Hey all! I always wanted more out of this storyline so I've decided to write my own. I'm not sure how long this will be or not, but this is what I have so far...hopefully someone reads it. This story will NOT contain Brallie. In this story Callie and Brandon have a sister/brother/best friend relationship going on NOT a romantic interest. I hope you enjoy my story, please let me know if I should keep going...


By the time Callie was finished speaking, Lena found herself gripping Stef's hand. Callie had been raped in a foster home. A place that was meant to keep her safe. And then blamed for it. Why was there so much cruelty in the world? Why? Sure, Callie was not perfect, but no one was. What did she do to deserve all the hardships she had faced?

Lena was pulled from her thoughts, by Stef squeezing her hand. Stef stood up and crouched next to the armchair that Callie was sitting in.

"Callie...sweetgirl, what happened was not and never will be your fault."

"I know," Callie mumbled. Despite her best efforts to prevent them from falling, a few tears slipped down her face.

Stef reached up and caught Callie's tears with her thumb.

"Good girl," Stef said smoothie some of Callie's hair away from her face before rocking back on her heals and standing.

"Thank you for tell us. You were very brave," Lena assured her foster daughter.

Callie stayed silent, scuffing the tips of her sneakers on the hardwood floor.

"Just um...just, make sure Jude is safe, okay?" Callie finally spoke hoarsly.

"Of course sweetie, but why would we need to do that?" Lena asked confused.

"If they send me away...to a group home...or you...you…y-you send me away," Callie said shakily but strongly.

For the first time, Brandon spoke up, "Cal...Moms won't let that happen."

"But-"

"No buts, Callie, I promise you are not going anywhere. If it becomes something out of our hands we will fight for you. Understand? Yes?" Stef said, crouching down again.

"Ok, yes," Callie mumbled.

Stef smiled softly, "Good."

"Mama- I mean, Lena, and I are going to go in the kitchen and talk for a bit about how we want to proceed for the rest of the evening. We'll be back in five minutes, ok?"

Brandon and Callie nodded.

As soon as Stef and Lena were in the kitchen, Callie let out a shaky breath, and drew her knees up to her chest.

Brandon watched her, unsure what to say, so he plopped himself down on the couch.

"You did good, you know that right?"

Callie shrugged.

"Moms will make sure you and Jude will be okay. And Sarah," Brandon reassured.

Callie looked up at him. It was so easy for him to say. His moms and his dad had always made sure things would be okay for him. Luck wasn't exactly on Callie's side, but she smiled and nodded slightly anyway.

They sat in silence until Stef and Lena returned.

"Alright, B, I think you should go upstairs and work on some homework, that sort of thing," Lena said. "I'm going to go upstairs and check on the twins and Jude."

Once Callie and Stef were alone, Stef began to talk.

"You did the right thing. I hope you know that."

Callie rubbed the bridge of her nose, "yeah".

"Now we can do this tomorrow or tonight, but we're going to have to prepare a statement and I need you to tell me whatever you can about Sarah and the Olmsteads. I'm going to talk to my boss at work when we have this information, and Lena will call Bill."

"Okay".

"Do you want to do it now or tomorrow? We can start now, and stop whenever you feel like it. You don't have to talk about anything you don't want to."

Callie stared at the floor. She wasn't expecting to have this much choice and agency in this. She shrugged, "I-I don't know."

Stef considered Callie. Stef had taken a few statements from sexaul assault surivors before, so she knew the signs of fatigue and emotional drainage, but Callie was harder to read. However, Callie often reminded Stef of herself.

Stef smiled softly. "Have you eaten dinner, yet?"

Callie shook her head.

"How about, we get some dinner into you and then we can see how you feel? Does that sound good?"

"Okay. I'm not really hungry though," Callie said, rubbing her stomach.

"Your stomach feel okay?"

Callie shrugged. "It hurts a little."

Which in Callie speak means it hurts, Stef thought to herself.

"Alright Callie girl, I'll get you some gingerale to go with dinner. Does grilled cheese and tomato soup sound okay? Just eat what you can, but you will eat something," Stef stated firmly.

"Yeah, that's fine," Callie said back, following Stef into the kitchen.

Climbing on a stool, Callie put her head down on the table and closed her eyes. Stef turned around from where she was turning on the stove to heat up the soup, and smiled sadly. She wanted Callie to take it easy for the night, but the choice was Callie's on when she wanted to make her statement. The most important thing was for Callie to have a choice, even if Callie's stubbornness would prevent her from the rest she desperately needed.

Upstairs, Lena had checked in on everyone but Brandon. She took a deep breath before knocking on his door.

"Come in," he called. "Hey Mama."

"Hey B. Can we talk for a bit?"

"Uh, sure," Brandon took off his headphones and set them down on the pillow next to him.

"You're not going to send Callie away are you? I mean you're going to help her, and that girl in that house? Right?"

"Of course we're not going to send her away and of course we're going to help her and Sarah. Brandon, don't worry. I don't have any bad news for you, I just wanted to make sure you're okay. Today wasn't an easy day for you either."

"Oh...oh, right….I'm okay, ma."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I just…" Brandon trailed off and started picking at the bottom of his jeans.

"You just," Lena prompted gently.

