Title: The Best Christmas Ever
Summary: One shot only. A quiet morning and a hot date. All on a Christmas Eve.
Rating: NC-17. But pretty tame.
Standard Disclaimers: Grey's is not mine. Wish it was.
A/N: This was written for the LJ Callie_Arizona Secret Santa event but I wanted to post it here as well.
Callie Torres rolled over in bed and, with sound caught somewhere between a sigh and a groan, snuggled against her wife's chest. Arizona Robbins smiled at the strangled noise and nuzzled her face into Callie's messy curls. "Morning," Arizona whispered, her lips already tracing patterns against Callie's ear.
"Mmmhmm," was Callie's only response.
Twisting to face Callie fully, Arizona grinned and leaned forward to tug Callie's bottom lip between her teeth. Callie's body, acting without conscience thought, arched to press more firmly against Arizona's before the blonde pulled back and repeated, "I said, 'good morning.'"
Callie's eyes remained closed and she moaned, "No. No, no, no. It is not morning. It's still dark outside and you're all snuggly and the bed's so warm. It's night. The middle of the night. No waking up for hours and-"
Her rambling rant was cut off by a tiny cry wafting through the speakers resting on either end table.
Giggling lightly, Arizona pressed another kiss to Callie's frowning mouth and said, "I think there's somebody who would disagree with your assessment."
Callie moaned again and flopped onto her stomach to bury her face in a pillow. "She cannot be hungry. It's not possible. I fed her five minutes ago."
"You fed her 5 hours ago, Calliope. And that," Arizona added when the cries shifted into wails, "is the sound of a hungry baby."
"Fine," Callie flopped over again onto her back and glared at the ceiling. "You were right all along. Kids are totally overrated. I don't want one anymore. Take her back."
Arizona laughed as she shoved back the covers and searched for the pants she had apparently kicked off during the night. "Take her back where? To the baby-making store? I'm pretty sure they have an 'all sales are final' policy."
"Pro'lly so," Callie mused. "Bastards," she added before finally pulling herself up to a sitting position. "We could give her to Mark. He loves her. Like really, really loves her. He'd take her and then we could move far, far away before he realizes what we've done to him."
Before Arizona could respond the baby spoke up for herself, in the form of a straight-from-the-diaphram, stop-this-nonsense-and-come-get-me-NOW scream. Callie was pretty sure the speaker shook with the force of such racket. She frowned at the offensive electronic and contemplated throwing it, hard, against the nearest wall. Maybe smashing it with a hammer. Or perhaps backing up over it. In an eighteen wheeler. That would be fun, she thought even as she muttered, "Alright, alright. I'm coming."
But when she shifted to slide off the bed in defeated resignation, she was lightly shoved back by Arizona's hand against her shoulder. "Stay," Arizona ordered, her commanding tone obscured by a sleepy yawn. "I'll go get her."
"Good morning, my sweet baby girl."
Callie leaned back against her pillows and smiled at the baby monitor. Yes, the same baby monitor that five minutes ago had been the subject of her violent fantasies. Now the shrieking sobs had faded to the most pitiful of whimpers as Arizona's perennially cheerful voice greeted their daughter. Morning music.
"There's Mommy's beautiful girl." Another series of sniffles answered Arizona's , Arizona continued to chirp, "You are just so hungry, aren't you? You're wishing I was your Mama with all that yummy milk, I know. Let's go find her. Let's go find your Mama, E-Claire."
Aware Callie was listening in, Arizona lifted her voice a decibel-her corresponding smirk clearly audible through the digital playback-as she called the baby 'E-Claire.' Callie was sure Arizona could also hear the sound of Callie's eyes rolling.
Ella Claire Robbins, at barely three months old, was stillthe subject of an intense naming debate. Arizona loved the name Claire. She had confessed as much the first time they discussed names, when Ella was nothing but a figment of Callie's most fervent imaginations. At the time, Callie was so excited that they were discussing names-names!-for their future children, that she immediately agreed to Arizona's naming suggestion. Two years later, those dreams were becoming a reality and Callie balked at the idea of using such an old fashioned name that carried no personal meaning. Callie wanted their daughter's name to embrace a legacy of family and honor, much like Arizona's name. Callie chose the name 'Daniella,' in tribute to Arizona's father and brother. They would call the baby 'Ella,' Callie reasoned, a fitting nod to her own Greek heritage. But no, Arizona wanted Claire and only Claire.
Unable to reach a compromise, the girls decided to handle the decision in a mature, diplomatic manner on the night Ella was born: Rock, Paper, Scissors, of course. Callie, a master of the game, won their intense round of best-two-out-of-three and the baby has been called Ella ever since. By everyone, that is, except Arizona, who has refused to give up.
Callie was so distracted by Arizona's stubborn commitment to the baby's middle name that it took her a minute to realize her wife had not returned with their now-starving daughter. Shaking her head, Callie flipped the covers off once more and forced herself out of bed.
She was pretty sure she knew where to find them and...yep, there was Arizona, swaying side-to-side with the baby cuddled against her shoulder, staring at the Christmas tree. Callie could hear her softly whispering to the baby.
"-and tonight Mommy is going to take your Mama out on a real, live date. A Christmas Eve date. Our tradition. We're going to eat a fancy dinner where no one spits up their food and we are going to have a conversation that isn't interrupted by crying. You are going to stay with Uncle Mark and Aunt Lexie because they need to practice for when their baby comes. You're their rent-a-kid tonight. Oh, and it's completely ok if you are bad for Uncle Mark. That's pretty much a standing rule for the rest of your life, ok? Just don't tell Mama. Anyway, don't worry, we'll be home before Santa gets here. Because it's your first Christmas, E-Claire and-"
"Our daughter is not a dessert, Arizona." Callie spoke from the doorway where she had stopped. The way the Christmas lights twinkled from the tree framed her wife and daughter had stilled her heart for a moment and she had paused to enjoy the sensation.
