The Fosters – Collateral Damage

By starrymag | September 3, 2016

By: Taylor Gates

 

During dinner, Callie (Maia Mitchell) informs the family that Rita and some other foster care representatives have drafted up something called Jack’s Law in order to combat Justina’s (Kelli Williams) corrupt foster care reform. They need 500,000 signatures in order to get the new bill on the ballot so Callie suggests they set up a booth at the musical festival Brandon (David Lambert) and Someone’s Little Sister will be playing at.

 

Brandon gets an email from Juilliard. He runs into the backyard to read it, the family crowding the window to watch his reaction. He screams that he got in and they all gather for an enthusiastic group hug.

 

In the moms’ bedroom, Stef (Teri Polo) worries about how they’ll pay for Juilliard, musing that making detective will make things easier. Lena (Sherri Saum) doesn’t want Stef to be a detective just for the money, but Stef assures her that moving up the ranks is overdue. Stef is also excited that she’ll never have to see the hot, polyester cop uniform ever again. She rethinks that, however, when Lena comes out of the bathroom wearing the shirt and suggestively dangling a pair of handcuffs.

 

Stef’s detective interview starts off well—the department is always looking for more females on their team and she has a ton of experience. Things get fishy though when it’s revealed Stef got a recommendation from one of their most decorated veterans: Joe Gray (Alex Skuby).

 

Timothy (Jay Ali) hands Mariana (Cierra Ramirez) her paper back after class. She got a D and begs Timothy to let her make it up; she’s been busy with robotics and this grade will ruin her GPA. He finally caves, giving her the weekend to improve it.

 

Nick (Louis Hunter) calls Mariana. He is home on house arrest and while he can’t leave the house, she can go over and visit him. He can’t wait to finally touch her again.

 

Stef tells Mike (Danny Nucci) about Gray’s recommendation. She’s insulted that he’s trying to buy her silence considering the disgusting things he has done. She hands Mike proof that Benjamin Torres (Niko Guardado) was only fourteen years old when he was assaulted, telling him to tell his friends in vice that Gray threatened to have Benjamin’s parents deported if he told.

 

Mariana and Mat (Jordan Rodrigues) make out on Mariana’s bed. That is, until Mariana falls asleep. Lena comes in, congratulating Mat on his acceptance to Berkley. Mariana didn’t know that Mat applied there, but he says he may not even go. Once he leaves, Mariana pops two more of Jesus’ pills and starts revising her paper.

 

Aaron (Elliot Fletcher) visits Callie’s school. She hands him the toothbrush she stole from Doug Harvey, causing Aaron to freak out, as one usually does when they find out their friend broke into a house. Callie tells Aaron she’s extremely concerned about Kyle and if they don’t find a way to give him some hope she’s afraid he’ll hurt himself. Aaron promises to have the toothbrush tested.

 

Jesus (Noah Centineo) goes into the kitchen where Mariana is doing homework. He sees she got a text from Nick and makes her promise not to go see him. Irritated, she tells Jesus she’ll text Nick back about not visiting him after she’s done with her paper.

 

Detective Gray intimidates Stef. He knows about how she’s still meddling into his old case and threatens her job. Stef threatens to go to internal affairs about what he’s done, but he shoots back that he knows about how she covered for Mike after shooting Ana’s boyfriend.

 

Callie sets a donation bucket out for Kyle’s case at their Justice for Jack booth. Mike, AJ (Tom Williamson), Jude, Aaron and Sophia (Bailee Madison) also help Callie set up, Sophia commenting on how cute Aaron is.

 

Mike asks AJ what’s going on with Callie and Aaron and AJ flips out. He says he’s going to keep seeing Callie regardless of how Mike feels about her. He’s almost eighteen years old and if Mike doesn’t want him under his roof anymore, he’ll just move on.

 

Jesus goes to Nick’s house and tells him that Mariana doesn’t want to see him anymore. She’s with Mat now, but she was too afraid to tell Nick herself.

 

At the music festival, everyone is struggling to get signatures on the petition. Troy Johnson (Levi Fiehler), Martha’s Johnson’s grandson, signs the petition but says Callie shouldn’t be raising money for Kyle because he is a murderer. He begs Callie to let it go for his family’s sake, convinced that Kyle is guilty.

 

Stef catches Lena up on everything Joe Gray told her. Lena pleads with Stef, telling her she can’t risk losing her job over this case. Sometimes you have to admit you can’t save everyone all the time and compromise your integrity for the sake of your family.

 

Mariana tells Emma (Amanda Leighton) how upset she is about Mat applying to Berkley without telling her. She talks quickly and rather irrationally, which makes Emma suspicious.

