A/N: Here's chapter 10. I didn't expect this fic to be as long! I don't think I'm even close to finishing yet! Enjoy!
The next few weeks were tough. Olivia laughed at the irony of the situation. She and Mason were supposed to be happy that their dad was back home again, but they couldn't help think that things were better when Stan was in jail. All that their dad and Karen ever did was argue. Even Elliot had commented that for a family whose dad had just returned from jail, they didn't seem very happy. Karen and Stan tried to create the impression that they were happy, but it didn't wash with the people who knew them best.
---
Even Elliot was worried about the Walker family. He remember how worried Olivia and Mason had been before Stan went to jail. They could talk for hours about how scared they were that Karen and Stan would get divorced. For some reason, he had a gut feeling that that would happen again. Only this time, Olivia and Mason's fear would be greater.
---
'Hey, how are you guys?' Elliot said cheerily. However, he could tell by their faces that this was going to be another day of listening to Olivia and Mason complain about yet another fight.
'Tired.' Olivia simply answered.
'How come?'
'Dad and Karen were shouting at each other all night. Neither of us got any sleep.' Mason offered the explanation.
'They shout the most horrible things at each other.' Olivia added.
'Try not to think about it. They probably don't mean what they say to each other, You know what people get like when they're angry.' Elliot half-heartedly tried to comfort both of them. He wasn't sure if her really believed what he was saying. Mason looked at Elliot as if to say 'Are you kidding?'
'Do you want to go to Auntie Grace's office?' It was cold outside and Olivia didn't feel like inviting Elliot to her house. She didn't want to expose Elliot to what her and her brother had to live with everyday.
'Sure.' Elliot and Mason replied simultaneously.
---
At Grace's office, Olivia and Mason had both fallen asleep. Grace thought this was strange. Olivia and Mason never slept during the day.
'That's odd.' Grace said to Jack, who was also at Grace's office.
'What is?' Jack wondered what Grace found strange.
'Olivia and Mason never usually sleep during the day.'
'They said that they didn't get any sleep last night.' Elliot informed the two concerned adults.
'How come?' Grace's voice was full of concern.
'Olivia said that Karen and Stan were arguing all night.' Elliot replied.
'Elliot, would you… take the trash out for me please?' Grace hesitated while thinking of something to get Elliot out of the room. Once Elliot left Grace looked at Jack before he said what they were both thinking.
'You don't think they'll get a divorce, do you?'
'Let's hope not. For their sakes.' Grace pointed to the two sleeping Walker children. 'They've already been through enough.'
---
Olivia woke up one morning a week later extremely worried. Karen and Stan had been arguing the night before. But, that's not what was worrying her. There had been something different about their argument. Karen had seemed angrier and more upset. This was not their usual argument. There was something different about the atmosphere in the Walker penthouse.
Mason woke up just as worried as Olivia. He had heard the argument. He noticed the change in atmosphere. Something wasn't right.
---
Even Elliot knew something wasn't right. When he met up with Olivia and Mason later that day, they wouldn't speak. They hardly said a word the whole time they were hanging out.
'What's wrong?' Elliot asked, in the hope he might get a useful answer.
'Nothing.' Mason and Olivia replied at the same time. They didn't really want to discuss what was going on inside their heads.
'Come on, I can tell something's wrong.' Elliot knew something big was bothering them, but he couldn't quite put his finger on exactly what it was.
'We don't want to talk about it, right!' Olivia hadn't meant to snap at Elliot the way she did. Her eyes were filling up with tears.
Elliot felt bad for repeatedly questioning them. 'Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you.' Elliot hugged his best friend.
'I didn't mean to snap at you.'
'It's okay.' Elliot tried to think of something to do to lighten their spirits. 'Wanna
go to Jack's apartment?' They always had so much fun when they were all with Jack. For some reason, Jack always managed to make everyone feel better.
'Sure. It beats going home.' Mason casually answered. That little statement gave Elliot his answer as to what was upsetting Olivia and Mason. Something had obviously happened between Karen and Stan. What confused Elliot though was why hadn't they just said that in the first place? They usually did. Elliot came to the conclusion that something worse than the usual argument had happened last night.
---
Olivia and Mason had avoided going home as much as they could without running away. As much as they dreaded it, they agreed that there was nothing more they could do and that they had to go home. They walked home in silence. They were both going over all the things that could possible happen when they arrived. Although they both thought of different thing that could happen, they both had the same idea of the worst possible scenario.
---
The Walker kids sat outside the front door of the penthouse for at least ten minutes. They simply didn't have the courage to enter.
'What is the world coming to when you're to scared to go into your own house because what might happen?' Olivia stated the irony. Mason laughed slightly in reply.
'We gotta go in sometime.' Mason said after another few minutes of sitting outside the door.
