Lena POV

October 13th

Jude tried the first key in the upper lock. When it didn't fit, he went with the second key on his key chain. That did the trick. After that he took the first key between his fingers and put it in the lower lock. He turned the key. I heard the sound of the lock turning.

There was a new lock on the apartment doors, that's why Jude was having some trouble unlocking the apartment doors. It will take some time to remember, which key goes in which lock hole. It was Stef's idea, that the lock on the apartment doors should be changed. Stef suggested the idea to Jude, who agreed almost instantly. Callie's keys were stolen after all. Better be safe than sorry. It's not a nice feeling knowing that some stranger, has your house keys and can march right in here if they found this place. A lock change doesn't cost that much. Knowing how much Callie already lost, we want to be sure that nothing else can be stolen from the girl. Stef found a locksmith and asked him to change the lock. It was done yesterday and this was the first time Jude came back to the apartment since the lock change. Stef gave the new key to me to give to Callie today. I had the second set in my purse.

Jude walked in first and then held the doors open to me. I walked in the apartment and took a look around. As far as I could tell, it was a two bedroom apartment. One of the rooms, the biggest one was kitchen, living room and probably Callie's bedroom at the same time. Like a 3 in 1 deal. One of two doors must lead to a bathroom, other one to Jude's room.

Jude closed the doors and came up to me. He was holding the keys between his fingers "It's not as big as your house," he looked around the room we stood in "But it's home," he added at the end

"It's not the size, the expensive furniture, the neighborhood that makes a place a home," I replied looking at the boy, who stood next to me "It's the people. The daily rituals you do. Home is a place, where you can feel safe, comfortable and where you can be – you!"

The young boy looked up to me and a small, timid smile spread across his lips. The eye contact didn't last long. He quickly put the keys in his pocket "I'm going to -" he pointed to the light gray couch, that looked a bit broken down "-pack Callie's bag," Jude walked to the corner of the room and started to look around

"How can I help?" I asked wanting to help Jude out

Jude tossed a bag onto the couch and looked around. He scratched the back of his head as he thought about it "Um...you could go in the bathroom, right there," he pointed to the doors behind me "-and get Callie's toothbrush and other hygiene stuff, while I find some clothes,"

I gave a small nod back and headed into the bathroom to find the stuff. When I was in the bathroom, I heard Jude call after me "Callie has the orange toothbrush,"

"Got it!" I said taking the toothbrush out from the small cup that stood on the corner of the sink

I crouched down by the small cabinet underneath the sink to look for a toiletry bag to where I could put it. I found one at the far back of the top shelf. Besides the toothbrush, I also added one of the toothpaste, wet wipes, a lotion, balsam for lips, hairbrush, nail fail and tossed in few hair clips and one hair band. I added some of the stuff, thinking that maybe if she allowed and needed, I could help her with it. Just in case, I also took the half empty bag of pads.

Walking back to the big room, I saw how Jude was folding a hoodie "Jude," I walked up to him and placed everything I held in the bag "I don't think Callie will be able to get into that," Jude slowly stopped folding the hoodie as he realized that I might be right

"Stupid me," he scolded himself "You're right!" Jude grabbed the hoodie and tossed it back in the drawer he took it out from "It's was her favorite," he said rummaging though the drawer that were filled with unfolded clothes. Looking down at the bag, I saw that he had packed her sweatpants and tossed in few pairs of underwear and socks. I think those were slippers at the bottom.

He turned to me, his face slightly pink, looking embarrassed "If she lays in hospital bed, does she need a bra?"

"You can put one in, just in case," I replied not knowing how Callie feels about it, but thinking that she probably won't need one. The broken ribs and her right arm that was in sling, complicated thing. I doubt she would feel comfortable with the bra pressing in her skin and body, that was already bruised.

Jude turned around, grabbed a black bra from the drawer and put it in the bag, hiding it a bit behind her other clothes.

"Would t-shirt be okay?"

"Yes, that could work. Look for something loose. Or maybe, if she has a shirt that can be buttoned up," I gave him a little bit of advice

"Okay," Jude mumbled as he kept on rummaging through the drawers

While he was searching for Callie's clothes, I took another look around the apartment. I got a bit curious about what Jude's bedroom was like "May I take a look?" I asked Jude pointing to the doors

Jude glanced over his shoulder to me to see what I was talking about "Yeah, sure," he nodded back , but then returned his attention back to the drawers and pulled open the third from top

I walked over to the bedroom doors and opened them, expecting to see something similar to the room, where Callie sleeps in. But was nothing a like. The room wasn't big. The size of half of the living room. It was neat. There was, by the looks, a new, light hardwood floor. The room had light green wallpaper, that made the room look bright and happy. It had a bed, not a couch, and it had stripe light grey to blue bed cover over it. Next to it was a nightstand, that by the looks, could be a set with the bed. Comic books stood on top it, along with an alarm clock and a half full bag of gummy bears. In the far end of the room there was a dresser, armchair and a desk, that was covered in some papers. When I got a closer look, I saw that the papers were filled with mathematics formulas, bunch of text that could be a draft for English or some history homework. On the corner for the desk, there was a picture frame. I walked up to it and lifted it up, to have a better look at it.

