Forever and Always [A Bensler FanFic]

Chapter 26

Elliot's POV

I settled into a seat next to Olivia, and I sighed as I watched the nurse take the bandages off of her head. I looked at Olivia's facial expression, and saw a small twitch in her lips. I quickly sat forward and grabbed her hand. I kissed her hand and saw it her lips twitch again.

"Olivia, baby, come back." I whispered into her hand, and the nurse watched as I did. I felt Olivia slowly squeeze my hand, and tears ran down my cheeks and onto her hand.

"Come on, Liv. Wake up, baby. Think about the kids." I whispered, and I watched as her eyes fluttered. I looked at her and squeezed her hand tightly.

"Come on. I love you so much, Olivia."

=+=

"Little stinker." Liv smiled as she laid on her stomach on the floor, and was staring at the little blue eyed baby girl in front of her.

"Well, what would you expect? She is YOUR daughter, Olivia." I teased, and she smiled as she looked over her shoulder.

"Wanna join me and Quinny?" She asked, using our baby girl's nick name.

"Of course." I smiled.

I sat down on the ground before laying on my stomach. I gently touched my daughter's cheek, and she smiled.

"You are a happy baby girl today." I smiled, and Olivia leaned over and kissed me gently.

"Can you watch her for a few minutes? I want to shower, then I have to go pick up our outfits for tomorrow night." She spoke, and I watched her.

"So more like an hour or two?" I replied, and she laughed.

"Maybe." She smiled, but the look on her face made up for her lying. I leaned over and kissed her deeply, but it ended quickly because Quinn started to cry. I looked at my daughter and grabbed her and pulled her close as I rolled over onto my back.

I held her above my head, and she squealed as I brought her down slowly and blew on her belly.

I went to look at Liv, but she was long gone.

=+=

By the time Liv got home, the kids were running around on the beach, while I sat under an umbrella with Quinn in my arms, while she sucked on her fist.

"How was their last day of school?" Liv asked, as she sat next to me.

"Good. Maureen is a little panicked." I breathed.

"Why?"

"She is getting closer graduating." I breathed, and she sighed. She pulled her legs to her chest, and let me keep Quinn in my lap.

"It's scary. I feel old."

"Liv, when she is 18, we are only going to be 35." I replied, and she nodded.

"That is still old. Like, old old." She spoke, and I laughed.

"You are such a nerd. It isn't old! My parents are old!"

"We aren't old enough to have a kid that old."

"Good thing we don't then." I teased, and she sighed as she leaned her head against my shoulder.

"Wanna introduce Quinn to the ocean?" Olivia asked, and I nodded.

"If it will make you feel less old." I teased, and she stole our daughter from my arms before heading towards the ocean.

=+=

Later that night, Liv was in our room with Quinn, and I went through to say goodnight to the kids. Auggie was already asleep, and Janey and Poppy were hyper and jumping on their beds. I had to grab them both by their waists and pushed them underneath the sheets, but my girls were still hyper.

I turned on a barbie movie for them, before leaving, and I knew they would be out soon.

I checked on Sam, who was reading, and I smiled.

"Sammy, gonna go to bed soon?" I asked, and he shook his head.

"It's summer, Dad. I think I should be able to stay up later." He spoke, and I chuckled.

"You are still a little guy. Go to bed, and then you have more energy in the morning to play and go swimming."

"We can go swimming again?" He asked, happily.

"Of course! So, do you want your nightlight on?" I asked, and my son shrugged.

"I don't know." He spoke, and I walked over and pushed his messy brown hair out of his face.

"Sammy, there is nothing to be scared of." I spoke, and he grabbed his elephant stuffed animal and held it to his chest.

"But what if there are monsters hiding in here?" He asked, his voice seeming so small in the moment.

"Sam, nothing is hiding in here to scare you. I'm never going to let anything nor anyone hurt you, alright?"

"Promise?" He asked, and I nodded.

"I promise. You are my family, and I'll always protect you." I spoke, and he quickly hugged me. I kissed the top of his head and smiled.

"Daddy, even if you will protect me, can I still have my nightlight on?" He asked, and I smiled and nodded.

"Of course. I love you, Sammy. Sleep tight." I spoke, as I turned on his nightlight.

"I love you too, Daddy."

=+=

I walked into Maureen's room after helping Liv calm Quinn down, and my daughter was sitting on the window seat, and she was staring out into the backyard, and watching the waves wash up onto the shore, destroying the sand castles her siblings had created today.

"Hey." I spoke, and she turned around and nodded slowly.

"Hey, Dad." She breathed.

"What are you thinking about, love?" I asked, as I sat next to her. She shrugged as she pulled her blanket closer around her body, and laid her head on her knees.

"Mo. Come on. You are so much like your mother. You keep your heart on your sleeve." I spoke, and she bit her lip.

"Mom isn't my real mom. How can I be like her at all?" She asked, and I felt my heart break.

"Oh, Mo." I breathed, and she frowned.

"Dad, we had to write a paper today, just something to do when everyone else was doing their exams. They asked about our hero, and I picked Mom. My teacher asked some personal questions about her. Like why I think she is my hero. And what she does for a living. Then some kids who realize that my mom and I didn't share a last name, they started to question it. I had to tell them that I was living with my father and his girlfriend, and that his girlfriend had raised me since I was born." She cried. 

I frowned and pulled my daughter to my chest and held her close.

"Maureen, remember what your mother said?"

"What part?" She asked quietly.

"How she said no matter how you came into her life, either from birth or from when another woman gave birth to you, that she didn't care. She loved you so much because you are her daughter. No matter what. And that means that it doesn't matter what other people say either, because fuck them. You are her daughter. You are my daughter. You have a ton of annoying little siblings that have me and your Mom as their Mom. Never doubt where you came from, who has raised you, and who has your back, Maureen. Never."

Hey guys! Thanks for reading! I do have a question for you all, so read below! Please vote and comment all of your feedback below! :D

QUESTION: How would you all feel if I had Liv wake up next chapter, and then end this book there. I would write another one and pick up from where I left off, but since this one has Liv in a coma for most of it, I don't want her to move right to being awake. Comment what you think! :D