Author's Note: I was thinking about my story 'Callie at 13' (which is complete as is - sorry for those who wanted it continued) and started wondering if Jude was what kept Callie grounded and on the right path during her years in foster care. She had to be responsible and cautious because she had to take care of Jude. She did end up in juvie, but compared to the other girls in Girls United, her criminal record was tame. In this story, there is no Jude or other siblings. Callie is on her own and much tougher. I also wanted to explore her relationship with a younger Stef and Lena who have no kids. Here it goes.

xoxoxo

Chapter 1: Callie the Runner (Callie's POV)

I turn in surprise and glance at Franco as he yells my name, "Callie, run for it!"

Oh sh*t, there's cops! Where did they come from? Franco and I were just taking a package around the corner for Wolf. It's early, before school. Wolf likes us to run a few packages for him before we head to school. But all of a sudden, there are sirens blaring, and police yelling "Freeze! Hands up!".

I don't freeze. I don't put my hands up. I run for it. I'm fast. But there's a blonde cop on my tail. She's fast too, but she doesn't know the alleys the way I do. She reaches out for my shirt saying "Gotcha!", but I tear free. I swerve into the diner and run through the back door to the alley. I turn the corner and squeeze through the boarded up windows of an abandoned house before she sees me. It's my hideaway. When things get bad in my foster house or on the streets, this is where I hole up.

I hide in the dark with my heart pounding. I think Franco got caught. He was closer to the action, and he was carrying the package. I don't know what was in it, but I'm sure it was something illegal. Wolf sells drugs, anything from weed to pills to meth. You don't want to get on the bad side of Wolf, but he's always been good to me. He saw me and Franco hanging out by our foster house one day, locked out in the rain by our crazy drunk foster dad screaming obscenities at us, and he took us to the diner for a burger and a milkshake. Franco's 13 like me but skinny and small, and he looks up to Wolf. He'd do anything for him. Now, he'll probably end up in juvie. Wolf will still be here when he gets out though.

After half an hour or so, I creep out. Everything's calm again in the neighborhood. The cop cars are gone. I walk to school as if nothing happened. I'm still shaking inside, but no one can tell. No one bothers me at school. They know I work for Wolf. It's one of the perks.

xxxxx

I'm just in time for my favorite English class. We have a new English teacher this year , Ms. Lena Adams, who is pretty cool. I don't know what she's doing in this broken down school. Probably trying to save us or something. Most teachers here are burnt out and don't want to be here, just like their students. But Ms. Adams is different. She makes us think. And she's interested in what we're thinking. I'm not into school, but I don't mind her class.

"Callie, glad you could join us! There's a seat for you right up here."

The class laughs as Ms. Adams makes me sit in front for coming in late. I don't really mind.

After class, she gives my shoulder a squeeze and whispers, "Hold on a sec, honey." I'm not used to being touched or being called "honey". It makes me freeze. After everyone leaves, she says, "Callie, I really liked your last paper. You're a good writer."

I nod shyly and say thanks. I never know what to say to a compliment.

"I'm glad that you're doing well in my class, but your homeroom teacher told me that you've been missing a lot of other classes and are in danger of failing 8th grade. What's been going on?"

I shrug and look down, "Just life, I guess. Things happen." I guess she didn't really mean the compliment.

"You're too smart to throw it all away, Callie."

I blush. I want to say school is not that important. It's not real life. But I know Ms. Adams won't see it that way.

"Can I help you in any way?" she asks with a frown.

I shake my head. I don't need help. I'm fine on my own.

"Is the work too hard for you?"

I shake my head again.

"I'll make a deal with you. Go to all of your classes for the rest of the month, and I'll take you out for pizza or a home cooked meal. Your choice."

I look up in surprise. Ms. Adams is bribing me? She smiles at me, and I can't help but smile back. I don't know if she's serious or not, but I say, "I'll try. Some of them are really boring though." She laughs and says, "Try hard, for me. I know you can do this, Callie." She rubs my arm, and I feel warm inside, like somebody actually cares about me. I nod and gather up my stuff to leave for my next class.

xxxxx

After school, I walk back to Wolf's territory. He's hanging out by the basketball courts as usual, dealing on the side, in between games. He sees me and nods. Another kid tells me Franco got caught. Wolf walks over and pats me on the head, "Glad you didn't get caught, kid. We're laying low today, in case Franco doesn't keep his mouth shut."

I look up in surprise, "He wouldn't do that."

Wolf just lifts an eyebrow and goes back to his game.

I head back to my foster house. I guess I might as well do my homework. Nothing else is going on.

Franco's stuff is still all around house. The other kids are grabbing his stuff as if it's now up for grabs. I shove them out of the way and grab his favorite shirt and hide it away. He'll be back. I hope so, anyway. I wonder what he's going through now. Probably locked up in juvie already. I hope he's not scared. We've all heard stories of juvie, but neither of us have been locked up before. I've come close a couple time, but I can usually tell some sob story and get the cops to let me go. I got caught shoplifting once, but I got out of it by making up a story about a sick brother who really wanted the toy I took. I think it helps being a girl. People don't expect you to be all bad.

I think about Ms. Adams. If she knew the things I do, I don't think she'd like me much. I frown. I do what I have to do, to survive.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Part 2: Stef and Lena

Stef walked into the house and yelled, "Honey, I'm home!" She ran up the stairs two at a time. Lena was in the bath. "Hard day love?" Stef asked as she took off her gun and locked it up. She started taking off her uniform.

Lena sighed, "Hmm, just a long day. That school is like a bus station sometimes. Noisy, dirty, with people coming and going all day."

Stef walked into the bathroom in her shirt and leaned down for a gentle kiss, "Time to wash it all away," she said.

"Come join me," Lena said as she pulled her by the shirt closer to her for another kiss.

"How can I resist," Stef grinned. She tore off her shirt and underwear and climbed into the bath in front of Lena and leaned back. "Ahhh. That feels good….You feel good."

"You too... How was your day?" Lena asked as she gently poured water over Stef's arms.

"Well, I got a lot of exercise running after some kids. Drug runners. They were close to your school, actually. Wish you didn't work in that bad neighborhood."

"I hope it wasn't any of my students, but I wouldn't be surprised either."

"One got away, a girl, but we caught one, Franco?"

"Oh no, Franco's sweet!"

"He was carrying a lot of dope."

"Oh jeez. He's just a kid," Lena protested.

"I know. But the head honcho in that neighborhood, Wolf, is well protected. He never gets his hands dirty. He uses kids to do all the dirty work. They're dispensable."

Lena frowned. "It's just not right. It never feels like we make a difference."

"We do, love. I try to make the world a little safer, and you try to give kids a different option and widen their world view. They think the streets are their only option, but it's a dead end. It's no option at all."

Lena pulls Stef a little closer. "I felt like I made a difference with Callie today."

"She's that good writer you were telling me about?"

"Yeah, she's so smart, but she's in danger of failing because she keeps skipping school. I tried to call her foster parents, but they didn't even call back. Anyway, I told her I'd buy her pizza if she promised to go the class for the rest of the month, and she said she would. Maybe it will make a difference."

"I bet she'd do anything for you," Stef smiled.

"Well, I'd do anything for pizza," Lena joked.

Stef raised her eyebrow, "Anything? I can get you some pizza tonight, hot stuff!"

"You had me at pizza," Lena smiled back. She got up slowly and reached for a towel. She held out a hand for Stef and gently helped her up and then wrapped both them up in the big towel. She pulled Stef in for a lingering kiss. "Let's take this somewhere more comfortable."

xoxoxo