Surrendering the Bensons

aftermath

As the weeks went by both olivia and Giana had been seeing psychologists. Olivia had been slowly opening up but Gia didn't talk much in session but did her best to seem normal at home although small sounds still made her jump out of her skin and she wore clothes that covered every inch of her body she could manage.

Dr. Harmon, gias therapist had a discussion saying she was worried that Gia was not opening up but also didn't seem to be pink clouding and that olivia should keep an eye on her.

Olivia always knew her daughter was alot like her and tended to block things out or pack things away but olivia knew most times that was dangerous especially for a 15 year old.

When they got home after therapy olivia looked at her daughter "how did your session go?" She asked already really knowing the answer.

"It was...ok" she faked a smile "um...I'm gonna get some homework done" she said and quickly left the room not wanting to be interrogated by her mother.

Olivia sighed and had a cup of coffee after debating with herself that it was too early for wine.

Gia went to her room and lay in her bed hugging herself as the flashbacks returned. She tried to push them out of her mind but they always managed to sneak back in and torment her mind more. What made it worse was she knew william was still alive and she remembered her mom and amanda talking about how lucky he was to get out of 6 other brutal crimes and she feared he would come back for them...for her. He had made her do so many things. The rapes were bad enough but then to make her hurt that poor older woman and then her own mother. Every time she seen her mother wince in pain around her she found herself apologizing for it.

She walked across her room and finally dressed in her pajamas but every time she froze just looking at herself and how awful her body seemed to look now. The other girls at school were going out and worried about who has the best boyfriend or who looked hotter in thier dress but Gia just wanted to be invisible.

She put her pajamas on and sat back on her bed as a knock came to her door startling her slightly. Olivia walked in and seen the look. In her daughters eyes, a look she recognized from herself "Gia my love talk to me" she said sitting beside her daughter.

"I'm fine mom" she said.

Olivia knew that phrase all too well so she knew that it was never true "sweetheart we went through this trauma together and I want to overcome it together" she continued "I know I went through alot but he put you through so much more but none of it was your fault."

She hesitated before finally saying "how is it not my fault? I forgot to lock the window in my room...I froze and let him take over me...I hurt you and I hurt that woman...." she said on the verge of tears.

"Hunny he made you do those things and you were trying to stay alive and I'm a cop and he got the jump on me too. Your 15 not a super hero." Olivia touched her daughters shoulder "you did everything right and everyone forgets things some times."

She shook her head "no...no you've always told me to be strong and I'm not I'm weak and stupid" she said.

"Gia that is not true at all you are one of the strongest girls I know and your smarter than me most times." She said "let's just take everything one day at a time and do it together ok?" She said stroking her daughters hair gently.