AN: still don't own the fosters... Otherwise I'd be haveing a lot more time to write xD
2. Old friends
As silly as it might sound Jude is glad that it is finally Monday. This means he gets to go to school. Sure that's something he always liked but this time is special there. Two of his siblings had been grounded during the weekend. So being at home, was like walking thru a minefield. Thanks to Jesus he couldn't even find relive in his own room. All of this means he is walking thru the school halls without paying much attention, not till someone literally runs him over.
Jude: "Hay can't you pay some attention where you go when you're running?"
Okay he wasn't really being nice at the moment either. But all weekend long he had been dodging bullets and just loses it right now. When he decides to apologies, since he didn't pay attention either. He intends to help the person up after he got up, but just stands there shocked for a moment. He hasn't seen that girl in a year. Not since they left… He needs to push those thoughts beside. After all that is behind them now.
Jude:"Hey what are you doing here?"
He isn't accusing her, he is just surprised. She gets up on her own he pulls his hand back and goes looking for her skateboard, handing it to her after finding it. This is the first time she looks at him. Shocked he doesn't even give her time to answer but asks another question.
Jude:"And what happened to your eye?"
Sam:"Hey, It's a school what do you think I'm doing here? Nothing just got into a fight. How come you're here? Wouldn't have expected to meet you here."
After he explains to her how Lena is his Mum now and she congratulates him to getting adopted they both go their separate ways to class. He can't help being reminded of Callie when they were younger.
At lunch he decides to check up on the girl. After all he remembers just too good how it was like to always be the new kid. Other than him she couldn't have her brother with her. They never were considered a package deal due to him being death, definitely not since they shared a family with her.
But he can't find her. So he gives up and just goes to his sister.
Jude:"Callie you'll never guess who I meet today."
When he tells her, it is obvious Callie starts to worry. Not because she doesn't like her but because of where they last saw her. She had only been 7 then and if she was alone with him…
Callie can't help it now, that the girl is so close. She has to find out what happened after they had been removed from the Olmstead's home.
Just when she thinks she'll have to give up Callie notices a little girl leaving school grounds on the back. Running up to her Callie catches her fast.
Callie:"Hey I heard you're in town. How have you been? Just as a warning ditching usually doesn't end too well here."
She can't say what she really wants to know. But maybe she will get her answers anyway. She also feel the need to warn the girl that is probably just as used to not being missed as she once had been. But if Lena knows her background she will be right on her back for this.
Sam:"Yeah Bill thought I need a better school, as if he'd really care. Oh yeah? Think you're new Momma won't like it? Tough for her, won't be here that long anyway?"
Right when she starts talking, Callie noticed the black eye. Obviously she is in trouble… but she can't really think about running away at her age, can she? It usually isn't like the kid gets to chose when they are moved.
Callie:"What happened? Is the family that bad? How do you intend to leave?"
Callie is honestly getting worried. This girl had come into the system even younger than Jude had been and she had had no one unless she was lucky with foster siblings.
Sam:"Look Callie I found a way to leave after you told me to. It works perfectly! Sure I'll spend some time at the hospital but that'll give Bill time to find a new place."
Now Callie is really worried. Is Sam truly thinking about injuring herself?
Callie:"What are you going to do?"
Sam just starts to eat almonds. Shows one to her and grins. For a moment Callie is confused. Just when she opens her mouth to ask about what that is going to do, she remembers when they just moved in with the Olmsteads the little girl not being able to breathe. She has asthma and she is allergic. After Callie realizes that she looks at Sam.
Callie:"Did you're take any meds today?"
After the girl shakes her head with a huge grin, Callie inwardly curses. She gets her phone out and calls Stef. While holding in to Sam with one hand she tells her Mom where they are and that they need someone to get the girl into ER immediately. Stef being home with Jesus is with them in a few minutes. With Callies help Sam ends up in the back seat of the car.
Sam:"Callie don't! How can you? You ruined my plan."
Callie doesn't even bother to answer. Having seen the girls eye she can Imagine how bad the family has to be. She can't have been with them for more than a few days and already looka like that. But other than Sam Callie knows she can trust her Mums to make sure she'll be safe.
Once they get to the Hospital Callie doesn't leave the girl's side. She still has a bad conscious for when they had to leave her behind. With Liam… At that time Sam only had been 7. Callie would never be able to forgive herself if Liam did to Sam what he had done to her.
Both girls are sitting on a hospital bed, now that the child had gotten medical attention. Callie having her arm around the little ones shoulder. Sam is upset; she shouldn't have been at the hospital that fast. Sure she would have gotten cortisone shot anyway but if Callie wouldn't have interfered she'd have been unconscious by then. This way she had to suffer thru it.
