Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's Anatomy.

Summary: A different ending to Season 6, Callie and Arizona part before a chance at reconciliation happens. Callie returns home that night to an empty apartment until a knock sounds on the door…

Silent Night-
-A Story

The click of the ambulance door shutting echoed through the air like a gun shot.

It was eerily quiet despite the fact that an entire hospital was being emptied into the streets.

Callie let out a long, deep breath turning to look as Arizona turned towards her; a dazed look covering her porcelain features. They stared at one another, watching carefully, each waiting for the other to make the next move; each wondering what the next move would be. Callie raised her brow, tilting her head to the side, trying to lighten a mood she wasn't sure could be anything but heavy.

Arizona's face twitched in half smile, tilting her own head in response. "I'm going to go see if kids need help finding their parents," she explained, turning to walk away.

Callie's mind reeled at the sight of blonde curls walking away; the events of the day flashing before her in a haze.

People died, she wanted to say. I don't want to have kids if it means I can't be with you, she wanted to scream.

No, she wanted to hear Arizona respond. We'll have kids, all kinds of kids, she wanted to hear her agree.

But the words caught in her throat, constricting until she could barely breathe. They had fought earlier, hate had actually flowed through her veins; they had been truthful, hurtful in a way she hadn't been aware they were capable.

How could everything be fixed in a matter of minutes when six hours ago they had been at complete odds?

They couldn't, she knew, but she wanted desperately too. She opened her mouth again, willing the words to spew forth on their own accord.

"Yeah," Callie mumbled to the retreating figure, receiving nothing but the silence of the air around her.

It was too quiet but Callie was surprised at how calm she was.

She was alone, lying on the couch; one arm bent underneath her head, one resting against her stomach. One leg thrown across the arm at the opposite end of the couch, the other dangling off the edge; her foot resting against the ground.

A half drunken wine glass sitting on the coffee table next to her.

She had come home hours before, exhaustion creeping into her skin until she was practically dragging herself through the front door. She had gone straight into her room, habitually changing into a pair of pajamas before collapsing onto the bed; her eyes closing instantly.

Until they snapped open a second later, the images of what could have only transpired today flashing before her closed lids.

She had yet to get any details. Cristina and Owen were staying with Meredith as she sat vigil by Derek's side. Mark was staying with Lexie as she watched over Alex. She had only spoken with Mark and Owen briefly, just getting enough details to know who had been hurt (who had been taken) but not enquiring enough as to exactly what had happened. She would press for details later, when the hurt of their wounds had begun to heal.

And the not knowing; the wondering of what could have happened to her friends…It was scary what the imagination could do when presented with tragedy.

So she had moved to the couch, grabbing some wine on her journey. They lights were off, which, she knew, was ironic given the days events. But her scare, her nightmare had taken place in such a highly light room that she felt the only solace she could seek would be in the dark of the night; the only light coming from the shine of the moon as it peeked through the blinds.

It was then, wondering if she should move and refill her wine glass, that she heard it. The frantic pounding of a knock on her door. There were three loud knocks before a pause and then another assault, this time unrelenting; a threat to wake up the neighbors if she didn't put an end to it.

Callie grabbed the back of the couch, hoisting herself up. She slowly walked towards the door, knowing she should feel hesitant, unsure, scared. But she didn't. If anyone had plans to harm her, they wouldn't take care to knock so god-damn-loud. Though that didn't stop her from pausing to peek through the peep-hole; the sight meeting her the last she had ever thought she'd see again.

Her heart raced as she threw the door open, just as a pajama-clad Arizona's head snapped up; her tear stained face shining by the light of the hall as she sobbed.

"Oh thank God," Arizona hiccupped, her words almost indecipherable. The tears seemed to fall harder as her legs gave out, bringing her to the mercy of gravity.

Callie reacted before she could think, leaping forward to catch Arizona before she hit the ground; cradling the sobbing woman against her chest. Arizona's hands immediately buried themselves in Callie's shirt. Callie stood, shocked for a minute, her mind slowly catching up with her body, before she gingerly pulled Arizona closer, guiding her into the room and closing the door behind them.

She walked them to the couch, carefully settling her ex-girlfriend into the plush cushions before she followed; never breaking their contact.

Callie felt her body react naturally, softly stroking the soft blonde locks before her; one arm wrapped protectively around a lithe body. It was a situation she had been before, under a number of circumstances.

She could feel Arizona's racing heart against her side; a rhythm she wondered matched her own.

They sat in the same position for minutes, Callie quietly comforting Arizona as her tears slowly started to fade. Her breathing slowly began to calm until they were as close to even as they could be without a paper bag. "Are you okay?" Callie whispered into Arizona's hair.

The blonde stiffened, carefully extracting herself from the comfort of Callie's arms. She shied away, hiccupping a mumbled "I'm sorry," as she dried her face on the ends of her long, thin sleeves.

"Hey," Callie whispered quietly, placing her hand lightly on Arizona's wet cheek and guiding her gaze back to her own. They stared at one another, a late tear falling from Arizona's eyes. Callie quickly caught it with her thumb, offering the blonde a comforting smile. "You want to tell me what that was about?" She asked, tracing her hand along Arizona's jaw before dropping it, knowing Arizona liked her space in the moments after vulnerability.

