Barba followed Carisi through the apartment as they went into Noelia's room to look for anything that could help figure out where she could have gone. They found a laptop sitting on her desk; Carisi set it near the door to take to Taru. He started digging through the drawers; he found an old Kindle, some books, and some pictures.
"Hey, Barba, this is you right? You look so young." Carisi pulled out a group of pictures that had been in Noelia's desk drawer, handing the Polaroids over to Barba.
Rafael looked at the photos, which he hadn't seen in over fifteen years. A 25 year-old version of himself stared back at him; his face was free of the lines that now showed his age, his frame a bit thinner. The first picture was of him and Amelia on a ferry on their way to the Statue of Liberty. They were both smiling, his arm around her shoulders, though she looked paler than she normally did.
"March 21st, 2001. The first day of vacation I ever used - Mel insisted we go to The Statue of Liberty on the first day of spring." Barba stared at the pictures as Carisi continued to search for anything that could help find Noelia. "Of course it was still freezing and rained that day." He got lost in his memories.
"Are you okay, Mel? You look green." Rafael had said, nudging her as they leaned against the edge of the boat going to the Statue. She'd pulled her scarf tighter around her neck, shrugging.
"I think I'm just a little seasick. The air feels nice though."
"The air feels freezing." Barba corrected her, sliding an arm around her shoulders as they looked out at the city before them. She carried a small backpack, equipped with their wallets, camera, a bottle of water and Rafael's cell phone. She moved from beside him, looking like she was going to puke, being pulling the camera out and smiling.
"Let's take a picture really fast." She said, asking a nearby stranger to take a photo of them together. She went back to standing beside him, his arm going back around her for the picture. She thanked the stranger, standing back beside Barba, carefully holding the picture until it developed a few moments later.
"Look how nice it came out, at least the lighting is good for picture taking." She said, pleased with the result. He'd agreed.
"Let's take another one. Here, I'll just hold the camera out."
The other pictures were from the same day - the second one was blurry, much closer up. He'd held the camera up to try to take a picture - a selfie with a giant polaroid camera had been nearly impossible. Their heads were cut off; Barba's forehead was out of the picture but his green eyes shone with light as the blurry Amelia kissed his cheek. She'd stood on her toes and snuck the kiss right when they had planned to snap the photo.
The moment he went to snap the picture he was knocked off balance by her quickly pressing her lips to cheek the moment the flash went off. He almost dropped the camera the way he'd been holding it one handed; he caught it by its strap and pulled it close so the photo wouldn't blow away.
"Way to warn me." He said taking the picture and shaking it so it could begin to develop. She giggled at him.
"Me?I didn't do anything." She said. "Let's ask one more person to take a picture of us, then we'll save the other pictures for when we're at the statue." She said, getting a stranger to take the camera, almost tackling Rafael as she wrapped her arms around him again, grinning. The stranger took the picture, handing them the picture and the camera back. She put the camera back in their bag.
Barba looked at the last picture. They were smiling. Happy. It was strange to see, given that he'd leave her a week or two later.
"Weird, I haven't seen a picture with the towers in the background in a long time." Carisi pointed out, showing that the Twin Towers still stood tall just beyond their heads.
"I haven't either," Barba replied, still holding the pictures, going between the three. When was Noelia's birthday? Was Amelia already pregnant when these had been taken? Was that why she felt so sick?
"Well, Barba, we've got a computer and an iPad, let's get them to Taru so he can see what he can find." Carisi said. Barba still held the pictures in his hands. Carisi looked at them again over his shoulder.
"You look pretty happy, Barba. I don't think I've seen a smile that wasn't smug on your face ever." Barba shot him a glare. "Hey, just bein' honest." Carisi gathered up the useful electronics and walked out. Barba pocketed the three pictures, following him out.
"Novak, what are you doing here? Where's Barba?" Lester asked as Casey walked in. They hadn't expected to be back so soon; Lester had gotten a call to come in first thing that morning at 8 a.m. on a Saturday. Not standard practice.
