New Year's Day [A Bensler Fan Fic]

[Eleven]

Olivia kept an eye on her husband all day. She didn't want to make her husband uncomfortable, but she also didn't want him to need her, and for her to not be there.

"What are you doing?" Elliot asked, as his wife came into the bathroom when he was shaving that night.

"I just wanted to hang out with you." Olivia smiled. Elliot turned around and looked at her as he held his razor in his hand.

"Did Dr. Grant say something to you? Because you are being clingy and I don't know why." Elliot frowned. Olivia swallowed hard before standing and running her fingers over Elliot's exposed chest.

"Are you having bad thoughts?"

"What? Bad thoughts? Like what?" Elliot questioned.

"Like thoughts of harming yourself... like permanently leaving the kids." Olivia breathed.

"I'm not thinking of killing myself, Olivia. So back off." Elliot huffed. Olivia stepped back slowly as she nodded.

"Okay. I'm sorry for asking." Olivia replied weakly. 

She turned and left the bathroom before going to the bed. She made it as Elliot finished shaving in the bathroom. When he came out, Olivia was coming into the room with a sleeping Nora in her arms.

"Is she okay?" Elliot asked gruffly.

"I just wanted to cuddle her tonight. She won't be able to sleep in here that often once the baby arrives."

"Is this your way of telling me that I'm sleeping on the couch?" Elliot questioned, and Olivia shook her head.

"No, it isn't. I just wanted our baby. If it's a problem, I can put her back in her crib. But if it isn't, we should go to bed. You have work in the morning and the kids have class."

///

Elliot was awake most of the night, and he kept glancing over to see Olivia and Nora sleeping like babies. He was wondering why he couldn't sleep, but he was realizing that it might be because he was short with his wife. That he was already being a dick again, when all his wife was doing was trying to make sure he was okay.

"Olivia." Elliot whispered as he reached over and gave Olivia a little shove.

"Is one of the kids sick?" Olivia yawned as she rubbed Nora's back.

"No. I wanted to talk." Elliot replied softly. Olivia opened her eyes and looked at her husband.

"About what?"

"What I said last night... how I was snapping at you."

"We don't need to talk about it. I was being a freak and crowding you. I will be better." Olivia spoke.

"Babe, I was mean."

"You are allowed to be mean." Olivia frowned as she closed her eyes again and snuggled her daughter closer.

"Not when you do more for me than anyone else. You have really stepped up and became a mother to my kids, and you gave up your job to be a stay at home mother." Elliot replied.

"El, I quit because I wanted to focus on Nora. I didn't want to wait years in between our children because we ended up short at work. I have been a mother to those kids long before I quit working, so don't feel bad about that or anything. Don't feel bad about being a jerk sometimes either. Everyone breaks, and you just can't take it personally all the time. I was hovering, and that is why you snapped at me." Olivia yawned. She reached over and gently touched her husband's cheek before going back to rubbing Nora's back as she slept right up against her side.

"If I have those thoughts, I'll tell you. So then I can get help... then I won't leave you and the kids forever."

"Thanks."

///

Elliot took the kids to school the next morning, so Olivia wasn't as stressed. He wanted to pick up some extra slack, since Olivia was being so thoughtful and incredibly supportive of him. Not long after he dropped the kids off and headed to work, he got a call from Olivia.

"What's up, babe?" Elliot asked as he sank down at his desk and sipped his first of many cups of coffee.

"So I just got a call from Kathleen's school." Olivia sighed.

"What's wrong? Did she get hurt?" Elliot asked.

"Our daughter hit another student. I have no idea why, but she did. So we are both being called down to her school to pick her up and talk to her."

"No, I'll just go. Stay home with Nora, and I'll drop Kathleen off in a bit."

"El, I'm her mother-"

"And you already have enough on your plate. I got this, babe. Just start thinking of what punishment she'll get."

"Okay."

///

Elliot went to the school and was escorted straight to the principal's office. He sank down, but stood a moment later when Kathleen was led in.

"Katie." Elliot frowned when he saw his daughter's swollen and cracked lip, along with a bruise on her cheek.

"Daddy, I swear that I didn't start this. He was making fun of me, so I kicked his... his butt." Kathleen whispered. She stepped forward and hugged her father tightly, and Elliot held her close.

"What was he saying?" Elliot asked as he held his daughter away from his body.

"His mom was saying mean things about Mommy. He was repeating them and making fun of me because she left us. It makes me angry." Kathleen huffed.

"We will get this figured out, okay? Liv is at home waiting for you." Elliot spoke.

"Am I in trouble?" Kathleen asked, and Elliot shrugged.

"No idea. I guess we will wait to see what Mama has to say." Elliot replied without really realizing what he was saying. The principal came in and asked Kathleen to go sit outside again before he sat in front of Elliot.

"Mr. Stabler, Kathleen gave Johnny Sims a black eye and a bloody nose." Mr. Wilder spoke.

"Okay."

"Sir, you should be more concerned about this."

"Kathy just left the kids, so they are all pretty broken right now. And from what Kathleen said, and we all know she isn't a liar like the Sims kids are, Johnny started it all and she was defending herself. I don't condone violence, but if some kid starts picking on my daughter and bullies here without a staff member helping her at all, I gave her full permission to stand up for herself."