It was a picture of the two Jacob siblings. Their heads were pressed together. Both of them had huge smiles on their lips, that reached their eyes as well. It looked like it was taken inside some building. Both of them looked dressed up. By the quality of the photo, I guess it had been taken with a phone.

"We took that the day, Callie was given guardianship of me," I heard Jude's voice coming from the doorway. I turned around to look at the young boy, still holding the frame in my hands.

I glanced down to the picture "You both look happy,"

"We were," Jude confirmed with a sad smile, obviously because of the current situation on his mind "Happiest day of our lives," Jude briefly glanced back to the other room, like looking back to something

"I packed the bag," he announced energetically, wanting to get to hospital to see Callie, when he turned back to me

"Okay, then we can go," I replied placing the photo frame back where it stood before

The doors to Callie's room were open. Jude and I both peaked a look inside. We saw no sign of Callie, but there was a nurse, that was changing the bed sheets and cover.

"Hi," I greeted the nurse kindly, while Jude stood nervously next to me holding the bag in his hand

"Hi, there," she smiled back as she neatly tossed the clean blanket over the bed "Are you looking for Callie?"

"Yeah. Was she taken to some procedure?" I asked placing my hand on Jude's shoulder to give him a little bit of comfort and remind him that I'm right here with him, that he's not alone

"No. She's taking a small walk around the hospital,"

"Oh," Jude looked up to me, but a moment later asked the nurse "Can we wait here, till she comes back?"

"Oh, sure, sure!" Nurse replied as she took the dirty loudly "I'm all done here,"

"Thanks," We watch as the nurse walks away. Jude walked deeper in the room and set the bag with the stuff on the armchair he usually sat on. Looking around, not knowing where to put all the stuff, he decided to leave it there for now and walked over to the window to take a look outside. I remained standing up while we waited for her.

We had been waiting for about 5 minutes, when I decided that I will try and look for her "Wait right here, okay. I'm gonna go try and look for your sister,"

"I'll wait right here. In case you miss her," Jude replied and pulled out his phone. He turned the phone sideways and, by the sound, I could guessed that he started to play one of his games on the phone.

Walking out of the room, I turned left and headed down the hallway, passing a lot of doctors and nurses, janitor, maintenance guys, visitors and other patients. I hadn't been walking for too long, maybe 20 seconds, when between all the noise that was around me, one certain voice stood out. I was almost positive that the voice came from the hallway in front of me.

"-how does me, being a victim of a crime, makes me unsuitable for looking after my brother!?" I had heard Callie's voice though all of the noise

The person, who was talking with Callie spoke in much more quiet voice that didn't pierce through the other noises around me, so I only heard a little part of it, after I had walked closer "-your job," it was a woman's voice

"I can do my job just fine!" Callie insisted as I took a step towards the wall, letting nurses, who were pushing a gurney with a patient pass me

"Broken ribs. Concision. You had two surgeries. Your right arm is in a sling. You will need weeks if not months of physical therapy to regain full motions," the other person responded calmly "You won't be able to work for weeks!"

"So I will ask my boss to give me different kind of job!" Callie argued back "I will wash dishes, clean the floors, answer the phone to take reservations if I have to!"

When I had reached the hallway, I saw Callie and the woman, who was dressed business casual clothes, stand some 10 steps away from me on the hallway to the right. Callie was standing with her back against the wall. She was standing there in the hospital gown. Her left hand was gripping the pole, that had the fluid bag on and a small computer, with buttons on, that I have seen only the nurses touch.

I remained standing still by the spot where the hallways crossed, giving the two woman time to finish their conversations.

