"Morning." Lena whispered as Stef opened her eyes. "Morning." Stef grumbled she was never the best morning person. Stef smiled quickly while the day before's events returned to her. Lena laughed at the quick smile that flashed across her wife's face, "To bad we have kids today." Stef whispered and rolled out of bed. Lena laughed but nodded in agreement. "Let's see what the kids are up to. It sounds like the kids are downstairs so let's go see what's up." Stef rolled her eyes but got up and began to follow Lena out the bedroom door.
Walking down the stairs Stef laughed seeing all of her kids sitting on the living room floor Brandon, Callie and Jesus covered in some white ribbon and Mariana with tape stuck in her hair. "We suck at this." Taylor giggled as she dropped some more ribbon and streamers she was trying to hang up on one of the walls. Brandon laughed as he looked around the room that was covered in tape and ribbons but not fully decorated, "Well it was a good idea at least Callie, but I don't think it's gonna look good before moms get up." Lena laughed from her place on the stairs causing all the children to jump. "Oh... Hi mom, hey momma!" Mariana said pulling a piece of tape from her hair. Both women standing on the stairs began to laugh, "What is going on down here?" Jude smiled, "Callie thought it would be nice to decorate around here and then give you guys the gifts we got for you before we left for the day!" Jesus shrugged, "And this is about as far as we got with the whole decorating thing." "I tried." Callie pleaded as she shrugged. "Where did all the girls go?" Lena wondered out loud. Taylor smiled, "They had their own idea of saying congratulations, there's food in the kitchen and Tayla wants to drag Brandon out of those house, Lexi is taking the twins, Abby is stealing me for a few hours and Callie and Jude are invited to come along with whoever they want. That way you can have the house to yourselves." Stef laughed, "Your girlfriends made your mother's dinner? What are you three here for then?" She joked looking to Brandon, Jesus and Taylor. Taylor giggled, "Decorating!" Jude laughed, "You just put tape in Mariana's hair Taylor!" Stef and Lena laughed at their kids as they were dragged down the stairs and sat on the couch.
"You can open them all however you want." Brandon explained as he motioned to the seven gifts on the living room floor. "Seven gifts? Guys you didn't even have to get one." Lena sighed but was smiling as she looked at the gifts laid out on the floor. "One from each of us, plus one thats from all of us." Jesus explained. "Okay, how about we do it by age? Is that fair?" Stef suggested. All the kids nodded, "Sure." The said in unison. Brandon pushed his gift over to his moms, "It's kinda lame." He admitted. Stef pulled out a picture frame and handed it to Lena both laughing, "Your first audition with the three of us!" Lena smiled and thanked Brandon. Stef hugged her son, "Thanks B." Callie handed her gift to Stef and Lena, "I didn't know what I should give you so I just did my best." Callie said with her head down. Lena thankfully took the gift and hugged Callie, "You are enough of a gift yourself." Callie smiled and sat back down. Lena smiled as she opened the gift placing it between Stef and herself. "One with everyone, the two of you with each of your kids and one of you guys together, there's a note that goes with it." Callie explained as the two women looked over the collage of photos. Stef read the note first while Lena looked at the pictures, "I realize now I'm not worthless. Just like you told me that night we went to save Jude. I am not replaceable, and neither are the two of you. I'm so glad you chose to save me, and Jude." It read. Stef held back tears and handed the note to Lena who also held back tears as she hugged Callie as a thank you. Brandon nodded and turned to the twins, 'Whose gift should I give them first?" Jesus shrugged and Mariana claimed the spot. "Hope you like it." Mariana smiled as hugging her moms. Opening the box there were two smaller boxes inside, one for each of them. Inside the smaller boxes were two bracelets with six charms in the shapes of hearts, "Each one has the name of one of us, and our birthstone on it. That way you know no matter what we do or say that we know we have a part of your heart." All the kids turned to look at Mariana, "Woah! I thought we weren't trying to outdo each other!" Stef and Lena laughed, "We love them all. And thank you Mari." Jesus stood, "My turn, so I didn't really know what to get you, I'm not good at the gifts and all but there's that." Jesus handed his moms a small box holding a gift card for a night out to dinner, "I figured we could order pizza or something and you could go out tonight." Stef laughed at how awkward her son looked awaiting for a reply, "Thank you Jesus." Jude smiled, "Taylor your turn!" Taylor rolled over and stood up, "Okay, so I didn't realize everyone else was going with awesome gifts so mine sucks but sorry." Stef and Lena laughed, "Okay guys, the six of you need a new catch phrase." Stef joked as Taylor handed her a wrapped box. Opening the gift Lena's forehead wrinkled in confusion, "Uh Taylor what exactly is this?" She said flipping the disk over in hands. "It's uh, well it's uh me... Abby recorded it one night, I went on rambling about you guys and stuff and then sang two songs that I wish I could sing to you, its supposed to be like cute and all happy and stuff. Like I said it's stupid." Stef laughed taking the CD, "Should we listen to it?" All of the kids chimed in their thoughts agreeing that they should.
