"All right everyone," Captain Robert's voice filtered through the cramped meeting room. "Find a seat or rookies; make sure the wall doesn't fall down until we're done." The room was quickly quiet. Clicking a remote, Captain Roberts began the meeting, "so, after my fun, informative, amazingly helpful 36 hours spent at City Hall over the past four days," she rolled her eyes eliciting laughter from the assembled officers, "it's been decided the SDPD will now work 12 hour, rotating shifts." She paused as the officers glanced at each other. "That means roughly six shifts per pay period. Three will be nights, three will be days. 7:00-7:00," Captain explained.

Stef leaned back in the plastic chair, lacing her fingers together behind her head. Rotating shifts? She thought. "Damn," was the whisper.

Looking over at his partner, Mike furrowed his brow, "you ok?" He asked. "Just think, you and me get to spend the whole day together," he smiled.

"That didn't even cross my mind," Stef replied. The administrators sitting in their third floor office analyzing data certainly outdid themselves with this one. Sted half listened to the rest of the meeting. As officers began to stir and Captain Roberts dismissed them, Stef leaned to Mike, "get me a travel cup out of the kitchen, I need to speak with the Captain before we start. I'll meet you by the cruiser in 15?"

Mike shrugged, "I'm on it."

"Captain," Stef stood, walking beside her as she made her way towards her corner office, "do you have a minute?"

Captain Roberts motioned for Stef to follow her, "sure, Foster," she began, "I actually wanted to speak with you anyway."

Lowering her head, scanning through the past few weeks, Stef couldn't brainstorm wjy Captain Roberts would want to meet with her, "OK." Closing the door behind them, Stef sank into the chair in front of the Captain's desk, "ma'am, I cannot at this moment possibly switch to that schedule." Her thoughts wandered to the last month. She and Lena were exhausted with two of them. "There are some things going on at home, and I cannot in good conscious pin all of it on Lena. Even if I work only six nights a month," Stef explained. Shaking her head Stef continued, "I hate to even bring this up but my Union contract stipulates clearly an eight hourwork day-"

"I know, but save it, Foster," Captain answered. "I'm sorry for whatever issues you're dealing with, I'm sympathetic even. There's just nothing I can do about it. I can give you six weeks, phasing this in slowly, but it has to be done."

Stef let that sink in. Captain Roberts was a good leader. She held the respect of all those who worked under her, and Stef was no exception. "I don't know," she replied a bit skeptically. Callie did have that evaluation this week. Echoing the silent wishes of Lena earlier this morning, Stef hoped like hell the doctor would discover at least part of Callie's problems.

"That's about the best I can offer," Captain told her. "However, I do have something else for you to consider," she began. Waiting until Stef's eyes met hers, Captain Roberts continued, "over the past six months your name has come up quite often for a promotion to Detective." Captain smiled at Stef's surprised expression, "more specifically SVU Detective." That of course was a longer term project but many of Captain's colleagues had on multiple occasions batted Stef's name around during meetings.

Stef tilted her head to the side, "that'd be interesting," she allowed. Detective's hours were at times insane but it was more stable than this alternating shifts crap. Plus, pay raise.

"It's something to think about, plan towards," Captain advised shuffling papers on top of her desk. "Nothing is official yet, but it could be by the end of these six weeks," she shrugged. "All right, Foster, I have work to do, you have tickets to write and kittend to rescue," she grinned at the officer.

Stef rolled her eyes and returned the Captain's smile, "OK Lena," she stood laughing. The day after Lena informed Stef tickets and kittens were her idea of police work, she'd shared it with Captain Roberts. "Thanks for your time ma'am. Hopefully things at the house settle down," she said with a wave.

"Jesus, what is our objective for today?" Lena asked pulling into the Anchor Beach parking lot. She looked in the rearview mirror waiting for an answer from her son.

Jesus looked toward Brandon who shrugged, "I have no clue what you're talking about," he answered honestly.

Lena sighed, blinking her eyes. They were dry from being over tired but drops would have to do. "Be-"

"Kind," Jude interrupted enthusiastically. Callie rumpled his hair, and folded the collar of his shirt.

"Exactly," Lena smiled turning toward the backseat. "Let's be kind, be good, and be smart," she instructed. "Excellent, Jude," Lena praised. The Fosters unloaded themselves from the car. Jesus took off on his skateboard. Marianna spotted her clique as Jude waved to a smiling Connor. Brandon turned toward the East Corridor to what Lena imagined would end up being a ten minute piano session. Callie walked along the sidewalk heading into the main office. Lena took a few jogging steps to catch up with her, "hey, Callie, hold on a sec."

Callie stopped walking, but refused to look toward Lena, "yeah?" She questioned.

"I just wanted to check in," Lena started walking with Callie into school. They had this talk at least four out of the five school days. "You doing all right?"

Nodding, Callie glanced around the courtyard, "I'm good." She kept her eyes trained on the sidewalk.

"Yeah," Lena answered almost to herself. The duo came to the fork in the hallway, "you know where to find me, yes?" Callie nodded, walking away. Lena stood, arms folded and watched her go into a classroom.

"God, Mar when is Raggedy Ann going to get some new clothes?" Kelsey asked laughing. The girls were in a circle socializing until the last possible minute.

Marianna's eyes narrowed. She should tell Kelsey to shut up or at the very least not join in with the laughter. Instead she rolled her eyes, "I offered to let her borrow some of my things, but she refused." Marianna shrugged, "said it wasn't her style."

"That's because she has no style," Amanda quipped with a giggle.

Lexi elbowed Amanda in the side, "be nice," she urged. Her eyes scanned the school yard. Finally, catching a glimpse of a streaking Jesus, Lexi headed toward home room. "Besides, Mari, what do you have that would fit her? She's not exactly petite," she judged pulling more laughter from the group of girls.

