A/N: Alright...here we are at the end. I don't know why but I suddenly feel nervous. I really hope this ending doesn't disappoint. One last time, I just wanted to say thank you so very very much - your reviews and support of this fic have definitely kept me going.

Oh and, in case you haven't already checked it out...Junbugsm is writing a story called The Float based off of Swim. Basically it's an alternative take on Callie's reaction to the diagnosis. It's pretty awesome.

xxxxxx

Chapter 12: Endings, Beginnings

The morning of Callie's final chemo treatment, Stef woke before Lena or Callie. She shifted so that she could look over at them, the light peeking through the curtains illuminating the room just enough that she could see them clearly.

She considered getting up but instead she sat there quietly, watching them, unable, really, to draw her eyes away. There was something about the steady rise and fall of Callie's chest that soothed her. When Callie's eyes blinked open minutes later, the first words out of Stef's mouth were, "I love you."

xxxxxx

It was too early for anyone else to be awake but Stef made Lena and Callie a large breakfast before they had to leave for the cancer center.

Callie, per usual, mostly just pushed her food around. Finally getting up and bringing her plate to the sink when Lena asked if she was ready to go.

As Callie walked by Stef on the way towards the door, Stef caught her arm, stopping her in her tracks. She pulled Callie closer, hugging her quickly, "Last one sweets...go get 'em."

Callie smiled, "Bye mom."

xxxxxx

The cancer center was busier than usual, or maybe it just seemed that way.

Earlier it had taken nearly an hour for Callie's blood work to get drawn and now they'd been sitting waiting for Dr. Lawson twice as long as that.

Lena had just checked her watch for what Callie was pretty sure was the tenth time, when Dr. Lawson finally came into the exam room. "Sorry for the wait," he greeted Callie and Lena with a handshake and a smile. "Don't worry, we'll hurry up and get you down to the chemo suite."

Callie shrugged, "We don't have to hurry."

Dr. Lawson smiled fondly at her, "That eager to get chemo, huh?"

"Oh yes," Callie deadpanned, nodding her head and widening her eyes for effect.

Lena and Dr. Lawson both laughed.

"It's okay, I know that no one is eager to get chemo. But just think…it's your last treatment. You made it," Dr. Lawson said, "Two weeks from now, you won't have to be here, putting up with me."

It was Callie's turn to laugh but then she bit her lip, tilting her head, before asking, "When am I going to see you again?"

Dr. Lawson nodded, unsurprised by the question. "We're going to wait three or four weeks to do another PET and CT scan and then we'll have you come back in for a checkup and the results," Dr. Lawson explained, waiting for Callie's nod of agreement and to be sure that she didn't have any other questions before adding, "Now why don't you hop up onto the table and we'll do a quick exam."

After he finished the exam, Dr. Lawson quickly scribbled on a prescription pad, handing the paper to Callie along with the sheet of paper she needed to schedule her return appointment and the PET and CT scans.

"I still need that?" Callie frowned, unimpressed, as she looked down at the prescription for Neulasta. She'd been hoping she wouldn't have to give herself another shot.

"Sorry," Dr. Lawson smiled apologetically, "You might not need to be chemo-ready in two weeks but we still don't want your white blood cell count to drop too low. We want to make sure we keep your risk of infection low."

Callie nodded. Right, that made sense.

"Okay," Dr. Lawson said, "If you don't have any more questions, I think that's everything. You can head down to the chemo suite now."

xxxxxx

As they walked towards the chemo suite, Lena reached her hand out towards Callie, "Here sweetheart, give me the Neulasta prescription, I'll take it to the pharmacy while you go get checked in and signed out so that we can go down to the cafeteria."

Callie gave Lena a strange look. The pharmacy was on the way to the chemo suite and it didn't usually take more than five minutes to drop the prescription off. This request, coupled with the fact that Callie had noticed Lena checking her watch multiple times while they were waiting for Dr. Lawson, made Callie suspicious that something was going on. "Are you in a rush or something?"

