It was seven o'clock that evening when Carisi showed up at Barba's office with a bag filled with Chinese take-out. He knocked on the open door and waited for Barba to look up from his work.

"Yes, Detective?" Barba asked.

"I knew you'd still be here," Carisi grinned, "and I take it you haven't had dinner yet?"

Barba looked over at the clock on the wall. He leaned back in his chair, "is that an offer?"

Sonny held up the bag, "best Chinese take-out in Manhattan."

Rafael eyed him suspiciously, "are you trying to bribe an assistant district attorney with food?"

"'Course not," the lopsided grin on his face widened, "just a friendly offering of food with absolutely no strings attached."

"I somehow doubt that," Barba said, but he could feel his stomach growl and the smell of food had now filled his office, "come in," he conceded.

Sonny crossed the space from the door to Barba's desk in a few easy steps and set the bag down. He pulled out the cartons of food and spread them out on the table.

Barba eyed the amount of food he had bought, "were you expecting an entire courtroom for dinner?"

"Just thought you'd be hungry, and now we have dinner to heat up for tomorrow."

Barba paused, a carton of food in his hand, "tomorrow?"

Carisi shrugged, "it should stay good for a few days if you don't feel like Chinese two days in a row."

"A bit presumptuous, don't you think?" Barba raised a brow.

"Oh," Sonny said, clearly flustered, "I didn't mean to–I just figured, if you were eating late that maybe we could, since I'll be at your office, but of course we don't have to..."

"What are you rambling on about, Carisi?" Barba's brows furrowed. Then his face went from one of confusion to realization, "wait... you?"

Carisi looked sheepish, "Liv didn't tell you?"

"Must have slipped her mind."

Carisi set down his fork, "I guess I didn't go about this the right way, Counselor. Liv wants someone keeping an eye out for you with the death threats and all. She wanted someone that you both trust, and I guess I fit the bill."

Barba said nothing, just stared at him.

"You're looking at your new security detail," Sonny gave a half smile and pointed at himself.

"And do I have a choice in the matter?"

"Well, you could say no, but then Liv might kill both of us."

Barba sighed, "so what exactly does this security detail entail?"

"I'll explain while we eat. I don't know about you, but I'm starving."

XXX

Barba walked out of his bedroom carrying a comforter and a pillow. He entered the living room and had to bite back a smile at seeing Carisi in flannel pajama pants and dark t-shirt.

"I see you're making yourself comfortable," he set the bedding on the end of the couch.

"Actually, this feels a bit constricting, at home I sleep naked," Carisi grinned.

Barba blushed and busied himself with the books on the table to hide his face, "I think we might need to establish some house rules," he muttered.

Carisi plopped down cross-legged on the couch, "no sleeping naked, what else?"

When Barba could finally look at Sonny without his face heating up he sat down on the couch, "whoever wakes up first makes coffee."

"Sounds reasonable," Sonny agreed.

"I like to get to the office by eight, sometimes earlier if I have to go to court, and I guess we'll figure out everything else as we go."

"And remember, if you're going anywhere out of the courthouse, you call me and I'll be there. Think of me as your shadow," Carisi smiled.

Barba rolled his eyes, "god, I thought I got rid of that when you passed the bar."

But secretly he was grateful. Because while he would never admit to this, things had been bad even before he was assaulted. The letters, reading detailed descriptions of how he could be murdered, being told over and over that one day he would walk out of the office and never be seen again, was taking its toll. He hadn't slept well in weeks. He rarely went out, keeping himself either at the office or his apartment. The only other time he didn't feel like he needed to look over his shoulder was when he was with SVU.

And it wasn't just anyone here, it was Carisi. It was Carisi sleeping on his couch. It was Carisi with his glock rested on the end table. It was Carisi looking at him like he was something that deserved protection. Like he was worth saving.

Barba suddenly filled with guilt. Carisi was going out of his way to do this, because sleeping on his couch and going with him to and from the office was in no way an SVU detectives duty. But yet, he was here.

He had to remind himself it was because Olivia had asked him. Of course that was why Carisi was here. He would never say no to an order from her.

Barba didn't realize how long they had been sitting there in silence until he looked over and saw that Carisi had pulled out a book and was reading. He glanced at the cover and got the gist that it had something to do with law.

"I thought you already passed the bar," Barba noted.

Carisi looked up from his book, "gotta stay on my toes. Never know when someone will commit a crime in rural Idaho and try to get away with it."

Barba raised a brow, "you're reading about the Yellowstone jurisdiction fiasco?"

"You know about it?" Sonny asked.

Barba gave him a look.

"Yeah," Carisi laughed, "of course you do."

"So what's your take on it?" Barba asked, "if someone committed a murder in those 50 square miles of Yellowstone in Idaho, should you prosecute?"

"You'd have to," Carisi said, "it's a crime."

"What about the vicinage clause? If that area jurisdictionally belongs to Wyoming, but is in the state of Idaho, in an area, I must point out, that has no residents, how would you assemble a jury?"

"So you're saying you wouldn't prosecute?" Carisi asked.

"No," Barba said, "I'm saying you need to argue your case. It's not enough to have passion, you also need precedents and case law. You can't just be right, you need to be able to go in front of a judge and jury and prove it."

"So what's your take?"

Barba shook his head, "you'll have to figure it out for yourself."

"Fine," Sonny said, just a hint of a whine in his voice, but he was secretly pleased. He and Barba were talking, even if it was about criminal law. And despite his aloof dismissal, Barba was giving him advice, and at that point Sonny would have given just about anything to keep their conversation going.

"What was the hardest case that you've ever had to argue in court?"

"You really want to hear my old court stories?"

Carisi nodded and then pulled the comforter onto his lap and leaned back for effect, "you've got a captive audience of one who's got lots to learn."

Barba shook his head, but began to talk despite himself. He started by telling Carisi about one of the first cases he had prosecuted back in Brooklyn and before he knew it he had told him stories he had never told anyone before.

It was well past three in the morning when Barba looked at the time and yawned, "we better both get to sleep," he stood up from the couch, "goodnight, Carisi."

"'Night, Counselor."

"We're not at work, Sonny, you don't have to call me Counselor."

Sonny smiled, "goodnight, Rafael."