A/N: A/N: I'VE CHANGED A LOT OF EVENTS FROM LIFE UNEXPECTED. WHAT HAPPENED TO LUX IN THAT SHOW IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT HAPPENED HERE. AND ALL DRASTIC OCCURRENCES THAT OCCUR IN THIS FIC SERVE A PURPOSE.

Chapter 36

Lux's POV

I keep repeating Valerie's words in my mind. Just tell her whatever I think she wants to hear.

That'll be easy.

I can tell her that everything is fine. Things are going great and I'm doing much better. That's simple enough.

And the second Fern opens the door to her office, I start to follow closely behind. But when I see Stef, Lena, and Mike's faces I freeze and find myself wanting to retract to where I came from.

"Fern, what is this?" I ask in confusion as try my best to refuse eye contact with all three of them, while I stand in the doorway.

Fern turns around to face me, "Come in and have a seat and we'll talk about it."

"What? No way. You told me that I had to come here and talk to you. Not that I had to come here and talk to them. You lied," I remind her.

"I didn't lie, Lux. And I never said anything about them because I knew this was exactly how you'd react. And whether you like it or not, they are your parents—"

"They didn't raise me," I retort, "And from what I can remember, Fern, neither did you," I respond back with an attitude. If I was ever going to talk to these people again, I wanted to do it on my terms. Not theirs.

"You're absolutely right, Lux. I didn't raise you," she starts as she gently pushes me inside of the room to close the door behind her. "But I have a gut feeling on this and I need you to trust me."

I hiss. "This is so stupid," I inform her. "I've already tried to get along with these people. Over and over again."

"Not with me present, you haven't."

I shake my head, wanting nothing more than to say no to her. But I keep replaying last night's conversation with Eric in my head. "Fine… But if this doesn't work, it's not my problem," I say as I stare at everyone in the room until I get to Lena, "…And I don't even understand what she's doing here," I answer honestly as I walk over toward the only empty seat in the room and intuitively move it astray from the three of them before I sit down on it. It's the one closest to the door so I know that I'll be the first one out.

Fern glances over at Lena and we both notice that Stef had just wrapped her hand around her wife's. It was obvious to me that Lena felt uncomfortable by my comment though I didn't really care. "Lux, Lena is Stef's wife. That makes her your step mother."

"So?" I ask out of pure confusion. "She's not related to me… like at all," I reiterate. "She's married to Stef… Their marriage has nothing to do with me."

Fern nods and takes a seat across from us, "I understand why you would feel that way, Lux. But Lena is a big part of Stef's life. She lives with her. And I think what's best is for all of us to come to an understanding, so that there's no difficulties later. Now, are you done interrogating me or can we start this session?"

"Fine. Whatever. Go ahead."

Fern appears unimpressed with my attitude, but I felt the same way when she bombarded with these people.

She lets it go, "Lux, is there anything you want to say to any of your parents since you've last seen them? Because now would be the time to say it."

"Not really," I answer flatly.

Fern sighs, "Okay… Lux… Let's start with how all of this came about. What happened? How did all of you meet?" She looks at every single one of us as if it were obvious she didn't care who answered.

Lena's the one who speaks up, "Lux came by the house looking for Stef."

Fern turns to face me, "So you knew where Stef lived?"

"Uhuh."

"How?"

I sigh. This is going to be a long session, I think to myself before I speak, "I found the address on my caseworker's desk. He was helping me with the emancipation process and he told me that he had to get the Permanent Release Of Rights Form signed… He was going to do it himself, but he was taking so long so I decided to do it for him."

Fern squinted her eyes at me. "So you snooped and stole the address?"

"I didn't steal it. I just copied it down."

"But it was confidential information Lux. You stole it."

"Fine. Whatever I stole it," I answer out of annoyance. Whatever floats your boat, I think to myself.

"And then what happened?"

Stef answers next, "I came home. She tried to get me to sign the papers and I couldn't—"

"Wouldn't," I correct. "There's a big difference."

It was obvious that Stef wanted to say something to me but she didn't. "I tried to tell her that I wasn't her mom. She didn't believe me. I took her to the hospital and that's when I found out about what happened."

