AN- Thanks again for the reviews! My word you guys, you have no idea how much that means to me and how it helps keep the passion for writing this alive! You are all simply the best!

It didn't take Sharon long to catch up to Stef most likely because the blonde's head was pounding and each step seemed to make it worse. They walked in silence for about a block before walking to a park. Stef spotted a bench and went to sit down. Anything to calm the pain raging inside her head.

It was quiet for a few moments as the two sat watching some children playing on a jungle gym. Until Sharon heard little sniffling sounds. She looked over to see tears falling down her daughter's cheek. "Oh Stef, oh baby" She said softly

"I am trying mom" Stef sniffed "But I am failing miserably right now at being strong for my family. Lena, Callie and Mariana are depending on me to be strong! My boys are counting on me to make sure their needs are being met during all of this and I am just failing" Stef cried louder as she buried her face in her hands "And today I was so mad at Callie I wanted to just shake her! I've never wanted to physically lay a hand on one of my children out of anger before, and that scared me" Stef wiped her eyes "And I am tired mom. I am so tired my body hurts. I don't think I've slept a full nights worth of sleep since before the shooting."

Sharon grabbed Stef's hand "Baby doll, you're doing an amazing job with your wife and kids. You are meeting their needs, you are taking care of them." She kissed Stef's hand "But you have to take a minute right now and look at the bigger picture with me. Alright?"

Stef took a deep breath trying to stop the tears as she nodded.

"What your girls went through the other day was traumatic, and terrifying and they are still reeling with what happened. Now here's where part of your thought process has gotten stuck. You think it's all about them and what they lived through, and by no means am I down playing the hell those girls lived through"

Stef used her sleep to wipe at her eyes as she was listening to what her mother was saying.

"But, Stefanie you were there too! You lived through it too! You were on the phone with your wife when you heard her frantic voice telling you there was a shooting happening. You drove up to that school not really knowing that any of your children were safe. You found your three boys and saw the fear and helplessness in their eyes and you couldn't make it better. You also stood in front of that school absolutely helpless knowing that Lena and your babies were inside and really at the hands of a crazy kid willing to kill anyone and you had no power to go in there. To save them. You also watched as JUST Lena and Callie came out of that building, you saw their tears and their bloody arms. You've been shot yourself. You know the feelings that come along with that. Which probably triggered some of your own buried emotions and fears. Things that I don't really believe you have coped with."

Stef's tears were back now and she was crying harder before as she listened to her mother reliving each detailed memory her mother was talking about.

"Then you walked through those halls holding Lena's hand to see the blood bath inside. Inside a place you willingly sent your children to that morning not knowing the danger that would follow them. You entered Lena's office and again saw a place your wife spends most of her days in completely covered in blood as death lingered in the air. You watched as Lena opened a bench that held your daughter in and looked into those big brown full of terror eyes. Knowing that girl, her eyes were desperately searching for her mommies to fix this and make her safe. You weren't there to protect her."

"I wasn't" Stef wailed "Any of them."

Sharon nodded "Exactly, that day is not just about what the kids and Lena lived through. It's what you went through too. Many emotions at play. You're human Stef with feelings. I am surprised you've lasted this long. This is why I came right away. You want to be super mom and fix everything and make everything right for your loved ones, putting your own needs last. Sometimes when we ignore our own needs we crash and burn Stef."

"Sounds like something I've said to Callie" Stef sniffed calming her tears once again.

"I am here to make sure your needs are met" Sharon rubbed her arm "And what we're going to do right now, is we are going to walk home. You're going to grab some crackers take something for your head, hug your wife and then you're going to take a much needed nap, and this week you're going to go see a counselor too. If the girls need to go so do you."

Stef didn't have the strength to argue, she was done running the show having someone make some decisions for a change was nice. Almost as a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. "Okay mom"

Sharon leaned over and kissed Stef's forehead "Baby girl, I love you more than all the moon and the stars, and if I haven't told you this lately I am so proud of you!"

Stef stood as her mother wrapped her up in a much needed hug. "Thanks mama" She whispered.

"Come on baby let's get you feeling better" She slipped her hand in Stef's and led her home.

The two entered the house to find Lena and Callie in the kitchen but the rest of the house quiet.

"Where is everyone?" Stef asked grabbing a water bottle so she could take something for her head.

"My mom and dad took them bowling" Lens said standing and moving over to Stef wrapping her in a hug. "I made you a sandwich and have some migraine medicine on the counter" She said after a minute pulling away grabbing Stef's face in her hands studying her eyes. "Sweetheart, you're head just must be killing you."

"Yeah, it hurts" She said tiredly "Pretty bad"

Lena leaned in and gave her a kiss "I love you."

"Love you too my love" Stef pulled away and grabbed the sandwich and the pills. "I am just going to take this upstairs with me "I need to lay down."

"I'll come with you" Lena said slipping her hand into Stef's "Callie, stay with Grandma until I come back down."

Callie nodded not glancing up from the book she was reading.

Lena then headed up the stairs taking Stef with her.

Callie waited until she was gone before closing her book her and looking at Sharon. "Grandma, I want you to level with me. No sugar coated answers please"

Sharon raised her eyebrow at her granddaughter holding back a smirk. It was like talking to sixteen year old Stef all over again. Stef and Lena were in for a battle over the next few years but outcome would be brilliant and they would be so proud.

"I am listening baby doll" She said stealing a chip off of the plate Callie had in front of her.

"Is my mom really okay?" She asked biting down on her lip, worry clouding all of her features.

"You know after a good nap and some pain killers, I think she's going to be just fine angel."

"I think I am going to heat this up and put it on the back of Stef's neck" Lena announced coming into the kitchen carrying her favorite lavender bean filled sack she used when her own head hurt.

