Callie pushes Stef until she can't push anymore.

(This is the day after Stef and Lena's Wedding and after they had asked if they can adopt Callie and Jude. There is no Brallie and they never kissed so Callie never ran away. Sharon was taking the kids up to Disney Land for the weekend to allow the newly-weds a little time to themselves.)

Callie begins to feel overwhelmed by the thought of being adopted and reverts to an old habit of slitting her wrists. She hadn't done it in years and now for the first time she felt the need to do it again. She knew that she needed to tell Stef and Lena how she felt but she just couldn't bring herself to do that. She wanted so badly to be adopted and she's wasn't sure whether they would change their minds once they realised just how difficult she could be. But it was the adoption that was causing her to feel like this in the first place. She couldn't believe the irony of the situation.

She managed to get through school and the whole evening home without giving in to the temptation but the dinner conversation - which largely consisted of the wedding and the impending adoption process - became too much for her. Everyone seemed so happy and carefree that no one really noticed that Callie was pretty much silent. She had brushed off a few concerns stating that she was just tired and no one seemed to doubt her. They were all just as tired too and besides no one could see any reason for her to be hiding anything.

She looked over at Jude and saw his smiling face. She couldn't believe how happy he was. She had never seen it before. She was the only one who had ever been there for him - she knew everything about him and in all those years she had never seen him smile like that. Her heart ached at realising that all she tried to do for him was not nearly enough. She knew that all her efforts had kept them both alive and that was really more than she could ask for because that's all she had to give but still - the reality that she couldn't give him all that he needed hurt.

After dinner everyone went to their rooms to get ready for bed. Callie joined them all and within an hour everyone besides Callie was asleep. She tossed and turned for a few hours or so trying desperately to stop the thoughts that kept plaguing her mind. But the panic just kept bubbling until it finally boiled over as Callie made her way to the bathroom. She softly shut the door and began digging through the drawers looking for something she could use to help her create an outlet for all the emotions she could no longer contain. Finally finding a blade she let out a euphoric sigh that could almost be called a squeal. She put the blade to her wrist and made a hurried slash and as soon as she saw the blood start to seep out she felt relief. She slowly made a second cut not as desperate as before and was about to make a third when the door opened. Callie stopped abruptly still staring at her wrist for fear of looking up to see who was standing there.

The sound Callie had made when she found the blade had woken Stef and compelled her to check on her children. She planned to go to their rooms but the light under the bathroom door told her that that was where the sound had come from. She had a pretty good idea of which of her children she would find crying in the bathroom but she was in no way prepared for the sight in front of her.

Callie was sitting on the floor right by the open drawer with a blade to her already bloody wrist. Callie obviously stopped when she heard the door open but she still hadn't looked up at her. A sob escaped the girls lips pulling Stef out of her shock and propelling her into action.

She cautiously said 'Callie' trying to get the girls attention without startling her. The blade was still pressed to her wrist and Stef had to find a way to get it out of Callie's reach.

At the sound of her name Callie looked up to see Stef looking down at her with a mixture of fear and sadness written across her face and Callie was sure she could also see just a glint of anger in her eyes. Callie remained frozen staring up at Stef unable to move. The only sound in the room was the soft sobs that occasionally escaped Callie's lips.

"Callie, you're bleeding." Stef said stating the obvious for lack of something more appropriate to say, as she carefully knelt down in front of the teen.

When Callie made no sign of moving away Stef stretched out her hand and reached for the blade and was surprised that Callie let go of it with no resistance.

Stef threw the blade into the sink away from Callie's grasp and grabbed the hand towel off the rack at the same time. Within a second of touching the blade Stef had the towel on Callie's wrist putting pressure on it to stop the bleeding. She was most concerned about the blood dripping down her fingers and the small pool of blood already on the floor caused by the first, desperate slash Callie had made to her wrist.

At the sudden contact Callie had begun to rasp for breath. Stef was afraid that she might be hyperventilating and desperately wanted to hold the girl but the need to put pressure on the wound to stop the bleeding was too great. The only thing she was thankful for at this moment was that Callie did not seem to resist her. She allowed Stef to take control.

