This Fic is an AU which means that it doesn't quiet follow the story line. Some things are different: Callie was able to get adopted, Lena didn't lose the baby, and their is no Lou or band of any sort (you can thank me later). Jesus and Emma are together while Jude and Conner are (at this point) friends and had not kissed yet. This is my first shot at a Foster's fanfic, I wrote Friends under the name Monderfan101, check me out!
It's quit, peaceful. The sun rises, turning the darkened night into day. Not a single movement in the house that wakes a soul on a Saturday morning. The alarms are off and the doors remain locked. Blankets are pushed to the side and kicked at the end of beds as the family keeps their breathing still.
The night before was hectic. Brandon had his piano lesson until 7 while Mariana had rehearsal in the gym right after school until 5. Jude was studying for an exam with Conner in his room which did not go unnoticed to Jesus. As for Callie, Girl's United had her company. The Foster's is not the most common of families. But it's a family that was brought together when they had no one else. Stef and Lena had always wanted kids for as long as they were together. Little did they know their family would be created in a whole new way.
Saturday mornings are about the same at the end of each week.
There is one noise that wakes a sleeping family, one smile that heals a broken heart, and one baby in a house full of teenagers. Thanks to Timothy, she is here to keep this crazed family in order.
Lena is the first to move. Her limbs are tightened and stiff as she tries to wake her body. To find the strength to get up is difficult at first and to make her way to the crib by the window is exhausting in the earlier daylight. It was just a month ago that they welcomed this love bug into their lives.
Everyone was overwhelmed with nothing but joy on that Tuesday morning Lena dropped the glass plate and clenched her abdomen. Stef was filled with panic the whole ride to the hospital. Lena sure gave everyone a scare. But as they heard that soft cry, everything seemed to stop: traffic, panic, adrenaline, time. It all vanished as they looked at the disgusting, bloody and crying baby the Doctor held up. They became parents to a beautiful baby girl. Weighing in at 6 pounds 2 ounces they were sure she was too tiny to be healthy. However, the Doctor assured them she was as healthy as the next. She was perfect.
"Hey baby girl." Lena gushed as she gently lifts the infant out of the crib and into her comforting arms. "You hungry?"
The minute they saw her they knew. She had a jellybean shaped birthmark on her back, which seemed oddly familiar. Lena kissed her forehead and then stroked the mark as if they were long lost soul mates, finally reunited. Remembering back to the day she was born and the connection she had towards this baby. She met the breast immediately, after much anxiety on her part – and there she stayed for several hours. Wrapped in a pink striped blanket, wearing a knit cap that covered her blood stained dark hair, Lena looked into the eyes of someone that she felt she had known her entire life.
Even though she had held a newborn before this point, she was still surprised at just how tiny she was. She was just over 6 pounds, her fingers and toes seemed amazingly small and fragile. She remembered the way Stef thought she would be afraid, awkward at best, and worried that left alone with her she would do something horribly wrong that would make her cry. But that never happened. When Stef held their newborn for the first time, the world became perfectly in tune instantaneously and everything they didn't know about how to take care of her, was driven into their hearts and souls innately.
Lena can remember un-swaddling her, wanting to see her belly button, her frog like legs and red skin. She wanted to smell her breath, touch the small crescent made by her lips, inspect her ears, and count her fingers. She wanted to be the first one she saw when she opened her eyes so she would know from this day forward, she would be there for her. Lena couldn't wait to dress her in the long sleeve, delicate pink onesie and pants that they bought two months before the day in preparation. When she did, she looked laughable, dwarfed by the clothes, and barely able to hold the Mary Jane socks on her wrinkled feet. Perhaps the blanket and her mothers chest were the best options for keeping this infant warm.
She slept on Len's chest that first night, much to the dissatisfaction of the nurses attending her. It was Lena's heartbeat that she heard as her own galloped like wild horses across an open field. She was so alive. Even still, she checked her breathing every few minutes and panicked when she spat or choked or made any noise that sounded abnormal. The pain from having a c-section long since forgotten, were not enough to pull her away from the child that she had waited an eternity to hold.
The first time she cried and the way her breasts ached with a longing to be connected to her, Lena realized that the connection between mother and baby is one that surpasses the ability of words to describe. It is instinctive, natural, and almost immediate how much they love them. In some ways, now that she was here in this great big world, with bright lights, finger pricks and hearing tests and vaccinations, a part of her wished she could put her safely back in her womb where no one could bother her or make her cry. But then she remembered something that her mother had told her that morning before she gave birth. "From this moment on….she will be growing away from you." How could this little person every grow away from her? Lena still wondered.
One of the most miraculous aspects about holding a newborn for the first time, this time - was that she would never forget the moment. For this, she was grateful. She was grateful that they bonded right away like all those people talk about. She was grateful that although she felt clumsy, she knew just what to do. She was grateful that the birth went perfectly and Stef never left her side.
Today, a month later, she looks back on that moment – holding her for the first time and realizing with certainty that one thing was for sure. Her mother was right! From that day forward, from the moment her tiny body emerged from Lena's – she was growing away from them. So for now, all she has are memories and pictures and that tiny jellybean shaped birthmark on her back that reminds her no matter how old she gets, her and her parents (just like all their children) are soul-mates.
Feeling the bed shift Stef comes out of her slumber as she hears the soft suckle of baby Francesca eating in the early mornings of a Saturday. Smiling, she leans over and gently strokes her smooth cheek. "Someone was hungry."
Lena can't seem to suppress her grin as she looks over at her wife "Either that or eager to be joined in our company."
Settling back against the pillows she stretches as she tries to wake herself "Right, I forgot she's your kid." Stef teases, getting a slap on the arm from Lena in return. Giggling, she was about to seek revenge when little Frankie makes a gurgling sound and pulls away before burping.
