A/N: For those of you waiting on RYLAH, I promise I'm going to finish it. I am terribly sorry but my outline and 7 written chapter were on a USB which I somehow managed to lose. I'll have to start it all again and while I'm planning on it, the muse is just not there for it right now. I blame it on the frustration of losing the darn thing. So I'm hoping this will help light a fire under me or at minimum get me back into some those readers, I thank you for prompting me and sending me notes and private messages. I really do appreciate it and am committed to getting something up in the next few weeks.
I have no beta so all the mistakes are mine... sorry. All feedback/constructive criticism is welcome and appreciated.
Disclaimer: All Arizona and Callie awesomeness and the rest of the characters are property of Shonda Rhimes, Shondaland, and ABC.
Seven-year-old Sofia Torres skipped happily alongside her beloved "Momma" on her way home from school. It was a beautiful autumn day, not too cold or too warm. It was perfect, replete with a cloudless sky and a brightly shining sun. Sofia loved days like these. She hummed a little tune as she skipped seemingly without a care in the world as Arizona looked on lovingly. Sofia had skipped a bit ahead and suddenly stopped in her tracks, back to Arizona, causing her mother to cock her head curiously to the side.
"Momma?" Sofia asked as she turned her head slightly.
"Yes, baby?"
"Was Mr. Sun smiling like today when your plane fell down on the mountain?"
Arizona paled a bit. Mouth open and closing without a clear train of thought to guide spoken word. Callie and Arizona had spoken to Sofia about the crash but it was more in generalities… about how her Momma had gotten hurt, how she was eventually rescued, and how her Momma's leg was hurt so bad she needed a "new" one.
Sofia always seemed content with the story. She never asked questions and nearly 6 years later on this autumn afternoon, she suddenly seemed curious and Arizona's anxiety came out in full force.
"What babygirl?" was all she could say to stall as her brain attempted to catch up with the current conversation.
"Mami says Mr. Sun is smiling when it's bright and sunny out. Was he smiling when your plane fell down?"
Arizona seemed to transport back to that day. She could feel it with all her senses. She felt the sun's rays as it supplied the littlest bit of warmth on an otherwise frigid day. She saw the bright light through the trees and saw it as the despair of dark came down later that day and for days after.
Arizona caught up to Sofia and took her little hand in hers. She studied it for a moment, remembering how she wished and prayed she would hold her daughter's hand again when she was on that mountain top. She squeezed it and held it a little tighter. Sofia's eyebrow raised and she covered her Momma's hand with her free hand, somehow sensing her Momma needed it.
"My baby boo… what brought this on?"
Sofia shrugged her shoulders like it was an afterthought, but Arizona could tell there was something more to this conversation. She considered dragging it out of her "little Callie clone" but she also knew it was a big deal for Sofia to ask and did not want to discourage her daughter's comfort and openness with her parents, particular with her worry wart of a Momma.
"I heard Mami one time telling Abuelo that it was too pretty a day for something bad to happen."
"Well, it was actually nighttime when our plane stopped working properly and the accident happened. When I woke up the next day, it was a bright and sunny morning."
"Was it a pretty day, Momma?"
"Not exactly. You see we didn't know what happened and what was going to happen so we all were a little scared." Arizona tried to downplay the terror she experienced for her daughter's sake. "But now that I think about it, yes it was pretty that day I woke up."
Arizona and Sofia reached the front door to their 3 bedroom, split level family home just as Callie pulled into the driveway from a trip to the store.
"Hi Mami!" Sofia yelled excitedly upon seeing her mother disembark their family SUV.
"Hey sweetie!" Callie yelled back as she walked up the path to the door, bags in hand. She stooped down and placed her face in front of a giggling Sofia, the sure fire directive of give me a kiss. Sofia gave her mother a kiss on the cheek, followed by a raspberry making her mothers laugh.
"Hey you." Callie greeted her wife with a slight lingering kiss.
"Moms!" Sofia playfully said as she over dramatically rolled her eyes. She may have pretended to be embarrassed or annoyed but she loved it when her moms were all "sugary sweet", as she liked to call it.
