A/N: Here's chapter 11. Enjoy! Sorry I haven't updated in a while.
It had been a week since Karen had moved out of the Walker penthouse and in that week, Olivia and Mason hadn't seen at all. They missed her so much. It wasn't just Karen. They missed their Auntie Grace, their Uncle Will and their Uncle Jack. They hadn't seen them all week either. Stan refused to take them. Any time Olivia or Mason asked to visit anyone, even Karen, their dad found an excuse like 'It's too late' or 'I'm too busy.' Some of the time they were simply told 'No.' Both Olivia and Mason felt as if Stan was trying to cut anyone they knew through Karen out of their lives. Mason and Olivia even thought Stan would cut Elliot out of their lives if he could, even though they'd known each other since they were five years old. He was Jack's son after all, and Jack was Karen's best friend. For a supportive dad, Stan wasn't doing very well in making the divorce as easy as possible on his children. It was as if he didn't have time for them. He would spend most of his time on the phone or dealing with his business. Stan would pass them off to the new nanny he'd hired to look after Olivia and Mason after Karen had moved out. Stan wouldn't hug them or ask them if they were doing all right. He didn't seem to realise that the divorce was difficult for them. Olivia and Mason had both noticed that their father didn't seem that bothered that he was divorcing his wife. It was as if he didn't care. It was as if he was engrossed by something else.
---
Elliot had noticed how worried everyone was about Olivia and Mason. He'd heard Karen repeatedly saying 'I miss the kids' and 'I hope the kids are doing okay.' Elliot had heard Grace, Jack and Will talking about how badly Karen seemed to be doing and how worried they were that they hadn't heard anything from Olivia, Mason or Stan for that matter. Will was supposed to be Stan's lawyer, yet he hadn't contacted Will in regard to divorcing Karen.
'Elliot, are you going to see Olivia and Mason anytime soon?' a very concerned Karen asked.
'I'm supposed to meet them at the park in an hour.' Elliot answered.
'Tell them I miss them.' Karen was worried that Olivia and Mason weren't speaking to her. She wondered if Stan had somehow managed to turn them against her or told them that she was to blame for the divorce.
'I will.' Elliot knew how much Olivia and Mason would be missing Karen. Then again, he thought that they would have visited by now.
---
In the park an hour later, Elliot was greeted by two extremely depressed kids.
'How are you two?' Elliot knew the answer to this question wouldn't be good.
Olivia shrugged her shoulders in reply. 'How's Karen?' Olivia knew that Elliot would know.
'She's not too bad.' Elliot lied. Karen was a complete mess, but he didn't think that Karen would want her stepkids to know that. 'She misses you.' Elliot added.
'We miss her too, but Dad won't let us visit.' Mason gave their reason for not visiting.
'How come?' Elliot knew everybody would be relieved to know that Olivia and Mason didn't hate Karen.
'Dunno. He just say that it's too late or that he's too busy to take us when we ask.'
'I think he doesn't want us to see her. Or anybody for that matter.' Olivia added to Mason's explanation.
'Do you want to go to Uncle Will's apartment just now? Everybody's there. And your dad will never know that you were there. He'll just think you're at the park.' Elliot knew that everybody would be happy to see them, especially Karen.
'Let's go!' Olivia didn't care what Stan would say if he found out.
---
When the three arrived at Will's apartment, Elliot went in first. They had agreed that it would probably cheer everybody Karen up if they gave her a surprise.
'Elliot what are you doing here? I thought you were at the park with Olivia and Mason.' Karen was worried that Stan had prevented Olivia and Mason from even going to the park to meet their best friend
'They're not there.'
'Well, where are they then?' Karen was panicking.
'I'm not sure. Let me check the hall.' Elliot could barely contain his laughter. On the other side of the door, neither could Olivia and Mason. They were so excited to see Karen, and they knew Karen would be excited to see them too. Will and Grace looked at each other. They knew what the kids were up to. It was too obvious for them not to. No matter how obvious even they knew it was, Olivia, Mason and Elliot wanted to have a bit of fun.
'Look who I found!' Elliot announced.
'Hi!' Olivia shouted as she walked in the door, followed shortly by Mason.
