Immediately after receiving Sera's owl, Madeline tried calling Mick at work. He wasn't answering his phone, but dispatch could usually track him down when she needed him. She couldn't exactly send out an owl to locate his police car. She was just about to the hospital when he did finally phone her back, and as if trying to answer the stupid muggle phone she was forced to carry around wasn't bad enough, she was absolutely taken back by his words in response to what she told him.

"She made her choice, Madeline. I told her that if she's with that girl then she's dead to me," he'd told her. She was completely shocked and appalled that he would even have the audacity to say that in a situation like this, in a situation when his daughter very well could be dying. She had simply hung up on him, she didn't really know what to say to that. They were their children, and regardless of what he thought, she was going to be there for Tatum, for both her and Sera.

In shock more than anything, she had to keep going. He wasn't the man she thought she had married, she never imagined he could be so cold or heartless, and nothing could really make up for it. One thing was that the girls could no longer live in their own home, not that she ever once for a second agreed with that either but they were both adults who spent most of their time away at school anyway, but this was a different story. This could literally be a matter of life and death and he couldn't even come just to make sure she was okay.

It was, frankly, unforgivable in Madeline's opinion. She couldn't forgive him, and she doubted either of the girls would either, they had no reason to. He had already let them down as a father, this was just too far to come back from. She would figure out what she was going to do about him once Tatum was stable, that was what mattered most right then. Checking in, and seeing that she was doing all right. But something was going to be done, she couldn't just go home and act like nothing was wrong. He was leaving, or she was.

Part of her realized that she should have done something, or left, a long time ago. Back when he had kicked Tatum out, but she loved him. Now though, it was quite a bit harder to love him, his true colors were showing clearer and she wasn't sure she still could. That brief phone conversation may very well have ended their seventeen year marriage. She hoped he was happy with himself, he had now effectively pushed away his entire family with his prejudice. He really had no one left, she really doubted that Rath would want anything to do with him either after this. His wife and all of his children were now alienated by his actions.

She rushed her way into the hospital, insisting to be brought to where Tatum's room was immediately. Upstairs in the waiting room, she ran briefly into Sera, grabbing her in a hug as soon as she saw her. She didn't have to deal with this alone, and neither did Tatum, and from now on she had every intention to be the mother that they needed, even if Mick couldn't be the father that they deserved. She had made a promise to Tatum's mother, Claire had been a good friend to her, and she was sure as hell keeping it.

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)

"Sera, how's she doing?" she asked, still not letting her younger daughter go. "Can you take me to her room to see her, please?"

After that, she would need to speak to the healer involved in Tatum's case. Sera would tell her what she could, but she needed to get all of the details, and she had to know exactly what they were dealing with. If Tatum needed to be looked after when she was released, she was taking her home, whether her father liked it or not.

"Sure, mom. It's just a few doors down this way," Sera finally agreed as she pulled back from her mother's hug but took her arm instead leading the way door towards Tatum's room. She was more than a little glad to see her, especially after she had been in to speak with Tatum earlier. Sera was still just trying to take it all in. Tatum wasn't just going to heal up and walk away from this day, she'd have to deal with this for the rest of her life. Her mother and sister had never exactly been the closest, she wasn't sure if Tatum would even bother to breach the subject of telling Madeline at all, as important and life-altering as it all was.

She paused just outside her sister's door, tugging back on her mom's arm a bit before actually letting Madeline push it open. "There's something I think you should know first, mom. I don't know if she'll tell you or not.. but well, it was a werewolf. Tatum was attacked by a werewolf. She's going to be a.." She stopped, unable to finish, just looking quite sadly up at her mother.

Madeline looked down at her youngest, wrapping both arms around her once more and pulling her in against herself. "It's okay, honey. It'll be okay. We're going to handle this together, as a family," she assured her. Waiting just a moment,she pushed open Tatum's door but turned back to Sera once again. "Seraphim, would you please go down to the owlery and send word to your brother? I'm afraid I haven't been able to get in touch with him yet.."

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)

Tatum had been getting a little more rest, something that she couldn't get enough of lately, when she heard the door to her room gently creaking open again. When she lifted her head slowly, she peered over in that direction, deciding that she had to still be dreaming or something. She had been having a dream earlier about her mother, so now it was only natural that she would be having one about her step-mother, because Madeline was standing in her doorway.

Blinking her eyes a couple of times, just to be sure that she wasn't asleep, Tatum barely resisted pinching herself. She hadn't seen her stepmom in person for months, since before Christmas, since before everything had gone to shit. Sera kept mentioning, now and again, that the older woman was asking about her and asking if she was doing okay, but Tatum had always had her doubts.

But here was she, and Tatum was realizing slowly that even if the drugs were good, they weren't that good. Madeline was really genuinely there, and she was saying something out the door to Sera, Tatum had looked over just in time to see her sister's back disappearing down the hallway before the door shut behind Madeline and it was just the two of them. She felt exhausted, unsure of what was going to happen or what she expected to happen, but she fixed herself with a rather pathetic pout just in case.

"I d-didn't think you'd come," she said honestly, though she guessed it was a bit harsh. She chewed her lip, looking away. They had never been close, or seen eye-to-eye on much of anything. In Tatum's eyes, Madeline had always preferred Sera, and that much was clear. But she did love her, and she knew that the feeling was mutual, despite everything.

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)

When Tatum spoke first Madeline was a bit taken back by her words but she offered her daughter a warm smile just the same as she entered the room and made sure the door was closed behind her. She was relieved to see Tatum was awake though, and looking pretty darn good, in Madeline's opinion considering everything that had happened. She was definitely in rough shape though, there was no denying that. And Madeline had no doubt that Tatum would be in quite a bit of pain for a good long time. All factors in though the situation could have turned out a whole lot worse.

She made her way over to Tatum's bed and reached down taking her daughter's closest hand in one of her own. She frowned a bit looking at Tatum seriously. Did she really think she wouldn't show up in a time like this? They may not have been the closest exactly, not that Madeline didn't feel she made all the effort in the world almost to get to know Tatum. The redhead just always seemed to keep her distance. Madeline always had a hunch Tatum thought Sera was her favorite and she'd be lying if she said she didn't share a somewhat specialer bond with her youngest daughter but that didn't mean she hadn't always made just the same amount for Tatum and Rath for that matter.

Madeline knew she could be a bit hard or her but she was hard on all her children. They were all incredibly bright in her opinion and she expected a lot from them. Tatum was certainly no exception. She knew she could be a bit hard on her daughters choice of attire as well but she just felt the redhead was a beautiful young woman. It was fine to express herself and it was quite okay be gay too for that matter but it didn't mean she had to dress dress like Rath all the time. Sometimes with their hats on it was hard to tell them apart, atleast before Rath's growth spurts anyway.

"Tatum I'm your mother, there is absolutely no where else I would rather be right now, don't be silly. You, me, Sera, Mack and Rath were going to get through this together, okay?..As a family."
She gave her daughters hand a light squeeze, crouching down a bit beside the bed. Looking up at Tatum even more serious now she spoke. She rubbed the top of Tatum's hand pausing for a moment. "I should have stood up for you. It's just you don't talk to me Tatum, I didn't think you wanted my help and your sister kept insisting you were doing absolutely fine and that I had nothing to worry about. Not that that really stopped me. Mother's never stop worrying about their children, even if they aren't quite children anymore. I'm done acting like I support your father, we're all better off without him."

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)