AN: This is one of those chapters, that I, myself, I'm not so happy about. I had the scenes in my mind for a long time, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't write them the way I wanted to. I couldn't find the right words, I couldn't describe the scenes the way I wanted to. No matter how many times I rewrote it - it's still not written the way I had pictured it. Somehow it wasn't working (...sigh...). It was very frustrating.

I hope you will enjoy, regardless of my struggles :)

AN2: Chapter updated with the flashback scene from "After the wait" chapter 61. Altered it a little bit - one word here or there and added a little scene at the end of the flashback scene. Overall the scene stayed the same.

Callie POV

I opened the top drawer and sighed deeply.

This was the last of my clothes that were left in the closet. Everything else was already in my blue duffle bag that stood on the made up bed. For the first time, I didn't want to be moved out of a foster home. I had just started to like it here. Knowing what happened last night, I was completely sure, that Amy will send me away. I walked over to the bed and stuffed the last of my clothes in the bag. Once all my clothes were in the bag, I zipped it up.

When I dropped the bag down on the ground, by the end of the bed, I heard the doorbell rang.

The last four times someone rang the doorbell, it was the neighbors, who had heard about the tragedy. They brought over food and tried to cheer Amy up. One especially idiotic couple said an extraordinary terrible thing– they are in a better place now.

Who says that? Who in the right mind would say that?

The people who said that, basically told Amy right in her face that Markus and Aaron are better off dead than alive.

To the neighbors who said that, Amy simply slammed the doors right in their face without saying anything back to them. If Amy hadn't been grieving, I had no do doubt about it, she would have told them exactly what she thought. But Amy was walking around pretty much numb. She didn't react, her grief had taken all of her energy.

I made my way out of the bedroom and walked towards the stairs. When I was on the stairs, I heard talking. The first thought that popped in my mind, was that Amy was talking to David. It had to be him! In my mind, there was no way, that Amy would keep me after the tragedy. One of those calls Amy made, when we finally arrived back from the hospital, had to be to David.

I slowed down my pace and placed my feet down as quietly as I could, not to be heard from downstairs. As I had reached the middle section of the stairs, I saw that Amy was being hugged and held by an elder couple by the doors. The front doors were still open. There were two suitcases in the hallway, not far from where they stood.

The step beneath my feet creaked, giving away my presence. That small noise was enough for Amy to pull out of the hug and for all three of them to turn to me. My hand gripped the banisters a bit tighter.

"Uh.." Amy sniffed and ran her hands over her eyes, wiping away the tears "Mom, dad - this is Callie," Amy said gesturing to me

"Hello," I said quietly, looking at the older couple

Amy shifted in her stance a little and sniffed again. She gestured with her other hand to the two people next to her "Callie, meet my parents – Linda and Harold,"

"Hi, Callie!" Linda said taking one step closer to the stairs, closer to me "Amy has told us so much about you," Linda spoke up in a soft, gentle tone. Amy took a step back so she could close the front doors.

"I'm sorry we had to meet under these circumstances," Harold added with a sad look in his eyes

I got a very warm and friendly feeling from both of them. They looked like a nice, old couple. These people probably didn't have one mean bone in them. I know them just for few shorts seconds, but in my mind, I got a very clear image from where Amy got her good manners. Now I know why Amy was the way she was. It was in the family, the way she was raised.

I knew I had to be polite and kind, not to upset Amy even more. She shouldn't have to deal with me while she was going through this.

"It's nice to meet you as well," I replied

I pointed over my shoulder with my right hand "I'm going to be in my room!" I informed Amy, so she would know where I was, when David comes around and so that I don't disturb them

"Callie dear, you don't have to leave!" I heard Linda's voice as I turned around to walk up to my room

I turned back around to see them "I will just be in the way," I retort without much emotion in my voice "Besides, Amy probably wants to talk to you alone,"

Looking at Amy, I could tell, she needed to have some time alone with her parents. When I was hurt, upset, sad – the best place, the safest and the most comforting place used to be in my moms arms. I'm sure, most of kids feel the same way. And Amy, right now, she just needed to be with her parents. She probably needs them more than she has ever needed them in her entire life.

