AN- This is just a smaller chapter :-) Again guys thank you for your awesome reviews! It helps more then you know. YOU GUYS ROCK! Best readers ever!

Lena pulled some weeds from the flower bed while Mariana rested on a blanket next to her flipping through the newest fashion magazine "mama" Mariana said softly. She'd become so soft spoken in the twenty four hours. It made Lena's heart ache.

"That's cheating mom!" Jesus hollered as his mom as he dove in front of her to knock the ball out of her hands while Jude fell to the ground laughing. Once the ball was knocked away Stef grabbed Jesus and pinned under her arm successfully giving him a wet willie.

Lena rolled her eyes and found herself smiling. Stef was right being out side was good for them.

"Mama" Mariana said again

"Sorry baby" Lena dropped a weed into the bucket then turned to Mariana. "What's up."

"See this shirt?" Mariana asked slipped Lena the magazine closer to Lena "See that pretty teal color?"

Lena nodded "It's pretty honey"

Mariana smiled "I thought so too, I like the design of the shirt too" She ran her finger over the page "Mama can we go shopping soon? I want to find a shirt just like this for Callie. I think it would look so amazing on her."

Lena paused expecting her daughter to ask for something for herself not for her sister.

"I've got some allowance saved up too. " The teen added "I'd love to get her this. As a sister gift, maybe cheer her up a little."

"Mariana Foster" Lena smiled as she plucked a flower from the bush and leaned over sticking it behind the girl's ear. "You've got a heart of gold. Don't lose that."

"So can we?"

"I'll talk to mom" Lena nodded "I am sure she won't have a problem with it. Besides we need to get Callie some new shoes. I am sure this week we can go shopping."

"NOT AGAIN" Jesus ducked yelled as he ran from Stef running to the blanket and throwing himself on dramatically as he climbed over Mariana to get in front of Lena. "Mama, save me! Mom keeps trying to give me wet willies!"

Lena laughed and wrapped her arms around Jesus pausing only to kiss his cheek. "I'll save you" She promised.

Stef pointed to Jesus and gave him the I am watching you sign with her fingers as she narrowed his eyes.

"She cheats!" Jesus exclaimed

Jude's contagious laughter was heard filling up the back yard.

"To bad Brandon left for his dad's" Jesus grumbled relaxing in Lena's arms a little "He'd save me from mom."

"No one can save you from mom, young man" Stef declared as she dropped to the blanket next to Mariana "But this mom needs a break. Maybe an ice cream break"

Jude's eyes lit up "Ooh I want an ice cream break"

"Maybe we should do ice-cream for dinner" Stef mused as she rolled to her back putting her arm over her eyes to shield it from the sun.

"Ice-cream for dinner?" Jude exclaimed as he tossed the basketball away from him and joined his family on the blanket.

Lena looked up at Stef in surprise "You want to feed my children ice-cream for dinner?"

"Um yes?"

"Really?" Lena shook her head "ice-cream for dinner?"

"We could go to the fro yo place then its frozen yogurt and that's healthy right"

Lena raised her eyebrow but a smile was forming on her face "That's what you're going with?"

"Oh come on Lena" Stef threw her arms up in the air "Do you feel this wonderful sunshine beating down on us? It's a gorgeous day. It's something fun to do. My parents and I used to do it one day a year. All rules out for dinner. Besides if the kids get hungry enough we are stocked with casseroles and string cheese they'd be fine for one night."

"We could walk mama" Jude begged as he clasped his hands together "It's only three blocks away! It would be exercise. Please!"

Lena looked to Mariana who bit nervously on her lip but nodded "I could go for some Fro Yo mama"

"Alright" Lena agreed as held up her hands getting four chorus of cheers the loudest of course from Stef. "Go wash up boys" She directed to the sweaty boys in front of her. "Stef, babe I love you but you're a sweaty gross mess right now. Go clean up" She pointed as rose from the ground and wiped her hands on her pants "I am going to go wash my hands and spring our Callie girl."

The boys and Stef nodded as Mariana bit down on her lip not wanting to be left alone but not wanting to voice it.

"Hey love" Stef smiled pulling her to her feet "Can you help me pick out something to wear."

Mariana raised an eyebrow before laughing "Sure mom, I got you covered"

Lena gave her a grateful smile as she gathered up the blanket throwing it over her shoulder. "We'll meet in the kitchen in twenty minutes?" She asked as all the kids and her wife nodded.

"Lena if you need me "Stef said knowing about Callie.

"I know" She assured her "I think it will be fine."

Stef nodded "Alright, come Miss Thing" She went to wrap her around Mariana who quickly ducked it. "Eww not until after you are no longer sweating like a boy will you be able to touch me."

"What you don't want some mommy love?" she asked as she playfully swatted Mariana's behind. Getting a squeal and giggle from her daughter. "Mommy!"

Stef's smile grew wider hearing her daughter's laughter. "See you loves in 20" Stef called as she darted off with Mariana.

Lena stood outside of Callie and Mariana's room debating on if she should just knock or go in. She respected their privacy but at the same time she'd sent the girl to her room for attitude. However she hadn't taken away privileges so she knocked on Callie's door waiting for answer. After a few seconds of silence Lena slowly pushed the door open. She spotted her daughter right away curled up in a small ball on her bed facing the wall, a book in her hands, ear buds in and her iPod resting on the pillow by her head.

