Inspired by the scene in the bar where Stone is watching TV and Olivia is hounding him and he shoots off with some line about how is she always that persistent and she replies with "wait till you get to know me better". This idea immediately popped in my head. I spent at least a half hour scrolling through my music, trying to find a song that would match the story. Thank you Bosstones!

Have you ever had the odds stacked up so high
You need a strength most don't possess?
Or has it ever come down to do or die?
You've got to rise above the rest?
-The Mighty Mighty Bosstones (The Impression That I Get)

"Here's the number that you asked for, Mr. Stone." Stone looked up at the young woman. After the way he had started, he's still surprised that Carmen hadn't left yet.

"Thank you" he replied, taking it out of her hand. He glanced at it, but he could still feel her eyes on him. He looked back at her.

"You sure about this?" she asked. Stone nodded.

"Ok, but this is a bell you only get to ring once. This was in case of emergency, you know?"

"I know. I promise to tell him I hounded you until you just couldn't stand the sound of my voice anymore."

She shook her head. "That's not quite far from the truth, just so you know. I'm glad he's not my boss anymore. Good luck." And with that, she was gone. He waited till she gathered her things and turned out the light on her desk. He spent some time writing his notes, gathering his thoughts for opening statements on this case that was a crap shoot at this point. But the small post-it with the number on it kept drawing his gaze. He knew he should stop avoiding it. Just make the call and get this over with. He finally took a deep breath and quickly dialed the number before his resolve left him. It rang twice before the call was answered.

"Hello?"

Stone exhaled. "Barba, it's Peter Stone. Please don't hang up." He heard Barba shuffle around and close a door.

"No, Peter, of course not. How did you get this number?"

"Carmen. Don't blame her. I'm annoying. Just ask Rollins." He heard Barba laugh and decided that was a good sign.

"What can I do for you, Peter?"

Peter cleared his throat. "We've got this case. I'm not sure if you know anything about what's going on here anymore, but…"

Barba glanced around the room, clearing his voice. "Yeah, I've heard a little bit about it. Not sure what you need me for."

"It's really about how to work, or maybe deal with, Olivia. She's just…" Barba laughed again. "Yeah, Peter. You don't have to tell me. I get it. Let me guess. She made you squirm in your seat until you gave in. Played the guilt card. Something like that."

Peter returned the laugh. "Exactly. She's so…"

"Persistent. Righteous. Persuasive."

"Yes. All of those. Persistent is the exact word I used. She told me wait till I get to know her."

"She's not wrong. Forget how you worked in Chicago. Working with her and her team, with this unit, with these victims… it changes you. I hope you are ready for that. I'm not sure I was, even there at the end."

Stone ran his hand over his face. "Yeah, I have learned that rather quickly."

Barba leaned against the wall. "Look, Peter. Olivia's life has been this. She's brilliant at her job and in putting the right people behind bars. At times, she has almost given her life for this job. To help the victims. It's why she continues to be short staffed. She's got a pile of resumes a mile high of detectives from across the country who want to come work with her and be on that squad. But she won't. She swears she can tell by the first sentence of the cover letter if they would even be worth interviewing. She probably gets two dozen resumes a week. She maybe interviews 3 or 4 people every couple of months. After Carisi, she insisted that she be in charge of all new hires. This squad, these victims… they mean as much to her as her son. She's Olivia Benson. She is special victims. Let her teach you. Let her show you. But you have to push back when you know she is wrong. Do you think she is wrong about this case?"

"Not even close. She was right about the parents deserving closure. This girl deserves justice."

"So, on this case, you are on the same page. You won't always be. Trust her instincts, but don't let them override your own. Ever. And maybe next time, take your chance to be social. Stay for the cake. You win her over by winning the rest of the squad over."

Stone stared at the wall, eyes wide. "Wow. You really do have friends everywhere don't you?" Barba cleared his throat on the other end. "Yeah, I guess I kind of do."

"Well thanks for taking my call, Barba."

"Peter, you can call me Rafael. There's no hard feelings, I swear. You were doing your job. Tables turned, once upon a time I would have done the same exact thing as you. You know your next moves now?"

"I think so" Stone replied, looking back at his notes for his opening statement.

"Good. Well, you have my number now. If you need anything… and tell Carmen she's off the hook."

"I will do that tomorrow."

"I do need to go, though, Peter, so…"

"Please don't let me keep you. Thanks again."

"No problem." Barba hung up the phone, looking at it for a moment. He quickly programmed the number into his phone and put it back in pocket, opening the door to the bedroom. Olivia slipped her glasses up into her hair, putting the file she was reading down next to her. He smiled at her, climbing into bed, dropping the files on the floor.

"I was looking at those."

"Don't care. I thought we had an agreement about work in bed." She smiled, sliding up next to him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Who was that?" she asked as she traced her nails on his chest through his shirt.

"Believe it or not, Peter Stone." She pushed herself up to look at him. He shrugged. "You have made an impression. He wanted to talk to someone who has been there. I'm thinking about starting a support group."

"Shut up." He just smiled at her.

"Maybe consider cutting him some slack, Liv. He knew coming in he was fighting an uphill battle."

"Because we are all so loyal to you?"

"Exactly."

"Well, I am impressed he had the balls to not only ask Carmen for your number but to actually use it."

"Me too."

She pulled her glasses out of her hair, reaching over to drop them on her bedside table and reached up to turn off the lamp, dropping the room into darkness. She returned to his side, cuddling tighter to him.

"I did tell him to stay for the cake next time."

"What the hell, Rafa? He's going to think you have the place bugged?"

"Or that I'm dating the boss. Finally!"

She laughed. "Maybe."

"Think maybe we should tell someone?"

"Fine. Rollins."

"Please. That's easy. I say you start with Fin."

"Oh hell no."

He laughed, dropping a kiss on top of her head. "Ok, so maybe we keep this between us for a little bit longer."

"Deal."

"Now, we sleep. You've got a big day of dragging Peter Stone over to the Olivia Benson side of the fence."

"And you have young, impressionable pre-law students to mold and flirt with."

"I don't flirt with them!"

"Do they flirt with you?"

"I cannot control what other people do Olivia. Can I help it if I just make an unforgettable impression on everyone I meet?"

"Talk to me about taking your daughters to work day again?"

He smiled into the darkness, tightening his hold on her. While the odds were stacked against them for so many years, now they seemed to finally be moving forward. "Shhhh… it's time to go sleep now."