Everything I've written has been Olivia/Barba so damn glad to see each other when they finally do again, I thought, but what if they aren't. The Mariska interview where she guaranteed we will see Barba again made me smile and might have jump started my Barson muse again. So how about some pissed Olivia when Barba returns to town.

Wait, can you turn around, can you turn around?
Just wait, can we work this out, can we work this out?
Just wait, can you come here please? 'Cause I want to be with you
-Maroon 5 (Wait)

He took a deep breath, pulling open the door to the bar around the corner from the precinct. He wasn't sure what else to do besides just pulling off the band-aid in one motion. He had no idea what to expect. From any of them. He couldn't even be mad that Peter Stone was sitting with them. The case had been long and hard and they had won so they deserved to all blow off some steam. It was why he had stayed away till tonight, even though he had been back for a month or so. He wanted them to get through this case, to beat this guy who had done horrible things. So, he followed along online, in the papers, through Twitter, etc.

He paused for a moment to let a few people walk past and when he looked back at the table they were all at, Amanda was the first to see him. Her eyes grew wide and she set her bottle down on the table in front of her. He couldn't hear them over the crowd here tonight, but he knew his name came off her lips, Barba, as everyone straightened up and followed her eyes to where he was standing. He made his way over to the table as everyone stared at him like they were seeing a ghost. He didn't have any words and it was made worse by Olivia, who was just staring at the table in front of her.

God bless Peter Stone. He was the first to get up, walk over and shake his hand, asking him how he had been and when he had gotten back. He was glad to have a moment to congratulate the man on a hard win in the courtroom. Everyone seemed to loosen up for a moment, shaking his hand, smiling at him, welcoming him back. But then they all paused, waiting to see what Olivia would do. She had yet to look up from the table.

"Liv?" he said quietly. That seemed to break her out of her trance. She quickly grabbed her phone and keys, dropping some money on the table.

"I have to go. It's almost Noah's bedtime" she said to no one in particular. He watched as she moved past him, not quite touching him but being close enough so he could feel her body heat. He could only stare as she made a hasty retreat, pushing through the crowd and out the door. He watched her pause for a moment, like she might turn back, but she didn't. She left. He gave a sad smile to the rest of the table, moving to the seat she had vacated, pushing the money she had left back to Fin.

"Give that back to her tomorrow. I'll cover hers. Next round is on me."

She saw him sitting outside the precinct the next morning, drinking from one cup of coffee, holding another in his hand. She stopped, noticing the logo from the cart they used to go to outside the courthouse. She hadn't been to that cart in months. For a moment, she contemplated turning on her heel and running home. But that wasn't an option – not on paperwork day. Damn him remembering that it was the end of the month and that they would all be trapped at their desks until the monthly paperwork was finished, her included. She squared her shoulders, moving toward where he was sitting.

He caught her out of the corner of his eye and he stood up, pushing his sunglasses into his hair. She stopped short, just staring at him. He held out the extra cup to her. "Luis says hello. Says it's been awhile since he has seen you."

She yanked it out of his hand, knowing that it would be her favorite. "I haven't been there in a bit." Rafael just shrugged. "I didn't ask for an explanation, Liv. Just wanted to relay the message."

She took a long drink, staring at him. She legitimately had no idea what to say. Once upon a time, she did. She had a lot to say. But then the weeks progressed. Life went on. And while the anger was still there, the words had started to fade. So all she could do was stare and drink her favorite coffee.

While he, on the other hand, had a million words flying through his head with no clue where to start. In the end, he also stayed silent, having no idea where to begin.

She finally sighed, grabbing her phone out of her pocket when she felt it vibrate. She turned, throwing her cup into the garbage can outside the main doors. She turned back toward him, shaking her head.

"Well, this has been illuminating, Rafael, but I need to go." She shook her head, turning on her heel to head inside, but she stopped when she felt a hand on her arm.

"Olivia, wait. I just…"

"WHAT?" she shouted at him. There's that anger rearing its ugly head. She exhaled harshly, closing her eyes for a moment to center herself.

"I know you are mad. I get it. You have every right to be. But I was hoping…"

"What? That I would just swoon and be so glad you finally came back that all the anger and hurt and loneliness would just go away? Sorry. I'm not built like that."

His eyes got soft. "Lonely?"

"Hell yes, Rafael. Lonely. You were… you were it. For 6 years, you were my person. The one who… and then poof. You were gone. I had no one! No one to talk to, bounce things off of. Whatever. So yes. Life got very lonely. It still kind of is."

"I'm here now, Liv. I'm back."

"Well, good for you. But just because you are back doesn't mean life goes back to normal. Life actually went on without you here. I figured it out. On my own. And I need to go." She turned on her heel, grabbing the door to go inside.

"I'm not going anywhere, Liv. Be as mad as you want. I'm going to be around. I owe you that much." She just shook her head, continuing inside, not turning back to look at him.

