Not much to say today (for once). Bit of a shorter chapter but I've tinkered to try and make them more even. Hope you enjoy and let me know any thoughts or predictions - especially based on my preview blurb...

Brandon sat, his hand resting on the steering wheel. He had told Callie he'd go for a drive while she was in group and come back, but the reality was that he had nowhere he wanted to be. Here he could think. He needed to think. He couldn't get the idea of Liam manipulating Callie out of his mind and the effect that seeing it all again through Sarah was having on her. He had to get some air but just as he did he saw a young girl storming out of the building, Callie close behind. He closed the door but held back, hearing how fiery their exchange was. He could feel Callie's frustration from his short distance away, wishing he could do something to help. Eventually Sarah stormed off. Seeing Callie looking so disappointed was crushing him, she had wanted this so badly to work but it looked as if her fears had come true. Sarah was lost to Liam's power, just as Callie had been. She had done her best, and now Brandon had to do the same - to make sure Callie knew that.

"At least you tried. You did everything you could." He informed her, hands in his pockets on the approach. It was clear on her face that no matter what she had done, it wasn't enough for her. He watched as Sarah left.

"Now it's up to her. It's her choice." He tried to reassure her further.

"No it isn''t." Callie cut him off.

"What?" He responded, confused. She had said herself that it was a long shot. He had just watched her try her best, to try everything she could use to try and get her to see.

He could see the struggle in her eyes as she gazed hard at the floor. Brandon got a knot in his stomach, fearing that this wasn't about what could or couldn't have been done differently but that there was more to come that he hadn't even considered.

"It isn't her choice." He shuffled nervously as Callie continued.

"At least it wasn't mine." She confirmed, blankly , fighting the emotion. Brandon's heart sunk. Suddenly it all made much more sense. This wasn't about stopping Sarah from getting moved, or stopping Liam from grooming another girl into his power. This was about saving a girl from a trauma that no child should have to face. He tried to stay unresponsive - he wasn't sure what possible way he could respond. It was clear that Callie needed this to come out. He bit back and waited patiently as she recalled the full truth of it all.

His mind ached with every detail, barely hearing the words. This had stepped up a level.

She finished her account and he stood, feeling more powerless than ever.

"Callie..." He started, realising that regardless of how much he was desperate to make this better - this really was out of their power. Anticipating his next words she wiped another tear and nodded.

"I know." She whispered. "I have to tell them."

Unable to find the words, Brandon reached out his arm and rubbed it down the side of hers.

"How about we go for a coffee?" He replied gently, supported by another nod. "Come on." He pulled her into his side and walked her to the car. She did everything she could not to break down. She felt liberated and terrified all at the same time. This really had come out now. She had lit the match and was about to toss it onto the bridge.

how to find a missing girl

Useless. What kind of a search question was that?

tracking someone's phone

As if someone wouldn't have already suggested that. The powerlessness was driving Jesus insane. He banged his head down on his keyboard.

hyudffrtghyujhygtfr

That would be about as much use as his earlier Google attempts.

He could try calling people...but he didn't know who. He could think of some of Mariana's friends but he didn't have any of their numbers. Maybe he should go down and volunteer again. Anything had to be better than sitting up in his room.

Jesus trudged down the stairs but he stopped hearing panic. He may never have ever been the sharpest Foster bur he could tell when a private conversation was going on. The contents of it stopped his heart as well as his tracks.

Did the Riveras just say that they were illegal immigrants? What's more - that Lexi was too?

He felt his throat tighten. He needed air.

Creeping as quietly past the distracted adults as he could, Jesus isolated himself on the porch. He played the words over and over. "We're undocumented." This couldn't be true?

Lexi had been there their entire life, at least it felt like it. Obviously they had only met when they were 8, but he never would have imagined she could be anything other than American. She was American. What's more, she must not even know. If she did, he couldn't believe she had never told him. That couldn't be!

His attention was caught by Mariana. He was surprised at how relaxed she was after clearly having snuck out of the house but he didn't challenge her before and he wouldn't now. Far too much was happening for even his Moms to care.

He struggled to fill her in but knew he would have to. All of his resentment collapsed around him. He needed his sister.

"The Riveras are still here." he informed her.

"What? Why?" She questioned him.

"They're about to file a police report." He stood up to approach her, ever desperate to keep moving.

"Why?" She repeated. "Lexi just ran away, right?" He could see the obvious panic across her face.

"I don't know." He shook his head with a shrug. "I think."

Mariana began to fidget nervously, sensing her brother's anguish.

"I mean, she can't get in trouble with the police for that can she?"She scrutinised his face. She could tell something wasn't right,

"If they find her, that could be the least of her problems. Mariana..." he paused, realising it was harder than he had anticipated to say the words out loud.

"Lexi is undocumented." seeing the colour drain from Mariana's face could have been a replay of his own reaction.

"No..." she whispered. "How is that even possible? She was born..."

"She wasn't." he cut her off.

"Mariana, we can't let the police find her."

A wash of guilt replaced Mariana's look of shock.

"It won't come to that." she replied. Jesus cocked his head in confusion.

"We don't need the police. I know where she is."

Kasey sat on the wall outside the doctor's office cussing her Dad. She tried him once again for the third time when finally he answered.

"Dad - where are you? I told you half past."

"Kasey?" He asked, confused.

Her face dropped. "Seriously? What, did you just blank out our conversation before?" She couldn't hide her scathing tone.

"When did we talk befo-...oh my God, wait. I thought I dreamt that?"

"What?!" She spat out. "What do you mean? We had a full conversation!"

