The following month and a half flew by, and, thankfully, things had started to return to normal. Slowly but surely. Businesses were starting to reopen, and a lot of people were going back to work, although students were still being distance educated as there was no real point in the city reopening all the schools for a mere two weeks that remained of the school year. It was simply too close to summer vacation for it to make any sense, so the schools weren't going to reopen until the fall.
Still, Noah was thrilled he could play with his friends again, and Rafael couldn't blame the kid. The boy had spent a lot of time cooped up the past few months. They all had, but it was doubly hard when you were a kid and didn't necessarily understand the scope of what had been going on. The why of it all.
It took close to another month, however, before things genuinely started to feel like they were really getting back to normal. Still, during 9/11 and now, New Yorkers had proven themselves to be highly resilient.
The lighter atmosphere of was also due to them finally completing their last home check, and Chantal Jackson officially recommending that they be approved as adoptive parents. All they were really waiting on now was the finalization hearing and then Sofía would really be theirs.
That was a huge weight off their chests, because they adored Sofía. The thought of her being taken away in and of itself was painful. She was their daughter in every way that mattered. Even if they did try and keep it in the back of their minds that a biological relative might claim her.
Having the paper confirming it, though, was going to be huge, so they were hoping to get a court date with Family Court sooner rather than later.
As for Rafael specifically, the feeling of being on edge that he'd had since the Banks debacle had largely faded, and, although he'd had a few rough nights, it was largely shoved back in the past where he felt it most belonged.
Work hadn't slowed down any, and after court one mid-july morning, Rafael found himself being called down to the precinct for reasons he never expected.
"Where's the fire?" he asked, curious about what exactly Olivia didn't want to discuss over the phone but was somehow work related. The squad seemed happy to let Olivia speak, Fin included, which just made him more uncomfortable. He raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to fill me in, Captain, or am I supposed to guess?"
She gave him a funny look. "It's regarding the Dehlia Hughes case."
Two days ago a woman named Dahlia had come in, reporting a sexual video of her that had been uploaded without her consent.
She worked for his old friend Alistair Woodford's dance company, and after rehearsals for the ballet 'Moulin Boheme' the ballerina went with her boyfriend, one of the male dancers, Brad Fournier, to this secret spot - Studio X. They had sex.
Two days later, Miss Hughes found out, by accident at the end of a children's ballet class that she'd been teaching, that a video of her had gone viral on several rather unsavoury websites, also costing her the teaching job. Someone had recorded the couple having sex without permission.
Dehlia came down to SVU the next day to report the video that she'd found. She was adamant that Brad was a nice guy and didn't do it, pleading with them to get the videos taken down. Something that wasn't going to be easy. Still, Rollins was working with TARU to get as much taken down as she could.
Fin and Tamin then spoke with Brad who was surprised to hear about the video and asked how it had happened. He assured them that he had absolutely no idea that he and his girlfriend were being recorded.
The man had also commented on how it must have been a camera hidden in the studio, adding that Dehlia and himself weren't the only people to hook up in there. It was a hotspot, he explained, as it was rather secluded and locked from the inside. When Officer Tamin asked him about who knew about it, Brad just replied that it was the company's worst kept secret.
They hadn't been able to get much information as to what happened, so earlier today Olivia and Carisi had payed a visit to the National Ballet Theater.
He gave her a sideways looks. "What happened during your little fishing expedition down at the theatre?"
She raised an eyebrow in a gesture very like him. "He name dropped you in the first five seconds of me being there, and then after I pointed out things might be more serious than an HR issue, he said he hoped we could keep this private."
He gave her a look of disbelief. "He name dropped me?"
"She's not remotely exaggerating," Carisi said. "He worked you in as soon as he could. He wanted us to know you two went way back. He also claimed you gave him a heads up about the situation."
He shook his head. "You've got to be kidding me." He frowned at Olivia. "I didn't tell Alistair a damn thing, and we've never even been particularly close."
"Oh, I believe you completely," Olivia said, "We all do, but it's definitely not a good look for him. Or you for that matter."
He sighed. "This entire thing smells like bad cheese."
He hoped Alistair wasn't seriously involved in the mess. but he had the same sinking feeling in his gut that he did when Alejandro was starting to show his true colours. Rafael preferred not to make the same mistake twice.
"You have weird friends, Counsellor," Fin said.
He rolled his eyes. "Well, yes, I'm your friend, aren't I?"
Carisi sniggered, causing Rafael's lips to quirk upwards.
Rollins gave him a funny look. "What are you going to do?"
He gave them all a pointed look. "What I should of done during the Muñoz debacle... Recuse myself. I'll tell McCoy where he can shove it if he doesn't like it, but I am so not getting dragged into this ridiculousness."
"Alright," Olivia said. "Any idea what ADA you want to hand the case over to?"
"Casey Novak," he said thoughtfully. "If this goes sideways, she's dealt with massive blowups more than enough times to keep it under control, and Alistair has a flare for the dramatic... things could get interesting."
Olivia nodded. "I'll let you call her then."
He grabbed his phone, pulling up the Senior ADA's contact information and pressing call. He eyed Olivia. "This should be short but not sweet."
Olivia waved the comment off. "It'll be fine. It's Casey."
He snorted. "Have you seen that woman when she's rilled up?"
Fin eyed him before speaking in a clearly teasing voice. "You do realize who you married, right, man?"
Olivia gave Fin a sideways look that was somewhere between fond amusement and incredulousness. "HEY!"
He smirked and put a hand on Olivia's shoulder. "Yes, and I wouldn't have her any other way. Fervency and all."
Olivia chuckled. "Nice save there, Island Boy."
He just crinkled his nose happily before giving her a quick kiss. "You know I love you."