~o~o~o~

It was some hour after Amy's parents arrived. I was walking down the stairs, heading to kitchen, to make myself a quick sandwich. It was already close to 6PM and I was starting to get hungry. With all that's been going on, I haven't had a decent meal the whole day. I believe Amy hasn't either.

When I had reached the first floor, I heard Amy talking to her parents in the kitchen about what she would want to do for the funeral. I stood in the hallway and listened in their conversation a bit. Not because I wanted to eavesdrop, because I didn't want to walk in there and interrupt their conversation. I stood by the wall in the hallway and waited till the conversation was coming to an end.

"Have you thought about what you want to do, with the funeral?" I heard Harold's voice, but I didn't see him from where I stood

"I like the Fort Rosecrans National cemetery. It's in a nice place, peaceful...near the ocean," I could tell by Amy's tone of voice, it was hard for her to talk about it "I think…they would like it,"

I took a few carefully placed, quiet steps closer to the kitchen. Amy was sitting at the kitchen table, with a cup in front of her. With her right she was holding the cup, but her left elbow was pressed to the table and her fingers rested at her temple. Linda was setting the table. I still did not see Harold from here, but I can only assume that he could be by the stove.

"Have you been there? Talked to the manager?" Linda asked quietly as she reached to the side of the table, where Amy was sitting and placed a soup plate in front of her. Amy leaned away the table, allowing her mom to set it. She took the cup in her hands and leaned back in the chair.

"No," Amy replied, looking down to the cup "I looked it up on the laptop this morning. The prices were-" Amy sighed heavily "-reasonable I guess,"

"Aims," Harold spoke up again, it's sweet, how he had a nickname for Amy "Don't worry about the cost, mom and I will handle it,"

Amy looked up "You don't have to dad...I can handle-"

"Allow us to do this, Amy," Linda added in a soft tone. The love in both of their voices didn't go unnoticed by me.

"Thank you," Amy said after a little while

I heard the doorbell ring the next moment. Before I could look over my shoulder to the front doors, I saw that Amy and Linda glanced to the hallway as well. Both of them noticed me standing there. Amy gazed at me, I stared right back at her as I swallowed a lump in my throat.

Crap - I thought to myself – now Amy knew that I was eavesdropping in on their conversation

I took a little step back and pointed over my shoulder to the doors "I will get it," I turned around and walk over to the front doors

"Who the hell are you?" the woman, who stood on the porch, asked me in a harsh, snappy tone of voice once I had opened the doors to them

My mouth parted a little. I was taken aback by the woman's tone and instant dislike on me. It usually took few days for people to start to hate me and put me down. But she went right to it, not missing a damn second.

The woman had dark red, short cut hair. It was definitely colored. She was tall, definitely taller than Amy, and looked a little bit chubby. If I had to guess, all the things she was wearing – came from the high end store. Looked expensive.

The man next to her, was maybe just hand length taller than her. His body type reminded me a lot of Aaron's. If I'm not mistaken, these were Aaron's parents. The man had grey hair, no facial hair, no glasses. But he did have a small scar over his left eyebrow. They both looked to be in their mid 60 to early 70.

"I think she's the kid Aaron mentioned, when he called on Christmas," the man next to the woman said before he averted his look back on me. Unlike meeting Linda and Harold, I did not get a warm feeling from them.

"Oh," the woman looked me up and down and than added bluntly in a snobby tone "I had thought you would be gone by now,"

"Well, aren't you going to let us in?" The man asked in a demanding, loud tone as he pushed his suitcase handle down

"I don't know who you are," I replied looking at them

"Listen-" The man pointed to me and said in a low, but loud voice

"Ian, Betty!" I heard Amy voice coming from the hallway "Come on in!"

The man, who stood on the porch, simply lifted up his suitcase and took a step over the doorstep pushing me aside. Once he was in, he set the suitcase down and looked around the place. The woman walked in as well. She gave me a dirty look, as she walked pass me.

Amy walked up to them and gave them both an awkward looking hug. It was in no way similar to the hug Amy gave her parents. The hug didn't give out as much love. In a way, it looked a little forced, stiff.

