Some of us over on Tumblr have head canon that Barba took the Manhattan job as a stepping stone to political office but met Olivia and... well, his plans then changed. That's where this piece comes from.

'Cause we belong together now, yeah yeah
Forever united here somehow, yeah
You got a piece of me
And honestly
My life (my life) would suck (would suck) without you

-Kelly Clarkson (My Life Would Suck Without You)

The first thing he noticed was her, sitting on one of his guest chairs, leg bouncing up and down. He knew she only did that when she was really nervous or really mad. And based on the look on her face, it wasn't that she was nervous.

"Morning Liv. What's going on?"

She looked at him, glaring. A nasty glare. A glare he had seen her give others but that he, himself, had never been on the receiving end of. Sure. She had been really mad at him from time to time, but never this mad. Not once. It put him off kilter for a moment.

"When were you going to tell me?" she spit out.

"Tell you what?" he asked, leaning against this desk.

She pushed herself out of the chair, anger radiating off of her. It was like waves he could physically feel between them. It unnerved him.

"Don't bullshit me Barba. You know what I'm talking about."

"Liv, I really don't. We were fine when we talked last night, so…"

"Exactly. Fine. Can't we be honest with each other? Don't we owe that to each other? Don't you owe me that much, after all this time?"

He shook his head. "Liv, I swear, I have no idea…"

"WHEN WERE YOU GOING TO TELL ME?" she screamed at him, shaking as she did. He froze, eyes wide, thanking God it was still early and there weren't very many people here yet.

"I mean, damn Rafael…" his name… he held his breath for a moment, being able to count on one hand the number of times she had used his first name. "We have each other's backs!" She started pacing. "Isn't it me and you against… well, basically the world? What am I supposed to do if you..." She barked out an angry laugh. "And then Carisi sends me this link last night as I'm trying to fall asleep. I read it and then… well, no sleep for Liv at that point. What am I supposed to do without you here?"

"Liv, I'm not going anywhere."

"That's not what the political writer for the Post says!" She pulled out her phone and clicked on something, handing it to him. He took it from her and started reading. There he saw a story about him and how this writer has it on good authority, from several reputable sources, that the up and coming ADA Rafael Barba is eyeing the New York AG job in the special election coming up. Quotes from undisclosed sources close to the DA's office says he's just been 'biding his time' working sex crimes until he had his chance and now that he did…

He closed his eyes, sighing. He opened them up to see her standing there, still glaring at him. He took a couple of steps toward her, handing her the phone back. She yanked it out of his hand. He could feel her shaking as her fingers brushed his hand.

"Liv…"

"Holy shit, it's true."

"Not exactly."

"Forget it. I thought after all this time you would… forget it." She turned on her heel to leave, but he grabbed her arm, pulling her back around.

"No. You need to hear me. I'm not leaving."

"But the Post…"

"That's higher ups in the DNC trying to force my hand. They have been calling me for weeks since this special election was announced. They've been on my return call sheet for months, even years probably. Carmen continues to blow them off for me. Cahill and Smith, the heads of the state DNC, were waiting for me outside when I left last night. They basically followed me home, talking the whole time. I kept telling them no. Every way I know how to say no, I told them. They did this. They are trying to make it so I have to run. But I'm not. I don't want that job." They were standing close. He didn't realize he had pulled her so close, but there they stood, close. He could feel her breathing heavily and the pulse racing under his fingers when his hand had slipped down to her wrist. He glanced down at his hand and then back up at her, seeing something in her eyes.

He cocked his head at her slightly. "Why are you so upset about this? You've lost ADA's in the past in been just fine."

"You aren't just any ADA" she whispered, stepping closer to him.

"Sure I am."

"No, Rafael, you aren't." She quickly closed the distance between them, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, pressing her lips to his. He froze in the moment, wondering if this is when he was going to wake up. But when he didn't, he responded in kind. For a moment, the world melted away. It was just him and her, standing there, making out like teenagers in his office. But he knew there was something else. He gave her one last light kiss and pulled back, resting his hands lightly on her hips.

"Liv" he said quietly. She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat and looked at him. "What was that about?"

Her eyes widened. "Look, sorry about the kiss, I guess. If you don't…"

He squeezed her hips with his hands. "Will you please, for the love of God, stop putting words in my mouth?!" She snapped her lips shut, nodding her head.

"Thank you. You come in here, angrier than I have ever seen you at me, throwing a fake story in my face and then you kiss me. And while that kiss is something I plan to revisit, I need you to tell me where that came from."

She looked off to the side. He could see the war waging on her face and in her eyes. Would she run or would she…"

"I was scared" she whispered, not quite looking at him. She stared at her hand on his shoulder. "I read that story and all I could see is you were leaving. You were leaving me. And I just…" She finally met his eyes. And the war was over. "I'm not sure I could do this job anymore if you weren't here. My heart hurt as I read that story last night. Every time I closed my eyes, all I could see is coming in here to talk to you and finding an empty office. It would suck if you weren't here anymore."

"So, this is just about my amazing capabilities as an attorney?"

"No" she replied, looking at him hard. "It's about the realization that my life would suck if you weren't a part of it anymore. If you left this job, the city… and I never got to tell you…" She swallowed hard and he smiled, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.

"You know, Olivia, there are people every day, across this whole country, who manage to not work together and still have healthy, successful lives and relationships."

"I know" she said, sheepishly. "I do know that. But you and I… this work… it is part of our DNA. It's what brought us together. Your passion for this is what made me fall for you."

"So that wasn't just a heat of the moment make out session, then?" She shook her head no, wrapping her arms back around his shoulders, stepping in till they were pressed together.

"I'm not leaving you" he whispered, placing a light kiss on her cheek before wrapping her up in a hug. He felt her nod. "You believe me?"

"Yes" she breathed out against his cheek.

"Good. So, here's what is going to happen" he said as he stepped back, finally releasing his hold on her. She smiled, crossing her arms, watching him move back around his desk, shifting back into ADA Barba mode.

"First, I'm going to call Cahill and rip him a new one. Then, I'm going to call the DNC and do the same. After that, the Post for publishing this without getting a quote from me. Then, you and I are going to work today and at 6:30, I'm going to come pick you up for dinner so we can talk about all of this. That work for you?"

"You're hot when you are bossy."

"Then you must find me incredibly attractive a majority of the time."

"You have no idea." She smirked at him, letting out a sigh and rolling her head around, releasing the tension she had been holding in her shoulders since the night before. "Ok. You have fun destroying the DNC. And I'll see you at 6:30." She turned on her heel to leave.

"Liv?" She glanced back to him, behind his desk, phone in his hand.

"Life would pretty much suck without you too." She smiled widely and waved goodbye, knowing that what she was afraid she had lost for good was just starting to finally come together.