0.6 Time and distance

x-o- Stef x-o-

I walked back to Lena's car in a huff and slammed the door once I got in. "How did it go?" Lena whispered softly as she looked at me with a soft smile. I sighed and buckled myself in.

"They laughed." I answered her in an offended tone and Lena held my hand into her hands. "They laughed as I stood there claiming a lawsuit."

"Well, are you getting a fight?" She questioned and I looked into her big brown eyes.

"Yes! I have a detective to meet tomorrow to get everything sorted." I answered her with a big smile on my face as she smiled at me.

"Not as soon as today?" Lena whispered as she turned her body around to face forward again and I sighed.

"She was available as soon as tomorrow for me but I am not complaining." I replied as Lena buckled herself in. "She is one of the best ones out there!" Lena laughed as I cheered to myself excitedly. She started to the car and I was assuming we were driving back to the house but I was wrong as we stopped in front of my old apartment. I looked over at her and raised my eye brow at her.

"I paid for the apartment for a few years.." Lena explained slowly with a sigh before she continued. "But, I stopped and talked about it with Callie.. I explained to her that this wasn't her home and someone else needed a home." I nodded.

"Go on." I replied with a small reassuring smile and she smiled a little back.

"I moved everything into a big storage place." Lena explained softly with a sigh. "And I am glad you don't have anything planned today because I wanted to take you over there." I nodded and she nodded then drove down the road from the apartment and parked. We got out and she directed me to a big storage garage. She unlocked it and let the garage door go up.

"Oh, wow." I replied with shock as I saw everything that I haven't seen in 10 years like it was froze in time in the garage unit. "This is something, isn't it?" I walked in as Lena turned the lights on. I touched the things gently and felt comfort.

"I wanted to show you something.." Lena whispered and I looked over at her with a smile as she got a picture that looked ripped apart but was sticky taped together. I walked over with shaky hands having some idea of what it was. The last drawing Callie has ever drawn. "I saved it." I took it and looked the picture.

"She ripped it apart?" I questioned as I looked up at her sad, brown eyes as she nodded. "She really hates me.."

"Stef.." Lena cooed as she put her hand on my arm to comfort me as small tear drops fell down my left eye. "She was a little girl whose world was turned around.. She doesn't know the truth, honey." I looked up at her again from staring down at the picture.

"I know how hard it must be for her.. She couldn't even look up at me for one second without looking away again." I muttered under my breath as I took a seat on one of the high kitchen chairs. "I don't think she can move on and give me another chance.. I am not sure our relationship can be what it used to be."

"That isn't true." Lena replied as she sat on the left side of me on the other high kitchen chair. "I won't let it be that way.. And I am sure once you get evidence to prove your innocence, she will be the first to hug you." I looked away and wipe my eyes with my shirt sleeve then looked back at the picture.

"Chanel.." I whispered and looked up at Lena who looked sad. "Please, tell me Callie still has that toy." Lena's face looked down and I already knew the answer.. My face scrunched up as I felt a pain in my heart. "It was her comfort toy dog.. She never slept without it." Lena looked up and got up. "Lena! She gave up her comfort dog toy because of me.." She turned around and there was Chanel. I reached for it like a little kid wanting my lollipop back. She handed it to me and I hugged it.

"She attempted to throw it out.." Lena whispered after a short silence of me crying softly and smelling the toy that still smelt of my baby girl. "I didn't tell her that it was never thrown out. I kept it safe for her." I shook my head as my eyes were closed.

"Thanks." I whispered once I opened my eyes again and looked at Lena who was there just smiling sadly at me. "I will keep it with me seeing as this is the closest thing to my little girl I will get for the time being. Lena nodded and embraced me in a hug. We locked up the garage unit and went back to the car slowly. We got in and buckled ourselves in then she drove slowly through the streets back to the house.

"There is one thing you might want to try to do.." Lena whispered once she parked in the driveway and I looked at her as she looked at me.

"What might this be?" I questioned softly gripping Chanel in my hands nervously. She smiled sadly at me.

"You can't avoid Callie."

"I am not avoiding Callie, she is the one avoiding me." I replied and Lena's face looked stern all of the sudden which startled me.

"You don't get to do this." Lena answered sternly taking the keys of the ignition and looking back at me.

"Do what?"

"You are the parent." Lena answered with a soft but stern tone. "You don't get to be like this. She is your daughter and you have every right to talk to her."

"I am giving her time and space." I explained to her but she shook her head. "What?"

"You have to put away with whatever it is you might feeling, and be the Mother you have always been." Lena explained softly as she took her hand and patted the top of my hand. "Because that is what you should do now. Let her know you here and that you love her even if she slams the door right in your face. Tell her."

"Lena- I.." I whispered speechless and she kissed me.

"Time and distance isn't going to fix anything. To be honest, it will just make things worst." Lena replied and I nodded as I looked down at the little toy dog. "It is just going to make it harder on you and on Callie."

"I understand completely and I think you are right." I replied looking up at her with a smile. "I am not going anywhere and no matter how much she will push away, I will never let her go."

"There is my feisty Stefanie." Lena encouraged with a small laugh. "That we all miss and love." I poked her nose and we got out the car. I tucked the dog toy in my pocket and made my way inside to talk to my little girl..

Sorry for the long await for the next chapter. I had a huge ear ache and it just was too uncomfortable, painful to do things like this. -Shaz