Bensler for better or worse

The Hardest Choice

(LIV'S  POV )

After me and El finish making our calls we head to the cribs to check on the girls. To our surprise Liberty is awake. I can't tell what she's going but she's sitting up and it looks like she's holding something. Me and El walk over to her to talk to her without waking  Caroline up.

"What're you doing kiddo?" El asks.

"Caroline's been waking up in the middle of the night for the past two and a half weeks because of nightmares. So I always walk over to head and sit with her and get her to relax and get some sleep." I begin to tear up a little but blink the tears away as I try to think of what to say.

"How much sleep have you gotten since this started?" I ask worrying that she isn't getting enough sleep.

"Not much, but I told you I'll do whatever it takes to protect her." She replies.

Caroline starts to stir and Liberty puts her finger to her mouth gesturing for me and El to be quiet as she uses her free hand to trace circles along Caroline's back to sooth her.

"It's OK,he won't hurt you I promise." Liberty whispers to Caroline.

I let a tear escape my eyes involuntarily. I can't believe what these girls have been through together. There's no way I can separate them,ever. Me and El hear a knock on the door and respond quickly so it doesn't wake Caroline.

"Sorry if I'm interrupting but 1PP is here and wants to talk to you both." Says Fin glancing into the room and catching a glimpse of Caroline and Liberty and beginning to get emotional.

"No,no it's fine. But Caroline is sleeping so if you could pass the message to keep quiet that would be great." I respond.

Me and El go into Cragen's office where are greeted by him and the head of 1PP. I look over and see that Cragen seems to be worried but I'm not sure what about.

"So you two were taken along with those two girls huh?" The unknown man asks.

"Well actually the girls were there for at least 2 weeks before we got there. I'm Sorry who did you say you were again?" I ask wanting to know his name.

"Smith, Sergeant Smith. Do you know how the two girls got there?"

"OK Sergeant Smith,well actually Caroline, the older of the girls,made sure to inform us that they got there 2-3 prior and were taken when they were walking from school to Caroline's house." I told him glancing over my shoulder to see if I could see the cribs from here.

"OK, and their conditions?" He asked looking from me to El and back again.

"They hadn't eaten in a week and were both tied up until they managed to break free from their restraints. And the younger of the two girls hasn't gotten much sleep because she has been up all night ever night comforting Caroline so they will both need therapy. " El responded before I got the chance to even open my mouth.

"OK good. Do you know their home situations?" He asked mainly directing the question at Cragen.

"Well actually Caroline was part of a previous case so I already know her home situation. She is an only child,and her parents are always drunk and fighting." I said glancing over my shoulder once more.

" How about the other girl?" He asked beginning to get a slight attitude.

"Her name is Liberty,so why don't you call her that!" El interjected rudely.

"OK then. How about Liberty?!" He asked again with a much bigger attitude.

" We don't know about her yet but we can ask once Caroline wakes up." I said.

"Why can't we go in and ask now?"

"Because she's in there trying to comfort her sister who is having nightmares because of what they have been through!" Elliot yelled walking out and slamming the door behind him.

"Ok,well then let's ask later." Replied Smith clearly taken aback like the rest of us.

*two hours later in the precinct*

"So let's go and start asking questions." Said Smith in a much better mood than earlier.

"OK but remember these girls have been through hell so let's try to stay calm and sincere." El reminded him.

"OK..alright,alright let's go." said Smith rushing us into the cribs.

When we walk in we see both girls talking and laughing and then giving each other a hug. They broke it up once they noticed us watching them.

"I'm really Sorry to barge in and interrupt girls but we have a couple of questions if that's alright with you." Said El walking over and sitting on the edge of the bed.

"What do you think?" Liberty asked Caroline, " are you OK with that?" She asked.

"Yeah that sounds fine." Caroline responded in a whisper.

"OK so Liberty the first question is for you. What is your hone situation, like what are your parents like?" Smith asked.

"Um actually..." Liberty paused and looked over at Caroline who shook her head and gave her an encouraging smile." Actually my parents are never home,they left when I was in preschool after my first week of school. So since then I've been staying with my grandma but she passed away last year so I've been staying with Caroline."she replied looking down as if in shame.

"She waits to come over until my parents are gone and when they get back they never bother to check on me so we just stay in my room and I hide her." Caroline adds to Liberty's answer.

"So you're like runaway?" Smith asks.

"You could say that I guess." She said looking down again.

"Ok,one  last question off the record." Smith says without even bothering to ask us about it first.

"What?" The girls asked in unison and then smiling realising what they did.

"How did you Two manage to survive and vet through that?" Smith asked seeming genuinely concerned.

"We kept ourselves positive. And we tried to keep ourselves smiling and laughing to try and keep our minds off of what was happening."

"OK then ladies, I need to talk to these detectives for a minute outside. Thank you for being so cooperative, and I hope that you two are OK." He said giving each of them a hug and gesturing for us to follow him out the door.

"So,both of these girls come from abusive and broken homes so legally I'm required to put them in the system for adoption but they could get separate through the process. Really the only option I have is to either list them or find someone here who is willing to adopt them." Smith said looking directly at me.

"Is there any chance that they might not be separated?" I asked.

"I can barely keep biologically related siblings together let alone two girls who aren't related in any way. I honestly don't think they will be able to stay together." Smith said beginning to become more and more concerned.

" I'll do it!" I said.

" I'll take them in, my apartment is big enough. I'll just have to fill up the fridge and we'll be good. Let me take them, I made them a promise that I will do whatever it takes to make sure they aren't separated." I said looking in and seeing them just sitting there on the cot talking and giggling and watching their faces light up each time one of them makes a silly face at the other.

"You realise that'll be a lot of work and money and time and paperwork?" Smith asks.

"I told you, I'll do whatever it takes."

****** OK guys so let me know what you think*******