An Unexpected Surprise [A Benstone Fan Fic]

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Olivia didn't know how her life was going to end up. If she was going to have to pull the plug, or if she'd bring her husband home to their children. Olivia couldn't stop thinking about when Peter laid beside her after Hadley was born, and how they talked about how he would walk their daughter down the aisle on her wedding day. How he promised Olivia that they would grow old together, even though Olivia kept telling him that she was already old.

Olivia sat beside her husband's bedside and wondered if this was the last place she'd see her husband, because he may never wake up again. He may never go home and he may never be able to kiss her ever again.

---

"Alright, so we have some things to discuss," Olivia spoke, as she walked out of her office at the end of the workday. She was going home to the kids and putting them down for the night before going to sleep at the hospital beside Peter's bed again. She's been sleeping beside his bed for the last 3 weeks.

"What do we have to discuss, Lieu?" Carisi asked as Olivia walked into the center of their desks.

"Well, this was my last day of work for a while," Olivia replied slowly.

"Are you quitting?" Amanda asked, nervously.

"I'm taking some leave. I need to be spending time with my kids and making sure that I'm there for Peter if he ends up not making it. I don't want him to pass away alone." Olivia whispered. She turned and looked at Fin before handing him the keys to her office.

"These are yours, for now. I'll be back eventually... hopefully... but you are in charge again." She spoke, and Fin swallowed hard before taking the keys.

"Well, we will be coming around to see you and the kids. Okay? You aren't alone in this." Amanda spoke, as she stood and walked over to her friend. Olivia hugged Amanda tightly before moving to Carisi then to Fin.

"Thanks for taking over for me, Fin. It means a lot." Olivia whispered as she ended the hug sooner than she wanted too. She just didn't want to make Fin even more uncomfortable than he probably already was.

"Take care." He mumbled, before sitting back at his desk. Olivia nodded slowly before saying one last goodbye before leaving the station house for the last time for a while.

---

Olivia left the kids with Lucy once again, before heading to the hospital. Once there, she settled into the uncomfortable plastic chair beside Peter's bed, before covering herself up with the blanket that she leaves here every morning.

She didn't do anything but watch her husband as the machines breathed for him and kept his blood pumping through his body. 

"He's doing okay today." The older nurse spoke, as she entered the room at the same time she does every night. She always makes sure to update Olivia on what she missed during the day, but it never was a lot.

"Yeah? Clearly, he is still sleeping." Olivia sighed.

"He is, but his brain scans are looking better right now," Gloria spoke.

"Not great. Not to the point where he can wake up." Olivia sighed. She ran her hands over her face before she leaned forward a bit to touch Peter's hand.

It was cold and swollen. Olivia didn't know why his hand wasn't warm anymore, or why they were so swollen. She was wondering why he couldn't even resemble the man she loves.

"Do you think that maybe if I bring the kids up, that he'd wake up or it might help him a bit?" Olivia asked.

"Kids aren't allowed on this ward," Gloria replied, and Olivia nodded as tears ran down her cheeks.

"Of course they aren't. That means that the four things that might wake up my husband, can't even be here to try to wake him up." Olivia grumbled. She ran her hands over her face again before just standing. The blanket fell to the floor, and Gloria left the room quietly because she didn't want to say something to hurt Olivia even more.

---

Mornings turned into nights, and each day got longer and more tiring. Olivia didn't know how she was making it through each day without giving up. She wanted to give up, but once again she had to be the strong one. She had to be the one that kept going because she has kids to take care of and a husband to stay strong for.

"Momma, when is Daddy gonna be home?" Haddie asked as Olivia put her down for the night. Olivia ran her hands over the blankets to smooth them just how Hadley likes them.

"Not for a while, Haddie. He's still getting sleep." Olivia breathed before she reached over and grabbed a stuffed panda from the small bedside table. She handed it to her toddler, and Hadley clung to it.

"I don't know why he's so tired, Momma. I'm not tired." Hadley replied, and Olivia nodded slowly.

"I know you aren't, but it's time for bed. So close your eyes." Olivia spoke. She leaned down and kissed Hadley's hair, before leaning back and sitting there for a few moments. Hadley took a few moments to just stare at her mother, before closing her eyes and rolling over onto her belly.

"When Daddy wakes up, tell him I love him." Hadley yawned, even though she kept saying she wasn't tired.

"I promise, Haddie."

---

Olivia went to Noah's room after checking on the twins and making sure Hadley had actually gone to bed. She opened the door to Noah's room and found him laying on the rug in the middle of the room. He had his arms out as he looked at the glow in the dark stars on his ceiling.

"Noah, it's time for bed." Olivia breathed.

"No, I want to see Dad," Noah spoke.

"I'm sorry," Olivia spoke.

"No, Momma. Let me go see Daddy." Noah replied quietly.

"I can't let you go see him. I'm not even allowed to have the twins there with me and they are just babies." Olivia breathed.

"It's stupid." Noah huffed.

"I know it is," Olivia replied.

"I hate this." Noah huffed, as his mother laid down beside him. She pulled him close, and Noah rolled over and rested his head on his mother's chest.

"He'll come home eventually." Olivia breathed.

"I don't believe you, Momma."

"I'm sorry... I don't even believe myself." She whispered.

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