A/N: If you haven't watched the newest episode that came out on 02/06/2020 you have to watch the first 2 minutes (it was amazing!)
(Tuesday)
Raphael Barba was floored by the response he got to an email he sent out Monday after Mya's attack. He was very vague in his email but sent it to all his students, reminding them that he was a lawyer and that he was a safe space to come too. He had stated that he had worked with the DA's office and, for the previous 6 years, worked primarily with the Special Victims Unit. Out of the 147 students he had, he had gotten 23 responses to his email.
12 of them were thanking him for being there for his students.
3 of them were explaining how hard it was, especially living at the university and how shitty university police were about any crime, especially theft or assault of any kind.
5 of them were legal questions about a myriad of different things from evictions to child custody.
3 of them were asking if they could schedule a meeting time to talk to him outside of office hours, which he quickly agreed too, all able to meet at various times on Thursday.
Raphael had to admit he was slightly worried about what they were going to tell him. He knew that campus crime was high, and reporting was low. He knew that so many people didn't bother reporting things because they didn't want to be seen as needy, or a narc or whatever the reason. He was just hoping that he could help with whatever the students needed.
Raphael was going to get Noah from school. Lucy and James were coming over for dinner. Olivia had promised to make stuffed peppers, one of Noah's favorites.
Olivia had texted Raphael.
"Stone agrees we're going to arrest Randal, can you handle testifying?" Olivia asked.
Raphael stopped in the middle of the sidewalk when he saw the message. He hadn't even thought about it. He was an eye witness to an assault and hopefully, an attempted kidnapping charge for Randal to go away for 20 years, but he never thought about his involvement of going back to the courtroom of sitting the jury box. When he volunteered for legal aid, he had thought he might have to volunteer for some defense work. He could decide when and if he took that on, but now he was dreading the thought of sitting in witness stand again.
His mouth went dry, and for a moment, he forgot where he was. He looked around as people walked around him, and he scrubbed his face and walked towards Noah's school.
He wasn't late to get Noah but was one of the last parents there.
"I'm sorry, Mijo." Raphael instantly said.
"You're late," Noah said flatly.
"I know I'll try to do better next time," Raphael stated.
Noah nodded his head.
"Lucy and James are still coming over, right?" Noah asked.
"Of course, and mommy is making you stuffed peppers," Raphael stated.
Noah was excited and wanted to get home quickly, thinking the faster he got back, the faster his mom would get home, and the faster James and Lucy would get there too. Noah told Raphael all about his day and wasn't until he walked through the door that he noticed Olivia had messaged him multiple times.
-Rafa?
-Hey, are you okay, I'm sorry if I upset you.
-Do you have Noah, can you please just let me know.
-Rafa, you're making me nervous.
Raphael sighed.
-I'm okay. We're home. I'll see you soon. Raphael typed out.
Olivia sent back – I'll see you soon.
Raphael helped Noah with his homework, it wasn't a lot, and Noah seemed to be doing well enough in school he only asked for help twice once for a reading question and another for crossword puzzle he had to do. If Raphael was being honest; it took him a minute to figure out the word they were looking for until he noticed the word bank at the bottom of the page. Olivia came home about an hour later, getting to work on the stuffed peppers knowing they would take at least an hour to cook. By the time James and Lucy got to the door, the peppers were baking, Noah was done with his schoolwork, and the three of them were ready to enjoy their time with the happy young couple.
Lucy knocked on the door, and Olivia answered with Noah right beside of her. He was more interested in James than Lucy at this point. James didn't even get to greet anyone before Noah started asking him all kinds of questions. Lucy and Olivia just watched the two of them. James was used to the questions with his mother foster care children and answered them all to Noah's satisfaction. When the meal was ready, they all sat around the table.
"So Lucy, six more weeks until you graduate, how does it feel?" Olivia asked.
Lucy smiled.
"I'm nervous. Professor Pell has been wonderful and has assured everyone that we will pass as long as we turn in our final thesis. I only have 2 more sections of it. The last section is just a case study of one of the students we've been with over the semester, so I have to say I am pretty confident." Lucy claimed.
