#Law & Order: SVU S25

[fearlessoliviabenson]

[alexbrecks]

[vivaciousoceans]

Forward

Fandom: Law & Order: SVU

Pairing: Rafael Barba / Olivia Benson

Rating: T+

Warning (s): Mild cursing, mentions of SA

Word Count: 3,678

Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Romance

Barba wasn’t sure what possessed him to choose today of all days. The silence, her absence, and all the things left unsaid had weighed on him since that day he walked out of Forlini’s. He was used to the ache by now. After those first few months of silence, he’d given up hope. Olivia Benson was a stubborn force of nature; if she hadn’t changed her mind after their last meeting, his absence was only deepening the divide.

But he’d put the ball in her court. At the time, he’d felt like he had no choice. He’d already gone against her wishes by defending Wheatley, and if she needed space to find her way back to him, respecting that was the least he could do.

He just never imagined years would pass. Now, after a particularly lousy day, her absence felt sharper than ever. He missed his best friend, and suddenly, the reservations that had kept him away felt flimsy, pushed aside—if only for tonight.

That’s how he found himself standing a few feet from Olivia’s office, a bouquet of orchids in one hand, a bag of takeout, and a bottle of cabernet sauvignon in the other. It was late, and the precinct was nearly deserted. If it weren’t for the faint light glowing through her office’s frosted glass, he would’ve assumed she’d gone home.

Barba took a deep breath, summoning the courage to approach her door. One step, then another, each one a little more solid, a little more hopeful. Hopeful she wouldn’t turn him away, that she wouldn’t cast him aside, because—truth be told—he didn’t know how much longer he could keep going without her.

Before her, his life had been grey, muddy—at least that was all he’d known. Boring and dull, but consistent. Then she brought color into his world—vibrant hues he hadn’t realized he was missing. Shades of green and red, the golden flecks in her hair, the soft powder blue of the dress she wore the day she adopted her son. He’d never imagined one person could change his life so entirely. But she had.

And now, living without her, without the colors she’d brought, was slowly killing him.

It was now or never. He took a few more steps and raised his hand, ready to knock on the heavy door. Just as his knuckles were about to make contact, he caught a glimpse of her in his peripheral vision, rounding the corner. The sight of her after all this time knocked the breath from his lungs.

She looked as beautiful as ever, maybe even more so. Her hair was longer than he remembered from their last meeting, falling in soft waves around her face with highlights that caught the light, softening her features. Her brown eyes held the same quiet strength that had always drawn him in, but now they looked tired—red-rimmed and puffy, as if she’d been crying.

Guilt twisted in his chest, sharp and immediate. He’d been so focused on his own needs, his own lousy day, that he hadn’t considered she might have had one too—or that the last person she’d want to see was the man she’d come to view as a traitor. He wanted to turn around, head back to his apartment, drown his sorrows in wine, and pretend he’d never had this momentary lapse in judgment. But it was too late. She’d already spotted him.

Barba watched as she stopped in her tracks, recoiling at the sight of him. Her face tightened; he could see her steeling herself, pulling up that familiar armor. It nearly sent him to his knees. Even after all this time, she still hated him.

His shoulders sagged, and his grip slackened on the orchids and wine. He made no move to approach her—the scowl she wore was enough indication to keep his distance. Instead, he waited, his eyes shifting, trying to find anything else to look at. But he failed. She drew his gaze as easily as she always had.

After a moment, she took a deep, steadying breath, her eyes narrowing slightly as she took slow, measured steps toward him, brow furrowed, lips downturned in a look that was both angry and wary.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, her voice steady but cold.

He swallowed hard, feeling more vulnerable than he had in years. He hadn’t prepared for this, hadn’t thought of what he’d say if she actually stopped to talk. He’d half been hoping she wouldn’t even be at the precinct, but he knew from Carisi that she was working a case. Now he knew it had to have been bad.

Olivia looked at him expectantly, her eyes narrowing as if her patience was slipping.

“I—I just…” He glanced down at the bag of takeout, Chinese food from a place they used to order from during late nights in each other’s offices. His eyes shifted to the bouquet, the bottle of wine, and he suddenly felt foolish. “I just thought… maybe you could use a friend tonight.”

