When Beca woke up, she had a feeling that today was going to be an interesting day. She went about her usual routine, brushed her teeth, got dressed, went to class, mix, lunch, then work. Nothing out of the ordinary happened yet, but she still had that feeling. Jesse had hit on her, again, and she had turned him down, again, deciding not to tell him that she's gay, again. After work, she was supposed to head to Aubrey and Chloe's for their weekly get together, but there was road work, so she had to take a different route to her dorm so she could grab her stuff to work on the mix she was making for their acapella group. She had become friends with the two seniors who ran the group, and apparently they were headed for failure.
Aubrey and Chloe were having a heated argument one time Beca had come over, and she said she could make a mix for them. Aubrey had a mini breakdown from the potential of losing, then both girls profusely thanked her for volunteering to help their group. She needed to make the vocal arrangements and sat in on a practice so she could figure out what would work, and she had turned down their offer to join the group. They didn't know she could sing, and she planned on keeping it that way, for now at least. Beca cursed herself because she had grown… a crush, crushes? on her two senior friends but decided against acting on it for several reasons. 1. She's pretty sure Chloe and Aubrey are as straight as rulers. 2. They are Beca's only friends. 3. They're both graduating at the end of the year, and Beca will not be left yet again. 4. There is nothing about Chloe Vanessa Beale or Aubrey Grace Posen that does not scream 'out of Beca's league.' 5. Even if they were gay, which is not likely, would they ever even consider something as out of the norm as a polyamorous relationship? Beca's bet is on no. And 6. Beca is not ready to share her history. With anybody. She has barely shared anything with the two people who were her self proclaimed best friends, let alone anyone else since her mom passed when she was six.
Beca was walking to her car, after spotting the road work, and decided to duck through the alley next to the station instead of walking all the way around. As she walked through the alley next to the station to get to her car, she found her interesting thing. Or rather, person.
In the middle of the dark, damp alley was a little girl. Maybe four or five. She was crying, shivering, looked very small for her age, and was bleeding. A lot if her medium length brunette hair that was matted with blood was anything to go by. Beca could see the cuts on the girl's arms and legs, and one of her legs looked swollen and discolored. She was wearing shorts that weren't quite the right size, and a shirt that was too big. Beca had a feeling in her gut that she knew what this girl had gone through, and she knew she could help her. She wanted to help her. She needed to. She just felt a pull to that poor little girl. Beca stopped about ten feet from the little girl and put her hands up before she spoke softly.
"Hey, sweetie? Are you okay?" Panic filled chocolate brown eyes snapped up to Beca, then she began to try to scramble away.
"I'm not going to hurt you, I promise. I'll stay here, okay? I'm not going to hurt you." The girl looked at Beca wearily, but settled back down against the wall.
"My name is Beca. Is it okay if I come a little closer to you? I'll move really slowly, okay?" After receiving a hesitant nod, Beca slowly walked up to the small girl. She had cuts and bruises littering her tiny body, and Beca was filled with rage. She gingerly sat down against the wall opposite the little girl, who hadn't taken her eyes off of Beca. She then noticed that her leg was definitely swollen, and she had what could only be a hand print shaped bruise on her ankle.
"I'm not going to hurt you sweetie. It looks like someone already did though. Are you hurting?" The girl nodded her head with tears in her eyes, and Beca's heart broke further.
"Do you not like talking?" She shook her head.
"Alright, well, how about you tap my hand. Once for yes, twice for no." Beca held an empty hand out slowly between the two of them. The girl timidly placed her shaking hand above Beca's after a moment. She smiled softly at the frail girl.
"Do you want me to help you find your parents?" Two very quick taps, accompanied by a frantic look, told Beca who had hurt the girl. That the feeling she had earlier was right. 'God damn it,' she thought.
"Did you runaway from home?"
Yes.
"Did… did your parents hurt you?" She asked in the softest tone possible. The little girl eyed Beca suspiciously for a moment, then tapped.
Yes.
"Can you point to where you got hurt, sweetie?" The little girl pointed at her arms, her left leg, and her head.
"Can you tell me how old you are?" She held up five fingers.
"Five! Wow! I'm so old, I'm 19." The little girl had a tiny smile at Beca's joke.
"Ok, I have an idea, and I want to know what you think about it, okay?" When the girl nodded, Beca continued.
"I'm going to take you to the hospital, so you can feel better, then we're going to get you away from your parents, okay?" The little girl looked up at Beca pleadingly.
"Do you want to get away from your parents?" She nodded sadly.
"I promise I'm going to do everything I can to help you, okay? I'll stay with you the whole time at the hospital. I'm not going anywhere, okay?" The little girl simply nodded.
