Title: The Great Bambina
Authors: clanket and roughian
Pairing: Callie/Arizona
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Meet Bambina, Callie and Arizona's adorable four-year-old daughter and follow her through her hijinks as she toes the line between the most maddening and precious (read: maddeningly precious) thing in her mothers' lives.
Disclaimer: All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libellous, defamatory, or in any way factual.
A/N: I had posted this a while ago over on LiveJournal and have just realised that I had left it off of FF. Companion piece to Just 'Cause She Dances Go-Go. Sorry for the delay!
Callie sits at the kitchen table, sipping from a monstrous mug of coffee and watching her four year old daughter roughly color all over the crudely cut out piece of construction paper on the table. Beneath her feet lays a thin lining of newspaper so that all of the glitter, glue, paint, and feathers can be cleaned up easily. Arizona isn't exactly one for messes, especially not those of the glitter variety.
Bambina chatters to herself, giggling and singing something unintelligible as she works. Callie is just 'supervising' the project at hand. She stifles a yawn behind her palm, trying to seem enthused and energetic but even the coffee in front of her isn't helping. She and Arizona were up with Bina last night as the toddler cried and screamed; Arizona has another board meeting in San Diego this weekend and Callie's mini-me absolutely hates when she goes away. Around 5 A.M., Callie had the brilliant idea of making Arizona something to keep as a reminder when she would be far from home.
Fitfully, the child agreed, leading them to the kitchen table at 9:30 in the morning after she had slept for only a few short hours.
"Alright, I'm all packed up, even if it did take three times as long as it should have," Arizona announces as she walks into the dining area, still trying to put one earring on and sending a playful glare her daughter's way.
In her distracted state, the blonde misses the way her girlfriend's eyes rake over her body. Callie has always loved Arizona in a power suit, especially this little heather-grey pencil skirt number. Complete with a perfectly white blouse with a stiff collar and small embellishments across the chest and jet black pumps; she looks authoritative, commanding; dominant.
The Latina quickly forgets about her coffee and supposed weary state, her mind going straight into the gutter instead.
"Hey, uh, Bean, baby, could you go brush your teeth and change your clothes while I say goodbye to your momma?" Callie asks as her eyes stay trained on her partner.
Arizona knows that look; she lovesthat look.
"Aw, but maa-má," Bambina starts to protest.
"Hey, Bambina," Arizona says sternly, "you know we don't like it when you whine. Listen to your mother and go brush your teeth."
Shrinking under the tone, the little one gets up from the table, exiting with a dramatic huff. Arizona has to bite back her smirk; she is so similar to Callie sometimes that it's scary.
She wouldn't normally be too upset about a little whining; Arizona knows kids have to push their luck to see just how far they can get away with it. Besides, how else would she learn what is socially acceptable and what isn't? But right now, with Calliope giving her that look, that one that tells her there's almost no way she could figure out the sexy sexythings she wanted to do to her lithe body until Callie wanted her to know, she doesn't have much patience - or time, for that matter - for whining when their little Bean would lose the battle, anyway.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Arizona inquires with a raised eyebrow.
Callie bites her lower lip, trying to stop the lecherous grin from completely overtaking her features; their daughter is wide awake just upstairs, after all. She does, however, let her eyes linger on the blonde's form, taking in the way that skirt hugs her hips and how its high waist accentuates her hourglass figure and further defines her good - nay, great - boobs.
"You know, you're still at home," Callie starts as she slowly stands from the table, everything but the blonde falling away. "You really don't have to have all those buttons done up Doctor Robbins," she flirts as she languidly moves across the hardwood floor toward Arizona, whose breaths have started coming to her much faster than just a few seconds ago.
Now standing close to the heaving blonde, Callie drags one index finger from the outside of Arizona's left collarbone slowly inward, tickling the sensitive skin until she reaches the third button of her shirt; the highest one actually done up. With a quick flick of her fingers, she allows it to join the other two above it in freedom, effectively gracing her with a delicious view.