"And she still refused to sign the papers. Even after she promised that she would if she found out that I was her kid," I answer in a harsh tone.

Fern puts up her index finger to me, "Alright, Lux. Let me stop you right there… There was no chance you were ever going to get emancipated. I can tell you that right now."

"I'm fourteen. That's the m—"

"Minimum age in the state of California that a minor can become emancipated. I know," Fern finishes for me. "But even at that age, the circumstances have to be extremely dire… In order to petition the court for this, you have to me financially sufficient at least—"

"I have $3,000 in the bank."

She ignores me, "You have to prove that you are going to school, which from your attendance records you have not been. Your caseworker sent me your files and it showed me that you filed a fee waiver for your court costs? There isn't a Judge in the world that would see that as financially stable. They would've realized that it was in your best interests to remain in foster-care… I'm sorry, Lux but even in Stef and Mike had signed the papers you wouldn't have gotten emancipated. That's just the honest truth."

Stef's POV

I can see that Lux appears to be hurt and embarrassed by what Fern was saying, even though part of me knew that she had to hear it. But I could still feel sorry because something my daughter really wanted was unattainable. "Lux, you don't have to feel ashamed for being a kid," I tell her. "Brandon is 18 and we all still provide for him—"

"But you're his parents," she answers matter-of-factly as if she couldn't see how much her words stung at Mike and me. "…And you've been his parents since forever."

"And that's what you're upset about?" Fern asks, "That they weren't there for you from day one."

"I'm not upset about that. I'm upset that that's the way they're acting. That's the point. They haven't been there for me from the second I was born. I get that it's not their fault or whatever but I've been on my own for a long time. And I was doing perfectly fine without them and apparently so where they… Why mess that up?"

"Because you're a daughter," Mike answers. "Because we'd be happy to mess it all up if that means we get to finally have you in our lives."

"But you don't even know me."

"That's because you don't give us a chance to get to know you," I answer honestly. "Lux, I feel like every time we finally get on good terms, you just push yourself away from us. This has been going on from the very beginning and it's the exact reason we're here right now. You ran away from our house that day, the day after we found out what happened with you and Callie, and you called Fern when—"

"Because you took her side!" Lux argues. "No one has any idea what happened between us, and you were so quick to interrogate me as if it were my fault."

"That was my fault," Lena jumps in just as I was about to speak. "I took Callie's side and I was wrong to do so. I apologize. But you didn't say anything to us to defend yourself that night either, Lux."

"Lux," Fern starts, "Is that why you ran away? Because of what Lena said?"

"No… And I hardly call what I did running away… I left because I didn't want to make anyone feel uncomfortable and it was obvious that they didn't want me there. When I was staying with Mike, he didn't make me feel like I was screwing everything up. And I liked him up to a point."

Fern nods, "Up until you came to his apartment the next day after you stayed over a random guy's house?"

"Yes‑ No," she takes a deep breath, "…I only said that because I didn't want to stay there anymore."

Fern looks at Lux in confusion, "So you didn't go to a bar and—"

"Nope," Lux interrupts. "I lied, okay? Satisfied?"

"Yeah," all three of us answer in unison and I'm able to breathe a sigh of relief.

Fern doesn't seem very happy about the way that Lux used her, understandably, "Lux, you shouldn't have to lie to me like that. I wouldn't have left you somewhere you didn't feel a hundred percent comfortable. You know that right?"

Lux doesn't answer.

"I know that I haven't been your social worker for very long and I'm not sure how anyone before me handled your placements before, but the only way this is going to work is if I'm able to trust you and in doing so you have to trust me… Got it?"

"Yeah."

"Okay…So let's talk about what makes you uncomfortable at Stef's… Besides Callie—"

"Callie doesn't make me uncomfortable…" Lux answers matter-of-factly but just stops talking.

"But I do?" Lena asks, and Lux's silence answers the question for her. "…I see… I want you to know that that's not my intention at all."

"Okay," Fern intrudes, "Let's stop for a minute… Lux, why do you think that Lena makes you feel uncomfortable? Is it just because of what she said that day you came over for dinner? Or is it because she you think she took Callie's side? …What bothers you the most?"

