Callie POV

Kimberly Weiss, the girl Amy and Cooper were fostering, went upstairs to her bedroom straight after she was informed of her new house rules. From what I could hear, not much had changed since I was in her spot. Amy kept the rules simple and light. I heard nothing about punishments or chores, same as it was for me.

"Goodnight!" I called out, when I heard her quick and light footsteps running up the stairs. No surprise, I got no response back, but to be fair, I was not expecting any reply. All i wanted was to give her the first glance to how things worked here. That there was kindness going around. Simple pleasantries were exchanged.

The first nights at any new place can be very exhausting and stressful. All I had ever wanted in a new foster house was for people to leave me alone and not be yelled at or insulted. There was never any energy or desires for talks or to get to know the family at the first given chance.

I went back to the kitchen to help mom and Cooper clean up after dinner. We worked like a well oiled machine and it wasn't long till all the dishes were clean and put away and leftovers were stored away in fridge.

"Where did you put the file?" Cooper asked looking around the kitchen trying to find it

"Over there," I pointed at a drawer before I pushed the chair back in its place

Cooper grabbed the file "It's so thick," he weighted it in his hands "I'll go read it upstairs," He gave mom a quick peck on her lips, before walking away.

"Don't you want to read it?" I asked as we walked to the living room together

"Yes and no. It's a mix bag of - I want to know everything about her and I don't want the file, what other people think of her affect my feelings and thoughts about her. She's not her file. I have read it party already, the rest can wait. Reading material for another night. "

I laid down to the couch, while mom sat down on the other end of it. I put my feet on her lap and crossed my fingers over my stomach. She started to massage the soles of my feet. It felt nice. Just the right pressure.

"How's it going with Dr. Owens?" Mom asked after a while. With the pose I was it, it felt like I was in a therapy session from the TV or movies.

"Ugh," I groaned out not exactly sure how or where to even start

"Not the...you sleeping with her son part. The therapy part," Mom clarified resting her hands on my shins

"Oh, that part. That's going good. I really like her as my doctor. Feel comfortable around her. She seems to understand and read me very well. Actually feel like I a making progress."

"And the guy?"

I didn't rush my answer to that question. I took my time to rewind and think back to all the good memories I had with him. How much I liked spending time with him. How with each passing week we texted each other more and more, not just about hooking up, but about our everyday lives. The way he made me feel. How safe I felt whenever I was with him.

"Oh-oh!" Mom sang out

"What?" I frowned, confused by her reaction

"That smile," Mom pointed her finger at me, I must have had a smile on my face with out me even realizing it just by thinking about Isaac and I "You really like him, huh?"

I briefly covered my face as I felt my cheeks blush "I think I do."

"Don't get me wrong, honey, but I was kind of hoping you would say the guy was not so great. Then all of this would be so much easier. I would just tell you to break things up with him."

"Is there some sort of rule that I can't be sleeping with my therapist son?"

"Don't think so. It simply seems-" Mom paused as she looking for a word to use "- morally wrong, I guess. If you two ever do start to date, then she would know-."

"Know stuff about me? Yes, I hate that thought so much. It would feel as if I am exposed around her all the time. I could barely stay a minute in the same room as them, when I learned that they are related to each other."

"She would also know you better than your boyfriend would, that is unless you tell he all the same stuff you told her."

We were quiet for a while till I said "I have to break things up with Isaac, don't I? She's too good of therapist for me to look for new one. If I would switch therapists, I would have to tell my whole story again to someone new. I don't know if I will find someone who I feel as comfortable and safe with, who understand me. If I would stop seeing Dr. Owens, I really need to take things further with Isaac, but I still don't think I am ready for the commitment of dating Isaac. I don't want to burden him with my stuff, my trauma. Besides Dr. Owens would still know everything, its not like she can forget the things that I have told her."

