AN- I can't believe tonight is the season finale! I am already counting down the days until it comes back on! I am going to be so sad tonight if Callie doesn't get adopted.. Anyways this isn't a perfect story, I am doing it for fun in my spare time. I am sure there is an error or two. It's so darn hard proof reading your own stuff because your brain automatically corrects it. Though I did find a few mistakes and fixed them. Well I hope you enjoy this.
Stef Foster's hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles were know white. However it seemed to be the only way to keep her arms from shaking. Her eyes focused on the road. Focused on getting home. Focused on getting home, to the safe haven of their home. She wanted to get home, lock the doors kiss her babies hold her wife and never let go.
Her boys were already at home, with the doors locked waiting for the girls to come home. The car ride was seeming to take forever and was very quiet expect for the tiny sobs that was coming directly behind her from Mariana. Her fifteen year old had been eerily silent for the last hour or two. It wasn't until they had gotten into the car and Stef had buckled her in to the back seat and kissed her forehead. In that moment Mariana lost it. She had thrown her arms around Stef and began to sob. It took a few moments for Stef to get Mariana to let go. She promised her she'd hold her in arms as soon as they got home. This was enough to get her to let go, but not enough to get her to stop crying.
Stef cast a glance at Lena, who had her head rested against the window and her eyes glued to the road, lost in her own head.
Stef looked in the rear view mirror to catch a look at her little girls. Mariana of course was curled up the best she could be with a seatbelt. Trying to catch her breath and fighting off sobs. Stef saw Callie's hand on Mariana's shoulder. Callie had her head resting against the head rest and her eyes closed. Yet she was still trying to bring comfort to her crying sister. Leave it to Callie to try and make everyone else feel better despite how she was feeling.
Mariana let out another shuddering sob drawing Stef's attention back to her. "Mariana, love take a deep breath. You're okay now."
Stef's voice seemed have cut into the world Lena had herself in. She hadn't seemed to hear Mariana's sobs until Stef drew attention to it. Lena sat up straighter and turned around and let out a little sigh "Oh Mariana" She threw off her seatbelt and climbed into the back to the seat between the girls. The minute Lena was sitting she unbuckled Mariana and pulled her into her arms while Callie as quickly as she could darted from the back seat to the front. Which did not go unnoticed by Stef or Lena.
Stef thought about scolding her passengers for playing musical chairs in the car while she was driving, and for not having their seatbelts on. However they had all just lived through one of the most horrific days in their life. A violent school shooting. They had just a few more blocks to go. She would just drive safe. However she wasn't willing to let Callie be up front without a seat belt. If the air bag went off. She shuddered at the thought.
"Callie, love put your seatbelt on please"
Callie shot her a glare that clearly said they didn't have their seatbelts on.
"Love, I don't want to argue with you, I will pull over and sit here until it's on." She said in her no nonsense voice. The one none of the kids messed with.
Callie let out a little sigh and nodded as she put her belt on.
"Good girl"Stef praised softly. Before the car fell silent again even Mariana's sobs had quieted now that she was in Lena's arms.
THE FOSTERS
Flash Back
Lena glanced at her watch as she made her way through the halls she had twenty minutes before she was supposed to observe in Mrs. Bailey's math class. That gave her time to get back to her office and finish up on some paper work. She liked when mornings ran like this. It was a rare morning she'd gotten up on time, had all of her kids up, fed and out the door early. The car ride was peaceful no bickering. No major fires to put out at school, no detentions given. Lunch was just a little over an hour away. Hopefully the afternoon would flow as easily as the morning had been going. She'd get out a little early or on time and take Callie down to the local theater for an informational meeting. She'd seen they were looking for student photographer. She would love to get her daughter into some activity. After the meeting her Callie could grab a couple of pizzas on the way home and have a peaceful relaxing night at home. The idea of it all sounded so wonderful she couldn't wait for it to actually happen.
As she continued to plan out her day and day dream about her evening she rounded a corner and found Callie at her locker. Her head practically in her locker.
"Hey sweetheart" She greeted her daughter cheerfully "What are you doing?"
Callie jumped at the sound of Lena's voice dropped her bag and cell phone to the ground and quickly slammed her locker before dropping down to get her cell phone.
"You scared me to death" Callie snapped in a tone Lena had never heard her use before.
"I am sorry" Lena smiled as she reached out to brush a fly away hair out of Callie's face only to have her duck and move to avoid Lena's touch.
Lena let her hand drop to her side it was moments like that she realized how hard it was on her kids to have her as their mother and vice principal. Clearly Callie didn't want her mom at that moment so Lena put on her vice principal hat.
"First thing after school today, I need you to come right to my office. You and I are going to an informational meeting down at Henderson Theater, and second thing why aren't you in class?"
Callie's eyes got big "What?!" She shook her head "No, I can't go to some dumb meeting today! I have plans"
"What plans?" Lena asked "You didn't talk to me about any sort of plans, did you talk to mom? She didn't mention you having any plans when she went over today's schedule with me."
"I didn't talk to her" Callie grumbled
Alright so maybe Callie did need her to be her mother at the moment. Lena shook her head "Let me get this straight, you have plans this afternoon that you didn't run by me or mom?"
Callie dropped her bag to the ground and leaned against the locker crossing her arms. "Yeah, I have plans"
"Care to tell me what they are?" Lena challenged
Callie shook her head "No"
"I am sorry Callie, you're not doing what you had planned. You're coming to my office and we are going to this meeting."
"What?! No! Not fair!"
"I am sorry slug a bug" Lena shook her head "You know the rules, unless mom and I approve the plans. You don't go"
"Are you never going to trust me again? Am I screwed for life?!"
Lena's eyes got wide in surprise "Callie!" Suddenly Lena felt her good easy flowing morning turning and turning very quickly.
