This is a story I had originally started in my one shot compilation of Now That's What I Call Family. However, I got some good ideas and wanted to make it it's own story, since I have at least 4 chapters for it.

This chapter has already been posted on there, but the second chapter will be up shortly!

Thanks!

Black. That was all Mariana could see when the car finally came to a stop.

Although she could only see black, she could hear. She could hear everything.

Open your eyes. Mariana told herself, trying to gain back her sight. Her eyelids felt heavy and after trying a few times, she frustratedly gave up. She tried to think back to what had happened.

The car.

Anna.

Jesus.

Jesus! Mariana suddenly found a new burst of energy to pry her eyes open and take in her surroundings. The top of the car had crunched down, almost fully ontop of her, making it impossible to move- though that didn't stop her from trying.

"AHHHHHH!" Mariana's scream startled herself as she tried to move, but a searing pain flooded her body. She tried to look around to see where her brother was, but as soon as she tried to move her neck, she was hit with another wave of pain. A sob racked her body and the pain continued.

Suddenly, Mariana began to panic. She was in so much pain that she couldn't think straight and she had no idea where her birth mother or twin were. Finally, she realized the only thing that was really working was her mouth. She inhaled deeply, pushing past the pain that she felt and let out a scream. Once she couldn't go any longer without taking a breath, she gulped in air and the tears began to fall.

Help.

Stef sighed. She was so looking forward to celebrating Callie's news when she was called in on an emergency car accident. She told herself thatd take care of what needed to be done so she could quickly get back to her family.

Turning onto the street of the accident, Stef could hear the sounds of an ambulance and fire truck also approaching.

Man this must be bad. She thought to herself.

As she pulled up closer, her heart began to beat faster when she saw the state of the two cars. Pulling over to a complete stop, Stef's breathing picked up when she looked at the two cars. No. She thought to herself as she slowly got out of the car, taking time to determine if what she was seeing was really true.

"Hey mom can Ana drive Jesus and me home?" Stef remembered MAriana asking her after the dance competition.

"Sure, sweets. But don't be late. We're having celebration cake!"

"Ohhh goodie! Thanks, mom! I love you!" Stef recalled the pure excitement on her daughter's face as she leaned in to hug the young girl.

"Love you too."

Stef snapped out of her mini flashback as she walked closer to the cars and her eyes landed on the license plate.

No. No. No no no no! She thought as she quickened her pace and made it to the car. She flashed her badge to a paramedic who was on his way over to the car as well. Suddenly, she heard a scream. A scream that she had heard often when the twins had first started living with them. A scream of terror and fright. A scream that came from her daughter.

"Mari!?" Stef yelled out, though the scream continued. Stef ran over to the back door of the car and tried to peak in, though it was difficult due to the way the car had been smashed.

The scream finally stopped, so Stef tried again. "Mariana!" She made her way over to the other side of the car in the hopes that she would have better access. When she got there, she stopped short at the sight.

"Jesus?" She called out to her son whose head was hanging out of the window, blood caked on his face. "Jesus? Baby." Stef said, quieter this time as she made her way towards her son. As she reached out to touch his face, she was pulled back by a paramedic.

"Officer don't touch him. We need to stabilize his head."

Stef was so wrapped up in the sight of her children that she forgot that she was there as an officer.

"Officer?" The paramedic asked, tilting his head in confusion as the blonde continued to simply stare at the boy.

Stef nodded and backed away, watching as the paramedic began to assess her son.

"Pulse is weak but there. Need a stretcher, brace, and fluids." He called out, causing Stef to release the breath she had been holding.

He's alive.

"Mommy!" Mariana's plea pulled Stef out of her trance and she jumped into action, turning towards the back of the car.

There, pinned under the roof of the crushed car, covered in blood, was her baby girl.

"Mari, baby!" Stef cried out, hoping the girl would be able to hear her.

At the sound of her mother's voice, Mariana tried to turn her head, but screamed out in pain.

"Shhh baby. You're ok. Don't try to move." Stef explained as she looked around for another paramedic. "Mommy is right here, baby girl. We're gonna get you outa there." She assured her daughter.

Three other paramedics made their way towards Stef rolling two stretchers.

"Ma'am." One of them said gently placing a hand on Stef's shoulder. Having heard her talking to the girl, they all knew she was the mother to the children in the car and needed to be talked to like a parent, not like a police officer.

Stef looked up at the woman who smiled at her. "Is this your daughter?"

Stef nodded almost robotically as the paramedics began to assess the scene.

"Mommy!" Mariana's voice cut through Stef's heart and the mother turned her attention back to her daughter.

"Ma'am I know you want to help her, but you need to let us do our job." The paramedic said, trying to pull the blonde away from the car.

"Mommy where are you?!" Mariana called out again when she didn't hear a response.

"I'm right here, baby. Mariana I am right here!" Stef replied, almost forgetting that there was a paramedic holding onto her arm.

"Mariana." The paramedic began, hoping to soothe both the girl and her mother. "My name is Lisa. I'm a paramedic. Can you hear me?"

