AN: I apologize about the little mishap, when I had accidentally added Cole to the character list. I had forgotten to add the CAPTCHA code while creating this story and it made the characters I added to be removed. I was adding them back in a hurry and I must have clicked the character below Callie's name instead of Callie's name. I'm sorry for everyone who were expecting to see Cole. He won't be in the story.

Stef POV

I shifted in my seat as I waited patiently for Bill to explain, why was Jude here and what had happened. Bill opened his mouth to start off, but he put of the explanation, because we both heard Lena talking to Jude as she was taking him upstairs. We both glanced towards the hallway and waited till their footsteps lead to upstairs. We didn't want to talk about Jude, while he can hear us.

"So," I looked at Bill, when I was sure that Jude and Lena were both upstairs

"Jude first entered the foster care at age of 6," Bill started off. And right from the start, there was a sign, that said - things are bad. First entered - meaning, he got out of foster care, only to be later put back.

"Jude and his older sister Callie, who was 10 at the time, were a package deal, so to say, from the very start. We never separated them, but that sometimes lead to them being placed in not so good foster homes," Bill said. I noticed that Bill didn't need the file to know the boys back story.

"What happened to their parents?" I asked, wanting to know more of the detail

"Car crash," that was Bill's short answer, but when he saw my look, he elaborated his answer "Their parents went out one night. Dinner with friends. On the way back, their father crashed their car into another vehicle. In the result of the collision, his wife and two other people from the other car died. The toxicology report showed that he had been driving under influence. He was sentenced to jail,"

"That's horrible," I felt bad for the kids. They didn't just lose their mother, they lost their father as well. I can't even imagine what the father was feeling. He killed, unintentionally, the mother of his kids. The harsher punishment here isn't the jail time he received, but the guilt of knowing what he did, how he ruined his family. Not many can come back from that.

"They both changed foster homes pretty often," Bill continued "Quite often, because of Callie. She had caused problems or trouble to the foster parents or acted out, which lead to both of them being taken out of the home,"

"What are you saying?" I leaned back a bit to have a better look on Bill "That it was always his sister fault?" I asked skeptically "The foster parents never did anything wrong?" As a cop, I have been to many domestic call. The reality of things is harsh - there are a lot of abusive homes.

Bill looked me in the eye, but didn't answer my question. The look he gave me confirmed what I was thinking. In the paperwork and the documents it was always written that Callie's actions got them kicked out, but in reality, it was either abuse or neglect that made Callie act out.

"3 years ago, his sister got herself arrested," Bill informed me

"For what?" I interjected before he could continue

"Damaging property," Bill explained quickly and move on with the story "Callie was sent to Juvie. Which also mean for the siblings to be separated. They did not see each other for years. After Callie was released, she was placed in a group home, meanwhile, Jude bounced around foster homes,"

A smile appeared on Bill's face. I wasn't sure what he was smiling about, nothing about Jude and his sister back story was a cause for a smile.

"Here comes the best part," Bill said making me very intrigued "Roughly some 9 months ago, his sister, who was 18 at that time, filed to get guardianship of Jude," the smile grew a little and he looked genuinely happy for the two kids "It took Callie 3 month, but in the end she was granted the guardianship of Jude!" I think Bill was proud of what Callie had done "Jude was out of foster care!"

"Oh...wasn't expecting that," I said pleasantly surprised. But the happiness I felt for them, was quickly overshadowed by the fact that Jude was here now, needing a place to stay. That only meant one thing – something must have happened to his sister, which only made this all more heartbreaking. I was preparing to hear the worst.

"They were both so happy," Bill smile widened

"So, why is Jude here?" I asked, making the smile from his face to slowly fade out

"The CPS does regular check ups every 3 months on Callie, to make sure Jude's needs are taken care of and that she's doing okay – financially and all that. The first visit, which was 3 months ago went good, they stayed together. But the last one, which was earlier today-" Bill trailed off, he took a deep breath in preparing to tell the rest

"Not so good?" I asked scared to hear what happened

"Callie didn't show up," there was worry in his eyes

"What do you mean?" I frowned my forehead

"She left work at 3," Bill started to explain "Jude said she was planning on stopping at grocery store to stock up on food and items that were needed. The plan was for her to get back home before 5, some time before the CPS visit was scheduled, but..."

"But...what?" I questioned needing to know the answer

"I don't know. No one knows," Bill shrugged his shoulders, the worry only grew "CPS thinks she ran and left Jude, because she couldn't handle the responsibility. Jude tried to call her multiple times – no answer. He sent her messages – no reply. After a while - her phone was turned off. Jude called her job – they said she left at 3 and that everything seemed normal. He called all her friends – no one had heard from or seen her,"

"She never made it back home," I concluded

"She never made it home," Bill repeated quietly, but then he shifted in his seat, scooting a bit closer to the edge of the sofa. He pressed his elbows to his knees and gestured with his hand "Look, I know Callie since she was 10. She's a good kid, unlucky...but a good kid. I'm not leaving my brother - those were Callie's first words to the social worker after they were told that they will be put in foster care. Jude is her whole life. He's the only one that matters to her. Callie wouldn't just leave! She fought to get guardianship of him - it doesn't make any sense that she would walk away like this now. Besides, that doesn't sound like the Callie I know," Bill sounded very confident of that "The only way Callie would leave Jude would be if someone would force her to, like when she was arrested. Otherwise, there is no way Callie would leave Jude behind. No way!"

