AN: My goal/wish was to reach 200 chapters. Turns out...I missed it :D I was so sure that this would be the 200th chapter...but it was the last one. Anyway, yay I reached the goal. Thanks to you all. Would not have done it without you. Love you all!

Is there anyone, who has actually read it all? Followed this story from the early (horribly written - I shiver of horror every time I open a chapter) "Waiting for someone like you" till this chapter without giving up only to return 20 chapters later?

Side note: I just read the one old review of a guest, who was confused as to why I kept writing "mom, Stef and Lena" :D Dude/Gal...I'm so sorry, you just stumbled into the 4th part of an AU and I don't have time to summarize. Better read from the start if you want to understand anything that I'm writing about.

Amy POV

Stef, Lena and I were in the hospitals cafeteria on the first floor. It was quite busy here. The cafeteria did not lack customers, despite the horrible food choice they offered.

There was a a soup, which reminded me more of a stew. There was a stew, that reminded me a lot more of something that Callie had once vomited. Pasta with some meat, looked so mediocre that I didn't even glance at it for the second time. There was a wide range of salad choice at least. In the end, we all went with mashed potatoes, some sauce and salad on side. Doctors always tells us to eat healthy, but the food available here was another reason why people choose fast food – burgers, pizzas, tacos – over this.

I managed to eat half of what I got, while Stef and Lena both cleaned out their plates.

The one thing hospital did right is pudding. At least they were constant about that. It was good the time I was forced to live here for couple of weeks and it was good today.

I ate my pudding in a matter of few short seconds. It was that good. I had craved for another one. Was about to go buy myself a new one, when Lena was kind enough to give her dessert - her pudding - to me. Before I opened it, I had turned to Stef and asked, why did she not offer me hers. Stef had laughed in my face and shielded her pudding away from me and swatted my hand away, when I had been trying to reach it, with no intent of actually getting it. It was such a Stef thing to do, that she made me forget for those 5 second, why we were here to begin with.

I was eating the second strawberry pudding, while Lena chipped of a small part of a granola bar, she had bought, but Stef was drinking her coffee. The dark circles under Stef's eyes told me she did not have a good nights sleep. She actually looked worse than I did, which surprised me, considering I haven't left the hospital in over 24 hours. It made me worry about my partner of what she had gone through yesterday. Stef has a tough skin, it takes quite a lot to really rattle her. Usually, she is better at hiding that she's not actually fine and can pretend more with ease that all is good. Yesterday must have impacted hard as we were seeing the ramifications of it today so clearly, without any effort.

"Are your parents flying in?" Stef asked licking the spoon that she had used to swirl the coffee a second ago

I breathed out "No," and went for another small spoon of the pudding "Haven't called them yet. I don't want to worry them. There's nothing they can do anyways."

"Amy," Lena sighed, chastising me softly. I knew she was trying to look out for me.

"I know, I know," I lowered the pudding and looked to Lena, who was giving me a look. Not a stern look, more like full of concern "I will call them...just not today."

"You can't keep them in the dark. I can call them for you, if you want."

As mush as I appreciated the gesture, that was too much to ask for them "If you do that, you would give my parents a heart attack! Last time you spoke to them on the phone, I had been shot and almost died."

Lena leaned back in the chair "Right," she nodded back agreeing "Not a good idea."

"But...thank you for offering. It was nice of you. You are a good friend," I told her looking to her eyes "You both are," I added glancing to Stef

We sat in silence for a moment. I ate two more spoons of the pudding, Stef took three more sips of the coffee, but Lena chipped of two more pieces of the granola bar.

"Do you think she's going to move back in the house after discharged?" Stef asked, lowering the cup down to the table

"I would want her to. I want to be near her. Take care of her. Cooper would be there to help as well. Duke's there to keep company. Small yard for her to sit out. Fresh air. Space. Quiet. It's home, you know. But..." I leaned back in the chair "Two things: I'm not sure if she will want to move back home. She had been looking forward to having her own place, be more independent, starting her own life. So, if she doesn't want to, I'm not going to force her."

"You said two things," Lena replied tossing the chipped of granola piece in her mouth "What's the second?"

"Stairs," I said simply before digging my spoon in the pudding once again

"Ah," and "M-hmm" was heard from Stef and Lena. Not sure which hummed what. Lena glanced to her wife as if recalling in her mind the struggle Stef had walking up and down, when she had been shot the first time. Stairs had been my enemy, when I had been recovering from being shot. The stairs had seemed so much longer, steeper and the steps higher apart than they actually were. The railing really was tested those first few weeks. I had forgotten the count, how many times Callie helped me walk up and down. Cooper even carried me up and down the first few days.

"If she goes back to the apartment-" Stef raised her eyebrow

"Oh, I'm definitely moving in for a week or two, or a month. However long I need to!" I replied without missing a beat

When I returned back to the Callie's room, she was already brought back and Jude was sitting next to her bed, watching her sleep. He stirred as I stepped inside. Jude ran his thumb quickly over his cheek before sitting up more straight and glancing to me quickly, before returning his gaze to his sister.

