A/N - Thank you to everyone who left a review! It really means a lot to me.

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Hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 10

Stef

Callie and I are still sitting on the floor. I am rocking us back and forth gently while Lena rubs her back and is softly humming. I look down and her eyes are shut, her ear against my chest.

"Can you hear my heart baby?"

"It's beating for you my beautiful girl." I whisper to her and while she doesn't reply I know that she hear me as she tightens her grip on me slightly.

"Callie girl Can you look at us for a minute?"

After a few minutes Callie sits up and look at Lena and I.

"I'm sorry." She says this so quietly that I almost didn't hear her.

"You have nothing to be sorry for Love. Nothing at all." Lena tells her and her voice is full with emotion. Love for Callie but sadness and pain as well.

"Promise you will keep Jude?"

"What do you mean Callie?"

"When you send me away. Jude likes it here. He loves you both so much." Callie practically begs us.

"Callie. Look at me." Lena lifts her chin so that Callie is looking into her eyes.

"You are not being sent away. Why would we do that?"

"Everyone does. At some point they realize that I am not worth the trouble."

I pull Callie back to my chest and hold her tight. I look to Lena and ask her silently if we should tell her about our decision. Lena just nods and sits closer and rubs Callie's back again.

"Now you listen to me Sweets. We are not sending you away. In fact Mama and I had something we have been wanting to talk to you about. What would you think about officially becoming an Adams Foster?"

For a moment I am terrified that we scared her. Her body goes tense before relaxing.

"Like… Adopting us?"

"Exactly Love. Mom and I love you and Jude so much we couldn't imagine ever sending you away. What do you think?" Lena says to her.

Callie just nods before bursting into tears again.

"We will take that as a yes sweets! I can't wait to officially be your mom!"

"We haven't asked Jude yet. What do you think he will think?" Lena asks Callie.

"He will be so excited."

"We will ask him tomorrow when he gets home. Maybe afterwards we can all go out for ice cream."

We are all sitting silently knowing what we have to talk about next is going to be hard on everyone but most of all Callie.

"Sweets do you trust me?" I ask her quietly and she nods without hesitation.

"Would you show me?" She knows what I am asking and I can feel the panic run through her body as she starts shaking.

"Everything will be okay. Nothing will change the way we feel about you. I promise."

"No!" She pushes against me and slides across the floor away from me and stands up. She is pacing the length of the room her thoughts clouding her face. I stand up and face her but I don't go any further. I don't think she could handle my touch while her emotions were running wild.

I turn and grab Lena's hand and help her off the ground. As I am doing that Callie scoots around me and runs out the door and straight into the bathroom. She slams the door and I hear the lock turn.

"Callie. You need to unlock the door!" I say to her in a tone that leaves no room for argument.

"No! No! No! Leave me alone." She screams through the door.

"We just want to help Callie."

"Please just leave me alone."

"You and I both know I cannot do that sweets."

I can hear her moving around for a few minutes before she unlocks the door.

I walk in with Lena close behind me. She is sitting on the closed toilet. Head in her hands and I can see her body shaking.

I kneel in front of her and the sight breaks my heart. She looks absolutely broken. Her eyes are dark and she has bags under them and it looks like she hasn't sleep in days. I am mad at myself that I didn't notice before now how much she really was struggling with everything lately.

"I need you to show me baby. I need to make sure they are clean and all ok."

"Fine, but just you." Callie looks me in the eye and I see a look I have seen on her face a few times while talking about Jude. She is trying to protect Lena.

"Sweets…" I start to say but Lena cuts me off.

"Its okay. Honey how about I go and make us some hot chocolate?" I can tell Lena is hurt at this but is trying to do what is best for Callie.

"I love you so much Callie girl."

Lena gives Callie on kiss on her forehead before heading out of the bathroom mouthing an 'I love you' to me.

After Lena leaves Callie seems to relax slightly and after a few minutes' stands up and takes off her pants and shows me the cuts on her thighs. I can't help but feel the tears well at the sight.