A hush fell upon us. I glanced towards the hallway and thought about Jude, how he must have felt, when his sister didn't come home one day. He must be scared and worried out of his mind about his sister. His mother died, his father was arrested and now his sister was gone as well. He was all alone.

"You are a cop," Bill stated, making me look back at him "There was a reason I called you and Lena. Maybe you can...put a word out or look for her?" He watched me closely "I know I'm asking a lot from you, but...Callie is all that Jude has. They need each other. Jude needs to know what happened to his sister!"

I started back at Bill with a blank facial expression for few short seconds "Bill," my voice was soft, I spoke slowly not wanting to think about the worst possible outcome "You do understand what you are asking, right? It's no easy task. There is a chance that she might be...dead," my voice got quieter at the end as I didn't want to think about that outcome

"I know," he said quietly "But Jude needs to know. Will you help?" Bill sounded desperate

"You know I will, Bill!" I stated back, without thinking about it too much

After I walked out Bill, I returned to the living room and took Jude's file, that Bill had left for us, and walked upstairs. When I reached the second floor, I heard the water running in the kids bathroom. I walked in the bedroom and dropped Jude's file on the bed for now. Lena was in the bathroom, sorting Jude's clothes to see what she could wash and which ones looked clean.

"Hey," I announced myself as I walked in the bathroom and started to help her "How did he seem?"

"Quiet," Lena replied as she folded Jude's jeans and put them in a pile, that seemed to be labeled clean clothes "Didn't say much. He looked very...sad,"

"Well, he has a good reason for it," I informed Lena on everything that Bill had told me. By the time I was done telling the story, we had sorted through all of his clothes and put a load in to wash.

"Oh my gosh...poor Jude," Lena still couldn't quite believe it

"The CPS thinks she ran," I said reaching for the pile of clean clothes "Couldn't handle the responsibility,"

"You will look for her, right?" Lena asked lifting blue duffle bag

"I will do my best to find her," I replied walking out of the bathroom "I need to talk to Jude. Get as much of information as possible. I want to go to the station tonight..."

"Tonight?"

"She's missing. The sooner we make a missing persons report the better. I want to put a word out in other police stations, hospitals, morgues..."

"Morgues?" Lena cut me off as she didn't like the sound of the last options

I stopped in the hallway and turned back to Lena "It's a possibility Lena. Callie could have been involved in a hit and run or had some medical issue with her heart or...something, I don't know," I sighed in the end

She tilted her head down, averted her look on the hardwood floor and she sighed sadly as she tried to wrap her head around all that was happening, all the information.

I turned around and walked towards Brandon's room, where Lena had set up a bed for him. Lena followed me close behind. We had missed the fact that the water was no longer running in the bathroom. I got a little startled, when I saw Jude sitting on the bed. I froze in my steps. Lena walked up to stand next to me. Jude was looking right at us. I think he heard us talking.

I glanced to Lena worried. She shared the same kind of look.

"Hey! How was the shower?" I smiled him trying to keep it casual. I walked over to the closet to put the clean clothes in the drawers. For now, Lena set the blue bag in the corner of the room.

After I had put the last piece of clothing away and closed the drawer, I heard Jude ask me bluntly with no emotion in his voice "You think my sister is dead?"

I turned around to face him. He stared right at me excepting me to say something, but I...froze. I saw tears glistering in his eyes, but he was holding them back. Trying to stay strong, acting this wasn't affecting him.

Lena and I shared another look. I hesitated too much, so Lena stepped up "We don't know, Jude," she said honestly and slowly walked closer to him "We hope not,"

Jude looked from Lena over to me. But he said nothing, to either one of us. Jude tilted his head down to avoid our looks. I met this boy 30 minutes ago, but already, I had such strong feelings for him. My heart broke for him, for what was happening with him. He was so young, but he has experienced so much pain, more than some people do in 30 years worth of life.

"I know it's late," I finally spoke up and walked towards him "But I need to talk to you. It's important!"

Jude continued to stare at his hands, showing no sign that he heard me. Lena looked at me, telling me with her eyes to be gentle. I crouched down by him and put my hands softly on his knees. This was the only position, where I could look at his eyes. He was fighting back tears.

"It's about your sister," I said softly. My statement, made him look up to me, we made eye contact.

"Bill told you what happened," it wasn't a question, he simply stated the fact

"Yes, he told me," I confirmed looking to his eyes "I think I can help you," I tilted my head a little to right side

"How?" he asked without much expectation in his eyes or his voice. I didn't reply at once. I looked over my shoulder up to Lena, who was standing right behind me. She gave me a small encouraging smile and nod.

I looked back at Jude, who was still watching me, waiting to hear an answer "I'm a police officer," his tensed up instantly "I can help you put out a missing person report, but I need you to answer few questions about your sister,"

"You...you want to help me find my sister?" He seemed skeptical about it

"Yes," I replied without missing a beat

"You just met me," He briefly glanced to Lena "Why would you want to help me find my sister?" he questioned, when he looked back at my eyes

"Because Bill told me about both of you. He told me, what kind of person your sister was, how close the two of you were," Carefully I reached for his hand, he allowed me to hold them in my mine, I moved my thumbs fondly over his palms "And..." I breathed out "I think that the CPS was wrong," I gazed to his eyes "I don't think she ran,"

"I don't think she ran, either," Jude admitted quietly, but after a moment he asked "What do you need to know?"