She shrugs her shoulders, "I don't know."

"Okay," Fern continues, "Lena, what is it that you think that bothers Lux the most about you?"

Lena looks over at me before looking over at Lux and responding, "I think she doesn't feel comfortable because of what we already talked about… and because I think she feels like I'm…problematic?"

"How so?"

"Well, because… every second we've spent together hasn't been the most exciting."

"Alright. Care to explain?" Fern continues.

"Uh, when we first met we barely spoke to each other, then there was the dinner which… didn't turn out so well."

"What happened?"

"I told her about the school where I teach and she didn't seem too fond of switching."

"And what else happened?"

"Then that situation came up where we found out that Callie and Lux knew each other. That didn't turn out well either… And then she came to the school, where I gave her the test and…then you came to pick her up that same day."

"I think that's a big problem, one that we're going to need to work out before any of this... There hasn't been one positive encounter between either of you and that's going to be very important if you and Stef ever want to be able to take Lux home…" Fern turns toward Lux, "What do you think, Lux?"

"About what?"

"About working on things with your parents? And with Lena?"

"I don't…know."

"Are you willing to give them another shot?"

"Um…" she shrugs her shoulders again.

Fern changes her wording, "Do you want to have a relationship with them?"

"…Why?"

"What do you mean?" Fern questions.

"Why now? Why do they want to get to know me now? …I mean, I get that they didn't know I even existed and that it shouldn't be their fault but…" she shook her head slightly and we all could see her eyes begin to well up.

"Do you still blame them?"

Lux takes a while to think about Fern's question and for a second I assume that she's not going to answer at all.

"…If they weren't able to hold me for two seconds after they had me…why do they care how I'm doing now?" She turns to face me for the first time in the entire session, "…This could have all been avoided if you just held me… All you had to do was check if I was breathing before you…" she stops herself and shakes her head again as she wipes away the tears that fell onto her cheek and turns to face Fern. "So if you're asking me if I want to get to know them now, then…no. No, I don't want to see them. No, I don't want them telling me what to do and how to live. Just no… It's too late for any of that, or for this. There's no amount of therapy that can fix this… And I'm sorry," she finishes as she stands up to leave.

And I have to wipe my own tears away before I start to stand up to go after her, "Lux," I call but she quickly closes the door.

"Stef," Fern starts as she tries to stand up. "You have to let her go."

I immediately stop her from doing so as I step even closer to her, "Don't you dare tell me what to do now," I warn Fern.

"I know this was hard for you to hear but… believe it or not this was a breakthrough."

"What?" I snap.

"Honey," Lena chastises, "She's right. Just take a second. Please?" she begs as she pulls me back over toward my seat. And it was only because of Lena, that I was able to control myself enough to not punch that woman in the face and sit beside my wife.

"This was a breakthrough," Fern confirms. "Lux has been holding that anger towards you and Mike from the second she found out about what happened. She was going to let it out sooner or later and from experience the sooner the better. I know that she shouldn't be mad at either of you for what happened fourteen years ago, but… she is. And it was for the best that you heard it now so that you can address it yourselves, but not while she's so distraught… Lux needs to be in a rational state and if you address it now, the chances of her listening to anything that you say are slim to none… The only way you're going to be able to have any chance of having a relationship with her is if she is able to put aside all her blame. In order to do that, it's your job to explain your side of things… Before that can happen, you need to understand her first," Fern finishes as she reaches over her desk and picks up three over-filled manila folders. She stands up and hands them over to each of us.

"What is this?" I ask in a defeated tone as I flip open to the first page.

"They're copies of Lux's entire file. I faxed you guys a small one before with the basics, but these are more… detailed. They contain drawings, photographs, essays that she wrote in school, and other things to help you to get to know Lux, not where she's been, who she's lived with, how many times she missed school, but…her. You need to have a response to the response that she'll give you, so when you explain your side, you'll be ready."

Mike closes the folder, "So what does this mean? What if she refuses to come to the next session? Then what? We're just going to have to look at a bunch of drawings to keep us busy instead?"

"Lux will be here," Fern assures us. "I will make sure of it."