'Yeah. Let's get this over with.' Olivia added while being helped to stand by Mason. Olivia and Mason gave each other one last supportive look before opening the door.
'Hey kids. Why don't you sit down? Your dad and I need to talk to you.' Karen shakily said. It was obvious she had been crying. Mason looked at Olivia, who was simply looking at her feet. It was as if they both knew what was coming next. Olivia and Mason took their seats and prepared themselves for what would be said.
'Your dad and I have been talking and we both agree that the thing that's most important to the both of us if that you two are happy and that your home life is as happy and relaxed as it can possibly be.' Karen took a deep breath before continuing. 'You probably both know that we argue a great deal.' Olivia and Mason nodded in agreement. 'We've both agreed that you two hearing us argue all the time will be affecting you and that it won't be easy for you to listen to us.' Olivia and Mason were both sobbing. This was what they had been dreading all along. 'This is really hard for us to tell you but, we think that, in the long run, everyone would be happier and would be more able to get along if your dad and I weren't married to each other anymore. We're going to get a divorce.' Karen concluded. Olivia and Mason both sat, staring into space, trying to take everything that had just been said in. The worst possible scenario had happened.
'None of this is your fault. It's us. You two are not to blame in any way for this.' Stan quickly added.
'Are you going to be living together after this?' Mason realised what a stupid question he'd asked as soon as he said it.
'No.' Stan replied.
'Who's moving out?' Olivia asked numbly.
Karen knew answering this question would be difficult. 'I'm moving out tonight. I'm going to stay at Uncle Jack's for a few days until I find my own place.' Karen watched as Olivia and Mason's faces dropped. Olivia found herself thinking that it should be her dad that moved out. Karen wasn't her real mum but she had always been there. She knew Olivia and Mason better than Stan did. Karen had been there when Stan was in the jail for a year and a half. Olivia could feel the anger building up inside her.
'I'm going to my room.' Olivia announced through sobs. She knew that if she didn't go she would end up saying something she would regret later. With every step Olivia took, her sobs got harder. She couldn't believe it. Even though she'd sort of been expecting her parents to get a divorce soon, it still took her by surprise. You always expect the divorce to be soon, you just don't expect it to be that day. Olivia sat on her bed and hugged her knees. It was less than five minutes before someone disturbed her.
'Honey, are you okay?' Karen quietly asked. Olivia only looked up to give Karen her answer. 'Oh honey, I'm sorry, I really am.' Karen sat down beside Olivia and hugged her. Karen knew that no matter what she said to Olivia, it would do no good in comforting her.
'Why do you have to go?' Olivia asked through heavy sobs. Karen could give her no answer. All she could do was hug her stepdaughter. Karen didn't really want to go, but she just had to.
---
Mason was taking the news of his parents' divorce better than Olivia. He wasn't crying, but he wasn't talking either. He didn't want to ask any questions. He knew as much as he needed to know. As young as he was, he knew he had to be strong for Olivia. It would hurt her more than it would hurt him. He would need to comfort her. He had to be strong. For her.
---
An hour and a half later, the Walker children were preparing to say goodbye to Karen. This was going to be difficult.
'Karen, do you really have to go?' Mason asked the same question his sister had earlier.
'I'm sorry.' Karen couldn't offer any more of an explanation than that. She was on the verge of tears. Mason and Olivia hugged Karen at the same time. They were both realising how this would be the last time they would all be in the same house. Karen broke off the long hug so as not to make this moment harder than it already was. 'Okay, I better go.' Karen said with tears streaming down her face. 'I'll see you kids around.'
'Bye.' Olivia and Mason replied, also with tears streaming down their faces. Olivia, Mason and Karen all exchanged glances once more before Karen had to walk out the door. As soon as the door shut, both Olivia and Mason burst into uncontrollable crying. Both walked over to the window in the hope that Karen hadn't driven away yet. As they watched, they saw Karen's car drive down the road. Olivia and Mason both knew that this meant everything had changed. They continued to watch Karen's car drive further into the distance before Olivia quietly said:
'I'm surprised it took so long. I thought we'd have done this long ago'
---
Neither Olivia nor Mason slept that night. They both kept thinking of how that day, that one single day, had changed their lives. As much as they hated it, they just had to face up to the fact that they would have to get used to a house without Karen around all the time. They would have to get used to only seeing the woman who had brought them up every second weekend. They would have to get used only having their dad around. They would have to get used to change. Again.
---
A/N: I was sitting crying writing this chapter. All the Olivia and Mason being told about the divorce stuff is based on when that happened to me. It was horrible. Anyway, here's chapter 10. Thanks to Panema, all4christ0398 and karengraciewalker for reviewing the last two chapters Enjoy!