Stef left Callie in the care of her bedside nurses with strict instructions to page her if anything changed with the girl, and went back down her office. She needed to finish up the paperwork left over from her shift and call Lena. She knew Lena would be wondering where she was. It wasn't the norm that she missed sending the kids off to school, but it wasn't unusual either. Life in the ER was unpredictable and her work hours could be long. She loved her job though, and despite its challenges she couldn't imagine doing anything else.
She sits down at her desk and pulls Callie's chart from the top of the pile, "What am I doing?" she wonders to herself. She knew exactly what Lena was going to say. "We can't save them all Love", it was almost as though she could hear the woman's voice in her head.
"I don't know what is about you sweet girl", she thinks as she runs her finger along Callie's name.
She is brought out of her thoughts by her pager. Glancing down she was relieved it wasn't the floor, but Lena. She pulls out her cell and dials the number. "Good Morning love", she says into the phone. "I'm sorry I missed you guys this morning."
"Rough night?" Lena asks, noting the tiredness in Stef's voice.
"You could say that.", Stef replies without elaborating. "How are my babies this morning? Everyone off to school without difficulty?"
"The usual morning chaos of getting the three of them out the door on time. I"m now sitting in my quiet office with a cup of coffee, waiting for the first crisis of the day.", Lena fills her in on their morning. "What time do you think you'll get home this morning? You must be exhausted. If it was a crazy night you wouldn't have gotten much sleep." There is a silent pause between them. "Stef. you still there?"
"Lena, I . . . there was a twelve year old girl brought in last night. A foster child. . . ", Stef. spills out as much of the story as she could share with Lena at this point, "She needs us Love".
Lena sighs listening to her partner, "we can't save them all honey. There are times when we can barely handle the three we already have."
Stef sighs, "I know Lena, but this girl, there is just something about her. She can't go back to that house. We still have an active foster license. We kept talking about cancelling it but never got around to it . . the system, it's failed this child."
"Stef, honey, I don't know. I don't think this is a decision that we should make a whim."
"Come over to the hospital during your lunch break Lena, we'll talk further. I'll take you to meet her. If you still have reservations, I'll just have to make sure she goes somewhere safe."
Lena knew by the tone of Stef's voice that she wasn't going to give up. "All right", she finally agrees. "I will stop over there at lunch."
"Thank you for keeping an open mind. I'll see you soon Love", Stef tells her partner. They say their 'good bye's' and hang up.
After hanging up the phone Stef returns to her paperwork, trying to concentrate on what she was doing.
A few hours later. .
"Hey Lena", the triage nurse at the desk calls out to her as she enters. . "Dr. Foster said to let you know she is waiting for you in her office. You can go on back".
"Thanks Jody", Lena says, nodding to the nurse. All morning she'd been thinking about Stef's call. She found herself considering her partner's request and contemplating the fact that they just might be crazy. They were completely outnumbered with the 3 kids that they already have, how could they take in a 4th, especially one who could possibly carry the baggage that this girl might.
She wanders down the hallway to her Stef's office, knocks on the door and lets herself in.
Stef looks up from her paperwork on hearing the knock, "Hey Love" she smiles when Lena enters her office. She gets up from her desk and walks over and embraces Lena. "Thanks for coming."
"Of course I'd come honey", Lena says returning her partners embrace. "How is Callie?" she asks.
"Still sleeping when I last checked in."
Lena studies Stef's face, "you are really sure about this?"
Stef pauses a moment and then nods, "I know I probably shouldn't be. I'm not delusional, I don't think this is going to be easy, but we've never backed down from a challenge before."
"Have you heard anything else from Bill?", Lena asks.
"He called a bit ago, he cleared it with his supervisor. Because of the open investigation, they will pull Callie from her current foster home. Given her current history with male authority, he agrees that she might do well in our house."
Lena intertwines her fingers with Stef's and leans in and kisses her. "Well then, let's go meet her".
The pair head from Stef's office towards the peds wing. As they walk Stef tries to prepare Lena for what she will see.
Callie wakes up with a start, unsure of where she was. She tries to shift her body and is met with pain and memories of what happened. She moans, drawing her nurses attention to the fact that she is awake.
"Hey there sleepy head, how are you feeling?", the nurse asks. "I know, silly question" she says approaching the bed. "What can I do to help?"
Callie glances around the room looking for the doctor that had been with her since she arrived at the hospital. Not seeing her she makes eye contact briefly with the nurse and again looks away. A tear slides from her eye. She couldn't speak - she couldn't tell. So many bad things had happened in the few short years since her mom died and her dad went away. Not one of the adults that had come into her life since that time had protected her or given her any reason to trust. She wondered why these people should be any different.
The nurse walks around the bed and wipes the tear from Callie's eye. "We are here to help you honey", she says. She pushes a bit further, "you are safe here."
Callie almost gives in, she opens her mouth to speak but before she is able to there is a crash in the hallway outside her door. She looks fearfully at the nurse and is unable to stop the panic that rapidly seeps through her. Within a few seconds her heart feels like it is going to beat out of her chest, her respiratory rate increases and she feels like she can't breathe.
Glancing from Callie to the monitor the nurse notes the rapid change in the girls vital signs. "It's alright" she tries to reassure her, "someone just dropped something, happens . . ", they are interrupted by the door opening.
Stef notices the flashing monitor as soon as she opens the door and in a moment is at Callie's bedside. Lena hangs back in the doorway. Despite that Stef had tried to prepare her for Callie's injuries she is still surprised by what she sees.
Stef picks up Callie's hand, "Hey there sweet girl", she says calmly.
The nurse chimes in, "I was just about to tell her that someone must have dropped something out in the hallway, happens all the time"
Stef smiles at Callie and nods in agreement, "true story", she says trying to keep the room a calming environment. "I need you to do something for me Callie, I need you to slow down your breathing. Think you can do that honey? I just need you to concentrate on me and take some slow deep breaths." The room is silent for a few minutes other than the sounds of breathing. "Good girl", Stef says to Callie as the girl is finally able to regulate her breathing and heart rate.
"I'll leave you guys to chat", the nurse tells them, excusing herself from the room.
Stef turns and gestures for Lena to come closer to the Callie's bedside. "So, Callie girl, I brought someone to meet you."