She put it in the microwave and heated it for a few seconds.

Just as it beeped Callie stood up "Mama, may I take it up to her please?"

Lena heisted for a brief second the last thing she wanted for Stef was for her and Callie to battle each other again.

Callie's shoulders dropped and she looked to the ground "Never mind" She said softly

"You know what honey, I think it's a great idea" She handed the bag to her daughter and stood back putting faith in her kid.

Callie gave Lena a small smile before she crept quietly up the stairs. Entering the room quietly to see Lena had done her best to make the room dark as possible for Stef. She found her mother curled up on her side of the bed her back to the door. She crept up to the bed and crawled on sitting beside her mother she placed the warm bag on the back of Stef's beck then used her finger tips to run her fingers through her mother's hair soothingly.

"You're not mama" Stef said after a minute as she reached behind her and grabbed the bag in her hands before rolling onto her back so she could look up at her daughter. "I was expecting for you to be mama."

Callie bit her lip and went to scoot off the bed "I can go get her."

Stef reached out and caught Callie's arm stilling her.

"Mom, I am sorry I was such jerk today."

"I wouldn't use the word jerk" Stef said softly but a small smile forming on her lips "But you were kind of being a butt"

Callie smiled "I am sorry for being a butt"

Stef massaged her temples for a moment "Can you tell me what was going on in your head today?"

Callie pushed Stef's fingers away from her temples and she began to run her own fingers over Stef's forehead in small circles like Stef had done for her once when her head had been hurting and she hadn't wanted to admit it. "I don't know exactly why, I am just feeling cranky. Everything is making me mad."

"Callie are you tired baby?" Stef asked after a second as she realized that since the first night when Stef had drugged all three girls with a sleeping pill that her daughter hadn't slept a full night either, and had been pretty sick during two of the days."

Callie nodded "Yeah, I think I am." She sighed "I am tired, and then today seeing all my brothers and sister get to go do fun things while Mariana warned me how big of a drag it would be to spend the day with you guys. I got jealous and then I got mad at you."

"Because I am safe" Stef mumbled as the migraine pills began to kick in and the circles Callie was rubbing on her forehead were soothing her. "And push back" She smiled "You know how you could make up being a butt to me?"

Callie shook her head "How?"

"Take a nap with me" She said sleepily

"Mm kay" Callie agreed as Stef moved slightly so Callie could get under the big quilt Lena had put over her.

"Is this nap just for two?" Lena asked from the doorway as she watched Stef wrap her arms around Callie pulling her close.

Stef smiled with closed eyes "We always have room for you mama" She said moving over so Lena could crawl in behind her.

Lena grabbed another big quilt from the air bed and brought it with her crawling on the bed behind Stef covering herself and Stef with it.

Lena ran her long fingers through Stef's hair for a few minutes until she heard her breathing slowed down indicating she was asleep.

She sat up for a second and peered over Stef and listened closely hearing Callie's breathing was also slower showing that she had fallen asleep fairly quickly as well with her pointer finger curled over her nose. She smiled to herself as she settled back in next to her wife. Her girls were exhausted and both had been too stubborn to admit it. No wonder there morning had gone as it had. She ran her hand one more time over Stef's hair before closing her eyes as she hoped her wife would be feeling better when she woke up. Rested and pain free.

The Fosters

FB

"Are you sure it's broken?" Sharon asked as she looked at doctor in disbelief.

He nodded and held up the Xray "This shows that it is."

Sharon moved in front of her four year old daughter and knelt down "Stefanie, has your hand been hurting you?"

She shrugged and then nodded "Yeah a little bit."

"We're going to cast it and make it good as new" THe doctor smiled "Would you like a pink cast?"

Stef's eyes got huge as she looked offended. "NO! I don't like pink!"

The doctor smiled "I should have seen that one coming, what could would you like."

Stef thought about it for a moment "Um orange?"

He nodded "Sure, we can do that. It will be just a few minutes. You've been a brave girl"

Stef had fallen off a swing three days ago and landed funny on her hand, right before they were supposed to leave for their big family vacation. Three days now Stef hadn't said a word about her hand. It wasn't until her father went to play catch with her at the park outside of the hotel did he realize she wouldn't use that hand and it was the one she always used. So he looked at it closer noticing it was in fact puffy.

"Baby, why didn't you tell me your hand hurt?"

Stef shrugged "You were so happy mommy, and you know the past few weeks had been so sad for you with grandma dying. You were smiling and having fun. I didn't want to make it so we didn't go."

Sharon sighed as the doctor shook his head "Wow, you have a tough girl, with a pretty big heart" He winked at Stef "But you may want to keep your eye on that quality" He warned Sharon "Sometimes people who put others first and ignore what they need end up crashing hard."

"Oh she's stubborn, but she has the best heart" She nodded as she kissed Stef's temple

"Baby, next time you get hurt you have to tell mommy" Sharon insisted "You can't keep that to yourself. I am so sorry you had to ride the airplane and do all the running around we've been doing in pain. Mommy doesn't want you in pain. That makes me more sad then anything else."

Stef's eyes got big "Oh.. I am sorry mommy.

Sharon ran her finger over Stef's cheek. "Mommy forgives you, don't do it again. Now lets get a fun orange cast on you. So mommy can sign it!"

Stef's eyes got big as she nodded to the doctor "Mommy's going to write her name on my cast!"

"That's great honey" He smiled at her "And I am giving you three lollipops for being such a brave girl"

Stef's eyes got bigger "mommy I get 3!"

"But your mom is right, you can't keep stuff like this to yourself, your hand could have healed wrong and you could have been more hurt. Thankfully we got to it in time."

Stef nodded "Okay" she agreed but her mind was already thinking about her orange cast and three lollipops to her that was a good day.