The rest of the evening went relatively well. Elliot had kept a respectable distance and eventually had slipped out without fanfare. Rafael had tried to leave Olivia to circle the room without him but each time he would try, she would slip her hand into his. By midnight, she was beginning to fade. The late nights of packing and getting their affairs in order was taking their toll.

"Shall we go rescue Mami and Lucy from the impromptu slumber party that is happening in our home right now?" Lucia was meant to take Noah home with her for the evening, but as the kids gathered together for what would be the last time in awhile, they had asked for a cousin slumber party to which no one had the heart to deny them.

"About that, Mami and Lucy agreed to stay the night with them."

"And where do you suggest we sleep Mr Barba?" She teased, as Rafael held up a hotel key card in his hand.

"How?" She asked confused.

"I booked us a room. Noah was going to stay with Mami and I thought it would be nice to have a little staycation before the madness of moving begins in a couple of days. I had Lucy pack you a bag and she met me at the hotel before I went to the precinct this morning as I checked in. We have a late check out tomorrow. I thought we could have a sleep in and then brunch before we headed home." Olivia placed a hand on his cheek before leaning in to kiss him.

"That sounds perfect Rafi."

They had said their goodbyes to everyone. They would be seeing Amanda, Sonny and Finn before they leave as they were having breakfast on the day they were flying to DC.

Rafael had insisted Olivia take the first shower. He had wanted to quickly check in on work to make sure nothing had come up in his absence. Olivia couldn't help but be disappointed that he didn't join her. With the exception of a few stolen kisses, Rafael had not initiated anything more. She understood it, but she missed him. She had hoped his booking them a room meant he was ready. As she came out, she found him closing his laptop.

"Everything okay?" she asked.

"Yeah. I am officially on leave, I just wanted to check in with Carmen. I had sent her a few things on the plane."

"I'm done with the bathroom." She said as he nodded grabbing his pjs sitting beside him. Rafael dropped a kiss to her temple.

"You don't have to wait up for me. I know you're tired."

"I want to." She replied.

"I won't be long."

Rafael found her on her side of the bed with her head on his pillow. As he lay down he opened his arms as she slid closer to him. Rafael dropped his lips to hers as she arched towards him deepening their kiss. Olivia wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him towards her.

"Rafa," she murmured longingly as she held his gaze. Rafael covered her lips with his as he held her tightly against her. Rafael had made love to his wife slowly, savouring the moment. As they had come together for the first time she clung to him.

"I love you Rafa, wholeheartedly and completely." Her soft voice begged him to hear.

"I know Baby, I know. I love you too." He said tearfully.

They had spent the rest of the night and parts of the early mornings getting reacquainted with each other's body. They had skipped breakfast and opted for a later brunch in one of their favourite diners. They had taken a walk through some of their favourite routes. By the time they had walked through their home, there was a distinct change in their manner that had Lucy and Lucia exchanging a somewhat relieved look.

"Papi, Mama!" Noah greeted happily upon seeing them, immediately launching himself at them.

"Hi Sweetheart," Rafael said affectionately as they received him in their arms,

"Did you have a good time with your cousins?" Olivia asked as Noah nodded enthusiastically telling them all about what they got up to.

Their last days in New York flew by. They had spent most of it doing their favourite things in New York. The moving van had picked up everything on the morning they were flying. They had timed it so they would get there just before it arrived. Carmen was on stand by just in case they were delayed. They only had the one truck as they had already fully furnished their new home and what was coming in the trucks were their favourite pieces of furniture, the rest of their clothes and memories collected through the years.

Whilst Noah and Olivia had been part of choosing their home and picking out furniture, they hadn't seen it come together. Rafael was looking forward to seeing their reaction upon seeing the place fully furnished.

"Oh Rafa," Olivia gasped as they walked into their new home.

"You like?" He asked,

"I love it."

"I want to see my room." Noah exclaimed excitedly.

"Go on ahead my love."

There was something about the house that made it seem like a new beginning for all of them. It made them all look forward to what was ahead. Olivia slipped her hand into Rafael's, he smiled at the joy on her face. As apprehensive as he was about her decision to move, looking at the peace on her face made him want to believe that it was the right thing.

They had a couple of days to settle in. Noah would start at his new school midweek. Liv was going to take some time off as she sifts through the offers she was already receiving. Rafael wasn't going back to work until Noah had started school. He and Liv were going to drive him in on the first day to get him oriented.

"You excited for tomorrow Mijo?" Rafael asked as Noah got ready for bed.

