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ENJOY!
"Smells good in here babies" Stef smiled entering the kitchen with Mariana glued to her side rubbing her eyes.
"I made bacon" Jude smiled proudly "And I didn't burn it, or myself or burn the house down."
Stef chuckled as she sat Mariana on a stool. "That's great buddy! I kind of like the house standing almost as much as I loved perfectly cooked bacon, and most importantly as much as I love my Judeakins"
Jude blushed while Jesus set a plate pancakes on the table "I made Jesus style pancakes!"
Stef stood behind Mariana tracing circles on her back as she peered over her shoulder and eyed the pancakes "Are there chocolate chips in there young man?"
Jesus blushed and nodded
"Nice work Son!" Stef smiled proudly she then turned her focus to Mariana "Lovely, I am going to get my cup of coffee" She pointed across the kitchen as she patted her back. "There is orange juice right in front of you. Why don't you pour yourself a glass?"
Mariana eyed the orange juice but kept her hands in her lap.
"I got it" Jude smiled as he poured her a glass and set in front of her "It's good, I just had a glass"
Stef moved across the kitchen grabbing hers and Lena's favorite mugs filling them quickly and moving them back to where the kids where so she could sit with the kids and encourage them to eat.
"Where's mom and Callie?" Jude asked as put butter onto a pancake.
"Mama and Callie both went upstairs to change and brush their teeth. They should be down in in just a minute" Stef said giving him a reassuring smile as she made a plate and put it in front of Mariana "You need to eat baby"
Mariana sighed as she looked up at Stef.
"What?" Stef asked softly "You have words Mariana, it's just me. Use your words"
"I am not hungry" She said quietly as Callie came down the stairs with a brush in her hand "Lena said to give you this?" She shrugged before hopping up onto a stool next to Jude.
"Morning bud" She smiled to him.
Stef looked at the brush in her hand and then smiled Lena was a smart woman.
"Is mama almost done?" Stef asked Callie as she stood behind Mariana carefully removing the hair tie from her daughter's hair and letting it fall before she gently began to brush the dark locks back. Something that used to soothe Mariana when she first moved in with them.
"I am right here" Lena announced as she and Brandon came down the stairs. Lena spotting her mug on the counter and heading over to grab it. "Smells good in here" she commented which made Jesus and Jude both grin.
"It's good too, mama" Jude promised as he started working on his third piece of bacon.
"I bet it is bud" She spoke softly while she grabbed two plates putting one pancake and one piece of bacon she put a plate in front of Callie and took the other plate to an empty stool where she took a seat "Callie, you have to eat sweetheart, you too Mariana" She said noticing her full plate while she watched Stef brush out Mariana's long brown hair.
"I don't feel hungry" Mariana shook her head as she rubbed her eyes "I feel drugged"
"Me too" Callie nodded "I don't want to eat."
Lena sighed and looked to Stef who shrugged. The girls didn't eat much the day before and they probably should eat that morning, however Lena also understood what they meant by they weren't hungry and maybe even feeling drugged. She found herself pushing her own plate away with her finger and just focusing on her coffee. She'd worry about eating later.
"The grief counselor is going to be here in about fifteen minutes" Stef said as she finished braiding Mariana's hair "We're not trying to impress her or anything, but I would love it if all my children were at least dressed. Doesn't have to be fancy sweats whatever as long as you are clean and your teeth are brushed."
She watched as Jesus and Jude shoveled in a few mouthfuls of food.
"Don't worry about the dishes" Brandon said to his brother 'Since you two cooked and let me have the hot shower I'll do them for you."
Stef couldn't help but smile at how helpful and thoughtful her boys were being right now. They were going out of their way to try and make things run smoothly. To bring Lena some comfort. She was proud of the boys they were raising. The boys swallowed the last bite of their food before they took off running up the stairs arguing over who got the shower.
"Do we have to talk to a grief counselor?" Callie asked as she pushed her bacon around her plate "I don't really want to."
Stef raised her eyebrow "Why? What's wrong with talking to a counselor?"
"Sometimes they aren't nice" Callie sighed "And what if they think one of us is crazy or suicidal now and makes us go live in a mental hospital?
Mariana's head popped up at this comment as she frantically turned on her stool grabbing Stef tightly "No. No. Mom I don't want to leave you"
"Baby" Stef sighed as she held Mariana tightly to her as she looked to Callie. "Callie, are you feeling suicidal right now?"
