A Preschool Promise [A Bensler FanFic]

Forty-Eight

With yet another child to take care of, Olivia's days grew more hectic. She was busy teaching Maureen and Josiah, while also taking care of Noah and watching closely to make sure he was hitting all of the right benchmarks that he was supposed to. But no matter how hard the days were, Olivia felt so happy and full of life. It was like she didn't experience the horrible loss just about 3 years earlier.

"Momma! Daddy is home!" Josiah yelled as he went running into the kitchen where Maureen was cleaning up her math assignment.

"Can I go see him?" Maureen asked, as her little brother went sprinting from the kitchen to go greet his father.

"You can. But just don't tell him, okay? Not until I get a chance." Olivia replied as she washed up Noah's bottles.

"I promise, Momma." Maureen smiled softly.

///

The kids were beyond excited to see their father. They ran out and hugged him and Elliot carried them back into the house before taking them upstairs to wake Noah from his nap.

Once all of the kids were awake and hugged by their father, they filtered back into the kitchen were Olivia was starting to make dinner.

"So Mo said you had something to tell me." Elliot smiled, as he lifted Noah from his shoulders and held the baby close. Noah continued to giggle because he had been amused by the ride he had gotten down the stairs.

"Oh, did she?" Olivia asked as she eyed her daughter. Maureen was smiling largely because she was so excited about being in on a secret that her father didn't even know yet.

"She did, baby. So, wanna tell me? I'm assuming it's something very good, for you to be this excited." Elliot spoke.

"I do not look excited, Stabler. But it is very good news." Olivia smiled. She walked over to him and took Noah and kissed his forehead before settling him on her hip as she went to start making him a bottle.

"Wanna tell me then?" Elliot asked.

"Noah's caseworker came over here today and asked if we would be willing to take in two kids," Olivia spoke, and Elliot's eyes went wide. He didn't know if they could take in two foster kids. One was plenty, and adopting two more kids would mean they would have to move and find a bigger house.

"Two kids?" Elliot asked as he tried to not act too surprised. He didn't want to hurt his wife by not being as happy about possibly getting two children as she is.

"Yeah. A little boy and girl. The boy is 8 and the girl is 3. They were removed from their parents' care because both are going to prison for poisoning drugs and selling them to teenagers. They are in there also for m-u-r-d-e-r." Olivia replied. Elliot's eyes went wide and he felt like now they couldn't say no.

"Did you agree?" Elliot asked, and Olivia nodded.

"I did... I'm sorry that I did it out of nowhere, but they need help and a family. We can be that." Olivia breathed. Elliot walked over to her and rubbed her lower back gently before kissing her temple softly.

"You have a heart of gold, Mrs. Stabler."

///

Instead of hiding some of his fears, Elliot talked to his wife that night once the kids were in bed.

"Honestly, you are almost glowing like you were when you were pregnant and when we got Noah." Elliot breathed, as his wife walked from the bathroom in a pair of shorts and one of Elliot's t-shirt.

"What?" Olivia asked as she blushed a bit.

"You are just so happy. So ready for the kids. It is really nice to know that you are so excited." Elliot replied. Olivia smiled as she walked over and climbed into bed beside her husband. She shifted closer to him and started to kiss his lips as she rubbed his chest.

"Hey, slow down babe." Elliot breathed, as Olivia got onto his body and straddled his waist.

"Tired?" Olivia asked worriedly.

"I think we need to talk though, baby. About the kids." Elliot replied quietly.

"Oh... do you not want to foster them? Cause I can always call and-"

"No, we can foster them. It's just that if we decide to adopt them in the future, that means that you and I need to buy a new house. And that if you want to home school them, it will be a full-time job. It won't be as easy as it is now with only Joey and Mo." Elliot replied. Olivia nodded slowly as she moved back to her spot on the bed.

She ran her hands over her face before speaking.

"I don't care how hard it will be, Elliot. Because we will be making a difference in those kids' lives. They will know how it feels to be loved by parents that aren't selfish. They will feel safe and not have to worry about being shot or stabbed because their parents have people out for them. El, I'm so ready for all of this work. Trust me." Olivia breathed.

"Are you sure, Liv? Because I don't want you to get burned out. Not before Noah started to walk and run around." Elliot spoke.

"I'm good, El. I'm stronger than I was before. I'm ready."

///

The next morning, Olivia and Elliot sat down and talked to the kids about the new arrangement.

"Alright, so today we are going to move Noah into your room, Josiah," Olivia spoke, as she cut up his pancakes.

"Why? He's just a baby, Momma." Josiah sighed.

"Oh, I know that baby. But we need to make space for your new foster brother and sister. We are getting a little girl and a little boy on Friday night." Olivia spoke. Maureen looked over at her brother to see his response, which didn't make it seem like he was too excited for new siblings.

"I don't want him in my room, Momma. No more siblings." Josiah cried before standing up and running from the kitchen. Olivia looked at Elliot as tears welled in her eyes.

"I guess I need to call and tell her that we can't foster them anymore..."

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