AN: Sorry it took so long! Next one won't take as long, and it will start to pick up more. Please review!
Stef laid on the hospital bed with Callie tucked into her side. The most comforting position for both inhabitants of the bed. Callie felt calmest in the embrace of her mother, as if she was invincible. Stef felt most at peace shielding those she loves from the horrors that exist outside of her embrace.
Stef's mind was wandering. She had now seen her daughters bruised and battered body twice tonight and because of her job, she had a pretty good idea for how those bruises came to be. Her imagination was running and she found herself creating images in her mind for how her daughter received her injuries.
Seeing the scenes unfold in her mind with Callie's face made her want to vomit. Stef had been on the police force for a few decades, this was as bad a case of rape and abuse as she'd ever seen. And it was her kid. How could that have happened?
Stef was taken out of her thoughts by the vibration of her phone on the table next to her. Exhaling a sigh in relief of having to not see those images any longer. She reached her hand out for her phone.
It was Mike asking for a time frame that Callie was at the toy store so he could pull the security footage. Stef texted back "Not asking her. She left my house 7:00, had to have been to your house by 7:10, toy store by 7:20. Start there."
Stef smiled softly to herself. Mike protected Callie, and for that matter, all of her children, with as much love and fierceness as she did. In her life she had picked two people to coparent with, she picked exceptionally well. She knew she just needed to focus solely on Callie because she knew Mike would give everything he had to find who was responsible and get justice for their kid.
Stef quickly opened a message to Lena while she had the chance. "Laying with C now. Waiting on Doc and Nurse to come to do rape kit. She's being a trooper, I'm trying to be. Wish you were here. I love you so much Lena."
A moan of distress coming from her daughter prompter Stef to quickly hit send and put her phone back on the table before soothingly stroking her daughters hair and whispering, "What is it my love? What can Mommy do?"
"Hurts so bad. My head is spinning" Callie moaned out.
"I know honey. I know. I wish there was something I could do to make it magically better love, but I can't. But Dr. Roth will betake soon and we'll start to get you feeling better, and then we'll go home and shower which will feel so good, and we'll get into bed and you'll get lots of Mommy and Mama snuggles", Stef whispered playfully to Callie.
"Those are the best. I used to think your bed was an island away from the whole world and if I was on it, nothing could get me."
"That's still true, love. Nothing will get you from there."
" I want to go home Mom" Callie whined.
"Me too baby. Soon, ok? We've got to get you taken care of. And then we can go home. And get in mine and Mama's bed and stay there for as long as you want my love. And we'll cuddle with Mama and nothing will get you from there."
Callie only responded with moms of discomfort.
"I know, my love. I know it hurts. Here let me help you baby" Stef hummed, while turning to lay on her side. She leaned on her elbow and propped her head up with one hand, so she could look down at daughter. She took her other hand and lightly massaged her daughters forehead with her fingertips, hoping to take the throb away from her headache.
Though her head was still spinning, Callie couldn't help but be comforted by her mothers soothing movements, and found her body releasing some of its tension. Callie reached to hold onto her mothers arm that was propping her head on the bed; Callie finding the physical contact with her mother was keeping her anchored.
Things were settling down in the Adams Foster home, and after all the adjustments, life felt normal. Jesus and Mariana's adoption had been finalized a few months ago, but everyone was still riding the residual waves of excitement.
Callie had turned 9 last week, and was thriving. She had become an amazing tennis player and was winning all sorts of competitions. She loved Mariana and Jesus and never complained about having to share her moms with them. That being said, Callie loved the fact that her rom was next door to her moms. She'd snuggle up with them before she went off to bed, just talking and joking. Her laugh was contagious and she was a funny kid. Her and Stef together were quite a combination and Lena ate it up.
Callie loved being in her moms bed. She felt it was a self sustaining island. That no matter what was bothering her, the minute she jumped into the bed, nothing could get her. Out of their 3 children Callie was certainly the most sensitive. Her anxiety predisposed her to scare more easily, or become distressed over mundane things. It was why when they moved into the house, they decided to put her in the room next to theirs, they always wanted to be easily accessible.
The first few nights, Callie had been petrified. She'd get tucked into bed, and be ok for a while, until her mind started to wander. She would be come panicked the villain from the Disney moved they had watched that night was hiding under her bed or in her closet. She'd want to take off running for her moms room, but would have to weigh her options as she feared they'd catch her in the hall.
Usually she'd leap out of bed, sprinting to her moms room, leaping onto the bed, quickly crawling under the covers, curling herself in a ball, and burying her head under a pillow. Her moms would just turn to her, and wrap there arms over here, creating a cocoon.
However, tonight was a different experience for everyone, all together. Callie found herself in a ball hiding under the blankets in her own room. She was petrified but her thoughts were spiraling and she didn't know what it was she was afraid of. Her breathing was becoming erratic and she knew she needed help, but her legs felt like jellp, and it was as id she forgot how to speak.
Meanwhile, Stef and Lena lay on their bed, each laying on an elbow facing each other. Stef's free hand was softly caressing her wives cheek as they found themselves talking about the kids.
Stef's head perked up as she thought she heard an unfamiliar sound. "What?" Lena questioned as she sensed the concern in her wife.
"Did you hear something?" Stef asked.
"Stef you can't do this every night. No one is breaking into the house. You don't have to triple check the doors every night." Lena loved her wife's protectiveness, but she wanted her to also relax a bit.
Just as Stef was going to relent and give in to her wife, they both heard whimpering and a quiet, yet distressed call for them. Both women quickly got out of bed and strode towards the noise. Upon entering their daughters room, they saw a shaking lump under the blankets.
Stef quickly pulled back the blankets and revealed a pale, sweaty, and frightened version of her daughter, who was struggling profusely to get a breath in.
