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L: Sonny's letting me borrow him tonight... Sorry.R: Are you really sorry?L: Um...R: I suppose it's only fair.R: I'm gonna go visit my momR: I still blame you for thisL: I wouldn't be surprised if that was Sonny's plan all along :PR: He loves my mom. He wishes he got to eat her food tonight.L: I don't doubt that.R: Still, I suppose he needs his fill of humans who aren't yet old enough to roll their eyes at himL: I'm pretty sure that's just you, RafaelR: Excuse me? Are you telling me everyone else enjoys his company while I'm the only one who simply tolerates him?L: I never said that.R: Right...L: So you gonna put a ring on that soon, or?R: Interesting segueL: I thought we were just talking about how much you love him?R: Were we?R: I mean..................R: Since you asked...L: Go on...R: I've been thinking about it.R: A lot.L: Oh, Rafael...R: The thing is, I hadn't thought about marriage for a long time?R: But then, Sonny happened.R: And I can't imagine my life without him. And frankly, I never want to.L: You're a big softie, aren't you :)R: Shut up.L: It's a good thing!R: We'll see about thatL: So when were you thinking?R: I don't know... Within a couple of months?L: My detective is going to be so damn excited!R: Oh god, LivR: You'd better not breathe a word of this to SonnyR: Or I swear, I'll... I'llR: Never let you abuse his cooking services again!L: Rafael. Relax. I won't.R: I might need that in writing.L: You want that kind of evidence lying around the house?R: ... Fine. I'll take your word. Go get your son and get yourselves ready for a relaxing night of bolognese and bologna.L: You really love him, don't you :')R: Why are we friends again?-Sonny arrives at 5:30 pm sharp, bringing a bottle of red with him. He gives Liv a kiss on the cheek and hands her the bottle. He looks over her shoulder."Where's the little guy?"As Liv puts the bottle of wine down on the dining table, Noah pokes his head around the couch, where he's sitting on the floor playing with his hot wheels."Hey, there he is!""Uncle Sonny!"Noah stands and plods over to Sonny, who picks him up."Hey little guy, not so little now, are you?""Nope, I'm a big boy now, Mommy said so.""Yeah you are!""When I grow up, I'm gonna be as big as you!""Well, you'd better eat all your vegetables if you want to grow up nice and tall!""Okay! Uncle Sonny?""Yeah, Noah?""Where's Uncle Rafi?""He's at his mami's house tonight!""Oh!""When you're Uncle Rafi's age, you're still going to visit your mommy all the time, aren't you?"Noah looks at him, confusion evident on his little face."Where are you going, Mommy?" he turns to ask his mother, pout forming around his words."Ohh, baby, Mommy's not going anywhere!" Liv assures, reaching out to hold her baby boy.Noah goes readily, throwing his arms up to hang around her neck.Sonny looks at Liv, feeling slightly guilty. But Liv only smiles at him, patting her little boy on the cheek, who seems to have forgotten all about his abandonment panic."Come on, sit already." Drinking on an empty stomach was never wise, but that never stopped Olivia. She pours a glass each for Sonny and herself, and they sit and chat about work, Noah and family. Meanwhile, Noah sits with them at the table, happily making an elephant out of playdough. After a short while, Sonny checks his watch and announces that he should start cooking. He makes his way to the kitchen and peers into the fridge.“Wow, you weren’t lying about the fridge full of groceries,” he calls out.Liv follows him to the archway of the kitchen, keeping one eye on Noah.“I never lie, Sonny,” Liv twinkles at him.Sonny lays out ingredients and implements.“Let me help,” Liv offers, but Sonny shakes his head.“No, come on. Go play with Noah. I got this.”Liv smiles at him appreciatively.“Thanks.” In 45 minutes, Sonny’s serving up a tuna pasta bake with a side of vegetable soup. Liv helps Noah to move his playdough creations, now with a pink snowman, a green caterpillar and a blue hamburger to join his elephant, over to the coffee table. “Here we go. Who’s hungry?”