Breaking The Rules: a Foster's Fan Fiction

Chapter 8.

Chapter 8. Aftermath

"Aww, Baby. What happened?" Brandon asked with concern. He took a sobbing Callie into his arms, and she collapsed against his shoulder. He clutched her shaking body to his, holding her as tightly as possible without hurting her.

"I should've listened to you," Callie gasped through her tears. "I was so stupid. Why didn't I listen?"

"No," Brandon replied firmly. "None of that. You're not stupid. You're wonderful." He'd been afraid of this. He knew that Callie meeting her father was a bad idea from the get-go. And seeing her deal with the aftermath, his heart was shattered. Planting soft kisses near her hairline, she asked; "Do you want me to tell him off for you?"

Callie lifted her head up slightly, to look at him through swollen eyelids. "What?"

"Because I will," he told her. "I mean, I don't know what went down, but it kills me to see you hurting. I want to stand up for you."

Callie shook her head in protest. "No. I don't want you to do that," she sighed sadly. "It'll only make things worse. Besides, he's leaving anyway."

Brandon looked out the car window just in time to see Mr. Jacob drive away. He pulled Callie back into a hug. "I'm so, so sorry this didn't go well, Angel. I wish it did, for you." He brushed his lips against her forehead. "I don't know what else to say, other than I love you, and I'm here for you. I wish you'd tell me what happened, Sweetheart." He held up the sleeve of his shirt, and let Callie wipe her tears and running nose with it. He figured letting her blow snot on his shirt was the ultimate proof of his devotion, if nothing else was.

Leaning against Brandon, Callie felt tension grip her shoulders. Tears rolled down her hot face, and she took a deep breath before speaking. "This is really hard for me, Brandon." Her hands shook, and he took them in his, stilling them. "My father... doesn't even want to admit that Jude and I are his kids. He's been living like we never existed. Those people, his 'family,' don't even know about us. And now he's all worried that I'm gonna step in and ruin his life."

"Callie," said Brandon. "That is disgusting. What a bastard. Please tell me you told him off, yourself."

Callie nodded. "I did. I, um, told him that... he should've been the one to... you know... instead of mom." Deep down, she knew she hadn't really meant that, whether she wanted to admit it or not. All she wanted to do was reciprocate some of the hurt he inflicted on her, by saying the meanest thing she could think of. "I also told him that he's not Rachel and Gabe's grandfather."

Brandon hid his smile, pleased. "Good for you, Cal." He should've known she could take care of herself; she always had in the past, but his need to protect her was almost instinctive.

"Then why do I feel so guilty?" She asked. "Brandon, I don't think I can ever forgive him."

"No one's asking you to," he replied. "And you shouldn't feel guilty. He's the one with the problem, not you." He brushed her hair back, and caressed her tear-stained cheek. "Was he always abusive?"

Callie leaned her head back, and closed her sore eyes. Her head throbbed. "Mmn... he was okay until around the time Jude was born. Jude was a preemie, you know, and he had to be in the hospital for a while. Dad started drinking a lot, then. He got fired from his job because he went to work drunk, then he started getting unemployment, and would blow all that money on beer. When he was drunk, he'd break things and hit us." She paused, collecting herself. "The worst part was that when he was sober, he was actually kind of nice. He'd- he'd tell us he was sorry, and he wanted to change, and he'd go to an AA meeting. But just when we started to trust him, he'd go on a drinking binge, and turn into a jackass all over again. And it would hurt because all the nice things he said were lies." She traced patterns on her leg with her finger as she talked. "Mom really believed she could change him. She never gave up on him. And look where it got her." She sighed with frustration. "I just want to go home, and see my babies."