"Sounds like the right choice, sweetheart," Mom said as she started to rub my feet "It won't be easy, knowing how much you actually like Isaac, but it's the right thing for you right now. We need to concentrate on your mental health. The trauma from the bombing was too big for us to ignore. The rabbit hole you went down with the pain medication, it can't happen again. I know it will sound selfish, but I can't lose you. You need to come first. Your health needs to come first. The guy...you will find a new guy."

"Why can't I ever catch a break," I puffed out and scooted lower to put my head on the pillow not the armrest

"You will. I know sometimes it seems like like you won't, but you just have to give it some time," Mom assured me

"I want to believe you," I wish her confident in what she was saying was contagious. I want some it. To feel confident and positive about my future for once.

"Then do," she patted my leg "Life, it all comes in waves. Ups and downs."

"How about we change the topic," I put my right arm behind my head to prompt my head up more, so I would have a better look at mom "Kim - how did you meet her?"

"Stef and I chased her down after she stole some stuff and vandalized a small corner store. Unlike you, who never utter a single word to me, she told us about the foster home she was in, how horrible it was, how she did it just so she could be taken out of the house. Unfortunately, we still had to take her to juvie for the crimes, even thought she did it out of desperation. It was not her first offense. The shop owner was pressing charges. She had to do, just like you, 3 months in Juvie."

"Maybe we shared a cell 10 years apart," I joked, even thought I was saddened by this small backstory of hers "Will have to ask her about it."

"You have to bond over something," Mom smiled back, but I saw that it didn't truly reach her eyes. There was some hidden sadness in her eyes, that I knew I know of, only because I have known her for so long. She joked, but she didn't particularly enjoyed the premises of it.

"So this horrible foster home...who was it?" Mom turned towards me and looked at me closely, she squinted a little at me, trying to read me better, get a hint of my motive of asking that

"No one you lived with," she said after a while

"You know their names?" I questioned further

"I do," she replied with a single head nod

The lack of moms reaction told me everything I needed to know. The last home was not the one I feared. I was sure, it was as horrible as any of the foster homes I stayed in, because I too had often times wished to just run away or get myself arrested. In fact, I did the same thing Kim did. I got myself arrested just so I could be taken away, out of the house. Kids don't just run away because they are bored. They don't act out, just because. There is always a reason, a good fucking reason behind every action that a foster kid or any kid does. There are always sings.

"How screwed up is she?" I asked and instantly got a look from mom. To be fair, from the brief dinner we had, I got a feeling that she might have escaped from more hurt than I had. Sure, I saw it in her eyes, that she doesn't fully trust this whole situation. But the way she had looked to Amy a few times, I got the sense, that she trusted Amy. More so than I ever did the first day if not the whole month. Mom must have done something right.

When mom didn't answer, the question just slipped out of my mouth before I could stop myself "Some withholding food or locking the fridge. Drugs, alcohol and some rage. A little bit of belt to her back or bottom put her in her place."

"Callie," mom turned towards me ready to scold me me for saying that

Feeling as if I had crossed a line I should not have crossed, I said nothing afterwards. Just pulled my legs out of her lap and placed them on the ground.

I wasn't upset about the fact that she did not tell me, more so I was upset with myself for not realizing it myself. I doubt Amy told Markus all of the horror stories from my foster homes. So it was only normal, that mom kept the same practice here. Just because I was in the system, didn't give me the right to automatically know about her story. I was not Kim's parent, I don't need to know everything about her. I just need to do and be what Markus was to me. Never intrusive, mean or rude, only supportive, kind and most importantly I had to treat her like like she was my sister. Because she was, even thought I only met her few hours ago and we hadn't actually spoken to each other.

I turned in my seat towards mom "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have.."

"Don't. It's okay. I understand that you want to know, but I hope you understand me as well that that's not for me to share with you. I am sure you remember how you felt about...well everyone, when you got here! How mad and angry you were with me, when I let Cooper in on just one little part of your past. And I wasn't doing it to spite or hurt you. All I wanted to do was keep you safe and I just needed someone in my corner to help me do that. You didn't speak to me for days. You were so mad at me-"

"I know. I understand."

