AN- I stayed up for the premier.. That's crazy for me considering I get up at 4:45.. Wasn't disappointed :) Happy Count down. Happy 30th chapter.. Enjoy.
Callie looked up from her guitar when the fence in the back yard opened. A smile slowly taking form "Daphne" She got up and rushed to greet her with a hug.
"You came!"
Daphne smiled and nodded "You said it was important."
Callie glanced nervously behind her and nodded "It's important to me."
Daphne raised her eyebrow "Okay?"
Callie slipped a note onto her guitar and grabbed her cell phone she had snagged back out of Stef's purse. She was thankful Stef had it plugged in the car it had full battery. She stuffed it in her purse then grabbed Daphne's arm and drug her out of the yard. She had thrown her hair up into a messy bun she still had Lena's sweater on and she had thrown on a pair of jogging capris and a pair of running sneakers as well as all the cash she owned.
"Come on" She said pulling Daphne with her quietly sneaking out of the yard.
Daphne pulled her arm free once they were on the sidewalk and the fence was closed behind them "Um what are we doing?"
"I need to do what I was going to do on Monday. You were going to come then.. Before the shooting…"
Daphne looked back to the Foster's house. "You're not running away again?"
Callie shook her head "No, I'll be returning. I left a note and I have my phone if Stef decides to track it."
Daphne shook her head "You do realize that you're going to be in trouble right?"
Callie shrugged "I don't care! I didn't care on Monday and I don't care today."
"Alright last thing I am going to say" Daphne said as the two walked quickly towards the bus stop "You know you could tell Stef or Lena and they would take you. You probably wouldn't get grounded for life."
"I can't" Callie held up her hands "No, this is not something I want to do with them. This is something I want to do with my best friend."
Daphne stopped and looked at Callie "You think I am your best friend?"
She shrugged "Don't make it mushy. Come on lets go" She said running seeing the bus coming.
"Well, at least I get a few hours with you before you are grounded for life, and when they ask tell them I tried to talk you out of this."
Callie nodded "Noted" She said as she pulled Daphne with her onto the bus paying for both their seats.
"Here" Daphne dug into her bag and pulled out a bottle of a Starbucks Frapachino "I saved you one" She smiled "I splurged my last pay check."
Callie smiled popping the top and taking a sip of the creamy caramel delicious drink. "Well if I am going to go down, I might as well go down big" She smiled as Daphne raised her eyebrow.
"My mom's don't let me drink coffee" She said as she looked out the window to make sure no one from her household was following her.
"Callie, I envy you"
Callie placed the cap back on her drink and looked at Daphne "What? Why?"
"You have people that care so much for you that monitor what you drink so you're healthy."
"Coffee's really not that" Callie argued
"It's not the coffee Callie. It's the principal." She leaned against the window "You've got two mothers who love you so much they monitor what you drink. So you have the best possible outcome."
Callie looked down at her lap "I know, they love me so much they would step in front of a bullet for me."
"Are you sure you don't want me to make a stop. We can walk right back to your house' She tried "We can tell them we were just checking the mail."
"Stef would never buy a lie like that" Callie shook her head "No, Daph. I have to do this. Now more then ever."
Daphne rubbed Callie's arm. "Alright, I am supporting you. No matter what."
Callie smiled "I couldn't this alone, and I couldn't do this with out you. Before I go on I need to do this."
"I trust you" Daphne said quietly.
The Fosters
"Pancakes are ready" Stuart said handing the huge stack to Brandon to set out. "Call everyone for breakfast?" He asked Jude.
Jude nodded "I'll go run up and get our grandmothers."
"Thank you baby." Stef smiled as she pulled milk and juice from the fridge
"And I will get our Miss Callie." Lena smiled as she opened the back door and went out. She paused when she didn't see Callie anywhere. Her guitar propped up by the tree swing with a note stuck under the strings.
"Callie?" She called "Callie, this note better just be saying you're playing a very not funny joke." She said snatching the note.
M or M-
I had something that I had to take care of. I am sorry now for not asking you first. This wasn't something I wanted to bring up.
I didn't run away, I have my phone with me. I'll be back in a few hours.
Love,
Callie
Grounded Forever Callie?
Your daughter Callie?
I don't know there isn't a good way to end this…
I am sorry.
Lena exhaled loudly "Oh Callie" She shook her head "Oh, honey I don't think I can protect you from mom on this one."
She said as she turned around and headed back into the house.
Stef looked up from pouring Mariana a glass of juice to see her wife come in back by herself
"Callie not budging love?" She asked raising her eyebrow
"Oh, yeah" Lena nodded "You could say that."
Stef raised her eyebrow catching the look on Lena's face. "Lena, where is Callie?"
The whole room grew quiet.
"Oh Dear Lord" Sharon shook her head "Not again! You guys should really put a leash on that child. Or I don't know put her in a big kid size play pen. Remember when Brandon was little? The play pen was the best invention known to man."
"Hey!" Brandon shook his head "Don't bring me into this."