After calling Lena and Bill about the situation and informing Bill of the signs of abuse she saw on the girl and what Callie told her, Stef comes back into the room.
Stef:"So, how about you tell me, what made you desperate enough to do something like so drastic?"
Sam:"It's the only way to chose when I leave a home. I don't like it there so I decided to leave."
Before Stef can ask any more questions, a doctor comes in to check the girl's vitals. When after some struggle the shirt is lifted to check on her breathing several more bruises are shown, a serious one right next to her spine.
Doctor: "So at least you're stable again. But you will have to stay the night."
He informs the girl and glances at Stef. He obviously wants to say more but probably will be filing a report. Once they are alone again Stef takes the word.
Stef:"You deciding to leave. Does that have anything to do with your eye and the bruises?"
After Sam just nods Stefs eyes grow in anger. Who does that to such a small child? Callie just pulls her former foster sister a little closer.
Stef:"Who did that to you?"
She needs to know. So she can fill in or rather tell of Bill later for placing that poor girl with such parents.
It seems like forever before the still bumped out and by now obviously exhausted girl responds.
Sam:"Alicia"
Before Stef can ask anything more Lena arrives, directly followed by Bill. Stef excuses them and pushes the other two adults right back into the hall so she can fill them in. During that she also finds out that Alicia apparently is a child herself. So the Family's 10 year old birth daughter had caused all of that. When Bill goes back into the room, to talk to the girl, Stef holds Lena back so she can't follow him right away.
Stef:"I know it's stupid, but we can't let her go back into the system. Look what she did to get out of there. She could have died.
Lena:"Stef I know what you mean but we can't we really don't have the space."
Stef:"I think we have to find it, look at them."
She points at the girls thru the window. It is true Callie seems to care about that girl. She is treating her just as carefully as she does with Jude. At the moment Callie is getting her to lay down and helping her calm. That is when Lena definitely crumbles as well. They have been enlarging their house a little, building a room for the two of them downstairs and one more upstairs. The plan had been to grant each child his/her own room but that won't work now. Plus it will take some more time for those rooms as well as the two new bathrooms to be done. So for some time the girls will have to stay in one room, all three of them. But looking at Callie she won't mind and they are sure they can convince Marianna, since it definitely is only temporary. Although they won't plan again to take someone in till they find a permanent home, they both knew better now and this had to be the last. Sure Brandon will be off to College in just a few years but still, six children are more than enough. They truly are like the Brady bunch. They agree to make sure to get a bunk bed for the girls' room before Sam will be coming home with them. Yes they still need to talk to Bill but that probably will be no problem. When they go back into the hospital room Sam is just falling asleep. Once she is fast asleep Stef gives Callie some money and tells her to go and eat something. This gives the Mums a chance to talk to Bill, although he beats them to it.
Bill:" I know you already have five but…"
Lena:"Bill stop it, we want her. She can't go back or she might actually kill herself"
Lena cuts him off. After the Mothers explain him their plan and he informs them on details and promises to bring over the file later, Bill has to say goodbye.
He is getting more and more upset. He had taken over most cases from a former college and Family after family who already had been approved turns out to be abusive, some in them worst ways. Sure here it was their own daughter this could have been a new problem but he still doesn't like the fact that he has to redo all the work that had done by someone before him. He is just Glad that the girl didn't had managed to kill herself.
The mothers are discussing everything. Lena agrees to go home so Jesus won't be alone for too long, they both know that isn't the best situation there could be. Stef decides to stay with Sam.
Lena will have Brandon and the other kids get the Bed and set it up, Callie has already agreed to it and Lena will be talking with Marianna before. They'll probably have to give her one of the new rooms for that but they have intended to separate them anyway. Although now two will still have to share and it can't really be Sam, the age difference is to big there. So they will have to talk to the four who are sharing a room now.
After Lena and Callie have left for home Stef takes a chair and sits down next to the girl. Around dinnertime just when Stef thinks she will have to wake her she stirs on her own. Looking a little shocked Sam keeps a close eye on Stef but before she can open her mouth Stef starts talking.
Stef:"Hey, do you feel better?"
Sam nods her answer still being a little sleepy she has to work her voice up first.
Sam:"What are you doing here?"
Stef:"you'll come home with us."
Sam:"That doesn't answer my question."
Sam points out, but is glad both Callie and Jude have assured her they are great mothers, not always fun but loving and caring and there is no real risk of getting hurt. Meaning she will get a break for now, that definitely is a good thing.
Stef:"We don't leave our children alone at the hospital."
While saying that Stef gently pushes the lose hair out of Sam's face. Just a moment later Sam gets her dinner. Stef will get herself something once the girl went back to sleep.
The next morning Stef gets to take the newest addition to their family home.