"MOM! MOM! Rafa is here!" She stopped short, watching her son run at full speed toward Rafael Barba, who had pushed himself off the bench to brace himself for the impact of Noah. She narrowed her eyes for a second, walking toward him slowly. She crossed her arms as she listened to Noah unload on him about his week. They all heard someone call his name and Noah zoomed off toward his group of friends and the soccer ball they were all kicking around. She turned to stare at her son and his friends, trying to ignore the man who had slid up next to her.

"I see right through your plans there, Rafael."

"I'm not trying to be obtuse, Olivia."

"The pizza was a nice touch at lunch yesterday. Fin and Carisi ate their weight in it. Thanks for the salad." She saw him nod out of the corner of her eye. She finally turned toward him.

"What are you doing here, Rafael?" He turned into her. She took a moment to take him in – longer hair, short sleeved polo, a hint of a tan and some grey in his well-maintained beard. Her brain betrayed her in that moment, because she could only think about how good he looked standing there with her.

He smiled. "I told you I'm not going anywhere. I may have taken the chicken shit way out when I left, but I was wrong. So wrong. Damn wrong. I will never be able to apologize enough to you for leaving like that, when it was the last thing I wanted to do. I never wanted to walk away from you. And I won't get into my frame of mind about why I did it anyway. But you are right. Life went on. Not that I expected it to stop. I really didn't. But I thought there might be a chance that…" he trailed off.

"I would faint at your mere presence and be so thankful you were back that I would forget how I have been feeling the last few months?" He just shrugged. "Maybe I hoped." She shook her head, trying to fight a smile but failing. He noticed.

"A smile!"

"I think you are ridiculous. That's what made me smile."

"But I made you smile. I'll take the win."

"I need to go make sure Noah is behaving."

"I'm just going to hang back here, unless that's too weird."

"You do you, Rafael." And with that, she took off toward Noah. She spent an hour interacting with him and his friends and their parents and took note that not once did Rafael Barba move from his bench until they were ready to leave.

The darkness had taken over the squad room by the time she got back to her office. The dim light from her desk lamp illuminated her office enough for her to see a lone figure sitting on her couch. She sighed. She was tired. She wasn't sure she had this in her tonight.

She walked in, dropping her bag on her desk. "I can't do this with you tonight, Rafael. I just can't. I'm exhausted. Hungry. Need a shower. And about three days of sleep. So please." She dropped into her chair, laying her head down on her desk. She heard him shuffle around and suddenly smelled… cheese. She glanced up to see a sandwich and bottle of water sitting in front of her, him back in his spot on the couch.

"You brought me dinner?" He just nodded. She sat up, eyeing him for a moment, before grabbing the food and diving right in. He sat there, messing with his phone, not even looking at her while she ate. She quickly finished, taking a long drink from her water, staring at him.

"You aren't going to talk to me?"

"You made it sound like the sound of my voice might make you throw your phone at me. Hard pass on that." She snerked, shaking her head at him. He finally looked at her. She sighed. Maybe it was her exhaustion or the fact that he brought her her favorite sandwich, which she had been craving for hours.

"Fine. You win, Rafael."

"Win what?" he asked, resting his head on his closed fist.

She leaned back in her chair. "You just win. I'm planning to sleep most of tomorrow away, but let's go get dinner at 7 tomorrow night."

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Olivia Benson. Are you asking me out on a date?"

She shook her head. "No. I'm just finally saying yes to you."

"I never asked."

She shrugged at him. "That's fine. I can change my mind."

He pushed himself up off the couch, shaking his head and holding up his hand at her. "No. Don't do that. I'll pick you up at 6:30. Get some sleep." He gave her a slight wave and she allowed herself to do something she hadn't done in a long time. She watched him leave.

She did her best to pretend like tonight was like any other night. She did her best to ignore the amount of time she spent getting ready, that she pulled out her favorite dress, that there were butterflies in her stomach. She wanted to hold on to the anger. To make him wait like she had been waiting the last few months. But in the end, when she answered the door to him in a suit jacket with no tie, but suspenders peeking out, she knew resistance was futile.

In the end, she decided to just roll with it. For a few hours, she pushed her resentment aside. She laughed with him like she hadn't in a very long time. He allowed himself to let his gaze linger on her until she felt her cheeks start to blush. When she asked him about it, his reply was "I feel like I'm allowed now."

They ended up facing each other in front of her building, having walked back, enjoying the cooler summer night.

"Well, this isn't the worst first date I've ever been on" she said, goading him a little bit.

"Really? You thought that was a good date?" She punched him lightly on his shoulder. He smiled at her, grabbing her hand lightly.

"In all seriousness, Liv. Thank you for going out with me tonight. I know you're mad. I know I have work to do. I don't expect you to just fall into my arms and have everything be perfect. I don't. I need you to know that. But I'm willing to work. And wait. Jump through every hoop you throw at me. The truth is I want to be with you. I'm all in with you if you will have me."

She yanked his arm, pulling it around her back, pressing her lips to his before she could stop herself. He quickly wrapped his other arm around her, letting her lead him with her lips. She gave him one last quick kiss before pulling back.

"Good to know, Rafa. I'm still mad. More like hurt/mad. But I know it's something I can move past. It will just take some time."

"I will wait as long as I have to, Liv. You have my word on that."