They both stood there, waiting for Trevor and Mrs. Jackson to come out from talking to Miguel.
"You want to call Lucy, Noah, and my mom and tell them to come down? We could tell them better if they could see where Miguel is coming from." Raf said.
"Of course, I'll call Fin to make sure nothing has come up." Liv said.
An hour Later
Lucy, Noah, and Lucia were all in the waiting room. When both Raf and Liv walked into the waiting room.
"Mami, papi what's wrong?"
"Nothing mijo, we wanted to talk to the three of you about something important." Raf bent down and picked Noah up, realizing he wouldn't get to pick up him much longer he frowned as he sat beside his mother.
Lucia looked at her son.
"What's going on then, mijo?"
"A boy that lives in my apartment building was hurt tonight along with his Mami and he came to me. We know each other, I've kept him in the past."
"What happened to his parents?" Noah asked,
Liv crouched down eye level to Noah.
"His mami is in heaven. Uncle Fin and Sonny are trying to find his dad."
Noah nodded, understanding what uncle Fin and Sonny were doing.
"Mijo, Mami and I want to help him. Do you understand what that means?"
"He might come home with us and stay forever?"
"Maybe if uncle Trevor can help us like he did when you came to live with me." Liv said.
"Mami, will you adopt him too?"
"Yes but Raf would as well."
"What about me?" Noah looked up at Raf.
"I was going to adopt you when Mami and I got married, if that was something you wanted." Raf said.
"Then I would have a brother and the four of us would be Barbas?" Noah asked, smiling.
"Exactly mijo." Raf kissed his head, looking at Liv.
Raf leaned over Noah's head, kissing Liv. He broke the kiss, looking over at Lucia.
¿Dos nietos es un día?" Lucía whispered, voice thick with tears.
"Mami you knew I asked Liv to marry me."
"Yes I did, I just haven't thought of the idea of you adopting Noah, mijo."
Raf smiled, letting go of Noah, pulling Lucia into a hug. Liv looked over to Lucy.
"Lucy, your pay will be going up." Liv said to the young girl who had become like a daughter to her and Rafael.
"Actually I wanted to talk to the two about that. My boyfriend and I broke up, I'm in debt from college and can't afford much right now…."
"Lucy you can stay with us free, if you stay on." Raf said.
"Thank you guys so much. I'm sorry, if it gets too much I'll find another option."
"What's his name?" Noah asked.
"Miguel, he's twelve years old." Raf said.
About that time, Mrs. Jackson and Trevor stepped out of the room.
"Mr. Barba, he's asking for you." Mrs. Jackson said.
Raf nodded.
Miguel's room
Raf walked in,
"How did it go?" he asked.
Miguel smiled tearfully.
"Okay I think. I told them I wanted to be with you and Liv. That I don't feel safe going into foster care."
Raf sat beside him.
"Are you two married? She's never around when I come over to your apartment."
"No, I have a place and Liv and her son Noah have a place too. We are engaged though, do you know what that means?"
"No."
"We are going to move in together, get married, and have a good life."
"Oh." Miguel said, looking down.
"What's wrong?"
"I didn't know you already had a kid."
"Not biologically, Noah is adopted by Liv, I was going to adopt Noah and you when we did get married, if that is alright with you."
"I want that, I want a family. A real one. How old is Noah?"
"Nine almost 10 in a week, April 5th."
"Mine is the 10th."
"If Liv or Noah find out it's that close you better start making a list." Raf chuckled.
"I will." Miguel smiled, grabbing a piece of paper.
"You want to meet some people? Noah, my mother Lucia, and Noah's babysitter Lucy are outside."
"Okay."
Raf went out to get Liv, Lucy, Lucia, and Noah.
Meanwhile
"How did it go?" Liv asked Trevor after Raf closed the door.
"Great, Miguel really wants to be with you and Rafael."
"Both of us? I figured he would want to be with Rafael more."
"Two reasons he really wants a loving home with a mother and father. He disclosed saying his mother resented him after she caught him and his father…"
Trevor looked over to Noah making sure he was distracted.
"After she caught them in bed, his words. After that both his mother and father abused him on different days of the week."
"I'd like a few minutes alone in a room with those parents." Liv said, an angry tone in her voice.
"Yes and that's why we fight to help those we can. I just wish we could do more." He said sadly.
"Don't we all. We do what we can and hope it's enough."
"Miguel is a good kid, Liv, despite what's happened to him the darkness doesn't seem to have got to him. I will do my very best to make sure you and Rafael get to help him. I can tell you that so far, Mrs Jackson appears to be open to Rafael being involved. Mainly because Miguel is so adamant that he is someone he knows and trusts. Keeping a child with people they know is always preferable to putting them with strangers. If it can be done."
"That's good to hear, Rafa will be so relieved. Is there anything else we can do to get this done? We will jump through every hoop they ask us to, as long as we end up with Miguel."
"Not at the moment. I'll let you know if there is and I'll do my best to charm Mrs Jackson." He grinned.
Liv looked over Trevor's shoulder, seeing Raf shut the door.
"How in the hell did I miss all of this?" Raf asked, as he slid down the hall beside Miguel's door.