"But she's so sweet, Calliope," Arizona argued and nuzzled her head into the crook of the baby's neck. "She's sugar."
"Mmmhmm," Callie dryly responded. She stepped behind Arizona and wrapped her arms around Arizona's waist, drifting upwards until her hands rested on Ella's back. "She is pretty sweet," Callie admitted, "but that defense is getting old. And stop telling her to be bad for Mark! One day she's going to understand what you're saying."
"Hmpf," was Arizona's answer.
Hearing her Mama's voice, and knowing that breakfast was close by, Ella began to squirm beneath their hands, her quiet sniffles elevating once again. "She's hungry." Arizona stated the obvious as she passed the baby over to Callie.
"Someone was supposed to be bringing her to me to eat."
Arizona's grin was sheepish. "Yes, well, we were on her way but E-Claire really wanted to see the Christmas lights so…"
"Oh, so Ella wanted to see the Christmas lights, huh?"
"Yep. Yep, yep. Your daughter is a sucker for Christmas, Calliope." Arizona shrugged as Callie settled in their brand-new rocker.
"Mmmhmm," Callie said again. Glancing down as her daughter began to eat, Callie crooned, "Mommy's a little crazy at Christmas time, ok? She's all bright lights and candy canes and...and happy. Seriously happy. Happy all the time. You are just going have to put up with the insanity, ok? Even if you are Mama's little badass."
"Calliope! You did not just call my daughter a badass!"
Laughing at Arizona's anticipated reaction, Callie rose one eyebrow and said, "Someone has to drown out all the perk, Arizona." When Ella gurgled against her breast, Callie nodded. "See, she agrees with me."
"What?" Arizona scoffed. "That noise was like the cutest, most adorable, most awesome perky noise I have ever heard. She is totally on my side!"
Callie glanced back at her daughter and stage-whispered, "I know your going to be a badass, baby girl. But its alright if you want to pretend to be all sunshine and rainbows and butterflies sometimes. Just to keep Mommy happy." As she spoke, Callie gazed at her daughter and ran a soft hand down the length of her back, snuggling her in closer to her breast.
When Arizona didn't respond to her not-so-quiet comments, Callie looked up to find her wife staring at her. She rolled her eyes, "What? Ok, ok, I'll stop cursing in front of the baby. Geesh."
"No it's not...I mean yes, but…I don't…"
"Arizona?"
"It gets me sometimes, you know? All my favorite things, right here in one place."
Callie raised that single brow again and smirked, "Boobs, badasses and babies?" She expected a sarcastic reply and was surprised when Arizona laid a gentle hand against Callie's cheek, her other hand dropping to trace a gentle finger across Ella's cheek.
"My wife. My-my daughter. My family, on Christmas Eve. I'm so happy. So happy I married you; so happy you convinced me that we could do this...that we could have her. I love you, Calliope. So much. And our baby, she's…she's amazing. I..." Arizona trailed off and glanced at the tree before turning back to smile at her family. "Best Christmas ever," she explained simply.
"Best Christmas ever," Callie agreed solemnly, her eyes just beginning to fill with unshed tears while she stared at her wife. When Ella ended the moment with a loud, and unexpected shriek against Callie's breast, Callie grinned. "She is pretty cool, huh?" She dropped her head and smiled at the baby, happily sucking away and gurgling to herself. Lifting a hand to cup the one Arizona still held against her cheek, Callie added, "I am so in love with you both. Even if you are both morning people with insanely merry personalities."
"Awwe, Calliope, you said 'merry.' I'm rubbing off on you."
"Yeah, yeah," Callie muttered. "I also said 'insanely,'" she reminded Arizona.
"Whatever." Arizona danced away with a smile. "I'll make you some breakfast."
"Yum, cereal," Callie said, but she kept her voice low so only Ella could hear.
"Oh and Calliope," Arizona called from the kitchen, "Boobs, badasses, and babies? Totally my favorite things."
"So, what time is Ella-Bella coming over to play?" Mark leaned against the Peds counter and grinned at Arizona.
There was something...almost adorable about Mark's love for her daughter. It had gone a long way towards softening Arizona's lingering annoyance whenever her wife's best friend was around. Which was often. But now that she and Callie, and Mark and Lexie, were married, her life felt a lot more secure. Ironclad.
"Callie is going to drop her off around six, if that's ok? I'm on till seven so she's going to pick me up at the hospital."
"Six is fine but why so early? We live ten minutes from the hospital," Mark reminded Arizona. "Maybe you've been there? You used to live across the hall."
Ok, so maybe he was still a tad annoying. But she laughed anyway. "Yes, I seem to remember something like that. She's coming early because this is Ella's first babysitting experience and I'm guessing it's going to take Callie at least an hour to actually walk out your door. I'm counting on you and Lexie to remind her that she really doesn't want to cancel our date when she tells you that she won't leave the baby."
"Big plans, huh?"
"Not big, necessarily. But a date the night before a holiday-Christmas, Valentines, even Memorial Day-is a tradition for Callie and I. One I don't want to see disappear now that we have a child."
"Gotcha," Mark nodded. "Cal's nervous about leaving the kid?"
Arizona cocked her head to the side while she contemplated his question. "She doesn't think she's nervous. But I know her; on the inside she's totally freaking out."
"You think?"
"Oh, yeah. Trust me. I had to lie and tell her that my shift ended at six, just so she wouldn't push leaving to the last minute and make us late for our reservations. She is not going to be able to walk away from that baby without a lot of convincing."
