Stef and Lena woke up at 6:00, they got up to get ready for the day but decided to let Callie sleep a little longer.

"What are we going to do about Callie?"

"I don't know, I want to take her to the doctor even if she is feeling better, just for a checkup. But I don't know how she is with doctors, she didn't freak out to badly, but the dream she had last night may have been triggered by talking about going to the doctor. Remember the little girl Delaney that we fostered for a few months? She was terrified of doctors, because of something that had happened with a previous foster home, I'm just worried Callie might be the same way."

"Yes, I could never forget that precious little girl, if Callie has some of the same fears as Laney had, we will just have to work with her, and help her through them."

"I know, I just don't like putting our kids in situations they are uncomfortable with."

"I know baby, I don't like it either, not one bit."

An hour later everyone was sitting around the table eating breakfast when Callie walked into the kitchen, and took a set at the table.

"How are you feeling, slug a bug?"

"I feel a lot better, my stomach still hurts a little bit, but nothing like it did last night."

"That's good sweetie, you had us worried. We will have to keep an eye on you, but it looks like it was just the 24 hour bug that has been going around. Do you feel well enough to go to school today?"

"Yeah, I think I will be fine."

Callie looked down at the table and saw pancakes, she scrunched her nose up.

"Would you like me to make you some toast?"

"Yes please, I feel better, but food just doesn't sound good right now."

"That's fine something light would be good right now anyways."

"Ok kiddos, we are leaving in 5, finish eating and get your stuff."

"Stef?"

"What Bug?"

"Umm… Never mind."

"Callie, tell me what you were going to say."

"Well, um I was just going to ask if I could have some more medicine, but I don't really need it."

"Hey, when you are sick or in pain taking medicine is ok, and you need to tell Lena or I when you need some. Here you go, this should help, now go get in the care."

"Thanks, Stef."

"It's fine baby, now go but if you have a hard time at school find Lena."

"I will."

Callie made it all the way to lunch, she was now sitting outside at a lunch table, but she didn't want to eat. Her stomach was bothering her a little, and the thought of food just made her nauseous.

She took her lunch out of her bag, but she just sat there playing with it, she couldn't make herself eat. She knew if she did she would more than likely end up getting sick. She just wanted to get through the day, and go home and sleep.

She hadn't gotten a good night sleep the night before, with being sick and her nightmare, she was still exhausted from the events.

She threw her food back in her bag and stood up, walking to the bathroom.

She sat down on the toilet seat and when she knew she was in privacy, the tears started pouring down her cheeks. She was so stressed out, she had tests coming up in two different subjects and now on top of that she is sick. She let Stef and Lena see her cry last night, she hates seeming weak in front of people, she hates letting people know that she needs help.

The stress was getting to her, she still felt sick on and off all day, but she was worried, she didn't want to tell Stef and Lena she was still sick. Better yet that she has been sick for a lot longer than last night.

She was mad at herself for letting them see her in pain, she was mad that she had acted so helpless. She was guilty they had to take care of her. If only she acted like she was asleep when Stef came in to check on them, she could have gotten through the night without them finding out.

But she didn't know how long she could have kept it up, the pain was getting so bad.

Callie sat in the bathroom until the bell range, she got up and splashed her face with water, getting rid of the evidence that she had just been crying. Well, she tried to get rid of the evidence but her eyes where still puffy and red.

She walked out the bathroom door, heading to class and just her luck. Lena

"Callie sweetheart, are you ok.?"

"Yeah, I have to get to class now."

"No, Callie come to my office."

Callie's shoulders shrink as she followed Lena to her office, she was going to argue that she needed to go to class but she knew it would be no use.

When they got there Callie sat down in the chair, and Lena sat behind her desk. "Callie what's going on, do you not feel well."

"I feel fine, I'm fine, nothing is wrong."

"Callie, please don't lie to me, I know you were crying."

"I'm just tired and stresses that's all."

"Care to explain why your stressed?"

"I don't know, life."

"Callie, baby, I want to help you but you have to open up to me and let me know what is going on so I can help."

"Lena, I don't want to talk about it."

"I can see that bug, Stef and I have told you 100 times and we will tell you 100 more times if we have to. You need to stop holding everything inside, we are here for you. And it's not healthy to keep everything to yourself, because eventually everything that has been bottled up just explodes. It will all come out at once, it will cause a break down. I will not get mad, I just want to know what is going on. I have all day, and I will sit her until you talk to me baby."

"I'm sorry Lena, this is kind of hard for me."

"I know it is, but as you start to open up it will get easier, I promise."

"I mean it's a few things, but it's really embarrassing."

"Bug, you don't have to be embarrassed to tell me anything."

"Lena, it's gross I don't want to tell you!"

"Callie, please I need to know."

"Well my stomach still kind of hurts, and… um. Well….. I also have diarrhea." Callie looked down at the desk, blushing."

"Sweetie, you shouldn't be embarrassed to tell me that it was very important for me to know that. Now what else is going on?"