"Can you tell me your name sweetie?" The girl looked frightened, but Beca held her hand back out. The little girl placed her hand in Beca's. Beca held her hand tenderly, trying to show that she would never hurt the little girl.
"Elizabeth Marie Jacobs," came a tiny voice.
"Elizabeth? Do you like being called that?" She shook her head violently. Beca scrunched her nose up.
"I feel the same way, kiddo. My name is Rebeca, but I go by Beca. Rebeca makes me feel old. Would you like me to give you a nickname?" Elizabeth nodded her head slowly.
"Alright… Liz?"
No.
"Lizzie? Liza?"
No. No.
"Beth?" The little girl nodded, a small smile on her face.
"Alright, Beth it is. Are you cold?" She shook her head no, but Beca saw her shivering. She slid her hoodie off and held it up.
"Can I help you put it on, sweetie?" Beth tentatively nodded, then Beca moved over and slipped the tiny girl's arms into her hoodie.
"There we are. All snug and warm. When was the last time you ate, Beth?" The little girl shrugged.
"Not today?" She shook her head.
"Has it… been a few days?" The girl shrugged. Beca took it as a probably.
"Ok. Food, then hospital, how does that sound?" She looked terrified.
"It's okay, I won't leave you. We'll get you into the bathroom and clean you up, eat, then we can get you to a doctor, okay?" Beth nodded slowly, then tried to stand. She let out a little cry as she stood on her leg. She fell right back onto the floor, tears in her eyes. Beca knelt next to her and smiled playfully, trying to hide her own fear and anger.
"You know what this means Beth?" She asked with a fake happy voice. Beth looked up at her with tears in her eyes and shook her head.
"This means that I get to carry the princess," she said in a singsong voice.
"Is it alright if I carry you, m'lady? It would be an honor," she said, bowing slightly. Beth gave out a watery giggle, and Beca was damn sure that it was the best thing she had ever heard. When Beth nodded, Beca slowly reached her arms toward the little girl. She grabbed her around her waist and hoisted her onto her hip. Beth gripped Beca's shirt when she did, but didn't seem as scared as she did before. Well, as scared of Beca at least.
"I won't let you go, I promise," she said, not moving her gaze from Beth's. The little girl nodded slowly.
"Alright. Let's get you cleaned up, then we'll get some food, huh?" Beth nodded, and Beca smiled at her. She walked out of the alley and back into the station. She walked into the bathroom and set Beth on the counter slowly. She got some paper towels and wet them. While she cleaned the blood out of Beth's hair, she found where it came from. There was a big cut on the side of her head. It looked like it had stopped bleeding at least, but it made Beca furious. She stripped her of the jacket and washed the dirt and blood off of the girl's arms and legs gently. When she was finished, she kissed Beth's forehead.
"I'm so sorry they did this to you Beth. I'm gonna do everything I can to help you." Right there, in that bathroom, Beca decided she would do anything to help her. Beca helped Beth back into the hoodie that swamped her tiny body, then placed her back on her hip. She exited the station, thankfully without running into Luke or Jesse. She walked them to the little cafe that was on the corner and walked up to the display case of sandwiches.
"What kind of sandwich do you want sweetie?" Beth looked at Beca confusedly. Beca assumed she wasn't used to people giving her things.
"Pick whichever one you want. We can share it." Beth bit her lip, and looked at them hopelessly, so Beca made a suggestion.
"PB&J good?" Beth nodded, and Beca smiled.
"Alright, we have similar taste in sandwiches." She jumped in line, lightly bouncing the child on her hip.
"Hi, what can I get you?"
"Can I get two PB&J's, a black coffee and… what do you want to drink Beth?" The little girl leaned in to whisper into Beca's ear.
"Chocolate milk please." Even her whisper was abnormally quiet. It broke Beca's heart that Beth was so scared she was unable to even speak. She has a great grasp of the language, from what Beca can tell, she's just frightened to talk. Probably got yelled at, or worse, when she tried.
"And a chocolate milk, please." The woman rung Beca up, then told her the order would be brought to them in a few minutes. Beca went over to a booth and stalled.
"Do you want to sit on your own side, or with me?" Beth pointed at her, and Beca grinned.
"I hoped you would pick me." Beca slid them both into the booth, placing Beth on the inside so the other adults weren't close to her. They brought the order a few minutes later. Beca handed one of the sandwiches to Beth, along with her chocolate milk.
"Eat what you can sweetie, don't make yourself sick, okay?" Beth nodded and took a bite of her sandwich. Beca saw the little girl's eyes light up while she was eating. While she sipped her coffee, she gently ran her fingers through Beth's chocolate curls. Beth ate half the sandwich, having handed Beca the other half with a small smile and wide eyes, and drank her milk. Beca cleaned up and picked her back up. She got a refill of her coffee, and a water to go, along with the second sandwich she had gotten to save for later, and left.
