Authors Note:

Again, I apologize in advance for any errors; the offer for a Beta is still out there.

I once said I was going to try and post every… other week but so far I've been really bad at it… but l am back from being MIA and will try to do better.

This is going to be mostly a Moms/Callie feels piece so do not fear for major Character death. Not going to happen. Also sorry I hate "Brallie" so for those of you asking… sorry not sorry, but NO.

Criticism is of course welcome.

…

"There was a fire, and Callie tried to save Rita and Becca. She's still in surgery. I need you to come home. I can't… I can't do this by myself." Stef's pleas are breaking my heart. Stef and Callie have this unique bond. There are times I watch Callie and all I see is Stef. It's amazing she didn't give birth to her.

Lena

The drive was complete blur; my mind just kept repeating the same thing over and over. "She has to be okay; I can't lose my baby. She has to be okay." Jude has finally cried himself to sleep, his little hand gripping mine tightly. Callie has been his whole world for so long – sister, parent-figure, protector, comforter, his everything. The look in his eye when I told him Callie had been hurt again. It made my very soul ache.

The dawn is just starting to break highlighting the world in in its red and golden hue. Most mornings this site would fill me with peace, but today all I see is fire and pain. How am I going to make it through today? She has to be okay.

"Jude, baby wake up. We're here." I brush my fingers through his hair, then cup his face to brush my thumb across his cheek. As soon as he sees the hospital across the parking lot his eyes fill again and he is lurching for the door intent on getting to his sister. "Jude, Jude wait!" I call out jumping out of the car, quickly unbuckling to grab my keys, purse, and trying to lock the car in one 'fell swoop'. I nearly have to break into a rub to catch his arm and bring him to a stop.

"Let go of me Lena! Callie needs me. I have to be there! I need to get to my sister!" Jude is yelling angry tears rolling down his pale cheeks trying to jerk his arm out of my hold.

"Oh baby, Jude, listen to me my sweet boy. Try to calm down for me for just a second. I can't let you go in there so upset baby. I spoke to Mom an hour ago and Callie was still in surgery. When we get in there we are going to find Mom and let her tell us what is going on and hopefully we are going to get to see her fairly quickly, but we may also be waiting a long time. I need to know you can handle being here. It is going to be a long day and we have to be in control of our emotions. Can you do that?"

Can he do that? The question is can I do that? It's all I can do not to bust through those doors and run until I have my Stef's arms around me. These questions run through my mind until Jude's quiet voice brings me back to present.

"I'll try Momma."

…

"I referred to you as Momma to Callie last night." Stef admits joining me in the kitchen for a mom meeting before we wake the kids for the school day.

"Really?" I smirk at her. And she tells me not to get attached. I don't speak the words aloud, but Stef knows what my ever growing grin means.

"It just slipped out, but I'll be damned if I take it back. That girl… Lena, I don't know what to do with her the more I learn about her the more I just…" Steff breaks away from me at the table to stand and look out into the back yard, her body tense with emotional upheaval.

"You love her..." I trail off. It's not a question. I leave my perch and coffee to wrap my arms around my love tucking my chin in between her neck and shoulder. I feel her slump against me in acknowledgement of the truth. I love her too. My Callie girl, my little Stef. If she were blonde I'd demand a DNA test. Wait, El Cajon?!

"El Cajon?!"

"Yes, El Cajon! I swear Lena she was less than a block from that rape-homicide last week! I'm keeping her home today for a very serious talk." Anger and sadness color my wife's words. Her hands locking my hold on her - making sure I don't pull away.

I know I have missed some details leading up to why Callie is on the air mattress in our room, lost in my own thoughts as to how many things make me question Callie's true parentage, but just hearing where my daughter was last night makes me want to rush to her and check her over. Wait, is Stef shaking? Tears rake down my love's face; it is enough to make my own eye's fill.

"She's okay, she's okay. Stef, you brought our baby home. She's upstairs asleep. She's okay." I mummer, kissing my wife's temple.

"Our baby?" She chokes out.

"Yes, my love. I know we said this was only until they found their forever home, but I can't bear it." Just the thought of the Jacob siblings leaving us is enough to break my heart. "That little girl and her brother were meant to be ours. It just took a little while for them to get here."

"Speaking of her little brother, I never got to why our little hoodlum was walking the streets last night. Jude has asthma. He apparently had an attack last night and used the rest of his last inhaler. She went to get a re-fill from an open pharmacy that I assume they've filled the prescription at before."

"What?" I grasp this time I do break away from Stef's hold intent on getting to Jude.

"He's okay my love." It's Stef's turn to pull me into her embrace.

I burrow into the comfort of my wife's arms laying my head upon her shoulder. Of-course he is. Mini-Stef wouldn't have left him otherwise but, "Why didn't they come to us?" I finally voice aloud breaking away from my thoughts.

"They thought they would be sent away. Callie said that no one wanted siblings let alone one's who are sick. She even assured me she had some money saved so that now we know we don't have to worry about cost, since if the state doesn't know they couldn't pay." Stef says shaking her head. "Come on Momma, let's go wake the brood."