"Nice to see you too." She said, sitting down across from the attorney and his client. "Unfortunately Barba had to recuse himself from the case given its recent developments."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, your accomplice had kidnapped a girl. Which, you know, if you don't help us find him could make you an accessory and add on an obstruction of justice charge."
"Fair, but what does that have to do with Barba?"
"Nowling kidnapped his daughter. You're going to be on the hook for the kidnapping of the child of a somewhat notable public servant. A scholarship student at your own school, Mr. Foster. Now, I stand by Barba's old deal: give us the boy, you'll get concurrent sentences and the possibility of parole. This includes the new obstruction charge, of course."
"I have nothing to do with that girl! She got me in here!" The director shouted. His attorney grabbed his arm, whispering to him.
"I need a moment with my client." Lester said. Casey nodded, standing up and leaving the interview room. Benson stood at the glass, staring as the two spoke. Casey stood beside her, waiting.
"What do you think they'll do?"
"Lester isn't an idiot. Barba's daughter is pretty, she gets good grades, her teachers love her. Barba's in the press pretty regularly, his...daughter's mother is a forensic nurse. For their kid to be kidnapped by a pedophile? She's the definition of a sympathetic victim." Casey took a deep breath. "And you know as well as I do...the longer she's gone, the worst the charges can get." She saw Lester look up, gesturing for her to come back. She and Benson entered together.
"We'll take the concurrent sentences with no added charges for being an accomplice or obstruction. You know as well as I those would get dismissed."
"Fair, IF it leads to us finding the girl."
"Andrew stays at a townhouse on the upper east side." The athletic director wrote down an address. "It belongs to his great aunt; she practically raised him, but she's staying in North Carolina still. She normally comes back to New York in May."
Benson snatched the piece of paper and practically sprinted out the door, grabbing Fin on the way out. She texted Carisi as she jumped in the car; he was with Noelia's mother, letting him know they might have a lead. They turned on their sirens as they rushed to the upper east side, turning them off as they got within a few blocks of the house. They didn't want him to find out they were nearby.
Meanwhile at Amelia's mother's house, Barba sat at the kitchen table while Carisi and Amelia sat on the couch on the other side of the room. It was early in the morning; they'd come over first thing, both with dark circles under their eyes. According to Amelia's mother she hadn't slept all night either; just sat in the living room, alternating between staring at the door and her phone. Amelia had a cup of tea in her hands, but it was cold; she hadn't even taken a sip. Carisi held a rosary and was praying out loud going down the beads; Benson had excused him from helping with the search to try to keep Amelia from having a break down. She mumbled along with his prayers, her eyes still looking vacant.
Barba looked over at them in annoyance. He hated how little of a help he could be, both in the investigation and making her feel better. He'd now be lucky if he was allowed to try the case; the DA had made him recuse himself for now but said he might change his mind for the trial, given Noelia wasn't the only victim, it was his case to begin with, and he did try cases that included victims he was close to - Olivia with William Lewis, for instance. The DA did make Casey take the interview with the athletic director for any information - he didn't want Barba giving up a deal due to personal duress.
"He seems like a nice young man, no? Good Catholic boy," Amelia's mother said in accented English, placing a cup of coffee in front of Rafael. He took a sip, thankful. The coffee had been made on a stove and strained through a cloth strainer instead of with just a normal coffee pot; it was a method of coffee making he loved but never had the time or pouring skills to do himself. "Skinny, though."
"Gracias, Senora Silva." He said as he drank more, his eyes still on Carisi and Amelia. "Senora…" He spoke quietly. She sat down at the table with him, looking at him curiously. "Why didn't you ever tell me? You've stayed here in New York. You go to church with my mother." His voice cracked. She looked at him sadly, taking a hand and placing it on top of his own. These Silva women and their touching. That must be where Amelia got it.
"Rafael...you are a talented young man. My daughter has talent too - of running away." She said quietly, looking over at her praying child. "Besides, I did tell Lucia - the first summer Noelia spent in New York, she was a little over two." She patted his hand one last time. "Talk to your mother, talk to my daughter. But you know now is not the time."
