap until their food arrived and when he sat back down on the seat between his mom and Rafael he kept as close to the former ADA as possible.

He was actually really enjoying how close Noah was staying to him the whole time, and now more than ever, since he knew it was because it was what Noah wanted and not out of fear.

Rafael was thankful that the team didn't actually ask him any questions about his time away; he had guessed they were doing it for Liv's sake more than anything. Instead, the team filled Rafael in on what he had missed while he was away; Rollins showed him some recent photos of Jesse at Noah's request and had his suspicions she was expecting confirmed.

The team checked their watches and decided it was time to head into the precinct and no doubt listen to Stone start in on them about this morning.

The squad wanted to pay but he shook his head. "My treat, guys. We had to celebrate Noah's win properly." He smiled, looking at Noah, who was getting his face cleaned by Liv as he had Ice cream everywhere.

Fin spoke first to Rafael. "It was good to see you again, Barba. Don't be a stranger; we may be needing your help when I finally give in and get rid of Stone."

He shook his head, laughing. "I'm sure you felt the same way about me Fin when I arrived."

Carisi looked at him. "It's good to have you back in the City; we hope this time for longer."

Fin rolled his eyes. "Yeah, please, because we can't listen to Carisi be a lawyer and a Detective any longer."

Rollins laughed and pushed the two of them towards the door and patted Barba on the shoulder and spoke quietly. "Just don't hurt Liv or Noah; you remember how protective we are." Rollins smiled standing up straight as Rafael was a little shocked by her words.

Olivia and Noah waved to the squad as they left.

Rafael then looked at Liv. "Do you have to get back to work as well or do you have the rest of the day off?"

Olivia was about to say she had to go in when she got a message from Fin. 'Take time with Barba or Noah, or both. We have things covered at work. If we need you we will call.'

She replied to Fin saying thanks and then looked at Rafael. "Seems that I have the day off; the team have it covered. They said they'll call me if they need something."

Noah's ears perked up hearing this. "Can we take Uncle Rafa back to the apartment? I've got new Lego that he can help me build!"

Liv once again went to give Rafael an out if he wanted but before she could say anything he put his hand on her arm. "Liv, I spoke to and saw Mami last night. She knows what brought me back to town, so, today I am free to spend as much time with you both as you want."

Noah cheered and then started playfully pushing Rafael's shoulder. "Let's go, let's go. I have sooooo many new legos to show you."

He couldn't help but laugh at Noah's excitement. You couldn't help but smile when the little boy was around.

Rafael paid for lunch and he walked back to Liv's apartment with them. He felt a little weird stepping into her apartment again for the first time in three months, he walked in behind them as Noah ran to his room to change out of his sports gear.

He followed Liv into the living room. "I see you and Noah have finally learned what the toy box is for" he smirked playfully, for some reason feeling a little nervous that he and Liv were now alone.

She rolled her eyes at him. "Well, we both just about avoided accidents last week over toys, so we decided it was time to start using it... So, can I get you something to drink?"

He sat down on the chair. "Coffee would be great, Liv. Thank you."

Liv went into the kitchen and he walked over, taking a seat at the barstool, watching her take out the coffee and he was surprised to see she still had his coffee there. "You kept it?"

Liv was thankful she had make-up to hide the slight blush that appeared on her cheeks "Well, you promised that you would come back, and like you told Noah you don't break your promises."

Olivia was letting him know that she had overheard his conversation with her son, and the look on her face said the rest, that he better not let her son down.

He looked at Liv. "Liv, what I said to Noah -"

Just as he said Noah's name, the young boy appeared beside Rafa almost running into him and he grabbed his hand. "Come on, Uncle Rafa. You have three months of building to make up for and that's a lot of Lego."

The young boy giggled and Rafael looked at Liv who nodded. "Go, Rafa. Play with Noah. We can talk when he sleeps."

He did as Olivia suggested and he joined Noah in the living room, sitting on the floor at the table. While they were building Lego, Liv brought him coffee and Noah some juice and she sat on the couch doing some paperwork but she found her self watching Noah and Rafael together.

She couldn't remember the last time that she had seen Rafael so relaxed, and it was always so good to hear her son laughing. But the ball game this morning, the sugar factory and building Lego with Uncle Rafa had taken it out of Noah and he had fallen asleep leaning against Rafael.