Jesus opened his locker, catching the stray papers that fell like an avalanche. He shoved his board into the locker before grabbing a text book. No amount of medication would make him a neat freak. Jesus preferred comfort over formal, easy over hard and Lexi Rivera over any other girl at this school. He smirked as Lexi began to open her locker only a row down the hall from his. "Lexi," he called.

"Yeah," Lexi turned her dark eyes to meet his.

"Hey, I need to work a little bit on my kills at lunch time. Are you by any chance free? You know how much I enjoy being set up by you," Jesus flirted.

Lexi's cheeks burned much as they did any time her best friend's counterpart interacted with her. She grabbed the book she needed and shut the locker, "sure," she answered. "The courts at lunch time," she clarified with Jesus. "It's a date," she grinned. Jesus nodded, returned her smile and booked it upstairs and into home room just before the tardy bell rang.

"Rough weekend Ms. Jacobs," Timothy's voice pulled Callie from the vacant stare she'd managed for the entire twenty five minutes she'd been in English. She mumbled a sheepish apology.

"Sir, I think what Callie meant was your lesson is so exciting she's enthralled," Wyatt joked.

Timothy grinned, "I assumed such." He brought up a document on the iPad, "OK ladies and gentlemen our next novel will be Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. "Take one pass them down," he handed the books to the class. "For all of you who enjoy the dark and twisted, you are in for a treat. Please have the first two chapters read for tomorrow and write an entry in your journals. Maybe be thinking on the idea of suffering we cause in pursuit of something," Timothy instructed. "You'll find that a prevailing theme of this novel and really this time period in general," he taught.

"Embrace the suck," Callie mumbled. She flipped the pages of the book.

"Ms. Jacobs?" Timothy asked.

Talia answered after Callie refused to repeat herself, "she said 'embrace the suck,'" she shrugged. Callie glared at her. "What?" She asked. "That's what you said. I heard it."

"Whatever," Callie replied. She was tired and her throat ached. Embracing the suck was a quote she'd heard a few years back on some television show. It had become sort of an anthem for her. Thankfully, the bell rang effectively ending the conversation. Transferring classrooms, Callie sought out Jude, "Jude," she called waving as her younger brother turned. "Today going OK?" She asked as she caught up with him.

Jude smiled up at his sister, "yeah, I have a test this period though so my fortunes may change."

"Do your best and take your time, buddy," Callie encouraged giving his shoulder a squeeze. "See you after while."

Callie proceeded towards her Algebra class. Before she turned the corner, a loud snap startled most everyone in the hallway. However, Callie was more than startled. The noise caused her to cry out and curl into a ball, cover her head with both hands and press her body to the lockers. There was some commotion around her but she was unable to move. "Jude," she heard her frantic voice yell. This could not be happening again. Callie felt the numbness overtake her body as she willed herself motionless. After what seemed like an hour but in reality was less than thirty seconds, the deep breathes Callie was forcing herself to take began to reveal something wasn't right. Instead of the smell of bacon grease and old coffee, Callie smelt nothing. Her arms developed goose bumps as she peeked from behind her protective cover. Oh no, she thought clenching her eyes shut.

"Yo," she heard Jesus, "Callie, are you OK?" He asked bending down.

Callie risked unfolding herself. She was in the hallway at Anchor Beach, not in the kitchen of her childhood home. "I'm sorry," she began to apologize to Jesus. He helped her pick up her novel and pencil Before she could stand, she was looking into the green eyes of Brandon, the oldest Foster. "I'm sorry," she repeated, her voice unsteady. "I thought there was a gun," she explained finally finding the strength to kneel.

"Idiot," Brandon glared at Jesus, "it was a stupid firecracker thing you snap on the ground. Jesus thought it'd be funny."

Jesus supported Callie's back as the crowded hallway thinned a bit, "I am so sorry."

Shaking her head, Callie pulled herself up. "Everyone, class, now," she heard some adult order. Leaning against the lockers, Callie eyed Jesus then Brandon. "Come on," the teacher yelled. "You are all tardy!"

Brandon took Callie's shoulder in an effort to get her to start walking toward the classroom. Before managing a step though, he noticed a dark spot on her jeans. "Did you sit in something?" He asked.

Callie's eyes widened, mortified. She'd wet herself. This was the second time this had happened. The infirmary in juvie had said she had an anxiety attack. Looking at Brandon, Callie shook her head, not trusting her voice. Brandon stepped back, confused. The hallway was almost empty except for Brandon, Callie, two random students and a teacher. This couldn't be happening, Callie groaned. She looked for a way out and found relief as Lena rounded the corner. "What's going on?" She asked marching towards them.

Lena glared down the hall as Leslie, the drama teacher filled her in. It seemed as of late if there was an incident, the way to discover the problem was to interview one of her children. She decided for the sake of Jesus' life she'd let her boss deal with him. Exchanging a concerned glance with Leslie, Lena approached Callie and Brandon, "hey, B. Thanks. Why don't you head to class. Callie will be there in a bit," she instructed. Brandon left Callie's side, reluctantly. "Hey, Sweets," Lena smoothed Callie's hair from her face. She took off her sweater and tied it around the girls waist before taking her by the hand into the office. "It's OK," she found herself assuring Callie again, the second time today. "Let's go into my office for a little bit," Lena lead Callie. "Thanks, Leslie," she called over her shoulder. "I'll find you later," Lena smiled at the young teacher.

Callie went into the bathroom attached to the infirmary. Knowing she'd be occupied for at least five minutes, Lena picked up her iPhone. "Major issues," she texted and sent to Stef. Shaking her head, Lena took a large drink from the bottle of water. She hoped the two of them were going to be able to handle all these issues.