Walk the Line

six

~I've got a lover, a love-like religion. I'm such a fool for sacrifice. It's coming down, down, coming down. It's coming down, down, coming down. I've got a lover and I'm unforgiven. I'm such a fool to pay this price. It's coming down, down, coming down. It's coming down, down, coming down.~

The next few weeks were hard for the family. Some of the kids were alright with the idea of Brandon and Callie together and they grew on them (Mariana) and some were less enthusiastic (Jude) and some were mostly indifferent (Jesus). It took a lot of adjusting before the family finally grew comfortable with having Brandon and Callie as a temporary couple because it wasn't just normal handholding and hugs anymore, it was cheesy handholding and hugs and kissing.

Only until she gets better, Stef and Lena had told everyone. To make her feel better.

This made Callie feel like they were giving her Brandon as some sort of consolation prize, as if they were congratulating her on getting this far on her treatments and not dying. She still took the prize, though, and didn't say any of this because regardless of what the reasoning behind it is, she has him again and her moms are okay with it.

Even if it is temporary.

And Brandon kept his promise of coming with her to all her group and therapy sessions. Of course, her therapy sessions are private, but he sits outside the door the entire 45 minutes each time. At her cancer support group meetings, she always introduces him as her boyfriend (which at the first meeting, really shocked Brandon), never as her brother.

Callie starts to get slightly better mentally, but it will definitely take awhile to get back to how she was before. As for her physical health, the doctors decide she needs to get a bone marrow transplant and that this may dissolve the cancer, so they start looking for possible matches.

And they find one in Sophia.

Sophia gets all the needed procedures done and eventually Callie gets the bone marrow. It's not for a while, though, that they'll find out if it worked.

During this wait, the school's winter ball is scheduled. Stef and Lena don't allow Callie to go, though, because of the unsanitary conditions and due to her weakened immune system, a simple cold could be too hard for her body to fight.

So on that night, Callie watches all her siblings get dressed in their new formal wear, excitement clear on their faces. Except for Brandon, of course. He refused to leave her for the night, despite her urging him to go.

As everyone is gathering downstairs for pictures, Brandon stops them and Mariana comes out holding a beautiful navy floor-length dress.

"Callie needs to get dressed first," he tells everyone.

Callie looks at him confused. "Brandon, I can't go-"

"I know." He smiles, walking closer to her. "So I set up a little something in the backyard for just the two of us."

Her look turns into one of adoration. "You did not need to do that."

"I wanted to." He looks at her with so much love, she feels overwhelmed with warmth.

"And I picked the dress!" Mariana exclaims, breaking the two out of their trance.

"It's beautiful, Mariana," Callie acknowledges. "Thank you."

She rushes Callie up the stairs with her to help her get beautified. They even got her a silver headband to wear atop her bald head, which hopefully will be growing hair back soon, assuming the bone marrow transplant worked.

When they get back downstairs in record time, she sees Brandon is already dressed handsomely in his suit and matching tie, holding a corsage.

He slips it on her wrist and whispers in her ear, "You are stunning."

Before Callie can say anything back, they are rushed over with the others for pictures, which luckily went quicker than expected. Callie and Brandon watch their siblings leave with their dates, then leave themselves to the backyard.

Brandon had strung lights all over in the trees and across the patio with small displays of flowers scattered here and there. He has his iPod hooked to speakers, already playing his pre-made playlist. He leads her out to the center of the yard, then holds her in his arms as they sway to the music.

"I really can't believe you did this," she tells him, lifting her head from his shoulder to look at him.

"Well, I had to make this year's winter ball better than last year's," he replies.

She groans. "Don't remind me. That was such a train wreck. I regret so much from that night. I said some really stupid things."

"And I didn't? Gosh, I really should not have told you I still loved you. Definitely not the right time or place."

"Hey, I liked hearing you say that to me. Despite the circumstances, I loved hearing it." She pauses. "I still do."

He smiles down at her. "Then I love you."

She breathes in deeply as she leans her head against his chest, relishing the sound of those words as they leave his mouth.

"Tell me again," she whispers.

"I love you," he complies, holding her tightly.

She lifts her head off his chest after etching those words on her heart and looks at him deeply. "I love you, too. Always."

He brings his hand up to the side of her face and leans down for a kiss. Never does he get bored of the taste of her. He's addicted to it.

She wraps her arms around his neck to pull him tight against her, kissing him until they run out of breath, then pulling away to lean her forehead against his.

Stef and Lena peek out the windows to watch them and what they see are two people so in love with each other, it would be a tragedy if they were ever pulled apart and put with someone else. They see two people who fit perfectly in each other's arms.

They see themselves.

"Lena," Stef starts, voicing what the both of them are thinking. "How are we supposed to ever break them up?"

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A/N: Hey, so this was a shorter part but I hope it was still okay! I think there's only two parts left, just for your information! So this story's almost done! The song for this chapter is "Coming Down" by Halsey so check it out! Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter and please be sure to comment and vote! Thanks and I love you all!

~Kennedy