Callie lets her finger trail just inside the shirt, finding warm, soft skin and tracing delicate patterns across it. Arizona, frozen to the spot and nearly the same height in her heels as the brunette, is unable to do anything but stare at her beautiful girlfriend while her hands find purchase on those amazing hips.
Then, stepping in close enough that they're touching, Callie allows that finger to dip low at the centre of Arizona's chest, pulling the shirt down slightly and leaning forward to see what's hidden underneath. Sure she's seen that sight plenty of times before but that really makes no difference; she loves it all the same every time.
The brunette dips her head down to press light kisses across that nude chest, her tongue occasionally coming out to flick and taste that skin just a little.
Arizona gives a light moan and tilts her head back in pleasure. Callie has an amazingly talented mouth and a sneaky little hand: the fingers of the left one tickle up a pale arm before leaving it behind to move to, well, her behind where they give it a nice firm squeeze.
"Calliope, Bambina's just upstairs," Arizona warns through her haze. The only reply she gets is an uncaring "mhmm" and that mouth moving up her neck.
A few well-placed kisses and nibbles later Callie has reached the blonde's ear.
"You're so sexy in this outfit," she whispers, her voice naturally dropping an octave. "You'd be even sexier out of it," she finishes with a squeeze of Arizona's breast and a tug on that ass, pulling the smaller woman into her own body.
"Come on, Calliope, I have a plane to catch," Arizona tries once more but Callie is having none of it, instead slipping her hand into that blouse and under the white bra beneath it to stroke a nipple. The Latina is able to fit in a few more teasing touches before they hear footsteps on the stairs.
"Okay, now you really have to stop," Arizona says as she tries to pull away. Instead of letting her go, Callie gives her breast one last squeeze and drags her teeth across a sensitive neck. Finally hearing those little padding feet jump over the last stair, the brunette pulls her mouth away from that neck and removes her hand from that bra but refuses to let Arizona completely out of her embrace; she was going away after all.
"Callie, as hot as that was, I really don't want our kid walking in on us groping each other," the blonde reprimands.
"You call that groping? We have a four year old and have been together for seven years; that's love. And love is good," Callie defends and seals her view with a lingering kiss.
"Eww, mo-om! That's gross!" comes the mousy voice from the living room. Bina had gotten dressed pretty well by herself, save for the one sock that was on heel-side up.
At that Callie grabs another handful of ass and roughly but playfully palms it, earning another "eww" from her daughter and a smack to the shoulder from her girlfriend.
"What?" Callie asks with a laugh and a playful innocence, still holding onto that flesh teasingly. She places a quick, tickling kiss against Arizona's sensitive neck then continues, "I want our kid to know that it's okay to be physical and be touched by someone she's in love with!"
"That's gross. I'm never gonna do that!" Bina denies vehemently, her brow creasing just like Callie's did sometimes, her loud declaration a stark contrast to the way she shyly half-hides behind the entryway to the room.
The adults laugh at that, knowing what awkwardness intimacy can bring out in children. Instead of pulling away, however, Arizona finally relents and leans into Callie, resting her head on a strong shoulder and letting her forehead press against Callie's neck; hand coming to lay on her chest right above her steadily beating heart.
"You know, Callie, you're kinda right," she starts teasingly. "We really should teach her what a healthy relationship is like." Arizona lifts her head and looks into Callie's eyes. "Show me how much you love me," she implores, her head tilting to the side.
Callie can do nothing but obey so she leans forward and presses her lips against Arizona's once more, her arms wrapping around that slender waist. They continue to kiss lightly, happily, smiling into the action, until they hear their daughter object once more.
"How rude!"
At that, Callie and Arizona start to laugh, loving how they could tease their daughter. They turn to face their little Bean and see that the toddler has a scowl set firmly upon her face and has crossed her arms in front of her.
They really never can resist that little pout so Arizona leaves Callie's arms only to kneel down in front of her mini-Calliope. She takes those little caramel hands in her own and smiles at the girl, waiting for the faux-indignation to be washed away by that usual happy-go-lucky personality. Sure enough, after only a few seconds of swinging their hands back and forth between them, that smile is back, deep hazel eyes seeking out blue and sparkling with mischief.
