Single and Seeking Barson story

Chapter 10

Rafael Barba gazed at Olivia Benson. She was wearing blue jeans, and her olive green crewneck shirt. He stood in front her. He leaned in, and kissed both cheeks. Suddenly, he found himself capturing her lips, in this moment there was no fear or hesitation, and his heart filled with joy. I love you, Olivia, more than you can ever know. He thought to himself."Barba, Barba" Olivia called. Rafael's eyes opened at the sound of his name. He found himself sitting with his head on his desk. He wondered how long he had been sleeping. He knew it couldn't have been that long. He took his head off the wooden desk in his office. He dropped the pen he had been clutching to his desk. He rubbed his eyes, and soon he was able to focus them on her. She was wearing one of his favorite dresses. It was red, sleeveless, and he never saw her wear a blazer with it. like she did with most work outfits. In truth this woman looked breathtaking in anything she put on. He didn't care if she wore a paper bag. "You're going to hurt your neck sleeping like that. Stop, at least sleep on your couch." He smiled, her concern warmed his heart. He put his right hand on the back of his neck. It was already getting stiff. He got up, and walked to the couch. She followed and sat next to him, but quickly jumped up.
"What are you doing?"
"You need to lie down and stretch out. I can stand."
"Liv, Sienatate conmigo por favor", sit down with me please. Olivia stared at him for a moment. She heard him use Spanish with a Victim's mother as a way to connect and show empathy, but that was very rare. It was Olivia's impression that for the most part he only used the Spanish language with those closest to him. "Olivia Por favor." He said breaking the silence in the room. He knew she understood the language. She sat down next to him. "What brings you here?"
"I wanted to check on you. I thought by now you would be worried about the verdict."
"I didn't think it would take this long. This case is so clear cut. Mia was raped by a stranger, he forced his way in. She wasn't unfaithful to her husband. He hurt her! I showed the jury these photos" Olivia crossed her arms over her chest, she wished now she wore a blazer. she touched her arms.
"I know." She said gently.
Rafael turned his body on the couch so that he could look deeply into her brown eyes. "He almost killed her!"
"I know, and you made the jury see that Raffa."
"Did I?"
"Yes!"
"What's taking them so long?"
"You know juries are unpredictable." Rafael sighed loudly. At that moment Olivia wanted to reach for her friend and wrap her arms around him, She hated to see him beat himself up "You did your job, and you did it well. "Tillis is going to prison Raffa. I'm sure the jury sees him for who he is." She placed her right hand on his shoulder.
"Everybody knows he did it Liv, but you and I both know that doesn't mean he won't get off. I can't get those photos out of my head. Tillis brutalized her."
"I know Raffa. She survived that's what counts, her physical injuries will heal, and she was able to face him in court and tell her story. She will heal and when she does she will be stronger. You did your best, you need to know that."
"Sometimes my best isn't good enough! You know that! Every time I close my eyes I see what he did, I see all the pain he inflicted!" It could have been prevented!"
"Raffa are you talking about Tillis or Lewis?"
"It doesn't matter." Olivia quickly got up from the couch.
"It matters to me." Her voice dropped to a compassionate whisper. "Are you talking about Lewis?" She looked deeply into his green eyes, he looked so wounded. His eyes pleaded for her to sit back down with him.
"That piece of garbage, that horrible excuse for a man should never have been given the opportunity to do those vile things to you! I let him get away, my best was not good enough, and you paid for it!"
"I said a lot of things to Lewis in order to stay alive, one thing was true. He was not a punk. He was frighteningly smart. He was an evil genius. You think if he hadn't gotten away that time, he wouldn't have conned his way out to get to me?"
"I should have stopped him. He wouldn't have been able to hurt you or anyone else."
"I see and is it your fault that once you got him put away, he escaped, rapped a young teenage girl, kidnapped her little sister as a way to lore me to him, tried again to rape me, and had me place a gun to my head to save that little girl's life?"
"I'm sorry Liv. You will never know how sorry I am, for all of it."
 He hung his head, and covered his face with his hands.
"Rafael. He heard her say. He didn't answer, he had no words. "Raffa, look at me, please." He picked up his head, and uncovered his face. When she called him Raffa he had no choice but to respond, and he was sure she knew that. He found himself staring into her beautiful l brown eyes. They were full of pain and worry for him. and she was sitting right beside him. He was her Raffa, and she had no clue how much she touched his life. "Raffa what Lewis did is not your fault! It's his and only his! Look at me Raffa." She placed her hands on his shoulders. "I'm right here. Lewis is dead! I survived. I'm alive!." Olivia was shocked at how quickly Rafael Barba pulled her into a hug. His strength surprised her too. He squeezed her tightly and she found herself squeezing back.
"I'm sorry Liv. Those crime scene photos remind me so much..."
"Of my photos right after Lewis. I know, I know. I can see that. They look very similar, but I wasn't raped like Mia. I got away, and Tillis is not Lewis. This is a separate case, remember that. You have nothing to be sorry for. Raffa, I had no idea you were still carrying this."
How could I not?" He answered, his voice cracking. He tightened his grip on her.
"Let it go Raffa. It's Ok. I'm OK." She said softly. He felt her hands rubbing his back. He had no idea how long they had been sitting there, but he knew he wanted so badly to stay wrapped in this embrace. He was just about to close his eyes when he felt her jump up. "Benson" she said quickly into her cell phone.
Less than a second later his cell rang. "Barba. I'll be right there. Thanks." He hung up and looked at his closest friend. She was off the phone. "The verdict is in." He announced. "You coming with me?""Let's go." Olivia answered._________________________________________________________
Olivia Benson sat with Mia and her husband in the gallery of the courtroom. She quickly glanced Barba's way before she head Judge Donnelly voice. "On the charge of rape in the first degree how does the jury find?"
The foreman was wearing a gray suit. We find the defendant "Guilty."
"On the charge of assault in the first degree how does the jury find?" Donnelly asked.
"We find the defendant guilty."
"Did I just hear that?" Mia asked moments later when court was adjourned. Tears streamed down her face, after a few seconds she wiped them away.
"Yes, Mia. He was found guilty." Olivia confirmed.
"He won't, he can't hurt me anymore." Mia said.
"No, he can't hurt you anymore". Rafael said walking toward her.
"He can't hurt us anymore." Mia said turning to her husband who gently and carefully wrapped his arms around her." Mr. Barba, thank-you, thank-you so much. Mia said looking at him, and still holding on to her husband like her life depended on it. Barba smiled at the couple.
"Mr. Barba", Mia's husband said," I don't know how I could ever thank-you. If you ever need anything, let me know. I can never repay you."
"You never have to repay me, I was doing my job." Barba answered.
"ADA Barba always does his best, and there nobody better." Olivia said. She was now standing next to him.
"You, you, you are the reason my husband has a wife. Olivia, you are the reason my twins still have their mother. You saved my life. I couldn't have gotten through this process without you. I can never thank you enough. You're amazing."
"Keep going to counseling. You have my number Mia, and there's no need to thank me. It's my job to protect, and to see to it people have a voice. You have a voice Mia. You got justice. Take care of yourself, and yourl family." Mia smiled at her and Barba weakly.
"Let's go home." Mia said to her husband. Olivia Benson, and Rafael Barba watched as the couple exited the courtroom.