"That's wonderful, so anything you're going to do to celebrate?" Raphael asked.
"Well, I think we are planning to go to the Bahamas," Lucy stated.
"It's beautiful." Raphael and Olivia stated at the same time.
"I want to go to the Bahamas!" Noah claimed excitingly.
"Maybe one day Noah," Olivia claimed.
"So, you two have been together?" James asked.
Olivia blushed.
"No, it been about 8 years now," Olivia explained.
Raphael thought about it for a moment it was before he even knew her and in a way that blew his mind because since meeting Olivia, he sort of forgot there was a time before her. It felt as though he has always known her.
Raphael didn't make comments that he had gone just a few years ago, but James and Lucy happily talked about their research into the small country. Noah talked about school and his new favorite game on his tablet that he begged to play after dinner. Olivia allowed the boy to play, and the 4 adults continued to talk about James and Lucy's future plans.
Wednesday morning came much too early for anyone, and it seemed like Olivia, Raphael, and Noah were all as equally grumpy. Raphael was certain his outfit didn't match and changed 3 times before blaming Olivia that he forgot to go to dry cleaners. Olivia blamed Raphael for the fact her new boots were scuffed and claimed he must have scrapped his shoes against hers. Noah was refusing to eat breakfast because they were out of cereal, and he didn't want anything else. Although it wasn't a major blow-up with any of the morning's antics, it made everyone feel on edge, and all three of them felt it all day, including when Raphael got a call from Olivia 15 minutes before his evening class.
"Lucy is over an hour away, and I just got called in can I drop Noah off to you?" Olivia asked.
"Really, Liv, my mom could watch him," Raphael stated.
"I already tried her some PTA thing at the school, and it's too far for me to get there and back Fin already on the scene, and it sounds bad. It's your direction anyway," Olivia claimed.
Raphael sighed.
"Fine, make sure he has his tablet, and headphones, and a coloring book or something. It's a long class, and we have a lot of stuff to work on." Raphael claimed.
"Fine, I'll be there soon," Olivia claimed
Students started filing in, and Olivia still hadn't made it with Noah, it was 5 minutes into class when Olivia pulled on the door to the evening lecture.
"Daddy!" Noah yelled, excited to see Raphael.
Raphael couldn't help but smiled.
"Hey, Mijo," Raphael stated.
Someone near the front row had been heard saying.
"I wish I could call him daddy." There has been a lot of snickering.
Raphael ignored the comment having no idea who it came from, but Olivia heard quite well and also said in a not so whispering tone.
"Guess, it's a good thing that Noah and I are the only ones who get to use that title."
Raphael blushed and couldn't believe Olivia let those words fall from her mouth, but was grateful in a way. He laughed.
"I don't know when I'll see you tonight. It sounds pretty bad." Olivia sighed.
"Okay, I will see you tonight." Raphael squeezed her hand.
Noah sat in the front row and heard his dad talking but was more concerned about angry birds on his tablet and played that for a while before listening to a book. Raphael could tell the boy was getting antsy about ¾ of the way through class. He had been doing so well, but it was close to bedtime, and Raphael wasn't sure if the boy got a proper dinner.
He sighed as he watched him and quickly went through the last bit of information. He told the class he would have extended office hours Thursday if the needed anything and dismissed the class.
"Raphael immediately went and told the boy they were done. He took his hand and lead him to the podium as he packed his things. A few students stopped him asking a few quick questions as he grabbed Noah's hand. He wished he had driven to work, but he hadn't he had taken the subway, not wanting to deal with road work that was happening. At least Uber was fast around campus, and quickly pushed the button, taking Noah back to his place.
Olivia had come late, but Raphael was still awake; it was pushing 1am.
"Everything okay?" Raphael asked.
"Yeah, just years of sexual abuse done by stepdad since the girls been 5 years old, she just turned 16." Olivia sighed.
Raphael went to make some tea. Olivia sat on the couch. He brought the tea over and wrapped her in his arms.
"Never heard you call me daddy in the same context one of my students said tonight," Raphael claimed.
Olivia smirked.
"Not my thing," Olivia said simply.
"Not mine, either." Raphael contended.
