Following an enjoyable and informative evening at Lucia Barba's home (which little Noah had been very reluctant to leave), it was agreed that they would have dinner together every Sunday and get to know each other better. Noah agreed most enthusiastically before his mother could even utter a word, and Liv accepted the invitation with gratitude. It really had been a wonderful evening, and she wanted to get to know Lucia more. Not just for Rafa or for herself, but for their baby.
As Noah ran down the pathway towards Liv's car, his arms laden with books with Lucia had permitted him to borrow, Liv felt Rafa's hand on her lower back and she leaned instinctively towards him. He drew his arm around her and held her close.
"Thank you" Rafa said simply, prompting Liv to frown in confusion for a moment, before looking up at him as they walked. "For having dinner with my mother" he added, realising that clarification was needed. "And for agreeing to return" he added lightly. Liv chuckled.
"Of course" Liv replied warmly. "It was kind of her to invite us" she added, "especially considering how far astray I have led her only son" she teased. Rafa scoffed.
"My mother does not see it that way" Rafa assured her. "Besides, she clearly adores you" he added simply. Liv looked up at him with an expression of mild surprise, and she smiled softly.
"She loves you, Rafa" Liv advised. "She trusts me because she trusts you and your judgement" she explained, noticing he seemed uncertain and uncharacteristically quiet. "Even after you got me pregnant" she teased as they reached the car.
"After I-?" Rafa stammered, choking on a laugh as he spoke, his eyes widening. "Liv" he said, speaking her name in a tone somewhere between confusion and remonstration. She looked up at him with a barely suppressed smile as she opened the car door. "So the process had nothing to do with you whatsoever?" he said quietly, amusement present in his eyes.
"Do you mean biologically, or in the eyes of your mother?" Liv teased, smirking at Rafa in a way he found incredibly alluring. Rafa sighed in defeat and closed her car door chivalrously behind her, before closing Noah's too and then heading towards the passenger seat.
The week which followed the dinner at Lucia's was one of the calmest and least stressful ones Liv had experienced in quite some time. News of her pregnancy spread quickly throughout the precinct and beyond, and she quickly proved the rumours correct when she stepped into the building. For the first time in months she was wearing clothes that fit her, and she was finally beginning to accept and embrace her changing body, instead of trying to conceal it. She wore maternity trousers and loose-fitting blouses which fell neatly over her rounded belly, making her condition immediately apparent. Not having to wear her blazer constantly, and not feeling the need to hold files or her bag in front of her, were luxuries she had long since taken for granted. It was as though after holding her breath for the past two months she could finally exhale. And it felt wonderful.
Liv continued to remove herself from situations which could put her baby at risk, such as raids, undercover operations and the arrests of suspects. As her role as Captain was largely supervisory she was able to do a considerable amount of work from the office, which was where she spent the majority of her time, in addition to meeting with victims in the hospital, attending meetings and testifying in Court. Ever since announcing her pregnancy to Fin, she noticed that he seemed keen to be present with her on any occasions she did interact with suspects. His presence was subtle and discrete, and he never undermined her or tried to take over. He was steadfast, loyal and protective, as he always was, and she appreciated it greatly.
Liv was quickly getting accustomed to the lingering stares of NYPD officers, some of whom offered her a polite "congratulations, Captain", or a smile and a nod. When she had stepped into the courthouse on Thursday to attend DiAngelo's sentencing hearing, she felt many sets of eyes upon her. Even Judge Barth's attentions were fixed on her for a few moments, before she declared that Luca DiAngelo would spend the rest of his life in prison – which caused relief and approval to spread throughout the courtroom. Rafa turned around and met her gaze instantly, and she offered him a warm smile. Something she was quite confident Judge Barth also noticed.
In addition to feeling calmer and more relaxed, Liv was also feeling considerably less tired. She was sleeping much better, her nightmares were few and far between, her nausea had disappeared almost entirely, and she had more energy than she had had in some time. Admittedly, by four-thirty she started to feel a little weary, but it was manageable, and she could get to the end of the working day without issue. The iron tablets she had been taking to manage her anaemia were clearly working, and she relieved to know that the condition could be kept under control with the correct management.
