It had taken Barba about an hour in traffic to make it to the hospital. He'd caught a good Uber driver that had left him to his own devices (as opposed to some of the talkers that seemed to be targeting him lately) and who had recommended a great place for a call-ahead take-out stop on the way.

He'd been communicating with Lucy by text at every stage so his arrival wasn't a surprise and the meal he'd chosen for her hadn't been a guess. It had been his intention to simply drop off the care package that Olivia had put together - drawings from Noah, an iTunes gift card that she could use to load up her iPad with distractions while she maintained her vigil at her mother's bedside, and a collection of snacks Liv knew Lucy would prefer over what was available in the vending machines - but when he found out that she was there alone, that her father was not in the picture, that her grandmother had gone home for the night, he quickly decided to stick around for awhile to keep her company. He dismissed his Uber and sat with her in the hard chairs in the hallway outside her mother's room as she ate and filled him in.

Olivia didn't know that Barba was there. When her afternoon went sideways, he'd offered to take care of the particulars of having the care package delivered, so technically he wasn't being deceitful. He'd just failed to mention he'd be delivering it himself.

He knew if he suggested it she would refuse, not wanting to trouble him. But it was no trouble. He loved making her happy, and he knew that when she inevitably found out it would indeed make her happy to know that he'd made a special effort on behalf of someone she and Noah cared about.

What he hadn't expected was that throughout that evening he would grow to care about Lucy, too.

Her mother was on a ventilator, heavily medicated and rarely conscious, so all Lucy could really do was be close in case something were to change. So after she ate she checked in with the nurses station to make they had her cell number, and then he took her outside so to get some fresh air. For about an hour, they walked and talked about everything BUT her mother's condition, which was a very welcome change for the girl who'd been thinking of nothing else for the last 24 hours. They started just talking about Noah, but it quickly branched out into asking about the other and sharing about themselves.

They started the walk as "Mr. Barba" and "Lucy" and ended it as "Rafa" and "Luce". He found her to be very clever and quick, very easy to talk to. And also deeply, genuinely kind.

"Liv thinks you walk on water, you know," he told her at one point in their conversation.

"That's nice to hear," she said, obviously pleased. "Though I'm pretty sure she feels the same way about you."

They were already back on the floor when the call came and they took off running. They arrived in the room to a cacophony of machines and a team of people surrounding Lucy's mother. Lucy was ordered to stay back, and Barba stood behind her in the corner of the room, his hands on her shoulders and holding her against his chest both to comfort and to keep her from following her instincts and pushing her way to her mother's side.

It turned out that it was all actually good news, that her mother was fighting the breathing tube, her body apparently ready to take over the function on its own. Lucy cried in relief as they extubated, and when things slowed down and the medical personnel started to leave, one of the younger doctors motioned for her to approach. Barba released his hold on her, and was wondering if he should leave when her hand reached back for his and she drew him forward.

He didn't begrudge her the need for support. Though the breathing tube had been removed, her mother's condition was overwhelming to behold - beyond on the wires and IVs and bandages and slings, there was a lot of swelling and bruising, making her unrecognizable as herself.

"Mom? Are you awake?"

She'd explained that there was concern about brain damage due to swelling from the head injury. That her mom's ability - or inability - to speak, to be coherent, would apparently be telling.

"Lucy..."

"Momma?"

Barba stayed close during the tearful reunion, chatting with the doctor who warned that they'd be giving her a sedative soon to help her sleep through the night and give her body more time to heal without the strain of consciousness. He had an Uber waiting by the time Lucy kissed her mother goodnight. "Let's get you home," he said firmly, and before she could voice her protest he added, "There's nothing you can do for her now except to get some rest so you'll be here for her when she wakes up in the morning. Trust me on this, Luce."

He dropped her off at her grandmother's for the night before continuing home. He received a text before he arrived.

Thanks for tonight. You really are as wonderful as Liv and Noah say.

He responded immediately.

The feeling is mutual.

Two days later Barba was headed back for the hospital, this time with Olivia and Noah. It had been his suggestion that he tag along, and she had no choice but to agree because the suggestion had been made in front of Noah, who would have been the first to shoot down any of her excuses.

When they arrived, Barba led the way, and it didn't occur to Olivia until later that she should have questioned how he knew where he was going.

Noah got the first hug, of course; it couldn't be avoided because he'd run right into Lucy's arms. Olivia stepped in next, an arm around the girl's shoulder. Barba hung back, unnoticed for a while in all the excitement. But when Liv suggested that she take Noah to the washroom before they all went out for lunch and Lucy put the boy down and gave him an encouraging push toward his mother, he had an opening.

"Hey, Luce," he greeted brightly, stepping toward her.

"Rafa! It's good to see you! I didn't know you were coming!" Her arms went around his neck as he encircled her in a tight bear hug.

He could see Olivia over her shoulder, her eyes narrowed with curiosity at this sudden warming between them. He just grinned.

Later, his explanation was not offered but demanded. "That was incredibly sweet of you," she told him quietly as they trailed behind on the way to a nearby restaurant, watching Noah chatter away excitedly to Lucy as though it had been months and not just days since they'd seen each other last.

"I have been known to be sweet when the situation called for it," he deadpanned. "Though if you tell anyone, I'll deny it. And nobody would believe it anyway."

Noah was grabbing his hand then with the hand not already holding Lucy's, asking that they swing him by the arms between them.

As she walked behind the trio Olivia had some moments to reflect, and she acknowledged that Barba probably wasn't wrong that most people who knew him wouldn't believe just what an amazingly kind, devoted, caring friend he could be. It should have made her sad, but it didn't. On the contrary, it made her deeply happy that he'd trusted her enough to let her in, to let her see him for who he really was. And as she watched him laugh and play with Lucy and Noah, her happiness only increased at the realization that for her sake he was willing to extend that trust to the people she loved.