"I'm gonna miss you, baby Bambi," Arizona says sincerely using the nickname that Callie refuses to even acknowledge and that usually elicits a reflexive eye roll. Their baby, though? Well she loves it. Not yet having seen that movie and knowing only that it's a cuddly little deer she's nicknamed after, she is more than happy to go along with it. Their little Bambi quickly flings her arms around her mother's neck, holding on as tight as she can.
For her part, Arizona is more than a little uncomfortable with that bony little shoulder pressing firmly on her throat, but there's no feeling better than the love pouring from her little girl's every pore so she just sucks it up, smiles, and hugs back just as tightly.
Bambina isn't a child of deep words; she rarely speaks about how she's feeling, even if her mommas can read her like a book - or maybe because of it - and is even more discriminating when it comes to the L word. Instead, she shows how much she loves them by being in constant contact when she misses her mommas; holding their hands or snuggling up to them on the couch or refusing to end a hug, like now. So Arizona happily holds on, savouring the moment with her daughter while she still can, knowing that in the blink of an eye she'll be too cool for handholding and cuddling with her moms and hugs as pure as this one.
Callie watches on from the sidelines, smiling at the sight. It is one of those pure, Kodak moments, and she knows if she tries to sneak away, Arizona will catch and confront her about her constant need to take pictures. But it is really heart-warming, the calm before the storm, because as soon as Arizona's out the door, Bina's going to well up and cry for her and it's going to take Disney movies, playing dinosaurs (complete with sound effects), and lots of cuddling to calm their baby down. It's always like this when Arizona goes away, like a little piece of Bambina goes right with her. But that piece always comes back when Arizona throws open the front door and announces, "Baby Bina? Momma's home!"
When Bambina finally loosens her grip on her momma, she stands in front of her, hands still on the blonde's shoulders, and starts to chew on her lower lip. Arizona narrows her eyes; that's her tell.
"Bean, what did you do?" she asks sceptically.
"Nothing!" the little girl answers a little too quickly, a small smile breaking out across her face as she lowers her head in a sign of submission.
Callie's smile falters at the quick denial. She definitely did something. She runs through the timeline in her head: saw prey, stalked prey, undid button; teased, kissed, flirted; groped, grabbed, squeezed. Yeah, that clothing change took far too long. Great, whatever it was, she would have to deal with it alone. Callie runs an uneasy hand across her face at the frustration she's sure to be encountering soon. She just hopes it's not a mess. Not just a little mess, but a big mess. Like "oops I cut the drapes in half, mamá" mess.
Arizona eyes their baby knowingly, but instead of persisting just sighs in defeat, "Okay, Bean, now listen to me."
Wide eyed, the tiny brunette gives a slow nod, "All ears, momma."
Callie giggles when she tugs on either earlobe.
Arizona smiles and puts her hands on her baby's tiny hips. When she has to look Bambina in the eye like this, she thinks immediately of Callie and almost crumbles into a goofy smile, but presses on. "I want you to be good for mamá, okay? Be a sweet girl and help her out while I'm gone. And when I talk to her and she tells me you've been a good girl, I'll bring you back something super amazing from San Diego."
Those wide hazels glimmer at the prospect of something new, "Like a panda?"
"Um, maybe," Arizona says as her eyebrows furrow. "But can you promise me you'll be good?"
"Promise," Bina agrees.
Arizona reaches down behind one of those little legs, lifting the one with the sock on upside down while her daughter fights to keep herself steady with the hands still gripping her momma's shoulders. In a few quick tugs, the sock is fixed.
Standing again, the blonde brushes imaginary crumbs from her skirt, "Okay, I need to get going. Would you lovely ladies like to show me out?"
Callie smiles, leaning down to scoop up Bean and settle her against a hip while they follow Arizona into the living room, watching her walk upstairs to grab her suitcase and jacket. When she comes back down she gives them one last look, blowing out a breath before walking over to wrap her arms around them both. She kisses Bean on the cheek with a loud "Muah!" and presses her lips against Callie's a little sadly. She's not a fan of leaving.
