Author's Note: Season 2 AU. Jude is adopted, Callie isn't. They haven't found Robert yet. Takes place after they lose Frankie. Callie POV throughout the story. Please read and review! Hope you enjoy!

She was gone. Just like that Frankie was gone. They hadn't even seen her - held her, and yet Stef stood here explaining to them that there would be no baby. They'd all been so excited - Jude and Mariana especially. But just like that their happiness was gone.

"Is Lena okay?" Callie heard herself ask. Stef sighed reaching out. Callie took a step back, needing the space. She caused this. It was her fault. Her bad luck had finally infected the family. She tried not to react to the disappointment in Stef's eyes and pushed Jude forward to hug the woman. That was the best she could do. Her brother could make anything better.

"Mama is…" Stef broke off to take a breath and ran a hand through Jude's hair. "Mama's gonna need some time. I think we all are. She's sad and we have to let her be. It's a hard thing to go through - losing someone you love before you can even meet them. So, we just need to be there for her best we can and keep loving her and supporting her through this. Okay?"

The kids nodded, none of them meeting the gaze of another. They understood it - the loss. They felt it too. The bassinet in the moms' room would never be filled. The outfits they'd bought would never be worn. They'd never wake up to the cries of an unhappy sister, or get lost in the sound of her giggles. Things would just stay quiet.

"Are you okay?" Callie asked softly. Stef met her gaze for a second before breaking away. She gave a jerky nod.

"I'm fine," she replied.

"Mom, it wasn't just Mama that lost the baby," Brandon quietly stated. "You lost a daughter too."

Stef took in a shuddered breath. "Don't worry about me right now guys, okay? I'm fine. I'll be fine. Just umm...can we keep things calm right now? They're gonna keep Mama in for another night to make sure everything's okay before sending her home. I want to stay with her, but -"

"We'll be fine," Mariana interrupted. Stef gave a small smile.

"You always are. I got the good kids." Her smile faded as her eyes turned to the ground. Callie nudged Brandon's shoulder and gave a nod in Stef's direction. He returned the gesture with a quick nod of his own.

"We'll take care of everything at home, don't worry about it," Brandon chimed as he circled Stef and hugged her tightly from behind. Mariana, Jesus, and Callie filled in the empty space as they crowded her, all hugging tightly. Stef gave a choked sob as she held them tight to her. Callie knew Stef was going to break down, she was just holding back until the kids were gone.

"We'll get out of here so you can go back to Lena," Callie announced, pulling back from the group hug. She heard Stef take a haggard breath.

"You sure sweets? You'll be okay?"

"We'll be fine," Callie nodded. "I think we'll just lounge around the house today. None of us feel like doing anything too crazy."

"Okay," Stef replied, giving Callie a soft smile. "And guys? I know I don't really have to ask this, but could we just keep excitement to a minimum? There's been a lot going on lately with Brandon's accident, and drama with Ana, and the stuff with Connor and his dad, and the adoption stuff. And it's no one's fault. It's not, we're happy to help you guys through it all, but can we just have a moment to breathe? Just -"

"We get it Mom," Jesus answered.

"Yeah, we'll try to keep everything drama-free," Mariana agreed.

"You guys know you can still come to us for anything, yes? If you're having issues -"

"We know," Brandon nodded. "But we also know we should let you go see Mama, so we're gonna head out. Tell her we love her?"

"I will," Stef replied. She gave them each a kiss on the head, lingering with each of her children as if to feel they were really there and really okay. She gave a smile as they turned to head out. "I love you guys."

"We love you too," Jude called back as they rounded the corner to the elevators. Callie felt Stef's eyes follow them as they disappeared from her sight. More of her kids now gone, all that was left for her to focus on was Lena.

"So, what now?" Mariana asked as they stood waiting for the doors to open.

Brandon shrugged, "We do what we can to help. Maybe clean the house up a bit when we get home. I can go get some groceries for some easier meals for the next few days."

"They have to be healthy - Lena doesn't like junk," Jude replied softly.

"I know. At this point though I think it'll end up being whatever we can manage to make. I doubt Mama will feel like cooking much and Mom isn't the best in front of a stove."

"She does just fine!" Mariana insisted. Brandon held his hands up, not wanting to argue. The doors in front of them dinged as they slid open, letting the siblings step in. "But I do think we should do more of the cooking. I doubt Mom will be in the mood to do much either. And this way it'll make it feel like we're helping more, right?"

"Definitely," Jesus nodded. "So, when we get home, we clean while Brandon goes to get food?"

"I'll go with him," Callie quietly chimed in. "We should make a list of some of Lena's favourite foods. I know that won't really help but…"

"It's a good idea," Brandon insisted as the elevator doors closed behind them.

"I miss the baby," Jude muttered softly. A sad silence filled the elevator as they all thought of their moms likely sobbing at the loss two floors up.

"It's okay to miss her bud," Callie replied softly, pulling him into a side hug. "We lost her too."

"But Mom is right," Mariana stated. "We need to be drama-free and just let Moms have some time with each other. I vote we just keep anything dramatic to ourselves."

"But Stef said they would listen," Jude hesitated.

Brandon nodded, "Yeah, but they would put our issues above their own instantly. Mariana has a point. If we bring anything to them, they'll push aside their grief and that's not healthy. I think we need to just live quietly for the next while. If anything does happen, censor it with the moms. Try to handle it on your own. If you really need to talk to someone, then pick a sibling. Just...let's try not to bother them with our random issues. And that means no surprise visits with Ana, no blow-ups with Connor, and no running. We need to be perfect."

The kids all nodded, following Brandon to the parking lot. Callie lagged behind the others. No running. Was that what they all thought of her? That at the slightest bump in the road she would jump and run off? She ran once. And that wasn't because of fear - that was for Jude. It was the only way to protect him. And now he was adopted. He was safe. And she was left to float.

Callie's mind drifted back to her stay with Helen. Being ripped out of the home in seconds, forced into a stranger's house. Just months ago she'd been used to that. It had been common. She didn't have a place she called home. A place she felt safe. It was different now. Now it was jarring. When had she become so soft? When had she let these things affect her? Had a previous foster family lost a baby, she would leave them to mourn. She'd go about life as usual. But this was different. This was Frankie. This girl would've had the most amazing family, with or without Callie's presence. Stef and Lena were so warm, and welcoming. They were caring and present. Everything Callie had dreamed of in parents. And that was going to change. She could feel it. She couldn't see how Stef and Lena would come out of this being the same as they were before.

"Callie? Come on, we just realized we need to call the grandparents too. Let them know what's going on. Grams and Gramps should be back at the house by now, but Grandma has no clue what's been happening."

Callie nodded to Brandon, slipping into the backseat. Mariana had her phone out, texting a grocery list to Brandon as Jesus and Jude listed what they could do at home. Callie watched silently as they organized everything. Brandon would shop, Mariana would make the calls, Jude and Jesus would tidy up. They were a unit. Then there was Callie. The tag along. The one they had to add in. Not needed for the cogs to turn. They could get through this. But she didn't know if she could.