Hi folks, thanks for the reviews and messages. I Do is now seemingly 8 chapters (I am a bit compulsive about balancing chapter lengths so I had to add some more bits) so looks like we've got a week left. I am probably going to have a break after this, certainly from long stories, but if anyone has any one shot ideas (for this universe or the normal universe) then do send them my way and I will put them on the list for when I have more time.

OK, I hope you enjoy this chapter and I would love to know what you think. Thanks to thesameguest and TheTBone as always.

Callie brushed her hair looking into the mirror. She had finished her paper not long after Stef had left the night before and gone to bed relatively soon after. She had never completely shaken her neuroses out of her mind, but at least since Stef's accident things had slowly been taking more of a normal tone and she was happy to try and indulge that. She remembered the someways easier days of not caring about school, but this new environment had definitely changed that for her. Now she had people to notice, she wanted to do well. She may have batted away Stef's words the night before, but that didn't change their sticking ability in her mind, and although she sometimes felt like a swan paddling desperately below water, she was more than happy for this to be her main concern.

"How about a cake?" she heard Mariana's voice say, snapping her out of her daze. She awoke from her thoughts and looked to her confused.

"A cake. Moms' gift. We've been talking about it for like the last 5 minutes." she chastised pointing her own brush at Callie accusingly.

"We have?"

"Well maybe I've been doing most of the talking...but still. Earth to Callie." she jeered, mildly offended.

"OK, sorry." she smiled nervously. "But either way I think a cake is already ordered. Apparently it's a pretty big part of the wedding."

Mariana huffed in defeat, slumping onto her bed. Callie gave a disheartened smile. She knew how desperate Mariana was to make things up and ever since the shooting the two had bonded. She now hated to see her so down.

"What about a photo montage?" she suggested, hoping it may spark some inspiration. Mariana's dipping chest indicates it didn't.

"They did that for our quinces."

"OK well, a poem? A song? I'm sure they'd appreciate any gesture."

The latest comment didn't lift her spirits but it at least seemed to get her brain working again as her face set to hard concentration.

"Well whatever you decide, you'll think of something." she reassured her. Thinking back to her day, she collected her books, noting she was missing one and set her mind on a mental mission to locate it, probably having left it on the breakfast bar downstairs. She gathered the ones she had into her bag and made her way along the hall passing Jesus.

"Don't tell them you're ready. I made that mistake and ended up polishing cutlery for the last ten minutes." He grumbled, his eyes showing a deeper horror than the story sounded. Callie laughed to herself as he passed heading down the stairs.

"Hey slug-a-bug." Lena's voice greeted her at the bottom.

"Hey." She remarked, spotting her book across the way and heading to it barely even noticing Stef had been there till she talked.

"Hey Callie, can we talk to you for a sec?" She asked, taking a seat next to her on the breakfast bar.

"Sure, what's up?" Callie replied, still focussed on zipping up her things and running through her class checklist for what she needed.

"It's about Liam." Stef answered.

Suddenly all awareness of her day's plans collapsed as the concern for school work melted away. She should have known something as trivial as school work couldn't stay her main concern for long. She knew this was coming, it had been at the back of her mind. Why had she let it slip away so far? It was a set up to be blind sided. She tried to re-focus. Take control of her reactions. She could handle this, whatever it was. The worst was over.

"Yeah?" She squeaked out, still preparing herself to look more convincing before she looked at Stef and prove otherwise.

"The thing is sweetheart, we got a call late last night from Simon. My friend, the ADA."

Callie gulped down again and blinked hard before turning to Stef. She had this. She could do it.

"OK?" She replied boldly. "Is he...well. Was there any news?" She tried to keep the passiveness in her voice but as it creaked she folded her arms, trying another form of defence.

"It seems things are moving fast and they want to push with the pre-trial for Friday, if you want it. That means we need to know today whether you want to go ahead with it. You remember what the pre-trial is for and what it means?" She asked softly and clearly.

Callie bit down on her lip, lost for a moment in the detail on Stef's necklace - simply as an object that meant she didn't have to look at anyone.

"Yes. I remember what it was." She replied with half a smile, her eyes darting up quickly before dropping back down.

"You don't have to tell us now, sweetheart." Lena assured her with a gentle hand on her arm. "Take the day to think about it and we'll call Simon tonight when you've decided."

