Lena kept her eyes open as she cased the neighborhood. She had heard the front door slam in the middle of dinner. She had gone upstairs to find Stef seething and Callie missing: it didn't take a genius to figure out what had transpired. Of course, the teen had left her phone at home so GPS tracking was not an option. Lena volunteered to bring the girl home, mainly because she was sure Stef would throttle Callie as soon as she found her. The woman let out a breath as she continued to scan the neighborhood. She eventually found herself at Anchor Beach Charter School, figuring it was as safe a bet as any. From the car, she could make out a figure sitting on a bench. She had a pretty good idea who that could be.

Lena parked the car and got out. She walked over to the bench and took a seat next to Callie. A few minutes passed and neither woman said a word. Callie finally spoke up, "How mad is Stef?"

"On a scale of one to ten? I'd say fifty."

Callie dropped her head into her hands, "Yeah, that's what I thought."

"She just wanted to help," Lena informed her gently.

"Yeah."

The vice-principle surveyed the girl next to her. She looked up at the moon, it was nearly full. "Jude made an impression on me that first week he came to stay with us. He's wise beyond his years." Lena paused before revealing her next piece of information in a quiet voice, "You know that test Jude had to take? So that he could stay at Anchor Beach?"

Callie eyed the woman cautiously, "Yes…"

Lena swallowed, "I, uh…might have changed an answer or two so that he passed." Callie's eyes widened. Never in a million years did she think Lena would do something like that.

"Why?" the younger girl asked in disbelief, "Why would you do that?"

"Because I knew how important it was to keep you two together," Lena answered, "And I knew that Jude was more than a failing grade. He deserved a chance."

Callie looked at her foster-mom before shifting her gaze to the ground. She shook her head, "If I lost it in court today, Jude would have lost it too. He expects me to be the brave one, his protector. If I'm not strong for him, who will be?"

"Two moms, two brothers and another sister," Lena answered. "Callie, it's not just the two of you anymore. You don't have to be strong all the time. You have us. Let us be strong for you."

A moment passed, "Okay," Callie finally said. She stood up, "I'm grounded, right?"

"Big time."

Callie knocked on the open door of the master bedroom. Stef looked up from her laptop and gestured for the girl to come in. Callie walked in cautiously, standing near the mattress. Stef closed her laptop and moved it to the foot of the bed. She took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes.

"I don't appreciate being walked away from when I'm talking to you, Callie." Stef began, locking her eyes with the younger girl's, "And leaving the house like that? Did we not establish how dangerous that is?" She waited a moment, "Callie?"

"Yes," the teen replied quietly, eyes downcast, "You did."

"I understand it's been a rough day but that does not excuse your behavior," Stef continued, "You are sixteen years old. I know you know better than that."

"I do."

"Is there anything you have to say to me?"

Callie looked up at the blonde dolefully, "I love you, Mama."

Stef's eyes softened and a small smile graced her lips, "I was thinking more along the lines of 'I'm sorry,' but I guess that works, too."

"I'm sorry," Callie apologized, gaze returning to the floor, "I think I'm still learning to be part of a family again. It's weird to have siblings looking out for me instead of the other way around."

"Yeah." Stef took Callie's hand and guided her into a sitting position next to her on the bed, "It's different when the roles are reversed, huh?"

"Mm-hm." They remained silent for a moment before Callie finally found the courage to quietly ask, "How did we lose?"

The blonde shook her head, "It was the way the judge saw it. She saw a blood relative who could provide Jude with a stable environment and then she saw us, some strangers with four other kids who have known Jude for what, a few months? The odds were against us."

"They're always against us." Callie grumbled in a bitter tone.

Stef wrapped an arm around her daughter and pressed a kiss to her head, "Maybe so, but we have a habit of defying the odds, yeah?"

"Yeah."

Stef kissed Callie one more time before adding, "By the way, I'm going to need your phone. You're grounded for the rest of the week."

Callie grimaced and looked down, "I had a feeling."

"And you need to apologize to Brandon."

"Okay." Callie stood up and headed towards the door.

"Callie? I love you, Sweets."

The teen smiled, "Love you, too."

"Get me that phone, Missy!"

Brandon was fiddling around with his keyboard when he heard someone clear their throat behind him. He turned around to see Callie, an apologetic expression on her face. He nodded his head towards the bed, suggesting she sit down. Callie sat for a minute or two while Brandon continued to play on his keyboard.

"Im working on my piece," he said finally as he continued to press the keys, "Y'know, the one I played for you in the music room? The one about our family?"

Callie nodded, "How is it coming along?"

"Good. It's still missing something."

"Like?"

"Jude."

Callie watched Brandon's blue-painted fingernails as they moved up and down the keys, "I'm sorry for yelling at you tonight at dinner."

"It's cool."

"It's not," Callie sighed, "I have a bad habit of bitching out at people who try to help me."

Brandon laughed and nodded his head, "Yeah, you do."

Callie raised an eyebrow and reached over to playfully punch his shoulder, "You're not supposed to agree with me!"

"Are you hungry?" Brandon asked as he shut off his keyboard and stood up, "You didn't get to finish dinner."

"A bit," Callie admitted, "What do you have in mind?"

Brandon grinned, "There's nothing like a bowl of Cap'n Crunch before bed."

The girl furrowed her eyebrows, "Are you serious?"

"Completely."

"Alright."

Jude shifted in his bed yet again as he attempted―and failed―to fall asleep. He had been so sure he would be back with the Foster's today, back home. He knew Callie must have been so upset to hear the judge's decision but she pretended to be brave like she always did. Jude finally sat up and pushed back the covers on his bed. He walked over to his desk and sat down, opening his laptop. He pulled up Google search.

How far is San Diego from Avondale?

Jude's eyes widened. 338 miles? He sighed and mulled over his options. There was no way he could stay here with Adelaide. As nice as she was to him, he couldn't stand the way she talked about Callie, Lena and Stef as if they were criminals. Callie had always told him that if they were ever separated, she would come and get him, and she always did. Maybe it was time to return the favor. Jude cleared his previous search and entered a new one:

Bus route from Avondale, Arizona to San Diego, California

Okay, so last Foster's episode when Callie and Jude's dad came and Jude showed him the pocket knife and Donald was all "I don't remember that," did anyone else get the idea that it really wasn't Donald's knife and that Callie just found it one day and told Jude that so that he thought he had a little piece of his dad? Hm? It would explain why the initials were off…

Just me? I'm just speculating…

Thank you SO much for the reviews! :) I feel the love. And it keeps me warm. (WADDUP MACKLEMORE REFERENCE)

I want McDonalds but I can't eat meat on Fridays since its Lent. Then again, McDonalds probably doesn't even use meat…I tell you, the struggle is REAL.

Please review! ;)

-Liv