I don't own The Fosters and never will. No copyright infringement intended.
Stef and Lena were talking at the dining room table when Jude hesitantly stepped in. They stopped what they were doing and stared at him. "What is it, sweetie?"
"Is something wrong?" Stef questioned. She was concerned about him.
"Can I talk to you?" Jude was terrified to start this conversation.
"Of course you can. Come here." Lena patted the chair and waved him over. After a minute or so of indecision, he finally sat down next to her.
"What is it you wanted to talk to us about?"
Jude breathed in and out, too scared to start talking. But after a few minutes he decided to be truthful. "Can I tell you anything?"
"Yes. Anything you want to talk to us about, you can tell us. It's okay," Stef assured him. She and Lena waited expectantly for him to start talking.
He sighed. "I really like it here and I don't want to go to another foster home. You two and Brandon and Jesus and Mariana are really nice. Callie loves it here and so do I."
"We would love it if you stayed with us." Lena meant it too, and she knew Stef felt the same way. She didn't even have to ask here wife to know that was the truth.
"You won't hate me?" It was Jude's biggest fear.
"Oh, honey. We could never hate you, no matter what you do."
"You mean that?" Jude wanted it to be true so much, but he couldn't hope. Hope had cost him and Callie way too much already.
Stef nodded. "We meant it with all our hearts, love. Anything else you want to tell us or was that it?" She had a feeling there was more he wanted to say.
And there was, but Jude wasn't ready to say it yet. He had to work his way up towards it. "There's more."
Lena grasped his hand and squeezed it in comfort. "Whenever you're ready, you can tell us. It doesn't have to be right now. It can be any time you want to explain whatever it is that's bothering you." She ruffled his hair and he laughed.
Stef and Lena waited for about fifteen minutes and finally, Jude spoke again. "I haven't said it out loud before, but it's the truth." He choked back some tears before beginning again. "I like guys, not girls."
The two women beamed at him. "That's wonderful, sweetheart. We're so proud of you for having the courage to tell us." Stef kissed his forehead.
"It means a lot to us that you trust us with this information." Lena was so proud of Jude she could burst.
"I'm not done yet." He hesitated yet again. "I like to wear dresses sometimes too." Jude cringed and waited for an explosion that never came up. When he looked up, both women were crying.
"Love, that's okay with us, too. You can wear as many girl outfits as you please. There's nothing wrong with it and don't let anyone tell you differently."
"Really?"
Lena nodded. "Really, Jude. Some may not understand it – I know others haven't – but that doesn't mean you can't do it. You can wear whatever you want without judgment. We told you that we're proud of you and we meant it. We always will be."
"I know you're scared, but you don't have to be. We were just as scared as you once. And you want to know a secret? We still are sometimes. You'll meet lots of guys, love. Fall in love, get hurt, whatever. It happens. And someday you'll meet a man you want to spend the rest of your life with." Stef squeezed his hand in support again and the two hugged their foster son.
Jude hadn't been this relieved and relaxed in a long time. Stef, Lena, and the others – especially Callie – brought that out in him.
"If you ever need to talk about anything, we're here. For condoms, break up advice, anything. We want you to promise us that." Lena wasn't about to let him drown again like this.
"I promise." And that was a promise Jude wasn't about to break ever. He didn't want to. He loved it here. He felt safe and he knew Callie felt the same way even if she wouldn't admit it.
"If you can't talk to us about something, you can trust Callie. Your sister loves you so much. And if it's a guy thing you can't talk to one of us about, go to Jesus or Brandon. They will help you. Go to Mariana if you need to. None of them will ever turn you down if you really need help." Stef knew that for a fact. They wouldn't turn Jude down at all if he came to them.
Callie stepped in and stopped and stared at them. "What's going on?"
"Are you ready to tell her what you told us?" Lena whispered.
Jude nodded and walked up to his sister. He was more prepared to do this now. "I like guys."
She broke out into a smile and pulled him in for a bear hug. "I'm so proud of you, Baby. I love you."
"I love you too." Now he just had to tell his foster siblings, but Jude had told the three most important people in his lives. He wasn't all that worried anymore, surprisingly. He could definitely do this. But first, he, Callie, Stef, and Lena sat down to have a long conversation.
Like the others, Brandon, Jesus, and Mariana hugged Jude after he told them and all three were proud of him. They had accepted Callie and Jude as two of their own and nothing was ever going to change that. They were loved now and nothing would be able to tear the new family of seven apart.
The truth had set Jude free and he was much more relaxed around the house after he talked to Stef and Lena. And he took them up on their offer whenever he needed a shoulder to lean on.