Author's note: This is not the last chapter, but I already decided to write a sequel. I will be posting other Barson stories soon!

Rafael Barba was on his cell phone with his mother who had left Olivia's apartment an hour before Olivia stood by Noah's door which was partially closed. "She's busy now Mami, I'll tell her. She appreciates the leftovers. They'll help this week. Good night." He hung up his phone, and listened for Olivia.

"Noah do you need help? Noah, please answer me. Noah?"

"No, I don't need help!" Noah said in his cranky voice.

"You need to go to bed soon. Are you sure?" Noah didn't answer. "Noah?"

"I don't want to!"

"I know, but you have to. Noah you're tired, let me help you get ready for bed."

"No!"

"Noah, bed in 15 minutes."

"Are you going to work tomorrow?"

"Yes, I have to."

"I wish you weren't my mommy!" Oh not this again Olivia thought to herself. He had said that once before, and it broke her heart. It was breaking her heart now. She couldn't show him that. She was silent. "I want Barba!"

"Hey what's going on here" Olivia heard Barba say, as he placed a hand gently on her shoulder. Olivia quickly turned to face him, there was sadness in her brown eyes, but she looked directly into his green ones. "He wants Barba, she whispered, hoping her son didn't hear the words she spoke.

"Liv, please let me talk to him, Barba whispered back, the look in her eyes was breaking his heart. "when I said I would read to him, talking to him was part of my plan."

Olivia looked away from Barba and at her son's door." Bed very soon Noah". She said loudly. She turned back to Barba, and slowly nodded, hoping he didn't see how sad and exposed she felt, She throw her hands up, and brushed past him, so he could walk into Noah's room. She wished for a moment that' she could run into a dark hole and cry for awhile. She was tired, and she needed to get away from those green eyes that studied her so closely.

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"Hey Mi amigo" Barba said entering the boys room. Noah was sitting on the floor, his new robot in his hands. He wore blue pajamas, he was giving Liv a hard time, but at least secretly he was doing as she asked. "I heard you wanted to see me."

"Yes."

"That's good, because you and I need to have a talk."

"I don't want her to go to work." Barba found the rocking chair across from Noah, and sat in it. Liv must of sat here thousands of times rocking and caring for baby Noah when she first got him. Barba thought with admiration.

"Noah, I know that, and I understand, I didn't like it when my Mami had to work."

"Your mommy worked too?"

"Yes, she still does."

"I want her to stay home!"

"I understand that", Barba repeated nodding. It's hard not getting what you want, but that doesn't mean you should yell at your mommy."

"But I want her to stay home!"

"Oh I see, and you think if you yell enough, you will get whatever you want.?" Barba held in a smile, he wanted to laugh. Noah watched him intently and nodded, but even he didn't look convinced.

"Noah I know your mommy a long time, and I can tell you, you never get what you want from her by yelling. Your mommy loves you so much, you should never yell at her. You made her very sad. and you don't want to do that ever."

"Why does she need to go to work?"

"Mommy works to take care of you and her, but you know what mommy likes to work. She is so good at it."

"I know, Barba I like that she catches bad guys."

"I know Noah Barba answered.

"Barba?" Noah got off the floor, walked to the rocking chair, and sat on Barba's lap.

"Yes Noah" Barba answered leaning forward.

"You don't want my mommy going to work tomorrow."

"You're right, but I know she wants to. I also know I met her at work."

"You're happy you met her right?"

"Yes, I'm very happy I met her. I met her at work, in a courtroom where I was working."

"A courtroom!"

"Yes, a courtroom" Barba said allowing himself to finally laugh.

"Can I see?"

"You want to see a courtroom?" Barba asked laughter in his voice.

"Yes, where you met mommy!" Noah said happily.

"I don't know Noah but I'll ask your mommy."

I still don't want her to go to work tomorrow.

"I know, but you can't always get what you want. Mami is going to work tomorrow, but she always loves you, and she does what is best for you."

"Noah!" Olivia called." I'm coming in, time for bed."

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After Olivia tucked Noah in, he was asleep almost instantly. Olivia walked into the living area where Barba was waiting for her on the sofa.. She stopped in font of the sofa. "Did you tell Noah to say he was sorry to me? She asked softly.

