ALTERNATE ENDING 1, CHAPTER 13

Stef had already gotten up and started a pot of coffee when her Mom arrived with the kids. Brandon ran into her arms but Callie merely looked around.

"Hmmm. My stud muffin, I missed you." She kissed Brandon multiple times on his head. "Good morning Callie, how are you? Did you have fun with Grandma?"

"She's not my Grandma. Where's my Mama?"

Stef sighed, "She's upstairs still in bed."

"She's decided on not calling me Grandma since she has two already. She'll just call me Sharon. I guess that's a step up from Brandon's Grandma. How'd things go last night?"

"Great. And thank you so much Mom. We really needed that." Stef said while she continued swinging Brandon from side to side.

"I'm hungry," he announced after his laughter had died down.

"They haven't eaten yet. Callie insisted on coming straight home so I figured making breakfast here is just as good as at home. I'll start on breakfast now." Sharon said heading to the kitchen.

"Thanks Mom. Let's go and see Lena shall we?" Brandon nodded and ran up the stairs after Stef released him.

"Moms making breakfast now and afterward she'll take the kids to school." Stef said as she walked into the room. Lena nodded and turned her attention back to the 2 kids who were flanking her. Stef lounged at the end of the bed.

"So, I've got to get up and get ready." She said kissing each on their heads and heading toward the bathroom.

Stef smiled at Callie. "Did you have fun yesterday? I hear you went to the zoo."

"It was fine." Callie got up and followed Lena into the bathroom. Slamming the door behind her in the process.

Stef's smile faltered slightly but she picked it back up and looked at Brandon, "How about you? Did you have tons of fun?"

Brandon came over to her and put his arms around her neck, "I had fun. I loved the zoo. I'm not sure Callie had a lot of fun though. She doesn't have a lot of fun anymore like she used to."

Stef rubbed her nose with her hand. "It's okay bud. She just misses her Mommy. Come on. Let's go and see what Grandma's made for breakfast." She scooped him up and carried him to the kitchen.

Brandon and Sharon chatted away during breakfast. Callie had to be fed by Lena to get anything in her. Stef hoped this behavior didn't continue for too much longer. She kissed everyone goodbye and went off to work.

Cocococococcococococcocococo

She was humming and tapping her fingers in the patrol car and seemed to be in a pretty good mood.

"Someone actually took my advice?" David just had to break down and ask.

Stef laughed. "Not that advice. But yes, Lena and I were able to spend some quality time alone."

"As long as you're happy, I'm happy for you."

"Thanks friend."

"No problem, you're the closest thing to a girlfriend I have right now. Or will ever have."

They laughed together out loud and then continued working.

Stef and David got back to the station around 3 to start on paperwork until it was time to clock out. As they were walking in David says, "Oh shit," under his breath and then hurried inside.

Stef looked around to see what the problem was and almost ran smack dab into Mike. "Oh shit." He had walked right up behind her and she hadn't noticed at all. "Hi Mike."

"Stef, can we talk?" Mike looked like hell and she swore she could smell alcohol on his breath even now.

"Sure, Mike. What's up?" Stef felt trapped but decided it was easier to let him get whatever off his chest than to try and put him off when he was in this state.

"I want to come and get Brandon for the weekend."

"That's not going to work Mike."

"What do you mean it's not going to work? He's my son and I have visitation. I want him for the weekend. This is my weekend with him."

"Actually Mike, it's not. But even if it was, the answer would still be no. You smell like a brewery and you look like a wreck. Also, Lena and I are moving in together this weekend. And she wants you nowhere around. I was going to call you later but, she wants us to do formal exchanges at the Child Exchange Center."

"I don't care what Lena wants. We're his parents Stef. Me and you. She has no say in any of this."

"She's going to be my wife and she's his mother now too. We are all a family. She's involved in everything that includes that me and Brandon."

Mike was incredulous. Didn't she know what he was going through?Shouldn't she pretend to care a little? "Seriously Stef? You're doing this to me now? Do you know what I'm going through? They just took my badge away in there Stefanie because of an accident."

Stef reached back into the car and removed a pamphlet and handed it to Mike. "I'm sorry to hear that Mike but, your actions do have consequences. And driving 45 minutes to assault a pregnant woman is not an accident. It was jealousy, envy, and sheer stupidity." She paused to let that sink in, "Orientation is on Tuesday so make sure that you show up or you will have to wait until the following week to start to see Brandon, for as long as you can. Hopefully, you'll use this time to clean yourself up and do the right thing by then."

Mike tried to grab her arm but Stef was able to shake him off and continued walking fast. "Stef! Stefanie!" he hollered before the door swung shut after her.

Seeing Mike in that condition was hard for Stef. But, it was his life and she was not responsible for his actions. She got to her desk, took a deep breath, and kept her head down for the rest of the day.