So I wrote a good chunk... And it didn't save even though I saved it... yay. Which means that this is my rewritten version, it may be as good as the original, better or way worse, I'm not sure yet. Thanks for my latest reviews... though to the Guest who found it 'so stupid', I don't mind criticism so long as it can actually be viewed as constructive and help me to improve it... calling it 'so stupid' doesn't REALLY help as I don't know if you meant that chapter or the entire story... Still, thanks for the reviews, here be the next chapter :)
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. Not even half a llama...
CHAPTER ELEVEN
She sat in silence at the back of the car, not saying anything as she glared moodily at the back of Bill's head, causing the care worker to squirm slightly in the driver's seat. She knew that she was behaving childishly, like a toddler kicking up a fuss because it didn't want to go somewhere, but she couldn't help it. Because that's how she felt - child like, alone, vulnerable and so confused as she only half understood what was happening. She felt like she was ten years old again, being informed of her mother's death and father's arrest. Except that this time it was different. This time she didn't have Jude.
Jude.
Truthfully, she wished that he was with her. Because then they'd be the team of two they'd always been, bouncing from one foster home to another, relying only on each other and no one else. But that wasn't going to happen. Not now, not ever again. Jude had been adopted. She hadn't. It was the way those things tended to work. She wasn't allowed to be happy.
A small tear trickled down her cheek, and she wiped it away angrily. It seemed as though all she'd been going recently was crying. She hated that, Callie Jacobs wasn't meant to be weak. Callie Jacobs was meant to be strong, tough. And het there she was letting people see her cry, letting people see how truly pathetic she really was. It wasn't fair.
...
"And this is your room." Robert Quinn concluded, walking through the doorways of her new bedroom. "Now I know it isn't exactly the biggest one here, but we thought you'd appreciate the size all the same. Sophia's bedroom is the one opposite - though I suppose you already knew that - and mine and Jill's room is just down the hallway, so if you need anything... feel free to ask any of us, or the one of the maids." He smiled and clapped his hands together. She didn't say anything, but slowly walked into the room and sat on the queen sized bed.
"Okaaa-ay." He fidgeted slightly, almost awkwardly, "I'm going to go now..."
As she watched him duck out of the room and into the hallway, she almost felt sorry for him. Almost. But then she remembered that he'd taken her from the only place that had truly felt like home in six years. She stopped feeling sympathetic.
Sitting on the pale blue bed covers, she stared at the floral wallpaper, trying to ignore the pricking of tears behind her eyes.
It wasn't fair. She'd actually thought that it might go her way, that she might not have to leave. Still, she should have known better.
Idiot, that's what I've been trying to tell you since the beginning. Honestly, don't you listen?
She sighed, and allowed a tear to fall. Since when had anything ever been fair for her?
...
"I...I don't understand." Jude looked from one mom to another, "Where's Callie? Why can't I see her?"
Stef bit her lip as Lena knelt down to his height.
"Honey," the curly haired woman said, "Callie's going to be staying with Robert - with the Quinns for a little while, but she'll be back before you know it."
Jude frowned slightly as he searched her face for answers, before shrugging. "It's okay," he told them, "I know that it might take some time. But you'll fix it, right, then Callie can come home?"
Stef smiled softly at the young boy. It was times like this that she could really see the contrast between the siblings. Whereas Jude was refreshingly naïve and eager to trust, Callie spent her life behind barriers, not daring to let anyone in. But she'd let them in, and Stef knew that she couldn't fail her. Not again.
"Of course," She promised, "We'll fix it."
...
Dinner was full of strained conversations and unspoken tension for Callie. Whilst the Quinns pretended that there was nothing usual about her joining them - Robert talking about the next fundraiser a colleague was planning and Sophia happily chirping about some test she did well in - Callie remained unresponsive, pushing a food around her plate with her fork and glaring sullenly at the tablecloth. She didn't like it - didn't want to like it. Not only had they taken her away from thevFosters, but they didn't even gave the decency to at least act guilty for doing so.
"You know today's the day that my mom - that Colleen - died." She spoke matter of factly, and couldn't help but inwardly gloat at the shocked expression that appeared in all three of the Quinns' faces. Robert even turned slightly pale.
"She's been dead for seven years now, and if my dad hadn't been driving she'd probably still be alive. Imagine that, Colleen still alive. It could have been her that you'd taken me from... Or you might never have found out that I existed. I sure wish you hadn't." She glared at the man whose gene pool she shared.
"Callie..."
"What?" She let out a humourless laugh, "it's true! If you hadn't found out about me, I wouldn't have broken my promise to Jude. Worse, you've made me break it on the anniversary of our mom's death."
She sighed and rolled her eyes. "Forget it. You don't care." She threw her napkin onto her plate as she stood up and, without waiting to be excused, left the room. Robert watched her go. He didn't know what to say.