Author's Note: Hey there. Remember me? I'm trying, guys. I know updates are hella slow, but I'm not giving up on this or HFTH. I'm not going to get into my shit because that'll take too long but yup. I didn't proof-read, so all mistakes are my own. I'll probably come back and edit later when it's not 3am. Special thanks to Miracakes for always keeping me on task and remind me I can write still, even if it takes me time. Alrighty, go forth and read.

Disclaimer: I don't own Jane or Maura. Just Callie.

Chapter Four

Maura walked out into the kitchen with Callie in her arms. Jane was turned away from them, frying something on the stove. By the smell, Maura thought it might be French toast. Normally, with it being such a late hour, Maura would disapprove of something so sweet but instead she smiled.

Setting Callie in one of the stools, she pushed the chair up to the island and took the one next to the little girl. "Something smells delightful." Maura noted as she looked to Callie. "Don't you think?"

The little girl looked over at Maura shyly and then Jane who turned to smile at them. "Mhm…" She hummed quietly, pulling her arms inside the large shirt.

"I hope you like French toast." Jane put a couple of cooked pieces onto a plate before bringing the last few onto the pan with her fork. She looked back at Callie in hopes of getting some sort of reaction but the little girl merely nodded and looked down at the tiles in front of her.

Maura gave Jane a saddened look and a halfhearted shrug.

Jane mirrored the look as cut up the French toast into tiny little pieces before she set the plate in front of Callie. "Here you go, kid."

Callie looked between Jane and the food before she hesitantly took the fork in her hand and began to eat slowly.

There was an awkward silence until Maura cleared her throat. "Tomorrow we'll go buy you some clothes and maybe a few toys and books, how about that, Callie?" The honey blonde watched Callie as she set her fork down and looked back at Maura wide-eyed.

"T-toys?" She stammered, as if the word was foreign to her.

Maura nodded. "Yes, sweetie. Haven't you ever had toys and books?"

Callie looked down at her half-eaten plate of food for a moment. "He said I didn't d'serve 'em." She finally mumbled quietly.

Both Jane and Maura frowned. "Well tomorrow, you can pick out anything you want." Jane said, surprising both Maura and herself. She gave Callie a smile who nodded back, still looking unsure.

As Callie finished eating; Jane and Maura spoke quietly about their plans for tomorrow. Their conversation came to a halt, however when the sound of glass shattering snagged their attention. They looked over to see Callie's face lose all color and a look of panic cross it as she scrambled off the chair and ran down the hall.

It all happened so fast that it took both women a few moments to realize what had happened. Callie had dropped her cup of milk. "I'll clean this up, you go find her?" Jane suggested softly.

Maura nodded before slipping off her own stool and avoiding shards of glass as she hurried down the hall. "Callie?" She called softly, peeking into her open office door and then moving to the opened guest room. She could hear muffled crying coming from the closet. Slowly, Maura approached and opened the closet door. "Callie, sweetie?"

"I sorry! I sorry! I sorry!" The little girl hiccupped, cowering further into the closet.

Maura's heart broke. She knelt down and tried to look as non-threatening as possible. "Hey, hey it's okay. It was just an accident, sweetheart." Maura said softly. "Why are you in the closet?"

Callie curled into herself and looked up with wide, fearful eyes. "I didn't want and hurtings." She mumbled, still looking unsure.

"No one is going to hurt you here. It's okay." Maura reassured, holding out her arms.

Wiping away a few tears, Callie uncurled from herself and hesitantly crawled into Maura's lap, wrapping her arms around the doctor's neck. "I so sorry Mauwa. I-I didn't mean it." She cried, shaking in Maura's arms.

Maura held the child tight and kissed the top of her head, wanting to take away the fear and pain. "Shhh. I know, sweetie, it's alright. Everything is alright now." With some effort, Maura managed to stand with Callie in her arms.

Jane was in the doorway of the guest room, watching them both, a look that Maura didn't recognize on her face. When Jane noticed she was being watched, her features softened. "Everything okay?" She asked quietly.

Callie picked up her head to look at the brunette. "I sorry. I broked the cup. Pwease no hurtings."

"I'm not going to hurt you, Callie." Jane murmured, brown eyes softening even more. "No one here is going to hurt you. I promise." She smiled at Callie who let her head drop against Maura's chest and nodded.

Maura gave Jane a sad smile as she moved toward the guest bed. "I think it's time to get some sleep, hmm?" She watched Jane move to pull back the covers of the guest bad. Gently, Maura set Callie in the center of the bed and pulled the covers over the girl.

