Chapter 4

Green Eyed Boys

"I think I am going to need to move." Barba's voice greeted Oliva when she answered the phone.

"Well good morning to you too, Barba." Liv laughed, "I'm surprised it took you four weeks to figure that out."

"Well, I'm sorry I've been a little busy trying to I don't know learn everything about being a parent. It just occurred to that I have got to get the rest of Mari's things and that it might be nice for her to actually have a bedroom." He explained. "So by the way I figure I have two weeks to find a relatively affordable two bedroom apartment in Manhattan, get moved in and settled before I go back to work "

"Oh no problem, well other than the affordable part and the fact that you have a baby to deal with."

"I've done some research and actually found a few in my budget but I would love a second opinion. Would you and Noah want to join Mari and me today? I'll buy lunch, and dinner, and drinks if need be," He all but begged.

"Wow, spending a beautiful October Saturday apartment hunting with the pickiest person I know, a three year old and a baby, what else would I want to do?" Liv said only half kidding.

"Hey, I'm not that picky, I just want a decent place for my girl." He told her and Liv felt herself smile at the sound of Barba calling Mari his girl. "Please Liv?" He asked again.

"Of course we will help, but you're driving." She told him.

"We'll be there in an hour."

Liv hung the phone up and smiled. The truth was she didn't mind at all she was glad to get to spend the day with him and Mari. She had missed working with him, even though they had been spending a lot of time together outside of work over the last month the last week had been busy and she hadn't seen them since last weekend.

"Noah, you want to spend the day with Mari and Barba?" She asked the child who smiled quickly.

"Are we going to the park?" He asked.

"Maybe if there is time but we are going to help Mari and Barba find a new apartment."

"Can we get noodles?"

"I think we can manage that." She said hoping his good mood would last the day.

BarsonBarsonBarsonBarson

"A few? You have a few to look at? Barba we've been to six different apartments. We are way past naptime and we are out of snacks." Liv exclaimed tiredly as Mari began to fuss and Noah whined for more fruit snacks as they walked into yet another building.

"There is just one more after this one, I promise." Barba said, tired himself and frustrated that they hadn't found anything even close to what he wanted. This next one was not looking promising either.

"Well it has two bedrooms" Liv said with a laugh walking around the apartment that would have fit into Barba's living room.

"I'm not sure you can call those bedrooms Liv." He said rolling his eyes. "I think the cells in lock up are bigger."

"Next?" She asked dreading the thought of getting the kids back in the car.

"Yes, the next one is just a block away, should we walk?" He asked feeling the same way about getting everyone back in the car.

"Yes, I even brought my old carrier I had from when Noah was smaller. I tossed it in the trunk." She told him.

When they got out to the car Liv strapped some odd looking combination of cloth and buckles to her chest,"Here put Mari in here." She pointed and laughed at Barba's horrified expression. "It's fine trust me and so much easier than navigating the streets with a stroller".

"If you say so." He said stepping closer to Liv and helping her settle Mari in the carrier standing close enough to realize just how good she smelled. He had been so busy over the last month he hadn't had time to think about her like that but standing this close to her for a minute he was reminded of just how much he liked to be close to her. He took the opportunity to move her out from under the strap on her shoulder and let his eyes connect with hers a little longer than they had recently. God, he loved her eyes.

"I want to ride." Noah said looking at the stroller in the car and the fact that his mother was carrying Mari.

"It's just a short walk Noah, it will be easier without the stroller." Liv tried to explain.

"But Mari's riding on you." He protested.

"Well then how about you ride on my shoulders?" Barba suggested picking Noah up and placing him on his shoulders before he had had a chance to protest.

"Yay, I'm tall! " Noah exclaimed.

Liv smiled at the sight of them. Barba who obviously hadn't shaved in a couple of days in his jeans and a sweater carrying her son on his shoulders while she was carrying his new daughter on her chest as they set off to look at apartments. If a month ago someone had told her this would be happening she would have thought they were crazy. Yet here they were and somehow it seemed perfectly normal.

"Can we race, Mamma and Mari Barba?" Noah asked

Barba laughed, "Maybe later, Amigo."