Despite feeling generally more calm and assured in relation to her health, Liv still experienced some anxiety in relation to her pregnancy. She understood it was a high risk pregnancy and it had not been without complications, but matters were progressing well and the baby was healthy. And, thanks to her medical care and the management of her anaemia, so was she. Her regular appointments with Dr Lindstrom were helping her deal with her anxiety surrounding her pregnancy and the baby. And it was during these appointments that she realised and acknowledged that something she was feeling much less anxious and concerned about was her relationship with Rafael Barba.
Despite having been uncertain and worried about the nature of their relationship, after they decided to be together romantically Liv felt relaxed, content, and incredibly happy. They had grown closer since his return from Boston, and even more so after he discovered that she was pregnant. The weekends they spent together with Noah had been wonderful, and so becoming romantically involved with each other felt like a natural and seamless progression of their developing relationship. When Liv informed him that she had cleared out two large drawers in her bedroom for him, he had joked that he was "surprised you have the space to offer, given you bought half the clothes in Manhattan". But there was gratitude and warmth in his tone and expression. And she was surprised at how something that had once felt so complicated and impossible was now so incredibly easy and effortless.
When she informed Noah that uncle Rafa was indeed her boyfriend, he had been delighted, which relieved her greatly. When Rafa came over that Friday night Noah had run straight to him and advised that his mother told him that he was her boyfriend. Ever cool under pressure, Rafa handled the conversation well, and Liv marvelled as she watched the bond strengthen between them.
The weekend had been fun, easy and incredibly enjoyable. They ordered pizza and watched a movie on Friday night, before spending Saturday attending Noah's dance class, having lunch out, and then going to the cinema. On Sunday morning Rafa took them both out for breakfast and a trip to the Manhattan Children's Museum, before heading to his mother's for dinner. The weekend had been fun and enjoyable and passed far too quickly for Liv. But she reminded herself that there were many more to come.
As well as spending the majority of the weekend with Noah, Rafa and Liv also managed to spend quality time together, just the two of them. Ever since they had slept together the week before, there had been an unmistakable romantic tension between them, a strong pull which demanded to be sated. Each night after Noah went to bed, they spent time together in the living room and talked, before heading into Liv's bedroom and closing the door firmly behind them.
There was no embarrassment or uncertainty, and no hesitation by either one of them. The feelings they had been experiencing which they had tried to keep at bay had crept through in recent weeks, resulting in occasional kisses, touches and incredible anticipation. Once they were alone, their desires could no longer be ignored, and the primal needs they had been forced to be suppressed overcame them completely.
Any self-consciousness Liv had about her changing body disappeared completely in the company of Rafael Barba. The way he looked at her, touched her, held her, was filled with love and affection bordering on reverence, making it impossible to feel anything other than utterly adored. The sex they had was the most intimate, sensual experiences of her entire life. After spending nearly a decade getting to know each other personally, they took much less time getting to know each other intimately. Rafa touched her body like his words touched her heart and her mind, and he took her to the edge of climax every single time. She clung to him, wrapping her legs around his hips and pulling him deeper inside her, as she cradled his head and panted breathlessly against his neck, biting down on his shoulder to make herself be quiet. He held her as her entire body trembled with orgasm, before going limp in his arms, her entire body utterly exhausted. It was as though they were newly-weds, basking in the blissful bubble of new beginnings, at the start of the newest era of their lives. And, in many ways, they were.
As the new week began and Liv entered the twentieth week of her pregnancy, she marvelled at her renewed sense of energy and how calm and relaxed she felt. After spending the past couple of months in a near constant state of heightened anxiety, it seemed surprising that she could suddenly feel so different. There were moments of disbelief so strong that she convinced herself her current state was only temporary, and 'the next bad thing' would happen soon. And even though it didn't, Liv could not stop herself from anticipating it.
The week started with the apprehensive of the elusive Taxi Cab rapist, who was caught in an undercover sting operation orchestrated by Liv and overseen by Fin. Young rookie cops who fit the victims' profiles were introduced to the areas the rapist was known to have struck, with detectives from various precincts covering them. In the early hours of Tuesday morning he was caught attempting to assault the officer Fin was watching. The young officer kneed him in the groin and elbowed him in the face, disorientating him and breaking his nose. Before he had a chance to recover Fin had grabbed him and threw him down to the ground, pressing his knee into his back as he cuffed him.
