Chapter Text
Olivia was beyond tired. Her back still hurt, she still had a black eye, and she could feel all of her muscles and all her bones begging her to rest. She just closed the case. She put Oscar Papa behind the bars along with all his gang members. Well the live ones. Bronx cops and SVU squad killed most of them during the raid. Now she was at her home. Noah was still with McCanns.
She ran a bath for herself, took a glass of hot tea and laid in the bathtub till the water became lukewarm. She took her time drying her hair, applying moisturiser to her body and then she got her most comfortable PJs on. They weren’t sexy in any standard but they were comfy and warm and what she needed.
She went to her bed and tried to sleep. Sleep wouldn’t come easy to her now a days. Her life was going from one crises to another for few years. This last week she had real fear ever since Lewis and Sheila. This time it wasn’t for her own life or safety. They also greenlit Noah. It also gave her clarity about few things. One she was getting old, few years ago she would have strength and ability to shoot all 4 of her attackers before they drove away. Two, Bronx SVU really needed their help, Bruno was a good cop but he needed help and mentorship. Three, well thinking about the items 3 and 4 still hurt her. She was about to sleep when there was a knock on the door. She checked her watch it was 3 am. She took her gun from her bedside table, loaded it and went to the door. She checked the peephole. She sighed, she unloaded her gun, put it back to her bedside table drawer, went back and opened the door.
Olivia: Are you trying to get yourself killed?
Rafael: No.
Olivia: It is 3 am.
Rafael: Yes. Can I come in?
Olivia could smell the whiskey.
Olivia: Are you drunk?
Rafael snorted, he was leaning on her doorway.
Rafael: Do you think I would risk getting shot by coming here at 3 am if I was sober?
Olivia sighed and moved away from the door.
Olivia: Come in.
It was more obvious he was drunk when he tried to come in. He was barely able to walk, and the smell of whiskey coming off of him was getting stronger with each step he tried to take. Once he managed to pass the threshold Olivia sighed, closed and locked the door, and went to help him and she helped him to walk to the couch then dropped him there.
Olivia: God! You can’t even take few steps to couch, how did you manage to come here?
Rafael: I, uh, I… Actually I don’t remember that.
Olivia: Great. Why are you here?
Rafael: I wanted to see you. OH I remember! I took an UBER here! And Juan helped me with the elevator!
Olivia: Why did you want to see me at 3 am?
Rafael: Don’t be silly Liv. I always want to see you.
Olivia: Why are you here at 3 am then?
Rafael shrugged.
Rafael: Because my plane just landed an hour ago.
Olivia: Plane?
Rafael nodded.
Rafael: I was in London. I had to talk to Rita for something, she told me BX9 was after you, I got ticket to first flight here. So I am here at 3 am. Not my fault!
Olivia rolled her eyes.
Olivia: And you are drunk because?
Rafael: They had an open bar in first class. I was worried something happened to you or Noah. I think I might have drank a little more than I should. Where is Noah? Is he Ok? And why aren’t any police officers guarding your building and floor?
Olivia: Noah is not here, also we arrested remaining members of BX9 this evening.
Rafael: So you are safe now?
Olivia: Yes.
Rafael: Thank God!
Olivia: Yeah.
Rafael: Ok then I should go back home.
Olivia: Ok.
Rafael: Ok. Oh. Shit.
Olivia: What?
Rafael: I just remembered something. It is ok.
Olivia: What?
Rafael: Nothing. I should go.
Rafael tried to stand up but he couldn’t. Then he noticed the living room was different.
Rafael: You redecorated.
Olivia: Yes.
Rafael: It looks good. Uh. Can you help me stand up? The room is spinning.
Olivia: You can’t go home like this.
Rafael laughed.
Rafael: I can’t go home at all. I will go to a hotel.
Olivia: Why?
Rafael: I am drunk, I need to sleep it off. Then I will go home tomorrow or London!
Olivia: Why aren’t you sleeping it off in your home?
Rafael: Because you can get drunk in a plane but you cannot get in a plane if you are drunk! They won’t let me go home.
Olivia: Where is your home?
Rafael: It is in DC.
