What About Us?

Chapter Four

Over the next couple of weeks they settled into a new normal. Liv woke every morning to a new message from him and every night she would write him before going to sleep. They would Skype every few days making him feel even closer. Noah would excitedly tell him about school and soccer. He told him about how Liv was reading him Charlotte's Web at bedtime. They were surprised one night as they were getting ready for bed and the iPad pinged with the familiar sound of him calling them.

"Hey, we weren't expecting you." She answered warmly.

"I know but I was up early to get ready for a hearing and though I might catch Noah before bed." He explained through the fuzzy screen.

"Sure", she said carrying the iPad into his room, "Noah someone wanted to talk to you."

"Rafa! He yelled excitedly taking the iPad from Olivia.

"Hola, Amigo, I thought I could read to you tonight." He told him as he pulled out his own copy of Charlotte's Web. "What chapter are we on?"

"Four!" Noah told him happily as he and Liv Settled on the bed and listened to Rafael read. Soon Noah was asleep and Rafael closed the book.

"Are you OK Liv? You look tired." He asked her with concern in his voice.

"I'm fine Rafa tired but OK, It's been a hard case, Stone is an ass and I probably have a little bit of that virus Noah had last week." She told him honestly.

"You're taking care of yourself right? Sleeping OK?" He asked still concerned.

She smiled a little, "I's probably sleep better if I wasn't alone."

Rafael smiled back at her, "Soon enough My Love, seriously though, if you aren't feeling better in a few days promise me you will go to the doctor."

"I'm find Rafael." She said slightly annoyed but appreciative of his concern.

"Please Liv." He said again.

"OK, Rafa if I don't feel better by Monday I will go to the doctor. Now let me get some sleep." She promised.

"I love you Liv." He reminded her.

"I love you too, good luck at your hearing." She told him before hanging up and falling asleep on Noah's bed with him.

The next few days were nonstop work, she made it home to sleep it and shower. She was thankful as always for Lucy and all that she did, especially since Liv had worked straight through the weekend. She hadn't spoken to Rafael since that night he had read to Noah and she hadn't had time to write him or even read his letters. She looked at her clocks as she climbed into bed, she had added a second one to her bedside table so she would know what time it was in Turkey. It was seven in the morning there and she hoped he would be around.

"Hey, Beautiful." He answered quickly, "Did you wrap the case?"

"Yes, arraignment is tomorrow." She told him her head falling back against the pillow.

"How are you?" He asked.

"Exhusted, I have barely seen Noah in three days and I haven't even had time to read your letters, I'm sorry." She apologized a little teary in her exhaustion.

"Liv, if there's anyone that understands it's me. I'm sorry I'm not there to do more." He told her. "It's Tuesday by the way are you going to go to the doctor?" reminded her.

'Rafa it's just the case…" She started.

"Liv" He said flatly.

"Give me two good night sleeps and then I will go if I'm not better." She promised again.

"Ok, then get some sleep Love." He said still worried about her.

"Raf?" She asked hesitantly, "Can you just stay for a few minutes, talk to me, sing to me, anything."

Rafael smiled, "Of course."

She heard him clear his throat and start singing softly:

You said "I love you" to me

I don't know what that means

So I froze in my feet

People use it too carelessly

And I couldn't believe

That you would dive in so deep

And you said perfectly

Everything I've been feeling about you

It's time to break the chains that held me back from you

So come on and

Take a little bit of my

Heart tonight

No, I literally don't mind

Just please don't misplace it

And take a little bit of my

Heart tonight

No, baby be mine now

Baby, be mine now

Maybe it's time we put our hearts in a parallel line

Well I was never the type

To put it all on the line

But I've been changing my mind since you opened my eyes

It was a way that the light

Picked you out of that night

Then you were right by my side

Put a soul in my body

And now it's time to close the space between the two of us

Maybe it's time we put our hearts in a parallel line

Well I was never the type

To put it all on the line

"Liv?" He asked softly, but from where she had propped the iPad up on her bedside table he could see she was sleeping. He sat and watched her for a few minutes studying her features, worrying about her and second guessing his decision to spend half a year thousands of miles away from her. He was just about to hang up when he saw her bedroom door open and Noah appear half asleep in him Paw Patrol pajamas carrying Eddie the Elephant.

"Noah, don't wake Mommy up." He whispered.

"Rafa, I've missed you and Mommy." The boy told him.

"I'm sorry Amigo, do you want me to read you a little of Charlotte's Web?' He asked him hoping it would let Liv sleep a little.

