A/N: First of all, a HUGE thank you to everyone who has reviewed this story and inspired me to continue writing. Major life changes were underway these past few months, but all for the best. As things are settling down, I'm finally able to devote the attention to this that I've wanted to for so long. Secondly, as I posted in my previous author's note, I am committing myself to posting at least one new chapter each week and seeing how it goes. If I'm able to post more, I certainly will, but I'm not sure that I'll be able to consistently, so I'm only promising one/week for now. Finally, PLEASE keep reviewing if you have comments, questions, or suggestions, and I will try my best to accommodate as many as possible. Thank you so much, you beautiful humans. As always I, regrettably, do not own "The Fosters" or any of the characters therein, though these words that follow are entirely mine.
Since losing Frankie, Stef had tried to be as delicate as possible with Lena, both out of respect and fear. Afraid of pushing her too far or too quickly, but also of being rejected outright, Stef had resigned herself to waiting for Lena to make the first move. Little did she know that Lena had somehow gotten it into her head that Stef wouldn't want to jump back into things right away, afraid of risking tipping the very sensitive emotional scale they'd been tip-toeing around, so she was waiting on her wife to initiate things. A stalemate can only go on for so long.
Callie knew about loss, probably better than anyone could ever understand. She could see how hard it had been on everyone to lose Frankie, but knew that the only thing to do was pick up the pieces and move on. For the most part, everyone had done a great job of working together to overcome the sorrow and emptiness that had settled in after that fateful day at the hospital, but she knew that there was still a distance in the house that needed to be breeched. Since Stef and Lena didn't seem too sure about how to do so, she decided to take it upon herself to help the situation along. She'd need some help, that she was sure of, and she knew just where to get it.
"Hey, are you busy today?" Callie asks.
"Nope," Mariana responds. "Mat got his uncle to loan the band some studio time as long as they promised to help him clean out his garage, so he and Brandon headed over there a little while ago, and the dance team hasn't scheduled any practices that I know of."
"What's up with those girls, anyway? Is there some reason they've decided you're the enemy?"
"No idea, but I'd rather just not think about it. What's up with you?"
"Actually I wanted to know if you'd help me out with something," Callie begins, shutting the door and checking that no one is in the hallway.
"Oooh, is it a secret something?" Mariana asks, mischievously.
"Well, I figured there'd be no one better to ask than the Queen of Scheme."
"Hm, new nickname…I like it! So, what's the plan, and who are we keeping it from?"
"Well, moms have been pretty down since everything with Frankie, and I know they've both needed to work some stuff out, but it seems like they don't know how to be alone together anymore. They're always either shuffling us back and forth between activities, or planning things just to fill up the day. I think some one-on-one time might help."
"Yeah, I think you're right, but how to do we get them to just drop everything without thinking they're being set up?"
"That's where I need help," Callie says. "Jesus is shopping with Hayley, Brandon's out for the day, so all we have to worry about is getting ourselves and Jude out of the house. Unfortunately Jude hasn't been spending much time over at Connor's recently, but I thought maybe the three of us could go do something for a few hours. Maybe a movie, or mini-golf or something?"
"That sounds good. One problem, though…how are we gonna get there? Brandon has the car and if we ask moms for theirs, they'll probably just offer to drive us."
"I could ask Wyatt, I just don't want him to think I'm using him for transportation."
"Aren't you?" Mariana asks.
"For the purposes of this mission, yeah, I guess, but not in general."
"How about we all go to a movie and once we sit down, Jude and I will go get popcorn so you and Wyatt can sit and talk a bit in private? You know, clear the air."
"That could work. Thanks, Mariana."
"What are sisters for?"
As Lena reads the paper at the head of the table, Stef clears up the dishes from breakfast. Callie enters the kitchen, snagging her jacket off the counter where she'd left it the night before.
"And where are you off to on this lovely Saturday morning?" Lena asks, looking up from the article she'd been reading.
"Mariana and I figured it'd be nice to get Jude out of the house for a while, since he's been pretty down about the whole Connor thing lately," Callie responds, slipping an arm into the well-worn denim. "We thought we'd see a movie, maybe play some mini-golf."
"Oh, that's nice of you two. Do you need a ride?" Stef asks as she grabs her keys off the hook.
"Actually, Wyatt offered to drive us, if that's okay," Callie answers.
"Of course. How are things with you two lately?" Stef inquires, putting her keys back and taking a seat on the closest stool.