"I am. I mean I'm nervous, but more excited."

"I'm excited for you."

"Will you be home when I get home?"

"Yeah honey, Mami and I will pick you up. I am working from home this week. I won't be back in the office until next week."

"Can we do spaghetti night?"

"Well of course, it's Wednesday."

After they dropped Noah off to school, Rafael and Olivia went and had breakfast at one of Rafael's favourite spots. He loved being able to share his favourite spots in DC with his wife. When she and Noah came on weekends they had mostly stuck to activities that Noah would enjoy.

"How's the process of elimination coming along?" He asked knowing that she had been sifting through the offers that had come her way.

"I haven't really thought about it to be honest. This is the first time my brain is not going a hundred miles an hour in a long time. I am enjoying it."

"Well you know there's no rush. You deserve to take a break. You can even write that book you've always wanted to write, on your terms. Or you can just enjoy uninterrupted time with Noah. It's your turn to take the hip hop classes. Papi can retire." He teased.

"I don't know about the hip hop classes, that's definitely more up your alley but all the other things sound good. But you and I both know I like the idea of that and then eventually I will end up alphabetising everything in our home. From books to spices because I'm restless when both you and Noah are at work and at school."

"Well we will make sure you don't get to that part. You can always consult. For now just enjoy not having to be switched on all the time. Hard as that may seem."

"It honestly easier than I thought it would be. Maybe it's because it's a new environment." Rafael placed a hand over hers and have it a squeeze.

They had headed back to their new home shortly after so Rafael could log into work. Olivia was going to start unpacking what had come with the moving truck. Olivia knocked on Rafael's office door unsure if he was in a meeting.

"Come in," he said turning,

"I made lunch if you're not in the middle of something."

"That sounds great. I've just finished up a meeting and I am starving." Olivia chuckled. Rafael's appetite and metabolism matched their growing kid.

"Did Noah confirm what time he's finishing up?" Rafael asked knowing that Noah wanted to see if he could join a drama workshop.

"He sent a message on our group chat to say that he spoke to the drama teacher and he encouraged him to come this afternoon."

"That's great. I haven't even looked at my phone since we got home." He said apologetically.

"That's because we're all in the same town and you know where we all are." She assured him, she knew when they were in New York and he was in DC no matter how busy he was, he constantly looked at his phone.

"I used to be the same way when you were here and we were there."

Life in DC and the Benson-Barba's came with ease. It certainly was the blank canvas they needed to be able to start again. Noah thrived in his new school. He loved the opportunities he was able to participate in all the things that was available in a performing arts school. His love for the arts continued to grow.

Weeks and months passed quickly. Olivia found herself loving the change of pace that she thought she would be bored of. She was heavily involved in Noah's school. She taught classes at Georgetown University and low key working on her book. Rafael worked hard but family was a non-negotiable. Despite the nature of his job, he was home most evenings to cook with the family and have dinner together. Even if it meant that he would log back in at night to finish things off when everyone had gone to bed, he made a point to prioritise evenings together.

He and Liv made a point to have date night at least once a fortnight. Before Lucia had retired and moved into the space they had especially for her, she would visit every other weekend leaving her and Noah to have quality time together which they used for date night. It took many weeks rebuild what had toppled over and even months later they remain a work in progress. Every so often Olivia would catch something in his eye, a sadness, a lingering doubt he tried so hard to hide, but it was the lack of certainty that would sometimes creep in the broke her heart every time. She wanted so badly to give that back to him.

Rafael loved Olivia and he showed her in every which way he could. There was no doubting he loved her. She wasn't sure he had the same faith in her love for him, and if she allowed herself to ask, she'd guess his answer would be no. She understood why and she prayed that one day, he would know without a shadow of doubt it was him and only him she loved and could not imagine life without.

Elliot had kept a respectable distance. He checked in by text or at times email. Out of respect and full transparency, Olivia would mention it in passing to which Rafael was always supportive and asked after him.

For the most part, they had resumed some normalcy. Olivia and Rafael worked on their marriage tirelessly, which included going back to their marriage counsellor where they were able to unpack much of what remained unsaid for so long. Olivia saw the depth of hurt that Rafael carried that rooted from the first moment Elliot appeared. Rafael could see that Olivia tortured herself for the lingering distance between them that they couldn't quite close, but Rafael believed that time will eventually close that gap and he tried to reassure her as much as he could.

AN: That's it for this story folks. Thanks for coming along the journey. Hope you enjoyed it.