Karen's face instantly lit up. 'What are you kids doing here?' Karen asked while getting up to hug them.
'What do you think we're doing here?' Mason joked.
Karen laughed. 'I've missed you two.'
'We've missed you too. Dad wouldn't bring us to visit you.' Olivia told Karen.
'Wait a minute, does he know you're here?' Karen didn't want them getting in trouble for visiting her.
'Erm, yes.' Olivia lied. Karen didn't believe her, but she didn't want to send them back home. If she had to, she would stick up for them against Stan.
'Well, how are things at home?' Karen wanted to know how Stan was helping them cope.
'It's crap!' Mason shouted. After a second thought of what he'd just said, he waited a second to see if Karen was going to tell him off, but she was more concerned with why Mason thought things were bad at home. 'Dad never talks to us. He's always dealing with the business or he's always on the phone. He's always telling us to leave him in peace.' Mason elaborated.
'He never hugs us or asks us how we are.' Olivia quietly added. It hurt her and her brother that their dad didn't seem to have any time for them, especially when their parents have just split up.
'Oh, kids.' Karen pulled them into a hug. She couldn't believe that Stan wasn't comforting them. This was a hard time for them, and he wasn't doing anything to make it easier for them. Karen was so angry with him at that moment, but she kept it to herself. 'Are you doing okay?' Karen asked the question that Stan didn't seem to.
'I suppose so.' Olivia answered.
'It's not any fun around the house anymore.' Mason added. The truth was that Mason and Olivia had done most things with Karen rather then their dad before she moved out of the penthouse. Karen didn't know what to say to answer that, so she just hugged them tighter.
---
Karen, Mason and Olivia had been catching up for three hours before Karen started to worry what Stan would say if he found out that Olivia and Mason had been with her all day. As much as she hated it, she thought it would be best if they went home.
'I think you two better go home.' Karen told her stepkids while trying to hold back the tears.
'Do we really have to?' Mason didn't want to go home where his dad wouldn't do anything with him and his sister.
'Sorry, honey, but yes or you're dad will start thinking you've gone missing.' Karen didn't really want them to go away.
'Okay then.' Olivia said unhappily.
'Do you want me to walk home with you?' Elliot offered. Mason and Olivia nodded. They were both about to cry.
'So, I'll see you kids soon.' Karen said while hugging Olivia and Mason. She wasn't sure how long it would be before she would see her stepchildren again.
'We'll try to visit sooner.' Olivia said while sobbing.
'Bye guys.' Mason said while waving to Grace, Will and Jack.
'Come on. Let's go.' Elliot said. He could tell that this goodbye was killing the three involved.
'Bye.' Olivia said quietly. As Elliot was walking out the door with Olivia and Mason, Karen called him back into Will's apartment for a second.
'Make sure they're okay.'
'I'll try.'
---
'Are you sure you guys are going to be all right?' Elliot wanted to make sure they were ready to go home.
'I guess we kinda need to be.' Mason plainly said.
'Okay then. I'll see you two later.'
'Elliot?'
'Yeah?' Elliot wondered what Olivia was about to say.
'Make sure Karen's okay for us.'
'I'll try.'
---
As Mason and Olivia walked towards the front door of the penthouse, they couldn't help but wish that it was Karen who was living with them instead of their own father. It's not like he was always there for them.
'You ready to go in?' Mason asked Olivia as they reached the front door.
'I suppose.' Olivia answered. As Mason opened the door, neither one of them was prepared for what they were about to see…..
A/N: There's chapter 11. I'm not sure how good this chapter is. Thanks to The Filmmaker Cannot See, Panema, all4christ0398 and karengraciewalker for reviewing the last chapter. The Filmmaker Cannot See, it's okay that you didn't review for a while, I don't mind. Panema, I tried to review the latest chapter of Baby Steps but the website wouldn't let me. That chapter was so cute. I just have to say YAY! (I won't say what I'm saying YAY at- I don't want to ruin it for anyone who hasn't read it. You should- it's great!) Panema, you've got to keep going with it! By the way, Linsey Grissom's made a site with lists of loads of different fanfics. It's not totally finished yet but you should check it out. The link to the website is on her profile. I'll try and get the next chapter up quicker than I got this one up. Sorry about the wait! Enjoy!