Chapter 13.

Two Years Earlier:

Callie could hear a voice, rising above all the others. Even through her earphones, she recognized it. It could only belong to one person. She shut off her iPod, and looked around the common room of the hospital's psychiatric unit. When she saw Rita, she let her hair fall in a curtain around her face, and slid halfway under the table, trying to make herself small.

"So, you think you can hide from me?"

Callie looked up to see her former mentor standing over her. She sat up straight, her face burning.

"So, what gives?" said Rita, sitting down in the chair beside her. "Did Stef and Lena put you in here?"

"No," Callie sighed. "My stupid father did."

"Your father?" Rita asked, curious. "Huh. So, can I ask why you're here?"

"Why are you here?" Callie countered.

"I asked you first, Cal. But for what it's worth, I was visiting one of my girls."

"Oh," Callie nodded. She had lost touch with her friends from Girls United. Jill made it very clear that she didn't want them anywhere near her house. Probably afraid they'd steal the silverware.

"Callie," said Rita. "What are you doing in here?"

"I was cutting," she explained, ashamed to admit it to the woman she respected so much. "I cut a little too deep, and my father thought I was trying to kill myself, so he put me on suicide watch. I'm getting out today."

"Were you?" Rita asked. "Trying to kill yourself?"

"No," she replied, shaking her head. Her voice broke as she spoke. "But I guess, if I did, I wouldn't care."

"I would care," said Rita. "And your family would care."

"My family doesn't give a damn about me." Callie told her. "I'd be better off dead."

Rita gave her a sharp look. "Don't you ever talk like that, Callie. Ever! It makes me very sad to see you like this. You're an amazing young woman, and a lot of people love you, including me."

She sighed, reaching out to squeeze Callie's shoulder. "What happened, honey? You were doing so well."

Numbly, Callie told her about the turn her life had taken. When she was through, she was in tears.

"Come here, kid," said Rita. "You look like you could use one of my bear hugs."

Callie fell into Rita's arms, and let her give her a hug, holding her so tight it was bordering on uncomfortable. But it was what she needed. She hugged the older woman back, burying her face in her shoulder.

"Rita?" she said, after they parted. "If you see my moms, like around town or something, please don't tell them I was here. I don't want them to worry."

"Well," she replied. "I'm not handling your case anymore, so I'm not at liberty to discuss you with them, even if I wanted to."

"You can't even tell them I love them?"

Rita gave her an apologetic look. "There are exceptions to every rule. But I can't make any promises." She patted Callie's knee. "I have to go now, kid. Take care of yourself."

Callie stood up, and Rita gave her one more hug. "I don't want to see you in here again," she told her, with a wink.

Callie nodded, watching her descend down the hall.

Callie's relationship with Stef improved after she told her about the cutting, and the sinkhole of depression that led to it. They talked it over, through many tears, and decided together that Callie should tell the rest of the family about it.

She'd sat on the living room sofa, next to Stef, facing everyone.

"Callie has something she would like to say," Stef told her wife and children. "This is very hard for her, so please, give her your full attention?" She raised an eyebrow at Jesus, who was busy texting. He gave his mother a sheepish look and stuffed his phone in his pocket.

Callie's throat felt dry. Her tongue stuck when she opened her mouth to speak. "So, I don't want to sound like a martyr or anything," she began. "I just feel like I owe all of you an explanation for how I've acted."

She glanced over at Stef, who squeezed her hand, giving her the courage to go on.

"Um, I've struggled with self-destructive behavior for a long time. It started, I guess, when my mother died. At least, that's when I started getting in trouble. Starting fights, stealing, running away... things like that."

She took a deep breath before going on. "After Robert... my father... took me away, I started cutting. I knew how dangerous it was, but I was depressed, and I felt like I deserved it."

Stef handed her a tissue, so she could dry her tears. "One time, when I was at my lowest point, I cut deeper than I meant too, and I couldn't stop the bleeding. I panicked and told Robert, and he took me to get stitches. Then he put me in the psych ward for three days. It kind of made me hate myself even more, because I was so ashamed. I don't think I could've looked any of you in the eye back then."

