Hospital
Hope should have been home hours ago but the fight she had with Josie made her want to stay away, the fight was also the perfect excuse to keep her distance and keep the secret that Elizabeth Saltzman was sadly slipping away. Hope knew that if she stayed around Josie she would spill her guts.
Which is why Hope decided it would be best to stay away until she was sure her girlfriend fell asleep. Hope walked into the hospital room. She sighed and took a second to compose herself. It finally sunk in that Lizzie wasn't going to get better, Lizzie was going to die and at this point, Hope knew there was nothing they could do about it. Hell, her parents tried to donate bone marrow but they weren't a match. Hope even tried herself but she too wasn't a match, which devastated her. She had already lost Josette and she wasn't ready to lose Lizzie. She and Lizzie still had so much life to live, so many accomplishments to achieve, and so many adventures.
"Hope," Lizzie half yelled in her weak state managing to get Hope's attention. "Are you going to just stand there or come sit with me?"
"Right sorry," Hope told the blonde. Hope got closer to Lizzie and sat next to the girl. Hope smiled when Lizzie leaned into her. Hope let out a sigh. She was exhausted from keeping this lie for Lizzie. She just wanted to tell Josie everything and give the brunette a chance to say her goodbyes to the blonde.
"How's Josie and the twins?" Lizzie asked.
"They are good." Hope took out her phone and showed Lizzie the photos she had taken this past couple of days. "Josie is just waiting for you to come to see her."
"I know," Lizzie knew it was not like her to not go see Josie. Since they met both girls were always in contact to make sure the other was okay. Lizzie did text Josie but not as much as she liked because she spent most days sleeping. "Soon enough she will understand why I wasn't around."
"Will she?"
"I would like to believe she will understand," Lizzie asked Hope for her phone which Hope happily handed it to her. Lizzie went through her drive and found old photos that she wanted to show Hope.
The teenagers looked at photos of the past until Lizzie's mother arrived. Hope got off the bed and said her goodbye to Lizzie. Every time she saw the blonde and had to say goodbye Hope treated it like it might be the last time she saw Lizzie. Hope excused herself and started to walk out.
"Hope?" Lizzie called out.
"Yes?" Hope turned around to give Lizzie her attention.
"In my room, on my bed, there are gifts for Josie and the twins. Give them to her for Christmas." Lizzie wiped the tear that fell away, she would not cry in front of her mother. She knew her mother was already in enough pain. "I'll be gone by then but the kids deserve a Christmas. You celebrate because that's their favorite, okay?"
"Okay," Hope answered defeated. Who could deny a dying girl her wish.
Hope left the hospital and made her way home. She knew that Josie would most likely be asleep. It was one in the morning. Hope had let her parents know that she would be home until late, and she and Josie hadn't texted since their fight. So she wasn't even sure if Josie made it home from her school.
Hope made her way quickly into her house and upstairs to her room. Before she opened her room door she heard a small cry. Hope knew it was possibly one of the twins. She made her way to Josie's room, which was now upstairs as well, to check on the twins.
Hope quietly opened the door and saw that the twins were sound asleep on Josie's bed. Hope got closer and scanned the room. Josie was nowhere to be found. Once again she heard the small muffled cry. Hope got closer to the cry as she made it closer to the bathroom. Hope opened the door and she felt her heart break a little.
Josie was sitting on the floor hugging her knees, crying, and rocking herself. Hope entered the bathroom and closed the door behind her. Hope sat on the floor next to Josie.
"Hope," Josie cried out when she finally noticed the auburn-haired girl. "I'm sorry." Josie hated how little she sounded, how she sounded weak which was unlike anything she had shown Hope or her family.
"Josie, it okay," Hope assured. Hope wrapped her arms around Josie's waist and lifted the girl. She placed Josie on her lap and embraced her. "You weren't wrong my love."
"I wasn't?" Josie was finally starting to calm down.
"No, I was being an asshole I wasn't acknowledging that you and I were raised differently and that we deal with challenges differently." Hope reflected on her words. She had just been saying those words to make Josie stop crying but now that she heard them she was actually believing them herself. Hope knew she was the one that should be apologizing. "Just because I was raised on love and you were raised on survival it doesn't mean we can't make it work."