Stef spoke softly to Callie telling her that everything was going to be okay and that she wasn't alone and to just breathe and eventually Callie's breathing returned to the occasional sobs just like when Stef first entered the bathroom.

After about twenty Stef gently lifted the towel to check if she had managed to stop the bleed and was relieved to see that she had.

She let go of Callie's wrist and grabbed the girl into a hug finally letting her own tears spill down her face. The two sat like that for a good fifteen minutes until both of them had completely stopped crying.

"Callie." Stef said as she pulled away to look into the brown eyes that were so full of pain. "What happened?" She asked.

She got no response and wasn't really expecting one either so instead she cleaned up the mess in the bathroom, afraid that one of the other kids might come in, while the girl still just sat silent.

Finally she reached down for Callie and pulled her up into a standing position keeping a hold on her both to help her balance as well as to keep her from trying to get away.

She lead them both to her own room. "Lena," she called gently as she entered the room.

Lena slowly opened her eyes registering Stef's call and looked around. Stef flipped the light switch and Lena immediately closed her eyes against the bright lights.

"Lena I need you to get up." Stef said with more urgency in her voice resulting in Lena looking up immediately.

She found Stef leading Callie into their bathroom and got up to follow. Stef closed the lid of the toilet and sat Callie on it. Lena was still wondering what the problem was. "Are you not feeling well, sweetheart?" She asked as Stef pulled out the first aid box from a shelf.

Callie gave no response and Lena watched with confusion as Stef sat on a stool in front of Callie and pulled the arm towards her.

The sight made Lena gasp and caused Callie to stiffen under Stef. Stef began the gentle encouragement she had given earlier that had helped Callie calm down.

Lena and Callie just watched as Stef cleaned Callie's wrist and wrapped it in soft cotton and gauze.

Finally when it was all done Stef pushed the first aid box and the stool aside and sat down on the floor. She gently pulled Callie's hand encouraging the girl to sit down with her. Callie did as she was directed with no difficulty and Stef wrapped her arms around the teen and gently rocked them both. She looked up at Lena and the look on her face mirrored her own feelings. Lena picked up all the bloody cotton that Stef had used to clean the cuts and threw them away. She then washed her hands and put the first aid box away. Once everything was back in place both she and Stef lead Callie to their bed.

"Okay Love," Stef said gently as she arranged the covers for Callie to get comfortable. "Have a seat. Let's talk."

Callie climbed onto the middle of the bed and sat leaning against the headboard with her knees up while Lena climbed in next to her. Stef sat on her side of the bed facing the others.

"You want to tell us what happened?" Stef asked softly.

Callie gave no response prompting Lena to pull the girl in for a hug and saying "Talk to us. Callie, We're here for you."

At those words Callie exploded. "I don't want to talk to you. I just want to be left alone. Everything single thing doesn't have to be discussed. People may want to keep some stuff to themselves. I'm tired and I'm going to bed so just leave me alone okay." Callie tried to get off the bed from Stef's side but Stef instantly moved forward into her way.

"I'm sorry Love," She said as she blocked Callie's escape. "It's fine, if you don't want to talk right now you don't have to, but you are going to stay here with us tonight."

"What?" Callie said in anger. "I'm not sleeping here with you. I'm sixteen not a baby." She said as she tried to get away again.

"Callie, I don't care if you're sixteen or sixty, tonight, you are sleeping here with us. That is not up for discussion.

Callie turned to look at Lena for an out but all she saw were wide, sad eyes looking back at her. "This is crap." She mumbled under her breath."

"What was that?" Stef asked as she and Lena lay down ready to sleep unlike Callie who remained leaning against the headboard with her knees up and her head buried.

"Nothing." She said.

"Okay." Stef said as she lifted the covers. "Lie down please." Her tone was soft but firm leaving Callie with no room for debate.

Soon all three were lying still and quiet and yet they all knew that the other's weren't asleep.