Olivia couldn't help but laugh softly at her first look at Barba's place. "Is this an apartment or a library?"

"I like to read," Barba stated redundantly.

Olivia settled the box of Barba's office things onto a mostly empty shelf and it fit like a glove. "You can get to that when you're ready." She looked around. "Feels like you."

"Can I get you anything?" Barba offered slightly awkwardly. There was one line crossed, but another they still balanced on.

Olivia took a seat on the couch and patted an empty spot beside her. "Just you."

Barba sat beside her and looked at her with open affection.

"Six years… Let's finally talk." Olivia's eyes were shining.

"End of an era."

"Start of another. I could have lost you." Olivia offered her hand.

Barba took it and gently kissed her knuckles before settling his cheek against them. Words caught in his throat.

"After all that, can you tell me why?" Olivia's tone was gentle.

Barba closed his eyes. "Mi padre…" He shook his head and looked at her.

"Your father?"

"I never told you this, because you win out just about every time when it comes to shitty fathers. There's no comparison."

"Well, you've got that last part right."

"I hated him. But it became my decision whether or not to keep him on life support. And I selfishly prolonged his suffering when the doctors declared him brain dead and told us nothing more could be done. I let them keep wasting their precious resources on him when there were probably others that had better chances. He was a bastard, and I couldn't be compassionate enough to let him go. Six weeks. That was just about a year before we met."

Olivia squeezed his hand. "Oh, Rafa," she murmured. A tear fell from her eye. "Look at me."

Barba met her gaze.

"You were a good man then and you're a good man now." The conviction in Olivia's voice made Barba's eyes sting. "Maybe even the best man I've ever had the pleasure of meeting." She leaned close to him. "And if you don't kiss me for real, there will be hell to pay."

Not letting go of her hand, Barba brought his free hand to her cheek, delicately stroking the skin as he, finally, pressed his lips softly to hers.

Olivia gasped softly into the kiss. She savored the moment as she returned it, even as her gasp transitioned into a sob.

"Liv… You're killing me." Barba's heart ached when she cried like that.

"Sssh, I'm sorry," Olivia whispered. "Keep going." She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close.

Their next kiss was extra salty, but neither of them minded. Gradually, Olivia opened to him and she couldn't tell if she had one or two racing hearts in her chest.

Their kissing slowly morphed into making out, some frenzied, some languid, the rest somewhere in the middle. Gravity shifted them so Olivia wound up underneath Barba, which they noticed at the same time.

"I'm sorry," Barba apologized. "I didn't intend to get you in this position."

"It's nice," Olivia told him.

Barba lightly kissed her lips. "Are you staying here tonight?"

"Yes," Olivia answered. "If you're willing to share your bed. Just for sleeping."

Barba's heart skipped a beat, and then he realized what the request had to mean. "You're still not sleeping the greatest, then."

"Maybe it will be easier in your arms."

Barba melted. He shifted slowly back onto his feet and offered his hand to help her up. "Let's find out."

Olivia took his hand, shaking a little as she got back to her feet. She let out a shaky sigh. "This will be my first night away from Noah since… I need to call him and say goodnight."

"Of course." Barba wouldn't expect anything less and was touched that he was the one she was sharing such an important milestone with.

Olivia managed to get her phone and dial Rollins without releasing Barba's hand. "Hi, baby boy," she cooked once Noah was on. "Have you been having a good time with Auntie Amanda and little Jessie?" She smiled. "I'm glad." She squeezed Barba's hand. "I love you. Good night, my sweet boy. I'll see you tomorrow." It was clear Rollins was back when she said, "If he can't make it through the night, please don't hesitate to call. I'm sure." She chuckled. "Wouldn't you like to know. Thank you again." She hung up and looked at Barba. "I may have forgotten to consider whether Noah is ready for an overnight separation… but there's got to be that first try, right?"

"Exactly," Barba agreed.

Moments passed as they looked at each other, observing all the little details they could see. Until Olivia's, "Well… Lead the way."

Again, although it was just to sleep, Barba's heart was racing as he showed Olivia to his bedroom. Olivia. His bedroom. With him.

"Right," Olivia realized upon spotting the bed. "I don't have anything to change into."

Barba knew he certainly didn't have anything suitable to provide. "Then don't," he suggested.

"What?"

"Just take off your coat and shoes. I'll stay in my clothes, too. The plan is, hopefully, we'll both get some rest tonight."

Olivia nodded. She took her phone out of her pocket and placed it on the nightstand before sliding her coat off.

"I can hang that for you," Barba offered.

Olivia could swoon. How was this man real? Most impressively, how had he flown under her radar so damn long? She handed her coat over. "Thank you." While he pushed aside his many suits to make a spot for it, she removed her shoes. Her hands trembled with nerves. She wasn't having the best time sleeping in general, but it had been quite some time since she had attempted to sleep beside anybody. She would likely need extra coffee the next day no matter what.

Barba removed his own shoes and sat on the edge of the bed. "Which side?" he asked. He would yield to Olivia's preference and forever hold his peace, if necessary.

"I want to stay close to my phone."

"Left side for you, then." He patted the spot beside him invitingly.

Olivia sat beside him, just looking at him until tears blurred her vision. "It's going to be a bitch learning to work with yet another new ADA, Rafa. Probably that Stone guy."

Barba wrapped an arm around her, pulling her into a gentle embrace. "I'm sorry," he whispered. He pressed kisses to her temple.

Olivia sniffled. "What are you even going to do now?"

"Sssh." Gently, Barba guided her to lay back with him. "That's not important yet," he murmured.

Olivia pressed a lingering kiss to his cheek. "Now I'm the selfish one."

Barba shook his head. "Never." Carefully, he shifted them so they could pull their legs up and settle them properly across the length of the bed rather than dangling off the side. "If it had gone the other way, I would have been forced to leave and disbarred. And this, right here, right now - it could never happen. But, happily, the world gets to stay colorful. There are tons of careers out there, but there is only one Olivia Benson."

That stole Olivia's breath away. It stunned and touched her so deeply no sob could escape her chest, but tears streamed heavily from her eyes. She kissed him deeply and hoped it could convey everything she didn't have half a chance of voicing so eloquently.

Barba cradled the back of her head as he responded in kind.

Eventually, the kiss had to end. "I'm not stepping into the office for anything on a Sunday again," Olivia spoke past the lump in her throat. "We need our Spanish Sundays."

Barba understood that for the major commitment that it was. "Domingos españoles para siempre," he murmured. He gently stroked the wetness from her cheeks. "Now, close your eyes, Liv."

Olivia curled into him, settling her head on his chest. She could hear his heart thumping away. Barba stroked over her hair and down her back, slow and gentle. Eventually, it became a rather idle action, and in time he felt the rhythm of her breathing change. He kissed the top of her head and watched over her the best he could manage. He had to smile knowing she felt how safe she was with him. He closed his own eyes after a while, synchronizing his breathing to match hers.

They slept through the night.