Thanks for the reviews guys, glad to see yesterday's chapter was a big hit. Seems to be a favourite and it was definitely one of mine! The whole Jude/Kasey thing is really just a catalyst for bigger issues for Kasey so hope you all like the way it pans out.
To the Guest who wanted some Jesus/Jude - I had to put Kasey in that storyline in order to facilitate other parts of the story, but I hear you, so I have worked in some Jesus with it too. It won't be straight up against the bully as that ship has sailed (plus Jesus is soon to be a little side-tracked with his own storyline) but I hope this gives you at least a little of what you want to see! I've worked his input into a couple of the upcoming chapters. Also, shameless plug, but there's a bunch of Jesus/Jude in my Fostering Funs if that's the kind of thing you want to see. I will maybe try and get some in later episodes too if it fits!
Anyhow, loving the recent feedback so hope you all keep indulging me! Enjoy...
"Well thanks for blowing off our meeting. Where you been?" Callie asked as Kasey came through the door.
"You haven't heard?" Kasey asked, genuinely shocked. She was always surprised at how slow news circles were when she wasn't home - Callie's look however clearly indicated her ignorance.
"I got into some serious trouble with Sanchez and Mom took my phone so I couldn't call."
"For real? What did you do?" Callie folded her arms. She knew Kasey had scrapes but never anything serious.
"Why I thought you'd know. When I went to find Jude I found some kid trying to rough him up so I roughed up the kid. Which apparently is "no way to conduct yourself at Anchor Beach". Mom and Dad were called in. It wasn't pretty." she grumbled, recalling it all.
"So that's why Jude's been weird with me."
A look of concern flashed across Kasey's face.
"Is he mad?"
"Mad or upset, I dunno but he's not himself. He really hates stuff like this."
"Ugh! I hate it when Mom is right." Kasey moaned dropping down onto the sofa behind her.
"What did they do to you?" Callie winced.
"3 weeks detention, though a week of that was for my inappropriate attitude." Kasey mimicked Karina's sentiment.
"Well it could have been worse. Try 2 month in Juvie." Callie folded her arms taking the seat next to Kasey who threw her a sympathetic smile.
"I forgot. You're the queen of getting in trouble for protecting Jude."
"Yu-huh. He'll forgive you, you just have to play it carefully."
"What? Like grab Brandon and instigate a recovery mission from a gun-toting foster Dad?"
Callie smirked, now safe to reflect easily upon how dark that day had actually been.
"Spend some time with him, apologise and make sure he knows it was your fault not his. He hates getting people into trouble, and hates it even more when we do it ourselves because of him."
"Noted. How was the project meeting anyway?"
Callie laughed to herself.
"The project meeting where you were getting your ass kicked, our 3rd member can't do after school meetings and our other partner has switched group because he's not talking to me? It was great!" she smiled sarcastically. Kasey didn't laugh but gave another sympathetic smile.
"He switched group?! You know you really need to forgive him. We were all victim to Liam last week. Wyatt included."
"Oh I've forgiven him, it is Wyatt who hasn't forgiven me." Callie explained, her voice fading with regret.
"Well." Kasey clapped her hands on her thighs and sat up.
"On behalf of the club for Vigilantes Anonymous, he's probably pretty frustrated. Especially not knowing the full story with Liam."
Callie threw Kasey a terrified look.
"I can't tell anyone else Kase. It was hard enough-"
"You don't need to tell him, Callie." she assured her. "You just need to try and explain that you were in a bad place and you want to put it behind you. Maybe you should take the advice you just gave me. Spend a little time with him so he understands. Sure you can think of something to get him talking to you. He worships you." Kasey commented with a smile as Callie glared at her back. She still hated being teased about their relationship, whatever it was.
"OK, thank you. Shouldn't you be away getting grounded or something?" She grumbled just as Stef walked in the door.
"Speak of the devil." Kasey whispered under her breath.
"Hey you two." she greeted, emotionlessly. "Callie, good day?"
"In comparison to the other people in the room? Probably."
Stef snorted out a reluctant laugh. "On that note, porch in fifteen. Don't make me wait." she ordered Kasey before heading upstairs to change.
"I'm gonna go find Jude and assess the damage repair needed. I'll catch you later to get my project share." she pushed herself off the couch.
"Good luck. With him and the porch..." Callie added as Kasey raised an eyebrow in defeat.
She knocked lightly on the boys' door.
"Son of a bitch!" Jesus yelled, causing both Kasey and Jude to look over.
"Don't tell me you're mad at me too..." she commented, easing her way into the room, Jesus spinning round and removing a headphone.
