The case was proving difficult, and wasn't cooperating with Olivia's need to wrap it up and go home. She was short with her responses and orders, and the team knew better than to argue with her when she was like that. She watched the clock until it finally struck five, and practically flew off her desk chair. She hit the call button next to Barba's name, and pressed the phone to her ear as she reached for her coat by the door.

"Hey, Rafa. I'm gonna head home, I'll meet you there." She said into her phone, as she headed out into the squad room.

"Go home, everybody. We'll pick this up tomorrow." She told them, as she headed for the elevators. "Have a good night." She called over her shoulder.

Various forms of 'good night' were called back to her from her team, as they all shared a look between them. Mike and Finn had already filled Carisi and Amanda in so they understood her urgent need to leave.

She walked to the elevator, not really waiting for Barba to call her back, or to make sure he got her message. She knew if he didn't pick up, then he had a reason, and he would listen to her message before he headed out, so she wasn't going to wait for his call back. She needed to get home to her daughter.

She'd been texting with Lucy all day to check on Savina, and Lucy kept assuring her that the teenager – while she seemed a bit off – wasn't spacing out, or jerking or hiding out in her room. But Olivia was worried that maybe Lucy was simply putting her mind at ease. Or worse; Savina was putting up a front knowing that Lucy would let Olivia know if something was amiss.

She was lost in her own head as she kept hitting the elevator button every few seconds, when she finally heard the small chime it made to announce its arrival. She was already moving to enter the elevator before the doors were fully open, when her eyes landed on Barba.

"Rafa!" she exclaimed in surprise.

"Hola, Cariño," he said softly, as he extended his free arm to welcome her into his side.

She gladly accepted the invite, and snuggled into his side. "I knew you would probably fly off your desk at the end of the day, so I wrapped things up a bit early and made my way over." He said softly, and she dropped her head onto his shoulder as she sighed. "Thank you."

"Rafi, Liv."

They were rounding the corner to their building when Lucia's voice called from behind them, and they both turned around.

"You forgot!" the Matriarch Barba said matter-of-fact as she looked at their confused – and slightly worried – faces.

And that's when it clicked in Olivia's head; they were all having dinner together tonight. But amidst everything that's been happening, it slipped both their minds.

"We can reschedule." Lucia offered, but Olivia quickly shook her head.

"No, Lucia. Don't be ridiculous, the day's just been…." Olivia trailed off, not entirely sure how to describe it.

"What happened?" Lucia asked, as they all walked to their building.

Lucy was packing up her things, knowing that Olivia and Barba would be there any minute now. They'd both texted her that they left their respective offices, and she knew they both took the subway, so she knew they will walk through the door any minute now.

She heard the jingling of keys, and walked over to the door just in time to see the trio walking in, and she heard Lucia's angrily growling 'I'm gonna kill him'.

"Hey, Lucy. How are they?" Olivia asked, as soon as she saw the younger brunette.

"Hey. They're fine. Savina's working on her homework, and Noah's clinging to her back." She told them, as they took off their coats, and hung them by the door.

They walked into the living room and found Savina sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of the coffee table scribbling in her notebook, her other hand holding Noah's small hands around her neck as she sang along to 'Thomas O'Malley' from the Aristocats, and rocked back and forth with Noah giggling and babbling.

Olivia leaned on the wall, and simply watched them both with a loving – yet pained – smile. She felt Barba come up behind her, and slide one hand around her waist. They all stood like that for a few seconds without saying a word, until Savina felt someone watching her and looked up from her homework.

"Hey, look who's here." She nudged Noah gently when her eyes met her mother's, and the toddler immediately squealed, and clambered off her back.

"Mama." He shouted with glee, as he ran over to Olivia who gladly knelt down to catch him as he flung himself against her.

"Hello, sweetheart," she whispered lovingly into his hair, where she feathered a few kisses, her eyes still watching Savina as she got up and put away her stuff. "Hey, honey." She said softly, and Savina's eyes snapped up to her, before she smiled. "Hey."

"I'm gonna head out." Lucy announced, and Olivia was about to half-heartily offer that she stayed for dinner, but the brunette continued, "I have to meet a friend for dinner."

Olivia nodded. "Hey, Noah why don't you go say hi to Rafa?" she suggested, and the toddler dutifully obliged, flinging himself at Barba. She walked Lucy over to the door, and they ran over a few things in Noah's schedule before the brunette took her leave.

