Chapter Text
A SPORTY MORNING
CHAPTER 1 THE CHALLENGE
It was already late when Rafael walked into the station, heading straight for Olivia’s office. As soon as he opened the door, he was met with a surprise.
“Liv, good afternoon…”
“Uncle Rafa!” Noah ran over and hugged his legs.
“Hey!” He patted his head and smiled at him.
“Everything okay, Liv? Or are the bosses putting too much pressure on you again?” he asked as he sat down across from her.
Olivia looked worried; she bit her lip while holding a sheet of paper in her hand.
“It’s not that. Forget it, Beard. You brought the order.”
“Of course.” Rafael opened his briefcase, and just as Olivia reached out to take the document, he skillfully swapped the page.
“Rafael, no.”
He pulled out his glasses and started reading. It was a notice from the school about a parents-and-children sports morning. With every line, he smiled.
“This scares you, Benson?” he asked teasingly. “You’re in excellent shape. Maybe you just need a little training.”
Olivia took off her glasses, took a deep breath, and waved a hand at him.
“Go on, counselor.”
He kept reading, but when it mentioned that both parents were expected to attend, his smile faded.
“Do you get it now?”
Olivia stood up from her chair.
“I know I can do it, but he wants one of his uncles to go,” she said, smiling as she watched Noah playing with some Legos on the couch.
“You’ve got everything under control. What’s the problem?”
“Carisi is going with Jesse, Nick can’t make it, and Fin keeps complaining about his back. Nothing will happen if we skip it this year,” Liv sighed.
_____
Noah listened and lowered his gaze.
“Well, Liv, I’m sure that if you went, you’d beat everyone. Those events always made me laugh—they’re like the Parents’ Olympics. It’s an ego game. I don’t think anyone actually wants to take part.”
Olivia turned to look at him sternly.
While Noah squeezed a Lego piece tightly in his hands, he suddenly stood up and ran over to Rafael, who was still sitting with one leg crossed.
“Uncle Rafa, can you go with me?” he blurted out, eyes squeezed shut.
“I’ll train harder and we’ll win,” he said, holding his hand and bouncing at the same time.
“Say yes,” he added with a smile.
There was silence.
Rafael could only see the hopeful look in Noah’s eyes, one that reminded him of himself as a child.
Olivia was already preparing herself to comfort Noah; maybe a trip to the zoo would help.
“Yes,” Rafael replied, brushing the dust off his jacket.
Olivia looked at him in surprise, while Noah’s smile grew wider at the answer.
“Rafael, you don’t have to.”
“I do,” he said, looking into Noah’s shining eyes.
“But you don’t have the physical condition for that, Rafael,” she said, pinching the bridge of her nose.
“You’re lying, Benson. I have a membership at an exclusive gym in Manhattan.”
“But it’s not the same, Barba.”
“Objection—it is.”
Olivia watched him sternly. Deep down, Rafael knew she was right, but his competitive instinct made him speak up, and besides, he didn’t want to let the kid down.
“I could even beat you in cardio,” Rafael said playfully.
“Challenge accepted, counselor,” Liv replied, raising an eyebrow.
“Tomorrow in Central Park, five a.m., Benson,” Rafael challenged her.
“Yes,” she answered with a smile.
Noah just smiled, not understanding anything.
Rafael left, gripping his briefcase.
_____
At that moment, Amanda walked into Liv’s office.
“That was Barba. What did you do to him, Liv?”
“Nothing, Amanda. I just accepted his challenge,” she said as she sat back down and straightened some files.
“And may I ask—what’s the challenge?” Amanda asked, arching an eyebrow.
“Just a race.”
“Interesting. SVU versus the courthouse,” Amanda said with a smile as she settled into a chair.
“Liv, about the parents’ event—”
Noah ran straight to Amanda.
“Aunt Mandy, Uncle Rafa is going with me,” the blonde immediately set her coffee down on the desk.
There was silence.
“Liv, I didn’t see that coming. You and Barba…” Amanda started to say, but when she saw the look on Liv’s and Noah’s faces, she decided to stop.
Amanda cleared her throat.
“When’s the race?” she asked seriously.