Lena paused for only a second before answering smoothly, "Sorry, I'm just starving and your brother is doing backflips in protest." She rubbed her stomach as she said it, as if to make her explanation more clear.

Okay, that made sense. Callie nodded, shrugging off her suspicions. She handed Lena the prescription before splitting from her to go get checked in and signed out of the chemo suite. Even though they were heading down immediately to the cafeteria, she still needed to get checked in so that they'd start prepping her drugs and signed out so that they knew where she was. They'd started eating lunch in the cafeteria instead of the chemo suite waiting room a few months into Callie's treatments. It was easier to force herself to eat away from the bustle of the chemo suite, where even just the site of a nurse in their chemo-garb was enough to make her stomach turn.

xxxxxx

Ten minutes later they were taking the elevator down to the cancer center cafeteria. Once upon a time they may have taken the stairs but those days were long over – for both them.

Callie followed Lena slowly out of the elevator and into the cafeteria. As they stepped into the room, her eyes immediately began scanning, searching for an open table. As her eyes passed over the room she stopped and did a double take, "Mama…" she started, stunned, turning her head to look at the woman beside her. The wide grin on her face told Callie immediately that her mama had known along what awaited them here in the cafeteria – she had been rushing for a reason other than hunger.

"Surprise," Lena whispered, her tone gleeful, a grin still on her face, as she reached for Callie's hand and pulled her towards the table where every member of their family was sitting waiting for them.

Stef jumped up as they got closer, closing the gap between them, wrapping her arm around Callie's shoulders, and squeezing tightly, "Surprised sweet girl?"

"Yes," was all Callie could manage as she looked at the table where all of her siblings were seated, grinning over at her. Catching her eye, Jesus waved exuberantly in her direction. She rolled her eyes at him, which only made him increase the exuberance with which he was waving. She laughed as Brandon eventually grabbed Jesus' arm to still the ridiculous motion, Mariana's eye roll matching her own from earlier at the display.

As they made it to the table, Jude sat up straighter in his seat and patted the chair beside him, "Callie, sit here," he smiled at his sister.

Callie nodded easily, smiling back at Jude and taking the seat, while Stef pulled out a chair for Lena, helping her pregnant wife get seated.

"Did we surprise you?" Jude asked her once we were seated.

"Definitely," Callie confirmed, which seemed to make Jude happy as he glanced over at Brandon.

"Brandon thought you would have it figured out," Mariana explained to Callie.

Callie shook her head, "I have chemo brain…I'm lucky if I remember my name. I don't think you had to worry about me figuring anything out." There was a chortle of laughter and then Callie added, softly, "It was a great surprise guys. Thanks."

There was a chorus of responses that all conveyed the same thing – thanks was not required – and then Jesus spoke, "You didn't even hear the best part…" he waited for Callie's eyes to be on him before he continued, "…we brought cupcakes!" He grinned, taping the container from the bakery they'd stopped at on the way here.

"We did bring cupcakes…but everyone has to eat lunch before we can bust that container open," Stef, who was still standing, said, before explaining to both Callie and Lena, "Today's special is macaroni and cheese. Soups are broccoli or chicken noodle." She didn't bother listing the other items on the menu – both her wife and daughter had eaten here enough to have them memorized.

"Chicken noodle," Callie decided quickly, not bothering to add, with Melba toast. The cafeteria offered either Melba toast or crackers with soup and she knew that her mom would know which to grab to for her.

"I want macaroni and cheese and broccoli soup," Lena gave Stef her order, grinning slowly and shrugging one shoulder when Jesus raised an eyebrow at her.

"Alright…and I've already got everyone else's orders…so…" Stef turned her eyes towards her oldest sons, "Brandon? Jesus? Will you come help me get food?"

Both boys nodded, bouncing up immediately and following their mom over towards the food line.

