AN- I was a little stuck on this one for awhile, but finally something came to me! Enjoy! Thank you!
The Fosters
"Hello, is this seat taken?"
Mariana looked up and smiled and shook her head "It's perfect seat for you, on an isle then you can get up and go on stage to talk. If You have to"
Lena winked and slid down onto a hard metal chair next to her daughter as the auditorium filled with kids for the assembly. Sitting next to her own kids was usually something her kids frowned upon. However she decided to try her luck when she spotted Mariana sitting on her own with a chair next to her open.
Once Lena was sitting Mariana casually slipped her hand onto Lena's lap waiting for her mother to grab her hand.
It didn't take Lena all but a second to latch on and hold it tightly in her own grip. "You doing okay?" She whispered.
Mariana nodded "It's hard mama" She said softly "Kate was in my first period class and her usual spot was empty. There was also a few other empty desks. It was just…" She sighed not being able to find the words "I don't know weird"
Lena knew the feeling her and another teacher had the job after the assembly of clearing out all the lockers of children that had died last week. "You holding up alright though?" Lena asked "Anything I can do to make it better?"
"This" Mariana whispered "Sitting next to me, holding my hand."
Lena squeezed it "Believe it or not, I understand what you're going through."
"Mom sent a text saying Callie left with her. Is she okay?" Mariana asked "I was bummed when I saw that I really was bummed. I almost cried. I wanted her to be here today. I wanted to have my big sister around. So we could go through this day together."
Lena smiled "I love your heart Mariana. She's just not feeling well. Her body is having a tough time with her gunshot wound."
"You know how funny of sentence that is?" Mariana asked raising her eyebrow "Shouldn't all bodies have a tough time with a gunshot wound? We aren't meant to be shot up."
Lena couldn't argue with that statement "She's tough, she'll be okay."
"I'll be here for when she comes back" Mariana said after a minute "And I'll get her through. I'll know what to expect. Besides the empty desks and the sad feeling in the air it's not like what I thought it would. It's not so bad. It's school."
Lena found herself squeezing her daughter's hand again. She was amazed with this girl. As much as she was struggling she was pushing through. "I am proud of you baby"
"How's it going for you?" Mariana asked in a hushed whisper as the starting of the assembly was about to take place. Kariana was going to do most of the talking. So thankfully Lena could just sit. She squeezed Mariana's hand again letting her know she was okay,
"Hi mama" Jesus slid in behind her out of breath barley making it to the assembly on time.
She turned in her seat and smiled "Hi, what's up?"
"How do you know something is up?" He whispered back leaning in behind her.
"I know you" She said softly "Is everything alright?"
Jesue got up and crept around and kneeled beside her resting his hands on her lap to help balance himself. "I don't want to freak you out, or for you to get mad."
"Oh how I hate when my children start sentences like that" Lena shook her head "Just spit it out."
"I caught Jude trying to sneak off campus. He's here now" He pointed over to where Jude was sitting with one of his teachers her arm around him.
Lena let out a sigh of relief then turned to Jesus "What happened?"
"Right before the assembly I had to pee, so I got a pass. I happened to see Jude leaving. So I followed him. He ran.. I ran" Jesus explained "I finally caught him. I had to tackle him. He scraped his elbow. I cleaned it up"
Lena winced and didn't say anything wanting her son to continue.
"I told him he couldn't just leave" Jesus told Lena "And he should come see you, if he was upset."
Lena's eyes went over to Jude and she spotted him staring at them biting his lip. She held up her finger and motioned him over.
Jude looked up at his teacher and whispered something then pointed to where Lena was. She whispered something back then nodded.
"I'll let him tell you why he was leaving"
Lena ran her fingers over Jesus' cheek "You're a good big brother. Thank you… But maybe next time don't tackle him."
Jesus blushed and shrugged "I did what I had to do. I was trying to spare the kid the wrath of a mama grounding. You think seeing Callie go through it." He whistled before going back to his seat behind Lena.
Mariana moved down a seat and Lena moved over one as Jude slowly made his way to Lena and slid in next to her
"What happened buddy?" She asked as she took his arm into hers examining his scraped up elbow. Jesus had done a good job of cleaning it up.
"I am sorry mama" He hung his head and looked at his lap.
"We'll talk about that in a few moments but first tell me what was going through your mind?" She asked in a calm whisper. She should be paying attention to what Karina was saying but her kids again were far more important.
"I got the text from mom" Jude whispered looking down at his shoes "Saying she was taking Callie home. I decided I should go home with her. Make sure she's really okay."
Lena brushed her fingers through Jude's hair. "Baby, you can't do that."
"I know" He groaned "Jesus made that point, loud and clear"
"He was just trying to help." Lena whispered "To keep you from getting in any trouble."
"I know" Jude nodded with a little sigh "I am not upset with him."
Lena wrapped her arm around Jude "It's not just you and Callie anymore. You're ours now buddy. If she's not here that doesn't mean you're any less safe."
Jude looked up Lena with big eyes.
"I am your mom" She whispered into his ear "I know these things. Honey, I am here and I am going to do my best to keep you safe."
Jude leaned into Lena as he began to cry quietly.
Lena's eyes went wide and she stood up and pulled Jude up with her. He hadn't cried really this entire time. He'd done so well. She wasn't expecting the tears. "Come on baby, lets go walk."