"Callie, this is Ian and Betty, Aaron's parents," Amy introduced us once the hugs were over "This is Callie, the girl we told you about,"

There was no – nice to meet you – like it was with Amy's parents. There were just stares my direction. They both look down on me with disdain. I don't know what I had done to them, to earn those stares.

"Callie, Harold and Linda made dinner," Amy told me as she placed her hand gently on my shoulder blade. I looked up to Amy. She nodded her head a little towards the kitchen to encourage me. I took one last glance back to Ian and Betty before I walked down the hallway.

When I walked in the kitchen, I glanced over my shoulder to the hallway. Amy was now standing with head down, arms crossed on her chest, probably telling them how their son and grandson died.

I had just walked up to the table and sat down at my usual spot, when Harold carried over a pot of soup to the table.

"You have the face," Harold whispered to me, when he reached for the soup plate that was in front of me

"What face?" I looked up to him, confused. Linda walked up to the table as well and placed bread in front of me and next to the other plates as well. She then sat down next to me, while Harold started to pour me some soup.

Linda leaned a bit closer to me and whispered "Everyone has a face, after they meet Ian and Betty," I was still gazing to her perplexed

"Whatever they told you – don't listen to them! They are not nice people! Our advice – just ignore them, don't take them to heart!" Linda added in a whisper, when Harold placed the soup plate back in front of me.

~o~o~o~

Some 2 hours later, the door bell had rang again. This time it was Amy's brother with his wife and his two daughters. Andy was average built. He looked strong and fit. Just like his father, he had wide shoulders. Andy had short, dark brown hair. If it was an inch or two longer, you could see that his hair is lightly curly, just like Amy's. He had a full beard. Even with the beard, you could see the resemblance between the two siblings. It was all in the eyes and the features like cheek bones, chin, nose.

Nell, Andy's wife, was a tall, slim woman, with light brown hair. Their daughters, Olivia, who was year older than me, and Nicole, who was 2 years younger than me, has the hair color and type from their dad, but the body type of their mom.

Just like Amy's parents, I got a nice, warm feeling from them. I guess, everyone is more kind and polite than Aaron's parents. While they were grieving as well, they still remembered their manners and actually had introduced themselves to me and hadn't snapped at me the first time we spoke.

While the adults all remained downstairs, Amy asked me to take Olivia and Nicole upstairs and show them my room. I knew it was a way to get me out of the way.

I was leaned at the closet with my back watching how Olivia and Nicole, were looking around my room. Seeing how the sisters interacted with each other, reminded me a lot of Jude and I. Olivia, who was the oldest, was looking out for Nicole.

"Don't touch it Nicky!" Olivia told Nicole, when she had picked up my Music school notes, that stood on the desk "It's not yours! Put it back down!"

Nicole quickly put them back down and turned to me "Sorry,"

"It's fine," I replied, not really caring that she touched my notes

"Can I sit down?" Olivia asked me, when she was up to my bed. I simply nodded my head back and then watched how she sat down. Once she was sat down, she pressed her hands to the bed.

"You have a nice room," Olivia told me as she looked around it

"It's not really mine," I shrugged my shoulders as I took around the room as well

"You live here - so it is yours!" Olivia stated back trying to convince me otherwise

"Only temporary," I replied indifferent

"How long will you be living here?" She asked me next

"I don't know. It's not up to me," I answered in the same manner

"That must be hard,"

"It is what it is,"

"How many foster homes have you been in?"

"This is the 7th", I said and looked over to Nicole, who was now simply standing by the window, looking out to the backyard, hand to the window sill.

"Wow..." she breathed out sadly "I'm sorry, if it's was a lot of questions," Olivia apologized "It's just all so unknown to me, I'm just...curious,"

"It's fine," I shrugged it off

"I liked the room better before it was remodeled!" Suddenly the youngest sister spoke up. When I looked at her, she was skipping over to the bed as well and sat down next to her sister.

"That's because you like pink!" Olivia rolled her eyes at her sister

Olivia looked up to an explained "Nicole is, like, obsessed with the color pink. Mom got her pink pencil-case, notebooks, pink shirts and PJ, pink slippers..."

