Stef

"Hello?"

"Bill," I say into the phone, "What the hell kind of foster home was that?" I'm back at my desk after dropping Callie off, barely fighting the urge to drive back there and take her with me. This Marcy woman was probably one of the last people on earth that I would ever leave a child with, even if they are as old and independent as Callie.

"It was the best I could do―"

"The best you could do?" I repeat incredulously, sitting up straight in my seat, "This woman couldn't remember a single thing I told her, including Callie's name. There has to be something else for her."

I hear Bill sigh, "The thing with Callie is, she doesn't do well with male authority figures. This was the only home I could find on such short notice where there were no men."

I rest my head on my hand, "I still don't like it. Is there any way I can get Callie in contact with her brother?"

"Not at the moment. Callie needs to worry about herself before she starts worrying about Jude."

I don't like his answer, but that's the way it works with stuff like this, "Alright. Let me know when Callie can see Jude as soon as you can."

"I will."

"Thanks, Bill." I hang up the phone and run my hand over my face. I can't shake the feeling in the pit of my stomach that I've left Callie to the wolves. She seemed so nonchalant that I had to leave her in that rat hole of a place. Could it have better than her previous homes? I shudder at the thought. I reach into the bottom drawer of my desk and take out the manila folder that contains the forms I need to get Callie registered for school. I take out the papers I need as well as a pen.

Others may have failed this girl, but I sure as hell am not about to.

I walk into the kitchen through the back door and I'm immediately hit with the familiar, comforting scent of Lena's cooking. I smile to myself as I close the door behind me and walk up behind her where she stands at the stove. I put by hands on her hips and kiss her cheek.

"Hi, Love."

She turns around and flashes me a smile that still makes me weak in the knees, "Hey, Honey. How was work?"

I chuckle a bit and sit on a stool, "Interesting. I got a new assignment."

Lena turns back to the stove to stir the pasta that is cooking, "Oh? What's this guy in for?"

"This guy," I answer as I rest my hands on the table, "Is a sixteen year old girl in foster care that was in juvie for destroying her foster father's car."

She turns back around at this, eyebrows raised, and I know I've caught her attention, "Wow, you've never had someone like that before. What's she like?"

"Tough. I think her attitude is worse than Mariana's." Lena snorts at this, "Her name is Callie. I dropped her off at her new foster home this afternoon." That awful house with that questionable woman, "I just wish there was something more I could do for her," I finished wistfully.

I don't understand how this girl could have gotten under my skin like this. Most likely because she's just a child; same age as Brandon. I haven't known her for long but I know she deserves better than the woman I left her with. Lena walks up behind me and releases my hair from its confining bun. I allow my eyes to slip close as she runs her long fingers through my hair and massages my scalp.

"You'll get her on the right track," she says as she continues her relaxing ministrations, "Your heart is too big to let her slip through the cracks." I hum in response and open my eyes. I pull Lena down so that I can press a kiss to the corner of her mouth.

"I really hope so, Love."

"…and then Lexi partnered up with Kelsey and I had to work with Claire! Ugh!"

I smile at the normalcy of this. Mariana is giving me a play-by-play of how her day went. Her theatrics often convince me that she was born to be an actress. If I could take her as she is now and introduce her to an eight-year-old Mariana, I wonder what the latter would say? She used to be so quiet and distrustful. I told Callie that she reminded me of her but the stubborn part wasn't what I was talking about. Not really. It was the way she acted like Mariana when she first came to us. Hopefully, like Mariana, I can break down Callie's walls.

"Sorry about your day, Love," I say as sympathetically I can although Jesus rolling his eyes is making it hard for me to keep a straight face, "How's your piece coming along, B?"

"It's not right yet," he answers and I can see the stress in his face. He always works himself up over auditions and recitals and he always does amazing. Part of his creative process, I suppose.

"Don't stress yourself out," Lena says as she reaches for the water pitcher, "You'll knock it out of the ball park like you always do."

"How'd you do on that math test, Jesus?" I ask. His averted gaze answers that question for me.

He manages to look up at me and flash his charming smile, "Mom, you look so pretty today―"

"I'll need to see that test after dinner."

He groans and shovels some food into his mouth. Everything about this is so comfortable that it immediately calms me. I'm thankful everyday that I found Lena and created this beautiful family with her: all of us with different stories and yet we all fit together so perfectly. I got lucky with this life and then there are people who aren't so lucky. People like Callie.

God, I'm obsessed.

I finish tossing the last of the decorative bed pillows to the floor and crawl into bed as I wait for Lena to get back from the bathroom. I pull the covers over me and curl in towards the middle of the bed. I hear the light click off in the bathroom and Lena walks into the bedroom, face washed free of make-up. She crawls in next to me, turning off the bedside lamp before she does. She wraps her arms around me and presses her face into my neck. I can smell the toothpaste on her breath. I press my nose into her hair and take a deep breath.

"Stop worrying." Lena mumbles, not moving from her position.

"Hm?"

"About your new assignment."

I bring up a hand so I can play with my girlfriend's curls, "I'm trying not to. I told her to call me if anything happened, but that's as good telling Jesus to keep his skateboard out of the driveway." Lena laughs into my neck, her breath a hot puff of air.

"Are you going to check up on her tomorrow?" she asks.

"Yeah. I need to get her enrolled in school. We should get some rest. Goodnight, I love you."

"Love you, too."

We have not even a minute of silence before my phone is going off. I groan and turn my body so that I can grab the blaring object from the bedside table. I look at the caller-ID and see that its Bill. I press the 'accept' button and hold the phone up to my ear.

"Bill, it's the middle of the―"

"It's Callie." I sit up at this, nearly knocking Lena off the bed with my force. She gives me a worried look, wondering what is wrong.

"What happened? Is she okay?" I ask. I've put the light on and I'm already changing out of my pajamas and into some sweats.

"There's been a fire."

A FIRE! *Le gasp*

Wow I have done absolutely nothing all day. I have another idea for a Callie/Stef story and I want to write it but I'm going to hold off until I finish school. I graduate June 27th and prom is the following Monday. I swear my school wants to be the last school in the world to do everything.

Thank you guys for all the support! Don't feel shy sending me a PM or whatever. It's all good ;)

Please leave a review below! You're thoughts matter.

-Liv

P.S.- That new Fosters promo though…