AN: I hope that everyone likes this chapter. This picks right up where the prologue leaves off and we finally get to see Joel in daddy mode.
Chapter 1: Frozen
All the girl could feel was icy pain. She barely heard the voice of the rescue swimmer calling out to her as she struggled to stay afloat. Her friend, another student was long gone but she could not let her body go.
"Alright kiddo, we'll get her." The swimmer told her. "...ple…" She shivered. "I know…" He said.
The man swam to shore, the other diver recovering her friend. The boat the students had been on was long since capsized. They had to get her to the hospital and warmed up.
Later that day, Joel was pacing when he heard about what happened on his daughter's trip. They heard that one of the only survivors was on the way there and she was hyperthermic. The teen also had an ugly break on her left leg.
"You okay?" Alex asked. "Just worried, my daughter was on that boat...haven't heard from her." Joel replied. "How old is she?" She asked. "17, she's on a trip with her school from the states." Joel sighed.
Just then, the alert went off. They looked up as Zach.over He looked over at Joel as mass amounts of heating blankets and a dry gown were brought over.
"I need you, the kid coming in has a wicked break, her leg was pinned between a table and the wall as the boat went under...she's one of three survivors coming in." He told him. "Oh no." Joel breathed.
When the girl got in, Joel was shaken. He knew the dark curls anywhere, even half thawed. Alex and Charlie came over, helping him as they transferred her to the bed.
"What's her name?" Zach asked. "Tiana...that was all we could get out of her." The medic replied.
"Her birthday is October 25th , 1998, Born at New Orleans General." Joel said, making them look up. "How did you know that?" Charlie asked.
"She's his daughter."Alex concluded, making him nod as he cut off her soaked clothes.
"Hey, Tia...any metal anywhere?" Joel asked, making her stirr. "Belly button ring." She mumbled, cold. "Okay sweetie, Alex, can you pull it out...we'll get it redone when you're better." He promised.
She nodded, struggling to stay awake. Her body just wanted to sleep from staying in that cold water all day.
"We need an xray of this leg." Joel told Jackson. "They're on the way down...the other two are here." He replied.
"Maggie and I have them." Dana said as they came in.
They got the xray back and Joel sighed, seeing the lower part of her leg and ankle were nastily broke in three places. He sighed, knowing he could not do surgery until she was warmed up or even attempt to set the bone.
"Okay, Jackson, I want to start a morphine drip. As she warms up, her feeling of her leg is going to start to come back. Make sure that I have a room ready for her and the OR is prepped, tell Victor I need at least two units of AB neg." Joel said. "Got it." He said.
He was right, three hours after her getting there, she was back up to acceptable temperature and Joel and Charlie could set her leg. Alex held her hand as she cried out in pain, her muscles being forced to move.
"Deep breath, Tia." Joel told her, making her nod.
She did and choked on it when he touched the broken limb. He and Charlie quickly and carefully did it, setting the break. She didn't bother holding tears back as he leaned down, setting his forehead against hers.
"All done sweetheart...I promise, I'm done doing that." Joel said. "I just want it over...please." She sniffed. "Soon baby...this part you get to sleep...I promise." Joel told her. "...I was so scared...I tried to save her...but I couldn't." She whimpered. "Oh angel...no one blames you for this." Joel told her.
Thankfully, the OR was ready. Joel had the anesthesiologist come and put her to sleep now so she didn't see inside the OR. Joel knew she was anxious. He held her hand as she was put to sleep and easily intubated.
"Let's move her." He said, making the others nod.
Once scrubbed in, Joel, Alex and Raycraft were in the OR. Dana was there as well, watching. Her eyes saw sadness as they repaired the break.
"What happened?" She asked. "Her best friend died...Tia tried to save her, having grown up swimming in the Pontchartrain, she can dive and snorkel, but her friend could not. Anna drown and Tiana pulled her body up and held on to her until divers came for them." Joel said.
"Damn...how did the boat go down?" Raycraft frowned. "They're not sure yet...but a lot of the students and teachers on board died." Dana said.
