AN: So, I've been cranking out Fosters fanfics lately, but this one and its prequel hold a special place in my heart. They correct what I feel are two of the worst mistakes they made in the series-killing off Frankie, and not having Callie's adoption in the season 3 premiere after dealing with the car accident. While I understand why the Frankie thing had to happen, I still hated that it did. So this is a fix-it fic set in season 3A, probably right around "Idyllwild".

Stef Adams Foster turned the key in the lock of her craftsman home, ready to relax after a long day at work. It was her first day back from her six-week leave after the birth of her and Lena's daughter. It was strangely quiet, she thought, before she remembered that her older boys were away at school, and Mariana was across town visiting her birth mother and new half-sister. As her ears settled in, she could hear the muted sounds of Jude playing a video game. She walked into the living room and kissed Jude's head.

"Hi, sweets, how was your day?"

"It was good. Did a little reading, played with Frankie, started playing games."

"Good. Where's Mama?"

"Napping. I think Callie's watching Frankie."

"Okay."

Stef climbed the stairs, where she entered the bedroom to find Lena sound asleep. Smiling fondly, she walked over and softly kissed her wife's temple, relieved when the gesture did not wake her. She quietly changed, put her gun in the safe, and walked down the hall in search of her daughters.

She could hear soft guitar chords as she entered the kitchen, startled when she realized that the back door was slightly open. She was about to call the kids in exasperation before she heard a soft voice singing.

Stef stepped through the back doorway. Callie's back was to her, but she could see that the baby was in her Moses basket, cooing at the soft sounds of the guitar-and her big sister's voice.

Stef cleared her throat softly once she finished. "You're getting really good on that, love."

Callie turned, startled. "Mom, you're home."

"Yeah, just got back."

"I'm sorry. I should've told you we were out here."

"It's no problem, Cal. Really. She could use some fresh air." Stef smiled warmly down at her youngest daughter.

Francesca Adams Foster had made her debut six weeks before, on a warm summer day. After almost four months of bed rest, Lena's water had broken on the Friday before she was due to be induced. Stef had been at work dealing with a bank robbery standoff and hadn't checked her messages until Lena had been in the hospital for several hours. Luckily, Stef had made it, and several hours after that, their baby had come into the world.

Francesca "Frankie" Adams Foster was small at birth but made up for her size with vigorous cries when she first came home. As she was sleeping in Stef and Lena's room, the kids were mostly spared, but the only thing that calmed her down was sleeping on Lena's chest, or listening to the CD of lullabies that Brandon had painstakingly created. By the time she was a month old, everyone loved her.

Frankie looked up at her mother.

"Hi, baby girl," Stef said. "You like music, huh?"

"Yeah, I really think she does," Callie replied. "I just got home, and Mama saw an opportunity to get some sleep."

"Thank you for that, love. She needs the sleep."

"You're welcome."

"What were you singing just now?"

"Oh…um, it's a Beatles song."

"'Blackbird'," Stef said, finally placing the tune from Brandon's CD.

"Yeah. My…my mom, she loved the Beatles. She and Mama have that in common." Stef chuckled. "She used to sing 'Blackbird' to me and Jude to calm us down enough to put us to sleep."

"That must be a nice memory to have of your mom."

"It is."

Suddenly, something clicked in Stef's mind. "Is that where Jude's name came from?"

Callie smiled. "Yeah. Hey Jude was one of her favorites."

"That's really sweet."

"Hey, Mom?"

"Yeah, love?" Callie had been legally adopted for two months, but Stef's heart still skipped a beat every time her eldest daughter called her Mom.

"Do you think it's disloyal?"

"Do I think what's disloyal?" Stef replied, genuinely confused.

"Talking about my mom when I have two great moms living here?"

Stef reached out her hand and placed it on Callie's shoulder. "Callie…"

"I mean…I know you told me once that you would never replace her, the day of your dad's funeral. But that was before I was adopted."

Stef took her hand. "Callie, sweetheart, look at me."

Callie looked up, unshed tears dancing in her eyes.

"Talking about your mother, the mother that gave you life, that made you who you are today…that's not being disloyal. Not to Mama, and certainly not to me, baby. We may have adopted you, but that part of your life, you will always have one foot there, like it or not. Just like just because you're not living with Robert Quinn doesn't mean he won't always be in your life. This might be where you belong, but that's where you come from. Don't ever think it's being disloyal to talk about your old life. Never."

Callie smiled wanly. "I love you, Mom."

"I love you too, Cal. Come here." Stef pulled her into a fierce hug, one that was interrupted by Frankie beginning to cry.

"Oh, honey, come here," Stef cooed, lifting the six-week-old into her lap. "You're okay, baby."

Callie smiled at Stef's ease with the baby. It had been ages since Stef held a baby in her arms, but whether she thought it or not, she was a natural mother, and a darn good one at that.

"She's a little wet. Do you know the last time Mama changed her?"

"About two hours ago," said a voice from the doorway.

Stef's eyes lit up. "You're awake. How'd you sleep?"

"Better than I have in weeks," Lena smiled. "What are you ladies doing out here?"

"Callie was playing guitar for Frankie. And then we ended up doing some talking."