Her expression didn’t soften; if anything, her eyes grew colder, and a flicker of resentment appeared, sharp and unmistakable. “A friend?” she repeated, her tone heavy with disbelief. “It’s been two years without a word. I could hardly consider us friends.”

He winced, an ache settling in his chest so tight it was hard to breathe. She was right; they weren’t friends anymore. She didn’t forgive him, and she would never forgive him.

If she noticed his discomfort, she didn’t let it slow her down. “What changed, Barba?” she asked, her voice laced with venom. “Did you finally realize you were wrong?” Her eyes flickered down, landing on the items in his arms, and a bitter, humorless laugh escaped her. She tossed her head back, and the sound snapped his eyes open, caught off guard. Her hair cascaded around her shoulders, framing her face just as he remembered. Even now, with her berating him, she was still the most stunning woman he’d ever met.

“You thought this was going to make me forgive you?” she asked, delivering the final blow.

“I...I didn’t mean…” he stammered, his voice trailing off.

“Do you think you’re even worth forgiving?” she asked, her tone flat, almost hollow. “I mean why else did it take you this long to apologize?”

He looked away, shame filling his face. Her words cut deep, forcing him to confront a question that had haunted him his entire life. Was he worth forgiving? He had thought, once, that he might have been worthy. But now… now, all he could feel was the ache of what he’d lost and the realization of how deeply he’d hurt her. He needed to leave before he broke any further.

“This was a mistake,” he choked out, his voice barely holding together. “I’m sorry.” He turned, desperate to escape before he completely unraveled.

“Oh, that’s right, walk away.” Her voice was sharp, bitter. “Just like you always do.”

He stopped, shoulders sagging as her words hit him like a slap. He turned back to face her, unwilling to let the moment end like this. “What do you want me to do, Liv?” he asked, his voice trembling with a mix of pain and exhaustion. “Stay here and let you hate me? Let you tear me apart until there’s nothing left?” He took a steadying breath, his gaze fixed on her. “I told you I’d be there when you were ready to stop feeling betrayed by me. And I waited. I’ll keep waiting. But I can’t keep going in circles with you. So… what do you want from me?”

He watched her face, waiting, hoping, even as he braced himself for whatever response she might give.

“I wanted you to fight with me!” she shouted, her voice full of frustration, and he could see the tears welling in her eyes. “At Forlini’s, when I told you it wasn’t about Stabler—that it was about us—you just quit on me, Rafael. You left like it didn’t mean anything. Like I didn’t mean anything.”

Her words hit him hard, like a punch to the gut. She wanted him to fight with her. She’d made it so clear she wasn’t willing to hear him out, that her history with Stabler meant more to her than their friendship. He felt frustration rising in his chest.

“You made it very clear that you weren’t willing to forgive me at the time,” he said, exasperated. “I thought maybe if I gave you some space, we could work toward forgiveness.”

Her eyes flashed, and she took a step forward. “Well, look how that turned out. It’s been years, Rafa—years.”

Anger surged in him, and he felt it slip through his usually tight control. “So, let me get this straight—you’re mad at me because I didn’t somehow read your mind and know I was supposed to ignore your boundaries? Do you even hear how toxic that sounds? Stabler really has done a number on you, hasn’t he? Newsflash, Liv—I’m not him. I’m not going to come crashing into your life, throwing my weight around, causing chaos just to prove a point.”

She recoiled, hurt flashing briefly across her face before she pulled herself together. Her gaze sharpened, cold and distant, but he saw the wound he’d left behind, lingering beneath her fury.

“You know what I think?” she said, voice as cold as steel. “I think you’re jealous of him. I don’t think defending Wheatley was ever about justice. This whole thing has been about Stabler from the start.”

The accusation hit him squarely, but he forced himself to respond, his voice low and controlled. “You really think I’d risk my career, my reputation, you—all because of some petty jealousy?”

Her silence said everything. He felt the weight of years of unspoken words pressing down on him.

“If I thought for even a second that Stabler could make you happy, I would have stepped back and supported you. But he’s not making you happy, Olivia. I can see it. Your squad can see it. We’re all watching you break under the weight of him.”

