In the span of 4 days, I have officially become Barson trash...

Pretty much always in sync, she threw open the door as he stepped off the elevator. All she could do is look at him. No t-shirt and jeans (wishful thinking on her part) but his tie was loosened and askew. His hair seemed a touch wind blown. And he looked exhausted.

He gave her a slight smile as she took a step back so he could enter her apartment. Like a million times before, he threw his jacket across a chair and crossed the room and sat down on the end of the couch. This was just the first time she realized it MEANT something. He leaned back and closed his eyes for a moment and all she could do is stare at him. She had no words. For the first time since she met him 5 years ago, she had no words.

"Drink?" was all she was able to spit out. He opened his eyes and looked at her. "Coffee. Williams has the cheap scotch in his office."

Williams. She shook her head as she made the coffee. Her least favorite ADA, but the one he seemed to develop almost a friendship with during his time in the office.

She handed him the mug and sat down opposite him. Waiting. Still no words. She could only imagine what anyone like Elliott or Alex or Nick or Cragen or Tucker would have to say about that. Her having no words because of this man sitting in front of her.

"Barba..." she started and he just held up his hand. He took a long drink of his coffee and sat it down. She did the same and turned toward him.

"Well, I'm not officially fired. But the DA did grant me 4 weeks forced vacation. He is at least going to pay me for the duration." She felt a tightness in her chest loosen. She didn't even realize it had been there.

"So you..."

"Not quite. He said he needed some time to think. And that I needed some space too. Hence the 4 weeks off."

"Space for what?"

He looked at her. Really looked at her. He so rarely did that and it was usually after a very stressful case and long days and they were in one of their offices late at night, lights dimmed. To have him do it here, in the full light of her apartment. Well, she felt that tightness start to come back.

"He thinks that... him and I talked about... he questioned..." Barba just shook his head and sighed. She watched him struggle with the words. Something she didn't know was possible with him. No words. How many people would be laughing about this right now, watching the two of them struggle to put thoughts into words.

"Raf..."

"You know what? Later. We can do that later. Anyway, so after I got out of the DA, I went back to my office to get some stuff and Williams was there waiting and he offered that cheap ass scotch and we drank for a bit. He asked what I was going to do for 4 weeks and when I said I had no clue, he offered me their old family house in the Keys. He said it's nothing special and that his family rarely uses it anymore, but there are 3 bedrooms and it faces the beach and there is amazing Cubano food all over the place so I took him up on it. He said they will have it ready for me when I get there tomorrow."

It's like someone had gut punched her. 4 weeks of him in Florida and her here, with no reason to speak. And he was leaving tomorrow. It hurt. A lot. She didn't even realize what she was doing until she had her calendar up in front of her face.

"Noah starts spring break a week from tomorrow. The daycare and preschool are closed and I was just going to take the time off and stay here but... unless you would rather..."

"Yes." And that's all. They smiled at each other and left it at that. She knew there was more but that was for a later date. It would happen for sure, but not now. For now they just nodded at each other, and sat in a comfortable silence, drinking their coffee.