Safety of the Law

Law and Order SVU

One Shot

She had hated to bother him, hated to put him in the middle of anything but for whatever reason he made her feel safe. So she had called him. She really didn't have anyone else. Her only living relative was her younger brother Ben and he was on the other side of the country. She could have called Olivia but she was dealing with her own life. She could have called anyone on the squad for that matter but she didn't. Instead she had called him and to her hopeful and pleasant surprise he had been there in minutes. He just held her, whispering all of the right things and she felt safe. He was her safety net. Now she stood in his apartment huddled in an oversized borrowed tee shirt with a blanket wrapped around her overlooking the dark city through the window. He had tried to get her to take his bed and he the couch but she had adamantly refused. He had done enough for her and in truth she knew she wouldn't sleep anyway. Nightmare had been keeping her up for the past few weeks. She hated feeling weak and defenseless. She hated that someone she had thought long gone from her life found a way into her carefully crafted security. She hated that she had to rely on someone to make her feel safe again. It just wasn't fair to him or to her. She rarely let anyone in for any reason, always one to keep others at arm's length. She felt her anxieties start to take hold and took several deep breaths to calm her nerves and rested her head against the cool window pane as a few tears rolled down her cheek.

"Amelia?" A voice said quietly behind her. She turned to meet his worried eyes as he took in her face. He immediately went to her, cradling her face in his hands. "Come to bed. Please?" He whispered as he once again brushed away her tears.

"I hate that he has done this to me." She answered in an equally quiet voice.

"I know." He said as he drew her close and kissed her forehead before pulling her into a hug. She wrapped her arms around him giving into the safety that was Rafael Barba. "We will figure this out. But first you need sleep and not on that very uncomfortable couch." He added with a smile and held out his hand to her. She slipped her small hand into the safety of his and he gripped it tightly. "So please come to bed." It touched her to no end that this man who was so tough and no nonsense in the court room was always oh so gentle with her. She let him lead her into the bedroom where she laid down and he tucked some of the blankets around her. He kissed her once more before he turned to go. She caught his hand this time causing him to look down at her where she looked up at him with hopeful eyes.

"Please stay." She asked shyly and then looked away afraid of what he might think or say. "Just until I go to sleep." He didn't let go of her hand instead he slipped into bed beside her and pulled her to him. One arm went around her securing her to him so that her head rested on his chest. He used his hand to rub her arm a few times and used his other one to run his hand through her hair. Before long she fell into a slumber and slept for the first time in weeks safe and secure.

When she woke the next morning she had to blink a few times against the bright sunlight streaming through the window. For a moment she didn't remember where she was. Everything was a little fuzzy and then things became a little clearer. Someone had been in her house. Someone had been stalking her and someone was trying to scare her. Well it had worked. All of the fear and uncertainty came back full force and she tried to chock back the sob that had caught in her throat. Instead she took a shaky breath and then her breath caught as the arm around her middle suddenly tightened. That was when she remembered where she was…in his bed. Granted nothing had happened and she had asked him to stay but the thought of being this close, this intimate scared her just as much. She stiffened up and gasped slightly as she felt him nuzzle the back of her neck and then she heard a little chuckle.

"Relax sweetheart, you're okay. I've got you." He must have picked up on her tension because he started rubbing her arm again placing a kiss on the side of her head. This was something he had found that soothed her and it did. She found herself relaxing and taking in deep breaths. After she got her self under control he spoke once more. "How about some breakfast, hmm? And then you can tell me what has been going on." He said it as a question but she knew that it was more of a statement. She had to tell him. She nodded her head in agreement still not wanting to look him in the eye. He sighed slightly and he rolled her over so that she had to look up at him. "Amelia, I know you don't like asking for help but I'm not going anywhere. If you need a restraining order, I will get you one. You need someone arrested I can do that too. If you need to stay somewhere where you feel safe…" He paused for a moment and really looked at her worried eyes. He used his thumb to smooth out the worry wrinkles between her eyebrows. "Well I can help you with that too." He smile gentle at her just then and she felt her heart kick up a notch.

"Okay." She answered back finally relenting. He smiled as he brush hair from her face.

