Day one

Stef and Lena had been bouncing from crisis to crisis for so long that they barely knew what to do with themselves following Callie's adoption. Slowly but surely though they found a new, lighter rhythm. They spent a few more sessions in therapy in order to make sure they'd shared all that needed to be shared and took their therapist up on her final assignment – 30 straight days of sex.

"You really think we have the time?" Lena asked Stef skeptically on the ride home.

"If you don't want to…" Stef offered.

"That's not what I'm saying," Lena shot back.

Of course it wasn't. Not that it didn't sound fairly…daunting. They had sex. Of course they did. They'd even had it recently. But it tended to be more of the couple of times a week variety…when they were hitting on all cylinders. Lena couldn't quite remember the last time they'd gone seven for seven.

"When was it?"

"What?"

"The last time we made love for a week straight?"

Stef thought about it. And then thought some more.

"Remember a couple years ago, the twins went to camp for a week and Mike took Brandon on that road trip?"

Lena smiled. Yes, that week had been fun. But… "Didn't Mariana come home early?"

Stef sighed. Yeah, projectile vomiting had put a bit of a damper on that week. She also knew that it was already five and they needed to get home, start dinner, deal with at least a couple of piles of laundry and then the inevitable after dinner cleanup.

"Have you noticed that the kids' one week moratorium on chores during finals' week seems to have lasted the entire summer?" Stef suddenly realized.

Lena's eyes went wide in shock and she started thinking back.

"We've been doing dishes every single night of the week," Stef offered.

"And laundry," Lena added.

"And cleaning that disgusting bathroom a dozen times a day."

Lena shuddered at the things she had seen over the past two months in that room, "At least we don't have to share any longer."

"Amen to that. Shaz is a miracle worker."

"I don't know if I'd call her that," Lena replied with a bit of bite that went unnoticed by her wife.

Stef was too focused on the fact that they had allowed their lazy teenagers to turn them into their wait staff all summer. Nice work if you could get it.

"No wonder we're too exhausted for sex."

"The chore wheel is coming back."

"Darn straight."

The kids had grumbled of course, but not too much. They all seemed to realize that their con had run its course. Callie even offered to make dinner. With all of the kids busy with a half dozen chores for the evening and dinner not ready for an hour, Stef and Lena snuck upstairs for, "Day one."

"Do you think they'll suspect?" Lena asked as Stef stripped off Lena's top all while stepping out of her own pants. Let's face it, they didn't have all that long.

Stef chuckled just before she kissed her wife once, twice and then a third time, letting herself sink into it as Lena held her tight. She vaguely remembered what it had been like to think that she had somehow invented sex all the while imagining some mythical age that it would lose its appeal.

As Lena's fingers trailed down her body, played gently with her clit before sinking inside Stef stifled her groan and thanked God she'd been a moron. Because sex, sex had never been better.

Day Two

The next morning was a Saturday and Lena knew they'd have a few hours before the kids would so much as stir. So she scurried into the bathroom to brush her teeth and brought mouthwash back for her wife. Maybe not the most romantic gift but definitely the better part of valor. She set it carefully on the bedside table and then proceeded to take just a moment to simply look at her wife. When had she last taken the time?

"Are you going to kiss me or just keep staring at my remarkable bed head?" Stef finally asked with a soft smile, her eyes just barely open.

Lena rolled her own eyes before launching herself onto her wife, "I was basking in the moment," she declared before kissing Stef soundly, mouthwash be damned.

Day Three

Saturday night they stayed up late watching a movie snuggled on the couch. Stef slipped her hand under Lena's pajama top and lightly stroked her back and then casually slipped around to the front and just barely grazed the underside of Lena's breast, like they were two kids on a date figuring out how far they could take it. Luckily for them, neither was Cinderella and so when the clock struck midnight, they raced each other to their bedroom.

Day Four

Monday morning Stef and Lena got up bright and early to prepare for work with little time for more than a quick kiss goodbye. Stef headed out for her ten-hour patrol, while Lena made her way to Anchor Beach, still her job although she had hopes that it wouldn't be for much longer.

Since school hadn't formally started Lena was able to pass a fairly uneventful day and slip out a tad early. By the time Stef arrived home Lena had changed into comfortable clothes and had dinner just about ready to eat.

"Hey honey, you just need to wash your hands," Lena tossed out over her shoulder as she bent down to pull the chicken enchiladas out of the oven. Stef nodded, but first she swung by the fridge and pulled out a beer. She rarely drank them anymore, having switched more or less to wine. But today, today had been a beer type of day.

Lena frowned slightly at Stef's back, "Bad day?" she asked, concerned.

Stef shrugged as she finished washing her hands and turned around to see the kids all reaching for the enchiladas at once.

"Hey, hey, you all act like you haven't seen food in a month," Stef said, swatting away hands and forcing them to pass the dish around like civilized human beings.

"It's been at least four hours," Jesus complained.

Mariana snorted. "I saw you eating a ham sandwich two hours ago," she said as she dished up her own enchiladas.

"I was starving," Jesus replied as he finally got the casserole dish and proceeded to pile enchiladas onto his plate.

Stef and Lena shared an amused look that became slightly less amused when the enchiladas came back around to them with only one and a half remaining.

"Hey, starving boy, could you share some of that food with your parents?" Jesus looked down at his heaping plate and reluctantly handed over one of his enchiladas. Jude, who'd managed to swipe four, also offered one up to his moms.

"I think you're going to have to make a double batch next time," Stef said to Lena.