Mom smiled at me back and reached out to put her hand on my shoulder, to tell me silently that everything is good between us and there we no hard feelings. My heart was beating fast inside my chest, because I still felt I had to talk to mom about Kim. Tell her what I know. How I met her. I wanted her to know, so that she could use that knowledge to help Kim. I didn't want for Kim to suffer the same way as I had.

"Listen," I turned to look at mom in all seriousness "There's something I have to tell you. Something important. About Kim-"

"Amy! You need to see this!" a call from Cooper followed by his footsteps coming down the stairs, was what got mom to get distracted and for me. I saw her focus move away from me. Knowing Cooper will be down here in a few seconds, they will probably want to talk alone about whatever Cooper was coming to show Amy. Which means, that I should probably leave as that I won't be able to bring that conversation up again today, because they will be busy with whatever Cooper had read. So I just stood up, ready to leave.

"Callie!" Mom grabbed my hand as I walked pass "Hold on," she was sitting up, holding my wrist gently

"I should go," I looked to the doors

"You wanted to tell me something,"

"I have an early shift in the morning, I need to go home and get some sleep," I pulled my arm out of her grasp forcefully and walked pass Cooper in the doorway, slightly bumping into him with my shoulder as I was not expecting him to appear there so soon. I had miscalculated his pace or the time that I had. Amy called after me, but i did not stop , nor did she follow me. I guess we both needed a little time out from how that conversation went down.

"Sorry," I mumbled under my breath to Cooper, but I doubt he heard me, and I walked to the doors and headed out. My pace was quick as I did not want to give mom the option to catch up with me.

I turned on my phone back on, when I got back to my apartment.

I had a missed calls from mom since about the time I left the house and Isaac had left me multiple text messages. I skimmed through the messages first and decided to ignore moms call for now. For the most part Isaac just wanted to know if I was okay and if we could talk. I typed up a quick reply.

Sorry I didn't reply. I needed time to think. i've got early shift tomorrow, call you some time later?

Isaac read my message almost instantly. He replied with a thumbs up to my message and a short reply Sure. Call whenever you are free and/or ready to talk.

And that just added another point of why I liked him so much, he gave me space, when I asked him to. He wasn't typing angry messages about why was I not answering him, why I was ignoring him. Didn't give me hard time about my way of processing things.

I turned my phone volume down, not wanting any distractions and got ready for bed. But sleep did not come easy that night as my mind was keeping me awake with all kinds of different scenarios of Kimberly's life before she reached Amy and Coopers safe haven.

Lena POV

"You do know you don't need to do that anymore, right?" Stef asked as we were getting ready for work by making coffee and breakfast. Frankie was up, I heard her footsteps upstairs as she was getting ready for school.

"You're the director of Anchor Beach!" Stef walked over to me, wrapped her arms around my waist and kissed my cheek "A hot, sexy -"

"Sto-ooop," I giggled and felt my cheeks blush, I felt the heat

"Okay, but I think we are going to role play that later on," Stef said with a smirk

"How can I not?" I said as I continued to make sure I don't burn the omelets I was making for Frankie "They are our friends, our family. I just want to make sure she settles in alright. I know it's not my job anymore to personally welcome everyone in and handle the paperwork, but I want to. I have done it with everyone. Starting with Brandon, ending with Callie. I need to do it. I want to do it. In my mind, it sort of feel likes the first step to welcome a new kid in our...extended family. Does that make any sense?"

"It makes perfect sense, love. It's part of your process. As you said it yourself, you welcomed everyone in that school. Sure, you had some hiccups with Callie-"

I quickly turned and pointed the spatula to Stef "I'm not making that mistake again. I've learned from Callie."