Callie looked a little in awe. "Dis a big bed. I get to sleep here?" Her little hands ran over the fabric slowly, almost in reverence.

"Until we get a bed your size, yes. Is that okay?" Maura asked as she sat on one side of the bed while Jane sat on the other.

Callie looked thoughtful for a moment, watching as her fingers traced shapes into the duvet. She then looked between Jane and Maura and nodded. "Yes. I didn't get to sleep in a bed a lotta times. I was bad." Her eyes dropped and she sighed.

Jane frowned. "Well, where did you sleep?" She asked gently.

Callie shook her head and pursed her lips before settling down.

Both women sighed quietly. "Okay, sweetie, get some rest. We've got a big day tomorrow." Maura placed one of the free pillows on one side of the little girl and Jane followed suit on the other side so that Callie was snuggled between two fluffy pillows. "If you need anything, Jane and I are just down the hall, okay? Our door will be open."

The little girl nodded, looking droopy eyed.

Both women headed for the door but Jane turned and glanced back at Callie who was watching them. "Light on or off?"

"Off."

"Door open or closed?"

"Open."

Jane nodded and smiled. "Night kid. Sweet dreams." Jane turned off the light and slipped her hand into Maura's before they headed to their bedroom.

Nobody slept peacefully that night because around 1 am both Jane and Maura were awoken to the sound of a blood curdling scream that had them both jerking up in bed. Both were quick to their feet as they stumbled down the hall into the guest room where Callie was—or where she was supposed to be.

When Jane turned on the light, the bed was empty.

A rush of panic filled Maura before she heard it. Soft crying. "Callie?"

Jane was already looking in the closet but Callie wasn't there. She looked at Maura and shook her head in the negative. Her eyes traveled around the room before she noticed a tiny foot poking out from under the bed. "Maura…" Jane nodded her head toward the bed.

"Callie, sweetie? Are you okay? What's wrong?" Maura dropped to her knees to peak under the bed.

Callie was curled up in a ball, shaking, eyes wide and full of fear. "He was here…"She mumbled.

Maura held out her hand to the little girl. "Come here, sweet. It was a bad dream. No one is going to hurt you." She tried to sound soothing and gentle and it seemed to work as Callie slowly unfurled herself and crawled toward Maura.

In a matter of moments, Callie was burrowed into Maura's chest. "Can I stay wif you?"

Maura's heart ached for the little girl. She looked up at Jane who nodded, coming over to help Maura up.

They all headed into the master bedroom where Callie was placed in the center of the bed and Maura and Jane on both sides of her.

Jane watched as Callie reached out for Maura's hand. It amazed her how this child seemed to find as much solace in Maura as Jane did.

Maura took the little girl's hand easily as she settled on her side to study the outline of Callie's little face.

"Jane?" Callie's voice startled the detective out of her thoughts.

"Yeah, kido?" She finally answered.

Callie kept her eyes on the ceiling as she worked up the courage to continue. "Yous a p'lice off'cer right? You catch bad guys?"

Jane looked at Maura and back at Callie. "I'm a detective, but yes, I do catch the bad guys." She finally replied.

Swallowing, Calling looked Jane in the eyes as she spoke. "Jane, am I bad?"

It took Jane a moment to formulate a reply because the question threw her completely for a loop. "What? No, sweetheart. You're not bad. Not at all." She pushed a loose strand of hair behind Callie's ear and was relieved when she didn't jerk away.

Maura smiled at Callie reassuringly. "You're a sweet, beautiful little girl. Why would you ask such a question?" She asked gently, her thumb rubbing Callie's little hand.

"He said I was. Said I was good for nofin' 'cept dog bait." Callie's voice got quiet as she brought her gaze back to the ceiling.

Both women looked at each other worriedly, having a silent conversation with their eyes. "Callie, baby, you are not bad, or dog bait and whoever tells you otherwise is wrong." Maura reassured gently but with conviction.

"Whoever told you that is the bad person." Jane added softly.

Callie nodded after a moment. "Okay." She reached out with her other hand and took Jane's surprising the detective a little. Nonetheless, she took the small hand in her own and held it as she settled herself down into bed.

"G'night Jane. G'night Mauwa." Callie whispered quietly.

"Goodnight, sweet girl." Maura murmured back.

"Night, kid." Jane replied, closing her eyes.

Both women silently hoped that no more nightmares would come to the little girl and hopefully she would divulge more into who had been abusing her. It was hard not to react horrified and angry every time Callie said something about her life before a day ago, but both women seemed to manage, knowing Callie needed to feel safe with them.

They both knew one thing; Callie was never going to experience fear and pain like that again, not if they had anything to say about it.