Objection | SVU

Chapter 27

[A/N: I know I usually put gifs, but this picture is just too good. I hope that you all have a Happy New Year! I'm watching the Law and Order: SVU marathon that's on USA Network all day today- right now I'm watching the episode with the gay guy who targets closeted gay men. It's the episode when Barba tries to prove that a gay man hates gays. I'd say it's a pretty good New Year's... But I hope that you guys like this chapter! Please vote and comment!]

I walked into the squad room and saw Liv sitting at my desk. "Morning, Mitchell." She said, and I looked at her and smirked. "Can I help you, Liv?" I asked, laughing slightly. She got up and replied, "Follow me." I followed her into her office, and she took a seat at her desk. "Take a seat, Mitchell." She said, and I did. I assumed that this was about me taking the Sergeant's Exam.

"So, I got a call from the Nassau County D.A.'s Office yesterday... They told me that you were coming in for an interview and they wanted to ask me some things about you." My face flushed as I realized why Liv had called me in here. "Liv-" I began, and she sighed in frustration. "When were you going to tell me, Jess?" She asked. I replied, "Liv, I was going to tell you today." Liv turned to me, and she looked slightly hurt.

"Jess, how long have you known that you were up for this position? You had to at least have known for a few weeks. Why didn't you tell me earlier?" She asked me, and I quickly replied, "Liv, I didn't want to tell you until I knew that there was a realistic shot that I'd get at the job. I didn't want to stress you out with it when I didn't know whether it was realistic or not. Plus, I don't plan on leaving the SVU if I land this job with the Nassau County D.A.'s Office." Liv scoffed sarcastically and countered, "How do you plan on doing that?"

*

I finally stepped into my apartment, and I slammed the door shut behind me. I groaned and fell on the couch in the living room, and my phone notification went off. I looked at the text and saw that it was from Rafael.

Hey cariño, I'm stopping to pick up dinner on the way home. Any requests?

I sighed in frustration and texted Rafael back.

I'm fine with whatever you get. See you when you get home.

I tossed my phone across the couch, and I tried to calm down as I laid on the couch. I slouched down and slid off of the couch. My hands were locked on the back of my head, and I sighed heavily as my head fell between my knees. I had no idea what to do. Liv was pissed off at me for not telling her about my job offer and interview from the Nassau County D.A.'s Office, and I was stressed out about the strain and abnormal atmosphere that was happening at work because of everything that had come up.

A little while later, I heard keys rattle in the doorknob. I heard the door open, and I remained in the same position that I'd been in for the past 30 minutes. "Cariño?" I heard Rafael's gentle voice as he shut the door. I heard him put down the food that he'd picked up for us, as well as his briefcase full of case files from the day. I didn't reply.

He came in to the living room, and I felt him sit on the couch next to me. He reached down and rubbed my back softly and comfortingly as he asked, "You okay, Jessie?" I shook my head and sighed for what must have been the hundredth time that day. Rafael softly said, "Come here, sit up here with me and talk to me." He helped me up off the floor and onto the couch, and he looked me intently in the eyes.

"What's wrong?" He asked me, his hands enveloping mine. I sighed again, and I finally divulged. "I'm screwed, Rafi. Liv found out about the interview from the Nassau County D.A.'s Office before I could tell her... She said that I won't be able to work both SVU and the new job, if I get it. Nobody at SVU is talking to me anymore. I don't know what to do. I have no idea what to do, Rafi."

"Listen to me, Jessie. Listen to me." Rafael said, squeezing my hands to emphasize his words. I looked up at him, and I could tell that he was exhausted and tired from his day, but he was still listening to me and being attentive to me and my needs. He continued, "I need you to take it day by day, okay? You have your interview with the Nassau County D.A.'s Office in a few days, right?" I nodded, and Rafael sighed and said, "Okay, then you should focus on the interview. As for the SVU, I'd say that you should go in early and talk with Liv and just try to talk things out. I know that you and Liv are good friends, and you can't let something like this stand between your friendship."

I leaned my head on Rafael's shoulder, and I whispered, "You're amazing, Rafi. I know that you're tired and exhausted, and you still listened to me and gave me advice." Rafael lazily kissed my cheek and said, "I'm always here for you, cariño." I snuggled up to his arm, and he sighed and said, "I have to get some paperwork done." I begrudgingly watched him get up and grab his briefcase, and he went off to his study.

It had been 45 minutes since Rafael had gone in to his study, and we hadn't even eaten dinner yet. I went into the kitchen to grab the takeout that Rafael had gotten us; it was cold. I put it in the microwave and reheated it, and I carried our little dinner for 2 into the study. I managed to knock on the door, and Rafael looked up at me. I simply said, "You need to eat dinner." Rafael tossed his pen on his desk and leaned back, stretching. I put his dinner down on the small table next to his desk, and I placed my dinner next to his. I looked at the piles of paperwork that he had left for tonight, and I said, "Give me half."

Rafael looked over at me and asked, "What?" I simply repeated myself and said, "Give me half." When he hesitated, I continued, "Rafi, be real. You aren't going to finish all of this by yourself tonight. Give me half of them. I'll help you finish it." His lips curled into a smile as he handed over half of the pile. I grabbed the files, but he wouldn't let them go. He used the files to pull me closer to him, and his lips were on mine in a matter of seconds. As we broke apart, he smiled as he said, "Mi amor, ¿qué hice para merecerte?" [A/N: My love, what did I do to deserve you?]

As I went through the files with Rafael, I couldn't help but think about how I was going to address everything with my new job interview and my standing in the SVU with Liv. Tomorrow morning was going to come quickly, and I wasn't sure how exactly to handle it...

But as I sat in our study going through case files with Rafael, I realized that I could handle anything that came my way- as long as I had Rafael by my side.