I want to tell her I am sorry. Sorry that the world has been so cruel. Sorry that I didn't realize she was hurting so much. Sorry that I couldn't protect her from every hateful person.

I grab the first aid kit and pull a few wipes out. I carefully clean her cuts. I can tell it hurts but she doesn't make a sound or move an inch. After I have finished dressing her cuts. I motion for her to follow me into our room. She sits on the floor with her back against the bed so I sit next to her. I am close enough for her know I am here but not close enough to touch her.

"When did you start?

"A few years ago." She says quietly.

"What happened?"

"You don't want to know that."

"I do Callie. I want to know everything about you. No matter how painful, scary or embarrassing it is."

"I just couldn't handle everything anymore. I was sick of the pain. I was hurting all the time. Everyone told me I was nothing, pathetic and stupid and I started believing it."

"My sweet sweet girl you are none of those things. You are so beautiful and smart. You are the most compassionate person I know regardless of how people have treated you."

I take her hand and she sighs out loud, like she was finally relaxing. She leans against me and puts her head on my shoulder.

"Why didn't you want Mama to be in the room sweets?"

At the mention of Lena I can see the guilt cross her face.

"I don't know."

"I understand how you feel."

Callie looks at me confused.

"I want to protect Lena too. I would do anything to not see her in any pain."

"That's the way I feel about Jude." Callie says to me quietly.

"We are a lot alike kid." I joke with her but we both know how strong the bond is.

"Your mama is one tough lady and she can handle a lot and she also loves you so much and wants to help you. She wants to know everything there is to know about our wonderful amazing Callie."

I hear her chuckle at that just as Lena walks in the room.

"There is a beautiful sound." Lena is carrying two cups of hot chocolate for Callie and I and a cup of tea for herself.

"Now I didn't know whether you wanted some marshmallows on top. Mariana and Brandon love it but Jesus doesn't so I brought some and you can decide."

I stand up and give Lena a kiss and grab my cup of chocolate.

"Thanks Babe."

"No thanks. I don't like marshmallows." Callie says to Lena.

"Neither does Mom." Lena says with a grin and Callie looks over to me.

"That's right! Like I said before we are a lot alike kid." I smile at Callie while taking a sip of my drink.

It really does amaze me that Callie and I are so alike.

Callie

While we were drinking out hot drinks I thought about what Stef has said about wanting to protect Lena. I didn't really know that when I said it I just knew I couldn't let Lena see. I have never told Jude about it either.

"How about some TV?" Stef asks us and I nod my head. I put my cup on the nightstand and sit in the middle of Stef and Lena at the top of the bed with my back on the headboard.

She turns on one of the late night talk shows. No one says anything but every now and then Stef laughs. I find myself smiling at her when she laughs. I look over to Lena and see her smiling at Stef as well. I cuddle into Lena's side and she puts her arm around me and kisses on top of my hair.

After the show finishes Stef turns the TV off but I don't move from Lena's arms.

"Want to sleep in our bed tonight sweets?"

For a moment I think about saying no but I really want to stay here so I just nod my head.

"Go get into your PJ's" Lena tells me and I climb out and walk to my room.

Once I get to my room away from Stef and Lena I regain some of my composure.

I can't believe they know. What am I going to do now? They say they want to adopt me but I bet they are talking right now about ringing Bill. No one would agree to this. They might think they do at first but the more they now the more they will realize I am too much trouble.

"Sweets? You have been in there a while. You okay?"

Great Stef is already at the door. Can't I have five minutes privacy in this fricken house?

"Far out. I'm fine." I say swinging the door open. I know I am being rude but I don't care, I need some distance. It will hurt less when I have to leave.

"I decided to sleep in my own room." I say sitting down on my bed.

"Tonight has been rough sweets. I don't think that is the best idea do you?"

"Actually I do think it's the best idea Stef."

I can see her getting annoyed at my attitude so I keep pushing her.