At precisely 5:45 p.m., Callie knocked on Mark's door. While she waited for him to answer, she turned to stare wistfully across the hall at the blue door that guards her former home. Switching the heavy baby carrier to her other arm, Callie smiled at Ella, who was wide awake and blinking at the ceiling lights. "Your Mommy and I used to live right over there," she pointed. "We had to move because you take up a lot of space, even though you're really small. That's ok but sometimes I miss this place. It's so close to work and you would have loved growing up across the hall from Uncle Mark and Aunt-"
"Uh, Cal? You realize you're in the hallway having a conversation with a three month old, right? I'm pretty sure she's a genius but I doubt she can talk back. Yet." When Callie turned to face him with pursed lips, his eyes traced one quick trek down the length of her body before he let out a low whistle. "Wow. You look hot."
Because old habits really do die hard, Callie stepped close and promptly kicked Mark in the shin. "Thanks," she smiled, even as he groaned.
"Ouch! What'd you do that for?"
"Because my hands are too full to punch you."
"Yeah but why-You know what, never mind. You've never really needed a reason to punch me anyway."
"Exactly." Callie brushed past Mark to greet Lexie. "Hey Lex. How's my future godson feeling?" She asked, setting down the baby carrier and massaging her aching arm.
"He's feeling like ninety pounds of dead weight," Lexie answered with her hands cupped over her stomach protectively, "except when he's feeling like the star of Lord of the Dance."
"Hey, my kid's not going to be in some pussy show! Those are soccer kicks you feel."
Callie winked at Lexie before turning and, her hands now free, punching Mark in the arm.
"Shit, Cal! Stop doing that."
Both girls ignored his whining as Callie unceremoniously transferred the baby into his arms. Instantly softened, Mark forgot all about his aching shoulder and cuddled his almost niece. "Hey, beautiful," he crooned, his voice the same tone and texture he used to use to seduce the nurses. "When are you going to grow up and marry me?"
"Nice. Replaced by an infant."
Callie laughed at Lexie's insult. "Remember when you were the infant?"
"Don't start," Lexie ordered Callie. "We can stop the 'Little Grey' jokes right now because there is nothing 'little' about me now."
"Ha, fair enough. Listen, before I go, are you two sure that you don't mind keeping Ella tonight? It's your Christmas Eve, too."
Mark didn't respond because he was completely engrossed in cuddling the baby who, equally in love, cooed softly in his arms. Lexie smiled at the sight, anxious for Mark to meet his son, and shook her head at Callie. "No, no, it's fine. We wanted a night in. Besides, this is good practice for the baby."
"That's what Arizona said this morning," Callie nodded. "I've packed a change of pj's and way more diapers than you're going to need. She's bathed and should stay up for a little while. She's going to want to eat in about an hour. I pump-uh, there's a bottle packed. Pop it in the mic for about 30 seconds and it should be fine. She's a good eater. I'm not exactly sure when we'll be back so I packed another bottle but I doubt you'll need it. She should fall asleep after her dinner and sleep until we get back. Oh! And she likes to snuggle with this blanket," Callie reached in the bag and pulled out a knit blanket of pale purple. Her shrug was sheepish when she added, "At least, Arizona thinks she likes this blanket the most. I'm pretty sure she doesn't like to sleep at all, but that's just me. Anyway, I think that's all you need to know."
"Sounds good. You're picking Arizona up at the hospital?"
"Yeah." Callie glanced at her watch. "We have dinner reservations in about thirty minutes so I should-"
"You're dinner's not for another hour and a half," Mark interrupted, still snuggling with Ella.
"What?"
"Blondie lied. She thought you'd have a tough time leaving Bella here so she gave you about an hour of flextime."
"She-she...I told her I was fine."
"You're just going to walk out of here, leaving your brand new baby girl to fend for herself, without a care in the world? All for a date and the promise of a little holiday nookie?" Nuzzling the baby, he teased, "What kind of Mama is she anyway?"
Callie rolled her eyes, even as she laid a gentle hand against Ella's back. "I'm leaving my daughter, who is basically going to sleep the entire time, for four hours, in the care of two surgeons, who live across the street from a hospital and will soon be parents themselves. I think she'll be fine," Callie answered. "And as for the promise of holiday nookie? It's been about four months so, yeah, I'm going on this date."
"Four months?" Mark practically shrieked as he pushed Callie towards the door. "What the hell are you doing here? Go. Go now. We've got her. Sleep, eat in four hours, blah, blah. Go." When Callie stopped in the hall to kiss the baby one last time and whisper in her ear, Mark muttered to himself, "Four months. Why would you even bother with dinner?" Out loud he shoved a laughing Callie one last time and said again, "Go."
Callie glanced around the hospital lobby fondly as she walked towards the elevator. She was dreading leaving Ella in two weeks-after the New Year-but she was itching to get back into the OR and start playing with bones again.
Speaking of itching… Arizona rolled past the elevator doors on the Peds floor and almost missed her wife. Skidding to a halt when she noticed Callie's arrival, Arizona's jaw dropped in silent appreciation of the Latina's appearance.
"You...ah, you look… Gorgeous," Arizona decided.
Callie's answering smile was satisfied and proud. Her skirt was black, short and tight; her top was deep red, snug, and cut to hug her ample curves. The ensemble was capped by her much-adored leather jacket and a new pair of black leather boots. She had been pretty sure Arizona would approve, but watching blue eyes go blurry with sexual haze was a not-so-small personal victory. "Better than the sweatpants and pj's of late, huh?"
