"Okay sweetheart, remember what I said, we only get a few moments with your mom so we need to be brave and tell her how much you love and miss her, yes?" Stef requested quietly; she had finished her shift early so that she could be there to pick Mariana up from school. The young girl had been pleasantly surprised to find a familiar face walking into the classroom to pick her up and she ran into Stef's arms and inhaled her calming scent.

Stef knocked on the interview room door, knowing that what she was doing wasn't strictly by the book, but she had specifically asked the sarge if she could grant Lena a chance to say goodbye to Mariana. Just earlier that day the bail had been set at five thousand dollars and Lena had turned down the option of bail, her lawyer stating that Mrs. Christina Ramirez had all the couples funds in a separate bank account that Lena had no access too, hoping for some leniency, however the judge had simply shrugged and announced 'bail not granted' and hit the gavel against the desk.

Ana opened the door with a friendly smile to Stef before her eyes dropped to the beautiful little girl anxiously and nervously holding the police officer's hand. "Come on in, there is someone in here waiting to see you" Ana opened the door further until Lena was visible and the mother and daughter instantly gravitated towards each other. Mariana was in Lena's arms in a flash as Lena plucked the girl up from the ground and into her arms where she hugged her tightly.

"Mama you're squishing me" Mariana giggled softly as she felt her mother place a dozen or so kisses on her cheek and forehead.

"Oh, I have missed you sweetheart, have you been a good girl for Stef?" Lena asked, watching as Mariana nodded her head, she glanced at Stef who nodded her head twice silently that Mariana had in fact been behaving herself.

"I had to sleep in a room with four other girls last night Mama" Mariana informed her mother as she stuck a finger in Lena's curly hair and began twirling a strand around her finger as if it was something she did every day and it melted Stef's heart, how she longed to reach out and see if that wild hair felt as soft as it looked.

"Oh really, that must have been a fun sleep over, hey?" Lena asked hopefully but Mariana shook her head and stuck out her pet lip.

"No Mama, we had beans on toast for dinner and then went to bed super early. And the girls were mean, they said that you stole me from Mommy and are a bad person and that you're going to jail" Mariana's eyes widened at the prospect.

"Oh sweet girl, it's true that I did steal you from Mommy and because of that I have to go away for a little while as a punishment, kind of like being grounded when you've been naughty or when I have to put you on the naughty step" Lena tried to explain.

"But Mommy is mean to you Mama, I don't like Mommy. Please tell me I don't have to live with just Mommy" Mariana said as tears began to fill her little brown eyes.

"No sweetheart, Mommy is going to go away for being a bad girl too. So if its ok with you, Stef is going to look after you for a little while and Grammy is going to come down and will be there when Stef is working and cant look after you?" Lena said carefully, wanting Mariana to be fully on board with all of this to make things easier for the little one.

"Okay Mama, but how long will I sleep over at Stef's?" Mariana asked hoping that it would only be a few days. Lena looked to Stef for help, she was struggling to keep it together and was grateful when Stef approached and laid a hand on Mariana's back.

"Your going to be staying with me for a few weeks little miss, but we are going to write to Mama all the time, and draw her pictures and speak to her on the phone. It will be a fun little holiday and before you know it Mama will be home" Stef said carefully.

"So what do you think Mariana, do you think you would like to stay with Stef?" Lena asked knowing that time was starting to run out and she offered a proud smile when Mariana nodded her acceptance of what was going to happen. "Ok well listen, while Mama and Mommy aren't there Stef is in charge, you do as she says and you be on your very bestest behaviour okay, bedtime is at seven sharp. No crying or begging for more time. And you eat what Stef makes..." Lena said before turning to Stef with an apologetic look in her eye. "I should have warned you that Mariana doesn't like meat"

"Thats okay, we can live without meat for a few weeks, is she vegetarian or vegan?" Stef asked with a smile to show that it wasnt going to be an issue.

"I'm not sure what to label her but she doesn't believe in killing animals for food" Lena said rolling her eyes playfully at her daughter.

"Okay then, no meat. Anything else I should know?" Stef asked as she rubbed her hand soothingly over Marianas back.

"School starts at seven thirty so she should be there by seven fifteen. Cheese and pickle sandwiches are her favorite lunch with barbeque chips and an apple or pear. She has no allergies, but she hates the bath, bathing her is a chore so I usually let her shower, but only at night. There will be no time in the morning because waking her up is a chore in itself... I'm making her sound way worse than she is, I'm so sorry Stef"

"Hey, it's fine, I signed up for this and Mariana and me will be just fine, won't we little miss" Stef asked as she turned her attention to the little girl still twirling Lena's hair around her finger and clinging to her mother.

"Yes" Mariana smiled sweetly and Lena saw Ana glance at her watch in her peripheral vision.

"Ok big girl, it's time for Mama to go. Promise me you'll be a good girl" Lena's voice cracked with emotion.

"Already?" Mariana complained.

"Yes baby, already. Promise" Lena said holding her hand out with her pinky stood up, Mariana's little pinky finger wrapped around Lena's as the girl nodded as tears rolled down her cheeks. "Stef please take her" Lena begged as she fought her own emotions.

"Come on little miss" Stef wrapped her arms around Mariana and plucked her from Lena's hold whilst Mariana's finger was still twirled around Lena's hair. Ana quickly jumped in to untangle the pair and offered a sad smile to the little girl who was cuddling into Stef's neck sobbing.

"I love you baby, please be good" Lena cried.

"Come on sweetie, tell your Mom that you love her" Stef cooed to the little girl.

"I love you Mama, please don't leave me" Mariana cried as there was a knock on the door. Ana moved to open it and Bennet entered with a kind smile and a pair of handcuffs in his hands.