"I'm sorry kid, really. I was asleep when you rang and I guess I was half asleep when we spoke. Look, I'll be there soon, I just need to -"

"Get out of bed?" She shot back. "You weren't even working nights yesterday."

"I know, no, it's just, my shift starts at 4. I just have to get my things together. I'll get you on the way."

Kasey shook her head. "Look, I'll walk to yours. By the time you get here I'd be there anyway. Try to stay awake." She hung up angrily. She couldn't believe him! She knew he'd been working hard recently but she was dramatically running out of patience. It was like he had no desire to be involved with her at all.

She marched the two blocks to Mike's house and rang the buzzer. Within moments he was down, buttoning his shirt and fumbling with his keys.

"Kasey, I really am so sorry. I honestly completely forgot."

She walked over to the car without responding. He looked her up and down remembering how angry Brandon had been the week before. This was getting out of hand. He patted his shoulder and realised he had left his radio.

"Dammit." He cursed. "I'll be back in two minutes. Get settled in." He tossed Kasey the keys and she rolled her eyes before climbing in. Shaking her head she threw them angrily down on the driver's seat. They bounced down and fell under the chair.

Seeing this wasn't helping anything she sighed in defeat and collected herself.

She tried to think about what her Mom would say. He was working really hard, he was trying. He had been sleeping and there was miscommunication. There was no crime in that.

With another deep breath, she leaned over to fish out the keys. As she did, a flicker of light caught the edge of something that looked glaringly out-of-place and the sight of it caused a knot in her stomach. The curvature of a glass bottle. She dipped her eyebrows down and pulled it out. It was an open bottle of whiskey. In her Dad's car.

She closed her eyes and sucked on her lip. She wasn't sure why this bothered her so much more. She knew it had been coming, but this was the first time she had to face it. Why? Why? Why would he do this? She looked as he emerged from the house and realised that she didn't have any words to say. She breathed out from her mouth in hope that it may expel the fears and the anger but it didn't. It just came with panic that she'd have to face the drive home with him. They'd probably fight and she'd probably cry and she couldn't take that right now. It was getting too hard. She channeled all of her strength into blacking out what she had just seen and grabbed up the keys, getting out of the car.

"You know Dad - " She gulped, hoping tears wouldn't try and creep out to betray her. "You're late, look, I have a friend in the neighbourhood. We're going out later anyway...just. I'll get them to get me." She passed him the keys and moved to walk away as he bound after her. No. Turn around. she thought as he panted behind.

"Kasey, I can drop you home - really. It doesn't matter if I'm a little late."

"No!" She snapped before quickly pulling it back. She couldn't face to look at him but at least turned her head that way, keeping eye contact for no more than seconds at a time.

"Really, I got a text. They're picking me up anyway."

Mike's face dropped. "Is this to do with that boy?" He asked folding his arms. Kasey's darted a look towards him, anger now muscling its way through and pushing away the sadness and panic.

"God! You're obsessed!" She yelled at him in dismay. "You just don't get it do you?"

Mike gawped, confused.

"No - it's not him. Not everything is about him and not everything is about you! Why can't you just stay out of it like you want me to stay out of yours?" Mike squinted in confusion, completely unaware of what could have caused the outburst. "You can't just bark orders at me!"

"Hey hold on, I'm your father!" Now Mike's anger was pushing through at her display. He knew she had a right to be angry but it wasn't an excuse to talk to him the way that she was.

Kasey, realising he was treading a fine line of approaching a confrontation shook the tidal wave of emotions away.

"Look, it's been a long afternoon. Please. Go to work, I need to go meet Kelly. I'll speak to you tomorrow." She fluffed out before walking off again.

Mike watched as she left. He knew she was mad but he had no clue how angry she was. He was so out of his depth with her. He banged his hand on the side of the car and lurched inside, thumping his head on the wheel. He looked down at the bottle in the car, not contemplating that it could have been the catalyst. He thought about using it for a second to help him through but no. He was going to work. Things weren't that bad yet, he convinced himself. He wasn't that dependent.

Kasey walked the block back towards the doctor's and wiped away another tear. She didn't know if it was anger or regret or even sorrow, she just knew that she wanted it to go away and not have to think about it anymore. She stopped at the wall she had been sitting on before and put her head in her hands. It was just one bottle. It didn't mean he was drinking again. She was just jumping to conclusions because she was upset with him already. Maybe he had been to a party and forgotten to take it out of his car? That could be it. She was just pissed with him and jumping the gun. She had a right to be pissed at him though! He kept talking about Craig as if he was some predator. As if she didn't know what she was doing. As if she was being reckless. Well he was wrong! Craig was a decent enough guy, and even if he wasn't - she didn't need Mike to pre-judge that. She would figure it out on her own, with her terms and he couldn't just stop her from experiencing the world because he was scared of it. She would prove him wrong.

She got her phone out and found his name. Without another thought she dialled and held it up to her ear.

"Hey - it's me. I need a ride. You free?"

Next Chapter Preview: Stef and Lena aren't happy with Jesus and Mariana and Kasey's date with Liam throws up more than she bargained for - and produces an unexpected hero who may one day change her life.

"That's good." He smiled as her face twitched again. "I mean, that they don't worry about past difficulties. That they keep moving forward." He put his bottle to his lips to avoid digging any deeper. Kasey's senses were beginning to tingle. Something didn't feel right about this. She realised that this was the first time she'd really properly spoken with this boy, but it still seemed more awkward than before.

"So do your parents foster or something? You seem pretty...interested in it." She probed, channeling her Mom's techniques.

Liam laughed out an awkward smile to gain some time. He had to play this cool - he'd come on too strong.