I did not comment about the fact that I saw – he had been crying. There was no question in my mind about the reason why he had been crying.

"Was she awake, when she got back?" I asked taking a seat on the other side

Jude nodded "Mhmm," he glanced to me, a small smile spread across his lips, it even reached his eyes "She smiled at me."

"Did she say anything?"

"Just – hey, Jude!" Jude looked down, almost as if trying to hide his grin "It made the nurse laugh. You know, because of the Beetle song."

"Yeah," I returned the smile as I leaned back in the chair and relaxed a little, as much as it was possible. Reaching in my pocket, I took out my phone and started to do some research about all of the injuries Callie had. Doctor already went through it all, but I simply needed to busy myself. What better way to torture myself by reading all of the forums about burn victims or TBI. I had already read all of the booklets that the doctor had gave me, twice if not thrice.

It was some hour later, when I heard Jude speak. Looking up from the screen, I saw him holding his phone out and in front of him in his right, while with his left he was still holding on to Callie's hand. He was not speaking to me, he was reading out. I listened carefully for a while.

"Near a great forest there lived a poor woodcutter and his wife and his two children; the boy's name was Hansel and the girl's Gretel. They had very little to bite or to sup, and once, when there was great dearth in the land, the man could not even gain the daily bread."

I interrupted him, when I felt the first paragraph was over "Jude, she can't hear you. You know that, right?" I reminded him gently. It was very sweet of him to read to his sister, my heart melted at the gesture, but I also knew it was a bit useless, though, I'm was not going to say it that bluntly.

Jude paused briefly, looked up to me and nodded "Mom used to read to us, when we were sick," Jude told me as held the eye contact for 10 long seconds

And in those seconds, I saw in his eyes that he was doing it more for himself, than he was for Callie. He knew she was sleeping, he knew damn well she could not hear him. Jude needed to busy himself while he sat with her, because otherwise it was too painful. Too hard to see her like this, to think about the pain and what she might feel or think, or how scared or confused she was. Jude was too scared to sit in silence. Bad thoughts tend to come out then and he did not want to go there.

I gave an apologetic nod back and hoped he would continue. It actually soothed me as well.

Jude's reading was interrupted once more, when Cooper returned.

"Hey, man!" Cooper placed his hand on Jude's shoulder and looked down to him "How are you doing?"

They had started to shake hands, when meeting ever since Jude had turned 14 or 15. It was the way men always greeted each other. A firm handshake - it was the difference between boys and men. Jude seemed to love that about their relationship. That Cooper saw and treated him like a man, like an equal, that he respected. Not some young boy.

Today, the handshake had been replaced with more personal and caring touch.

"Been better," Jude replied honestly, looking up to Cooper.

Cooper said back nothing as he made his way to the other side of the bed to place a soft kiss on Callie's forehead, before turning to me and giving me a quick peck on the lips.

Now that they both were here, it gave me the peace in mind needed that I can drive back home real quick. I needed to take a shower, badly. Change out of my clothes as I was still in my police uniform pants and black t-shirt and boots, minus the uniform shirt, belt and gun. While home, I needed to call my parents, because Lena was right, I can't keep this for them. As much as I hated to admit it, I needed to hear my parents voices, I needed them to tell me that everything will be all right in the end. Before I drive back, I needed to stop at the station, talk to my Captain about taking some time off.

"Keys and registration?" I whispered to Cooper. He placed his Nissan car keys in my palm and put the registration in my back pocket

"Thanks," I replied and gave him a quick kiss on the lips, before I stood up. Jude looked to me, wondering where I was going.

"I'm going to drive home. Need to take care of some things," I informed Jude, before looking between the two men "Do not leave her alone, okay?"

I did not want her to wake up and find herself alone. Or worse, just surrounded by strangers – nurses and doctors. I still remember, how scared I was when I woke up after being shot and not seeing any familiar face.

"We won't," Cooper confirmed and reached out for my hand, giving it a squeeze "We will be okay for few hours. Go."

As I closed the doors behind me and looked back, I heard Jude continue on with reading the story and saw Cooper pull out his laptop as he was already planning what physical therapy Callie might need once she's well enough to start.

Callie's going to be safe with these two – I thought to myself before I hurried towards the exit, wanting to get back here as soon as possible.

5 days later Callie tried to stand up for the first time. Just stand, for a couple of seconds. Nothing else. She needed to start moving again.

There were a lot of things that made me squirm, flinch, close my eyes and be all together restless as I watched from the side.

Her ribs, were still very much broken. Too quick, too fast, too much movement – it all hurt. While she no longer felt dizzy at even the slightest move, there was still the possibility that she gets lightheaded when she stands. Her leg, the one where a shard had been embedded in her leg, was no where near healed. Callie could not depend on her strong arms as well, because one was in bandages that covered burns, but other was very weak and she could barely move it because of the broken collar bone.

