A/N: Just a little chapter to help move things along. I'm not sure where I want to take this story yet, but I'm enjoying the process of getting them together and evolving their relationship. Enjoy!


The smell of some delicious aroma of food roused her from her sleep.

Liv sniffed the air, her stomach rumbling as her mouth began to water. She stared at the ceiling for a second before she figured out she was on her couch, covered with the fleece throw blanket to ward off the cold in the apartment. She took in her surroundings and quickly realized Barba was still there; his shoes, briefcase and coat still hung out by the door and their work from last night was separated into neat piles, probably organized in alphabetical order knowing him.

She heard a childish giggle from the kitchen and she chuckled when she heard a familiar grown man chuckle following it. Liv moved to sit up, ignoring the back pain shooting down her back in favor of seeing what the two boys were up to.

From the couch, she could see Noah sitting on the kitchen counter in his pajamas, holding a salt and pepper shaker and hanging on to every word Barba was saying. The man had his back to her, but she could tell he was cooking and talking quietly, probably doing his best not to wake her up.

She was content to sit there and watch them for a while, enjoying watching the happy way her son helped around the kitchen until she saw Barba slide fresh bacon on to a plate. Liv got to her feet, rubbing her back before stretching and joining them in the small kitchen.

"Mommy! We make you food!"

"Thank you, sweetie," she said back with equal enthusiasm. She plucked him off the counter and gave him a big kiss before she sent him to the table.

"And what do we have here?"

Barba chuckled and leaned in for a kiss which she gladly returned. She squeezed his arm and went about fixing a hot cup of coffee, eyeing the plethora of mouthwatering food spread across the counter. She didn't even know she had that much food in her fridge to begin with.

"How come you didn't tell me you could cook?"

Barba scoffed, "You have my mother to thank and the fact she practically forced me to help her cook breakfast every Saturday morning."

Liv just nodded, now eyeing the man finishing up the sausage sizzling in the pan and finding him ten times more attractive than she thought possible. Where the hell had he been hiding? He could cook, he made her son laugh and he was a great kisser?

She hit the damn jackpot and was just now realizing it.

"Well thank you Lucia," she joked, picking up a slice of bacon before she grabbed the entire plate and moved it to the small dining room table. They went about eating a quick breakfast after realizing they only had about two hours before they were needed in their respective offices.

"Thank you for cooking us breakfast," she said, polishing off her plate and cup of coffee. He reached over and squeezed her hand, still shoveling seconds into his mouth. Noah had eaten half of his food before he gave up and begged to watch his cartoons in the living room.

"I enjoyed it," he said sarcastically, enjoying the eye roll as she got up to gather the dirty plates. He followed her into the kitchen, helping her carry the load to the sink and starting to wash. She simply waved him off, telling him she'd get it later and ended up with her arms wrapped around his neck, standing in between him the sink and enjoying the warm embrace with their foreheads pressed together.

It was a position that was quickly becoming common place between them and she couldn't deny it was addicting. Everything from the way he felt to the way he smelled seemed to calm her down. Even during those ridiculously long two weeks without being able to touch like this, just being near him relieved some of the stress she normally carried around in her shoulders.

"Well, you can stay over as much as you want if we get amazing breakfasts like that the morning after," she joked, enjoying the way he laughed and squeezed her tighter. She kissed him slowly and let one her hands drift into his unkempt hair. The product that had stayed in his hair overnight made it feel a little greasy, but she didn't mind it.

After a minute or two kissing they pulled back and just simply stared at one another in peace, not wanting to let go of each other and stay in the little bubble they created, but they had jobs to do and victims to help.

"You need to get going. We both need to get ready," she said, fixing one of the collars curled sides but still not stepping away from him. He was silent for a moment, something seemingly on his mind and he voiced it only a second later.

"Liv, what are we?"

She looked at him, confused at his question. He noticed and didn't let her confusions simmer without an explanation.

"I know we're dating right now, testing the waters…but I feel like we've tested them enough…," he trailed, biting his lip anxiously as he awaited her response. Liv, who was confused before, knew where he was going with it. Honestly, it was an internal struggle she'd been having for the past few weeks herself.

Was there a name to what they were? Maybe a label they could slap on it and get it over with? She never stopped to consider the fact that he was having the same questions as her. They both seemed eager to move forward with this and make it official.

"Are you asking me to be your girlfriend?"

Barba shook his head and gave her backside a swat as she laughed. She yelped and slapped his arm, chuckling at his fiend yell of pain.

"You make it sound like I'm some dorky teenager," he scoffed, enjoying the genuine happiness in her eyes. She leaned forward and kissed the tip of his nose, much to his annoyance.

"Well you're not a teenager but you are a dork," she whispered, bringing their lips together again in a more sensual manner that left them both wishing they weren't on a time limit and Noah wasn't a few feet away.

She sighed and disconnected from the kiss, but kept their face inches apart, "I would love to be your girlfriend."

Barba smiled despite his contradictive eye roll, "Don't make me regret asking you."

"Yeah right," she said louder and pulled out of his arms, checking the time and ushering him towards the door. Their two-hour time limit had dwindled to one and he needed at least thirty minutes to get ready and changed.

"Stop by for lunch?"

Liv nodded, helping him slide into his jacket and heavy coat after he slipped into his shoes. She quickly gathered his pile of work and helped him shove it into his briefcase. The movement dragged Noah from his trance and he hopped off the couch, slamming into Barba's legs at full force.

"Bye Baba!"

Barba laughed and leaned down to give the boy a few pats on the back, telling him he'd see him later. Liv smiled and watched him scamper off. She turned back to say something but her phone started ringing erratically, the ringtone synonymous with Fin. She instantly what the phone call was about. Fin, out of all the detectives, didn't bother her before or after work unless it was for good reason.

"I'll be in a meeting until ten so I'll bring the warrant with me," he joked, opening the apartment door and dodging another smack to his arm. Liv pushed him out instead, giving him a parting kiss and a promise to see him later before she hurried to answer her phone and get her day started.