Chapter Two
"I must say, I was quite surprised when you called."
Olivia shifted slightly in her seat. The lawyer took a seat across his desk from her.
"It's not every day that the prosecution's star witness sets up a meeting with the defense."
Olivia took a deep breath. If Barba wasn't going to let her help him, she had no other choice.
"Yeah, well, this isn't just any case."
The lawyer just looked at her for a moment before nodding in agreement.
"So, what are you proposing?"
"I don't know. That's the point. That's why I'm here." She tried her best to keep her voice level. To not give away too much. "Stone already subpoenaed my testimony, and if I tell the truth up there…"
"If you tell the truth?" There was a glint in the lawyer's eye. A smirk played on his lips briefly. "You know, there is another way."
Rafael was surprised to see Olivia sitting in the office when he walked in. The shock changed quickly to suspicion. She was nothing if not persistent, and the last time he saw her, she was ready to risk her entire reputation for him. He cringed just thinking about that. He never deserved her loyalty before, but now he surely didn't deserve it.
He wasn't an idiot. He saw how much he had hurt her. He saw the pain behind her eyes on that bitter, grey February morning almost a year before. And yet, here she was; risking her career for him. He grimaced when he saw her. Her loyalty was one of his favorite things about her, but he was terrified that it would also be her downfall.
"What's going on?" he asked.
"Rafael," his lawyer started, "Lieutenant Benson and I have been talking. Come, sit."
"No, just tell me what's going on," Rafael insisted. He wanted to know the damage.
"We found a way around the Lieutenant having to testify. It'll give us more than a fighting chance."
"Okay…" he said slowly. What was the catch. There was always a catch.
Neither one of them were saying anything. Rafael just stared at them, waiting for them to say something. Olivia finally took a deep breath,
"We have to get married, Barba." Olivia muttered staring at her feet.
His jaw dropped slightly, eyes narrowing, "You have got to be kidding me," he said. Maybe a little too harshly, as he thought he saw a twinge of pain in Olivia's eyes.
"No," he started, "Absolutely not."
"Rafael, this is your best option," his lawyer began.
He wasn't listening to him anymore. He turned to Olivia,
"This is insane. If we get caught, we both go to jail. You get that, right?"
She sighed, looking up at him tiredly,
"I'm trying to help you, Barba. Why won't you just let me?"
Did he really have to explain to her why this was an epically terrible idea? There was no way they were going to be able to pull it off. She was so angry with him, she could barely look at him when they were in the same room. How had they gotten to this place? The distain in her eyes. He knew there was no one to blame but himself, but still, he missed his friend.
Rafael finally turned to his lawyer,
"This is not happening. You'll think of something else."
Then, he picked up his briefcase and was gone. He was halfway down the abandoned hallway before he heard her voice calling out.
"Barba! Barba, stop." He just kept walking. He knew that if he stopped, she would somehow convince him of this crazy plan. She would look into his eyes and break down his walls and convince him to do whatever she wanted him to. He wasn't going to let her destroy her career for him.
"Damn it, Rafael!"
He stopped in his tracks. That was the first time she had used his first name since he had come back into her life. He turned to face her as she caught up with him. Olivia watched his eyes soften slightly. They stared at each other for a brief moment before both breaking eye contact.
"Look, you don't have to like this," she gestured a finger between the two of them, "but you're going to do it. If not for yourself, then for me." Her voice had dropped to a whisper. Her eyes getting misty. It reminded him of that February morning. "Do this for me, Rafael."
Damn it. There she went again. Pulling him in. A pang of guilt rippled through his chest. She was hurting. He hated himself for being such a coward. For walking away from her 11 months ago. He was so close to saying those fateful words. Those three words that were on the tip of his tongue. But he was scared. And now she was closer than ever and yet, still completely out of reach. How could he possibly explain that to her? To explain the torture, it would be for him to marry her? To be her husband, to hear her promise to spend a lifetime with him, when he knew it was all a sham? When he knew she didn't feel any of the things she was saying?
Maybe it was his selfishness, or the absurdly late time, or the way she whispered his name – maybe it was the combination of all three – but he heard himself agree to marry her. He saw a glimmer of relief on her face. The briefest of smiles. And he also saw her walk down the hallway and disappear around the corner.