A/N: I'm sad...But this story will not end sadly. It is defintely Calzona endgame. And It's a two-shot.
Day 1. Callie, Sofia, and Arizona arrive at the airport at exactly 9:45 AM. Sofia has one suitcase and a carry-on while her mother has two suitcases and a dufflebag. Her other mother has no luggage at all so instead chooses to clasp her hands in front of her, needing something to hold. They linger around the stores there and grab coffees from a Starbucks (Sofia gets a hot chocolate). It isn't long before they're sitting quietly in the waiting chairs staring out of the window at airplanes that haven't taken off yet.
It is at 10:00 AM that they finally begin to exchange goodbyes. Arizona hugs Sofia around the waist, kisses her cheek, and whispers a consoling 'I'll see you soon'. When she is done, Callie tips her head toward the other woman, thankful and excited with a heavy lacing of sad. The two hug tightly for a few seconds, and then Arizona pulls away, forces a dimpled grin and shoos them off.
Callie releases a few tears on her walk toward the boarding gate. She doesn't know why.
Day 4. Arizona thinks she may call too often. She thinks Callie may be getting tired of her. She finds everything to be slightly less enjoyable now. Coffee. Work. Waking up in the morning. Sometimes she calls in sick for no reason at all (but then feels guilty and ends up going in anyway). Bailey never says anything about it; she just hmm's and eyes her concernedly when she thinks the blonde isn't looking. April is much more vocal about her concern, always checking in and inquiring about the other woman's mood. Arizona finds it endearing but also incredibly annoying. She avoids the redhead at all costs. Alex doesn't acknowledge her state outwardly. He just argues less and brings her snacks when she's hungry. And sometimes, for no reason at all, he pats her on the shoulder and gives her an awkward Alex smile.
It is comforting, knowing that people care about her, but it is not at all curing. Arizona is grieving, and she can not help it.
Somewhere in a small apartment in New York, Callie is looking over job offers discontentedly. Penny is chattering on about work. And Sofia is coloring in a book her mother bought her.
Day 10. Arizona calls way too often. In the morning, in the late morning, in the early afternoon, during breaks, and in the evening to say goodnight. Callie doesn't say anything about it. It's not like she's busy (she hasn't accepted any job offers yet), and it's not like Sofia minds. It's actually comforting, hearing the other woman's slightly anxious voice on the other end.
Hey uh…how are you?
Fine.
Yeah?
Yeah.
Is Sofia there?
Mhm, let me get her. She was just asking about you.
They don't talk or anything beyond greetings and Sofia updates, but it's nice to have another adult to talk to. Penny is a very busy resident, and most of their conversations happen in bed, right before the redhead falls asleep.
Callie doesn't fall asleep as quickly.
Day 20. Arizona has taken up yoga of late. It's not as bad as she thought it would be; in fact, it's the most relaxing thing (right behind gallbladder surgery) she's done in a while. Callie mentioned once that she used to do sunrise yoga back when she was a resident. It was right after sex in reply to a comment Arizona had made about her flexibility. They'd laughed about it, and Callie had suggested that the two of them do it together sometime. Of course, Arizona had firmly declined on giving up a Sunday morning for yoga when she could be doing more enjoyable things like…sleeping.
Recently though, the blonde has found herself regretting that choice. She finds herself waking up in the middle of the night, nostalgic and irritated, uncomfortable in her own bed. She should have done yoga, she thinks. She should have done a lot of things.
Day 23. New York is nothing like Seattle. It doesn't rain as much. The people are less open and smiley. The Chief at Columbia acts nothing like Bailey or Owen or Webber. He is distant and polite and a stranger. Callie keeps looking for her friends in the doctors there. She keeps trying to find similarities between this new hospital and Grey Sloan. She keeps searching for prudish redheads and blue-eyed pretty boys and dimply blondes. She finds nothing.
She declines the offers.