Carisi's phone buzzed; they paused and looked as he pulled it out of his pocket.
"They might have a lead, the athletic director gave up somewhere Nowling like's to hide." He said, showing the text to Amelia. Her eyes filled with fresh tears but she didn't say anything. "I'm going to go meet them at the house they're going to, Liv wants me there. Are you gonna be okay?" He placed a hand on Amelia's shoulder. She nodded.
"Lia adores you, you should be there." She said, the first clear words she'd spoken since they took her out of her own apartment. Carisi nodded, walking over to Barba at the kitchen table.
"I'm gonna go. Here." Carisi said, handing Barba the rosary. He simply stared at it. "C'mon, Barba, don't act like it's gonna bite you. Go sit with her." He said as he slid his jacket over his shoulders. "I'll see you later. Thanks for the coffee, Mrs. Silva." He said, gesturing towards Amelia's mother who waved from the kitchen, before turning and walking out the door.
Rafael walked over and sat beside Amelia on the couch. She looked at him, saying nothing.
"Do you want me to keep going?" He asked. She shook her head. "Do you want me here?" He said, his voice lowered. She nodded. They sat unmoving, side by side, both consumed with worry.
Noelia came to, realizing she was handcuffed hands and feet to a bed. How long had she been asleep? Her wrists and ankles hurt, chafing against the cuffs. She kept her eyes closed; listening carefully, trying to feel. Wrists and ankles, definitely bruised. It felt like she had a bump on her head; she couldn't tell if it was just from being drugged or if she'd been dropped. She was still wearing all her clothes; her...body didn't feel like anything had happened to it yet. Good. She didn't hear anyone; she slowly opened her eyes.
Light. It was bright and painful and made her head feel like it was going to explode. Ugh. She closed them again, feeling weak. What did he do to her?
She heard the door open. Andrew Nowling came back, straddling her on the bed. She didn't move, feeling his hand trace down her body.
"Wake up!" He said, slapping her hard across the face. She groaned, opening her eyes.
"Andrew. Why are we here? What happened?" She asked. Okay. Just need to convince him to not be crazy.
"You called the police on me you bitch!" He said, grabbing her blouse and ripping the buttons open. She shook her head.
"Andrew, please. Let's talk, okay? We're friends, right? I care about you, you know that, right?" She pleaded. He looked at her, confused. He smelled like soap, his hair still wet. Was it morning? Had anything happened while she was knocked out?
"The police are looking for me. Because of you."
"But they're not going to find you, Andrew. Please. Look, you know I'm not pretty enough for you." She fluttered her eyes as though frustrated with that fact. "Maybe...I was just. I dunno. I spend so much time at that house and you never noticed me." She kept her voice sweet, calm. She just had to keep him talking. Keep him calm. Buy as much time as she could.
"You're not my type." He confirmed. "I wouldn't want some dirty slut like you. Some old bitch." Old? He was a decade her senior. God he was unhinged. Okay.
"You deserve better than me. You deserve a princess, Drew." She said in a soothing voice; a voice she'd heard her mother say to old patients she would see in a grocery store or at a coffee shop. "You're so much better than this world."
"Why'd you do it?"
"What do you mean, Drew?"
"Why'd you go to the police?" He snapped, his eyes turning cold. She bit her lip.
"I was jealous, Drew, I wanted you to notice me. It was a bad plan. But they'll never catch you. Look, how long have I been here? They have no idea where we are." She insisted. "You're safe."
He looked at her, his hand going down her bare stomach, lifting up her skirt. She inhaled. He wrinkled his nose at her.
"You should be punished." He said, his hand holding her panties, as though to rip them off. She nodded.
"I don't deserve how well you're treating me. But, Andrew, you said it yourself. I'm dirty. You don't want a girl like me to ruin you." He moved his hand.
He heard a noise up the stairs; they were in a room off the garage; he stood up.
"I'll be back." He said, going up the stairs. She heard the door upstairs boom open like it was hit by a battering ram. She heard Andrew's scream, someone fighting to get him handcuffed. She screamed to be heard, trying not to thrash too much to hurt herself.
