A/N: Another chapter for y'all. We get to see what's going on back in the Adams-Foster house. Oh, and Michael is thirteen at this point in the story. His look alike is Gattlin Griffith. If you want a visual of all of my original characters, they are up on my polyvore. tiffster-1. polyvore. com, just remove the spaces and click on the colection for Safe Haven. I hope you like this chapter. The piece that Michael plays is called Divenire by Ludovico Eunadi. I recommend looking it up. It's gorgeous.

Chapter Two

Stef's POV

"Hey Sweets, Callie's fifteen minutes away." I walked into Jude's bedroom. He was staring at the graduation gown that was hanging in his closet, pristine in the plastic garment bag as he held his cell phone in his hands.

"Yeah?" He smiled. "Great!"

"Everything okay?"

"Just thinking I guess." He shrugged. "Taylor said she was coming for dinner, is that okay?"

I raised my eyebrows. "Of course, you can invite whoever you want." I cleared my throat. "Did you hear anything from…?"

"No." He cut me off. It was clear it was still a sensitive subject. There was something in his eyes though. This was a Mama job. I had to get Lena to talk to him. I wouldn't be able to get through, not when he was like this.

"Don't stay holed up here too long. You have family waiting to see the person of the hour you know." I grinned as I pressed a kiss into his hair squeezing his shoulder before I turned around, leaving my high school graduate to his brooding, not looking to poke the bear at this time.

"Slow down… what do you mean?" When I got downstairs, I saw Lena holding the cordless phone. "It hasn't yet, we can still get it renewed. But… oh." She caught my eye as she covered the phone. "It's Brandon. It doesn't look good." I had told Lena about my earlier phone conversation with Brandon. "Elaine asked him to foster her son."

"You're kidding?"

Lena shook her head. "Brandon, I'm going to put you on speaker. Mom's here too." She punched the button.

"Hi Mom." Brandon's voice came through. "Jude around?"

I glanced sideways at Lena. "He's in a bit of a mood, haven't been able to get him to come down."

"Gonna miss high school huh?" I could hear the amusement in Brandon's voice. "I'm sure he'll get over that fast."

I shook my head. "So what's this about you fostering?"

He sighed. "I told you about Elaine right? She just dropped the bomb that she wants me to bring Michael, her son, to San Diego with me, something about him not going with strangers."

"I see." I nodded along with his words. "And the grandparents weren't an option why?"

"They basically disowned Elaine when Michael was born, at least her mom did. I don't know about her dad, but Michael doesn't know his grandparents. I just called her lawyer, tried to see about it, but Elaine's already got it in writing that I take Mike, her last request. I don't know what to do."

"Be there for them." Lena said. "Mom and I will help you when you come in."

"Okay…" Brandon paused and when he spoke next, I could hear the tears. "Thanks Moms."

Michael's POV

"Hey Baby…" Mom pushed the button to move the bed, so she was sitting up. "Come lay with me." She held out her arms.

I sighed. "Mom..."

"Hush you." She shook her head. "Thirteen isn't too old for Mommy cuddles."

I smiled crawling next to her in spite of myself. For so long it had just been the two of us, and "Mommy cuddles" had become a regular thing. When she had gotten sick, it had become hard for me to deal. When I wasn't taking care of her, I was usually out with my friends blowing off steam and trying to avoid the boyfriends who had begun coming out of the woodwork after Mom got sick offering to help, bringing food. They ran the gamut despite having broken her heart, they all seemed to care about her, which is what made what Brandon said so laughable.

"So what's cool? What have you been up to?" Mom said. "Is twerking still a thing?"

I groaned. "What is the hospital TV permanently tuned to MTV?"

"I need the scoop."

I rolled my eyes. "Stop it, I'm begging here."

Mom jammed her fingers into my ribs. "How else am I supposed to get you to talk to me?"

"Why do you want me to go with Brandon so bad?" If she wanted me to talk, I'd talk.

"Michael…" Mom sighed.

"Are you sick of me or something?" I said. "Or would you rather have Derek bringing bad hospital soup and pretending he didn't hurt you?"

"Honey… just let me explain."

"What are you gonna explain?" I blinked quickly. "He didn't even try to come back Mom, and you expect me to go out of state with him when you're dying? To just leave? I'm not doin' it!"

