AN- No more Fosters until the winter? How will we survive? 10 weeks flew! Thank you again for all the support! You guys are the best!
"Oh. My. God! Stefanie Adams, Foster" Lena gasped "What happened?! Are you okay?" Lena gasped as Stef entered their room well after midnight. Her wife's uniform was ripped and soaked in dried blood. Her hair was a mess, she had a fat lip and a bandage covering her forearm.
Stef headed to the safe and put her gun right away "I am fine, love" She assured her "Most of this blood isn't mine. Can you start the shower for me."
Lena was already out of bed and heading to the bathroom. "What happened? What was your lead? It's not something to do with the girls case is it?"
Stef shook her head "No sweetheart, this was just part of my job. Domestic dispute that got out of hand."
"Is there ever a domestic dispute that's in control?" Lena asked as she began to help Stef get her clothing off. She could tell her wife was sore. "No" Stef said softly as her eyes filled with tears.
"What happened?" Lena asked reaching out stroking Stef's cheek.
"Drunk mother attacked her husband, and their daughter got in the way."
Lena gasped "No, is she okay?"
Stef shook her head "She died in my arms"
"Oh. Oh Stef, oh baby! I am so sorry." Lena's voice cracked "How did you get hurt?"
"Later, when we told the mother that she was dead, she got distraught, she was trying to see the body, she didn't mean to." She paused "She didn't mean to hurt me, she was distraught, she didn't mean to kill her child, but she meant to harm her husband."
Lena bit on her lip "How is he?"
"Devastated that he couldn't protect his children, embarrassed someone finally caught on his wife abused him. Oh Lena tonight was one of the most horrible nights in my career. I held a kid Mariana's age in my arms, while she took her last breath. I couldn't save her" Stef said numbly so numbly it scared Lena.
"Baby, just get in the shower" She said after a minute. She quickly shed her own clothes and got into the shower with her wife. Her stomach to Stef's back as she held her tightly in her arms and let the hot water pelt them for a few minutes. Letting the water and her touch sooth Stef. It was better then words, which she didn't have any at that moment anyway.
After a few minutes she pulled away and grabbed the shampoo, she squeezed a little into the palm of her hand before working it through Stef's scalp.
"I love you" She whispered into her ear "I am glad you're home."
"I am sorry, I didn't make it home for dinner" Stef said quietly with her eyes closed as Lena continued to wash her hair.
"I understand" Lena assured her "And I know you've had a hard night, and you want to curl up in bed and let me hold you, but honey you have to go check on the kids. Especially the girls, your daughter had a really hard time with you not being here tonight."
"I have two daughters" Stef said through a yawn, Lena massaging her scalp was so soothing.
"Well both, but Callie and she freaked out at bed time."
Stef held her hand under the water before splashing it on her face. "I am sorry, I left you with that."
Lena had finished washing and conditioning Stef's hair. She turned the water off and grabbed towels. She wrapped Stef in one, before wrapping herself in the other. "I don't mind, I am a mom too" She said with a smile "I promised her you'd be home but that's what really freaked her out. You can't promise that kid that. She relates it to her mother's death.
Stef was able to dry herself off no longer feeling as out of it. While Lena grabbed their pajamas and a robes. "I am sure her mom promised to see her in the morning."
"Right" Lena nodded as she dressed quickly herself "But that morning never came"
"I am going to go see her now, so I can go to bed" Stef said once she was dressed
Lena nodded "While you're checking on the kids, I'll get you something to help you sleep, are hungry?"
Stef shook her head "No, but I am sore."
"Thought so" Lena nodded as she lovingly ran her arm down Stef's arm. "I am so sorry baby."
Stef shook her head "I've been so focused on the sex rings, I almost forgot that this kind of violence still exists, a family shattered tonight. A father is at home holding one child to him while grieving another, while his wife is in jail grieving that same child. How?"
"I don't have the answers for that" Lena shook her head "Nothing I can say to you will make it better. What I do know that going and seeing your own children, will help soothe your heart a little bit."
Stef nodded knowing Lena was right. Seeing her own sleeping kids, knowing they were safe tucked in their beds dreaming away made her feel better. Always did. She checked on the boys first, going into B's room. Kissing his forehead just like she used to when he was little. Moving to Jude's and Jesus's room she recovered Jude, kissed his forehead and whispered a wish of sweet dreams to her little buddy that had seen far too much world in his young age. She moved to Jesus and laughed as he was sprawled out everywhere a skate board resting on his stomach. Only Jesus. She grabbed it and put it on the floor at the foot of the bed. She kissed him as well and ran her fingers through his soft hair. She'd never admit this outloud but she was jealous of how perfect and soft his hair was. She loved touching it when she could.
She then headed down to the girls room quietly slipping in. She noticed the night light was on. Something Mariana hadn't used in years. Was it because Callie needed it because she was worried about Stef not being home? Or was it because Mariana was scared that Charlie would get in? Never the less seeing the night light on saddened her heart a little bit. The thought her girls didn't feel fully safe anymore almost took her breath away. She moved over to Mariana and kissed her cheek tucking her blankets around her.
Mariana stirred and opened her eyes slightly.