"OLIVIA" She screamed, starting to cry as the familiar face came through the door. "Thank god. Ay, dios mio. Thank you."
"Are you okay? What happened?"
"Nothing, nothing. Really, I just tried to keep him talking when I came to. I mean. Nothing that I remember. He drugged me. My head. It hurts so badly." She cried more as Olivia took the handcuffs off of her, helping her stand.
"Let's get you to a hospital, sweetie, they'll check you out. You're going to be okay. You're so brave." Olivia repeated, taking her to the car. The uniformed officers were taking Andrew Nowling away; Olivia drove her away from the place, towards the hospital. Noelia seemed relatively unscathed, which is all they could ask for.
"They found her." Rafael said. Amelia and her mother both started crying tears of joy.
"Can we go? Where is she?"
"They're taking her to the hospital."
"Which one? Where I work?"
"No, she was found on the other side of town. We'll get a cab." Barba stood up, grabbing his suit jacket and sliding it over his shoulders. Amelia kissed her mother goodbye - who would make some food and come visit, because that hospital food would be garbage - then rushed out the door.
Once they got to the bottom of the stairs Amelia threw her arms around Rafael's neck, sobbing. He slid his arms around her slowly, holding her close.
"I'm so sorry...I should have listened to you." She said quietly. They waited until a cab came, started the drive across town.
"Mel...I have a question." Rafael said slowly, knowing this still wasn't the right time. No time like the present, right?
"Yes?" She asked, looking over at him, her eyes still red and puffy from the lack of sleep. He pulled out one of the polaroid pictures from Noelia's room.
She stared at the image, almost wanting to laugh. They looked so different than they did now; the lines of ages on their faces, the dark circles under their eyes. It was like looking at a picture of two strangers.
"Where did you find this?" She asked.
"It was in Noelia's room. Carisi found it when looking for something to help us find her. Did you know she had it?" He asked.
"No, I didn't. I thought I'd lost these years ago…" She said thoughtfully, running her hand along the edge of the photo he'd handed her. The third picture taken; Past Amelia's arms were tightly wrapped around Past Rafael's torso, her eyes bright and smiling.
"Were you pregnant in these?" He asked suddenly. She blinked.
"Um...yes. But I didn't know it yet." She replied. "Four weeks, I think. I didn't find out until I was almost ten weeks. I thought the sickness and being late was just stress." She explained, handing him back the picture. They sat in silence then; what more was there to say? Shortly after they pulled up to the hospital. He held the door open for her as she got out, practically sprinting into the doors, asking to see her daughter.
"She's being examined right now. They've sedated her; she came in having an anxiety attack." The nurse explained, leading them into a waiting room. Benson was already there.
"Hey guys." She said, approaching. "Carisi and Rollins are interviewing Nowling, trying to get him to confess to all the crimes and see if there's any we didn't know about." She explained. Amelia sat down on a couch, staring at the door through which she knew someone would give her an answer. Barba waited by Benson.
"Are you going to come back when she wakes up?" Barba asked. Benson nodded.
"The doctor's only knocked her out for a few hours. They'll call me once they finish her physical exam." She said quietly.
"Okay. Call me." He said, holding a hand out to her. She ignored it, wrapping him in a hug. She knew he needed it whether or not he wanted it.
"Of course, Barba." She said, heading to the door. Rafael sat down beside Amelia, looking down at his phone.
"What are you reading?" Amelia asked quietly, seeing the small font. Rafael looked at her with a slight smile on his face.
"Do you want the spoiler free version?"
"You know I don't mind." She replied, placing a hand on his knee. He began to tell her about the book he was reading, passing the time until they were allowed back to Noelia's room.
A/N: What's an SVU fanfic without a kidnapping, am I right? So I'm trying to pace this correctly but between real life responsibility and this being my first full length fanfic it might be a bit sporatic. Let me know if you guys have any trouble with the speed of the plot. Also, my finals start in a week, so my updating might be a little more sporatic. I'm not dead! Promise!