"You know the students really shouldn't talk like that." Olivia pointed out.
"You know how kids are, that's the first time I've ever heard anything like that, next time I do I'll address it I wasn't dealing with it when Noah was there, and I couldn't tell who said it." Raphael pointed out.
"I know, must be nice that some college kids find you attractive." Oliva pushed.
"Please, Liv, their kids, I don't want to even think about," Raphael stated.
Olivia shook her head.
Olivia sat sipping on tea.
"I am sorry about this morning," Olivia mentioned.
"It's okay. We were all on edge must have not slept very well." Raphael claimed.
"It's been a stressful few days," Olivia claimed
"I have a feeling it's only going to get worse," Raphael stated.
Olivia sighed.
"Mya's case isn't going to trial, he confessed. Apparently, he is off his medication," Olivia claimed
"Great, so he's getting off," Barba said flatly.
"Actually no, Mya has a restraining order against him, he pleads to 3rd-degree sexual assault and mandated 6 months in a mental health facility he will be on the registry. Mya's good with it." Olivia claimed.
Raphael wasn't sure what he thought about it, but it was a done deal now and no longer his job to analyze the situation.
"You're talking to the students who emailed you yesterday, aren't you?" Olivia asked.
"Yeah, first one is at 10am then 11:30 and then 12:30. Raphael pointed out.
"Did anyone give any clues as what they wish to discuss.
"None of them," Raphael stated.
"Well, if you need me," Olivia claimed.
"I know I will call if I need anything," Raphael claimed.
Olivia was tired. It was nearing 2am, and Raphael was going to need to be up by 8 at the latest.
"Let's try to sleep," Olivia stated and walked to the bed. She was quickly throwing clothing around, getting into pajamas, and Raphael couldn't help but stare. He was already ready for bed in a pair of green plaid pants and a t-shirt.
"Thanks for the image before bed," Raphael claimed.
"Glad to give you something to dream about," Olivia stated.
The two laid beside each other, then quickly turned facing away before drifting off to sleep.
Raphael sat at his desk, his stomach nervous at the unknown story he was about to be told. It could be anything, really. Maybe she just had a question about her paper. He was trying to focus on grading a quiz he had his Criminal law class take but was going way slower than he needed. It was a 10 question multiple choice. He already knew the Answers A,C,D,B,B,C,C,A,D,A. Yet here he was looking at the answer sheet and back over at the questions.
It was 9:50 and his door is open. He sees Leslie Neal at his first scheduled meeting. She is smiling, so he takes that either she is extremely nervous or what she is about to say isn't bad.
"Thanks for meeting with me." Lesslie started.
"Of course, what can I help you with?" Raphael asked.
"I thought it would be better to discuss this in person," Leslie started.
"I know you're a new professor, and I was hoping no one has gotten to you yet," Lesslie claimed.
Raphael wasn't sure what the girl was talking about, but he let her continue.
"This is my first year as a graduate student, but I went here for my undergrad as well. Me and a group of friends have really been pushing for more sexual assault prevention. Easier ways to report. Peer support groups and anonymous reporting." Lesslie stated.
"What do you need from me?" Raphael asked.
"I need a faculty co-chair. Professor Lynn Senta is the chair she's already agreed to it, but we also need another professor co-chair." Lesslie stated.
"Don't I need tenure?" Raphael asked.
"Not for co-chair," Lesslie stated.
"And why have no other professor's agreed?" Raphael asked.
"They don't want to think about, thinks it's a non-issue that there is enough support already thought campus police and a campus counseling." Lesslie provided.
Raphael snorted he didn't mean to, but Lesslie just laughed.
"Exactly, please, will you consider it?" Lesslie asked.
"What would be my role," Raphael asked.
"Here is a binder going over everything, I need to know by submission date, which is the end of the term, it wouldn't go in to effect until next fall semester," Lesslie claimed.
"So, are you president of this then?" Raphael asked.
"Vice president, President, is Layona Satterfield, her story isn't in the binder, but here are some news articles, she handed over to Raphael, and I'll send you a link to a couple of Youtube videos," Lesslie explained.
Raphael nodded his head.