“Meeeee,” Noah volunteers.“Good,” Sonny chuckles. “Eat up. But be careful with the soup, it’s hot.”“Veggie soup,” Noah states matter-of-factly.“That’s right, Noah! To help you grow nice and tall,” Sonny grins, and the way her son is grinning back at him melts something inside of Liv.Noah jabs artfully at his pasta bake before shoveling some into his mouth.Liv digs in, and as she chews, she can’t help thinking that Rafael is a lucky man.As they eat, Sonny asks Noah all about what he’s learning at school. Noah talks good-naturedly about the books they’re reading in class, the project he’s doing on the seasons and the games he likes to play.“What about you, Uncle Sonny?”“Um, what about me, Noah?”“What are you learning at school?”Liv and Sonny take one look at each other and burst out laughing. They calm themselves quickly, diverting their eyes, not wanting Noah to feel self-conscious.“Oh, uh. I don’t go to school anymore. When you grow up, you finish school and go to work. I work with your mommy, remember?”“Oh right, I knew that,” Noah says with a cheeky grin.Liv blows on some soup and holds it out for Noah to eat. Noah sips on the soup and chews on some carrot thoughtfully.“So what are you learning at work?”“Well, Noah, I’m uh… I’m learning that every day the fight to do the right thing is worth it. And I’m learning that good people, like your mommy and Uncle Rafi, are always going to be there for those who need help.”Noah nods, pretending to understand completely. “Yeah. Mommy helps me all the time.”Sonny’s eyes crinkle knowingly.“I know. She helps me, too.”Liv smiles fondly at Noah.“You help me too, baby.”“Really?”“Yeah. You help me by making me smile.”Noah giggles.“And you can help me now by finishing your soup!”“Yes, Mommy,” Noah responds eagerly. After putting Noah to bed, Liv joins Sonny in the kitchen where he’s doing the dishes.Sonny turns around when he hears her walk in.“Liv, about before. You know, with Noah. I’m really sorry.”It takes a second for Liv to understand what Sonny’s talking about.“It’s okay, Sonny. That was really nothing.“It does make me a little sad though…"He doesn't know yet, that he'll be the one to leave."I just wish he'd stay like this forever."Sonny doesn’t know what to say to that, so he just gives her an awkward pat on the arm.Liv grins cheekily, thoughts seeming to change tack mid-awkward-arm-pat.“Speaking of staying forever… where do you see yourself in 5 years, Detective?”Sonny, thrown by the sudden question, feels like he’s back in one of those countless job interviews again.“Um… I’m still open to change, but I’d like to think I’d still be here, at SVU.”“Uh huh.”“Is this about the lawyer thing?”“Depends…” Depends which lawyer.“Because like I told Rafael, I don’t think I’m interested in pursuing law at the moment. I mean, 5 years, that’s a long time. And I’m not promising I won’t consider it again sometime, but for the meantime I’m happy here. Real happy.”“I’m glad to hear it, Sonny.”Sonny gives her a slight smile.“In that case, if you’re planning on staying long-term… I’d like to unofficially recommend that you take the Sergeant’s exam at the next opportunity.”Sonny splutters.“Me? Really, Lieu?”“Don’t act so surprised, Carisi. You’ve consistently shown that you have what it takes. Not to mention your aptitude for exams.”Sonny blinks at her, wide-eyed and clearly humbled.“But… what about-”“Amanda?”Sonny nods seriously.“She has expressed interest in the past, and I have no doubt she would make a fine Sergeant. I will be speaking to her about it as well. There’s no reason you can’t both do the exam.”A slow grin makes its way across Sonny’s face as he washes his hands.“So what do you say?” Liv asks, as Sonny dries his hands then looks back up.“I’ll definitely think about it. Thank you, Liv.”“Good. Good,” Liv responds, leading the way out of the kitchen.Sonny pauses, seeming to consider something.“Um… you know… I’ve been thinking about something else, too.”