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Barba stood next to Liv watching Carisi's interrogation through the observation window in her office. SVU had brought in Warben that morning after finding him hiding out at an old high school friend's house.

"We're still waiting back on the DNA," Benson explained, "but our witness saw Warben leaving the scene just minutes after the first victim was raped."

"Has he asked for a lawyer?" Barba asked, a yawn escaping his mouth.

"No."

"Good," Barba nodded. He took a long sip from his coffee and watched as Carisi leaned back in his chair, his demeanor relaxed.

"I get it man," Carisi said, "you weren't stalking those girls, right? You just cared about them, you were spending time with 'em."

"Right!" The man exclaimed, "that other detective, he was saying all these things about me, but they're not true!"

"I know," Carisi nodded, "not everyone gets it, but I do. So that's why you were at Melissa's work, right? Because you care about her?"

"Yeah," Warben agreed, "she works so much, so I go to the coffee shop to spend time with her."

"You know," Carisi started, "that's real thoughtful of you. A lotta guys wouldn't bother to visit their girl at work."

"That's what I've been saying." Warben was now nodding furiously.

"Now why don't you tell me about Thursday night," Carisi suggested, "I know you didn't do anything wrong, but that other detective? He's not so sure. So I just need you to tell me everything that happened so I can explain to him that you're a good guy and that this is all a misunderstanding."

Barba was impressed as he watched Carisi work. Warben was telling him about how he was waiting for Melissa after work when a man that Barba vaguely recognized walked past him and Benson and continued toward the interrogation room.

"You can't go in there," Benson stopped him.

"I'm Brian Roth, Anthony Warben's attorney."

"He hasn't asked for one," Barba stepped forward.

"I was retained by his mother. Now stop this interview, everything he has said is inadmissible."

"He was informed of his rights," Barba said, "at no time did he request a lawyer. None of his rights have been violated and this line of questioning is completely admissible."

"Who are you?" Roth took a step closer to Barba.

"I'm the ADA prosecuting this case."

Roth gave him a close look before turning back to Benson, "I'll need to speak with my client now."

Benson nodded. She opened the door, "Carisi, you're done."

Sonny looked up at her, "Cap–"

"Warben's lawyer is here," she explained.

"Lawyer?" Warben asked, "I didn't call a lawyer?"

"Your mother hired me, son," Roth walked into the interrogation room, "now don't you say another word."

Carisi walked out of the room and Benson shut the door behind him. She flipped a switch so that they could no longer hear what was happening on the other side of the window.

"I almost had him," Carisi said, looking at Benson, "he was going to confess to the rape."

"He placed himself in her vicinity the night of the attack," Barba said, "that will go a long way if this goes to trial."

Carisi turned toward Barba's voice, "what're you doing here?" He exclaimed, "you were supposed to call me, I would've gotten you..."

"Carisi–"

But Sonny wouldn't let Barba get a word in edgewise.

"What if something had happened?"

"Carisi," Benson put a hand on his shoulder, "you were in interrogation, I walked over to the courthouse and walked back with him."

"Oh," Sonny said, taking a moment to collect himself, "right, sorry."

"Barba, could we have a moment?" Benson asked while eyeing Carisi.

"Of course," Barba said, "I'll be in the squad room."

When Barba was gone, Liv leaned back against the wall. "How're you doing, Carisi?"

"I'm fine," he said, "wish the lawyer woulda shown up about two minutes later, but what can ya' do."

"And how did staying at Barba's house last night go?"

"Good," he nodded, "couch is gonna do a number on my back, but I didn't see anything suspicious."

Benson tilted her head slightly, "I'm glad you're taking this assignment seriously, but if this is too much for you, Carisi, I understand. I can find someone else."

"What?" Sonny asked, "no, of course not!"

Olivia sighed, "part of this assignment was so Barba would start sleeping again, but now you both look like hell."

"We're just working out a few kinks," Carisi flashed her a smile, "it's nothing to worry about, Cap. I'll even make sure Barba's tucked in and asleep by nine."

Benson shook her head and chuckled, but then she grew serious again, "do you promise to tell me if it gets to be too much?"

"I promise, Liv."

But Carisi knew that he would never voluntarily give up this assignment. He didn't care if he was tired or busy or if his back was killing him.

"Okay," she nodded.

When Carisi left Liv's office and found Barba in the squad room he was thankful that the other man didn't say anything about his previous outburst.

"You did a good job on the interrogation," Barba said.

"Ah, it was no big deal," Carisi tried to wave off the compliment that he secretly cherished. Barba rarely gave out compliments, but whenever he did, it left Sonny's face glowing.

"I, um," Barba said, and for the first time that Carisi had ever heard, he sounded uncertain, "I don't think I ever thanked you. I know that being my security detail, or whatever it is you call it, can't be easy. I just... thank you."

"Sure thing, Counselor," Sonny smiled. A compliment and a thank you all in the span of a minute? Carisi was sure this had to be some sort of record.

"DNA came back from the lab," Benson said as she walked toward them from her office, "it's a match to Warben."

XXX

"Rape two," Warben's lawyer argued with Barba.

"We have his DNA from three rapes, he stalked the women for weeks before attacking them. I won't go below rape one."

"Then drop the stalking charges," Roth pressed.

"I'll drop it to stalking in the third, a misdemeanor, rather than felony stalking in the first he'll get if we go to trial."

Roth thought for a moment, "fine," he agreed.

When they were done hashing out the details of the plea deal, Barba walked out of the interview room he and the defense attorney had been using. He usually preferred to have these conversations in his office, but under the circumstances, this was more convenient than all of them picking up and walking over to the courthouse.

Barba walked over to Liv's office, where Rollins, Fin, and Carisi were standing.

He knocked on the door frame, "Carmen still needs to draw up the paperwork, but Warben will be pleading to rape one and stalking three. He'll do a minimum of fifteen years."

Benson nodded, "thanks Barba." Then she turned to look at her detective's, "Fin and Rollins, you two were primary on this, go talk to the victims."

"Got it, Liv," Fin said and they both left the office.

"I was going to head back to the courthouse," Barba glanced at Carisi.

"Got it," Carisi said, then he turned to look at Benson, "I'll be back in a few."

Carisi had begun to follow Barba out of the office when Benson stopped him, "a minute Carisi?"

He stopped and turned, "what's up?"

"Why don't you take the rest of the afternoon off."

"Oh, no, that's okay."

"We got the guy, Carisi. Take the afternoon, that's an order."

XXX

Carisi was walking with Barba back to the courthouse when Barba steered them toward the small coffee cart just before the courthouse steps. Carisi stood there in wonder as the other man ordered a quad shot, "wow, I really do need to get you into bed."

"What was that?" Barba turned and stared at him, his brow raised.

Carisi's face burned, "I didn't mean–" he started, "I just promised Benson that you'd get more sleep, not that like–"

But Barba's name was called before Sonny could finish his blundered explanation and Rafael turned to pick up his large drink. Barba turned and began to walk to the courthouse, Carisi beside him, and muttered, "that's a shame."

Sonny's steps faltered for a moment as he tried to figure out if he had heard Barba correctly and he had to hurry up the courthouse steps to catch up with the man.