ᴍʏ ᴍᴏᴍ ɪs ᴡʜᴏ? ✔︎

Creaky Floorboards

| Carli |

It's been a quite a few hours since Cody's episode, which is still the topic discussion amongst the most mature of our teammates. Meaning everyone but Pinoe, Kling and Kristie. Alex and Tobin aren't contributing but they are listening to the rest of us until the door goes.

"I'll get it!"

"No! I will!" For the first time since Alex came back with her daughter and Jack, laughter filled the house we shared as we watching Kling and Pinoe wrestle as they run to the door, trying to answer it first. They both fall, and Kristie stands, walks passed the two on the ground acting like five year olds, and opens the door. We can't hear who it is, and what's being said until little Mewis comes back inside, a strange man following behind her.

"Hello ladies, pleasure meeting you all." He takes a quick glance at Kling and Pinoe, who still haven't stopped fighting over who gets to open the door that has already been answered. "I'm with the DCFS, Children's Services and I'm here for a..." he trails off looking at his paperwork that he whips out of a folder that was tucked under his arm. "Jackie Ann Carter and a Cody Maxwell Dennings"

"What do you mean you're here for Cody and Jack?" We hear Alex ask, but I notice none of us takes our eyes off the man, wanting to know why he's taking our teammate's kid away.

| Cody |

I wake up in my mo- in Alex's bed. I don't know why but I'm having a hard time calling her my mother. I stand, leaving the room and head for my best friend, who is sharing a room with Hope and Kelley. I knock softly, ignoring the laughter from downstairs. When Jack opens the door, I see a small smile on her lips.

"What are you smiling at?"

"I like hearing them laughing, I don't like that they're not being themselves with us around...makes me feel guilty." I look into her eyes, thankful that she feels the same way I do. I take a breath to respond when I hear a man's voice, which grabs not only my attention, but my best friends too as she wears a look of confusion. We both start to walk quietly down the steps towards the sitting room when we hear the man.

"I'm here for a...Jackie Ann Carter and a Cody Maxwell Dennings."

"What do you mean you're here for Cody and Jack?"

I share a look with my best friend, my non-related sister, my rock and I see she thinks the same as I do, that we may never see each other again. With one last step the floorboard beneath our feet starts to creak.

| Hope |

I watch the man being glared down by Alex, thinking that if it was my glare, he would have shit himself, then the creaking of the last step of the staircase indicates that at least one of the girls is within earshot. I glance back to Alex, she's frozen on the spot. Understandable, she might be about to lose her daughter. Again. 

"Come on in, we know you're there." I say loud enough for whoever is out there to come in, surprised when I see both best friends enter the room sheepishly, but holding hands. Kling and Pinoe have stopped being children by now, but remain on the floor and Cody sits between them, not looking up to her mother who looks hurt, and Jack sits beside me much to my shock as I remember the scared little puppy that I met not too long ago that would run away when she seen me. I wrap my arm around her shoulder, kissing her head as she leans into me. The moment ruined by the man, that we had all forgotten about.

"These two girls no longer have any parental or custodial influences, therefore they'll be placed into the foster care system-"

"Wait, Alex is Cody's mother!" I look to my right, expecting the argument to come from Tobin, or Allie maybe even Syd, but it comes from Jack - she doesn't even care about her own situation, only her best friends.

"I'll have to take them with me, and right now im afraid." He finishes, completely ignoring Jack, Alex however doesn't.

"Like Jack said, I'm Cody's mother."

"I understand ma'am, but until there's a DNA test and the results are official and recognized by a doctor and a judge, this is how it has to be. Your lawyer should be in touch with you to explain these things. I'll give you a minute to say goodbye, I'll wait outside girls."

| Cody |

God, this can't be real. Right? I just wanted to go to school today.

I get up slowly before running up the steps to Alex's room, where I slump against her bed, sitting on the floor. I hear the door open, not bothering to look up. I flinch when I feel arms wrapping around me, only relaxing when I see it's Alex, letting myself sink into her embrace. The feeling of safety and love being one only a mother can bring, a real, caring mother.

"Will I ever see you again?" I whimper, not wanting to look her in the eyes. I try my hardest not to look at her face, instead I play with her fingers, a nervous habit I have though it's usually my own fingers I play with. I continue to look anywhere but her face until I hear her sniffle, a sound which breaks my heart so I look up to her. To the woman I've always admired as a professional soccer player, as a strong woman and now as the woman who gave birth to me.

"Yes, baby girl. You'll definitely see me again. I'm not going back to Orlando without you." She promises as tears run down her face, her grip on me tightening, making me feel safe.

"What's going to happen to Jack?"

"I honestly don't know baby. But for now you'll both be together, take comfort in that."

There's a knock on the door and Alex gets up to answer it, opening it to see Tobin standing with a solemn expression and I know it's time to go.

"He's getting a little impatient."

"Well he is old, I'd be impatient too. He's probably worried he'll die waiting out there." I mumble, obviously too loud as I hear Tobin laugh and see Alex smirk at me.

"At least try to be nice, Codes." Tobin playfully scolds me as I walk down the staircase with her and Alex, to see Jack already waiting, tears in her eyes, as she snuggles into Kelley.

"Well...let's go?" I ask, unsure and my best friend nods, holding her hand out which I take and we both make for the front door. I stop, about turning and going back to Alex to give her one last hug, not knowing if I'll ever see her again, despite her promises.

"I'll see you soon, baby girl." She kisses my head, holding me close.

"Bye mom." I finally say which brings Alex to tears, I kiss her cheek and go back to Jack as we make our way to the man that's here to take us away from our new family.