AN: Before you read this chapter, I know that Callie and especially Jude may be OOC. However, while they love each other, Callie is not Jude's protecter in this story — they just lost their mom, and Callie has never had to protect Jude. So, they are very much brother and sister in this story and Callie is not her brother's keeper. I hope that makes sense and explains why they may seem OOC at times. Enjoy!


Callie went into the room she was supposed to sleep in, the room where her things were now housed, and tore through the boxes. She was looking for something, anything, that had been her mother's. She needed something close to her on this day. This horrible day she had already ruined by not thinking.

Callie felt the tears spilling down her face and she wiped them away angrily. She was tired of crying. She was tired of feeling hurt. She was tired of Jude acting like everything was her fault. She was tired of Mariana and her snide comments. Everything. She was so tired of everything. Nothing was ever going to be like it used to be.

"Cals, are you okay? You know what happened downstairs wasn't a big deal," Stef said, walking into the room and shutting the door behind her. She didn't need any of the other children eavesdropping. Not when Callie was on edge like she was — like she had been since moving in with them.

"I'm sorry about your coffee. I wasn't thinking. I'm stupid! How could I forget something like this? My mom is dead and that was not her coffee. It was a sort of a game we used to play. Every so often, my mom would put a cup of coffee at her spot at the table, always the same mug, so I would know it was for me, just nice, hot, black coffee. She would pretend it was for her, but I knew it was for me. Usually when I was going to have a big day, or when I was nervous, or really upset. The coffee mug was always …" Callie stopped when she finally found it, and pulled it out.

"Oh, sweetheart," Stef said, as she stared at a coffee mug that looked exactly like her favorite mug —a white mug with "I Donut Care" on it. The O was a donut — Lena had given Stef her's as a joke several years ago.

"I kept getting in trouble for stealing my moms coffee when she wasn't looking, so one day she told me she would make a deal — if I would stop stealing her coffee when I wasn't supposed to, she'd take me to the store and let me pick out my own coffee mug. The only catch was, I couldn't ask for the coffee. I couldn't steal sips of hers. I was only allowed to have it when she filled that mug with coffee and set it at her spot at the table. I didn't get it all the time. Usually on big days, like first days of school, or days after we had gotten into a fight or I had been punished. It was her way of letting me know they we were okay. That despite the fact I was trouble, I was still hers and she loved me," Callie explained to Stef as she looked at the mug in her hand.

"Today is a day she would have given you coffee, isn't it? Because it is your first day in a new school."

Callie nodded as she looked at the mug, a tear hitting it. Stef reached over and put both of her hands over Callie's, holding the mug as well.

"Callie, can Lena and I hold onto this mug?" Stef asked. Callie looked up at her and nodded, handing the mug to Stef.

"I don't want to go to school today," Callie whispered, staring again at the boxes, moving to continue her search for something of her mother's. She knew it would not be long before Lena would be trying to get everyone in the car and off too school. Now with two extra kids, it was bound to be even harder to get everyone to school.

"I know you don't. Lena knows you don't want to go, too. We know that it is going to be another hard day on top of an already very hard time you are having, and we are here for you if you need us. You can go to Lena at any time today. Okay?"

Callie nodded, but continued to look through the boxes. But, the truth was, she didn't have a clue what she was looking for. She sat back and looked back at Stef.

"Nothing is ever going to be the same. I forgot my mom was dead for a few minutes today. But nothing will ever be the same," Callie whispered.

"No, love, nothing will ever be the same. But it will get better."


Jude looked up at Lena and shrugged. She'd asked him why he had yelled at his sister.

The rest of the kids had immediately scattered when Stef had went after Callie. The ten year old looked down at his plate and just shrugged again.

"Talk to me, Jude," Lena said softly.

"She acts like mom isn't dead. Mom isn't coming back. Her and mom always used to fight, but they were really close. She got into a lot of trouble the day Mom died. When we found out about Mom, Callie kept saying it was her fault. That Mom wouldn't be dead if she would have acted right and had kissed her goodbye," Jude said quietly.

"Jude, sweetheart, Callie knows your mom is dead. It's normal to forget at moments that someone you love is gone. Callie has guilt you may not understand, but I promise you, she may not understand it either."

"I miss Mom, too," Jude whispered, a tear sliding down his face.

"I know you do, Jude. I know it. And its okay to miss your mom. I would be worried if you didn't miss her," Lena said, reaching over to hold Jude's hand in her own.

"Mom swatted Callie a couple times before she left that night. It was weird cause most of the time she would never do that in front of me. I don't know why they were fighting, but Callie said some not nice things to Mom when her and Dad were leaving. Mom always said that it wasn't my business or Callie's business when either of us were in trouble with her. But Callie got mad at Mom and told her she hated her after Mom swatted her. That is why Callie said it's her fault Mom died."

"Your mom sounded like a very wise woman, Jude. She was definitely right when she told you and Callie that it when one of you get in trouble it is between the person in trouble and the parents. It is the same here."

"Yea, I figured it was," Jude said, taking a drink from his glass. Lena knew the conversation was over at that moment.


The week was slow, but was a blur for Callie. She went to school and came home. She did her homework. She ate. Showered. Slept on the couch when Stef came down, though Stef had had to work nights a couple of days, so Lena had convinced Callie to come into their room and sleep — feigning the inability to sleep in an empty bed. Both women had been shocked Callie had agreed to it since Callie had been distant with Lena for the most part, but Lena didn't like sleeping on the couch. It killed her back, and she had no idea how Stef had continued to do it. The two women were very close to getting a cot or air mattress and putting it in their room, but had talked about it and decided against it. Stef and Lena were going to try to get Callie to start sleeping in her room over the weekend — Stef thought that maybe, if one of them laid with her until she fell asleep, that Callie might be more likely to sleep in her own bed. They knew part of Callie's problem was Mariana. Mariana, who had not been exactly welcoming. They had already grounded her, though Callie wouldn't know that. Callie barely could keep her days straight at times.