"I just don't understand," Brandon said quietly. "I don't understand why people do so many bad things and why Callie and other people have had so many bad things happen to them. There's so much bad in the world, and I just don't understand it".

Lena sat quietly for a moment, before moving from the piano bench "You know, mom would be better at answering this question, because frankly, I don't understand it either. But I do understand, that there is also a lot of good in this world. What you did today, supporting Callie, was good. And there others like you who support others like Callie out there, and they are good too. Don't forget that."

Brandon nodded. Lena could tell that he just wanted to be alone with his thoughts and finish up his homework, so he patted his knee and stood up. "You know where to find us if you need to talk. Don't stay up too late."

"I know. Night Ma."

Lena entered the kitchen to see Callie dipping a grilled cheese into tomato soup, and taking small bites. Stef was loading dishes into the dishwasher.

"Is Jude okay?" Callie asked immediately.

Lena sat down across from Callie. "Mhm," she hummed. "Just doing some homework and watching Jesus play a computer game."

Callie nodded and went back to her sandwhich.

"How are you and mo-Stef-making out down here?"

Stef wiped her hands on her pants."Well, Callie has now been introduced to my magnificent grilled cheeses. Isn't that right, Cal?"

Callie smiled a little, and shrugged.

"Oh Stef, you're grilled cheeses, while delicious, are not the best in town."

Stef took a dramatic intake of breath and put her hand on her chest. "Lena, I am offended."

Callie giggled a little. "I don't know, Lena, Stef's grilled cheese is pretty good."

"Ha! See?! Thank you!" Stef said triumphantly. Lena laughed before going over to kiss her wife.

Callie pushed her plate away, and put her head back on the table. Stef and Lena exchanged a look.

"How's your stomach lovebug? Feeling any better?" Stef asked.

Callie shrugged again. "Hmm, I'm sorry kiddo. Let's wait a little bit and see if it gets better now that you've eaten and such, and then we'll give you some medicine to make it feel better."

"Mhm," Callie nodded.

Stef really wanted to just tuck Callie into bed and stand guard over her forever so that no one would ever hurt again, but she and Lena had agreed that Callie should have control over her situation in the most ways she could.

"Have you thought about what you'd like to do about your statement?" Lena asked.

Callie pulled her head from the table and rubbed her eyes. "I...I guess I'll just do it now."

"You can wait to do it, you know, if you're tired…" Lena said.

"No, no I'll do it now."

"Okay, Callie," Stef hid her sigh.

An hour later Stef and Callie had finished her statement, and Callie had been sent up to bed.

"I don't know about you Stef, but I'm ready to crash. What a day," Lena said while walking up the steps, Stef following behind her.

"Tell me about it."

The next morning Stef and Lena woke up and began getting ready before the rest of the house. As Stef brushed out her hair she turned to Lena.

"Do you think we should keep Callie home today?"

"Why?"

"I don't know. She had a pretty emotionally exhausting day yesterday and she looked exhausted. It might be good for her to have a day off...and process...as you like to put it."

"That wouldn't be a bad idea," Lena said thoughtfully. "I don't know. I think we should leave it up to her and less she seems really off at breakfast."

"Sounds good to me, love. I'm going to start waking up the boys and then head to the station. I'll be back in thirty minutes or so."

Lena chuckled. "Good luck with that one, honey. See you soon.".

Lena opened the door to Callie and Mariana's room, and knocked on the door frame. "Morning girls, time to get up. Mari, if you want that first shower you better get movie before the boys beat you to it."

Mariana groaned but all but sprinted to the bathroom, as Callie sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"How'd you sleep?" Lena asked, frowning as she saw her foster daughters red eyes and the bags underneath them. She wanted to ask if Callie had slept at all but bit her tongue.

Callie shrugged.

"Stef and I talked this morning, and we're going to call Bill and get your statement into motion. But you should know, if you need a personal day, you can stay home from school. Stef is dropping by the station now to get your statement going, but she'll be coming back. She'll be able to stay home with you."

Callie threw back her blankets. The last thing she needed was Stef and Lena thinking she was weak and needed to stay home from school. "Uh, thanks but I think I'll go to school."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I need to go to the bathroom," Callie said pushing past Lena.

Lena sighed and went downstairs to prepare breakfast. 40 minutes later Stef had returned and all their children were scarfing down breakfast and running around grabbing their things, all of them except for Callie.

"Hey, where's our Callie?" Stef asked everyone as she knicked a piece of toast from Jesus who groaned "Moooom."

"I think she's still upstairs. I don't think she slept well," Mariana said while spreading peanutbutter on her own piece of toast.

"Hmm, well 20 minutes everyone and then we're out of here, or you're walking!" Stef reminded everyone.

"Yessiree," Brandon piped up. Stef wacked him gently upside the head, and then kissed it, before going over to Lena.

"I'll get this one, yeah?" She asked, referring to Callie. Lena nodded.

Stef checked Callie and Mariana's bedroom first but Callie wasn't in there. Going to the bathroom next, Stef knocked. "Callie? You alright? Everyone is heading out in 20 minutes."

"Callie, I'm going to open the door now to make sure you're okay."

Stef opened the door to find Callie sitting in a puddle of her own sick, with tears streaming down her face.

"Oh Callie, baby…"