Post ep Something Happened. I mused on Tumblr earlier today that I feel like there is more to Benson and Barba after that ep. Not sure if it is intentional on the part of Mariska and Raul or if it just an organic thing because of their friendship, but the way Fin deferred to him to stop the interview and he said no, trusting her implicitly and making sure he was the last one she talked to before she went back in to the interrogation room just felt like there is more. This story is born of that head canon. Enjoy.

I wish everyone was loved tonight
And somehow stop this endless fight
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days

-Goo Goo Dolls (Better Days)

"I'm taking you home." She glanced over her shoulder to see him, standing there, no tie, holding her coat and bag. She looked around the interrogation room, a place she had been a million times over the years, but it looked different to her in this moment. She pushed herself out of the chair, walking past him and everyone in the room who was left at that hour. She didn't look at anyone, just walked ahead, lost in her thoughts and in her own world.

He nodded to Fin and followed her, keeping a distance and not speaking. He watched her, tried his best to read her, just to make sure she was still in there after all of that. After Laurel had pushed every button and brought Olivia almost to her knees. They remained that way in the car to her apartment, in the elevator and through the front door. He knew she was moving on auto pilot.

"I need a shower" she said, to no one in particular. He stood there, watching her walk down the short hall. She glanced quickly at Noah's closed door but sighed, walking into the bedroom and closing the door. He sighed, hanging her bag and coat on the rack before walking over, collapsing on the couch next to his mother.

He rolled his head over to Lucia. "Thanks for stepping in, mom." Lucy had to leave early and he thought they would be home. He knew once we saw what was happening that he couldn't leave her. His mother was more than happy to spend the evening with Noah and he would be forever grateful for that.

She patted his knee, closing her book. "Raf, any time, you know that. Bad night?" He just nodded. "Maybe one of the worst. This one got under her skin."

"You were there?" He nodded. He wasn't sure he should or could give his mother any more details and, God bless her, she seemed to understand. She just nodded and pushed herself off the couch. He watched her gather her things.

Lucia smiled down at her son. "She feels so deeply, Rafael. You can just tell. You both want to save the world. Just make sure you two don't lose yourselves in the process." She leaned down, dropping a kiss on top of her son's head. "Noah went to bed a little late, but he went right to sleep. You need me tomorrow?" He just shook his head. "No, I'll handle it." She just nodded, moving toward the door. "Call me if you do. Love you, mijo." He could only watch her leave. He sat for a moment, in the silence of the apartment, listening to the water run as she showered. He pulled out his phone, tapping out an email to Dodds and McCoy. He was sure this would piss her off, but it needed to be done.

He pushed himself off the couch as he heard the water stop. He turned off the lights and slowly made his way to the bedroom. He opened to door to see her sitting on the bed, looking out the window, wrapped in her towel.

"I told Dodds and McCoy we weren't coming in tomorrow."

"Stop handling me" she threw over her shoulder. He sighed, rubbing his hand over his face.

"You want to be pissed at me, go ahead. I don't actually care. I let you do your job, over my burning need to pull you out of that interrogation room and the precinct. I trusted you tonight, Liv, and yeah – you got the job done. But you need a day. We both do after tonight."

"I'm fine" she growled at him, finally meeting his eyes. "And I need to be there for Laurel's arraignment. I have to…"

"No, you aren't and no you don't." Her eyes flared, but he didn't care. "I would be an awful partner if I just shrugged my shoulders and said ok to that. And so help me, Olivia Benson – if you ever shut us out of an interrogation again, I will have your ass. I told Fin to leave that little bit out of the report to Dodds and I will too, but you had no business doing that. Anything could have happened to you in there. Anything." She turned away from him, back to the window.

"And because of what time it was Laurel won't even be arraigned till the day after tomorrow. She will plead guilty and we will ask for the bare minimum time to run concurrent with mental health treatment. My intern can do that. I don't think you should be there, but I know I can't talk you out of it if you have already made up your mind." She didn't respond. She just stared out the window. He wasn't sure if she had even heard him.