"Yeah." a small voice responded.

"Ok sweetie. My friends and I are gonna get you out of there but you're gonna need to help us out. You think you can do that?" She asked.

"Where's my mommy?" Her voice sounded small.

"She is waiting right here for you. So let's get you out so you can see her, ok?" The paramedic asked gently.

"Ok."

"Great job, sweetie!"

As the paramedic began to ask the young girl questions in order to best decide how to get her out, Stef felt a buzzing in her pocket. Slowly, hahnds trembling, she pulled out her phone and looked down at the screen.

Did you make it to the scene? Will you be home by dinner? Stef sighed at her wife's text but didn't reply. She wanted to have something more to tell her when she finally called her- knowing the mother would want to be here, but still thinking about three other children.

"Ma'am?" Stef was pulled out of her thoughts as Lisa walked back over to her.

"Sorry what?" Stef tried to concentrate.

"I asked if you knew the driver. Was she related to you?" Lisa asked gently.

Knew? Was? Stef swallowed thickly. "Uhh yeah. She uhh.." She didn't really want to explain the relationship at the moment. "Is she ok?" She finally asked.

Lisa closed her eyes for a moment and looked back up at Stef with remorse.

That's all Stef needed to know to understand that Ana didn't make it.

But Stef couldn't focus on her right now. She needed to focus on her children.

"Officer?" Stef was once again pulled out of her dazy thoughts by the paramedic.

"Hmm?"

"I said we're taking your son in the first ambulance now. Would you like to go with him or stay with your daughter?"

Stef looked back and forth at her two children. She wished Lena was there with her to help her think straight. However, Mariana's sudden cry made her decision. "I'm going to stay here. I'll tell my wife to meet the ambulance at the hospital." She determined- knowing she now had to tell her wife the terrible news.

"Alright." Lisa answered and gave the ok to the ambulance driver before walking back towards Mariana. "I'm gonna need you to stand back so we can get the jaws of life in here." She said gently, knowing that the mother was already terrified.

Stef nodded before walking over towards the car to reassure her daughter before calling her wife. "Mariana, baby." Stef called out.

"Mommy I'm scared! Please- please mommy help me!" Mariana begged and Stef's heart broke.

"Baby the paramedics are gonna get you out and I'm gonna call Mama. Then we're all going to go see Jesus, ok?" Stef tried to use the names of her family in order for the girl to comply.

"Mommyyyy" Mariana wailed- breaking Stef's heart even more.

"My sweet girl." Stef said, tears now flowing down her cheeks, "I'll be right here when they're done." She said before looking at Lisa to instruct her to continue. She knew they needed to work fast so she could physically get to her daughter.

Once Lisa and the rest of the paramedics began to work on getting Mariana out, Stef pulled out her phone. She knew this was going to be a difficult call and that Lena would want to be with Mariana, but truthfully, she needed her to be at the hospital in case anything happened with Jesus. She would never forgive herself if anything happened to him and no one was there.

"Hey babe! You coming home already?" Lena answered the phone happily after seeing her wife's name on the screen. Little did she know that happiness would soon be gone.

"Uhh no. I... um" Stef stammered. She hadn't thought out what she was going to actually say to her wife when she dialed her number.

"Stef? What's wrong?" Lena asked, stopping what she was doing and giving all of her attention to her wife. "Stefanie!" She exclaimed after only a moment of science, because it felt like ages.

"Uhhh there.. there was a car accident." Stef began, knowing she just needed to continue in order to get it out without breaking down.

"Who?" Lena began but Stef continued.

"Mariana and Jesus." Stef heard Lena gasp but she continued to speak. "I dono how. Ana's dead. Jesus is on his way to the hospital now. I'm staying here with Mariana until they can get her out of the car. I need you to go to the hospital." Stef spoke quickly, hoping to keep her emotions at bay a little while longer.

"Wha... how... Oh my god." Lena stammered as she threw a hand over her mouth, feeling like she was about to be sick.

"Lena!" Stef raised her voice in order for her wife to hear her. "I know you're scared, but I have to stay here with Mari and that means I need you to go to the hospital with Jesus." Stef instructed, knowing she had to be the tough one at the moment.

"Ok." Lena replied quietly, trying to pull herself together at the sight of her other children entering the room after her outburst. "I love you. Tell Mari I love her and I'll be waiting for her." Lena ended before Stef could reply, not able to handle her wife's voice again without breaking down.

"Mom?" Jude was the first to speak after a few moments of silence.

Lena took a deep breath, wiped the tears that had fallen and turned to her children. "Ok. I don't want any of you to panic, but the twins were in a car accident."

As soon as the words left her mouth, she could see the tears forming in all of her children's eyes, making her own tears form once more.

"But mom said they're going to be ok. She is with Mariana and we need to go to the hospital to be with Jesus. Ok?" She continued as she angrily wiped her tears once more and mustered up a small smile. "Ok so come on." She continued as she grabbed her purse and started walking towards the front door.

Silently, the three children followed their mother, knowing it was best not to say anything, but taking comfort in one another as their emotions took over.