Stef, Lena and Callie dealing with the knowledge that Callie has Cancer and Callie learning to let them help her stay afloat.

(This will just about Callie learning to accept support from Stef and Lena and will not continue into an actual story about her dealing with the cancer. Based off the story 'Swim' by gleefan13 - with her permission of course.)

'Cancer.' The word rang out in Callie's ears blocking out all other sounds. She was vaguely away of the doctor walking out of the room leaving Lena to help her process the word that now seemed so foreign to her. In the back of her mind she could hear the muffled sounds of Lena talking to her, explaining something about blood and someone named Hodgkins? Her mind couldn't really make out what Lena was saying until one particular sentence - "We're here for you Callie, you don't have to go through this alone."

Suddenly Callie is brought back to reality - they weren't her family and they couldn't be there for her. There was no one there for her. Even Jude, who had been the only constant in her life was no longer her's - he was theirs.

"No!" She yelled as she got up and darted out of the doctor's office and out the hospital door into the bright sunshine.

Lena panicked - Callie was out there all alone and so afraid. She had no idea where she would go or how to find her. She did the one thing that she always did when she felt lost - she called Stef.

"Stef, Callie's gone." Lena said panicked.

"What?" Stef asked. "Why? What did the doctor say?" She enquired.

"Hodgkin's Lymphoma." Lena said softly by way of explanation.

"Oh my god." Stef exclaimed.

Lena overheard Stef instruct Mike to head to the hospital and then Stef tell her "We're on our way."

Once Stef and Mike got to the hospital in a police cruiser and full uniform Lena instantly felt better. They still had no idea where Callie was but just having Stef near her made her certain that everything would be okay. They decided to split up and look for the girl - Stef and Lena would go around the block on foot while Mike would drive around the area.

They were ready to split up and Stef turned to walk in one direction when she suddenly spotted Callie sitting on a parapet surrounding the building with her knees up, head buried and body shaking. "Oh thank god." She whisperers as she raced towards the girl with Lena in tow. She wrapped the shaking girl in her arms and held on tight.

Callie couldn't stop crying and didn't want to look up until she did. She could feel what she thought were Lena's arms wrapped tightly around her - strong and secure - not Lena-like at all, and she had to admit that it felt good. As usual fate was just against her and she found herself thinking once again that she could just never catch a break. A mother had died and her father was the reason - no, not her father - he was a mystery. She had had to survive through horrendous experiences through six years in foster homes, protecting Jude as much as she could and then she came here to the best home she had ever known and nearly ruined it because she couldn't stay away from Brandon and then she finally, finally when began to believe that things were looking up she found out that she couldn't be adopted and now once again when she had thought that things couldn't get any worse she was handed a cancer card.

Callie was completely startled from her thoughts when she heard Stef speak. "It's okay love." Stef said as she gently rubbed her hand up and down Callie's back. Callie's head whipped up. When had Stef got here? The strong hug made sense now - Stef always made Callie feel safe.

"We're right here baby." Stef said soothingly, looking down at Callie.

Callie stopped crying abruptly and her face instantly clouded with anger. She shrugged Stef's arms off leaving the woman confused as to what had happened.

The words that had meant to make Callie feel better were exactly the words that she was most afraid of. 'We're right here.' While those words meant that Stef and Lena were with her and ready to support her through this new mountain to climb, to Callie, they represented everything that Callie didn't have. She wasn't really a part of this family - She was a ward of the state. She was a nobody temporarily taking up space in somebody's life. She was their mountain and she didn't want to be. She didn't want to taint this family with her existence. She suddenly realized that her unknown father had just given her an 'out'. She wasn't adopted yet and so she could leave and no one would ever have to look after her or be 'right here' for her. She could even leave Jude behind - she wanted to leave Jude behind knowing that he would be well taken care of - far better than she herself could take care of him. Besides, he wasn't her's to take anymore - he was one of them now.

Having made her decision Callie began frantically searching for her phone. "I need to talk to Bill." She said, opening up the phone app on her borrowed iPhone. "I need the number."

"What for?" Stef asked.