With the older boys and Stef gone, the table quieted down considerably. Jude glanced over at Callie curiously, eventually asking, "Callie…what's that?" His eyes were on the tube dangling down the front of her shirt.

Callie glanced down. Oh right. The tube he was referring to disappeared under a large square bandage that was half covered by her shirt. Under the bandage the tube was connected with a special needle to her port. It had been put in earlier for her blood work and was left in so that they wouldn't have to re-access her port for chemo – something that she was thankful for, one needle stick was always better than two. Later in the chemo suite they would connect the tube to a longer one that would reach the IV pole with the chemo pump on it. "It's to get chemo through," she answered her brother's question and then, feeling not only Jude's but Mariana and Lena's eyes on her, she reached up and, somewhat self-consciously, tucked the tube into her shirt.

"Oh," Jude nodded, his eyes following Callie's hands as she moved the tube under her shirt, "Does it hurt?"

Callie shook her head at Jude, rubbing the palms of her hands against her knees and looking away from him. Her eyes caught Lena's across the table and she changed the subject, asking, "Can we look at the cupcakes?"

Lena smiled gently at Callie before nodding her agreement. She was relieved when Callie returned the smile with a wide one of her own. Jude's questions must not have bothered her too much.

Callie reached for the box, pulling it closer and flipping it open, her eyes instantly widening in awe, the expression making both Mariana and Lena laugh.

Callie had been expecting normal frosted cupcakes. These cupcakes, however, were anything but ordinary. Each was decorated as a different coloured elaborate flower. They were absolutely beautiful.

"Aren't they pretty?" Jude piped up from beside her, reading her mind, as he leaned in closer, his shoulder bumping against hers as he peered into the box too.

"Mmhm," She smiled at Jude, before asking him, "Which one are you going to pick?"

Jude shook his head at her, smiling back as he said, "Uh-uh. You have to pick first. It's your day."

xxxxxx

Shortly after everyone had finished eating, Stef glanced over at Callie, who was sitting beside her, and said, "We should probably head back to the chemo suite soon."

Callie froze when Stef said we. She'd assumed that only she and mama would be returning to the chemo floor. She eyed Stef uncertainly, her eyes drifting towards her siblings. There was no way they were going to let all of these people into the chemo suite with her. Plus, Jude didn't even meet the minimum age requirement to be on the chemo floor.

Sensing her uncertainty, Stef explained, "Don't worry, Brandon is going to take everyone else home. Only mama and I are coming up to the chemo suite with you."

"You're both coming up to the chemo suite?" Callie blinked.

"Yes…" Stef eyed Callie carefully, "Unless you want to object."

Callie smiled slowly, easily, "No. No objections."

"Good…because I wasn't actually going to leave," Stef smiled softly, affectionately, unable to stop herself from leaning over and placing a lingering kiss on the side of Callie's head.

Stef was of the opinion that there were some events that merited her children having both parents present at. Last chemo treatments, well she'd decided that that was one of them.

xxxxxx

Three hours later, Dacarbazine, the final chemo drug that Callie would hopefully ever get, was dripping slowly through the line connected to her port.

Sitting in a chair beside Callie, Stef's eyes followed her daughter's up to the brown bag of chemo hanging from the IV pole. She watched Callie watch the drug drip for a minute before she murmured, "Do you have any idea how happy I am to say good riddance to this junk?"

Callie tore her eyes away from the bag and looked over at Stef, sharing a long, meaningful, look with her mother before she smiled slowly, a twinkle flitting through her otherwise tired dull eyes, "Hey now, be nice. That junk, like, saved my life."

Stef paused a half a second – the words saved my life doing strange, yet not unpleasant, things to her heart – before she laughed, "Right, sorry, my apologies to the junk," her eyes drifted momentarily back in the direction of the chemo pump as she said it.

