"What did you want to ask me?" Kennedy was straight forward for the most part.

"We've been doing research, and I don't understand." I began.

"Cindy Jane." Jax whispered in case they could hear.

"Journal?" Kennedy also whispered.

We knew there was so much noise around the hospital for them to even hear us but we didn't want to take any chances.

"Yeah." I confirmed. "I haven't been able to research much." Kennedy said.

"I want to know what Donald had to do with it?" I asked him. "Jude's father?" Kennedy asked. "You mean Callie and Jude's father is Donald? The man involved?" Jax asked

Kennedy looked at me confused. "You didn't tell him?" "I'm not sure if I believe you." I stated. "Tell me what?" Jax asked, out of the loop.

"Donald Jacob isn't Callie's birth father." Kennedy blurted out.

"Then who is?" "Focus." I told both of them.

"I want to know what he was doing with her that long ago." I said. "Does that mean CJ is older than what we thought?" Jax asked.

"Listen, I barely know anything about it, that girl could have been someone completely different." Kennedy said.

"He does have a point. Donald could have been having a double life, like you." I almost forgot Xavier was in here. "Of course you did." He said sarcastically.

"I was able to narrow down a list of names that were last seen alive in this city." Kennedy said. "Do you have it on you?" Jax asked. "Yes, Jax I need you to get extremely close and pretend to be moving Callie's IV. Grab the paper but make sure they can't see you from the glass." Kennedy instructed.

Jax then did as he explained. He quickly but carefully put the paper in his pocket as his other hand 'fixed' my IV.

"They're coming."

I looked over to see them starting to open the door. Kennedy and Jax both turned their attention to the door watching the three flood back in.

"It's been long enough, time for him to leave." Stef said.

"Understood. Take care, soldier. And Jax, thank you." Kennedy said his goodbyes and left.

"Good he finally left." Stef spoke. "What did you talk about?" Mike asked.

"He just asked what happened and if she was ok." Jax answered. We hadn't come up with a lie, but he used his quick thinking to get us out of trouble. They're cops and a vice principal after all, how would they feel about us trying to find out what happened to these kids? They would probably be angry.

"The doctor should be here soon to check everything for us to take you home." Lena changed the subject.

"And I was just starting to like hospitals." I said.

Not too long later Jax and Mike left. The doctor came in and checked my vitals and gave me the thumbs up to go home.

I mostly ended up sleeping most of the day and the day after. Stef and Lena didn't let me go to school. They said I needed at least one full day of rest and Stef took the day off to stay and make sure I rested. She said that she needed a rest day but I knew she wanted to keep an eye on me.

I was in my room reading when she came in.

"Do you want to watch a movie with me?" She asked. I put my book down on my nightstand.

"What are we watching?" I asked.

"I don't know, something you haven't watched or one you like."

I thought about it and agreed. "Ok sure.".

We went downstairs, made popcorn and watched a movie.

Next thing I knew I woke up to the sound of someone talking. Stef's scent hit me instantly, but I only saw Lena and Jude in the doorway of the living room. They were grinning hard, I tried getting up but something was holding me in place. I turned to see and I was Stef, she had a hold of me.

Now I knew why they were grinning. I looked up and Jude mouthed 'good luck' and went upstairs. I knew he was joking but he just left me here.

Lena tried to help release me from Stef's grip but it caused Stef to wake up.

"Where are you going?" Stef asked playfully as she pulled me toward her tighter. "Honey, you're going to suffocate her." Lena told her. "Well she shouldn't be trying to leave. She isn't allowed to leave me. She's mine." Stef nearly yelled.

Did she really mean it? She really called me hers. I accidentally let out a giggle, but quickly covered my mouth and turned my face away from him.

"Did you just giggle?" Stef asked, I could hear the grin on face when she asked that. "No." I muttered under my hands. I felt Stef let go and get up, part of me was a little disappointed. I actually enjoyed her embrace.

However, I didn't expect what she did next. She started tickling me and I started laughing from it. I wiggled around trying to escape it but she kept tickling me. "Stop." I said playfully. "Answer the question truthfully." She told me. "What question?" I managed to get out.

