For The Love of Callie

Sanctuary

Stef's POV

As the door comes off the hinges, I am heartbroken when I see what I figured behind the doors. The girl we'd been fostering was standing in the middle of a small bathroom in just a tank top and shorts, and directly behind her, a bathtub contained a pillow and a blanket. This woman had locked Callie up in a bathroom for the night.

She runs into my arms with no hesitation. The last time anyone had done this was Mariana and Jesus on their adoption day 5 years ago. But this was different because this girl wasn't coming to me with joy and happiness in her mind, but fear and hurt in her eyes.

I wrap my arms around her and her heart beats against my chest at an extreme speed. The girl I'd worked with to open up for the last few days had been sent back into the same environment she'd been running from. The same place she'd been trying to recover from.

"I got you, you're okay. You're safe." I whisper into her ear. She's silent. No tears, no cries, just a tight grip and zero additional movement. As I pull away, I look down at her hands as I grab them to only notice burns down the top of her arms. Small circular burns charred with black. Embedded into her fair pale skin away from the burns I'd seen days ago. These were different.

I look into her eyes that a appear frozen over. Emotionless. "What did she do to you Callie?"
Callie just shakes her head "I don't want to hurt you."
I let out a breath I feel like I've been holding forever "you're not going to hurt me Callie. You're not going to make me feel bad. I just want to help you and I can't without knowing what happened love."
She looks down at the floor.
"Please Callie." I beg her.
"She-" but before she can answer, Mike trails behind me "she's been detained, on her way to the police station for questioning."
"Thank you Mike, I'll meet you in the car, yeah?"
He nods and walks out of the slim darkly lit hallway.
I turn back to Callie "what was that Cal?"

She shuts back down and looks at me in a way that begs me to stop asking her questions tonight. I nod "okay, that's okay, why don't we get back home?"
I wrap my arm around her shoulder and then notice the bigger burns that cover her shoulder and upper back. She winces against my touch in that area and then immediately after throws up all over the hallway.
Tears fill her eyes as she looks up at me "I'm sorry."
"No no no love, it's okay. Come on." I say guiding her away from the mess and out of the house.
We get to the car and Mike is sitting in the drivers seat. While I'd driven here, he knew I'd want to be with the scared young girl in the back seat. After helping her into the car, I get in myself. "Ready?" Mike asks.
"Yeah...take us home Mike."

I pull Callie into my lap. Her head lays on my legs and the rest of her body drapes over the seats. I run my fingers through her hair. Poor thing is exhausted. The quiet radio, hum of the car, and my fingers running through her tangled hair lull her to sleep.

Lena's POV

I look at the tracking app on my phone. Stef is just a minute away from pulling in the driveway with our girl. Mariana, Brandon, and Jesus wait in the living room while I race outside to meet them in the driveway.

When they pull in, lights flash on inside the car to reveal my partner in a police uniform, Callie sleeping over her lap, and Mike driving her car. I fear the worst as I take in what is unraveling before me.

I open the door which accidentally pulls Callie from her sleep and she shoots up to a sitting position. "It's okay, it's okay...we are back at the house. You're safe." Stef relays comforting Callie. "I'm sorry." I whisper to which she just smiles "it's okay." I help Stef out of the car and then assist Stef in guiding Callie into the house.

As soon as we walk in, Jesus, Brandon, and Mariana show Callie just how much they want her there. "Callie!" Mariana yells "Welcome back!" Jesus follows. Brandon gives a concerned look to me and Stef. "She's okay." I mouth to him which eases him just a little.