"What?" The teen asked with a shrug
"Okay" Lena said holding up her hands. This was not the time or place to be arguing with her daughter about her after school activities. "When the final bell rings, you will be coming to my office, this is not open for any further discussion. Now please tell me why you are standing in the halls and not in your class room right now?"
Callie eyed Lena for a moment almost giving in and telling her what was going on when at last second she changed her mind and stuck her chin out. "Because" She added a shrug and an eye roll in.
"Callie, "Because" is unacceptable answer! I need a real answer right now! " Lena glared down at her daughter who was leaning against her locker. Arms crossed over her chest as she wore a defiant glare.
"I don't care" Callie snapped "That's all you're getting! I don't have to tell you anything!"
"Young lady" Lena shook her head "This is NOT the time to start testing me. Pick up your bag and go to your class! And know this conversation is far from being over"
Callie's chin stuck out further as she narrowed her eyes at Lena "Nope"
"Excuse me" Lena's jaw practically dropped.
"I said, no!" Callie shrugged
Lena closed her eyes for a minute trying to calm herself down. Part of her was ecstatic that Callie was pushing her. Testing her boundaries. She wasn't afraid of Lena. She wasn't afraid of being physically hurt, or being sent away. She wasn't afraid of standing up for what she was thinking. She was being a normal kid seeing how far she could push her mother. It was probably the first time in a long time that Callie felt safe enough to test waters. Sure she'd gotten angry before with both Stef and herself she'd even argued her point, but in the end she always gave up and complied to what was being asked of her. She always kept her emotions in check. Today was different. She could tell by the defiance stance her daughter was in. She was prepared to battle her mother. Prepared to see how far she could push the envelope. Testing to make sure that no matter how upset they got her parents would still be there.
"You're walking a thin line sweetheart" Lena finally replied calmly as she placed both of her hands on Callie's shoulders "If something is bothering you, I need you to tell me. I can't fix anything for you, if you don't tell me."
Callie rolled her eyes "Just go away, leave me alone! This is so stupid!" She said pushing Lena away from her. "This school is stupid"
"Why? Why is this school stupid?" Lena asked calmly "What changed from when we first got here this morning to now?"
"It was stupid when we got here" Callie mumbled
"Callie, if you can't talk to me, then I need you to go to class. You're not standing out here all day long"
"We'll see about that!"
"Oh young lady, you're getting in deeper."
"So what?"
"That's it! Go to my office, I am calling your mother."
"You're calling yourself?" Callie asked with a smirk.
"Move it" Lena snapped bending down to pick up Callie's bag as she pulled the girl off the lockers and pushed her to move down the hall. Yep it was official her day was quickly starting to veer off its peaceful course.
When they turned down the hall to Lena's office she spotted Mariana in the hall.
"Seriously? Are any of my children in their classrooms right now?"
"Mama" Mariana said softly, catching Lena off guard which turned her anger from one child into concern for another one. Marina never called her mama in the hallways of school. She looked like she was two seconds away from losing it.
"Hey, Miss Thing" She approached her wrapping her arms around her shoulder's. "What's wrong?"
Mariana rubbed her eyes "My head started hurting really bad."
"Migraine?" Lena asked "You haven't have one of those in years. Are you drinking enough water baby?"
"I don't know." She whimpered
"It's okay baby" Lena assured her "Come with me to the office, we'll call mom to come get you and your sister."
Callie rolled her eyes and gave a dramatic sigh as Mariana looked up "Is she not feeling good too?"
"No, I think Callie needs a nap, so I am going to give her a day suspension"
"Oh" Mariana groaned "That's going to suck more than my head hurting. Mom will be so mad. Maybe I'll stay here. I can nap on your office floor. That's better than mom being mad!" The last part of her sentence she turned to look at Callie shaking her head
"Don't be dramatic" Lena shook her head as she caught Callie rolling her eyes again.
"I swear Callie, if you roll your eyes at me one more time, I am going to start grounding you a week per eye-roll."
"Sorry" Callie mumbled under her breath as the three of them entered her office.
Lena unlocked her office and ushered the girls in shutting the door and relocking it. So she could talk to her daughters in privacy, and incase Mariana tossed her cookies she wouldn't be embarrassed if someone came in. "Sit babies" She instructed to the girls as she sat down in her own chair and narrowed her eyes at Callie "One last chance to tell me what is going on, before I call Stef and send you home for the day."
"Why can't you take us home?" Callie asked sitting up straighter
Lena raised her eyebrow "What?"
"Why can't you take the day off? You're child is sick, I am sure you can leave" Callie asked "Why do you have to involve Stef at all?"
"I can't Callie" Lena shook her head completely confused by Callie's attitude today. "Please talk to me sweetheart. What is going on with you?"
Callie crossed her arms over her chest. "Nothing."
Lena let out a sigh and picked up her phone dialing her partner's number it rang twice before she herd the lovely voice on the other line. "Stef, can you get a cover for the day?" She asked "I have two kids to send home with you? One sick one…" She looked at Callie "that needs in home suspension with her mother." She paused as she listened to Stef "Mariana is the sick one, Callie is the one that is screaming out for attention."
"Oh, I am not" Callie snapped as she looked at Lena "At least not from Stef!" She added with a smug smile and crossed her arms over her chest.
"Callie, I can't take you home" Lena exhaled as they herd some loud bangs and then screaming.
"What?" Mariana asked jumping in her seat as Callie's eyes got big "Those are gun shots!"
"Oh my god!" Lena jumped to her feet "Girls get on the ground" She yelled to her children but neither girl moved more fires were shot more screaming "Oh my God, Stef there is a gunman in the school! I gotta go" She hung up quickly before Stef could finish her sentence.