"Callie!" I scream half in anger, half in elation. What the hell is she doing down here? I am going to kill her. I'm beginning to get light headed. The lack of oxygen is sapping my strength. Even with Callie's help we make little progress with Becca's dead weight. Chemicals and flammable liquids are starting to explode around us. We are finally at the stairs, but I'm afraid anymore time down here will result in both girls' deaths. "Callie go. I want you to get out of here." I demand in a tone that brokes no arguing. She doesn't listen to me though. She knows I won't leave Becca in order to force her and she won't leave either of us. She's too reckless, so selfless. Together we begin to navigate the stairs. We have almost made it when a hear wood begin to groan. The sound is going to haunt my nightmares; I know it. Just as I take the last step out of the basement, the stairs disappear in rush of fire and smoke. I fall under the sudden full weight of Becca. Callie is gone.
"She hung up on me." Stef murmurs to herself still half in shock by the barrage of information Rita threw at her before hanging up. "Oh God! Callie" Stef says to herself a little bit louder throwing on yesterday's clothes as quickly as possible and pushing her feet into the first shoes she can find. Grabbing her keys and her phone Stef rushes to the emergency room, pushing several limits along the way.
Twenty minutes later, the blonde rushed through automatic doors and nearly bruising her palms against the granite surface as she slammed into front desk, "Callie Jacobs, sixteen year old female, brought in for possible house-fire related injuries. Where is my daughter?" Stef blurted out in a single panicked breath. Stef was not one to panic, years on the force had taught her to be calm, level headed. Yet, no amount of training could ever prepare her for a life threatening event involving one of her babies.
The eyes of the little redhead, behind the keyboard, widen and she quickly begins to search for information. If nothing, else experience has taught her nothing will calm a mama tiger but as much information as possible, as quickly as possible.
"Ma-am your daughter is being taken back for emergency surgery. I will have a doctor come explain things further as soon as possible." Sarah internally winces preparing herself for the usual parental explosion of questions and demands for information that usually follows. As she meets green eyes however she is surprised by the response she is given. She sees Stef take a deep breath.
"Thank you, Sarah. Where is Rita Hendricks please? My daughter was in her care when the fire started." Stef is holding herself in check as best she is able. With a quick glance at the nurse's name tag, she tries to make several things clear. Yes she has questions, and yes there is a mama tiger growling beneath her calm façade, but Sarah is not in danger as long as she doesn't try to hide the woman named Rita behind HIPAA. There is a short pause while Sarah weighs her options and does a quick check of the registry. Rita Hendrix is stable with no injuries beyond mild smoke inhalation in…
"Observation three" she voices aloud and with a quick glance at Stef's quirked eyebrow she presses the button opening the ER doors. Sarah lets out breath she didn't realize she was holding as the blond cop walked away praying silently that she did the right thing. "You know where to find me with an update on my daughter." She tosses out over her shoulder walking through the double doors.
Stef quickly makes her way to the indicated room just in time to see Rita take another lungful of breath off the oxygen mask that had been forced on her. All of the anger left her as she saw Rita. Stef was definitely beyond fearful, but she knew she couldn't blame this woman for whatever happened. The usually stoic woman who always spoke in calm, even if at times strong, no-nonsense, alto toned voice lay, with obvious tear lines cutting across her soot stained face. The force to be reckoned with named Rita Hendricks, looked distraught. Stef was forcefully reminded that this woman fought like a mother for the best interest of these girls without being able to claim the joys of actually being their mother.
"Rita?" She called softly. Rita turned to face Stef her brunette locks in disarray. Blowing out a breath, Stef sank heavily into the chair beside the hospital bed. "What the hell happened? What happened to Callie?" Stef pleads for answers.
"She came after us. She got everyone outside told one of the girls to go call 911 and then she came after us…" Rita takes a deep breath and begins to tell Stef what happened.
I brace myself for the conversation I know I will have to have will Callie when we get home. I had just picked up my foster daughter off of the streets in El Cajon. Mike and I were finishing our shift and headed back to the station when I glance out of the cruiser window letting out a sigh at the sight of too young faces standing along the streets edge. They are so young. That could have been my Marianna in another life. The thought makes me sick to my stomach. I may not have been able to protect my babies from the beginning, but I can't begin to be grateful enough to know they are home safe now. Suddenly my train of thought ends as quickly as my ability to breath. I know that backpack, I bought it. I know that walk, that zip up hoodie, those messy curls!
