Yellow diamonds in the light
And we're standing side by side
As your shadow crosses mine
What it takes to come alive

-Rihanna (We Found Love)

She could only stand there and stare at the scene unfolding in front of her. It felt like the whole world was converging right there, on the steps of the courthouse.

The case had gotten so much press. It was all anyone wanted to talk about. High profile was an understatement. And it didn't matter the outcome. The city was prepared for chaos no matter guilty or not guilty. Not everyone would be happy. They all knew it the moment the facts became clear.

There she stood, watching supporters on both sides hurl insults and slurs and just horrible things at each other. Yelling horrible things at the police that were just trying to keep the peace. Horrible things at Barba and herself as they walked in and out of the courthouse during the duration of the trial, and now at her, as she stood there, being unsure what to do. A guilty verdict didn't mean anything in a case like this. Hate and discontent reigned supreme. It made her lose faith in humanity. In the judicial system. In herself, a little bit.

She felt his presence before she saw him. It had been like that recently. Things had started to change between them. Since then, she could just feel his presence when he was in her general vicinity. Like a calm shadow coming over her. She heard someone from the crowd hurl awful slurs in his direction – slurs that, he had assured her, he had heard before and that didn't really bother him anymore.

But they bothered her. Greatly. She felt herself tense up and start to grab for her gun when suddenly, he was next to her, grabbing her hand and lacing their fingers together.

"Not worth it, Olivia."

"A little bit worth it, Barba."

He smiled. "Thank you. But it's really not." He squeezed her hand and started to pull her away from the crowd, toward the back steps of the courthouse. "I'm starving" he said as they walked away from the screams and the chants.

"Really? You are thinking about food right now? With everything that is going on?" He turned toward her.

"Liv, we did our jobs. We knew this was going to happen. And, the truth is, I don't care what they say to me. You know what I care about?" She had a good idea, but did she love when he said it, so she shook her head no.

"This is fishing, my dear, but I'll continue anyway. I care what you think. I care that you stand by me. I care that I can go home with you and tell Noah about what we did here today and know that we can tell him that with our heads held high. I care about this" he said, waving their linked hands between their bodies. "I care that for the first time in a long damn time, I feel like I'm finally living. With you and Noah. That's what matters. Little minded people don't. They have to go home and be themselves. I get to go home and be me who cares about you and that little boy and lazy Sundays and Friday night breakfast for dinner. So, can we please go there and forget about all of this?"

She sighed and kissed him lightly. "You have a mighty way with words, Counselor."

"That's why they pay me the big bucks, Lieutenant" he said, winking at her and dragging her down the steps, away from the chaos and into the light and love of what they were building together.