"Hola, Mijo." Barba greeted affectionately.

Lucia had walked inside, and was now hugging Savina. "Are you alright?" she asked just as Olivia walked into the living room, and she chuckled. Lucia wasn't one to beat around the bush.

Savina chuckled against Lucia's shoulder. "I see they told you." She said with humor, as she pulled back from the hug, and looked at Olivia again.

"So, is it gonna be the appetizer or desert?" she quipped.

"Sweetheart, we don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." Olivia spoke, as she walked closer to Savina.

Savina shook her head. "No, I think we should. Hopefully the three of us can convince you to not blame yourself," she said calmly and Olivia's breath hitched.

"Sweetheart, I…." Olivia stammered.

"I don't know the full story, but I do know that you probably spent the entire day berating yourself over not telling him because you think it would've changed the outcome." Savina stated.

"She's good." Barba commented, prolonging the last syllable, and Savina chuckled.

"Why don't we all sit down?" Lucia suggested.

Barba took a seat next to Olivia on the couch, while Savina and Lucia sat on another one off to their side. Noah had already abandoned Barba's lap in favor of Lucia's, and was busy playing around with her necklace.

All three sat in silence – save for Noah's occasional babbling – as Olivia told them about her partnership with Elliot Stabler. She didn't hold back on anything; how close they were, how she thought he cared for her as much as did for him, how she sometimes made herself smaller unconsciously to appease his ego, the hold he had on her, how hard it was for her when he left, and how long it took her to move past it all and finally understand how unhealthy their relationship was.

"There were times when he'd accuse me of not understanding how he or another parent felt because I wasn't one, and I would nearly tell him about you…. but something always stopped me. I can't really explain why, I mean he knew worse things about me…. but when it came to you…. I…. I…." she stuttered, not entirely sure how to finish her sentence.

"I was your secret." Savina finished for her, and Olivia tearfully nodded.

Savina ran her hand through her hair, and sighed before she got up from the couch. Olivia felt a pain in her heart, thinking that Savina was upset, and thought that Olivia was ashamed of her. But before she could frantically blabber an excuse, she saw Savina walking over to her, and sitting down on the coffee table in front of her, before she took her hands into her own.

"Look, I don't know much about him except what you just told me, and what I saw from the few pleasant moments I spent in his presence," she said, the sarcasm dripping from the word 'pleasant' not lost on any of them. "But I know you," she added. "And you have one of the sharpest instincts I've ever seen," she continued, and Barba's proud smile was growing with each word. "So, if your instincts stopped you from telling him about me, then I'm glad you listened to it." She finished.

"But…" Olivia tried to argue, but Savina interrupted her. "But nothing. Even if you had told him, you would've told him of a dead baby! So, he still wouldn't have believed me anymore than he did today. I have a feeling he doesn't like admitting when he's wrong!" she stated, and Barba snorted. "None of this is on you. This situation isn't exactly something they teach you in the Academy, or even mention it in the parenting books," she joked, and Olivia chuckled tearfully.

"I just want you to be sure of one thing," Olivia started. "That me keeping you from him had nothing to do with how much I missed you, or how I felt about the pregnancy." She almost begged Savina.

"Wait. You think I'll doubt how you feel about me because of what happened?" Savina wondered, and Olivia's silence was her answer. She went quiet for a few seconds, debating something within herself. She knew how to knock any doubt from her mother's mind, but was she ready for the shift it may cause?

But one look at how distraught Olivia was, and she made up her mind. "Liv, I don't doubt how you feel about me, and I doubt anything will ever me question it. Least of all, what happened today." She tried, but Olivia didn't look convinced. So, she continued. "I know you didn't tell him about me because you were scared he'd take all the images you had of me away," she said softly, and Olivia gaped at her, while Barba and Lucia shared a confused look. "And I know that it's why it took you years before you were able to trust even Finn with it. That despite knowing it'll never be a possibility; you still would've given anything – your soul included – if it meant getting me back. So no, nothing can make me doubt how you feel about me." She finished.

Olivia was speechless, her eyes moving wildly between Savina's, which held nothing but warmth and reassurance. "I heard everything you said that day. But I knew you only said it because you thought I was asleep and wouldn't hear it, and I wasn't ready to admit that I heard it so…." She trailed off, shrugging off in the end.