Arizona let out a long sigh, lowering her gaze as she absentmindedly picked at her pajama pants.

"Arizona," Callie tried again, her voice comforting but pressing.

Arizona pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, worrying it, before she sighed again. She rubbed her eye, letting her hand drop back down with a loud flop before she spoke: "I went home," she began, her voice so quiet Callie had to strain to hear her even in the silent of the night. "I was so tired I—don't even remember changing into these," she said, pointing to her sleepwear.

Callie smiled, knowing the exact feeling. She watched as Arizona's nose wrinkled in disgust. "They don't even match," she spoke again and Callie had to suppress a laugh. The blonde sniffled loudly; Callie blindly reached behind her, grabbing the nearby box of tissues and handed them to her companion.

"Thanks," Arizona said, unceremoniously taking a handful of tissues and blowing her nose.

They fell into silence again.

"So you showed up on my door step crying because your pajamas don't match?"
Arizona let out a small choked laugh; an odd combination between actual mirth and self-sorrow. She shook her head, wiping her face again. "I somehow ended up on my bed and I fell asleep and I….I had a dream."

Callie held her breath as Arizona paused, not knowing what the blonde was going to say next but having a sinking feeling she knew what.

"We were back with Ruby…And he was there again—he was so angry that they had shot him. I'd never seen anyone so…" Arizona's words caught and she looked back down to her lap, staring at her hands like they were foreign objects. "You tried to get him to go away, just like…you gave him the gauze but he—he just got frustrated and he…he…" Another sob escaped Arizona's lips. She slowly looked up, her eyes once again brimming with tears. "I've never seen so much blood."

Callie felt her throat tighten as she imagined what Arizona had seen in her dream. Deftly, she reached forward again; trying to prove to the woman before her that she was unharmed, very much alive. But Arizona stopped her.

Tentatively Arizona reached forward, bringing her hand to the top hem of Callie's shirt. "I put my hand right here," she said, slowly inching her nimble fingers under the shirt until her palm was resting over Callie's beating heart. She sighed, her eyes fluttering closed.

Callie felt her pulse quicken at the feel of Arizona's cold hand against her chest. It was a feeling she hadn't felt in far too long. One she wanted to feel for the rest of her life.

"There was nothing," Arizona continued again, her eyes slowly opening again. "I couldn't feel anything and I just…I had to make sure, to see that you were still…" Their eyes met again. "It's irrational but it was so…I couldn't feel your heart."

Callie wrapped her hand around Arizona's wrist, pushing her hand closer against her chest; willing her to feel the life beating beneath it. "It isn't irrational," she whispered. "I would have broken the speed laws to get to you if I had thought…"

Arizona smiled sadly, "I may have gotten flashed a few times on my way over." She slowly removed her hand from Callie's heart, unable to stop herself from tracing down Callie's chest and stomach before she returned her hand to her lap.

"I'm sorry," Arizona whispered again.

Callie reached forward, placing her hand on Arizona's cheek once more; glad to feel the blonde finally lean into her touch. "There's nothing to be sorry for. We had a stressful day. You were frightened."

They fell into silence again as Callie's thumb lightly traced against Arizona's cheek bone, their eyes never breaking contact as their breathing fell in synch. The words Callie had wanted to speak early that day came flooding back to her; accompanied by new ones. People died. I don't want kids if it means I can't be with you. Don't ever leave me again. I love—

"I want a baby."

Arizona's voice snapped Callie from her thoughts. She felt her eyes grow wide and her breath hitch at the confession she had wanted to hear for so long. Her heart rate sped again, as she wondered if she wasn't dreaming.

"I can't say I might not regret saying that tomorrow. And we'll probably fight some more. And I might yell and you might cry. But you are going to the most amazing mom. And I-I want to see that. Because I love you so much and I can't live without you-."

Callie had heard enough. She moved her hand from Arizona's cheek to the back of her neck, pulling her closer until their lips pressed together in a fiery, simple kiss. She felt Arizona sigh against her, feeling her own body match the sound, as she brought her other hand up to cradle Arizona's face. She felt Arizona's hands moving across her body, gracing across her cheeks, down her arms, around her waist, back up her sides; her head tilting to the side to allow Callie to deepen their contact.

Slowly they pulled apart, their lips dancing across each other in feather-light kisses. Their foreheads rested together, their breathing evening jointly, their hearts seeming to beat as one in the small space between their bodies.

"I still want to go to Spain," Arizona whispered, her lips brushing against Callie's.

Callie chuckled quietly, "I'll buy the tickets tomorrow."

Tomorrow.

There was so much to be discussed. So much they had to say to one another. Wounds to close, misunderstandings to end, beginnings to start. There was so much to be done.

Callie reclined into the couch, pulling Arizona with her until the rested comfortably in one another's arms. She took in a deep breath, delighting as the smell of Arizona's shampoo filled her senses. She placed a light kiss atop blonde curls. Arizona sighed, pulling Callie closer.

But for now there was the simple, silence of the night.

Fin