Callie shook her head "No, but sometimes…"
Stef held up a finger silencing the girl "Lena how about you?"
Lena's eyes got wide for a moment but shook her head "No, of course not!'
Stef then patted Mariana "How about you miss thing?"
"No" She said softly
Stef nodded "See, there is no reason Callie, for anyone to come in here and take any one of you out of this house. What is going to happen today is a very nice grief counselor is going to come in to our home. She's going to allow you to talk, she's going to talk. She's going to give us tools we can use to help us handle all the weird, funny, scary, new feelings we are feeling. Yes?" She said looking to Lena
"That's right girls, this isn't a bad thing"
Callie sighed and looked down at her plate "K"
"Slug a bug, I promise you she's not going to do anything to you. Nor is she going to take you anywhere."
Callie nodded as she finally picked up a piece of bacon and began to nibble on it.
"Mariana baby, why don't you run up stairs and get dressed brush your teeth."
Mariana shook her head "no"
"You'll feel better" Lena promised "Fresh"
"No"
Stef cocked her head to the side as she made eye contact with her "What's going on love?"
"Nothing" She crossed her arms over her chest "I am just fine in my pajamas."
Stef took a deep breath as she felt Mariana latch her hands onto her arm again. "Love…:
"No" She said louder this time
Stef glanced to Lena who motioned with her head
"How about if I go up with you?" Stef asked after a second "We can find a nice outfit together? I need to change, and brush my teeth too"
Mariana thought it over then nodded "Alright" She agreed as she hopped off her stool.
Stef exchanged a worried look with Lena before she allowed her daughter to lead her up the stairs.
Lena watched them go before letting out a sigh. She picked up her coffee cup and swirled it around for a moment before taking a sip.
"Lena?"
Lena stood up moving over to the now empty seat beside Callie. "Yes Sweetheart?"
Callie looked down at her plate "Um?" she chewed on her lip "I" She shook her head "I forgot, I have to go brush my teeth"
"You just did Callie, we went up together remember"
"I forgot" She shrugged as she hopped off the stool
Lena reached for her quickly trying to stop her from bolting.
"Ow" Callie cried out as Lena grabbed her sore arm
Lena cringed as she jumped up "Callie, baby I am sorry."
Callie's eyes welled up with tears as she rubbed the area around her wound. She swallowed them back and shook her head "Don't worry about it. I know it was an accident. It just hurts still"
Lena frowned as she rubbed Callie's cheek with her thumb "Mine does too, I think mom has some pain killers in her purse. We can give you one"
"More drugs?" Callie crinkled her nose "No thank you, I am still feeling off from the pills last night."
Again Lena found herself agreeing with her daughter. "Me too" She paused "Callie, I am here. Right here" She said tilting Callie's chin so they were making eye contact "I am not going anywhere. If you need to talk?"
"I don't" She shook her head "I just need to use the bathroom before the grief counselor gets here."
Lena leaned in and kissed Callie's forehead before nodding "Go on baby"
Callie bit her lip and went to open her mouth before shutting it before she quickly ran left the room.
Brandon had started gathering up the dishes but stopped setting them on the counter, before moving over to Lena.
"Mama?"
Lena closed her eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again. "Yes B?"
"It looks like you could use a hug" He said softly before wrapping his mother in his arms
Lena let out a soft whimper before wrapping her arms tightly around her son, fully embracing the comfort he was offering her.
The Fosters
FB
"Ma'am?" Lena felt arms on her but it wasn't until she heard a shrill scream did she manage to open her eyes.
"MRS. ADAMS!"
It was McKenize's shrill voice scream that brought her too. She slowly lifted her body from Callie. Trying not panic when she saw all the blood on her and her daughter. "Oh my god she's been shot" She said calmly as she put her hands on Callie's face "Callie, baby?"
Callie opened her eyes slowly "Lena?" She asked quietly
"I am right here" Lena smiled down at her wiping her thumb across Callie's face "I am right here baby girl"
"Are you okay?" Callie asked sitting up only to have Lena pushing against her.