She flinched, barely, her face hardening even as a flicker of pain flashed in her eyes. “I’ve known him for 25 years. You don’t know him, and you don’t know anything about our relationship.”

“And the ten years he was out of your life?” He shook his head, frustration breaking through.

“Maybe I don’t know every detail, Liv, but I hear what it’s doing to you. Rollins, Carisi—they keep me informed. The late nights, the closed doors, the way you keep yourself wrapped so tight you can’t even breathe. You used to be unstoppable. Now, it’s like you’re barely holding yourself together. I’m worried about you.”

Her jaw clenched, and for a moment, he thought she might turn away, shut him out. But she stayed, her gaze steady and locked on his.

“Look, can we—?” He gestured toward her office, a silent invitation to continue in private.

After a moment’s hesitation, she nodded, turning on her heel and heading toward her office without another word. He followed her inside, quietly closing the door behind them, the tension intensifying now that they were alone.

She leaned against her desk, crossing her arms tightly, her gaze fixed and unreadable. He set the items he held—a bouquet, takeout, and a bottle of wine—onto a chair, momentarily breaking eye contact before looking back at her.

“What gives you the right, Rafael?” she demanded, her voice edged with resentment. “What gives you the right to come in here after two years and judge me like you know anything about my life? You turned your back on me when you left the DA’s office, and you did it again when you defended Wheatley!”

“Seriously? This again?” He let out a humorless chuckle, running his fingers through his beard. “Were you always this much of a martyr, or did Stabler bring that out of you too?” His tone cut sharply, laced with years of frustration. “I’m sick of this whole woe-is-me act, Olivia. If you’d wanted to reach out any time in the past two years, you could’ve. My number hasn’t changed, my address hasn’t changed.”

She opened her mouth, but he cut her off. “I remember how Lewis tore you apart on that stand, Liv. How I was powerless to stop him. I remember sitting with you at Forlini’s, you telling me to take that deal—to let him say he raped you, to let him strip away everything you’d worked for. You have any idea what that did to me?”

She looked away, her defenses wavering, but he pressed on, his voice shaking.

“I knew any other defense attorney would drag your history with Stabler into that courtroom. But if they’d brought up Lewis? If they’d brought up how you admitted to perjury? Not only would Wheatley have walked—you’d be left with a ruined career, and you’d have had to explain Lewis to Stabler long before you were ready to.”

He paused, the weight of his confession hanging heavy between them. “But you never saw that, did you?”

“No, I didn’t see it, Rafael,” she replied, her voice low and edged with hurt. “Because you didn’t tell me any of that. You just left me trying to figure out why you, of all people, would betray me like that.”

“You didn’t let me! I tried!” he shot back, his frustration finally breaking through. “You fought me every step of the way, argued until you were blue in the face. The moment it looked like I wasn’t following orders—the one time I didn’t do exactly what you wanted—you cut me out like we were never friends. And I never expected that from you, Olivia. Not you.”

A flicker of alarm and pain crossed her face, and for a moment, she looked away, her arms crossing tightly around herself. When she met his eyes again, her brown eyes shimmered with unshed tears. “I never meant to cut you out, Rafael.”

Her words hung in the air, and he felt his anger soften, replaced by something heavier, more painful. “Then why did you shut me out like that?” he asked quietly. “You were the one person I thought would never give up on me.”

She swallowed, her gaze dropping. When she finally spoke, her voice was barely above a whisper. “Because I didn’t know how to handle it, Rafael. You were supposed to be the one person I could count on, and when you chose to defend Wheatley, it felt like you’d turned your back on everything we’d been through together.” She took a shaky breath, her arms tightening around herself. “I was hurt. And I didn’t know how to forgive you for that.”

He nodded, letting her words settle. “I thought I was doing the right thing,” he murmured, almost to himself. “But maybe I was trying so hard to protect you that I ended up hurting you instead.”

Her gaze softened. “Maybe we both made mistakes,” she said, her voice steadier but sad. “I should have talked to you. Instead, I let the anger take over. And after a while, it just… it just became easier to stay angry than to face what I was really feeling.”