Arizona's head shook slowly back and forth but one dimple popped in a fond grin. "When I'm home on leave with E-Claire, I'm never taking my pajamas off," she admitted. "Besides," Arizona glanced down at herself, "scrubs are basically all you get to see me wear."
Allowing her eyes to scan up and down Arizona's form, Callie was acutely aware how long it had been when dark navy blue scrubs were suddenly as enticing as leather and lace. "And you wear them so well," Callie hummed before tucking her tongue in cheek. "But why are you still in them?" She glanced casually at her watch. "Aren't we running a little behind for our 6:30 reservations?"
"I…" Crap, Arizona thought. Crap, crap, crap. "Mark told you, didn't he? Traitor," she mumbled under her breath when Callie nodded. Falling back on the idea that the best defense is a good offense, Arizona scowled, "You just left her. Seriously, Calliope? I mean, did you even take a second to-to-to commemorate the moment?"
"Commemorate the moment? Really, Arizona?"
"It's the first time we've left her! She's...she's going to wonder where we are and when we are coming back and you- You left her!"
"Arizona, Ella is fine. Mark and Lexie have got this. I kissed her goodbye and made sure they had more instructions then they could possibly need but, yeah, I left. I was in a hurry to get to my wife-my very sexy wife-who promised me a hot date, beginning at 6:00!"
"Ok, ok. I thought you might take a little while to, you know, make sure our daughter was going to be ok without us."
"Arizona," Callie whined.
"Fine. Um. I'm not actually off shift yet so…" Arizona glanced around the Peds floor and bit her lip. "If you don't mind, um, waiting, I'll be done by 7:00. In time for our 7:30 reservations."
Callie rolled her eyes and had to stop herself from kicking Arizona in the shins the same way she had done to Mark.
"You could go find Bailey; she's around here somewhere and she's been hounding me for pictures of Ella. Or you could wait in my office. Maybe give Mark a call, make sure everything's ok."
Callie sighed but she finally began to understand Arizona's scheming. Arizona was nervous but she refused to admit it. Willing to play along, Callie nodded. "You know, I think I will call Mark. Just to check. I think I told him that she likes to sleep with the blanket your Mom made but maybe I should make sure."
Arizona's shrug was nonchalant but Callie could see relief spark quietly in her blue eyes. "Sounds good. I've got a break in rounds-I'll go take my shower now so we can leave as soon as my shift is done. Maybe get an early drink at the restaurant bar?"
Callie smiled. "Sounds perfect."
They were halfway through their appetizer, and a third through their second glass of wine, when Arizona abandoned all pride. Callie was caught up in a diatribe about their bizarre neighbor and his annoying dog when Arizona exploded, "Are you even worried at all? How can you be so calm? You are sitting here, talking like everything is normal and-and...I don't think you even-even care!"
Her fork paused in the air in front of her mouth, Callie narrowed her eyes in confusion. She set the fork down and shrugged carefully, "Um...I, um, well, I mean Prissy is annoying but I don't really think she's worth freaking out about."
"Calliope!" Arizona's shriek was incredulous and caused more than a few heads to turn. "I'm not talking about that damn dog!"
"Ah," Callie shook her head. "What are you talking about then?"
"Daniella!" Arizona continued to shout. "You're sitting here eating your dinner and talking about...about some stupid dog and you haven't even texted Mark to make sure she's ok."
"Arizona." Callie's voice softened with understanding. "If anything is wrong with Ella, Mark would let us know immediately, baby. But if you're nervous, why don't you call him?"
"Because I'm the pediatrician!" Arizona yelled again. "I'm a pediatrician," she repeated more quietly. "I know kids. I know how resilient they are. I'm the last person who should be worried about a perfectly healthy child."
"You're not Ella's pediatrician, baby. You're her mother. It's ok to be nervous."
"I refuse to be one of those crazy parents who thinks her child will break a leg because she fell down. Or who thinks no one else can protect her child for a few hours."
"So, you want me to be one of those parents instead?" Callie asked, trying to hide her smile.
"I-I thought you would be," Arizona admitted. "You are home with her all day long. I thought it would be a little hard for you to leave. I was completely prepared to calm you down. But no, you're all calm and collected and I. Am. Freaking. Out."
"I can see that," Callie answered quietly. "She's a good baby, Arizona. Easy. I mean, I wish she would sleep more than four hours at a stretch but she's a happy, healthy baby, Zona. You were the one who worried how a baby would change your life, change our life. A Christmas Eve date is our thing. I didn't want having Ella to change that."
"But she did change my life, Calliope. In the best possible way. And I do want to be with you, on our date. You're sitting there, looking completely sexy with God-knows-what going on under your clothes, and I want to enjoy our date and think about all the ways I'm going to get you undressed this evening but all I can think about is her. It doesn't make sense, I know. I leave for work everyday so I should be used to this but she's with you then and I-I miss her all day long and now it's Christmas Eve and-"
"Arizona." Callie stopped her with a light hand against her cheek. "Give me five minutes." Without another word, Callie was up and striding to the front of the restaurant, leaving Arizona staring at her retreating form in utter confusion. Arizona stayed in her seat for exactly four minutes before she stood up, intent on finding Callie, when she saw her wife sauntering back into the restaurant with both their coats.
"Let's go," Callie said.
"What? Go? Go where? Calliope!" Arizona called as the brunette began to walk away again, a casual grin tossed over her shoulder. Rushing to catch up with her, Arizona grasped Callie's arm. "Callie, where are you going?"
Their car was already pulling up in front of the restaurant, the valet's smile tinged with humored understanding. Holding the door open for Arizona, Callie ushered her into the car before finally announcing, "I'm not canceling our date, Arizona. Not on your life. But," she continued over Arizona's interruption, "I'm ok with a change of venue. If you promise not to ask any questions."
