This is a little something I wrote about how I picture Arizona and Sofia's first real mother/daughter moment going. I hope you enjoy it.

Sadly, Arizona knew plenty about pain. She wished that she was still naïve to the realities of loss, but her brother's death had changed her in a deep, permanent way. Sure, she had moved on with her life. What choice did she have? Still, she understood that heartache was not just a figurative thing. No, it was real. When she was emotionally hurt, it seemed as though she even had physical manifestations of that pain. Today, the ache had returned.

Medically, she was fine. She had sustained only minor bumps and bruises in the crash. Those would heal in no time. Would Calliope ever return to her, though? She couldn't be so sure. For now the Latina was stable. She looked so peaceful, but there was nothing soothing about the realities of her condition. Arizona was wrestling with the thoughts that that beautiful, smart, fantastic woman may never wake up. She was paralyzed by the fear that their perfect, yet premature daughter would also leave her or have a seemingly never ending list of conditions that no mom ever wants their child to have. So far, today was one of the worst days of her life.

Even so, there was something about the seventeen ounce girl lying in the incubator in front of her that also made her feel something else. She wouldn't quite call it happiness, because she wasn't happy that Callie's mini-me was fighting for the life that she had yet to start living. Joy wasn't it. This had to be the unconditional love that parents spoke of, she decided. There were so many things wrong with this new person. So many in fact that Arizona couldn't even handle thinking about them all at once. Technically she wasn't even at the age of viability right now. Addison had given Callie steroids as soon as she had gotten to Seattle and these were the only reason that the little lady was still alive. Steroids and miracles. This was definitely one of those as well. Even though Arizona knew all of these things, she still saw no flaws in this little one. She could officially confirm that genetics and even terrible situations like this were no match for motherly love. Already a connection was starting to form. Bonding had begun and she hoped more than anything that nothing would tear them apart.

"Did you know I'm your mommy?" she asked her through the tears. "I am. You know, before you got here, I was so silly. I knew I'd love you because I love your madre so much and you're a part of her. How could I not love you? What I didn't know is that you'd really feel like mine. You'd be a part of me, too. You don't have my eyes or my nose, but I'm all yours."

She watched the micro-preemie's chest rise as air was forced into it via machines. She saw all of the IVs that were there to administer countless medications.

"You won't give up," she told her. "My girls are strong, Baby. You should meet your madre. You've been in her belly all this time, but you haven't gotten to really meet her yet. She's great. When she's around, I feel so good. She has this way of making me feel like I'm the prettiest lady in the world. That's not true, though. Nope! Because it's a two way tie, Sweet Girl. You and your madre have that title by a long shot. I don't stand a chance!"

The baby kicked out her little foot. Finally, she had done something newborn-like. She seemed alive instead of just lying there. Mommy was proud, even though all babies did this.

"You're so feisty," Arizona said. "I love it. You're everything I thought you'd be. I figured you'd be big and healthy and arrive on time, but still. You're still just the baby we wanted. You were made just for us, right? Wanna know something crazy? I used to think that I wasn't supposed to have a baby."

Another little kick. Some of these – maybe most of them – were probably involuntary, but Arizona took them differently. This was her baby's way of communicating with her already. She liked to believe that, anyway.

"I know!" she smiled. "But you and I, we can't be without each other. Or Madre. We just can't. So you both have to get better. Do your best, okay? That's all I ask, Peanut. We'll deal with whatever abilities you have or don't have as they come, but I just want you and madre with me. Whatever that means. We're best buddies and I know that life's not very fun without best buddies. One of mine is already gone, so don't leave me, Little One. We'll do the most fun things ever and I'll even help you sneak out when you're a teenager without Madre knowing. Sometimes. Not all the time, but still. Every now and then. Deal? We'll be partners in crime, you and me."

Her heart rate went up a little as Arizona watched the monitor. It wasn't by much. Still not even enough to be considered okay, but the baby was trying.

"Oh, and we'll give you a name, too. Because Peanut, Sweet Girl, Baby, and Little One don't work well in the real world. I'm Arizona and even that didn't go over well on the playground. We'll find you the prettiest name there is. Promise."

Addison came over. She had been watching Arizona interact with the baby from a distance and she found herself considering the little girl to be lucky. Of course, she wasn't doing well right now, but she was still fortunate. She had three parents who were crazy about her and who would do everything they could to see her through this mess. That was a good thing that had come out of all of this sadness.

"How's she doing?"

"She's gonna make it," Arizona smiled, realistically not so sure, but choosing to believe it because moms couldn't give up on their children. "Thank you so much."

"You're the one who got her heart started," she said. "I just took over from there."

"It's such a gorgeous heartbeat, too," she stated. "I can't wait until it gets stronger and stronger."

"Any update on Callie?"

"No," she replied. "I didn't want to leave her, but I had to come meet this one here. Properly. We met, but I had to tell her some pretty important things."

"Don't wear yourself out," she said. "Breaks are okay, too."

"They don't get breaks," she replied. "They have to keep fighting. Besides, why would I want to be anywhere but here with my girls? Sure, we can't do much, but this beautiful girl is going to get read a lot of stories and she's going to have to hear plenty of my made-up lullabies. Right now, I'm so tired that I can't remember the real words, but don't tell her that. I'll use my new mommy improv skills."