AN: Chapter is up so soon, only because I had to cut the previous one somewhere. This is what I cut off the last chapter. I told you I can't write short chapters...
Hope you enjoy :)
Markus POV
"Markus! Call 9-1-1!" Dad called from the bathroom. Mom and dad were still crouched down to Callie, trying to get her to open her eyes. I took of sprinting to my room. My phone stood on the desk. I garbed it and with shaky fingers I dialed the 3 digit number.
Almost instantly I was connected to an operator, I hadn't even gotten back to the bathroom "9-1-1. What's your emergency?"
"We need help!" I was speaking in fast manner "My foster sister...she fainted out of nowhere. We can't wake her up..."
"What's the address?" the operator asked in a calm tone
"Opal street 14, Pacific Beach region," I stuttered a little
"Help is on it's way. Ambulance will be there in 3 minutes. Can you tell me your name?"
"It's Markus," I reply keeping my eyes down on Callie, who was still unconscious. Mom was holding her hand with one hand, but caressing her cheek with other, all while talking to her girl.
"Markus, how old is your foster sister?"
My memory got foggy all of a sudden. It was a simple question, one that I knew the answer to. But right now, it was like someone had hit me on my head. "I...ugh...I think, she is 14…" I say not too convincing, when my dad got extended his arm towards me "Give me the phone?"
"My dad wants to speak to you!" I tell the operator before I hand the phone to my dad
"Looked like she was in lot of pain, whenever she moved her torso or took in a deeper breath!" Dad says the moment he puts the phone to his ear. He nodded his head as he listened to the operator speaking to him. His eyes were down to Callie all the time.
Mom looked over her shoulder to me "Markus, can you go wait for the ambulance outside?"
"But I -" I gesture down to Callie. I wanted to stay here. I wanted to help her.
"Please! They will find us more quickly if someone will be waiting outside and show them way up," Mom explained to me
"...Okay," I comply and turn on my heel. Before I walk to the stairs, I take one last look back to the bathroom. Taking a sad sigh, I walk down the stairs, to front doors and out to the front yard. When I stepped outside, I could already hear the sirens in the distance. I walk to the street and stare down neighborhood, waiting for the car to show up.
After a little while, I saw a car with sirens on, turn in the street. The ambulance was here. I waved my hand in the air, getting their attention. The car stopped right by our house.
"She's upstairs in the bathroom!" I point back to the house, when the driver got out
"Do you know what happened to her?" the driver asks as he walks to the back of the ambulance. The paramedics get out a stretcher and two red bags.
"Not really! I was in my room, she was in shower. I heard a thug. When dad unlocked the doors, she was on the ground. Unconscious!" I spoke as we walked towards the house
Amy POV
I was the first one that jump out of the ambulance. Once I was out, I helped the paramedic get the gurney, with Callie, to the ground. When the other paramedic runs to the back, they start to push her towards the hospital. I reach for Callie's hand and squeeze it as I walk next to the gurney.
Looking over my shoulder I try to see if Aaron is anywhere to be seen. Only one of us could drive in the back of the ambulance with Callie. Aaron had said to me that he will take the car, so I took the ride with her. Markus stayed home.
I saw no sign of Aaron, so I looked back down at Callie. She had opened her eyes shortly after she was placed in the back of the ambulance. That was a good sing, at least she was conscious again. But she wasn't quite responsive as I would like her to be. Yes, her eyes were open now, but I saw how she was struggling.
"You will be okay, honey! I'll be right here!" I manage to tell her before a nurse stops me from going further along
"Your daughter is in good hands!" Nurse says as she guides me to the waiting room
"Foster daughter," the first word came out barely audible
"Doctor will come talk to you as soon as he has an update about her," Nurse tells me, when I sat down. She places her hand on my upper arm to give me a little comfort, before she turns and walks away.
I was sure this was connected to the beating she got in Juvie. David warned/informed me about it. He had said that the doctor checked her out. He had said that she was fine, that Callie got only small bruises and bumps. Nothing serious. This doesn't exactly seem like nothing. If it was nothing, we wouldn't be here right now. We would be at home.
I knew I shouldn't have believed it so easily. If only I had taken her to hospital for a check up first, before taking her home, this could have been avoided.
"Where is she? How is she!?" Aaron pulled me out of my thoughts, when he marched in the waiting room asking and looking for answers
I jump of the chair and go straight to him "They took her to ER. Doctors are checking her out. I was told the doctors will come talk to us if they have an update!"
"Okay," Aaron run his hand over his mouth "Do we know anything?"
"She was having trouble breathing when she woke up in the ambulance...looked like she was in lot of pain," I say remembering how confused, disorient and in pain Callie looked
"She woke up?" I quickly nod back "That's good. That's good news!"
