"Rafa", Olivia called as she entered her apartment. She was shocked to see him waiting by the door for her.

"I'm here, Liv", he said, soothingly.. His arms were opened wide, ready to accept her.

"I went to Amanda's to talk, Carisi told me you called. I'm sorry if I worried you." She ran into his arms. He wrapped her in a hug, that seemed to make everything right. Olivia felt her arms tighten around Barba's back, and before she knew it she was holding him like a life preserver. "Rafa"."She whispered. Fear crept into her body when she felt him move. Please, don't go, Rafa. She thought to herself.

Suddenly, she was looking into his intense green eyes, she could see love and concern in them. His hands were on her shoulders, comforting her. "I'm here, Liv. I'm here. It's OK. You're OK. We're OK."

"Rafa." She whispered again.

"What is it? Wherever it is that's been bothering you, we'll handle it together. Just talk to me."

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry that I've been so distant, so out of it."

"It's OK, there's nothing to be sorry for, mi vida '', Rafael replied, softly. She took a few tiny steps closer to him, she suddenly wanted no space between them. She tilted her head toward him, and pressed her lips gently to his. She felt his hands press down on her shoulders, reassuring her that he was in the moment with her. His lips caressed hers back, gently, Kissing Barba felt like coming home to where she belonged. She hated to break it, but she needed air.

"Rafa", she whispered. Rafael kept one hand on her shoulder, the other went to her check. He bent his head, and touched his lips to hers as if it was for the first time. It had been days since she allowed him to kiss her like this, but it felt like a lifetime. Her lips were so soft, her scent was intoxicating, somehow it wasn't dulled by the hours spent in an old police station or the 3 cups of coffee he knew she had to get through the day. He felt her hands in his hair as he deepened the kiss. He needed her to know how much he desired her, he felt like she forgot. He broke the kiss only when the need for air became absolutely necessary.

"Te amo", he said. She looked at him with wide eyes, if he didn't know better he would say that she was shocked by his kiss. She smiled, and he gave her a half smile back. it was the smile he reserved only for her.

"Rafa, I want to watch our wedding." She moved away from him, and walked to the couch. Rafael turned on the TV, retrieved their wedding Blu-ray from his desk, put it in the Blu-ray player, and joined his wife on the couch. He wrapped one arm around her back, picked up the remote and pushed play.

Blu-ray

Rafael's apartment cameinto view. "I'm Dominick Carisi. The man behind the video camera said.. "My best friends Rafael Barba and Olivia Benson are finally getting hitched today. Carisi said as he walked up to Barba's apartment building. "I'm the best man, my wife Amanda is The Matron Of Honor " Rafael stepped out of his building in a black tux that fit him perfectly. "And here is Rafael Barba", Carisi announced.

"Carisi, I told you, I hired a videographer", Rafael said.

"The videographer is not your best friend. Amanda and I will give him our footage."

"Liv is my best friend." Rafael replied, his face lighting up

"Well, you're about to marry her. How do you feel?"

"Happy, I've never been this happy, lucky. I'm the luckiest man there ever was or ever will be. I tell this to Olivia all the time. All my life was black and white, she walked into it one day, and lit it up. She is my light, and I can't wait to be her husband, I can't wait for her to be my wife", Rafael answered softly.

"How did you meet her?" Carisi asked.

"You know how."

"Pretend I don't , Barba. Come on, I'm filming here!"

"10 years ago,I was new to Manhattan. Harris was Liv's boss temporarily. I had worked with him before, he wanted me to take a case. He brought your wife, and Olivia to the courtroom I was working in. t smiled at Harris and Olivia, and said something corny to Harris."

"What did you say to Harris?" Carisi asked.

Rafael smiled, and replied. "Take your Daughters To work Day? I wanted to ask, "Take Your Daughter To Work Day , but I didn't because your wife was there too, and I didn't want to be rude".

"So you noticed Liv right away", Carisi stated.

"How could I not? She's breathtaking, and she carries herself with such confidence."

I shook your wife's hand, and then I shook Liv's hand. This might sound strange to you, Carisi, but when I shook Liv's hand I knew I was in trouble. I felt myself smiling and I never smiled."

"Now you smile all the time", Carisi said.

"I do, and it's because of her and Noah."

"When did you realize you were in love with Liv?"

"I knew she was one of a kind a few minutes after I shook her hand when she opened her mouth to convince me to take a case. It wasn't an easy case, and I knew it from the start. I took it in large part because of her, she challenged me. I fell in love with her weeks later. We disagreed about another case, and we were able to easily work things out."

"So you fell in love with her quickly?" Carisi asked.

"Yes , I did, Carisi, but it took us years to get where we are. It took a lot of heartbreak, a lot of love, and a lot of communication. It's true I fell in love with Liv very quickly, but I couldn't make a move. We worked together, and as I fell in love with her I realized she was also my best friend, I didn't want to destroy our friendship. After 6 years, I left the DA's office. It took me time to see that when I left my job, Liv felt like I left her. I missed her, she missed me. I'm now a defense attorney. In 2021 Liv called me to look at a case, I ended up defending the man. After the trial I had a drink with you, and some of the squad members. My mother called to remind me to help her pack for Florida. I didn't want to leave the bar, I was waiting for Liv to walk in the door. Against my better judgement, I left, but when I left I ran into her on the street. I asked her to walk with me, she did, and we kept walking. She helped me pack for my mother, and afterwards I took her to dinner. That dinner was our first date, and we have been inseparable ever since."

"Liv, why are you marrying Barba today?" Amanda asked from behind the camera. Olivia was standing in front of a church in an elegant, yet simple wedding dress Noah was standing next to her.

"I'm marrying Rafa, because he is the one person besides my son to be there for me through everything, no matter what. I only regret that it took me so many years to see it. The truth is, looking back, I fell in love with him very quickly, but he is my best friend, I didn't want to ruin that. I'm so thankful you never gave up on me Rafael Barba. I love you so much", Olivia said, looking into the camera with happy tears in her eyes.

BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB

Rafael looked away from the TV. screen for a moment to find Olivia asleep beside him. He took the TV remote and quickly shut the TV off. He rose from the couch and picked Olivia up bridal style. He began to move into their bedroom when Olivia's eyes opened. "Rafa?" She questioned, sleepily.

"You're alright, you're safe, Liv. Go back to sleep", he whispered, soothingly.

"But I didn't see our wedding vows", Olivia replied softly.

"You don't need to see them on screen. We live them everyday", Rafael responded softly.

Olivia pouted. "I wanted to see them."

We'll watch the whole wedding one day when you're fully awake."

"Promise?"

"I promise", Rafael whispered. Olivia let her eyes close, and Rafael carried her the rest of the way to their bedroom. He placed her gently on the bed, and quickly laid down beside her. He refused to fall asleep, he was waiting for Noah to get home from his visit with Jessie. "Good night, Mi Vida", he whispered to his sleeping wife.

.