Forbidden

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The whole precinct sat in silence and stayed on their toes as they questioned what exactly was happening inside of the captain's office. They all knew that he was in there alone. From the ruckus going on inside they all at least hoped that it was true. All that could be heard was heavy objects being slammed across the small room. Crashing and banging rang out loud, but no one dared to go check to see what was happening.

Mike was called in by the captain. But he reluctantly waited outside of the door more hesitant that ever to open it, as everyone around him looked at him as a dead man. He had a slight idea what it could possibly be about, and decided to just be a man about it and face whatever doom was waiting for him.

Once inside it was clear that red faced Mason had been drinking. He still held a glass in his hand as his bottle of alcohol was shattered onto the floor. Papers and books were everywhere. Everything from his desk was scattered on the ground including his now cracked computer. When Mike walked in Mason looked over to him but it was clear that he didn't actually see him. He could barely stand as he leaned against the back wall, holding onto some papers.

"That ... bitch!" Mason suddenly blurted out almost loosing balance. Mike ran over to him to guide him to his chair. "Captain, are you drunk?" Mason shrugged away from him as he plopped down. "Stop with the...with the stupid questions. Obviously, you dumb ass". Getting annoyed, Mike tried to keep calm. "Then what do you need from me". Mason tossed the papers that he was holding over to Mike. It was a restraining order keeping him far away from Lena, Anchor Beach, and Mariana. "Stupid bitch!" Mason, kept repeating. But what he didn't know was that Lena had nothing to do with it. It was all Mike's doing.

"This is what I need you to do", Mason stammered. "I need you to track her down. Find out where she's staying and who she is staying with. And report back to me with everything that you find". Mike looked at him like he was crazy.

"Sir, I think that you should just let it go. Why don't you just drop it and move on". Mason through he glass at the door. "I didn't ask you what you thought. She is mine! And you belong to me too. So you are going to do what I tell you to. Or else you wont have a job to take care of the fragile wife of yours. Or I'll make sure that you are stuff with the worst cases around the clock and never have time to see her. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yeah, perfectly," Mike snarled as he walked out.

As soon as he was gone, Mason knew that he had to hit back. He had to hit Lena where he knew it would hurt. He began to dial an old fling of his, Justina Marks.

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It has been two weeks since Stef and Lena moved into their house. Both Sharon and Dana have been staying with them to help get everything organized and settled. Lena's father had to go back home for business but promised that he would be back to welcome Mariana.

The two just got home from their last weekend parenting class, and were completely spent. This was the last thing they had to do before being granted custody of Mariana. Lena went to the kitchen to get her and Stef a quick snack before making dinner, while Stef sat in the front room searching for her phone to update her friend Kelly in social services. But to Stef's surprise she had a string of missed calls and texts from her informing her to call her on her personal phone immediately. Getting a little nervous, she got up to get Lena so that they could call her back together.

Walking into the kitchen she saw the worried look on her face as she listened to her own messages. "Love, what's wrong?" Lena put the phone down and looked to Stef. "Rita. She sounds panicked. She's just saying to call the social worker. Something about how she can't say much".

Quickly, Stef called Kelly with the phone on speaker. Before it could get to the second ring, she answered. "Stef! I have been trying to call you for hours!" Kelly practically yelled. "I'm sorry, we went to that..." But Kelly cut her off, not caring for an explanation. "Mariana was placed into a foster home"!

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Clutching onto the doll that Lena got for her, Mariana stood in the middle of her new bare bedroom as she looked up to her new foster parent. She was so unsure as to why she was there and where was Lena and Stef. She was so confused. She refused to cry but she felt the tears building up and her nose became stuffy and red.

There in front of her was her faster mother. She was an older heavy woman, that seemed to lack emotion and compassion in the way that she was speaking to her. "Each day after school you are to come directly here. If school gets out at 2:15 then you best to be home by 2:45. You will have chores that you must finish before bed. You will start with the kitchen; dishes, counter tops, trash and floors. The living room should be dusted and vacuumed. The bathroom should be spotless, laundry should be done if need be. I am not your personal chef. If you are to make it on your own. Breakfast and dinner only on weekdays. Weekends there will be time for a light lunch. Is that understood Maria?"

"My name is Mariana!" The woman simply shrugged her shoulders as she went to exit the room. "What time will you bring me to Anchor Beach. Rita use to make sure that I got to school before homeroom". Mariana thought that once she saw Lena everything would be ok. She would explain what happened and by the end of the day she would be with her. There had to have been a mix up.

"I have a job of my own. I don't have time to bring you all the way across town to that school. Your social worker should have told you. You won't be going there anymore. There's a public school two blocks away. You will be going there. Now go to sleep. There's a small bathroom for you to use over there", the woman said pointing to the a door in the back of the room. As she left the room, Mariana could here the door lock behind her as tears finally ran down her face.

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Monday morning rolled around and Stef and Lena barely got any sleep. They both had to go to work but they would rather be working to get Mariana back. They already set up a phone conference with Kelly to figure out what they could do. So far they weren't allowed to know where Mariana was nor who had her. Lena almost lost it when she practically ran to Mariana's class after the first bell to see her, just to be told that she was taken out of school.

Determined to keep it together, Lena kept convincing herself that this was all temporary. As soon as her lunch hour hit, like clock work her phone rang. Stef and Kelly were already on joint calls when Lena was put through. She could already tell by Stef's breathing that something wasn't right. "Mason did it". Stef said through grit teeth. The sound of his name made Lena's stomach drop as she tried to understand. "I found out from someone that Mason Hazelwood contacted Justina Marks," Kelly began, "She's part of this big corporation that sponsors privatized foster homes. She has a huge amount of say and control. She's the one that got Mariana taken out of Girl's United".

Trying to think clearly and to process everything Lena soon spoke, " Ok. But if we actually want to foster Mariana and take her into our home then why can't we take her home?"

"Because you two only applied to be parents, not to adopt her. Unless a reason comes up as to why she has to be taken out of her current home then there's no call to move her. So unless you guys are going to adopt her..."

"We are." Stef interrupted, "We are going to adopt her. Mariana makes us complete. She belongs with us. This is where she belongs. Not in the system". Silence washed over Lena as she was overcome with emotion. She always dreamed of adopting Mariana. That caused no hesitation. She also knew that Stef cared about her, but before now she was never certain if Stef honestly was ready for all of this sudden responsibility.

"Ok then," Kelly began. "You two meet me at the courthouse first thing in the morning. Try to gather recommendation letters. I will take care of everything else".