"Leave please and shut the door I am going to sleep now."

I get into bed and pull the covers over myself and face the wall.

"Fully clothed?"

"Yes."

"Okay then."

I smile when I hear the door shut. Finally I relax my body and think about the night that has happened. I am going to have to be way more secretive with things now.

The door opens ten minutes later and my eyes fly open and I shoot up to see who was there. My heart is beating out of my chest. I see Stef standing there with her pillow and blanket.

"What are you doing?" I ask her trying to mask the panic I felt before I knew it was her.

"Well seeing as you decided to sleep in your own bed. Fully clothed I might add. Mariana is sleeping with Mama and I am sleeping in Marianna's bed here with you."

"I don't need a fucking babysitter." This is pissing me off now. They are acing like I am going to kill myself right here in this room the moment I am alone.

"Language young lady."

I just glare back at her.

"Whether you like it not I am sleeping in this room with you so you can either try and sleep or fight it. I just want to know you are okay sweets."

"Fine. Goodnight."

I flop back down into bed and face the wall again. Stef's jumper is still under my pillow. I want to put it on but I am still angry so I just pretend its not there and shut my eyes and try and fall asleep.

I have been laying here for what feels like hours and I roll over to see if Stef is asleep. She is asleep so I just watch her. The urge to wake her up and climb into bed and hold her hand is almost overwhelming.

I am about to get out of bed to wake her up but I decide to go get a drink instead. I open the door as quietly as I can and step out into the hallway. I see the flash of a TV playing coming from Stef and Lena's room. Before I know it I am walking to the doorway to see who was awake.

"You okay Callie?" Lena is siting up in bed watching TV and Mariana is curled up in the blanket on the other side of the bed.

I hesitate slightly before walking over to her and she slides over to let me sit next to her. She waits for me to start.

"I'm sorry."

"What for love?"

"For making you leave the bathroom earlier. I didn't mean it how it sounded. I just.."

"Its okay baby. Mom explained it to me. I understand. Just remember I am always here for you. With anything you want to tell me."

I cuddle into her and we just lay like this for a few minutes letting the light flashed from the TV dance over our faces.

"You remind me of my mom."

I never thought I would say this aloud but I can't help it. I want her to know how I feel.

"You are so kind and compassionate. You make me feel loved and wanted. I am not used to being wanted."

"I will always want you Callie. I promise. You could never do anything to change that."

"You wont always think that though."

"Why would you say that?"

"Because there is a lot about me you don't know. You don't know what I have done."

"Callie you did what you had to survive. I will say it again nothing you could tell me would make me want you any less."

I take a deep breath and poll up my sleeves and show her my wrists.

"This was the first time I tried to kill myself."

I look at Lena and can see the pain reflected in her eyes. She doesn't say anything and allows me to continue at my own pace.

"I was in a foster home and it was one of the worst ones so far. Every day Jude and I would get home from school and I would tell Jude to lock himself in the bedroom and do his homework with the headphones on."

Lena takes my hand and gives the back of it a kiss. I take a deep breath to try and finish.

"The foster father was a drunk. He would tell me I was useless and good for nothing. It seemed like everything I did was wrong and would make him angry. He made me feel like I was worse than the shit on the bottom of his shoe. One day he said I should just save everyone the pain and kill myself. "

"He laughed at me and told me I couldn't even do that properly. When I got out of the hospital we were placed in another home. No one even cared enough to ask questions to find out what or why."

"Oh my sweet girl." Lena pulls me close and I can hear her crying.

"I care what happened love. I am so happy that you are still here with us. The joy you bring into everyone's lives cannot be replaced. Mom and I love you so much."

I feel exhausted now and I am struggling to keep my eyes open. I look over to the clock and see that it is nearly 3am.

"Close your eyes baby and sleep. I've got you."

I fall asleep almost instantly with only one thought.

Maybe this will work out after all.

Maybe they really are telling the truth.

Just maybe.