A/N 1: This is…a sequel I guess, to my Winding Road story. This series will focus on the family after the advent of Callie and Jude. Like the previous one, it won't be in chronological order and I'll probably refer to my own time-line and past stories for certain events. I'm not done with The Winding Road, but there are some other stories I want to tell in the "present" so that's what I'm doing.

A/N 2: Liz11o and a few others have asked if I would write something about Stef's recovery after the gunshot. For y'all.

A/N 3: So…this led into a different direction then I planned. Rated R for some sexy times between our favorite ladies.

Ch. 1: An Impatient Patient

Lena Adams loved her partner. Loved with her heart, and soul and everything she was but she decided after several days of recovering…she might actually kill her. Stef wasn't a calm patient. She wasn't philosophizing on the importance of life and death and the future. Stef was itchy, and uncomfortable, and terribly, terribly cranky. She tried not to be…but it wasn't working out well. Like today.

Lena, with all of the stubbornness of a spouse who had seen their beloved at death's door, fussed over her in ways that were both endearing and annoying. The cushions weren't right. Lena could tell they weren't right from the grimace on Stef's face. As she repositioned Stef for the third time, the other woman groaned out loud. "Lena, leave it," she snapped. "My legs are fine. You don't need to keep adjusting my position every five minutes."

Lena's dark hair fell limply in her eyes and she looked sidewise at her partner. "Yes you do. Be quiet and let me finish."

Stef whined like a petulant teenager and threw herself back into the couch cushions. Unfortunately, this action stretched her torso a little too much because she couldn't bite back a yelp of pain when the stiches stretched.

"Stef!" scolded Lena. "How many times have I said…"

Stef raised a pained hand, "And how many times have I said to stop talking to me like I'm one of the kids, Lena?"

"Then stop acting like one!" was Lena's predictable response.

Stef opened her mouth to retort when someone cleared their throat softly. Callie looked at them nervously, from the landing, her dark brown eyes fluttering between them. "Sorry," she said immediately. "I didn't mean to interrupt."

Stef tried to put on a smile. "It's fine hon. What do you need?"

"Um, I was going to go meet Wyatt at the movies. Is that okay?"

"Do you have your phone? Emergency money just in case?" Lena's tone was brisk as she finished touching the pillows under Stef's feet, giving her a warning slap on the ankle when she tried to move.

"Uh-huh," Callie studied them both, not liking the tension in the room. She knew it was stupid. Adults argued, it was no big thing. In this house, the arguments never, ever involved physical violence, so she didn't have that to fear. It still made her uncomfortable. She mentally chewed herself out for depending, even for a little while, on these women's intractable safety.

"That's fine then," said Stef. "Be back by dinner, please."

Callie nodded again, "Okay."

The two women looked at one another as the teenager left the room, and they heard the front door shut. "She sounded a little more tentative then usual," Stef observed.

Lena nodded, "They all are," she pointed out gently. Mariana was moping around the house. Her mothers had sat her down and they had talked, long into the night about what had happened. There had been tears and an outpouring of intense emotion that included some residual fear of abandonment. Clearly having her family safe and in one place had allowed Mariana to grieve. They had forgiven her, of course, but the guilt was on Mariana's face every time she looked at her moms. They had also grounded her in the hope that the penance and time to contemplate would give her a better perspective and put their good girl back on the right path. Jesús had also been grounded but for less time then his sister. His guilt was even less hidden then Mariana's and he had taken it upon himself to cleaning up and maintaining the yard. Both Lena and Stef felt the physical work would be good for him as a way to purge himself of the guilt and channel his boundless energy in a way that would not cause harm to himself or anyone else. But besides the guilt and fear over the shooting, Lena knew a larger part of the reason the children were subdued was Stef herself.

"What the h-! Kids!" The teens all cringed a little and looked at one another. They loved their mother, and in Mariana and Jesús's case – they even felt they owed her. But as cranky as Stef was, she wasn't always pleasant to be around. And she could be a little scary when she was mad at them. Which right now, was often. Brandon sighed when all eyes of his siblings finally turned to him. He groaned. "Fine. I hate being the oldest."

Jesús, who had been trying to recover his sense of humor since the shooting smarted off, "With great power comes great responsibility."

Brandon didn't feel at all bad about throwing one of Jesús's discarded shoes at his face.

"Yeah Mom?" Brandon walked into the kitchen, where Stef was cradling her injured side and looking around the kitchen with a frown on her face.

"What the hell is wrong with you guys? I came in to fix dinner tonight and the kitchen's a mess!"