"You've done so much for me Sweetheart." Mom continued rubbing small circles on my cheek. I didn't pull away. "So much more than you should have to. I just want you to have the best chance you can. A break from the city, someone to take care of you for once. Just promise me you'll give him a chance. I wouldn't have asked him if I didn't think you could do that."

I sighed. "But… I can't leave you."

"You never will." Mom reached up for the necklace around her neck, the heart locket I'd never seen her without. "We'll always be together. Wherever you are, I'll be watching, so you better not disappoint me Mister." The words were said with a grin, but Mom had tears in her eyes as she handed me the locket.

I opened it to reveal a picture of my mom holding a baby: me, it was me. I was grasping her thumb with my hand, tugging it toward me as she smiled down.

"Mom…" I choked, and within seconds I was a mess crying into her hospital gown.

"I love you Michael." Mom kissed me, her own voice wrangled with tears. "Don't cry, please don't cry." She reached over to the table, rolling it in front of her. I looked up and noticed my keyboard sat on top of it. "I had Jacob bring it by this morning. Will you play me something?"

"I…" I sat up wiping my face. "How did you get him to sneak it out?"

"I haven't run out of tricks yet." Mom laughed. "Plus, it helps that you sleep like a log."

"I don't have anything finished." I looked down at my hands which were already curling with the desire to play. I hadn't played anything in weeks.

"Just pick something. Even if it's not original. I miss hearing you." Mom squeezed my hand.

"Okay…" I took a breath as I closed my eyes already seeing the notes in my mind as my hands found the keys. This piece was a Einaudi, and one of the first pieces I had learned to play by ear. I felt myself detaching, the feeling of weightlessness I got when I played hitting full force even as I felt the tears come unbidden. This was for my mom, every note was an ode to her. Everything else in the room fell away. It was only me, her and the music.

"That was amazing Michael. Thank you." Mom pulled me to her. "Thank you."

Brandon's POV

I stood quietly outside the door watching in awe. Michael hadn't noticed me, but Elaine had. I could see her watching me as she hugged Michael. I knew now even if I didn't understand why she had done it, there was no backing out. I had to help Michael.

I tensed as I felt a hand on my shoulder turning around quickly, and knocking my roommate in the face.

"Shit dude!" Jacob rubbed his chin. "Remind me not to sneak up on you again."

"Sorry." I shook my head. "I didn't see you."

"Obviously." He grinned. "What has you so entranced Foster?"

I had met Jacob at my college orientation. He was a double major: music and English. We had been paired as roommates, and after the usual getting to know each other phase, had clicked pretty easily, despite his less than studious approach to college... and life in general.

I shrugged. "Just trying to figure things out."

"Having one of your woe is me moments?" Jacob rolled his eyes. "Come on man, snap out of it."

I shook my head.

"Dude, come on. You dragged my ass home from the bar when I was passed out at least three dozen times in the last two months. You think I can't tell when you're stuck in your rut?" He grabbed my arm. "We're getting out of here, it's even bringing me down, and I don't do that Lifetime crap."

I laughed. "And you think breaking up another bar fight is going to make me feel better?"

"Someone has to be sensible." He said. "But no fights today I swear."

"Yeah I'll believe that when I see it." I elbowed him.

"Just guy talk, swear on my mom's life."

I scoffed. If he kept swearing on Mrs. Westman's life, she'd actually drop dead. "Pushing your luck."

"Whatever, figure of speech. The English major knows what he's talking about."

"Let's go before you have to literally drag me by my feet."

"You wouldn't."

I raised my eyebrows as he pushed the door open and we left the hospital behind.

A/N: Okay, so many emotions right now. Next chapter, Brandon and Jacob have their "guy talk", some sibling moments, the Adams-Foster kids have a secret from Jude, and Brandon/Elaine. Anything else you want to see. I'll work in as much as I can. Also, I am thinking of making this a whole verse of stories, a bit of an alternate universe starting at the end of 3a. Thoughts anyone? Also updates may not be so frequent on any of my stories after Monday, because classes start again :(. Between that and no Fosters till January it's terrible. Thank goodness for fanfiction to hold us off right?