Lena scratched her cheek "She didn't run away. She's just not here"
"And how is that not running away?" Dana asked as Stef snatched the paper from Lena's hand and scanned it.
"Someone get me my phone!" She demanded "Now!"
"Stef" Lena held up her hands "Honey, take a deep breath. Getting mad isn't going to fix this."
"Here mom" Mariana handed Stef her phone.
She hit in the information and hit the tracker. Her jaw line setting as she nodded "Well, I know where she is heading now."
Lena looked over Stef's shoulder "Oh. Oh. Oh Monday makes sense now. Now I know where she was going when she didn't want me to take her to the to the community theater."
"Sorry dad" Stef looking to Stuart "Looks like Lena and I need to duck out. Save us some pancakes?"
He smiled "Of course."
Jude moved in front of Stef "Is Callie alright?"
"She's safe, she didn't run away. She plans on coming back." Stef promised him. "She's in trouble. None of you get to leave this house like that. You guys come to me when you need something, want something. No matter what" She said eying all her kids. "So help the next kid that ever does this."
Jude bit his lip "When you get to her. You're noting to like…." He looked down "Can I come?"
Stef grabbed Jude's face in her hands and kissed his forehead "Little man, I promise you that no matter how upset I get with any of you kids. I will never abandon you, nor will I hit you. I am not going to hit her and I am not going to leave. However this is mama and me thing only."
Jude sighed and nodded "Okay." He shoved his hands in her pockets "Are you sure she's going to be okay?"
Stef held up her pinky "Pinky swear"
Jude grabbed Stef's pinkie with his. "K."
She leaned in and tapped her cheek "Now lay one on me."
Jude smiled and kissed her cheek. "Love you mom."
"Love you too baby" She ruffled her hair
"Come on Lena" Stef called
Lena came up behind Stef with their things and car keys. "We'll be back shortly. Sorry Daddy."
"Are you sure everything is okay?" He asked "Callie is okay?"
Lena nodded "Yeah, mostly. We'll see after Stef gets a hold of her."
"Love!" Stef groaned as Jude frowned a little bit.
"Just kidding Jude" She laughed "It's going to be okay."
"She's in trouble though?" Jude asked
"Oh yeah" Stef nodded "Big trouble, none of you get to leave this house just leaving me a note and sneaking out the yard.
Jude nodded "Fair."
"Bye guys" Lena called as she pulled Stef behind her.
"I am going to kill her" Stef said once the door was shut behind them. "I am going to hug her, shake her and kill her."
Lena shook her head "I don't think that's a good idea. We like her to much" She laughed "Just make her your slave" She teased
"Oh a mama slave. I could use my feet rubbed" She said climbing into the car. "Lena, you're so calm right now."
Lena nodded "Getting upset right now isn't going to fix anything. There will be consequence. Although she's known that since Monday, she risked it."
"She should have just come to us" Stef shook her head "We would have taken her there. There was no reason she couldn't have come to us."
Lena nodded "Maybe she felt like she couldn't. Like it was wrong?"
"Well sneaking off to do whatever she wants how she wants is not okay. She could even asked us! I would have given her permission to go."
Lena nodded "As would have I." She sighed "We will just play this by ear. Calmly."
Stef groaned "I'll try. No promises."
Lena nodded "Better then nothing. Just remember how much grace you gave me last night. Kind of the same."
Stef took her eyes off the road as she took in Lena's words before looking back to the road. "A mama slave sounded so good."
Lena let out a smile laugh "Yeah, I am sure it did."
Stef reached over and grabbed Lena's hand. "I love you, I love our life. I love our kids"
"Ditto" Lena squeezed Stef's hand "Now lets go be there for our kid."
Stef nodded "Then wedgies for that one. Wedgies I tell you"
Lena laughed "Yeah that's the way to handle it baby"
Stef laughed "I thought so."
The Fosters
FB
"Callie, love breakfast" Stef said pushing a plate in front of her.
"No"
Stef tilted her head "You sick?"
Callie shook her head as she glanced at the clock "Maybe, I'll walk to school."
Stef shook her head "No, you can ride with mama. You need to eat."
"No"
"Honey it's not a choice."
Callie shook her head glancing at the clock again "I need to get to school"
"You can ride with mama, you won't be late" She promised
Lena came down the stairs with a smile "Hey what's going on?"
"Someone's anxious to get to school"
Callie nodded "Yes, I have something I need to do."
"We'll leave in five minutes." Lena assured her as she sipped on some coffee "It's okay. I promise."
Stef pushed a yogurt in front of her "eat this?"
Callie glanced at her phone quickly typed something in and picked up a spoon. "Five minutes?" She asked Lena
Lena nodded "Five minutes"
She pulled out a slip of paper checking the bus schedule before texting again She then looked up at Stef as she shoveled yogurt into her mouth. "Happy?"
Stef shook her head "Not with your tone, but that you ate something yes"
Callie shrugged grabbed her bag and headed out the door "I'll be in the car."
"Well at least she's ready early" Lena smiled "I may get them all out early. That would be a great start to Monday."
Stef laughed "That's the way to look at it love."