A/N: Hi guys. I found this chapter quite hard to write considering I don't know a lot about the condition. If I made a mistake, sorry… Please review and let me know what you think, and anything you might want to see in future chapters. Thank you for those who reviewed, it means a lot! Hope you enjoy it ;)
"… And I suspect she has schizophrenia." The doctor finished.
Beca let out a gasp, and her head whipped around to Chloe, who was sat, shaking, in the chair on the other side of the room. She looked like she was mumbling to herself, but no words could be heard.
Aubrey wasn't entirely surprised, she had picked up on a few of the symptoms and suspected so. She was a junior doctor after all.
"But… She was so much better…" Beca mumbled, a tear sliding down her face.
"She somehow managed to avoid experiencing the obvious symptoms of the condition for a while. However, it appears that, with her medical history of self harm and clinical depression, that she has had this quite a while, and her therapist or the doctor she usually sees should've spotted it." He informed her.
"How long will to take until you can know for sure what her condition is?" Aubrey asked calmly.
"Well… Here's the thing. I would like to refer her to a mental health clinic. I believe it can accommodate her current needs, better than you can at the minute." The doctor told them, a solemn expression on his face.
"What?!" Beca exclaimed. "You're just gonna lock her away?" She felt her heart pounding rapidly in her chest. Aubrey rested a hand on her back in an attempt to calm her.
"We see her as a threat to herself, and possibly others." The doctor explained. "And since she is in no fit state to make the decision for herself, it will have to be made for her. We need the written consent of her next of kin."
Beca's jaw dropped. "She is in no way a possible threat to others! She wouldn't hurt anyone. Ever." Beca felt tears beginning to fall down her face.
"I'm sorry Ms. Mitchell." The doctor said sadly.
"What are you just gonna tell her she's being sent away and locked up?" Beca snapped.
The doctor gave her a sympathetic look. "We think it would be better coming from someone she trusts." He nodded his head in her direction.
Beca shook her head in disbelief. "So you just wanna get us to do the dirty work for you?" She snapped.
"Beca, honey, don't you think she'd be less frightened if she found out from you, rather than a stranger that she doesn't know?" Aubrey asked her gently. "It's only for her benefit."
Beca nodded her head slowly, and stood up. She apprehensively made her way over to Chloe and knelt in front of her, placing a gentle hand on her knee. "Hey, baby. How are you feeling?" She asked softly.
Chloe looked up at her and Beca could see her eyes were full of tears. "Beca?" She asked almost cautiously.
"Yeah it's me, love." Beca offered a small smile.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you earlier. I… I don't know what happened." Chloe's voice was laced with fear, and she was trembling a little as she spoke.
"It's ok. I understand." Beca told her gently.
"I love you Beca." Chloe told her, pulling the smaller girl into a hug.
Beca smiled and stroked her hair. "I love you too, Chlo."
"I'm scared Beca. What's gonna happen?" Chloe asked in a small voice.
Beca paused, and pulled away from Chloe, cupping her face in her hands. "Chlo, you are the strongest, bravest person I know, and no matter what happens, you are going to get through this, ok? But, in order for you to get better, you… You have to get some proper help, ok? And… The doctor wants to refer you to a mental health clinic that will help you get better." Beca told Chloe gently, her voice wavering.
Chloe looked a little sad for a minute, but then looked back at Beca. "What's wrong with me, then?" She asked.
"Well… The doctor thinks you have schizophrenia." Beca told her, wiping a tear from Chloe's face that the girl didn't know had fallen. "But you will get through this, love. We will get through this. I promise." Beca told her, hugging her tightly again. And all Chloe could do was sit there in her girlfriend's arms and try not to listen to the voices telling her Beca deserved better.
Chloe's parents had arrived an hour ago, and her mom had broken down seeing her daughter so vulnerable in the hospital bed she had been temporarily place in. Beca had clung to her girlfriend's hand the whole time, trying to reassure Chloe that it would be ok. But she wasn't sure if it would be. Aubrey sat on the other side of Chloe. She understood the condition better than the others, being a doctor, and could see Chloe's panic when the doctor came in and said he wanted to speak to her about the clinic.
