AN: just so you guys know this story will not contain any Brallie. I personally don't like it and cant bring my self to write it. Sure they are going to have some scenes together but it will be a brother sister relationship. Sorry if you like it. So obviously this story isn't going to go just like the show.

Callie was curled up on the couch in between the women some how both of them had sensed she wanted them to be close with out her even asking. So when she went to sit on one of the chairs in the living room Stef had taken her by the shoulders and guided her to sit on the couch next to Lena and then she her self sat on the other side of the girl.

It wasn't just the fact that they knew what Callie needed but both of them wanted the girl close. These panic attacks didn't just scare Callie. Stef hated that she couldn't protect Callie from them like she would if it was something in the out side world causing harm to her daughter. These she could just be there after the fact, and it was killing the woman. She knew them just being there to comfort the girl was enough for Callie but she wanted to do more no she needed to do more. And she knew Lena was feeling the exact same way.

Callie was sitting quietly in between the two women she was pretending to watch the movie Stef had thrown on but honestly she wouldn't even be able to tell you what they were watching if asked. The events of the day were finally hitting her. She knew what had happened but she hadn't really processed it yet. These attacked were being triggered more and more often. She had had one in the middle of school, where any one could have seen. She didn't want to ever be seen as venerable at that school, every one there already hated her besides Wyatt. If they were to see her in that position they would not think twice about taking advantage of it. She couldn't believe she had such a bad reaction just hearing a set of words. Sure it didn't help that she had been shoved into the lockers but she was so used to people becoming physical that she really hadn't thought twice about it.

She knew that they were going to have to tell the other kids, sure she didn't want to but with them being triggered so often they were bound to find out sooner or later. She really didn't want another one of them finding out like Mariana had especially not Jude, she didn't think she could handle seeing his fear.

Sighing Callie sat forward and grabbed the remote pausing the movie. She could feel both of the older women's eyes on her. They had been both watching her on and off through out the time they had been sitting there. Obviously after the day she had they knew she wouldn't be alright but she really, really didn't want to open that can of worms just yet.

"What's wrong sweets are you okay?" Stef asked as she her self leaned forward placing her hand on the center of Callie's back automatically feeling the tension there. Her mind instantly going to the worst case scenario.

"Yeah. Yeah I'm fine." Callie let out a shaky breath and ran her fingers through her hair turning to look Stef in the eyes to show her she really was okay, she could hear the concern in the older woman's voice. She knew both women's minds went to something being wrong with her. She really couldn't blame them though. It made her smile that they were so concerned she really had never had that.

"so what's going on love? Why did you pause the movie?" Lena asked from the other side of her.

"We have to tell the others about all of this don't we?" All three knew the other kids would be asking questions on why Callie missed half of the day. She knew the older women had wanted to tell them from the beginning but hadn't because she asked them not too. "I mean I'm not handling all of this well and I really don't think any of the boys would handle seeing me like that. I'm sure they would freak out way more than Mariana did." The two mothers had to agree their boys definitely didn't handle emergencies well.

"Yeah sweets I think we are going to have to. I know you didn't want to but with them happening so often now we think it would be best to let them know. And you are handling all of this perfectly Callie. You are stronger than you think." Stef said as she lifted the younger girls chin to look into her eyes. "I know you don't want this to happen but it will be best. Your brothers all of them wont think anything less of you. I'm sure they will just want you to get better."

"But Jude.." She was cut of this time by Lena both women could hear the sadness in her voice as she mentioned Jude. They knew the girl was afraid of her younger brother finding out about the attacks and thinking less of her. They knew she thought she always needed to be strong for him. Which in Lena's prediction might be part of the cause of these. The girl had never had any time to process anything that had happened to her properly. Any one who had went through even half of what Callie had been through wouldn't have been able to get through any of it with out breaking down at one point or another, the girl hadn't had that chance yet because she was always protecting the young boy. Now that they were safe she was pretty sure all of the times she hadn't let her self break down was now catching up with the girl. The fact that they were safe may just be the reason Callie was breaking down, she felt like she finally could, even though she really didn't want too.

"Jude will be fine love. You don't have to protect him anymore. He will understand. And if he doesn't Mom and I will help him understand that you will be okay. That you are the same person he has known his entire life. Though we may have to tell him you may just be stronger now though." Confusion crossed Callie's face at the last sentence, how was she stronger? If anything she felt weak. Seeing the look of confusion Lena smiled softly at the girl. "Letting your self break down doesn't make you weak Callie not one bit."

"You and I have a different view of weak." Callie mumbled not really understanding what the women meant.

"You are dealing with everything Callie allowing yourself to do that is one of the strongest things you can do. I know it may not feel like it now but trust me one day you will see it." Stef smiled over Callie at her partner she could see that the woman's words were getting through to the teenager. She may not truly understand them yet but she didn't figure the girl really would just yet.

"I don't really see panic attacks as being strong. I'm not even choosing to have them so I don't really see that as me dealing with it."

"did you have these before you came to live with us Callie?" Lena chose not to comment on the girls tone knowing it was just from exhaustion and not quite understanding what the older woman was saying so she chose to go a different rout to try and get the girl to understand.

"No but what does that have to do with anything?"

"Do you think you may be breaking down because you feel safe here and can finally deal with everything because you don't feel like you have to protect Jude?"

"That doesn't make any sense, if I am safe why would I break down shouldn't I have fallen apart when all the bad was happening to me?"

"No I don't think so. Would you really let that happen to you if you knew you couldn't protect Jude?" Lena could still see the confusion in the girls eyes but she seemed to be understanding what Lena was saying.

