AN- I couldn't get this idea out of my head. Hopefully you guys like it!

"We have a fatal accident, 3 casualties," came over the radio as Stef and John were about to end their route, "Address 369 S. Emerald Loop Apt. Number 24, two children ages 9 and 5. Mother doa, father in custody for driving under the influence. DHS in route."

Stef turned sharply right as she headed towards the address. "Lena is not going to be happy about you being late again," John said as she reported back that they were a couple blocks away.

"It's not like I really have a choice now, do I?" Stef said through gritted teeth. Yes, Lena would not be happy. They had planned a night alone since Sharon took the three kids for the night. They pulled into the driveway of a rundown apartment complex. "There's the DHS worker," Stef said as she saw Brittany Burks, the emergency DHS worker, "Hey Brittany," she called as she hopped out of the cruiser.

"Hey," she sighed, "We've been watching this family for a while," she said as she pulled out a file, "They were on the at risk list but we've never had any reason to take the children. I was going to take them down to the office until we can find a home, but the girl, Callie, won't get in the car."

"Did you tell them what happened?" Stef asked.

"What was I supposed to do?"

"Maybe not tell them until you got them out of the house, at least that it was a car accident."

"Ok, ok," Brittany said with a sigh, "I know, I might have made a mistake."

"Let me talk to them and you can find them a foster home," Stef said as she walked up to the apartment. Walking in she gasped, the house smelled of alcohol and was a disaster, beer bottles everywhere. Sitting on the couch was a beautiful young girl with her arms wrapped around a little boy. Stef walked over and knelt in front of them, "Hey you guys, my name is Stef, what is yours?" she asked as she rested her hand on the little boy's knee.

"Callie," the little girl whispered as she rubbed her finger across the bridge of her nose.

"What a pretty name for a very beautiful little girl," she said as she watched the girl push hair out of her face with the palm of her hand.

"What's your name, Little Man?" she asked the small boy who has covering his face in Callie's shirt.

"Jude," he said as he turned slightly.

"very handsome," she declared, "Did you guys meet my friend, Brittany? She is going to find someone who can take good care of you."

"I'm not getting in her car," Callie said. Stef watched in horrid amazement as the little girl go from pretty complaisant to a mixture of fear and anger, "Mommy died in a car."

"I know it's scary," Stef said as she rubbed the little girl's knee, noticing John standing behind her, "But me and my friend, John," she said pointing to him, "we drive a car all day long. And how are you going to get to the people who are going to take care of you guys if you don't get in a car."

"I don't care. We can stay here. I can take care of Jude. I do all the time."

"I'm sorry, Sweety, but you need a grown up to watch over you guys."

"No I don't. I want Mommy."

"You can find her, right? Mommy said if we ever can't find her to go to a policeman and tell him Mommy's name is Coleen Jacobs and her phone number is 541-342-5852," Stef turned to Jude who talked without being coaxed for the first time.

"Mommy went to heaven," Callie said to Jude, "Like when Mr. Turtle died, remember how Mommy said when we get old and die we'd see him in heaven?" she asked and when he nodded continued, "Mommy's with Mr. Turtle, and when we grow up and die we'll see them in heaven."

Stef tried to push tears out of her eyes and nodded to the boy, "Hey, what do you say we got some of your guys' stuff together, whatever you want to bring to the family you're going to stay with?"

"Ok," Callie said as she took Jude's hand and they walked into the back bedroom that they shared. Stef followed close behind while John went and got a couple garbage bags that Brittany always kept in the back of her car to keep things in. In the room Stef watched as Callie carefully pulled out a few piles of badly worn clothes for both of them while Jude picked up a couple stuffed animals from their beds. Callie picked up a couple framed photographs off of their dresser and Stef wanted to cry as she saw one of Callie and who she assumed was Coleen looking at a baby (presumably Jude) who was laying on a changing mat on a bed. Once everything was put in a garbage bag Callie picked up two backpacks, a purple one with pink hearts all over and another that was blue with a turtle Stef recognized as the same Jesus had last year. In it Callie put n a couple coloring books that were falling apart and an old box of crayons along with a couple books and a small diary.

"Alright, you guys, let's go see how Brittany is doing, alright?" she asked twenty minutes later once they were done. Callie and Jude were set back down on the couch as Stef joined the DHS worker right outside the door, "Have you found them a family?"

"We found one for Jude but the little girl will have to go to a home for a few days until we can find a placement for her."

"You can't split them up!" Stef said and without thinking "Me and Lena will take them until you find a perminate solution."

"Stef, we usually don't work this way..." Brittany said uneasily, "and you still have 3 weeks before Mariana's and Jesus' adoption."

"How many foster parents do you have as cops?" she asked, "It's judges and lawyers that work with the kids that you don't let foster. And we are approved to take in five foster children."

"And you told Bill the other day you didn't want to take any more for the time being."

"That's before I met Callie and Jude."

"Are you sure about this Stef?"

"I'm positive," she said before going back to where the kids were, "alright you guys, we found you a really pretty house to live in for a while."

"Who's going to take care of us?" Callie asked as she pulled Jude closer to her.

"I am, and my wife, Lena."

"You have a wife? Girls have husbands," Callie asked a little confused.

"Not me, I fell in love with my wife a long time ago. You'll like her too. She's really nice, and cooks amazing food. What is your favorite thing to eat?" She asked Jude.

"Tacos," he said carefully, looking at her.

"Mmm, those are my favorite too. Maybe we can talk Lena into making them for dinner tomorrow."

"I'm hungry now," Jude said quietly.

"Ok, when we get back to the house we can make sandwiches, ok? It's too late to make tacos tonight." Jude nodded.

"Ok," Stef smiled as Brittany came back in with emergency placement papers, she filled them out quickly.

"I'll bring you guys the rest tomorrow to fill out," Brittany said as she gave Stef a copy.

"Alright you guys, let's get to my house and make food," Stef smiled.

Callie walked holding Jude's hand as Stef and John carried the garbage bag and back packs.

"I'm not going in the car," Callie said just as Stef pulled a booster seat out of the back of Brittany's car and put it in the back of the cruiser for Jude.

"Honey, you have to, how are you going to get to my house?"

"No, I'm not going!" Stef watched as Callie threw herself on the edge of the sidewalk and start screaming, "I'm not going in the car, I'm gonna die. Please don't make me!' she cried as she rocked herself.

"Hey, hey, Sweets, it's ok," Stef said as she sat next to the girl and pulled her into her side, noticing how Callie went tense, "I'll try and figure out a way so you don't have to ride in the car tonight, ok?" she asked as Callie sniffled and nodded.

Sighing Stef grabbed her cellphone and pulled up Lena's number, "Where are you? You were supposed to be home two hours ago," Lena said angerly before Stef could speak.

"I know, Love. I'm sorry, can you do me a favor?" she asked

"Sure, since I'm not in bed with my girlfriend like I was planning tonight," Lena said in false happiness, anger oozing in her tone. "It's 11 at night, Stefanie, where are you?"

"I'm at 689 S Emerald Loop, it's about 2 miles away, could you come down here? Just throw the address in your GPS."

"What's gong on, did the car break down?" Lena said a little softer, the anger still prevalent.

"I'll explain when I get here, I'm so sorry, Love."

"Let me get dressed. I'll be there in 10 minutes," Lena said with a defeated sigh.