…

Walking into the waiting room I find my wife waiting for us. Jude and I both pick up our pace in our effort to reach her. We are a knot of arms attempting support and comfort each other in our worry.

"Family of Callie Jacob." We break apart quickly turning to take in the kind faced doctor the waiting area.

"Here." Stef calls out with a weak wave.

I grab her and Jude's hands as we approach. "How is our girl?" I ask both desperate for news and dreading the answer.

"Callie is doing really well all things considered. Please come with me to the consultation room and I will break down the situation as best as I am able at this time." We followed Dr. Coulson to a wing off of the waiting room to a small room with a small couch and a few chairs. He turned a chair to face the couch and gestured for us to take a seat.

"I am Dr. Coulson I am the lead surgeon on Callie's case. As I am sure Dr. Eisa explained earlier, Callie suffered significant damage to her respiratory system. The lack of oxygen combined with a perforated lung exacerbated her situation more quickly than normal. We have seen the indicators of some brain damage, but exactly how much cannot be determined until we are able to access her while she is awake. At this point we can confirm that she has suffered two tonic–clonic seizures. These are more commonly known as grand mal seizures."

I feel the breath leave me body and grip Stef's tighter while trying to run a comforting hand up and down Jude's shoulder. A quick glance his way confirms my suspicion that he is pulling into himself. His gaze is fixed upon his shoes, his hands clasped together and trapped in between his legs. With every word out of the doctor's mouth his shoulders seem to hunch a little lower.

"I know this sounds incredibly scary, but the good news is Dr. Eisa is one of the best renowned neurologist in the field, and more importantly, Callie is currently stable and is responding to anti-convulsion medication. He is currently with her finishing her first EEG. Her CAT came back negative for any bleeds or swelling which is still more good news. He will meet with you separately to discuss her treatment plan going forward. We have some more to cover and as I said Dr. Eisa will be able to give you a clearer picture of what Callie is facing neurologically after the EEG and she wakes up, but do you have any questions so far?"

"Y-you, you said her lung was punctured? Did it collapse?" I had to clear my throat to get the question out. I felt Stef brace herself beside me.

"Fortunately, no. The puncture was enough that there was a slow leak and we had to reset the rib, but the lung never actually collapsed. In most cases like this we would go with a wait and see approach. In most cases when we are able we allow the lung to heal on its own. The lungs are an amazing organ and those who suffer a pneumothorax usually only have a recovery period of one to two weeks after surgery.

"You said in most cases…" Stef trails off.

With a cough and a change in position Dr. Coulson addresses Stef's unspoken question. "Yes, in most cases. In Callie's case in addition to the injury, Callie has suffered smoke inhalation. Smoke inhalation occurs when you breathe in the products of combustion during a fire. Smoke is a mixture of heated particles and gases. The products being burned, the temperature of the fire, and the amount of oxygen available to the fire all make a difference in the type of smoke produced. Combustion can result in the formation of chemicals that cause direct injury when they contact your skin and mucous membranes. Due to the reported chemical compounds reportedly consumed in the fire, we opted to a tracheotomy procedure to insure there is no additional loss of oxygen should additional respiratory distress occur. At this point we don't know exactly how Callie's lungs will react because it is impossible to determine exactly what was inhaled. So in her case we performed a surgical repair and tracheotomy. The tracheotomy will give us more options in treatment than endotracheal intubation should complications arise. At this point Callie needs rest so as was indicated to you by Dr. Eisa earlier we do have Callie in a medically induced coma."

"Didn't you just say we needed Callie to wake up to determine how much," she pauses unable to get the words out for a moment. Her voice breaks, "H-how much brain damage she may have?" Stef's voice is almost hollow.

"Yes, that is true. Callie went too long without a steady supply of oxygen. We do not currently know what challenges she will be facing until she is conscious. However the best medicine we can give her brain right now is a chance to begin the healing process. If we were to wake Callie immediately she would be inundated with sensory overload, the primary ones being pain and fear. That kind of stress to the body is exactly what we are trying to prevent. The next 72 hours will be critical for Callie as will closely monitor her condition for any addition respiratory complications."

"In comparison to her other injuries these are less critical in that they are not life threatening, but will restrict Callie's self-dependence for a potentially longer period of time. She has one broken rib and two fractured on all on the right side and additional bruising of her entire chest cavity. Her right ulna was also broken. Callie's burns are relatively minor and seem to be restricted to her thighs and legs and will not require skin grafts and minimal scarring." He paused for a breath.

"I know that this is a lot to take in but for now hold on to this, you daughter has a long way to go ion order to recover, but we fully expect her to survive." With those words I feel the roots of hope begin to stir. Jude's head finally lifts and stef exhales like she has been holding her breath since her last question. In fact I'm not sure she hasn't. Dr. Coulson's phone vibrated shortly and with a quick glance he stood. "I know you must be anxious to see your daughter. It appears she has been situated in ICU; why don't I take you up so you can see her and Dr. Eisa and I will try and answer questions along the way."

We all stand and begin the walk from consultation to the elevators that will take us to ICE and Callie. She's going to be okay. Callie is going to be okay. It's a long way to recovery, we will see her through it. She's going to be okay.