Brallie Metropolis AU | In This Together

Chapter 60 | Nothing's Gonna Stop Us

Stef and Lena stood with the door open, feeling the air poor out of the open hole that had been apparent for over five minutes. They were unable to speak, unable to think, unable to move. Their faces were unreadable. Their next actions were unpredictable. Absolute vulnerability was the only thing being exposed at the moment, between all of them.

"Can we come in?" Callie asked softly, glancing down at Em in the carrier, who just made a cute, faint, squealing noise. It was a little chilly outside even though it was summer. There were nothing but clouds in the sky, accompanied by light gusts of breeze.

Lena and Stef stared at the two girls with plumped skin, wrapped in minky, gray and white polka-dotted blankets. Little bundles of joy. There hearts melting looking at the rosy cheeks and tiny fingers poking out. They didn't know whether to be mad or completely wallow in the babies.

Brandon and Callie were taken back by Lena's unexpected response. She stepped forward onto the porch, hooking her arms around both of their necks, and pulling them closer to her. The sudden movement of them made Em and Colleen jostled slightly in their hands. Lena was...hugging them. Her hands rubbed the back of their heads like concerned, worried mothers do. Brandon and Callie's eyes were filled with incertitude. Their eyebrows were so furrowed.

"C'mon Lena," Stef spoke wearily in her uniform. She motioned her hand for everyone to come in. Lena released her grip towards Brandon and Callie and walked inside. They took unassertive steps into the house and through the living room.

Stef and Lena sat down in the chairs while Brandon and Callie took a seat on the couch with the babies by their sides, both rocking their carriers. This setting felt familiar, familiar to the interrogation mode Stef and Lena have unleashed more than once. They could feel the stripping of their dignity about to unfold.

"So...you two are still together," Stef said more as a statement. Brandon and Callie were more confused than they were from Lena's hug. What the hell did that mean? "You guys really stuck with it." She was sure that Callie and Brandon had no idea what they were doing when they hauled ass to New York, confessing the presence of their "undying love" to one another. She thought that they were being stupid and young, making stupid and young choices, throwing their family away.

"Uh, yeah," Brandon began, almost choking on his words. "We actually, uh, got married too."

"Because you knocked her up," Stef sassed which caused Brandon and Callie to chuckle to themselves, in spite of the situation.

"Stef," Lena whispered, almost punishing her for snapping that attitude.

"Before that," Callie enlightened.

"Ah, I see. So what are you doing here?"

"We wanted to see you and meet-"

"Hell yes!" Mariana interrupted Brandon as she beamed down the stairs, running to Em and Colleen. "Can I take them while you guys talk?" She offered, noticing the weird and thick air. They both nodded and Callie handed her her diaper bag, just in case, before she went back up the stairs to admire them.

"You've been going through a pregnancy and raising babies and going to school?" Lena sounded impressed. Her words made a light go off in her mind...they were dedicated to make their relationship work.

"I enrolled in an online school to go for a degree in business, actually. Someone needed to stay home during the day, and I was lucky enough to have that opportunity."

"How did the first year at Juilliard go?" Stef asked. Everyone's tone were contradicting each other. They were all asking questions they've wanted to know for forever, but didn't show loads of compassion. They all didn't want to seem like they needed each other.