"Sorry, Kase. Nate's killing me this game. You need somethin'?"
She edgily looked at Jude who quickly pretended to be engaged in his homework.
"Actually no, I came to talk to Jude."
He tried to remain unmoved.
"Don't mind me, I can't hear you anyway." Jesus replied, clipping the huge ear cover back down and his attention fully returning to the game in front of him.
Kasey walked over to where the small boy lay, looking even smaller than usual.
"Hey." she tested the waters.
After a lingering pause he threw her a rope with a reluctant "Hi".
"Can we talk about what happened?" she asked softly, sitting next to him.
"Kasey, I have a ton of homework..." was his reply, still keeping his eyes fix on his page.
"Well what about when you're done? I just wanna check you're OK?"
"I'm fine. I just need to get this done."
She nodded gently with a disappointed smile.
"Maybe later then..."
She added squeezing his shoulder. Stef really had been right, he really was upset about this and it was all her fault. She had felt angry and then defeated but this was the first time she'd really felt regret about what she had done.
Seeing there was going to be no response she pushed herself off the bed and made her way out. She had to think of a good strategy. Jude finally looked up to watch her as she left.
Seeing Jude out of the corner of his eye, Jesus once again removed a headphone.
"You guys fall out or something?" He asked. Jude turned to him and shrugged. "Kasey pushed this kid who was picking on me into a locker."
Jesus eyebrows creased down. "There was a kid picking on you?" He asked, his anger flaring. The reaction immediately made Jude sigh and dip back down to his book. He was fed up of that same reaction. Immediately spotting his discomfort, Jesus freed his other ear and turned his chair around. "Sorry, I guess you've had enough of that kind of thinking today." He added, getting Jude's reluctant attention back. "Has he been hurting you?" He wheeled his chair closer, Jude closing over his book.
"Not much. I guess he shoves me around a bit, it's more what he says I suppose. He's always trying to make me seem weaker in front of people."
"Bullies do that." Jesus shrugged. "They do it to try and make themselves feel better."
"I know that. That's why I try not to let them get to me, it's just - "
"Sometimes they still get to you?" Jesus guessed, folding his arms. Jude looked up to him nervously with a nod.
"I don't really know what to suggest, bud. I mean, I'd probably have done the same thing as Kasey."
"That doesn't work though!" Jude immediately protested. "So what, now he'll just have to try harder to prove that he is stronger than me?"
"You kidding, dude?" Jesus laughed back. "He's been humiliated in front of you. Bullies live on fear. You think you'll be able to look at him the same way now you've seen him get beat up by your foster sister? Whether Kasey was right or not, there's no way you'll be as scared as him tomorrow, whatever he does. Trust me." He smiled pointedly as Jude took a deep breath. "You go in there tomorrow with your head held high, and if he tries to approach you just think about how easy it was for Kasey to break him. He's been working at you for weeks and you didn't crack at all."
Jude looked down at his book. "I guess you're right. I don't like that she hurt him though."
Jesus shook his head. "That's another reason you're better than him, dude. That's why you're better than all of us." Jesus lifted his eyebrow and kicked off back to his computer, feeling like he had got through. Jude rolled over and thought hard about what he said. He was still really mad at Kasey, but he could see his point. He hoped that he would remember it the next day.
Kasey tried to get to the porch a little before her Moms so she could have some time to reflect in the evening air.
She wanted to badly to make things right with Jude but she had no clue how. She wanted to remove the distractions and get away from the other family members. She would have to get him out of the house where he would have no choice but to listen to her.
She was interrupted from her thoughts as Stef and Lena came out.
"Early? Hmm. Looks like someone has had time to reflect." Stef commented scooping her hair behind her back.
She took the seat next to Kasey and tapped her leg down from its position resting on the sofa.
Lena took the other side but sat more angled to be able to see her as head on as she could.
"So. We gonna talk about what happened? Calmly this time."
Kasey bit back the retort about having a choice, her mind focussed solely on getting what she needed to make things up to Jude. She would have to pull off a perfect display of co-operation to expect anything from her Moms tonight.
"Yes. And I can start by saying I'm really sorry. For what I did and...the way I responded. You were absolutely right "
She blinked between both of her Moms as Stef raised her eyebrows.
"Right about what?" she asked suspiciously.
"Everything." Kasey replied convincingly, Stef putting her surprise aside to look at Lena to proceed.
"Well, we're glad to hear that. But Kasey, you really worried us today. Your behaviour really was completely unacceptable, and I'm not talking about your altercation with Blake, but your display in Karina's office."
