Partners For Life [A Bensler FanFic]

Five

The kids were exhausted from the day they had, so they were passed out in their rooms by the time that Elliot got home. When he walked into the house, it almost seemed like Kathy was still there. The dishes were done, a note was on the fridge telling him that dinner was in the microwave for him, and the house was quiet.

Elliot searched the house for his friend, before eventually going down into the basement and finding Olivia doing laundry.

"You didn't have to wash our clothes, Liv. I could have done it tonight or tomorrow morning." Elliot spoke, which made Olivia jump. She didn't even hear when Elliot got home.

"Well, I did. Especially since when I gave Eli a bath tonight, he had to put on swim trunks because he had no clean underwear. This is my fifth load tonight, and I'm still not done washing everything." Olivia replied.

"Liv, really, you don't have to do this." Elliot spoke softly, as he moved next to her.

"Mo told me that you all really need my help, because she and Kathleen can't do all the mothering..." Olivia trailed off slowly.

"Huh? Liv, they have a mom-"

"El, I know that they have a mom. I just want to cover for Kathy until she decides that she is ready to come back. I can run them around when they need to go places, and I could do things for school for them... I just want to do things for them and for you that will make this all go better. Make it easier." Olivia explained softly.

Olivia kept her eyes down as she paired a bunch of socks, before finally looking up when she felt Elliot's hand on her back.

"Thanks, Liv. I just hope that Kathy does end up coming back, or else you will be doing this for the rest of your life."

"At least I'd be doing something with my life."

///

To make it easier for everyone, Olivia moved in with them. She still kept her apartment so she could have space when needed, but staying with the Stablers just made more sense and the kids did better with her around.

But after a month of Kathy being gone, she still hadn't contacted anyone and Christmas ended up being harder than any other day.

"Did you hear that Gran is coming?" Eli yawned as Olivia helped him get into the Christmas pajamas that matched his siblings' and father's pajamas.

"I did hear that your Gran is coming. I bet she has missed you all so very much." Olivia smiled as Eli leaned heavily into her.

"I've missed her, Mama." Eli yawned, before looping his arms around Olivia's neck and started to doze off. Olivia closed her eyes tightly as she moved to lay the boy back in his bed. 

"I'll wake you up in a few hours, sweetie. Then we can have breakfast." Olivia breathed.

"Okay." Eli mumbled, before rolling over and falling asleep.

Olivia left Eli's room before heading downstairs. The older four kids were messing with their new stuff, so Olivia went into the kitchen to tell Elliot about what Eli had called her.

"Alright, the ham is in the oven. So we should be able to eat that for dinner." Elliot smiled as he looked over at Olivia.

"Okay. I'll get to making everything else soon." Olivia replied softly.

"Are you okay?" Elliot questioned, as he set a timer before moving to his friend.

"Eli called me Mama while I was getting him back into bed. I didn't want to hide it from you, and I know it's because he's super tired and that's why." Olivia breathed.

"Oh." Elliot frowned.

"I'm sorry, El. I will make sure that it ever happens again, that I tell him that I'm Livvie and not his Mama." Olivia replied, as she grew flustered. She didn't know if Elliot was upset with her, so she just decided to apologize, anyway.

"This isn't your fault, Liv. It's Kathy's. You are just trying to make things more normal for all the kids, and I guess you are being more of a mother to them than their own mother." Elliot sighed. He stepped closer to Olivia before hugging her tightly.

"I will never try to take Kathy's spot, I just want to try to ease the pain from her absence. That's all."

///

Elliot had been super nervous about telling his mother about Kathy leaving them, so he didn't tell her. But now that she was coming for Christmas dinner, it would be hard to hide the fact that Kathy wasn't living there with them anymore. Or the fact no one knew anything about her whereabouts.

"Gran!" Lizzie exclaimed, once Bernie finally arrived. All the kids came running to the front door, and they all clung to her.

"I like this welcome a lot!" Bernie chuckled, once the kids finally stepped away from her before grabbing the bags of gifts and moving to put them under the tree.

"Hey, Ma." Elliot smiled as he left the kitchen and to where his mom stood. He hugged her tightly and for longer than usual, before taking her jacket and hanging it up.

"How are you doing, carrot?" Bernie asked, and Elliot took a slow breath before shrugging.

"I'm okay. Just tired." Elliot replied.

"Where's Kathy? And did she get a new car? That small blue one out front doesn't look big enough for five kids."

"That's Liv's car, Gran." Maureen spoke.

"Liv?" Bernie questioned.

"She's my partner at work... and I think we need to talk about Kathy."

"Okay, love. Let's talk about Kathy."

///

Elliot and Bernie went downstairs, and Bernie noticed that the basement was all made up. There was a twin bed on the far wall, and a desk near the washer and dryer. 

"Who's sleeping down here?" Bernie questioned, and Elliot sighed before finally deciding to just blurt out what he had to tell her.

"Kathy left us."

"What?" Bernie asked quickly, as she turned and looked at her son.

"Kathy left us the day after Mo's birthday. And we haven't seen her since. This is Olivia's room, because she's staying here and helping me out with the kids. And before you ask, Kathy didn't say anything. She didn't leave a note and no one can get ahold of her."