"Mama" Mariana whispered
"You can come too" Lena nodded.
Jesus leaned back in his seat to indicate he was staying.
Lena nodded as she ushered two of her younger children out of the crowded room into the hall way.
"I am sorry" Jude sniffed as he tried to wipe his face with his sleeve. "I am not trying to be a baby"
Lena led them outside and she knelt down in front of Jude "You're not a baby Jude. Not at all. Can you tell me what is going on right now? What's going through your head?"
He looked down "My stomach feels heavy, like I am going to explode and I am sad and you know home sick. Like for Callie. I've always had her when I am scared and she's not here right now."
"Can I hug you baby?" Lena asked softly
He nodded and she wrapped her arms around him tightly holding on while he cried into her side. "Being here makes me remember how scared I was, I didn't know where you were" He sobbed "And I wanted you!"
Lena cursed herself slightly Stef and she really should have talked to the boys more about what they were feeling. She was so focused on herself and the girls that she just assumed the boys were fine. After all to the eye they looked fine. She kissed the top of Jude's head. "I am sorry buddy, I am so sorry. I know you know what loss feels like, and I know you know how scary it is. I am sorry you thought I might be gone, that Callie might be gone but we're here. Even if she's not at school she's safe buddy and so are you. You're not alone. You understand you are not alone"
Jude sniffed and pulled back looking embarrassed "I am sorry mama. I was trying to be so brave for you and Callie and Mariana."
"You can always.. Always Always come tell me how you're feeling Jude" Lena said cupping his face in her hands "I may not be able to fix it, but I can talk you through it and I can hug you."
Jude sighed "I am sorry I almost left. Good thing Jesus stopped me" He said shoving his hands in his pockets "Mom would have been mad."
Lena nodded "For sure, and I would have been too." She shook her head "You can't run away from your problems. Or what scares you. I know you and Callie have done that in the past, but that's why your sister is living through this mama grounding buddy. To remind her she can't do that. Neither can you."
"I am sorry" He said again. "Can I call Callie?"
"After lunch" Lena nodded "Mom sent me a text and told me she's in a feverish sleep. We are going to leave her be."
Jude sighed "I wish she was feeling better, sometimes her body does weird things. She gets sick randomly over things that aren't normal. Doctors never could figure out why."
"There may not be a cause, or because she doesn't take care of herself properly and stress gets her" Lens said rubbing her hand up and down his back "But now she too has mom and I to make things better"
"I think we should go back inside" Jude said after a minute "Mom, would want me to be inside and making my way through the day."
"Mom, wants you to try" She agreed "But if you need a break, that's okay too bud. You don't have to have it all together all the time."
"I am okay now" Jude said "I feel better after telling you what I was feeling."
"Can I hug you again?" Lena asked
Jude dove into Lena's arms and wrapped his arms around her tightly
She laid a kiss on the top of his head "Love you Munchakin"
"Love you too mom" He smiled
Mariana wrapped her arms around them both before she nodded "I am ready to go back inside. The air was good."
Lena wrapped her arms around both kids' shoulders and led them inside.
The Fosters
FB
"Callie?" Jude whispered into the dark "Callie?"
She pulled back her blankets and he slid in "Shh, baby don't wake up Mariana. What's wrong?"
Jude swallowed hard "I don't feel good. Are we going to get into trouble?"
Callie placed her hand on Jude's forehead and he was in fact burning up. She knew what to do to help him. She knew what to do to lay low. She'd been taking care of him for years. It was her job.
"Callie" He groaned "My head hurts and I feel sick"
"I know buddy, we aren't going to get into trouble" She chewed her lip. Her brain was taking her through all the steps of getting him better but her heart was telling her a different story. She slowly untangled herself "Wait right here baby. I'll be right back"
"Don't get caught" Jude mumbled tiredly
Callie shushed him and headed down the hall and knocked softly on a closed door.
She heard rustling and moving before the door opened to reveal a tired looking Stef rubbing her eyes. "hi, baby are you okay?" She asked reaching out and touching Callie's forehead
Callie pulled back and nodded as Stef let her hand fall "Um, Jude he's got a fever and he's in my bed sick. I know how to make him feel better but I thought maybe."
Stef nodded as she followed Callie to her room.
"Callie" Jude said in shock seeing Stef drop to her knees by the bed touching Jude's forehead.
"They're here to our mom's Jude. It's their job to take care of you when you're sick. They might know more than me and you are safe remember how much we love them. This is important to them too."
Jude looked unsure until Stef's lips were on his forehead feeling with her lips his temp. He closed his eyes as she ran her fingers through his hair. "It's okay baby, I am here and I am going to get you feeling better."
Jude nodded "K"
"Callie, why don't you go crawl into bed with mama? I'll take care of him."
"I?"
"I want to wash your sheets before you get back, incase he's contagious go on bug."
Callie was too tired to argue she blew Jude a kiss "We've got moms" She reminded him "Moms make things better."
Jude turned into Stef as he nodded before Callie slipped out of the room.
She crawled into bed with Lena trying to not wake her but Lena was alert. She leaned over and kissed Callie's temple "That was brave of you baby girl, he's in good hands with mom."
"I know" She said tiredly her finger wrapping around her nose "That's why I came and got one of you. He's safe with you. We both are" She added before she drifted off to sleep.