Callie POV

I was sitting on the side of the bed, legs hanging over the bedside. The hospital gown was the only cloth I was wearing. My eyes were on my left palm.

"Almost done," Nurse Agnes told me as she prepared to pull the IV line out of my hand. She was liberating me of all of the medical equipment I had been attached to for the night. My doctor, Dr. Reed, checked up on me few hours ago. There were no complications during the night and everything looked good in the morning, so she discharged me. The only thing left right now was the IV line in my hand. Once that it out of my hand, I will be able to get out of this place.

Nurse Agnes put the bandage over the spot and patted my arm softly "There. You are free," she smiled at me kindly

"Uhm..." I rubbed the back of my neck

"What is it, sweetheart?" She asked noticing, how nervous I got

"I don't have any cloth," I said quietly, embarrassed about the situation I was in "My brother didn't bring any with him yesterday," I explained to her. There was no way I was going to walk out of her wearing this hospital gown.

"I could call your brother and ask him to bring you some," Nurse replied looking down to me

"Oh, no! No, that's not necessary!" I instantly talked her out of doing that "He's in school and I don't want him to miss any class," I explained, she nodded her head back

I detained a little pause as I got the courage to speak up "Can I like...get some scrubs? " I asked shyly "I could return them later!"

"I will go get you some scrubs," Nurse Agnes told me and walked away to look for some. While I waited, I simply sat on the bed, stared at the floor and swung my legs back and forth.

About 5 minutes later I heard Agnes voice "I got you something better than scrubs!" she announced walking up to me. I looked up to her so quickly, my head spun a bit. It took few seconds till the dizzy spell passed. Once it did, I saw how Agnes zipped open the bag. It was an older black Puma backpack, with different badges attached to them. One of the badges read – badges are stupid! Badge next to it read – I'm solemnly swear I'm up to no good -, which is a quote from Harry Potter books. That's when I realized that it was my bag.

"Where did you get that?" I asked reaching for my back pack

"The officer brought it over," Nurse told me as she pulled out underwear and black sweatpants

"Jude's foster mom?" I questioned

"Yes, I suppose," Nurse said as she closed the curtain so I could change in peace and undisturbed without anyone watching me. She walked in front of me and took the underwear and slid it up till my knees "Stand up," she told me before she helped me get in the underwear

"She's here?" I asked, when nurse started to help me get into the sweatpants

"Yes. She's waiting in the hallway for you," Nurse replied casually. I wasn't sure, how I felt about her showing up like this. Small part of me was surprised, because I hadn't expected anyone to show up. I was also confused, not understanding why was she's here. After all, I'm no one to her. But of course, I was thankful for the clothes she brought so I don't have to walk home. A small part of me hoped, that maybe I won't have to walk home on my own. Maybe she will give me a ride. That would save me a lot of energy and time. But then again, I don't really want her help. I might seem desperate to her if I do ask her for the ride.

"Why?"

"You will have to ask her that herself," Agnes said reaching in the backpack and pulling out a flannel shirt

~o~o~o~

"One last signature here," Nurse, who was handling the discharging papers, told me as she flipped a page and pointed to the line at the bottom of the page. I was doing my best to write my signature with my left hand. Compared to the last time, my writing skill with my left hand has improved.

"That's all. We hope that we won't have to see you here again," the nurse told me as she took the papers back

"You and me both," I replied with a small smile

I was about to bend down and pick up my almost empty backpack, when a voice from behind me stopped me "I got it!" Looking over my shoulder, I saw Stef only two step away. She leaned down, picked up my backpack and tossed it over her shoulder.

"Hey!" She smiled at me warmly as I stood up straight and turned to her "Ready to go?" I stared at her for a while, wondering, why she was still here and hasn't left already. It wasn't like I had asked her to stay. I thought that she had left after she handed the bag to the nurse.

"I will give you a ride."

"I can walk," I said hoping that she will object and offer me a ride as I reached for my backpack. I was too proud to ask for it myself. Also, I didn't know how to ask for help.

Stef turned her torso, evading my hand "You don't have to," she said and put the back pack on both of her shoulders. I hesitated for a moment, but eventually got over my pride and accepted her help.

In few minutes we walked into my apartment together. Stef walked to the middle of the room, stopped and looked around.

"You can set the bag down there," I pointed to the couch, when I walked up to the coffee table to toss my keys down. Stef nodded, but didn't move from her spot.

"Thank you for the clothes and for the ride home," I said shyly, when I realized she probably wanted me to acknowledge it and thank her for it before she leaves. I averted my eyes to the ground and added "I appreciate the help!"

