The next morning Raf woke, Peter was already up and getting dressed. He had a big case to win with SVU and Raf, well nothing but paperwork unless a new case came in which he hoped not, but it always happened. He watched as Peter walked back into the bedroom on the phone.
"Okay Liv, okay I'll be there ASAP."
Peter hung up.
"What's up?" Raf asked.
"Everything, they found a pimp and dozens of underage girls, all runaways."
Raf saw how stressed Peter looked. Raf caught his hands in his,
"Honey? Mi Amado just breathe, take a second before Liv starts briefing you, and take it one step at a time." Raf smiled and looked into his eyes.
"They want you back." Peter said, he walked over sitting beside him on the bed.
Raf was puzzled.
"Who Liv? The squad?"
"Everybody, Liv, the squad, former victims who have befriended current victims, quite a few judges, Rita Calhoun, John Buchanan, Dworkin, even McCoy."
Rafael was stunned.
"What about you?"
"What about me?" Peter asked, looking at him.
"I thought you wanted to stay, especially after Pam."
"I did, but it's getting too much, no offense, but I don't see how you stayed there for six years before you decided to leave."
"Well, the Householders and my dad had a big part of that." Raf said.
"But if Drew didn't happen, if that case didn't happen. You would still be with SVU?"
"Probably, I might have taken a long vacation to Cuba for two or three weeks." Raf leaned against him, his head on Peter's shoulder, running his hand up and down on his arm into his hand squeezing it.
Peter squeezed back, kissing his hair.
"Do you really want to give up SVU?" Raf asked, his head still buried in Peter's shoulder.
Raf lifted his head when Peter didn't answer. Peter nodded his head yes.
"Do they really want me back or do you see it as a way out?" Raf asked.
"I really want to go out." Peter said, tears in his eyes.
"Everytime, I see a victim I think of Pam."
"I know, everytime I see Noah I think of Drew."
"What do you want Rafi?"
"I don't know, going back to SVU would be a dream come true, I just don't want to go back and get run down again." Raf sighed, leaning back against the bed.
Peter nudged his legs apart, settling himself between them.
"How about you give it a trial run, if McCoy will let you? We could divide the case load, each case however you want? Then if you think you can mentally handle it, more?"
Raf looked at him, smiled and nodded.
"How long have you got?" Raf asked, running his hand along Peter's ass and squeezing it.
"Not long." Peter groaned and pouted.
Raf chuckled.
They both got up and got ready,
"I'll go talk to SVU, you McCoy." Peter said.
"Okay, I'll meet back at your office…"
"Your office."
"Your office and fill me in, if Jack let's me back in."
Peter nodded.
They both got ready, walked together to the precinct. Peter stopped Raf.
"Good luck with McCoy." He squeezed Raf's hand, Raf returned it.
"Thank you. Try not not to let this case upset you." Raf whispered.
"I'll try." Peter smiled and kissed him.
Raf returned the kiss, after he broke it he leant his head against Peter's.
"Okay I got to go. I'll text you when I'm out."
"You want to tell the squad?"
"Yes."
Peter nodded and stole one more kiss. They went their separate ways. Once Raf made it to McCoy's office, Jack half smiled at him.
"Barba."
"McCoy."
"Okay, I'm assuming your boy toy told you that Lieutenant Benson, former victims, current victims, over half the judges, even Rita Calhoun and John Buchanan want you back because Stone doesn't put up a fight like you do."
"He said that everyone wants me back."
"I'm prepared to wipe everything off your record, a clean slate. But if you ever pull something like you did with the Householders again, I'll make sure your license is gone and the Bar Association applies every financial sanction it can. You won't just be unemployed, you'll be penniless.
"I'm already disbarred, aren't I? How can you fix that?" Raf asked curiously.
"Well technically you aren't, since you were acquitted. You can come back, I told you that you could stay that night. I found you walking after you said goodbye to the Lieutenant." Jack said.
Raf was quiet for a few minutes.
"Do you want to come home to SVU Rafael?"
"On a trial basis first, I want SVU back but I want to make sure I can handle it."
"What about Stone?"
"Peter? He wants to give it up, he's been wanting to since Pam died. He said he would stay on until I think I can handle it."
"Okay, you can try but it will be like it was with you and Detective Carisi everyone will be watching you two closely." Jack said.
"Thank you so much, sir." Raf smiled and shook McCoy's hand.
"You're welcome."
As Raf left he could feel something lift off him, something that's been there since he left Liv standing in front of the courthouse. He texted Peter, to see if he could call him, without interrupting him. He got his answer with Peter calling him,
"How did it go?" Peter whispered.
"Good, I can come back. Why are you whispering?"
"The squad is around."
Raf chuckled.
"I'm guessing you're still at the precinct?"
"Yeah."
"Okay I'll be there in a few. I want to tell them." Raf said.
"Okay, love you bye."
Peter hung up, and Raf made it down there, thinking about how to tell everyone he was back. He got an idea, getting off the elevator and walking into the bullpen like he used to looking for Liv, when he saw her and she saw him.
"Tell me you got something?" Raf asked, coming over to the board where Liv, Peter, Carisi, Amanda, and Fin were.
Fin, Liv, Amanda, and Sonny looked at him like he had three heads.
"We can't discuss cases with you Rafa, you know that."
"You need to, because I might be in the second chair." Raf said, seating beside Peter.
Liv looked at him stunned.
"You know something I don't know." She asked the two men.
"I'm second chair Liv, as of right now, but eventually main chair." Raf smirked.
"When did this happen?" Sonny asked.
"Just a few minutes ago, Jack gave me my old job back."
Everyone looked at Peter.
"I'm stepping down, once Rafa makes sure he can handle it."
Everyone just nodded, and started going over the info they had so far for the case. Peter was confused, he figured everyone, especially Liv, would be happy to have Rafa back. He looked over at Raf, seeing sadness in his eyes. He could tell they were treating him differently already. Later that night, as they lay in bed, Peter brought it up,
"They were treating you differently weren't they?"
"A little, like they did when I first became their DA, a little colder." Raf sighed.
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay, I blame Jack McCoy for this whole mess." Raf kissed him.
Raf snuggled closer to Peter, both falling asleep.