It was almost 9PM, Monday night as an exhausted Olivia walked into the DA's office. " Carmen, I didn't think you would still be here. Olivia said walking in front of the woman's desk and stopping, She carried files in one hand and a heavy bag in the other. She quickly rested the files on the desk.

"Lieutenant Benson!" Carmen answered happily.

"Please, call me Olivia or Liv

"Olivia, how are you feeling today?" Carman said her voice full of concern.

"Not you too Carmen, I'm fine. I've had a lot worse. It's nothing."

"If I were attacked would you say it was nothing?"

"Of course not. You have something you need to tell me?"

Carmen smiled. "No Olivia there are still good men out there, and I'm married to one of them. I'm thankful for that everyday." Olivia smiled and Carmen continued. "Olivia Barba was a wrack this past Friday." He ran out of here like a bat out of hell. I called after him, and he said Something was wrong, he needed to get to you. I could leave and he would call me to let me know when to come back to work. If you took today off, I was going to get the day off with pay."

"He was going to take the day off for me? He's so busy". Olivia whispered, she wished she could sit down."

Olivia between us women "I have never seen him like that, he was fearful, he didn't know what was going on, but he had a bad feeling."

"He's so busy", Olivia repeated." He is as busy as I am."

"Olivia he would take off for you, if you needed him. Honestly, I've noticed you 2 workaholics make time for each other." Olivia phone rang, she grabbed it, and saw Barba's name on the screen. "That's him calling you isn't it? I should have told him you were here already." Carmen pressed a bottom on her phone, and spoke. "Olivia Benson is here." Olivia's phone stopped ringing, she put it away quickly.

"Great minds, think alike". She heard Barba say as he walked toward her. She turned to face him not sure if she was blushing or pale. You ok? You look pale."

Olivia smiled "Yeah another long day." Barba saw the files on the desk, and the bag in her hand.

"What do you have for me?"

"Evidence" She said quickly.

"My husband just texted me that he's outside". Carman said getting up, grabbing her coat, and leaving her desk. "Great seeing you Olivia, take care of yourself, and visit again, and often."

"Carmen" Barba said laughing a little. It sounded like a nervous laugh, but in truth it wasn't. Nothing about the way he felt about Olivia embarrassed him, but he knew her, and he didn't want her to run from him.

"What? Olivia is my friend too", Carmen answered. "You think she comes to this office just to see you?" She smiled, "Good night," she said in a sing song tone as she walked outside and into the arms of her husband.

"Barba smiled, What's in the bag Liv?

"Your mother's cooking. Noah played soccer today at school, he was so tired I gave him his dinner early, and put him to bed." Lucy has a paper she has to write, she asked to stay in the guestroom, and she told me I looked like I needed fresh air." She told me to have fun what she meant by that I don't know ,but she practically kicked me out of my own apartment."

"So you left the station, went home, and came all the way here in the cold to see me?" He smiled.

"I knew you'd still be here. I needed to give you evidence, and honestly I didn't feel like eating alone, your mother made a enough food to feed an army". Barba made a mantel note to think his mother for making more food than Olivia and Noah could ever eat.

"You didn't eat with Noah?"

"No, after looking at these files, I couldn't eat." He nodded. He walked over to the front of Carmen's desk where Olivia placed the files, and picked them up.

"Well I'm starving, let's eat" He walked into his office and placed the files down. She followed him, and set up the food on his desk.

"How was your day?" Olivia asked, he could hear the exhaustion in her voice.

"I missed you in the courtroom today."

"I didn't think you would want me there, I testified Friday before everything happened. I put myself on desk duty." It was only Monday, but to Olivia Friday morning seemed so long ago.

"So you spent the day reading reports?"

"Yeah, and I got a call from the wife of The Good Night Rapist. She said she could finally call because she knew we were holding him. She came in late this afternoon with pictures of her injuries."

"That must of been hard for you to see."

"She's pressing charges, that's the good thing. She asked if I was the one who arrested him, I told her I was there when he was arrested, then she studied my face. She said thank-you and I'm sorry if he tried to hurt you. They've been married for 5 years Raffa, for 5 years he's been beating and raping her. I'm sorry this is not exactly dinner conversation."

"You have nothing to be sorry for Liv."

"Thank-you, I promise I'll be in the courtroom sometime tomorrow, and I promise I didn't come here to destroy your appetite." She took her first bite of food.

"You did your job, and now I can do mine. I can get him on assault of an officer, and hopefully the domestic violence charge will stick."

"I think it will, she's sick of it, and she's sorry for any other women that he hurt. She wishes she would have reported him sooner, I couldn't tell her, I wish she had too, she was in no shape to hear it." Barba watched as she slowly eat his mother's cooking, he guessed it was her first real meal of the day.