"I got the idea," I smile warily at the two girls. Nicole was wearing a pink, long sleeve shirt with some sort of cartoon character on.

"Also, this room had a lot of pink the last time we visited," Olivia explained, her eyes got a bit sadder the next moment "When Amy and Aaron were fostering a little girl,"

"Oh...I didn't know that they had fostered before," that information got me interested. I had no idea Amy and Aaron had fostered before. I hadn't exactly asked them a lot of questions, I hadn't tried to get to know them.

"Yeah, they have fostered short term two times, as far as I remember. The first one was a boy. We didn't get to meet him. He was staying here for like 3 weeks, till his father got home from overseas and got everything sorted out, found a new job and stuff like that," Olivia explained "They also fostered a girl. Her name was Grace. She was staying here for some 3 months - till her parents got better after a car crash!" Suddenly the room went very quiet at the mention of a car crash. It loss was still too fresh.

Nicole lowered her head to her sisters shoulder and after a while she sniffed out "I miss Markus and Aaron!" after couple of seconds she added quietly "It's not fair that they died!"

"I know...I miss them too," Olivia whispered back to her, trying to hold it together as she stroked her sisters hair. The youngest sister couldn't hold the tears in any longer and started to quietly cry in her sisters shoulders.

"Come, let's go find mom," Olivia took her sisters hand as she stood up. The tears kept streaming down the young girls cheeks as she followed her sister down the stairs.

Some 20 minutes later, I walked out of my room as well. When I was on the stairs, I heard commotion coming from the living room. Now all the extended family was there. Not wanting to disturb anyone or interrupt anything, I sat down on the stairs, and pressed my head to the wall.

I wasn't in the room with them, because I didn't exactly belong here. I was the odd one out, I wasn't family! But even though I was just the foster kid, who has lived here for barely 3 months, I still cared. What happened with Aaron and Markus, shocked me as well. It was hard to see Amy devastated like this.

I was already expecting, preparing to be sent away. My bag was already packed. I was sure that Amy wouldn't keep me, not after what happened yesterday. This time I would at least know why it happened. This time I would know for sure – this wasn't my fault, this isn't a result of something I did.

I started to listen more carefully to their conversation once I heard them starting to talk about me.

"What about the girl?" Ian was the one, who started the topic

"What about her?" Linda asked back

"What are you going to do with her!?" Ian didn't back down and asked again, this time more bluntly

"Don't talk to her like she is an object, Ian!" Andy retorted "She's a kid!"

"I say you should send her back!" Betty sided with her husband

"Andy is right! Callie is not an object you can return! Don't talk about her like that!" Linda defended me

Oddly enough, I didn't hear Amy at all.

"I agree with my wife! Amy should send her back to foster care, where she came from. You have enough on your plate as it is! She is not your responsibility!" Ian stated back. Clearly he wanted me gone. I didn't have to listen to this conversation to know that. They hated me from the moment I met them.

"It is her fault this happened!" Betty chimed in

"How is it her fault? She was at home! With Amy! Are you two completely out of your minds! It wasn't her fault!" Andy said in raised voice, sounding upset

"Amy said she asked Aaron to take Markus for a day out!" Ian said louder "So she could have a girls day or whatever with her! This could have been avoided if the girl was not here! They would still be alive if the stupid kid didn't need so much attention...special treatment!"

"Oh, shut up Ian! You have no idea what you are talking about!" This time it was Harold, who spoke up defending me "It was a fucking accident! Those happen you know! And she has a name...It's Callie...but not that you care! You are a heartless bastard! You don't care about anyone else but your own ass!"

"Don't talk to my husband like that!" Betty defended her husband

I had a feeling the two families didn't exactly get along. Aaron and Amy might have been a family, but that doesn't mean their families got along.

"Just admit that you two were never really happy for Aaron and Amy becoming foster parents!" Linda said "They are doing amazing things, helping kids who need help-"

Harold interjected quickly, I assume it was aimed to Ian and Betty "Not that you know what is that like - helping people!"

Linda continued "-You never have supported them! Not with Callie, not when they were fostering the little girl while her parents were in recovery after car crash...or the little boy, until his father comes back from overseas! You have never been supportive of them. Sometimes I wonder, how Aaron grew up to be so nice and loving when he had you two as parents!"