“And what were you feeling?” he asked gently, his voice barely above a whisper.

She looked up, meeting his eyes, her gaze vulnerable. “It felt like I’d lost you,” she murmured. “Stabler coming back… it brought up all these old feelings I thought I’d buried. Feeling disposable, unwanted. He was my whole world for so long, and then he just left. Do you know what that does to someone?”

Her voice broke, her words settling between them like a confession. “When he left, it was like he took part of me with him. But the I met you and you became the person I thought would always be there. But then you left too. And when he came back, it just reminded me of every time someone walked away.”

A pang of guilt twisted in his chest. He’d never wanted to leave her. But after Drew, he’d needed space, time to figure out who he was without being consumed by guilt.

“I understood why you left, Rafael,” she went on, her voice gentler. “I never blamed you for that. You did your best to stay in touch. It was more than Elliot ever did. But when you came back… you were different. Happier. Like you’d found exactly what you’d been searching for away from the job, away from me. And then defending Wheatley? It was like the one person I thought I could rely on was… gone. And I didn’t want to admit how much that hurt.” She paused, glancing back up.

“Because maybe you were more than just a friend to me.”

The admission hung between them. He stepped forward, his voice a gentle murmur. “Liv… you’ve always been more than a friend to me.”

She looked away, then back at him, the hurt and confusion plain in her eyes. “Then why didn’t you say anything? Why did you let me think—”

“Because I was afraid,” he admitted, his voice raw. “Afraid I’d ruin it, lose you for good. I thought if I stayed quiet, somehow, you’d know. Somehow it would be enough.”

She held his gaze, her eyes shimmering with a mix of hurt and something softer, almost forgiving. “I did know,” she whispered. “But as long as neither of said anything, it was easier to ignore it than to risk losing you completely.”

He took her hand cautiously, giving her the space to pull away. But she didn’t; instead, her fingers tightened around his. “I know I can’t change the past,” he said quietly. “But I’m here, Liv. I’m done hiding how I feel.”

They stood there, their hands intertwined, the weight of their past mistakes balanced against the hope of something new. In that quiet moment, he knew they’d finally reached an understanding—one that would take time, trust, and the willingness to start over.

“Do you think…” She paused, searching his face as if afraid of his answer. “Do you think could forgive me? For letting this go on for so long?”

He squeezed her hand gently, a reassuring smile tugging at his lips. “Maybe we both have some forgiving to do,” he said, his voice steady, warm. “But I think we’re finally on the right path.”

A small smile crossed her face, and she nodded, her grip on his hand tightening. Then her eyes drifted down to the items resting on the chair, her smile widening just a little.

“You bought me flowers?” she asked, her voice tinged with warmth.

He chuckled softly, glancing at the bouquet. “Yeah. I didn’t know if they’d make things better, but I thought… maybe it was a start.”

She picked up the flowers, her fingers brushing over the petals. “Orchids,” she murmured. “You remembered.”

He nodded. “Of course. I wanted you to know that… even when things were messy, I still thought about you. Still cared.”

Her gaze lifted, gratitude shining in her eyes. “Thank you,” she said softly. She set the bouquet gently on her desk. “For not giving up on me… on us.”

He reached out, gently tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’d never give up on you, Olivia.”

She ducked her head, shaking it slightly. “I’ve given you plenty of reasons to. Even tonight, what I said about you being jealous… I never should’ve said that.”

“Hey,” he said, touching her shoulder gently. “I know you were angry. And maybe I deserved some of it. We’ve both said things we didn’t mean. But I’m here. And I want to move forward with you, without all of that between us. I want to be in your life, Liv. In whatever way you’ll have me.”

She looked up, her eyes softening. “I want that too, Rafa. I want you in my life, I just… I need to figure out…”

He nodded, sensing her hesitation. “You don’t have to do it alone, Liv. I’m here. However long it takes—I’m here.”

A flicker of relief crossed her face, her shoulders relaxing. “Thank you,” she whispered, her voice almost breaking.

After a beat, she gestured toward the chair, her expression softening with curiosity. “So… what else did you bring?”

“Oh, that?” He glanced over, smiling. “JJ’s takeout—which is probably cold by now—and a 2005 Chateau Montelena.”