I shook my head as I ran my fingers over my forehead "This was not how I wanted the first day to end,"
"She will be okay!" Aaron wrapped his hands around me and pulled me close to his chest, he kissed the top of my head "We will be okay!"
"I had a feeling. I should have taken her to hospital myself-" I start to scold myself for not doing what I should have done
"It's not your fault!" Aaron leaned out a little to see my face "You were told that she only had few bruises. We both know bruises aren't life threatening, bruises don't make people lose consciousness! Clearly she doesn't have only bruises! We weren't told the truth by David, because David obviously wasn't informed of her full injuries as well! I don't see a reason why David would hold back on her health condition. So, there are only two options - either Callie wasn't given the medical care she needed or she wasn't accessed correctly in the first place by the Juvie med doctor! If you want to blame someone – blame the med doctor that checked her out after she got in the fight with the other inmates!" Aaron rambled logically, of course it all made perfect sense.
It wasn't my fault. I only knew so much. With the knowledge I had, I had no reason to believe that she needed another check up with doctor. With the knowledge I had about Callie's injuries, the pain could be taken away by over the counter pain medication, ice pack and few days of rest.
I press my head back to Aaron chest, let out a deep sigh and tighten the grip around him. Now the hard part starts - the waiting. That's the hard part. The not knowing.
"Mrs. and Mr. Scott!" I hear our names being called out. That was rather quickly - I think to myself.
I pull out of the embrace and Aaron turns around to face the doctor. Next to the doctor stood two police officers and the nurse, with whom I briefly spoke before. The nurse must have only showed her the way to us, because she left the next moment, leaving us alone with the doctor and the two police officers.
"Yes!? How is she?" Aaron asks, but I remain silent while I look over the four people. Something was off. I could tell only by looking at their faces.
"What's wrong?" Aaron still hasn't realized why they were here
"They think we did it," I look up to Aaron to shed some light on him
"Did what?" He looks down to me confused
"In the brief examination, I noticed that Callie has sustained injuries that usually correspond to being abused," The doctor tells us and gives us both a look. The police officers were watching us with suspicion as well.
This was the first time I am the civilian, not the police officer, who looks suspiciously at people trying to see if they could have committed a crime and abused a kid. This was surely a shitty feeling, being accused of something you haven't done. The looks these people gave us. They are looking at us like we are some sort of monsters.
Aaron shouted back after he heard what the doctor had to say "We didn't do this! She was already beaten up! I would never hurt a kid! We would never-"
"Sir!" Police officer stepped forward "You need to calm down!" I grab Aaron's hand and pull him back. We didn't need to give any more reason for them to doubt us.
"David Ratters!" I say to the police officer and reach for my phone in my pocket to get his number "278-992-100" I read out the phone number "That's Callie's social worker. He will confirm that she sustained her injuries before she came to live with us. Better yet, you can call the South Bay Detention Facility hall!" One of the officers takes my phone and writes down David's number and name.
I turned my attention to the doctor "David, her social worker, told me that Callie had gotten into an altercation with few of the other inmates right before she was released. I was told she only had few bruises on her. We did not lay a finger on her! Please, you have to believe us. We did not hurt Callie!" the officer dials a number on his phone and walks out to the hallway to make the calls
"Amy is a police officer herself!" Aaron felt the need to add that "We would never hurt anyone, especially a child!"
"You would be surprised how often we hear that lie!" The officer replied to Aaron. The look Aaron gave me, told me just how much that answer angered him. I place my hand on Aaron's lower back, to tell him to calm down.
I remain still in my spot and look at the doctor, nurse and one of the officers that stood in front of me "I know you are doing your job. I am glad that some people still care. But you are wrong this time!" I tell them calmly "We have fostered before. You can check our record!"
"Don't worry, we will!" The police officer that remained with us tells me with a hint of attitude
I decided to try another angel. I needed to get the doctors attention, not the officers. I raised my left wrist up so I could look at the time.
"2 hours and 42 minutes!" I read off the watch and look straight to the doctors eyes "That's how long ago I picked Callie up from South Bay Detention Facility! It took me more than hour to bring her home. Just answer one questions doctor - are the bruises that fresh?"
Doctor watched me closely for the next few moments, trying to see if I was telling the truth or not. The timeline on this is the crucial part.
"I'm sorry, until I get some paperwork, medical files from this detention facility that confirms that the injuries Callie has sustained came from the altercation you mentioned, my hands are tied and I can't allow you to see Callie! I'm sorry," doctor says before he turns on his heel and walks away
"This is...ridiculous! Unbelievable!" Aaron put both of his hands up to his head and turned around to pace in the waiting room to vent
"At least tell me is she is going to be okay! Please!" I call after the doctor pleading for an answer, I wanted to walk after him, but the officer extended his arm in front of me, stopping me in my place, not allowing me to leave "Please...is she okay?! Please!" The doctor turns the cornet and he is out of my sight