"I don't doubt it for a second!" Stef gave me three little kisses on my temple just as Frankie came in

"Please stop with the PDA, minor in the room," Frankie made a face looking at us, while she sat down at the kitchen table

"How about some PDA on you," Stef walked over to Frankie, wrapped her arms around her and gave her multiple kisses on her face.

"M-oooom, stop!" Frankie cried out in laughter, trying to wiggle out of her moms hold

"I am making eggs. Will be ready in a few seconds," I told Frankie as I was checking the pan, to make sure they don't burn

"Okay, I have to go. Love you both! Have fun at school," Stef came over to me to give me one last kiss, before she walked out of the kitchen through the back door, heading towards the car around her car.

The eggs are ready in a minute, I make a plate for Frankie, hand her the plate and sit down to keep her company. While she eats I slowly finish my morning coffee.

"So, am I going to meet her today?" Frankie asked in between bites

I look up from my cup "Not sure. She will have a busy day today. You might see her in the halls."

"I know I am a few years younger than her, but I can show her around. That is, if she doesn't mind hanging out with someone few classes down."

My heart melted a little "Aw, honey, that's so nice of you. I will be sure to keep that in mind and let her know."

"What mistake did you make with Callie?" Her voice betrayed her, she was scared that I would be upset about eavesdropping in our conversation

"I, uh..." I spun the cup around, looking down at the drink in my cup, debating with myself if I should be honest with her "I was a little hard on her, back when I first met her. Not the first day per say, but at the beginning. When we were just getting to know one another. And there were some things I could have done better, some situation I could have handled better."

"Like what?" Frankie asked, her eyes big, clearly curious. She was so young back then, she doesn't know any of this. It was only normal, that she wanted to know this kind of stuff, that the rest of us, all know, all lived through.

"I made a wrong assumption about her. I misjudged her and her whole situation," I said somewhat avoiding to truly answer her

"That doesn't really answer my question, mama."

I shuffled in my seat "That's not a conversation for today. Some day I will tell you, okay?"

Frankie was hesitant, probably weighting it if I will be honest to my word, but eventually gave in and nodded. I smiled back at her "Eat. We have to go or you will be late for your first class," I said and finished my drink and carried it to the sink

Some half an hour later, Frankie and I were at the school. We got out of the car and started to walk together towards the entrance. I cherished this little moment, knowing all too well, that in a year or two, Frankie will run off first, to not be seen walking in with the principal.

"I never got the school tour from you," Frankie said as we walked towards the entrance together

"That's because you basically grew up here," I smiled back at her, remembering all the times she was here when the other kids were still studying here. There were countless time she waited in my office while I finished some job, she was here with Stef to pick up other kids, we sometimes come to the beach here just the walk alone. Frankie knows her way around the school, probably better than anyone else.

"I would still like a tour,"

"A tour? From me?"

Frankie nodded her head vigorously, but I recognized the little mischief smirk on her lips.

I put my arm around her shoulder "I know what you are doing. You will meet her, when it's time."

"Why can't I meet her now? With you?"

"Because we don't want to overwhelm her, Frankie. It's very hard for kids, not just for those who come out of system, when they change schools. It's important to ease her into the new things, otherwise it can be too much for her. She's already probably scared and worried and stressed. And we don't want to add to that anymore to what she's already been feeling."

"Fine," Frankie sighed, her shoulders slouching a little

"Oh," I exclaimed as I saw one of Frankie's friends in the hall "There's Chloe," I gestured towards her. Chloe was biracial, her dad was Asian, her mom was white. She had her dads dark straight hair and eyes, but moms features. Chloe saw us and waved at Frankie energetically, happy to see her best friend.

"I'll see you later," I gave a quick kiss on her head, before Frankie ran off to meet up with her friend.

I watched as the two of them walked off, before heading to my office. I was met by my vice principal Anna. We exchanged some pleasantries and asked about each others morning, before she changed the subject to work.