"I know." Kasey admitted, still eager to comply. "I was completely out of line, as you said."
"Yes. You were." Stef commented crossing her arms. "Care to tell us how?"
Kasey gulped down hard, she knew Stef was testing her to try and make her point but she couldn't take the bait.
"Well, I probably shouldn't have implied that I knew better than you or Principal Sanchez." She looked to Lena.
"And?" Stef pushed further, a mocking look of expectation.
Kasey cleared her throat, shuffling with discomfort at the humble pie she knew she was being served.
"I shouldn't have implied that you didn't care about Jude's welfare." She added, desperately trying to hide the bitterness.
"Anything else? Pretty sure there was something about cops in there too..." She further goaded.
"Stef." Lena warned, knowing this was becoming gratuitous. Stef simply flicked up an eyebrow, enjoying the powerful revenge for having wasted her afternoon.
"I shouldn't mock your position as cops either. Lesson learned. I was angry but I'm old enough to know that's not an excuse and that I should conduct myself better." Hoping some further self-condemnation may work in her favour despite the pain of it now.
"You know you said some pretty aggressive things in there Kasey. Especially about your father..." Lena probed calmly.
Kasey gulped down trying hard not to break her so far successful maneuvre.
"As I said, I was angry."
"That may be true, but you didn't say anything as bad about us." Stef replied.
Kasey paused to think.
"I though the whole point of my last three admissions was that I did?" Kasey replied, confused.
"You mocked our positions, not our characters. There's a pretty big difference."
"Yeah, well maybe I'm just not stupid enough to even try. Anyway, you know Dad and I have been fighting."
Her voice, was starting to show weakness and Lena and Stef shared a look.
"Kasey, your comments were about his drinking."
"Which is an expression, look this doesn't have anything to do with this. Can you just punish me already?" her front was now really beginning to shake but she managed to keep the frustration out of her voice, more just show her vulnerability. Up to now she had occasionally considered opening up about the drinking, but at some point since it had been taken away from being her decision and the probing made her want to resist doing so.
"We'll get to that, don't worry. We just want to make sure your recent behaviour isn't because of something that's bothering you..."
"There's no recent behaviour, I just did something stupid. This has nothing to do with it." She collected herself enough to make it sound convincing. In essence it was true that the incident was completely isolated, it was just being creative with the truth that nothing else was bothering her.
"OK." Lena replied, Stef throwing her a look for cutting it off when clearly there was more to be said.
"You're telling us this was just because of a bad choice then fine, I believe you." she nodded a signal to Stef to let it lie for now. Kasey dipped her head and sat on her hands, looking between them.
"So..." she started, hoping it may prompt the beginning of the end of the awkwardness.
"So." Stef began firmly. "Well, I'm assuming you know that you're grounded."
"I had a vague guess so...how long?" She raised an eyebrow nervously.
Lena looked over to Stef. They had been expecting a lot more resilience than they had experienced which somehow impacted their ease at an attitude change condition working. Still, they wouldn't complain about Kasey coming around prematurely, and in essence neither of them believed that this was the last they'd see of her growing frustrations.
"Right now, at minimum a week...however..." Lena put a hand on Kasey's knee. "It's more a case of you deciding how long it will be."
Kasey looked between them confused. She had a horrible feeling this would be a lot worse than it sounded.
"We will un-ground you when we've seen an end to this recent attitude of yours."
"But it's gone, I've calmed down completely, really - it was heat of the moment."
"Well if that's the case you have nothing to worry about." Lena smiled.
"OK..." Kasey moved to stand up as Stef pulled her back down.
"We're not done yet." She replied softly.
"That isn't just your attitude towards us...but to your Dad as well."
Kasey dipped her head horrified.
"Wait, you're going to punish me for not making up with Dad?" She tried to not show any hint of anger but it was taking all of her strength.
"Not at all. We're punishing you for your recent lack of respect with authority, as much as you like to pretend he isn't one, that includes your Dad."
"But he's the one who fights with me. He's the kid in all of this!" She protested, her eyes pleading with Stef.
"Well I can talk to him about it, and I will, but your Dad's actions have nothing to do with your right to treat him the way you have been doing. If you have a problem with him you can talk it through, or you know - maybe talk to us."
Kasey opened her mouth but quickly shut it with a sigh. So this was what it was about, blackmailing her into opening up. Well she wouldn't! They were so desperate to try and blame her actions on him, but that wasn't it. He didn't control her directly or indirectly and the projection riled her. She would just have to ride this out, make an effort to prove that was the case. She could cope with her Dad herself, she didn't need Lena and Stef to mediate, she just needed time to figure it out. This wouldn't be forced on her as if it was her doing.