The rapist was identified as Ethan Hollister, a thirty-six year old man from the Bronx who was married with two young children. He was interrogated overnight by Fin and an officer from Bronx SVU, who both updated Liv when she arrived in the office the following morning. She was soon joined by the Captain of the Bronx SVU, as well as Rafael Barba and Bronx ADA Laura Hendrix. After a lengthy meeting in Liv's office it was agreed that the Manhattan cases were the strongest, and whilst Barba would argue that the crimes committed across the boroughs should be tried together, if the Judge disagreed he would try the Manhattan cases first.
When the meeting was finally concluded Liv rose from her seat and walked towards the Bronx Captain, shaking his hand and agreeing to keep him fully updated. Polite words were exchanged and visitors left, leaving just Liv and Rafa.
"This case is gonna get a loss of press coverage" Liv sighed. "How soon do you think you can get Hollister arraigned?"
"I can get him arraigned this afternoon" Rafa responded, rising from his seat. "Given the nature and extent of his crimes he'll almost certainly be remanded" he assured her. Liv nodded in agreement. "I'll need time with everyone who worked on the case to prep them for trial, including you" he explained.
"Of course" Liv assured him. "We'll update the victims today, before this reaches the press, and explain that you'll need to meet with them too" she explained. Rafa nodded in agreement. "One of the victims, Libby Stewart, is terrified at the idea of facing him in Court. I'll visit her today and-"
As Liv was talking, she suddenly felt a strong, dull thump in the left side of her belly, the odd sensation taking her aback and distracting her from her thoughts. She broke off mid-sentence and placed her hand instinctively over her belly, lowering her gaze from Rafa and looking down.
"Liv?" Rafa asked, worried and alert, as he quickly walked towards her. "You okay?" he asked. "What is it?" he added quickly, placing a gentle hand upon her arm, in a manner both protective and intent on attracting her attention.
As listened distracted to Rafa she felt another strong, dull thump near where the first one had struck, which confirmed her suspicions over what she thought it was she was experiencing. She exhaled sharply and her lips played into a small smile, as she looked up at Rafa, who was watching her expectantly.
"I think it's kicking" Liv said quietly, her eyes bright, her smile warm. "Here" she said, taking Rafa's hand in her own and pressing it firmly against her belly. Within moments a flurry of kicks struck the centre of his palm, causing his eyes to widen and a sharp burst of air to escape from his lips.
Liv looked up from her belly to Rafa, whose eyes were wide and glassy, his expression one of surprise and interest, as he splayed his fingers across her belly.
"Did you feel it?" she asked hopefully. Rafa swallowed thickly and nodded.
"Yeah" he responded, somewhat huskily, before looking up and meeting her gaze with emotional eyes. "Yeah, I feel it" he added.
Whilst Liv had felt the flutters of movement, this was the first time she had felt the baby kick. And she was glad he had been with her to experience it too. Liv was struck by how deeply affected Rafa was by feeling their baby kick for the first time.
"It's so strong" Rafa stated, sounding surprised, as he kept his hand pressed to her belly, experiencing several more intermittent kicks.
"You should feel it from the inside" Liv teased. Rafa offered Liv a half-smile and nodded in agreement. "This is really happening, isn't it?" she added quietly, her tone somewhere between surprise and disbelief. Rafa looked up at her with warm eyes.
"It is" he replied gently. "Are you alright?" he asked. Liv nodded in response, and Rafa watched her for a few moments, as though he were deciding whether or not it was true. After several moments he nodded in agreement.
The moment was broken by the sound of Rafa's phone ringing, prompting him to sigh in annoyance.
"You should get that" Liv encouraged. "The baby has stopped now" she reminded him.
Rafa exhaled deeply and nodded, before reluctantly removing his hand from her belly, removing his phone from his breast pocket and raising his eyebrows.
"It's the DA" he advised. "Who I suspect will want an urgent meeting" he added. "This is gonna be one hell of a week" he declared.
"Word travels fast" Liv replied. Rafa nodded in agreement and answered the phone, exchanging greetings with his boss and then looking up at Liv.
"Of course" he said on the phone, "I'll be there in twenty minutes" he added, as he and Liv exchanged a quiet goodbye and he left her office.
As Rafa predicted, the week was certainly an incredibly busy and turbulent one. He managed to arraign Hollister on Tuesday afternoon, and he successful argued that he should be denied bail. Despite the best attempts of Rita Calhoun to argue that her client was a family man who was innocent of the crimes and keen to clear his name, Judge Barth agreed with Barba, and the defendant was remanded to Rikers.
