risk// 5SOS

11

Calum

"You have two perfectly healthy babies," I said, gently holding one twin as their dad held the other, "I bet she's exhausted,"

"She fell straight to sleep as soon as they did,"

"They don't sleep long,"

"Do you have a baby? You're so good with them,"

"No, but I have works in paeds for quite a while. I don't have to be up at 3am, so I am not exhausted when it comes to hanging out with them,"

"I can't believe there's two of them,"

"They're very beautiful,"

I put the baby I held, down, and then gave him a smile before leaving. The social worker had been talking to Sage and Rider now that they were awake and more alert. Not totally, but more, and I was desperate to know what would happen.

As they had woken up, my page had gone off, and I spent quite a lot of time monitoring and checking the babies. All was well, thankfully.

Luke had selflessly offered to take Gia, which I felt guilty about, but I had to protect these kids. Gia had Luke, they had no one.

As I went up to their room, I saw them eating mac n cheese through the window.  Neither of them chewed it very much, and Rider was drinking a lot, but I was glad to see that. Sage had also been given a blue cast now.

"Excuse me, I am their social worker. You're their doctor?"

"I am head of the department," I said, relieved to see it was a different social worker, "How did they seem?"

"Hungry,"

"Ah,"

"I was hoping for some help. Sage told me they have family friend, Calum Hood. I can't find a contact within their files and was thinking that he might be an emergency contact in their hospital files. I don't want to put them with anyone random if I can help,"

"I um... I am Calum Hood,"

"Oh! Beg my pardon, I am Louisa. I er... sorry. Sorry I,"-

"It's okay," I laughed, "Am I okay to check up on them? Someone can take you to a meeting room,"

"That would be great, thank you,"

Once she was on her way, I slid into the room and ruffled Rider's hair, letting him hug me tightly. Both of them must have been through hell, and with the way he was clutching onto me, I struggled to keep my emotions at bay.

"Are we coming?"

"Where, bud?"

"To your home. Sage said we were,"

I looked at them and they blushed, looking down. What they did took some gut, but it was no easy choice. I had to think of Gia, of childcare, budgeting, our home, the food- it was a sudden change.

But these kids. They were sweethearts, and clearly needed love and attention, which I could give. I could always give that.

"What did you tell them?"

"That you were a family friend through Rider and Gia,"

"Okay," I nodded.

"We don't have anywhere else. Please,"

Thoughts were running through my head so fast that I couldn't keep up. Part of me was screaming 'yes' and the rest of me was trying to figure out the logistics. If I couldn't provide, then me taking them was not a good solution.