"Sorry Miss Sofia! I'll try harder to not do that in front of you next time. So tell me what were you and your Momma talking about?" Callie asked as they all entered the front door.
"Momma was telling me about the day she woke up after the plane crash," Sofia said nonchalantly.
Callie looked to Arizona with wide eyes.
Arizona played it cool. "Yep Sofia asked me what the day was like, you know if it was pretty out? She said she overheard you tell Carlos that it was too pretty that day for that kind of accident."
"Oh," Callie replied, unable to say much more with a whole host of thoughts and ideas running through her head.
"Let's just see where she takes this. I think it'll be ok." Arizona whispered as Sofia put some of the store bought items away for her Mami.
"So babygirl where was I?" Arizona asked as she grabbed Sofia's hand and led her to the couch. Callie joining them and sitting on Sofia's other side.
"Oh yeah I was telling you that it was a pretty day. Uh… the sun… the sun… like you said… was smiling. And it is a good thing too because the sun… well the sun kept me warm while it was cold up there. And the sun was our light. It was my light. When I woke up, it was the first thing I saw and it meant I was alive. And every day after it came out, I knew I was one day closer to getting back to you and Mami. It was like my light home." Arizona's voice lowered to a raspy whisper as she choked back some of her emotions and saw tears in her wife's eyes.
"So Mr. Sun was good to you, Momma?" asked Sofia.
"Yes, baby, very good."
"Ok. I'm going to go play in my room now." Sofia stood and ran straight for her room, leaving a slightly bewildered pair of moms in her wake.
"Well that was… a bit odd." Arizona turned to Callie. "That's all she basically asked about… if it was pretty, if it was sunny? I mean I'm a bit relieved because I wasn't sure what I was in for but it seems odd."
"Well, she's our daughter so she's bound to be an odd duck," laughed Callie. "Don't worry, maybe they learned about weather or something in school today. She seems fine so let's not push it or overanalyze it."
Arizona was less inclined to let it go but decided it was best… for now.
2 Weeks Later….
"This is Dr. Torres," Callie stated as she answered the phone.
"Dr. Torres, this is Trisha McKenzie, Sofia's teacher."
"Oh Mrs. McKenzie," Callie exaggeratedly and loudly stated to get Arizona's attention. Sofia was at Mark's and not in danger of hearing what Callie was worried would be bad news. "Ummm.. it's good to hear from you. It's good right?"
"Dr. Torres, I was hoping to catch you. I know you, your wife, and Sofia's father are very busy and this is sort of last minute but would you all be available to come to school on Friday at 2:30?" Mrs. McKenzie breezed over Callie's question.
"Umm…sure. Both Arizona and I are off actually so that should work. And Mark should be able to get away for an hour or so. Can I ask what this is in reference to? What has Sofia done to warrant this meeting?"
"I think it's best we discuss this on Friday. And no need to bring this up with Sofia before then. It'll be better to have the information before you talk with her. I'll just plan on seeing you both then. Thank you."
"Uh, you're welcome?"
Callie hung up the phone and looked to her wife. "So Mrs. McKenzie wants us to meet her on Friday at 2:30 but wouldn't say why."
"Did it sound bad?" asked an increasingly concerned Arizona.
"I mean she wasn't her normal friendly self. I would say it's probably not good."
"What could she have done? Should we ask her?"
"I don't know but she said not to talk to Sofia about anything until after we meet."
"Oh this does sound bad."
Later that week…
Callie, Arizona, and Mark arrived at Century School a little before 2:30. They checked in with the front office and waited for Mrs. McKenzie to meet them.
"Robbins, are you or Sofia in trouble because you look like you are about to pee your pants," laughed Mark.
"Oh shut it, Mark. You know I have issues with authority. I feel like I'm getting sent to the principal's office."
"Oh please, when did you, who was probably Miss Goodie Two Shoes, get sent to the principal's office?"
Arizona scoffed. "I, too, was sent to the principal's office!"
Both Callie and Mark laughed and in unison "For what?"
"Well, I had to go every Friday afternoon to help with weekend announcements."
Again in unison "Teacher's Pet" chorused Callie and Mark. Arizona rolled her eyes.
