Forgotten Memories [A Bensler Fanfiction]

Twenty-Six

Lanie slept on the bus ride, but only because Elliot sat beside her and she got to use his shoulder as a pillow. The entire ride, Elliot stayed awake and texted Olivia. There were a lot of apology texts, especially since Olivia had said some pretty shitty things to Elliot ever since Lanie requested to meet her grandmother and aunt.

The bus reached DC by eight that morning. Elliot and Lanie got off the bus, and didn't know where to start. 

"Do we go straight over there?" Lanie asked, as she held Elliot's arm as he guided them through the crowd.

"What about breakfast first? Then we can figure out what questions you'd like to ask," Elliot offered. 

"Dad-"

"Hey, I need to make sure my kid is fed. So let's get breakfast, then head to Serena's apartment," Elliot spoke. He kissed the top of her head before walking from the depot.

///

After breakfast, they caught a cab to Serena's apartment. Elliot led Lanie upstairs, and he stood beside her as she got up the nerve to knock on the door.

"Baby, it's okay if you don't wanna do this. We can go home and try another time... Mom could come with us next time, maybe even Jude and Ava. You'd have so much support. Ok-" Elliot stopped himself the moment that Lanie reached out and knocked politely on the door.

His eyes went wide as Lanie stepped back and leaned into his side. He wrapped an arm around her as they heard movement inside. 

"Hello?" Serena asked, as she opened the door as wide as the chain would allow.

"Hey, Serena. Uh, I have someone here that really wants to meet her grandmother," Elliot breathed. Serena shifted enough to see Lanie. Her eyes went wide as she quickly shut the door, took the chain off, then reopened the door.

"Lanie," Serena breathed.

"Hi," Lanie said awkwardly.

"You look so much like your mother, sweetie. Is Olivia here with you?" Serena asked, as she stepped forward and glanced down the hall.

"No, she's at home with the kids."

Serena nodded slowly, before taking a slow breath.

"Do you two want to come in? Or we could go out and get breakfast? Call Jenny and to join us," Serena smiled.

"We actually had breakfast. But Lanie has some questions she needs answered. So maybe call Jenny and have her come over. This is important."

"Elliot-"

"No, Serena. We came all the way down here because Lanie needs to know things. Things that her mother can't tell her about because of what Kevin did. So please, give her this."

///

Elliot sat on the fire escape as Jenny, Serena, and Lanie talked inside. The fire escape was right outside the kitchen, so Elliot was still listening to what was being said. He could jump in at any moment and redirect if need be.

"So you never read the letter? You just left it sealed and then gave it to my mother?" Lanie asked, her eyebrows kneaded together and her face covered in suspicion.

"Well..." Jenny trailed off, as she gripped a glass of water in her hands.

"Well, what?" Lanie demanded.

"I may have opened it. I put it in the freezer and, after a while, the seal popped. I read it and-"

"So you knew about me and didn't tell anyone?" Lanie asked, her voice growing louder as anger bubbled up inside of her. Elliot shifted closer to the window as he watched Lanie's knuckles go white from how hard she was grasping the kitchen table.

"Lan-"

"No, Serena! Jenny, you knew about me?!" Lanie spat.

"Kinda! I didn't know that Olivia didn't get an abortion, so I just assumed she got rid of you. One way or another, and I was right!" Jenny snapped back. Elliot climbed through the window and shook his head.

"Nope, don't talk to her like that," Elliot spoke sternly.

"She's acting like a brat!" Jenny yelled. Lanie stood, her hands still grasping the table.

"I know why my mom wants nothing to do with you two! First, you thought she killed your father when she fucking didn't. Then you bullied her! You knew about me but didn't say a damn thing! You get babied by Serena, and now think you can act like this all the time! I'm fucking glad that now I know I wasn't missing a damn thing!" Lanie yelled. She turned to Elliot and took a breath.

"Wanna go home?" Elliot asked, and Lanie nodded.

"Yeah... and I'm never coming back."

///

Lanie accepted the fact that her mother was right when it came to keeping her away from Serena and Jenny. She never wanted to go back, and now that she knew who those monsters truly were, she could move past what had been holding her back for so long.

As the years went by, Olivia and Elliot continued to date. They watched as Lanie, Ava, and Jude grew and became amazing humans. They also became amazing older siblings to the last two Stabler kids that both were unexpected.

Colleen Margaret was born on Olivia's thirty-seventh birthday, and this time Olivia got to the hospital in time. 

Then a month later, Elliot rescued a little boy from an abusive situation, and six months later, Parker James became the second youngest.

Everything was just so much better once everyone accepted that maybe... just maybe, Olivia's lack of memories was for the best. Things in the past didn't matter as much as the memories she was making with her boyfriend and their children.

Hey guys, I'm sorry for a bad ending. I am just so tired of this book, and I feel like I lost my spark for it. I hope you all enjoyed some part of this! Thanks.