"He's my social worker and I have a right to talk to him." Callie snapped.

Stef gently took the phone out of Callie's hands as she said "Not until you tell me what it's about."

"You can't do that." Callie yelled. "What gives you the right?"

"Because Callie, I don't want you to do anything that you will regret once you aren't so upset anymore." Stef said. "And I have the right because I'm your mother whether you like it or not." She answered with almost as much force as Callie.

Hearing these words Callie let out a dejected, sarcastic laugh. "No Stef." She said coldly, clearly knowing how her words would hurt. "It's just the opposite actually. You are not my mother whether you like it or not."

Stef was completely taken aback. She knew that it wasn't easy for kids in the foster system to accept their new family and she knew that it took time for them to refer to her as 'mom' and to feel like a part of the family and that especially for Callie it was hard and she needed that tangible piece of paper telling her that she officially belonged to the Foster's, but to hear her say outright that Stef wasn't her mother gave Stef the feeling of being shot in the chest for a second time, only this time it hit slightly higher than before - right at her heart.

Stef could see that Callie was angry and afraid and she couldn't blame the girl - nothing ever seemed to go her way. She held back the tears that were threatening to fall from her own eyes as she tried to pull Callie back in for a hug.

Callie wasn't having any of it. "No." She said firmly as she ducked out of Stef's reach and darted down the sidewalk. She hadn't made it far before Stef was on top of her, easily wrapping an arm around her waist and lifting her off the ground.

Stef half carried, half dragged Callie back to Lena and Mike helped her get the girl into The cruiser. Mike offered to drop them home while Stef sat in the back with Callie and Lena when to the parking lot to get her own car and they took him up on that offer.

It wasn't until they had gotten Callie into the car and the three adults were discussing getting home that they noticed the crowed that had gathered. They could all just imagine what was going through the heads of all the onlookers - cop chases kid down the street and puts her in a police car. She glanced down at Callie and was relieved to see the girl staring down at her hands. At least she wasn't away of all the stares they were getting. Right now all Stef wanted to do was get her daughter home. She quickly climbed into the car next to Callie and instructed Mike to take them home.

Callie was quiet the entire ride home. She had stopped crying a while back but wouldn't look up nor would she let Stef get too close. Each time Stef tried to get just a little closer Callie would move further away and Stef couldn't help but feel lost - she had no idea how to reach her daughter.

Back at the house Mike was ready to help Stef get Callie inside but the girl just got out of the car once her door was opened and quickly walked in herself. Stef thanked Mike quickly and followed her daughter inside not wanting to leave her alone for too long. She knew Lena would be in any minute as well but still found herself at a loss without her.

She walked up to Callie's room and found it empty. She checked their bathroom door and found it unlocked so she gently pushed it open to find Callie kneeling down at the toilet throwing up. Stef quickly knelt beside the girl and supported her with one arm as her other hand grabbed Callie's hair and held it back. It took a few minutes for Callie to to stop retching and by then she was completely drained and practically shivering. Stef grabbed a cup of the sink and filled it with cold water and handed it to Callie. "Here love," she said.

Callie just looked at the cup, still in Stef's hand as she tried to catch her breath. Stef wet a towel with cold water and went back to sit by the girl. She waited a moment before she tried to reach out for her and was pleasantly surprised when she didn't pull away. She pulled the girl close and wiped her face down with the cool, wet cloth making Callie feel instantly better. This time when Stef handed Callie the cup, she took it.

They sat in silence for a few minutes until Callie's breathing was back to normal. As they waited Lena walked in looking worried.

"What happened?" She asked bending down beside Callie and placing a hand on her forehead. The girl was sweaty so she obviously didn't have a fever but she looked extremely pale and weak.

"She threw up." Stef said.

"Do you feel like throwing up again?" Lena asked her.

Callie shook her head.

"Alright then let's get you out of the bathroom okay." Lena said as she took the cup from Callie and placed it on the sink while Stef helped the girl up.

"Why don't you go lie down." Lena told Callie as she left the bathroom and headed downstairs.

