Camo and Navy Blue [A Bensler Fan Fic]

Twenty-Three

Olivia didn't know what to say when she heard how bad Ashley was. She didn't know how Elliot would pick Ashley over her if she were such a monster.

"Elliot." Olivia frowned as she opened the front door and stepped out.

"Are you ready to go?" Elliot asked, and Olivia shook her head.

"No, I'm not. The girls are playing with Lillian, so I need to talk to you."

"Liv-"

"Ashley is a monster, El. The girls say that she is always mean to them and Jacob is spoiled rotten. She isn't a mother to these girls, and you know that." Olivia sighed, as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Ashley is... I can't come up with a believable excuse for her behavior. She is a bitch, like all the time. She was about to smack Mo when I got here."

"She hits the girls?!" Olivia exclaimed.

"I have seen bruises, but never the actual attack. Liv-"

"I'm not leaving these girls with her, Elliot Stabler. So either you kick her out and find a sitter to watch those girls when they aren't at school, or I'm taking them home with me. I will find another sitter to watch them and Lilly on Friday and after school." Olivia spoke passionately.

She never stopped loving Maureen and Kathleen, and she was refused to let them be abused.

"Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I can't kick her out right now. I don't even know if I'd ever see Jacob again if I did." Elliot frowned.

"Get custody of him, Elliot. And if this is such a problem, then let me take those girls until you can get your shit together." Olivia breathed.

Elliot swallowed hard as he wiped tears from his cheeks.

"I'm going to take the rest of the night off. Leave Lilly with me, and when you head home, I will meet you at your apartment. I will make sure Ashley is out of here by Monday, no later." Elliot whimpered.

///

Olivia finished her shift, before heading back to her apartment. Just as Elliot said, he was there with all three girls. 

"Liv!" Maureen exclaimed as soon as she spotted her favorite person.

"Hey, baby. Did your daddy explain what is happening?" Olivia asked, as she took Lillian's carrier before turning back to the girls.

"We are staying with you for a bit?" Kathleen asked, and Olivia nodded.

"Yeah. You are going to stay with me until Daddy can get Ashley out of the house. I'm going to look for another baby sitter to watch you and Lilly starting on Monday after school."

"Daddy, do we get to come home eventually?" Maureen questioned softly, and Elliot nodded.

"Of course you'll come home, and I'm hoping it'll happen soon. I just need to get Ashley out of the house."

"What about Jacob?" Kathleen whispered.

"He's your baby brother, and I don't want to lose him. So we will figure that out. But we should probably head upstairs." Elliot breathed.

They all went upstairs to Olivia's apartment, which was nicer than Elliot had expected. The girls ran around and explored, as Olivia got Lilly situated on the floor with a few toys.

"Thank you for doing this, Liv." Elliot breathed, and Olivia nodded.

"I wasn't going to leave those girls with an abusive former step-mother. I love them too much to let that continue."

"You have been a better mother to them, even if you haven't laid eyes on them in three years." Elliot whispered.

"You were the one to fuck up, Elliot. So when I left you, I didn't really leave them. If I had heard about this earlier, I would have come back and beat the shit out of Ashley and taken these girls with me."

"I love you, Liv. I'll call the girls later." Elliot blurted, before turning and walking towards one of the spare rooms.

"Don't lie to me, Stabler."

"I'm not lying, Liv. Cheating on you is the thing I have regretted the most. I love my son, but I wish you were his mother. Not Ashley."

///

Elliot cried on his way home, since he hated the idea of his daughters not being with him. But he knew Olivia would take care of them when he tried to figure out their home life.

"Where did you go?" Ashley demanded, as soon as Elliot walked in. Jacob was screaming from his play pen, but Ashley wouldn't acknowledge it.

"I took the girls to Olivia's apartment. She's keeping them for a few days." Elliot replied nervously.

"No, she isn't! That whore ruined our entire relationship, and I won't have her tainting the girls!" Ashley yelled, as Elliot walked over to Jacob and picked him up.

"Ash, we slept together when I was still dating Olivia. Olivia is the best thing that has happened to my family, and she won't abuse my girls like you do."

"I do not!" Ashley spat, as Elliot swayed with his angry toddler in his arms.

"When I got home, you were about to smack Maureen. I have seen the bruises, but never seen the actually action until tonight. So by Monday morning, you need to get out of my house. If you dare try to take Jacob from me and keep him from me, I will have no choice but to arrest you for abusing my girls and parental kidnapping, since I have custody of Jacob. Do you understand?" Elliot asked, and Ashley's face grew bright red as her body shook.

"You wouldn't dare." She growled, as Jacob calmed in his father's arm.

"You, and only you, have been the worst thing to happen to me. I love Jacob and I think I can fix his behavior problems, but I can't fix the fact that you are a giant bitch. So get out of my house before you get in some pretty serious trouble." Elliot snapped.