She nodded, not wanting to commit to any verbal response quite yet. She was worried it may give her an indication of how she felt and she wasn't even sure what that would be.

"The other thing you have to know love, is that it looks like it will be your word against his. There's not enough evidence that can be used. We believe you though, right. You know that, yes? And we'll support whatever decision you make." Stef assured her, taking her other arm in her grip, Lena's hand moving to Calle's shoulder.

The feeling of their support both mentally and physically didn't affect her at the moment. She was too fixated on the question and trying to think through all of it at once. There had been days she had been dead set on this and others when she just wanted it gone. She had never doubted it would be her credibility against his, and she had little doubt what that outcome would be. She was only prompted to even notice Stef's hand was on her arm when she felt a small squeeze and a repeat of her name. She looked up to Stef's concerned gaze and quickly tried to cover.

"Right." She nodded. "I know that. And thank you..." She quickly dropped in, even though it was clear that even though she meant it, there was little else she could focus on. In some ways that was enough for Stef, she may not be registering their touch or tone but that meant she had grown to expect it - and even though Callie wasn't thinking about it, that in itself was more of a sign that it was true.

"OK." Stef quickly cupped her cheeks. "Now, you guys better get moving." she quickly checked her watch.

"Yes. Good point. Callie, you ready?" Lena asked, rubbing her back as the young girl nodded, even if still a little distracted.

"I'll wait outside." She nodded as she left.

"Kids, we're leaving. Anyone not down here in the next minute is walking." Lena shouted through the house.

"I'm ready!" Jude chirped, bobbing down the stairs. "Do you want me to take your things to the car?"

"I'm good honey, just go get- "

"Mom, I don't have a clean shirt for volleyball!" Jesus drowned out the rest of her response. "Did you wash it?" He looked between them.

"Yes, Jesus." Stef grabbed the shirt laying next to her on a nearby stool. "And we gave it to you this morning when you came down." She reminded him tossing it over and heading back to the kitchen area.

"Thanks mom! Have a good day." He beamed before racing Jude with some quibbles over who called shotgun.

"Don't even bother guys, it's mine." Brandon ordered, casually swaggering behind as Mariana came running down the stairs. "Mom, do you know any good poets to recommend?" She asked sweetly, her mind still focussed on brainstorming ideas for her task.

"Dr. Seuss?" Stef laughed, dropping a bagel in the toaster as Lena threw her a look.

"We can talk about it in the car honey." She rubbed a hand down her back before mentally counting. "We're missing one." She looked to Stef who flicked an eyebrow as Lena sighed.

"Kasey! If you're not ready now you're not getting a ride." Lena shouted down the stairs.

"She's not even had breakfast." Stef reminded her.

"Well she's not dragging us down with her because she didn't do her homework on time. Tell her we've gone and she better eat fast and then run because she's not getting any allowances for being late."

"We'll get something chucked down her." Sharon assured Lena as Stef kissed her soon to be wife as she left.

"Well it sure is a rabble to get 'em all out, huh?" Sharon commented grabbing a new handful of cutlery.

"No rest for the wicked. Kasey!" Stef yelled before seamlessly continuing. "At least we've broken the news to Callie though."

"Poor lamb." Sharon remarked sadly. "If it were up to me I'd hit that boyscout where it really hurts. Lob off his dipstick - then he'd learn to know where and where not to poke it."

Stef widened her eyes at the morbid sense of justice, not that she didn't entirely disagree. "Well, thank you for at least not saying that in front of the kids, mother." Stef remarked, rescuing her popped up a bagel.

"Oh come on, I know it's what you're thinking too." She grabbed another napkin to roll and was reminded of certain behaviour she'd bookmarked to mention when they were alone. "Speaking of what you're thinking..."

"Here we go..." Stef mumbled to herself under her breath with a hidden eye roll.

"Are you sure it's a good idea to be belittling your wedding in front of you fiancee?" She continued without lifting her eyes off her task.

Stef crinkled her brow in confusion, grabbing some butter. "I'm not belittling the wedding. If you're talking about my earlier comments, I was making an observation. Look, don't worry about it. Lena knows me well enough to not need you to mediate."

"Yes she does, and I know you too." Sharon added. "And honey I hate to meddle..."

Stef gave a sarcastic smile, cutting her off as she tucked into her bagel buttering. "Of course you do "

"But..." Sharon silenced her firmly. "All I'll say is remember that just because you've done it all before doesn't mean Lena has. This is her white wedding, just keep that pinned up there in that brain of yours before you talk."