"Mike stop the car!" The fear and anger vibrates through my entire being. Mike obeys my command instantly even as he begins to question what is going on, warily taking in our very potentially dangerous surroundings. "Callie Fos-Jacobs!" My mind quickly rebukes what or rather who my heart and mouth is trying to claim. She stops her eyes widening as she turns and sees just who has called her name. Her entire body is tense, her eyes darting as she contemplates her chances at running. "Don't even think about it." I state quietly as I stalk forward to grab hold of her arm, guiding her back to the cruiser. I push her into the back seat gliding in behind her. "Drive." I bark at Mike turning to face my wayward foster child. She begins to slide over away from me, I know my anger is scaring her, but I won't let her pull away from me. I can't. I just found her on the streets of one of the most dangerous areas of the city. A girl was found raped and dead just last week one block from where Callie was just walking. Why is she out at this time? What was she doing? Was it illegal? Was she trying to get money for something? Is she hurt? With that last thought I grab one of her hands lacing our fingers together. I turn her chin so I can look into her eyes. Callie's eyes look at me questioningly. This girl in front of me has so many walls erected around her to try and protect herself but I can see through them all when I look into her beautiful brown eyes. "Callie, I know you think you have no reason to trust me. I know trust must be hard for you when everyone in this system has failed you in some way, but Callie I need you to really try and believe me when I tell you I will do everything in my power to make sure you and Jude are safe, but you have to help me." I feel tears begin to well up in my eyes as I think of the horrors young girls meet on these streets every day. I'll be damned if my daughter, my foster daughter meets the same fate. Callie tentatively reaches up to brush the tears I hadn't realized had fallen from my face. My hand leaves her chin to catch the hand that had just brushed away my tears. I place a soft kiss on her palm.
"Sorry." She murmurs ducking her head no longer meeting my eyes. Her body is tense again and her face is red giving away her embarrassment. I'm not sure if she is sorry for my tears or for sneaking out. Maybe she is sorry she touched me. I tilt her chin up again searching for her eyes.
"Look at me." I speak softly trying to keep her from retreating further. When her eyes meet mine I only have one immediate concern. "Are you hurt anywhere?" She shakes her head. "OK, here is what is going to happen. When we get to the station you are going to sit at my desk and you will not move until I have everything finished and we can go home. Callie, you will not move. Do you understand me?" She gives me a small nod her head dropping again. I nudge her chin back up and in my most serious cop voice I tell her. "If you move from my chair without my permission, I swear Callie; I will put a child's harness and leash on you and Momma can walk you to all your classes." Callie's eyes widen when I call Lena her momma. I can barely believe it myself. We have fostered dozens of foster kids through the years and I have never made that kind of mistake, not even with the twins, but as I look into Callie's eyes I'll be damned if I will take it back. Instead I lean forward and place a kiss on her brow -pulling her into my side for the rest of ten minute ride to the station. Callie surprises me when instead of pulling away she leans into my embrace. I finish up and together we leave the station about twenty minutes later.
"What were you doing out there Callie?" We were finally home. The other kids would be up in just a couple of hours and as much as I wanted to just go to sleep after a long night shift, I can't. There is no such thing as clocking-out as a mom. Callie is tense, biting her lip trying to decide whether or not to answer me. I won't give her time or a reason to lie. "Callie, you and Jude are safe here. Lena and I aren't sending you anywhere." The thought that I don't think I could goes unspoken. Callie searches my face for a long time before she reaches into her backpack and pulls out an inhaler with Jude Donald Jacobs written as the prescription name.
"He doesn't need it always, only sometimes, and we have enough saved up so you won't have to buy them." She blurts in a rush taking my moment of silence badly.
"Oh Callie. Why wouldn't you just tell me? Wait, is Jude okay?" I make to head towards to the stairs but Callie's next words stop me for the moment.
"Of course he is. I never would have left if he wasn't. He just had a small asthma attack and I couldn't chance waiting to get another refill. Why would I tell you Stef? Nobody wants foster kids let alone foster kids who are sick. Add that to the fact we are siblings and you might as well kick us out now." Callie states her hands clinching and unclenching. She turns her head way from me. She has her walls sky high and I am facing the girl who sat at my kitchen table for the first time calling Lena and I dykes all over again.