"Did you giggle?" "No." I said and she continued to tickle me. After a few minutes of this torture, I finally gave in. "Yes, I giggled. Happy?" I asked out of breath. "Very. Now I'm going to torture your siblings." She said before leaving, at some point during Stef's torture Lena had left.

I was still trying to catch my breath when Jude came in and sat down next to me. "Did she torture you too?" He asked with a smile. "Yea." "They're amazing aren't they?" "Yea, they are." I agreed.

"They are and you'll be the one to break them. Just like everyone you meet." Xavier said.

I thought he was a hospital thing, clearly he's not and it's a me thing. How long is he going to be here? Either way it's going to be a while until I stop seeing him, that I know.

Stef's POV

After making sure all my babies got some mom love, I went to the kitchen looking for Lena. She was starting dinner. "Hey, need any help?" I asked her. "Sure, can you help me cut the vegetables?" She asked, and I went over to the cutting board and started cutting.

After about a minute Lena asked, "What's wrong?" She always knew when something was on my mind, I love this woman. "I was just thinking about the influence Kennedy might have on Callie and Jax." I admitted. "Do you think he's trying to manipulate them?" She asked.

"Maybe, we still don't know what they really talked about. Like we'd believe that he was only there to check if Callie was ok." I remarked. "It's clear they were lying but what do you think they talked about?" I knew Lena knew they had lied. Especially since Callie avoided eye contact with me completely. She wasn't the one who told the lie but she still couldn't look at me.

"I don't know but we have to be careful in case he tries contacting her again." I told Lena and she agreed.

"Do you think she trusts us enough to tell us?" Lena asked unsure if Callie would inform us.

Honestly, I didn't know if she would tell us. It's hard to tell, Callie doesn't seem scared to be around him. I couldn't tell if she trusted him more than us or at all.

"I don't know honey, I don't know." I said.

Callie's POV

The next day, Lena and Stef let me return to school. It was Friday, they definitely wanted to keep me home but Stef needed to go back to work plus I would only go today and then we would all go to the fair tomorrow.

During the morning routine Jude was excited that it was Friday and tomorrow he would finally be able to go to a fair. That day at school I was at my locker when I heard a few guys making fun of someone. I looked over and saw they had been messing with Jax. What was he doing here?

As I walked over they left. "Are you ok?" I asked him. "Yeah, weird guys." He said.

"What are you doing here anyways?" "I joined Anchor Beach. I didn't want to tell you earlier because I wanted to surprise you. Tada." Jax made what Mariana called jazz hands.

"Next time sneak me in a coffee and I'll be surprised."

"I thought you'd say that. So, I got you this." He pulled out a bottle of coffee. I gasped.

"Don't let Lena see you." Xavier said.

He was standing a few feet away from us looking at me. It wasn't a creepy matter, it was in a more casual manner.

I grabbed the coffee bottle and said, "Thank you, don't let Lena see us. She hates us drinking coffee." "You're kidding right? Isn't coffee your favorite drink? Is she trying to kill you?" Jax asked. "No, I'm not kidding. It is my favorite drink but she doesn't want us addicted to it." I told him.

"Guess I'm going to be on her bad side then." We chuckled. "I don't think I've ever seen her mad." I admitted.

"What are you two doing? Why did you have coffee, you know Mama hates when we drink that stuff." Mariana came out of nowhere.

"Maybe don't tell and she won't find out." Jax jumped in. "Relax, I'm not going to narc on you." She told us.

"Guess we have an ally, you're her foster sister right?" "I'm Mariana and it's soon to be, sister." Mariana told him and I could see the hurt on his face.

He looked at me. "You're getting adopted?" He asked. "I'm sorry, I thought she had told you." Mariana apologized.

I didn't tell him because part of me thinks they'll back out but the main reason was because I knew how much it would hurt him. He used to dream of him and his brother having a family, every foster kid does. I knew that he would be hurt, that I got the chance to have the happy ending he couldn't.

"You just keep hurting the people you care about." Xavier said.

"Yeah, I'm just…" "Not sure they'll go through with it." Jax finished my sentence.

"Yeah." I answered.

"Moms wouldn't do that." Mariana assured me.

"People have done it before, it wouldn't be surprising." Jax told her.

