Over the next few days Stef began to observe the girl just like the girl seemed to be observing her. There was a cast on her right arm and a metal brace strapped to her right leg. Her cheekbone also seemed to have broken but was healing now - a slight swelling and discoloration was all that was left. A row of fading stitch marks indicated that her head had had a huge three inch gash as well.

It was apparent to Stef that the teen had been attacked. What Stef didn't know what whether it was intentional or just a case of wrong place at the wrong time. However Stef was beginning to believe that this was no accident for over the four or five days she'd been watching the girl she noticed that she never had any visitors, never really talked to anyone, didn't smile at the doctors or nurses and didn't really react much when they interacted with her. The young girl who couldn't be more than about fifteen or sixteen looked like she didn't have much to look forward to in life.

As Stef watched the brunette she wondered who she was. Did she have a family? Was it someone in her family that did this to her? Did anyone know she was here? Somehow Stef had the feeling that there was no one for the girl didn't even seemed to expect or hope for a visitor. Stef couldn't even imagine what life must be like for a girl like her - to be so young and so alone, in so much pain and still so strong, to never smile or even have a reason for it. Thinking these things she was so grateful that she'd gotten a hold of her twins while they were still so young. She often, especially when faced with a depressing incident at work, wondered what her children would have become had they not found each other. It made her realize all the more that their decision to have Mariana stay a little longer for a talk was definitely the right one.

"Why?" Mariana asked a little bit later. "Why am I the only one staying."

"Just to talk." Stef said gently before teasing her a little. "Talking to me isn't that bad is it?" She questioned.

But she got nothing but a blank, somewhat nervous look from her daughter.

"Honey, I just want to talk, that's all." Stef reassured. "We haven't really had a chance."

"I'm just going to drive the boys home and then come get you okay." Lena added. "I won't be more than twenty minutes."

"Fine." Mariana said, though she sounded less than thrilled.

With a reassuring smile Lena ushered the two boys out of the room to take them home. Over the last three weeks she'd come to understand a lot about her three children. Brandon, who'd always been the confident one had started to believe that nothing bad would ever happen to his family. Yes, he knew that the twins had come from a less than perfect family and suffered in a few foster homes as well but he believed that now that they were a part of his family, everything would be fine. Having his mom shot was definitely a huge blow to him. Jesus, though would often get a little wild had a strong protective streak about him. When the twins had first come to live with them this was clearly seen in the way he looked after his sister however Lena was beginning to realize that this wasn't just for Mariana - he would go out of his way for anyone in need. Mariana was the one that was worrying the two moms right now. She had gone from the confident, outgoing girl back to the insecure, timid child that had first entered their home and Lena was sure she had something to do with that. She'd been so angry with the twins for their part in Stef being shot that she forgot her children needed her just as much as her wife did, if not more. Since then she'd realized her mistake and understood the reason behind her kids' need to help their birth mother but the damage had been done and now it was Stef's turn to try and fix it.


"You know I love you, don't you?" Stef asked as she shifted a little in bed, making room for Mariana. "You know that none of this changes how much I love you." She added.

Mariana nodded, taking a tentative step closer to her mother.

"Come sit love." Stef invited gently. "Let me hold you for a bit."

Mariana did as she was asked though she sat rather rigidly on the bed and Stef wondered if it was from being afraid or just caution so as not to hurt Stef.

"My love, what happened wasn't your fault." Stef began as she pulled Mariana a little closer, ignoring the pain in her abdomen. "It was just an unfortunate series of events. No one thing led to this."

"I got in touch with Ana." Mariana mumbled, knowing that it was the one thing that started it all.

"You would have been in touch with her anyway. Mama was working on that." Stef pointed out.

Mariana remained silent because it was true. If she'd just waited and done it the way she was supposed to then maybe she could have avoided all this.

"We do understand why you wanted to know Ana and why you wanted to do it alone and we definitely understand why you wanted to help her." Stef assured as she combed her fingers though her daughter's hair. "We don't fault you for that one bit baby. The only thing I wish was that you felt like you could come to us sooner. I wish you didn't feel so bad about wanting to know your birth mom. It's okay to want to know, we don't mind."

A soft sob escaped Mariana's lips as she finally leaned in and relaxed against Stef, tears beginning to flow freely as a huge weight was slowly being lifted off her shoulders.

"I am proud of you for coming to us when Jesus wasn't answering his phone." Stef added, showing her that she is capable of making the right decisions. "I should have thought through the rest. That is not on you. I am a tried cop and I should have worn a vest and called for back up before going into that house. I knew better and my getting shot is not at all your fault."

Mariana nodded in acceptance and while it could be argued that it was because it was her own child in that house she hadn't been thinking straight but Mariana desperately needed the excuse and so she accepted it.

"I'm sorry." Mariana said, still feeling the guilt even though she knew her moms still loved her and that everything was going to be okay. "I'm just sorry it happened at all, whoever's fault it is."

"I know you are sweetheart, and so are we." Stef said. "I'm sorry I didn't think things though better and I know mama's sorry she was upset with you. She was scared and she wasn't thinking straight."

"I don't blame her." Mariana admitted. "I hated myself. I have two amazing moms and I ruined it."

"You didn't ruin anything." Stef said firmly. "We all made mistakes, the blame isn't all on you."

"I..." Mariana tried to word what she wanted to say. "I just hope you know, I hope it's clear that I'd pick you, over Ana any day." She finally said. "I wanted to know her but you're my moms and if I had to choose I'd pick you."

Stef smiled as she pulled her daughter in tighter, tears in both their eyes. Her side ached where her surgeries had been but she ignored it, unwilling to loosen her hold on the girl. She needed this just as much as Mariana and it had been three weeks overdue.

"I love you sweetheart, and I'll be home really soon." Stef said as she kissed Mariana on the head. "Don't you ever forget it."

"I love you too." Mariana smiled just as the door opened as Lena came back in.

"There's a smile I've missed lately." Lena said as she watched the two in the bed together. "We all good here?" She asked, though the scene in front of her gave her the answer already.

"Just fine." Stef assured as she planted another kiss on her daughter's head.


Stef watched as Lena and Mariana left, feeling so much better now that she'd had a chance to really talk to her daughter and clear some things up. Slowly, but surly, their family was picking up the pieces and they were falling back into place. In another week or two everything will go back to normal and Stef hoped to never see the inside of this hospital ever again.

It was then that Stef suddenly remembered the girl in the room across and she quickly glanced across to see what she was up to to once again find the her looking back. Only this time, instead of the blank stare she usually got Stef saw surprise and utter disbelief in the young girl's face.


Callie watched as the other mom took the two boys but left the nervous looking girl behind. It was obvious that the girl didn't want to be there. She was scared and uncomfortable and Callie wondered what would happen to her. She had obviously done something because no one looked that guilty for no reason and she'd come to the conclusion that whatever it was was what lead the blond in the hospital.

Callie observed as the woman called the child closer and she'd expected a lecture, maybe a yelling but instead she saw the woman painfully move over to make room on the narrow bed. She watched as the woman held the girl who cried and hugged her and comforted her. There didn't seem to be consequences, no yelling no hitting, not even a glance up to make sure no one was watching. It was honest and real and it ended with a hug and a smile. Whatever the girl had done - she was obviously forgiven. In that moment Callie began to dream what it would be like to be a child in that family.