AN: I had forgotten about USA law about allowing people to buy alcoholic drinks only from the age of 21. Forgive me, I'm an European and it had slipped my mind. Can we pretend that Callie got the wine from the job, that her boss gave it to her or something, because he knew she was going to visit the Adams Fosters and just wanted to help out? If that doesn't work for you, pretend that the show is set in UK or something :D Yes, I admit I have made a mistake :(

Lena POV

When we all hear the bathroom doors being locked, I look back to the table. I can tell Jude wants to get up and run after his sister, like he did last time. But this time he wasn't so fast to leave the table, probably because Callie didn't run out of the house, but just left the table.

When he starts to stand up, Stef spoke up "Let's give her a minute, Jude"

Jude looks over his shoulder to the hallway, then back to Stef. I can tell how the wheels in his head are turning as he is thinking over what he should do. In the end he nods back and sits back down. But he isn't completely pleased with his choice. He may have sat back down, but every other second he turns his head and looks back to the hallway. Everyone at the table could tell how worried he is about her.

My eyes travel back to my mom, who was leaned back in hear seat. I can tell by her look on her face, she doesn't think she said anything wrong. And technically, she didn't. She just said it too bluntly. Deep down, I think Callie knew - everything that Dana said was true. But I think she just wasn't ready to hear someone else say it to her.

"Mom, a word please!" I toss my napkin on the table and stand up, nodding to the kitchen. Without saying anything, my mom stands up and follows me to the kitchen. I turned around to face her when we were by the kitchen table.

My mother spoke up before I could say anything to her "I didn't say anything wrong, Lena"

"I wasn't going to say that you said something wrong or untrue, mom!"

"What were you going to say then?"

"Please, please don't push her like that again" I basically plead to my mother

"I didn't push her" Mom argued back

"Yes you did! Callie doesn't need for some stranger, who she met 30 minutes ago, to tell her what to do or how to live her life! She has been judged for the last 8 years, give Callie a break! There is only so much that girl can take, before she decided that she needs to run away, again! We already had one disaster dinner with her, I don't want to see her run out the front doors again because you said too much in your...usual manner!"

Mom pressed her left hand to the table and leaned a bit closer toward me "Tell me you don't see the same thing as I do!"

"See what, mom?" I ask back after I sight deeply

"That girls has been on her own for too long. Callie has forgotten to take care of herself. She has been putting her brother needs in front of her own. She can't take care of Jude, she needs to take care of herself!" I cut her off at this point

"Please, do not say that to her!" I say loudly pressing my index finger to the table as well "I am begging you!"

But mom doesn't really listen to what I say. She continued where she left off, before I interrupted her "At 18 she shouldn't be working the dead end job she has. She should be attending college, thinking about her own future. At 18 she shouldn't have to take care of her younger brother! She is still a kid, but life has forced her to become an adult, to take on more responsibilities than she should have at this age. Just because she is 18 and no longer in foster care, doesn't mean she doesn't need a family!"

I take a small step back from my mom. My lips are pressed together, forming a straight line. I glance sideways from her, looking out the kitchen window. Mom takes a step closer towards me and now speaks in more hushed and much softer voice "What I am saying honey, is that she needs a family. Just like Jude does!"

I glance to mom briefly as I was biting my lower lip. This time, I can't keep the eye contact with mom for too long. I look down to the floor between us the next second.

"What is that look?" Mom asked right after my head dipped down. She was now trying to catch my gaze. I have never been good at hiding things from my mom.

"Lena Elizabeth" Slowly I lift my head back up, so I could look back at my mom. I have never been able to resit that tone of voice, especially, when she uses my full name.

"...You and Stef already knew that" she says in a hushed voice as she reads my facial expression

"Yes" I admit it quietly gazing out the kitchen window to the backyard

"And?" Mom pressed on the topic. I knew she would pull every bit of information out of me in matter of minutes. There was no reason to try and resit her look and her tone of voice.

