Time Jump:
Following Olivia out of the car, they made their way through the crowd forming in front of an alleyway. The only thing keeping them from getting any closer was the three officers and yellow tape. He ignored the low murmurs as he pushed past them. Reaching the front, Olivia flashed her badge to the young officer.
"He with you?" The officer pointed to Barba. "Don't know we were using wolves now."
Olivia paused for a moment. "Experimental K-9 force we are conducting."
'Experimental what?'
Already imagining the look on his face, she rolled her eyes. "Said the first thing that popped up."
'Try harder next time.'
"If you're going to be shadowing me like this, you will have to wear something." She spoke lowly so as to not seem she had lost a screw.
Barba growled. 'You are not putting a collar on.'
"Quit with the growling." Looking at the crime scene, she addressed one of the officers. "What happened?"
"It's a bad one." He muttered. "Victim was walking to the subway when she said she was snatched and pulled into the alley."
"Was she-"
"Yeah." He handed her the girl's ID. "They will be transporting her to the hospital, you can ride along."
"I have a k-9 with me. I'll meet them there, make sure they conduct a rape kit."
Barba zoned them out, picking up on a pugnacious smell. It reeked of sweat and pheromones. Following the scent towards one of the dumpsters, he groaned at not being able to reach in. Growling loudly he huffed at being ignored. Trotting back to Olivia, Barba grabbed the hem of her shirt and pulled her towards the dumpster. Scratching at the bottom of the said dumpster he growled once more.
Opening the lid she peeked in to find a sweater and shirt at the very top of the pile. Calling over one of the officers, they reached in for the clothes and secured them in an evidence bag. "Get these to the lab and put a rush on the DNA."
"Yes ma'am."
'This is so degrading.' Barba growled.
"Let's go, we need to get to the hospital." Liv ordered.
So this was what has become of his life. Barba winced at the heavy petting the child gave him. Olivia spoke with the victim and the mother, while he was tasked with distracting the younger brother. The kid was pushing his tolerance for the week. Feeling the sticky hands run down his back, he gave it a warning growl. Thankfully Olivia seemed to get the hint and wrapped up the interview.
"I have to head home." She told the wolf. "Noah is being dropped off in an hour."
'Angelous.'
'Yeah?'
'Have some clothes dropped off at Olivia's place?' He jumped through the car's window. 'And make sure there two rooms are set up for her and Noah. If I'm correct, they will be waiting for her.'
'Consider it done.'
Walking up the steps to her building, she frowned at the clothes laying inside a bag by the door. Peeking inside she found a suit. "This yours?" Barba nodded his head. Grabbing the bag, she led them into the unit. "You know where the towels are."
Taking the bag in his mouth, he trotted into the bathroom. After spending nearly half the day shifted he was beginning to feel dirty. Shifting back Barba groaned at the relief his body felt. "I may be overdoing it."
'Rafa, you hungry?' Olivia tapped on the door.
"No."
'You sure? You haven't eaten anything today.'
She wasn't wrong. "Okay."
'Should be ready by the time you're done.'
"Olivia wait." Looking down he noticed his shirt had been in the sink when he open the faucet. "Do you have a dryer?"
'Yes.'
Open the door enough to stick his hand out, he held the shirt out to her. "Could you please dry it? It got wet."
"Sure." Grabbing the item, she left him to do whatever he was doing.
After taking his shower, he stepped out to remember he didn't have a shirt. With a loud huff, he half-changed. Walking out of the bathroom and bedroom, he found Olivia finishing plating their lunch. Seeing the meat on the plate made him chuckle.
"I don't just eat meat." He muffled his laugh at the slight jump she gave.
"How are you so light on your feet?" She turned to face him, her eyes instantly taking in his upper naked half. "Oh, uh, your shirt is still drying."
He shrugged. "I can wrap myself if it bothers you?"
"No." She didn't mean to blurt it out so quickly. "I mean, if you don't want to that is."
Barba picked up on the skip her heartbeat gave. Taking a seat at the table he waited for her to do so. "I have a few of the pack mates patrolling the block. If I can't be here, they will be. Anything and they will let me know."
"Will they be shifted?" Olivia asked.
"It's up to them. Should they be shifted, they will not be visible. We don't want animal control to be called." Barba looked up at hearing her laugh. "What?"
"Sorry, it's just I can't imagine one of you being hauled to puppy jail." She spoke through her fit of chuckles.
Barba hummed. "It has happened. Kind of difficult to explain how a naked man ended up inside the same cage a wolf was." Taking the plate he busied himself with eating. He felt her gaze on him every so often. But every time he looked up, she'd turn away. "Has Aaron given any updates on the case?"
"He did say that they brought in another lawyer." She replied. "Give you the time you needed. They found Matlof's biological mother."
"Let me guess, she wanted nothing to do with him?"
"Yeah, it's also where his obsession for Native American culture came from." Olivia said.
Barba frowned. "She's an Indian?"
"Yes."
"Well, that's something new we didn't know before." Pushing the empty plate away, he crossed his arms on the table and leaned forward. "I don't like the idea of you staying here."
"This is Noah and mines home. I won't let whatever this is take that away."
"Alright." He understood her. He wouldn't give up his home that easily either. Blood would be drawn should anyone attempt to do so. "Will you be leaving the apartment again?"
"I have to take Noah to the library and he also wanted to stop by for some pizza." She gathered the plates and took them to the sink. "Why?"
"I have to attend to another matter. I will have Angelous and Enzo accompany you. They will not be shifted, so don't worry about attracting unwanted attention." Although he was sure Noah would have preferred they were.
Olivia wasn't too thrilled with the idea of being followed, but she wasn't about to argue with him. Not now at least. "Alright."
"I know this isn't something you like, but it's the only way I can ensure nothing happens to you." Barba dipped his head to catch her eyes. "I can promise you this. Once we take care of this, I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you."
Raising her head, Olivia watched and looked for any false or doubt in his eyes. "The rest of your life?"
He frowned, unaware he had spoken those words. "Sorry, I-I hadn't mean-."
"Rafa." Placing her hand over his, she managed to stop him before he ruined whatever had just happened between them. "It's fine. Don't get so flustered by it, I like to think we'd be well into our 80's squabbling."
He chuckled. "Wouldn't that be nice."