"Stef and Lena, oh jeez, they're so amazing and it's crazy how much love they have in their hearts. I don't even understand it. I wish that I could be their kid, to go around and when people ask who are they I can say louder and prouder than anything else that they were my moms. That they chose to love me. I wish." Taylor voice was slightly slurred and Stef paused the recording, Jesus laughed, "Wow Taylor, deep. Never heard you talk that deep." Stef nodded, "Or have your voice that slurred." Taylor mummbled, "I wasn't drunk or anything." Lena glared at Taylor as if trying to see if she was lying, "Can we just play the recording?" Callie asked clearly intrigued. Brandon agreed, "We should finish it, that way we can get ready before we leave the house." Stef nodded and began to play the recording, "I've never seen two people with so much love for their children but even more so for each other, sometimes the way they say I love you to each other it reminds me that it's not wrong to love who you love. How could two people do that? Change my self esteem I mean." Taylor's voice was barely above a whisper before the recording became her singing. The song "The best Day" By taylor swift was being sung and Taylor clearly had been very emotional during the song. The next song Taylor sang was Because you Loved me by Celine Dion. "Thank you Taylor." Stef and Lena hugged the girl. "Sorta lame but everyone else had gotten you everything else." Taylor shrugged. "My turn!" Jude exclaimed. "I think my gifts the best!" He said proudly receiving a glare from his siblings. "It's a necklace, it was my mom's before she died." Jude said quietly, "But I wanted you guys to have it now, now that you're my moms." Stef and Lena finally broke into tears, "Thank you Jude. Thank you to all of you guys, this was great." Mariana jumped up, "wait there's one more, it's from all of us remember?" Stef laughed and Lena nodded, "Of course Mari." The said in unison. "Taylor should explain it was her idea." Brandon explained handing his moms a small box. "She put the whole thing together, we just did a small part." Callie smiled to her younger sister while explaining to Stef and Lena who the credit really belonged to. "I needed everyone's help or else it wouldn't have been as perfect." Taylor shrugged receiving a playful shove from Jesus.
"So who's gonna make us cry first?" Stef asked putting the dvd from her kids in to play. "Well, we don't really know what anyone else said, that's part of the and I quote magic of this thing." Jesus explained making fun of Mariana's "magic" comment. Callie smiled, "We each filmed something and then Taylor edited them all together. So we have no idea who said what." Lena shot Stef a look, "Did anyone say something that they didn't want other people to hear?" All the kids shook their heads, no, they all agreed that what was said was fine to be heard. "We went by first name." Jesus explained. Brandon nodded, "Me, Callie, Jesus, Jude, Mariana and finally finishing it up Taylor." Stef nodded absent mindedly as the screen sprung to life with color and photos.