"OK, Rafa." He answered sleepily dozing back off quickly once Rafael started reading.

He sat and watched both of them sleeping, knowing the work that he was doing was important and that he was needed where he was but that his heart was laying together in New York. He promised himself that he would do the best work he could while he was there and then get home to them. He didn't care what else New York had for him as long as it had the two of them.

The next morning Liv woke just in time to feed Noah breakfast and get him to school. She had taken the day off after wrapping the case. Normally if she had a day off when Noah was at school she would catch up on paperwork or housework today though all she could think about was crawling back into bed. That wasn't like her and she decided Rafael was right and she called and made herself a doctor's appointment surprised when she could get one later that day.

She sat in the doctor's office telling her about how tired she had been and how Noah had been sick she figured that was probably it.

"Maybe, Olivia, or maybe something else. Do you know when your last period was?" She asked her.

Olivia sat for a minute trying to think, "It's probably been two months, I guess, maybe a little. Do you think I'm starting menopause?" She asked knowing it wasn't a far off possibility.

"Well, that's possible but you'd be on the younger side still. Olivia are you seeing anyone?" The doctor asked and Olivia laughed.

"Sort of, but he's been in Turkey for work for almost two months now." She explained

"And before he left were the two of you sexually involved?" The doctor asked trying to connect the dots for Liv.

Olivia studied her for a minute, "One night, shortly before he left.'

"And you haven't had your period since then? Olivia have you taken a pregnancy test?"

Olivia looked at her in disbelief, "You don't really think that's possible do you? At my age? What are the odds?"

"Not likely but not unheard of either, there's one way to find out though." The doctor answered her with a smile.

Several minutes later the doctor walked back in with a smile on her face, "Well congratulations Olivia Noah is going to be a big brother. You are about eight weeks along."

Olivia stared at her in disbelief, "Are you sure?"

The doctor laughed, "Completely, but we'll have you come back for an ultrasound next week so you can see with your own eyes. Will the father be back by then? You said you are sort of involved? Will he want to be a part of the baby's life?"

Olivia looked at her again, "No, he won't be back for four more months. It's more than sort of it's just complicated because of how it started and now he's gone, but yes he will want to be involved. I mean he's currently reading Noah Charlotte's Web from half way around the world."

The doctor smiled at her again, "He sounds wonderful, and you should tell him soon though so you two can talk about if he wants to come home sooner."

Olivia nodded still trying to comprehend everything that had happened. She picked up her phone and quickly punched Amanda's number and asked her if she could meet for lunch. An hour later they were seated in a café shock on Amanda's face.

"You're going to have a baby? You and Barba are going to have a baby?" She repeated.

"That's what the doctor said." Olivia confirmed again.

"How long have you two been…" She stopped realizing she was overstepping.

"Just after the trial, before he left for Turkey. I mean we are planning for a future when he gets back but neither of us planned on this." Liv told her. "I don't know how I'm going to tell him."

"Liv, do you love him? Does he love you?" Amanda asked her.

"Yes, and yes." Olivia answered.

"And he and Noah get along?"

"They adore each other." She said

"Then everything is going to be fine." Amanda assured her. "Just don't wait to tell him you guys don't need a secret like this between you."

Olivia nodded and hugged her friend and went to pick Noah up from school. They ate dinner and played with his Legos before bedtime. Rafael had sent her a message earlier in the day he would be traveling and not around at bedtime. That he would let he know when he got back to the camp but it might be a couple of days.

It was in fact three days later when her iPad pinged and she knew that it was him. She was just getting into bed which meant it was early in the morning for him.

"Hi" she answered.

"God I have I missed your face." He told her immediately, "I didn't wake you did I?"

"No, I was just getting into bed, tell me about your trip." She said buying a little time.

He told her they had traveled to the embassy for a hearing for one of his clients. He had been able to get visas for an entire family, they were now on their way to meet up with family in Michigan.

"That's wonderful Rafa. I am so proud of you." She told him.

"How are you? Are you feeling better? Did you go to the doctor?" He questioned.

Olivia laughed, "Is this a cross examination? I am feeling a little better still tired, but the doctor says that's to be expected."

"To be expected why? What else did she say Liv?" He asked feeling concerned.

Liv took a breath getting ready to give him the speech she had been rehearsing for three days when all the sudden she heard what sounded and looked like an explosion coming from his side of the iPad.

"Rafael!" She yelled just as the signal went blank.

TBC

Song Credits Keith Urban