"Oh my goodness." Stef smiles as she speaks in a sweet voice that she has grown to get use to around Francesca. "Somebody's really going to town." Her smile doesn't fade as she gives the infants' foot a little tickle.
"Honey, I really think we should discuss this baby talk-"
"What, how it's adorable, sweet and unbelievable sexy when you do it?" She teases, leaning it to give her wife a kiss.
"Not the exact direction I was headed..."
Frankie makes another distracted gurgle and tries to latch back on to Lena. With her free hand Lena guides her opened mouth back to the nipple before continuing her conversation with Stef "Do you think we over did it with the pink?" Her focus turns to the pink blanket, pink crib, pink pillows and pink assorted stuff animals that sit next to the window "Maybe we should have went a little more gender-neutral."
Stef looks to see what Lena is talking about and shrugs "Honey, they were a gift from your mother, I don't think we had much of a choice with the color."
"I know, but I feel like we aren't supporting our beliefs if someone comes in here and sees the way we raise our children-"
"The next time someone strange that doesn't know us comes into our bedroom to see the pink colored blankets, I'll be sure to let them know it's not what it looks like. Then in the next minute I'll be in the car heading to the store to switch it all out with blue material."
Lena looks down at the baby in her arms "That's not what I meant."
"Look," She sighs, stopping Lena from saying what may be formed into an argument. "I love you. I love our family and I love the home we built together." She starts off slowly "It doesn't matter what people think or how we raise these kids, as long as they are happy I'm happy and nothing will change that." Smiling, she takes hold of Lena's hand "Pink blankets or blue teddy bears, in the end it's all just a color."
Reaching over she kisses her wife with a soft and gentle feeling, however, it doesn't take long for it to grow heated and passionate.
A soft noise breaks them, the same noise that woke the two love birds that morning.
"Looks like someone is finished." There is a twinkle in her eye. Maybe the idea of what tonight will turn into caused it, or just the beauty of this little one brings it out of her, whatever the reason it causes Stef to reach over and take the infant in her arms without hesitation.
Lena smiles "This one is going to break hearts." She fixes herself smoothly, handing the burp rag to Stef. "Starting with our love life." Although it may be true, neither one breaks their grin as Lena stands and strides to the bathroom.
"When should we get the troops up and at'em?" She calls from the sink where she grabs her toothbrush and begins her daily routine.
"I think the smell of eggs will do the trick." The burp rag sits on her shoulder as Stef gracefully pats the babies back.
Frankie lets out a small burp that causes some milk to follow. Grabbing the end of the rag, Stef wipes her mouth before continue to pat her back.
It's not easy. Taking care of biological, adopted and foster children. To hope that they all get along and no one ends up left out, in jail or on drugs is something Lena and Stef find themselves praying for everyday. It's a blessing when everyone is safely in their arms by the end of the day.
It's all a soccer mom process when taking care of 5 teenagers and an infant. To get everyone up, bathed, fed, lunches made, and to school on time is just the morning. Afterwards it's a miracle if everyone makes it to practice, study groups, gets their homework complete and at the table by 6.
Each day is a journey but they wouldn't trade it for a relaxing day at the beach and a margarita in their hand. It's family and they are stuck with them til the end of time.
No matter what happens this family is their lives and they wouldn't have it any other way.
"Mariana!"
Stef stops her motions and looks over at Lena in the mirror.
Spitting out the remaining toothpaste, Lena sets her toothbrush back in it's holster. "Sounds like they are already up." She walks over to the small drawer to pick out the clothes for Frankie that she will be wearing the next few hours. Just until spit up covers them.
Hearing a loud burp, Stef is satisfied enough to lift Frankie off her shoulder. "Oh! That was a big one." She murmurs, taking the burp rag and wiping Frankie's face. Seeing that nothing came back up she only hopes it isn't the other way around.
Taking the baby from Stef she lies her carefully on the bed "Did you leave Mommy a treat?" She gushes only to receive a spit ball in return.
Stef laughs making her way to the bathroom "I did it yesterday. Sorry Moma, but it's your turn." She moves to the night stand and grabs the unscented baby wipes and a clean diaper. Finding out the Frankie's skin is sensitive they had to purchase the unscented cloths instead.
"Thanks." Lena said as Stef handed her the supplies.
When finished Stef disposed of the dirty one while Lena continued to dress her.
Snapping Frankie's white onesie together, she grabs the tiny pink pants and begins to slid them on her wigging legs. Again, with the pink. Seeing Frankie starting to get fussy, Lena begins to sing "When you're down and low, lower than the floor, and you feel like you ain't got a chance, bum bum bum-" She begins to sing.
Stef grins from the doorway. "You are going to drive us all crazy with that song."
"I'm afraid that's already done."
Jesus stands in their doorway, leaning against the door frame still dressed in his pajamas.
"Great, just the man I wanna talk to." Stef steps out of the bathroom nearing her son "What's with the yelling? Frankie could have been sleeping." Her hands rest on her hips as she eyes him.
Jesus glances over at Mama holding a now fully dressed Francesca "Was she?"
"That doesn't matter, love. The point is we have a baby in the house, now. We need to adapt to the fact things are going to be different around here. Like our volume levels for instance."
Their little discussion was interrupted when Mariana walked in to inform Jesus the bathroom was now free.
"Great." Without another word with his Mom he left and started across the hall.
Quickly opening his bedroom door Jude rushed to the bathroom just before Jesus could reach it. "Dude, seriously?" He shouts "I was next."
"I'll be quick, I promise."
"Jude!"
"Again, with the yelling." Stef announces as she walks past and down the stairs to the kitchen. "Breakfast is in 10, first one down gets it fresh." She makes the usual Saturday morning announcement.
Please review and let me know if I should continue this story.