"You are welcome," Stef replied, her voice soft. When I looked up to her, she smiled at me warmly. But still she didn't move or let go of the backpack she was holding on. She was watching me so closely that she made me feel slightly uncomfortable. I glanced sideways to avoid her look, but still felt her eyes on me. I contorted my mouth to one side and waited few seconds. But nothing happened. Biting my lip, I looked back at her.

Stef tilted her head down briefly "I wanted to ask you something," she said as she looked back at me

"Um, okay," I dragged slowly not sure what to expect

"Can we sit for a moment?" She asked gesturing to the couch behind me and swung the backpack off her shoulder. I looked back at the couch and rubbed the bridge of my nose nervously.

"Sure," I mumbled to myself, not seeing the harm in that, as I took the steps back and sat down on the couch. Stef took a seat on the coffee table. She was still holding on to my backpack. It was now now between her feet. Stef pressed her elbows to her knees and leaned towards me. I could tell she was nervous about whatever it was she wanted to talk to me about. And here I thought that I should be the nervous one.

"So umm..." she clenched her hands together "Jude came to talk to us yesterday."

"And?" I asked getting scared not knowing what she will say. I got scared that Jude might have said something out of place and gotten them upset or angry with him.

"Well," Stef un-clenched her hands and held them out, palms up "He asked if you could come live with us," she explained, but then added "Jude expressed his concern about you living alone while you are recovering. He's worried about you."

"What?" I blurt out in shock "I'm so, so sorry!" I apologized to her for Jude trying to fix this mess. This was not good. Jude crossed the line with asking them that questions. This is the kind of stuff that foster parents can throw him out. He shouldn't have asked them anything. All he had to do was sit tight and not get in trouble till I recover. If Stef and Lena throw him out, he could wind up in group home or in a home that's much further away, or with foster parents that aren't so nice to him. He hasn't earned that right to ask them for any favors. Let alone this. What was he thinking?

I needed to fix this, before Stef and Lena act on it "Sometimes he says stuff without thinking about it!" My mind wasn't completely clear because of the concussion, so I couldn't figure out what else to say to Stef, how to fix this mess. My anxiety grew as well, which was not helping. It was not good that I got worked up so much.

"Callie! Callie!" Stef tried to calm me down. She gripped my left hand and held it between her palms "It's okay!"

"No, no!" I shook my head, but the fast movement made my head hurt and I got a bit dizzy "He shouldn't have asked you that. I'm...please...please don't be mad at him!" I begged her

"We agree with him!"

"You what?" I asked completely confused. Those were not the words I had expected to hear from her.

"He's right. You should come live with us till you recover," My mouth parted a little as I thought about replying, but I didn't know what to say "What if you fall again? What if you hurt yourself and no one is here to help you? You should rest and heal, but you can't do that if you live on your own and you have to do everything on your own," Stef explained staring to my eyes

"We have two empty rooms. I got few days off, so I can look after you. You will see your brother every day for more than just one hour a day. Lena and I would be happy to help you!"

"I...uh.." I stumbled on my own words, not knowing what to say, how to react. I shut my eyes, shook my head trying to clear my head. "No...no, I can't!" I got out as I opened my eyes. This was too much.

"Yes you can!"

"No..the CPS!" I tried to make a valid arguments

"What about them?" Stef questioned tilting her head a bit to the right, but never taking her eyes off me

My eyes were averted to the ground between us the wheels turned in my head "They will...they will say that..." my mind jumped to different thought "I will never get him back!"

"Yes you will!" Stef sounded very confident

"No, because the CPS...if I can't take care of myself, how can I take care of my brother!" I was all worked up, my breathing was elaborated. "They will say that I'm unfit to take care of him!"

"If you want to take care of your brother, first you need to take care of yourself!" Stef replied as she took her right hand and placed it on my cheek "The CPS doesn't care, where you recover, love!" She reasoned back while looking deep into my eyes. Stef moved her thumb gently over my cheek. I swallowed a lump in my throat as I started back to her eyes.

"Lena and I want to help you, Callie," she said quietly "Please, let us!"

~o~o~o~

I was standing on the lawn looking up to the house that had Stef pulled up to. I heard Stef close the car doors, but I never did look back. My eyes were on the house. This seemed unreal. I still don't understand how I got here or why I agreed to the offer. But there had been something about the way Stef was looking at me, when we were back in my apartment.

I felt a hand touch my shoulder blade softly. Looking at my right, I saw Stef walk pass me with my bag over her right shoulder. She nodded with her head towards the house, that way welcoming me to follow her.

And I did.

AN: It would be very helpful, if you could fill the poll I put out. Thank you.