AN: Happy new 2016 year! Thank you everyone for your continuous support!

With heavy heart, I have to tell you - this story is coming to end. I feel like it has run it's course and it's time to slowly start to wrap this story up. There are still few chapters to come, but I'm starting to plan an ending. This chapter marks, so to say, the beginning of the end.

Hope you enjoy :)

Callie POV

For most part of my walk home, I was walking with my head down. I was deep in my thoughts. So much has changed since the first time I walked here. Most of all - my relationship with Stef and Lena. My pace slowed down, when I had reached the dark brown two story house, which I now call my home.

When I saw that Stef and Lena's cars were in the driveway, I stopped walking and froze in my spot. I had ran out of the house in a hurry this morning, but I know their schedules well enough to know that, Stef's shift usually ends around 6 and Lena's work day ends around 5. It wasn't even 5 and both of them were home.

My stomach tied in knots, when I looked to the house and saw a figure walk pass the window.

I'm not afraid of them. I'm not afraid of being alone in the house with them. I'm not afraid to talk to them. That's not what's stopping me from walking in the house and face them.

I know they will want to talk to me about what I had told them this morning, when I ran out of the house. The problem is that - I'm bad at talking about feelings and sharing in general. I don't like being vulnerable. To me, that's a weakness, but I knew Stef and Lena see it completely differently. Admitting that I love them, how I feel about them – that's what I'm afraid of. Uncertainty about their reaction, frightens me as well.

I looked over my shoulder, to the street that I walked down minute ago, and considered running away from this conversation. It was tempting. At least for a little while, till I heard their voices in my head, telling me not to walk away.

Taking a deep breath in, I turn back to the house. Running away from this is not the answer. Stef and Lena had gotten under my skin, but that's no longer news.

"The hardest part is over!" I started to talk to myself as I walked towards the house "I already told Stef and Lena that I love them!" I was on the path that leads to the house now "Say what you feel. Speak from the heart!" I took the first step up "Like with the stuff about Liam– just admit it...get it off my chest. It will be hard at the beginning, but I will feel better after!" I was hand reach away from the front doors "Be honest to yourself and them!"

I took a deep breath in and slowly exhaled, to slow my fast beating heart. As I reached for the door handle, my hand trembled a little. It was cold to touch. I heard a click and pushed the doors open.

"Stef! Lena?" I called out, as I closed the doors behind me

"We're in the kitchen!" I heard Lena call back from the kitchen nook area

I started to slowly walk towards the kitchen. With every step I took, I became more nervous and anxious. I took the last two steps leading to kitchen and stopped in my tracks. My heart was racing in my chest, my palms were sweaty, my stomach was in knots and by now I wasn't sure if I could even get a word over my lips.

Lena and Stef were sitting on the nook couch. They looked relaxed. Stef was out of her uniform. They both had a cup in their hands. Coffee – the room was filled with a scent of it. I liked the smell of coffee in the air. Both of them smiled at me. This was one of the rare occasions, when their smiles didn't slow down my fast beating heart.

I swallowed hard and licked my dry lips "H-hi!"

"Hi, love! How was your day?" Lena asked stretching her free arm over the backrest of the couch, behind Stef

"We made you a cup," Stef reached to the small, round table that stood in front of the couch and lifted up a cup "Fresh - we made it moment ago. Still hot!"

"Thanks," I reply nodding my head, but I remained standing still, keeping my distance from them. The island table was sort of like a fence between us. My eyes darted all around the place, I couldn't keep eye contact with them longer than for a second.

"Where is everybody?" I asked noticing how quiet the house was. I hadn't seen Jude's shoes by the front doors, which meant he's not home yet, even though usually he would be home by this time.

"He's out with Ethan," Lena answered, taking me by surprise

"With Ethan?" I had to ask, to make sure I heard her right

The last I saw of him was this morning. Ethan hadn't said that he had any plans to go hang out with Jude. Well, in his defense he was sleeping, when I left. We had a long night last night. I wanted him to rest. He was sleeping so peacefully, I didn't have the heart to wake him up.

"Yes. Ethan stopped by the school today and asked if he could take Jude to batting cages. Jude agreed. They went straight after Jude's classes ended,"

"Oh...I didn't know that," I breathed out

I couldn't help but to feel worried – my boyfriend and my brother are hanging out. Not that I mind them getting to know each other better. In my mind I had imagined, that they would get to know each other, while I would be there as well. You know, like in my apartment, where we would all hang out together, by watching movie or while having dinner together. It's very important to me that Jude likes him. If he doesn't, I don't know what I will do.

