"MARIANA!" Came Stef's voice from upstairs.
"Oh crap." Mariana mumbled.
It was well past one and no one had woken Stef. Brandon and Jude had gone to get the dessert and come back while the others got lunch ready. They were having leftover Chinese. Then they all settled in to watch a movie until Stef woke up.
"Mariana, you were supposed to wake me." Stef said as she entered the living room, looking annoyed.
"I'm sorry." Mariana began.
"Stef, Lena wanted you to sleep." Sharon interrupted, trying to get some of the heat off her granddaughter.
"She asked us not to wake you." Mariana said guiltily.
"Mama, who's in the hospital?" Stef said, knowing that would get to her daughter. "What about what I asked you to do."
"I'm sorry." Mariana said, not knowing what else to say.
"What happened to having lunch together?" Stef asked.
"Mama said we'd have dessert instead. Brandon and Jude went and got everyone cheesecake." Mariana answered.
"She's not alone honey." Sharon said as Stef went to grab the phone. "Get ready, we're leaving in five minutes." She instructed as she headed back upstairs.
"Hi babe." Lena said as cheerfully as she could, hoping Stef wasn't too upset.
"Don't 'hi babe' me Lena." Stef said annoyed. "Why would you tell the kids not to wake me?"
"Honey, you needed the rest." Lena tried to reason with her. "I could see how tired you were."
"That's not important Lena." Stef said.
"Yes it is Stef." Lena said. "Things don't just stop because I'm in here."
"If you're not in my bed then everything stops." Stef said as she got ready. "I'll be there in twenty minutes."
"Don't forget my cheesecake." Lena said playfully.
"You don't deserve it." Stef said, though nothing would make her forget it.
Lena sighed as she hung up, knowing that in about twenty-five minutes Stef would be more annoyed than ever. At least she had some good news to share with her family when they got here that should dissipate any anger.
Not even twenty minutes later Stef was heading into Lena's room. Looking around she noticed that no one was with her.
"Where are your parents?" Stef asked as the kids began spreading their desserts on Lena's hospital table.
"They went to the hotel to rest." Lena said, trying to make it sound like it was no big deal, though she knew that Stef would be mad.
"When?" Stef asked, horrified.
"When I was taken for a blood test." Lena said.
Stef instantly knew that the lack of a definitive answer meant that she wasn't going to like the truth.
"What time was that?" She asked.
"Around ten-thirty." Lena answered but quickly continued. "I didn't know how long the test was going to be and they were so tired so I asked them to go."
"And they just left?" Stef asked in shock.
"Not exactly." Lena said. "I promised to call you after the blood test."
"Which is when you told the kids not to wake me?" Stef answered, connecting the dots.
"You were finally sleeping honey." Lena tried to explain. "And I was fine. I lay here and just watched some T.V."
"You were alone Lena." Stef said.
"I was fine and the nurses were here if I needed anything." Lena said. She reached out for Stef, needing Stef to forgive her.
"That's not fair Lena." Stef said. "You promised me you'd call me when I left."
"I know Stef." Lena said. "I'm sorry. "I was fine and I really wanted to you just relax."
Stef huffed in frustration. She couldn't even really yell at Lena right now. Even arguing with her was making her feel miserable. She glared at her kids, all ready to dig in, wishing at least one of them had had the sense to wake her when she'd asked.
"Don't be mad at them." Lena said softly, watching Stef carefully. "I asked them not to wake you."
"And I asked them to wake me." Stef said still annoyed.
"Yeah, but I kinda bribed them with cheesecake." Lena joked.
Stef finally allowed a small smile to creep onto her face. She watched as her kids handed out slices of cake to everyone - each one having their favorite.
"Chocolate-Raspberry" Callie said, handing Lena hers. "And Lemon-Raspberry for you." She said handing a second one to Stef.
Stef gave Callie a questioning look as she took the slice.
"What? Isn't that what you like?" Callie asked looking worried. "That's what mama told me to get you."
Stef turned her attention to Lena who was smirking away behind a bite of her cheesecake.
"Mama can never decide between the Lemon-Raspberry and the Chocolate-Raspberry." Stef explained. "I think she finally found a way to have both."
Callie looked from Stef to Lena and back again. Their love for each other was so clear in that moment and Callie was happy to have witnessed it.
"So which is your favorite?" Callie asked Stef.
"Tiramisu." Stef said giving Lena a playfully annoyed look as she took a bite of her own cheesecake.
"I love you babe." Lena said as she stuck her fork into Stef's cheesecake and stole a bite.
Stef laughed as she did exactly the same to Lena's, relieved to see Lena actually eat something by herself for the first time.
"Well I have something to tell you all." Lena said as everyone's empty boxes were being collected. "Like I mentioned earlier, I had another blood test today and it came back clean just like yesterday."
Everyone smiled and clapped and began talking at once at the news.
"There's more." Lena interrupted the merriment.
All eyes were on her again as everyone waited for her to continue.
"The doctor said that my leg has healed enough that I can be discharged tomorrow." Lena said.
There was silence in the room for a few seconds as everyone processed what she had said.
"You're coming home?" Jude finally broke the silence.
Lena nodded with a smile and soon all the kids arms were wrapped around her. Lena looked over at Stef and saw her gazing lovingly back, tears in her eyes.
I love you. Lena mouthed to Stef and Stef mouthed it right back to her.
