Worry & Doctor!

The next morning when Elliot woke up he had forgotten all about Mai, so when he woke up he was kind of startled.

"What the…?" Elliot asked.

"Daddy." Mai mumbled in her sleep.

After she said that Elliot remembered the events that happened the night before.

A few minutes later she sneezed and then you could see a pair of tiny white cat ears and a tiny white tail that wrapped around her waist.

"Why are you like this Mai? You shouldn't be like this, you shouldn't have cat genes; you're too young, much too young. You're also incredibly thin for a toddler your age. You were hungry last night, but all you ate was some potatoes and two chicken strips, but you did drink a lot of milk. I think I'll call Zeke and the others." Elliot said worried getting up to get his phone.

He was just about to get his phone when he heard a knock at his door and Wesley.

"Elliot are you awake yet?" Wesley asked.

"Yeah!" Elliot called.

"May I come in?" Wesley asked.

"Yeah, the doors open!" Elliot called trying not to wake Mai.

"Hey, how's little Mai?" Wesley asked noticing the ears and tail.

"Ok, I guess." After Elliot said that Mai sneezed again, this time the ears and tail went away.

"She's still sleeping, but I'm not surprised. Toddlers her age sleep in more. I think I know why her ears and tail pop out." Elliot said.

"Really, how?" Wesley asked.

"When she sneezes. She sneezes they pop out, then she sneezes again and they go away." Elliot said.

"Hey Elliot, I think I know how and why she has cat genes." Wesley said.

"Why? Why does she have cat genes at her age? She's too young; I'm not having her fight either." Elliot said looking at his best friend/guardian.

"She probably got the cat genes from you. Now just listen for a second, and then you can make you complaint. When you "hooked" up with Mara you were only sixteen, two years after you injected yourself with cat DNA. She is after all your daughter, so don't you think that she had to inherit something from you besides the eyes, nose, smile and face. She must have her mother's ears, lips, chin, eyebrows and forehead. You said that Mara's hair was black, so I don't know where Mai gets her hair color, but she also has a little bit of both yours and Mara's hair style. What I mean by that is that she has your bangs, and the style after that is her mother's." Wesley said, but Elliot cut him off.

"Mara had short shoulder length hair." Elliot said.

"True, but wasn't her hair wavy?" Wesley asked.

"Yes, but her hair was really curly, Mai only has a little wave, kind of like water waves." Elliot said.

"Oh well, anyways that's probably why she has cat genes. Of course she's not going fight. However, she might have her mother's attitude…" Wesley said, but again Elliot cut him off.

"Don't say that. God, don't say that. I'm gonna do everything I can to stop her from becoming anything like her mother. What I mean by that is that Mai won't start having sex until she's seventeen or eighteen, after she graduates from high school. She's not gonna start having sex at age twelve, like Mara. She started having sex at age twelve or around there. I know what you're saying about Mai having my DNA which is how she has cat DNA. But I think I have a way that when she sneezes her ears and tail won't pop out. I'm gonna make it so it's like Zoey was, she can't kiss anybody." Elliot said.

"How are going to do that?" Wesley asked.

"Though an injection…while she's sleeping. That's really the only thing that there is and it's the only way I can give her the injection. She seems to be a sound sleeper and doesn't feel anything, trust me I know, so she won't feel it. I'll give the injection when she's sleeping because like I said she won't feel it and if you think about no little kid her age or any age likes to have injections." Elliot said as Mai scrunched herself up with her stuffed bear looking for warmth.

After seeing this Elliot remembered that when he got out of the bed he pulled the blankets off the young girl, so he put them back over her and she turned on her side, facing the wall. Elliot sat on the side of his bed gently rubbing her side.

"You really do care for her, don't you Elliot?" Wesley said sitting at the end of the bed.

"Yeah, and that is why I have to call Zeke and the others." Elliot said.

"Why?" Wesley asked.

"Because I'm worried about her. She's really thin for a girl toddler her age. I was thinking to myself out loud when I got up this morning. Last night she was hungry, but all she ate were some potatoes and two of her chicken strips, but she did drink a lot of milk. Then every few hours after I went to bed I would wake up feeling and hearing her stomach growl, but she never woke up to tell me. I was gonna call Zeke and the others, until you came up, not that that's a bad thing." Elliot said.

"I know. Anyways it's probably a good thing to call them, but before you do I have a question. Did you feel her stomach, her waist? If her waist feels small and too thin, she's probably underweight, but if she has a little baby fat she could very well be just fine." Wesley said as Elliot gently took Mai in his arms feeling her stomach and waist making her giggle her sleep.

After Elliot was done with that he gently laid her down on the bed covering her and her teddy up.

"Well does she have any baby fat?" Wesley asked.

"No, she's underweight, but not by much. I'm gonna call Zeke and the others now." Elliot said.