Stef and Lena were both immediately alarmed and taken aback. Callie hadn't had an episode in quite a while and they were both at a loss for what had set it off. Stef and Lena both crouched at the side of her bed, Stef immediately radiating her fierce love and concern, "Sweetheart, what's wrong? What's the matter my love?"
Callie didn't immediately register that it was her parents at her bedside, her vision was blurred and she simply saw a shadow looking over her, her mind jumping to the worst case scenarios.
Callie became further frightened when the blankets were pulled back and flinched backwards. Her head collided with the wall as she choked on her words, "mo-omm-mmmy, mama".
Stef slowly climbed onto her daughters bed, crawling on her knees to be rather level. Reaching her arms out she moved Callie from her position curled into the wall. "It's just me and Mama, bug. Mommy and Mama are right here. It's ok love bug, you don't have to be scared. Don't be scared sweetheart, we're here."
Lena stood from the side of the bed and quickly whispered, "I'll meet you in our room." Stef understanding she was going to get the items they'd need to help Callie calm down. Both mothers not even having to discuss that Callie would be sleeping with them tonight, they were always just on the same page.
Stef drew Callie into her arms, wrapping one of her hands on the back of her daughters head, slowly pulling her towards her chest. Placing Callie's left ear so she was able to hear the beating of her mothers heart. Callie's therapist had introduced them to this tactic a few years ago, and it often helped ground her.
"Shhh.. come here, come to Mommy. Jut relax with Mommy for a minute." Stef slowly rocked her upper body back and forth, while softly caressing the back of her daughters head, running her fingers soothingly up and down Callie's arm.
They rocked together like that for a few minutes, Callie's breathing matching itself to the pace of her mothers heartbeat, though her whimpering remained. Stef moved her hand to rub her daughters back when she realized she was drenched in sweat.
Slowly drawing her back, "Shh. OK. Ok. Let's take this shirt off. It's all wet, that has to feel yucky!" Stef tried to use her silly voice, but wasn't getting any laughs out of her daughter.
"It's ok Callie. Shhh…. You're safe sweetheart. Mommy's got you safe in her arms". Stef lifted Callie's shirt over her head and reached to lift her into her arms. Grabbing Callie's blanket she threw it over her shoulder. Callie wrapped her legs around her mothers waist, and her arms around her neck, her fingers were practically clawing Stef's neck, as if she needed to hold on for dear life. Callie rested her head onto Stef's shoulder on top of her blanket, taking in it's calming scent, turning her face into the crook of Stef's neck.
Stef got up from the bed and walked to her room. tracing her fingers against Callie's bareback, and slowly rocking her to try to seize her whimpering and panic. She didn't know exactly what was wrong, so it was hard for her to know how to fix it.
Entering her bedroom she was trying to figure out what to do. "Callie, buggy, do you feel like your going to be sick? Do you want to go sit in the bathroom?"
"No. Just hold me Mommy" Callie chocked out in whispers.
"Stef softly smiled at Lena who reappeared. Both relived Callie didn't feel like she was going to get sick. It was a horrible experience for everyone when her panic attacks were that extreme.
"I'll keep holding you. Don't you worry."
Stef walked circles around her room for a few minutes lightly bouncing Callie. One of her hands softly ran circles on her back, knowing the skin to skin contact always helped calm her. She continued walking, whispering soothing shushing noises to her.
When Stef saw Lena emerge from the bathroom with a cup of medicine and a wash cloth, she made her way to sit on the edge of the bed.
"Hi sweetheart", Lena soothed, while brushing Callie's hair off of her forehead. "Lets's wash your face, Ok? I got a cool cloth." Lena slowly started to wipe Callie's face, and the back of her neck, while Stef took the opportunity to collect Callie's hair that was a mess, and pull it into a pony tail. After a few minutes of wiping her face down and cooling her body down, Lena smiled softly to Callie.
"Does that feel better bug? Does your body feel less hot?"
"Yeah Mama" Callie whispered back.
"That's good honey. I brought up your medicine to take, so that way you can get a good nights sleep. And I even snuck some Hawaiin Punch up. You have to drink ok? Mom and I don't want you to get sick."
"Oh man Cal. Don't you dare tell your bother you got Hawaiin Punch after he went to bed. He will never sleep again. He will just camp outside our door all night long waiting for it" Stef mocked in horror, but also slightly serious, as it was nearly impossible to get Jesus to bad as it was. Adding sugary juice to the mix would be deadly.
Callie was too exhausted from her episode to joke back with her Mom. But she did offer a small smile as she slowly sipped her juice and washed her medicine down. After a few minutes she was done and handed it to Lena.
"Go crawl into the middle of the bed bug. Mama and Mommy are coming to cuddle" Stef whispered as she Callie scooted off of her lap, and she made her way around the bed and got in. Lena dropped the items in the bathroom, before joining them and shutting off the light.
"Here's your blankey. Do you want one of Mommys shirts to sleep in lovebug? Or do you want to sleep without a shirt tonight monkey?" Stef whispered in the dark, but saw two big brown eyes staring back at her.
"I want to stay like this Mom. It feels better when you rub my back. I'm tired. My body feels tired" Callie whispered in a voice that sounded much younger then the confident 9 year old that was at dinner earlier that night.
"Close your eyes baby. Mommy and I are here with you now" Lena whispered into Callie's ear as she rubbed circles on her back.
"I know you're tired, it's hard on your body when that happens. But we have you now, so get some sleep, ok? You're stuck between us. Nothing can get you here." Stef whispered before leaving a lingering kiss to her daughters forehead, before moving her fingers to run over her cheeks and forehead, lulling her baby to sleep.
