Coming Home [A Bensler Fan Fic]

Twenty-Six

"Don't say those things about Liv." Joseph frowned as he looked his son over.

"She does nothing but fuck up and fail, but she gets a fancy job?! I work my ass off and she doesn't do shit! She's lazy and worthless!" Elliot screamed.

Joseph took a slow breath before just turning and walking into the house. He wasn't going to sit back there and let Elliot bitch about the woman he is married to. However, Joseph didn't want to beat the shit out of his son so he backed off and let Elliot self destruct.

"What's happening with him?" Bernie asked, from where she had been waiting at the top of the stairs.

Joseph frowned before shrugging.

"I honestly have no idea. He says it's one thing, but our luck it's something completely different. But we are just going to let him do his things. Then tomorrow we can discuss this again... hopefully when he's sober."

Bernie nodded slowly before letting her husband pass her. She went downstairs and watched her son for a moment before crying quietly.

She knew that Elliot and Olivia were meant to be together, and she hated to even think that this could be the end of their marriage. That she'd never see Louise and Violet again, or even Olivia. She loved those girls, and losing them would break their whole family.

///

Elliot eventually stumbled into the house sometime during the night, to only pass out on the sofa. When he woke up, Bernie had sat a bucket beside him along with a few pain pills and water to help with his hangover.

Elliot downed the medicine and a few extra sips of water before heading into the kitchen. He made himself some coffee and was sipping on that when Joseph came down.

"Hungover?" Joseph asked, and Elliot sighed as he nodded.

"Yeah. It's not horrible, but still sucks. Why?" Elliot questioned.

"You got wasted last night and were a dick, so I just wanted to check." Joseph spoke. He poured some coffee into his mug before turning to look at his son.

"What was I a dick about? Last night was kinda blurry." Elliot frowned as he ran his hands over his face.

Joseph was going to tell Elliot exactly what had happened, but decided not to. If Elliot didn't realize sometime today that he had kicked Olivia and the girls out, then he'd tell him.

"You'll figure it out. I don't have time to do a recap of your rant from last night. Stay hydrated and get lots of sleep. I have work." Joseph spoke.

Elliot drank about a pot of coffee and made himself breakfast before his mother even got up. When Bernie wandered into the kitchen, Elliot thought it was Olivia.

"You are going to be late for work. It's almost seven." Elliot mumbled.

"I don't work until nine, son." Bernie spoke. Elliot turned around quickly before eyeing his mother.

"Uh, did she already go to work?" Elliot questioned, and Bernie frowned.

"Son, she took the girls to stay with Sara."

"W-what?" Elliot whispered.

"You kicked her out last night. So she took the girls and went to stay with Sara."

Elliot sighed softly before nodding. The memories from last night flooded back, along with his anger. He realized that he said some pretty shitty things to his wife, but he didn't really feel bad about it. At least not at the moment.

"Are you going to apologize to her and bring the girls home?" Bernie asked, and Elliot shook his head as he stood.

"No way in hell."

///

Olivia took the girls to daycare before heading to work. She had volunteered for an extra long shift to keep her mind off of Elliot and her failing marriage.

"Hey, sweetie." Bernie spoke awkwardly when she went to see Olivia on her lunch break. Olivia was sitting on a bench out front, but wished she had been inside. She loved Bernie and Joseph, but didn't want them around if she and Elliot were done.

"What are you doing here?" Olivia asked.

"I wanted to make sure that you were okay... last night was rough." 

"Yeah, it was. But you can't be here." Olivia breathed, as she shut her lunch box.

"What not?"

"Because I'm not your child. In the end, I will be nothing to you. My babies won't be either... You need to be with Elliot and support him. You are supposed to hate me." Olivia frowned. She stood and packed up, but didn't get far before Bernie was grabbing her arm.

"I could never hate you, Olivia. I have known you for years, and I have never hated you once. Elliot was a dick last night, and we should have kicked him out. But you left and didn't fight him or make matters worse. You will always be my daughter, and those babies will always be my grandchildren. Even if you and Elliot aren't together." Bernie breathed.

Olivia nodded weakly, as she bit down hard onto her lip.

"My life is a fucking mess right now. I was supposed to be happy about my new job and the new life I have, but now I hate it. I feel like I shouldn't be happy, because it makes Elliot angry." Olivia whimpered.

"Honey, be happy. Joe and I are so proud of you! Elliot is just grieving this job loss. He hates that he didn't get his dream job, but that doesn't mean he has a right to be a little bitch to you." Bernie sighed.

Olivia let out a weak laugh before smiling.

"I'm working late tonight, so would you maybe grab the girls from daycare and drop them off with my aunt and sisters? Jackie was going to pick them up, but I know that you would probably like to see them."

"I will totally do that! I just hope that this fight will only last a few nights so then I can have you all back home."

"I hope so too..."