Her eyes widened, a glimmer of surprise and amusement breaking through. “That’s a $200 bottle of wine.”

“We hadn’t spoken in two years, Olivia. I wanted to give myself the best chance of not being turned away.”

She let out a soft laugh, and the tension finally eased. “Well, good call,” she said, her tone lighter but still carrying a hint of apology. “Even if it didn’t exactly save you from my anger. Today’s been long.”

He nodded, sensing her weariness. “I could tell. I’m sorry if I made it harder.” He paused, his gaze softening. “To be honest, my day was rough too, and… I just missed you.”

She smiled, gentle and genuine. “I missed you too.” After a few seconds, she picked up the bouquet, bringing the petals to her nose. “What do you say we get out of here? We could go back to my place… I know there’s someone who’s really been missing his Uncle Rafa.”

“I’d like that,” he replied softly, his own smile reassuring her. “I’d love to spend some time with him. And with you.”

They left the precinct together, slipping into the night like they’d done so many times before. But this time, everything felt different—lighter, filled with possibility. As they walked toward her car, she glanced over at him, her brown eyes catching the soft glow of streetlights, and for the first time in a long while, he could see the world in full technicolor.

[autisticjoshrusso]

everybody pray for me im going to watch season 25 of svu despite knowing that it cant possibly compare to the epic version i made up in my head during the strike haitus

[beardedbarba]

i haven't done this in forever but

FRIENDLY REMINDER THAT I LOVE ODAFIN TUTUOLA AND WANT ONLY THE BEST FOR HIM

[thisisonlychemistry]

Something else I have decided that I really need to see: Amanda wearing an engagement ring alongside her wedding band.

Because Carisi most assuredly gave her one.

[thena0315]

The question is now, are they planning on making Rollins a professor/profiler consultant or a detective again? Bringing her back as part of the main cast or a recurring character would bring back a HUGE amount of viewership 

Given how it seems that they had Muncy exit due to fans having a hard time accepting her

Hopefully we’ll get some answers once S25 comes around

[dailymariskahargitay]

Law & Order SVU S25 cast photos

[morethanwords229]

After All - Chapter 1 - morethanwords229 - Law & Order: SVU [Archive of Our Own]

Decades of experience dealing with high stakes situations don’t really count for as much as he’d like when he’s staring at Olivia with a gun against her head.

post-s25/s4

[lo-diehards]

Law & Order: SVU "Tunnel Blind" -- An Excellent Landmark Start

"Tunnel Blind" (written by: David Graziano and Julie Martin / Directed by: Norberto Barba) I don't even know where to directly start with this so I'm just going to jump in and start with; thus far, this was the best episode written under David Graziano's direction since before Kelli Giddish's departing episode last season, if not the best in total. I hope over the hiatus during the writers' strike that Graziano and the writers room sat down and redirected their focus because the S25 premiere was a great first opener and the preview for next weeks episode looks like it's pretty high octane.

They really captured everything that is SVU from start to finish, it had a feel like we took a brief step back into season 22, just without Rollins/Kelli, sadly. I'm going to start with the story but then work on the rest of the episode. So as Carisi and Rollins (Peter Scanavino and special guest star Kelli Giddish) celebrate the Baptisim of their newborn son, Nicky (could he be Dominick Carisi III?), the case this week in concerning a girl named Maddie, who was abducted from a store and Benson (Mariska Hargitay) sees the abducted girl at a traffic light. The case goes full steam during the investigation in hopes of trying to find Maddie Flynn before it's too late but then it's later discovered that she was abducted for another reason, where the perpetrator needs her to stay alive, at least for now. Olivia blames herself for not following her abductor in traffic, the squad continuously telling her it's not her fault, nor did she have probable cause to pull over the van in question.

It's a nice twisty case that goes in many different directions as the SVU squad basically 'rounds up the usual suspects' until the squad hits a dead-end. Benson reaches out yet again to Professor Amanda Rollins for help with the case, as well as for some personal insight - something Benson has done with Rollins increasingly over the last decade. Rollins clearly still wishes she was working SVU cases, even so as making the slip in saying they would find "our perp," which Benson promptly calls her out in feigning shock for her saying. As Benson leaves to go pursue the new track you can see that Rollins is somber but also in thought as her next round of students come in.

