You and I [A Bensler Fanfiction]

Twelve

Elliot got deployed a week after he got the call. Avery and Christine were there to see him off, yet he was wishing Olivia would have joined them at the airport. He sent her a text and called her the morning he left, but she didn't respond. He understood she must be upset and worried that he'd never come back to her, but he had plans to come back to her. Once his deployment was up, he was going to leave the marines and hopefully move to New York with Avery in tow.

While he was on the other side of the world, Elliot wrote to Olivia daily. He didn't send them, but he put them in a large envelope to take home with him. He planned on hand delivering them to her within a week of his return.

"Where are you going, Daddy?" Avery asked, a few days after her father got home. Elliot had been spending all of this time with his little girl and Christine.

"I am driving to New York City to see Olivia. I have some letters to hand deliver," Elliot smiled. Avery quickly ran to put her shoes on as Elliot grabbed a light jacket.

"I'm coming with you, Daddy," Avery announced.

"Kid, we should probably talk to your Mommy about that," Elliot replied.

"Mommy, can I go to New York with Daddy?!" Avery yelled, as she sat down and pulled her sneakers on before starting to slowly tie them.

"New York? El, I thought you were going to hang around here until they approve your discharge?" Christine asked. Since their divorce, whenever Elliot got back from deployment, she always seemed more clingy. She wanted to keep him close, and she always tried to kiss him.

"I have to see Olivia. She was so upset when I told her about my deployment, and I need to make sure she's okay. I should be back by Sunday," Elliot replied, trying to keep his annoyance at bay.

"Love-"

"Mommy, can I go or not?" Avery interrupted her mother. 

Christine looked at her ex and their little girl. She wanted to say no, but Avery was attached to the hip with Elliot and separating them would probably cause the worst fit Avery had ever thrown.

"Okay, you can go. We need to pack you a bag first... go grab your suitcase." 

Avery ran towards her room, and Christine turned to Elliot.

"Make sure she finishes her homework, and that you don't leave her in a hotel room while you are gone."

"I won't leave her in a hotel room, Chris. You know that I'd never do that... We will be back on Sunday."

///

Olivia emptied her sons' backpacks as they ate their snacks after lunch. They were very talkative today and were excited about their weekend with Olivia's mother. Serena had been planning a weekend with the boys for weeks, so Jackson and Landon's excitement had been building for a long time.

"Can I bring my bunny to the water park?" Landon asked as he sat down his glass of milk.

"You can bring your bunny to the hotel, but please don't take him down to the water park," Olivia replied. Landon sighed, but quickly went back to discussing how he would beat Jackson in a race swimming across one of the pools.

Olivia laid a few worksheets on the table for her sons to work on while she headed out into the garage to grab their life jackets and goggles. The door was opened, but that didn't mean that Olivia wasn't shocked when someone pulled into her driveway and honked the horn when they spotted her. 

She squinted against the spring sun and swallowed hard when she saw Elliot and Avery get out of their vehicle. Avery was quick to wave at Olivia.

"What are you two doing here?" Olivia asked, as she held one of the life jackets to her chest. It felt weird to be standing just feet away from Elliot after not talking to him in six months.

"Daddy got back from being a superhero, and he wanted to come and see you!" Avery exclaimed. Olivia gave her a weak smile.

"You could have just called instead of coming all the way out here... Um, the boys are inside working on homework. You can join them if you'd like, Avery," Olivia breathed.

"I have homework too! I can get it done and then just hang with Daddy the rest of the weekend!" Avery exclaimed. She went racing past Olivia and quickly into the house. 

"I could have just called?" Elliot asked as he shook the large orange envelope in his hand.

Olivia looked away from him and reached down to grab another set of goggles.

"I didn't know if you'd ever come back..."

Elliot frowned and stepped closer to Olivia. She stepped away from him, making sure to keep several feet between them. Being away from him had been hard, and now that he's back, it made things even harder.

"Babe-"

"Why don't you go home, okay? Or see your parents... The boys are going to the water park with my mother, and I am having a few friends over. So..."

"What is wrong, Liv? You won't let me get close to you and you seem so off. Is it Keith? Did he do something to you?" Elliot asked weakly.

Olivia swallowed hard and slowly moved the life jacket to the side. Elliot watched her carefully before realizing that she was showing him instead of telling him. He dropped his eyes down and drew in a sharp breath.