"I need to talk to the head of the department just to make sure I can do this, and I need to know what kind of time commitment this is," Raphael stated.
"The school tiers student programs and they all start at tier 3. We would only be able to have monthly meetings to start out with that were "sanctioned" by the school. If there is enough involvement, it will move up to tier II the next semester 2 times a month. Then tier I would be weekly, which of course, is the goal. You wouldn't be required to attend every meeting." Lesslie stated.
"I will think about and I will let you know before finals. I want to help, let me go over everything, and even if I say no now, I want you to know I am on your side." Raphael claimed.
"Thank you so much, Professor Barba. I appreciate your time." Lesslie stated.
Raphael smiled at her. She left the notebook and binder and a few pamphlets of resources currently available on campus.
He looked over at the clock and had 35 minutes before the next student came in. He would look over Lesslie's things when he was in a better frame of mind and went back to the quizzes finding them more comfortable to grade.
He finished the quizzes and moved on to short essays he had his Trial advocacy class write he set a 1-page minimum and a 2-page, maximum and he was in no mood to read anymore or any less. He sorted out the pages that were too long and too short and set them to be graded last, already docking them down to a C for not following directions. He picked up the first essay that was about 1 ¼ page and began to read. The student made a solid argument, and he gave them A. He continued to read through the essays and, for the most part, liked what he was seeing and continued to grade until there was another knock on the door.
This time it was a student from his intro to law class a young undergraduate Timothy Simmons. He looked hesitant to talk to the man.
"What can I help you with today?" Raphael asked.
"I don't know if you can," Timothy claimed.
"Well, I can't start to help if you don't tell me what's going on," Raphael explained.
"Are you gay?" Timothy asked.
"Excuse me I don't understand how this has anything to do with this," Raphael stated.
"It's just that I'm gay, and I don't know if I can explain everything if you don't understand," Timothy stated.
Raphael sighed.
"Listen, I worked in SVU for many years, if it helps you to know I am bi-sexual. I am sure I can figure out the context." Raphael stated.
Timothy blushed. "Sorry, I'm just nervous," Timothy stated.
"You don't need to be," Raphael stated.
"Okay, So my roommate caught my boyfriend and me in bed, and I was on bottom," Timothy stated.
"Okay," Raphael stated.
"Ever since then, my roommate has been pinning me to the wall asking if I like it. He has been calling me names, the usual queer, fag, you know the drill." Timothy stated.
"I broke up with my boyfriend, and I guess he figured it out, he put this dildo in my bed with a note it said, "now you're just fucking yourself."
"That's harassment and easily assault, have you went to campus police," Raphael asked.
"I talked to the residence hall coordinator. They said that they have nowhere to place me and they are overcrowded have people living in whats supposed to be lounges. I have to agree to get someone to trade with me, and I don't want to subject anyone to that. I talked to campus PD without filing a report, they told me that if no one saw it, and I didn't have proof it was him or any injuries, there wasn't anything they can do. Even if they do arrest him, he'd just come back." Timothy stated.
"I don't know how campus living works, but let me see what I can figure out for you, okay?"
"Can you stay with a friend in the meantime?" Raphael asked.
"I was staying with my boyfriend, he lives in another campus apartment, but now that's over," Timothy explained.
"Okay, is there anyone else who let you stay?"
"Let's face it, when your gay, you're straight friends get a little weirded out sharing a room with you," Timothy explained.
"Not good friends. Ask around you'll be surprised, tell them the truth, that your roommate is homophobic, and you're afraid of him. If you can't figure something out, give me a call."Raphael wrote down his phone number and handed it to him.
"Thank you," Timothy stated.
"If you can't find anywhere before 10pm call me," Raphael stated.
Raphael began frantically searching for LGBT resources shelters near NYU for a less than ideal back up plan.
Raphael got hist Trial Advocacy papers graded 6 Fs the most he had ever given, but it was the end of the year, and all 6 were either too long or too short, and he felt if they didn't listen now, then when would they and listening was the most significant part of the job. He only had one more person to talk to, and all thought Timothy's story deeply upset him. It was mild compared to the thoughts running through his head of what he could have heard today.
