Chapter 3

Brandon watches her leave with a sad look on his face. He knows what she says is true, but wants to explore this feelings he has for her. Ones he knows she has as well. Now if he could only get her to see that they could do it with out her getting removed from the house.

"B I know what you are thinking here. Why don't you let things cool down before you talk to her about the kiss. Or at least till after we talk to Bill about all of this." Stef says.

"Yeah Brandon give it some time. You know she has feelings for you or she wouldn't have kissed back. But with what happened with Liam, well it maybe a little to soon. She may think that it could lead to what happened with him. Just give it and her time. I am sure you two will work it out." Lena tells him.

"I know moms but it makes me mad. She is such a special girl why would any one want to hurt her? The more I think about what he did to her the more I want to go find him and beat the crap out of him." Brandon says.

"NO! Don't do it Brandon." Callie says from the door.

"What?" he asks.

"Please don't get into trouble or hurt over me. It isn't worth it, I am not worth it." Callie tells him.

"Hang on there Callie. I agree that Brandon shouldn't get into a fight with this guy unless he has to. But you are worth it to us. I am sure Brandon thinks you are worth it to. You have to start believing in your self. Stop believing all the lies people have told you during your life. In just the short time you have been here we can tell you are a very beautiful intelligent young lady with more common sense than some adults we know. So yeah you are worth fighting for. That is why we are fighting for u right now, and we will continue to fight for you regardless." Stef said.

"Why?" Callie asks.

"Because we think you are worth it." Lena tells her.

Callie shakes her head and turns around and runs as fast as she can down the stairs. She has to get out of the house and think. How can people who haven't known her for mare than a few weeks feel so strongly for her? She has to try to sort this out in her own mind.

"Brandon go after her. Keep your distance let her figure things out on her own. Be there for her to talk to if she wants to talk. Try not to force anything out of her let it come freely."Lena says as Brandon runs out of the room.

Jude is sitting at the table when he sees Callie run through the kitchen and out the door. The fear starts to rise in his chest all the way to his throat. He has sen this before, and it always leads to them being moved. Soon after Callie runs out he sees Brandon come flying down the stairs and out the door after her. He lowers his head and wonders how long before they are moved.

"Hey Jude don't worry. I am sure it is nothing to do with you." Mariana says.

"It always does when it concerns Callie. Normally when she is like that it means we we be moved some where else. It isn't her fault we have just had some rotten luck. I thought maybe this time it would be different, but guess not." Jude tells her.

"Hey none of that there little man. Just because your sister is finally dealing with some bad stuff that happened with her in the past doesn't mean you are leaving here. I think we have all grown attached to you two and want you around. Just relax and let the moms handle it, I promise all will work out." Jesus informs him.

"I hope." Jude say half to him self.

"Jude me and Jesus need to go out side for a few minutes will you be ok in here by your self?" Mariana asks.

"Sure I am use to it when Callie is like this."

"OK if you need us for anything just come out back and get us." Jesus tells him.

"Ok." Jude says.

Mariana leads Jesus out the back door onto the deck. She keeps walking off the deck out deeper into the yard. Jesus thinks he know what it is she wants to talk about. He hopes she is still on board with keeping B and Callie's secret, he isn't sure what he would do if she changed her mind.

"What did you want to talk about Mariana?" He asks her.

"Callie and Jude. They seem to have lived a much harsher life than us Jesus." She says.

"Because we got lucky and the moms took us in, then adopted us. That makes all the difference in the world Mariana." Jesus tells her.

"I know that. But what I am thinking is that since it is us that they are sharing bedrooms with we should speak up about how we feel about them being here." She says.

"What are you talking about Mariana. I like having them here, it doesn't bug me at all to share my room. Why do you hate Callie so much huh? Do you hate her so much that you would do this to get rid of her?" Jesus asks.

"No, I mean we should tell the moms we want them to stay on a permanent basis. That we don't mind sharing our rooms. We got the chance I think they should as well." Mariana smiles at him.

"Ok not what I expected, but I agree with you. I know it will be a pain especially for you with Callie in there, but I think they deserve the chance we got." Jesus tells her.

"Ok so now all we have to do is tell the moms how we feel and let them decide from there." Mariana says.

Jude is sitting at the table wondering if they were going to finally get their chance. He loves his sister, but sometimes her emotions get in the way. He can't understand why she can't control them. The deal with Liam is one thing, that wasn't her fault. She did asked to be assaulted or anything, Liam had done that. Maybe she had got caught up in all the attention he was paying her, for a foster kid that is rare. Still the fact is he had hurt his sister and one day he would pay for that.

"Hey kid, you ok?" Stef asks as she walks into the kitchen.