She fingered her scar carefully. "I just wanted you to know a little bit of why I've stayed away, and I want to apologize for hurting all of you. I'm so sorry. I love you guys more than anything, and I'm trying to put my life back together, but I need you to be patient with me. I want to be part of the family again, if you want me."

"We do want you, sweetheart," said Lena, rising to her feet to give Callie a hug. "We'll be patient with you, if you'll be patient with us."

"I will," Callie promised.

Stef wrapped her arms around Callie's shoulders and whispered in her ear: "I'm so proud of you."

Jude hung back behind Lena, watching her carefully. Callie smiled when she noticed him. "Come here, buddy."

She took Jude into her arms, planting a kiss on his forehead. "I'm so sorry," she told him, sniffling back tears. "I never meant to hurt you. Do you think you can forgive me?"

Jude's dark eyes were distant, as if he were lost in thought. Then, he nodded. "Yes."

Callie almost didn't recognize her brother's voice at first. It had changed while he was silent. When she realized that it was him who had spoken, she burst into tears, along with Stef, Lena, and Mariana.

"Jude, you talked!" she cried, hugging him with all her might.

He seemed taken aback, almost frightened, as the family surrounded him. He let Callie hold onto him, kissing him over and over. "I love you, Jude," she told him, fluffing his hair with her fingers.

Jude rested his head against her shoulder, hugging her back. "I love you too."

Before Callie knew it, it was the last day of Spring Break, which meant it was time to go back to her every day life as a student. That morning, she found a private moment with Jude, on the back porch. He still didn't talk much, but he'd never really been much of a talker, anyway. When they were little, Callie always spoke up for him.

"So," she began. "You might have heard that I'm moving to England for a few months."

Jude gave her a confused look. "No."

"Oh." She thought Mariana would have told him. "I'm leaving in about five weeks. I have an internship over the Summer, and I'm going to study there for one semester. I want to make sure you know, though, that I'm not leaving you again. I'll only be away for little while, and then I'm coming back. Kind of like a long field trip."

Jude nodded.

"So, how do you feel about this?"

He shrugged. "Okay, I guess. I'll miss you, though. But I'm used to missing you."

"I'll miss you too," she told him, her heart aching. "But while I'm there, I'll call you and send lots of postcards. And I'll bring you back a cool present. The time will fly by. I just want to make sure we'll be okay."

"We will." He reached out for her hand and took hold of it.

"Thanks," said Callie. "I feel a lot better, hearing you say that. And I mean that literally," she winked. She stood up, brushing off her jeans. "I have to go and finish packing now, but I'll see you in a little bit."

"You ready to head out?" Brandon asked, peeking into Callie's room.

"Just about," she sighed, trying to zip her suitcase. "I can't believe how fast this trip went."

"I know," he nodded. "I'm kind of sad to see it end."

"Me too," she sighed, looking around.

Brandon sat down next to her and stole a quick kiss, then he picked up her her suitcase. He carried it downstairs for her, and she followed him to the front door, where the rest of the family was waiting for them.

Jesus was first to send them off. He patted Brandon on the back, and gave Callie a hug.

She turned to Mariana next, unsure of what to say to her. Sniffing back tears, she loosely put her arms around her.

"I'm sorry," said Mariana softly. "I shouldn't have said all those mean things to you."

"No worries," Callie told her. "I'm sorry too. It would've been more fun if we were getting along, you know?"

Her foster sister nodded. "There's always next time."

"Yeah."

She said goodbye to Lena next, then Jude. "This isn't goodbye," she reminded him. "I'll see you again soon."

Stef was last in line to hug her goodbye. She squeezed her tight, rocking her back and forth. "I'm going to miss you, baby girl," she told her. "It's been wonderful having you back with us."

"I'm gonna miss you too, mom. All of you." By now, she was in tears.

"Don't be a stranger," Stef told her, rubbing her arm. "You know I love you, yes?"

Callie nodded. Her eyes hurt from crying so much. "I do know. And I love you too." She leaned in, and kissed Stef's cheek, then waved to everyone. "Bye."

To Be Continued- get ready for some intense Brallie!