Chapter 6

New Beginnings

A/N: Ok peeps don't kill me I never promised you a rose garden along with the sunshine there got to be a little rain sometimes. Brallie fans have Faith and trust the writer.

Robert is driving down the road with Callie in the front seat and Sophia in the back. He glances at Callie every once in a while trying to gauge her mood. He knows things are a little unsettled at the moment. He hopes she will allow him to really be her dad.

"Dad this isn't the way to the penthouse?" Sophia questions.

"No the penthouse is a little stuffy and would be crowded with the three of us. Besides I don't want Callie to have to change schools. I think she has unfinished business there, we are going to the house I brought and was going to give to Girls United, till Rita found the house they are in and thought it was perfect." Robert says.

"When did you buy this house?" Callie asks.

"When you first came to me and asked if I would throw a fund raiser to help with getting them a new house. I want them to have a place where they would never have to leave again, where they knew the program would always have a place to call its own." Robert tells her.

"Did you do this to try to buy me?" Callie asks not upset but on edge.

"No which is why when Rita found the other house we used the funds raised, which was more than I expected there to be. There was even enough to do some of the repairs needed. I chipped in the rest of what they needed, no not to buy you Callie. I did it cause you are my daughter whether you want to admit it or not. And GU was important to you, as was Rita. So I wanted to help, maybe people might see it as trying to buy you. If it was don't you think I would have told you all of this before now?" Robert asks.

"Yeah I suppose you would have. Ok, lets do this. From here on out we all agree to put the past behind us and have a fresh start. No more buying things with out talking to me first." Callie says.

"Ok I will make that deal on one condition." He opens the glove box and hands her a set of keys. "You except the car. You will need it to get to school, as well as do other things."

"Ok I can live with that. Can we stop by Stef and Lena's I need to get my stuff and have one more conversation today." Callie asks.

"Callie you chose me to be your guardian. But right now I want to be your dad. Will you allow me to be at least just this once till we get to know each other better?" He asks her.

"What do you want to say?" She asks.

"Maybe it would be better to let him come to you. You took the first step and made a very bold and brave move today. You showed him that you were choosing him. We both know he was really hurt by you being adopted, so maybe give him a little time to wrap his head around what you really did today. I am not trying to forbid you from seeing him, not at all. Humph no way that would work even if I did." He laughs as does she. "No I want this to work out for both of you, but right now pushing it might do more harm than good."

"Ok DAD, you just scored a few brownie points on that speech." Callie laughs.

"Yes Brownie Points!" Robert pumps his fist in the air.

"Did I forget to tell you our dad is a huge goofball?" Sophia asks.

"Yeah you did fail to mention that. Well all we can do is hope he grows out of it." Callie laugh as does Sophia.

"Sitting right here ladies! Besides I am not a goofball, I am the class clown thank you very much." Robert says with a serious look on his face.

"Great we are doomed!" Callie laughs making them all laugh.

"Callie we will go get your stuff in a couple of days." Robert says.

"Well I kind of only have the clothes on my back right now." Callie says.

"That's ok we are going to stop and get your car you can follow me and Sophia the the house."

"Can I ride with Callie?" Sophia asks.

"Up to Callie." Robert says.

"Sure I don't mind." Callie says.

"Ok well then you two can follow me to the house so you know where it is. About 4 blocks away are a few stores, I will give you a credit card and the two of you can go do some shopping. Pick up what ever you want and need. Then in a couple of days when people have had time to settle down a little we can get the rest of your stuff. Does that sound ok, see I am asking before buying." Robert says.

"Yes you are and thank you for that. Yeah sounds like a plan. Plus it will give me and Sophia time to bond a little." Callie says as Sophia squeals a little in the back seat.

"Sounds like someone else likes the idea as well." Robert chuckles.

"I really do." Sophia says in a rush.

"Then lets do it!" Callie says.

As they get to where they will be living Callie notices it is a nice house in a nice neighborhood. But it wasn't to fancy. It would have made a great house for GU. She likes the design of the house the fact it is secluded away from the street so it is hard to see. With plenty of yard as well. Robert walks up to her as she is looking around.

"You like it?" He asks.

"It's perfect. It would have been a great house for GU. You have good instincts when it comes to this." Callie says.

"Oh wait, you haven't seen the best part yet. I think you will love it. Here are three keys the square one opens the front door and the round one the back door. The oval one, well Follow me."

Robert then leads her through a gate on the side of the house. They are walking on a cobblestone walk way that is the color of the sitting sun. She is in awe of the landscape she is seeing. The yard has a slight slope downwards and is open and big. It has a privacy fence running all the way around the yard. There are several flower beds scattered through out the yard close to the fence with shrubs and bushes thrown in to add spice. Just behind the house is an in-ground swimming pool. Next to it and close to the house is another building. Robert points to the building.

