Forgotten Memories [A Bensler Fanfiction]

Nine

"Alright, Ava Grace! It's time to go!" Olivia called, as she looked through her daughter's backpack and hoped that she had everything she needed for her first day of first grade. Ava had been talking about how excited she was to go back to school, especially since she had a pretty dress and sparkly sneakers to wear.

"Mama, I need help tying my shoes!" Ava yelled. Olivia sighed as she moved from the kitchen. The door to their apartment swung open, and Elliot stepped in and smiled.

"Is she ready?" He mused.

"Almost. I think we need to give her a refresher course on tying shoes." Olivia chuckled softly. She gave her boyfriend a quick kiss before walking to her daughter's room.

Inside, Ava was sitting on the edge of her bed as she sang a song to herself, hoping to remember how to tie her shoes.

"Honey, are you nervous?" Olivia asked, as she moved tomorrow's outfit to a pastel pink chair.

"Mama, I don't know if anyone will like me. What if they know what happened to you?" Ava whispered.

"I doubt a bunch of six-year-olds know what happened to me. I think you are just worried that you won't make friends like the ones you had in Utah."

"I was excited, but not anymore," Ava sighed. She watched as her mother finished tying her shoes, before pulling her onto her lap.

Olivia rocked her little girl in her arms for a few moments, as she peppered her braided brown hair with kisses.

"It's going to be scary, but you are going to have so much fun. And if this school isn't the right fit, we can find you another one. I promise. Now, are you ready?"

"Did Daddy get home yet?" Ava whispered, but Elliot heard her and poked his head into her room.

"I'm right here, princess. I promised that I'd come home so I could join you and Mama."

"I need a hug, Daddy. Now. Please." 

"One hug, coming up."

///

Elliot and Olivia dropped Ava off at school and hung out a few blocks away just in case Ava called and wanted to go home. They couldn't wait around all day, but would wait a bit to make sure their little girl would have them when she needed them.

"To think, in April, we didn't even know how to sign Ava up for school. Now she's going to school for the first time in New York City."

"I just hope she has a good day," Olivia sighed softly, as she grabbed Elliot's hand and squeezed it.

"She is going to have a ball today! I know that you are scared and so is she, but I have no doubt that she'll have fun today," Elliot grinned. He leaned over and kissed Olivia several times before stopping when his phone rang.

"Is it-"

"It's Fin. We have a case. So I'll drop you at home and see you tonight. Sound good?"

"Yeah, I guess... I should probably head to the grocery store and see if I can get my job back."

///

Ava was exhausted after her first day of school. She passed out on the drive home, and Olivia ended up having to carry her upstairs since she was sleeping so deeply.

By the time Elliot got home that night, Ava was already in bed. All of her homework was finished and Olivia had signed all the additional paperwork that her teacher had sent home.

"How was our girl's first day?" Elliot asked as he climbed into bed beside Olivia. 

He had made a deal with Cragen, where he doesn't have to always live at the precinct during a case. He'd come home most nights and sleep beside his girlfriend and spend the morning with his two girls before heading back in. It helped with Ava and Olivia's anxiety, and allowed him and his girlfriend to continue to try to expand their family.

"She said she has a few friends, and possibly a boy friend. She didn't clarify if it was like a friend that was a boy, or a boyfriend."

"She's six, Liv. I don't approve of our daughter have a boyfriend or girlfriend."

"Yeah, I don't either, but I guess we will have to see how things play out. Now, how was work?" Olivia asked, as she ran her fingers through Elliot's hair.

"It was long. We are working on a murder case."

"El-"

"Cragen said I could come home. I told him that Ava was nervous about school today, and that I wanted to see her. I missed her by a few hours, but that's okay. I'll see her in the morning," Elliot smiled.

They laid together in bed, and Elliot dozed off as Olivia laid on her back and looked at the ceiling.

"Go to sleep." Elliot yawned as his arm wrapped around Olivia's waist and tugged her close. 

"The grocery store wouldn't hire me back, and today I was lonely. All I could think about was all the things you and Ava were doing. You have a job as a freaking detective, and I can't even keep a job at the damn grocery store," Olivia grumbled, as she rolled over and rested her head against Elliot's shoulder.

"It's their loss that they didn't hire you back. You went through all the right channels to get time off to be in Utah and save our daughter. But Liv, you are a civil servant. You can work for the government now. Maybe see if the post office is hiring. In the end, you will find something to occupy your time, just like Ava and I."

"What about we try a little harder?"

"Try a little harder to do what?" Elliot yawned as he closed his eyes. He opened the slowly when he felt Olivia move. A smile grew on his lips as he gripped Olivia's hips.

"Do you understand now?" She mused, and Elliot laughed.

"Yeah, and I'm not nearly as tired anymore," Elliot smirked, as he grabbed the hem of Olivia's t-shirt and pulled it off of her body.