Warning: this is the last chapter

Chapter 18

"I don't want to press charges," Callie voiced confidently.

"My love," Stef answered softly. The cop couldn't just let the idea of the prick who hurt her daughter to get away with it. In her mind, he needed to pay.

"Honey, why are you saying this?" Lena asked. "Is it because you're scared of him? Because I promise, Mom and I are not going to let Tommy come anywhere near you."

"Is that why you don't want to?" Stef asked as she realized that possibility. She just assumed that Callie was being stubborn about it, because Callie was being stubborn about everything lately.

"No," Callie said sternly. "That's not it."

Lena continued calmly, "Then why don't you want–"

"I just want to move passed all of it. I want to forget it. I need to forget Tommy, forget everything I did–"

"Sweetheart," Stef interrupted. "I know you… I know you don't want what happened to you to happen to some other poor girl."

"Don't do that," Callie said softly.

"Do what?" Stef asked.

"Don't go there. Don't force me to do something I don't want to do by making me feel guilty. I'm not responsible for what Tommy does."

"You're not," Lena confirmed.

"You said none of this was my fault," Callie reminded them.

"It isn't," Lena answered again.

"I'm sorry, Callie," Stef muttered. "It came out wrong."

Callie closed her eyes for a few seconds before opening them again and staring at her moms. "I'm just… I'm so tired of going to the court and just… hoping for the best. Hoping that someone sees my side. Hoping that someone else believes me–"

"We believe you," Stef voiced sternly.

"And that's enough," Callie pointed out. "Even if I go to court and tell a room full of people all of the horrible things he did to me, all of the things he threatened me with… he'll still walk. Just like Liam."

Lena and Stef wanted to contradict her but they both remained frozen in place at the mention of his name. They didn't want to admit that she was right.

"Being wiped all over the courtroom as Liam and his lawyers spewed out nothing but lies about me to everyone was humiliating enough. I don't want to go through that again."

"That's not going to happen this time," Stef tried to convince her daughter. "We have evidence. Lots of evidence."

"Like what?" Callie retorted.

"The weekly domestic disturbance calls from your multiple neighbors for starters… not to mention the bruises all over your body and the threatening messages he's been sending to your phone."

"It doesn't matter. It's always the same thing."

"It is not the same thing," Stef voiced strongly. "He will go to jail."

"Yeah, maybe," the teen responded skeptically.

"Callie, trust me. That's one thing I know form my experience as being a cop. The regret some of these women feel because they didn't do something never goes away. I don't want you to feel that way."

"And you won't be alone," Lena told her daughter. "We know it won't be easy but Mom and I are going to be right there with you. If you decide to press charges or if you don't."

Stef glared at her wife.

Callie nodded. "I'll think about it," she answered them both.

CALLIE! they heard Mariana call from her bedroom.

Stef rolled her eyes.

Callie took in a deep breath. "I better go," she used that as her queue as she started to get up from their bed and finally exit their room.

"Wait," Stef said as she grabbed Callie's arm. The teen just assumed Stef was going to continue to lecture her even more but instead, the blonde surprised her by bringing her palm towards the back of Callie's head and pulling Callie closer toward her, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. "Think smart, please," Stef felt the need to tell her.

Callie nodded as Lena did the same. "We love you," Lena told her.

"I love you too," the girl answered before backing away from them slowly and making her way over toward the door.

So that's the end.

I wasn't sure where to end it but this seemed like a good spot. If someone wants to do the court scene, feel free. I wanted this story to focus on Callie coming home and learning everything she didn't learn in "Words Left Unspoken" and I think I've done just that.

Thank you all who've read this and who've also read the prequel. I had fun writing it.

Also, does anyone know of any stories that take place after the finale? I wanted to read one but it looks like I'm going to have to write it myself :P Let me know if that's what you want.

Thanks again!