"Jesus went over to Emma's to study and Mariana said they got another hour in the gym to practice their dance routines," Lena explained further and then concluded with a warm smile "So, it's just us three for the next few hours,"

I return the smile, even though I don't really feel like smiling right now. At the moment I was dreading the talk too much. I'm sure both of them saw through my artificial smile. My stiff and rigid body language and the fact that I still haven't looked to them longer than 2 seconds, probably, didn't help.

"Everything okay, love?" Stef asked concerned as she leaned towards the table to set her cup down "You look tense," After seeing how careful Stef was watching me, I tilted my head down, avoiding her look.

"Why don't you come sit down with us," Lena patted down the seat next to her, while still holding on to the cup in her other hand

"I'd rather stand, thank you," I said briefly looking up to them. They shared a worried look with one another, before returning their worried looks to me. There was an odd and heavy feeling in the pit of my stomach. One moment the feeling made my stomach clench in dread, the next in anticipation.

I knew I had to speak up before I completely run out of courage "I know, what I said this morning, it was out of nowhere," I ran my tongue over my dry lips. The moment, when I glanced up to them, I saw how Lena reached for Stef's hand to interlock their fingers.

There was a long pause on my end. Maybe even too long. Thinking about it was much easier than actually saying the words out loud.

"But that's how I felt," I admitted, while keeping my gaze to the floor "-am feeling-" I amend, but once I said it out loud, I realized that's not right as well, so I corrected myself again "-have been feeling for a while now - I love you!"

I swallowed a lump in my throat and ran my hands by my jeans "You took me under your wing, put up with my horrible attitude, helped me deal with everything that life threw my way, even thought you didn't have to. No one beside my mom has given me so much affection and attention like you have. You both reminded me, how it felt to be part of family!"

I shifted my weight to my other leg and rubbed the bridge of my nose quickly "You didn't judge me, when you found out I had been arrested. You supported me and helped me with my da -Donald. You were nothing, but nice to me, when you found out about the fire and my scar. Not to mention you helped me with my apartment. But most importantly, you had my back and didn't treat me any differently, when you found out what Liam did to me," my voice cracked a little

I had to take a little pause to keep my composure strong "At first I could barely tolerate you!" Stef gave half snort, half laugh and Lena just shook her head lightly with a smile on her lips and tears in her eyes

"Sometimes you two still annoy the hell out of me...but I don't mind it. I can't imagine a day, where I don't talk or just see you. My life has become better, since I met you. I'm no longer lonely. After work, I don't walk into an empty and cold apartment, but I am met by a warm meal and surrounded by people, who care about me, who ask about how my day went, who don't treat me like a stranger, but like a family member! You give me space, when I need it, but at the same time your close enough to not make me feel like I'm alone."

Quickly with my thumb I wipe away the tears that were close to spilling over "That's why I love you!"

My heart was racing by now. It did feel good to actually say it out loud to them. I felt a lot lighter, with less baggage on my shoulders. Warily, I tilted my head up to see their reactions.

Stef glanced over her shoulder to Lena, they shared a smile that was seen in their eyes as well. I saw tears in both of their eyes, but neither one had let them fall. Both of them looked genuinely happy.

Once Stef turned back around, Lena replied "We love you too, Callie! More than you can imagine!"

"I tolerate you, Callie!" Stef replied with a huge grin, making me snort out a laugh and a lone tear to roll down my cheek "I tolerate you the same way I tolerate my wife and our four rascals!"

A smile broke out on my lips, as I tilted my head down. The smile remained on my lips for a long time. My heart finally stopped racing. I felt huge relief.

"Come sit down," Lena extended her arm out for me, even though I was steps away "We wanted to talk to you about something,"

I had thought that they wanted me to talk to them about my feelings. The feeling in the pit of my stomach returned. Now that Lena said they had another topic in their mind, I got scared once again. The smile that I couldn't get off my lips even if I wanted to seconds ago, now disappeared all on it's on.

When I hadn't moved a muscle for what felt like a minute, Stef got up from the couch and walked my way. Once she stood in front of me, she reached down to my right hand and gently took it in hers. My hand fit perfectly in hers. Stef squeezed my hand softly as she smiled at me.

"Follow me, love!" Stef gave me a little pull, before she started to walk back to the couch, pulling me with her

Next thing I know, I was following her back to the couch. We were walking straight towards where Stef had sat before. Lena scooted a little to one side as Stef took a seat down, to make enough room for me to sit down between them. With my hand still in Stef's tight, yet gentle grip, I sat down between the two woman. Stef was on my right, but Lena on my left side.

In the short walk between where I had stood and where I was sitting now, my mind had come up with hundredth of scenarios. Starting from a simple topic about dinner to them telling me I have to move out. I managed to give myself a small panic attack.

Lena reached for my other hand and took it between both of hers. I was turning my head a lot, not really sure to whom I should be looking at.