The first date of the trial was scheduled for the following Monday, and so the remainder of the week was spent with arranging for the victims and officers involved with the case to meet with Barba and Carisi to prepare themselves for testifying. On Wednesday Barba successfully argued that the Bronx rapes were evidence of a clear pattern of predatory behaviour, and Judge Barth granted his motion to include those cases at trial.
Liv spent the majority of the first half of the week liaising with victims and meeting with them and Barba to prepare for their testimony, as well as completing the necessary paperwork and reviewing the case file in detail to ensure that everything that would be needed had been done. The days were long and relentless, and Liv found herself feeling utterly exhausted by the evenings, falling asleep on the couch before eight most nights, which Noah found incredibly amusing.
On Thursday morning, Liv spent the majority in the morning in a meeting with the Chief of Detectives, before heading straight to the Bronx SVU to meet with the Captain about the impending trial. She then headed back to Manhattan and arrived in the squad-room shortly before two o'clock, feeling slightly light headed. She greeted Fin and headed straight to her office, leaning back in her seat and permitting herself a five minute break which she had been reluctant to accept that she needed. She placed her hand on her belly and was immediately met with a flurry of kicks, prompting her to smile softly as she leaned back against her seat and closed her eyes. She was still feeling rather light-headed, and a growl from her stomach reminded her that she had not eaten yet.
Realising she was feeling rather hungry, Liv reached into her bag and removed her purse, and was about to head to the vending machine when there was a knock at the door.
"Yeah?" Liv called, putting her purse back into her handbag and tucking her hair behind her ear, as Fin stepped into our office.
"Sorry, Liv, I know you've only just got back" he said apologetically. "But there's a young woman who's just reported to the desk sergeant she's been raped" he continued. "I got her into an interview room and she got real upset, I think she'd feel more comfortable talking to a female detective" he explained. "Rollins is with Barba preparing her testimony for the Hollister trial, and-"
"Fin, it's fine, I'll go" Liv said amiably, rising from her seat and smoothing down her blouse. Fin's eyes drifted from her face to her belly, then met her gaze once more as she crossed the room.
"Thanks, Liv" Fin responded gratefully. "She's in interview room 4. Her name's Sophie Lincoln" he explained, as she walked with her across the squad room. "She's nineteen years old and attends Hudson University" he explained. "She said her RA attacked her last night after she got back from a party" he added. "She's brought the clothes she was wearing in in a holdall" he added.
"I got it. Thanks" Liv said gently, as she reached the interview room and knocked on the closed door. She waited a moment before opening it. "Sophie? I'm Captain Benson, with the SVU" she added, remaining in the doorway as she watched the tearful brunette who was standing in the corner of the room like a frightened deer. "Can I come in?" she asked gently. After a few moments of consideration Sophie wiped her eyes and nodded, prompting Liv to enter the room and close the door behind her.
After spending over an hour with Sophie and taking her statement, Liv convinced her to let her take her to the hospital for a rape exam, and she remained with her throughout. She managed to call Lucy who agreed she could stay with Noah until Liv got home. By the time the exam was over and Liv had driven Sophie to her sister's apartment in the upper east side, it was six-thirty, and she didn't get home to her own apartment until nearly seven.
As Liv opened the front door of her apartment, the weight of her exhaustion overwhelmed her almost completely. She was feeling tired, hungry and incredibly light-headed, and she really needed to sit down. But as she stepped into her apartment her excited son ran towards her, and began talking about his day, his art project and the school play. Liv tried to concentrate on what he was saying but she was struggling to focus. Thankfully, Lucy approached her and managed to encourage Noah to return to the living room table and tidy away his pens and paper.
"Thank you" Liv said sincerely. "And thank you so much for staying, I'm sorry about the short notice" she added apologetically.
"It's fine, don't worry" Lucy assured her. "Noah has had a bath and had dinner, there's left over lasagne in the oven if you want some" she added.
"You're an angel, thank you so much" Liv sighed with relief, her mouth already watering at the thought of the lasagne.
"Is there anything else you need?" Lucy asked.
"No, thank you. You head home, and enjoy the rest of your evening" Liv assured her. Lucy hesitated for a moment.
"Are you sure, Liv?" Lucy asked with concern. "You're looking a little pale, are you feeling okay?"