“Tomorrow, five in the morning.”
“I want to see that. I mean, I can watch Noah.”
“Noah,” Olivia thought—she hadn’t considered where she would leave him so early.
“I can take care of him and be the judge of the race,” Amanda offered.
“All right,” Olivia said, resting her head on her hand.
_____
Later that night, Rafael lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, wondering why he had proposed such a ridiculous challenge to Olivia.
His trainer had told him earlier that day that he was in good shape, but he knew the man could be a bit… flattering at times.
After all, who would want to lose a client—especially one who paid that monthly membership fee?
“Yeah, right… you’re a fraud. I should take you to court for perjury,” he said out loud, thinking about his trainer.
He turned over in bed, sinking back into his thoughts. Competing against Olivia Benson—a trained police officer who, even if she spent more time behind a desk now, was clearly still in great shape.
Still, he didn’t rule out the possibility that he might have a chance.
“The tortoise and the hare,” he muttered.
“Benson, all of this is your fault.”
She had disrupted his perfectly ordered Saturdays: waking up at eight, going to the gym, having breakfast at his favorite restaurant.
He pulled the blankets over himself and fell asleep, thinking about Olivia.
_____
Meanwhile, Olivia finished reading Noah a bedtime story and took off her glasses.
“Mommy, I can’t wait for sports morning.”
“Me too, sweetheart.”
“Uncle Rafa and you are going to win everything,” he said, moving his hands as if reenacting the victory.
“Mommy, can I go running tomorrow too?”
“Yes, but now you need to sleep, because tomorrow we’re getting up very early.”
“Okay.”
Noah shifted again and settled comfortably under the sheets.
_____
The next morning, Olivia and Noah arrived at Central Park.
The boy was bundled up in several jackets, while Liv wore only leggings, an oversized NYPD sweatshirt, and a purple jacket.
In the distance, Amanda and Jesse could be seen, both dressed in pink, raising a hand to wave.
Barely a minute passed before Rafael arrived, dressed in an elegant Brunello Cucinelli athletic set and spotless premium leather sneakers—clearly chosen more for style than for running.
The two women exchanged a look.
“Good morning, Olivia. Detective Rollins,” Rafael greeted, just as Noah and Jesse ran over to say hello.
Amanda covered her mouth to hide her laughter.
“I thought this was just between us, Lieutenant.”
“I know,” Amanda cut in. “I’m just here as the judge—and to watch Noah.”
“You can still back out, Barba,” Olivia said.
“Never, Benson.”
They locked eyes.
Amanda laughed at the sight and stepped forward, positioning herself between the two of them.
“Let’s make this more interesting. Whoever loses the race buys breakfast for everyone.”
“Deal,” they both said at the same time, their voices firm.
“Alright. Just don’t yell at me—and don’t imagine you’re exchanging wedding vows.”
They both shot her a look.
“Two laps,” Olivia said.
“Three,” Rafael countered. “I can handle that and more.”
“Four,” Olivia concluded.
“Then four laps it is,” Amanda said, sealing the deal.
Liv took off her heavy jacket and handed it to Noah, who was smiling happily beside Jesse.
She began to warm up, stretching her legs and arms.
For a moment, Rafael watched her, but quickly looked away when she turned to meet his gaze.
“You’re really going to run in that, Olivia?”
“I don’t see why not,” she replied.
“May the best one win. Let’s forget that fable about the tortoise and the hare.”
Olivia looked at him without saying a word, one eyebrow raised.
“Same here,” she answered with a smile.
They both took their positions and shook hands.
Rafael felt his pulse quicken the moment he met Liv’s eyes.
The race was about to begin. Amanda took out her stopwatch.
Jesse and Noah smiled, their small hands trembling from the morning cold.
Olivia focused intently on the path ahead.
She felt a rush of adrenaline flutter through her stomach—not because of the race, but because she was competing alongside Rafael.
Rafael struggled to decide where to look—at Olivia or at the path ahead.
His mind told him one thing, his instincts another.
Amanda spoke and raised her whistle.
“On your marks, get set…”
The whistle blew, and across Central Park, two runners took off.