"Rafa, don't do that to yourself. You're here now, that's what matters." Liv said, crouched down in front of him.
"I should have seen the signs Liv. I…. I've been in the exact same position Miguel's in."
"Rafi." Lucia warned, as she came over, Noah was still engrossed in his IPAD and earbuds.
"I've kept it a secret long enough mami, she needs to know." Raf said.
"What Rafa?" Liv asked.
"I was molested and raped by my father from the time I was 11 until I went off to college." Raf rushed out, tears slipping from his eyes.
Lucia started crying, Liv looked between the two of them, as Lucia hugged Raf close.
"I knew it started, I tried to intervene, but his father would push me out of the room and lock the door." she sobbed.
"I know mom." Raf rubbed her back.
A few minutes later Lucia regained some composure.
"Can we go meet my soon to be nieto?"
Raf kissed her cheek then wiped the tears from his face.
"Si, let me get Noah."
Raf got Noah, all four walked into Miguel's room.
"Miguel." Liv whispered.
Miguel looked at Liv, Lucia, Raf, and finally Noah. Raf sat beside him,
"You already know Olivia, this is Noah and my mother Lucia."
"Hey." Miguel whispered.
Miguel's eye caught on something in Noah's hands. Noah noticed, looking over to Raf. Raf nodded, waving him over. He picked Noah up, sitting him on the bed beside Miguel.
"Do you want to play, two can."
"Yes please."
For the next two hours, Noah and Miguel played until Liv announced it was time to go.
"But I want to stay with papi." Noah protested.
"Mijo do as your mother says. I'll be home in the morning then you can come back with me. Okay?"
Noah nodded, giving him a hug and a kiss.
"Love you, papi."
"Love you too, mijo."
Raf turned toward Liv and his mother,
"Are you staying with Liv and Noah?"
"Si, I brought a bag."
"Love you mami, mi amor." Raf hugged Lucia and Liv.
After everyone left, Raf sat beside Miguel.
"They seem very nice. Noah is cool." He looked down and sighed.
"Miguel, what's the matter? Have you changed your mind about living with us?"
Miguel just shook his head, then quietly said,
"Your family is nothing like mine. They look happy, they get along without shouting or throwing things...Noah isn't on edge waiting for the next fist. I…"
"Miguel. That is what we are offering you. A family where violence isn't part of life, where love and kindness is what matters. What a family should be about."
"I want to have that...with you, Liv, and Noah? I've dreamed of that but I don't know how that works. I don't want to ruin what you have because I'm damaged." He looked at Rafael earnestly,
Rafael pulled him into a hug.
"You won't ruin it. We will all help you adjust it won't take long. All you have to remember is that nobody is going to hurt you whatever happens. Okay?"
Miguel nodded, holding onto Rafael as tightly as he could.
"I will try really hard to fit in. You'll help me and stop me from embarrassing myself won't you?"
"Yes buddy." Raf bit back tears, getting up.
Miguel slid down the bed, getting settled. Raf helped him cover up.
"Go to sleep, I'll be here when you wake up."
Rafael sat watching Miguel sleep until the nurse came in and told him that she could arrange a cot for him to sleep in, if he was staying. As he waited for the orderly to bring it to the room he wondered if or when he should tell Miguel about his own childhood. Raf woke up around 6, Miguel was still asleep. Raf sat there figuring out a way to tell Miguel he had been in the exact same spot. He smiled watching him wake up,
"Sleep well?"
"Better than I have in a while, Papi always woke me up at like 4:30 before he went to work." Miguel frowned.
"My father would too, and right after my mother went to sleep."
Miguel looked at him with wide eyes.
"You mean you where….."
"Molested, raped by my father, never by my mother. Mami and I were both abused by my father."
Miguel's jaw dropped.
"But, I thought…I mean they told me that it was me. That I was the reason that I made them do what they did…I never knew it happened to other people…"
"Unfortunately it happens to a lot of people. None of whom are to blame. That's what people like your parents say to make you feel guilty instead of them. So that you won't tell anyone. Please believe me when I tell you that you are not the reason they did what they did. What they did, they did because they wanted to. Nothing to do with you. Understand?"
Miguel just nodded.
"Okay. Go back to sleep, it's early." Raf whispered, laying back getting comfortable.
Both were asleep in minutes.
The next Morning
Raf woke up as the door opened and the doctor and Lucia walked in.
"Miguel, guess what?" His doctor said.
Miguel got wide eyed, and slid down the sheets, tears in his eyes, breathing heavy. He could feel his heart rate going up.
"Miguel, buddy. Hey, it's just Rafa."
"I don't want to! I don't want to anymore!"
"No one is going to do anything, if you don't want to, mijo. You hear me?" Raf whispered.
Miguel shook his head.
"Look at me, please?"
Miguel slowly opened his eyes, looking terrified.
"Is that what he said, before he…." Raf trailed off.
Miguel nodded.
"Miguel, I am so sorry that I triggered that response in you. I didn't know that your father always said that phrase to you. Now that we know it will go in your notes so nobody else will trigger you." The doctor gently apologized.
