A/N: Here's the second part. Will Stef put aside her pride and accept Robert's help to get Callie's case dismissed? Read to find out...

Callie - cold (4B)

Chapter 2

Tuesday

After another mostly sleepless night, Callie mindlessly goes to shower the next morning, waiting in line, once again making quick work of bathing and brushing her teeth.

What she would give for a hair dryer right now. Or a box of Kleenex, whichever's easiest for the universe to provide.

Callie thinks about skipping breakfast, but decides to receive her tray of French toast sticks with syrup, eggs, a banana, and juice.

Her appetite all but non-existent, she has a few bites of everything before moving on to her drinks.

She saves the chocolate milk for last, the closest thing to a treat, letting the cold sweetness linger on her tongue.

Afterward, Callie lies down in her bunk, resting and preserving her energy for that day's work detail. She still feels terrible, so, she's going to need every ounce.

Yard time is not nearly as enjoyable on this day. The temperature has cooled down, and Callie is downright chilly, the light breeze notwithstanding. Her nose runs incessantly; sniffling makes her cough, sneeze, or both.

Callie pushes through another shift of mopping the hallways, this time, without interruption.

Dead on her feet, Callie drags herself back to the bunks, forgoing the last meal of the day. The very idea of food turns her stomach.

She's left alone until a guard comes to the doorway.

"Hey, Inmate."

Callie rolls over.

"Yeah, you. Come with me."

The woman leads her through a few sets of doors, until they reach a sign with an arrow.

RELEASE

She was getting out.

"I can leave?"

"Your case was dismissed. Once you change and collect your belongings, you're free to go."

The conversation that she and Stef had yesterday comes back to her.

'"I wanted to let you know that Robert came by the house this morning."'

Robert did this for her.

Callie keeps herself from smiling as she is buzzed into the room and sits in a chair, waiting for her clothes. Eventually, the staff retrieves them for her, never happier to be wearing jeans and a shirt.

Following procedure, the woman behind the desk passes her an envelope containing her wallet and cell phone. Callie signs for them.

"Okay, Miss Adams Foster. You're all set."

"Thanks."

Callie opens the door and goes down the steps. Stef and Robert are waiting for her.

"Hi, my love."

Stef hugs Callie like she hasn't seen her in days, instead of just one. She peppers her head with kisses.

"Hey, Mom."

She lets go, but not before giving her daughter an extra squeeze.

Callie turns her attention to Robert, with Stef deciding to give them a moment alone.

"Hi, Dad."

"Callie, you look terrible. What has juvie done to you?"

She laughs, which turns into coughs.

Callie and Robert hug.

"Thank you," she says simply, a bit emotional.

"You don't have to thank me, sweetheart. Just promise me no more trouble."

"I swear, Dad. I mean it. I'm sorry."

Robert smooths Callie's back, comforting her. "It's over now. That's all that matters."

Callie nods, stepping back. "So, why were the charges dropped?"

"Lack of evidence on the vehicular assault and we argued that you had cause to leave the scene on the hit-and-run."

Callie breathes a sigh of relief as pressure builds in her sinuses.

"Dad, you've got a handkerchief, right?" It was one of the few old school sensibilities he shared with his estranged father.

"Yeah, in my—oh."

Robert fishes it out of his back pocket, passing it to Callie just in time for her to pitch forward in a sneezing fit.

"Heh'chew! Heh'chew! HEHchew! Heh...CHEW!"

Callie wipes her nose, groaning.

"Jeez, Callie. Bless you. Your mom said you were sick, but not like this."

"Well, you know me, go big or go home," she quips, her voice more hoarse and congested than ever.

Callie folds the cloth and tries to give it back to Robert.

"Keep it," he insists, chuckling. "It's much more useful for you. Now, why don't you let your mom, here, take you home and I'll call you in a couple of days, when you're feeling better."

"Okay."

"Lots of rest, lots of fluids."

"Yeah, yeah, I know."

"And listen to your moms," Robert adds with a smile before kissing Callie's head.

"Good advice," Stef chimes in with a wink, rejoining the pair. "Ready to go, sweets?"

Callie nods, fatigue suddenly hitting her like a freight train.

"Bye, Dad."

Stef and Callie go to the car, which the blonde unlocks with her remote.

When Callie opens the door, she sees her sweatshirt on the passenger seat.

"I thought you might want it."

Callie puts it on, feeling comfy and warmer as she climbs in the Denali, buckling her seatbelt.

"Use this time to prepare yourself for the borderline-smothering TLC that Mama is going to unleash upon you."

Stef clicks her tongue, taking in Callie's sickly complexion and the beginnings of dark circles under her eyes. "Yep, she is going to have a fit."

Callie chuckles.

"I see, you think I'm kidding. That's funny. I'm as serious as a heart attack, my friend."

