SETTING: Takes place immediately after 19x1 ("Gone Fishin'")

Cassidy hadn't stayed long, had really only been there as a courtesy, to give a heads-up. Olivia might have felt somewhat vindicated by how genuinely apologetic he was, how awkward and nervous to have been put in this position, to see her in this position. She might have felt that way, if she had the luxury to allow herself to feel anything at all.

But it was still an hour before Noah would go to bed, and he wanted her to snuggle him while he watched a cartoon. It wasn't the time to feel all the things she was pushing down. It wouldn't be fair to her son to shut herself into her room and fall apart when he was asking for her, wanted her affection and attention.

But as she sat and held him, stroked his hair and revelled in his laughter and childish commentary at what was happening on the screen, she couldn't stop one feeling from creeping in, and that was dread. She dreaded what would happen when Noah was asleep and she was left to herself. She almost felt threatened by it. It was too much.

And so she found herself reaching for her phone.

"Hey Liv," was Barba's quick answer. "What's up?"

"Where are you?"

"Still at the office." He paused, having heard something in her voice. "Where do you need me to be?"

That question alone was almost enough to open the floodgates, rendering Olivia temporarily mute as she fought to keep control.

"Liv?"

"Can you come over?" she finally blurted.

There was no hesitation. "I'm on my way. I'll be there as soon as I can."

When Barba arrived, Liv had tears in her eyes as she answered the door, and he immediately stepped into her personal space to embrace her but was stilled by a firm hand on his chest.

He was too worried to be hurt. She was too close to the edge to reassure him.

Noah's appearance behind her and his bright greeting of the unexpected visitor was timely. "Isn't it past your bedtime?" Barba engaged the boy, trying to deflect his attention from Olivia. "Did you already brush your teeth?" When Noah answered in the affirmative, Barba said, "Okay, then why don't you go pick out some books and I'll come read to you?" He smiled as Noah's excitement had him running to his room.

"Thank you," Olivia said quietly, sighing in frustration and looking upward when a tear slipped out and ran down her cheek.

"Take a minute," he advised calmly, as though giving her direction on the stand. "Then come say a quick goodnight and let me put him to bed."

She nodded, swiping at her eyes and taking a deep, shuddering breath. "I'll be right there."

It took her more than a minute to rein herself in. Barba was halfway through the second book when she entered Noah's room.

"Give your mom a kiss, kiddo," Barba prompted him, though little prompting was needed. While still sitting on Barba's lap, Noah reached for his mother and wrapped his arms around her neck, giving her a sloppy kiss and telling her that he loved her.

This brought Olivia's face very close to Barba's, and when she met his eyes and he again saw her sadness he made the mistake of pressing his lips to her forehead. Her composure was immediately lost and Barba had to redirect Noah's attention once again while she made a hasty retreat.

It wasn't long after that Barba joined her in the living room, removing his jacket, vest and tie, laying them across the back of a chair, kicking off his shoes, moving slowly as though to prevent startling her. But watching her, eyes always on her.

She was fighting again, on the couch with her knees drawn up and her arms around them, making herself as small as possible, holding the position tightly as though to help contain what was coming. Breathing heavily. Staring straight ahead even as he crossed her line of sight and sat down beside her, turning to face her, waiting.

"Liv..."

No response. Still fighting.

In the end his hand coming to rest lightly on her arm was all it took.

The story spilled out with her tears: the taxi, the bruises, the misunderstanding, the investigation. With his fingers rubbing comforting circles on her lower back, he listened carefully, non-judgmentally, without interruption. But when she was done talking, he had lots to say. He reminded her that she had people in her life who loved her and loved Noah and would fight relentlessly on their behalf. He assured her that she would be cleared in no time and that Noah would never be taken from her. Then he went on to lay out the case against her and then knocked it down easily, point by point.

He defended her so well that it left her feeling silly to have become so emotional, because he was right. Of course he was. This would be resolved easily because she had the truth on her side. And if the truth wasn't enough, she had good friends on her side as well, like the one sitting next to her right now.

Olivia was apologetic and fairly embarrassed when she later led him to the door, but also deeply genuine in her gratitude that he had dropped everything to come to her rescue. He didn't wave away her thanks, nor did he try to convince her she had nothing to be sorry or embarrassed about. Instead he left with a simple promise that he would always be there, for whatever she needed. Always.