Coming Home [A Bensler Fan Fic]

Six

Once Elliot got off of work, he and Olivia met up to look for apartments. Bernie Stabler volunteered to watch the girls, so Olivia didn't have to worry about her daughters getting into anything if she asked Penny, Colleen, or Jackie to watch them.

"We could do a two bedroom and I could sleep with the girls and you could have your own room." Olivia spoke as she and Elliot walked towards the first building they were looking at.

"We could share a room. Get twin beds or a double and we could just not touch each other." Elliot smiled as he looked over at Olivia.

"If we shared a room, where would I go when you bring a girl home?"

"Liv, I won't be bringing girls home. I'm dating my job currently and I have my eye on someone but she is unavailable at the moment."

"Whoever this special girl is... she'd be incredibly lucky to be with you. You are amazing. I'm so thankful that you are helping me move out of my Dad's house."

"I'd be the lucky one." Elliot mumbled as he opened the door for Olivia. They walked inside and went upstairs to the open house of sorts. The landlord was showing the apartment today, so this was the only time Olivia and Elliot could see it.

They went upstairs, and Elliot led Olivia into the apartment. They explored quietly before Olivia frowned.

"Are you okay?" Elliot asked.

"For two bedrooms, one bathroom, and a living area... it's like well over six hundred a month. Let alone utilities, food, diapers. I just don't think that I could afford my half." Olivia frowned. She felt so bad right now, and hated to drag Elliot into something that might not work out.

"Okay, well I can cover your half of the rent until you can afford it." Elliot spoke gently as he rubbed Olivia's back.

"El, I will get two jobs to help afford this place. I don't want you to cover for me, when I have a lot more expenses than you do."

"We can figure this out together. Just don't worry right now. If we apply, we might not get this place but we can make this the starting point. Okay?"

"Okay." Olivia whispered. She quickly turned to Elliot and hugged him tightly.

///

They went and saw a few more apartments and applied to two other ones. The last one they saw was near Elliot's precinct and walking distance from a park. Olivia also grabbed a few applications from restaurants and stores near that last apartment because she felt like that was the one they would get. It had a little more space compared to the first one, and Elliot said he'd walk to the precinct and they could save on gas money.

"Hey, sweethearts." Bernie smiled as Olivia and Elliot walked into the house. Bernie was cleaning up a few toys and giggling could be heard upstairs.

"Hey, Ma. Where are Dad and the girls?" Elliot asked as he watched Olivia walk over and start to pack up one bag she dropped off.

"He is having a tea party upstairs with Lou and Letty." Bernie smiled.

"Mr. Stabler? Big and kinda scary Mr. Stabler is having a tea party with my girls?" Olivia asked with wide eyes.

"Letty really isn't participating, but that little girl refuses to let Joe sit her down so he's kinda stuck with both of them." Bernie chuckled.

"He's really softened since becoming a grandfather. He does a lot of things with the girls." Elliot smiled.

Olivia brushed a tear from her cheek before going back to packing the bags.

"Liv?" Bernie asked, and Olivia swallowed hard before turning to look at Bernie.

"My father hates my daughters, so this is a huge difference. Like, he calls them my bastards and I hate it. There are a lot of reasons why I'm leaving, but that is a huge one."

"Uh, how did the apartment search go?" Bernie asked, as she held back her anger towards Trace Benson.

"We applied for a few, and Olivia applied to a few stores and restaurants near one of them."

"That's good! And Olivia, I'm more than willing to babysit the babies while you two are working." Bernie smiled.

"Huh?" Olivia breathed.

"I'll babysit the kids for free while you work. I have many kids and grandbabies, so I'm very qualified." Bernie smiled and Olivia nodded.

"Thank you so much, Bernie. It means the world to me... Uh, I gotta get home. I will see you later, El."

"I'll walk you and the kids out."

///

Olivia took the long way home, before finally arriving an hour after she left Elliot's house. She pulled up and slowed down as an ambulance sped out of her driveway. Right behind it was Trace in his truck, and he didn't even notice Olivia. Olivia pulled into the driveway before getting her daughters out and running inside.

"What happened?" Olivia asked as a few cops looked up from Penny, Jackie, and Colleen.

"Who are you?" One officer asked.

"I'm Olivia Benson. These are my little sisters. What happened?" Olivia asked again, as Penny wiped tears from her cheeks.

"We were called for a suspected overdose, and we are investigating what happened." The officer spoke. Olivia sighed softly before walking to her sisters. She passed a daughter to Jackie and Colleen each before motioning for the officer to following her. 

They went into the kitchen, and Olivia swallowed hard.

"My sister does coke... I caught her last night snorting it in our shared bathroom."

"And you didn't report it?"

"My dad would do some pretty bad things to me if I did. But uh, I can show you her room... I got angry at her last night because she was doing coke near my daughters."

"We can arrest her for possession." 

"I honestly don't care what you do to her, this just needs to stop."

"We'd like to see her bedroom if that's okay." 

"Yes, sir."

///

Olivia took her sisters to the hospital after the officers searched the bathroom and Evelyn's bedroom.

"How is she?" Jackie asked as she carried Lou in.

"She's alive but unconscious." Trace breathed as he looked over at his daughter.

"Why does she do this stuff? Does she want us to bury her and Mom within a few days of each other?" Penny frowned, and Trace just shook his head.

"You all need to head back to house. Get some sleep and do your chores." Trace spoke.

"Dad-" Olivia started, but Trace interrupted her.

"This is your fault, Olivia. You pushed her, and now she isn't doing good. I want you out by midnight and take these bastards with you."