Fast forward as they think they're on track to find Maddie Flynn and their perp in New Jersey, they joined forces with a detective there from the Bergen County Prosecutors Office, Sloane Parrish (who is portrayed by, Amber Skye Noyes, who portrayed Roxie in "Townhouse Incident" back in season 17), after they find and rescue another victim, Tanya Garcia, who was left drowning in a bathtub in a seedy motel room OD'ing on fentanyl by their perp, George, from Canada. Chief McGrath (Terry Serpico) shows up at the squad, happy they found a different victim who had been missing for more than a year, and says NYPD needed to hold a press conference. Maddie's mother Eileen shows up at the press conference, distraught that her daughter hadn't been found while NYPD was holding a press conference, Benson assures her that she is still working Maddie's case, but it doesn't help as Eileen's husband has to pull her away.

Olivia Benson's voiceover: "It's moments like these that remind me of the oath I took, to protect the innocent. This is not a solitary act… but more of a life long commitment. I'm honored to wear the badge, but my duty doesn't end when a case is closed. They all stay with you, whether innocence is saved or lost. My goal is for the world to be measured by how safe it is for the innocent. And after all these years, I've come to accept that maybe it's not possible. But I still have a duty to hope."

So again this episode feels like SVU again, that went missing last season, I was on edge during the episode and I haven't been in that feeling in a long while. Everyone in the cast brought everything they had, but there is one thing that is missing and it's clearly Amanda Rollins/Kelli Giddish. It feels like the writers are trying to lead us to something with her, it feels like she'll be back again [permanently?] real-soon. Even the cast gathered during the opening credits just seemed to still lack something, that something is her. If we are getting a Rollins' return story, I'm very curious to see how it plays out with her and Carisi, like does he even know she's not fully happy teaching? And if he does know, is he going to acknowledge it? Is she to him? Questions I'm sure that will be answered as the course of the season goes on. But Kelli's permanent return would certainly right a terrible wrong that never should have happened.

Meanwhile Benson's love life: I'm of the opinion of ICE T and Dr. Lindstrom (Bill Irwin), can Benson and Stabler either do something or move on? Seriously though. "Will they/won't they?" is tired and there have been some major flops [in my view], in attempts to make something happen ("the letter"/"The Christmas Episode"/Bronx trilogy/compass necklace). I'm not a Benson-Stabler/EO shipper personally, but if this is going to be a thing or is on the road to it, the road is STILL under a lot of construction, on both shows. Benson and Stabler have not had a serious conversation with themselves about where they stand, what they feel, and for Benson, what all she endured while he was gone. Absent that happening, if they pursue a relationship of any kind (physical or otherwise), without any of the aforementioned, that's basically ignoring over a decade worth of history that Organized Crime doesn't seem to even acknowledge when it comes to Benson. I felt cringe watching the opening scene where Benson is discussing her necklace with Carisi's cousin Steve (guest star Hamish Allan-Headley). This is my opinion but, before this can be something, there's a lot more that needs to happen.

[fearlessoliviabenson]

[storiesofsvu]

Ok so Law & Order and Law & Order Organized Crime got renewed for another season but SVU didn't and I know season 24 is already guaranteed because on s22 they renewed SVU for s23 & s24 but part of me would feel reassured if s25 got a greenlight now rather than next year when s24 is coming to an end do you think that s24 could be SVU's last run

It could be🤷🏼‍♀️

Tbh it’s about time for it to wrap up. Or at least for Olivia to retire. Like, let her retire (and lord i cant believe im saying this) if they want her to pop up/M is bored & wants to guest star she can pop in on OC.

And then give us For the Defense like we deserve you cowards….

[beardedbarba]

what happened to the "dun-dun" timestamps in svu?

i miss them

[beardedbarba]

i swear if svu takes fin from me i will be so fucking sad

[beardedbarba]

why is terry bruno so beautiful

[beardedbarba]

"don't listen to him, he's divorced."

🤣🤣🤣