AN- You guys are awesome.. I can't thank you enough for your support in this! 3 It helps keep me motivated!
The Fosters
"What just happened?" Lena asked dumbfounded after Callie had ran from the room.
"I overheard Callie and Mariana talking just a few minutes ago. In Callie's mind it's her fault the day her mother died."
"What? Her dad was drunk how could she blame herself?" Lena asked confused "She wasn't even there."
Stef nodded as she climbed off the airbed "Yes, true. However Jude has told us a few times that on the day that Callie's mom died earlier that day she'd been acting out and pushing her mother. There was quarreling of all sorts."
"And Callie didn't kiss her goodbye" Lena knew that part of the story "Which eats at her."
Stef nodded "There must be more with foster families then we know, but think back to the morning of the shooting. What was happening?"
"Callie and I were…." Lena paused as it clicked. "No… What? She thinks that because her and I were arguing that us being shot at was her fault?"
"Bingo" Stef nodded "In Callie's eyes she's the curse. Bad things happen to those she loves when she acts out. We both know that is not true. We will make sure her counselor is aware of this. We will also fight to prove it's not true."
Lena sighed and nodded "Of course we will"
"Now we go find her little butt and put her back to bed." Stef shook her head "This kid I tell you"
"Has you wrapped around her finger like no other" Lena teased as Stef shook her head before nodding "Yeah, maybe those big brown eyes of hers they get me like no other."
"You're a sucker for brown eyes" Lena batted her own at her causing Stef to shake her head and laugh.
"Shh don't tell my secrets"
The pair headed down the stairs to see the kids cleaning up wrapping paper "Hey babies" Stef smiled "Did Callie come join you?"
Jude's head popped up in concern "No, I thought she was upstairs in bed with you."
"She was" Stef nodded "Then she wasn't."
"She got upset?" Jude guessed and sighed.
"She didn't come down here" Sharon shook her head as she stood up worry clear in her eyes. "We would have seen her."
"Alright" Stef smiled "I am sure she's upstairs somewhere. We'll find her. Lena found her in a closet the other night. She can tuck herself well into small spaces"
Jude put his new video game down and headed to the moms "I'll help."
"We'll all help" Jesus added. "Don't worry. We would have heard the door close had she left the house."
Brandon shrugged "Maybe, Callie knows how to be quiet. She's mastered running away."
Lena pinched the bridge of her nose "Callie didn't run away. She just didn't. We aren't going to think that!"
"Right" Dana agreed with her daughter "She's just tucked away" We'll find her" She said confidently.
The Fosters The Fosters The Fosters
"She's not in this house" Stef said running down the stairs it had been an hour and no one had found her.
"She couldn't have gone far" Lena said trying to keep her wife calm "Our mother's didn't see her leave and she's in pajamas. She didn't get far."
"We've checked every inch of this house." Stef argued "And the back yard. I am going to go drive around! We're wasting precious time now." She said grabbing her keys "We have to find her."
"Did Callie run away again?" Jude asked sadly as he sat on the stairs listening to the moms.
Lena shook her head "I don't think she ran away exactly. She's still in her pjs and everything she owns is here. I think she ran away from a conversation she didn't want to have. She's running from her feelings. She's hiding. She didn't run away! She wouldn't do that to us again."
"I am still going to drive around" Stef said grabbing her keys as Lena followed her "I'll come with you" She said softly "But I don't think she ran away."
"She's not in the house or the yard Lena! What do you call that? We haven't seen her in over an hour!"
The two made their way to the car quickly Lena going really more to calm Stef down then finding Callie. Her gut told her Callie wasn't far.
They opened the car doors and were about to climb in when Lena cleared her throat. "Like mother, like daughter" She shook her head remembering finding Stef inside the car after her father's funeral.
Stef's eyebrow shot up in confusion until she realized that Callie was sitting in the back seat of the car.
First she let out a sigh of relief before something flickered in her eyes. She threw open the back door so fast and hard that it caused both Callie and Lena to jump.
"What do you think you are doing Young Lady?" Stef demanded in a tone she rarely used with the kids. "Get out of the car right now Callie!"
Callie didn't have to be told twice she quickly scrambled from the car keeping her eyes on the ground.
Stef snapped her finger and pointed right in front of her "Come here."
Callie looked up to Lena for a brief moment before hanging her head again and moving to stand in front of Stef.
Stef quickly reached out and grabbed at Callie's hands holding them tightly in hers. "What are you doing Callie? What is this? Do you have any idea how scared we were when we couldn't find you? Any? Huh?" She asked sharply "Look at me when I am talking to you."