"Call me if anything goes wrong, and I can be on the next flight home," Arizona explains as she grabs the handle to her rolling suitcase. "And I'll be home before you know it." She eyes the pair, squaring her jaw, resolving not to get a teary eyed
"We'll be fine, baby, okay? It's barely two days," Callie says as she does the same, blinking rapidly. Maybe Bina's going to be the one consoling her.
It's just hard to watch the woman she loves oh-so-much walk out the door. She knows she's coming back, and it really is only two days. But still.
"I love you both very much. I'll call you from the hotel."
"Bye, momma! Have a nice time in Sam Denango!" Bina sing-songs as Callie nods mutely.
"We love you too," Callie smiles as Arizona slides her sunglasses onto her face, readying her car remote and heading out the front door. She knows if she stands there too long she's going to start with the water works.
When the door closes in place, Bina turns to her mamá, "Time for dinosaurs?"
The brunette nods somewhat sadly, "Time for dinosaurs."
xxx
The flight to San Diego passes in a blur as Arizona reviews her notes and presentation. Startled when the pilot announces that they're beginning their final descent, she neatly packs her note cards and research into her carry on. She fleetingly thinks of Bambina and wonders whether she's wrangled Calliope into pretending she's a brontosaurus yet.
She's excited for this board meeting, hoping she'll be able to convince the higher-ups to give Seattle's paediatric department more funding for their Chelation research knowing that with just a little wiggle room in their budget they can fully restore the hospital to its prestigious reputation by helping the children she's so passionate to save.
Her body switches into autopilot as the plane lands; she collects her suit case from baggage claim and takes a cab to the Marriot where the conference is being held. She's running over her key points in her head, making sure that she's not forgetting anything major. It's only supposed to last for a few hours and then she'll be going to sleep all alone and repeat the departure process tomorrow evening. It's a rigorous schedule that will no doubt mess up her sleeping pattern; the one that will already be compromised when Callie wants to welcome her home, the latter of which she can certainly live with.
She checks into the hotel and wheels her suitcase upstairs. She has just enough time to slide her room key into the lock and unzip her luggage in haste, pulling out the grey suit jacket that complements the skirt. In a rare moment of nerves, Arizona spills her index cards all over the floor. Shifting her gaze to the clock, she huffs, mumbling a quiet, "Damn it," before picking up the cue cards. Of course they're numbered at the top so she puts them back into order in no time before quickly putting on her jacket and making her way down to the board meeting.
xxx
Callie and Bambina sit at the kitchen table eating the pancakes the Latina made for dinner. Like her mom, Bambina went straight for the comfort food when she was missing her momma, drowning her sorrows in little sighs and Mrs. Butterworth's. Bambina, whose face is sticky with syrup, smiles at her mamá, who has made it through three strawberry-strewn pancakes and is leaning back smiling toward her baby in response.
"When I wake up will momma be back?" Bambina inquires as she chomps happily on a strawberry.
"No, but she should be back around lunch. Maybe we can make her something really yummy, like -"
"Pickle sandwiches!"
"She does love those."
Callie's mind drifts back to her second trimester, sitting up with Arizona and crying while they both ate pickle sandwiches and drank apple juice. Arizona had complained about the ten pounds she put on while the brunette was carrying Bambina, but if she gained anything from the whole ordeal it was a newfound love for bread and butter pickle slices, hummus, and leaf lettuce on rye bread. Callie chalked her cravings up to pregnancy; Arizona had no excuse.
"Pickle sandwiches and grape sodie!"
"Your momma is so weird, Bina."
Bambina giggles.
"You wanna have a sleepover in mamá's bed tonight?"
The little Callie-clone's eyes light up, "Yeah! Can we watch Lilo and Stitch?"
Callie chuckles, "Of course, mi amor."
Bambina squeals as she finishes off the rest of her strawberry, fleetingly thinking of her momma in Sam Denango.
xxx
"And that is what I think brings hope to not only the hospital community of Seattle Grace, but the overall goal to help understand the puzzle that is Autism through extensive research and Chelation," Arizona explains, finishing her presentation. "Thank you, for your time and attention to such a sensitive subject that, hopefully, will become less controversial with proper research and, more importantly, ample resources."