Day 34. Penny has been excelling more than she ever imagined she would. She takes Callie and Sofia to dinner in celebration of the move, of their new life together. She is smiling so widely she can not see how little her girlfriend has eaten and how little she has said. Sofia, however, talks a lot. She talks about the park Callie took her to that afternoon. She talks about Zola, and Amelia, and Arizona and asks her mother when she will see them again. Callie says soon, and Penny smiles reassuringly. The redhead is so very happy.
Day 36. Arizona calls for the second time today.
I took up yoga.
Really?
Yeah…it's not bad.
I told you it wouldn't be.
Yeah I know, but I was stubborn.
And you're not anymore?
I've matured.
Ah, I see. Good for you…Do you want to speak to Sofia?
Oh, yeah…I uh…I'm sorry for calling so much, by the way. I just—
Miss her…I get it. I'm sorry too.
Don't be.
Day 42. Arizona takes a girl home from trivia. She is tall and blonde, and she didn't have that much to drink but she wobbles on her feet and pretends that she did. Giggling, she leans into Arizona's side and kisses her cheek.
Nice place, she sighs, kicking off her heels and pulling at the passive blonde's shirt. Arizona thinks about fucking her; she thinks strongly about it. But eventually, after letting the other woman play tongue hockey with her for a few lingering moments, she realizes that she is tired. And uninterested. And so, rather apathetically, she detaches herself from Jennifer or Jessica or Jaime or whatever her name is and tells her to leave.
She decides to take a break from trivia nights for a while.
Day 53. The sex is long. Callie never realized how long sex takes. It's an eternity of heavy breathing. Sweaty skin. Breath too close to your face.
She loves it, yes. She LOVES it. But it takes far too long. Sometimes, she tells Penny she's tired just so she doesn't have to do it. She thinks Penny may notice how long their sex is starting to take. Sometimes, right in the middle, she'll hear the redhead sigh irritatedly, desperately, and sometimes she'll even whisper quietly 'are you close?'.
They cuddle afterwards, every time, and exchange 'I love you's and 'you're beautiful's. And Callie realizes that their sex life is vital. It's the primary source of their physical contact these days. Without it, they'd spend all of their time separated. Physically and emotionally.
But Callie also realizes that the sex is long. Never-ending. Perpetual. Like always being on the edge of a cliff, teetering, but never ready to fall.
She needs it. She hates it.
Day 56.
How's yoga?
It's fine. I like it…I don't think the instructor likes me though.
Why not?
My phone rings a lot, and sometimes, I leave in the middle.
Well, she knows you're a doctor, right?
Yeah, but I think the leaving still pisses her off.
If you answer your phone and then leave immediately, she should assume it's an emergency.
I'm certain she would, but uh sometimes, I leave even when my phone doesn't ring.
Wh-…why?
I just get…really, really bored
Callie laughs before exhaling heavily. Well yeah, she definitely doesn't like you.
The conversation lags.
Um, do you want to speak to Sofia? She's taking a nap, but I could get her.
No, it's okay, I'll call later.
Okay bye
Day 58.
Any good-looking job offers?
Yeah, some.
I still can't believe you turned down Columbia.
It just didn't feel right, you know.
I get it, but…Aren't you bored?
Callie exhales loudly before whispering. Out of my mind. I haven't made a cut in forever. Yesterday I bought a turkey just to carve it up.
Wow…Arizona breathes. That's kinda sick, but understandable.
I may die if I don't get into an OR soon.
Arizona hums for a moment before concluding. Then take an offer.
I'm trying.
You're stalling. Go take an offer and be happy.
When did you become so wise?
I told you…I've matured.
Callie rolls her eyes, switching her cell-phone to her other ear. Do you want to speak to Sofia? She made friends with another little girl in the neighborhood; they're outside, but I can call her in.
Arizona smiles though her heart aches a bit. No, no, let her play. I'm glad she's settling in.
Day 60. Richard keeps giving her speeches.
Sometimes you have to let go of the past.
I know right now it seems insurmountable.
Love always finds its way back into your life…even if it isn't in the same form.
