It's well known that when one loses someone they love dearly they go through the various stages of grief. Denial being the action of one declaring something to be untrue. Olivia didn't believe her Grandfather was truly gone. Anger meaning being annoyed, or hostile towards anyone or anything. Olivia was angry at everyone and anything. Bargaining was something Olivia was doing quite often, trying to convince herself that in one way or another this would end and he'd be right in front of her. Depression had hit her hard even if she wouldn't admit but everyone around her knew she was no longer the same. She had lost the glow in her eyes and the crinkle of her nose, her face pale and red from the force of crying. Now there are five stages right? The last one happens to be acceptance and Olivia was far from accepting the fact that ICE was gone and that she would never get to have him back. Olivia was home and it had been 2 days since the news broke, she had done nothing but remain in her room despite her niece and nephews trying to get her to come out and eat with them but instead they would leave the dishes in front of her door and when she was done she'd leave it out there. If she even ate at all. She hadn't slept nor eaten well and it was catching up to her despite how hard she pushed through every day. Maverick had given her orders to not come back until ready and e knew she would've come back the next day but forced her to at least take a couple days but she was over the looks of pity and the sad faces that were all over the house the atmosphere was the absolute worst for her so she had decided to get ready for work at 4 in the morning. As she made her way through the far too quiet home she walked to the kitchen to grab her thermos for her much needed coffee and looked out the window that overlooked the backyard to see her eldest nephew sitting outside drink in hand and she set down her things and made her way out there. Walking towards him he wiped his face before she would notice the tears that were painted on his face but she knew better than anyone that he had been crying.
"Little early for a drink dont you think?" He didn't look at her as she stood before him. "Never mind that a bit young as well" He scoffed and shook his head.
"What do you care? Shouldn't you be grieving your grandfather!" Olivia made face to him as in confusion to why he referred to their grandfather as only hers. "What do you mean mine? He was yours too, you don't even care about what's going on because you choose to distance yourself from the family!" He shook his head again and this time stood up to face her.
"You should be the last person to talk about distancing themselves! That's all you do when things get hard and if anything I LEARNED THIS FROM YOU!" He walked past her bumping into her and Olivia stood there with such guilt and pain in her hear. She was crumbling and didn't even notice the ones around her were the same. She walked back in the grab her things and went to her car to drive to work despite being told not to. Arriving she was clearly late to this debriefing and when the door opened everyone turned to look at her and Maverick immediately looked at her.
"Olivia you should be home" She held up her hand to him as she walked to sit next to Jake, one of the few she could depend on without being lied to.
"Don't. Im going to be here if you want me to be or not" He sighed and continued explaining and Jake turned to look at her and whispered to her.
"Liv what are you doing here, you know you should be taking time" She looked over at him and he could see how empty her eyes looked. The sparkle in them were gone and her face looked dull and it was as if it was stuck in one frame of pain.
"Don't be like them please Jake i just need to be anywhere but home right now" They starred so intently at one another but he nodded and payed attention to the debrief. Today would be more of a relaxed day, simply going over data and analysis all sent to the lounge room to go over papers. Olivia sat down on a couch reviewing the data and looking quite concentrated and she could feel the stares burning holes at her and she very pissed off place the papers down and looked up at all the heads that turned away quickly, all but Bradley's.
"Okay if anyone wants to say something say it now because the staring needs to stop" BOB raised his hand up timidly as if almost scared the girl would kill him by simply looking at him.
"We just want to know that you're okay, it worries us that you came back to work so quickly and it's not even the week of the funeral yet" She shook her head at them all, how could they see her so weak? Why didnt they believe that she was okay. When in realty she didn't believe it herself.
"Listen, I am fine there is no reason to even think of worrying about me. I'm fine." Bradley scoffed and Olivia's eyes darted rapidly to him and gave him a harsh look.
"Is there something you'd like to add Bradley?" He sat up from the position he was previously in and clasped his hands together in front of him.
"Yea I do actually, you are acting like your not human and can't even feel, denying yourself the right to grieve the loss of your grandfather. You act like your this tough persona when in reality you know damn well you want to cry about this but you're so stubborn that you won't ask anyone to help you. That's what's pissing me off about you right now." He got up from his seat and they all looked away awkwardly and Olivia only shook her head more than before, getting up to follow him out and Jake well of course noticed this and only wished she'd realize he wasn't worth the fight anymore, but of course whatever she decided he'd always be at her side no matter what even if he loved her. Walking into the hallway she saw a pacing Bradley and she made her way over to him as he ran his hand up and down his face.
