This is a Calzona fic that covers the path they head down as a couple after the shooting. I warn you that not everything will always be smooth sailing. There is also a little bit of Mark/Lexie involved, but it's more Calzona than anything else. Please leave me a review if you're interested in more. Thanks.


"Macey Glover's mom made this for us," Arizona smiled, holding up a painted ceramic ornament that was shaped like a reindeer.

"I love it."

"Me too," she said.

Their apartment was filled with various Christmas decorations that Arizona had brought home from the Peds. ward as gifts. There were ornaments, drawings of Santa Claus and Christmas trees, and even matching stockings that had been made just for the couple. It was just another little added bonus of working with people who believed in magic and fairytales because they hadn't grown up enough to understand that there was more to life than countdowns to Christmas or slumber parties.

Unfortunately for Dr. Robbins and the rest of the Seattle Grace-Mercy West staff, they were not quite able to be so wonderfully naive anymore. All of that disappeared that day four months ago when Gary Clark had walked into their sanctuary and opened fire, killing and injuring their friends and coworkers.

Callie and Arizona had been among the lucky ones. They made contact with Mr. Clark, but he didn't threaten to take their lives. As they counted their blessings, both of them realized that they needed each other. It had helped to patch many of the holes in their relationship, even if it was damaging to their spirits at the same time.

"You ready for tomorrow?" Callie asked her as she put the ornament from the Glover's on the tiny tree.

"It's only a consultation," Arizona said. "It's not like we're bringing a baby home or something."

"Just want to make sure you still want this."

In those long hours, Callie's dream of a family had become Arizona's as well. Some people just assumed she had given in, but no. She had simply decided that she would love Calliope Torres no matter what their lives consisted of. She would love their life as long as they shared it with each other. Having children was no longer something she was so against. Suddenly, she was able to see herself and Callie with little ones around and she welcomed them now. The shooting had given her clarity.

"I still want this," she said. "Though..."

"What?"

"I was probably exaggerating when I said we'd have ten."

She laughed. "Yep." Callie kissed her. "You," she said. "You are going to be a great mom."

"You too," she replied.

"Thanks," she said.


"I'm worried about Lexie," Mark told his friend as they tried to steal a few minutes worth of a break at work that night.

It had been a busy shift and they were both exhausted. Mark had been there longer than Callie had, but she had just spent eight hours in the OR. Christmas season was a busy one. Roads were icy and people acquired various types of holiday-related injuries. As much as they loved operating, they also felt like the season would never end.

"I know," she said. "You've said that every day, Mark."

"What?" Arizona asked, coming and sitting down beside her girlfriend on the gurney. "That he's worried about Lexie?"

"See?"

"She's just..." Mark started to say.

"Her boyfriend got shot and almost died. Her friends did die. She's bound to be just a little weirded out."

"You had to call Karev her boyfriend, huh?"

"Because he was," the women said in unison.

"But he's not now," Mark said.

"No, but still."

"So I'm just supposed to leave her be?" he asked.

"For now, yes," Arizona nodded. "Be open. Make sure she knows you're there if she's ready, but don't hover."

He sighed. "I need to drink," he decided. "Wanna head over to Joe's when we get off?"

"Don't know if it's the best idea to get hung over the night before going to the fertility specialist," Callie yawned.

"Great," she said. "You'll be boring people with a baby and I'll be alone and..."

"Desperate?" Arizona finished.

"Kinda."

"You can babysit," Callie suggested. "That would be a good thing."

Arizona looked around. The hustling and bustling that had been going on had seemingly stopped.

"It's pretty qu-"

"Don't say it!" Callie and Mark both cut her off.

"Calm," she chose instead.

"The calm before the storm," Callie said, knowing this break wouldn't last much longer at all.

"God, I hope not," Mark replied.


"This is so much less fun than making a baby should be," Callie said as they sat in the office waiting for their appointment with Dr. Dashiell Brooks the next morning.

"True," she said. "Very true."

"And more expensive," she said.

"Also true."

"But also a lot more worth it," she pointed out.

"Huh?"

"I mean...with all we're gonna have to go through to get our baby here. It kinda makes it that much more awesome, you know? Not that any baby isn't..."

"Yeah," she nodded. "I guess."

"I keep hearing names on little kids at work and –"

"Calliope, we are not discussing names, baby shopping, or anything like that," she laughed. "There is no baby yet. That just seems a little silly, does it not?"

"And it could jinx it."

"Do you really think anything could jinx this?" Arizona questioned.

"Not really, but I don't wanna be wrong either."

"If it's meant to be, it'll happen," Arizona said.

"I know," she agreed. "I just want this to work so badly."

"Me too."