"See and you thought this was going to be hard." He said flashing Liv his famous cocky smile.

"You still owe me lunch, and dinner and drinks, lots of drinks." She reminded him.

"Good point, let's move." He laughed as they made their way down the street.

They were met by a realtor at the next apartment, who quickly let them in.

"It's nice to meet you Mr. Barba we spoke on the phone earlier," She said shaking his hand. "You must be Mrs. Barba." she said turning to Olivia.

Barba began to stammer but Oliva just smiled at shook her hand, "Please just call me Olivia."

"I need to go to the bathroom." Noah said breaking up the awkward moment.

"Right down the hall to the left." The relator said.

"I'll take him, you have the baby." Barba said wondering still if he should correct the relator.

Liv began to look around the apartment which she had to admit would be perfect for Barba and Mari,

"What do you think Mari? Would you like it here?" She asked the girl who was babbling happily from the carrier.

"I think it's nice." Barba said as he met up with them. "What do you think?"

"I think it's great." She told him. "It's a little further out than you wanted though."

The realtor overheard them and spoke up, "I know of another one about six blocks uptown, the rent is a little more but it actually has three bedrooms. That might fit your needs a little better anyways, the kids can both have their own rooms."

"Actually," Barba started to correct her afraid of what Liv might be thinking but once again she cut him off.

"What's the address?" Liv asked enjoying watching Barba squirm a little.

"Let me go get it for you." The realtor told her.

When she was out of earshot Barba tuned to Oliva, "If I didn't know better I would think you were enjoying this" He whispered.

"Watching you sweat, always." Liv told him without trying to hide the flirt in her voice.

Barba just rolled his eyes and took the card the realtor handed him smiling when he read the address.

"Do you need help finding it?" She asked him.

"Oh, I'm pretty sure we can find it." He said with a glimmer in his eye he turned back to Olivia, "You ready Honey? Looks like we've got another one to look out before we need to get the kids home" He had to bite his lips together to keep from laughing as Olivia tried to control her reaction to what he said.

"Can I just say what a beautiful family you all have?" The relator added, "She has your brown eyes and he has your green ones, just beautiful."

For once neither Liv nor Barba had a smart comeback, only a mumbled "Thank you" was the best they could manage ad they awkwardly left the building.

"So where's this next place?" Liv asked as they made their way down to the street.

Barba smiled again as he handed her the card and watched her face as she read it.

"Barba that's my building," She said in amazement.

"Yeah, hopefully the rest of the neighbors are better behaved." He teased and he scooped Noah back up for the walk to the car. "Ready to head home Amigo?"

"I'm ready for noodles." He answered.

"Me too, Chinese or Italian?" Barba asked him and glanced back at Liv and Mari and smiled, "What's wrong Liv, looks like you are starting to sweat."

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"How did you not know there was an opening in your building Liv?" Barba asked as they unpacked the Italian food they had picked up on the way back to her place.

"I've been a little busy Rafael, you see I have a job, a son, and well my best friend just got a baby and he's been very needy." She teased as she plated fettucine Alfredo up for Noah.

"Is that so? Well now if said friend moves in down the hall maybe that will make things easier." He told her.

"It is a great place for the money Raf, and it would certainly be convenient since Lucy is going to be keeping Mari here too." Liv pointed out.

"Are you sure you are all right with that Liv? I don't want to take away from Noah."

"Barba, we've been over this already, Noah's at preschool half the day anyways and Lucy is more than capable of carrying for both of them. Besides, this way I get to see her more." She told him as she handed the baby a sippy cup of formula and some noodles in her high chair.

"You sure it's not going to be too much of us? If we are living in your building?" He asked

"Too much of Mari, never. You on the other hand we will have to see."

"Oh, so I see you are just after me for my baby?" He laughed.

Oliva took a sip from the wine he had bought, "Well you do buy better wine too."

"Gee thanks." He laughed taking a sip of his and picking up a plate of food.

"I should get Noah to bed." Liv said after they finished eating.

"Yeah we should go too, before my princess turns into a pumpkin."

