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Emancipated.

The thought of it was scary and thrilling at the same time. I could get rid of Robert's hold on me and finally be adopted. The other thought crossed Callie's mind for an instant, but dismissed it right away.

Marianna and Callie lay in the dark of their bedroom, Callie explaining about the emancipation process.

"So basically we have to try to do it without Robert finding out. Stef and Lena aren't really comfortable with that, but they said the end justify the means."

"Oh my god, this is so amazing!" Mariana said gleefully.

"I know. I just can't wrap my mind around it. I feel like everything could be finally come together for me."

That thought popped up in her head again.

"We're going to see the lawyer tomorrow and get the ball rolling."

"Big day!"

"Yeah, big day..."

Callie turned over, fluffed her pillow and pretended to go to sleep.

"The hurdle that we are looking at, and it's a big one, is getting around notifying her biological father that Callie is filing for emancipation." Lori Seymore, the Family Law Attorney Lena and Stef hired explained to them.

"We can't file without his permission?" Lena inquired.

"In the state of California a parent must give consent to file, and he will most likely contest the emancipation. But you can state your reasons to the court why you don't want to notify Robert and request to waive notification. But getting a waive doesn't happen very often."

"Well that doesn't sound promising. But we'll worry about that when the time comes" replied Stef. "What else is required?"

"She must be living apart from the parent with their consent. Since Callie has been living with the both of you and away from Robert for so long, the court may take that into consideration. The judge also wants to see that she that she can support herself, continues with school, and that the emancipation is in her best interest."

"We can make that happen." Lena replied.

Callie nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Let's get it started."

Callie sat alone in the garage where Brandon and his band practices, her head laying on her folded hands in deep thought.

"Hey" Brandon says as he walks in, startling Callie a bit.

"Hey" she repeated back to him. "If you need to practice or whatever I can go."

"No, I was actually just looking for some music I need for the audition at Idyllwild. So I heard you saw the lawyer today. How'd that go?"

"Okay. I mean we pretty much have a plan."

"Good."

"Yeah..."

Brandon sits next to Callie "Are you having doubts?"

Callie shrugs. "Just...thinking about my options."

"Which are?"

"Well, I know how great it would be to get emancipated. I could finally be adopted."

"I know. It's taken a lot of trouble and heartache for you to get to this point."

"Exactly."

"Well then what are the options?"

Callie hesitates.

"I have been thinking a lot. I guess I was just trying to figure out what I really want."

"You just said how great it would be to finally get adopted."

"I know. It would."

"I don't understand."

Callie pauses. "Remember when we promised each other that no matter how many setbacks we had that we'll never let each other give up on our dreams?"

"Yeah. Of course."

"I have other dreams."

"Like what?"

"Like... living on my own without getting adopted."

"Why would you want to do that?"

Callie waits a few seconds before she answers.

"We've actually talked about it before, me getting my own place. Remember? At Girls United? The independent living program."

Callie takes a deep breath. She looks at Brandon in the eyes.

"We have circled around each other time and time again. I push you away, you push me away. I'm tired of it. I'm tired of denying how I feel."

"Callie..."

"I mean it. You do your thing and I'll do mine? That's straight up denial. I pulled away when I decided to leave Girls United and I pulled away from you at the Winter Ball when you said you were still in love with me. Then you pulled away from me at the Quinn's when I told you that I loved you. You know and I know that we're just kidding ourselves." Tears fall silently down Callie's cheeks.

Brandon nods. "We always end up hurting each other."

"I know. I want it to stop. I want to stop hurting you and start loving you. I'm not even sure if the court will rule in my favor... I want this one thing so much. The world has to cut me a break sooner or later, right?"

Brandon takes a deep breath but doesn't answer.

"Just tell me... just tell me that I'm crazy and that you want nothing to do with me. Look me in the eyes and tell me you don't ever want to be with me..."

More tears.

Brandon reaches out his hand and delicately wipes a tear from her face. He pulls her chin up and looks her in the eyes.

"I can't. I can't tell you that."

He takes both hands and pulls her face to his and kisses her gently. They look at each other for just a moment, her forehead on his. They kiss, this time more intensely.

Brandon smiles a little and says, "You know I love you."

Callie lets out a small laugh. "I know."

"So now what?" he asks.

"I guess we have to wait. But at least it's about me for like the first time ever. I want it to be my choice. It's what I want... you're what I want."

Brandon puts his arm around her and she rests her head on his shoulder.

"They're going to hate me." Callie shakes her head at the thought.

"That's never going to happen." Brandon kisses the top of Callie's head. "They're actually probably gonna hate me."

"Not a chance." She smiles as she looks at him, cupping his face in her hands. "How could anyone be mad at this face?"

"Oh, you've been mad at me before..."

"You know all you ever have to do is look at me with those amazing eyes and that wonderful smile and my heart skips a beat. I forget to breathe for a second."

"Oh really? Like this?" He playfully smiles at her, eyes wide open.

She giggles. "Yeah, pretty much like that." She leans in for another kiss. "This is pretty much as happy as I can be."

"You know, I could never look at you without thinking about how much I want to kiss you. To be together. For real. You're a pretty tough act to follow, you know. I tried so hard to move on, but there you were. Every day. And there was basically nothing I could do about it. We've had so many obstacles. And now, we are close to getting what we want. It's almost too good to be true."

"So what do we do in the mean time while we wait for the decision? Go behind their backs? Not an easy thing to do around here."

Brandon gets up and closes the door. "Right now all I want to do..."

He pulls Callie up and kisses her again. She wraps her arms around him. They embrace, rocking back and forth.