"This is the double batch," Lena replied and everyone laughed.

That night Stef collapsed onto their bed still fully clothed in her uniform as Lena took her time in the bathroom. She was exhausted. It had been an awful day. And she wasn't at all in the mood for sex. All she wanted was to sleep. And forget. When Lena came out of the bathroom in her slinky robe Stef groaned. And it wasn't a good groan.

"Lena, I don't think…"

"Take off your clothes," Lena replied with enough authority to make Stef blink in mild consternation. And begin to unbutton her uniform top. While Stef stood up to step out of her pants Lena folded down the bed spread and laid out a large towel on Stef's side of the bed.

Naked, Stef turned to her wife.

"Lay down," Lena instructed. And Stef did, lying down on her stomach, arms at her side. Lena grabbed the massage oil, poured a generous amount into her hands and started at Stef's shoulders. She worked for a good half a dozen minutes in silence as the tension slowly eased away.

"You want to talk about it?" Lena finally asked.

Stef shook her head. She didn't. She never talked about it. That had never been part of the deal.

Lena added more oil and continued down Stef's back.

"You know I meant it. When I told you I was marrying all of you. You don't have to protect me." Lena offered up even as she continued to massage down towards Stef's lower back, brushing against the surgical scar that was a reminder of how close she'd come to losing her wife less than a year ago.

"She was pregnant. Six months. He knocked her down the entire flight of stairs at their crappy apartment building. When we arrived she was already hemorrhaging."

Lena massaged and soothed. She could easily picture the scene. It was horrific. How could anyone do that intentionally?

"Did she survive?" Lena asked.

Stef just shook her head. And then she rolled over and tugged Lena towards her, undoing her robe, seeking the connection of naked skin.

"Honey, we don't have to," Lena started to offer, but Stef cut her off with a passionate kiss and proceeded to slowly kiss her way down her wife's beautiful and alive body.

Day Five

The next morning Stef felt amazing. She heard the shower running and headed into the bathroom to join her wife. Lena smiled when Stef drew back the curtain and pulled her in.

Day Six

On Wednesday, Lena had an all-day teacher in service at the school and was planning to meet with each teacher individually right after. Stef worked her normal shift and raced home to prep dinner. She wasn't a bad cook. Lena was definitely better and healthier, but Stef could manage in the kitchen without burning the place down. Today she was going with her ubiquitous spaghetti, which was actually Jesus's favorite dish she made, so she tripled the recipe and prayed she'd get more than two bites.

Speak of the devil, Jesus popped into the kitchen and headed directly to the fridge, grabbing two string cheeses and a bottle of Gatorade. Stef knew better than to protest.

"Enjoy that hollow leg while you can, bud. Because it won't be long before…" Stef patted Jesus' flat stomach and exaggerated a pot belly.

"Not gonna happen," Jesus said, confidently.

"That's what we all say," Stef replied.

"Hey, you aren't going anywhere," Stef shouted out as Jesus almost managed to escape. "Get to chopping. And while you're at it, you can give me the full story of that fight."

Jesus obediently got to chopping, but clammed up on the fight. "I told you Mom, it was just one of those things. I'm sorry."

"Jesus. Getting kicked out of school isn't just one of those things. You broke the guy's jaw."

"I know."

And that was that. Stef knew she wasn't going to get anymore out of him.

That night, Stef and Lena got ready for bed a certain charge of anticipation in the air. Both of them were tired, but they also knew they hadn't had sex the entire day. And it was a requirement.

"He's still not talking?" Lena asked.

"Nope. And uh, I was thinking," Stef began. She didn't expect Lena to like her idea. But this was Jesus. Stef knew he could be hot-headed, but this was different. It was more serious. And she felt strongly that they needed more facts before they could really determine a proper punishment, or maybe even counseling.

"Yes?"

"You know Vasquez, my old partner, he transferred to that area, and I was thinking…"

"You want to collect evidence on our son?"

"I want to know if this is something we should be really worried about," Stef replied evenly.

"He broke a boy's jaw, of course we should be worried about it."

"Kids get into fights Lena. And I know Jesus is a bit hotheaded, but this…this feels like something more. Would it please be okay if I just looked into it?"

"And if I say no are you going to go behind my back and do it anyway?"

Stef gritted her teeth. "No. I won't. But if you want me to come to you with ideas you aren't going to like, you might want to pick your battles."

Touche. "Okay. But I reserve the right to say I told you so."

"Agreed."

The earlier sexual tension had been ground down to negative ten by the frost that currently coated the room as they climbed into bed firmly on their own sides, backs to each other, and shut off the lights.

The seconds ticked slowly by as they each debated how badly they wanted to win the challenge.

"It's been a long time since we had angry sex," Stef finally tossed out.

Lena involuntarily shuddered. It had been a long time. But she remembered it quite clearly. They'd gone out dancing. And Stef had taken exception to a woman who had gotten a bit too close to Lena and refused to back away when asked. Lena had claimed Stef was drunk. Stef had simply said that the woman deserved what she got. Which was a solid right hook to the nose. Stef flashing her badge to the cop who arrived and getting out of trouble had simply made Lena angrier. They'd gotten home, paid off the babysitter and Lena had tossed blankets and a pillow to Stef who had tossed them right back. And then…

They turned towards each other at the same time. Stef felt Lena's nails dig in through her cotton t-shirt, shuddered and nipped Lena's earlobe in return.

"Do your worst," she dared.

And oh did she ever.