Callie

The next day at school I can hardly concentrate because I'm looking for the perfect opportunity to ask someone to borrow their charger. I feel antsy knowing I can't communicate with the Fosters if I want to and vice versa. I want them to be able to reach me if something happens with Jude.

I'm in study hall now so it's pretty quiet. We're supposed to be working on homework but most people are on their phones, sleeping, or goofing off. The teacher who's supposed to be supervising us is absorbed in a newspaper. Occasionally he tells us to be quiet or warns us about phones, but that's it.

He's just a man looking for a paycheck.

I see a nice looking guy sitting diagonally in front of me, tapping his pencil on the desk. I wonder if he has a charger? I look down at his backpack, which is half open. Papers are spilling out along with other miscellaneous items, but what I have my eyes on is the white wire I see poking out.

Bingo.

I glance at the teacher who is still engrossed in his newspaper before focusing my attention on the boy, "Psst."

He doesn't even turn around.

I reach out my foot and nudge his chair, "Hey."

He turns around, and looks at me. He points to himself, eyebrows rise in question and I nod. I point to his backpack and mouth, "Can I borrow your charger?"

His eyebrows knit together and he mouths, 'What?'

'Your charger.'

'What?'

I restrain myself from rolling my eyes. I take my phone out of my pocket and hold it up so he can see. I point to it and repeat my words, over enunciating every syllable.

'Can. I. Borrow—'

"Ahem."

I look up to see the teacher standing over me with a displeased look on his face. He holds out his hand expectantly, gesturing his head at my phone, "I'll take that."

Crap.

Stef

I'm sitting at my desk, eyes on my phone. Callie still hasn't texted me back and it's worrying me. I'm probably putting too much thought into this…Callie can take care of herself. I know that. It doesn't make me worry any less.

"Foster."

I manage to peel my eyes away from my phone and see Robert's standing in her doorway, waving me into her office. I stand up immediately. I haven't talked to her since finding out she played a role in returning Callie to us. I shove my phone into my pocket and follow her into her office.

"Close the door behind you and take a seat," Roberts instructs and I am quick to follow. After sitting, I wipe my hands on my thighs.

"I just wanted to say thank you, Captain Roberts," I begin, "For what you did for me; for Callie."

She nods in acknowledgement, "I can tell that you love her Stef. And her brother as well."

I don't say anything to this. Even though it's true, I went into this asserting that I wanted to help Callie as her parole officer. I asserted that I would be professional, so I don't know how this will go over.

Roberts stares me down, waiting for a response. She receives none. She reaches down into her desk drawer and takes out a folder. She places it in front of her and folds her hands, "You're a good person, Foster," she says, "One of the best I know. I went to bat for you because you deserve it, and so do those kids. You're the best thing that could have ever happened to them."

I nod and look down, hoping she didn't catch the glistening of tears in my eyes, "Thank you Captain, that means a lot."

"Of course. Just…do me one favor."

I look at her expectantly, "Yes, anything."

She picks up the folder and holds it out to me, "After you go pick up Callie, get started on the papers toward the back."

I take the folder and open it, reading the words at the top. It's the paperwork. The papers I need to go get Callie. I flip through them and catch sight of another set of documents.

They're adoption papers.

Callie

As much as I try to convey how sorry I am, Rita is having none of it.

"It's bad enough they're banned in the classroom," she seethes, "But you're not allowed to even have a phone in this house!" She shakes her head.

I bite my lip, "Look, I'm—"

"Don't say you're sorry again."

I let out a breath, "Well then, what do you want me to say?"

Rita's eyes harden, "That you're going to try, Callie. Because so far, I haven't seen too much from you."

"This is my first time getting in trouble!"

"I'm talking about more than behavior," Rita says, putting a hand up to stop me, "I'm talking about helping the other girls with their problems. Saying more in group than what you think I want to hear."