Lena crept towards the bed only pausing long enough to glance at the desk to see Callie's lunch sitting there. She'd only a quarter of her sandwich and maybe half the bowl of soup. She sighed as she looked at the cold grilled cheese. Now it looked unappetizing. "Oh Callie" She exhaled before taking a seat on the edge of Callie's bed and placing her hand gently on Callie's leg.

Callie jumped and pulled her legs away from Lena before rolling onto her back and ripping her ear buds from her ears. "You scared me" She accused with a glare.

Lena held up her hands "Sorry sweetie, I didn't mean too. If you hadn't had your music so loud in your ears you would have heard that." She snatched Callie's iPod and brought it to her hands putting one of the ear-buds in her ear wincing before she turned it down "Keep it at this level Cal. I don't want it louder than this. It's too loud for your ears."

"They are my ears" She said with a shrug as she put her book down.

"Actually they are mine until you're a grown up. I'd rather not release you into adulthood needing hearing aids"

Callie rolled her eyes "Don't be dramatic Lena, it's not that loud"

Lena narrowed her eyes "Really Callie? Are we really going to do this more? I don't really have it in me right now to be butting heads with you."

Callie shrugged and looked away "Then leave me alone."

"No" Lena put her hands on her knee and squeezed her knee to capture her attention "I am not going to leave you alone. I am your mother and I am never going to just leave you alone." She took a calming breath "What's going on with you slug a bug?"

Callie pulled her knee away from Lena quickly "Nothing!"

"Honey, it's not nothing." She argued "You've been in this funk since yesterday. This is not like you peanut"

"We were in a school shooting yesterday! I think that warrants a funk Lena" She argued pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms tightly around her legs.

Lena shook her head "You were acting strange before the shooting. Come on Callie talk to me." She begged "I am right here baby. Practically on my knees begging you to talk to me."

Callie shook her head "There is nothing to talk about. I am fine!"

Lena exhaled "You aren't okay. I can tell. I can see it in your eyes. I can hear it in your tone. I can read it in your body language." She crawled up to the bed so she was now beside her Callie. She wrapped her arms around her pulling her into her side knowing full well Callie was going to try and protest. "Since you won't talk to me right now, at least just let me hold you for a minute. So you can feel my love." She found herself surprised when Callie didn't pull away but in fact melted into her. Resting her head on her shoulder.

"I love you Callie" Lena said softly placing a kiss on the top of Callie's hairline "And when you're ready to talk. I am right here."

The Fosters

FB

Lena shifted from foot to foot as she stood outside the hospital on the warm concrete that would soon be cooling as it was getting later. She was wishing she had her shoes. Her phone finally to her ear. She heard it her mother's frantic voice.

"I am fine" She managed to quickly out before her voice cracked betraying her. She found herself losing the battle of self-control a sob rising up into her throat. "The kids and I are all alive and out." She said quickly before the tears began to fall and the sob coming out and racking her body. So much so she had to sit down quickly before her knees get out. "Mom, I've never been so scared in my life." She let the sob escape and heard her mother beg her to not cry. She heard her mother try and hush in a humming tone as she used to when Lena was four and afraid of monsters in her closet.

"I locked Mariana in a bench" She whimpered "And I put Callie in immediate danger! I took her out into the halls trying to escape. The kid Andrew" More sobbing as she rocked back and forth on the ground wishing she had Stef "He tried to kill her. He aimed his dirty nasty gun at my baby girl and fired! I threw myself in front of her" She heard her mother gasp "We're fine mom" She promised "Bullet grazed our arms and we needed stitches but we're fine. My babies are all fine" Another sob and more of her mother's soothing voice.

"How can any kid be so cruel?" Lena asked "Mom how come people hurt innocent people?"

She knew her mother didn't have an answer but she had to ask.

"No, please don't come out tonight" She shook her head when she realized what her mother was saying now. Tonight and the next couple of days. My kids need just us. We need to work as a family to get past this. We're okay"

"Lena?"

Lena whirled around to see Mike standing there.

She swallowed hard "Mommy I'll call you tomorrow, I have to go give my statement and get the girls home. Tell Daddy we're okay." She said gaining composure as she wiped at her eyes. "I promise mom, we're okay. Just shaky. I love you too. Yes the kids will call you tomorrow." She nodded "Love you" She said again before ending the call.

Mike moved over to Lena and held her stand up before wrapping her into his arm bringing her in for a tight hug.

Lena found herself wrapping her arms around him letting out another sob and taking comfort in the hug he was offering.

"I don't know what you lived through today" He admitted "I only have a slight understanding of that fear knowing my kid had been in that school. You seeing it. Having your little girl's right in the front of it. I don't know what that feels like" He shook his head "I am not even going to tell you it's all going to be okay. What I am going to tell you is that I am proud of you. You stayed calm today Lena. Your girls are safe because of you. Whatever you or Stef need in the next few days. I am here for you"

More tears fell as Lena nodded against him "Thank you" She said sincerely taking a few more seconds of comfort before pulling away and wiping at her eyes

"How awful do I look?" She asked "Answer honestly"

"Even though it looks like you've lived through a hard day" Mike said placing his hand on her back to lead her into the hospital "You're carrying it well you're beautiful. Brandon's a lucky kid to have you as his other mom"

Lena looked up at him and gave him a genuine smile "Thank you Mike, you have no idea how much that means to me."