"Stef" Lena spoke her name calmly
Callie's eyes traveled up to Stef's and she blinked back a look of surprise. Stef never used this tone with her. She was angry and she inwardly cringed.
"You don't get to run away from this family Callie! You don't get to run anymore!"
"I didn't run away!" Callie defended as her eyes were bigger "I was just in the car."
"Not okay" Stef shook her head "For an hour we didn't know where you were! I get that you are upset Callie. I understand that! We can work through that. However what I will not tolerate ever again is you running away! This is your family! We are your mother's and you don't GET to run from us. You can be mad! You can slam your door! You can pout. Yell at me whatever you want. We will always work through that. What you DO NOT get to do is run away!" She let go of Callie's hands grabbed her shoulders firmly "Do you understand me? You don't LEAVE this house upset."
"I just went to the car" Callie defended her voice quivering.
"You HID in the car" Stef snapped "We didn't have ANY IDEA where you were! Do you know how terrifying that is to a parent?"
Callie blinked back more tears as she kept her eyes on Stef and sniffed
"Next time you need breather. Time to yourself. YOU USE your words" Stef said loudly "And you tell us what you need! Mama and I will give you space. You don't just take off! You don't get to run away anymore! Do you understand me?"
The tears began to fall as Callie looked down.
"No. I asked you a question. Do you understand me Callie?" Stef demanded an answer as she kept her hands firm on the girls shoulder.
Lena watched something in Callie's eyes change flicker too. Her stomach twisted as she realized what was about to happen. Her daughter who was Stef's mini me in practically every way decided at that moment she was going to push. To see exactly how far she could push.
"Callie" She tried softly trying to discourage her from doing it.
Callie ignored her and shrugged Stef off of her.
"Don't touch me Stef" Callie snapped "I didn't run away! I was just sitting in the car! Don't get your panties all twisted up."
Lena closed her eyes for a moment and shook her head as her hand went to forehead. This was about to get ugly.
Stef glared down at the girl "Excuse me?"
"Just chill out! I didn't run away! You're making a big deal out of nothing. Just leave me alone! I don't want you in my face."
"Oh little girl" Stef grabbed her face in her hands "I haven't shown you in your face!"
"What?" Callie asked with a smug smirk "You gonna hit me now?"
"Callie" Lena gasped looking up slightly hurt at the comment. They'd never hit one of their children. Sure Stef play swatted them on their behinds from time to time but it was playing and never in anger. They didn't hit. They refused to be parents that hit.
Stef looked at Lena for a moment before turning her attention back to her daughter. Who tried to wiggle out of Stef's grasp but being tired and sick wasn't succeeding so well.
"You know mama and I don't hit." She said calmly but her voice a little cool. "I see you Callie! I know exactly what you are doing here and it's not working!" She took a deep calming breath "You do NOT get to run away from this family" She said firmly "And this Family isn't turning its back on you! No matter what you say to me right now in anger isn't going to make us do that! We aren't leaving you. So stop seeing how far you can push me! I am not going anywhere!"
"LET GO" Callie screamed as she tried to push against Stef. "Who do you think you are?!"
"YOUR MOTHER!"
The yard fell quiet for a moment as intense brown eyes stayed locked with hazel.
The fire in Callie's eyes quickly disappeared as she brought in her lower lip and bit down. Stef's eyes still challenging the girl to argue that.
The two continued their stare down for what seemed to Lena like an hour but in reality was probably another minute, before Callie nodded as the tears began to fall. "I am sorry mom" Callie finally squeaked out.
Stef closed her eyes for a moment before pulling Callie into her arms tucking her under her chin. "I am going to remind you of this every day, and even after you believe it I am still going to remind you of it. Lena and I are your moms. We love you more than the air we breathe. You are a treasure to us. You can't run away any more sweets. You just can't. We face things together!"
She felt Callie nod her head against her chest as she sniffed back more tears.
Stef pulled away and wiped some tears away from her thumbs before placing a gentle kiss on her daughter's forehead leaving it there for a few seconds. "I love you!"
"I love you too" Callie replied as she sniffed again trying to stop her tears.
Stef pulled away "Here's what is going to happen now, and listen carefully to me young lady."
Callie nodded and wiped at her eyes
"This behavior you displayed tonight is not acceptable. Do you understand?"
Callie nodded "I am sorry"
"I know" She nodded "We will work through these things together. However there will be consequences, and I swear to God Callie if I ever don't know where you are again you'll be so mama grounded."
Callie raised her eyebrow in confusion.
"That's where you are grounded to our sides. Going to the bathroom will be the only privacy you get. Got it?"