He shook his head and moved around the room, grabbing his stuff for a shower. She was still sitting there, wrapped in a towel as he exited the bathroom. He grabbed her favorite shirt to sleep in and laid it next to her on the bed. He pressed a light kiss to her temple. "Try to get some sleep, ok?"

He started to move toward the door, but she grabbed his hand. Stopping him. She looked up at him, eyes bright with tears. "Where are you going?" she whispered.

"I was just going to sleep on the couch. Give you some space."

She shook her head. "Please. Don't. Please don't leave me alone." He rested his hand against her cheek and exhaled a sigh of relief as she leaned into his touch, closing her eyes.

"Never, Liv. Never. I just don't want to crowd you."

"I need you to stay" she replied, eyes still closed, tears falling into his palm.

He nodded. "Then I need you to get dressed" he replied, nodding at the t shirt.

"I thought your preference was me with no clothes" she said, smiling through her tears. The tightness that had been in his chest since he walked into the precinct loosened at her joke. Regardless of what she had been through tonight, his Olivia was still in there. He pulled her off the bed, taking her towel as she slipped on the shirt and then crawled into bed. He turned off the lights and climbed in next to her, relaxing for the first time in hours as she curled into him, resting her head on his chest and promptly falling asleep. He just laid there, running his fingers through her hair, feeling her even breathing against his chest.

He wasn't even sure what time it was when he awoke to her crawling on top of him, kissing her way up and down his neck. She breathed a long, slow please into his ear and he knew that she needed his love and comfort. He had promised himself, right before he fell asleep, that he would give her as many good days as he could. She deserved that much. She deserved to be loved, to feel loved, to matter and he had known for years that she mattered to him in a way he never thought he would find. He gave her control, let her take the lead, gave her what she needed from him. He knew, in that moment, he always would, for the rest of his life.

He slipped out of bed as she slept, getting Noah out and to school. He stopped for breakfast on his way back. He set the bags down on the table and was making coffee when she came into the kitchen, hair still mussed from sleeping and the other activities of the night before, wearing the shirt he had on the day before and a pair of black leggings.

"Hi" she said quietly, biting her lip.

He motioned behind him as he filled the basin on the coffee pot. "I got food on my way back from dropping Noah at school." He felt her next to him and he turned as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Without her trademark heels on, she was able to rest her chin on his shoulder, one of her favorite things to do, he discovered soon after they crossed the line they had avoided for so long.

He held her close, enjoying the feel of her against him. "Thank you for last night" she whispered. He pulled back, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"Olivia, I am wildly, madly, stupidly in love with you. I will always be here for you. You never have to thank me for that. I should be thanking you for letting me be here with you and with Noah. You two have become my world."

"I don't deserve you, Rafa."

"You deserve whatever you want, Liv. I'm just glad one of those things you want is me." She pressed a kiss to his lips before moving to the bag of food. They ate in a comfortable silence.

"I'm not sure I have ever had a day off in the middle of the week when either me or Noah weren't sick. I have no idea what to do" she said, looking at him. He nodded, starting to gather up the food.

"Well, I say we get dressed and spend the day out. Let's get some Christmas shopping done. Let's go eat lunch at a tourist trap. Let's pick Noah up from school and skate at Rockefeller Plaza with the rest of the mob." As he talked, her smile grew wider and the sadness in her eyes started to disappear.

"That sounds like a much better day than anything I could come up with."

"Then hop to it, Lieutenant. We've got some presents to buy and lines to stand in." She quickly got dressed. He smirked as she came out ready for the day, still wearing his shirt. She just shrugged her shoulders, not giving him an explanation, not that he needed one. As they exited the building, she laced her fingers through his. Today would be a much better day. He mentally promised himself they all would be, if he had his way.