"They've been better, but they've been worse," Callie answers, shifting her weight. "I think it'll be good for us to spend some time together in a neutral setting. Having Mariana and Jude with us will help, I think, and Wyatt loves mini-golf. He's such a goof," she giggles.
"Alright, well just make sure you're home in time for dinner tonight. Mama's making paella," Stef says as she comes over to wrap Callie in a hug, kissing the top of her head.
"Which reminds me, honey, I need to run to the store to pick up a few things," Lena says, setting the paper down.
Callie, realizing her plan to give her moms a day to spend together might be falling through, pipes up, "I can pick some stuff up on the way home, if that's easier. I'm sure Wyatt wouldn't mind stopping at the market."
Glancing at her wife suspiciously, Lena responds, "Okay, yeah, thanks." She hands Callie the list.
Callie glances down at her vibrating phone, announcing, "Wyatt's here, so we'll see you guys later!" She skips up the steps out of the kitchen, calling for Mariana and Jude, before all three head out the front door.
"And then there were two," says Stef, walking up behind Lena to wrap her wife in a hug. "Is it just me or did that seem a little too convenient?"
"They're definitely up to something, but as long as they're together, I'm not worried," Lena responds, leaning back into her wife's embrace.
The women hold each other for a few minutes before Stef walks over to the sink, asking, "So, what do you wanna do today? We could catch up on laundry, finally get around to cleaning out the closet, unless that's too much, or maybe…"
"Honey?" Lena interrupts, "Can I ask you something?"
"Of course," Stef turns around to face Lena, a bit nervous about what's coming next.
"Are you…" Lena starts, before reconsidering. "I mean, are we…" she tries again, seemingly frustrated by the process of saying exactly what she means. "Is everything alright, between us? I know losing Frankie was hard on everyone, and I know that no one wants to talk about it and risk upsetting anyone, but we can't pretend it didn't happen."
"I don't think anyone's trying to ignore it, Lena, I just think we're all trying to give each other some time to deal with it in our own ways; some space," Stef responds.
"Well, I've had just about all the space I can handle," Lena says, getting up from her stool to come face to face with her wife. "I think what we really need is to spend some time reconnecting, without any interruptions or hesitations. I need you to do something for me, though."
"Anything for you, love," Stef says, wrapping her arms around Lena's waist as Lena's come up to rest on her shoulders.
"Please stop treating me like a fragile piece of glass you're not allowed to touch. I'm not going to break apart if you hug me too tightly. Intimacy is an important part of any relationship, and especially now. I want to feel close to you again."
"Are you suggesting...?" Stef trails off.
"No," Lena responds, pulling Stef in closer. "I'm demanding." She leans in, kissing her wife slowly but firmly, bringing the rest of her body in and closing the gap between them.
Pulling back just enough to be heard, Stef asks, "Baby, are you sure? I don't mind waiting until…"
"Until what?" Lena interrupts, keeping their bodies pressed tightly together. "Until I'm ready? Honey, trust me, I'm ready." She glides her hands up to both sides of Stef's jaw and brings her in for a searing kiss, taking Stef by surprise and causing her to stumble back against the sink.
As they pull back just enough to breathe, Stef whispers, "How about we take this upstairs, Mrs. Adams Foster?"
To her surprise, Lena twirls them around and, before she can register what's happening, pushes Stef back and up onto the table. "I think a change of scenery would be nice, especially since we seem to have the entire house to ourselves." She kisses and nips her way from Stef's neck down to her chest, before pulling her tank top up and over her head.
Stef allows her shirt to be removed before leaning in to capture Lena's delicious lips in a searing kiss that quickly deepens, with the tangle of their tongues gliding along each other in perfect harmony. Suddenly Lena's fingers are tangled in her hair and pulling her head back, allowing better access to her neck and heaving chest. Stef leans back, as Lena guides her flat onto the table and, in one fluid motion, yanks off the sweats Stef had been wearing all morning to reveal long, lean legs stemming from adorable boy-shorts. She tries to sit up and even the action, but Lena pushes her back down with one hand while the other teases along the top seam of her undies. Kissing her way down Stef's left hip and along the inside of her thigh, Lena places both hands on either side of her lover and gently glides her panties down luscious, creamy legs until they drop to the floor, forgotten.