"Really?"
"Yes really, because me and you, we have this connection and we will communicate and always be there for one another. I am sorry I was being mean and avoiding you."
Josie didn't answer Hope instead she buried her face into the crook of Hope's neck. She was exhausted. After a couple of minutes, she spoke again, "I wasn't crying because of our fight. I knew we would make up, but I appreciate the words. I had a nightmare."
"Either way I'm glad I said what I said and I'm glad I could hold you." Josie moved off Hope's lap and allowed Hope to stand up.
Hope didn't ask she just lift Josie up and walked over to the bed. She gently placed Josie down and laid next to her.
Josie made her way to the reception desk in the hospital. Keelin had forgotten to tell her what floor she was on and now she had to go and find her. Josie asked the man at the desk after she let him know she was there to drop off Keelin's lunch he told her she would be on the pediatric floor, which was on the sixth floor of the hospital. Josie thanked the man and walked away to the elevator.
Walking out of the elevator Josie made her way to the desk on that floor. She waited to be acknowledged and asked for Keelin. The nurse told her that Keelin was finishing talking with the parents of a patient and she could wait for her there. Josie agreed to stay there and placed the food on the desk. She leaned on the desk and faced an open door.
Josie glanced down at her phone and noticed a message from Hope. Josie replied to Hope and assured the girl she was safe and let Hope know she was at the hospital. Josie muted her phone.
She looked up when she heard Keelin, but the voice wasn't directed at her. It was coming from the open door she was facing. The voice that caught Josie's attention, even more, was the voice that replied. It sounded like Josie's blonde best-friend. Josie knew it couldn't be Lizzie. Lizzie had texted her yesterday letting her know that she was having a blast visiting her grandma, who lived 30 minutes away and she'd be back before Christmas.
Josie knew she had to have a talk with Lizzie, the blonde was traveling a lot and Josie couldn't help but think that it had to do with the fact that she was gone for a while. Even MG was back Josie had seen him three days ago but the boy seemed distant he barely said hello to her.
Josie focused on the voice more and the more she concentrated on it the more certain the voice was Lizzie's. Josie made her way towards the open door. As she approached Keelin became clearer and so did the adult standing next to the doctor.
"Mrs. Saltzman?" Josie asked. "Why are you-" Josie did not finish her sentence as she noticed the blonde laying on the hospital bed. Josie made her way past the adults who were trying to get her attention but none of them mattered.
She looked at her blonde best-friend, who was paler than normal, her lips were chapped as if she hadn't drunk much water in the last week, and life in her eyes was barely there.
"Josie sweetie," Keelin said as she reached for Josie.
"Don't touch me!" Josie shouted.
"Josie-" Lizzie spoke barely above a whisper. Josie took ahold of Lizzie's hand when she noticed Lizzie trying to reach for her. "It's okay." Lizzie managed to say.
"What happened?" Josie asked, she looked over at the adults.
"She has been sick for a while now," Keelin explained to the very visibly distressed teenager. "She needs a bone marrow transplant but we haven't found a match. We've all tried to donate but it was no use. We don't think she's going to make it past tomorrow night."
Josie looked over at Lizzie's parents who gave her a nod. She looked back down at the blonde laying in the bed. Josie could feel her tears getting ready to roll down her face. Josie leaned down and hugged Lizzie. She pulled away and placed a kiss on her forehead.
"I'm not losing you," Josie mumbled to herself. She looked up at Keelin and spoke. "What about me?"
"Josie-" Keelin warned. "It isn't just bone marrow. Her kidneys started failing as well, without being a match for both things. I'm not sure Lizzie will survive."
"Keelin, please. You are my foster mom right now. You can consent for me to check if I'm a match." Josie could tell that Keelin wasn't so sure. "Please Keelin, I can't lose her. She's my family." Josie begged.
