OK - thanks for the feedback again! I'm so happy people are enjoying!

Shout out to my pal TheTBone for this chapter as she was kind enough to put off her real homework to write me the essay snippets in this chapter! Check out some of her stories if you haven't done so already - she's fabulous and lets me run ideas off to her non-stop! And a little bird may have read me a story she's about to post tomorrow which I can strongly recommend looking out for and following.

"Girls...what is this?" Lena inquired coolly flapping a piece of paper at her daughters. Kasey sat legs up on the sofa with Callie in a similar position at the other end.

"Looks like a piece of paper Mom. Sorta like a newer version of a chalk slate." The two girls giggled as Lena swatted Kasey's leg down with the sheet in her hand in order to free up a space for her to sit.

"Very funny. Now tell me another old joke while I figure out whether or not I'll throw you to the wolves and show this to your Mom..."

She held the essay in front of her eyeline blocking here view from the TV.

"Oh...that." Kasey said going to grab the piece of paper as Lena pulled it away.

She raised her eyebrows as Kasey bit her lips back with a guilty look.

"We were just goofing around 'cause Mom had us on lockdown writing the stupid college essays."

Callie peered over her shoulder. "How did you find that anyway?" She said lying back from her leaning forward again. Lena raised her eyebrow and nudged Callie's leg.

"Your sister left it with her math homework. You'd never make it as a criminal Kasey Foster."

Lena began to read the essay aloud. "It hasn't always been easy, growing up under the watchful eye and often punishing hand of the blonde beast. While we desired only to learn, thirsted solely for knowledge, we have regularly been left parched for it."

The two girls laughed guiltily at each other.

"I told you the word "beast" was too harsh" Callie quipped.

"Hey you're the one who suggested the Annie references later on!" Kasey protested.

"Only because it fit the style, not because of Stef..."

"Great parallels can be drawn between our miserable existence and the life of the little redheaded orphan forced to live under the iron-fist rule of Ms. Hannigan." Lena responded raising an eyebrow.

"Well it's a pretty good use of hyperbole, don't you think?" Callie said with a cheeky smile.

"Well, your Mom will put the hyperbole to the literal if she finds this so let's maybe keep the future essay writing to topic shall we?"

Both girls giggled as Lena shook her head and slapped Kasey lightly on the knee.

The door opened and Stef came in with Evan in tow still looking sensitive from his hangover.

"Speak of the devil." Kasey jibed exchanging a knowing smirk with Callie. Lena raised and eyebrow waving the sheet in front of her as a playful warning. Kasey snatched it off her with a head shake before realising Evan had also entered.

"Evan!" She shouted bounding off the sofa and over to him.

Stef threw him a side glance as Kasey passed her and pulled him into a threw her arms around him. He winced with the enthusiasm and pulled away as she leant in to kiss him.

"Yeah, you may wanna wait till I've showered before you do that." He croaked as Lena and Callie looked round

A confused look flashed across Kasey's face. "Wait a minute, what are you doing with Mom?"

Evan gave a guilty smile as Stef stared him down urging he tell her.

"Well?" She said icily. He looked to her as Lena got up and stood next to her wife.

"Evan? What happened?" She asked, a concerned look growing across her face as well.

"I uhm..." he looked across at Stef, dauntingly silent and staring.

"I had a bit too much to drink last night and they took me in to the station...your Mom came to pick me up."

Kasey pulled away slightly with a hint of disappointment flaring up. She slapped him on the chest.

"Idiot!" She scolded him.

"I'm sorry Kasey...I just...well the shots got the better of me." She shook her head as he squinted in the light of the room. "I hope your head is throbbing." She said jokingly harshly as a small smile was flickering on her lips at the pathetic looking state he was in.

"Well if it isn't it will be when I'm done with him." Stef commented, deadpan. "Speaking of which, Lena, can I have a word in the kitchen?" Lena's concerned look only grew as Stef flicked her head to the door as an indication she should follow her through. "Evan, maybe you can fill Kasey in on the rest...the background that is. Maybe wait till I've finished talking to Lena before you tell her what we discussed, OK?" She ended in a whisper.

Evan nodded quietly as they went to move over to the sofa.

"What's this about?" Lena asked as Stef walked over to the island and began to drum it quietly thinking of the best way to approach the subject.

"So...it would seem that Evan hasn't been being entirely honest with us recently..." She began as Lena folded her arms. "Nothing to worry about, he hasn't really done anything wrong...but he hasn't been telling us the entire truth about his situation."

"What do you mean his situation? His being at college or...?"

"No, no. Not that...I mean...I assume he's not lied about that." Stef continued, momentary doubt flicking across her mind. She snapped herself out of it to get back on topic. "His situation with his parents. It seems soon after our dinner he had a fight with them and it ended up with him being kicked out."

Lena sighed as she heard the truth , her chest dropping in sympathy.

"That's not the worst of it either...it seems the final straw was him lashing out at his stepmom defending our marriage." She opened her eyes wide waiting for Lena's reaction.

"Lashed out? Like...violently?" Lena looked terrified at the prospect.

Stef just let out a small laugh.

"No...this is Evan we're talking about." She paused. "He threw a jug of water over her."

Lena tried not to but couldn't help let out a laugh as she put her head in her hands. Stef had a similar reaction both in mutual admiration of Evan's quirkiness.

"Well...I guess we'll have to help him sort things out. Reckon we should try and smooth things over with his parents?" Lena asked rubbing her temples.

Stef looked down at the table.

"I'm not too sure that's an option...I do have another suggestion though. Temporarily." She looked at the table long enough for Lena to figure out what it was she was about to propose before looking back up.

"Stef..."

"I know it would be complicated, and we would have to lay down some ground rules...but we have the space. I mean he's not some fragile kid, we don't have to provide him more than a bed and a safe place to be. We can clear some space in the basement."

Lena shuffled, clearly nervous of the possible repercussions but Stef continued before she could respond.

"We can't put him out on the street Lena. He's part of this family now. Plus it just makes me so...angry to think of it."

Lena put an arm over her back as Stef looked down at the table again clearly affected by the thought of someone turfing out their own child. She had dealt with so many foster kids she had got used to the idea that some people were not cut out for parenting, but it still cut her every time when she could see the effect it had on the children in question right in front of her.

"Evan is a grown adult Stef, technically his parents don't have to still have him in their care..."

"They threw him out as a teenager too Lena. I just don't understand how people can be so small minded that they would toss someone like Evan out on the street. Sure he can be a handful but he needs some guidance and a bit of a shake now and again, not abandonment."

Lena's general pose dropped again seeing the sincerity and determination in Stef's face.

"Of course, but is it our business to try and replace them?"Lena added rubbing Stef's back a little harder.

"We're the best he's got Lena. I think we're all he's got."

She nodded in silent agreement.

OK - I think I will go back to chapter a day until I have a large stock of chapters written now! I will try my hardest to continue the daily posts though!

Chapter 14 Preview: Stef and Lena tell the kids their decision and Jude gets some news about the play

"Wow. Nice job on keeping our chat to yourself till we were decided!" She admonished as Evan smiled apologetically.

"My head's still a bit...fuzzy..." He said as Kasey stroked his cheek with another smile.

"Come on Moms, just tell us. Do I have to get ready to give up my room or what?" Callie joked as Kasey nudged her in the back.