Coming Home [A Bensler Fan Fic]

Three

Elliot quickly opened the door and ran out after Olivia. He hated Trace right now, because all he seemed to care about was blaming Serena's death on someone, instead of trying to make sure his entire family was making it through Serena's death as easily as possible.

Elliot looked up and down the street before moving down the sidewalk. He was just about to call Olivia's name, but he found her sitting under one of the large oak trees. She clung to both of her daughters as she sobbed.

"Liv?" Elliot asked softly, and Olivia quickly looked up from her daughters and swallowed hard as she tried to force herself to stop sobbing.

"G-go away, El." Olivia whimpered.

"I'm not going to do that, and you know that. So wanna let your eldest walk around and we can sit and talk?" Elliot asked, and Olivia swallowed hard before nodding hesitantly. She loosened her grip on her daughters before looking at Louise.

"Lou, why don't you go and look at those flowers. If you blow the ones that look like fluff, you can make a wish... just stay close by, okay?" Olivia sniffled, and Louise nodded.

"Okay, Mama." The little girl whispered before she walked over to the dandelions.

Elliot sat down beside Olivia before slipping his suit jacket off and covering up the baby.

"Your daughters are stunning, Liv. They look exactly like you." Elliot smiled, and Olivia nodded slowly.

"Um, that little one is Louise, but we call her Lou. And this one is Violet, but clearly you heard me call her Letty." Olivia sniffled.

"Do you want to talk about them or what happened inside?" Elliot asked.

"If I talk about my girls, I'll end up talking about what happened in Washington, and I really don't want to do that."

"Okay, then, let's talk about what happened inside. Is it true that you haven't contacted your family in four years?" Elliot asked, and Olivia nodded.

"I left the day after graduation and didn't contact my parents since. I didn't even talk to my sisters." Olivia breathed.

"Why?" Elliot asked, and Olivia bit her lip as she thought about what she should tell Elliot. She didn't want to scare him away, especially since he seemed to be her only friend at this moment. She wasn't close with her father, nor any of her sisters, so all she had were Elliot and her babies.

"Do you think you could ever hate me? And like never want to talk to me again? Because I don't want to screw up our friendship... I know that I didn't keep in contact with you but you still cared enough about me to come out here."

"Olivia, you are my person. I have never found a person quiet like you... so no, I could never hate you. So tell me what was happening." Elliot breathed as he reached over and brushed a tear from Olivia's cheek.

"So Evelyn got into some really bad things. She was constantly stealing from me, breaking my stuff, and picking fights with me. We shared a bathroom, and I cannot tell you how many times I'd go in there and find a fine white powder on the counter." Olivia spoke. Elliot's eyes went wide as he continued to watch as Lou walked around and picked dandelions and blew on them.

"How long was she doing coke?" Elliot asked.

"I don't know. It was awhile before I actually saw the proof... but it was really messing with her. I told my parents that I was tired of Evelyn acting out and fighting with me, but they refused to make her stop. They babied her, but never actually made her stop. The final straw was when she stole about three hundred dollars from my hiding spot. She bought coke and overdosed on the night we graduated. She was fourteen, El. So I left without leaving a note and I traveled out west." Olivia explained.

"Did your parents ever contact you? Did they-"

"They had four daughters under the age of fifteen, so they didn't even need to try to contact the only daughter that was of legal age to leave. So if they called my cell, they found it on my bedside table. I bought myself a new one and just forgot about home."

"Did you graduate from college out there?"

"I had to drop out."

"What? Liv-"

"I got pregnant not long after I got settled in. I got married, and I did college for another year or so before just working. Louise was my main focus, and then when I started to look into classes again... then the test was positive again and I knew that I'd never graduate." Olivia sighed.

"You should try to apply to place out here. See if you can transfer your credits-"

"I don't know if my family wants me here, but if they do... I'll be working, taking care of my kids, and making sure that my sisters survive. I won't have time for school." Olivia sighed softly.

Before Elliot could speak again, Lou came running over to them and held a dandelion out to each of them.

"Here!" She exclaimed.

"Thanks, Lou. These are beautiful flowers, babe." Olivia smiled as she took one from her daughter's chubby hand. Elliot watched as Olivia closed her eyes tightly before blowing the fuzz from the dandelion.

He was wondering what she was wishing for, and he was praying that it was something he could help her out with.

"Mister!" Lou exclaimed, and Elliot quickly looked over at the little girl.

"Yes?" Elliot asked, as Olivia laughed softly.

"It's your turn! Make a really good wish!" Lou smiled.

"Can you help me, Lou? You must bring really good luck to your Mama." Elliot spoke, and Lou nodded.

"I'm really lucky." Lou grinned.

Olivia watched as Elliot wrapped his larger hands around Lou's small ones. They each closed their eyes before blowing the fuzz from the dandelion as the doors to the funeral home opened, and people started to spill out.

"Are you going to the luncheon and to her burial?" Elliot asked, and Olivia shrugged.

"I have no idea. Violet is going to be hungry soon, so I should probably go home."

"I'll be there. I can help you out with both girls." Elliot offered.

"Thanks, but you don't have to. And anyway, you heard that I'm the family disappointment. I'm not wanted there."