"Okay." He said and pulled away from her getting out of the bed, although he seemed reluctant to do so. He looked at her as she sat up, her hair disheveled from sleep and the blush he loved so much prominent on her face. He cleared his throat slightly catching her attention and her blush seemed to deepen. He knew he had to leave the room or ha may never. "I'll go get breakfast started, just take your time, okay?" She nodded slightly turning her attention back to looking out the window. He had just turned his back intending to head to the kitchen when her small voice stopped him.

"Thank Rafael, for everything. You have no idea how much…how much this means to me. I'm not one to relay on anyone for anything so this is all knew to me. I'm not sure how to let people in." She looked down at her hands. Instead of saying anything he came and crouched down in front of her taking her hands into his own.

"Amelia, look at me." He tipped her chin so that she had no choice. "It's okay to ask for help. So why don't you start by giving me a name and telling me how long he has been stalking you?" She looked at him slightly surprised that he knew this had been going on for a while and he just shrugged slightly seemingly reading her mind. "I've noticed you have been a bit jumpy lately and a bit more withdrawn. I figured something was bothering you. So talk to me, please." He begged once more and she finally relented squeezing his hand slightly as she took a breath.

"It's Dylan." He seemed to tense up slightly. "I…I don't have proof but I know it's him and he knows that I do. I didn't tell anyone because I couldn't prove it." She emphasized. She noticed that his jaw seemed to clench slightly.

"How long?" He asked determined.

"About a week after we saw him at the café'."

"Ami, that's was about two months ago." She hung her head in shame.

"I know but I thought he would get the hint if I didn't respond but then things started to escalate this last week. I mean he has a wife and she is going to have his baby. Why would he keep coming after me. I mean I walked away for a reason." Rafael shook his head.

"I know Ami, but people like him are in it for the control. We made it seem that you had moved on and he no longer had control he is trying to gain it back, this time through fear and intimidation. What else has he done?"

"First it was hang up calls at all times during the night so I changed my number, than notes on my car. So I started parking in more secure parking lots. I kept getting the sense I was being watched and followed but when I looked no one was there. Then last night…" He nodded his head again and stood up pulling her with him. He lead her from the bedroom and out to the kitchen. He sat her down at a stool that sat at the kitchen island as he started to make breakfast.

"Okay first breakfast and then we are calling Liv, okay?" She watched him with confusion and surprised as he made his way around the kitchen.

"Okay." She said hesitantly which caused him to look up at her with a raised eyebrow.

"What is it?" He asked and she just shook her head, trying to hide a slight grin. "Ami…" He started in a warning tone but she held her hand up to stop him.

"It's just I didn't know you could cook?" He smiled at her just then happy to see a glimmer of the care free girl he knew before him. He rounded the counter dropping a plate in front of her.

"There's a lot you don't know about me sweet girl. But I plan on changing that real soon." He smiled at her blush as he laughed slightly and kissed the side of her forehead. "Now eat up, I'm going to call Liv and as much as I enjoy seeing you in this…" He indicated to the tee shirt she still wore. "…your clothes from last night are on the dryer." Before she could respond he disappeared to make the phone call and ignoring her look of confusion, shyness, and embarrassment as he cheeks once again grew warm. He had actually washed her clothing. She was not use to being taken care of this much and if she wasn't careful she would get entirely to use to it. If she was honest as much as she said that she hated it, secretly she liked it a little too much. An hour and a half later Liv walked back out of the apartment with a promise to find this guy and bring him in. She held in her hand a list. On it was the things that Rafael had insisted she pick up from Amelia's apartment. He was adamant about her not returning until the man who had been stalking her was caught. She had to smile and shake her head at the ADA's insistent that Amelia stay with him until then. She was first in the pool that the squad had set up on how long it would be before the two of them finally admitted they had a thing for each other. She had a feeling she was going to be a slightly richer woman before long. In the mean time she had a stalker to find.

A/N So, yes this story is still not done yet. This was meant to be a series of one shots but for some reason this one is shaping up to be more of a story. No real direction here, just having some fun. Next up: Justice of the Law. That one is going to be a bit intense…Thanks for reading and like always reviews are very welcomed. Thank you to all that do.