“I’m all ears,” Liv says with an easy grin, motioning for Sonny to sit down again, at the couch this time, and pours them both another glass.“Well, uh…”“Yes?”“In 5 years, I still want to be with Rafael.”Liv can practically feel her own ears prick up with interest.“Yeeees?”“I want to be with him a lot longer than 5 years, though.”Liv uses her silence to will Sonny to keep talking.“And. I’d really like to, you know, make it official.”Liv clasps her hands under her face, which must be lit up like a Christmas tree at this exact moment.“Oh, Sonny.”Sonny flushes slightly, probably a combination of the wine and the rush of admitting that out loud to someone.“I’m so happy for you,” Liv gushes, and slides over to envelop him in a firm hug.Sonny laughs into Liv’s shoulder, squeezing back affectionately before pulling back to take another long sip of his wine.“So you think he’ll say yes?”I’m contractually obliged not to answer that question, Liv thinks.“You’ll find out when you ask him.”Sonny glances at her nervously.“But if you’re asking my opinion, I think there’s not a single thing you could do to get him to say no to you.”Sonny smiles at her, eyes possibly looking a little damp, and reaches out to give her hand a gentle squeeze. When Sonny leaves a little later, Liv flips the TV on and mutes it, flopping down on the couch. She frowns momentarily at the empty wine bottle before grabbing her phone, a wicked grin replacing her frown at an alarming rate. L: If you want to be the one to propose, you'd better do it sooner rather than later :)L: (I never sent this text)R: Liv you fucker! You better not have told him!L: Nope. It just came up naturally in conversationR: GoodR: Wait, it did?L: I thought you trusted me ;)R: With my life, yes. To keep a secret, depending on the amount of wine you've consumed.L: Just 2 glasses :)R: Drunk Liv has been known to lie to meL: I'm not drunk!!!R: Whatever.L: Can I be Maid of Honor?R: When I propose, I will make sure to bring it up with Sonny.L: Okay!R: Besides, I think you would be my Best Lady.R: And I'm going to go out on a limb and say yes, you canL: This is all I've ever wanted in lifeR: Not drunk, my ass.R: Are you even gonna remember this in the morning?L: I don't drink on the job!R: Aren't you at home?L: Motherhood is a full-time job, Rafael! You should know that!R: I hate to turn this into an interrogation, but you just admitted to having 2 glasses of wine.L: I mean I don't get inebriatedR: Just for being able to spell that, I'm inclined to believe you this timeL: Thank you, autocorrect!R: You're a real sharp drunk, aren't you?L: You should know I'm sharp no matter what.R: Oh, I know.R: Liv, Sonny's homeL: Ask him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!R: Whoa there! Not tonight, Olivia.L: You're no fun :(R: Good night, Liv. Sleep it off.L: Sleep what off?R: Text you in the morning. I gotta go make love to my boyfriend who wants to become my fiancé :)L: Too much information!R: Huh. Maybe you're not that drunk after all Liv rolls her eyes and puts her phone down beside her on the couch. Her eyes flick up to follow the movements on the TV screen, but her attention is not held. She eyes her phone again and bites her lip. L: Psssst. Amanda.A: Hey, Liv. You’re not asleep yet?L: Nope. I’m totally buzzed. But don’t tell Barba.A: Oh god, what did I miss?L: Technically, neither of them told me not to tell you.L: So.A: ?????!L: Who do you think is going to propose first? Sonny or Rafael?L: Place your betsA: Anyone ever tell you you’re an enabler?L: No.A: Rafael’s proposing?L: He’s thinking about it. A lot.A: Oh fuck!L: Wait. You knew about Sonny?A: He may have mentioned it roughly 500 times over the yearsA: But I think he’s been serious about it for the last few monthsA: God, our boys :’)L: You know, whatever happens, we never had this conversationA: Oh, you’re not meddling anymore?L: I wasn’t meddling! They came to me and told me this shit!A: Alright. Well, I won’t make the same promise ;)L: I absolve myself of all repercussions from this conversationL: Btw you should take the Sergeant’s exam