"Well, since you brought the porta crib back you could always put her down in my room if you want to stay for a while." Liv suggested somewhat timidly.

"That would be nice." Barba told her with a smile.

Liv gathered up Noah and quickly got him changed and settled into bed with a couple of books. The day of apartment hunting had worn him out and he fell asleep quickly. She kissed him and left his room to check on Barba and Mari.

Her bedroom door was open and she couldn't help but stand and watch what she saw. Rafael Barba in blue jeans and a sweater, shoes off dancing slowly with a baby in his arms. Olivia Benson did not even begin to know how to label all of the feelings in her at that moment or how she had felt earlier in the day when he had carried Noah on his shoulders, or how she felt when he smiled at her. She leaned against the door frame and just watched and as he sang to Mari, the same song they had danced to in her living room a month ago. He must have felt her staring because he turned around and smiled at her before laying Mari in the crib.

He came and stood just in front of her trying to read her thoughts.

"I thought that was my song." She said with a smile.

Rafeal took a step closer and brushed a hair back from her face and left his hand on the side of her face, "I guess I've always had a thing for brown eyed girls." He said.

"And apparently I have a thing for green eyed boys." She responded placing her hand over his.

Rafael took a step back but kept her hand in his a pulled her to the living room, "I think we are still waiting on a dance."

He led her to the record player and smiled when he saw that the same record was on it. He let go of her hand just long enough to put the needle in what he hoped was the right place before pulling her into his arms. He smiled when she didn't hesitate at all and pulled her closer as the music started.

I've been searching a long time

For someone exactly like you

I've been travelling all around the world

Waiting for you to come through.

Someone like you makes it

All worth while

Someone like you keeps

Me satisfied. Someone exactly

Like you….

But just lately I have

Realized

The best is yet to come.

Someone like you... etc.

As the song came to an end Rafael pulled back enough to look at her face.

"Olivia" He said quietly, his eyes asking the words that he could not get out.

"Rafael" She answered her eyes sparkling with an answer as she waited for him. This time he placed his hands on with side of her face and brushed his lips over her slowly at first desperately wanting to get this moment right. He pulled back after the first soft kiss and studied her face again before continuing the kiss soft and slow refusing to rush it. He had no idea how much time had passed as he began to move his hand from her face to pull her closer when they both heard footsteps in the hallway and Noah call out for Olivia.

Olivia pulled back and smiled at him, "I'm going to put him back to bed." She told him.

"I'm going to get us some more wine." Rafael said.

When she came back out she found Rafael siting on the couch with two glasses of wine. She sat down next to him took a large sip from her glass and then turned back to him.

"What are we doing Raf?" She asked taking his hand.

"I'm not completely sure, but I know I like it." He told her reaching out and tucking the hair behind her ear again.

"Raf, you've been through a lot in the last month I don't want you to confuse what you are feeling." She said.

"Olivia, I think we both know these feeling were already here a month ago." He pointed out running a hand through her hair.

"Yes, but there's a lot more to think about now." She said closing her eyes at the feel of his hand in her hair.

"There is Liv, everything has changed in my life in the last month except for how I feel about you. No, I don't have all the answers but I want to try and find them with you, because I think we could be really good together. I just need to know if you want to try."

"We have so much to lose Raf if this goes wrong." She said her voice starting to shake.

"And we have so much to gain if we get it right." He pointed out. "Why did you invite me up for pizza a month ago?"

"Because I wanted to be with you. I wanted to be alone with you without everyone else around because I always want to be with you even when I'm mad as hell at you." She told him her voice no longer shaking.

"And why did you ask me to stay tonight?" He asked.

"Because I wasn't ready for the day to be over, because I have been thinking about that last dance for a month now. " She confessed.

"That's all I need to know Oliva. I don't have all the answers, Hell I don't have any answers in my life right now. The only answer I need is to know if you want to try."

Oliva stood up and took his hand and led him back to the record player turning the same song on and kissed him softly.

"Dance with me Rafael." She said as he wrapped his arms around her and laid her head on his shoulder. The answers could wait tonight she was going to be in this moment with the man who made her feel like nobody else ever had.

TBC