Liv stood up. "I'll take him and lay him in his bed for a nap."

HE looked at Liv. "Do you mind if I put him down?"

Liv smiled, nodding. "Sure, Rafa. Just don't drop my son," she teased playfully as he lifted Noah and began to carry him to his bedroom, tucking the boy into the bed with Eddie. He also couldn't resist the urge to lean down and kiss the top of Noah's head.

When he came back into the living room, Liv was sitting on the couch with two fresh cups of coffee. She looked up, seeing Rafael. "So, you didn't drop him then since I didn't hear any loud noises."

He raised his eyebrow. "Are you ever going to forget the way that I held Noah the first time I held him?"

Liv shook her head, laughing, and Rafael all of a sudden felt nervous again as he ran his hand along his neck. "Listen, Liv. I can leave and come back if you have things to do."

Olivia put down the paperwork she had been doing and she looked at him. "I think we need to talk, Rafa. Don't you?"

He nodded and he sat down opposite her and he ran his hand along his thighs trying to calm down his nerves. He was confident and cocky in the courtroom but when it came to his feelings he was a nervous teenage boy all over again. "What you heard me say to Noah in the sugar factory, I meant it. I'm not expecting things to go back to the way they used to be. I know that I hurt you and Noah when I left, but I am coming back to the city, and I really want to be a part of your life and Noah's in any way that you'll let me."

Liv looked at Rafael and she was listening to him and now she was also feeling nervous. This was her best friend; things hadn't been the same without him by her side. It hurt going to work and him not being there, having to go into the office he used to work in that Stone had taken over. They may have talked but she really did miss him. "So, all it took for you to come back was for my son to ask you?" The question wasn't one of anger she was just curious

He faced her as he leaned his side against the back of the couch. "I was surprised to see the letter from Noah, and I was missing both you and him a lot, but I wasn't in any shape for Noah to actually see me and be around me. I was trying to get back to a person that I knew you would be okay with being around Noah. But when I read him asking me to come back I news that I wasn't going to completely get over everything until I returned to the city and now, here was Noah giving me the perfect invitation"

Liv looked at Rafael and she lay her hand gently on his arm "Rafa, I would never have stopped you from seeing Noah, you may think that because of what happened or the fact that you no longer had a job changed you but it didn't. You were still Uncle Rafa to him, and you are more than just the job to us. There is more to Rafael Barba than the cocky ADA" Liv teased lightly and then she looked down for a minute taking a deep breath "Is what you told Noah true, that you're coming back? Because I can find a way to deal with you walking out on me again Rafael, but I can't put my son through that again"

He took Liv's hand, squeezing it gently. "I promise you that I am not just going to walk out on Noah again, I may not have been great with kids, I haven't been around any in the way that I have Noah, but I love that little boy, Liv. I hate that me leaving hurt him in any way and I want to make that up to him in any way that I can" Olivia nodded as she listened and she smiled softly "I think he's already forgiving you for showing up today, playing catch with him, taking him to the sugar factory and playing Lego. You've given him his dream day today, Rafa."

He was quiet for a minute before he looked at Liv "I am sorry that I left, that I walked away on you, that was the last thing that I wanted to do after what happened you with Stabler. But I had to leave Liv, I had to figure who I was without the Job that I had worked so hard to get. All I had pictured at college was climbing the ranks in the D.A's office and there I was turning my back on it, on the future I and Abuelita had dreamed of for me... But I meant every single word that I said to you outside the courthouse that day" he finally made eye contact with Liv "but.." he sighed running his hands over his face.

Liv's heart sank she was convinced now he was gonna say that he wanted to just be friends after her finally realizing that she had been in love with her best friend for longer than she wanted to admit. "But what Barba?"

Hearing her use his second name pulled Rafael back from his own world and he ran his thumb over Livs hand. "But, I want to be honest with you. I have to be honest with you, Liv... That day outside the courthouse I wanted to say something more to you but I was a coward and I was selfish, and if we are to spend time together again then I have to be honest with you." He took a deep breath. "I love you Olivia, and you don't have to say it back because you don't want me to feel bad or to run away. But I just needed you to know because I can't be myself with you and hide how I'm feeling and.." Barba was cut off speaking when he felt Livs lips brush against his, he was shocked and Liv was about to pull back thinking he didn't it when she felt his hand slide into her hair his palm resting against her neck as he kissed her the way that he wanted to for so long. And he only broke the kiss when they had to for air and he leaned his forehead against Liv's not wanting to break the contact just yet, she couldn't think straight right now, she knew Rafa would be an amazing kisser but his lips on hers was like nothing she had ever felt before.

