A/N: Hi! FIRST LET ME SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU GLADIATORS! & OMGEEEE last night was crazyyyyyy! Can't say I was shocked that it was James. I knew last week it had to be him, because James was a recurring guest star and David's character just became a regular cast member this season sooo yea that was my rationale behind it. How about Mama Pope's cray cray butt! Adan is afraid of her! I think it's very telling that they are intertwining Harrisons & Olivia's back story. Other than that it was definitely a good episode in my opinion. Message me if you want to hear any of my predictions. Just in case any of you were curious, the epigraph at the beginning of each chapter is a poem instead of the traditional songs that people usually use.
This update is coming early because the key board on my lap top is being weird so I'm turning it in to get fixed on Monday and I didn't want you all to have to wait because the tech zone at my university has up to 72 hours to fix it. Also my mom is having surgery today so I'm going back home probs for the weekend so I wouldn't be able to get any writing done so I figured I'd update early. I honestly write whenever I get a chance so updates may come early whenever I have the time. Without further or do here is chapter 2. Don't forget to review, be respectful and tell me what you think!
Gladiator Disclaimer: I ship OLITZ!
Starting Over
I'm trying to find something to base my life upon,
Something in this strange world that goes on and on.
As the years go by and time fades away,
What used to be "good days" are now filled
-By: Tatum
XXX
"Mama, where are we going?"
"On a trip baby, we are going to see some of mommy's friends. Sit back and close your eyes it's still night time"
"Well how come daddy didn't get to come on the trip?"
"Livia baby he couldn't come this time. Maybe one day. Now let's get some sleep. I promise we will talk more in the morning."
She finally got Olivia to go to sleep. It was going to be a 14hr flight and she didn't need Olivia to be up the entire time. The time difference was going to be a huge adjustment in its self. It was 3am; their plane didn't leave until 4:30am. Olivia was wrapped around Maya, with her head rested on her mother's shoulder. Maya was staring out of the window looking at the planes. What the hell am I supposed to tell her once we get there; calm down your figure it out; I hope my father is over the top in front of her. UGH I can't believe this shit! She couldn't believe she was going back, she swore to herself when she got to London she would never return. But who was she kidding; she should've known that her father would track her down.
XXX
"Eli, Man calm down!"
"Don't tell me to calm down. My wife just left with my daughter and is pregnant with another one of my children and you want me to relax?"
"I have no idea where she went; she never talked about her parents or any family. She said they all died before she went to school in London."
"LONDON; GET ME ON THE NEXT PLANE TO LONDON"
"Eli man didn't she say not to look for her."
"Jack, do you really expect me to just let my wife leave and not chase after her!"
"Well no, but Eli man we need to be smart about this!"
"Fuck being smart! My daughter and wife are just disappeared into thin air and you want me to be rational? Today was supposed to be the best day of my life. I'm supposed to be starting my new job but instead I'm at home trying to figure out who or what in the hell scared my wife so bad that she felt the best option was to leave me without a trace with both of our children!"
"Eli! Where are you?"
"I'm on my way to the airport!"
SHIT. "Well wait I'm going with you"
"Well then hurry up because once I get there I'm taking the quickest route to go get my wife and kids"
XXX
Wow. I can't believe I'm actually back here... Maya thought as she walked through the airport. It was 5:30am the next day when Maya and Olivia finally arrived at their destination. She was going to go get a hotel room for the night and then in the morning continue this godforsaken journey back to the town she grew up in.
"Mama, where are we? Can I call daddy?" Olivia insisted as she pulled on her mother's pants
"Livia, stop pulling on my pants. We are in Israel. We are going to live here now"
"But it thought you said we were going on a trip to see your friends? Is daddy going to come live here too?" Olivia said with her eyes brimming with tears.
For an 8 year old she was very intelligent. She knew when her mother woke her up at 12am that something wasn't right but she was too tired to contest, now, as she was wide awake. She wanted answers.
With tears streaming down her face, Olivia cried.
"Mama where's Mister Bouncy?"
"Right here baby. You know mommy loves you so very much right Livia?" Maya asked as she picked up her distraught daughter and walked outside to catch a cab to the hotel that she had reserved.
Not responding to her mother, Olivia nodded her head on her shoulder. She knew her mother loved her but she didn't understand why her father couldn't come to their new home with them.
Upon arrival to the hotel, Maya couldn't help but feel a sense of irony as she walked into the hotel room. It took her back to the day that she decided to leave home.
Marie No!
Daddy, why not? I don't want to stay here! I want to go study in London. I promise I won't embarrass the family.
Marie No! You already know that you are to assume the family business when the time comes. I can't have my only daughter prancing around the world where regular men can see her as an object for their bodies' lust.
Daddy, I just want to study. Mama please tell daddy to let me study. I'll come back home.
Marie, listen to your father
That was the last conversation that Maya had with her mother and father. The next day when they woke up she was gone. Hiding out in the same hotel room that she was in now. She hopped on a plane to Europe, cut her hair, changed her name and started upon her new life. The life she always wanted. To be back in this hotel room with a daughter of her own and with child, she could help but feel tears brimming on her eyes and she felt like a failure. She never wanted her children to live this life. A life full of predestination already written for them before they even got the chance to live.