Olivia wasn't sure how to respond. On the one hand, she was glad Savina heard it all, and that she didn't doubt how she felt about her. But on the other, there was one confession that night she wasn't ready to share with her yet.

"And the fact that your first thought after the DNA results was being glad that I didn't grow up with you proves how you feel about me. Because had I grown up with you, I would've ended up in Lewis's hands. So no, that won't make me doubt it either. Neither will I ever blame you for what happened to me despite knowing that you beat him up and lied about on the stand. I stand by what I said that day in the hospital; this falls on Freed and her alone." Savina assured her, seemingly reading the doubts in her mind.

The room was silent, both Lucia and Barba rendered speechless, which was no small feat. Olivia leaned forward, and pulled Savina into her arms, the latter hugging her back without much resistance or hesitation.

"I meant every word." Olivia said tearfully, as she moved one hand to cup the back of Savina's head.

Savina – to everyone's surprise, including her own – turned her head to the side, and rested it heavily on Olivia's shoulder. "I know."

They stayed like this for a few moments, until Lucia remembered another part of the story that still didn't make sense.

"So, why did you slap him?" Lucia wondered, and Olivia felt Savina stiffen in her arms, before she pulled back.

"That's…. uh…. that doesn't really matter." She stammered, as she got up off the table and headed for the kitchen. "I'll go set up for dinner." She added quickly.

"Savina Constantina Matthews," Lucia's authoritative voice halted her in her tracks, and she turned on her heels and looked at Lucia in surprise. Lucia simply pointed to the seat next to her. She saw Savina open her mouth to object, so she raised an eyebrow.

"How do you know my middle name?" Savina grumbled as she plopped down next to her.

"Your Papi left your file open on the table once, and I saw it." Lucia replied simply, and Barba's eyes widened at the moniker Lucia bestowed on him. Not entirely sure how Savina was going to take it. Or Olivia.

"Geee. Thanks a lot!" Savina said incredulously to him, without reacting to Lucia's 'Papi' at all.

"Savina, why did you slap him?" Lucia pressed.

"Because shooting him in the middle of a police station seemed like a bad idea?!" Savina replied sarcastically, and Barba couldn't help but chuckle.

"Ay! You do have your Papi's mouth!" Lucia said in frustration.

"Look, it had nothing to do with my arrest." Savina stated.

"Then what was it?" Olivia asked.

She looked over at Olivia, and sighed audibly. "He said that everything Rafael did for you…." she paused. "He only did so he could sleep with you." She finally finished.

They were all stunned into silence. Barba was mortified; his overthinking brain immediately wondering if the thought ever crossed Olivia's mind. Olivia was furious; she knew Elliot was arrogant and judgmental, but she didn't think he'd go this far. And Lucia was outraged; that fool thought the man she raised was not decent and only did those things for some hidden agenda? Who the hell did he think he was?

"You should've punched him!" Lucia finally spoke through gritted teeth, and Savina chuckled.

"Mami!" Barba exclaimed, and Lucia simply shrugged.

"I didn't really contemplate the action. When I heard him say it, it was a reflex. I didn't even give Finn a chance to respond." Savina elaborated.

"Well, I guess my instincts were right about keeping you from him." Olivia finally spoke, and Savina smiled at her.

That night, Olivia was fidgeting. Her anger over the situation bubbling over now that both Savina and Noah were asleep. She could hear Andrea Bocelli's faint voice over the monitor since Savina had his songs on a loop for the night to help her sleep, and Olivia placed Noah's baby monitor close to the door so she could hear Savina if she had a nightmare.

"I can't believe he said that about you!" she growled, as she climbed into bed next to Barba. "Who the hell does he think he is?" she continued. "He dropped everything and left five years ago. No phone calls, no texts, no explanations. Nothing. He made it clear he was done with SVU, and that's fine. But now he has the audacity to judge you!" she ranted, as she rested her head under his chin on his chest.

"Liv. He was taken off guard," Barba stated calmly, and she raised her head to glare at him. "Not just by our relationship, or Savina." He continued. "He was taken off guard by you. You're not the woman he left five years ago, you're not the woman he knew – or thought he knew – for twelve years. He saw parts of you that he either never saw before, or simply didn't want to see. With someone like him, he probably thought that you'll welcome him with open arms, that the past will be forgotten, that he can simply slide back seamlessly into your life. He was taken off guard by your reaction. Let alone the fact that you were dating a lawyer." He soothed.