"Ooooh. Are you getting a sit down about your apparent lack of effort with the wedding, mother?" Kasey commented, finally emerging.

"No, I'm not but you'll be getting one about your being late for school." She turned to her, licking her thumb. "What time do you call this? The others have all gone. Did you not hear us yelling?"

"I generally mute you before I've had any caffeine." She replied with a cheeky grin. "Why? What time is it?" She added as Stef turned to look at the clock, Kasey taking the opportunity to swipe the food of her plate.

"Seven thir-...hey!" She scolded poking her with her foot as she hopped forward and scurried to the other side of the table. "You got a coffee I can steal too?" She asked boldly, chomping through he newly acquired food.

"There's some in the pot but you don't have time anyway."

"Uhm, if I don't have a coffee there's not a chance of my staying awake in half of my classes today." She put the bagel onto a plate and grabbed a cup, multi-tasking at her finest. Stef making a point to pop down another to replace her lost property.

"Well, maybe you shouldn't have been up till all hours doing the homework you were meant to have done when you got home." Stef continued to scold her as Sharon shook her head laughing at the memories of similar exchanges from her own past.

"I was up till two, it's hardly all hours. Anyway, my paper kicks ass."

"Yeah well your Mom's gonna kick yours if you're late so get that down as fast as possible and get moving."

"You know Mom," Kasey pointed the half munched bagel at her as she took another bite. "My kickass paper happens to be on the key points of the war that gained us freedom to eat our breakfast in peace."

"Oh if only." Stef sympathised. "I remember a time I could actually eat mine without my daughter, who should have been out of the house ten minutes ago, stealing it. You know if you actually did what you were told when we told you then we could all have the peace our forefathers fought for."

Kasey shook her head with a patronising smile. "Freedom can't be obtained without challenging authority. Not doing so is how you end up with dictatorships." She tossed the rest of the bagel in her mouth and gulped down a mouthful of coffee.

"Well this dictator is going to end up with less kids if I don't get a break from them."

"Aren't breaks from the kids how you end up producing more?" Kasey laughed, hiding her smile with her mug.

"Two Moms. Argument invalid. Get to school!" Stef pointed firmly as Sharon shook her head.

"But we're bonding!" Kasey protested through another laugh trying desperately to finish her mug as Stef strode towards her.

"We can bond after school, at this rate after the detention you're gonna get." She started to walk her round the table.

"Have a great day sweetheart." Sharon shouted after her. "Don't worry I'll keep your mom in check." She smiled as Kasey kissed her on the cheek.

"You should call her Stefanie more, she loves that." She added as Stef grabbed one of the napkins and promptly folded it in the same move as swooping it towards a leaping Kasey, not quite avoiding it's swift clap on the back of her head.

"Love you." She shouted back grabbing her bag as she left.

"Before you start, I've got no sympathy." Sharon quipped, Stef rolling her eyes.

"Yeah well I'll send her to live with you in Florida and see how you cope."

"Oh honey, I raised you. Anyway, you couldn't send her to Florida because you'd miss her as soon as you waved her off. Also something I learned from raising you." She kissed Stef's cheek stretching off the stool as Stef shook her head with a gentle smile.

"Now, I'm gonna get this place cleared up and you start looking through these photo albums. Let's work on your pro-activeness to prove to Lena you're in this as much as she is." She barked, moving the box of albums over to the clearer breakfast bar. Stef straggling behind, still resentful of the implication she wasn't.

"I am being pro-active, it's just no-one will let me be active. And on that note, I don't need my mom to tell me how to time manage, thank you."

"Don't you? Good. Then you'll get on with it without me asking you again." Sharon smiled, clipping Stef with her hand in a similar way she had just witnessed her do with her granddaughter.

"Chop chop." She strode off as Stef slumped onto the stool, facing another day with her Mom. She got her phone out in vague hope Lena may be calling her to some crisis or the station suddenly deciding they were busy enough to take on someone not medically fit. For a split second she almost wished Kasey would come back having forgotten something so she could drive her to school.

Dammit! Why didn't she offer to drive her to school? Then she could have been the mom instead of the daughter.

"Stefanie!" Sharon's damning order perked her out of her deviating thoughts as she slowly exhaled trying to avoid detection. Clearly there was another long day lay ahead.