Stef pulls out of the parking lot and they leave CVJDF behind, hopefully, for the last time.

No sooner than when they hit the freeway, Stef sees Callie's eyes close, nodding off, until she's woken up to go inside the house.

"Callie. Wake up. We're home."

Callie isn't sure she's ever seen a more welcome sight than the craftsman structure she calls her own.

Stef opens the front door for her as everyone is waiting in the foyer, Mike and AJ included.

A chorus of 'welcome home' greets her ears.

"Thanks, guys. I'd hug you all, but you don't want this, trust me," Callie warns them of her cold, gesturing to herself.

"Not a problem," Jude assures her.

"That's fine," Mariana pipes up.

"Yeah, we're good, thanks," Jesus adds.

"Zeus, how's your head?" Callie asks him.

"Still hard." He knocks his fist on it.

Mariana goes on her tip-toes to look inside her twin's ear. "Still empty, is more like it," which brings on a round of laughs.

"No, AJ, don't," Callie tries to stop him as he walks over to her, but she gives up and lets him hug her.

"I missed you, girl." He pulls back and plants a gentle kiss on her forehead as a few awwws are heard.

"I think I missed her more," Lena says. "Hey, sweetheart."

Callie wants to stay in her warm hug forever, but lets go.

"You haven't slept," her mama observes, before feeling her face. "You've got a fever. PJs and bed, yeah?"

Callie nods.

"Good night, Callie. Feel better," Mike tells her.

"Thanks."

Stef and Lena follow their daughter upstairs to her room. Stef pulls back her covers as Callie retrieves pajamas from her dresser drawer.

"I'm gonna make you some tea while you settle in," Lena decides.

"Extra honey, please."

"You've got it, babe."

Dressed down, Callie emerges from the bathroom and delights in her soft bedding and mattress as Stef tucks her in, even though she's sitting up.

"How's that?"

"Good."

An uninvited fit of coughs makes an appearance, and Callie might as well be swallowing razors. "Ow," she whimpers, letting her head fall back against the wall of pillows behind her.

"My poor girl. So sick," Stef coos, bringing her lips to Callie's temple and rubbing her back.

"Mo-om," she whines. "I'll be fine."

Stef can't help but smile, her daughter sounding just like their other children when she babied them.

"Yes, you will, if you do what Mama and I say."

Callie coughs again, her sinuses draining down the back of her throat, sniffling into Robert's handkerchief.

"Echinacea tea, extra honey, at your request," Lena announces as she re-enters the room.

Instead of thanking her, Callie sneezes. "Hept'chew! Chew!"

"Bless you," both moms offer her.

Callie blows her nose before dropping the now-sodden cloth on her bedside table. Lena gives her the travel mug; the warmth feels nice on her hands.

She sighs in relief as the hot, sweet drink soothes her burning throat.

"How is it?"

"Heavenly. Thanks, Mama."

"Sure thing."

Lena spies a box of Kleenex on the dresser, setting it within Callie's reach. "Don't worry, we bought more," she chuckles.

Stef and Lena leave Callie to drink her tea in peace. She unlocks her phone, scrolling through worried texts from Mariana as she was placed under arrest late Saturday night.

She sets it down, glad her ordeal with Troy and the hit-and-run is over and that she now has the luxury of being sick as hell at home instead of in juvie.

Callie drains what's left in the mug before it gets cold, warming her on the inside.

Not long after, her moms return to check on her.

"All done?" Lena asks.

Callie nods.

"Alright, time for medicine and some shut-eye," Stef says, going to her bedroom and bringing back a bottle.

The blonde breaks the seal of the newly-purchased NyQuil SEVERE and hands her daughter a dose, which the teen swallows obediently before lying on her stomach.

"Do you need anything else, bug?" Lena asks her.

Callie shakes her head. "No," she replies, yawning.

"Get some rest, okay?" Lena places a hand on her hair and kisses it.

"Sleep well, my love," Stef says, gentle.

"G'night, Mom."

Stef exits, going downstairs.

Lena turns to follow her wife.

"Mama?"

"Hm?"

"Do you think you could maybe...stay for a bit? Just until I fall asleep, I mean."

Normally, Callie wouldn't make such a request, but was feeling awful and wasn't ready to be alone in the dark.

Her mama's smile was warm and sincere.

"Of course I will."

Lena turns the light off and sets the desk chair next to Callie's bed, sitting down.

"You know that if you leave this room and even attempt to go downstairs before I say otherwise, I will ground you for life, right?"

Callie chuckles at her threat, drowsy.

"Are you warm enough?"

"Mhm."

"Alright. Just relax. I'm not going anywhere."

Lena rubs circles on Callie's back until her breaths even out and she falls asleep. Even then, Lena sticks around after, making sure that her ailing child stays that way, snores and all.

