Chapter 15: Recovery

Summary: Rafa wakes up and fluffy moments ensue.

The sound of incessant beeping stirred Rafael from the dredges of drug-induced sleep. The grogginess lingered heavily as he tried to wrap his mind around where he was. His whole body was sore, but especially his abdomen and right side. His vision cleared bit by bit and he realized he was in a dimly lit hospital room. Memories from the evening before coming back, he knew he had been shot on the courthouse steps and Olivia screamed. That was the last thing he remembered as he slipped back into sleep's grasp.

….

Olivia arrived at the hospital early to sit with Rafael. He was still asleep as she settled into the chair by his bedside. Some color had returned to his face overnight, but the dark bruising on the one side of his face still stood out starkly.

Reaching forward, Olivia gently grasped his right hand and whispered to him. "I'm here, Rafa. You're going to be okay. I hope you wake up soon. Noah is worried about his Papi, he's coming to see you a little later."

Not knowing what else to do, Olivia kept up a stream of soft, one-sided conversation with her sleeping boyfriend. She hoped the sound of her voice comforted him and drew him from his sleep eventually. She was soon joined by Lucia and the two women chatted quietly as they waited for Rafael to wake up.

"You and Noah should join us for Sunday brunch once Rafi is on the mend," Lucia said as the conversation began to lull. "You obviously care deeply for my son, and I'd like to get to know you and your little boy better."

"Noah and I both love Rafa and think the world of him. We'd be happy to join you and get to know you better. I'm sure Noah would love it if you joined us for spaghetti nights sometimes – it's family only."

A nurse entered the room to check Rafael's vitals and quietly spoke with the ladies. "How is he doing this morning?"

"He's still resting. Shouldn't he be awake by now?" Lucia replied.

The nurse hummed. "The pain medication in his IV is likely causing significant drowsiness. We can lower the dosage, so he wakes up and reassess his pain levels after that."

"As long as he's not in too much pain, that would be great," Olivia chimed in. She hated the thought of Rafael suffering just because they wanted him to wake up. His body obviously needed the rest to heal, maybe they should just be patient.

Finding Rafael's vitals to be within normal range, the nurse departed the room to speak with the doctor regarding his medication dosage.

"Maybe… maybe you could tell me how this happened?" Lucia asked.

"Of course! I'm sorry I didn't think to tell you sooner," Olivia replied, launching into the events of the prior evening. "I wish I would have reacted sooner or had the foresight to have backup with us."

Patting her arm in comfort, Lucia shook her head. "No, mija, you did everything you could. I am so grateful you were there. You saved my Rafi. It could have been so much worse." Tears pooled in their eyes as the women comforted each other.

….

Hushed voices drew his attention before he even opened his eyes. Damn, his mouth was dry. It felt like he gnawed on cotton balls all night. The room was bright, and his eyes squinted at the harsh lighting. His brain was less foggy than the last time he awoke. Needing water or something stat, Rafael shifted slightly, eliciting a groan from the pain of his wounds.

The voices ceased for a moment, and he could feel eyes on him though his own were now squeezed shut in a grimace.

"Rafa? Are you ok? Want me to get a nurse?" The voice of his very own guardian angel spoke to him through the pain, and he sighed.

"Mi amor… need water," he groaned.

Unbeknownst to Rafael, his mother already poured water into a cup with a straw and was moving towards him. "Here you go, hijo. Sip slowly."

Doing as he was told, for once, Rafael took a few small sips from the straw, savoring the moisture as it hit his tongue. "Gracias, Mami." Slowly feeling like he was coming back to himself, Rafael dared to open his eyes with painstaking slowness. Once his eyes adjusted to the brightness, he turned his gaze toward the two most important women in his life, lips quirked up in a half smile.

"Hey," Olivia said as he continued to just gaze at them.

"Hey," he replied. "Come here." Rafael raised his left hand beckoning her towards him for a gentle hug. Once she was in his arms, he never wanted to let go and pressed a loving kiss to her forehead.

Feeling hot tears splash on his skin, he murmured in her ear. "Mi amor, it's ok. I'm ok." He glanced at his mother to find her watching them with glassy eyes as her face crumbled. "Oh no, not you, too!"

Olivia shifted and soon the three of them were wrapped in a hug on his good side, wary of his injuries.

"You gave me the worst fright of my life, Rafa!" Olivia sobbed into his shoulder. "You literally died in the ambulance, right in front of me!"

"Lo siento, mi amor. I didn't do it on purpose. I would never leave you… or Noah… or you, Mami." His voice was gruff, a mixture of a parched mouth and rising emotions. He hated causing Olivia pain and worry, even if it was beyond his control. He continued to comfort the women until they each had better control of their emotions.

"I should go call Noah. He'll want to see you now that you're awake," Olivia said, wiping her face with a tissue. "I'll let you and Lucia have some time alone. I love you."

"Te amo," Rafael replied as he watched her leave the room. Turning his green gaze back to his Mami, Rafael smiled at the knowing look on her face.

"When were you going to tell me that things had gotten serious between you two?"

He shrugged uncomfortably, the movement causing pain at the pull of his wounds. "I wasn't intentionally hiding it. We've just been extremely busy, Mami."

Lucia hummed in response. "Well, I just have to say it is about time, hijo. Now you have to bring them to Sunday brunch, and I'll need to know when their birthdays are…"

Rafael chuckled as his mother continued rattling off details she needed and wanted to know. He knew the news made her inordinately happy – she was well aware of his long-held feelings for Olivia Benson and made her opinion known that he needed to make a move.

….

"Rafa!" Noah shrieked when Lucy led him into the room. The young boy resisted the urge to fling himself at Rafael, knowing he was injured. Instead, he gazed at the man with baleful eyes. "Can I sit with you? Maybe I can kiss your boo boos better?"

Rafael chuckled at the boy. "You can come up here, hijo, but you have to be very careful." Olivia helped her son onto the bed on Rafael's left side, away from his injuries. Noah promptly snuggled up to his side and hugged him.

Lucia watched on, admiring the connection between her son and Olivia's little boy. It was a sight she convinced herself she may never see. The scene in front of her was so precious that she sneakily captured a picture on her phone.

"There is a sight I never thought I'd see," Rita Calhoun snickered from the doorway, watching Rafael cuddle with Olivia's child. "Domesticity looks good on you, Barba."

"Rita, always a pleasure to see you," Rafael deadpanned.

"I had to check for myself to make sure you were still alive."

Waving a hand in front of himself, Rafael chuckled. "Alive and well, as you can see."

"Thanks to the good Lieutenant, no doubt." Rita shook her head glancing at Olivia. "I see a lot has changed since our last quarterly dinner."

He hummed in response, pulling Noah closer and shooting Olivia a loving glance. "Indeed, it has."

"About damn time. You two were making everyone dizzy with all that dancing around each other."

Rafael rolled his eyes so hard he nearly gave himself a headache. "Like I said, always a pleasure, Rita."

His room was plagued by a parade of visitors checking on him over the next couple of hours. As nice as it was to know everyone was worried about him, it left Rafael exhausted and cranky. When it was only Olivia and Noah left, she placed a lingering kiss on his lips.

"We'll leave you to get some sleep, my love. You need rest to heal."

Grasping her hand, he flashed her a sleepy smile. "You'll visit later?"

"Of course. Be good for the nurses. I love you." She placed a chaste kiss on his forehead and led Noah from the room.

"Me too, mi amor," he mumbled.