"Alright Beth, we've got to walk a bit to get to my car. Is that okay?" Beth nodded slowly.
"If anything is wrong, just tug my shirt something, okay? I won't be mad, I promise." Beth nodded again, and Beca began the trek to the parking lot at the station. It took her about ten minutes, but they got there without running into anyone, so Beca was thankful. She was not about to make her kid go through that. Wait, her kid? Beca shoved the thought aside as she unlocked her car doors. She was unbelievably glad that Beth seemed to trust her, and she wasn't about to do anything to change that.
"Sweetie, I'm going to have to put you in the back seat while I drive, will you be okay?" Beth looked terrified, but nodded anyway. Beca bit her lip, trying to think.
"Do you like music?" Beth nodded her head quickly. Beca was thankful for that one.
"Alright, well, do you like Disney?" She nodded again. Beca was glad the little girl had at least had some semblance of a childhood, no matter how much disdain Beca held for the particular franchise.
"Would it help you during the car ride if we listened to some Disney songs?" Beth nodded again, and Beca smiled in relief.
"Well, that's what we'll do then." After making sure that Beth was buckled in safely, she climbed into the front seat and began to drive. When she pulled onto the road, she started the soundtrack for her own favorite Disney movie. It was the only Disney music she had ever purchased, but she did know a handful of other random songs, per Chloe and Aubrey's instance only. She was just biased to these ones. She started with the most recognizable song and smiled as Julie Andrews's voice started to fill her car.
It's…. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Even though the sound of it is something quite atrocious
And if you say it loud enough
You'll always sound precocious
Beca saw Beth nodding her head to the music in her rear view mirror, it was small, but it was there, and Beca mentally fist pumped in victory that she and Beth shared taste in Disney movies. Beca sang along to the song, earning her a surprised, small smile from Beth. By the time they had gotten to the hospital and parked, they had gone through the entire soundtrack once. Beca quickly learned that Beth's favorite from the movie is indeed Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, while Beca's is Sister Suffragette, but that's mainly because of its feminist implications.
Beca placed Beth back on her hip and walked into the hospital. She walked up to the desk with an angry look on her face. Probably fuming, because the nurse seemed afraid of her.
"How can I help you?"
"I need Beth to be treated. She's been beaten pretty badly," she said with a venomous voice. The nurse's face turned dark as well.
"And what happened?"
"Her parents hurt her." Beca felt Beth fist her shirt tightly and hide her face in the crook of Beca's neck..
"And you are?" Beca sighed.
"I found her. She ran away from home. Can we please admit her while I call a lawyer? I would like my Beth out of those bastards' hands yesterday." The nurse nodded.
"So you don't know her information? Birthdate? Anything?"
"Her name is Elizabeth Marie Jacobs, if that helps. Give me a minute with her, I'll try and get her birthday." Beca took a few steps away from the desk and looked at the terrified little girl who was clutching her shirt.
"Beth, sweetie, do you know when your birthday is?" She nodded.
"Ok. Can you tell me? Or we can figure out another way." The little girl shook her head at the speaking option. So, Beca ran through the months until she got a nod.
"So, July?" Beth nodded again. She began running through numbers until Beth nodded.
"July 12th?" Beth nodded.
"And you turned five this year?" Beth nodded again.
"Alright. 7/12/11. Got it." Beca stepped back over to the nurse.
"July 7th, 2011. That's her birth date."
"That matches the name we have on file. We have her information. What are her injuries?"
"She's covered in small cuts, but she has a really big cut on the side of her head that's worrying me. I don't think it's bleeding anymore, and I cleaned it the best I could earlier, but I'm no doctor. Her left leg is swollen, and she can't put pressure on it." Beca used her free hand to gently run her fingertips over Beth's face, assuring her she was okay. She leaned into Beca's hand while it was there, then buried her face in the crook of Beca's neck again to hide. Beca was glad that not only did Beth seek comfort in her, but that she had comfort to offer the girl. She was glad that Beth has someone on her side now, and she was ecstatic that that person is her.
"Alright, we'll call you back shortly. Just have a seat until then." Beca walked over and sat in a chair, keeping Beth in her lap. The little girl had curled herself into Beca. She wrapped one arm around Beth, grabbing her phone with the other. She dialed the number and held it to her ear, running her hand gently through Beth's hair. It rang a few times before she picked up.
"Hello? Beca?"
"Sheila? I need a favor."
"What's going on?" Beca had never asked for a favor. Not from anyone. Especially not them.
"Can you meet me at the hospital? Just you and your work stuff please."
"You need me at the hospital as a lawyer? Are you okay?"
"Yes. You know I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important."
"Alright. I'm on my way. Text me the room number."