"Oh goodness…" Lena laughed too, shaking her head at her wife and daughter before she reached for one of Callie's hands, squeezing the cold fingers tightly within her own and drawing the hand up to her lips, kissing the back of it and whispering affectionately, "I love you so much Callie girl."

"Me too," Stef murmured in agreement, reaching over and pulling Callie's blanket tighter around her shoulders as the girl shivered.

Good riddance to chemo indeed.

xxxxxx

The next two weeks passed slowly – chemo was chemo, whether it was her last treatment or the first. But, each day came with a last – the last Neulasta shot, the last worst day, the last dose of anti-nausea medication – and those lasts made Chemo Side Effect Land a little more bearable than usual.

xxxxxx

Callie turned seventeen two weeks and three days after her last chemo treatment. They had a low key party in the backyard. Just her, her moms, and her siblings. It was perfect.

It was the first time she'd felt decent two Saturdays in a row in six months and she was pretty sure that that was the best birthday present she could ask for.

Of course, there were actual presents too. She tried to protest that the fancy new camera was way too much – certainly more than they'd spent on Brandon's seventeenth birthday – but she only got two words in before Stef cut her off, the single, strong, word, "Don't", causing her to pause. The rest of her protest was forgotten moments later when Jesus threw a water balloon at Brandon, which spurned a full on water war.

Later, as her family, these people that she loved, sang happy birthday to her with enthusiasm, she stared in wonder at the candles burning on the cake. She didn't remember the last time there'd been candles on her birthday. She didn't remember the last time she'd been given the opportunity to make a wish. Before she would have wished for a family, or maybe for Jude to be safe, but she didn't need to wish for those things now, she already had them. Now, she wasn't sure what to wish for. She could wish that the scans that were coming up next week would show no evidence of disease. She could wish that she would never relapse. She could wish a lot of cancer-related things, but when she actually bent her head down to blow out the candles, she wished for something else, something that seemed, perhaps, simpler but that encompassed more than any single cancer-related wish ever could. I want to get to be eighteen. She wanted to get to be nineteen, and twenty, and thirty, and fifty, and all of the other ages too, but, for now, that single wish, eighteen, seemed like enough.

As smoke drifted up from the candles that she'd just blown out, she looking around at her smiling, clapping, family, and she smiled too. This might be the best birthday she'd ever had.

xxxxxx

A week and a half later, Callie was back sitting in an exam room in the hematology wing of the cancer center waiting for her oncologist to come in, Lena and Stef sitting on either side of her.

Callie had been quiet all morning and now she was fidgeting in her seat, her knee bouncing up and down uncontrollably. Stef sighed, reaching for the girl's hand. She understood the nervousness, she was nervous herself. "It's going to be okay," she murmured.

Callie glanced over at Stef, "How do you know?"

"Whatever Dr. Lawson says, we'll figure it out, okay?" Stef answered.

Callie nodded her head but she bit her lip and continued to fidget. She hadn't been able to think about much else but these scan results for the last week. She hated waiting and right now her stomach was in knots.

Lena reached for Callie's other hand and squeezed it, "Just try and breathe sweetheart."

The door opened before Callie had a chance to respond and Dr. Lawson walked into the room.

Callie held her breath as he rolled a chair over to them, pausing to shake their hands, before taking a seat.

Sensing Callie's nervousness, Dr. Lawson didn't waste any time getting down to business. "So, I had a look at your scans and they showed no evidence of disease. You're in remission," he revealed with a smile.

You're in remission. As the words rang through Callie's head a wide grin spread across her face. Before she could say or do anything, she was being crushed from either side, the center of the tightest mama sandwich she'd ever experienced. Their reaction made her smile, impossibly, wider.

Words could not even begin to describe the way she was feeling. The worry about what would happen weeks, or months, or years, from now was suddenly far from her mind. Perhaps it would return later but, now, in this moment, all that mattered was that single word – remission. And, oh, what a word it was. She was certain that she had never been so happy in her entire life. She suddenly felt like she could do anything. Maybe even fly.

xxxxxx

Twenty minutes later they called home from the parking lot.

