Title: Precarious

Author: A. Windsor

Pairing/Characters: Callie/Arizona

Rating: PGish

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. My one semester of law school could allow me to legalese this a little more, but it also tells me it's pretty useless. So please don't sue; it's not mine, I'm just playing!

Series: CANON

Summary: "Here we're all the same. On paper? We're not." Post- 8x02.

Author's Note: Unbeta'd. I wanted to get it out while I still could. Tiny little thing. Maybe one day I'll move past this theme. Maybe once the show actually addresses it. Also, "Universe & U" came on random on my iTunes while typing this up. Kind of a sign to go ahead and post this.

"I don't like it."

"You don't like what?" Arizona asks distractedly, looking up from giving Sofia's highchair a good wiping down.

They brought Sofia home, and Mark lingered for dinner, unwilling to be far from their baby after today. Once she was asleep, though, he headed back to his man cave to do... whatever he does when he isn't pestering his co-parents. Callie's not so sure what that is.

"I don't like you and Mark being so buddy-buddy."

Arizona lets out a laugh with a huff. "You didn't like it when we weren't buddy-buddy."

"No, I didn't like it when you were fighting all the time. This makes it feel like you're conspiring against me."

Arizona stands up straight and brushes some hair out of her eyes.

"Welcome to the club, Calliope."

"That's not fair."

"Isn't it?" Arizona counters, dropping the dirty paper towels into the trashcan. She sighs, passing by Callie to lock the apartment door and pressing a quick peck to Callie's unwilling lips. "Sorry. It's dumb to fight about this."

"But explain what you said."

"About what?" Arizona plays dumb.

"About you and Mark."

Arizona takes a deep breath and clarifies: "We've reached an understanding. Some common ground."

"Yeah, Sofia."

"Not exactly."

Callie's brow wrinkles. "What do you mean, 'not exactly'?"

"I mean, yes, of course, our beautiful baby. But also..." Arizona trails off, puttering around their small living space, straightening up.

"What?" Callie demands.

"I shouldn't've said anything," Arizona sighs, tossing a few of Sofia's toys into a bin.

"Well, you did. So tell me."

"Look, it's not your fault," Arizona starts, pausing a few feet away from her and giving her wife her full attention.

"My fault?"

"I said it's not! You just... no one can take her away from you."

Callie draws back as if hit, and Arizona feels tears just at that look, knowing she put it there. She swallows them down.

"But she's yours, too. And Mark's. She's ours."

"Callie, of course she is," Arizona promises, taking a step closer. "But... you are her legal mom. Who lives with her fulltime."

"And Mark's?"

"Her dad. Her noncustodial father."

"And you're?" Callie squeaks.

"Her mom. Totally her mom. But not... legally. And it doesn't matter. It's not you. It just... is. Mark and I are more... precarious."

Callie processes that, taking a deep breath.

"But we're married," she offers.

Arizona takes another step forward. "We are. But not... legally." She reaches a hand forward, heavy against Callie's heart. "Here we're all the same. On paper? We're not."

"It's just paper!"

"Important, powerful paper."

They stare at each other, stunned into silence by reality.

"So yeah. That's why Mark and I are "buddy-buddy"."

"Oh. You talked about it?"

"Not in as many words. But yes. So, let's stop talking about Mark. Can I take my hot wife to bed while our baby is still sleeping?"

Callie stares at her for a few more seconds, eyes narrowed. Then, slowly, a smile spreads across her face,

"I think that can be arranged. Shower first?"

Arizona grins back appreciatively, turning on the full beam as her hand hooks in Callie's front jeans pocket, tugging her hips close just to propel them both back towards their bedroom.

"And then I want to hear all about the sinkhole. Was it awful?" she asks gently.

Hands at her wife's waist, Callie squeezes her tightly.

"Let's just say, if we ever end up in a sinkhole, you'll be happy you married into Ortho."

"I'm always happy I married into Ortho," Arizona shoots back, letting go just to link their fingers together. "Look at these hands."

Callie tips her head back and laughs, the last of the sick worry fleeing to the recesses of her mind.

"You better want to do more than just look at them."

"Mm. Calliope."

Distracted by her wife's lips at her neck, Arizona stumbles them into the closed door, creating a resounding 'bang'. The mothers freeze, praying that their little angel is undisturbed. Then, the baby begins to whimper, softly at first.

"Maybe she'll go back to sleep," Callie insists, leaning forward to capture Arizona's mouth in a searing kiss.

As if realizing her moms are not immediately rushing to her side, Sofia lets out an epic wail, and Arizona pulls away, despite Callie clinging to her. She's already headed towards the nursery.

"I think you love her more than me," Callie calls after her.

"Differently, Calliope. I love her differently than you," Arizona shoots over her shoulder with a warm smile.

Moments later she emerges with their fussy little miracle in her arms, lips pressed to Sofia's temple as she bounces her in her arms.

"Yes, I know, your hormonal moms got too noisy and woke you up. I'm so sorry, my sweet baby."

Callie melts, all sexually frustrated grumpiness forgotten in this now beautifully common moment of Arizona snuggling Sofia.

Legal or not, no one could ask for another mother. Callie is more than willing to weather the unholy Mark-Arizona alliance if it means a lifetime of more moments like this.

el fin