"Ok." Wesley said watching Elliot go over to his cell, by his computer.

"Damn." Elliot cursed setting his phone down.

"What's wrong Elliot?" Wesley asked as Elliot rubbed his forehead.

"My phone is dead. I'm gonna use the phone in the kitchen. Would you mind watching Mai for me?" Elliot asked.

"Sure, I'd love to watch her for you. You just go make that call and I'll take care of everything." Wesley said taking the computer chair, pulling it over to the bed.

"Thanks Wesley, you're a lifesaver." Elliot said heading out the door and downstairs.

"Hey no problem!" Wesley called.

With Elliot:

"Hello Child Services, how may we help you? Do you know or have a child that is in need of help?" A lady on the other end of the phone asked.

"Yeah, well kind of. I was just given custody of my two-year-old daughter who will be three in four days yesterday. Her mother is dead, but when she was alive she would constantly ignore or beat her, I guess that would be the reason why she's in my custody. Now I'm worried 'cause she's underweight. Last night she was hungry…" Elliot started explaining everything.

"Well did you wake her? Is she eating? Well I'm sure that there is a cause for that and I would love to help, but I need to know a little more. For instance do you have a girlfriend?" The lady asked.

"No she's not awake. I'm not gonna wake her up and make her eat if she's not gonna. I don't have a girlfriend, but I'm not alone. I own a café and the girls and their boyfriends help out. Plus I have my guardian helping me out." Elliot said, but was cut off.

"Just how old are you?" The lady asked annoyed.

"I'm nineteen. Listen lady, I know what you're thinking, don't. I'm incredibly responsible and can take care of her. Now could you please connect me with Zeke, Ashley, Tristan or Titanna?" Elliot asked getting annoyed with the lady.

"You have to deal with the problem of getting a teenage girl pregnant" The lady said annoyed that a nineteen-year-old boy is in the care of a two-year-old going on three when he was "stupid" enough to get some "teenaged" girl pregnant.

"Listen lady I was sixteen, stressed out 'cause that was the sixth year anniversary of my parents death, and the lady I got pregnant was not a teenage girl, she was twenty-seven. She bought us beers and got both her and myself really drunk. Then we went back to her place where she did that kind of shit all the time. Now I haven't sworn in front of Mai, but she's not awake right now. Now if you could please connect me with Zeke, Ashley, Tristan or Titanna that would be nice." Elliot said becoming pissed.

"Why?" The lady asked annoyed.

"Because they're the ones who gave me custody of my daughter." Elliot said pacing so that he wouldn't snap at her.

"Fine." The lady said paging Zeke and the others.

Soon Zeke was on the phone.

"Hello, Zeke speaking, who may I ask am I talking to?" Zeke asked.

"Zeke it's me, Elliot Grant." Elliot said.

"Oh hey Elliot, what's up?" Zeke asked and Elliot told him everything.

"Oh, well ok. I'm no doctor, but I can give you the name of her pediatrician. Just give me a minute while I look for it." Zeke said looking for Mai's file.

"That's fine." Elliot said waiting.

About two minutes later Zeke came back and apologized for the wait.

"Sorry I kept you waiting." Zeke said once he was back.

"That's fine just so long as I have someone to contact for help." Elliot said.

"Ok. Mai's pediatrician is Dr. Nevra Tateum. She is Mai's favorite doctor and is the only person that she'll let come near her at the doctors' office. I'll give you her number so that you can make an appointment. I've told her about you and she would really love to meet you. Do you have something to write with and on?" Zeke asked.

"Just give me a second." Elliot said getting a pen and paper.

"Kay I'm ready." Elliot said.

"Ok. Her number is 358-2875. You got that? 358-2875." Zeke said.

"Yep thanks." Elliot said.

"Well hey it was good talking to you again, but I have to go, I have a meeting. Talk to you later, bye." Zeke said.

"Yeah bye." Elliot said as they both hung up.

Soon Elliot was calling Dr. Nevra.

"Tateum residence, Nevra Tateum speaking, how may help you?" Nevra asked politely.

"Umm yes. I'm calling about my daughter. She is a little underweight." Elliot said but Nevra cut him off.

"Well sir, it's kind of hard for me to help you if I don't know who I'm talking to. May I ask you of your name?" Nevra asked.

"Oh I'm sorry. I'm Elliot Grant, Mai Grant's father. Zeke told you about me." Elliot said.

"Oh, that's right. I remember him saying something about you getting custody of her. You're nineteen, but that doesn't matter to me. Age doesn't matter to me just as long as the parent(s) takes care of the child. So now what were you saying about Mai being underweight?" Nevra asked.

"Well last night she was hungry, but all she ate was some potatoes and two chicken strips, but she drank a lot of milk. Then during the night I could hear and feel her stomach growl. I tried to wake her, but she didn't wake up, she slept through everything. It worries me that she's not eating." Elliot said.