"Chloe, sweetie, it's ok. Just breathe." Aubrey whispered to her best friend gently. This seemed to considerably calm Chloe, knowing that Aubrey understood how she felt, and she relaxed a little. It was obvious she wasn't listening as the doctor spoke, but Chloe's parents, Beca and Aubrey all were, occasionally asking questions.
"Are there visiting days?" Beca asked quietly.
The doctor looked a little hesitant. "It depends how her diagnosis comes back. While we are analysing her condition - which will take about a month - no visitors allowed. And after that, it depends on what her diagnosis is." He told them.
"And if it is schizophrenia like you think?" Beca asked.
The doctor sighed. "Then you won't be able to visit her. It is believed that it will set her back to be reminded of home while she is on the recovery program."
"What exactly will this recovery program do to help her?" Aubrey asked. "I know that there's no cure for schizophrenia, but significant recovery is possible with the right counselling and medicine so… What will it do?"
The doctor nodded. "You are a doctor?" He asked Aubrey. She nodded. "Ok, well, in simple terms, the program will provide her with the right medicine that can help reduce the severity of her symptoms and significantly reduce the likelihood of an episode. Because we will be giving her these drugs, she will have to be monitored for the first few months. So we expect her stay to only be three months, or so. Also she will have a one-to-one councillor, that is available to talk to her twenty-four seven." The doctor explained.
"So I won't be able to see her for three months?" Beca asked quietly. Chloe's mom and dad looked over at her with a pitiful glance.
"Probably not. I'm sorry," the doctor answered, giving her a sympathetic look.
Beca stood up abruptly. "Excuse me." She managed to say, and then she ran out of Chloe's room to the bathroom.
"I'll go." Aubrey sighed, following after her. She walked into the bathroom, to find Beca throwing up down the toilet in one of the stalls. She sighed sadly, and held Beca's hair back while she emptied the contents of her stomach into the toilet bowl.
"Hey, that's my job." Aubrey joked when Beca was done. Beca offered a weak smile, before collapsing into Aubrey's arms. Aubrey rubbed her back gently as she cried. God this was going to be a long three months.
"You'll be fine, sweetie, ok? We will see you in three months. You're so strong, Chlo." Aubrey whispered, hugging her best friend tightly, allowing a few tears to slide down her face.
"I love you Bree." Chloe smiled as she hugged Aubrey back. It was all Aubrey could do not to break down, so she just bit her lip and nodded, moving away from Chloe to allow Beca to say goodbye.
Beca was already close to tears, and seeing Chloe looking so lost and vulnerable almost broke the barrier holding back her internal breakdown. Almost.
"The time will go by quickly, my love. You'll be home soon." Beca said, but to be honest it was more for her benefit than Chloe's.
"And you'll come visit me?" Chloe asked, tears filling her sky blue eyes.
Beca hesitated, leaning forward and giving her a gentle, loving kiss. "Maybe, bug, maybe." She told her softly.
Aubrey had tears in her eyes as she watched the exchange, knowing that the next three months were going to be hell for Beca. She could see how the smaller girl was biting her lip to stop the tears falling in front of Chloe. She was always strong in front of Chloe.
"I love you, bug. So much. You're gonna get through this, because you are the strongest person I know, ok? You're gonna get through this." Beca told Chloe, cupping her face gently and wiping her tears. "I'll see you in three months, ok, my love?"
"I love you too, Becs." Chloe told her softly, pulling Beca in for a final kiss, before turning to say goodbye to her parents.
Beca walked over to Aubrey. "Can we go now?" She asked quietly, her voice wavering. She wanted to get away from Chloe before she allowed herself to cry - knowing that if she broke down now, she would cling to her girlfriend and never let go.
Aubrey wanted to hug Beca and tell her it would be ok, but she could tell the girl was on the edge, and that would just push her over. "Ok." Was all she said, and she led the way to her car.
Her and Beca climbed into the car and she began to drive, not looking over at Beca, knowing she'd want space. Then she heard a small whimper and dared a glance over to see Beca crying. Silent tears sliding down her face, her eyes squeezed shut, her knees brought up to her chest.
Aubrey sighed sadly and turned her attention back to the road. The whole way home, all she could think was; why Chloe? Why did it have to be Chloe?