"I told him that you love him, and he shouldn't yell at you. I also said that I understood that he was upset that he wasn't getting his way, but that he couldn't get his way all the time."

Barba looked deeply into Olivia's eyes, it seemed to him she was fighting many emotions. She averted her eyes, she sighed, and after a moment she sat down on the sofa next to him. "Thank-you."

"it was my pleasure."

"Good, because he didn't want anything to do with me." Olivia answered Barba. Barba wanted to answer her right away with an objection, but he held back, he wanted her to finish expressing the thought before he said anything, and she didn't sound done. Again, he said he wished I wasn't his mother, I don't blame him." He turned his body to face her.

"Hey, you listen to me Olivia, I was going to wait until you finished your thoughts before I spoke, but I see you want to beat yourself up, and I won't have it."

"I'm turning into my mother." She averted her eyes again, looking down.

"Olivia look at me please." She didn't, and his heart was breaking. He tried again. "Olivia you are not like your mother, he wanted to lift her chin so that she could look him in the eyes as he tried to comfort her, but he didn't want to force or push her. Her head shot up at those words. She looked directly into his eyes and he felt a wave of relief wash over him.

"I'm nothing like her. You can't know that. My mother, she always said the same thing Olivia stop it, we have company." Barba could see tears glistening in her eyes.

"Liv, he almost whispered,. "forgive me, but I don't think it's was anywhere near the same thing. You felt Noah was being disrespectful in front of my mother. You did the right thing. You didn't hit him."

"You don't think I was ever disrespectful to her?"

"All kids are at some point, it's part of growing up, and then most learn never to be disrespectful again. Olivia what do you think you did wrong? Ask for a winter coat or maybe you asked for some attention? My mother worked, but she made time for me, and she tried to protect me from my father when he was around." Barba got up from the sofa, he was seeing red, he was so angry now, not at Olivia but at her mother. He told Olivia earlier he would check her hand again, and he thought this was the perfect time to get the ice. Olivia's eyes were on him, until he sat next to her again." Let me see the hand." Olivia let him take her hand and place ice on it, the ice was wrapped in a blue towel. "What would happen if your mother said stop it, we have company?"

"I would stop."

"And if you didn't?"

"You don't want to hear any of that."

"If you didn't stop?"

"She grabbed me by the hand, she made it look as gentle as she could depending on how drunk she was. If she was too drunk to care what people thought she just tugged at my arms. She would drag me by the hand or tug me to my room, and she hit me until I stopped what she didn't like. It didn't take long. It wasn't all her fault Barba" Olivia continued seeing how heartbroken he was for the little Olivia. "She was raped."

"I know, but Olivia never compare your parenting to hers, you have been through so much and you would never do to Noah, to any child what you just described." One tear fell down her right cheek. Barba raised his hand to wipe it away. He still held her almost healed hand and she was so grateful for that. "You're right Barba. You happy, I'm a far better parent than she was." She smiled, and he smiled back. I'm sorry I don't want to even think about all this, it's just... I told you Noah keeps asking questions about her... and he got close to Shelia."

"Don't be sorry Liv. You're an amazing mother, you did the right thing."

"Thank-you for saying that." Olivia answered.

"I mean it", he said with conviction. I have to ask. Are you still going to work tomorrow?"

"What do you think? Olivia answered. Barba rolled his eyes. "Barba relax I'm not trying to drive you crazy although every time I see your mother she tells me I do. Why is that? "Don't worry I'm on desk duty." He laughed and rolled his eyes.

"My mother said she would love to visit again." Barba said,

"You're mother is always welcome. Barba you knew she was coming over didn't you?"

"Of course, she wouldn't take no for an answer."

"Why does that not surprise me?" Tell her I said thank-you again,"

"Tell her yourself, I'll give you her number."

"Ok", Olivia paused. for a moment and took a breath before speaking again I'm tired, and I'm sure you ran out of clothes here by now, I'll see you tomorrow sometime." She got up and walked toward her bedroom, but turned back to face him quickly. "Barba, I know it's late, but call me when you get home to let me know you got there ok."