"Mama, I'm hungry"
Maya had finally gotten Olivia to calm down once they got in the room
"What are you hungry for Livia?" Maya asked her daughter
"I want… popcorn" Olivia said jumping in the air
"Livia popcorn is not a meal. How about I order us some food and you can try it and see what you like and what you don't like" Maya said reaching over for the food menu.
"Okay mama. When can I call daddy?"
Maya looked away. She knew once Olivia found out that she wasn't going back to the states she would be asking about Eli constantly. So far she has mentioned him at least 5 times. She couldn't help but feel bad. She too wished she was home in their nice house tucked away with her husband and daughter while her husband rubbed her stomach.
"Livia let me order the food and once I do that we are going to talk and I'll see about you calling your father"
XXX
It was 8:30 when Eli and Jackson finally got on a plane. There were 2 layovers and a slight delay. They finally made it to London about 4:30pm Eastern Standard time.
"Eli man do you even know where we are going?" Jackson asked his best friend of over 20 years
He and Eli had been through thick and thin, and he would admit that Eli was pretty ruthless. But if there was one person that grounded him, it was Maya. Once Eli and Maya met Jackson saw a real change.
"Man, I have no clue but I know they are here. This is the only place she ever talked about"
"Eli, didn't she say don't look for her. Maybe whatever is going on is dangerous, potentially fatal"
"Well, dumbass if it's that serious than don't you think I should look for my wife and kids?"
"Yea, man but I was just thinking. You work at that pentagon now. Don't you think you could use your resources there to track them down? If you do it this way it could get messy and then you will probably be killed before we can even find them." Jackson reasoned with Eli
"Whatever man! I'm going to search here first before I go running back asking for help" Eli stubbornly said.
"Either you're going to help me or I don't know why you came!"
"You know why I'm here. Let's go find my niece and sister" Jackson said. He loved Maya and Olivia like they were his own.
XXX
"I'm going to be a big sister?" Olivia yelled jumping up and down on the bed
"Livia stop jumping before you fall"
"So am I going to have a brother or sister?"
"I'm not sure yet but you have to remember it is a secret. You can't tell any of the new people you meet until mommy says it's okay" Maya says as she pulled her hyper daughter into her lap.
"Okay Mommy" Olivia said smiling
It was about 7:30pm Israeli time, the long flight and the day's events had Maya and Olivia worn out, but Olivia refused to go to sleep before talking to her daddy.
Maya had a burner phone that she bought in case of emergency. She knew that she should let Olivia call Eli but she couldn't help but feel for her daughter and quite frankly, between her guilt and her hormones, she wanted her husband.
She pulled out the burner phone that she had, and dialed the familiar number, as she called Olivia into the room.
"Remember Livia, it's a secret. Don't tell anyone where we are okay? Not even Daddy" Maya reminded her daughter.
The phone rang its each it sounded like a tick of a bomb in Maya's ear.
"Hello?" Eli answered. He usually didn't answer unknown numbers but with all that was going on he didn't even bother to look down at his phone before answers
"Daddy!" Olivia said grinning from ear to ear
"Livvie? Livvie, Baby where are you?" Eli asked his daughter, knowing that she couldn't lie to him
"Umm. Daddy I don't know but I'm about to go to bed and wanted to call and tell you that I love you so so so very much" Olivia said as she yawned. She was exhausted but she didn't want to go to sleep without talking to her daddy.
"I love you so very much too baby. I promise I'm going to see you very soon. You be a good girl and listen to your mommy, don't give her a hard time." Eli said
Olivia looked at Maya. Maya knew Olivia wasn't going to be able to keep one of the secrets from her father. She shook her head signaling that it was okay for her to tell
"Daddy guess what!" Olivia shouted
"What baby?" Eli said
"Mommy says I'm going to have a baby brother or sister" Olivia said excitedly
"Wow. Baby. That's so exciting. Speaking of Mommy, where is she?"
"She's right here."
"Give her the phone Livvie and I want you to go to sleep now okay?" Eli said. He didn't want to stop talking to Olivia but he needed to talk to Maya ASAP.
"Okay. Goodnight daddy. I love you!"
"I love you too monkey!" Eli said using his nickname for her
"Here, Mommy."
"Hello" Eli said. He knew Maya was on the phone but she wasn't speaking
Maya took the phone from Olivia and said the one thing she knew she had to say.
"Stop looking for us! Go home Eli!"
AAAAAAAHHH. I'm Sorry I'm stopping there… lol … I honestly am wrestling with how slow I want this story to move. I mean I personally and okay with the pace, I dotn love it but Im okay with it. But as the readers you Let me know. Is ti going too slow? Should I speed it up? Is this a steady pace? Give me your thoughts. Do you like the pace now? What did you think about the things revealed this chapter? So Maya ran away from home. Olivia found out she's going to be a big sister. Jackson thinks that Eli should use his jobs resources in order to find his family. Was it smart for Maya to call Eli? I mean it's a burner phone so its safe right? Next chapter we will meet Maya's family. Again if you have any predictions let me know! I love reading your reviews! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! It honestly makes me write faster. It's the weekend soooooo although I have a thousand things going on, I may be able to start/ finish chapter 3. PLEASE REVIEW & Thanks for Reading and Following! : ) Have a Nice Weekend