She ran her hand along his arm to the nape of his neck running her fingertips along the hair there and he let out a low moan at the contact. "Liv... if this is to just make me stay then you don't have to."

She shut him up again by kissing him. "I thought you Harvard lawyers were supposed to be smart."

Rafael pulled his head back so that he could see her face, and he was met with her smiling the happiest smile he had seen since the day she adopted Noah and Liv chuckled at his confusion. "Rafa, I'm in love with you too. I have been for a very long time."

Rafael smiled hearing Liv's words, she was finally saying the three words that he had dreamt about her saying for over the last two years. He leaned his arm on the back of the couch and ran his fingers through her hair slowly "I should have told you that day outside the courthouse that I loved you, but I knew that if I did that I wouldn't be able to leave you even though I knew I was always going to come back here" He smiled as he leaned in pressing his lips gently against Liv's first before she moved closer to him and deepened the kiss, when they broke the kiss she lay her head on Rafael's shoulder wrapping her arm around his waist "So you really back for good?"

He smiled, kissing Liv's head. "I was going to have to go back and pick up some things that I didn't have time to pack and bring with me, but I'll just get a company to take of that for me now. After my talk with Noah, and now us, I really don't want to have to leave again that soon even if it was only for a few days."

Liv kissed his neck snuggling in tight to him, just enjoying having him here, feeling his arms around her and knowing that she could kiss him now when she wanted. "As long as your sure, Rafa. I mean if you want to go pick the things up yourself I can help you explain that to Noah."

He shook his head. "I'm sure, Liv. I'm not going anywhere, and the next time I do I'm thinking about taking a certain Lieutenant and her son with me."

He tensed a little when he realized that he was jumping ahead of himself but Liv pulled her head back kissing him and she smiled caressing his cheek. "Well, I think you would find that a certain lieutenant and her son would love nothing more."

He couldn't help the large smile that appeared on his face. When he got on that flight from Miami last night, he really had no idea how things were going to be but he never imagined they would be this good. Just as he went to kiss Liv again her phone rang and she groaned and lifted her phone. "Sorry, I have to answer this. It's Fin."

He nodded as he totally understood that Fin wouldn't be calling unless she was really needed. He expected Liv to move away from him when she was on the phone for a work call but instead, she cuddled into his side wrapping her arm around his waist again as she spoke to Fin. When she hung up she held him a little tighter and he kissed her head.

"Liv, I know you have to go to work. Go, honestly. You know that I understand that you have to be there," he said. "Don't worry you can text or ring me if you want to make sure I haven't fled from New York." The last part was said teasingly and Olivia finally pulled back a little.

"I need to ring Lucy to come and sit with Noah."

He shook his head. "If you're okay with it, Liv, then I can stay here with Noah."

Liv bit her bottom lip nervously. "Are you sure, Rafa? You know just because we're going to make a go of things doesn't mean I'm going to force you into any role with Noah."

He smiled and ran his thumb along her jawline. "Liv, I'm all in. I want the whole package and I know that includes Noah. I wouldn't have it any other way. Now go before I don't want to let you go." he smirked as he kissed Liv passionately and she finally stood up and went to the safe lifting her badge and gun.

Rafael got up walking her to the apartment door and she smiled. "I'll text or call to keep you updated on how we're getting on. If you need anything just ring and if you have things you need to do, Lucy's number is on the fridge... I'll see you both later."

Olivia smiled and kissed Rafael and he smiled. "Liv, we will be fine. Don't worry. I'll only let him have a small amount of scotch," he teased playfully and laughed when she lightly slapped his chest and he grabbed her hand gently squeezing it. "Be safe, and don't worry. Your boys will be fine right here." Liv shook her head smiling as she finally walked away from the apartment heading to the precinct and she couldn't stop the smile on her face as she thought about Rafael kissing her and the way he said her boys like it was so natural and had been their way of life for much longer than thirty minutes.