"That's good, well not really. What I'm saying it's good that you worry. I see many teenaged parents that don't care whether their kids are ok or not. You're one of the few that care. I'm also glad you called, I'd like to meet you and see little Mai again. What time works for you 10:00 A.M. or 11:00 A.M.?" Nevra asked.

"Either or. It doesn't matter to me. Would you like me to bring Wesley, my guardian along?" Elliot asked.

"That would be great. Then why don't you be at Momoiji Memorial Hospital at 10:30 A.M. that way I'll get you in by 11:00 and you can get Mai and everything else ready. You know breakfast, bathed and dressed. Then when you get here, we'll try to figure something out. Sound good to you? I mean it is only 7:00 A.M." Nevra said.

"Yeah sounds fine. See you then. Bye." Elliot said.

"Yep, see you then. Bye." Nevra said as they hung up.

Elliot then hung up went to check up on Wesley and Mai, only to still find Mai asleep and Wesley reading a book.

"Hey Elliot, did you get a hold of anybody?" Wesley asked.

"Yeah, actually. After I talked to a really annoying lady who was more of a bitch then anything, I got a hold of Zeke, who gave me the number of Mai's pediatrician, who we'll be seeing at 11:00, so we have to leave at 10:00 to get to Momoiji Memorial Hospital on time. I have to take a shower, make breakfast and get Mai ready. Then you'll drive us there and the three of us will meet Dr. Nevra." Elliot said.

"Ok. Do you want me to get Mai up?" Wesley asked.

"Ummm, no I'll get her up after I get dressed. I know what you could do now, since you already took a shower and are dressed, you could make the breakfast." Elliot said.

"OK, what do you want?" Wesley asked getting up.

"Just make two pancakes for her with some orange juice and a sausage. I'll have two eggs and two pancakes with orange juice and a sausage, please." Elliot said getting some clothes for him and something for Mai.

"Ok. See you in a few." Wesley said.

"Kay. See ya later." Elliot said going into his bathroom, while Wesley went to make the food.

About five minutes later Mai started to wake up.

When she was fully awake she saw Neko eating what Wesley had brought up for her. She also saw what she saw last night. However the only thing she didn't see was her daddy, Elliot, so she started to panic.

"Daddy? Daddy where are you?" Mai asked as she slid out of bed, but she ended up falling on her knees and started to cry.

"Daddy." Mai cried curling up into a ball crying, wishing that she wasn't alone.

Another five minutes later Elliot was out of the shower wearing a blue T-shirt and white pants with white socks.

He was gonna wake Mai up, but when he got there he didn't see her on the bed.

"Mai, where are you baby?" Elliot asked looking around.

He was starting to worry until he heard Mai's crying, crying for him.

When he looked on the side of his bed he found Mai holding her knees crying.

"Mai? Mai what happened to your knees?" Elliot asked alarmed when he saw the blood on her knee.

"Daddy! Where you go? Why you leave me?" Mai cried clinging to him.

"Mai, when did you wake up? I'm sorry I wasn't here, I was taking a shower. We have to get you ready, we're gonna see Dr. Nevra today." Elliot said pushing her bangs out of her face and tucked them behind her ear.

"Dr. Nevea?" Mai asked.

"Yes. Now let's get you ready, ok?" Elliot asked.

"Otay." Mai said softly letting Elliot gently pick her up and take her downstairs for breakfast, after bandaging up her knees.

After awhile of eating and Mai playing with her food they were done and Mai was done eating after a pancake and a half, half her sausage and three cups of orange juice.

"I think she ate the same amount of food as last night." Wesley said as he cleaned the kitchen and Elliot gently picked Mai up from his lap. (She had to sit on his lap 'cause they don't have a highchair and they couldn't find any large phonebooks for her to sit on.)

Once upstairs they got Mai some of her clothes for her to wear for the day. She chose a baby-blue skirt with a light pink shirt that had kitties on it. She also had little white socks and little pink shoes.

"You ready for a bath Mai?" Elliot asked.

"Yeah!" Mai said running in the complete opposite way from where the bathroom was, she ran towards a closet.

"Mai, wrong way. That's a closet. This is the bathroom, see?" Elliot asked chuckling while opening the bathroom door.

After that Mai looked at him confused. She wanted to know what a closet was, so she opened the door.

When she opened the door she stared at it for awhile before screaming and running away from it to the bed where she fell to the floor crying hard.

"Mai?" Elliot asked worried running to her and kneeling down by her, gently picking her up and rocking her back and forth to get her to calm down.

"What's wrong?! What happened?!" Wesley asked running in the room alarmed after hearing Mai's scream.

"Elliot what's wrong?" Wesley asked watching Elliot cradle the young crying toddler.

