A/N: I started this story over two years ago and just finally finished it after recently re-watching some of Season 1. Enjoy.
Chapter 1
Wednesday - 7:28 AM
Everyone was downstairs having breakfast in the kitchen except for Callie and Jesus. This part of their daily routine was so much quieter without the latter zipping around on a skateboard and making smartass comments.
"Where are Callie and Jesus?" Lena wondered, knowing that it wasn't like her son to miss a meal; he lived to eat. She got up and went to the bottom of the stairs. "Callie! Jesus! Breakfast is on the table!"
Mariana took a drink of orange juice. "When I got out of the shower, Callie was still in bed."
"Oh, really?" Stef exclaimed, eyebrows raised in surprise.
"Yeah, same with Jesus," agreed Jude.
With that, Stef marched upstairs to retrieve the two stragglers. "You guys better get your lazy butts up and ready or you're walking to school!"
She knocked lightly on Mariana's and Callie's door. "Up and at—" She entered and stopped upon noticing that Callie wasn't the least bit ready for school at all. In fact, she was still in bed, wrapped up in her comforter like a cocoon. She was moaning in pain and discomfort, clearly shivering.
Stef immediately felt apologetic. "Oh, sweetie...I'm so sorry for yelling." She went over to feel her pale forehead which was hot and clammy with sweat. "Callie, you're burning up."
All she did was swallow and shiver in response.
"Does anything hurt?"
"Everything."
"How long have you felt sick?"
"Since last night."
"Okay. I'm gonna go check on Jesus, I'll be right back."
Stef went to Jesus' and Jude's room to find him in a similar condition as Callie: feverish, achy, and shaking with chills.
Stef went halfway downstairs to get her wife. "Lena, come up here, please. We've got a couple of sicklings."
"Oh, no..." She did as Stef asked and followed her to check on Callie. "She's burning up." They both turned their heads toward the sound of a loud, barking cough and sighed.
Stef went to get medicine and the thermometer while Lena tended to Jesus. "Hey, bud. You're not feeling so hot, huh?"
He shook his head.
"Callie's sick, too. Mom's gonna give you both some medicine, okay?"
Jesus started to cough again which was exhausting him further.
"I'll get you some water." Lena left his room to check on Stef and Callie. "How are we in here?"
"A temp of 101.9, poor thing." She held up the bottle of NyQuil. "Is cherry okay?" This was Callie's first illness since she came to the Fosters; they had no idea what flavors of medicine she had a preference for.
"'s fine," she mumbled, wishing that she wasn't so cold.
Stef poured her a dose of the red liquid. "Try to sit up for me." She did as best she could and drank it before falling back into her previous position. "That should help you sleep, okay?" Stef reached to brush a few stray hairs off of Callie's forehead. "Let us know if you need something else."
Lena went downstairs to get Jesus some water and Stef left Callie to further assess him. "Hey, my sweet knucklehead. Let me check your temperature." She placed the tip of a tympanic thermometer in his ear and waited for it to beep. She whistled lightly as a few lines crinkled her forehead. "102.1. I've got NyQuil."
Jesus swallowed the medicine and lay back down. "Thanks, Mom."
"Sure thing, honey."
Lena came in with water. "Here we are."
Jesus drank a few sips through the straw and she set it aside.
"A flu bug's been going around..."
"Don't worry about missing work, I'm gonna call Roberts and take a personal day; I'll stay with them."
"Alright." Lena looked at her watch. "Time to go. I'll call later." They kissed. "I love you."
"You, too. Have a good day."
Lena kissed Jesus on the forehead. "Feel better, sweetheart. Good luck," were her parting words to her wife.
Stef chuckled a bit as Lena left to take the kids to school.