"I-"
"No questions, Zona."
"Fine," Arizona huffed and flopped back in her seat. She turned her head towards the window before she allowed herself a small smile. She didn't know where they were headed, but she was sure they'd be picking up their daughter first.
"Damn," Mark sighed when he opened the door.
"What?" Callie asked, pushing him aside to stride into the apartment. Arizona snuck by a little more carefully, ducking her head in obvious embarrassment.
"I expected better of you, Blondie. I knew Cal would crack but I figured you could hold her back for another thirty minutes."
"What are you talking about, Mark?"
"Bailey just won a hundred dollars, that's what I'm talking about," Mark answered.
Arizona, who had already stepped forward to pick up Ella from where she was cuddled against Lexie's rounded belly, turned to gape at Mark. "You bet on us? You bet on how long it would take us to come back and get her?"
"What?" Callie's hand cocked back, ready to punch. "You bet against me?"
Stepping wisely out of the way, Mark shrugged but had the decency to look a little guilty. "It was Bailey's idea," he muttered. "We figured you wouldn't be able to handle your first evening away from the kid," Mark added, nodding towards Callie. "We knew Blondie would be fine but we figured you'd be back before too long, Cal. I had you gone two hours. Bailey had an hour and a half. Damnit," he grumbled again. "Anyway," he added, "it's not like we weren't right." He gestured towards the women as if to say, You're here, aren't you?
"If it makes you feel better, Callie, my money was on you two making it to the end of the evening. I had four hours."
"That-that doesn't make me feel better!" Callie sputtered. "Besides, it wasn't my idea to-" But she caught herself before she ratted out Arizona, realizing her wife wouldn't want to be known as the nervous parent. Sucking in a deep breath, Callie took one for the team. "Fine. I'm a crazy-parent cliché. That's me. Whatever," Callie shrugged, grabbing Ella's bag and then Arizona's free hand. "Did she eat?" Callie asked Lexie.
"Yeah," Lexie nodded. "She fell asleep about five minutes ago."
"Which means," Mark added with a nudge to Callie's ribs and a not-so-subtle wink for Arizona, "you should have about four hours of quality sleeping time. If you know what I mean."
"We always know what you mean, Mark," Callie replied, finally landing her punch but she grinned in shared understanding.
Arizona, fully aware of the bright pink flooding her cheeks, turned to Lexie and smiled. "Thanks, Lexie, for keeping her. We'll see you both tomorrow for Christmas dinner, right?"
"Of course," Lexie answered. "I'm on call so you know how that goes but Mark's got the holiday off."
"Great!" Arizona chirped, super excited about the upcoming Christmas dinner. She surprised everyone when she stretched onto her tiptoes and gently kissed Mark's cheek. Whispering in his ear she admitted, "I'm the one who couldn't stay away. And if you tell anyone I said that, I'll get the Chief to assign Karev to your service. For a month."
Fully warned, Mark only grinned and whispered back, "Softy." He ran an adoring hand through Ella's messy curls and added, "She's pretty great. I wouldn't want to stay away too long either." Kissing Ella's cheek, he murmured, "Merry Christmas, Ella-Bella."
When the girls walked into their new home, a two story row home nestled in one of Seattle's oldest neighborhoods, Ella was still sound asleep. Arizona hefted the baby carrier into the house, immediately heading up the stairs towards the nursery and bypassing the rest of the house.
"You go on ahead," Callie called quietly. "I'll open a bottle of wine."
"Sounds nice," Arizona murmured distractedly from the top of the stairs, trying to lift Ella from her seat without waking her. "I'm going to throw on my pj's too."
"No!" Callie didn't mean to shout her denial and she closed her eyes in dismay when the outburst startled Ella awake. Lowering her voice, Callie muttered, "Shit, sorry. I-I told you that I didn't want our date to end and you know I love it when you wear that blue top. I...don't change. Not yet."
Shrugging and bending over to murmur softly to Ella, Arizona sang, "You're Mama's a sucker for a girl in hot clothes, E-Claire. Yes, she is. You gotta stop crying, baby girl, or your Mommy's going to get in trouble for wanting to pick you up."
"So true," Callie agreed.
"She's sleepy. I'll settle her down and be downstairs to finish our date in a minute."
"K. Sorry," Callie said again.
While Arizona was upstairs, Callie double checked her arrangements, making sure everything was in place for a Christmas Eve date. She had confirmed-and reconfirmed-that everything was perfect and Arizona still had not returned. Worried the baby was giving her more trouble than either of them anticipated, Callie tiptoed upstairs to peek in the nursery. The picture her wife and child made, framed in moonlight fogged by a sheen of ice covering the bay window, stole her breath. Arizona, still in her fancy clothes and high heels, held the quiet baby, wrapped snuggly in her purple blanket, against her chest and rocked side-to-side. She was murmuring sounds that may have been a lullaby but Callie couldn't catch the words. They were a conversation-a song, a prayer, a wish-shared only by mother and daughter.
Moving closer to the pair, Callie whispered, "Is she asleep?"
Arizona leaned back when she felt strong arms encircle her waist, arching her neck to give Callie's questing lips more room. "Yes," Arizona breathed softly. "She barely woke up, even after you scared her and I changed her diaper."
"Good," Callie smiled against Arizona's skin and dropped her head to kiss the flesh exposed along Arizona's back. "When you didn't come down I was worried she was giving you trouble."
"No. Not at all. I just wanted to hold her for another minute."