 

Callie runs into one of Justina’s people who is also there to collect signatures. This makes Callie determined to work even harder and she picks up her fourth petition sheet. Aaron jokes that if everyone was as cute as Callie they would all have that many signatures. AJ gets angry that Aaron seems to be hitting on his girlfriend right in front of him, reminding Aaron that he’s about twice his size. Callie tells both of them that they need to chill out and tells off Mike for assuming she created all the drama when he begins to interfere.

 

AJ tells Mike that he does unfairly blame Callie for everything, but Mike defends himself and says he just worries. One thing is certain: AJ isn’t going anywhere regardless of how Mike feels about his love life and he always has a home with Mike.

 

Later that day, Callie tells AJ that Aaron went home. AJ is angry that Callie pulled away from his kiss that morning and took Aaron’s side after the fight, but Callie tells him she just pulled away because Mike was there and AJ hit a sensitive spot when pointing out Aaron’s size since he’s transgender. AJ throws his hands up—how was he supposed to know Aaron is trans?

 

Despite both of their parents forbidding it, Noah (Kalama Epstein) visits Jude at the festival.

 

Mariana tells Mat that although Berkley isn’t the ideal location, she’s confident they can make it work. Plus, the school has a great robotics program so she might even apply next year. Mat tells her she’s thinking of the wrong Berkley—he’s been accepted to Berklee College of Music in Boston. Lou (Ashley Argota) grabs Mat to get ready to perform and Mariana chugs a beer.

 

Justina’s little signature collecting minion (Jinhee Joung) tells Callie that Justina has a little message for her: she knows Callie posted a picture of her check online and if Callie doesn’t pack up and stop with Jack’s Law she’ll have Callie arrested.

 

Jesus tells Mariana he handled the Nick situation for her and Mariana freaks out. She’s afraid that he’ll be angry at her, but Jesus tells her it’s all going to be okay.

 

Callie seems upset while watching the band, prompting Stef to talk to her. Callie says she can’t keep trying to help everyone just to have it blow up in her face. Stef tells her that although it’s hard to help people sometimes, she has to fight on because she’s doing a great job.

 

Stef calls Captain Roberts, leaving her voicemail saying there’s something she wants to take to Internal Affairs on Monday.

 

Callie goes up onstage before Someone’s Little Sister plays and tells the crowd Jack’s story. She also informs them of the difference between her and Justina’s bill.

 

Mariana sits on the stairs and thinks she sees Nick out of the corner of her eye. She calls Jesus in a panic and he promises to catch up with her as soon as possible. He and Emma look for Mariana, but she’s nowhere in sight. Jesus calls Nick to see if he’s at the festival. Nick says he’s not, as he can’t leave with his ankle bracelet, but worriedly takes off to find Mariana too. Emma tells Jesus that Mariana might be taking his pills.

 

Stef spots and is sneakily following Doug Harvey (Hugh Scott) when Jesus and Emma stop her and explain what’s going on with Mariana.

 

AJ apologizes to Callie for how he acted around Aaron, wishing Callie would’ve told her about him earlier so he wouldn’t have had cause to freak out. Callie tells him that’s an ignorant thing to say because Aaron being trans doesn’t make him any less of a man than AJ. Callie says she would consider dating him if she wasn’t already with AJ and AJ tells her maybe she should just be with Aaron then.

 

Mistaking Sophia for Callie, Doug corners her in the bathroom and demands to know why she was in his house. Thankfully, a woman comes in and distracts Doug, giving Sophia a chance to flee.

 

Having no luck locating Mariana, Stef goes to talk to a police officer working the festival. She hears over his walkie-talkie that there’s a lookout in effect for Nick Stratos.

 

Lena pulls Brandon aside. She explains that she got a call from Monte (Annika Marks) because the college board flagged the kid Brandon took the SATs for since his score was so much lower the second time. He told them everything, including Brandon’s name. Unfortunately, that means no Juilliard for Brandon and he breaks down in tears.

 

Troy spies Callie, apologizing for how he acted earlier. Callie accepts his apology along with his offer of a ride to go find Mariana as he claims to have seen her not long before. While in the car, Aaron calls and tells Callie that Doug Harvey wasn’t a match. However, there was more DNA on the murder weapon; although they can’t ID it, they know it came from a man related to Martha. Callie looks gravely concerned.

 

Nick parks his car on the side of the street, pleading with Mariana to get in so she can be safe. Mariana cries and screams that he made her afraid and she never wants to see him again—he doesn’t get to do what he did and then just be with her. Nick says he understands why she doesn’t want to see him anymore and apologizes for ever scaring her. When Jesus spies Nick and Mariana talking, he bolts from Emma’s car and tackles Nick. The two get into a fight, Nick punching Jesus—who is at an increased risk for seizures and other health problems at the moment due to recent brain surgery—and knocking him unconscious.