"Olivia I told you, you don't need an excuse to come see me. You don't have to bring paperwork every time. You can come to see me anytime. I was coming to see you, I didn't want to eat without you." She looked down avoiding his eyes, but he saw she smiled her nervous smile, a smile he knew well. She looked up after a long moment, she was so tired her eyes were closing. "Tired?" He asked knowing the answer already.

"What gave me away? I didn't sleep last night."

Barba didn't sleep either, he was used to sleeping around her, and last night he went back to his apartment. He was sorry she was having another tough day, but at the same time his heart swelled with happiness because she seemed to miss him. She wanted his comfort and was seeking it out. He prayed he was reading her correctly. "You didn't sleep at all?"

'Not at all", she answered softly. She took another bite of food." Your mother is a great cook. Have you ever been so tired you couldn't eat? I'm saving this for later. She stood up and began to pack up the meal. Barba finished his, and throw the empty paper plate away. Olivia walked to his office couch, and sat down. I really came to rest on your couch."

"Oh I see", he sat with her. He watched her close her eyes, and sigh. When he was sure she was sleeping, he got down on the floor, and removed her shoes, placing them in front of her, so that she would see them as soon as she needed them. "Dulces suenos bella. He whispered,sweet dreams beautiful. He got up from the floor, and it took all his will power not to kiss her on the forehead, he didn't want to frighten or wake her. After about 10 minuets he took his place next to her on the couch, and closed his own eyes, he quickly drifted to sleep with her dancing in his head.

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Rafael Barba jolted awake with a bad feeling in the pit od his stomach, he thought he heard Olivia cry "You make my skin crawl! You freak! You want me to say something to you, I'll say what I said before. You think that you put people through hell, I promise you It will rain back down on you! Go ahead shoot me, rape me, do what you're gonna do Lewis!"

"Olivia, wake up, Barba said panic filling his voice, despite the facts that he knew Lewis was dead, and he knew Olivia was having a nightwear that would pass. Olivia was thrusting in her sleep, "Olivia wake up!" He said again gently shaking her, he place one of his hands on her shoulder and that's when she opened her eyes to find his. "Olivia, you're safe, I'm right here. I'm right here."

"Rafael?" Olivia sat up strait, she could feel tears in her eyes and she quickly wiped them away.

"I'm here Liv."

"Oh, it wasn't real. She said softly relief in her voice.

"Breathe." She did as Barba said.

"What did I say?" She asked looking into his eyes, they were pulling her back into reality, and she was thankful for that. ""No never mind, I remember enough."

"You're ok Liv, he's gone, he's dead."

"I know, he's dead, I let him go." Tears glistened in her eyes, she sniffed, before speaking again. "Barba... I... I haven't had a nightmare like that in years."

"The last time you fell asleep here, you seemed to have had one, but you didn't say anything."

"I know, but I haven't had one like the one I just had in years, I promise, not until last night."

"This started last night?"

"Yeah." She got up from the couch. "Look I'm sorry, I shouldn't have fallen asleep here. I don't need this, please just pretend it never happened ok?"

"What do you mean you don't need this?"

Olivia looked down at her feet. "Where are my shoes?"

"Right there", he answered pointing to them. She grabbed them quickly, and put them on. I'm sorry I thought you would sleep better if I took them off. What do you mean you don't need this?"

"I don't need the DA knowing that I had a nightmare, I don't need the DA who I work with thinking I can't do my job, and reporting me." I'm out of here!" She walked toward the door, he followed, and gently placed his hand on her arm.

"Liv please don't leave like this. Olivia listen to me", he said making direct eye contact again. I know that you can do your job". His voice was full of conviction. "You're human, sometimes you go through things and it brings other things up, things from the past, things that you dealt with." It's ok, it's going to be ok. You are so strong Olivia, you're the strongest women, the strongest person, and I'm Rafael, Rafa, not the ADA, we're not working now." He heard her sigh softly, and her body which had been tense began to relax. "What can I do?" Tell me what you need."

"it's late, and we're both tired. Can we just sleep? Can you... just put your arms around me?" She whispered. He nodded.

This beautiful woman, his best friend was standing before him, asking him to hold her, and being very careful not to use the words. He let go of her hand when they reached his office couch again. He watched as she removed her shoes before he removed his. He laid flat on the couch. "Ready when you are." She walked slowly to him, she put her arms in front of her, and laid on top of him. He slowly wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm sorry." She said snuggling into him.

"Never be sorry with me Olivia." He said holding her a little tighter, and that is how they both drifted to sleep.