The Consequence of a Dream

Ch. 26

Demi's pov

The examine was a bunch of screaming and crying and I honestly can't say if I were in her position, I'd do it any differently. It's been about an hour since the examine, and I don't really have any answers. All I know is the doctor was scared and it ended up with a shot to numb the area with stitches for Phoenix.

As of now Phoenix is just laying her head on my chest and is pretty calm now that I'm laying in the bed with her. But I am anything but. I'm worried about her so much and it's hard to be anything but calm when I have so many questions running through my mind.

Why was she bleeding so much? Why did she have to have stitches? What did the doctor see? Is her blood work ok? Will I be able to get custody of her or am I not going to be able to? When will I talk to a social worker?

"Is harley going to be ok?" She asks.

"Yes sweetheart. Max is going to look after her. I know he looks all mean and scary, but he actually is pretty soft and loves dogs. He's staying here in Boston in a hotel. He's not going to come here or anything. Once we leave though, he'll give us Harley and help us go home." I say.

She looks up at me with her beautiful blue eyes, "I don't have a home."

"Well, I actually need to talk to you about that." I say.

She looks at me puzzled, "Why?"

"Well, my plan for the longest was going to be for me to somehow get custody of you and being you back to Los Angeles with me. I didn't expect this to be how I would be given that opportunity. I'm going to have to talk to a social worker and if it's ok with you, I'd like to get custody over you." I say.

"What's custody mean?"

"It'll mean adoption. But I don't want you to feel like you have to call me mom or anything like that. I'm just trying to get custody of you and keep you safe and make sure you happy and healthy. I know if I don't do this, I'll never know if you're safe, happy, or healthy. I love you and I care so much about you. I'm willing to do everything I can to keep you safe." I say.

"How long will you let me stay?" She asks.

I push her hair out of her face, "Phoenix, I'll let you stay as long as you need to. I don't care if you're 30 years old and still living with me. I told you that I loved you didn't I? I'm always going to be here for and be there whenever you need me. If I adopt you, that's what I'm signing up for. To be a parent. And a real parent does what their child needs. They love them, help them, support them, and care about them. And I promise that I will always do that for you." I say.

"Ok." She whispers.

"You're ok with me adopting you?" I ask.

She gives a small nod and I smile down at her, "Ok, then I will."

This is a relief to know. I don't know what I would've done had she said no. I'd have been crushed for sure. But I will always want what's best for her even if that's not me.

"Thank you." I hear her whisper.

"Of course Phoenix. I told you I cared didn't I?" I ask.

I get a small nod from her, "I'm doing what I have to do for you and me." I say.

I see her slightly shiver and I sit up slightly to take my jacket off. I lay back down and I put the jacket on top of Phoenix and lightly rub my fingers through her hair.

"What's gonna happen to the tour?" She asks quietly.

"We're not continuing it. Nick might finish it on his own, but were not. Once you get the ok to leave here, we're going to go to go home." I say.

She's going to be in pain for a while and I know that. So the last thing I am worried about is a tour. I'm worried about her and her health. The thing we'll need to do is go home and let her rest and lay low until she's healed. Once she's healed, I'll go from there. But I don't want her on a tour bus and enduring all that stress with the pain she's in.

"I don't want to get in trouble." She says quietly.

"You won't get in trouble." I say.

"I don't want you to get into trouble."

I shrug, "I get in trouble even when I do nothing wrong. If he wants to yell at me, fine. But I'm planning on getting a new manager once my contract is up. I just can't leave with all I signed. But if he leaves, that's a way out." I say.

"I don't think he likes me." She says quietly.

"Well if he doesn't, he can leave. Because I like you a whole bunch, in fact so much, I'm gonna try my best and adopt you." I say.

She gives me a small nod and I gently rub her back. She reaches for my hand and I of course hold it out for her. She takes it and holds it and looks at the tattoos on my arm, "Do they hurt?" She asks looking up at me.

"Not really, why do you ask?" I ask.

"They look like they hurt." She says.

I shake my head, "No, they don't really hurt." I say.

She looks back at the tattoo on my arm, "Do you have a lot?"

"Umm, I have a few. I don't have a whole bunch though." I say.

She looks at the bracelets on my wrist and tiredly messes with them, "Do you want any tattoos?" She asks.

She shakes her head, "They look like they hurt."

"They don't hurt too bad. You feel it, but they look more painful than they really are." I say.

Her hair falls into her eyes and I gently move it out from her face. It's only once I do that when I realize she's asleep.

Only a few minutes later a doctor walks into the room and stands beside me, "We just got all the tests back and she doesn't have any std's or anything which was something we were a bit worried about. I was told we didn't tell you why we gave her stitches, but that was due to a lot of tearing inside the vagina. The hymen was torn, but so was a lot of other areas inside. So that was why she was bleeding so much. That's an area we will have to keep clean to prevent infection. But we do want to go ahead and give her some antibiotics just as a precaution. Cps is getting involved and will be here to talk to her tomorrow. Form what I understand they've went ahead and given temporary custody to you since you're already here with her and passed a background check. But for permanent custody, they will have to talk to you as well as her." He explains.

"Ok, how long will she be here for?" I ask.

"A few days to a week. It depends." He says.

"Once the pain medicine wears off, will she be given more?" I ask.

"We will give her more and we want to try and keep ahead of that pain. So the second she begins to feel a tiny bit of pain, we need to know so we can get her pain meds soon enough that it'll hit before the pain worsens." He says and I nod.

We talk for a few moments and once he leaves I look down at the little girl laying on my stomach and let out a deep breath. This poor little girl has gone through so much. I don't know how she's done it.