Disclaimer I do not own The Fosters

Callie was at her desk with her computer open and pen and paper in her hands. She was going over colleges that she felt were realistically in her budget...well Stef and Lena's budget plus whatever she was able to carry. She knew she could ask her father but she didn't want to but also knew a "donation" could pop up. The door and her bed squeaked as someone landed on it. Callie turned around to see Marianna making herself comfortable. Callie was a both happy and annoyed as she would have preferred it if Marianna had something.

"Hey Cal got any plans?" asked Marianna.

"Get your shoes off my bed please" said Callie.

"Fine, whatever" sighed Marianna as she plopped her shoes off.

Callie rolled her eyes.

"I'm busy go bug our new sister "said Callie.

"Can't, Emma's at work and technically she's our sister in-law" said Marianna.

Callie smirked.

"No she has something of Jesuses in her, that makes her our half sister" said Callie.

"Wait then by that logic the baby would...wait hold on...nevermind" sad Marianna.

Callie started laughing much to Marianna's surprise.

"What?" asked Marianna.

"Nothing" snickered Callie.

"What!" begged Marianna.

"Don't worry about it" said Callie.

Marianna watched as Callie went back to working on her laptop. Callie could feel Marianna watching her and wasn't sure if it was that or the no sound thing that made it creepy.

"Have you found a new church?" asked Callie.

Marianna didn't respond for a few minutes.

"That was the second church that got destroyed since I started going, I don't think it's for me" said Marianna.

"3rd times the charm" said Callie.

"No thanks, I know mom's didn't say anything but I don't think they liked that I was going" said Marianna.

"If they didn't they would have made you stop, your like what 15 right" said Callie.

Marianna was confused at first but then she understood.

"Callie I'm 16 and your nearly 18" said Marianna a bit worried.

Marianna watched as the confusion on Callie's face turned to fear then anger then back to calm leaving Marianna scared and confused.

"Have you heard from Grant?" asked Callie like nothing happened.

Marianna was a bit startled by this turn.

"No and if I did Mom would be the first to know" said Marianna.

"Jude said Grant was hurting you" said Callie.

"I should have known better, I'm surrounded by strong women" said Marianna.

Callie didn't respond as she was thinking about the best way to respond. Callie cleared her throat as Marianna sat up.

"Sometimes we want to be strong but since we are our own worst enemy's, we tend to feel like we aren't strong enough and are in fact a burden on those we think are strong, so we remain silent and take the abuse" said Callie.

Marianna was surprised as this was not a normal Callie answer but then again ever since Callie woke up she had changed in ways she couldn't put a finger on.

"After the first time Liam had hurt you, did you feel that way?" asked Marianna.

"All the time, I felt like a monster because even though I was supposed to protect Jude it seamed like I was the one hurting him the most, sometimes I still feel like a monster, like I woke up and left Callie in the coma" explained Callie.

"But your not a monster, your Callie, your my sister" said Marianna.

"Aren't I though" thought Callie.

"Thanks" said Callie.

"Um Callie do you...think Emma feels the same way, She was in the car with Jesus and she's alive and he's not?" asked Marianna.

"Yes, it's why she spends so much time at the library and work, she's trying to avoid Stef and Lena because she feels responsible for Jesus's death and think thy hate her" said Callie.

Marianna was surprised by Callie's statement and so was Stef who had been listening to the conversation from outside. Stef had wanted to talk to Callie but when she heard them talking about Grant she just listened. She could now see why Lena was concerned but she could see how they dropped the ball with Emma.

"Why would Emma feel like that, did she say something?" asked Marianna.

"She didn't have to because I used to feel like that all the time, I felt like the biggest fuck up, I felt like that because I didn't know who I should be, you appeared like the perfect daughter and Jude was nice and quite, foster parents like nice and quite, I was far from perfect and no where near nice, Emma survived and Jesus didn't, he died protecting her, she was kicked out of her home for being pregnant, mom's took her in and now in her head she thinks she's just here to fill the void she caused, she's carrying Jesuses child which if I had been her and it was Brandons...well I know who they would have kept once they had what they wanted...I mean that's how I would have thought then but I know now that's not how it would have worked out but Emma doesn't which makes her feel like a disposable burden, which is why she spends so much time at the library or at work" explained Callie.

Stef hung her head in shame, ever since Callie's attack just when they thought they had the ball they stumbled, Callie really was different, and the fact she wasn't cussing anymore was proof, if this had been old Callie she would cussed when she thought her or Lena was around but Callie had complied and even in a moment when she could get away with it she didn't, and then there was Emma, they hadn't been paying attention and were already behind it was time to catch up and get ahead.

"What changed your mind or made you think things were different?" asked Marianna.

"Stef and Lena didn't let up they kept pushing and prodding and all the small things they did told me that I wasn't a fuck up but someone who is loved and deserves love, I can be a fuck up and they will love me, they aren't going to toss me aside and they aren't going to toss Emma aside, they just need to show her" said Callie.

Stef smiled, maybe they weren't as behind as they feared. Stef entered the room through the open door as she announced her presence startling both girls.

"You scared us!" said Marianna.

"Sorry I saw the door was open and figured I'd come in" said Stef.

"OH I didn't realize Marianna left it open" said Callie.

"No I closed it!" stated Marianna.

"Sure!, whatever" joked Callie.

Marianna stuck her tongue out at Callie who did the same in kind. Stef smiled.

"I actually came out here to talk to Callie but since you're here Marianna plug these in" said Stef

Stef tossed something to Marianna who caught it.

"Walkie talkies?" asked Marianna confused.

"Yes Cal..Lena and I talked about the things you told her, she told me how you feel isolated from the rest of the family since you can't go upstairs, so I...we decided to get you walkie talkies, I have one in each bedroom up stairs, at a later time we'll figure out which one goes to which one so we can mark them" said Stef.

"Do you agree with Lena about the...Yes I think we should take you in for a CT scan there might be some internal damage that might have been missed the first time" interrupted Stef.

Marianna didn't know Callie and Lena talked but she wondered if that was why Lena had been so tense the other day at breakfast.

"What about the thing with Liam?" asked Callie.

Stef walked over to Callie and hugged her.

"I don't understand it but I will be behind you no matter what you decide, it's your choice and I just want to be there when you need me" said Stef kissing Callie on the head.

"I love you" said Callie.

"And I you bug" said Stef.

Stef smiled at Marianna then walked out then popped her head back in.

"We need to test those later, let me know when your ready" said Stef.

"Was it mom or mama who told you mot to knock?" asked Callie.

Marianna wasn't going to pretend to lie about forgetting to knock.

"Mom came up stairs couple days ago before breakfast when she was supposed to leave for work and asked us not to knock on your door but just go in" said Marianna.

"I didn't know she was even there" said Callie smiling.

Callie turned back to her computer to turn on some music just to have some noise while she worked.

"You want to go to the park or something?" asked Marianna.

"No I'm busy" said Callie.

Marianna got up and put her shoes back on. Then with a smile she walked over to Callie.

"Wait! let me save my work!" squealed Callie.