"And, Stef and I are seriously considering asking both of them to live with us" Mom takes a deep breath in as I say it "Stef and I have been remodeling the garage for the last few days. We are trying to turn it into a small guest house...or a guest bedroom. I don't know what to call it."

"For Callie?" Mom asks to clarify

I nod back "Jude will never be able to choose. We have known that for a while now. This way" I gesture to the backyard and walk over to the counter, so I would be closer to the window "Jude would have it all -a family and he still would be with his sister. Callie would be able to live her life a bit more. She would have less responsibilities, she could think about her herself. Maybe she could go to college if she wants to..." I trail off as I think about how it would be with her living with us

"That's a big step" I hear mom's heels hit the floor, as she walks my way. A moment later she is standing right next to me, with her right side leaned at the counter, gazing at me. She places her hand on my shoulder and runs it softly down to my hand

"I have always known you have a big heart, Lena Elizabeth" Mom says in the most gentle and caring voice "And I couldn't be more prouder of you, than I am right now"

Callie POV

Once the doors are locked, I press my forehead to the doors and close my eyes. As I let out a shaky breath. I hear two sets of heels walk away from dinning room towards the kitchen. For a moment I hold my breath, while I listen if any other footsteps will come towards where I run to hide. But I hear no other footsteps. Finally I have a moment of solitude.

I let out the breath as I turn around. With my back against the doors, I slide down, till I am sitting on the ground. For a moment I felt like crying. I pressed my right hand over my mouth to stop myself from sobbing out.

Lena's mother sure is something. She is not afraid to tell you exactly what she thinks, she is very blunt. Dana will tell you the truth even if it hurts. And she won't be worried that she hurts your feelings. I could tell she was very opinionated woman, very educated, with a strong opinion about everything and she was not afraid to share it. In a way, I found her just as intimidating as Stef, if not more. Lena is such an opposite of her mother, it is strange that they are even related.

I don't know why it was so hard to listen to what Dana said to me. After all, everything she said was right. She was right when she said that I was the one who put this responsibility about Jude on my shoulders. When we got placed in foster care, I was just as scared as Jude was. Maybe I was even more scared than Jude, because I was thinking about both of us. But I buried my emotions and feelings deep down and put up a strong front for Jude. Dana was right when she said that I was trying to be his parent as well. I had to, because not one single foster parent has ever tried to fill the spot. No one, after mom's death, has ever come close to actually being a parent figure to him. That is, up until now. Stef and Lena are everything that he could ever need. She was right about every god dammed thing. Even the part where she said I was afraid to lose Jude to Stef and Lena.

I am baffled as to how could Dana, who I met barely 30 minutes, be so right about me? How is this whole family able to make me feel stuff, that I haven't felt in over 8 years? Am I that different around them or are they different from every other family that I have ever encountered?

I was startled by a knock on the doors "Callie, honey, are you okay?"

It was Stef's voice. She was the one who started calling me honey. It is still really strange for me. For years, I haven't been called in a nickname. Not since my mom died. But it wasn't just the nickname she used. It was her tone of voice as well. No foster parent, that I have lived with, has ever used that gentle tone with me. It almost sounded like she was talking to one of her own kind, not me.

In the last years, I had gotten used to being called in different names. Mean, rude, insulting names. One of the words, as oddly as it sounds was - foster kid. Yeah, it's not just kids who managed to turn that name into an insult. Kids have used that word to make fun of me ever since I was 10. Apparently, if you don't have a mother and your father is in jail, you are a laughing object for others. It is not bad enough that I had lost a parent, they had to make fun of me, because of it.

So hearing someone call me in a nickname, was weird. It made chills run down my spine. But not in a bad way. It just felt so foreign, it was so out of the ordinary.

