Remedy

Not Today

Scarlett woke up to a constant beeping noise that was driving her crazy. Her eyes slowly opened and she saw a stranger in a white lab coat sitting across from her in a chair. The doctor was actually an intern. Levi, to be more specific.
"Dr. Shepherd, she's waking up," Levi yelled out the door. Then, Dr. Shepherd walked in the room.
"Hey, how are you feeling?" Amelia asked with a smile as she walked in.
"What happened?" the fifteen year old questioned with a puzzled look.
"What were you on?" Amelia asked back seriously with a raised eye brow.
Scarlett looked into Amelia's eyes and felt awful and embarrassed all at once.
"I umm had some coke and heroin so I uhh-," Scarlett started to trail off. She knew there was no point in lying to Dr. Shepherd.
"Speedball, are you insane?!" Amelia nearly yelled at her.
Scarlett looked down in shame.
"You overdosed," Amelia stated with a straight face.
"Well, now I know my limits," Scarlett joked with a forced laugh.
"You think this is funny? You could've died," Amelia told her. Scarlett could tell she was disappointed but why did she care? She just met the woman.
"I know," Scarlett said quietly.
"Then why did you do it? Amelia asked as she took a seat on Scarlett's bed.
"Why do you care? Is your life that boring that you have to insert yourself into mine? Can't you just leave me alone?" Scarlett snapped in a mean tone.
"I'm just trying to help," Amelia said in defense and held up her hands.
"Well, I don't need your help," Scarlett shot back but Amelia just gave her a look.
"I never asked for your help," Scarlett said in a calmer manner and looked away.
"I know," Amelia said in the same soft tone.
"But I'm gonna offer it to you anyways," Amelia added which got the girl's attention.
Scarlett wasn't used to people standing up for her and insisting on helping. Ever since her mom died, she felt there was a hole in her heart. A hole that caused her to push people away when they offered help and support.
"I know we just met, and to you I'm a total stranger, but I am actually good friends with your old doctors. I used to work in L.A. with Dr. Freedman at their practice," Amelia told her.
Scarlett's eye lit up. She hadn't seen them in so long.
"How did you know he was my doctor?" Scarlett asked.
"I used to work with them all. We were like family," Amelia told her.
"Did you work with Dr. Turner?" Scarlett wanted to know.
"Yeah, did you know her too?" Amelia asked.
"She was my therapist. After my mom died, my dad made me see her and I saw her up until we moved here with Sam and her boys a couple months ago," Scarlett explained.
"She was the only one who really tried to help me with my... problem," Scarlett said. She was talking about her drug addiction.
"Was she successful?" Amelia asked with a curious look.
"She was, but then we moved here and I kind of relapsed," Scarlett told her with a straight face.
"Plus, I don't really have a reason to be sober," she added.
"What about your future? School?" Amelia asked.
Scarlett gave her a sad smile and said,
"As long as Sam is in charge of me, I don't really have much of a future."
"What do you mean?" Amelia wanted to know.
"She never treated me like I was her child. I know I'm not really her daughter, but still. My dad treated her boys as if they were his own. Once she found out I was an addict she decided I was useless and would never amount to anything," Scarlett explained.
"Well, do you want to have a future? You know, finish school, go to college and get a job someday?" Amelia asked.
"It's not gonna happen," Scarlett told her.
"But do you want to?" Dr. Shepherd pushed. There was a moment of silence between the two.
"I think so," Scarlett finally told her.
"But, it's not realistic," she added after it.
"Yes it is," Amelia told her with a small smile.
"As long as you work hard and focus on your goal, you'll get there. I know you'll get there," Amelia stated with a smile.
Scarlett was about to refute everything Amelia just said, but she wasn't given the chance.
"The first step, is getting sober," Amelia said before Scarlett had the chance to speak.
"Sam-" Scarlett started to say.
"Isn't going to have a say in this matter. She doesn't know what's best for you," Amelia told her.
"And you do?" Scarlett questioned with a look.
Amelia wanted to tell her right then and there that she was her mother, but instead she settled on saying,
"Of course I do. I'm your doctor."
"She's gonna send me away," Scarlett told Amelia.
"I'll talk to her," Amelia said.
Scarlett eyed Amelia but before she could say anything, the door opened.