I know you're hurting, Robbins. But you have to let go of it.
She doesn't know why he is so set on healing her wounds. Yes, she has been moping, but she's been moping a lot less than she originally was. In fact, she'd say her mood has been incredibly positive for a woman who hasn't seen her daughter in two months. Talking to Callie everyday has helped. Knowing that the other woman is having just as hard a time adjusting. It's very bonding.
In New York, the aforementioned brunette has started reconsidering job offers.
Day 66.
Jackson and April are back together.
Yeah, I heard.
How did you hear? I just learned about it from April.
Meredith told me.
What? How did she find out?
She saw them having sex in a storage closet.
Wow…
I'm not surprised. It was only a matter of time.
Eh…True…some people just can't stay away from each other.
Exactly.
A beat passes before Callie continues.
I'm starting to think sex is over-rated, she says. And then Arizona hears a cling like glass bumping against wood. She thinks she must have heard her ex-wife wrong.
Um…You, Callie Iphegenia Torres, think sex is over-rated?
Yeah, I don't know…now that I'm older…I just don't see what the big deal is.
Arizona almost gasps. How—When did this realization hit you?
Last night.
And what brought it about?
Sex.
Arizona raises her eyebrows, and then hears the tell-tale sign of glass against wood again. The other woman is drinking, the blonde realizes.
Maybe you should get some sleep, Calli-
When we were together, even when we were close to not being together, was the sex always…was it always good? Or was that something I just told myself.
No, no…the sex was always good… great…sex was never a problem for us.
Ah…Just everything else, Callie laughs before sighing. What a waste.
Arizona shakes her head, breathing deeply. I'm gonna call it a night…Early day tomorrow.
Alright. Goodnight.
Day 70. Callie takes an offer at Langone. They give her funding for her prosthetic leg research and an office even though she's not a Chief. She can tell they really want her, and they seem a bit warmer than the Columbia people, so she takes Arizona's advice and accepts. The first cut she makes is almost orgasmic. And she remembers how much she loves being a surgeon, saving lives. When she gets her lunch break, the first thing she does is call Arizona.
How'd it go? The blonde asks as soon as she answers the phone.
So good. Callie breathes. I missed this.
I know you did.
Day 83. Penny is beginning to worry. Everything is going great in her job, and Callie finally started working too, but…something is off. The brunette isn't as talkative as she used to be. She isn't as affectionate. And as for the sex, Penny gets off everytime; they both do, but…something about the way Callie behaves, she just seems distant. The redhead wants to say something; she desperately wants to know if there is a problem. But part of her is afraid that there is.
The phone calls don't help.
The constant phone calls. She knows it's Arizona wanting to talk to Sofia, but sometimes…sometimes she spends more time talking to Callie. Laughing and whispering and…it's not right. It's not appropriate.
Penny feels herself growing angrier every day. Angry and worried.
Day 86.
So I go, interposition grafts cause complications in children, and I'd prefer a primary, and he waves me off. But majority of the artery was left, and I was right, right?
Definitely. Interposition graft was definitely a risqué decision and judging by the age, Callie breathes out contemplatively. It's more than likely gonna cause a rupture.
That's what I said!
Who ya talking to? Callie turns around to see Penny standing in the doorway of the bedroom, peering at her. It's late.
It's Arizona. She's telling me how incompetent my replacement is.
Penny smiles, laughing a bit and nodding, but her eyebrows dip down subtly. Worried. You coming to bed soon?
Yeah, we're just catching up.
Penny nods and goes back to bed but doesn't sleep. Instead, she listens closely to her girlfriend's giggling.
Day 90
So I'm thinking about visiting.
Yeah?
Yeah…it'll be nice seeing everyone again. And I know Sofia would love it.
That'd be great. Everyone's missed you. Both of you.
Everyone? Callie asks tentatively after a moment.
Everyone. Arizona assures.
Later that day, during dinner, Callie reveals her plans to Penny who has to consciously stop herself from trembling. She realizes she does not trust Callie. She does not trust her at all.