~~~~~CT~~~~~

Steve stood with Fiona in his arms for 10 minutes until he moved her to the living room and sat down on the couch until she calmed down enough to speak.

"S-sor-ry," she said, her breath hitched.

"You have nothing to be sorry about," he assured her.  "What's wrong?" he asked.

"I-I," she said.  She faltered.  What should I tell him, if anything? she asked herself.  She took a deep breath and tried to begin again.  "I h-had a f-fight with m-my friend, M-Michelle.  W-well, n-not r-really a fight, but, it-i-it, I d-don't k-know," she said, starting to cry again.  "T-th-is i-is th-the f-first t-time I-I've c-cried i-in..." was all she got out before she broke down into sobs again.

He worried as he held her.  What could have happened to make her this upset? he asked himself.  He noticed her feet and the still oozing lacerations.  "Fiona, where are your shoes?"

"I-I w-was o-out o-on the b-beach b-bare-barefoot-oted.  I-I g-got m-mad, so I-I b-began t-to r-run," she explained.

"Why did you get mad?" he asked.  He felt her stiffen in his arms.  "Ok, you don't have to talk now, but I'd like my dad to take a look at your feet," he said.  She nodded.  "Ok, he's outside on the deck.  I'm going to get him.  Will you be OK by yourself?"

"Y-yes," she whispered hoarsely.  Steve squeezed her arm as he went to find his dad.

He went out on the deck to find his dad taking a nap, which explained why he hadn't come when Fiona first came or alerted Steve to her arrival.  Steve kneeled down next to the lounge chair and gently shook the older man's shoulder.  "Dad?"

"Huh?" Mark said, bleary-eyed.  He rubbed his eyes and focused on Steve's face.  "Steve? What is it?"

"Do you remember Fiona Burr from PAL?  She left the program about 2 years back," Steve said.

Mark's brow furrowed as he tried to wake his brain up and remember the girl.  "I, uh-" he started.

Steve dismissed him with a shake of the head.  "Don't worry about that now.  Anyways, she ran about 2 miles on the beach barefooted.  She is very upset and her feet are cut up from the shells."

Mark got up "I'll get my bag.  Where is she?'

"In the living room," Steve said as he and Mark entered the house.  Steve went to the living room to find Fiona asleep on the couch.  He winced at her fetal position, tightly curled up, as to make herself as small as possible.  He crouched down next to her head and waited for his dad who returned a few minutes later.

Mark winced at her shredded feet as he began to examine the lacerations.  "Some of these have pieces of shell in them.  And a couple of them need stitches.  I need to take her to the hospital."

Steve nodded as he began to shake Fiona's arm gently.  She started to stir and was temporarily panicked.  "No, please don't," she whimpered.

"Fiona, wake up.  It's Steve.  It's OK.  Wake up," Steve said, trying to help the fog of sleep lift from Fiona.

Fiona squeezed her eyes shut, shook her head, and opened her eyes.  "Hi Steve," she said.  She looked down to the person touching her feet.  "Mark?" she asked.

Mark smiled warmly as he nodded, "Hello Fiona.  Your feet are cut up pretty badly.  There are a couple of these that need stitches.  Steve and I are going to take you to Community General," Mark said.

Fiona nodded mutely.  "Ok."  

~~~~~CT~~~~~