It's been about twenty five minutes since I witnessed Zoe's head being operated on. Nick comes out of resus. He has taken off all of the blood-covered scrubs, gloves and bandanna.
"Amy, are you all right?"
"Yes, I'm sorry. I just couldn't... She was... I couldn't ."
"I know, it's damn hard to see her like that."
"Yeah."
"You can come back in now, there's no more blood. She looks normal again, except for all of the tubes, and her wounds, which, I'm in the process of stitching."
"Okay." I follow him back into resus and stand next to Zoe's bed again. I take hold of her hand again and bend down and kiss her forehead.
"Amy?"
"Yes?"
"I'd like to ask you something."
"Okay."
"I would like to make you a part of our family, for real. We would have done it yesterday but I wanted to see how things would go first. I want to know what you'd think of us adopting you. In such a short time, Zoe's been lit up by your presence in our lives, and you seem extremely happy to be here. So, I'd like to make you our daughter, what do you think?" I start to cry and can't speak so I just nod, let go of Zoe's hand, throw my arms around Nick and sob into his chest.
"I'll take that as a yes. You know, you really don't know how happy you've made her. She has always wanted a child, anything that makes Zoe happy makes me elated, so I'd like to thank you for changing her like that, I didn't think it was possible to make someone change so much in 24 hours, but you've managed to do it to Zoe. Also, thank you so much for having the sense to call me this morning, I don't like to think what would've happened if you hadn't. I'm proud of you." No one has ever said this to me in my entire life.
"That's okay. Thank you. Thank you so much for everything." I let him go and turn back to Zoe.
"When will she wake up?"
"A couple of hours. Will you let them treat you whilst we're waiting?" He says as he threads a stitch into the gash on Zoe's cheek.
"No. Zoe needs as much of the hospital's attention as possible, no one's getting near me until I know she's safe. I don't care if I start to feel these wounds. I don't care."
"But that could be ages sweetheart, I'd feel better if you'd just let them treat you."
"I'm sorry, but no, not until I know Zoe's safe."
"Okay, but let me know if you start to feel pain, I can at least give you some more adrenaline. You do know, them treating you doesn't reduce any of the attention Zoe receives."
"Yeah, I know, but still."
"Okay." He returns to stitching Zoe's face. I sit quietly and stare at Zoe, please God let her come out of this okay! I can't believe how mad this all is, one minute she's happily driving off to another day in the ED, and the next minute she's brought in as a patient, requiring urgent medical attention.
"This isn't right. It just isn't right." I say.
"I know, trust me."
"But she's so... good. All of the time! How could something like this happen to someone like Zoe! She's a doctor for crying out loud! Spends her life saving others' and this is what she gets as a payment? Can that even be justified?"
"No, it can't." Nick says, quietly.
"I'll be back in a minute."
"Where are you going?" He asks.
"I just need some air, keep fixing Zoe, I'll be back in a minute." He nods and I walk out. I stop outside the door and take a deep breath before walking to reception.
"Can you tell me where the other driver is?"
"Excuse me? I don't know what you're talking about mate." Says the receptionist.
"Sorry, I'm Zoe Jordan's foster kid, can you please tell me where the man who hit her is being treated?"
"We're not allowed, you aren't family. Patient confidentiality, sorry." He says and I walk away. I'll find him myself. He's not in resus, so I think I'll try cubicles. I go back through the same old double doors and head for cubicles. I pull open the first curtain, it's not him.
"Sorry." I stammer and go out, he's not in the next one either. I draw back the curtain in the third cubicle. It's a man, that's a start.
"Have you just been in a car accident?" I ask.
"What's it to you?" He asks, aggressively.
"I need to know, matter of life or death kind of thing."
"Well, even if I have, it's none o' your business."
"I'll take that as a 'yes, I have just been in a car accident' and as for it being none of my business, IT WAS MY CAR YOU HIT! MY MUM WHO'S LYING IN A BED, UNCONSCIOUS, UNABLE TO BREATH BY HERSELF. OH, AND LETS NOT MENTION THE FACT THAT SHE'S HAD TO BE JUMP STARTED AND HAVE BRAIN SURGERY IN THE LAST HOU-"
"Wow, wow, wow, wow, stop the shouting!" Cries a near by nurse. "This is a hospital, not a zoo! Who are you any way?"
"Zoe Jordan's foster kid, soon to be daughter." I burst out into tears.
"Okay, I'm so sorry about what's happened, but you can't yell at other patients like that. Okay, why don't you head back to resus?"
"Yeah, that's where I'm going." I turn and head back to resus.

"Amy, what's wrong?" Nick asks as I walk in the door.
"What's right!"
"I know, sweetheart, I know."
"If I could wave a magic wand and fix this, I wouldn't hesitate for a second."
"Neither would I."
"Have you finished stitching those gashes? Did you get out all of the glass?"
"Yes, there was... So much... It doesn't even bare thinking about."
"Why couldn't this have happened to somebody else? Why Zoe?"
"I don't know."