Charlie looked at the teen, seeing her dry figure watching from the other side, standing next to Joel. He could see the concern on her face as Joel tried to ignore the fact he almost lost her.
"Daddy is already freaked out...they need to stop talking about this for right now." Tiana said, her soft cajun accent making him look up.
"Hey guys...maybe we can save talking about this till he isn't around...its bad enough he has to operate on his own kid, who is probably just a freaked out." Charlie said, voicing what he was told.
"Thanks mate...she's going to hate me for this...but she isn't walking anytime soon, so no Halloween fest...Victor, drill please." Joel said, taking the pin into his hand. "Sure...you alright?" He asked. "I will be when I don't have to put a pin in her leg." Joel sighed.
"Daddy...you are doing just fine...I'm going to be okay." Tiana said.
When he finished, they started to bandage the wound and Joel kissed her head. Alex smiled as she took the file from him.
"Let me, go change and be with her when she wakes up." Alex told him. "Are you sure?" He asked. "Go, you need the time to download and call her grandparents...I know who she is now." Alex told him. "Thanks." He smiled.
Joel headed back to the bunks where his street clothes were and changed. Charlie had told him about what happened, shocked that he wasn't bothered. He had told him about Tiana's friends down in the Quarter and how she was used to things that go bump in the night.
"Hey...thank you for earlier." Joel said, switching into his jeans. "Your welcome...it wasn't actually me who said it first." He replied. "What do you mean?" He asked. "It was Tiana...she was standing right beside you, looking pretty upset." Charlie sighed. "Of course she was...she is a daddy's girl." He smiled, pulling on the yellow thermal shirt.
Joel and him walked up to the room and found Tiana starting to awaken. He took her hand, pleased she was warmer. Alex smiled, checking her vitals with Jackson.
"Hey princess." Joel said softly. "Daddy...was it a dream...please tell me it was just a bad dream?" Tiana asked. "Oh angel...I wish it was...you're safe, I promise." Joel said.
She nodded, slowly falling back asleep. He looked relieved as she settled down. It took everything in him not to break down and cry after the day they both had. Joel sat down and took her hand, kissing her cool skin.
Early the next morning, Tiana's grandparents arrived from New Orleans. Tiana was still sleeping and Joel was sleeping in the chair beside her. Alex led them in, trying not to awaken either of them.
"How long has he been at her side?" Miranda, her grandmother asked. "All evening when we brought her in and all morning." Alex told her. "Did he do the surgery on her leg?" Miranda replied. "Yes, he was our only ortho on call...he has handled this well considering how protective he is of Tiana." Alex smiled.
"He always has been." Jonathan smiled, his deep southern drawl making her smile.
Joel stirred, opening his deep brown eyes. Alex smiled at him as his former in laws smiled. Tiana whimpered softly as Alex walked over.
"Good morning." He said, making Alex turn. "Morning, how was she last night?" Alex asked. "Awoke around two when the painkillers wore off." Joel yawned. "Sounds about right, do you want to raise them?" Alex asked. "I want to wait and see till she awakens...Miranda, Jon." Joel said.
"Here, we brought some beignets and coffee." Miranda said, handing him the mug. "Thank you...have you heard anything else?" Joel asked.
"You don't want to hear that right now...just thank the good Lord we have our princess around." Jonathan told him. "Great...she is still tore up about it." Joel sighed.
An hour later, Tiana awoke another hour later. She looked miserable as she looked up to see her grandparents. Joel smiled as he took her hand, feeling how much warmer it was.
"Hey princess." He smiled. "Daddy...cold." She mumbled. "Still...Jackson, what's her temp?" Joel asked, looking at the nurse.
"Holding steady at 96...we can add another warm saline bag." He said. "No...see if we have any warming blankets and then call blood bank, see if we have any more AB neg." Joel replied, seeing how pale she was. "Got it." He replied.
He moved to sit beside her on the bed as her grandfather worked, on the phone with the other senator from their state. Her grandmother smiled, seeing how tired she was.