[][][][][][]

Callie tosses and turns in her bunk, her sleep anything but peaceful.

She doesn't hear a girl climb down from her bed, her bare feet mute on the concrete floor.

"Shut the hell up! You snore like a damn chainsaw."

Callie is startled awake, now on the floor, her blanket tangled around her legs, gasping for breath as the girl lunges at her.

Callie shoots up in bed, eyes darting around, her fist drawn back, preparing to strike.

"Hey, hey, hey. Callie, it's alright."

A hand holds her fist, slowly guiding it down to her lap.

"You're okay, love. You're home, remember?"

She nods in the darkness, coughing, as Stef flicks on her bedside lamp.

"You alright?"

"Yeah, just a—"

"Crazy fever dream?" the blonde assumes.

"Yeah," Callie confirms before using a Kleenex. "Kinda scary, though."

"How so?"

"Last night, a girl shoved me awake because I was snoring, but just now, she pushed me out of bed and was gonna beat me up."

"Aw, baby. I'm sorry that happened to you."

"It's okay. It could've been worse."

Callie checks the time and sees that it's almost 11 PM.

"Do you need anything?"

"No, I'm okay."

"Go back to sleep, now. Love you."

Callie rolls over and does just that.

[][][][][][]

Wednesday

A better night's sleep proves to be a difference-maker when Callie feels up to some breakfast as everyone else is getting ready for school. She doesn't feel at all well enough to go and knows her moms won't let her. She doesn't want to try to change their minds anyway.

So, Callie dials Lena for a quick chat, not wanting to yell or text her.

"Good morning, bug. How'd you sleep?"

"Pretty good, finally. I don't think I could take any further sleep deprivation."

"I'm glad. You're obviously staying home with Jesus and Mom. Did you need something?"

"Am I allowed downstairs for breakfast? I'm kinda hungry. If you don't want me around everyone, I understand, I just—"

"Sure, honey," Lena allows, deciding that the last thing her daughter needs is to be isolated from the rest of the family. "Come down and eat. Mom's almost done flipping the pancakes."

She swears her mama has a sixth sense. That sounds so good that Callie hangs up and goes to the kitchen immediately.

"There she is. G'morning, love," Stef greets her as she places a platter of finished pancakes on the table.

"Morning, Jailbird," Jesus says with a smirk.

"Same to you, McGregor," Callie fires back, alluding to her brother's favorite UFC fighter, in response to his run-in with Nick at the festival a few days ago.

"Eat all you want, sweets," Stef tells her, smoothing her back as Lena sets a hot mug of tea in front of her.

After adding the perfect quantities of butter and syrup, Callie takes a bite, and it's everything.

"Mm. That's nothing like juvie food. I so missed your cooking, Mama."

Lena smiles and blows her a kiss.

"How was juvie, anyway?" Mariana wonders. "Did you get jumped? Did anybody try to recruit you?"

"It wasn't like that, Mariana. I kept a low profile, as well as one can with a cold like this. I think my block figured I wasn't staying, so, they didn't bother with me."

"That's certainly good to hear," Lena remarked, sitting down to eat.

When everyone finishes, Callie waits until the room clears and she's left with her moms in the kitchen.

"Moms? Can I talk to you guys for a second?"

"Sure," Lena says as she and Stef give Callie their full attention.

"I just wanted to say thanks...for letting Robert help...get me out of there," Callie tells them, shuddering out the last bit, struggling to keep her emotions in check. "I know I added more problems and stress to your plates when you were already dealing with Jesus and everyone else. But..."

"What is it, baby?" Stef asks, crouching in front of her.

"It just sucked being there, really sucked. And I was sick and I felt horrible and I...I only wanted you and my bed. I just wanted my moms."

At this tearful admission, Stef immediately moves to hug her girl, and Lena does the same. In this moment, they are reminded that while Callie possesses wisdom beyond her years, for all her rough edges and defenses, she's still just a child who longs for their support and comfort.

Callie feels shame for crying, but she's been sick and tired and scared and stressed for the last three days. A wave of relief washes over her. Her moms love and want her. They don't reject her for revealing her true feelings.

"You have us, sweetie. You always will," her mama assures her softly. "You're home with us. The charges are gone and you're gonna feel much better very soon."

Callie nods. "Mhm."

They hug it out for a bit longer before passing Callie some Kleenex.

"And when you are better, the three of us are going to have a long talk about you concerning Troy and Kyle, but, only then," Stef tells her.

Callie nods again, understanding.

"Go get some more sleep," Lena says, kissing her head, then, her wife's lips and wishing them a good day.

Callie smiles, knowing there's many more to come.

THE END

A/N: And there you have it. I really like this one.

Next up is Mariana, by herself, FINALLY. I promise. The right prompt finally jumped out at me for her.

Tell me what you all thought of this. :)