Olivia: YOU MOVED TO DC!
Rafael: Yes. I thought you knew.
Olivia: How would I know?
Rafael shrugged. If Noah didn’t want to tell his mom that he kept in touch, then he wouldn’t either.
Rafael: You could hear from people we both know.
Olivia: When?
Rafael: Huh?
Olivia: When did you move to DC?
Rafael: A year ago.
Olivia: You just defended Delia few months ago.
Rafael: Yeah. I came New York to do that, then I did, and went back home.
Rafael tried to get up again but again failed.
Olivia: Stop that, I will bring you coffee.
Rafael: I can’t drink coffee!
Olivia: Why?
Rafael: Doctor cut me off. I have high blood pressure and arrhythmia.
Rafael pouted.
Olivia: And your doctor allows you to drink?
Rafael: I was worried, it is 8 hour flight! And I don’t think I drank that much. I was told you were attacked!
Olivia: I was. A week ago!
Rafael: Nobody told me. Not that they had to. I just heard.
Olivia: And if I was still in danger what would you do here at 3 am, drunk?
Rafael: I have a client who has a private security firm, and I have a very safe house in DC, a lot of embassies nearby. I would take both of you there and hid you till BX9 was handled.
Olivia: That’s insane!
Rafael shrugged.
Rafael: Better then you getting hurt again. It is not easy to watch you know.
Olivia: You weren’t here to watch it! You were in DC!
Rafael: I was in London for 3 weeks now and I didn’t mean this time.
Olivia: What did you mean then?
Rafael: Lewis. He was one psychopath, BX9 is gang of psychopaths! So the sane option is running and hiding till they are all killed! Well you know if you haven’t already arrested them.
Olivia: Thanks for the vote of confidence!
Rafael: You shouldn’t have to catch all the bad guys! They have other Captains and units! For once you could be safe!
Olivia: It is my job to catch them!
Rafael: Well I hate your job!
Olivia: I hate yours more!
Rafael: Yeah I got that memo!
Rafael tried again and this time he stood up but he was swinging and unsteady.
Rafael: Look sorry to disturb you at this hour. I just wanted to be sure that you are safe. And you are. So now I will go. Good night.
Rafael took few shaky and uneven steps before Olivia hold his arm.
Olivia: You can’t go anywhere like this.
Rafael: Well I can’t stay either. Don’t worry. I will call an UBER, it will take me to Plaza.
Olivia: You can’t even walk.
Rafael: It is not your problem. I can take care of myself.
Olivia: And I can’t?
Rafael: Meaning?
Olivia: You came here at 3 am thinking I was in danger, you defended a criminal thinking I needed you to protect me. So it is OK when you try to keep me safe unnecessarily but it is not ok when I tell you; you can’t go when you are shit faced drunk!
Rafael: First of all they are not same, secondly in case you haven’t noticed I am too drunk to have that fight again! So I will skip to the end where one of us storms out, and since this is your house I will storm out! Well or walk out slowly since I am too drunk to storm out as well.
Olivia smirked and pushed him, he lost his balance and sat back on the couch.
Rafael: Hey! That’s assault!
Olivia: Live with it. Stay here.
Olivia went to her kitchen to bring him water but when she returned he already dozed off.
Olivia: Great!
Olivia thought of leaving him there. Next morning he would have stiff neck and back pain also his clothes would be wrinkled. It was a nice image. But also he came from London once he heard she and Noah was in danger. Which brought her back to her clarity list item 4. And she really didn’t want to think about it now.
She sighed.
Olivia: Barba wake up.
Olivia shook him and he woke up but he was even more groggy.
Rafael: Liv?
Olivia: We will stand up and go to bed ok?
Rafael nodded.
Rafael: The room is spinning.
Olivia: Yah I know so I will help you ok?
Rafael: Ok.
Olivia helped him stand up and half carried him to her bedroom. Once there she sat him down on her bed. Rafael laid immediately and started to sleep.
Olivia sighed again and took his jacket and vest off. Then she removed his shoes socks and pants. She then took his tie and shirt off and put the covers over him.
She went to Noah’s room and got in to Noah’s bed, and interestingly she fell asleep easily.