Snowflake, My Pretty Little Snowflake.

Purple spots

"Patience, I want to talk to you a moment" Doctor Andrews said as she watched her daughter pulling a coat over her scrubs.

"Mom, I'm late. Can we talk later? Nurse Collins will have my hide" .

" It won't take long. It's about Nurse Collins that I want to talk to you about. She tells me you were seen coming out of the room where the drugs are stored. A room you have no authorization to access." Doctor Andrews studied her daughter's face but it looked blank, uncomprehending. "Well?"

"I.. .I thought I saw someone go in there and just went to check. The door was open but I was mistaken." Patience responded with only the slightest hesitation, her crossed fingers hidden in her coat pocket as her stomach churned. She'd been seen, and by that old hag. She'd really have to watch her step now.

"I see. Well, next time tell security. Nurse Collins was extremely concerned.She also mentioned you spent far too much time with baby Harry."

"He's such a cute baby..I'd love to babysit him. He's adorable" Patience gushed whilst thinking she had to be even more careful. It wouldn't do for Nurse Collins to be even more suspicious than she already seemed .

"Well, don't let it distract you from your work. The baby clinic is short staffed as it is and I don't want to have to send you back to the Adult wing. Hurry along then, and we'll see you at dinner tonight." Doctor Andrews gave her daughter a quick kiss then went back into her home office to phone Nurse Collins and reassure her that her worries about Patience had been nothing and all was well.

Patience let out a breath of relief as she fastened her seatbelt before driving away. D*mn Nurse Collins. That woman was too nosey for her own good. She'd been lucky this time but forewarned was forearmed and she know knew that Nurse Collins would be watching her like the proverbial hawk. She remained lost in thought and was surprised to find herself parking in the staff car park. She mentally prepared herself. She needed to find out everything she could..and quickly.

Patience undressed the small girl and weighed her carefully before taking her temperature. The girl was very small for her age, so tiny that even Patience could easily lift and move her., the small girl happily cooing to herself. Patience could see why this one had been kidnapped and brought to the community. She was pretty, with long, silky brown hair and big brown eyes, physically so small that she looked almost like a baby. Looking quickly at the notes, she saw they girl was biologically 14 years old and she wondered if anyone was searching for her. This was so f.cked up, she told herself.

Patience had been brought up in the community and until now had never questioned it's odd nature. It had been so normal to her but just lately she had begun to question it. The strange conversations she had overheard between her parents. It was only when she had been transferred from the Adult wing of the hospital to the children's side that it's weirdness really started her thinking.

"Nurse?" Doctor Clark's voice broke into her thoughts and she carefully picked up the 'baby' girl and carried her carefully across the room to lay her gently on the examination couch, the 'baby' still happy. She stood patiently as the doctor examined the girl then made careful notes before he told Patience that the his patient could be diapered and dressed. Patience hurried to obey, feeling sorry for the vulnerable little girl whose small body was violated so freely. Her ears pricked up as she heard the doctor dictate his notes.

"Baby Chloe Devine. Headspace age six to 12 months. Biological age 14 years. Suggested treatment for this baby to be either hormone treatment to stop and reverse puberty or surgical intervention. Will discuss this with Chloe's father and arrange treatment desired by Mr Devine."

Patience felt suddenly chilled to her bones. Hormone treatment she could understand. It would mean that the girl's menstrual cycle could be controlled. But surgical intervention? What did he mean. Suddenly the penny dropped and Patience felt sick to her stomach.

"Nurse Andrews, would you take baby Devine to Nurse Collins".

"Yes, Doctor. But is Chloe ill?" Patience spoke without thinking then bit her lip. She shouldn't draw attention to her curiosity, especially when Nurse Collins suspicions had already been aroused.

"No, nurse. Baby needs to be made look like the baby she is. These are Mr Devine's requirements on certain matters." He handed her a folder. "Just give that to Nurse Collins." Knowing herself dismissed, Patience pull Chloe into the small , mobile crib and pushed it out of the room. Once she had rounded the corner, she grabbed the file and opened it, scanning the written notes urgently to see just what Mr Devine's "requirements" needed following. She felt relief when she read that he only appeared to want to have her body hair, apart from her beautiful head of hair, totally and permanently removed. That, at least, wasn't too drastic. Still, she pitied the small girl whose rights, along with her body hair, were stripped from her.

Liam and Josh had delivered their latest patient to the Adult ER. James was rarely sober and often turned up to work totally incapable. Today he had paid for it by falling from a ladder and breaking his leg badly.
"Man's an idiot" Josh said cheerfully as he took a swig of a much needed coffee. James had been a difficult patient and it had taken a far bit of energy and ingenuity to stop the man from trying to get off the gurney and damaging himself even more.

"I'm surprised it was only his leg he broke" Liam said, drinking his own coffee. Still, they'll get the children's play barn finished soon, with or without him. It will be wonderful for the children to have somewhere safe to play in all weathers." He smiled to himself. He and Serena had conducted a very effective fund raising campaign to provide the community with play facilities for the children and the the result of their efforts was now nearing completion.

"Yeah. I think Chloe will love the soft play area" Josh said . "I hope she'd OK"

"Where is she?" Liam asked curiously."Babysitter?"

"Clinic" Josh replied " It was her check up today and they are removing her body hair and stuff. Thought I'd get it all done while I was working. I asked Doc Clark about a few things...Chloe being a girl and all that". Josh blushed slightly and Liam nodded sympathetically. Girls had their own unique circumstances. Liam was glad he didn't have to worry about such things.

Niall whined fretfully, his small face a picture of misery. He'd refused both his bottle and the mashed banana he'd been offered that morning. Even some cool water had been rejected. His small face was pale and pinched looking. Zayn cuddled him, rocking him gently from side to side but Niall refused to be comforted and his crying escalated . Zayn felt more and more anxious. Liam was working with Josh today and more and more, Zayn wished he was there, with his medical knowledge. First things first, he told himself and carried Niall up to his nursery. Setting Niall down on the changing table, Zayn rummaged in the drawers underneath until he located the thermometer. Stripping off Niall's clothing, he flipped the now screaming lad onto his tummy. He lubed the end of the thermometer and pushed it carefully into Niall's small rectum, one hand on the device whilst keeping his hand on Niall's body to keep it still. It was a relief to both of them when he withdrew it and looked at the reading, 38.1c , too high, his poor baby was sick.

"Sssh my little snowflake" he spoke quietly to the now softly sobbing boy. Then his eyes widened as he looked at the rash that was splotched across the otherwise pale skin. Earlier Zayn had thought he'd seen tiny pinprick red spots on Niall's tiny legs but now......he swallowed convulsively. The rash seemed to grow and cover more of Niall's small body even as he looked, the small pinpricks had turned into purplish splodges that bloomed like some grotesque flower across Niall's delicate skin. He pulled his phone from his pocket , pressed the first contact number which was immediately answered.

"Li, come quickly...it's Niall" Zayn screamed down the phone.