"No I would do anything to protect Jude. Nothing would stop me from protecting him in any of those situations" Callie said strongly. That was when she finally understood what Lena meant. She could now finally allow her self to fall apart because Jude was no longer in any danger. She could finally start to let herself heal and not worry about being strong for her brother. "But how does me falling apart make me strong?"

"There is nothing wrong with falling apart love. That's what helps our minds heal. Now mom and I don't know even a quarter of what happened to you in the past but I'm guessing you never once let yourself heal." She didn't need an answer from the girl she saw it all in the younger girls eyes.

"You know mamas right, you know you and I we're a lot alike we think we have to be strong, tough, but trust me sometimes you just have to let your self fall apart and there's no shame in that not one bit. Allowing yourself to heal and letting us help you Callie it isn't weak it is truly strong. You are one of the strongest people I know."

Callie let both of the women's words sink in. She still didn't feel strong but she understood what they were getting at, though it was a lot to take in.

"Can I go take a nap it's been a long day and I'm getting a head ache." She could see the hesitation in the women's eyes but she really needed some time alone to think about everything that was just said. "Please?"

Stef was the first to speak the sudden question had thrown both her and Lena for a loop but she could understand why Callie would want to be alone.

"Yeah go ahead one of us will check on you in a little and we will get you for dinner. But I think we are going to tell the boys tonight, just so you know. I think the sooner we tell them will be the best." Callie just nodded and stood going to walk out of the room but paused and hugged both of the mothers murmuring a thank you to both of them. She didn't know if either would understand why she was saying thank you but she felt like she had to say it. No one else had ever taken the time to care about how she was feeling. With that she left the room.

When she got up to her room she fell into bed she wasn't lying about being tired and having a headache the day had taken a toll on her. Sighing she willed her mind to shut off and closed her eyes not wanting to deal with the thoughts swirling in her mind and fell asleep quickly. For once her sleep wasn't plagued by nightmares she was actually able to get a few hours of sleep before she felt someone shaking her softly.

"Callie sweet heart, its time for dinner." She awoke slowly hearing Lena's soft voice.

"What time is it?" She asked her voice filled with sleep.

"It's almost six, dinners going to be done in about ten minutes think you can be downstairs by then?" Nodding she watched Lena leave the room. She had only got three hours of sleep but for once she actually felt like it was enough and she didn't feel completely drained.

Taking a few minutes to stretch and allow her self to wake up she decided she better go downstairs before someone came looking for her. When she got to the kitchen she noticed she was the last one in the room.

"Hey sweets have a good nap?" Stef asked when she saw her oldest daughter standing in the entryway. She got a nod in return as the girl took a seat in between the twins. Dinner was filled with the normal chatter about how everyone's days went. Near the middle of it was when everything turned serious. It started with an simple innocent question.

"Why did you go home early today Callie? Are you sick?" Jude asked looking to his older sister. Lena had told him that his sister had went home at lunch when he had seen her in the halls and asked if she had seen Callie they were supposed to have had lunch together and she never showed up.

Everyone's eyes were now on the girl and she was frozen in her spot, she had a white knuckle grip on her silverware. She wasn't ready to answer this question, she had figured she had at least until after dinner. She couldn't bring herself to answer him. She looked towards Stef hoping the woman would take control of the situation.

"Well buddy we actually need to talk to all of you guys about that. You see Callie she was sort of sick." Stef started looking at the boy hoping to catch his eye but he was still looking at his sister who still had yet to move. Callie hadn't thought it would be this hard. She could just see the look of disappointment on her brothers face already when he found out she wasn't as tough as he though she was She wasn't sure she could handle seeing that look.

"What do you mean sort of sick?" Brandon's voice broke through the silence.

Being as Mariana knew what had been going on with Callie she was more focused on Callie than the conversation. Anyone with eyes could see her sister wasn't handling this conversation well. She really couldn't blame her Mariana knew Callie didn't want anyone knowing especially not Jude. Seeing that Callie had finally dropped her silverware and placed her hands in her lap Mariana took this chance to reach over and grab her sisters hand. She just wanted to show Callie she was there for her. She really wasn't expecting Callie to grab onto it like it was a life line. But if that was what her sister needed that is what Mariana would be.

"Callie has been having panic attacks. But we don't want you guys to worry Mama and I are helping her. She will be fine and we want you to know there is nothing wrong with her. Nothing is different she is the same Callie as she always has been." Stef finally said figuring it was best not to beat around the bush and just get straight to the point. She also wanted to make a point that there was absolutely nothing wrong with the girl.

Even with Mariana holding onto her hand Callie really couldn't deal with being in the room while they were talking about her like this. Standing up she excused her self and walked outside letting the cool fresh air wash over her. It instantly calmed her and cleared her mind of all the negative thoughts swirling through her mind. She knew soon one of her mothers were going to come looking for her but for right now she was relishing in the calm of the night.

Back in the house everyone was staring at the back door where Callie had just went through. No one knew exactly what to say. They just sat there for a few moments before Lena broke the silenced so they could calm their children's worries.

"We really need you guys to understand that while yes we understand you have questions about all of this you cant bombard Callie with them. If you have questions come to mom or I and we will answer them. We get this is scary and you may not understand. We really need you to understand that bombarding her would not be good for her. So if you have any questions now would be the time to ask." The took a few minutes explaining it all better to their children especially Jude who seemed to be understandably the most upset before they stood and went after their oldest daughter.

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An2: Yes I am leaving this at a cliff hanger I know I know I suck. But I feel that was a good spot to leave it. Next chapter I'm going to have the conversation between Jude and Callie so yeah until next time.