"Callie," the woman, who stood in front of Callie sighed "I can't put Jude in your care right now. Till you get better and get your life back together, he is better of with the Adams Fosters," The woman Callie was talking to, took the file in her left hand, but with the right she reached out to Callie's left arm trying to comfort her

"Don't!" Callie snapped back at the woman as she pushed the woman's hand off her arm. Grabbing the pole back in her hand, Callie slowly and carefully turned to where I stood, most likely, to walk back to her room, but she came to stop, when she saw me standing in the hallway

She tilted her head down and I heard her mutter to herself in frustration "Great!" the woman, who was with Callie observed me, probably, wondering, who I was

"Lena Adams Foster," I introduced myself to what I thought was the CPS worker assigned to Callie and Jude's case as I walked closer to them

"Oh!" the older woman exclaimed "Teresa Gillian. Nice to meet you!" she shook my hand back

"Uh...I overheard you two talking about Jude's living situation, when I was...walking up," I pointed over my shoulder. Teresa glanced to Callie, who slowly raised her head up to glare at me

"I need to get back to my room," Callie announced as she tilted her head down and started to walk pass us. When she started walking, I noticed how she was a bit bent down. She had a small limp in her step and her pace was slow, but she was walking, which was good.

"I'll see you in few days, Callie," Teresa said to Callie as she was walking away, but Callie didn't waste her breath on replying. Clearly she was frustrated and upset with the CPS worker. I stepped aside, so Callie doesn't have to walk around me. Once she had turned the corner, I started to slowly walk next to her.

"You must be soooo happy now?" Callie muttered under her nose. Stef told me about what Callie told her after she took her statement. It was quite obvious that Callie thought of us as her opponents or even enemies. Someone, who aren't her friends. We were menace to her.

"Why?" I frowned my brows and glanced to the girl next to me

"You know why!"

I took a deep breath in and exhaled "Look, Callie," I touched her right arm briefly as stopped walking, asking her with the gesture to stop along with me "We are on your side!" It was obvious that Callie didn't believe a word I say "Stef and I know how important Jude is to you! We are not trying to take him away from you!"

"Until you do and ruin everything!" Callie retorted

"I promise you, that won't happen. We are not looking to adopt!"

"So you only took him in for the money? Is that it?" Callie questioned back staring right into my eyes

"Jude is staying with us, because he needed a place to stay," I answered calmly and softly "We are temporary foster parents. That's what it says in our foster license. We will foster Jude, till you recover and can again be Jude's guardian,"

By the look, I might have gotten to Callie. Maybe, just maybe, she believed what I said. Her features softened a bit. And her eyes – she was no longer glaring at me, more like observing me. Trying to tell if she could believe, what I just told her.

"You should get back to your room," I said, when I saw how Callie was starting to struggle a little with staying on her feet. I wanted to be ready, to give her any support walking, so I reached out to her. My left hand fingertips just barely touched her lower back, more like only her hospital gown, not her back. Wincing in pain she turned to where her room was and began to slowly walk back.

"We brought some clothes and other stuff for you," I told the girl, when we were 2 rooms away from hers "Also, we changed the locks on your apartment,"

"You what?" Callie stopped walking and glanced to me in shock

"For safety reasons. Your keys were stolen. I will give you your new keys, when you will be back in your bed," I explained to her and offering her a warm smile

"Nice," her voice was full of sarcasm "Now I owe you money as well! Just great!"

"You don't owe us anything! You won't have to pay us back!" I told her as I watched how she walked back into her room, but I don't get any sort of answer. I'm not even sure that she listened to me.

I remained standing still in the hallway. A smile spread across my lips as I listened, how the two siblings interacted, when it was just the two of them. It warmed my heart.

Callie POV

October 18th

As I was trying to sign the last hospital form with my left hand, Dr. Reed gave me the last bit of information I needed "Come back for an appointment in 12 days. We will take out your stitches and do a check up,"

"Got it," I said as I scribbled my signature on the bottom of the form

"Remember," she took the form as I clicked the pen off "Take it easy at home. Don't do any heavy lifting, no sport actives, no fast movement. Your stitches can rip, head can get dizzy, you could hurt your ribs again. And don't forgot to take the medicine we prescribed you!"

"Mm-hmm," I hummed back as I had heard this once before earlier today

"Okay. That's it!" She smiled at me "I will see you at your check up," Dr. Reed said before walking away

Once she was out of my sight, I crouched down to pick my bag up. Giving out a groan and wincing in pain, I stood up lifting the bag in my left. I put the bag strap over my shoulder and turned to the exit. Ignoring the pain that I got from carrying the bag over my shoulder, I walked out of the hospital.

No one was there waiting for me. No one could be there to pick me up and drive me home. My friends don't have cars and they also have jobs that they can't miss. Jude isn't even old enough to drive. Rita is busy with the group home. And Stef or Lena - I never even considered asking them. So, I just had to get back home on my own. I couldn't afford the luxury of calling a cab, because money will be tight as it is. My insurance won't cover everything, so I had to try and save every penny I have.

I reached up for the strap of the bag by my left shoulder, to hold on to it, as I began the painfully slow and hard walk back home.