"Yeah." Callie lifted one hand from Arizona's hip to smooth her palm against her daughter's back, cuddling them both back into her body and resuming Arizona's rocking rhythm. "When she wakes up from her morning nap and we are both all snug in our pajamas and her eyes are wide open and looking all around, I can't put her down. Like literally, cannot let go of her. I'm going to miss that when I go back to work."
Arizona leaned further back and turned her head to look Callie in the eyes. "Are you nervous about that? About going back to work full time?"
"I was thinking about that today when I picked you up from the hospital. I'm ready, I think. To get back to surgery, to cut. Ready to get back to a normal schedule. I'm not sure I'm ready to leave her all day long though. And being on call is going to...well, suck," Callie admitted. "I'm glad the Chief is letting you take leave. It'll be easier going back, knowing you'll be here for a while."
"I'm scared." Arizona's confession was barely audible but Callie felt the way her wife tensed against her chest.
Turning Arizona to face her fully, Callie cupped both hands around her face to ensure her attention. "Scared?"
"You...You're so easy with her," Arizona whispered. "You make it look easy. I… What if she doesn't like me Callie?"
"Arizona-"
"No. I know she's a baby and she basically likes everyone but she's used to you. What if she wants you back and all she does is cry all the time?"
"That's pretty much what she does for me, too," Callie laughed. "You know how to care for a child, Arizona. Baby, look at her. You are wrapped around her and she is snuggled against your chest and sleeping like she's in the happiest place in the world. Your arms are the happiest place in the world. Trust me, I know I thing or two about that. She's going to love having her Mommy close by for six whole weeks. Besides, you'll have all the bottles you need. All she really cares about is the milk."
"Nice, Calliope. Very nice," Arizona muttered but she tipped her head forward to rest against Callie's. Looking down at the baby snuggled between them, Arizona sighed, "She's beautiful, isn't she?"
"She is," Callie answered. "I can't wait to watch her grow up. And part of that, for me, is watching you with her. You are an amazing mom, Arizona. You. Are. Great." The comment was a running gag between the two girls but it always had the desired effect-it made Arizona feel better. "But," Callie lifted Ella from Arizona's arms and nuzzled kisses along her belly and neck, "you are great, amazing, at other things too. And it's time you got back to a few of them." She placed the baby carefully in her crib and tucked her in securely before turning to grab Arizona's hand and pull her to the door. "You, Mrs. Robbins, owe me half a date."
"So I do, Dr. Torres."
"Oohh, doctor."
Arizona laughed and let Callie drag her from the room. "Idiot," she giggled when Callie's eyebrows rose and fell in obvious invitation. Her laughter was cut short, however, when Callie pushed her against the wall and attacked her mouth with a passion that had lay dormant over the last few months of busy days and sleepless nights. By the time Callie pulled back, Arizona was breathless and desperate. Desperately breathless. She felt Callie tugging her the rest of the way down the stairs until they finally stumbled into the living room where Arizona was stopped short.
The living room was glistening with the glow of Christmas. Colored lights twinkled merrily from their tree; the fire gleamed under the hearth, spreading warmth through the room; candles flickered from the dining table and illuminated an elegant meal set under opulent silver. Arizona could hear the lightest notes of traditional Christmas carols lilting through the room and she could smell a mixture of pine, cinnamon and Calliope, all blended seamlessly into a sensory nirvana.
"Calliope," Arizona breathed, her shock dripping from her voice, "when did you-How did you-"
"No questions, remember? Consider this our newest Christmas Eve tradition. Dinner at home, with our babies dreaming of Santa Claus down the hall."
Our babies. Arizona closed her eyes for a moment and reveled in the delight seeping through her pores. Opening her eyes to gaze at Callie, she only shook her head and pressed three fingers against trembling lips, unsure of what to say.
Callie understood the emotion reflecting in Arizona's eyes and she smiled easily. "Sit down, baby. I have to grab the wine I left on the counter."
"No," Arizona shook her head and grabbed Callie's hand.
"No?"
"You've done enough," Arizona explained. "You sit down. I'll get the wine."
Callie took her seat quickly and craned her body around in the chair to watch Arizona walk away. She wondered idly when she would finally get those clothes peeled off Arizona's body and those long, strong legs wrapped around her waist. Obviously Arizona had the same idea because when she came back into the room she set the bottle of wine carefully on the table before swinging one leg across Callie's lap to straddle her thighs. Hiking her skirt up a tad higher, Arizona settled comfortably in Callie's lap and wrapped her arms around Callie's neck. She leaned in for a long kiss, moaning into Callie's mouth when the Latina allowed Arizona's tongue entrance. She didn't pull back until she felt Callie's hands streaking up her sides and moving inwards to palm her breasts.
Leaning against the table, Arizona smiled at Callie and shivered when Callie ran her thumbs softly, almost casually, across Arizona's silk-covered nipples. There was nothing casual about the fire that smoldered in Callie's dark eyes. When Arizona bent to press kisses along Callie's jaw, Callie murmured, "Your dinner is going to get cold."
"Dinner can wait," Arizona mumbled against Callie's lips. She groaned when Callie's thumb tweaked her nipple. "This can't. I need you. Now."
"Oh God," Callie cried, sinking into the kiss. She pressed forward until Arizona was leaning on the edge of the table. Arizona squirmed against the pressure on her back until Callie shifted her closer in her lap and dropped her head lick a path along the neckline of Arizona's top. "Shouldn't we move this to the bedroom?" Callie asked and lifted Arizona to a standing position.
Arizona followed behind Callie but when they reached the living room, Arizona stopped Callie with a sharp tug on her arm. "No. Here. In front of the Christmas tree," she said, pulling Callie to the soft carpet beneath her. "Now," Arizona repeated.
