"What happened? Is Callie okay? Where is she?" Stef asked worriedly as she rushed towards Lena, all her joy and happiness from just winning an important case completely forgotten.

Lena was standing, staring at Stef, watching her walk closer. She heard the questions; she heard the fear and she shook her head vigorously. "No." She whispered, afraid to say it out loud. "She's not." Tears of pain filled her brown eyes and she could see them mirrored in Stef's hazel ones.

An unimaginable ache filled Stef's heart as she waited for Lena to continue; to give her some more information for she hated to be left hanging. What had happened to her little girl? Where was she? What were they doing for her? Was it even possible to help her? Was she even still alive?

"She needs a transplant." Lena explained as she sat back down in the pew, already exhausted from all the emotions. "She needs a transplant soon."

"She's alive?" Stef confirmed, glad for the tiny blessing. She knew she wouldn't survive if her beautiful baby was dead. A transplant wasn't good but it was still hope and Stef was going to hold on to it with everything she had. She now sat down next to Lena and listened to everything Lena had to say.

"Yes." Lena smiled sadly, not realizing what Stef must have thought the moment she saw her. "She's alive and she's on the transplant list but she's very weak. She no longer attends classes at all but a friend of mine who teaches high-school keeps her busy with a project. Whatever energy she has, she puts into that and I think it's really helping her. She won't let me see it until it's finished so I have no clue what it is exactly but I'm just happy that it makes her smile."

Stef smiled at the image, picturing a very determined Callie working hard on something despite her pain and suffering. But the image didn't last long for once again she pictured a sick looking little girl, fighting for her life. 'Why can't they just do it now?' Stef thought to herself. She couldn't help but feel that waiting only added to their trouble. Callie's heart was going to give way and lying in bed all day with barely enough energy to even use the bathroom was no way to live, so what were they waiting for? But she already knew the answer, it wasn't that simple - there were other people, in worse conditions than Callie that were higher on the list; her heart was still functions, even if it was below standard. She had to squeeze out every last ounce of power she could from it before she qualified for a new one. "So how long does she have?" She asked instead.

"They're predicting a month, maybe two." Lena answered. "That's provided the decline remains steady. It could escalate depending on her health, her activity, stress. There's no real way to judge. Besides, they want to keep her own heart in as long as possible because it's the best heart for her but it's not going to hold out much longer. A new heart will be strong and healthier but there are risks of infection and rejection and the medications to help with that will make her immunity drop so much that even the tiniest cold could turn into a major problem. Also, hearts aren't that easily available, it's not like the kidney or liver where you can give part of it away and still have more for yourself. Her age and health, apart from her heart of course, are in her favor both in terms of receiving a heart when the time comes as well as the surgery being successful but there aren't any guarantees so we are still hoping that her own heart holds out a little longer but if she collapses even one more time, she will be moved to the top of the list immediately and the first available match will be hers."

Stef nodded in understanding - how could anyone predict something like this? No matter how advance technology, science and medicine got, these things would never be mastered.

"She's still a ward of the state which means they have to sign off on everything. That also means that they pick the hospital, the doctors and the treatment but they will only give her the bear minimum." Lena continued, before she lost the nerve. "A state appointed surgeon, a shared room at the children's ward of the state hospital which means no one can spend the night with her, and only three days of aftercare and no therapy. She needs more than that; she deserves more than that but I can't give it to her. I wish I could but I can't afford it."

By now Stef understood why Lena had come to her and she knew what she was getting at but she didn't disagree for even she believed that Callie needed and deserved more, much more.

"You offered to help her once and I know it's a lot to ask and I probably shouldn't be aski…" Lena continued as she began to sob, afraid that Stef wouldn't help for now she had no obligation to.

"I'll pay." Stef quickly interrupted as she gently laid a hand on top of Lena's jittery knee. "Of course I'll pay."

Lena was stunned to silence as tears still made their way down her face. She wasn't sure what to say for she'd come with a long speech prepared but Stef had just agreed without blinking an eye. "You will?" She clarified, just to make sure for this wasn't something she could afford to play around with."

"Look, whatever happened between us is in the past and I won't make Callie play for it. The custody battle wasn't supposed to happen like that. I never planned to fight you for her I was just so afraid of you shutting me out. I had no intentions of keeping her from you. I know I gave her up when she was born but I did that out of love, not because I didn't want her." She smiled apologetically for the mess she had caused. "When my fighting for her put her back in the hospital I realized that I had made a mistake and that even if I had won, it was you she'll always want so yes, I'll play for whatever she needs." Stef smiled sadly, wishing that she didn't have to do this - not because she didn't want to fork over some cash but because she didn't want Callie to be in this situation in the first place.

Lena smiled back and then practically laughed in relief for now she knew that her daughter would get the best that the world could offer. "Thank you." She said, still smiling widely. "Thank you." She repeated. But it was only moments later that the smile disappeared from her face and was replaced by a worried frown. She looked away from Stef for the next part of her request could possibly make her change her mind.

"What?" Stef asked. It was clear that Lena had something more to say and wasn't comfortable about it but she couldn't imagine what it was. "What is it?" She asked again, holding her breath as she waited for whatever was coming next.

Lena straightened herself, determined to stand her ground and fight for what was best for Callie. "I still want you to stay out of our lives." Lena finally said boldly.