This story takes place after 'Vigil' and the events of 'I Do' have not occurred (the wedding, the trial, Callie running away). What has been left out will be incorporated later on in a different way.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Fosters, only the characters that I create.

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"Somebody get the phone please!"

It was a typical Monday morning according to the Foster's standards. Kids were weaving around each other in their haste to get ready as Lena and Stef attempted to control the chaos. Mariana and Callie were still upstairs getting themselves together while the boys were in the kitchen, hands grabbing at whatever food they could.

From upstairs, Mariana walked into her mother's room and grabbed the ringing phone, "Hello?"

"Hi, is this Callie Jacob?"

"No, but she's here. One second." Mariana covered the mouthpiece with her free hand, "Callie! Phone!"

The older girl walked into the master bedroom, a confused look on her face, "Who is it?"

Mariana shook her head, "Didn't say. I'm gonna finish getting ready." She handed the cordless phone to Callie and exited the room. Callie picked up the phone and held it up to her ear.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Ms. Jacob?"

"Yes, who is this?"

"My name is Detective Carlson. I work for the Phoenix Police Department in Arizona. I'm very sorry to inform you of this, but your father was found dead this morning in his apartment."

Callie almost dropped the phone as she let out a small gasp. She sunk down to the bedroom floor, gripping the duvet for support, "How did…I didn't even know he got out of jail?"

"He was on probation. Our M.E. confirmed the cause of death to be alcohol poisoning."

"Figures."

There was a pause, "Are there any arrangements you would like to make? To have the body buried?"

Callie shook her head even though the detective could not see her, "Um, can I call you back? I have to…I have school."

"Ms. Jacob―"

Callie hung up the phone before the man could say another word. From her seat on the floor, she could see her reflection in the full length mirror hidden in the corner of Stef and Lena's room. To her surprise and disgust, there were tears on her face. She wiped them away with an aggressive swipe before standing up and stalking downstairs.

Stef looked up as Callie came down the stairs, "Morning, Sweets. Who was that on the phone?"

"A detective from Arizona." She replied, refusing to make eye contact as she sat down at the kitchen table next to Jude. She reached for a bagel she had no intention of eating.

Stef furrowed her eyebrows and shared a look with Lena, "Well, what did they want?"

"My dad died."

Any conversation that had been going on stopped at that sentence. Jude looked up at his sister who was staring intently at the bagel on her plate, "What?"

Callie suddenly stood up, "I'm not hungry. I think I'm going to walk to school. Bye." She snatched her backpack from the couch and high-tailed it out of the house.

Lena started walking after her, "Callie!" Stef put a hand out, "I'll get her, you hold down the fort." The blonde officer left the house and Lena found herself with three shocked teenagers as well as a very confused little boy.

"He's dead?" Jude asked quietly, looking up at Lena. She sat down next to him and pulled him close to her side.

"I'm so sorry, buddy." She murmured, running a hand over his hair.

Brandon glanced at his siblings helplessly before turning to Lena, "What should we…what do we do?"

Lena sighed and looked down at Jude before looking up at Brandon, Jesus, and Mariana.

"Well, I think we're going to play hooky for starters."

It didn't take long for Stef to catch up with Callie considering the teen was on foot. Stef managed to get in front of the teen, successfully stopping her.

"School is the other way, you know."

"I'm taking the scenic route." Callie deadpanned, making her way around the blonde. Stef stayed right at her heels.

"Callie, honey, I know you're upset right now―"

At this, the brunette whirled around, "I am NOT upset!"

Stef looked the teen over. She was breathing heavily and her face was flushed red with anger. Her eyes, on the other hand, were rimmed red as if they had recently been filled with tears.

"Callie, he was your father…"

"He was a DRUNK!" Callie yelled back, "A fallen down drunk who drank himself to death!" She threw her backpack onto the ground and sat down on the curb, head in her hands.

Stef sat next to her and tried to put an arm around Callie but the teen immediately flinched away, "Please don't."

"Don't what, baby?" Stef asked in a soft voice. Callie lifted her head out of her hands and looked at her foster mother. Stef reached out to wipe the tears from her eyes and this time she didn't move away.

"I'm not a bad person…right?" Callie asked in a quiet voice, eyes shifting to her will worn sneakers.

"Of course you're not, Callie." Stef answered immediately, "Far from it."

Callie played with the hem of her sweater, "But when the detective told me he was dead, I was…glad." Her eyes snapped up to Stef's "I'm sorry! I'm not―"

"Callie," Stef interrupted softly, "That doesn't make you a bad person. That just makes you a member of the human race." She offered the teen a sad smile, "It's okay to be mad at the person who hurt you."

"But he's…he was my dad."

Stef tucked an errant piece of brunette hair behind the teen's ear, "I know, Sweets, but that doesn't mean you are obliged to love him. Parents have to earn their children's love, not expect it."

Callie sniffed and ran a sleeve across her eyes, "Jude doesn't remember him that much. He was so young when…" she trailed off. "Should I…should we go to the funeral?"

"That's completely up to you and Jude. Lena and I will support any decision you guys make."

Stef stood up and offered a hand to Callie. Once they were standing, Stef grabbed Callie's backpack and slung an arm around the teen's shoulders before making their way back home.

Lena looked up as she heard the front door open. She, Brandon and Jude were sitting in the living room. Jesus and Mariana were upstairs in their rooms. Callie and Stef walked into the room. Jude shot up from his seat and ran over to Callie. She immediately wrapped her arms around her younger brother.

"I'm so sorry, baby."

"What do we do now?" Jude asked, "Is there gonna be a funeral?"

Callie looked at Stef, "I have to call Detective Carlson back." The older woman put up a hand, "I'll call him. You said he worked in Phoenix?" Callie nodded and Stef went off in search of a phone.

Callie looked at Brandon and Lena, "What are you guys still doing here?"

"We're playing hooky today," Brandon replied with a small smile, "Family is more important than school." Callie looked away because she could feel tears rushing into her eyes for the second time that morning

"You guys don't have to do that."

Lena stood up and wrapped her arms around Callie and Jude, "Yes, we do. You guys should get into more comfortable clothes; we're having a lazy day."

Jude offered a small smile and raced to the room he shared with Jesus while Lena went to see how Stef's phone call was going. That left Brandon and Callie alone.

"How are you?" Brandon asked after a moment of silence. Callie shrugged and plopped down next to him on the couch. Brandon found himself unsure of what to say next.

"You never had breakfast this morning…are you hungry?"

Callie flicked her eyes toward Brandon and she smiled softly at how hard he was trying, "I'm not hungry."

"But you haven't eaten since dinner last night. That was like, twelve hours ago."

"If I ate anything, I think I would just throw it back up."

Brandon winced, "Point taken."

Callie laughed a little. "Actually," she answered, "I think I just want to sleep." Brandon nodded and waited for her to go upstairs but was surprised when she kicked off her sneakers and laid down on the couch, her head on the armrest and her legs curled into her chest. Brandon took the throw from the back of the couch and covered her with it. He started to make his way out of the room when Callie's voice interrupted.

"You can stay."

Brandon turned back to Callie who was curled up under the blanket, and for a moment he could imagine what she looked like as a child. He walked over towards the couch and kicked off his sneakers before laying down on the opposite end, his feet pressing into Callie's shins.

"Goodnight." He whispered.

"It's still morning," Callie whispered back.

Brandon smiled and closed his eyes.

I have a bunch of unfinished fics, but this has been bugging me for days. Let me know what you guys think!

-Liv