A Breath Of Fresh Air

"I'm sorry."

Sorry it took so long to upload guys. I've been dealing with chronic migraines and looking at a screen has been brutal.
~K

(Stef's POV)

The house was pretty crazy the next few days. All the other kids could talk about were the things people were saying about Callie and Brandon online. Callie and Brandon just say there as they all discussed it, looking like they just wanted to disappear. I would do anything to just make it all go away for them. They made a mistake and they already payed for it. They didn't need or deserve any of this.

I walked past the bathroom after dinner and heard quiet crying coming from it.

I walked into the bathroom to see Callie bent over the sink, sobbing.

My heart broke seeing her like this.

"Awe love," I said quietly, closing the door behind me.

"Listen Love, we'll get through this." I assured her.

She looked at me, tears streaming down her face, and her eyes red from crying.

"How?" She asked loudly. "How are we ever going to get through this? I'm never going to live this down. I'm the reason all this happened! I know you and Mama will never see me the same way again. I just-"

Her voice cracked and I could see her struggling to hold back tears.

"I just wish I could take it all back. I've caused so much pain and disruption to this family..."

Her tears finally broke loose as she choked on a sob.

"You and mama have been so loving and supportive through all this which makes me feel so much worse. And I don't deserve it! I wish you'd yell at me or hate me or something because I...I just...can't..."

At this point she was sobbing to hard to talk.

"Love stop." I told her pulling her into a hug. "We would never hate you or make your life even harder. The torture you're putting yourself through is enough as it is. We know you made a mistake and would take it back if you could. And we believe that you two don't feel that way towards each other anymore. I promise we'll get through this, but to do that you'll have to stay strong. Me and mama love you and always will."

I felt her nod against my chest and held her tighter. We stood that way for a long time. I wished she'd cut herself some slack. She always expected more of herself than anyone else did of her. I prayed that this would all be over soon.

***

There was a knock at the door. I opened it and saw a man in an official uniform standing there.

"Can I help you?" I asked.

"Yes, is Callie Jacobs here?"

"No." I said. "There's a Callie Foster here."

"That's right." He said.
"You adopted her. My apologies."

"Why are you looking for her?" I asked.
At that moment Callie walked up behind me.

"Are you Callie?" The man asked before I could discreetly tell her to go until I figured out why they wanted to talk to her."

She nodded. "Yeah...?"

"I work for law enforcement and I have a report that you had a sexual relationship with your brother?"

"He was my foster brother!" She said. "I didn't think I was getting adopted. I assumed I was leaving!"

I hushed her.

"Why are you here?" I asked him.

"I have to remove Callie from the home." He said.
"While we start the investigation, she cannot be in the same home as her brother."

"No!" Jude said. I hadn't even realized Jude was in the room. A quick glance told me th whole family was here.

"Why don't you make Brandon go? Why is it also Callie who has to leave?"

"They're completely past that." I told him. "There's nothing going on between them anymore. There's no need to remove her. You people need to stop removing this girl from our home."

"I'm sorry." He said.
"But I have to take her. Callie come with me please."

"Where are you planning on taking her?" I asked him.

"Since she's adopted she can't go to another foster home. So we have to put her in Juvie."

"No." I said. "You're not doing that. That's another thing that will be on her record absolutely not."

"What if I go to Girl's United?" Callie asked.

"That's her old group home. She knows everyone there and Rita keeps a sharp eye on them. She'd be absolutely fine there.

"I can't." He said. It's not a secure enough situation. She needs to be somewhere completely locked down. So Callie come with me please."

Callie looked at me. I could see the desperation in her eyes, pleading with me to do something.

"There has to be another solution." I told him.

He shook my head. "There isn't. I'm sorry. If she doesn't come with me, I have to forcibly remove her and I don't want to do that."

"How long will I be there?" She asked.

"Until the investigation is over."

"And how long will that take?"

"I don't know. Please come with me. I don't want to make a scene and make it harder for your family."

"Can I pack a bag?" She asked

He nodded.

She left, returning a few minutes later with a bag. I could tell she had been crying. I had been trying and failing to get this man to see reason. But to no avail.

We all hugged Callie goodbye.

"I will figure this out." I promised her.
"I will go to the judge or do anything I have to do to get you back here."

She nodded. "I'm sorry." She said quietly.

The man led her away then before I could say anything, making that the last thing she said to me.