Miguel smiled slightly, Raf made a mental note to add that trigger warning to Miguel's file. Raf looked over at the door, seeing his mother for the first time.
"How did you know, he'd be going home?"
"I didn't, I just came by to check on both of you. But I'm glad Miguel is going home."
The doctor went over medical care for Miguel, and to go to the doctor if he had bleeding, abdominal pain or any other worrying symptoms that needed to be checked by a doctor. He gave Miguel some meds for HIV, (Fin had found out that both Miguel's 'parents' had it, he had tested negative but as a precaution the doctor had prescribed it.) After he was discharged, Raf pushed Miguel out to Lucia's car. After getting settled in, Miguel asked,
"Can I go back to my place, and get some stuff?"
"Sure, but I have to ask Liv." Raf said, texting Liv.
They got to the apartment, Liv had texted back, saying they could get Miguel's things, Raf just had to show his ID to the guard and they were allowed inside. Raf, Miguel, and Lucia walked into what used to be Miguel's home.
"Where do you want to start nieto?" Lucia asked.
"Everything I need is in my bedroom/bathroom, I don't want anything else."
Raf followed him to his bedroom, watching him throw all his clothes in a large trash bag, along with a few stuffed animals. Going into the bathroom and looking around and deciding he didn't want anything, he came out with just the trash bag filled with clothes and stuffed animals.
"I'm ready."
"You sure you don't want anything else?" Lucia asked.
Miguel shook his head.
"No, I'm ready to go." He said, looking around.
They left walking down the hall to Raf's apartment. Raf took Miguel's clothes and toys , went through them, and then washed them all. Laying out a set of pjs for the boy to wear when he finished showering. Raf decided that he planned on taking him shopping with Noah later.
"Liv called me, she and Noah will be over in a half hour, they are bringing their things. Are they moving in?" Lucia asked.
"Yes, Liv's lease is up, we are going to stay here while we look for a new bigger place, my lease is up in three months."
"Your abuela would be proud of you, you know that right."
Raf smiled a tight smile, and nodded.
"I know mami."
Raf and his mother finished dinner about the time Miguel walked into the kitchen and the front door opened Noah announcing,
"We're home, papi!"
"Hey mijo." Raf said, as he picked up Noah.
"Are you feeling better after your shower mijo?" Raf asked, looking at Miguel.
"Yes, very." Miguel sat down.
"Noah, go wash your hands, dinner is ready." Lucia said, as she picked up her things.
"Mami you practically made it, you can stay."
"No, I'll leave you to your family, Rafi." Lucia whispered, kissing his cheek, and she was gone.
Raf turned toward Liv, she had a look in her eyes like she needed to tell him something. So they went to his bedroom to talk privately.
"What's wrong mi amor."
"Fin uncovered something, after we ran Miguel's DNA through the system."
"What was it?"
Liv told him and Raf was sure he misunderstood.
"Noah and Miguel are both half brothers and half cousins?"
"Yes, Ellie had a sister Maddie and she, like Ellie, was broken in by Johnny Drake."
"I'm assuming Maddie is dead like Ellie?"
"Yes, Sheila is still in the hospital and so mentally unstable she won't fully recover. Judge Linden and Trevor made sure she can't be around Noah and Miguel. They also found his dad, drug overdose, he's like Noah is no stable family."
"So what do we do now?"
"Nothing. We are due in family court in two days, after that we will both have full custody of both boys and they both will be Barba's."
"How are we going to tell them their relationship?" Raf asked.
"We will figure it out, like we always do."
Raf kissed her. They went back to the kitchen and found Miguel and Noah sitting at the table. Raf served them, while Liv started the conversation.
"We need to tell you two something."
Miguel and Noah both looked up from their plates.
"What is it mama?" Noah asked.
"We found out something about the two of you, today." Raf said.
"What?" Miguel asked, as he looked at Raf then Noah.
"You know about your mom and dad, Noah." Liv said.
Noah nodded sadly.
"Well turns out your dad had another kid… Miguel, you are that kid." Raf said.
"Really?" Both boys said.
"Yes, you're half brothers…. Same dad, different mom." Liv explained.
Miguel looked at Noah then Rafael.
"So my real parents and whatever parents are dead."
"Yes, your dad died when Noah was 2, you were around 4." Raf explained.
They both were quiet, both looked at each other, then at Liv and Rafael.
"Is there anything else we should know?" Noah asked.
"The wedding is still in a couple of weeks. When we get married we will officially adopt Miguel and I will adopt you Noah." Raf said.
Noah smiled as Miguel nodded.
"You two want more?" Raf asked, seeing their plates empty.
"I don't, can we have dessert?" Noah asked.
"Miguel."
"I'm full."
"You three want strawberry ice cream?"
"Yes!" both Liv and Noah said.
Miguel just nodded. Raf served the four of them two scoops of ice cream. After that, Miguel and Noah went to get ready for bed.
"That went better than I expected." Raf whispered, hugging Liv from behind, kissing her neck.
"Yes, it did. Noah, and Miguel, now have a relative they can safely get to know. Which is wonderful."
"At least Sheila is in the hospital and unlikely to ever be released. She will never see Noah again, unless he wants to."