"Ah. Well, why don't I take little Miss inside, get her changed, and Callie can help me with dinner?"

"Sure, Mama," Callie replied.

Stef handed Frankie to Lena, who kissed her cheek as she carried her inside.

She walked over and put an arm around Callie. "So, tell me about your day, love."

Callie and Stef began to chat, and Callie was sure that she was meant to be in this family.

…

Mariana and Brandon came home an hour later, and they all sat down to dinner. Lena put Frankie in her swing so she could keep an eye on her.

"So, B, you looking forward to this weekend?" Stef asked her son. This weekend was Brandon's end-of-summer music competition at Idyllwild. The winner would have the once-in-a-lifetime chance to perform their original music composition at the Walt Disney Music Hall in LA.

"Yeah," Brandon smiled. "I'm a little nervous, though."

"It's okay to be nervous, love," Stef assured him. "This is a big deal."

"But we know you've got it," Lena spoke up. "We know how talented you are."

"Thanks, Mama," Brandon smiled.

Mariana, meanwhile, was looking at her sister. "Is it just me, or does Frankie get bigger every day? It seems like yesterday she was barely big enough to fit in my arms. Now she's holding her head up and smiling."

Lena smiled. "She is getting big."

Right on cue, Frankie started to cry. Mariana immediately picked her up, rocking her gently until she settled down.

"How did you know what to do?" Jude asked in wonder.

"I've been spending a lot of time with Isabella lately. I guess holding a baby in my arms comes naturally."

"Not too naturally, I hope," Stef said under her breath.

"I heard that, Mom," Mariana replied. "Don't worry, I don't want to have kids anytime soon. I have a professional life to lead."

"Same here," Callie replied.

"Good," Stef replied. They all resumed eating. After a few minutes of silence, Lena spoke up.

"Just so you know, girls, we do want to have grandchildren at some point. Just-maybe not before you're 30, okay?"

Callie and Mariana smiled at Lena's humor, while the boys just shrugged and kept eating, eyeing each other awkwardly. Jude looked over at Frankie and started playing peekaboo. Frankie laughed at her older brother's antics.

Lena gasped. "Stef, I think that's the first time she's laughed!"

Stef grinned and tickled Frankie's stomach resulting in an even bigger laugh.

The whole family cheered at Frankie's new accomplishment. Especially since they had almost lost her, they knew just how lucky they were to have her with them.

…

After dinner, the kids went to start their homework while the moms started on their favorite time of day-putting Frankie to bed.

They had their routine down to a science. After dinner, one of the kids would volunteer to do the dishes while Lena took Frankie up for a warm bath. After she toweled the baby dry, she carried her into the bedroom, where Stef waited with a book and a warm bottle.

"Ready for night-night, baby girl?" Stef asked. Frankie cooed happily in agreement.

Stef always got Frankie's evening bottle out of the fridge. Though Lena often breastfed her, she also pumped so Stef could do some of the middle-of-the-night feedings herself.

Frankie sighed contentedly as the bottle was offered, gleefully sucking as Stef opened to page one of Madeline.

When they got to the part of the appendectomy, Lena looked up. "Are you sure we should be reading this…trauma to our daughter?!"

.

"Honey, she's six weeks old. She doesn't know what we're saying."

"Fair enough," Lena replied. She looked at the page and continued to read. Finally, between Stef and Lena, they got to the last line.

"'Good night, little girls! Thank the Lord you are well! Now go to sleep.' said Miss Clavel. And she turned out the light and closed the door," Stef read, "and that's all there is. There isn't any more."

Stef closed the book and looked at Frankie, who seemed tired. "She looks ready for sleep."

"Yes, she is," Lena agreed.

Lena put the bottle on the nightstand, lifted her up to burp her, and cuddled Frankie for a moment as she drifted off. She let Frankie sag into her arms and stared at her sleeping form for a few minutes. Stef put her chin on Lena's shoulder as the two women watched her sleep.

"I had a dream like this," Lena murmured.

"What, love?" Stef asked.

"I had a dream like this once. It was early in the morning, only you were getting her up and not me. She was a little older, too. But that dream, Stef?"

"Yeah?"

"It's what kept me going. Almost losing her, all those months on bedrest…I would've done anything to keep that dream alive."

Stef kissed her temple. "I'm glad it came true."

"Me too. And you know what else?"

"Hmm?"

"It was worth it. Every scary, painful, and nerve-wracking minute was worth it."

Stef smiled at her wife and stroked her daughter's cheek. "For this little girl? Absolutely."

Lena shifted Frankie in her arms. "I'm gonna put her down."

"Okay." Stef kissed the baby's forehead. "Good night, Frankie."

Lena smiled as she carried her over to her crib and put her down, flipping on the switch that played one of the songs on Brandon's CD. Tonight, it was "Lift Every Voice And Sing", one of Lena's favorites as a kid.

"Good night, Francesca," Lena whispered. "Sweet dreams, my baby. I love you more than you'll ever know."

Frankie shifted, but stayed asleep.

Lena watched her for a few minutes, eternally grateful for her presence in their family.

All the changes in their family over the last year had been challenging, but Lena knew that she wouldn't trade a minute of it.

Their family was now perfect.