They were taking Callie out for lunch to celebrate, which meant it would be at least an hour before they were home. Stef didn't think it was fair for her other children to have to wait that long to hear the good news. She knew they'd been nearly as anxious about the appointment as Callie had.

"Tell them," Stef said, holding the cellphone, which she'd put on speaker, out for Callie to talk into.

"Remission," Callie spoke the single word, the happiness practically vibrating off of her.

The roar of cheering from the other end was deafening.

xxxxxx

Stopped at a red-light in the car on the way to a restaurant for lunch, Stef smiled at Callie's reflection in the rear-view mirror. She was pretty sure her daughter hadn't stopped smiling since Dr. Lawson had said that she was in remission. "No doctor's appointments for three months, what do you think about that?" she asked.

"I think I'm going to have a lot of free time," Callie laughed jovially.

xxxxxx

Seated in a booth across from Stef and Lena at the restaurant Stef had picked for lunch, Callie sipped slowly on her drink. It was something fancy, with an umbrella in it, that Lena had insisted that they order because they were celebrating and, according to her, celebrations should always come with fancy drinks. Whatever this drink was, it tasted wonderful.

Watching Callie sip her drink, Stef reached down for her own, picking it up off the table and clearing her throat loudly, "Ahem…I want to give a toast."

"Mom…" Callie laughed at the display. Any other day she may have groaned but she couldn't bring herself to act even pretend unhappy.

"What?" Stef laughed too but then she got more serious, motioning for Lena and Callie to pick up their glasses – she hadn't been kidding about the toast. "To my beautiful daughter who I love more than words could ever explain. And to my new favourite word…remission. It's been a rough seven months, kiddo, but you made it."

Callie listened carefully as Stef spoke. "We made it," she amended when Stef finished. She knew that cancer hadn't just happened to her, it had happened to her entire family. This ending, this happy ending, wasn't just hers – it was just as much theirs.

"Hear, hear," Lena added with a wide smile, reaching forward to clink both Callie and Stef's drink glasses.

xxxxxx

The waitress had just brought their food when Lena's eyes suddenly widened, "Umm…Stef…"

"What love?" Stef asked, taking a bite of her lunch as she looked slowly over at her wife.

"I think…I think my water just broke," Lena offered calmly.

Stef didn't really process what Lena had just said, she continued to chew slowly, as she turned her head towards Callie. It was the shocked expression on Callie's face, the teen's mouth hanging open, that clued Stef in to what Lena had meant. Her head immediately spun back to her wife, "W-what," she sputtered out.

xxxxxx

Stef drove them frantically to the hospital.

"You'd think you'd never had a baby yourself," Lena laughed as her panicked wife ushered her into the hospital building, Callie trailing behind them, laughing too.

xxxxxx

Callie was sitting alone in the waiting room when her siblings showed up. She smiled at the sight of them, standing as they closer.

Jude was the first to reach her, slamming into her, his arms wrapping tightly around her, the smile on his face telling her more than words ever could. "You're really better?" The whispered words sounded almost disbelieving.

"I really am," She ruffled his hair, grinning wider. Remission. The thought still made her giddy.

Satisfied with her reassurance, Jude pulled back and let his siblings take his place.

Jesus hugged Callie next, followed by Brandon who, unable to contain his happiness, spun her around in a circle, and then by Mariana.

When Mariana pulled back from the hug, she was grinning widely, "You're officially cancer free and we're having a baby. This is probably the best day ever."

xxxxxx

A few hours later, Stef came out to check on them and to give them an update, still no baby.

The boys were sitting on the ground playing a game with a deck of cards they'd managed to rustle up from the nurses' station. The girls were sitting on bench against the wall. Well, Mariana was sitting, Callie was lying with her head in Mariana's lap, her eyes weren't closed but they were droopy.