"Honey, please, say something!" Her tone of voice got softer and she sounded more concerned than before

"Yeah!" I get up from the ground and walk to the sink to wash my face "I'm fine. I will be out in a minute!" I call her back and open the tap in the sink

"Okay" Stef replied simply, but I don't hear her walk away. I hear no footsteps, coming or going. Was she really staying outside the doors, till I walk out?

I wash my face and dry it in the towel that was hanged up by the sink. After a deep sights, I head over to the doors and unlock them. When I open the doors, I see Stef leaned back by the opposite wall.

"You okay?" she asked concerned leaning off the wall "I know Dana can be…a lot to handle sometimes"

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me" I reply as I nervously stand in front of her

The way she was looking at me right now - I have seen that look in her eyes before. It was back when Stef and Lena first dropped Jude off at my place. She was looking this way at Jude when I showed him around his room. Back then I thought it was love that I saw in her eyes. But that can't be right. Why would she look at me this same way she looks at Jude? I am probably reading her wrong.

"Well, too late for that" Stef comments quietly as she motion me to head back to the dinner room

Her words surprised me. Momentarily, those words made my face screw up in confusion and I froze in my spot for few seconds. What did she meant by that? Why would she say something like that?

When Stef and I are back at the table, Stuart joked as he emptied the wine in Sharon's glass "I bet you want that drink now!"

"I sure do" Sharon said lifting it up to her lips

When I sit back down, Jude looks to me with worried look. He studies my facial expression for a moment before he mouths a question "You OK?"

I nod back to him and pat his hand softly under the table. Then, just to make sure he doesn't worry about me so much, I bump my knee to his knee and we share a small smile.

"When have you ever said no to a glass of wine?" Stef asked with a smirk on her lips, as she walked around the table to sit back at her spot

"I don't see you say no to wine" Sharon said back to Stef in the same manner. Now I see how similar Stef and her mother are.

"Ladies, ladies..." Stuart said stopping the two from a small mother-daughter bickering "No need to worry. We have more wine" He said nodding to the wine bottle Lena and Stef had apparently put away

"How did you get alcohol? You have to be 21 to buy it," Brandon said leaning back in his chair. Intentionally, I ignore his question and I ignore him.

"I was curious about that as well?" Sharon said after sipping her wine

"From the restaurant" I reply to her "Peter, my boss, gave it to me, so I would have something to bring over, when I come to visit. He knows about Jude and the...custody thing"

"So there is an upside working at a restaurant" Brandon replied pressing his elbows to the table

"Everyone knows an upside to a job. Only a person who hasn't worked a single day, who hasn't earned a single dollar in his life would say something so stupid like what you just said" I snap back at him and shot him a look

I still held a small grudge against him. Why? Because he hasn't even tried to apologize about how he treated me the last dinner. If he would take the first step and simply say - sorry, I would be willing to give him a second chance. Just like I gave it to the twins. But he hasn't done anything that suggest that he feels guilty or that he regrets the way how he treated me.

I hear Jesus tease Brandon quietly "You got burned, bro!"

"Shut up" Brandon hissed back, which made the twins and Jude chuckle back

I look to Stef, to see her reaction. Insulting her son, probably wasn't the best choice I have made. But I just had to get that arrogant smirk off his face, that told me he still thinks he is so much better than me.

Stef was looking down to the plate. I think she sensed my look and lifted her head up to look back at me. There was no hatred or anger in her eyes for what I had said to her son. That was oddly strange. I had expected from her to say something back at me.

"How about we try your homemade gingerbread" Stef suggested instead and reached for the box "Stuart, gingerbread?" Stef handed the box to Stuart, who sat next to her

"Of course, homemade goods are the best," He grabbed 3 gingerbread and passed the box further

"Did we miss anything?" Lena asked when she and Dana returned to the room

"No, not a thing" Stef shook her head back as Jude grabbed a handful of the gingerbread from the box

When Dana sat back down, we share a look. Her look had softened and she no longer looked so tough and tensed, like she did when she spoke to me. This time she was the one who broke the eye contact first.