"OK." She focussed her energy into squeaking out. Stef and Lena looked at each other again, shocked once more at the lack of protest.
"OK, then." Lena confirmed.
Kasey gave a lingering nod before getting up off the sofa and heading towards the door. In the turn of the conversation she had almost forgotten the reason she had tried to be so compliant. Deciding it was now or never she turned back. They had clearly been expecting it, both knowing Kasey too well to not have picked up on a bigger motive. They both sat patiently waiting for whatever plea was about to come.
"There is one little thing..."
"Funny, I thought there might be." Stef gave a hint of a smug smile, looking up.
"So...I know this is a long shot seeing as it's my first night grounded..."
Stef snorted out a quiet scoff. "Go on."
"But see, you were really right about Jude. Really right...and well, I was kind of hoping that maybe you'd let me take him out. Just, before you say no - " she raised her palm ahead of the imminent refusal working its way up through Stef's rising chest. "I really, really would appreciate just being able to make it up to him, somewhere free of distractions. Somewhere where he has to let me explain and just make sure he's OK. Somewhere I can apologise. I'll pay, it'll take both of us off your hands and let's face it, it's hardly going to be a riot for me."
Stef and Lena looked to each other, it was hardly the most demanding of requests and it was true that Jude was the most important person involved here. Punishing Kasey through his resentment hardly seemed fair to either of them.
Lena flicked her eyebrows up in a silent signal that Stef knew she would have to surrender to. She rolled her eyes and turned back to Kasey.
"Back by 8. You're paying and I swear to God Kasey, any funny business..."
"There won't be, I promise! Thank you thank you, thank you!" She leaped forward onto them both with one under each arm. Lena hugged back as Stef struggled and pulled her to staring distance.
"I mean it Kasey, you push me even an inch and that week minimum will become a month." She pointed her finger in her daughter's face, her other hand holding it in place by the chin.
"I won't, I swear."
"OK, go." She swatted her lightly on the thigh as Kasey scurried off with a sense of victory. As soon as she was out of ear-shot, Stef turned to her partner.
"Why did you cut us off with Mike, she would have broken eventually. She must be tired of keeping whatever it is it bottled up."
Lena shook her head. "It wasn't coming tonight, not without a fight and she was doing so well. There's a reason she's not telling you and I think it may be worth trying to find out from other angles first. It may well be that she's not sure herself what it is. She may need more time to process."
"But if it's drinking why would she not want me to know? She's been so mad at him I'd have thought she'd be desperate for me to know!" Stef looked across, shocked.
"I don't know, and we don't know if it is about alcohol. Either way, Kasey is being incredibly stubborn and you know as well as I do that if she's forced to do something she's already resisting it'll take twice as long unless all the cards are on the table. I'm assuming you also picked up on this whole apology front was an act to get out tonight?" Lena asked, leaning back against the cushion.
"Undoubtedly. But hell, there are worse motives, and even if it was an act it must have been torture. I was lining her up to fail and she passed every test." Stef replied with a smug smile.
"Yes, I think we need to talk about your sadism."
"Oh please, she had it coming after the way she spoke to you today. And for what it's worth, she may have been exaggerating and saying the right things, but I think doing that to try and make it up to Jude is more of a lesson than we could teach her. You're never going to tame her impulses.."
"That sounds like someone talking from first hand experience..." Lena raised an eyebrow with a smirk as Stef turned, offended before lunging forward, stirring a gasping yelp of a giggle. She plunged Lena down onto the sofa and kissed her before Lena pushed her off. "Come on, we have kids to feed."
"Ugh." Stef moaned. "I've had my fill of them already. Can't we just get Kasey to take all of them out for dinner?"
"Come on!" Lena laughed. "I thought you were all excited about making apple tarts."
Stef sat up sharply. "I completely forgot about the apple tarts!" She gave her an excited kiss before leaping up towards the house to get on with her baking.
Next Chapter Preview: Kasey and Jude use their time alone to share advice, though they may not be as alone as they think. Jesus' suspicions are arisen as Mariana gets a phonecall.
"Can I be excused for a second?" he asked. "Really need to pee." he commented, leaping up and heading out.
"Great table etiquette too it seems." Stef added. "I think we need to give you guys a manners crash course."
Jesus vaguely heard his Mom's words but was too focussed on trying to catch as much of Mariana's conversation as he could.