The first scene was Stef holding Brandon as a baby the next picture was when Stef and Lena first got together with Brandon sitting in the middle. The photos cut out to a video Brandon had recently taken himself for this gift, "I've said...and done a lot of stupid things lately, like saying how I didn't choose to have two moms." Brandon on the video went silent, "But, I wish I had gotten to choose, I would have chosen you all over again. I couldn't live without my moms." Brandons short video ended with him playing the song he had wrote of his family, the different notes blending together perfectly. "Lame." Jesus joked watching his moms reaction vecry carefully. Brandon shrugged, "I didn't know what to say it wasn't my idea." He said defensively. "Enough." Lena said half heartedly staring at the screen as Callie voice began and the screen stayed black, "I don't want to show my face." Callie's voice whispered, "Because I can't let people see me cry." Suddenly the screen showed Callie as if she had taken her hand off the camera. "I'm sorry." She whispered. "I'm sorry for that first night, I'm sorry for every night and everything I have dragged here with me, but especially that first night." Callie finally looked into the camera, "What I said, it wasn't right, and I know you get that crap enough I'm so sorry for saying it." A single tear rolled down Callie's face, both the real her and the one in the video, "And thank you, for helping me, with everything. I haven't felt loved in a really long time... but when you said you were adopting Jude and I..." Callie's voice flattered and she put her hand over the camera, "It was the first time I've felt loved in a really long time, and I'm so happy to feel that love from the two of you everyday," She whispered as the recording stopped and went on to show the only picture of Callie, Stef and Lena at the time, one that Mariana had managed to take while at the park a month or so back. Stef paused the video and wrapped her arms around Callie with Lena quickly following, both Mariana and Taylor quickly pulled out their phones to snap pictures and motioned for the boys to get into the family hug. When Callie had managed to stop crying everyone turned back to the screen to watch the rest of the video.
Stef laughed seeing what had been the opening of Jesus' video, Taylor had edited in a video of Jesus skateboarding around the kitchen and hitting Stef with her yelling at him to put it up. "So, me huh?" Jesus shrugged staring at the screen. "Moms, I love you both. I mean Mariana and I were so young when landing here. We never had to go through a bunch of the crap that can go on in the foster system, we knew not everyone would love us but in some sense we were lucky. But you two were still our saviors, we needed someone to hold us and love us and since that day you have. I love you." Jesus stopped the recording and it flashed to pictures of him, Stef, Lena and Mariana. Stef laughed at her son while Lena took the chance to tease Jesus about him actually showing his feelings. "Uh, what am I supposed to say again?" Jude looked off screen speaking to someone. Jude shrugged at the muffled reply. "Callie's never really allowed me to get attached to foster homes. Everything was always temporary and most the time I didn't mind that because they were horrible but when we came here it was really hard not to feel safe. Callie warned me not to get hurt. Stef, Lena you're the first people who haven't hurt me. And for Callie to. You're the first people who haven't hurt her either. I'm so happy you're going to be my moms and I wish I could do better in school to make you happy. And I'm really glad you choose to keep us, it means I get two big brothers and two more big sisters and two moms!" Jude's bright smile filled the screen as he turned it off. A picture of Jude sitting at the table helping cook dinner with Stef and Lena appeared on the screen, Lena just smiled as she held back tears and Stef wrapped her arms around her wife.
Photos of Mariana flashed across the screen from when she was younger but also one with her and her moms dancing at the Quence. "I feel really bad, for all the trouble I've caused these last few months, I feel like I've done things just to try and see if you still saw me even though you had five other kids. And I feel really bad about trying to talk to my birthmom." Mariana stopped facing the camera and looked down, "I don't know why I bothered, she'll never be my mother and I already have to amazing ones here who love me and my siblings more than anything else in the world. I feel so stupid for doing those things and I hope you can forgive me." A tear rolled down Mariana's cheek. "I don't ever want you two to be mad at me and stop loving me, and I know you won't, you've told me that from day one but I can't help but think what if, when I came here I was so scared, I didn't trust you guys, I only trusted Jesus. But now, now I don't what I would do if you weren't here to talk to when I fought with Lexi, or got a bad grade, or just wanted to talk. Well anyways, I'm sorry for everything I've done lately and I hope you know it doesn't mean I don't love you. Happy Wedding Day!" Mariana finally smiling lit up the screen. Stef smiled at her middle daughter looking at her and Lena expectantly, "Oh Mari." Lena sighed. She hugged Mariana, "I'm sorry about the hospital, if that's what you mean." She whispered and Mariana nodded relieved.
