Broken

Chapter one

Elliott 

I burst in through the emergency room, continuous tears rolling down my cheeks. I walk up to the nurses station and choke, hysterical, "My daughter, she's three years old...her daycare called me..."

Before I could finish, paramedics were rushing her in from the ambulance dock. "Macy Adams, three years old, suffering severe asthma. Asthma inhaler ran out at the daycare," a female medic says to a female doctor. 

"Macy," I choke in sobs, running alongside them and take her small hand in mine. "Daddy's here Mace."

Her wheezing made it difficult for her to speak, but she seemed relieved I was there. She squeezes my hand as tight as she could. She keeps her eyes on mine as they get her in a private room and hook her up for a medicine for her to breathe in and calm her breathing.

"Is her..." the doctor starts asking about her mother and I quickly shake my head, gesturing towards the hall. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize her mother was a sensitive subject."

"She was killed in a tragic car accident while I was on duty, two years ago. I'm lucky to still have my daughter," I choke quietly and she gives me sympathetic eyes.

I break into uncontrolled sobs and she stands on tiptoe to take my tall frame in her arms. It's the first I've broke down since the accident. Macy is all I have for family. As a born intersex, my birth parents left me at an orphanage. 

It wasn't until I reached my senior year of high school that I met Macy's mother, Miranda. She was the first to accept me, a new girl from California. She stopped all the bullying that came my way, kissing me in front of the whole school. We dated through college, got married after graduation and two years later we had Macy. 

I let out a shuttering, calming breath as her fingers scrunched the back of my short pixie cut. I lean down so she could lower back on her feet and I burry my face in the crook of her neck. "Daddy," Macy calls faintly.

I step back from the doctor, composing myself and enter the room with my daughter. I sit on the edge of her bed, taking her hand and say quietly, not trusting my voice, "I'm here princess. How are you feeling?"

"Tired," she says quietly with half lidded eyes. She looks behind me at the doctor and says with a hint of a smile, "She's pretty, like mommy."

I give a light smile and look back to see the doctor blushing, looking away. "Can we keep her as my new mommy," she asks with her cute little smile.

"Sweetie, it doesn't work like that. Daddy can't just make someone be your new mommy," I choke quietly, fighting back the tears.

"But I miss mommy," she chokes in broken sobs. 

I try to comfort her like I'm normally able to, but she pushes me away. To my surprise the doctor who was working her stay in the hospital took her in her arms and Macy allowed her. I watched as the doctor soothed her to sleep and get held in place by Macy. 

Our eyes meet as tears roll down my cheeks. "I'm sorry," I choke quietly. 

Her face tinges a bright pink and says shyly, "I don't mind."

The more I look at her the more I can see the hidden bruises on her face, neck and arms. "Who is hitting you," I ask in a protective tone, gently caressing her face as she flinches. "Let me help you, please?"

Four words made me see red, "You work with her."

"Who," I ask in an extremely protective tone.

My partner, Reese, walks in and the doctor goes ramrod still. I'd just gotten my answer. "Hey baby, I see you've met Elliott and Macy," she says and I saw red.