"What the hell is wrong with you!" He turned around knowing who was behind him and scrunched his face.
"Oh I'm sorry is worrying about you all of a sudden a crime! Jesus you know how to really push people way don't you." She shook her head, she hated when he used that against her knowing well she did it to protect herself.
"That's not fair and you know that" she dug her finger into his chest repeatedly as she said the last words.
"You can't just expect me or any of us to not worry about you Liv, I look at you and you act as if nothing happened and that worries me"
"I don't need you to worry about me, I'm fine"
"Not worry about you Olivia? That's all I seem to be able to do and I can't really do anything else but that. I'm trying to be there for you like I promised I would because I'm not leaving even if you push me away I'm staying right here." He stood in front of her towering over her and oh how she hated him being taller and always trying to be more dominant.
"I don't think you're going to want to hold your end on that, I know I made you promise but Bradley-" He put his hands on her shoulders.
"You think I'm gonna give up on you that easily? Not this time Olivia." She gave him a smile one she hadn't been able to do for a while. "I'm sorry about keeping his condition from you"
"How did you know?" He sighed and moved a loose strand from her ponytail to the back of her ear.
"When I arrived to the lunch, your grandmother told me what happened and how she was worried you wouldn't take it right so she made sure I didn't tell you" Olivia shook her head and let out a breath.
"I can't even be mad at her even if I want to" He smiled at her and pulled her into a hug. They held each other for some time, Olivia always felt safe in his arms but she hated how they were always because they had been in an argument. That's why she felt at home in Jakes arms because he never tried to start arguments, it was always so smooth and if they did argue it was over justified things. Then again that would never work out or so Olivia thought. They were pulled away from their hug when the sound of the door was bursted open revealing a displeased Jake.
"Uh they want us to get back to the paper work. Did you two make up or something?" He said the last sentence with some sort of tone that Olivia couldn't understand was.
"Yea we just talked things out like always and we're good" Olivia smiled at Bradley and him at her and Jake would've loved to punch it off him as he muttered a quick "of course" causing Olivia to look back at him.
"What was that?" Jake looked up at her and shook his head and Bradley got a sense he wanted to talk to her so he choose to go ahead and go back to the room leaving the two best friends alone.
"What is up with you Jake?" He scoffed and gave her a look.
"What's wrong with me? That's a question I should be asking you Olivia" She scrunched her face in confusion.
"I don't see why you'd need to ask that" He groaned and looked around before looking back at her.
"Don't you see? You forgive him time and time again over anything he does wrong to you and you complain all the time as to why he has to be this way yet here you are letting him back in like he did absolutely nothing. I cant just stand here and watch you hurt yourself over and over again because you can't accept the fact that he isn't the one for you and are too afraid to let him go because you can't handle losing people!" He breathed out the last part rather harshly as he stared at the girl in front of him who's eyes began to weld with tears and she nodded, the girl who was broken over many things people had done to her. The girl he loved but couldn't love him back.
"Then maybe you shouldn't be my friend. That should spare you the heart ache Jake" Her words were hurtful and she knew that. He only wanted to look out for her but she of course was too blinded by all the emotions she felt due to all the events going on in her life. He stepped back with such hurt in his eyes. How could she simply let him go with no hesitation? Did she even really care? Was he only needed when she had no one else to turn to? Of course he wouldn't dare ask because he never wanted to go against her wishes, he only wanted her happy. Even if it wasn't him who made her happy.
"If that's what you wish." He only stepped foward to bring her in for a forehead kiss were he squeezed shut his eyes in hopes it was all a dream and that he wasn't letting her go. He pulled away and only gave her a small smile and walked away to the room they once were in leaving her there all alone. Olivia stood there as everything that had just happened finally registered in her head. She taught it over, it was a good decision right? She loved Bradley and if Jake wasn't going to support it then why she he even be in her life? Then again who stood by her side even in the worst of things, who stayed and who left? She put herself together and walked back into the room and sat down in the spot she was once in with Bradley now on the other side of her and he offered her a smile which she quickly returned and then got back to her file and looked up to glance at Jake who sat in front of her with such an inexpressible face and something in her tore apart but she would be far too naive to acknowledge it. She was grieving and still angry at something or someone and this just was added weight. If losing your best friend while you grieve a loved one was a stage in grieving, Olivia most certainly was going through it.
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Short and sweet I didn't really know what else to do for this chapter as if didn't want all of one scene from the film into one chapter because then I would have to brainstorm another idea and I'm far too busy for that right now lol. ANYWAYS ENJOY!