"We just think, they should have focused more on Markus. Not on some...other kids!" Betty argued back "They had a son, why should they take care of some other kids. She is not Amy's concern!"

"No one cares what you think Betty!" Linda said harshly back. There was definitely a family feud going on between them. The parents went at one another like the family feud was going on for ages.

"Just send her back Amy!" Ian said sternly to Amy "You don't need her! She is just a stupid foster kid. She will be fine back in the Juvenile detention, where she belongs anyway!"

Finally I heard Amy snap back "Oh, shut the hell up!" I could hear it in her voice that Amy was just fed up with them

"My mom is right, you two were never sportive about us becoming foster parents! But let me tell you both one thing – you two have no right to tell me what to do! Especially when it comes to Callie! So do me a favor and just shut up and don't talk about her!"

I heard footsteps coming towards the hallway, but then they stopped and Amy spoke up again "And she is not going anywhere. She is staying with me. This discussion is over. You hear me - over!"

I leaned off the wall when Amy stormed out of the living room. She stopped in the hallway, right in front of the stairs, once she saw me sitting there. Amy continued to walk towards me a moment later.

When Amy was some 3 steps lower, she stopped and said quietly "I'm sorry you had to hear that. Don't listen to Ian and Betty. Don't worry, you are not going anywhere, Callie!" Once Amy sees me nodding back, she walks pass me. Few seconds later I hear her slam her bedroom doors shut.

A little part of me got really excited and happy about what Amy said, I just didn't show it outwards. This was the best foster home for sure and I doubt that there is a better one out there. I wanted to stay here. But I also know that foster parents change their minds a lot. Amy was in a very rough spot right now, not only that, but she is very emotional and she was running on fumes. I wouldn't be too shocked if she changed her mind in a day or two or a week. It was better not to get my hopes up about staying here.

So I suppress the part of me that got happy and excited about what Amy said and lean my head back at the wall as I continue to listen to the heated conversation in the living room.

January 24th

Looking around the burial-ground, I was still surprised as to how many people were here. The ceremony in the chapel had left everyone in tears.

There were a lot of teenagers – Markus classmates, friends, girlfriend and teammates. It looked like a part of the school had shown up. If I wasn't mistake, all of Aaron's colleges and business partners were there as well. There were also Amy's fellow officers who paid their respect, like her partner, Stefanie, her boss, Captain Roberts, few officers and friends from her previous and current station. And there were a lot of more people, neighbors and friends, that I do not know and have never met before today.

Without a doubt, Aaron and Markus, had both been loved by many people. They both will be missed greatly.

I watched how Amy bent down and took a fistful of dirt. She looked at the two caskets that were now in the ground.

"May you rest in piece," Amy whispered as she threw the first handful of dirt on her sons caskets. The dirt made a thud sound as it landed on the casket. Tear rolled down her cheek as she repeated the action two more times for her son and then three more for her husband.

Once she had thrown the dirt on both of the caskets, she stood at the end of the graves, taking one last look at them. She took in a shaky breath and walked off to side, to let the others say goodbye as well.

Ian went next. After him, Betty. Once they were done, they stood by Amy's left side.

"Go on, honey," I heard Linda whisper to me. Not wanting to cause any trouble and make the process any longer than it has to be, I moved out.

As I threw the dirt on Markus casket, memories flashed my mind as how I had done it at my moms funeral as well. When I threw the last handful of dirt on Aaron's casket, tear fell down my cheek as well. I walked over to Amy and stood by her other side.

Looking at Amy, how heartbroken and sorrowful she was, I felt a tug in my heart. This has happened more than once in the last week. Something was happening to me. Something has changed.

When I saw how another tear slowly fell down her cheek, I realized, what was happening, what had changed.

I care about my foster mother.

I bent my left arm up, so that I could slip my hand into Amy's. When my fingers touched Amy's palm, I held my breath – waiting for her reaction. There were only two ways this could go. Either she will accept my attempt to comfort her or she will reject it.

The next moment, without ever taking her eyes off her sons and husbands graves, Amy gripped my hand tightly, yet gently in hers.