Stef lead Callie to the master bedroom and helped her get into bed. Callie was a little hesitant at first but didn't have the energy to protest so when Stef nudged her slightly she gave in and crawled under the blanket that Stef was holding up for her.

Lena came back a few moments later with some ginger ale and crackers. "Here honey," She said handing them to Callie "Have this, it will help settle your stomach."

Callie took a bite of a cracker and a couple of sips of the drink before she was too tired to stay upright any longer. Stef helped her lie down while Lena placed a trashcan by the bed in case Callie needed to throw up again and then they left the room so she could sleep.

"What exactly did the doctor say?" Stef asked Lena the moment they were out the door. She had been waiting all morning for answers and now she didn't want to wait another second.

"He said it's definitely cancer." Lena said miserably. "Probably Hodgkins, but he can't be sure until he does a biopsy."

"When is he going to do that?" Stef asked.

"We haven't set a date yet." Lena answered. "He left the room for a few minutes to give us some time to process and that's when Callie just ran out."

"We need to get it done soon Lena." Stef said worriedly.

"I'll call the doctor and explain what happened and set up an appointment." Lena said. "We'll both go with her. You may need to hold her down."

Stef nodded her agreement.

Callie slept for three hours with Stef and Lena checking on her constantly. She was exhausted - the throwing up, crying and weakness she felt all taking a toll on her and her body had finally succumbed to rest.

She finally woke up to noises in the house and knew that the other kids were back from school. She wondered what Stef and Lena would tell them but she wasn't ready to face any of that right now and so she just rolled over and stayed in bed with her own thoughts.

When all the kids had come home they were curious about Callie's doctor's appointment. She had had a bad cough for over two weeks now and today were the results of a blood test she had been asked to take. Stef and Lena had spent the whole afternoon focused on Callie and what to do next that they hadn't discussed what to tell the others. Jude, especially, wanted answered the moment he walked in the door. He still felt uneasy whenever things like this happened and liked to stay by his sister's side during those times. Being sent to school without his sister had upset him a little.

Stef and Lena glanced at each other trying to communicate what they should tell the kids. Jude caught the look immediately and knew that something was wrong.

"Where is she?" He asked with wide eyes and a panicked voice.

"She's asleep." Stef said and tried to continue but Jude was already halfway up the stairs by then.

With a sigh Stef and Lena ran up after the boy and watched him charge into the girls' room.

"Callie" He yelled as he walked in but she was nowhere to be found.

Jude turned around to look at Stef and Lena with a terrified look on his face. "She's gone." He said in horror.

Lena knelt beside the boy as she tried to assure him that she hadn't gone anywhere but was, intact, asleep in their room.

Jude looked at her distrustingly for a moment before he went to check for himself. He charged into his mom's room in much the same as he had just done before, only this time he was relieved to see Callie laying in bed just like Lena said she would be.

"Callie." He yelled with relief as he ran to her and crawled up onto the bet.

"Hi baby." Callie said, looking to Stef and Lena for a sign of how much they had already told him.

Jude's next question answered her unanswered one. "What did the doctor say?" He asked innocently.

Callie didn't know what to say. She didn't want to lie to Jude, not about this. It's not that she had never lied to him before in order to protect him from something but something about this particular situation made her want to tell him the truth. So she wasn't left with much choice. She could tell him the whole truth or only part of it - but the truth it would be.

"He's not totally sure." She said honestly - remembering the doctor saying that they had to do a biopsy to determine the results. "I have to have another test. But until then he's given me something for the cough." She said with a smile.

Jude seemed to accept this answer and proceeded to ask Callie how she was feeling and a whole lot of other questions.

Stef and Lena watched the scene in amazement. All morning Callie was like a lost child - unable to find her way out of a dark abyss but the moment Jude needed her she became the leader. All her own needs and fears were put aside until those of her brother were met. They couldn't help but see the similarity in the way Callie dealt with Jude and the way they themselves dealt with their kids - Callie was Jude's mother for all intents and purposes. Even though he had been adopted and he called them 'mom' and listened to whatever they told him, when things got rough it was still Callie he went to for comfort.