The Unknown: Book 3 {A Bensler Fan Fic}

Chapter 7

"Kora, I didn't mean to." I whispered. She shook her head and pushed me from the bed. Thankfully I was able to land on my feet, but I was still shaking.

"You killed her! It's all your fault! I never wanna talk to you again! I hate you!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. Tears ran down my cheeks, and a few nurses came in.

"Kora, we need to sedate you now. I'm sorry!" One yelled over my daughter's sobbing, and I turned on my heel and ran from the room. I stumbled into the stairwell, and leaned against the wall as my vision blurred completely.

I didn't mean to help aide in the death of Dakota! That girl was sweet and caring. She loved my daughter, and she told me that shortly after we met, and now that girl was going to never see another day. It was all because I didn't call for an ambulance soon enough. If I would've did that, if I would've called as soon as I saw them laying there unresponsive, Dakota wouldn't be dead, and my daughter wouldn't hate me.

~*~

I left the stairwell after awhile, and I walked back towards Kora's room. She laid motionless on her bed, and they had put oxygen nubbins in her nose to help her breath. I stood in front of the large window, but I didn't want to go in. Maybe if I went in there, she'd sense it, and she'd die too. I couldn't lose her again. I didn't want to lose her in general.

"Olivia?" A weak voice breathed, and I wiped a tear from my cheek, before turning towards the voice. Standing in front of me was Dakota's parents.

"Miranda." I breathed, and she wiped a tear from her cheek, just like I had. But those tears were replaced as soon as the last was wiped away.

"How's Kora?" She asked weakly, as her husband, Thomas stood behind her, and looked at my daughter through the open door.

"She's sedated right now. She wasn't breathing how she should've been."

"How about on the Dakota side of things?" She questioned, and I watched her dark brown eyes fill with more tears.

"She's devastated..." I choked out.

"Dakota really loved your Kora. She was talking about how no other girl made her feel the way Kora made her feel. She felt so special and extraordinary around Kora." Miranda whimpered, before starting to sob. She turned around and gripped onto her husband tightly, and I stepped back slowly, and looked through the window again.

"Both of our girls felt the same way. I'm sorry that Dakota didn't make it. I take full responsibility." I whimpered, and they both looked at me.

"What?" Thomas questioned.

"I didn't call for an ambulance quick enough. I should've did it as soon as I got there, but I called my husband and told him to come down first. Then I checked on them, making sure there wasn't any head wounds that I could see or feel. Then I tried to wake them up. I didn't do it in the order that I should've. I'm sorry." I spoke, and Miranda struck me hard across my cheek, and I wasn't even phased by it.

"You allowed my baby to be killed." She cried, and I swallowed hard.

"I'm sorry." I spoke again, and she shook her head.

"You don't deserve to be a mother. You deserve to rot in hell for allowing my baby to die! You're a detective! You should know better!" She screamed, and Elliot stepped between us. I didn't even know he had gotten here, but he had witness the whole thing.

"Thomas, take your wife home. We'll keep you updated on the investigation."

~*~

Elliot led me to the cafeteria, which was almost completely empty. He got us coffee, before sitting across from me in the far booth.

"What were you saying to the Landers, that made Miranda so angry?" He asked, and I bit my lip.

"I told her the truth, El."

"What do you think is the truth?" He asked, and I swallowed hard.

"I allowed the girls to get hurt. If we hadn't been studying, Kora wouldn't have left. We could've prevented it. I could've. Then I didn't call an ambulance early enough." I whispered.

"You didn't kill Dakota, Liv." He spoke, and I shook my head.

"I did. If it hadn't been for me, our daughter wouldn't be heartbroken, and the Landers would still have a daughter who was breathing. One who loved our daughter so much. Now, everyone is suffering, because I'm a shitty cop, who didn't do her job." I replied, before standing and tossing my full cup of coffee away. 

I couldn't drink it. I didn't want to do anything but be with my daughter, but she hates me. So much for wanting to be a mother to her and comforting her like a mother should.

~*~

This was the most difficult case I think I've been involved in, in forever. Yes, the cases where my daughters got raped were hard, but this... this brought me to my knees.

Every time my daughter sobbed in the middle of the night for Dakota. Or when her funeral came up, and Kora wasn't allowed to go. She wasn't wanted, especially since the Landers decided to sue me for the death of their daughter. 

Our family wasn't allowed within 100 yards of the Landers, and it killed Kora a little bit more every time. 

Elliot and I were removed from the case, and I was suspended. The NYPD were covering their asses by suspending me. Once the lawsuit came into the public eye, my job ended up hanging from a thread, and my bosses held the scissors.

This all happened at a horrible time, because Aubrie's wedding was pushed away, while we focused on this. My daughter and Greg understood, and got married quietly. But it wasn't what they deserved. None of what was happening, was deserved by my family. Other than me. I deserved this all. I haven't been a good enough person, and this was the payback. 

It fucking sucks.

Hey guys! Thanks for reading! Please vote and comment all of your feedback below! :D