Post ep to Contrapasso. I'm sorry, but if I'm supposed to buy that Barba has no idea what is going on with the whole Liv/Noah situation - well, lets just say I'm not. This is me, making that little point right. Plus I'm addressing the Rafa thing cause DAAAAAAMMMMMMNNNNN that was amazing on a whole different level. Like "squabbling with you" amazing.

Love breathes when your out of breath
Love sits by the bedside when you're near to death
Love still fells you when the feeling's gone

-Bryan White (Love Is The Right Place)

The quiet knock on his door broke him out of his work zone. His eyes were starting to swim from the words and motions and question trees, he was almost glad for the distraction. But all of those thoughts went out the window when he opened the door to Olivia and Noah, him looking confused in his PJs clutching his stuffed animal, her looking scared and on the verge of tears, a large duffel bag hanging off her shoulder.

He just watched her walk in and look around, clutching Noah to her. "I'm sorry. I didn't know where else… and I just couldn't stay in my apartment after… I should have called first but…" He held up his hands. "Liv, stop. Slow down." He watched her take in a deep breath. She dropped the bag off her shoulder. "Is there some place I can lay Noah down?" she asked. He nodded, directing them to his office/guest room. No bed, but Noah was more than happy to sleep on the large couch. He watched as Olivia pulled out books and a night light and went through the routine here in his home like she did it every night. Whatever had happened must have been stressful because the boy was out before she got through the first book.

He just trailed behind her, still not being real sure what she was doing here. She collapsed on his couch, dropping her head back against the back of his couch, closing her eyes.

"Wine or coffee?" She just shook her head. He sat down next to her. "Ok, now I'm officially worried. You need to start talking to me now, Liv."

"Trevor came to my office today."

"About Noah's investigation? That seems a little much."

She shook her head. "I wish. Now I wish that so much. No. Ellie lied to me all those years ago. Her mother is alive." He just sat there, staring at her. "She lives in New Hampshire and she hired a PI who found out about Noah. She's… she's petitioning to vacate the adoption and I just… then she showed up at my door tonight and I slammed the door in her face and just grabbed Noah and ran… here."

He breathed out hard, sitting up and resting his hand on her shoulder. "First, I'm going to your building tomorrow to shove my foot in your landlord's ass till he fixes the damn buzzer system." She smiled slightly at that. "Then I'm going to have a long talk with Langan about what his job actually is."

"Already done."

"Still, I feel like it needs to be reiterated. A lot. How in the hell did he miss this?" She just shook her head, tears falling down her face and he knew this wasn't the time. He knew she was scared and hurt and railing about Langan and her landlord wasn't what she needed now.

So, he wrapped his arm around her, pulling her into his chest, trying to take the weight off of her, even if just for a moment. He felt her relax into his side, burying her head into his shoulder.

"I should have called" she mumbled into his shirt.

"Never. If you need to be here, then you just be here."

"Thanks, Rafa."

"You slipped in front of the squad the other day" he said. She looked up at him, smiling slightly. "Think they noticed?"

He shrugged. "No clue, but you're lucky I'm a controlled man because they almost got a show." She pulled him down for a quick but bruising kiss. "I'll be more careful."

"That's becoming harder and harder to do, Liv. At least for me it is."

"Me too" she whispered, raking her fingers through his hair.

"So, maybe it's time to admit that this thing that's been going on since May is more than just a casual whatever?"

"Maybe you're right" she replied, throwing her legs over his lap. She smiled as he ran his hand up from her knee to her hip.

"Then maybe we can talk about you and Noah just being here, then. Cause I'm unlisted and I've got a guard dog of a door man."

"That sounds like heaven after Cassidy and then Ellie's mom just being at my front door." He smiled and kissed her lightly. He pulled back to look at her, squeezing her hip. "Liv, it will be over my cold dead body that anyone takes that boy away from you. Ever. If Langan can't hack it, then we will get Rita or someone else. That's your son." She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pulling him in for a long, tight, needed hug.

"I'm exhausted" she whispered. He knew she was talking about more than just this one night, but he knew neither one of them were ready for a long talk or any big decisions. She just needed to feel safe and secure and his heart swelled knowing that she knew that place was here with him.

"So, sleep, breakfast and then we face tomorrow, whatever it brings." He stood up and offered her his hand. She grabbed it and let him pull her up off the couch and back toward his bedroom.

As he wrapped his arm around her waist after crawling into bed, she knew that whatever got thrown at her tomorrow, as long as she had him in her corner, she would always come out the winner.