The Unknown: Book 3 {A Bensler Fan Fic}

Chapter 12

I stood outside of the hospital, waiting for Kora to come out. I was eager to see her, but then there was Charlie. My daughter is turning 6, and all she wanted for her birthday was her sister. While Elliot and the other kids set up for her birthday party at Serena's, I was getting one of the many gifts she would receive today.

I ran my hands through my hair, and then looked at my watch. The doctor said she would be released at 1 on the dot, but now it's 1:30, and she wasn't out yet. Maybe she was still saying goodbye...

I turned around and reached into the open window of my car and grabbed my drink and took a sip from it, before sitting back in. I turned around and a smile covered my face as I saw my daughter walking towards me. 

She looked different, like how she chopped most of her hair off, so it was above her shoulders, and she had lost some weight, but she looked good. She looked happy.

"Momma!" She exclaimed, as she held onto her bag and ran to me. I reached out and pulled the bag from her hand before dropping it on the ground. Then I pulled my daughter into my arms and held her close.

"I've missed you so much, Kora. I'm never letting you leave me again."

"Eventually I want kids and a spouse, but as of right now, all I want is my family." She spoke, and I held her at arms length and smiled.

"Your hair looks amazing." I smiled, and she laughed as she tucked a piece behind her ear, to only have it fall back.

"I had to cut it. It was too long, and it was bothering me during daily activities."

"Well, you should keep it like this, sweetie. Now, we need to get on the road, because Charlie's party is at 4, and I'm sure you want to shower and change."

~*~

I took Kora home and she took a long shower, before getting out and changing. While she was doing this, I was wrapping gifts for Charlie, and was wrapping a small gift that I got for Kora.

"It's so nice taking a shower where I can use a razor to shave my legs. I hated being under such high supervision." She laughed, as she came into the kitchen. I smiled.

"Well I'm glad you had a nice shower, and I'm glad that you are home."

I pushed the small box towards her, as she sat down next to me, and she eyed it.

"Want me to make a fancy bow magically come out of thin air?" She teased, and I shook my head.

"No. I want you to open it. It's a gift from your father and myself." I replied.

"Mom, you didn't need to do this." She spoke, and I shook my head.

"It's special. You'll understand when you open it."

She sighed as she slowly tore the wrapping paper off, and leaned back to toss it into the garbage. She opened the small box, and I watched tears grow in her eyes right away.

"Momma." She whispered.

"I added another charm to your necklace, so it says Dakota's name. So it's almost matching mine, but it's still different."

"I love your fearless necklace, so this means so much to me." She breathed, and I smiled. I leaned over and kissed her cheek softly, before pulling my necklace away and showing her the additional charms I added to it.

"I got Wyatt's name, and Bailey's." I smiled, and she leaned over and hugged me.

"Thanks for this, and for supporting me. I wouldn't have been able to have survived if it hadn't been for the support of all of you."

"You helped yourself too, Kora. Now, go get your shoes on. We have the cake to pick up, then we have to get over to your grandmother's."

~*~

I left Kora by the car, and I went in to ask Charlie if she wanted to help unload her gifts, so she could see them all. Of course she was eager to help. I opened the front door, and we walked out, and my daughter stopped in her spot, and started to cry.

"Oh, Charlie. Don't cry, sweetie." Kora spoke, as she walked towards her baby sister. Charlie ran down the stairs, and wrapped her arms around Kora's neck, as she squatted down to her sister's height.

"I missed you so much. Never leave me again, Kora! I missed you! I never want to miss you again!" Charlie sobbed into her sister's shoulders, and I wiped a tear from my cheek, before looking over my shoulder. Elliot smiled and stepped towards me, and wrapped his arms around my waist as we watched.

"I bet she'll never forget this birthday." Elliot breathed, and I nodded.

"I'm so glad she is home." I whispered, and he leaned over and kissed my cheek softly.

"I'm glad too. We are a complete family now." 

~*~

The birthday party was fun, and beyond amazing to see the looks on my children's faces as they interacted with their sister again. Kora cried when she saw Meredith for the first time, and she held her niece most of the night.

It was also nice when we didn't have to drive home, because my parents agreed to Charlie's demands of camping out in the backyard. It was better than going out into nature to sleep, and I got to have indoor plumbing too.

My step father is a nature freak, and he had tons of tents he set up, and he got a special pink one for Charlie to sleep in, and one that Charlie begged Kora to share with her.

I laid in a tent on an air mattress with my husband, and he had his arms wrapped around my body as we listened to our kids talking in the tents around us.

"This is amazing."

"I know it is." I smiled, as I leaned my head against his chest.

"See, I'm glad you and Kora talked me into this." He spoke, and I rolled my eyes.

"Now you admit it." I grinned.

"So, what are your plans for the next few weeks that you are off to take care of Kora and get her back to normal?"

"I'm taking Kora to therapy, and then I'm working on a joint graduation party that is coming up in two months." I sighed.

"Oh shit, Noah, Alison, and Josie graduate in a month."

"Yeah, now do you feel old?" I questioned, and Elliot nodded.

"Yeah, but then I look at you and see that if I'm old, I don't think I'd be able to catch someone like you." He breathed into my neck, before kissing my skin softly.

"I love you, and thanks for everything." I breathed.

"Your welcome."

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