Stef stopped to ruffle Jude's hair, talking briefly with the boys, before approaching her daughters. "You okay, love?" She asked, titling her head to look down at Callie.

Callie moved to sit up but Mariana just pushed on her shoulder, keeping her down.

"Mmhm, just a bit tired," Callie offered with a smile, as she looked up at Stef, "I missed my afternoon nap." She might be done with chemo but she was definitely still recovering and that meant she usually slept at least an hour in the afternoon. Her oncologist had explained today that it would probably be another month before she noticed a real difference and probably at least six months before she felt one hundred percent again.

Stef nodded, accepting Callie's response. It had been an eventful day so far and some tiredness was to be expected. She reached down and ran her hand over the top of Callie's head, smiling at the feeling of the soft down that had started to grow on the girl's head just that week. "So soft," she murmured.

Callie snorted. In the last week every member of her family had become almost obsessed with touching her head. She'd run her own hand over her head a few times and, sure, it seemed soft, but she wasn't sure she really understood the appeal.

"Isn't it?" Mariana nodded at Stef, "Like a baby bird."

Stef laughed, leaning down to kiss first Mariana and then Callie. "I like that…" she planted another kiss on the top of Callie's head for good measure, "our baby bird."

xxxxxx

It was multiple hours later before Stef came back into the waiting room, a silly smile on her face as she approached her children.

At some point since she'd been here last, they had pulled waiting room chairs into a circle and, although it seemed that they were all busy with their own phones, save for Callie whose head was settled on Jude's shoulder watching him play a game, they were sitting strangely interconnected. It wasn't just the fact that they'd pulled the chairs into a circle instead of just sitting apart, it was that knees and shoulders and feet and hands were touching. Not a single one of her children was touching less than two of their siblings in some way. They looked so comfortable, folded together, a singular unit. Stef wished she had her phone with her so that she could take a picture to show Lena. Her shoes squeaked as she walked closer though and the moment was broken, her children straightening at the sight of her, clearly eager for news.

"Hi babies," Stef greeted as she stopped behind Brandon, her hand resting on his shoulder.

The chorus of, "Hi mom," was instantaneous and seemed to come from the group as a whole instead of one child in particular.

"Everyone doing okay out here?" Stef smiled at them as her eyes scanned all of their faces.

"We're good…just getting impatient," Mariana answered for the group, tilting her head as she asked, "Did that brother of ours finally decide to make an appearance or what?"

"He did," Stef nodded, smiling wider, "all 9 pounds, 6 ounces of him."

"Awesome," Jesus grinned, reaching over and high-fiving with Brandon.

"Can we see him?" Jude asked, bouncing excitedly in his chair.

"Of course," Stef nodded, rocking back on her feet, and running her hand through her hair, "But…umm…actually…would it be okay with the rest of you if I brought Callie back with me alone first?" Stef asked her children. She felt bad letting one of them meet their new brother first but there was something that they really wanted to tell Callie by herself. They'd actually intended to tell her today at lunch, they'd just never gotten around to it. She hoped her other children would understand.

"Me?" Callie's forehead wrinkled in confusion.

"Is everything okay?" Mariana asked, suddenly concerned. "Are mama and the baby okay?"

"Mama and the baby are perfect," Stef reassured immediately, "I promise I'll come back and get the rest of you quickly…we just…want to talk to Callie about something." She hated being so mysterious but she knew it was important to Lena that she be there when they told Callie.

Callie's forehead was still wrinkled in confusion when Brandon's eyes met her across the circle. He smiled reassuringly at her, before he glanced up at his mom, answering for everyone else, "Of course it's okay with us mom."

xxxxxx

"What's going on?" Callie asked, as she followed Stef down the hallway, suddenly feeling nervous even though she didn't know why.

"Nothing is going on sweets," Stef shook her head, holding the door to Lena's room open, motioning for Callie to come in.

