The Apprentice

Family

"MOMMY!" A little voice called. Natalie spun to see her son racing to her arms.

"Hey, little buddy." She smiled, scooping him up. "Did you have fun?"

"Yeah!" He cheered.

"I'll be as quick as I can," Helen assured.

"Take your time," Natalie suggested. "There's somebody I want him to meet."

***

"Callie, meet Owen." Natalie introduced, placing Owen on the bed. "Honey, why don't you show Callie what you made?"

The young boy held up his lego block creation.

"Woah, a rocketship!" Callie noticed. Owen handed her a small alien lego figure, keeping the other for himself.

"Zoom, Zoom!" He chanted.

"Hey..." Natalie muttered from the door. "Think you can keep an eye on him for just a second, I'll be right out here."

"Sure." Callie smiled in reassurance before returning her attention to Owen. "Woosh!" She called out as he made his spaceship fly. Natalie smiled and closed the door to her room before heading back to Maggie at the desk.

"How is she?" Lockwood wondered.

"I need you to find somebody else to take Callie's case." Natalie blurted.

"What, why?"

Natalie glanced towards the young girl smiling and laughing with her son and turned back to Maggie.

"I want off the case." She insisted. Maggie glared at her, knowing all to well why she no longer wanted to be Callie's doctor.

"Nat, I know you care about this girl, we all do. But, do you really think this is a good idea?"

"Jeff and I were approved as foster parents before I got pregnant with Owen. And it's not like she's a toddler that needs constant attention. She's a teenager, she's mature, she's independent. I think this might be the best thing for her." Natalie continued to explain.

"Okay, I'll get Will on her case. But are you absolutely positive you want to do this?" Maggie checked.

"Do what?" April wondered as she joined Maggie behind the desk.

"I'm handing Cassie's case over to Will," Natalie told her.

"What? Why?"

"Because I'm going to foster Callie." Dr. Manning finally confessed. April dropped the papers in her hand and turned to Natalie with a smile.

"You serious?" Natalie nodded.

"I'm gonna talk to DCFS but it just feels like destiny." She mentioned.

"How so?" Maggie questioned.

"Did you know her mother was a Pediatrician? And her name was Natalie."

"Seriously?" Maggie furrowed her brow.

"She told me she had always wanted a little brother and look at her with Owen." She gestured behind them as the two continued to play rocketships. "It just feels right."

"Okay, I'll tell Will and get in touch with DCFS," Maggie assured. "It'll be their decision."

"Thank you." She smiled.

***

An hour passed and Callie and Owen were still playing spaceships while Natalie talked to Helen about her plan.

"Ah, you got me!" Callie stated dramatically as the spaceship crashed into her alien figure. Owen giggled letting out a yawn, which did not go unnoticed. Callie scooped up the toys and moved them to the side, tapping her crossed legs. Owen crawled up and wrapped his arms and legs around her, falling asleep impossibly fast. She gently stroked his hair and soon joined him in dreamland.

Natalie and Helen snuck in moments later. Natalie just smiled at the scene in front of her before gently scooping Owen from Callie's arms and handing him over to her mother-in-law.

"I'll be by to pick him up after work tomorrow." Dr. Manning clarified. Helen nodded in understanding before heading out of the ED.

***

Callie awoke the following morning and blinked her eyes back into focus to see Natalie, who had woken up moments before, sitting on the chair to her right.

"You're still here?" Callie thought.

"Of course, I am sweetie." Natalie smiled, earning a smile in response. "How are you feeling this morning?"

"A little sore." The brunette admitted, wriggling a little in an attempt to stretch. "But pretty good."

"Good, I'm glad to hear it." Natalie glanced out towards the entrance of the ED, where some familiar faces were entering the department. "I'll be right back, okay." Callie nodded.

***

When Dr. Manning returned, a little over twenty minutes later, she was followed by an older blonde woman and Maggie Lockwood.

"Callie. This is Madeline Gastern." Maggie introduced. "Social services."

Callie instinctively gripped the sheets beside her. Her heart began pounding and the blood rang through her ears. Her chest moved in and out at a dangerous pace.

"Okay, sweetie. Calm down." Dr. Manning, back in her scrubs, spoke soothingly. "Everything's gonna be fine."

"I-I don't wanna- live with- strangers." She rasped between breaths. "I- know the d-deal...nobody wants- a teenager... they're gonna s-send me to a g-group home."

"Sweetie, they're not taking you anywhere. I promise." Natalie assured, taking her hands in her own.

"I can't l-live with- strangers. Please don't m-make me."

"Honey, you're not going to live with strangers." 

"I-I'm not?" The young girl questioned as she slowly caught her breath. 

"But I'm afraid I do have some bad news." She added. "I can no longer be your doctor. So, Dr. Halstead is gonna take over."

"Wait, what? Why?!" She shrieked.

"Hospital policy." Natalie sighed with a smile. "We're prohibited from treating family members."

"Oh..." She thought. "Wait!" She gasped glancing between the three women in the room, eyes darting back and forth until she noticed the playful glare on Natalie's face. "You..."

"What do you say?" Dr. Manning asked. Callie was suddenly smiling from ear to ear and leaped up into Natalie's arms, wrapping her arms around the doctor's neck.

"Yes, yes, a million times, yes!" She shrieked. Natalie soon hugged her back, only for her to wince and back up, though still smiling brightly. She placed a hand against her ribcage as she sat back against her pillows.

"Oh, take it easy."

***