"So, you're defending him?" Olivia shot back incredulously.

"No, of course not. But what he said, as long as it doesn't cast any doubts in your minds about me – about us – then I don't care what he thinks or says. You and Savina are all I care about, and well…. she made herself pretty clear with him." He couldn't help but smile as he said the last part.

Truth was, what Elliot said did bother him a little, and it did make him worry that Olivia and Savina may think like that. But not only did Savina slap him in rage for his comment, she also didn't seem to mind when Lucia referred to him as her 'papi'. Neither did Olivia. So, despite how the day started, he chose to focus on that moment instead.

"Rafa, I never thought – not for a second – that you did any of it just so you can get into my pants. I know who you are in here," she said softly, her finger pointing at his heart. "And there is nothing that anyone can say or do that will make me doubt that."

"Te amo, mi amor." He said softly.

"I love you too, Rafa." She whispered, as she leaned up and kissed him.

They weren't sure when they fell asleep, nor how long they had been sleeping when the sound of cries reached their ears. She didn't know if Barba heard it first, and his jolt woke her, or was it the other way around. But they both jumped out of bed as soon as their foggy brains realized that those whimpers and cries were Savina's, and they were getting louder. They bolted from the room, and ran towards her own, but didn't quite make it before she let out a blood-curling scream. Barba rushed into her room, while Olivia went into Noah's to make sure he didn't awake.

"Savina, it's Rafael. Wake up, sweetheart." Barba called gently, as he nudged her gently, careful not to hold her down or restrain her. "Savina, just follow my voice. You're safe. It's just a dream. She can't hurt you anymore." He chanted softly, until her eyes flew open in a panic, as she bolted upright in bed.

"Hey, hey. It's okay. You're safe." He soothed, and she rubbed her face with her hands. Her eyes searched the room frantically, as her hands unconsciously grabbed onto Barba's.

"Liv." Barba called gently over his shoulder.

He had barely called out her name, when she rushed inside.

"Did I wake Noah?" Savina wondered through labored breaths.

"No, baby, you didn't." Olivia assured her, as she sat down on the bed by her side, and pulled her into her arms.

Olivia was expecting Savina to simply lean into her slightly, and drop her head onto her shoulder. But Savina surprised them by snuggling fully into Olivia's arms, her hands now abandoning Barba's and rubbing her face once more.

Olivia held back the contended sigh as she kissed the top of her head, and leaned back to rest against the headboard, her other arm coming up to wrap around Savina. "I'm here, baby."

"I'll go get you some water." Barba stated, as he moved to get up.

"No!" Savina's frantic voice stopped him, as one of her hands shot out and grabbed his own.

"Ok. I won't go anywhere." He soothed.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Olivia wondered, and Savina shook her head. "Can you guys just talk? It helps me sleep." She asked.

"Sure. Anything in particular?" Barba inquired, and she shrugged.

"Well, I still haven't heard the story of the first time you met." She stated, and he chuckled.

"Bring your daughters to work day!" Olivia quipped, and Savina frowned. "Huh?!"

Barba chuckled before he started the story, and when he repeated the line within its context, Savina started to laugh and tease him.

"Truth is, your mom caught my eye right then and there, and I was so nervous that I couldn't help the sass." He admitted.

"And the belt stunt was what? To impress me?" Olivia shot back teasingly.

"What belt stunt?" Savina asked.

Barba continued on with the story, and saw how Savina's eyes were getting heavy, but he didn't stop. He kept going, but by the time he'd gotten to the part with the belt, Savina was out cold against Olivia's chest.

"She's out." He declared.

"I know. Her weight was getting heavier against me the entire time. I think between the story, and my hand running through her hair, it lulled her back to sleep." She said softly, without raising her head from its resting place atop Savina's head.

"I think you should stay the night," Barba stated, and Olivia smiled thankfully at him. Truth was, she didn't feel like pulling herself away.

"Good night you two." Barba whispered in the dark, as he watched Olivia gently maneuver them both to lie down in bed, and smiled warmly when Savina snuggled further into Olivia's arms. He pulled the door almost to the end, but still left a slit open to make sure he can hear Savina if she woke up again. He checked on Noah one last time, before he finally lay down in his own bed. He looked at the alarm clock to see how much sleep he was going to get and was glad when he saw it was barely after midnight. He closed his eyes, and was out cold before another thought could enter his mind.