AN: I am sorry it has taken so long for me to update this story. There are so many ways that I have wanted it to play out, but none really worked for me and I got lost in the shuffle. I believe we are at the point where this story is going to take a turn towards wrapping up. I wish it could go on forever, but all things must eventually come to an end. Thank you so much to everyone who has stuck with me and through this story and I hope that you will enjoy the upcoming chapters and the end of this story.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Fosters.

Stef was finally on her way home from the shift that she thought would never end. Now if only she could figure out what was going on with Mike she could be happy. It wasn't like him to grill her throughout the shift and she got the sense that something was going on that he wasn't going to tell her about. Either way, she decided that she wasn't going to spend any more time trying to figure out what had gotten into him. She had something that she needed to do tonight and she didn't need Mike in her head while she was trying to do it.

Stef was finally going to sit down with Lena and tell her what was going on. She wanted to have the house to just the two of them so she made plans earlier in the afternoon with Brandon to take everyone out for pizza and bowling tonight after school. She didn't want to risk the kids hearing them arguing if Lena ended up being upset. She couldn't imagine that Lena would be mad at her, okay she probably would be a little mad at the fact that Stef had hid what was going on with her, but she would mainly be relieved to finally know what was going on. Stef also wanted to make sure that the house was empty in case there was a chance of something more romantic happening tonight. She didn't plan on it, but she had to admit that the thought was nice, and she certainly wouldn't resist if the night took that turn.

As Stef pulled into the driveway, she found that Lena was home, but Brandon's car was gone, suggesting that the kids had managed to clear out for the night. Granted it was nearly six, but it often took a great deal of work to get all of the kids out of the house by this hour, especially when she and Lena wanted to have the house to themselves. After parking, Stef found herself just sitting in her car, even after having turned off the ignition. She needed a moment to steel herself for the upcoming conversation. She knew that she had to talk to Lena, but this was still a subject that left her feeling extremely vulnerable and she didn't want to face the possible backlash of what might come when she admits to her wife that she has not been completely truthful with her.

Stef took a deep breath, grabbed her work bag, and made her way out of the car and to the front door of the home she shared with her wife; the one that they had raised their family in. She thought about how much Lena meant to her and how much she loved her. There was nothing that could change the way that Stef loved Lena and she hoped that Lena felt the same. After one more moment and one more deep breath, Stef walked through the front door. She placed her keys in the bowl by the front door and dropped her bag on the floor. Her heart felt like it was about to beat out of her chest as she began to make her way through the house to find her wife. She walked further into the house and turned around to find her wife sitting on the couch in the living room. Lena looked upset and that sight made Stef's heart sink. She wanted so badly to forget about this conversation and everything else and to simply retreat, but she couldn't now that she had just come face to face with her wife.

Only a moment passed between them, but it felt like hours. Lena had a look on her face that Stef didn't even know how to describe. It was one of hurt and one of anger. It was then then that Stef was brought out of her trance when she heard the slight utterance of words that she had planned to use herself.

"Stef, I think we need to talk."

Stef was still for one more minute before making her way into the living room to sit across from her wife. Lena looked like she was having just as much trouble with this as Stef was, but Stef decided that she really was the one who had to make the next move.

"Lena, I know we need to talk. I was planning on talking to you tonight. That's why I got rid of the kids for the night."

Stef tried so hard to keep her voice steady, but she could hear it breaking. What came out of Lena's mouth next was not only shocking, but it struck Stef right at the core. She hadn't expected their conversation to take this turn.

"Stef, I... I need you to tell me the truth," Lena said as calmly as she could, yet her voice was also breaking, " Are you having an affair?"

Silence hung in the air as a shocked Stef sat there in the chair trying to make sense of what Lena had just asked. She thought that she must have heard her wrong, but she knew that she hadn't. After a moment to comprehend what Lena had just asked, Stef responded.

"No, absolutely not. Why would you ask me something like that?" Stef tried not to sound so offended, but it still seemed to come out in her tone.

"Stef, why are you being so secretive and lying to me? I know that you haven't been working through lunch, even though that is what you have been telling me."

The hurt was so evident in Lena's voice that it tore at Stef's heart. She never expected Lena to think that she had been cheating on her.

"Lena, I know that I have lied to you, but it was not because I am having an affair. I wanted to have lunch with you, but I have had to go somewhere during my lunch hour for the last few weeks."

"Where then have you been going Stef, huh? I know that you are not here and I know that you are not at the station. Do you also want to explain the woman you have been meeting?"

"Wait, what? What are you talking about Lena?"

"I know Stef," Lena said with tears running down her face, "I know you have been leaving work during your lunch hour to meet up with another woman. Mike told me everything. He said you had been acting weird and then he called me back and told me about the woman that you have been seeing. He didn't want to hurt me, but he thought I had a right to know that you are seeing someone else, especially after everything we have been through lately."

That was it for Stef as she abruptly blew a fuse.

"Mike doesn't know what the hell he is talking about. I can't believe that he would tell you that I was having an affair. What is he doing, following me?"

"Stef, I need you to tell me what is going on. I also need you to tell me if our marriage is over."

Stef managed to calm herself slightly at least for the moment. Later she was going to kill Mike, but for right now, she needed to calm Lena's fears and tell her what has been going on. She made her way over to the couch to sit next to her wife, and took one of Lena's hands in her own. She needed Lena to feel her sincerity when she told her this.

"Lena, I promise you that I have not been cheating you and our marriage is not over, not unless you want it to be. I don't want that and I want to explain to you what has been going on. I don't want you to be mad at me, but you also have every right to be. Yes, something has been going on with me, but I wanted to protect you and so I kept it from you. I couldn't talk to you about it until I understood it myself. I hope that you can forgive me for that, but this is one of the most difficult conversations that I have ever had to have. Yes, I have been leaving work during my lunch hour, and yes I have been spending that time with a woman, but it is certainly not what you think. I have... I have been seeing Liz, the therapist that we went to before, and only seeing her for therapy. Yes we have sort of become friends, but I promise you that nothing has been going on between us."

It was at this point that Lena found herself gripping Stef's hand back as she let this information sink in. This was certainly not something that she had expected to hear tonight.