Here it is - the penultimate chapter! Awch, I'm getting quite emotional...hope you enjoy!

Stef unlocked the door to the house and threw her keys on the side. Knowing she had a couple of hours before the kids came home, she collapsed onto the couch momentarily enjoying the quiet. She wasn't sure who suffered more when the kids were all grounded. It was tiring trying to entertain them with no electronic babysitters and most of them housebound. She looked around at the various chores that needed to be done. It was Friday afternoon by now and the end of a very stressful and awkward week. She had barely been talking with Mike bar work small talk, Kasey had secluded herself almost exclusively in her room and the general morale of the house had been very low due to the constant tension. Brandon had just about made peace with his Dad after some firm nudging from his Mom but Kasey hadn't been able to face him since the outburst. Mike wasn't ready to face her yet either, partly due to guilt and partly due to anger. Stef finally emerged from the sofa, mainly to stop herself drifting off and started to bustle around the kitchen. She was interrupted by a knock at the door.

"Oh for God's sake. Why is it I feel I've seen your face more than my own recently?" Evan stood sheepishly at the door.

"I'm sorry Ms Foster. I just want to talk to you."

"You're going to have to come up with a new catchphrase you know." Stef quipped before reluctantly flicking her head to signal he come in.

He slumped past her and stood very small with his hands in his pockets.

"I'd offer you a drink but frankly I'd rather you weren't in my house." She added. "What do you want Evan? And please say it's not going to want to make me strangle you because it's been a very long week."

"I don't want anything." He said. "I just wanted to check that Kasey was OK after the other night." Stef was almost surprised that she hadn't found a way to contact him.

"She's a little down...well you know. But she'll be fine. I really do think the space will do her good. I think the way this is all happening is putting way too much pressure on her. She's just a kid Evan, and you're not much older than one yourself." She couldn't help but feel maternal towards him, he looked so lost. Part of her wanted to discipline him too like she would if it were Brandon in his situation. "Look in a few weeks this will all have died down and we can regroup our thoughts. Until then please just stay away. What if Mike had been here? Or Kasey? How did you even know I'd be in?"

"Well when Kasey and I used to hang out she said you'd always be home Fridays...it was why...you know...never mind..." Evan decided it best not to remind Stef too much about the methods Kasey had used to sneak around.

Stef rolled her eyes again, a move that was becoming all too familiar as her kids grew.

"OK, OK...now please, just go. Go study or something, hang out with your friends. You're lucky you're too old to be punished 'cause if you were my son I tell you what..." she swatted him lightly on the arm and guided him to the door.

"One more thing..." he said. Stef bit her lip and waited for him to continue.

"Could you give these to Kasey? It was what I was trying to drop off to her the other day." He handed Stef a plastic bag with some books inside.

"We'll see." She responded, "Now come on. Let's go, let's go." She saw him out and peered into the bag. She didn't want to have to think about them for now and put them down to the side.

She collapsed back down on the couch. The chores could wait.

"We're home!" Lena shouted in. Stef couldn't believe she'd drifted off for so long. In a panic she quickly got herself up and pretended she hadn't been asleep.

She coughed. "Uhm, hi babies!" She exclaimed.

"Asleep were we?" Lena quipped. Stef smiled guiltily and gave her a kiss. The kids filed in behind her.

Various greetings were thrown around the room.

Kasey looked over to her Mom. There was clearly something bothering her.

"Mom...can I ask a favour?" She started. Stef looked at her cautiously.

"You can ask..." she responded.

"Can you tell me if Evan has sent me any messages?" Stef froze. It was as if she could sense he had been there. How did she know? Had she planned it?

"I mean, you have my phone...I don't need to know what they said...I just want to know he's OK after the other night. It's been eating away at me all week."

Stef relaxed. That made more sense. She looked over to the bag in the corner of the room nervously then quickly back in case she was caught doing so. She then almost instantly regretted the next thing she said.

"He's not been in touch Kasey. He probably is just giving you some space...I think you should do the same." She kissed her on the head and walked away. Lena looked at her suspiciously but Kasey just nodded and made her way upstairs. After dinner with the kids all dispersed she decided to bring it up.

"So..." she began grabbing Stef's attention. "I'm assuming Evan has been to speak to you." She looked at her accusingly with a hint of understanding.

Stef was speechless. "Wh...What makes you think that?" She spluttered.

"Stef, I'm your wife. I know when you're lying." She put her hand on her wife's arm accompanying a resigned sigh. Stef put her hands in her pockets awkwardly.

"He came by earlier...to see how she was. I thought it would be easier for her not to know."

"OK...but isn't that a little...hypocritical?" Stef looked at Lena shocked. "Lena, it's not the same thing. They need some time apart if this is ever going to get easier - she needs to be used to him not being there!" Stef defended herself trying not to raise her voice too loudly.

"I understand that, but lying to your daughter? Come on - it contradicts everything we're trying to teach her."

Stef stood up and became very defensive. She couldn't believe she was being attacked but again it was almost out of guilt she was trying to justify it.

"What am I supposed to do Lena? I have Mike in one ear, Kasey in the other, Evan springing up on my doorstep every 5 goddamn minutes pleading with me!" Lena's eyes widened and Stef froze as she noticed they were pointed at the door.

"Evan was here?!" Kasey quivered her voice almost breaking. "You said he hadn't been in contact...". Stef was aghast. She didn't know what to say any more. She turned to her daughter and tried to speak but she didn't have time.

"You're just as bad as Dad." She said emotionlessly before storming away. Stef just buried her head in her hands. "Ugh! Why won't this hell just end already?!"

Lena sighed and went after Kasey. She knocked on her door but was refused entry.

"Just let me be Mom, please." Lena came in regardless and sat down next to her daughter. Kasey lay staunchly facing the wall. She could see so much of Stef in her but also a little bit of herself, despite the lack of biology.

"Kasey. We all love you. Remember that. We don't always see eye to eye, and sometimes we have to do things in a slightly different way to try and get to the same end result...but it's always for you." She patted her on her thigh, kissed her head and left, closing the door. Kasey rolled over onto her back and stared at the ceiling. She then turned to look at her wardrobe and sat up on her bed.

Final Chapter Preview: Stef faces one of her biggest fears.

"She quietly tip-toed into the room and saw Callie sleeping soundly. Almost immediately she felt a ball drop in her stomach as a result of what she saw."