Moving Forward (Completed)

Chapter Twenty Two

"Raf." Katherine panted as her head slid further off the bed.

Rafael paused mid thrust to look at her. "Sorry." He chuckled, pulling her back on the bed and draping himself over her, his lips finding hers when he started thrusting again, his upper body helping to keep her in place this time.

"We have a lot of sex." Katherine murmured as she laid in his arms her fingertips lightly grazing his chest.

"Do you want to have less sex?" He smirked.

"No. It was just an observation."

"I enjoy sex with you."

"Same here," Katherine hummed, "but... do you think we use it as a defense mechanism at times?"

"I can think of worse ways to relieve stress."

"So I shouldn't worry when we have sex after you've had a particularly stressful case?"

"Can you honestly tell me you've never had sex with me to distract yourself from something you didn't want to think about." Rafael chuckled.

"No." Katherine mumbled, knowing full well she had enjoyed escaping into a space that existed of only them when thoughts of her ex, however unwanted they were, invaded her mind.

"And did it diminish anything between us?" He smirked.

"Of course not."

"Then..."

"Then I won't worry about it." Katherine smiled.

Rafael pulled her closer, kissing her briefly, then let her cuddle against his chest again. "When do you plan to start packing?"

"The week after school lets out. I doubt it will take too long, I really don't have that much stuff and I wont need to bring the things you already have, which means I'll donate most of my kitchen. I really only have the bare essentials and your kitchen... you've got some great stuff in there." Her mind went to the mismatched set of Pyrex containers she had acquired from god knows where that she used as mixing bowls.

"I know." Rafael smiled.

"How come no one has been bugging you the last few days?"

"Liv's in Chicago."

"So all of SVU took a vacation?

"She took Amaro and Fin with her." Rafael chuckled. "Are you tired of me?"

"Not at all, I was just curious. So that means Amanda was left alone at the station with Sonny?" Katherine asked, unsuccessfully trying not to laugh.

"I don't envy her." Rafael smirked.

The reprieve from Rafael's burdening workload was brief and Katherine found herself spending days without seeing him at all. The case that had taken half of SVU to Chicago had led them back to New York and while they had arrested Greg Yates, the trial itself was proving to be as difficult as they had expected considering the lack of evidence.

Rafael let himself in to his apartment, slowly making his way to his bedroom. He hadn't brought anything home with him as it was close to midnight. His plan was to get at least four hours of sleep and go in early, maybe he'd figure something out then. He dropped the clothes the needed dry cleaning in a bag as he stripped, the regularly laundered articles landing in the hamper. He was left in only his boxer briefs when he exhaustedly crawled in bed and was startled by someone cuddling against him.

"Katherine..." He jumped slightly as their skin made contact, having not expected anyone in his bed. "Not that I mind, but what are you doing here?"