Callie stepped into the room, stopping not too far from the door her eyes drifting towards the hospital bed where Lena was lying holding a bundle wrapped in a blue blanket in her arms.

Stef stopped beside Callie, putting her hand on the small of Callie's back, "Mama doesn't bite, you know, and the baby doesn't even have teeth," she murmured shoving Callie gently towards the bed.

With Stef's shove of encouragement, Callie moved slowly over to the bed, stopping at edge.

"Hi sweetheart," Lena smiled softly over at her, looking tired but happy, "Come here and meet your brother."

Callie wasted no time after that, shuffling up closer to Lena, kissing her mama's cheek, before peering down at the baby in her arms, a soft smile instantly coming to her face, "Hi baby," she whispered.

Stef smiled, as she moved to the side of the bed opposite Callie, her hand instantly reaching out to brush against her new son's cheek, before settling on Lena's shoulder. "Jacob is pretty cute, isn't he?" Stef offered casually, a twinkle in her eye as she waited for Callie's reaction.

Callie blinked startled, glancing uncertainly across the bed at Stef, "His name is Jacob?" She asked. Why would they name him Jacob?

"Yes," Stef nodded, her eyes drifting towards Lena, deciding to let her wife explain.

Lena smiled gently at Callie, "We wanted to be able to tell your brother someday that his name meant something. So we…we named him after the strongest person we knew."

Callie was still confused and her expression said just as much. At least now she understood why moms wanted to talk to her alone. Her next words were spoken incredulously, "So you named him after Donald?" Were they insane? Was this a joke?

Stef almost snorted but she kept herself from laughing at Callie because her daughter seemed serious. This confusion was why they had wanted to talk to her first, without the crowd of siblings. They'd wanted time to explain properly, like they'd planned to do today at lunch. "Silly girl," Stef hummed, "Jacob isn't Donald's name. I don't give a second of thought to that man, so how could I possibly think of it as his. Jacob is the name that belonged to a scared girl sitting at my kitchen table who wanted the world to think she was tough when, really, she was just lost. Jacob is the name of the girl who put her brother's safety and happiness before her own. Jacob is the name of the girl who, without trying, wormed her way right into my heart by being kind, and caring, and brave, and strong, and so many other things. Jacob is the name of the girl that I loved so much that I had to make her an Adams Foster because I couldn't live any other way. Honey, you're an Adams Foster now, forever, but Jacob is still your name. We named your brother after you."

Callie blinked, speechless a moment, "But…why?" She still didn't really understand. Why would they name him after her?

"Callie," Lena breathed her name out softly, "Do you have any idea how difficult it was for mom and I to watch you go through chemo?"

"I'm sorry," Callie mumbled instantly, suddenly looking away.

"No, sweetheart…you have nothing to be sorry about…I didn't say that so that you would apologize…" Lena sighed, "Please look at me." She waited for Callie's eyes to drift back towards her before she continued, "Watching your child suffer is probably the worst thing for a parent. Especially when there is absolutely nothing you can do about it. But, Callie, watching you go through chemo…it also made me incredibly proud. I am so proud that I get to call you mine. You never complained, not once, even when you had every reason to, even when I almost wished you just would. You woke up every morning, and you smiled, and you laughed, and you put one foot in front of the other…Cal, you're incredible. And, I know what you're going to say…I know you're going to say that you didn't have a choice, that anyone else would have acted the same way. And maybe that's true or maybe it's not. But I don't care about anyone else. I care about you. And, you, Callie, you are strong. Sweetheart, when I say that you arethe strongest person I know, I mean it. So…would you please let us do this…would you please let us name your brother Jacob?"

