Hey guys! So I wrote this chapter about ten times, and this is the best it got. I hope you guys like it, it wasn't very emotional because the next few chapter will unleash the feels. So be prepared. I actually have part of the next chapter already so read and review this chapter and the next will be up within the week. Enjoy!
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"It's raining again." Stef hears Lena whisper. The rain could be heard against the roof as Stef slowly awakens from her sleep. Her eyes open and she peeks at the clock: 3:15.
"Getting us out of this drought." Stef replies in a groggy voice before turning and looking down at her daughter. They brought Callie in here around 2, and Stef's guess, after looking at her wife, Lena hadn't fallen back asleep. Stef looks back down at Callie, whose thumb is in her mouth, while her pointer finger rubs the bridge of her nose.
"I tried pulling her thumb out of her mouth but, it just ends up right back." Lena whispers and Stef looks up and smiles softly.
"She is stubborn in that way." Stef says running a finger over her daughters small hand before kissing her forehead. They stay quiet. Neither knowing what to say or do, so it stays quiet. Lena tries to come up with a game plan on how to deal with whatever Callie is going through, but Stef, she just cries. She cries for the pain her daughter is going through. She cries for the morning of the kidnapping, Callie's smiles and giggles and her silly morning dance. It was all perfect and now, they were here. Stef feels a warm hand over her face and her eyes meets with Lena's concerned ones.
"Talk to me baby." Lena says and Stef takes her hand and kisses the inside.
"It's dumb." Stef mumbles but Lena shakes her head.
"It's not dumb if it's making you cry." Lena responds and Stef takes a moment to stop her tears before looking at her wife.
"I'm scared Lena. I'm scared we are going to loose our little girl, to whatever is going on in her head."
"Stef we can help her."
"She is five Lena. She doesn't, she can't, her mind can't process this, and it's just going to eat away at her."
"That's why we encourage her to talk. She is going to eventually talk about her nightmares. We just have to be there when she is ready." Lena tries to reassure Stef.
"She's my baby." Stef responds quietly and Lena smiles and nods.
"I know baby."
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"I don't know what's worse, parking tickets or citations." Mike says as they walk into the precinct.
"Both." Stef says sitting down and checking her phone.
"How is Callie doing?" Mike asks sitting down and picking up his water bottle. Stef's eyes shift off her phone as her mind goes blank. She doesn't know what to say. How to you explain to an outsider that your child is loosing a battle against her thoughts and memories.
"Stef?" Mike brings her back and she looks at him.
"What's today's date?"
"Um, the 10th, why?" Stef shoots out of her seat and picks her phone and sunglasses off the desk.
"I have a thing." Stef says before walking out the precinct.
She quickly makes her way to her car and out of the parking lot before pulling up to the courthouse and going inside. She finds the courtroom number before silently stepping inside.
"Lucy Jacob made a mistake your honor."
"A felony mistake, she broke the terms of her probation!"
"She was with her daughter."
"Oh so her daughter wanted the drugs."
The judge bangs his gavel and both lawyers stop and look at him.
"Do you two ever stop arguing." He says and the lawyers stay standing but don't respond.
"Overruled." He looks at the prosecutor.
"Thank you." The defensive lawyer picks up a piece of paper and shows it to the witness.
"What does that say, Mr. Murray?" He asks and the witness looks at it.
"It's my police report." He responds and the defensive lawyer nods his head.
"Yes I've gathered that, but what does it say?" He asks again as he points to a sentence.
"I then saws. Jacob tasking the hand of a child and walking away." He ready and the defensive lawyer nods his head and looks at him.
"But officer Daniels just testified that you said nothing of the sort."
"Objection your honor! Relevance?" The prosecutor jumps up and the defense attorney holds his hands up in confusion.
"It goes to the liability of the witness, if he says one thing but writes another he could be lying."
"Yes but he was questioned after it happened, it's most likely he recalled information after being able to write it out." The prosecutor argues and the judge nods his head.
"I agree Mr. Gardner, Sustained." The judge rules and the defense strobe nods his head.
"No more questions." He takes a seat next to Lucy and the prosecutor stands up.
"The prosecution calls Stefanie Foster to the stand." The defense attorney quickly stands up and clears his throat.
"Objection your honor! She is not on the witness list."
"Actually she is, as an alternate. The other officer was not able to make it so she was called in."
"Very well Ms. Larch." The judge says before looking at Mr. Gardner.
"Overruled." The defense attorney sits and Stef walks to the stand and is sworn in. Ms. Larch walks over to the stand and smiles at Stef.
"Please state your name and title for the record."
"Stefanie Foster, patrol officer for San Diego police department, district 10."
"And on the day in question Mrs. Foster, where were you called?"
"I was called to Anchor Beach Charter school."
"And why was that?"
"I was responding to call from my wife."
"A call from your wife and not from dispatch?"
"I was informed from my wife that my daughter was missing and I followed protocol and called it in."
"Mhm, and where did you find your daughter, Callie Foster?"
"I found her in a abandon house that was being used for manufacturing drugs."
"And when taken to the hospital, what did the doctors speculate happened to her?"
"Objection your honor! Beyond the scope." The defense attorney stands and Ms. Larch looks at the judge.
"She is the mother, your honor. The doctor gave her daughter a diagnosis and as the mother, she knows what it is." She fights back and the judge nods and looks at the defense attorney.
"Overruled." He sits back down and the judge nods for Stef to continue.
"The doctor noticed some internal bruising, that indicated she was beaten. There was some tearing-" Stef stops and tries to compose herself.
"Mrs. Foster?"
"She um, had some tearing that indicated she put up a struggle when being beaten, and her lungs have been damaged from the chemicals."
"Thank you Mrs. Foster. Your witness." The defense attorney stands up and walks over to the stand.
"How long was Callie in the hospital Mrs. Foster."
"A day."
"A day? But those injuries sound serious."
"There was nothing the doctors could do but give her an inhaler and some pain killers."
"She didn't need surgery?"
"Objection your honor! Beyond the scope!"
"Withdrawn." The defense attorney walks away and sits down.
"Are those all the witnesses?" The judge asks before dismissing Stef.
Stef leaves the courthouse before making her way home.
xxxx
"Hi mommy." Callie whispers when Stef walks into the living room after changing.
"Hi Callie girl." Stef sits on the couch next to her daughter and kisses her head.
"How are you feeling love?" Stef asks after a few minutes of dragon tales.
"My chest hurts." Callie struggles to say as she snuggles into Stef's side.
"Ya? How are your O2 levels?" Callie's looks away from the TV and smiles up at her mom.
"You're funny mommy." Callie giggles and Stef can't help but to laugh with her.
"It wasn't meant to be funny silly girl." Stef smiles and Callie settles back into her spot watching TV. After an episode, Callie's breathing is even and steady, and Stef pulls her in closer.
"I love you so much baby girl. I will protect you with all I have."
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So we found out what happened to Callie. A lot of mama tiger action going on. What did you guys think? What should happen next? Ideas? Thoughts? Let me know! Review!