I roll my eyes, "I'm trying!" I say, frustrated, "Okay? But I don't belong here. I'm getting punished for something that wasn't my fault. I was taken out of the first home filled with people who loved me besides my parents and I…" I shake my head as tears well in my eyes. I look up, blinking a bit, and take a deep breath to calm myself down, "I'm trying, Rita. But it's hard and I don't know how much more of this I can take." I finish honestly in a whisper.

She watches my face closely for a moment. She stands up from behind her desk and circles around until she stands in front of me. She puts her hand on my shoulder and looks into my eyes, "Callie, I know why you're here." I can't help but flinch; another person knows what happened between Liam and me, "And you're right, it wasn't your fault. Here's some news: not everything life throws you is fair. It's what you do with it that counts."

Christ, she sounds like a greeting card.

"I'm sorry to do this," Rita continues, "But I'll have to revoke your privileges."

I raise an eyebrow, "Meaning…?"

"You won't be allowed visitors on Family Day."

My stomach sinks, "That's not fair!" My one chance to see Jude and the Fosters. Ruined, because of a stupid phone?

Rita nods, "Your right, it's not. What are you going to do with it?"

And then she walks away.

Stef

I'm standing outside of Girls United later that day, all but bouncing on my feet. Lena is at my side, holding my hand. We made the kids stay home, even though they truly wanted to come. If there was any trouble, we didn't want them to be disappointed.

The door opens and an older woman who looks like she's seen it all greets me and then home, "Good afternoon, my name is Rita. How can I help you?"

"Hi, my name is Lena Adams," Lena greets with all the regality her Vice-Principal title bestows upon her, "And this is my partner, Stefanie Foster. We're here to see Callie Jacob."

Rita's expression dims a little, "We spoke on the phone. Look, I'm sorry but Callie lost—"

"We're taking her home." I say, cutting her off by thrusting the paperwork at her impatiently. She takes it from me and pulls the glasses down from the top of her head. She skims it carefully and nods.

"I'll show you where she is."

Callie

At least I'm not homeless.

At least I don't have a terminal illness.

I started this game a while back, when I first got into the system. Whenever a situation seemed bad, I would think of things that were worse and try to convince myself that I was lucky.

It's a stupid game.

I turn onto my side, rest my head on my pillow and stare at Daphne's empty bed. She's outside doing work in the yard. I feel as though I've been awake for twenty-four hours. You know, when you're so tired you can't even sleep.

I hear a knock at the door and I roll my eyes to myself, "What?"

"Watch the attitude."

I immediately sit up at the voice. But there's no way…I look at the doorway and sure enough there are Stef and Lena, smiling at me. I slowly stand up from the bed.

"You came back." I whisper quietly.

Stef nods and walks closer, "Of course we came back," she says in a quiet, reverent tone, "We couldn't leave one of our babies."

Oh.

I run into Stef's arms and hold on tight, before Rita or Bill or some whack job tries to come and take me away again. She smells like detergent and whatever Lena was cooking for dinner before they left the house. Her arms encircle me; cradle me to her as though I was a precious gem and I wonder how I ever got by without her. Tears rush to my eyes and before I know it, I'm sobbing. Not out of sadness, but out of happiness, hope and relief. Stef kisses my cheeks and rubs my back; she never lets go. Lena wraps her arms around me as well and I'm surrounded by their love.

"You're okay, honey," I hear Lena whisper in my ear as she rests her head on top of mine, "Everything is okay now."

I take a gasping breath and choke out again, "You came back."

Stef nods, taking my head between her hands and wicking away my tears with her thumbs, "We came back."

Sorry if this seemed rushed, but this story is coming to an end. I believe it has one chapter left, MAYBE two. I could do a sequel…should I? It would be about Callie and Jude adjusting to being a part of the family. Let me know what you think.

In two days, I watched all there is to watch of Orange is the New Black. And now I'm done. What else can I watch?

Thanks for sticking with me! :) It's hard for me to update very often but I'm trying my best.

Please review!

-Liv