Just as Arizona was going to fire on her co-parents about their office sending behavior as youngsters, Mrs. McKenzie walked in to greet them. "Glad you all could make it. If you would follow me please." Mrs. McKenzie led them down the hall but was giving no indication what this was all about or what mood she was in.
Mark, unable to wait any longer for more information called after her, "So is the reason we are here involve a fist, or a foot, or crab like pinchers?"
"Mark," Callie swatted at his arm. "Our little girl did not punch or kick or pinch anyone!" Callie's eyes widened in horror. "Bite then?" she directed at Mrs. McKenzie.
Mrs. McKenzie chuckled as she led them to the auditorium where the students were already seated in the bleachers and there were some parents in seats in front of the stage. She directed them to take their seats and reassured them their questions would be answered shortly. The setting clarified this was not something bad but the three parents remained nervous, a positive energy emitting however. Just as they were about to sit down, Mark's pager went off.
"Crap, I have to get back to the hospital. I'll call as soon as I'm done," he said before leaving Callie and Arizona to take their seats.
"Hello to all!" greeted Principal Williams. She continued as everyone snapped to attention, "Thank you to our students, teachers, and parents for being present for this special occasion. As most of you know, to get into the Thanksgiving spirit, we asked all the students to write an essay on the person they would most like to thank and why. All the essays were judged and the results from this competition are in!"
Callie and Arizona looked at each with confused expressions as excited whispers began to chorus through the auditorium. They had no idea what the principal was talking about.
"To start off today's ceremony, let's have our youngest winner come up and read her submission. "Sofia Torres, please come up."
"Camera Callie, use your camera!" whispered Arizona hurriedly as Callie fumbled with her phone to set it to video.
Sofia walked down the bleachers and across the stage waving at her mothers as they bounced excitedly in their seats like little girls. She was nervous but seeing her mothers beaming happily at her was enough to take the edge off her nerves some.
Principal Williams lowered the microphone for Sofia as she handed her her paper.
Sofia cleared her throat and began… "If I could say thank you to anyone in the world, I would say thank you to Mr. Sun. I would tell Mr. Sun thank you for coming out to play on rainy days so I can play outside. I would say thank you, Mr. Sun, for helping things grow like fruits and vegetables. I would say thank you, Mr. Sun, for creating life like plants, trees, and flowers. But most of all, I would thank Mr. Sun for saving my Momma. Because when my Momma's plane crashed, Mr. Sun kept her warm so she wasn't too cold. Mr. Sun kept the rain and snow away so she didn't get too wet. Mr. Sun kept the day longer so it wouldn't be dark and scary. And Mr. Sun gave my Momma light so she would find her way home. Without the sun I might not have my Momma and my Momma snuggles me to keep me warm, she puts my raincoat on and holds the umbrella for me so I don't get wet, she turns on my night light and scares the monsters away, she always brings me home, and she saved my life when I was a baby. So Mr. Sun gave my Momma life and I can't thank him enough because my Momma is the sun in my life. Thank you, Mr. Sun and thank you, Momma."
Sofia looked up to see everyone clapping and she smiled proudly. She ran off the stage into her mothers' waiting arms and tearful embraces. She looked up at her beloved Momma and Mami with a big toothy grin and said "You're my sun, Momma."
Arizona's heart could have just burst with the love she felt for this beautiful and miraculous child in front of her. She felt so lucky to be her mom. She could barely respond with the weight of the heartfelt emotion she was experiencing, but she choked out "Oh big girl, you're my everything."
Callie wrapped her arms around her wife's shoulder. She couldn't have been more touched by her daughter's gesture towards her wife and her heart swelled at the love reflected between the two of them. They really did have a special bond.
Sofia glanced towards her Mami and said "You're not mad, are you Mami?"
"No mija. Not at all." Said Callie as she placed a kiss upon her wife's tear stained cheek. "She's my sun, too."
Sofia smiled brightly at her mothers and took off to join her class on the bleachers once again. As Principal Williams introduced the next winner, Arizona reached in her purse for tissues when she caught a blinding reflection off her watch and followed it out the window to its source…"Thank you, Mr. Sun" she whispered. "Thank you."