Callie ran into Stef's arms as a wave of tears overcame her. Stef wrapped strong arms around her instinctively, and pressed a kiss to her head. She could tell that Callie was in distress. Her breathing was short quick pants, as tears filled her eyes to the brim before spilling over, running down her cheeks. Stef could almost feel Callie's heart beating rapidly out of her chest.

"Hey what's the matter baby girl?" Stef said with a concerned tone. Callie had never acted this way around her. The teen had always been so guarded about her feelings, and now she was overflowing with emotion.

"You're never going to adopt me." Callie said through sniffles, her voice cracking and breaking Stef's heart with each sound of her sobs. Those six words shattered Stef. How could Callie say something like that? Stef tried her best not to cry with her. She rubbed circles into Callie's back desperately trying to calm her down.

"W-why would you think that honey? We want to adopt you. That's why we're trying so hard to get Robert to sign the papers."

"He signed them!" Callie cried, her whole body shaking as the sobs wracked through her. Stef held her a little closer in attempt to calm her.

"Then why are you saying we won't adopt you? We love you Callie. We want you to be our daughter legally." Stef wiped the tears from the brunettes eyes, lightly lifting her chin to look her in the eye. "We want to adopt you."

Callie shook her head as her eyes filled with tears yet again. "Sophia ripped up the papers. They're gone. You can't adopt me." Callie was losing hope. "I'm just going to live with the Quinn's. This is too much. I can't do this anymore."

"So you're just going to give up and let them win?"

Callie nodded. She was too exhausted to keep fighting this. It kept her up at night. It's all she thought about. She just needed to rest. At least with the Quinns she wouldn't have to share a room.

"No ma'am. You are an Adams Foster, and that means you will not give up on your dreams, and we will not give up on our dreams of adopting you. We want you Callie. You are meant to be our daughter. You are our daughter. We are adopting you, no matter what it takes," Stef stated. She was telling Callie this in the most serious way she could. She wanted Callie. She needed her. Callie came into her family's life like a wind storm, and there was no way that they would live the rest of their lives without her.

Callie looked away. "You can't." Callie was defeated. She wiped her eyes as each tear fell, staining her cheeks. She sniffled and held back the rest of her tears. She was tired of feeling so weak and defenseless.

Stef gently lifted Callie's chin to look her in the eye again. She cupped her cheek as her maternal instincts took over. She lightly swiped one of Callie's fallen tears away with her thumb. "I can, and I will. I am your mother Callie. Not biologically, but by choice. You and I chose to be a family, and we love each other. I am your mother, and you are my daughter. Do you remember what Mama always says?"

"DNA doesn't make a family, love does." Callie quoted. She tried to calm herself down, but the anxiety, and defeat from the day was taking a toll on her. "I want to get away from here. Please." She pleaded. She couldn't bear the thought of staying another minute at the Quinn residence.

Stef gently wiped Callie's face, and held her hand as she led her to the car. She sent a quick text to Lena letting her know of their absence. They got in and Stef drove out of the neighborhood. "Hungry? I know you haven't eaten all day."

"Y-yes." Callie managed to say as she took deep breaths the way Lena taught her to. It amazed her to see just how much her moms have shaped her life. She knows she's turned their lives upside down. It's been a crazy year for Callie. She was grateful that The Fosters still wanted to adopt her after all of the trouble she's put them through.

"How about a burger and a milkshake?" Stef asked.

"That's fine." Callie said, finally reaching a more relaxed state.

Stef nodded and drove to the nearest fast food place ordering food for the both of them. After getting their food Stef took Callie to the beach, where they sat on a blanket they had found in the back of the car. They sat and ate in silence before Callie finally spoke up.

"I want you to adopt me too. You are my family. The first real family I've ever had. The Quinns are just my DNA."

Stef pressed a kiss to Callie's head. "Exactly. You haven't connected with them at all, no matter how much time you spend with them, the connection just isn't there, and sometimes it's like that."

"Do we have to go back there?" Callie sighed. The thought of facing them made her stomach turn.

"I'm afraid so sweetheart. We left Mama and your siblings there, but we can stay here a little longer. You don't have to spend time with them anymore unless you want to." Stef said.

Callie nodded. "I want to go back. I need to apologize to Sophia, I just can't see them until I cool off. I'm devastated, and I'm hurt that she would do that to me."

"I'm sure you are, as am I. We will get this all straightened out, and before you know it you will be Callie Adams Foster." Stef smiled and gave her shoulder a light squeeze.

Callie returned the smile. "I-I I love you mom."

"I love you too Callie." Stef beamed. It's the first time Callie had ever said that to her.

The two sat on the beach for another hour before going to get the rest of the Adams Foster family. The rest of the day was filled with a lot of love, and special attention to Callie to raise her spirits. If family members could be soulmates, Callie would be theirs.