Arizona maneuvered their bodies until she was laying fully atop Callie, their limbs twined together and every inch of one body touching the other. Dipping her head to run her tongue along Callie's lips, Arizona whispered against her mouth, "Te quiero, Calliope. Quiero que todo el tiempo."
"Arizona, are you-How did you-"
"Shh," Arizona whispered, pressing a finger against Callie's lips before dipping it inside Callie's mouth to tease her tongue. Taking Callie's earlobe between her teeth, Arizona let her hot breath wash over Callie. "Quiero lamer usted en todas partes. Quiero toque usted por toda. Estoy va a hacerte gritar."
As Arizona spoke, she ran a hand beneath Callie's shirt and under her bra, carefully avoiding her over-sensitized nipples when she cupped her breast. "Dios," Callie whimpered. "Fuck me."
"Gladly," Arizona agreed and lifted Callie into a sitting position so she could tug off her shirt and bra. When Callie would have laid back, her chest now bare and her tight skirt pushed high against her thighs, Arizona held her upright. She rained kisses down Callie's chest, her nails involuntarily digging into Callie's back when she heard Callie's grunt of satisfaction.
Standing up to remove her clothes, Arizona spread her legs out to straddle Callie's waist and began to perform an impromptu strip tease. Her button-down top allowed her to move painstakingly slow, giving Callie brief glimpses of the flesh beneath before closing again. When she reached the last button, and would have delayed the inevitable a tad longer, Callie took matters into her own hands and, uncaring that the button popped from its thread, ripped the shirt open. Stepping close to Callie, who was still seated on the floor, Arizona bent low enough to offer Callie a close-up view of her chest, clad in a bra of red satin and accented by a border of green lace.
"Mmm," Callie breathed, settling wet kisses against Arizona's bared stomach. "I like your Christmas bra."
"'Tis the season," Arizona teased. "And," she added, stepping back to continue her dance, "my panties match."
When she dropped her skirt to the floor, Callie felt saliva pool in her mouth and a wetness of an entirely different sort pool between her legs. Arizona's panties did indeed match-made of green and outlined in red. Who knew Christmas could be so sexy?
Callie wrapped strong hands around Arizona's muscled thighs and pulled the blonde towards her, certain assets now situated at the perfect height for Callie's mouth. Leaning forward, Callie traced the festive lace with her tongue, outlining the whole of Arizona's panties before finally dropping her head to plant an openmouthed kiss against the searing heat dripping between her legs.
Arizona hesitated for more than a minute, caught up in Callie's enthusiasm, before stepping a centimeter's length away. "No," Arizona shook her head. "I want to touch you," she said, her voice carrying a hint of command. Settling again in Callie's lap, Arizona caught them both in a sumptuous kiss.
While lips crushed and tongues danced, both girls fully absorbed in the moment, hands began to wander. Callie's hands drifted down Arizona's back and pushed beneath her panties, grasping Arizona's ass and pulling the small blonde flush against her. Arizona began to thrust her hips, pleasuring them both by pressing their centers firmly together, only to pull away again.
When Arizona pressed Callie back, cushioning her fall, the two girls melted together into the soft carpet. Arizona's hands traced every inch of Callie's body, relearning the flesh she had long since memorized.
Strong arms dissolved into rounded shoulders, anchoring smooth curves and rounded breasts. Hips spread beneath a supple stomach, heralding the impossible softness that resided below. When Arizona's hands reached their ultimate destination, her palm rested against Callie's damp mound, absorbing the warmth of her desire. Never breaking their kiss, Arizona ran trembling fingers through springy curls, tracing one lip and then the other before barely penetrating Callie's dripping slit. Using two fingers, she moved along the outside of Callie's entrance, up and down. Her teasing was rewarded when Callie tore her mouth from Arizona's and begged, "Touch me. Really touch me."
Arizona needed no further encouragement. She sank two fingers into wet fire, moaning against Callie's mouth when Callie's hips lifted off the carpet to meet her entry. She swirled her fingers inside Callie's body, twisting and turning, all the while reveling in the rivers of heat that dripped along her hand. Using the strength of her palm, she pressed hard against Callie's swollen clit, circling the hardened bud in alternating contrasts to her movements within Callie's body. When she felt Callie's walls begin to clench, when Callie's teeth sunk into her lip, when the body beneath hers began to tremble, Arizona pulled abruptly away.
Callie's eyes tore open in frustration but before she could open her mouth to speak ('What the hell?' at the forefront of her thoughts), Arizona was already racing down her body. Tearing Callie's underwear from her legs, she retraced the same torturous journey her fingers had travelled with her tongue. Eventually-finally-she spread Callie's lips and sucked her flesh fully into her mouth and that was all it took for Callie to completely unravel. Callie was the one being devoured but it was Arizona who sobbed her pleasure, captivated by the taste of Callie's climax and the feeling of her own orgasm begging for release.
When Callie's bucking hips stilled and her racing pulse slowed against Arizona's seeking tongue, Arizona whispered kisses up and down Callie's legs and torso, absorbing her aftershock tremors. She heard, or felt, Callie's breath even out and was convinced her wife had fallen asleep beneath her. A smug smile tilted her lips even before Callie shuddered, "Thank God."
Yep, still smug. "I'm Arizona," she mocked.
Callie laughed. "Moron. But seriously. That was...amazing. Fabulous. Super," Callie grinned.
"You sound surprised," Arizona teased, crawling up the length of Callie's body and cuddling against her side.
"Not surprised. Relieved. And grateful."
"Relieved?"