Callie nodded again
"Now here's what is going to happen" Stef said calmly "You're going to go give your mama a hug. Then you're going to march your body upstairs to mine and mama's room and you're going to climb into bed and I am not going to hear another peep out of you for the rest of the night. Got it?"
"Okay" She said quietly "I am sorry. Stef" She cleared her throat "Mom. I am sorry"
"I know you are" She nodded "Go on."
Callie tentatively moved towards Lena looking a little unsure "Mama, I…"
Lena held her arms out and Callie dove into them. Much like Stef had Lena tucked her daughter under her chin. "Mom's right, you've got my love. Nothing you do or say will ever change it." She held her close "And we'll talk tomorrow after counseling about everything that needs to be addressed. Alright?"
Callie swallowed hard and nodded "Okay"
Lena used her thumbs and wiped at Callie's tears. "No more tears sweet girl, everything will be okay."
Callie nodded but the tears didn't stop coming "I am sorry, I was bad."
"You acted out" Lena corrected "You weren't bad. I don't want you labeling yourself as bad. You aren't. Callie you aren't." She kissed Callie's cheek "You should go do as your mother said."
"Mama?" Her eyes big
"Can I?" She paused and looked down only to have Lena tilt her chin up "You can ask me anything?"
Callie nodded "Can I have another hug?"
"Oh sweetheart" Lena's heart pounded against her chest. "Is this what you've been wanting to ask me?"
Callie looked shy and nodded "Your hugs, they make it not hurt so much."
Lena closed her eyes and pulled Callie into a hug wrapping her tightly and just holding onto her.
Stef watched the scene unfold and gave a small nod in approval. A major wall had just been knocked down with a little act of tough love.
After a few minutes Lena pulled away and took Callie's face in her hands. "My baby girl" She smiled "I love you. Cal I love you"
"I love you too"
Lena nodded "Alright, go on up to bed okay? Settle down we'll talk more tomorrow."
"Yes mama" Callie said softly as she quickly headed into the house.
Lena turned around to see Stef leaning against the car her face buried in her hands.
"Sweetheart?"
"Lena, I lost it on her. I was so outraged after I saw her. My heart. I was.."
"You were convinced she ran away again" Lena nodded "And it scared you. You just reacted out of fear and love Stef. You didn't hurt her. You showed her some tough love. Healthy tough love. You're okay" She assured her as she pulled her into her arms "She's going to test us a time or two. I know we will get it again. Callie doesn't believe she deserves a happy ending. Or us. So she tries to self-sabotage, thinking we'll finally cave and send her away. We stand strong together and prove her wrong each time. Sometimes softly, sometimes it'll take a little bit of tough love."
"You're not mad at me?"
Lena shook her head "No, of course not you! You just broke down something inside of her and opened her up to us. Thank you Stef."
"This has been hard" Stef mumbled wiping at tears "I love her so much it hurts. It was easier with the twins. You know? Getting them to trust us."
Lena shook her head "No it wasn't. They had many tantrums, bed wettings, closet hidings. Run away moments. They were just littler. We could pick them up. Rock them in rocking chairs. It just seemed easier because it was a long time ago."
Stef nodded as she massaged her temples "I have a headache."
"Well you did just scared to death, and head butted a little while ago. I am not surprised." Lena smiled "It's going to be okay Stef"
"Can I have a few minutes to clear my head?" Stef asked
Lena smiled at her wife she really was an older version of Callie. One that needed space at times, but knew how to voice that instead of running.
"Don't be out here too long" She smiled "I kind of want to curl up next to you tonight"
"Sure thing love" Stef promised her.
"I am going to make sure our children are settled" She said softly before slipping into the house.
The Fosters The Fosters The Fosters
"Where'd you go?" Mariana asked as Callie slid into the air bed beside her. Tears still streaming down her face as she was trying to gain control of her emotions.
"What happened? Are you in a lot of trouble?"
Callie shrugged and wiped at her face "Mom threatened to mom ground me. I was just in the car."
Mariana began to run her fingers through her sister's hair "Don't cry Callie. It's going to be okay" She said softly "Though I would personally try to avoid a mom grounding. Jesus had to do that once. It's not a lot of fun. Besides school you have to be in their sight at all times. No freedom at all. You sit where they sit, you go where they go. You do what they do."
Callie nodded "Yeah, she said going to the bathroom would be a privilege."
"But they didn't mom ground you" Mariana said looking around "Moms aren't here."
"No, I don't think they did" She shook her head "They said they'd talk more tomorrow."
"Why are you so upset then?" She asked as she placed a kiss on her forehead "You know you're wanted right?"
