Wow! Thanks for all the reviews, favourites and follows - and a huge wow! to the reviewer (Georgie) who'd put an update on this story ahead of the sea! Seriously, I'm ridiculously flattered and proud that you like this book that much :)
So I didn't like how this chapter ended, so I kept on writing until I found somewhere to end that I liked... but I STILL don't really like the way I ended this chapter, as it's too abrupt, but I can't find a good alternative so it'll have to do :/
Hopefully you'll like the Stef-Jude scene here, I decided to keep parts the same as the pilot though with differences too - the main one being that Jude's there.
As always, please follow, review or favourite this story if you like it!
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. My cat is more likely to own this show than me...
Updated 11/07/17
CHAPTER TEN
She had to admit, it was a nice home. When Bill had dropped them off, she wasn't sure what to expect. The outside of the house alone was completely different to the other homes that they'd been to. For starters it was bigger, and better kept. Not only that but it wasn't in some shitty neighbour where the majority of the other residents where either druggies, gang members or drunks. Instead, it was in a nice sub-urban area, each house with luscious green lawns and neatly trimmed hedges, the epitome of home, the stereotypical image that everyone thought of. All that was needed was a family dog.
To her surprise, it wasn't just a nice house. The foster mother they met, Bill had said she was called Lena, seemed... kind - though she knew firsthand how wrong first impressions could be. After Bill had left, Lena had ushered them inside and led them to their large kitchen, insisting they sit whilst she got them each a did so hesitantly and cautiously whilst Lena talked to them, telling them useless information about her other kids - two adopted former-foster kids and one step-son from her partner's previous marriage - all of whom were currently at the school she worked in (she'd gotten the afternoon off in order to be around for when they got there).
Callie nodded, only half-listening, sub-consciously rubbing the top of her brother's back in reassurance as the two of them looked around, both silently marveling at the house they were in and how... homely it seemed. She kept expecting the penny to drop.
And then it did.
First the other children - well, teens - had arrived home. The Latino twins being the first, the boy, Jesus, waltzing over to the table and grabbing a large apple before sending them a quick smile, whilst his sister, Mariana, barely gave them a glance, the only thing she bothered to say was that she hoped they'd be gone soon - apparently Callie was to share with her and she was less than pleased about this arrangement. Lena's step-son entered later, as they were serving dinner. Out of the three teens, he was the only one out of the other teens who remained friendly to the two of them for longer than five minutes, actually asking Jude questions and trying to get to know them. Not that it mattered. She doubted that they'd be there long. Not with how they'd left the previous home. Still, at least in this suburban area she should be able to avoid the police and keep off of their radar.
The other kids ate their food quickly, and soon it was just Callie, Jude and Lena in the kitchen, both newcomer's picking at their food whilst the foster mother kept them company. Callie almost admitted to herself that it seemed like a safe house.
But then Lena's partner entered.
Then Callie's heart stilled and her mouth went dry at the sight of the black uniform.
Of the duty belt that was still equipped with a gun and handcuffs.
Of the blonde haired cop who she immediately recognised.
Stef was Lena's partner. Stef, the cop who'd been outside her house just yesterday. Stef, the reason she'd reported her foster father as missing.
The penny had most definitely dropped, and, as usual, she'd gotten the worst fucking luck possible.
...
She didn't say anything, hoping that - despite there being only two other people in the room - the police woman wouldn't recognise her, hoping that she wouldn't say anything, hoping that she wouldn't ask -
"Callie Jacob, right?" The woman shot her a quick smile, "I remember you from yesterday. You were at Jim Pearson's house, right?" Without waiting for a response, Stef replied, only pausing to eat a mouthful of lasagna, "Yeah, that's right. In fact, you're the one who told me that he was out, picking up groceries, and then later he was reported missing." The cop sent her a pointed look, her eyes stern and a note of irritation underlying her words. Callie looked down, desperate to avoid her gaze.
She couldn't believe that she'd already pissed of her new foster parents. Who knew how they'd react - after all, one was a freaking cop!