"Last night wasn't the first night that my stomach started hurting."

Lena sighed. "When did it start?"

"Well It actually started a few weeks after I came to live with you, it wasn't that bad though. It started out a tiny sharp pain in my stomach. I never really thought much of it, I figured it would go away, but it never did. It slowly got worse, last night it the worst it has ever been."

"Sweetheart, you know you should have told me before, this could have been serious."

"I know I'm sorry."

"Anything else going on?"

"Not really, I mean besides being stressed over having a History and Science test, and still being exhausted from last night."

"I'm going to call Stef, she can come pick you up. I think you have done enough for today."

"Are you sure? I mean I can finish school."

"No kiddo, it's fine you are clearly exhausted, and you can't focus on school when you are so tired."

"Just wait in here and I will be back in a few minutes."

Lena called Stef, who got to the school within 10 minutes. "What's going on with our Callie girl?"

"She is just so exhausted I figured it would be best for her to go home and get some rest. Stef, she opened up to be a bit today."

"Oh yeah? That's great."

"Yes, but she was keeping a lot from us, she has been sick for quite some time Stef.

"What do you mean? She was sick before last night?"

"She has been sick for months, it just now started to get bad."

"What are we going to do with that girl? Well this is even more the reason to take her to the doctor I will call them tonight. She can't have a stomach bug for a few months, I will tell her later though I don't want to stress her out before we have to, she will worry all night thinking about the doctor."

"Yeah, good call."

Lena and Stef walked into Lena's office. Callie was sitting in the chair with her feet hanging over the side of the chair, fast asleep.

"Awe my sweet girl, looks so cute when she is sleeping."

"I know I almost don't want to wake her, but she will be much more comfortable sleeping in her own bed rather than this tiny chair.

"Callie girl, wake up sweets."

Callie woke up, rubbing her eyes.

"Time to go home sweetie, and you can sleep in your comfy bed."

"I'm sorry I fell asleep."

"It's fine Callie, you really need to stop apologizing for things."

"Sorry."

"Callie?"

"Oh yeah, sorry. Wait, I mean…"

"Come on bug, let's go."

Once they were in the car Callie laid her head against the window.

"How are you feeling besides tired?"

"Fine I guess, my stomach still hurts, but it's more like achy then the sharp pain It was before."

"That's good, but you need to tell me if it gets bad again."

The rest of the drive was spent in silence, and by the time they got home Callie was half asleep. When they got inside Callie went straight upstairs to take a nap, she was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Stef took this opportunity to call Callie's doctor and make an appointment. She was hopping that they could fit Callie in for the next day, sometimes they are full and can't get kids in for a few more days.

Luckily she was able to get Callie in the next morning, and didn't have to wait. She decided to get a few things done around the house while Callie was sleeping, and before the kids got home.

About an hour later she heard a scream coming from Callie's room, she ran up to see what was wrong.

Callie was thrashing around the bed, crying and whimpering. She was having another nightmare.

"Callie it's ok, open your eyes, it's just a dream."

"No!"

"Callie, sweetie." Stef sat down next to her placing her hand on Callie's head. Callie flinched away from the touch.

"Please, don't make me leave, I'm sorry."

"Callie wake up." Stef shook her a little harder this time. Callie jerked awake from her nightmare.

"Stef, I'm so sorry."

Stef pulled Callie into her side holding her tightly. "Shhh… it was just a nightmare, your fine, nothing is going to happen."

"You're not going to send me away?"

"No, Callie why would you think that?"

"I didn't mean to get sick, I was trying to hide it, but I couldn't. I didn't mean to cause you so much trouble."

"Callie Bug, I love you, Mama loves you. We will never send you away, no matter what. It does not matter what you say or do. You have no control over when or if you get sick, this is not your fault. Mama and I don't want you to hide when you get sick, you need to tell us so we can help you. You are my baby, remember what I told you at my dad's funeral? I feel like I have 5 hearts running around outside of me, and one of those hearts is you baby. Ok, your stuck with us now, there is no getting away from us."

"I love you guys so much, but I'm still worried that this will turn out like every other foster home I have ever been in, and eventually I will do something to screw up and you and Lena will decide that you don't want to keep me anymore. Then I will go back to another horrible foster home. I don't want that to happen, this is the first home that I have ever felt safe in."

"And I will do anything in my power to make you feel safe. It's ok to be scared, it is. At least promise me that you will work with us, and try to start trusting us when we tell you that we are never letting you leave us?"

"I will"

"I love you to the moon and back my little princess. Close your eyes."

Callie snuggled even more into Stef's side and fell back to sleep. She stayed asleep until Lena and the kids got home, and Stef stayed by her side the whole time.

Lena walked into Callie's room seeing Callie asleep next to Stef. "She always looks so sweet sleeping, and I still don't want to wake her."

"I know we have one beautiful daughter."

"We got some food from the Mexican place, I don't know if Callie will be able to handle it but I can always make her something else."

"Ok, it would probably be good for her to eat something."