Brandon looked around the kitchen doubtfully. True, it wasn't as spotless as always, but it wasn't really a mess. There was an empty carton of juice on the counter (Jesús) and a jar of peanut butter with the lid off (Jude), a box of opened crackers sat on the table with a few crumbs (Mariana and Callie). But at this point, Brandon knew better then to argue. "I'm sorry Mom. I'll clean up. Really. But you shouldn't be trying to cook anything anyway."

"Mama's been getting work done at school so she can baby me for the next week. Do you really think it's fair that she should have to cook too?"

Again, Brandon wisely decided not to point out that Lena pretty much did that anyway, even though at least half of the time, Stef or the kids tried to help out. "She said she's going to get pizza," he tried to reassure her. "She called just a little while ago."

Stef scowled, "Why didn't she called me?"

Brandon opted to shrug this time, turning so he could pick up the crackers and peanut butter before his mom decided to yell at one of the other kids.

"Lena doesn't even like pizza that much," grumped Stef. "She doesn't think it's healthy enough."

Unexpectedly, Brandon felt a smile quiver on the edge of his lips. "You like pizza," he pointed out.

"Yeah but…" Stef was losing steam quickly. "I-,"

"Stef," Lena's strident voice made both Stef and Brandon jump a little. "What are you doing up? You're supposed to be resting. In bed! Where I left you!" She put the pizza, her purse, and keys on the counter and headed over to her partner with a determined look on her face.

Stef wasn't cowed, even a little. "I'm not an invalid," she protested as Lena began leading her back towards the bedroom.

"You just got out of the hospital yesterday," scolded Lena. "You are the very definition of the word invalid!" Really, there was no arguing with Lena when she began defining things or analyzing. The woman was a walking, talking dictionary with an encyclopedic memory of facts. The only way Stef would win was by appealing to her on an emotional level.

"The kids were making a mess," she grumbled. "Apparently even our kitchen isn't safe."

Lena looked over at Brandon, ready to share an eye roll at Stef's grumping when she caught the stricken look on their son's face. Apparently he had taken Stef's words a little more to heart then Stef had intended. Uh oh. "Brandon," Lena began in her calmest voice.

"I'll go get everyone," Brandon mumbled and departed quickly.

Lena looked from the empty place where her son had been, to her partner whose eyes were squinched in pain. She hadn't even caught their son's look. Obviously this little jaunt had taken way to much out of her. "Okay," Lena sighed. "Let's get you back to bed."

The next day she had smoothed things over, but Brandon's sober mood now matched the twins. Callie and Jude, who were both sensitive to the vagaries of the moods around them, carefully eyed the others as they tempered their own responses. After three days of this, Lena was starting to feel a little desperate. She went to bed that night, determined to think of a solution to Stef's worsening mood.

When Lena woke early the next morning, she rolled over on her side to study the sleeping woman beside her. She couldn't believe she had come so close to losing her. Stef was furrowed a little in her sleep, so Lena reached out a soothing hand and began to rub the wrinkles out of her forehead. "Sleep sweetheart," she whispered. "Nothing to worry about. I promise."

Stef's face did relax a little, and she moved enough to prompt the sheet to slide down. Lena's calm strokes wavered a little as she looked at the clean, white bandage that covered her lover's skin, peeking slightly out of the pajama top. She had tried to change the bandage, but on the second day, Stef had gently but firmly escorted her out of the bathroom so she could do it herself. Lena was caught between being stung and bewildered. When she asked Stef about it, the other woman had just shrugged and said, "Just something I need to do love." And that was all she would say about it. Lena's hand went from Stef's forehead to the bandage, hovering uncertainly as she glanced at her partner's face.

Her hand had just began to peel back the first layer when Stef's husky, sleep voice said, "What're you doing?"

Lena's hand shot back so quickly it was almost comical. "Nothing," she claimed immediately. "Just enjoying the view." Mostly enjoying. Except for the scary white bandages. She scooched up so she was again at eye-level with her lover and smiled. "Did you sleep okay?"

Stef smacked her lips. "Yeah, not bad. You?" she stretched her arms out, then let one hand linger near Lena's hair, gently stroking a small portion of it.

"I slept well," she let her eyes drift over the healthy pinkness in her partner's skin, the brightness of her eyes. All things that had nearly been stolen from her four days ago. She leaned over to kiss Stef, letting her lips melt into the softness, only to stage a coup and push forward aggressively.

Stef smiled as she leaned into the kiss, thankful that Lena wasn't treating her as if she was a delicate flower. She tried to maneuver an arm around her only to wince in pain. The kissing immediately ceased. "No," whimpered Stef in disappointment.

Lena had drawn back and her eyes scanned her lover's body not with passion, but a clinical assessment that made Stef pout in disappointment. "Are you okay?" asked Lena.