She knew that the easiest thing to do would be to just apologise and make up some lame excuse. She didn't need to get into a fight, to get hurt. But she also needed to protect Jude, and sometimes the best way to do that was to make the foster parent so cross they got angry with her. After all, how else was she expected to gauge how they reacted when angry, how else could she work out their specialty, be it punches, hits or psychological.
So that's what she did.
Moving her head up, she tilted it and looked from Stef to Lena and back to Stef again.
"So you're dykes, right?"
Instead of the punch that she'd been expecting, she got a sharp intake of breath from Stef and a look of hurt from Lena.
"We'd prefer if you didn't use that sort of language," Lena eventually responded, "But yes, we're gay. Is that a problem?"
She shrugged, still trying to bait them, to provoke them, "Where am I sleeping again?"
Stef frowned, but didn't say anything as Lena led her to Mariana's room, which she'd be sharing for the time being.
...
The problem, however, with Callie being led out of the room was that Jude remained inside it, unsure of what to do and with the woman that his sister had been intentionally trying to provoke.
After a moment of silence between the two of them, Jude sighed.
"What's a dyke?" He asked.
Stef blinked, slightly surprised, but smiled at him all the same. "It's a... not very nice word for two gay women - as in women who love other women, lesbians."
"So it's something that's said in a mean way to insult you, like faggot?"
"Yes..." Stef replied, her tone cautious as she tried to work out what direction their conversation was heading.
"Oh." He frowned slightly and Stef tilted her head, watching as the young boy's expression became thoughtful. "Well in that case she didn't mean it."
He spoke so firmly, so certain that what he said was true, that Stef couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "Oh?" She mimicked, though not unkindly, "And why do you think that?"
"I don't think that, I know." Jude shook his head. "Callie would never say that to be properly mean. One time a boy in the year above me called me a 'fucking faggot' and Callie punched him so hard that his tooth fell out!"
Stef frowned again at that, partially due to the language and partially due to the fact someone had said that to the young, innocent boy in front of her.
"Do people say that to you a lot?"
Jude shook his head. "Not really, not any more. If anybody does then Callie deals with them. She says that I shouldn't listen to them because they're small-minded, uneducated assholes who'll never amount to anything."
Despite herself, Stef laughed at that. Though she obviously did not approve of the description applied - and she knew that Lena would have liked it even less - it amazed her how a girl who'd comfort and support her brother like that could just as easily turn around and say cruel words to herself and Lena.
It made her more sure than ever that Callie Jacob was hiding behind a tough exterior and, as a result, it made her determined to break through to her, to give the teen the comfort and security that she gave to her brother.
With a sigh, Stef shook her head in order to clear her thoughts and smiled at the boy. "As nice as it's been talking to you, you should get to bed, Buddy."
Jude returned the smile, shyly. "Good night." He said in a soft, quiet voice, making Stef's smile widen.
"G'Night. Do you know where you're going?"
He nodded. "Lena showed me when we first got here - my bag's already in Jesus' room."
"Okay."
Another shared smile.
Another happy spark in his eyes.
Another pang in her heart.
She watched as he left the room.
"Everything okay down here?" She jumped at the sound of her partner's voice, before nodding.
"Yeah. I was just having a chat with Jude."
Lena raised an eyebrow at that. "He spoke to you?" At Stef's nod, she raised her eyebrows further, "And it was civil?"
"Uh-huh." Stef nodded once more. "And apparently Callie isn't actually homophobic, or anything. She actually protects him from being called any derogatory names himself."
"Oh really?" With a sigh, Lena sat down beside her, moving Stef's empty plate to the side and replacing it with a glass of red wine. "Well that's something at least."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
The two of them met each other's eye and laughed.
"So this act," Lena took a sip of her own drink, "How long will it last?"
Stef shrugged, "Who knows? We'll just have to keep chipping away at her walls."
"And that's going to work?"
"Eventually."
"Eventually?" Lena raised an eyebrow, "Well I guess it's a good thing they're not going anywhere soon."