"And finally me." Taylors voice came from the video. "Me, me me. What can I even say to the two of you? Well let's start with this. Thank you." Taylor giggled at how lame it had sounded. "For taking me in when you knew nothing about me, you let me come into your home when I had probably looked like a stray animal, bloodied and bruised and all that fun stuff." She paused and her hand instinctively went to her neck to feel the small scar she still had. "And of course thank you for taking me away from that home. And making this house my home, this family my family, your love for your children, your love that included me." Taylor smiled shyly at the screen and then quickly looked down, "And more importantly..." The video paused. Stef looked to Taylor feeling like she knew what the video was about to say, "Tay, are you sure you want your sisters and brothers to hear this." Taylor just nodded but closed her eyes as she moved a little farther away from Mariana and Jesus who she had been cuddled up against. Stef nodded and began to video again, "More importantly thank you for making sure I didn't kill myself that night. Making sure that I'm not a gravestone your visiting today telling me all about the wedding. For making me feel like I was worth something when I thought I was nothing in this world and it would be better to die." Taylor voice slowly faded out as pictures from the wedding began to flash across the screen, Jesus pulling his baby sister back next to him and Mariana and hugging her. Stef looked to Lena and then back at the screen of all the photos the kids had taken to add to the video. The photos faded out and a new video came on, one of Stef and Lena. "Oh yeah, uh Jude and I came down for a snack and you two were in the kitchen...I just happened to have my camera with me." Taylor shrugged smiling evilly to Jude who smiled back and then returned his attention to the screen. Stef laughed as she heard the background music playing, "Please baby can't you see my mind's a burning hell, I got razors a ripping and tearing my heart apart as well, tonight you told me that you ached for something new." Lena laughed seeing the video of Stef dancing around the Lena in the kitchen as the radio continued to play out. "And some other women is looking like something that might be good for you." Lena began to dance around the kitchen with Stef both laughing hysterically and smiling at eachother. Stef pulled away for the next line of words and Lena sat down laughing, "Go on and hold her till the screaming is gone. Go on believe her when she tells you nothings wrong. But I'm the only one who'll walk across the fire for you, I'm the only one who'll drown in my desire for you." Stef lip syncing along with the song and dancing in front of Lena as if she were a star on stage was receiving a giggle from all the children on the floor. By the time that the video ended all the kids were laughing uncontrollably on the floor while Stef leaned over and kissed Lena.
"Well let's get out of your moms hair, you sure you don't want to come?" Tayla said sweetly pulling Brandon away from the family and looking to Callie and Jude. Callie shook her head and said goodbye as the two left. "Gross." Mariana mumbled. "Oh come on Mari, you're just jealous that you don't have a boyfriend!" Taylor teased. "Yeah whatever." Mariana mumbled pulling Lexi and Jesus out the back door. "Callie, Jude, you two going with Taylor and Abby?" Jude nodded excitedly and Callie just smiled slightly, "Yeah Jude said those two would be the most fun." Jude nodded, "I'm hoping I can get Taylor to sing again and maybe even get Callie to sing." Jude commented receiving glares from both his sisters. "Not gonna happen." The mumbled walking out the front door.
"So the house is all ours." Stef smiled grabbing Lena's hand, "And we had the moment of pure blissful joy with the kids already." Lena rolled her eyes and playfully joked, "Stef, your exhausting," She whispered as she followed her wife up the stairs to her room. Stef pulled Lena into her bed and slowly traced her wifes face and shoulders. "Stef." Lena whispered breathlessly as Stef traced Lena's sides. The two slowly pressed themselves closer to eachother. "I'm love you." Lena whispered as her shirt dropped to the floor. Stef smiled, "And I love you."
Authors note:
Sorry it took so long to get this chapter I've been having computer problems like crazy this week new chapter soon I promise. Does anyone have any ideas about how Taylor's gonna tell Stef and Lena about the engagement and how do you think they will react? Oh and also in the next couple chapters there's gonna be a very Jude centric chapter. Okay thanks everyone and please review! More reviews more chapters! :)