"Okay." Keelin gave in. "I'll have a nurse take you to donate bone marrow and after that, they will draw your blood to see if it's compatible with Lizzie's. I will fill out your paperwork and admission papers because if you are a match we are doing this tonight." Keelin was determined to try and save Elizabeth Jenna Saltzman.
Josie laid in a hospital gown on her side as they explained to her how they were going to get her bone marrow. Josie would be lying if she said she wasn't scared but she was going to be strong for Lizzie. Josie looked up when she felt someone hold her hand. It was Lizzie's mother, normally Josie would act tough but when she felt the needle in her lower back followed with sharp pain. She squeezed Caroline's hand.
After a couple of hours, Josie was laying in a hospital bed a few rooms away from Lizzie. Caroline was in the room with her the blonde woman had refused to leave her side. Hope and her family were on her way but Josie was furious with Hope because she was sure that Hope knew. She was certain everyone knew but her and she would yell at them later right now she wanted to get an answer.
"You're a match!" Keelin came in almost yelling.
"Caroline, I know it almost midnight but-" Keelin spoke.
"No Keelin do it."
"By law, I can't do the transplant but a very good friend of mine. He just arrived and he will be doing the transplant he already getting scrubbed in." Keelin explained. "And I will be in the OR the whole time," Keelin assured. When Caroline nodded Keelin waved for the nurses to come in and take Josie.
Before they took Josie Caroline hugged the teenager. "Thank you." She said with tears as she pulled away. "I'll see you when you wake up okay?" Caroline assured Josie. She wanted Josie to know that no matter what she wasn't alone.
The two women followed behind Josie. Josie smiled when she saw that in front of her they were pushing Lizzie as well. Josie looked over to her right and saw the Mikaelsons.
"What going on?" Freya asked her wife.
"It's going to be a long night," Keelin told them. "Everyone settle in or go home and when Lizzie and Josie are out of surgery I will let you know."
Hope made her way to Josie. "Did you know?" Josie asked.
"Josie I..." Hope was trying to find the right way to explain but she just couldn't word it in a way where she wouldn't sound guilty. She indeed did know. "I'm sorry."
"I'm really upset with you Hope but right now I'm going into surgery." Josie looked up at Hope whose frown turned into a small smile. Hope got the message and leaned in and planted a soft, chaste kiss on her lips.
"So I'm forgiven?" Hope asked. Josie shook her head no and then looked that the people standing around her bed and gave a nod. Once they arrived at the OR Josie did as she was told. She took in all the information and smiled when she saw that Keelin was right there by her side.
Keelin sat next to the unconscious teenager as the doctor did his work. If Keelin couldn't be doing the surgery herself the only person she trusts was Vincent Griffith. Keelin could not shake the feeling of love in her heart. She and Freya had been talking about the possibility of giving Josie her forever home. Of adopting her and Pedro. Keelin knew Josie didn't want to be adopted but Keelin thought maybe they could get her emancipated and that way Josie wouldn't live with the fear of possibly getting ripped away. When Keelin looked at Josie and Pedro she felt the same love she did when she looked at her own son.
"I love you kiddo," Keelin whispered. Keelin had been wanting to say the words out loud but she was afraid to scare Josie away.
"Dr. Malraux-Mikaelson?" Keelin turned around to see one of her interns. "Can you take a look at this for us?" Keelin took the paper from her intern. She read the contents of the paper and she felt a lump form in her throat. She looked down at Josie and them at the paper again to make sure she was reading the information correctly.
"Are you sure?" Keelin questioned.
"We ran the test twice." The intern answered.
"Run it one more time," Keelin ordered. "Call Sherif Elizabeth Forbes and have her meet me in the conference room. Also, not a word of this to anyone else do you understand me."
"Yes ma'am."
As much as Keelin wanted to stay with Josie she knew she had a bigger problem on her hands and that after today the lives of many people were going to be altered.
"Vincent," Keelin said. "I have to go take care of some emergency business. Take care of my girl will you."
"You know I will Keelin. If anything changes someone will notify you immediately." Vicent assured his friend.
Keelin thanked her friend and made her way out of the OR. She was in for a long night.