"How are you feeling, angel?" Miranda asked. "Meemaw?" She smiled. "Hello my darling...you scared us." She said. "I'm sorry...cold…" She shivered, making Joel frown.
He rose, pulling back the screen for a moment before moving her blanket. Her grandmother frowned as Charlie came in to see them.
"What are you doing?" She frowned. "She should not feel like that unless she still losing blood." Joel replied as Charlie set down the stuffed animal and balloon.
"Joel?" He frowned. "I need the portable...Jesus!" He gasped, opening her shirt. "I'll call OR...Jackson...go back up and tell them we need as much AB neg as possible...if not B neg or A neg." Charlie said, making him nod.
"Joel, what is wrong with her?" Miranda frowned. "We missed some internal bleeding...mostly because she was so cold." Joel replied, making her frown. "Will she be okay?" Miranda asked as Johnathan got off the phone. "I need to get her downstairs." Joel said, making her nod.
They quickly wheeled Tiana out and into the elevator. She was shaking as Joel held her hand, making her look at him tearfully. He was terrified himself, worried they could lose her on the table.
"You're coming, right?" She asked. "You bet I am...I'll be there the entire time." Joel promised. "I'm scared daddy." She whispered. "I know...I am too, but it's going to be okay." Joel promised.
They had her asleep by the time she was in the OR. Joel scrubbed in but was not allowed to do the surgery. Dana and Alex handled things as he watched, pacing. The senior surgeon saw his face as they opened her up.
"How did we miss this?" Joel frowned. "She was so cold last night...cold stems blood flow...found it...we are very lucky...her appenedex is mush." Dana replied, clamping the bleed.
"More than that...Joel...what's your blood type?" Alex asked. "A pos, why?" He frowned. "...Not only did she ruptured her appendix, but she is losing a kidney too…" She said.
He frowned, wondering if they were going to do until he remembered one of her classmates died and gave his organs to be harvested. Joel looked at her with a hard choice in his eyes.
"She's stable...go see." Dana said, knowing what he was thinking. "Thank you." Joel sighed.
He left the OR, hoping and praying that her classmates had the same blood type as her. His parents saw him checking the records, reading.
"Dr. Goran, what are you doing?" TJ's mom asked. "TJ, what was his blood type?" Joel asked. "Why?" His father asked. "Tiana, during the boat accident, she had a table hit her while in the water...it tore her kidney in half and ruptured her appendix." Joel sighed. "And you want to see if your daughter and our son are a match?" He replied. "I do...I know how close they were." Joel told him. "He would do it anyway because it was Tia." He smiled, making him smile softly.
Joel looked and saw their blood types were a match. He sagged with relief as Jackson came over. He looked up as he stared at him.
"Everything good?" Jackson asked. "Tell Dana that they're a match." Joel said, making him nod. "Okay...but are you good...being superman and papa bear at the same time don't mix, brother." Jackson replied, making him sigh. "I know...thank you." Joel said, looking at TJ's parents.
"No, thank you...at least we know TJ got his dream of helping people." His mother said.
He smiled brightly at her before seeing the cooler going to the Operating Room to his daughter. She was going to be okay.
Later that night, Joel sat beside his daughter, seeing the color slowly returning to her skin. He smiled, looking at her as her chest rose and fell slowly in time with the monitor. Alex came in, finally out of her scrubs and in street clothes. She smiled, moving to sit in his lap and hugged him.
"Hey...how is our warrior doing?" She smiled. "Good, finally maintaining temp and pressure." Joel said, making her nod, "There's a but..what is it?" Alex asked. "Just reminds me of the day that she was born...I almost lost her...she was a premie, about a month early. Her mother hemorrhaged having her...it was not pretty." Joel replied. "I know your wife's death hurt you Joel, but I am not going anywhere." Alex said. "I know." He sighed,
Together, they sat in the comfortable silence as the teen slept off the medication after the surgery. He just wanted his baby to get better.