I'm so sorry for the wait you guys. My Masters graduation happened on October 19th and my sister went into labor two days later so my parents and I all rushed back to California so they could see the baby be born and I came the next day. I've spent so much at the hospital with my sister and my beautiful niece that everything else has faded into the background. Hope you are still with me.

The next morning Lena had shown up at the hospital early, leaving the kids in the care of her mother-in-law. Stef was passed out in those weird chairs that turn into beds and Callie was still hooked up to machines, indicating that not much had changed. Just as Lena was getting ready to go into the room she saw an all too familiar man walk toward her and he didn't look happy. Lena tore off her mask and met Robert Quinn half way, standing toe-to-toe with him.

"What the hell Lena, I just heard about Callie, why wasn't I called?"

"Number one, lower your voice. Number two; you were called about thirty times. We called your house, your cell, your office, everywhere and no answer."

"We were out of town for a family gathering. My cell doesn't get reception. Callie had the number of where we were, why didn't you call?"

"Maybe I should say this slowly because you seem to be ignoring the things I tell you. She is not conscious to give me a phone number."

"I'm her father, I should've been here."

"You seem to have forgotten that part when you missed the first 16 years of her life."

"That's crap Lena and you know it. I can't parent a child I never knew about."

"You also can't waltz into her life and demand to be loved. Your absence hurt her Robert; intended or not. You weren't there and she got hurt, badly. Abuse can't fade and it cannot be bought. Standing here beating your chest, demanding that you be treated like her father is childish. You want to be her father, act like it and sign the god damn papers."

"I'm not giving up my daughter Lena."

"She isn't your daughter, she's mine. She may have your DNA, but I have walked with her through hell and you don't get to come in and try and buy her love and buy your daughter a play thing in the form of an older sister."

"How dare you."

"How dare I? Your ego is so hurt; you don't see what is plainly in front of you. Robert, Stef and I are not trying to keep you from Callie, but we cannot and will not force her into your arms. We had to earn her trust and so do you. Now you can drag up through court, but I promise you it will only make Callie want to push you away harder. If you love her at all, you'll give her the gift you never gave her as a child: love her enough to let her go."

Robert was fuming, but still quiet as he thought it over and after rubbing his hand over his face he shook his head. "I'm sorry Lena, I can't."

"Then I will see you in court, get out." Robert took a step toward Lena, but was soon interrupted when another woman joined Lena….a woman that Robert had never met.

"Mr. Quinn I assume?"

"Yes, who are you?"

"Lena's mother and your absolute worst nightmare if you fight my daughter and daughter in law."

"This doesn't concern you."

"Like hell. Look Mr. Quinn, I understand that you wish to drag this through court, which is of course your right, but here is what my lawyers are prepared to bring forward if you stand by that decision." Robert took the file out of her hands and flipped through it.

"You are bringing the ACLU into this."

"My husband and I give very generously to them and I've sat on a few boards in my time. Now, if you take us to court the ACLU will just be my first step, but it will be the most damning. I will drag you backwards through the mud Mr. Quinn until it looks like you are fighting my family because you don't want your daughter raised by a lesbian couple."

"That's not true…"

"Somehow I don't think the evening news will care Mr. Quinn. Push me on this, fight my daughter and my daughter in law and I will make sure you have nothing when this is over. Worst-case scenario, I drag out court proceedings so long that Callie turns 18 and who do you think she'll want to stay with at that point? The family that loved her when the whole world turned their backs on her or the father that wanted her because he felt her had a right to claim her?"

"I just want to get to know her."

"And my daughter would never stand in the way of that, but you have to share her Mr. Quinn. Callie is an exceptional girl, as she has proved with this feat of heroism and you can't hide her from the world Mr. Quinn, not when she is so hell bent on changing it." Robert sighed and looked back to Lena.

"Can I please see her?"

"The doctor will be in with her any minute now. If you can come back this afternoon that would be best, she'll be left alone for a few hours and Stef or I will just be sitting with her. Her sister can come visit so long as you are with her and you wear the protective gear."

Robert nodded, "I'll go home and change, then we will swing by after lunch."

"The doctor should be gone by then and then we should be able to give you a better update on how she is doing." Robert nodded his head and looked around, not sure how to leave.

"I'm sorry about yelling at you. You didn't deserve that."

Lena nodded. "You care about her, I know that, but you have to know, Stef and I aren't trying to keep her from you. We want her to know you, her sister and your family. But at the end of the day I would walk through fire to adopt her, so the choice is yours Robert. We can love her and share her, or we can fight over her. She's been through so much already that I would just assume make peace with you and move forward."

"I'll call before we head up." Robert left without saying anything else and Lena turned around and walked back to the room with her mother at her side.

"You really called the ACLU?"

"Lena, I would've called the President if I had his phone number. No one is taking my granddaughter anywhere she doesn't want to go. I know you and Stef would go broke fighting for her, so your father and I decided to step in and grease the wheels of justice for Callie."

"Normally I hate using money to buy in situations like this."

"But?" Lena smiled, "But I think just this once I don't mind having parents who have some power to throw around. He's not a bad man mom."

"Clearly. That doesn't mean he's in the right. My lawyers will make it all right again, don't worry. By the time Callie is ready to go home you'll have her adoption papers, they'll make sure of it."

"Thanks mom."

"My pleasure, now, I'd like to see my granddaughter and I bet your wife could use some coffee. Shall we?" With that both women put on the gown and masks and entered Callie's room.

So did I make Robert an ass? A little bit yes, but I don't want this story to be 1000 chapters so I needed something that would resolve in like 10 chapters or less. I think I'll let the kids come see her in the next chapter, along with Robert and Sophia. Then wake her up and all that.