"Moms are different." She argued.

I opened my coffee and started drinking it.

"Weren't you in the foster system?" He asked.

"Yeah, but moms…" "It doesn't matter, they can be the nicest people on earth but once they stay with CJ long enough they won't want her anymore. It's happened before…" He argued.

Mariana looked at me. "Aren't you going to say something?" She asked. I thought for a second then said, "I have to go to class." Before walking off.

I didn't really want to talk about that. To be honest, I was happy they were adopting us but I knew I couldn't get too attached. At least not before the adoption, it would only hurt more if they changed their minds and decided to send us away.

I know Jude is already attached but he's just a kid. I wish I could protect him more than I have been.

Once I got to class people kept glancing at me and not making eye contact. What is it now? I thought to myself. I ignored them as much as possible for the next few class periods but everywhere I went people kept glancing at me.

I was walking in the hallway when I saw a guy bullying Jax. The guy was pushing him against the lockers and making fun of him. This again, why can't people just mind their own business.

I walked over to them and the guy saw me. "Oh look, it's the wanna be big bad wolf." He told me. "What?" I was puzzled. Who talks like that nowadays? What was he talking about?

"Oh what? Now you're trying to act all cool? That's not going to work. You're not cool and you'll never be more than the trashy foster girl." He said.

"Ok?" I was still confused. At this point I want this conversation over.

Jax was picking up his things and was going to walk away. I tried to walk to him but the guy blocked my way.

"You, me parking lot on Monday." "No thanks." I said and walked to Jax. We started walking away when I heard him yell something. "I GUESS BEING AROUND TWO DYKES MAKES YOU WEAK AND WEIRD!" That comment made my blood boil. I knew people were now staring waiting for my reaction. As much as I wanted to keep out of trouble I just couldn't let anyone talk about them like that. Let alone a kid who was picking at my friend. I couldn't let this go.

I got in his face. "See you then." I said, I could tell he didn't think I would accept because he was shocked. Jax and I walked away.

"Are you going to teach him a lesson?" Jax asked. "Yep." He nodded and said nothing else.

"Guess they all get to see the other side of you." I heard Xavier say.

Good, they'll know not to mess with me anymore.

After that people started whispering about the fight on Monday. I'm surprised Lena hasn't called me up to the front office, then again these kids know how to avoid the adults. It was a charter school but the kids here are just as bad as any other school.

After going home I headed straight up to my room to lay down. I grabbed one of my books and started reading.

It hadn't been that long since I had arrived when I heard someone ask me something.

"Are you going to fight him?" I looked at the doorway to see Jesus standing there. I stood up, pulled him in and closed the door. "Who told you?" I whispered. "The whole school is talking about it, who doesn't know?" He whispered back.

I was a little worried about that. "Do Lena and Stef know?" I asked. "No, not that I know. You didn't answer my question." "I have to fight him…" "I know what he said. I'll back you up if you want me to." He interrupted me.

I smiled. "I've got it but thanks." I told him. Jesus say down on my bed and I sat next to him.

"I would've punched him right there in that hallway. I don't know how you didn't." He said.

"I wanted to…but I didn't want to cause more trouble for Stef and Lena. I know I accepted the fight but I'm not going to do it." I admitted.

I was angry when I accepted but now that I've had time to think I can't do it. I can't cause more trouble for them. They might regret wanting to adopt us and I can't do that to Jude. These people are good, no, great. They are what Jude needs. I hate to admit it but they can give him what I never could. A home.

"I know exactly how you feel. When I first came here too I was trying to hide my ADHD, but it didn't take long for them to realize it. It's a hard thing to hide… I thought they would send us away after that, but instead they kept us. I tried to behave as much as I could. I always told myself, 'be good or you'll ruin this for Mari.' That's what I constantly told myself, but I kept messing up and they stayed. They were there to help us. The point is, you don't have to be afraid of not being wanted because they've fallen in love with you and Jude. And…. you're my sister, Jude's my brother. That'll never change. So show up and teach him not to mess with our family. Oh and don't worry, I'll be there ready to jump in if you need it." Jesus said with a dumb smile.

I couldn't help but smile.

"Thank you." I said before he invited me to a hug, and I gladly took it.