Callie Can't Go Back On 'The Fosters'

Home is where Rosie O'Donnell is — or is it? Following two weeks of emotional Fosters episodes that covered everything from Lena's miscarriage to Brandon coming clean about having sex with Dani, the ABC Family series focused on Callie on Monday night. So far on The Fosters Season 2, Callie's been introduced to an entirely new family, addressed her feelings for Brandon, and came clean about being raped to Wyatt. All HUGE things for the normally closed-off character played by Maia Mitchell. And on Monday night's episode, "Girls Reunited," Callie went back to her group home, only to realize that she's really changed that much since she left.

If you need a refresher, Callie ran away from the Fosters mid-Season 1 because of her forbidden relationship with Brandon and ended up under Rita's (O'Donnell) care at a group home run by Girls United. And, even though there were a few hiccups (like fights with her roommate and secret cellphones), she thrived there and ended up returning to the Foster home before the end of the season. Callie made friends, she grew up, and she realized that she was the master of what happens to her and how she handles her life. So, naturally, when she felt like she was losing control following her and Wyatt's failed attempt at having sex for the first time, she returned there looking for answers under the premise of a "community day."

However, Callie wasn't met with the same place she'd left behind months before because, again, she's changed. And it was most evident in the fact that she no longer knew anything about what was going on with the other girls or with the group home itself. Callie showed up, intending to extend community day (which only last a few hours) through an entire weekend as an effort to keep distance between her, Wyatt, and the truth about how being raped still affects her. But it didn't really work out that way because sometimes you really can't go home again — especially when you have a new home.

It was interesting to see Callie try to run, once again, from something that was creating such a pull on her life, only to realize that she's grown so far beyond that flight response. Well, with the help of Rita and her group home friend, Kiara. She's not the same girl anymore that turned up at Girls United with a chip on her shoulder and an outlook that the world was out to get her and the changes there reflected that. The new girl shunned her and where she was the one sneaking around last season, Callie took it upon herself to intervene with a budding drug problem at the home on Monday night. Season 1 Callie never would have done that — regrettably, she'd have turned the other way the, but not now.

The Fosters might finally be allowing Callie — even though she keeps getting hit from all angles — to grow up and mature. Even though it was sad to see her realize that she didn't really fit in at Girls United and in the group home that saved her from self-destruction, it's for the best and, personally, I'm happy to see that The Fosters plans to keep her on the right track.

Image: ABC Family