"Yeah. I mean it's-" When Callie shook her head, Arizona wondered at the hesitation-and was that embarrassment?-that coated Callie's voice. Linking their fingers, she silently waited for Callie to continue. Callie cleared her throat and tried again. "It's been a while. With the end of pregnancy and the baby and everything, it's...been a while," she repeated. "I was worried this would change. That hot sex in the living room wouldn't happen after we had a kid."
"Well," Arizona drawled, "we may want to get used to moving to the bedroom once E-Claire is out of a crib but the hot sex? Never going to change."
"I don't want to turn into some bad cliché. You know, something about bed death or some such crap. But we just had sex in the living room. So we're fine. Thank God," Callie repeated.
Arizona rolled on top of Callie and pressed their bodies together. "Completely fine," she assured Callie. "The only cliché we can be accused of is the one having to do with bunnies."
"Moron," Callie said again.
"I'm just saying."
"You...want me." Callie struggled to keep the fear out of her words but Arizona caught the question beneath them.
Deciding actions speak the loudest, Arizona rotated her hips firmly against Callie's and moaned, "Te quiero." She grabbed Callie's hand and guided it between her legs, trapping it with their bodies. "Feel that? That's how much I want you." She quivered when Callie ran curious fingers along Arizona's soaked length. "That's how much I want you. All the time. You look at me and I'm done. Seriously."
"But the baby-"
"Has only made you sexier," Arizona interrupted before the fear could root. She cupped Callie's heavy breasts in either hand and grinned, "Trust me."
Biting her lip between her teeth, Callie dipped two fingers inside Arizona and lifted her hips to pin herself deep within Arizona's walls. She pushed Arizona to a sitting position so that the blonde was riding her hand. One hand reached for Arizona's breast, molding the yielding flesh to her will. When Arizona would have leaned forward for another kiss, Callie pushed her firmly back. "I want to watch you," she said. "I want to watch you when I make you come. You're so beautiful, Arizona, and I want to see how much you want me."
"God," Arizona groaned, flexing her hips to match each of Callie's slow thrusts. Blue eyes locked with brown, speaking more than words, while Arizona's hips rocked, rocked, rocked against Callie's clever fingers.
Callie rubbed her free palm up and down Arizona's torso as her fingers explored every hidden crevice of Arizona's folds. "I missed you. Missed this. I love the way you feel. The way you smell. The way you…do that," Callie smiled when Arizona cupped her own breasts and began to move more frantically. Knowing Arizona was close to the edge, Callie urged her on, curling her fingers in a 'come hither' gesture that sent shockwaves of sensation coursing through Arizona's body. "Come for me, baby. Come for me now."
As if Callie's command had set her free, Arizona's body began to shake of its own accord. She collapsed against Callie's chest, still rotating her hips as wave on wave of pleasure swept across her flesh. Before her tensed muscles could relax, before she could catch her breath, Callie swept her back into a torrent of feeling, now adding her thumb against Arizona's clit in rhythmic strokes. When she tumbled over the edge again, it was Arizona who screamed, Spanish shockingly ripping from her lips to hang in the air like a siren's call. "Te queiro."
"You want me." This time Callie's statement was sure, perhaps a tad arrogant. "I know you do, because you told me so in Spanish. Which was...hot. So fucking hot, and completely unexpected. What was that? Did you memorize key phrases from Google translate or what? Because if so, I could teach you a few more."
Arizona giggled lightly and nodded, "I'm sure you could. But no, I didn't only memorize the words. Or not really. I…" She took a deep breath. "Me inscribí en una clase de español. Es parte de tu regalo de Navidad. Quería aprender español para que tú y yo pudiéramos tanto enseñar su idioma a Ella."
Callie's jaw dropped and she felt the sting of unshed tears burn behind her eyes. She wasn't sure what awed her more: the staggering gesture or the rapid ease with which Arizona seemed to have picked up her mother tongue. "Wow. You're… Just wow," Callie said with a shake of her head. "I love you."
"I love you, too," Arizona smiled. "And I want to share every aspect of our family with you. Together."
"You're...beautiful," Callie sighed. "Extraordinary."
"Awesome is the word you're looking for Calliope."
"Yeah, yeah. That too. How long have you been going to class? Because you're really, really good."
"Actually," Arizona tipped her head against Callie's shoulder as she confessed, "I'm not that good. Yet," she added firmly. "I told my teacher what I wanted to say to you and she wrote the lines down for me."
"You-you-" Callie stuttered. "You told your teacher that you wanted to lick-"
Face turning bright red as she realized Callie's assumption, Arizona shouted, "No. No! God. No. That was mostly Google translate. Plus some of what I've learned and have been able to put together. But seriously, Calliope, did you think I'd say that to a teacher?"
"I was going to say…" Callie laughed. Smacking Arizona on the ass, Callie said, "We could still eat dinner, you know. It's probably ice cold by now but I'm pretty sure Paella Valenciana can be reheated."
"Paella?" Arizona questioned, leaning back to glance at Callie uncertainly.
"Yep. From Taberna del Alabardero. Where we are supposed to be on a date and only imagining the things we just did to each other."
"I liked our way better," Arizona grinned. "But how did you-"
"No questions, remember. Now, do you want to eat or what?"
"I...um, yes, I guess we should," Arizona hesitated and glanced towards the stairs.
"You want to go get her, don't you?"
"I do," Arizona sighed gratefully. "I really, really do. Do you think I'm crazy?"
"Yes," Callie answered simply, dropping a kiss against Arizona's now-messy curls. "But go get her anyway."
When Arizona squealed and darted towards the stairs, Callie shook her head and smiled. She was turning towards the kitchen when Arizona called, "Calliope?"
"Hmm?"
"Feliz Navidad, baby. Mejor Navidad nunca."