The lights come on in the conference room and Arizona is comforted by the generous applause her presentation receives. As she collects her notes, Dr. DiFiore clears his throat. He is laughing a little. Her heart falls.
"Dr. Robbins that presentation was astounding. I am confident that we can find some room in the budget for the Chelation research."
No one says no to tiny humans, the blonde thinks silently. "Thank you, sir."
"But there is just one more thing. Do you know that your blazer is literally covered in glitter? Oh, and, I believe feathers," the Doctor ribs as he good-naturedly plucks a neon pink quill from the blonde's elbow. "I could even see the sparkles when the lights were off."
Arizona's bewildered expression turns into blind horror as she glances down at her jacket, noticing the ornamental feathers and glitter sparkling in the fluorescent light. She swallows hard then looks over to Dr. DiFiore, weakly attempting to take the focus from her glittery jacket.
"I have a daughter. She's… four. And a half. Four and a half. She must have – I just, I think, maybe she must have gotten into my suitcase this morning. I'm so sorry, sir."
Trying not to crack a smile, Dr. DiFiore nods, "It's nice to know you're a family-woman, Dr. Robbins. And, at least this conference will be a memorable one for me."
Arizona swallowed and smiled, blinking back the feeling of hot tears at the sight of the stoic older man. "Me too."
Stupid authority complex.
xxx
Arizona makes it to her room, flinging the blazer down as she heads for her suitcase. She opens it and rifles through her belongings until she finds the offending object. Plucking the construction papered thing from the suitcase, Arizona examines it. She's not sure exactly what it is, but it's covered in every craft thing imaginable. There are buttons for what she assumes are eyes, feathers whimsically draped all over the critter, glitter coating the entirety of it. So this explains the devious grin and the prolonged time upstairs. How did this even make it through security?
"Bambina," she murmurs under her breath, noticing the backwards B that's more like the number eight than anything else on the flipside of the beast.
Reaching for her phone, she quickly speed dials her home line, startled when she hears a male voice pick up. "Hello."
Arizona replies with, "Mark, is that you?"
"Oh hey, Robbins. Yeah, it's me and the Great Bambina. We're watching Dora'cause Cal had to run into the hospital. Something about an emergency procedure. Fiori had to leave early today 'cause he got the stomach flu. Anyway, you okay?"
"Yep, fine. Can I talk to Bambina really quickly?"
"Sure, hang on a second."
After a few moments of muffled talking the phone makes a clicking sound and Arizona hears a small voice:
"Hello, momma! Are you in Sam Denago?"
"San Diego, baby, like your cousin Diego. And San, like... San."
Bambina giggles.
"Bambi, what did you put in my suit case today?"
Bambina breaks into a louder fit of giggles. "It's a parrot, momma! This morning when I was up with mamá she told me we could make you something for when you went away so I made you a parrot, 'cause they can talk. And mamá says I'm a parrot."
Arizona swallows. "It's very n-nice honey, but you should have just given it to me so I could have put it somewhere, um, special."
"Suitcase is special, momma," Bina reminds her of the words her momma echoes to her every time she goes away after the toddler tried stuffing herself inside of it once.
"I know, sweet girl...but -"
"Mamá played dinosaurs with me, she was the brontosaurus. I got to be the stegosaurus."
Arizona softens for a moment. "Did she let you wear the noodle strainer around your back?"
"Yep! Mommy, can I go now? Dora's back on and Uncle Mark wants to sing with me."
Smiling at the image of Bambina's godfather singing Dora's theme song, Arizona nods, sighing softly. "Be good for him. I love you, sweetheart."
"I love you too, momma!"
xxx
"And then Jasper got mad at Felix and Diondre for taking his hockey puck and they were screaming at each other," Bambina babbles as she curls against Callie's body, head on her chest. The older woman strokes her fingers through her baby's soft curls, hoping the motion would lull her to sleep. She is tired. After an unexpected shift at the hospital, all she really wants to do is sleep.
