All I Ask [A Bensler Fan Fic]

Chapter Fourteen

Elliot shut the front door to his apartment before letting out a small sigh. Eli had just left to hang out with friends instead of spending time with his father. Elliot knew his kids hated him, but he thought that maybe they'd at least give him a chance to make things up to them. Elliot barely turned away from the door when someone was knocking on it. He turned slowly before opening the door.

"Lizzie." Elliot smiled tiredly as he looked at his youngest daughter.

"Hi, Dad... I told mom I was going to be late coming home this weekend, so I thought we could talk." Lizzie spoke, and Elliot nodded.

"Sure, kid. Make yourself comfortable." Elliot spoke as he let Lizzie into the apartment.

She snooped around as Elliot made them coffee, before joining her in the living room.

"Where's Eli?" Lizzie asked.

"He wanted to play basketball with some of his friends. He grabbed his bag, so I'm assuming he'll call and ask to spend the night there." Elliot sighed. He made the choice to end a loveless marriage, and everyone didn't want to spend time with him because of that choice.

"Daddy, I'm sorry that everyone is hating on you. I know that the decision must have been hard, especially since you gave up everything to be with Mom again." Lizzie breathed as she reached out and grabbed her father's hand. She gave it a tight squeeze and gave him a soft smile.

Lizzie had always been a Daddy's girl, and Elliot was thankful she had come over to discuss things with him. He had missed his little girl like crazy.

"I gave up Olivia and a chance to raise our baby just so I could try to save our family. But now I don't have a family and Olivia is in some random city growing a child that I'll never meet." Elliot whispered as tears burned his eyes. He wanted to cry right now, but he was sure that Lizzie would tell Kathy and she'd hate him for that.

"You'll meet that baby one day, Dad. Olivia won't keep it away from you forever." Lizzie smiled softly.

"Kid-"

"Do you want me to contact her? I still have her number on my phone, but I just haven't tried to call her since everything came to light."

"No, it's okay. It isn't even her number anymore."

They sat in silence for a while before Lizzie leaned over and kissed her father's cheek softly.

"You still have a family, Daddy. It's just that it isn't as strong as before... I don't want to leave you, so I'm going to grab my bag and spend the weekend here with you. How does that sound?"

"It sounds great, Liz. But go home to your mom... I don't deserve to spend time with you after what I did. I don't even think I should have time with Eli."

///

Casey walked over to the couch before squatting down next to Olivia.

"I'm home, baby." Casey whispered as she caressed Olivia's hair to wake her up.

It took awhile, but eventually Olivia opened her eyes. The moment she saw Casey, a sleepy smile grew on her lips.

"Hi."

"Hello, beautiful. Evie must be kicking your butt today if you took a nap this late." Casey teased lightly.

"I did some cleaning today, but I had to stop because my back hurt like hell... I guess I passed out when I laid down just to relax." Olivia laughed weakly. She let her girlfriend help her sit up before they shared a few kisses.

"Where in your back?" Casey asked.

"The middle of my lower back. Why?"

"Well, I heard that women usually get practice contractions in the last several weeks of their pregnancy. I just didn't know if that was your pain, or something else." Casey spoke awkwardly. 

No matter how many months that Olivia and Casey dated, Casey still got awkward around her girlfriend. She still felt like she was overstepping when she gave Olivia advice about something she had researched online.

"I don't think I've had those yet, love. But don't worry, when they start I will tell you right away." Olivia replied.

They went into the kitchen and started to make salads for dinner. Casey was silent, and it worried Olivia. She usually talks a mile a minute when she gets home, especially since she opened her firm and was finally getting some work in.

"Did something happen today? You haven't talked about your day yet." Olivia asked, as she turned away from the counter and faced Casey.

"I'm just tired, baby. Nothing is wrong." Casey lied.

"Love-"

"I promise-"

"You are lying to me, Casey! I'm not angry, just worried. Especially since we rarely hide anything from each other anymore." Olivia frowned as tears welled in her eyes and her lip quivered.

Olivia had what-ifs flood her brain. Especially the idea that maybe Casey had found someone else. 

"Oh, Livvie. Please don't cry. Please." Casey begged, as she rounded the counter and pulled Olivia into a hug.

"Are you not happy anymore? Or-"

"I am the happiest I have been in forever, Liv. Being with you and Evie makes me so beyond happy. I could scream from the rooftops about how happy I am." Casey smiled, as she unwrapped her arms from Olivia's body and moved to wipe tears from her cheeks with the pads of her thumbs.

"Then why are you quiet?" Olivia hiccuped.

"I feel like I may overstep sometimes... like tonight when I asked about your back pain. I don't want you to feel like I'm being controlling, especially when this is your pregnancy. Not mine. But I keep researching everything possible, because I'm clueless when it comes to babies and what you are going through. Then I offer out advice or buy you something that may help, but is it more annoying than helpful?"

"I love your advice, Case! Especially when you tell me things I don't know! Honey, this is my first pregnancy, so I'm just as clueless as you are. So please, don't let this get to you, my love."

"Are you sure?" Casey asked, and Olivia nodded as an enormous smile grew on her lips.

"I'm absolutely certain. Now, let's finish making dinner. I wanna sit down and hear about how great your day was."