She thinks her baby brother having asthma will make me send her away.
"Baby, I need you to really hear this. Are you listening?" I am trying to catch her eyes once again rubbing my hands up and down from shoulder to elbow. Finally I take hold of her hands forcing her to uncross her arms as I pull her into my embrace. "What you have done for your brother in order to make him safe is a wonderful thing, but I hate you ever had or even felt the need to do it. You don't, and you never will, have a need to keep anything from me to protect yourself or Jude. Protecting you is mine and Momma's job." I feel her tense again at the name. Damn it. I really need to talk to Lena about this. I continue on squeezing Callie to me a little tighter. "Callie, I know you know how dangerous those streets are. How would you feel if you saw Jude out there period let alone at this time of night?" Her quick intake of air lets me know I am getting through to her. That she does in fact see the danger.
"I feel that same fear for you Callie. I would feel that fear for every one of you kids. You are mine to protect. I love you so much Callie." I place three kisses to her temple and hold her tightly for a few more minutes. Slowly I release her from my hold and together we head upstairs. We stop to check on Jude before I take hold of her once more and pull her into the master bedroom. She shuffles nervously biting her lip when I hand her pajamas and point her to the bathroom to change.
"Don't argue." I warn then begin blowing up the air mattress. I need to know she is close if just for the rest of the night. My sweet Lena is dead to the world. I am hoping to fill her in on the night's events before she takes the other kids to school. Callie will be staying home. Hopefully Lena will be able to come home for the talk we need to have after her morning meetings. Callie can go back to school for her afternoon classes hopefully.
It feels like I have just shut my eyes when I hear Lena whispering my name giving me a soft shake. She looks pointedly at Callie with a raised eyebrow. I shake my head and we go to get coffee. It's time to tell my wife about our daughter and why I can't handle this just being a pit-stop anymore…
"Mrs. Adams-Foster?" Stef looks away from Rita still reeling from the information that her child ran back into a burning building to see a grim faced man in a white coat.
"Yes?" She responds standing. "Is Callie ok? May I see her?"
"I'm Dr. Eisa. I am the neurologist overseeing your daughter's case. Your daughter sustained several injuries from the accident. The emergency surgery was to perform a tracheotomy. We have no way of knowing how long your daughter will need to be on life-support which is why a patent airway using a cricothyrotomy or crike procedure wasn't used. Callie is currently still in surgery; the fall back thought the stairs broke several of her ribs, one of which punctured a lung. This in addition to prolonged exposure to the smoke has exacerbated her already compromised respiratory system. The good news is even with a prolonged lack of oxygen we are getting encouraging readings from her nuero test. We will know more about possible brain damage after we bring her out of the coma."
"Brain Damage? Coma?" She chokes out. Sitting back down slowly into the chair her knees giving way. "I can't breathe. Is this how Callie felt in the fire? My poor baby!" Stef's thoughts run wild.
"I'm sorry I don't have more news for you. However her prognosis is ultimately a positive one. It seems that the rescue team was able to get her out relatively quickly after her fall into the stairs meaning her burns are mostly second degree burns along her thighs and legs. There are areas with third degree burns, but they are few and minor enough in size I don't foresee the need for skin grafts. In fact over all scarring should be minimal. Dr. Coulson will be able to address this further with you. Our primary concern at this point is her lungs and the subsequent damage it may have caused the brain. I will be back when we have her moved to ICU. At that time we will perform an EEG to determine her status and you will be able to see your daughter"
"Stef, Stef I need you to breath." That's Rita's voice she has a strong grip on Stef's shoulder.
Lena, I need Lena. "I need to call my wife. She's out of town. She'll have questions." Stef finally gasps out.
"I understand. I'm sorry, but I need to get back. Someone will be back with an update for you shortly." With those parting words Dr. Eisa left the observation room.
"Stef…" Rita begins but is waved off.
"I need to go call my wife." Stef walks quickly away from Rita and hits recent calls on her cell. Soon she hears the ringing of the call connecting.
"Stef?" The sound of her lover's sleep filled and worried voice sends her spiraling off the ledge. The sounds of Stef's weeping was the only reply Lena received.