Fighting For Us - Book 4

Posting Bail

"I had to go and bail him out of jail, Stef! The man lost it so badly when he saw the bruises all over our baby girl!" Tess cries into the phone as the blonde has tears running down her face as well. Being it is barely 3am in New York Tess felt terrible for calling her friends again. But she was worried and beside herself from it all and she just didn't know what to do. Life was really getting the best of her right now and had been for months. "I'm so sorry to call you all again. I just... I didn't know what else to do. It's been so terrible." Crying into the phone again both Stef and Lena feel heartbroken right now and wished they could do more. Stef wished she was there with her and Stefanie to fix everything.

"Love it's ok. I know this is hard." The blonde says as Lena holds her hand tighter the two sitting in the kitchen the blonde lighting a smoke for her nerves.

Fortunately they had made up earlier and promised to communicate better. The blonde realized she had been irrational and Lena realized she was giving her a hard time, yet again. She knew Stef was protective and how much she loved all the kids to the point she would do anything for them and her. That was something she still needed to understand and would work hard on it. Mike, that was something she would have to accept and she trusted her fiance. She really did and realized maybe he was the best partner for her and knew he would watch her back more than anyone else. For that she was grateful.

"Where did I go wrong? I don't understand what I did. Stef, Stef, she wasn't even born when...when it was happening to me. I don't understand and ...

"Sweetheart, you can't go down this road right now, okay? You can't beat yourself up love. You are not to blame for this. You aren't honey." She says rubbing her forehead as Lena continues to rub her back up and down feeling terrible about it all. "Where is Jerry now? And Stefanie? MM love?"

"Asleep. Jerry is just beside himself and finished an entire bottle of bourbon."

"Jesus." Stef whispers as she lets out a stressed sigh and puffs on her smoke again.

"And Stefanie, I think this kind of shook her up? And I think she's...ummm, confused?"

"Confused? As in her father being so upset? Him getting arrested? Or is she confused about whether or not that boy has laid hands on her? What?" Stef asks as Lena wraps her arms around her and lays her head against her now.

"I think both. She sobbed hysterically when she found out that Jerry had been arrested, and I couldn't tell if she was mad at him or...or relieved Alby was whooped? I...I don't know, Stef. I don't know what to think and I don't know what she is thinking."

"She upset love. Its been alot for her. Its been alot for all of you. But, listen sweetheart tell us what you need? Please anything."

"I don't know. I'm trying hard to be strong for both of them. I'm trying to understand why Stefanie loves this kid. I can't make sense of anything. Nothing and I feel alone and I shouldn't be selfish. I have to be there for my daughter but I don't understand her Stef? I don't understand who she has become and the things she says. She's cruel. And I'm torn up that she's been getting hurt by this asshole. My first thought is to send her to some kind of boarding school. But does she need therapy? Or is this her now?"

"I don't think this is her. And I think she's being cruel to push you away. To push all of us away sweetheart. Listen, I don't think therapy is a bad idea because honestly we really don't know what's going on in her head and a third party might be able to get to the root of it. But Tess are you listening to me love? MM, I want you to listen." The blonde says as she hears her friend crying her eyes out knowing how bad she was feeling and fragile. "It's ok love don't cry. It's ok." But as she looks to Lena she knows there is only so much they can do and that alone was a hard pill to swallow.

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LENA POV

"Are you ok?" I ask Stef sitting on the bed and gently rubbing her back.

"Yeah baby. I am. I'm ok love." Grabbing my hand and holding it tight I rub hers as I hear her let out a sigh. "Len, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I'm so impulsive, I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Mike, I'm sorry I made things worse for Stefanie and..

"Hey. No Stef. No." Getting up I lean down in front of her as I see tears roll down her face. "We talked about this baby. I know you love hard and you want to protect all of us. This is a, this is not a good situation for them. It's complicated and emotional and really tough. "

"Len, how could I not see it. How? And to just sit here and do nothing. It's so hard to see it happening and I'm a damm cop. I save people everyday. But the ones I love I can't seem to. I couldn't save my brother, I couldn't save Ryan, I can't save my goddaughter. Why? Why can't I help and save the ones I love. I fuck up with us and..

"Honey. No baby." I say getting up now and sitting closer to her. "You, can not do that to yourself. You can't love. You help us all and do what you can just like any other human being. You are human Stef. You are. You couldn't save Ryan none of us could. Your brother, well you couldn't save him honey because he didn't want to be. You did all you could to help him. Everything you could but you know how strong the power of drugs and addiction are. He struggled with it his entire life and he needed more help than you or I could give him. Stefanie, you are helping her.I know it seems like you aren't but you are. Deep down that kid knows you love her. She knows it all too well and she knows you won't ever give up on her. You never gave up on Ryan, your brother or Frankie. No one could get thought to her but you Stef. No one and look at her now. So think about that baby? Ok? Think about that because you are someone we all love and someone who helps people on a daily basis. Don't be so hard on yourself." I say as the tears continue to stream down her face and I cup her warm cheek.

"I will try not to be love. I will. Thank you for telling me that. Sometimes I forget."

"I know you tend to want to save the world. But you are doing the best you can. But remember you have to take care of yourself too which is why I'm here to remind you. Got that?"

"Yes sweetheart. Lena, I don't want to keep fighting with you. I really don't." She says grabbing my hand.

"I know you don't and neither do I. We have to communicate better. That's all baby and we will for us and our family. We can't go around scaring the kids and have them thinking we are divorcing."

"I know. That's the last thing I want to do."

"Listen, if I'm honest I'm happy Mike is your partner."

"What?" She says looking to me surprised.

"I am. Who else would watch your back more than him? I know you two have your differences and he wasn't always my favorite person and I wasn't his but I do feel better knowing this. He's not going to let anything happen to the mother of his child. And you're not going to let anything happen to him."

"You are very right about that sweetheart. But there is one thing I want to ask you." She says looking at me very intensely.

"Yes?"

"Are you angry with Tess?"