"I'm fine, I'm just tired" Liv admitted. "It's been a very long day" she added with a sigh. Lucy nodded in understanding.
"I'll be here by seven-thirty to take Noah to school" Lucy reminded her. Liv nodded in agreement and thanked her once more, before walking her to the front door.
After closing the door behind Lucy Liv headed into the living room, standing next to the couch and looking down at Noah, who was tidying away his pens and paper. She removed her coat and draped it over the back of the couch, and bent down to place her handbag on the ground.
"Noah, could you please go into your bedroom and change into your pyjamas" Liv asked, her words slightly slurred as she spoke, as she quickly stood up straight.
As Liv stood up, she felt her heart began to pound almost audibly, as her dizziness increased tenfold. Her limbs felt heavy, her head spun, and dark spots appeared in her vision.
"Mum?" said Noah, who noticed his mum was talking funny. "Mum?" he repeated, worry present in his voice, as he watched his mother place her hand over her eyes and lean forward, swaying slightly.
Liv was vaguely aware of the sound of Noah's voice, but she could not respond to him, her body feeling heavy and her head spinning, as she felt herself lose her battle with consciousness.
"Mum?" Noah repeated, louder and with worry in his voice, as he walked towards Liv. He reached her just as her eyes closed, her head fell back, and her knees buckled. "Mummy!" Noah yelled, reaching for Liv and wrapping his arms around her, before pushing her towards the couch with all his strength.
Liv fell onto the couch, laying down flat upon it, her head back, one leg hanging over the edge of it. Her eyes were closed and she was worryingly still.
"Mum!" Noah called, hurrying towards her, putting his hands on her shoulders and shaking her hard. "Mum! Mum! Mummy!" he yelled, tears burning in his eyes as he quickly began to panic.
After a few moments Liv's eyes snapped open and she turned her head to the side.
"What is it?" Liv asked quietly, her words slurred. "What's wrong?" she asked sleepily, as she blinked tiredly and turned instinctively towards the sound of Noah's voice.
As Liv regained consciousness, the worried look on her son's face and the tears in his eyes had a profoundly sobering effect upon her, and adrenaline forced her to sit up straight, ignoring the dizziness.
"Sweetie, what's wrong?" Liv asked.
"You fainted" Liv said worriedly, staring at Liv, his little hands still on her shoulders. "Mummy, are you alright?"
Liv felt something deep inside her ache.
"I'm fine, my love. I'm fine" Liv quickly reassured him, reaching for his hands and encouraging him onto the couch. She sat up straight and pulled him close. "I'm so sorry I scared you, sweetie" she apologised, feeling overwhelmed with guilt. Her words were slightly slurred and she felt rather dazed, but she tried desperately to comfort her worried son. "I've had a really long day and I'm very tired" she explained. "I'll feel much better once I've had dinner" she added, stroking his hair as she spoke. She felt Noah lean away from her immediately.
"I'll get it!" he announced, jumping to his feet and running into the kitchen.
"Noah, don't, the oven is hot!" Liv cautioned, prompting her son to stop in his tracks, and look back at her with worried eyes.
Liv took a deep breath and eased herself off the couch, slowly rising to her feet.
"Mummy, no. Sit down!" Noah said worriedly.
"I'm fine, I'm fine" Liv assured him, waiting a moment to ensure that she was well enough to stand, before walking slowly towards the kitchen.
Noah walked instinctively towards her, standing by her side and walking with her into the kitchen. He watched as she removed a plate of lasagne from the oven, picked up a knife and fork from the draining board and carried it into the living room. He remained with her until she sat down again. For a moment Liv thought he was going to join her, but instead he walked quickly out of the living room and into the kitchen. She placed the hot plate on a cushion on her lap, and was about to turn towards Noah, when she heard the tap running. He then appeared beside her a few moments later with a glass of water, which she accepted with a smile.
"Thank you, sweetie" Liv said sincerely. Noah nodded and watched her with worried eyes. "I promise you, I'm fine" she said with a smile. "Can you please go and change into your pyjamas?" she asked gently, her voice recovering, despite the fact she still felt rather shaky. "Then we can watch TV together" she added. Noah watched her for a moment before nodding, turning on the spot and running into his bedroom.