"So," Lena started as she patted the top of my left palm, I bit my lower lip as I gazed to her eyes "Stef and I would like to ask you something," I got a feeling that Stef would continue, so I turned my head towards her even before she did speak up

"We would like to know, if..." Stef briefly looked down to our hands "If you would want to become part of our family?" she asked gazing to my eyes

Few seconds passed of me simply staring at Stef. I couldn't believe, what I had just heard. Blinking back my eyes I continued to stare at Stef. I never thought that I could hear someone ask me that.

My mind went back to one of the conversation I had one sleepless night, while I was in hospital after the fire.

I was sitting on the edge of the uncomfortable bed, wearing nothing, but the ugly hospital gown. I was gazing out of the hospital window to the full moon that was up in the star full sky. My left hand, as motionless as possible, rested in my lap. Even the smallest movement, could cause pain to my upper arm, shoulder blade or left side of my back. Even when I wasn't moving, it hurt. The pain is one of the reasons, why I can't sleep.

The moon was so bright, it almost seemed like someone had switched on a dim light in my room. My eyes were glued to the moon. I liked to believe that Jude was looking at the moon from wherever he is and feeling me looking at it as well. It's very childish, but it gave me hope, that one day, we will be together again.

"It could still happen," Ethan said quietly trying to keep positive thoughts

"No," I replied without taking my eyes off the moon, my voice hallow and empty "No it won't," I glanced to the end of the bed, where Ethan was sitting, keeping me company for another sleepless night. He was wearing sweatpants underneath the hospital gown. Ethan looked and seemed to be just as worn out as I felt. His features screamed - exhausted and in pain.

He looked down to his right hand that was covered in bandage, shielding his burn "You still have two more years to go-"

"I'm almost 17," I corrected and added "And I signed up to independent living!"

"But someone could still-"

"I spent 6 years in foster care with my brother and no one ever came close to even liking us, let alone wanting to adopt us!" I interjected and started to explain it Ethan

Ethan doesn't understand how screwed up the system is. He doesn't understand how doomed the kids, who are in the system, truly are! He tried to see the good, but the problem is, there is nothing good about it. There are only handful of kids, who don't get screwed up while in foster care.

"After I left Juvenile detention, I was placed in a group home, because no one wants to take in juvenile delinquent! Once you land in a group home, your chances of finding a family are slim to none. And because of my injury-" I gestured with my right to my left shoulder "My chances shirk even more. No one wants a kid, who needs special attention, who has medical issues or who is as screwed up as me!" After a brief pause I added in a cold tone "I'm unlovable!"

"Don't say that Callie!" Ethan remarked instantly

I had never seen anyone looking at me as sympathetic and with such compassion as Ethan does right now "I have known for a while now, that I'm never getting adopted - I have accepted that!" I said with tears in my eyes "That's why I signed up to this independent living program weeks ago! I'm going to get my own apartment, get a decent job and get Jude back!"

It wasn't that I didn't want to be adopted and have a family. I needed to be realistic. The odds of that happening are extremely low. It's better to not get my hopes up, than wishing for something to happen and then being upset and hurt, when it doesn't.

I blink the tears away and look out to the moon again "I have accepted that and I'm..." I take in a shaky breath and looked back to the full moon "I'm okay with that. I don't need family - I can take care of myself!"

"I have no doubt that you can take care of yourself, but don't you want a family?" Ethan replied "Someone, who greets you, when you get home, and wishes you a great day, when you leave. Someone, who is there for you, no matter what. Someone, who you can laugh and cry with. Someone, who...who loves you for who you are, who loves you unconditionally!"

I felt his look on me, so I turned to look back at him. We gazed at one another for a moments. I may not need one, but that doesn't mean I don't want one. My lips parted, but I didn't get to say what I was thinking about, because the doors to my room opened and the night nurse walked in, silencing me.

"What do you say?" Lena asked, pulling me out of my thoughts, while gently tucking some loose hair behind my ear "Would you like to become an Adams Foster?"

To this moment I thought that no one will ever love me like my mother used to. I believed that this would never happen to me. Unlovable – that's how I saw myself. But that's not how these two woman see me.

I hadn't even realized that I was crying until Stef pointed it out to me "Hey, hey, love - why are you crying?" she let go of my hand and gently with both of her thumbs, she wiped away the tears on my cheeks, while Lena was running circles on my back

"I wa—I want to," I sniffed out nodding my head vigorously "I want to so badly!" I repeated and glanced to Lena, who was on my other side

"Yes?" Stef re-asked to make sure

"Yes!" I said while happy tears streamed down my cheeks

The two woman wrapped their arms around me, squeezing me between them tightly. Two more tears rolled down my face, when both of them kissed my cheeks at the same time.