Title: You always belonged here
Author: lilyme
Summary: It's Christmas Eve in New York, and Arizona is invited over to Callie's place. One gift is presented a little early. And it's more than welcome.
Character:Arizona/Callie, Sofia
Rating: K
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters in this story, nor do I own any rights to the television show "Grey's Anatomy". They were created by Shonda Rhimes and belong to her and the ABC network. No copyright infringement intended!
It was her first Christmas in New York. And despite the freezing cold on the East coast – something she had already despised while studying and working at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore – it was looking to be a good one.
Callie had invited her to spend Christmas Eve and morning with her and Sofia at her place. And considering how much time they had spent around and with each other lately, anything else would have been a big shock.
"It's really beautiful," Arizona smiled as she watched Callie climb off the ladder she had needed to put a star on top of the Christmas tree. The ornaments were as colorful and diverse as always, a wild mix of baubles, straw stars and little wooden figurines. Completed by Sofia's homemade masterpieces.
The tree clearly dominated the living room and would be its focus for the next few weeks. But the rest of the apartment followed closely behind in its Christmassy flair. With the three of them decorating the place into a winter wonderland. There were snowmen of all shapes and sizes placed methodically about the place. A few jolly Santas here and there, one of them having his obligatory reindeer friends with him. Twinkly lights strung everywhere across the apartment. And not to forget the smell of freshly baked cookies making their mouths water.
As an early present Arizona had given Sofia a plush reindeer and Callie an plush snowman. Just for fun, and for having her around, she claimed. And they both had found their temporary home on the living room couch.
Sofia had taken off to retrieve yet another box they needed to make this Christmas perfect. But eventually she returned empty-handed. "Mama, I can't find the stockings!"
"Oh, right. Hang on, I put them somewhere else," Callie smiled and followed their daughter to go look for the missing items.
And Arizona stood with her eyes fixed on the fireplace where soon the socks would hang and complete the winter decoration. And she remembered that she didn't have one at Callie's place anymore. At least it was very unlikely.
After the divorce Arizona had not taken the stocking into her belongings. Something seemingly so trivial like this the last thing on your mind in this situation. And with Callie's move to New York, in a normal course of events, hers would have been replaced by a sock for Penny. Callie most likely having made one for her too when was part of the family. The brunette loved to do these little things for her loved ones. Until the stocking too would have probably have disappeared with the redhead.
Arizona had to admit she was a little sad. Of course she could live without a sock. Having done so long years before and after Callie. But somehow it simply belonged to Christmas with Callie.
Maybe if they had time and material around the apartment, they could still make her a last minute impromptu one.
Just then Sofia came running back in with two stockings that as expected had the names 'Callie' and 'Sofia' written on them and went to the fireplace to attach them. They were as she remembered them. Sofia's light blue one with the big snowflake. And Callie's green one with the elegant reindeer.
"Need any help, sweetie?" she wondered and was about to walk up to assist when a strong arm grasped her around the waist from behind. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Callie giving her a warm smile. And what she also saw was an all too familiar sock reading her own name. Her red one with the four cute little Christmas trees. A little bit of glitter had been added to it in recent times, as had been to the others, she now noticed. But overall, it was still the same.
The surprise on her face was evident as she took the felt stocking into her hands. "You kept it," she stated more than asked.
"Of course," Callie returned, resting her chin on the blonde's shoulder. The item may not always have been with the others – meaning that one Christmas she had spent with Penny. But she had never dared to throw it out. Because in a way she had always known. Always believed. That one day... "This sock always belonged here. And you always belonged here."
The blonde smiled and happily accepted the little kiss Callie gave her on the cheek and neck.
And Callie could hardly suppress the tears at the at woman's joy. And she really meant it. They were a family. No matter what had happened them, there had never been a question in that. And as family Arizona had always been with her even if they had been physically and emotionally apart.
But now things were different, and she felt her words more than ever.
Thus her and Sofia had come to a decision that meant a big step for them. And they hoped Arizona would be as excited as they were at the idea.
"So, um, Santa has already put a little present in it for you," she explained and winked at Sofia, who was done hanging up the two socks that felt entirely incomplete without this third one, and now watched them excitedly.
And Arizona dug into the felt item, her hand soon coming into contact with something metallic. And upon pulling it up it turned out to be... a key. With a key ring and two charms. One with "NY Isn't That Bad" written on it and one with a big heart.
"I think we're ready for this," Callie began to explain. "We've been dating for months and been tiptoeing around each other with googly eyes for three months before that," she joked and Arizona laughed along at the all too true observation, disentangling herself from Callie's loving hold to be able to look at her lover. "And we're really doing great. We have so much fun with each other. And I want this all the time. I want you to be able to come to this apartment whenever you want so we can all be together like a family. And someday, if you're okay with it, I... we would be more than happy if you moved in with us."
And Arizona didn't need to think about this. She grasped Callie's chin and pulled her in for a kiss.
"Thank you," she smiled and bent down to give Sofia a little kiss as well. "I, uh," she cleared her throat as she played with the key a little, "I hope you'll still act surprised when you find find a key in one your presents tomorrow as well," she winked at Callie, making it clear that she had had a similar plan.
Though who knew how much time they would spend at Arizona's anyway. If the first time they got together was any indication, they'd be spending most of the time at Callie's anyway.
The brunette smirked at the revelation. "So, you're okay with this?"
"Definitely," the other woman returned. "And when it's the right time, I definitely want to move in with you".
END