"Honey, don't move. You're injured"
Callie looked over at her arm and saw blood running down as she winced "It stings, but I think it's only a graze. I am okay"
"Mrs. Adams you're bleeding too" McKenzie practically yelled
"Shh it's okay" Lena assured the girl as she looked at her arm sure enough the under part of her arm was bleeding and was beginning to sting. She studied Callie's arm and realized where she wrapped her arms around Callie to grab her was consistent. It looked like the bullet had gone in between their arms grazing them both. What were the chances of that? She shook her head
"I am okay" She assured Callie seeing the concern in Callie's big brown eyes.
"Let's get you ladies out of here" One of the SWAT members said as one of them lifted McKenzie "There is help right outside."
Lena nodded as she helped Callie stand up "There were two more shooters, They went to my office and my other daughter is down there.
"We'll get her" One of the men promised "But right now, while it's clear we need to get you out"
Lena nodded "You okay Cal to walk?"
"I am fine" She said again as she grabbed onto Lena's arm "We walk out together?"
Lena nodded as she squeezed Callie's hand "I bet mom's out there waiting for us"
Callie smiled at the thought "I like that thought"
"Me too sweetheart, me too"
"A few more are coming out" A voice called from behind Stef. Her heart was racing as her eyes traveled to the school doors. Sure enough a few of the SWAT team guys were opening the door a few men in front guiding them out. Her eyes fell to one office carrying a teen out. She felt her heart stop. Was one of her kids hurt? She then felt her heart fly into her throat at what she saw next. Lena and Callie hand in hand walking out of the school.
Her body took over and she began to run only to have someone from behind grab her "Officer, you can't."
"That's my child and my wife!" The officer held her back for a moment to make sure her family was a safe distance from the school doors before he nodded "Go, hug your baby." He whispered into her ear "I'll be doing that tonight when I get home."
Stef nodded and took off running again "Callie! Lena! LOVES!"
Both looked up at hearing their names and began to run in her direction the three practically collided as Stef threw her arms around both of them "Oh my god. I was so worried about you. Oh baby" She grabbed Lena's face in her hands and kissed her cheek several times. "Oh baby it's okay" She then turned and pulled Callie into her arms wrapping her tightly as she felt the girl shaking in her arms "It's okay baby, mom's here. I am here for you. Your mom is here" She kissed her too finally seeing the blood on them.
"OH my god. You guys are hurt!"
"It's just a graze" Lena said turning her eyes back on the school.
"Where's Mariana?" Stef said after a minute "The three of you were together when you called"
Lena's voice cracked "She's still inside! I hid her in my bench. She's still inside."
"It's okay love! She's okay! I know it! We' will get her!" Stef assured her, as a paramedic came over to check on them.
"Baby" Stef pried her eyes away from Lena to Callie "Can you go with this nice paramedic? He's going to check you over okay? While mama and I wait on Mariana."
Callie was still shaking and didn't want to let go of Stef so she shook her head no against her "No, I want to stay with you"
Stef looked to Lena who shook her head and looked at the blood running down Callie's arm
"Baby, I need you to be my big brave girl. I promise as soon as we get Mariana I'll come right back to you. I promise."
Callie shook her head and held tighter onto Stef.
"Callie, you haven't listened to me once today, I really need you to do this okay? I need to know you're safe" Lena said with the best authoritative voice she could muster up at that moment.
Anger took over Callie's face as she shot Lena a glare as she finally let go of Stef and allowed the paramedic to lead her away.
Stef watched her go before turning and noticing Lena looked like she was about to cry. "Love, we'll fall apart later!" She promised "Why don't we focus on Mariana right now?"
"Lena" Mike's voice was herd as he rushed to Stef and Lena wrapping his arms around her. "I am so glad to see you."
"Thank you" Lena said quietly "Mariana's still inside"
"Building's clear the three shooters are confirmed Dead at the Scene" was suddenly herd through walkie-talkies around them as a few members of the SWAT team came out to send paramedics in.
"Excuse me" Lena took off running to stop one of the men as they came out "My daughter, she's still in there! I promised her I'd be the one that came back for her. I know exactly where she's hidden. Please! Please can I take my wife and Officer Mike back in there and get my kid?"
The officer in front of her heisted for a moment before nodding "Remember not to touch anything, it's crime scene. These two officers go in with you he said pointing to Stef and Mike as well as myself. We go in we get your daughter and we come out!
"Love, why you just tell me where she is at? You go get your arm looked at?"
Lena shook her head "No, I promised her I'd be the one that came back for her. I need to be the one that gets her."
Stef nodded as she grabbed Lena's hand and looked to the officer "Let's go get my kid."