"Oh, are those Callie's home made gingerbread?" Dana asked now looking to the box that was in front of Jude

"Yup" Jude said picking up the box "Wanna try? They are really good!" Jude held the box out for Dana

When I peaked a look to Stef and Lena, I saw them exchange one of their own secret look and smiles. It was like they were talking to one another without saying anything. I have never seen a couple interact the way they do. They are so affectionate and the way they look at one another. Everyone could tell that they are in love.

As the evening went on, I found myself actually enjoying being around this family. Despite the few awkward encounters at the beginning, with Brandon and Dana, there were no other bumps on the way. The twins were being very friendly, as were the grandparents. And weirdly enough, the topic that Dana started at the dinner table, never came up again. In fact, there was no more questioning. After the dinner it was one casual talk after another. I even exchanged recipe with Lena on how to make lasagna and chicken soup. It doesn't get more casual than that.

The clock was almost 11 and we were all sat down in the living room. The TV Christmas Special was one. But I think no one was really watching it, it just made a background noise.

I was sitting in one of the armchair. A cup of tea in one hand, Lena's homemade cookies in other. My eyes were on Jude, who was very passionately telling Sharon, Stuart and Dana a story. I wasn't really listening what he was saying, I was occupied by just looking at him. He looked so happy, surrounded by this family. His eyes were radiant with joy.

This was the first real Christmas he has had since mom died, since we got placed in foster care. And he was enjoying this! No other family has ever welcomed him into their home like the Adams Foster family has. And it is not just Stef and Lena. It is everyone, the other kids and their grandparents as well.

Suddenly the room exploded in laughter. Stuart, Sharon and Dana were laughing so sincerely, that tears of laughter started rolled down their cheeks. Jude was laughing along, a bit quieter, beaming at them. I wish I had heard what he said to them. I wanted to laugh with him as well, but I missed the joke.

Jesus stood up and as he walked pass Jude, he ruffled his hair. Jude seemed to actually like that. When Jesus was out of the room, Lena handed a plate with sweet roll around the room. Mariana then returned to the living room, with a blue nail polish in her hands. Jude stuffed the sweet roll in his mouth and went over to Mariana. The chatter and laughter continued to fill the room, while Jude had his nail painted by Mariana.

And then it hit me. If we had spent Christmas together, at my place, he would have missed out on all of this. I doubt I would have gotten a Christmas tree. It cost too much and I don't even have any Christmas ornaments. I would have made one of my simple meals and we would just be sitting on the couch, watching this stupid Christmas Special show on TV. I would have gotten him one present and that would be it. I have a feeling, he will get more than one present from this family.

I will never be able to give him Christmas that is close to this one. He is surrounded by family, by people who love him unconditionally. I could never give him – this. I cannot give him a family, even though I am his sister.

Family is exactly what he needs. Jude needs parents and siblings, and grandparents. I want him to be a part of a family again. Even though it is hard to admit - I am the one who is standing between him and his forever family.

Silently, I stand up and place the tea and the cookies on the coffee table. Without anyone noticing, I slip out of the room. A moment later, I have my shoes on and my coat in my hand. I open the doors just a little bit, just enough so I could slip out, unnoticed. I put my coat on when I am already walking away from the house.

The cold wind blows right in my face as two tears roll down my face. Big, white flakes of snow were falling down the sky. The street was illuminated by all of the lights that came form the Christmas decorations. People, on the other side of the street, were walking in a group, singing Christmas songs aloud.

"Merry Christmas!" One of the stranger called me from the other side of the street

I wave my hand back at him quickly and then put my hand back in my coat pocket, to keep it warm. I continue to walk down the street, with my head down, without stopping and looking back to the house.

Today, I realized what was best for Jude. This evening with the Adams Fosters family opened my eyes. For months, I had been blind to the issue. For months, I had thought that I was what is best for Jude. But I was wrong. What he needs is family called the Adams Fosters.

I know what I have to do now.

I have to let Jude go.