Liv closed her eyes and exhaled deeply, guilt overwhelming her as the sound of her little boy worriedly calling out to her echoed in her mind. She took a few tentative sips of the water, then slowly began to eat the lasagne, determined to make herself finish the entire plate.
When Noah walked into his bedroom he turned back towards his mother, who was eating her dinner. He then closed his bedroom door behind him and hurried over to his bed, unzipping his backpack and removing the cell phone his mother bought him after his Grandma Sheila took him on vacation in the woods. He hurried across to the back of his room, standing as far away from the door as possible, before opening up his contacts list, selecting the person he wanted to call, and placing the phone to his ear as it rang.
Rafael Barba was sitting at his desk in his office, preparing his cross-examination questions for the Hollister trial, when his cell phone vibrated on the desk beside him. He turned towards it and saw Noah's name come up. Frowning in confusion, and feeling suddenly worried, he picked up the phone and answered the call on the second ring.
"Hi, Noah" Rafa said calmly. "Is everything alright?" he asked.
"I don't know. It's mum" Noah said simply, keeping his voice quiet, and looking up towards his door.
"Is she okay?" Rafa asked. "Has something happened?"
"Mum fainted" Noah said quietly. "She was talking funny and then she closed her eyes, and I caught her and put her on the couch" he added. Rafa felt his stomach clench, and he sat bolt upright in his seat.
"Is your mum on the couch now?" Rafa asked, trying to sound calm so he didn't alarm Noah. "Is she awake?"
"Yes" Noah replied. "I shaked her shoulders and then she woke up" he explained. "She's eating the lasagne that Lucy made" he added. Rafa felt relief flood him, and he closed his eyes and nodded. "She said she's okay and she just needs to eat, but I'm scared" he confessed. "Uncle Rafa, please can you come over?"
"Of course" Rafa responded immediately, closing his laptop and rising to his feet. "Of course I can, Noah. I'm leaving now, alright?" he added, as he quickly gathered his things. "I'll be with you in twenty minutes" he added. "Can you go and stay with your mum, and call me if you're worried?" he added.
"Okay, Uncle Rafa" Noah said quietly. "Bye" he added, before hanging up the phone.
After changing into his pyjamas Noah walked back into the living room, where he found his mother sitting in her usual seat on the couch. She had eaten most of her dinner and drank a lot of the water, and she looked a bit better.
"Hey, sweetie" Liv smiled, as she opened her arms invitingly. Noah smiled and climbed onto the couch, snuggling into her. "I'm sorry if I scared you."
"That's okay" Noah said kindly, as he wrapped his arm around her. "Are you better now?"
"Yes" Liv assured him. "Yes, I'm better now" she added.
"Okay" Noah said quietly. "Can we watch TV now please?"
"Of course" Liv responded, turning the TV on and then handing her son the remote. "We can watch whatever you like" she added.
"Thank you" Noah replied, before flicking through the channels and settling on an episode of Scooby Doo. He snuggled into his mother and felt her stroking his hair, his eyes drifting between the screen and the clock next to the TV.
Halfway through the episode of Scooby Doo there was a knock at the door, and Liv turned towards it.
"I'll get it" Noah announced, leaning away from his mother.
"No, sweetie. Stay here" she instructed, before easing herself out of her seat and slowly walking across the room.
Noah watched as his mother walked towards the door and looked through the peephole. His concern that he might be in trouble for calling his Uncle Rafa increased, and he rose to his feet.
Liv paused for a moment, before leaning back in confusion, and opening the door. As she did so, she found Rafael Barba standing opposite her with a worried expression, his eyes drifting across her analytically.
"Rafa" Liv said, confusion present in her voice.
"Hey" Rafa said softly, offering her a tight smile. "Are you alright?" he asked, his voice calm but his expression worried.
"I'm fine" Liv said slowly, as realisation dawned upon her. "Noah called you" she said quietly. Rafa looked past Liv towards Noah, who was standing still in the living room and looking worried. "Come in" she added, stepping aside to enable him to enter, before closing the door behind him and turning towards her son. "Noah, did you call Uncle Rafa?" she asked gently, her tone curious and devoid of accusation. Noah met her gaze and nodded sheepishly. "You aren't in any trouble, sweetie" Liv assured him, not wanting him to worry, or to think he did something wrong.