Sam walked in with two teenage boys.
"Get up, we're leaving," Sam ordered as she entered the room.
"Hi, I'm Dr. Shepherd. I'm not sure if you remember me," Amelia said and got up.
"I remember you," Sam replied fast and then looked to Scarlett and said,
"Don't make me say it again Scar, we're going."
Scarlett gave Amelia a pleading look, so Amelia said,
"I'd actually like to keep her here over night for observations."
"Observations? No, she's fine. I'll keep an eye on her at home," Sam argued and glared at her step daughter.
"Cmon, we're gonna be late," one of the boys complained and looked at his mom.
"Late for what?" Scarlett asked.
"Mom's getting me a new car," the same boy stated.
"What?" Scarlett questioned. She couldn't believe it.
"Travis has worked very hard-" Sam started to say.
"Travis hasn't worked a day in his life. He barely goes to school so why does he get a new car? Where did you even get the money for a new car?" Scarlett asked but the second it left her mouth she realized where the money same from.
"Don't you dare talk about your brother like that!" Sam yelled at her.
"And at least I'm not a junkie. Next time you OD try to do it right so we don't have to deal with you," Travis spat at her.
"Watch it," Amelia warned the boy.
Scarlett could feel her body heating up and she was ready to explode. She was furious.
"That money is not yours! My father left me that money for college and-" Scarlett started to say.
"And I'm using that money to cover the expenses for the rehabilitation center you're going to starting next month," Sam told the girl.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Scarlett asked. She was fed up and it was clear.
"That's it!" Sam screamed and made a move towards Scarlett but Amelia blocked her and said,
"Can we talk...privately?"
Sam took a second to cool down and then she nodded and followed Amelia out.

"I know you think rehab is the best for Scarlett, but right now it could do more harm than you intended. She just lost her father and-" Amelia tried to explain.
"You think I don't know that? I just lost my husband, Dr. Shepherd. Im doing the best I can. I'm doing what he'd want me to do. I'm taking care of his daughter for him."
"Mr. Callahan didn't want Scarlett sent away to rehab," Amelia stated.
"You don't know what my husband wanted," Sam said to Amelia.
"Maybe. But I do know what's best for Scarlett in this situation and that's to stay here for one more night and then to work on her sobriety with the help and support of her family and close friends," Amelia told her.
"Scarlett is a lot to handle. She's troubled and I can't help her anymore on my own," Sam said in defense.
"You can't, or you don't want to?" Amelia asked.
Before Sam could answer, there was sudden screaming coming from Scarlett's room.
Amelia opened the door to find Scarlett screaming at Travis, and Travis yelling back while being held back by his older brother, Luke. Scarlett had tears streaming down her face as she yelled obscenities at Travis.
"Your father probably tried to kill himself so he didn't have to deal with you and your drug problem. What fifteen year old is addicted to hard drugs. You fucking freak!" Travis yelled.
"Get out!" Amelia said and raised her voice.
"What?" Travis asked and looked to the doctor.
"Now, before I call security," she told him seriously.
Luke dragged Travis out and Sam turned to Amelia and said,
"I'll come back for her tomorrow," before leaving in a rush.

Once the three of them were gone and the door was closed, Amelia turned to Scarlett who was crying. It seemed like the damn holding back Scarlett's tears has broken and she couldn't stop them from falling. She was absolutely silent as the tears rolled down her cheeks. Amelia took a seat next to Scarlett on her bed and she wrapped an arm around her as Scarlett rested her head on Amelia's shoulder.

"You okay?" Amelia asked softly.
"Life sucks," Scarlett responded and sniffled.
"I'm sorry," Amelia said quietly.
After a moment, Scarlett picked her head up and sighed. Then she looked at Amelia and said,
"Thank you."
"Anytime," Amelia said with a small smile. Scarlett however, did not smile back. Instead, she asked,
"What if my dad caused the accident on purpose?"
"Your dad didn't cause the accident. The other driver ran a red light," Amelia explained.
Scarlett gave Amelia a look that said she wasn't so sure.
"Scarlett, your father loved you very much. He didn't try to kill himself," Amelia said with a more assertive tone.
Scarlett just nodded and looked down.

Suddenly, Dr. Shepherd's pager went off. She glanced down and when she saw the message she stood up a bit abruptly.
"What is it?" Scarlett asked.
"Head trauma. I have to go, but I'll come back when I'm finished, okay?" Amelia said as she started to walk towards the door.
Scarlett just nodded and waved to her. Then she laid back and turned the tv on in her room.