"Are you sure you don't want me to do the tour for the new kid?"

"I am sure. I will handle this one," I said as I took the file from her hands. We got some information sent over from previous schools. Just some basic data about what schools she had attended, what's the attendance, grades, some teacher reviews.

"You haven't done one in few years. What's so special about this one?" Anna asked, her gaze on me, clearly curious

"She's going to be part of the extended family," I said looking back at Anna

Anna's eyebrows frowned a little. She looked over my shoulder, the the shelf behind me, where a picture of our whole extended family stood. Her eyes darted back at me and then "Oh!" I smiled up at her "Are you and Stef-"

"No! Not us. Amy and Cooper are fostering her," Just as I said it, I realized I had gotten the same feeling as I did in the morning, when I was talking to Stef about it, while we were still in bed. I wanted what Amy and Cooper were doing. The house felt empty with only the three of us there and I wanted it to feel more alive with energy. With laughter and smiles and chatter. I even missed the door slamming and bickering from my kids. Frankie wouldn't be so lonely if we had another kid in the house. They could play together. We had the room. We are more financially stable than we were when Stef and I first did it.

I want to foster again - my brain stopped at the thought. It got my excited and scared at the same time.

"What time can we expect them?" Anna pulled me out of my thoughts

"Um," I place my hand over the file "I was told around 10. They have a doctor visit in the morning."

"Okay, we got time. I will go do some paperwork," Anna said and left the office allowing me to get ready and do some other tasks meanwhile, but my mind went back to the thought of Stef and I fostering again.

Callie POV

A knock on the front door made me jolt upright in my bed. Sweat covered my forehead and I felt clammy all over my body. The sheets underneath me were drenched. I heard my own heavy breathing over anything. I was no longer sure if the knock I heard was in my dream or in real life.

I reached for my phone to see what time it was - 10:35pm. I had slept for barley an hour, but by the feelings I got, I would have guessed that it had been 8 hours. The dream I had had was so vivid, felt so long and so real. It got me confused and dazed when I woke.

I heard the knock again.

"Ok, not in my dream," I said to myself and slowly got out of the bed. it was only when I stood up, I realized, it was very late for a knock on a door. And just like that, I got cautions. At first I kind of wanted to just let whoever was out there assume that I was not home or was asleep, hoping they would leave. But then my mind went to a darker place - if someone thought no one was home, they could just break in.

In the end, I decided to quietly walked towards the front doors. I wanted to peak through to see who it was.

I was hand reach away from the door, when the person knocked again and then "It's me. I know you are home. Open up!" I instantly let out a breath I did not know I was holding

I unlocked the doors and switch on the light in the hallway "Mom, what are you doing here so late?"

"You weren't answering my calls or texts," she said walking in. She was right. She had called me two more times today, but both times I had ignored her. To be fair, I was on a call both times. Busy saving...trying to save lies.

"Sorry...I got, my phone on silent," I said following her inside the living room

She remained standing in the middle of the room and gestured for me to sit on my own couch "Sit. We need to talk."

Like a child who had just been scolded, I walked over to my own couch and sat down. Knees together, palms on my thighs, back straight "Are you still mad at me? About yesterday" I asked, reading her face and whole mannerisms. She was kind of winded up. Like on edge or something. Pacing back and forth. One hand constantly touching her face, mouth, lips.

"Yes, I am mad! I am - " She said louder than I had anticipated, making me flinch a little. Her index finger firm and fixed pointing towards the ground. She cut herself off, stopping herself and I saw how when she breathed in, her shoulders and arms relaxed. She closed her eyes, tilted her head up and breathed deeply one more time.

Amy opened her eyes and looked to me "But not with you. I am mad with myself," she rested her right palm over her heart

"Why?"

