Bruised, Battered, and In Tears [ A Benson Fan Fic]

Twenty-Four

After Julia's first appointment, Sharon asked Maureen to come into the room. Julia went out to get a sucker and a sticker, while Maureen talked to the doctor.

"So, is she okay?" Maureen asked nervously.

"She isn't. I think that she needs to be in therapy for a few months or maybe even a year to truly work through her thoughts towards her biological father." Sharon frowned.

"We are going to have to push the adoption off that far?" Maureen frowned. All she wanted was to have the girls get adopted so they felt like a complete family, but that wouldn't happen for a long time.

"I recommend that she not be pushed into anything until she's ready. She could develop depression and several anxiety disorders by being forced into something she isn't even close to being ready for." Sharon spoke gently. Maureen nodded slowly as tears welled in her eyes.

"I'll tell her Mom... uh, thank you." Maureen breathed. She walked out and found Julia standing next to the door with a sucker in one hand and a sticker stuck to her shirt.

"Can we go?" Julia asked quietly.

"Yeah, of course... I think your Mama is gonna be home when we get there." Maureen said with a forced smile.

"Can I meet Cleo?" Julia asked, but Maureen didn't know how to respond because she didn't even get to hold Cleo.

"Probably. Now, Jules... let's get you home." Maureen smiled.

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Olivia was upstairs with Cleo when Maureen brought Julia home. Julia ran straight to wash her hands before bounding up the stairs. Maureen walked slowly into the kitchen to find her siblings sitting around the table and doing homework.

"Did you guys get to meet Cleo yet?" Maureen asked, and the kids all shook their heads.

"She won't let us near her... Dad isn't even allowed to hold her." Kathleen frowned. Maureen nodded slowly before walking over and sinking down beside Michaela.

"How was school?" Maureen asked softly, as she caressed Michaela's curls.

"Are we just gonna not talk about Mama and Cleo?" Michaela sighed as she eyed Maureen.

"Guys, there is nothing we can do. If Dad can't even hold or take care of Cleo, there is nothing we can do. But I do have to talk to Liv real quick, and hopefully, it goes well." Maureen frowned.

Everyone was just so thrown off by how different Olivia had become overnight. How she didn't even seem to want any of the kids, even her girls, to be around her and Cleo.

Maureen went upstairs quietly and heard Julia mumble something before she walked out of the room their parents shared. Julia looked at Maureen as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Mama won't let me look at Cleo." Julia sniffled.

"I'm sorry, Jules... I'm going to go talk to her about something real quick and then maybe we can go do something to cheer you up? Cheer us all up." 

"Mama said no one is allowed in their room... Daddy is only in there to help her." Julia whimpered, before quickly running past Maureen and down the stairs.

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Maureen took a few moments before opening the door into the master bedroom. She shut it behind her before leaning against it.

"I'm not ready for visitors." Olivia sighed softly, as she kept her arms wrapped tightly around Cleo.

"I'm not here to see you or Cleo... but I have to talk to you about Julia."

"Mo, it's not the time." Elliot frowned. He looked just as defeated as the kids did.

"The therapist said Julia probably won't be ready to be adopted for a year or so. We aren't supposed to force anything on her. So I think that to help with not being forceful or anything... I'm going to talk to Mom and see if us Stablers can stay with her. Then you and Dad can just focus on the three girls." Maureen spoke slowly. She didn't want to seem too cold or sharp, but it was hard not too. She was so angry about what was happening, that it was hard to hide her pain.

"What?" Elliot asked as tears sprung into his eyes. He didn't want to lose five out of his eight kids.

"She told me to tell you guys. And Liv?"

"Yeah?" Olivia asked nervously.

"I'm sorry that you feel like Cleo isn't safe around her own siblings-"

"You kids aren't her siblings." Olivia snapped quickly. Elliot opened his mouth to scold Olivia, but no words would come out.

"Yeah... I'm done. Bye."

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The house was quiet. Michaela and Julia rarely said a thing anymore, and it was as if Chris was still around. Olivia was very distant and only really paid attention to Cleo and no one else. Elliot had to take care of the girls alone, and many times he took them to Kathy's so they could see the kids and so he could see his kids too. It was lonely and painful to live in a house without all of his kids, and Elliot was wondering if being with Olivia was the right thing.

A month went by, with no change at all.

"Are the girls sleeping?" Olivia asked quietly, as she finally left the bedroom for the first time in days.

"No. They are doing their homework outside." Elliot replied weakly.

"They are so quiet," Olivia spoke, as she looked out of the sliding glass door and saw her little girls working on their homework together. She had realized that she hadn't heard a peep out of them in a while, and it kinda flipped a switch in her head. 

"Julia doesn't talk at all, well to me she doesn't. The only person she talks to is Michaela." Elliot frowned.

"Why not?" Olivia asked quickly.

"She's put her walls up, Liv. Therapy isn't helping her. The fact the kids aren't here anymore isn't helping. The fact that you won't even take care of them is not even being close to helpful. Her baby sister is a month old, and she hasn't gotten a chance to even look at her. To hold her." Elliot grumbled. He had tried to be supportive, but now he was just angry.

"I've been trying to protect Cleo from everything, El. You know how vulnerable she is." Olivia sniffled.

"I love you, Olivia. I really do... but you can't just put your walls up and keep everyone out. We were supposed to be in this together, but now it's like I'm not even your friend anymore... let alone the guy that wants to adopt your girls."

"Do you wanna leave me?" Olivia whimpered.

"I'd never do that to the girls."