Author's Note: Hi everyone, so this is my first fanfiction, and I am really excited to see where this goes. The idea for this story had been floating around in my head for a while and I finally put it on paper! Hope you guys enjoy it!

Chapter 1

Callie's POV***

I stare at my phone screen as I look through the pictures that I took this morning; Dr. Kodema's voice ringing through my ears when she calls on yet another poor victim to "talk about their story."

"How about you Gabby? How are you doing?" Dr. Kodema calls on a new girl that I have never noticed before. This should be interesting. The girl named Gabby stands up out of her red plaid chair that the library provided the group session with and clasped her hands behind her back. She had long brown hair with dark, glistening hazel eyes. Her eyes were sad, as where most of the young kids that come to group are. The girl was skinny as a pole, having barely any meat on her. She looked exactly like Jude did when we first came to the Foster's house. Bruises and scars were very visible on her collarbone, and I assume there were more on her body, but she was wearing a long sleeved shirt and jeans.

"Okay. Um, my name is Gabby Sanchez, I'm twelve years old. I've been in the foster system since I was four, with my older brother who was twelve at the time. My parents died in a house fire when they were trying to get me and my brother out. " Gabby concludes, sitting back down and looks down at the floor as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.

"And your foster families? How have they been?" Dr. Kodema asks.

Without even a glance up to the group, she says, "Oh, their… great. My foster dad right now is the best thing that's ever happened to me." A tear slides down her cheek and onto the floor, hastily, she wipes it away. I stare at her for a while, watching tear after tear slide down her cheek, it was obvious she was lying, she wouldn't be crying if she wasn't. However, I can't help admire how smart this girl was, she was smart enough to tell a lie in order to stay in the house she was in now. You can't afford to tell the truth with the risk of Dr. Kodema going and telling your social worker and being forced to leave again, with another foster home under your belt and another note on your file. I can't help to feel bad for her, the same sad, scared look that Jude always had as we walked into each and every one of our foster homes, was plastered on her face.

"Alright, thank you Gabby. Okay everyone, good session today, I look forward to seeing you all next week." She smiles, and everyone gets up to leave, including Gabby who looks down at her digital watch, her eyes grow five sizes, and she starts to run out the door. I'm about to run after her but Dr. Kodema calls me over to her. I quickly walk over to her, while trying to keep an eye on Gabby but she ran around the corner, out of my sight.

"Callie- you really need to start participating in these group sessions if you want me to give you credit for your parole."

"The requirement for my parole is that I attend, not participate." She sighs as I start to walk out the door.

"I hope you participate next time!" she shouts weekly as I bolt out the door, and running down the street, searching for Gabby. After running for what feels like forever, I finally see her walking down 27th street.

"Hey! Hey Gabby! Wait up!" she whips her head around, her tear stained face staring into my soul. Before long, I have caught up to her.

"Who are you?" she asks timidly in a shy, quiet voice. I smile sadly at her, this poor girl is so scared that she can't talk loud enough for me to hear.

"My name is Callie. I'm in your support group, remember?"

Gabby looks at me for a minute and then says, "Yeah… you're the girl that's always on her phone right?"

I nod, "Why don't we go to the café and one of my family members can give you a ride home?" She shakes her head rapidly, "I need to get back home."

"Well where are you going? I can call my house and one of my family members can drive you there."

"It's not far, I can walk." She says, turning back around and starts walking down the street again.

"Where are you heading?" I ask once again.

"Tijuana… my foster dad and I live there."

"Over by San Ysidro?" She nods. "Wait. Didn't you say you lived with your brother?" at first, she didn't know what to say, but after a moment hesitation, she starts running down the street.

Stef's POV***

I sit at our kitchen counter, impatiently tapping my finger, waiting for Callie to text me to tell me her group is over. It's been over an hour since the session was supposed to end, and still, no response from her. Suddenly my phone starts ringing, a picture of Callie pops up on the caller I.D.

"Callie Adams Foster! Do you have any idea how worried I was?!"

"I'm sorry mom but I need somebody to come pick me and this girl Gabby up."

"Who is Gabby?" I asked, silently hoping that she was a friend from her group.

"She is a girl from group." Yes!

"A friend?"

"Sort of, I just need someone to come pick me up so we can find her and bring her back to her house."

"Where does she live?" I sigh, I'll just send Brandon over.

"Tijuana, over by San Ysidro." Callie says quickly, trying to get out the sentence before I said no.

"Callie…" I reprimand.

"I'm sorry! But she is twelve and she is walking their alone! How would you feel if Jude was walking back to-?"

"I'll send Brandon right over, where are you?"

"27th street. Thanks mom!"