She has listened to Bambina talk about Seattle Grace's pre-school hijinks for the last half an hour, and while she is glad that her baby has such amazing recall, she kind of misses Arizona. Not that Bambina isn't a good snuggler but she still hates when her girlfriend goes away.
"And then Ms. Abigail brought in these little frogs that swim around in a tiny box. Can I have frogs, mamá?"
"Mm, maybe."
"I like them," Bambina yawns. "They're small."
"Like my Bean," Callie says as she wraps an arm around her. "Who needs to go to sleep."
"But I'm not tired."
"Well, that's not true. You're yawning."
"Am not." Bambina stifles a yawn against Callie's shoulder. "Can we call momma?"
Callie checks the clock. Since it was just after 11P.M., she figures it'd be safer not to disrupt the blonde. "No, sweetie, she'll be back tomorrow."
"Momma called me today while me and Uncle Mark were watching Dora and Diego."
"Oh yeah, what'd she say?" Callie asks, rubbing Bambina's back through the fabric of her pyjama top.
"She said, um. She said," Bambina yawns again. "I don't remember, mamá, goodnight."
Callie smiles, figuring Arizona was just checking in, and turns off the lamp on the bedside table as she snuggles her baby into her arms. "Goodnight, Bina."
xxx
The next morning, Bambina is filled to the brim with excitement, the knowledge of her momma's return fresh in her mind. She's obedient without questions today: when Callie tells her to finish her eggs, she does and even wipes her mouth on a napkin; the mess in the playroom? Cleaned up without so much as a second warning from the Latina.
Bambina sits quietly, playing with her dinosaurs and watching Lilo & Stitch for the billionth time on the living room floor in quiet wait of her mother. So quiet that she ends up falling asleep. Callie grins at her sleeping angel and takes her up to her bed for a nap that isn't on the hardwood.
Callie makes her way back into the kitchen to prepare the pasta primavera that Arizona loves. She's halfway through chopping the carrots when she hears a car door slam outside and immediately feels the excitement of finally having her girl back home.
Arizona throws the door open and shuffles inside, weary from the jet lag, and quickly toes off her heels.
Hearing the door, Callie goes to greet the other mother of her child but instead of a rush of kisses and a big hug, she gets reprimanded.
"Callie, do you have any idea what yourdaughter did?" Arizona demands with a look that could kill.
Shocked, Callie stops in her tracks and stares at the blonde for a moment. Damn she's hot when she's mad. Then it hits her.
"My daughter? What, so when she's in trouble she's only mine?" she shoots back, crossing her arms across her chest.
"She put a glitterfied parrot into my suitcase! I got to San Diego and there were feathers and sparkles all over the jacket I had to wear to the meeting! She even signed it with one of those little Bambina hearts that look like the number 8!"
Callie breaks out into a smile.
"Oh, yeah, that's definitely my daughter."
"Momma?" Arizona softens at the sound of the sleepy voice from the landing.
"Yes, Bean, I'm home."
Bambina pads down the stairs, holding onto the railing. Excitement is etched all over her face. Arizona holds out her arms as she kneels down to welcome the enormous embrace from her tiny human.
The youngest member of the Robbins-Torres family smiles up at her momma, stroking her blonde waves affectionately. "Did you have fun?"
"Yes, baby. I got the money to help sick boys and girls at the hospital."
Callie squeals excitedly. "Congratulations, Arizona. I'm so proud of you."
The blonde picks her little doe up, sighing as she realizes how hard she's been on the little one. "Yep. I think it had something to do with that special lucky parrot you put in my suitcase, Bambi."
Callie flips a dish cloth over her shoulder before folding her arms over her chest. She smiles; Bambina can soften her momma's heart with just one little lopsided grin. As she comes to hug her two favourite girls, she laughs softly.
Arizona looks at her girlfriend knowingly.
"I'm so happy that she is your daughter."
Arizona kisses Bambina's head then Callie's lips.
"Our daughter," Callie smiles.
-XXX-