"Yes," Stef groaned, "I'm fine. Let's go back to the kissing thing," she pursed her lip in readiness and closed her eyes. She opened them when no kiss was forthcoming.

"I think we should consult with Dr. Laydecker," said Lena, biting her lip in a totally distracting way. "The pain should be lessening now. You should be able to perform simple movements!"

"Lena," said Stef, feeling her irritation ramp up, "I'm fine. I was shot. I hurt sometimes. It's okay. Really." Unfortunately she realized she was talking to Lena's back as the other rolled out of bed and padded out of the room, phone in hand. "My battery's almost dead. I'm going to use the home phone," said Lena as she strode out of the room.

Stef contemplated the ceiling, a ceiling she was beginning to hate with her whole heart. "Dammit."

After Dr. Laydecker had given her a speech clearly meant for over-anxious spouses who bothered her in the wee hours of the morning, Lena was a little quelled when she returned to the bedroom. She was happy to notice Stef was still in bed, so after a quick movement, she climbed back under the covers, cuddling into the warmth. Stef sighed happily as she felt her partner's head rest lightly on her shoulder and they both fell back asleep.

It was some time later when Lena heard a tentative knock at the door. Mariana tiptoed in at her mother's whispered, "Come in."

"Do you guys need anything? We made breakfast and everything," Mariana whispered, in deference to the sleeping Stef.

Lena looked at the clock, surprised. She began to rise, carefully keeping the blankets around her. "I didn't know…"

"Mama, we're okay, really," Mariana assured her. "Callie made breakfast. Everyone's ready for school. Brandon's going to drive us."

Lena blinked in surprise. Granted her children weren't babies, but the fact that their rambunctious family managed wake up, eat, and get ready without waking their parents was unusual. This smelled of…planning. "What are you guys up to?" she asked suspiciously.

Mariana's eyes shifted slightly. "N-nothing," she said.

Lena instantly began moving from the bed. Mariana held out a restraining hand, "Mom, really. It's nothing. Brandon peeked in on you guys this morning and saw you sleeping. He thought we should leave you alone. Everything's fine. We're going to go to school now, and we'll be home right after it ends."

The frown on Lena's face belied her softening emotions. Good kids. She and Stef had such good kids.

"Promise." Mariana's eyes and head both dropped shyly, "We just thought you guys should have a day to yourselves. And maybe," she reached into her backpack, dug around for a moment then dropped damn near ten pounds worth of magazines over the comforter, "Maybe you can start planning."

That was when Lena saw her daughter's brilliant grin, uncleverly hidden by a quick hand. It was a testament to Stef's sixth sense regarding her family that she slept through the pile of magazines dumped on the bed, but managed to catch her lover before she tumbled out of their bed as she made an inefficient swipe at their daughter. "What's going on?" she mumbled.

"Our children have decided we need a day to ourselves," Lena said dryly, winking in Mariana's direction as the girl dropped a kiss on Stef's forehead and practically skipped out of the room. She did pause at the door, and blew a kiss to her mothers, something she hadn't done for several years. Lena's heart melted a little more.

"Wha- Why?" Stef sounded bewildered, then she looked down at the blanket. "Hon?"

"Yeah?"

"Why are there like, twenty issues of Modern Bride on our bed?"

Lena hefted the magazines off the bed, letting the blanket slip off her torso and rolled over on her side to stare at her lover. "I think our kids might be excited about the whole wedding thing."

"Yeah? I didn't think-," Stef frowned a little. "I guess it makes-…huh."

Lena's low chuckle made Stef smile. As corny as it would be if she said it aloud, Lena's laughter was like music, like a song that pierced and gladdened your heart when you were having a bad day. "I think we're going to have to rein it in."

Stef snorted a little, thinking of the Quinceañera and Lena's not-so-sneaky spending. Then she softened. Lena was generous to a fault when it came to anyone else, but would skimp on her own pleasures. Stef decided right then, that her partner…her fiancée should have the wedding she'd always dreamed. She couldn't go so far as to say, "Expenses be damned!" They did, after all, have five children to support. But she could at least make sure that pennies weren't pinched. She shook off the niggling negative part of her mind that was saying something about the wedding, and focused on her partner. Her partner who was…who was no longer wearing a shirt. When had she lost her shirt? "Where...?" she began.

Lena looked down, as if forgetting she was half naked and that they hadn't, made time for each other, since the shooting. "Oh," she said, then shrugged, "I was just too warm since the heat turned on this morning."

Stef narrowed her eyes. Was she kidding? Lena had been treating her as if she were made of home-spun glass for four days and she thought she could just…be half-naked in front of her with no ramifications? She grunted and reached over to pull Lena close to her with her good arm side. "Stef!" protested Lena immediately. "Watch out, you're going to pull your stitches or something!"