At 12, exactly, he gets a knock on his open door. Lyla Fraylin, he just graded her paper. She has obtained an A-.
"Hi, Thanks for talking to me," Lyla stated.
"Of course, what can I do to help you?" Raphael stated.
"This is kind of multi-faceted."" Lyla stated.
"Okay, different issues or one major issue?" Raphael stated.
"One very major issue," Lyla claimed.
"Okay," Raphael stated.
"Okay as you know this is my 2nd year in law school I pushed through my undergraduate degree in 3 years, I just turned 22, I was 17 when I came to NYU," Lyla explained.
"I'm on scholarship, you see my mom well she's not so great, a prostitute actually," Lyla started.
Raphael wasn't sure where Lyla was going with this, but she was very matter of fact.
"I was taken from her a few times, but she cleaned up her act just long enough to get me back," Lyla stated.
"I was 15 the last time I was taken from her, her pimp attempted to rape me, tried to get me to join her. I went to the police and reported him, he got off, of course." Lyla explained.
"My mom had me when she was 16, lived in Idaho with my grandparents moved here with me when was 2 and she was 18, thought she could be a star, she did get a few gigs waitressed, she was doing good until I was about 9 years old, I guess she was fed up, and she started using, then prostituting for drug money. I got into NYU, and she was proud of me, I thought the day I left was the last time I'd see her. I was so done with her and that life. I've been working full time and going to school full time. She calls me out of the blue, and she's my mom, you know." Lyla claimed.
"She told me she was pregnant, she's due soon, and I don't want this baby to go through that."
"She still using?" Raphael asked.
"Most likely, apparently pregnant prostitutes an in-demand thing," Lyla stated.
Raphael did not need to hear that detail.
"I'm sorry I understand this is a problem, but I am not sure how I can help," Raphael stated.
"I want to adopt the baby," Lyla stated.
"Is that something your mom wants," Raphael asked.
"We've talked about it, she thinks it's too much to put on me, but I can't let that baby stay with her for one day, I won't," Lyla stated a little loudly,
"I understand, but have you contacted ACS, have you thought about other families.
"There is no other family mom's an only child grandparents are dead grandpa and grandma were both the youngest they had my mom later in life," Lyla explained.
"Does your mom live in Manhattan?" Raphael asked.
"Yeah," Lyla replied.
"You live in university housing?" Raphael asked.
"Yeah, but the graduate housing I live in would allow me to have a spouse and/or child," Lyla stated.
"Okay, and plans on paying for the baby?" Raphael asked.
"Campus daycare is cheap compared to anywhere else, and with having the baby, I would qualify for WIC and SNAP. If I can get mom to give her up, I can get money from the state." Lyla explained.
"How long have you been working on this?" Raphael asked.
"Since September 23rd the day she told me," Lyla explained
"Okay, let me talk to a few people who know better than I do, and see what we can figure out," Raphael stated.
"Do whatever you have too, I don't care if mom's in jail," Lyla stated.
"Do you know where police can find her?" Raphael asked.
Lyla told him all her usual hooking spots and wasn't sure if she'd talk. Raphael shook his head.
"I'll see what I can figure out."
Lyla left, he closed his door, and he sat back down in his office chair
Raphael closed his eyes. He couldn't imagine a baby at 22. He loves Noah but knows there was no way he could be ready for him, and although he knew baby Noah well, he never had to care for him. Olivia missed out on the first few months of his life. He sighed. A baby of his own would have been nice in a different timeline, but he was content with Noah and more than happy to be his dad and his dad only.
Raphael texted Olivia
-Hey it's not an emergency I just had my last student in, and I might need your help along with Trevor's
-Everything okay? Olivia responded.
- Yeah, I just got to talk to you about a few things. Raphael claimed.
- Alright, I'll see you tonight.
Raphael looked through Leslie's binder. He went over Friday's lectures. He had 2 other students come through asking questions about work. He was happy as he got home with Noah. Timothy messaged him, stating a friend was letting him stay. He was waiting for Liv to go over the co-chair position and what she thought. He got the go-ahead by the law school if he wanted to do it. He knew Leslie's story would be complicated, but he was happy he could help.