UP IN THE CLOUDS

The Five Stages

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.