A/N- i know, shorter chapter, sorry, the next one is a longer. Thanks for reading! I love and appreciate you! This is actually the penultimate (i love that word) chapter. So if you have thoughts about what you want next let me know or my writing might be on hiatus as well. Last chapter comes Friday. Please R&R! Enjoy!
As always- I don't own The Fosters, all I own is this cup of coffee.
Stef POV
Callie doesn't want to be there when we talk to all the kids, and honestly I can't blame her. I don't want to have this conversation either. But I also don't feel comfortable leaving her alone right now. Maybe we can gather the kids in one of their bedrooms to talk, that way we'll still be close to her if she needs us. I carry the girl up the stairs. I'm grateful she just curls further into me rather than fighting me at this point. I'm tired of fighting against her when the only fighting I want to do is fight for her. I slowly make our up the stairs and to our room. It's been a long time since I carried one of my kids like this.
I make it to the room and place the half sleeping girl down on the bed. When I let go to stand up her arms wrap around my neck and she pulls me back towards her. We almost headbutt but I am able to catch my bearings in time and place my arms on the mattress holding myself up. She releases a little whine but her eyes have yet to reopen. "Stay mommy" she mumbles her lower lip pouting out "no going." She sounds and looks like a tired grade-schooler. I know technically she just called me 'mommy' but I also know she didn't mean me; she thinks I'm her birth mom. I don't have the heart to tell her otherwise or wake her up. "Don't worry baby. Mommy's not going anywhere." I say, taking my hands and releasing her grasp around my neck. I lay next to her on the bed helping her to settle back down.
Moments later I see Lena's head peak around the doorway. "Hi love" she whispers "I got the kids together in the girls room. I thought us all being upstairs would be easier, just in case." I'm glad we're thinking the same thing, I don't even want to leave her for this long alone but know we need to talk to the rest of the kids. I slowly and carefully shift to rise. As I release the girl who was wrapped into my side she instinctively curls up in a small ball, reaching out and pulling back the pillow closest to her. She looks scared yet peaceful, her face relaxes as she gets comfortable. I think Lena's pillow helps, when my love is not around I sleep with her pillow too, its relaxing.
Lena POV
My love and I stand there watching the girl reposition herself, she looks so small. Once she stops moving and I think she's settled her right hand reaches up, stroking against her nose a few times before her hand wraps shut and her thumb finds its way into her mouth. She appears to be the little child I imagine she was when her mother died. My heart breaks that I don't get to see this innocence regularly, that the world taught her she can't be like this. She still has a soft heart, she just built a strong wall around it. She's like Stef in that, rejection for being who you are hurts and then you just hide your feelings. But, when those people open their heart to you I haven't seen anything comparable to that beauty and overflowing love that they trust you not to hurt them. That they know you are safe.
Stef gets my attention and nods toward the door, we make our way as quietly as possible into the hallway. Once there I release a breath I didn't know I was holding. The overwhelming sigh came from deep in my heart and was quickly followed by arms being wrapped around me in a strong hug. I held back with might, we just stood there holding on. So much has happened in the past day and we haven't had a real chance to check in with the other. To just be like this. I slightly pull away, knowing if I don't now I never will and I can't stop now. I can cry tonight in her arms, but for now I have children I need to take care of. "I love you so much" were the only words that could turn from my rambled thoughts to coherent speech and escape my lips. They said everything and yet were not sufficient. "I love you too." She replied giving me a quick kiss.
"Let's do this." She said, I nodded and followed her to the girls room, our hands grasping. We hear hushed sounds of the kids, I can't make out the words but it abruptly stops as Stef raps her knuckles gently on the door and pushes it open. All eyes dart to the doorway as we enter. Jesus is pacing the room, Mariana is sitting on her bed reading a fashion magazine with Jude, and Brandon is on Callies bed. We make our way over and sit on Callies bed, Brandon moves himself to the floor takig the headphones from his ears and making Jesus sit down with him. I can tell they're worried, especially when they get rounded up, and I can't quite tell them there's no reason to be. We try to be always honest and I'm not sure if it would be a lie. Guess it's best to just get this over with.
"Okay, my babies, no ones in trouble. But, mama and I have to talk you you about a few things..."