Callie nodded again "I don't know why Mari" She whispered "But I just can't stop crying. Everything just hurts and all these tears keep coming and it's embarrassing"
"The last few days, maybe even years are catching up to you Callie" She whispered "But you aren't alone anymore. You have us. We got your back."
Callie rolled over to Mariana and locked eyes with her "You really don't hate me?"
Mariana shook her head "No! Why? Callie you're my sister"
"What about when Lena made you go in the bench but took me with her. Didn't that make you hate me?"
Mariana sat up quickly and looked down at Callie "What? No! Callie MAMA" She said loudly for her sister to get that it was their mother. "Mama did what was best for each one of us. She didn't pick one over the other. She knows us better then we think she does. She knew that I would be safer in that bench then with her. She knew I couldn't handle seeing what you saw. She protected me from it." She then paused and wiped away Callie's tears with her thumbs. "She also knows you. She knows you run when you are scared. She knew that she could use that to get you two out. She also knows that people have abandoned you, and locked you in small places before. You couldn't have handled the bench."
Callie nodded as she lay back down tucking herself in next to her sister who covered them both up.
"Sometimes moms treat us differently" Mariana said after a minute "And it may not look fair, but you have to trust them. They love us all unconditionally but they know us. They know some things work for you that don't for me. It's kind of a waste of their time and parenting energy to parent us all the same if it doesn't work. What they do though that is the same is love us unconditionally. You can count on that Cal. You're never going anywhere. You're never getting under mom radar again. You're their child just as much as I am and as Brandon is."
"Smart girl" Lena said to Mariana as she came into the room shutting the door behind her so she could change into her pjs. "Your sister is right. You'd be best to listen to that advice" She said as she quickly changed before heading to her bed. "I don't know about the two of you, but mama is tired. She leaned over her bed and offered her hand down which Callie took it. She squeezed her hand "IF you feel funny tonight, your arm hurts or your fever comes back you wake me up. Okay?"
Callie nodded "Okay"
"If you wake up and you just need to talk. I am right here."
Callie nodded again "Okay"
"Love you girls' Lena winked at Mariana who was still holding onto her sister "But you should both close your eyes now and sleep."
"Goodnight mom" Mariana whispered as she snuggled into her sister holding her tight.
"Sleep well baby girls" Lena took her hand back for Callie and blew a kiss at the girl "And remember I am right here if either of you need me"
Callie and Mariana both nodded as they snuggled into the air bed hands clasped together.
The Fosters
FB
"I hate you!" Stef yelled to her father as angry tears fell as she bolted from the room. She could hear her parents calling after her but she didn't care. She just ran. She ran as fast as she could as far as she could for as long as she could until her legs began to shake and spasm.
She found a bench and fell on it pulling up her legs and wrapping her arms around them holding tightly to herself. She'd stopped crying a long time ago. Now she was just mad. She knew this was coming. It wasn't like a surprise. But to hear it. Divorce such a nasty word.
"Stefanie" She looked up to see her mother climbing out of her car approaching the bench
"What are you doing here?" She hissed "I wanted to be alone!"
"You're upset" Sharon said softly "I wasn't going to let you just run off that upset. I've been following you."
Stef rolled her eyes "Why?"
"Because you're my child Stef, you don't just get to run away because you're angry. You don't get to run from this family."
"What family?" Stef scoffed "We don't have a family anymore."
"That's not true darling" She said tucking Stef's hair behind her ear "Just because your dad and I aren't going to be married doesn't mean we aren't going to be your family. You're never alone"
Stef shook her head as she looked at her lap "I don't know about that mom."
"Stef" Sharon grabbed her daughter's chin "Honey, your father and I love you very much. We aren't doing this to hurt you."
"We aren't a family anymore" She said getting to her feet ready to bolt as her mother grabbed her hand and pulled her back "No, you don't get to run away from this. You get to be mad. You get to yell and scream you can even throw things, but you don't get to run."
Stef closed her eyes "But it makes the pain go away" She whispered as she allowed her mother to pull her into her arms and rock her slightly "Temporary relief maybe" She agreed "Until you are left all alone. Which I won't let that happen. Neither will Daddy. You don't run from family. Don't run it doesn't solve anything just buries the pain. We will confront this together and battle it together. Understand?"
Stef sighed "It's easier"
"But it doesn't solve anything" Sharon said kissing the top of her head "You're stronger when you face it head on. I'll be there with you every step of the way. I promise."
Stef nodded as she looked at her hands and nodded "Okay' She said so quietly it was almost missed "I won't run. This time"