"What? Oh yeah just thinking." Jude says.

"About?"

"Callie."

"What about Callie?" Stef asks.

"Just wondering if she is going to get us removed from here." He says.

"Why would you think that?" Stef asks sitting at the table next to him.

"Well she is my sister and I love her. But some times she lets emotions get in the way." He says.

"Jude what do you know about Callie?" Stef asks.

"I know we were in what we thought was a good home. There was a guy there a little older than Callie. He use to pay attention to her and I could tell she liked it. You know it was something we hadn't experienced before. But this guy, his name is Liam, well he hurt Callie some how. She would never tell me how, just that he did and I wasn't to trust him. It wasn't long after that they we were removed from the house. We were in another house with a family that wasn't so nice. The kids were ok and nice to us, so was the mom. The dad was bad though. He use to get drunk and take it out on Callie. I think she did things when he was drinking so he would take it out on her. Tha way he would leave me alone. She is always looking out for me or trying to. He would beat her up real bad, even broke a rib I think. She has a couple of scars on her back where he used a leather belt on her once. I cleaned up the cuts and put band aids on them till the healed. She has had a rough life, but some of it was so I wouldn't. She thinks I deserve a better life, but really it is her that deserves one." Jude says as Stef wipes the tear from her eye.

"Well we are going to see about getting both of you better lives." Stef tells him.

"Really?" Jude asks.

"Really." Lena says.

"Hey how long were you there?" Stef asks.

"Long enough. We have to make it clear to Bill that we want them to stay with us." Lena states.

Jesus and Mariana walk in to hear this last statement. They look at each other and a small smile plays on both of their faces as the walk up to the table. Jesus nods to Mariana as she looks at him.

"What's up with you two?" Stef asks.

"We heard what you were saying. About Callie and Jude staying here." Mariana says as Lena starts to interrupt.

"We know it will be..."

"Hang on a sec moms we weren't finished." Mariana says.

"Yeah we know it will be a little crowded with five of us here. We know things won't always be smooth and that arguments will happen." Jesus starts only to pass it off to Mariana.

"We know that we will have to share a room with them. That the bathroom schedule for the morning will have to worked out. Basically we will have to all learn to compromise on things. But we want you to know we talked it out, and we are willing to do what ever it is you needs us to do so they can stay." Mariana finishes with Jesus nodding his agreement.

"Thank you for being willing to try. See Lena I know would raised them right." Stef laughs.

"Yeah guys that was real mature of you. A lot of kids would not want us to take in any more kids. Why the sudden change in heart?" Lena asks.

"I got this one Mariana. Well we were thinking what our lives might have been like if it wasn't for you two. We also know a little about Callie's story, well at least what happened with Liam. Put those things together and we figure we got the chance at a good life why shouldn't they. We also figured that this was the perfect place for them to start the new chapter in their lives with out worrying if any more bad stuff is going to happen to them." Jesus says.

"Why?" Jude asks. "Why us? Why now?"

"Everything happens for a reason Jude. The thing is when something good happens you don't question it you go with it. Life is full of disappointments as it is with out adding to them. I know that you must be scared that it could all fall apart. It won't trust us."Jesus says as he smacks Mariana's arm lightly.

"Yeah in this house we are family, doesn't matter where you come from or how you got here. The important part is that you are here and now apart of this family. See we defend our family and protect them. We pick on them and even argue with them sometimes." Mariana says as she links her arms around one of Jesus' then leans her head against his shoulder. "But at the end of the day we love and support each other even if sometimes we don't agree with what the others are doing."

"Well put." Stef says.

"So you two are really on board with this whole thing?" Lena asks.

"Yes we are. What ever you need us to do." Jesus says.

"Ok well that was our one concern was how you two would take it if we asked to have them placed here permanently. Since you are ok with it we will see what we can do." Lena tells them.

"Cool. Jude want to go play a video game with me?" Jesus asks.

"Sure." He says as he gets up and follows Jesus up stairs.

"Thanks Mariana I know this will be hardest for you." Stef says.

"Yeah I know, but what Jesus said is true they deserve the chance. So what if I have to give up a little privacy for that to happen. Besides maybe me and Callie can get past our rough start and actually become sisters. That would be really good. It would give me someone to talk to besides you two and Lexi." She smiles as she turns and heads up stairs as well.

"We did good with those two." Stef says.

"Yeah I think we did." Lena smiles.

A/N: Next chapter will be nothing but Callie and Brandon. in fact chapter 5 will contain a healthy dose of them as well. but will focus a little more on Callie as she goes into the meeting with Bill her social worker. as always review let me know if you like this story.