"Stef please, I don't want her last memory of me to be getting cuffed and hauled off" Lena sobbed openly.

"Ok little miss, say bye to Mama" Stef said as she started making her way towards the door with each step Mariana's cries got louder and louder. As she got to the door she heard Lena hiccup against her own tears. She turned with the little girl cradled in her arms, her face snuggled into her neck as wet tears fell against her uniform shirt.

"Look after my baby Stef" Lena begged as she watched the police officer carry her child to the door.

"As if she is my own Lena, I promise you" Stef had never meant words more than she meant those words.

-oOo-

Stef sat the veggie dipper happy meal down in front of the still sobbing girl and smiled a sad smile as she ran her hands over the girls head and long dark hair.

"Come on sweetheart you need to eat up" Stef said, she had hoped that the lure of a McDonalds treat would be the ticket to breaking Mariana's silence but the young girl was steadfast in her ways.

Mariana picked up the veggie dipper and dipped it in the tomato salsa pot before putting it in her mouth and offering a little smile.

"Thats it sweetheart, you have to keep your strength up. How about tomorrow after school we sit down and write a letter to mama?" Stef asked as she tucked into her cheese burger and fries.

"Can I draw her a picture tonight?" Mariana asked, finally breaking her silence.

"I don't have any coloring pencils, but you can use a pen and some paper?" Stef offered sadly and watched as Mariana nodded her head in agreement. "I will go to the shop tomorrow and buy some things in, is there anything specific you want?"

"No thankyou Stef" Mariana said politely as she munched on a couple of her fries.

Once dinner was finished, Mariana sat drawing with the pens for half an hour whilst Stef tidied up and then it was shower time. Stef stayed with the young girl while she stood under the cascade of water and helped her wash her hair. Once that was done she helped the young girl dry off then dressed her in a pair of pajamas she had gotten Mike to get from the Ramirez house earlier that day. With her hair dried and brushed and a bed time story read, Mariana lay in Stef's arms twirling blonde straight hair around her finger sleepily.

"Do you think Mama is okay?" Mariana asked with a yawn.

"I think Mama will be fine baby, she will be missing you though and I bet she is thinking of you right now, sending kisses up to the stars for you" Stef said sadly.

"Can I go send kisses to the stars for her?" Mariana asked hopefully.

"Ok baby, but I'm carrying you" Stef warned before picking the girl up and carrying her to the apartment window. She pulled the curtains back and the moon and stars lay in front of them. "Ok let's blow kisses to the stars and tell Mama we love her, and the stars will take our love straight to Mama"

-oOo-

Lena looked out the small barred window up at the moon as a single fat tear rolled down her right cheek and into the orange prison issue jump suit she had been given to wear just two hours ago.

Entering the detention center had been an eye-opening experience for the curly haired woman. First there had been admission where she had been asked some of the most invasive questions she had ever known existed, then there was the strip search. The less said about that the better. Next she had been given the orange jump suit to wear as well as some rather unsavory underwear and escorted to her cell where she met her new bunk mate, Shelly.

After introductions were made, Shelly led Lena to the cafeteria where Lena grabbed a cup of black coffee and a tray of some sort of food that she couldn't distinguish, and then she excused herself back to the cell where she now stood staring at the night sky wondering what her little girl was up to, it was a little after seven so she hoped that Mariana had gone to bed easily for the beautiful police officer.

"What's so interesting out there?" Shelly asked as she entered the cell and watched as Lena didn't even notice her until she spoke.

"Just looking at the moon and wondering how my little girl is doing, whether she is in bed where she should be, whether she is upset or doing okay, whether she is even missing me" Lena admitted quietly.

"She will be missing you, especially at five, she won't know what to do without you. It's good that your friend has taken her in" Shelly smiled, they had briefly talked over dinner and Lena had mentioned her daughter being looked after by Stef but had thought it best to not tell anyone that Stef was a police officer. That might draw unwanted attention to her.

"Yeah, she is a life saver" Lena finally tore herself away from the window and turned to her new friend and cell mate with a sad smile. She moved to her bunk and lifted the bag containing all the belongings that she was allowed and removed a pad of lined paper and a pencil. "Mind if I sit?" Lena asked, motioning to the single desk and chair in the corner of the room opposite the toilet and sink combo which made her turn her nose up in disgust every time she saw or thought of it.

"Sure doll, I'm going to read for a while before the lights go out" Shelly advised as she motioned to her book before curling up on her bunk.

Lena took a seat and stared at the paper for a solid four minutes trying to work out what to say to her little girl, she knew that Stef would have no trouble reading the letter to her.

Dearest Sweet Mariana,

I have made it to my new home away from home and have already made a new friend, her name is Shelly and she shares a room with me. We have bunk beds and I get to sleep on the top bunk, just like you always wanted. Maybe when I come home you can get those bunk beds after all.

Its after seven now, so hopefully you are snuggled up in bed sleeping soundly and having good dreams. I do hope you are being a good girl for Stef and you are remembering your manners. Stef is doing something amazing for both of us so we have to remember to be very good for her and remember to thank her, especially when she gives you food or helps you.

Tonight I stood and looked at the moon and stars, I remember when you were just two you used to stand in the window looking at the moon, pointing at it and shouting 'night night moon', you wouldn't let me put you to bed without saying good night to the moon, which made for a fun night when the moon was hiding behind the clouds. So tonight, instead of tucking you in bed and kissing you and wishing you a good night, I said good night to the moon. I hope the message got to you.

I will write again tomorrow, and every day until we are together again. Remember to be a good girl and remember that Mama loves you and is so proud of how brave you are being.

All my love always

Mama