"Don't care," and at this point, she really, really didn't. One of the things that worked well in their relationship is that they had a good sex life. True there were frequent interruptions, they had kids, and jobs, and parents, and fifty million more things going on in their life, but they had yet to encounter the dreaded Lesbian Bed Death. And part of it, Stef was secretly convinced, was that with her job, came a steady source of adrenaline. What better way to release then with Lena? Screw those people who ran ten miles a day. Sex was a lot more enjoyable.

"You need to be careful," Lena had her arms in between them, fighting her own desire admirably, looking adorably rumpled in her pajamas.

"I will. Promise," Stef said in between kisses. She began making her way down her lover's body when a twinge of pain shot through her own. Shit, shit, shit.

Lena saw it immediately, and gently shoved her back on the pillows. "Stef," her voice gentled when she saw the barest of tears shimmer in her lover's eyes.

"I'm so sick of this," Stef punched the pillow violently. "I'm sick of everyone treating me like an invalid." Lena winced a little, opening her mouth to apologize, when Stef went on, "But the worst part is…I am a damn invalid! I get tired so easily. When I move, my entire body aches. It's a fucking reminder, every day, that I'm hurt…that I…"

Slim brown fingers touched Stef's lips in an effort to stop the words. "You didn't. You're still here. You're still with us," Lena's voice broke on the last word.

Stef touched her face softly, "If I would have died…I should have said I love you before I left. I shouldn't have left when we were still angry."

"You thought Jesús was in danger," murmured Lena. "You went to protect our child," she could forgive the inclination, she would have done the same, but if she had lost Stef…If she had lost Stef then…

The women's foreheads met as they closed their eyes. When Stef opened hers again, she had forcefully blinked away the tears that had been trembling on her lashes. "I love you so much," she said.

Lena's smile was sweet, "I love you too," she said simply. They held one another, the unexpected emotion leaving them a little weak, a little more vulnerable then when the morning had begun.

Stef let her hands run over Lena's skin, trying to think of something humorous to break the sudden melancholy in the room, but could think of nothing. It had been a long four days.

It was Lena, chin propped thoughtfully on her hands and she looked at her partner closely, that broke the heaviness in the air. "I think I have an idea."

"Yeah?"

"I think we should take a bath. The tub's big enough, and the water will…redistribute things so you won't accidentally put too much weight on your wound."

Stef felt her mood brightening considerably. That was an excellent idea. That was more than an excellent idea really…it was the best idea ever! "Okay," she said, beginning to get out of bed.

Lena's hand on her upper arm stopped her. "Let me get it ready."

Stef nodded, willing to acquiesce if it meant she was going to get what she wanted later. Her lover slid out of the bed, all gorgeous curves and tousled hair, and Stef thanked the God she had been angry at for so long. Every moment she had with her was precious. The running water and the lilac smell of bath bubbles made Stef grin. When she heard the flick of the match, her grin became larger. Lena was definitely going for it. This was no wounded warrior bath set-up, this was a romantic, let's-have-sex-in-the-tub set-up. Her toes were practically curling in anticipation. "Ready?" she called out.

And as if she had conjured her, there she was, naked with some water trickling off her skin from where she had tested the bath water. Stef's mouth dried a little and she managed what sounded like a faint cough. Lena strode over to her, and bent to help her out of bed. Her nipples brushed against Stef's arm and stiffened from the contact. Stef sat up, and gently drew Lena to stand in front of her, and buried her face in her stomach. Slowly, as to not aggravate her wound, she let her hands travel from Lena's well-muscled calves, up and over her ass, to the small of her back. She sighed in pure pleasure, the sound echoed by her partner. Lena pulled her gently to her feet, nuzzling her face in her lover's hair, and beginning to slip the pajamas off her body. "C'mon," she led Stef over to the bathroom…and closed the door.

When the children got home from school, their mothers were in the kitchen, bridal magazines spread out before them on the table, trading almost ridiculous, soppy glances.

"You guys look a lot happier," chirped Jude cheerfully, smiling at his foster mothers. Brandon, Mariana, and Jesús all blushed and looked away from the intensity of their mothers' looks. Callie frowned a little, her gaze traveling to them, then blushed herself.

"Yeah," Stef's smirk twisted her mouth a little. "I'm feeling a lot better. I think I'm on the mend."

"Mom's still going to be careful though," Lena's voice held a warning. "I want you guys to make sure you help out however you can."

Stef rolled her eyes a little, but they softened again as they met her partner's. "I'll still be careful," her words held a promise. Then she looked at her children with a grin, "Should we have pizza and chicken wings at the wedding?"