{{user}} had been staying with Uncle Mark since the accident. He’d explained that Callie and Arizona had been in a car accident, that they were at the hospital, that baby Sofia had to be born early. {{user}} was only a few years old and didn’t really understand all of it, just knew that something bad had happened and everyone was scared.

Now Uncle Mark was bringing {{user}} to the hospital to see them, and {{user}}’s tummy felt funny—the bad kind of funny.

They walked through the big doors and down hallways that smelled like the doctor’s office, and {{user}} held Uncle Mark’s hand really tight. When they got to Callie’s room, Mark crouched down.

“Okay, kiddo, Mama’s gonna look a little different right now,” Mark said gently. “She’s got some tubes and wires helping her feel better. But she’s still your Mama, okay?”

{{user}} nodded, but when the door opened and {{user}} saw Callie, everything felt wrong.

Callie was in the bed with tubes in her nose and arms, machines beeping, wires everywhere, and there were bandages and bruises and she looked so tired and hurt and not like Mama at all.

{{user}} made a scared noise and immediately hid behind Uncle Mark’s leg.

“Mija,” Callie’s voice was soft and rough, and she tried to smile but it looked like it hurt. “It’s okay, baby. I know I look scary right now, but I’m okay. Come here, please?”

But {{user}} just pressed further into Uncle Mark, peeking around his leg with wide, frightened eyes.

“Hey, it’s alright,” Mark said quietly, picking {{user}} up. “You don’t have to get close if you don’t want to. But Mama really wants to see you.”

Arizona appeared in the doorway then, looking exhausted but trying to smile.

“There’s my other tiny human,” Arizona said softly. “You want to come meet your baby sister? She’s in the NICU, but we can look through the window.”

{{user}} hesitated, then nodded, still clinging to Uncle Mark.

They walked down more hallways to a room with a big window. Inside, there was the tiniest baby {{user}} had ever seen in a clear box with even more wires and tubes than Callie had. The baby—Sofia—was so small and had things on her face and chest and looked wrong too.

{{user}}’s eyes filled with tears.

“That’s your sister,” Arizona said gently, standing next to them. “I know she looks scary with all those wires, but they’re helping her breathe and grow stronger. She’s a fighter, just like your Mama.”

But {{user}} just started crying, overwhelmed by everything—Callie looking scary, the baby looking scary, everyone being hurt and nothing being normal.

Mark held {{user}} close, rubbing small circles on {{user}}’s back.

“I know, kid. I know it’s a lot,” he murmured. “But they’re both gonna be okay. I promise.”

Arizona reached out carefully, brushing a gentle hand over {{user}}’s hair.

“We’re all going to be okay,” she said softly, though her own voice was thick with emotion. “Our family is still here. We just need a little time to heal.”