Our Daughter- A DEMPEO Story.

Heart-Mind

Summer 2020

After telling Camilla the night before about Emma at Shonda's Welcome Back party, Ellen felt a sense of inquisitive joy. The times that she actually talked about Emma, or even said her name out loud were very rare, but surprisingly this time around, she actually felt good about it.

"Sienna, make sure you don't forget your lunch today, Mommy starts shooting today and with Dad out of time, I will not be able to drop it off, okay?" She gave her 6 year old a frown look.

"Ugh, yessss" Sienna walked forward, then turned around to smile at her mom.

"Thank you, that's all I ask" Ellen smiled back at her rambunctious daughter, who had crazy curls and a very sassy attitude.

Growing up without her mother, Ellen always felt she missed out on that special love that only mothers provide, the one where they eat your leftovers or give you their sweater if you are cold. Her three kids with Chris were her life. Shortly after Stella her oldest was born, she bowed to give them the most unconditional love and attention. Maybe thats why she never took another job apart from Grey's, or maybe she was compensating for putting Emma up for adoption.

"I don't want this fruit, it's weird" Eli shot a warning look.

"No, no, no you know we eat our fruit first then our cereal" Ellen walked around to the table and grabbed a black grape and ate it. " Mmm yummy, you like grapes" She smiled extra big as she lick her fingers.

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2012

" I am sorry no, I can't take her" Sue waved no with her hands as she responded to the Social Worker.

"Listen, she's not really my granddaughter. My son adopted her but she's got no blood of mine!" She turned around and grabbed her bag.

"I really think you should reconsider, the state believes siblings should not be separated!" Grace stood up and shouted the last few words as Sue was heading out the door.

"She ain't no sibling of my grandson!" Sue responded with rage.

Emma was initially adopted by a great couple who genuinely cared for her, even if they were distant and busy with work most of the time. However, when Emma was 5, she entered the foster care system after the sudden death of her adopted parents and her adoptive grandmother refusing to take her in.

For much of her life, she bounced back and forth from foster homes, with her social worker Grace becoming the only constant thing in her life.

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Ellen tapped the steering wheel as music blasted through the car.

She tapped the floor as her legs felt wobbly like jelly.

It was his first day back on set.

"Okay, I got this! " She said to herself, fidgeting with her fingers.

"Maybe, I won't even see him, maybe he's......"

Jesse Williams walked over to Ellen's car.

"Hey, you don't look nervous or nothing" He smirked and laughed.

"Tell me something to get out of the car!" Ellen responded softly as she felt her heart pounding out of her chest.

"We are only signing paperworkkk! Come on, who knows if he will even be here when we're here!" He laughed and opened the drivers door. " Come on, you got it" He said as he pulled Ellen's hand and swung his backpack to the side.

Ellen walked into the main offices after getting her completed covid procedures, where T.R Knight was sitting in the couch chatting with Krista, the current show runner.

"We are filming all this on the beach, like an actual beach?" T.R's eyes widened as he covered his mouth with his hand.

"Of course an actual beach, you want a fake beach?"She laughed and slid back.  "Plus we have to, because of Covid they want us to be outdoors as much as possible, which is why this is perfect——-

"Welcome Back!" Krista shouted. She stood up and embraced Ellen in a joyous hug.

"You know, I am only here for the money" Ellen said in a serious tone but then smiled at her two friends.

"Guys, Ellen wants more money!" She yelled as she walked over to where some of the production people were gathering outside.

Ellen walked over to T.R. She took a deep breath and plopped on the couch next to him. He wrapped his hands around her shoulders and they both embraced each other.

"You okay?" He turned to look at her, he narrowed his eyes and strokes her hair.

"I don't know." She took a deep breath.

"I thought I would be" She could still feel her heart pounding. Ellen stared into the blank wall as T.R held her tightly.

Shortly after the last time they saw Emma at the park, of the last interaction they had with their daughter, Patrick became a bit distant. Saying goodbye to their 4-year old was hard for both of them. They needed to grief their daughter for not being able to see her again. Ellen understood that, she just thought they would be doing it together, not apart. Thankfully,  she had T. R, who she would spend the weekends with. To help her talk things through. He knew what she had experienced and knew that seeing Patrick again would not only make her nervous but stir up old emotions of sadness, grief and anger.

"Hey Patrick!" Krista shouted from the hallway.

Ellen and T.R turned around.