Stef shook Callie to wake her up. "Bug, where going to go downstairs and get something to eat."

"Not hungry."

"What did you eat today?"

"I had toast for breakfast."

"You didn't eat your lunch?"

"No, I'm sorry I didn't feel very well."

"Ok, well can you come down and at least try to eat something?"

"I guess."

The kids where all at the table, filling their plates with food.

"Callie would you like to try some of this chicken? It's probably the easiest thing for your tummy."

"Sure."

Jude came and sat next to Callie. "Are you ok Cal?"

"Yeah, baby. I still don't feel the greatest but I'm doing better."

"I'm worried."

You don't have to worry about me Jude, I'm going to be fine. Did you have a good day at school?"

"Yeah, I got a good grade on my math tests."

"That's great buddy, I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks."

Lena placed the plate of chicken in front of Callie. "Her you go Callie, try to eat as much as you can."

Callie sat there pushing her food around for a few minutes, before eating a bite. She ate a few more bites before pushing her plate away. If she ate another bite she was going to puke, just the smell was making her nauseous.

"Is that all you're going to eat Callie? Can you try a few more bites?"

"I can't do it."

"Do you feel sick?"

"I just feel really nauseas, I really don't think I can eat another bite without puking."

"Ok, we will try to get more food in you tomorrow. This is fine for now."

"May I go to my room now?"

"Yes you may sweetheart."

Callie spent the rest of the night in her room resting and doing homework. She heard a knock on the door and Stef and Lena walked in.

"Callie we need to talk to you for a minute."

Callie immediately thought the worst case scenario. Lena saw the fear on her face.

"You're not in trouble Bug."

Callie let out a breath that she didn't know she was holding. Lena sat at the end of Callie's bed and Stef sat down next to Callie. She figured it would probably be best to just say it, and not hold back. That would only cause Callie more worry and fear.

"I called your doctor today and made an appointment for you."

Callie's started breathing heavier as she looked at Stef. "Why I'm fine? I'm not sick anymore."

"Callie sweets, your still sick, we need to make sure everything is fine."

"No, please don't make me go!" At this point Callie had tears running down her face.

"This is for your own good, love"

"Please, I will do anything, I will be good please don't make me go." Callie pulled her knees up to her chest and started rocking back and forth.

"Baby, why are you scared of the doctor? No one is going to hurt you there."

"You don't know that!"

"Bug, did a doctor hurt you before?"

Callie sat there in silence and continued to rock back and forth

"I don't like doctors."

"I know kiddo, can you tell us why you don't like doctors so we can help you?"

"I can't"

"You can baby."

"No, I don't want to please don't make me! Not yet."

"Will you tell us in the morning?"

"I will try."

"Hey sweetie come her." Stef pulled Callie into her side, her breath was still uneven and she was shaking. "Just breath, take deep breaths."

"My chest hurts."

"I know, just breath, follow my breathing ."

Lena moved to where she was sitting on the other side of Callie.

"I don't know why you are so afraid of going to the doctor, but Stef and I will be with you the whole time, nothing bad is going to happen to you."

"I'm scared"

"I know baby, why don't you go to bed and we will worry about this in the morning?"

"Ok, good night."

Lena kissed her forehead and moved from the bed, Stef brushed Callie's hair out of her face and did the same. Stef went to move, but Callie held her back.

"Please don't leave me, I don't want to be alone!"

"Oh, sweetie. Do you want me to sleep in her with you tonight?"

"I do, but I don't want to cause you any trouble."

"Do you want Lena in here to?"

"Umm… I mean it would be nice, but I at least want one person to be here so I'm not alone, if Lena doesn't want to stay she doesn't have to."

"Lena walked back over anything for my Callie girl."

Lena tucked Mariana into her bed.

"Mama, is Callie going to be ok?"

"Don't where about her baby, I'm sure she will be fine. We just have to take her to the doctor to be safe."

"Ok, I just don't want anything to happen to here."

"She will be fine, now gets some sleep."

"Ok, I love you Mama."

"I love you more."

"But I love you the mostest."

"Whatever you say, Miss Thing."

Lena crawled in bed next to Callie, Stef laid Callie on the bed, so they were no longer sitting up, she pulled Callie back into her side. Callie curled into a ball, rubbing her finger on her nose.

"Sleep my little Callie Bug."

Callie fell asleep within two minutes. Tomorrow would be another long day thought Stef

Thank you for all the great reviews. If you like, please keep reading. I assure you this is not like any of the other "Callie gets sick" fanfiction. I will tell you now that it is different from anything you have read, Callie does not have the flu, cancer, or appendicitis. This story is somewhat based of true events, so I will be making it as realistic as I can. That means Callie will be going to more then one doctor, she might get a misdiagnosis, doctors might think it's all in her head. Some people go years of testing before getting diagnosed with chronic illness, I obviously am not going to drag it out a year, but maybe a few chapters. I don't want to jump right into it. Please give feedback, any ideas for future chapters? Just let me know.