A/N- two steps forward and one step back. Don't worry she's not going to spiral back to the beginning, progress is progress no matter how slow it seems. Yes, the other kids are coming back soon too. I appreciate all you for reading, favouriting and/or following. Thank you for sticking with the story so long. I hope you like it! If you get the chance please tell me what you are thinking! Enjoy!
As Always- I do not own The Fosters all i own is this half eaten apple.
Lena POV
I'm standing in the doorway looking at my beautiful wife and beautiful daughter. I can call her that now, my daughter. I can't help but to smile at the thought. Callie is starting to stir in her arms though, and my smile fades to creases of worry. Stef runs her hand through Callie's hair and she seems to calm again for a moment. "Love" I say "I know I can't save everyone but you can't blame me for wanting to try." She stares at me for a moment before responding "I know and that heart is why I love you.". "What? Not for my sexy body? Mama's still got it!" I quip. We both laugh then our attention turns back to our oldest daughter. Callie is anything but calm now. I can tell she's still asleep but she's starting to push against Stef and mumbling into her shoulder.
I swiftly rush to their side and Stef looks just as concerned as me. Callie is still half curled up on the couch but she is beginning to flail against Stef's side. "Love, we need to wake her up." I firmly whisper to Stef. "I know, but she looks like she hasn't slept for days. Can't we just calm her somehow?"Stef asks as we hear Callie mumble 'Liam stop'. "No, Stef. Wake her up. Now!" At this point Callie is getting more agitated and anxious in her sleep, the mumbling is louder though still half muffled in Stefs shoulder. We look to each other over Callies head as we hear what we think is 'I'll be good' and 'save me'.
She's sweaty and panting, her body is shaking again and tears streak her face. I'm getting more anxious as Callie is, she is pushing against Stef, kicking her legs and if I wasn't against her she would've been on the floor by now. Stef is trying to shake her shoulder a bit and talking in her ear, but it doesn't seem to be working. I am rubbing my hand on her back and start pleading in my mind that she'll wake up. I should be careful what I wish for. I hear a howling screech emitted from the girl as she shoots up and she can't catch her breath. Stef moves Callie onto her lap and wraps her arms around the shaking child whispering into her ear.
"Callie?" I whisper as to not startle her, but her head snaps towards me her eyes wide in panic. I can see the haze in her eyes as she's still not entirely in the present. I smile at her a scoot a little closer on the coffee table. "Honey, you need to breathe, okay? I need you to take a deep breath" She nods her head over-enthusiastically at me, I can see tears in her eyes that she's trying to not let escape. She still hasn't breathed, I don't know which worries me more, her gasping for air or holding her breath. It's like she is afraid to breathe. I never learned about this in school and I don't know how to fix it. I hate this feeling, that she's hurting so much and I can't fix it. I just want to fix it.
Callie POV
I know I'm sitting on Stef I feel her arms around me, I logically know I'm in the Foster house. But I can still feel him on me. I try to down out his words that are floating through my head with the ones Stef is whispering into my ear. Pay attention to her voice. She is safe. Then all of a sudden I hear my name. Jude? He's back from the movies. No! it's Lena. Thank all deities that may exist its Lena. Wait what is she doing here? Oh, right. Foster household.
She's telling me to breathe. Yes, yes, need to breathe. I nod vehemently, breathing is good. Wait, am I breathing? What the heck I'm falling apart at the seams. I did so well hiding and being the one that showed no emotion but right now all I want to do is hide and cry. Like their love is making up for the years without any and all the tears I've hidden over that time want to escape. Wait, where did this come from and why is everything getting blurry? Oh right, breathing. I don't mean to be holding my breath but the muscles won't move. My body must be taking cues from my mind which gave up on me a long time ago.
"Callie! Callie!" I hear Stef almost shouting in my ear, I'm not sure if she's getting louder each time or I'm just starting to pay attention. "Slugabug you're starting to scare us, please just breathe before you pass out. Please baby." I feel a hand, I'm assuming Lena's, slide under my shirt and start rubbing circles on my back. Apparently this is enough to start my basic functions back up as I gasp in a deep breath that burns my lungs. I'm taking heavy sighs more than normal breaths right now. I hear stef mumble "Thank goodness baby" from next to my ear.
I'm pulled from my thoughts as I hear a phone ringing, it must be Stefs I think as she shifts me on her lap enough to pull the phone out. She looks over my head to Lena and hands her the phone as she says "Brandon". "Okay, I'll tell them they can come home soon?" she inquires. I feel their eyes on me before they meet each others again. "Yes, but to bed, we can talk with them tomorrow." I stiffen in Stefs arms as Lena walks into the kitchen. I can feel my walls building back up by the second and it seems that Stef can too as she whispers in my ear that everything will be alright. Yeah for them, they can tell themselves that to make themselves feel better. Their family is different, they're the lucky ones, I don't live in a world where everything works out. Okay then, I have until tomorrow to leave before they send me back. I sure as hell am not going back to Juvie so I should start working on a plan of escape now. Right.