Callie was glad she didn't need to make excuses not to walk back with her siblings at the end of the day. Kasey had successfully achieved her tardy detention (even if it was an informal one with Timothy so an extra hour of English was never too much of a burden) and Brandon had gone shopping with Talya. Jude was with his tutor and due to classes she never saw the twins at the end of the day to get back with them.

She always reminded herself not get too comfortable, to not let her guard down, so luckily it hadn't jolted her too much to have a sudden disruption. Today however had done its best to test her resilience and had thrown a couple at her that she didn't expect. One at least was a shock - that Wyatt, her best and only friend, was leaving - the other, a looming reality she had faced faster than she thought she would have to.

Wyatt telling her he was leaving had hit harder than she thought. Even though she wanted the space today, she reflected on their time together. The easiness. How safe she felt with him and despite his flaws, and her own, that they inevitably seemed to match up. She knew that as much as she took companionship in general with hesitation, his was an ear she liked to have and part of her was missing him even now. She sighed and squinted to the walk ahead. She would get past this, she assured herself. So he was going, what was new? Every friend she'd ever made left her life in one way or another. That was how it worked, she shouldn't let this affect her. Besides, he may be her only friend outside the family, but there were those still within. She had Kasey who she knew she could trust, even if she wanted to strangle her on occasion. She had a blooming relationship with Mariana and she was pretty sure even Jesus would lend her an ear were she to spend some time with him. Plus, she always had Jude.

Then there was Brandon. She had spoken to him already and his words had surprised her in their depth - that she may deserve something from all this. She wasn't sure why, they had been close right from the start. This had been a little different though. She wasn't sure what it was about Brandon that gave her the sense of calm. After years of learning every technique possible to keep herself to herself she seemed at ease to drop those defences around him. She bit hard on her bottom lip. Now she was distracting herself, thinking about the people in her life instead of the looming question. What did she want to do? Was Brandon right? Did she deserve this justice?

All of these years she had convinced herself that this wasn't a battle she could even hope to fight, let alone win. That had protected her from it, protected her from having to face the hardship of being beaten down. The difference was though, those times she would have been beaten down and that would be it. Another blot on her life. That didn't happen here. Telling Stef and Lena about Liam had been the most freeing move she had ever made and that was a battle she risked and won, whatever the outcome beyond. She kicked a stone and paused, looking out over the water that accompanied her walk.

This wasn't going to be losing a battle to be beaten down. This would be fighting a battle that even if she lost she would keep moving up. She may not have her victory, but she didn't have it now. This would be going down fighting and being able to recover, knowing she had people to remember that she did it - and more importantly, she would remember she did it. She had nothing more to lose and even if she wasn't going to get that justice, she at least had earned the right to fight for it.

With her new steam behind her, she stormed home. She had flip-flopped so much that right now she didn't want to risk losing her nerve again. She strode in the back door to find Stef at the kitchen table.

"Hey sweets." She greeted with a big smile, but Callie wasn't there for pleasantries.

"I want to do it." was the first thing she said, her face as hard as stone even if it was just a plating for her shakier confidence.

The declaration had caught Stef by surprise, as evidenced by her slightly hanging mouth as she tried to process the speed of the comment. Seeing Callie's determination she removed her glasses, still stuttering before clearing her throat. Eventually it folded into a smile and a nod.

"OK. Then we'll call Simon and arrange for him to come for a briefing." She got off her chair and made her way over to Callie.

"You're sure about this?" She asked, placing her hands on her shoulders and looking hard into her eyes.

Callie got lost in Stef's necklace again and she subconsciously put three fingers on her own. After two sharp breaths she looked up, straight into Stef's eyes, not quite touching her hands but feeling them firmly there. Her new crutch.

"Yes. I'm sure."

Next Chapter Preview: Sharon does some bonding with her grandaughters and while Kasey does some damage control from an orders screw-up, Callie opens up to her about her fears:

"Look we don't have to talk about it." Kasey assured her. "I just want you to know you can, if you want to, that is. I'm not gonna try and sway you. Just listen."

Callie looked up, genuinely grateful. As much as the world was determined to prove her otherwise, some things really had changed in her fortune. A few more moments of silence fell before Callie finally picked it up.

"I just don't understand why I am letting it get to me." She remarked, her voice tired. "I was never meant to be here anyway, it's all just extra - and that's why I agreed to do it. You know, I wouldn't lose anything more."