"Thank you, Sheila." Beca had never thanked her step-mother before. Never.
"It's no problem. I'll see you in 15." Beca hung up, and shifted Beth in her lap so she was looking at the girl, since she felt the wet spot on her shirt. She gently wiped the girl's tears away with her thumbs, then kissed Beth's nose.
"I know it's scary sweetie. What's wrong?"
"Hurts," she whimpered out. Beca's heart shattered even further. She wrapped both of her arms around the sobbing girl softly.
"I know it hurts baby. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere. I promise. I'm gonna get you away from them. I'll do whatever it takes." Beth curled into a ball in Beca's arms, and Beca just held her. Beca was already working on a legal plan in her mind. She knew it would work. It would have to. As Beth's cries began to quiet down, her name was called.
"Elizabeth Jacobs?" Beca stood, bringing Beth up with her. She followed the nurse into a room.A few minutes later a doctor came in.
"Alright Elizabeth-"
"Can you call her Beth, please? And she probably won't talk to you. Don't take it personally dude," Beca said to the doctor quickly.
"Alright. Beth, I'm Dr. Woods, and I'm gonna help you get better, okay?" Beth looked at Beca, who nodded as she took the little girl's hand. Beca took her jacket off of the girl, and the doctor's face hardened. He quickly looked over the cuts on her arms and legs, without touching the girl, except for a hovering hand over the purple ankle.
"You said she had head trauma?" The doctor asked, turning to Beca.
"Yeah. Here," Beca said, moving Beth's hair gently to show the doctor the approximately two inch long cut in the little girl's head. The doctor reached for it, but Beth jumped back reflexively. Beca looked at Beth sympathetically.
"Sweetie, I know it's scary, but he has to look it at. What if I sat with you? Would that make it better?" Beth nodded. Beca crawled onto the bed, and Beth climbed into her lap. The doctor cleaned Beth's cut, and eyed her leg while he spoke.
"Is there anything else bothering her?"
"Her left leg. She can't walk, and it's been swelling." The doctor gingerly looked over Beth's leg with a grimace.
"I'm going to have to get an x-ray to be sure, but it looks sprained to me. Dr. Stevens, order an x-ray." The brunette male doctor scurried off to get it.
"I'm sorry, I didn't get your name?" The doctor said to Beca.
"Rebeca Mitchell."
"You're not related to the patient?" He asked, clearly confused.
"No. Can we talk outside for a minute?" The doctor nodded and left the room, but Beca turned to Beth.
"I'll be standing right outside the door talking to the doctor, okay? I'll leave me arm in the door so you can see." Beca's last sentence earned her a timid nod from the girl. She kissed Beth's forehead, then moved to talk to the doctor.
"Ms. Mitchell-"
"Beca."
"Beca, I'll be honest. It's clear that that child has gone through hell." Beca ran her free hand through her hair and sighed.
"I found her in an alley covered in her own blood. She hadn't eaten in days and was scared shitless. I cleaned her up, got her some food, and brought her here. She told me her parents were hurting her. Said she ran away from home." Beca sighed as she wiggled the fingers that were sticking into the room playfully, hoping to ease Beth's discomfort.
"Look, I just… I just want to take care of her. I have a lawyer on her way here to help with the legal issues. I'm going to do whatever it takes to help her." The doctor nodded his head.
"It's incredible, what you're doing for her. Someone will come in to x-ray her shortly. If it's broken, she'll be in a cast for two to three months. If it's sprained, like I think it is, she'll get a cast for a few weeks. Two or three maybe. Other than that, she's underfed, but if we get her eating regularly, she'll be fine. I'm a little worried about possible dehydration, but it's nothing too serious from what I can tell." Beca sighed in relief.
"Thank you." The doctor nodded again, then left. Beca double checked their room number, then texted it to Sheila. She responded immediately that she was walking in. Within three minutes, Beca heard heels clicking on the tile floor. She saw Sheila, her step-mom, coming down the hall.
"Beca, what's going on? You're not hurt?" Sheila asked.
"No, not me. It's uh, Beth. Elizabeth. She's five. Look, I found her in an alley, Sheila. She was… she was covered in blood and cuts, and she was shaking. She told me her parents had hurt her, and she ran away. I got her some food and brought her here."
"What did you need me for?" Beca bit her lip then. She knew everyone would think she was crazy, but she felt a connection with Beth, and she wouldn't let her go back to those people, or be placed in the system. That could be worse than her current situation, and Beca shuddered at the thought of tiny Beth going through that. It's not something she would wish on anyone.
"I want you to help me get her removed from her parents' care." There was a moment of silence where both Beca and Sheila were well aware that Beca was thinking that there was no way she was letting that girl get put in the system.
"I want to adopt her."