I think this is going to be my little lockdown project...a nice little domestic slow burn.

After an early Monday morning meeting with Dodds, Olivia walked into the unit a little later than usual and heard Carisi chatting loudly to Rollins and Fin.

"….Sleeping on the couch in his office. Seriously!" He laughed and shook his head with exasperation. "He's so damn stubborn, I offered him a bed at my place but he refused. He tried to claim that I would drive him crazy but I know he just didn't want to be a burden."

"Could also have been because you would drive him crazy…" Rollins pointed out with a dry smirk as she swung a little in her chair.

Carisi rolled his eyes, "He's basically homeless right now, I'm not that unbearable."

"We only work with ya but I'd argue you 'ave potential..." Fin retorted dryly as Olivia walked over to join them.

"Who is basically homeless?" She asked with a concerned frown.

"There was a fire in Barba's building," Carisi explained succinctly and shrugged.

Olivia was immediately on alert as her heart sped up a little. "A fire? Is Barba okay?"

"Sure, he's fine…seems it's mostly smoke damage, but he's out of his place for a while and…" Carisi started but then Olivia filled in the rest from what she had already overheard.

"Why on earth is he sleeping in his office? I'm sure he could afford a hotel room," Olivia pointed out.

Carisi shrugged, "No doubt...but he told me he doesn't like hotels and that for now, the office will do. He's being a real ass about it so I'm not going to…"

Olivia sighed with frustration and turned back toward the door, "If you need me I'll be on my cell, should be back by lunch." She held her hand up and waved as she walked out and Fin grinned at Carisi.

"Barba's about ta get schooled the Benson way!" He laughed and Carisi and Rollins smiled at the figure of their departing lieutenant as she strutted out of sight.

Olivia walked straight through his anti-room with a nod and a polite smile to Barba's assistant - she was on a mission.

Carmen held up her hand in a feeble attempt to stop her but then rolled her eyes and perfunctorily waved her through. It's not like she had a chance of hindering the lieutenant anyway, and in spite of his protests she knew that where Olivia Benson was concerned her boss basically had a tacit open door policy.

Olivia walked straight in to find him working at his desk.

Barba glanced up at her. He looked grouchy.

"I'm sure I have an assistant who is meant to act as a defence against people just randomly wandering into my office," he said dryly and then looked back down at his work.

"Well, I'm not just people…" Olivia pointed out and then glanced over at a pile of clothes and a holdall laying in the corner of the room.

"No, you're not…" Barba acknowledged, "…you're decidedly more annoying than an average person."

Olivia narrowed her eyes a little but continued undaunted, "When exactly were you planning on telling me that you had a fire in your building?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't realise that I would be expected to file a report", Barba retorted dryly without looking up, he was still ostensibly focused on his work.

"How long have you been sleeping in your office?" Olivia asked, completely ignoring his attitude.

"Since my apartment took on the bouquet of a fourth of July cookout…" Barba sighed and looked up at her with unmistakable irritation. "Are you here solely to interrogate me about my sleeping arrangements?"

"I'm here because I found out that my friend is sleeping on the couch in his office, refusing any help and basically being a pain in everyone's ass!" Olivia replied sharply and sat on a chair opposite his desk.

Barba could see now that she was genuinely concerned and sighed. "Carisi is just being…Carisi. I'm fine," he maintained as he attempted to climb down from his high horse.

Olivia arched an eyebrow, "And is there a reason you've decided that your couch is more comfortable than a bed in a hotel? You told Carisi that you hate hotels, but we both know that is not true…you're a great enthusiast of room service and those tiny yet ridiculously expensive bottles of scotch."

He smiled reluctantly now and dropped his pen down onto the desk as he sat back in his chair and gave her his full attention. "This is really the only reason you're here?" He asked.

Olivia rolled her eyes, "I know you find the concept confounding, Rafael, but you do actually have friends in your life who genuinely care about you."

Barba closed his eyes, regretting how rude he'd been to her when she had arrived. He knew how much she cared for her team, so of course she'd come flying in wanting to solve everything.

"I'm fine, Liv, honestly. A week or so and…" He started.

"You aren't planning on staying in here for over a week?" Olivia looked understandably baffled.

"I'm…" Barba started again.

"Rafael, if you try to tell me you're fine one more time we're going to have words," Olivia cut in.

"Didn't we already have words?" Barba's mouth turned up in a half-smile.

"The fact that you think that was us having 'words' serves to prove that you've never really been on my bad side," Olivia smiled at him with affectionate amusement.

He actually chuckled softly at that and then let out a long sigh. "I consider myself on notice," he conceded.

Olivia turned and looked at his office couch, "You really won't stay in a hotel?"

Barba was silent, not really wanting to admit the real reason that he'd been staying in his office.

"Fine," Olivia stood and picked up his bag, "I'm holding this hostage until the end of the day, we can bring the rest of your stuff when you finish up."

He shook his head, not understanding her.

"I don't have a spare room but at least my couch folds out, I'm sure it's not what you're used to but it's definitely better than that thing," she nodded at the couch as she walked toward the door with his bag.

"I am definitely not staying at your place!" Barba protested a little indignantly and stood up behind his desk.

"Well," she nodded at the bag, "what I assume must be most of your smoke-free clothing seems to be coming with me, so I guess you'll have to decide whether you want to join them," Olivia paused by the door and smirked at him.

"Liv, be practical, I can't…" he trailed off at her exasperated expression. "W-what about Noah?" He finally asked weakly.

"Noah? Do you think having his Uncle Rafa come to stay won't be the coolest thing to happen in his life since you bought him that insanely complicated Lego set for his last birthday? A set, by the way, that you can step up and tackle with him as payment for your stay!" Olivia added.

"Liv…" Barba tried to find a reason why he couldn't stay, but if he was honest he'd barely slept for two nights and right now the thought of staying in her familiar home sounded very tempting.

"I should be finished by 6," Olivia told him and paused, waiting for him to either continue their debate or relent.

"I…" he hesitated and then sighed before finally concluding, "…I'll be done by then as well."

Olivia smiled, "Good, well I'll come by and we can go back to mine together."

She turned to leave.

"You can leave that bag," Barba nodded at the holdall still in her hand.

She shook her head, "You're wily and this is my insurance policy - I'll see you a little after 6."

As she left with his bag Barba couldn't help but smile reluctantly before returning to his work.

TBC…