"Just mommy my love" Stef whispered stroking her cheek "You're safe, go back to sleep."
"Love you mommy, missed you tonight"
"Missed you too my baby" Stef wished as she laid a soft little kiss on Mariana's cheek. "Sleep baby"
Mariana turned slightly her finger twirled her hair briefly before she became still. Stef left her hand on her daughter's arm for a few minutes until she knew for sure that she was asleep before moving over to Callie.
She knelt beside the head of Callie's bed she reached up and softly ran her fingers through Callie's wavy locks. "Roll over and look at me" She whispered into the dark.
Callie rolled onto her back and looked up at Stef, her finger going to her nose.
"Hi, my baby" Stef whispered as she reached down and ran her finger over Callie's finger that she was using to self sooth.
"You're late" Callie accused in a whisper.
"I know" Stef nodded "I am sorry. First time this happened since you moved in huh? I didn't mean to scare you."
"I wasn't scared" Callie whispered as her hand slowly reached out and tenderly touched Stef's swollen lip. Stef did her best not to flinch as she allowed Callie to look. She then grabbed her fingers and held them in her hands. "I am okay" She assured her.
Callie took her hand back from Stef and tucked it under her pillow as she nodded "Goodnight" She mumbled.
"Scoot over" Stef whispered to Callie even with the dim light for the night light Stef could see Callie's eyes get wide. "Please?"
Callie thought about protesting but she rolled onto her side so she was facing her wall and scooted over close to it. She felt Stef climb in beside her and lay her head next to hers on the pillow. She could strongly smell Stef's shampoo of her freshly cleaned hair. She felt Stef's fingers pulling Callie's hair back before she started running them through starting at the scalp and working their way back repeating the process over and over.
"Just close your eyes" Stef whispered to Callie "Let your body relax. I am right here."
"You weren't."
"I know, love" Stef said softly "I was working baby"
"You're hurt"
"Just a bump and some scratches. I am really fine. I am home and I am with my family, I am in bed with one of my kids. I am okay."
"Was Charlie involved?
Stef leaned over and kissed Callie's temple "No, bug" She assured her. "It had nothing to do with Charlie, it was just another part of my job. Going out there and protecting the innocent."
"Did you get our phones set up?"
"Yes, Callie" Stef said raising her voice from a whisper to a gentle tone, "But right now you don't need your phone. It's in mine and mama's room. You can have it in the morning."
"I just want…"
Stef's tone went from gentle to firm. "Callie, it is late, I need you to close your eyes and go to sleep. Tomorrow is not going to be an enjoyable day if you are over exhausted."
Callie exhaled and closed her eyes bringing up her finger and resting it on the bridge of her nose.
Stef kissed her again "Good girl" She whispered into her ear.
"Arf, arf"
"Callie" Stef warned "I am trying here, I know you're angry at me for not being here tonight, I know you're angry that it scared you, but you need to push past that and go to sleep. I am not leaving until you're asleep, and I am exhausted and emotionally done with the night Missy. So before your find yourself in trouble you don't want. Go to sleep."
Callie let out a light whimpery sigh "Goodnight" She mumbled "Love you"
"I love you too sweets"
It didn't take Stef long once Callie relaxed to get her to fall asleep. It was clear that she was exhausted. She waited with her for a few minutes before crawling out carefully and tucking her in.
She placed a small kiss on her cheek. "I love you my sassy pants" She whispered into the dark. Before leaving the room.
"Kids are all asleep" Stef announced coming into her room and crawling onto the bed with Lena.
"Here babe" Lena handed Stef some Tylenol PM and a water bottle "This will help you sleep."
"Thank you love"
"I also brought ice for your lip" She said pulling out an ice pack. "You were gone for a while, Callie wasn't asleep was she?"
Stef shook her head "Wide awake, Mariana wasn't sleeping well. She woke up when I tucked her in but she was easy to get back down. Callie was harder."
"Stef, I know you had a long night, and you're probably not wanting to talk about this, but with Callie's behavior tonight, I am not sure it's good for her to be involved with this Charlie case. She's already wigging out."
"It's the unknown" Stef said tiredly "She doesn't know how being on the case is going to look. I get scared too when I don't know how the logistics of it will work. Give it a few days before you pull the plug Lena, remember I am going to be right there the entire time."
"One week" Lena held up her hand "If she gets any more agitated and stressed out, it's done! I will not have my child so dang jumpy, and grumpy in her own skin."
"I hear ya love" Stef nodded as she allowed Lena to pull her into her arms. "I think once we start she'll be fine."
"No more about that tonight, I want you to rest" She said softly "You've had a long day."
"You're telling me" Stef said softly "Tonight was not my favorite, I can handle my job most of the time, but…"
"Don't think about it" Lena shook her head "Focus on me holding you, our kids sleeping down the hall. Our life. Your blessings. Let the Tylenol kick in. Relax your body." Lena said softly as she held her wife close to her. She ran her hand up and down Stef's arm in a soothing motion while kissing hear every few minutes. Hoping that her closeness would bring her wife comfort. She was hoping in the next few weeks she would be able to bring her wife and children comfort when they needed her the most.