"That oval key opens the door to that building. Which is will you will be staying. That is if you want. It is a pool house/apartment. It has a bedroom living room kitchenette bathroom with a shower. Everything you could need. It has a flat screen tv. Cable will be here tomorrow to install the box and one in your room, also they will be installing your own internet so you can do your school work and research for it. The reason I decided to let you have the pool house is so I can give you your space. I want us to have a normal father/daughter relationship, I really do Callie. But I don't want to rush anything. I also am not going to ban Brandon from coming over. All I ask is if you two decide to revisit your stay in the cabin, please use protection." Robert says.

"Wow Dad I don't know what to say. It looks amazing. Thank you for understanding that it is going to take time for us to really get to know each other. I am going to give it my 100% best effort to make sure we make it to a normal relationship. As for Brandon, you may never have to worry about that."

"Callie, I was watching him. The moment you confessed you lied to the judge but before you said about what, his head snapped up and he never took his eyes off of you till he left. He still loves you and will eventually forgive you. Just go slow and allow him to make the first move." Robert says.

"Yeah you're right thanks dad." Callie says.

"It is what I am here for. Now lets go check out your room before you two go shopping." Robert says.

"Ok."

Brandon made his way up the stairs to his room. He closes the door as he sits on his bed. It had been 24 hrs since his world had exploded into a million pieces. He was just starting to figure a way to be a brother to the girl he truly loved as much much more. Then she had dropped one hell of a bomb shell yesterday. Having her adoption over turned, Robert's parental rights were returned to him. Callie going to live with them. His eyes land on the envelope setting on his bed side table. He picks it up and looks at it. He knows what ever is inside could lead in 2 directions. He is just scared as to which one he wants more. He is about to open it when there is a knock on the door.

"Come in." Brandon says.

"Brandon can I talk to you?" Jude asks.

"Sure buddy what do you need?" Brandon asks.

"It is about Callie." Jude says.

"I am really not in the mood to talk about her right now Jude." Brandon says.

"To bad. You don't have to talk just listen." He says.

"Ok I have been expecting fall out from what she did yesterday. So go ahead and tell me how it is my fault and how I ruined things." Brandon says.

"For someone who doesn't want to talk you sure have a lot to say." Jude tells him, Brandon just shrugs his shoulders and motions for him to continue.

"You do realize what Callie did today was all for you right? She gave up everything we have wanted since being put in the system. She did it all for you. I am not going to pretend that I understand why she did it, cause I don't. The one thing I am sure of is this, if she didn't love you and didn't want to be with you she would never have done it. So for the life of me I can't understand why you are sitting here in your room instead of out there finding her and working this out." Jude says.

"It is not as simple as all of that Jude. I have given her more than one chance to put us first. Every time she has slapped me in the face and left me high and dry. She runs to me when things are hard and then turns away when things start looking up. Fool me once shame on you fool me twice shame on me. Well she has done it 4 times now. What just cause she told the truth finally after ripping my heart out a 4th time I am suppose to just forgive and forget. It doesn't work that way Jude. At least my heart doesn't. Do I want to be with her? Yes I do, but again I am just not sure I can trust her yet again." Brandon puts voice to his concerns.

"Doesn't what she did today count for anything? She could have ended up in jail for 3 years Brandon or on probation for 3 years during which she wouldn't have been able to see any of us. But it was so important for her to show you that she knew she had made a mistake by not choosing you. She risked a lot for you today. She risked losing me the moms Mariana Jesus. She put AJ in his place about the whole kiss thing. Everything she did was to show you she loves you and that you can trust her. So why are you still sitting here?" Jude asks.

"Do you think just because you came in here to defend your sister I am going to jump up and run out of here to find her? No as I said it doesn't work that way. If I decide I can trust her again then I will go talk to her. Or if I think we can maybe get back what we had then I will talk to her. Till then I think it is best if we both keep our distance from each other." Brandon says.

"So she did it for nothing?" Jude asks.

"No she did it because it was the right thing to do. If it works out between us then that is just a bonus. Right now I have a lot of thinking I have to do. I know what I want, I am just not sure I can have it. Sometimes we don't always get what we want." Brandon tells him.

"Well decide soon, cause I know my sister and she is still beating herself up over hurting you. She will continue to do so till you two talk." Jude says.

"Maybe that is what she needs. To beat herself up over what she did, maybe next time she will think more clearly." Brandon says.

"Maybe." Jude says as he walks out closing the door.

Brandon picks up the envelope and opens it. He steels himself and closes his eyes has he unfolds the paper. Once he has it open he opens his eyes looks up as if saying a prayer and then reads the letter.

To the love of my life Brandon Foster,

I hope you stayed and listened to what I had to say, but in case you didn't I can tell you in 17 words what it was all about.

I am so very sorry I denied you again and I love you with all my heart.

Love always,

Callie Jacobs hope one day Foster the right way.