12:49
It's been a while since I've done a one shot! Well, I'm back with 12:49, a story I thought of one night when I couldn't fall asleep myself. Sorry it's so short, I just didn't think that I could stretch it out and keep it within its theme. Stef/Callie stuff is basically my signature at this point, so enjoy!
-A.J.
The night after they brought Callie home, the house was silent. Every resident of the Adams Foster house was either fast asleep or pretending to be so. Callie lay asleep, soothed by the feeling of her sheets and blankets. In strong contrast to her daughter, Stef laid wide awake, her eyes piercing through the darkness of midnight as she struggled to keep her fear quarantined. Callie is home. Callie is safe. For now. These were the thoughts running through her mind, the last of which was terrifying her. And so that is why at 12:49 AM, Stef made the short walk to her daughters' bedroom, creaking the door open and stepping inside. She walked carefully to Callie's bed, kneeling next to it and watching her chest rise and fall with each breath she took. She brushed her daughter's bangs out of her face and smiled softly. This smile disappeared when she noticed a new bruise on the far side of her right cheek. Before she could stop them, tears began to fall as she cupped her daughter's face. She wiped them away and gazed at Callie's closed eyes. Stef saw Callie begin to stir. She rotated her head lethargically until she was looking at her mother with squinting eyes.
"M..Mom?" She used the name freely, her mind not fully conscious enough to stop her from using this name directly.
Stef's smile returns, her eyes filling with tears of joy at the word Callie used.
"Yeah... I'm right here Cal."
"What's going on?" Callie said sleepily as she began to wake up.
"Oh, nothing, baby. I just wanted to see you."
"Mom?" Callie asked again.
Stef turned her head and gave all her attention to Callie. "Yes, my love?" "I'm scared." She said, the fear gleaming in her big brown eyes. Stef moved to the bed and gathered her daughter in her arms.
"That's okay. It's okay to be scared. And I get it, love. This is pretty scary stuff. I'm scared too."
She continued, wiping a tear off of Callie's cheek and looking her over. "But… you have a family now, sweets. For all eternity. You're not alone; we're fighting this fight right beside you so I don't ever want you to feel alone." She ran a hand up Callie's arm.
"What happened to your face, baby?" She asked gently.
"A guard threw me against a fence…" Callie said hesitantly, shivering.
"Oh my god. What happened, Callie?" Stef asked, with concern and anger radiating from her body language.
"Um… they thought I threw a mop bucket at a window…" She mumbled.
"Callie…" Stef said warningly.
"I didn't do it! Promise! That guard Joey did because I wouldn't do drugs with him… or hook up with him…"
"What?" Stef asked in outrage.
"Mom, don't! Don't tell anyone… I just want to forget it." She said, tears returning on her rosy cheeks.
"Hey… don't cry, love. I got you. You're safe, it's over." Stef said, wrapping Callie in her arms again and rubbing her fingertips up and down Callie's back. Callie held on tight, scooting over so Stef could lay down and the pair fell asleep with the powerful feeling of love making them invincible.