"Mark, slow down." Callie nervously grips Sofia's car seat as he pulls out of the parking lot of the hospital.
"Callie, I'm going 5 miles an hour. Just relax." Mark smiles at her from the rearview, trying to reassure her.
Arizona reaches back from the front seat to squeeze Callie's hand. "We'll be home in just a couple of minutes. You're doing great baby."
"Thank you."
"And my big girl, how is she?" Arizona asks, a wide smile spreading across her face.
Callie looks down, and smiles a little herself. "Sleeping like a champ."
"That's our girl" Arizona nods happily.
"Alright ladies. Home sweet home!" Mark gently puts the car in park and turns to look at Callie. "See, we made it. We're good. We're home."
Callie allows Arizona to help her out of the car. She takes a deep breath of the cool Seattle air. "Home." she finally says with a smile of her own. It's been three long months, and she could hardly wait to go up to her apartment. Mark gently removes the car seat and follows Callie and Arizona to the elevator.
"Okay Sofia, here we go." Callie whispers as Arizona unlocks the door to their apartment.
"This is your mommies' house" Mark explains, You'll sleep here most of the time, but Daddy's right across the hall." He sets the car seat down on their kitchen counter. Sofia stirs and sleepily opens her eyes.
"Come here you." Arizona gently lifts the baby out of the carrier. "Are you happy to be home?" She murmurs softly.
"I know I am." Callie's limbs are aching with exhaustion from the events of the evening.
"Callie, we have a surprise for you." Arizona says, softly patting the baby's back.
Mark grins, "come with us."
"What did you two do?" Callie asks with confusion.
They lead her to the door of Cristina's old room. Her eyes widen. "Oh, you guys. You didn't need to do this."
"Yes we did. It's for you, and for her." Arizona kisses Sofia's head.
"Go on open the door!" Mark says with excitement.
Callie is stunned when she opens the door. "All of the stuff we've been picking out, talking about, waiting to order until I got home?"
"We figured you wouldn't mind." Arizona leans in for a kiss.
"Mind? No, I love it!" Callie wipes her eyes as she stares into Sofia's beautiful nursery. The walls had been painted a soft lavender color, Her name had been mounted on the wall above her crib and the room was full of beautiful toys and clothing. Callie was speechless. She gently takes the baby from Arizona as they walk into the room. "Do you see what Mama and Daddy did for you while we were sick?" She coos to the baby.
Arizona's heart flutters at the sound of Callie addressing her as "Mama." They had finally agreed, as they watched Sofia grow together, that Callie would be "Mommy", and Arizona would be "Mama." She has heard Callie call her that before, but tonight, as she gazes lovingly at her girls, at home for the first time, it has special significance.
Callie turns to Mark. "Do you want to take her across the hall, so she can see her Dad's place too?"
Mark's face lights up as Callie gives Sofia to him. "Thanks." He says, a little tearfully.
Arizona and Callie both fight back the tears as Mark lovingly shows his daughter, who has since fallen back asleep, around his apartment. He has gone to great lengths to make it perfect for her. He shows her the crib he has assembled, and the swing he picked out the day they had celebrated her 2 month birthday in the NICU. She had long been off the ventilator, and steadily gaining weight, but it was that day that Dr. Stark had assured them she was officially out of danger, and they could plan on her coming home.
"I know it's not a cool room like you have across the hall at your moms'" he gently explains, but, I thought, when you get a little bigger, we'll make your room up together. Okay?"
Sofia stirs and yawns.
"You guys should probably take her back across the hall." Mark says, handing her to Arizona. She pecks him on the cheek. "You're a great daddy." she says with a smile.
He wraps his arms tightly around Callie, and gives the baby one more kiss before sending them off.
"I'm so glad you guys are home" he says.
##
"Alright! Apnea monitor is set, the Oxygen is ready, just in case. I think our girl is ready to be tucked into her crib Mommy." Arizona calls from Sofia's nursery.
Callie makes no motion to move from the couch where she is contentedly snuggling the baby on her chest.
Arizona chuckles as she rejoins them. "She's not sleeping in there tonight, is she?"
"Nope."
"You're spoiling her." She mocks, rejoining her girls on the couch. Callie breathes in her scent, and lays her head on Arizona's shoulder. "I don't care. There's time for her to sleep in her room. Just... not tonight."
Arizona lovingly kisses her, "I'm just so glad we're home. We're all home. Safe and sound."
"I was so afraid that tonight was never going to happen." Callie's eyes fill with tears.
"Shhh hhh" Arizona takes her face in her hands. "it's alright. We made it. Against everything. You're okay, and Sofia's okay."
"I know" Callie wipes her eyes. "I'm crying because I can't believe it. We're okay. All of us. And look at her, she's fine. She's a miracle."
"She is. She totally is."
"I never want to leave the apartment again." Callie wipes her eyes, laughing and crying at the same time, knowing how ridiculous she sounds.
"Well, we can't very well have that." Arizona kisses her again. "We have a great, big world to show Sofia."
"Nope. Too scary. Remember what Bailey said? Squirrels. Strong winds. Nu uh."
"I do. I also think her point was, parenthood is frightening no matter what." Arizona gently takes Sofia in her arms. "But we'll be scared together. Don't ever forget that. Okay?"
"I love you Arizona."
" I love you too Calliope." She tucks a lock of Callie's hair back behind her ear. "Why don't you go to sleep. I'll take the first shift, you haven't slept in our bed in 3 months babe."
Callie shakes her head. "I want to be here. With both of you."
Suddenly, the front door to the apartment opens, and Mark walks back in. "Guys?"
"Is something wrong?" Callie asks.
Mark shakes his head "I just... I needed to see her one more time before I went to bed." He says sheepishly.
Arizona and Callie exchange a glance, and Arizona gets to her feet with Sofia. "Here sweetpea. Go see Daddy."
He breathes Sofia in one last time, and kisses her on both cheeks. "Okay. Really. I'm gone. I swear." He says walking backward out of the apartment.
Arizona turns back to Callie. "Alright. Here's the deal. If you won't go to bed, the least you can do is doze here."
Callie suddenly realizes her own exhaustion, and nods. "Deal." and within minutes, Is sleeping soundly on the sofa.
Arizona smiles down at Sofia. "Alright kid. It's just you and me."
She glances at the clock on the wall, and fixes her a bottle. She lovingly, carefully feeds her as Callie sleeps peacefully.
"So, listen." she whispers. "I'm not sure I know exactly what I'm doing here, being a mom and all, but I'm gonna try to get it right. Okay?"
Sofia fixes her gaze on Arizona.
"I don't bake cookies, and I suck at sewing costumes. But, I know all the words to School House Rock, and I can teach you how to rollerskate when you get big enough, okay?" She finds herself tearing up a little as she softly speaks to the baby. "I'm going to try and be a good Mama to you Sofia. I'm really, really going to try."
A couple of bottles later, and a handful of diapers, and Callie startles awake. She sits up quickly and looks around.
"What time is it?" She mumbles with confusion. But Arizona and Sofia are not in the living room.
"Arizona?" She calls out in a panic "Where are you?"
She stumbles to her feet, and finds them in the nursery, standing by the window.
"Why didn't you wake me?" She asks.
Arizona turns and smiles, "We tried. You were out. Now come here. Quick."
Callie joins them at Sofia's window. "what are we looking at?"
Arizona smiles, Just wait for it. It'll be here in a second.
Callie turns and her face splits into a grin as she watches the sun begin to rise on the horizon.