"I don't know. Will you please close the closet door, she opened it and that's when she screamed and started crying." Elliot said.

"Sure thing." Wesley said walking to the closet and shutting it, while Mai watched and cried.

After the closet was shut Mai started to slowly calm down, burying her face into Elliot chest.

After Mai was completely calm, after all the bawling, crying, whimpering and hiccupping Elliot stood up and gently set her on the bed.

"Hey Wesley, could you call Dr. Nevra at this number and tell her we may be a little late? I wanna figure out what scared Mai" Elliot said handing Wesley the number.

"Sure thing." Wesley said heading downstairs.

"Mai, baby, what's wrong?" Elliot asked gently cradling her close to him.

"No! Don't put me in the dark alone! I be goowd, I prwomise! No mowre darkness, plwease! I don't want wanna go back to the dark!" Mai cried.

"Don't worry Mai, you don't have to go back to the darkness, I won't make you." Elliot said softly rocking her back and forth.

"Hey. I called Dr. Nevra and she said that'd be fine. She also told me why she doesn't like closets." Wesley said from the doorway.

"Why?" Elliot asked setting Mai down and standing up, watching Mai curl up on the bed and cry a little before closing her eyes and just started to rest.

"It's because her mother, Nate, or her mother's sister would lock her in a closet for hours on end and bang on the door. Another reason is that they would force her to listen to eerie noises such as fake thunder and other noises she's afraid of. They would also for a punishment make her watch horror movies. They would do all of that to punish her." Wesley explained.

"What kind of punishment are those? You don't do that to a two-year-old. No wonder she's afraid of closets. No child should have something like that done to them. If a child needs to be punished they should get a good talk and a timeout for about five minutes. I don't want to spank her, I don't believe in hitting a child. I also won't hit her 'cause she's already been hit enough when she shouldn't have been." Elliot said sitting back on his bed and sitting Mai on his lap, waking her up.

"That's good. I'm glad she's away from those people and here with her daddy. She needs you, you know. She seems really sweet. She looks a lot like you. Well I guess I'll finish up downstairs, while you give Mai her bath." Wesley said heading out the door.

"Ok. Thanks for everything, Wesley!" Elliot called.

"You're welcome!" Wesley called.

"Ok. Well you ready for your bath Mai?" Elliot asked his toddler.

"Yes." Mai said quietly as Elliot went over to where she was sitting.

"Don't worry Mai, I won't make you go in the closet or watch anything bad. You just have to promise to be good. Can you promise that? Can you be good? What am I saying; of course you'll be good. You will won't you?" Elliot asked tickling her sides making her giggle and squirm around.

"I be good! I be good if you prwomise not to lock me in the dark place, or make me watch bad movies." Mai said as her tears started to come back.

"Don't worry Mai, I won't lock you in the dark place or watch bad movies or hit you, I promise you that." Elliot said.

"Otay, I be good." Mai said snuggling her way into Elliot's arms.

"Well then, now that's out of the way, are you ready for your bath?" Elliot asked picking her up.

"Yep." Mai said as Elliot carried her to the bathroom where he got her undressed and in the tub.

Once in the tub he got her clean and she got him wet, by squirting him with her rubber ducky, while singing the rubber ducky song.

Elliot all the while was laughing and splashing her with water making her giggle.

"Mai we have to get going now or we're gonna be really late." Elliot said lifting her out of the tub drying her off and getting her dried and dressed.

"Otay." Mai said quietly letting him dress her.

About forty-five minutes later they were at Momoiji Memorial Hospital in the waiting room.

"Elliot and Mai Grant?" A nurse asked standing at the end of the hall as Elliot got Mai and started walking to the nurse, Wesley following close behind.

So they got though what the nurse had to say and asked and then they waited for Dr. Nevra.

A few minutes later Dr. Nevra came in and smiled.

"Hey Mai! How are you today?" Nevra asked as Mai smiled.

"Gwood." Mai said arching her back and bending her head back to look at Elliot.

"Good. You must be Elliot, and you must be Wesley, am I correct?" Nevra asked.

"Yes. That would be us." Elliot and Wesley said as Elliot put Mai on the chair and shook Nevra's hand.

After awhile of talking and testing they decided to give Mai some kind of medication for before she ate breakfast, lunch and dinner.

"Now. I want Mai to take this pill half an hour before she eats, breakfast, lunch and dinner." Nevra said handing Elliot a rather large vile of pills.

"Thank you." Elliot said putting the pills in his pockets.

"Bye and have a nice day. Bye Mai." Nevra said taking Mai's arms and shaking them up and down making her giggle.

"Bye-bye." Mai said as they left the building.

"So Mai would you like to go shopping?" Elliot asked as they left the building.

"Yeah." Mai said softly...

There you go. What'cha

think? Tell me.

Review.

Write Soon, SarT55