Amy walked over to me and kneeled down, placing her hands over my "For letting you walk away," she looked up to my eyes "You told me you had to tell me something. Something important. But when Cooper came down, I kind of...put you off. As if you were not important enough and I let you walk away-"

"Mom, no!" I cut her off, not wanting her to think that I ever felt not important enough for her as if she was tossing me away like I was some old doll "Don't-that's ridiculous," I grabbed her hands and pulled her towards me. Mom got up from the floor and sat next to me on the bed, left leg underneath her. We were still holding hands.

I saw tears glistering in her eyes, mom contorted her mouth to one side and looked down to our hands "You weren't upset that-"

"No, of course not, mom. That's not what happened. I didn't feel like that. Okay. You didn't hurt me. I don't feel less because you and Cooper now have Kim. I love that you two are doing this. That you will get to experience parenthood with Cooper, that he won't be just standing on the sidelines, like he did with me. I am happy for you and I am happy that Kim is safe, with you."

"Good, that's good," Mom breathe out relieved "Can we talk about whatever it was, you wanted to tell me?"

"Umm..." I dragged a little. I was so not ready to have that conversation now. I was already exhausted from today's shift, or should I say haunted. Haunted by their eyes.

"Sure, yeah. I guess, uh...well..." I stuttered bad, not knowing how to start the conversation. Mom gripped one of my hands between her palms, but said nothing.

"It's about Kimberly," The moment I said her name, I saw something in her eyes. Was this why she was here? Did she already know something? Maybe that's what Cooper was coming to show Amy, when I was leaving. Kimberly's file. What I didn't fully believe was the fact that the system would leave this sort of information her record. Just from my own experience, I know they had hidden some stuff from my file.

"I know her. Not like know her know her, but...well, I have met her, that is...before today. I've met her before today. On the job. Not recent. Like...way back. 2 years ago way back." The words stumbled out. In my mind, when I was rehearsing what I was going to say, i made much more sense than that and I didn't sound like a bumbling idiot.

I saw mom trying to keep her smile hidden from me.

I took a calming breath in and out and then said slower "I met Kim 2 years ago on one of the calls," I swallowed a lump in my throat, now was the time for the hard part "I am pretty certain she has lived with the Olmsteds. She knows Liam. Kim's the one who stabbed him with the scissors. I don't want to be right, but...I am afraid that he might have done to her, what he did to me-"

Mom squeezed my hand "He didn't."

"He didn't?" I stutter back confused

"He didn't," mom confirmed

I was left a bit surprised as to how mom sounded so confident about it, how did she know about it "How-are you sure?"

"Yes, I am sure. I've read the reports, results and her whole file. Liam did not rape her. He certainly tried, scarring and scaring her for life. But he didn't get to that part...the scissors put a stop to that."

"Oh, thank gosh," I had never felt such a relief. I jumped up to my feet, shaking my hands free. There had been so much tension in my whole body, I had not realized it before. I felt 1000 pounds more lighter. At least some of the horrible scenarios in my head vanished, as if they were balloons and someone poked them with a needle. I think I might be able to sleep tonight after all.

"So, it was all documented? The detectives I talked to that day..."

"Yes, its all there. Beth and yours statements, all the results from the ER that day, crime scene reports, witness statements...everything. It's all good."

I could finally breath easily "Good. That's good."

Mom stood up and came over to hug me, but once her arms reached around me to pull me in, mom pulled back out "You are all drenched," she started to touch my shirt and PJ pants "Are you sick?" her hand went to my forehead

"No," I said, but mom still kept her hand on my forehead so she could see for herself "Just..."

"Just what?" Mom asked running her hands down my arms, till she gripped each palm in her hand

"Bad dreams,"

"Bad dreams don't just appear out of nowhere, love. What happened? Was it the job?"

Slowly, I nodded my head and without even realizing it, tears had started running down my cheeks. I understand that only when mom started to wipe the tears away from my cheeks "Oh, honey." she pulled me in a hug. I held her back tight and sobbed in her neck.

"It was bad, mom. It was really, really bad," I cried out and held on tighter to mom