Deciding to allow Lena to take full control, Stef wraps her legs around her wife's waist as Lena lays a trail of kisses down Stef's chest, taking time to lavish each nipple in turn until they're both standing at full attention. She tantalizingly moves her way further down her lover's torso until she reaches the apex of her thighs. Gently spreading Stef's legs apart with feather-light caresses, Lena dips her head lower and lays a broad, slow lick from center to clit, eliciting a dizzying moan from Stef's now arching form. She takes her time circling the sensitive bud she had missed so much before bringing her hand up to tease around her center. She swiftly inserts two digits, simultaneously sucking on Stef's clit, leading to such a forceful jolt that she thinks her wife might leap right off the table. She slides her other hand up Stef's stomach, grasping her right breast and playing gently with the nipple that is still hard enough to cut glass. Stef uses one hand to wrap around the one covering her breast, while the other clings to the edge of the table for dear life. As her walls begin to clamp around Lena's curled fingers, she feels one final strong lick to her clit before everything goes black and she can't stop the scream that tears out of her. Lena continues to lick and stroke her gently as she rides out her orgasm, only standing up once Stef stills.
As Lena licks her fingers clean, Stef jolts up and wraps her legs around her lover's waist once again. This time she pulls her up onto the table and flips them over before Lena has a chance to register what's happening. She pauses then, gazing down into her wife's stunning eyes, and begins to tear up. Lena reaches a hand up to bush a tear away, and Stef turns her head to kiss the palm that's caressing her cheek. Without a word Stef undresses Lena slowly, following each movement of her hand with kisses and nips, from her earlobe down to her navel. As she reaches the waistband of her wife's panties, Stef glances up, as if asking for permission. Lena grants it by lifting her hips off the table in order for her underwear to be removed, and Stef guides them down long, smooth legs, still following each movement with her mouth. She kisses back up the inside of Lena's left leg until she reaches her center, already glistening with arousal. Reaching her hands underneath Lena's legs to grip her firm ass, Stef wastes no time in lapping up the delicious treat and causing Lena's hips to buck with every swipe over her clit. She brings her tongue lower, dipping it gently inside of her lover's center, and curling it as she drags it back out again. Lena moans louder than she can recall ever doing, and Stef takes this as her cue to continue, adding more force behind each lick until Lena is literally panting and gripping both sides of the table so tightly that her knuckles are paling. With a final thrust, Stef sends her wife over the edge, her hips jumping clear into the air. Stef props her elbows onto the table, holding Lena's hips aloft and guiding her back down gently with soft licks and sucks to her clit until they are both flat on the table once again. She crawls up Lena's quaking form to rest her head on a pounding chest, wrapping her arms around the woman she loves more than anything in the world.
After a few minutes of laying silently together, Lena surprises Stef by stroking a hand down her back and saying, "Thank you."
Stef glances up at her wife's face and, for the first time, notices the tears shining in her stunning eyes. She props herself up in order to kiss Lena's gorgeous lips, before sitting them both up and wrapping her in a tight embrace. After a mutual deep breath they separate, climbing down off the table to gather their clothes. They shuffle up the stairs, hand in hand, to their bedroom, dropping clothes in the hamper and crawling into bed, bodies fitting instinctively together as they drift off for a peaceful nap.
Stef wakes first, noting that it's beginning to get dark as she glances out the window. Checking the clock on her bedside table, she sees that it's almost 7 o'clock, which means the kids should all be home by now and, probably expecting dinner that they haven't gotten around to making. She rolls over, still wrapped in Lena's embrace, and kisses her wife's cheek, rousing her gently.
"Good evening, sleeping beauty," Stef says as Lena begins to open her eyes.
"Oh my, how long were we out?" Lena asks, noting the time.
"Too long to make paella," Stef giggles. "What do you say to pizza, and we can cook tomorrow night?"
"I say, 'pizza, get in my belly, I'm starving'," Lena quips, eliciting a deep chuckle from the gorgeous blonde laying in her arms.
The women disentangle themselves, get dressed, and head downstairs ready with apologies for the now probably starving teenagers they expect to be greeted by. Instead, they find the dining room table set for two, complete with wine and candles, and a note laying at the end. Lena picks it up and reads:
Moms,
We love you both and are so happy you're re-connecting, so we figured we'd give you the night off. We'll be at the bowling alley if you need us, but we hope you don't because it's dollar-game night, so we'll be a while. Enjoy dinner. We love you!
-The Gaydy Bunch
p.s. Next time you decide to start shenanigans in the kitchen, would you mind picking up your undies instead of leaving them for us to find? Gross. We still love you anyway.