So, no – I did not like this, but doctors said that it was important to get her on her feet as soon as possible. To get her standing, slowly moving. Just a step back and forth. It helps blood circulates better, avoid blood cogs. She had barely moved for the last five days. 90% of the time she had been sleeping. Bedsores were a real threat and we needed to avoid them.

Now that I thought about it, I actually hated this down to my bone. I felt that pain along with Callie. I could barely stand watching how she struggled to even move her legs to hang over the side of the bed. It's quite possible I hated this so much more than she did, because I knew the struggle, knew how much it takes out of you. Watching my daughter go through the same stuff I did few years ago, was nearly killing me on the inside.

"We won't let you fall," the nurse had told me as I stared down to the floor, that my feet were barely touching for now

"I don't think I can do it," I breathed out already feeling exhausted just by getting to this sitting position. Being shot does that to you. At this moment, I did not trust myself. It felt like my body could betray me any second. My legs will give up, knees buckle and I will hit the ground hard. Splitting open my lip, breaking my wrist or pulling the stitches open on my leg or my chest.

"You can do it, mom!" Callie encouraged standing in the corner, watching me intensely. I tilted my head up and looked to my daughter, who has been my rock through this all. While I did not believe in my strength, Callie did. And it was enough for me to believe in myself for the next minute.

"Okay," I gripped the doctor and nurses hand that stood on either side of me, to help me with just getting up on my feet first "Okay," I tried to hype myself up "Just stand...I can do that...standing...that's easy, right, kiddo?" I looked to my daughter and smirked at her, needing to see and hear the support from her

"Like stealing a candy from a baby!" Callie beamed back trying to keep the hype going snapping her fingers at me

"Now, that-" I loosed the grip on the nurse and doctor as I focused on my daughter "That's a bad example honey. Babies have a super hulk grip. Once they grip something in their little hands they never let go. One time, when while I was breastfeeding Markus, he gripped my hair so hard-"

"Mom, quit stalling and stand up, goddammit!"

I blinked back taken aback by her change of tone. It was like she was the bad and good cop all at once. She had snapped me back to the real issue at hand. "All right, all right...give me a moment" I focused back on my injured leg

Callie walked over to me, but remained standing a step in front of me. To me, it seemed too far away, but I knew, if I just stand up and take one small step, I would reach her. Would be able to touch her. Look her straight in the eye, not looking up to her. She could put her head on my shoulder, while I hugged her. Those thought kept me motivated.

I pushed myself up from the bed. My weight was distributed only on my healthy leg for the moment, injured leg was slightly bent at knee, toes barely reaching the floor. I was gripping the doctors and nurses hand hard. They were basically the ones who were keeping me up. I was breathing hard, like I had ran for the last 5 minute or so.

"Excellent," the nurse praised me "How does it feel to be back on your feet?"

"Good," I beamed back, happy that I had managed it, despite the pain and how much strength it took. Looking at Callie, a wide and bright smile appeared on her face, making me smile as well.

"Nice one, mom!"

"Can you put your foot down?" Doctor asked looking down

My toes barley touched the floor. Carefully, I pressed my foot down a little bit more, trying to transfer a small fraction of my weight to it, but it caused shooting pain up my injured leg "No! No...not happening!" I exclaimed in pain, dropping my buttocks back on the bed

"That's okay. You did good for today. We'll try again later. For now, rest." Doctor told me as Callie hurried up to me and help me raise my legs back in the bed

I was brought out of my memory, when my brain registered that Callie was about to try and stand up. In her eyes, I saw the same struggle that I had felt. The exhaustion. The pain. The – I do not trust myself to do this – look. The fear of falling, crumbling down to floor, of her body giving up and hurting herself even more.

"You can do it, Callie," I encouraged her, forgetting that she can't hear me as I walked to stand just a small step from her. As I realized that, I tried to show it more with my body language.

Callie followed me with her eyes "All you have to do is stand up. Only for a second." I had clapped my hands, trying to hype her up by transferring the positive energy "You can do it!"

"Easy...like stealing a candy from a baby..." Callie said, her voice was louder at the start but quieter at the end, as she held the eye contact with me

The corners of my lips turned upwards, as I was sure, she was recalling the same memory I had a moment ago "Yeah, like stealing a candy from a baby," I nodded back and held my arms out, palms up. Encouraging for her to get to me.

The next thing I know, I'm watching how she pushes herself up on her feet huffing and puffing and breathing heavily, but she does. Sweat beads appeared on her forehead and her hands are trembling a little, from the exhaustion and pain, but she did it. Being carefully held by the nurse and doctor, but she's standing.

"That's my girl," I said watching her proudly, as she managed to take a step that ensured, that she reached me. Her strengths was gone the next second as she crumbled in my arms.

"You got her?" The doctor asked me as I held her up

What a stupid question that was "I got her," I assured them

I felt Callie's fingers grip at my shirt. For a moment, I thought she will rip it as it felt like she was holding on for dear life.

"I got you!" I whispered, when our eyes had briefly met, before I helped Callie get back to her bed. I will always catch her, when she falls.

Always.