Though Callie wouldn't say she had made any friends, a boy in her class named Wyatt had taken to sitting with her in nearly every class they had together and at lunch. Callie had mostly ignored him, but he was growing on her. Somehow he knew Callie's mom had died, and knew what to say at the right times when Callie seemed sadder than usual. He was the only one she talked to at school unless directed to otherwise hold a conversation with someone.

By her fifth class Friday, Callie was thankful the week was nearly over and was deep in thought. She was behind in some of the classes, though she and Jude had both passed the entrance exams to get into the school.

Jude had actually aced the exam, only missing a few of the math questions. Lena was going to help Callie over the weekend to catch up. According to the vice principal, it would not take long for her to catch up. Callie was not so sure. She was having trouble concentrating in school, and that was just the beginning of her issues.

Jude was really getting on with Jesus. They both truly enjoyed playing video games, and Jude had brought his collection back to the house to join Jesus' own, which had excited the older boy.

Callie and Jude had always gotten along pretty well. Jude was a sweet kid and the two loved each other — but their mother's death had effected them both differently. Callie was taking it the hardest. Jude was taking it in stride. He missed his mother greatly, but he was also beyond upset that his father was still alive and he was in jail. Callie blamed their father for everything, and Jude was angry because of that.

Then there was Mariana. Mariana had more than made it aware to the entire household she was not happy about sharing her room. But Callie was not sure how she could distance herself from the girl any further than she already had. She stayed out of the room as much as possible. She kept her side clean. She slept downstairs. But Mariana was never happy with her. She said she stayed in the bathroom too long. She took too long to come out of the building after school. The list was endless.

Jesus and Brandon were pretty silent. Brandon was seventeen and spent all of his time with his girlfriend and practicing the piano. Jesus spent his time skateboarding outside or playing video games when Lena wasn't on him to do his homework.

They really were a normal family — except for the mere fact Callie and Jude didn't belong.

"Callie Jacob, please report to the vice principal's office," the intercom said, pulling Callie out of her thoughts.

"Ohhh, what did you do," Wyatt asked her. Callie rolled her eyes as she looked at him.

"Dunno. See you later," Callie said, grabbing her bag and heading towards Lena's office. She had no idea what Lena could possibly want, especially since they only had about two hours before they were supposed to head to her office before heading home anyways.


"Hi, Lena," Callie said softly, nervousness taking over a second later when she closed the door behind her and noticed the principal, Monte, and Stef was also in the office.

"Callie, please sit down," Lena said, motioning toward a chair next to Stef. Callie went over to the chair and sat on the edge of it, her leg was bouncing up and down quickly. Stef reached over and put her hand on Callie's knee, causing Callie to look at her and still her movements.

"Callie, do you know why we called you in here?" Monte asked her.

Callie shook her head.

"We caught a student today taking prescription pills that were not hers. She told us that she bought them from another student here at school. Do you know anything about that?" Monte asked.

Callie shook her head again, this time looking from Lena to Stef.

"She said you stole Jesus' pills and sold them to her, Callie," Lena said, finally speaking up.

Callie looked back and forth at her foster moms, confusion etched on her face.

"Callie, did you take Jesus' pills and sale them to students here?" Monte asked.

Callie shook her head back and forth, but was unable to say anything because her mind was racing too quickly to even think properly.

"Jesus takes pills?" Callie asked quietly when she was finally able to form a sentence, looking back and forth at all three women.

"Callie, you've watched him take his ADHD medication in the mornings," Lena said gently.

Callie's eyebrows knitted together. She barely knew who day it was. She literally had not even spoken to anyone in the house other than Stef and Lena since the day she moved in! How was this getting blamed on her? The only other person she even knew at this school and talked to was Wyatt!

"I didn't…" Callie trailed off, trying to put her tears at bay. This was crazy. She didn't have a reason to cry about this!

"Callie, Stef is going to take you home. We will talk to you when I get home, okay?" Lena asked.

"Cals, sweetheart, go get your stuff from your locker and meet me back here," Stef said.

Callie nodded and then practically ran out of the room.

Stef turned to the other two women in the room once the door shut.

"She didn't do this. I had my doubts to begin with, but there is no faking the emotions she just displayed," Stef said.

"No, she didn't," Lena said. "Which means we need to find out why she was blamed for this. She's only been here five days. I wasn't surprised she didn't realize Jesus took pills for his ADHD. She is still coming to terms with her mother's death. She forgot her mother had died Monday when she drank your coffee, Stef."

"I agree with you both. Stef, you don't have to take her home. We aren't going to suspend her for something she didn't do," Monte said.

"I know, but I think it is best if I talk to her before everyone gets home and explain everything to her. She's in a fragile place right now," Stef explained.

Lena nodded in agreement with Stef. She'd known why Stef wanted to take Callie home.

At that moment, Callie came to office again, her face white, ashen. Stef waved to her wife and Monte and headed out the door.

"Come on, sweets, let's get out to the car. You're not in trouble. We know you didn't do anything wrong. I just want to take you home so we can talk," Stef whispered in her ear.

Callie let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and nodded, her color immediately coming back. She already felt better.