"Liv, why don't you sit down?" Rafa said quietly, his voice kind but firm, as he placed a supportive hand upon her waist. Liv walked slowly towards the couch and sat down without argument, before turning towards her son and reaching for his hand.
"Come and sit with me, sweetie" Liv said warmly. Noah took his mother's hand and sat beside her, as Rafa perched on the arm of the couch, sitting next to Liv protectively.
"I called Uncle Rafa because I thought you were sick" Noah said quickly, "and I was scared" he added quietly. Liv's expression softened and she nodded.
"I understand, sweetie" Liv assured him. "I'm sorry I scared you earlier" she added. "But I really am feeling much better now" she explained. Noah stared at her for a moment.
"Did the baby make you sick?" Noah asked worriedly. Liv shook her head.
"No, my love" Liv assured him. "I'm not sick" she added. "Sometimes pregnant women can feel dizzy and faint. It's normal, it's nothing to worry about."
"So the baby did make you sick" Noah said quietly.
"No" Liv assured him. "No, it was my fault" she explained. "I had a really busy day and I didn't take a break to eat" she advised. "That's why I fainted" she stated. "But I have eaten now, and I'm having a break with you, so I'm fine" she added. "Do you understand?" she asked gently. Noah considered her words for a few moments.
"I think so" Noah responded. Liv smiled softly and nodded.
"Why don't you go and brush your teeth?" Liv suggested. "Then we can watch some more Scooby Doo, okay?"
"Okay" Noah agreed keenly, relieved he was not in trouble. He quickly rose from the couch and began walking slowly towards the bathroom. Liv waited until she heard the door close behind him before she looked up at Rafa.
"Rafa, I am so sorry" Liv said sincerely, embarrassment present in her voice as she met his gaze. Rafa got off the arm of the couch and sat next to her.
"Don't be" Rafa assured her. "How long were you unconscious?" he asked, trying to conceal the worry from his voice.
"Oh, seconds, less than a minute" Liv responded quickly. "It was my fault, the day was just... non-stop" she explained. Rafa nodded in understanding. "I'm fine now" she assured him.
"Are you?" Rafa asked, concern present in his voice. Liv's guilt returned and her shoulders fell. "Liv, I know that your job is important, and I am not criticising you in any way" he said quickly, "but it's really important that you take care of yourself" he said gently. Liv nodded.
"I know" she assured him. "I had meetings all morning, and I was going to have a late lunch, but then a rape victim came in and she would only talk to a female officer, and Rollins wasn't around-" she continued. "It won't happen again" she added. Rafa watched Liv with worried eyes and nodded.
"Have you eaten?" he asked.
"Yes" Liv responded. "And I feel much better" she added.
"How are you feeling, right now?" Rafa asked. Liv considered the question.
"Tired, and a little dazed" Liv admitted. "And embarrassed" she added. Rafa looked from Liv to the table.
"I'll get you some more water" Rafa said gently, as he rose from the couch and picked up her glass, taking it into the kitchen and refilling it.
Rafa returned to the living room and handed her the glass, which she thanked him for, taking several restorative sips.
"Are you still hungry?" Rafa asked gently.
"Yes" Liv responded. "I think we have some chocolate in-"
"I'll get it" Rafa responded, heading back into the kitchen.
Liv closed her eyes and felt incredibly guilty, and embarrassed at being looked after - something she had never been very good at. When Rafa returned to the living room and handed her the chocolate she accepted it with thanks, and looked up at him regretfully. But he sat beside her with a calm expression, his eyes full of warmth and concern, and entirely devoid of accusation.
"I'd like to stay with you tonight, if that's alright?" Rafa said quietly.
"Of course" Liv agreed, prompting him to nod in response. "I really am so sorry about this" she added.
"Stop apologising" Rafa said reassuringly. "And start eating" he added, earning a raised eyebrow from Liv. "Please" he added quickly. Liv smiled slightly before breaking off a row of chocolate and beginning to eat. He waited a few moments before speaking again. "You're sure you're alright?" he asked, prompting Liv to turned towards him.
Liv's expression softened and she reached for his hand, placing it on the lower left side of her belly, where it was met but a flurry of kicks. Rafa's expression softened and he smiled.
"We're fine" Liv assured him, as he placed his arm around her and drew her close.
"Chocolate!" Noah proclaimed excitedly as he appeared beside them, apparently having recovered from his recent ordeal. "Can I have some, too?"