Callie blinked rapidly. Mama was right about one thing – she had just done what anyone else would do, she was sure of it. Her moms could think she was strong all they wanted but she wasn't sure she agreed. People just assumed that having cancer, that surviving cancer, made you stronger but, as far as she could tell, that wasn't true. Sure sometimes she felt stronger and, today, hearing she was in remission, had made her feel amazing, but most of the time she didn't feel stronger at all. And if she did feel stronger, it was because of them, not her. They gave her strength. "I…" her eyes drifted away from Lena and down to the sleeping baby in her arms. Callie wasn't sure she should let them name him Jacob under the pretense that it somehow meant strength. What she did know though was that, regardless of what his name was, she already loved him, a lot.

Stef moved around the bed so that she was standing beside Callie, wrapping her arm around her daughter's shoulders and pulling her close. "Love, you're thinking too hard."

Callie craned her neck to look at Stef curiously.

"I can practically see the wheels in your head spinning," Stef explained.

Callie shrugged, "I just…I'm not sure I'm actually strong, you know? I don't want him to have a name that's a lie."

"Callie, baby…it's not a lie. I know it's hard for you to believe that…but could you maybe just trust us on this one?" Stef murmured softly.

Callie stilled but then, slowly, she nodded, leaning in closer to Stef and dropping her head on her mom's shoulder, "Okay." She'd learned when to just give in. She did trust them. If they wanted to name her brother Jacob, she wasn't going to stop them. Actually, it felt kind of nice that they wanted to name him after her. Feeling wanted, well, she never got tired of that.

"Okay," Stef replied happily, kissing the top of Callie's head.

"Okay," Lena grinned. She looked down at the baby and bounced him slightly in his arms, "Did you hear that, baby?" She cooed excitedly, "Your name is Jacob." She stared at him another minute before she turned her gaze back towards Callie, "Thank you sweetheart. You don't know how happy you've just made me."

Callie just smiled, shaking her head, "I love you." And she did love them, more than anything. Her heart felt full.

"We love you too," Lena replied immediately.

Stef nodded, rubbing Callie's arm.

xxxxxx

Callie was sitting up beside Lena on the hospital bed, her head resting on Lena's shoulder, when Stef came back into the room with the rest of the Adams Foster children five minutes later.

The excited brood crowded around the bed, all humming and cooing at their new baby brother.

"He has more hair than you Cal," Jesus smirked, nudging Callie's arm as he leaned in to get a better look at the baby, who's head was covered in a thick layer of dark hair.

"I guess he does," Callie smiled softly, as if she'd just noticed. She reached over and ran her hand along the baby's head, her eyes widening in surprise at the softness. Suddenly she actually understood why everyone kept touching her head. "Oh…so that's what all the fuss is about."

Everyone around her laughed and the baby squirmed at the noise.

"Sshh…" Callie soothed, running her index finger along Jacob's small hand, "That's just your family, baby, we're kind of loud, but you'll get used to us. The love makes it worth putting up with all the noise. Trust me."

Lena smiled softly at Callie's words, unable to stop herself from kissing the top of the girl's head.

Jesus had a slightly different reaction. "Us? Loud? How could you say something like that?" He asked with the best straight face he could offer.

As his words caused another round of laughter, Callie just shrugged, laughing herself, "Gee…I don't know."

As the laughter settled down again, Stef caught Callie yawning. "Okay troupe. I think maybe it's time for you guys to head home. Mama needs some rest and I think some of you do too," she looked pointedly at Callie.

Callie scrunched up her nose, "Do we have to go?"

"Are you saying that you're not tired?" Stef raised a disbelieving eyebrow in Callie's direction.

Callie shook her head, "No…I just don't want this day to end."

Stef blinked once, twice, and then she nodded, understanding whole heartedly, "Today has kind of been like Christmas, huh?" Today she'd gotten to hold her son for the first time and she'd found out her daughter was in remission. Days didn't get much better than that.

Callie nodded, smiling, "Mmhm."

Today was the end of a chapter, hopefully the only chapter of Callie's life that would include cancer. Whatever happened in the next chapter, well, at least now she knew, at least now she really understood, that she had a family that she could depend on.