Title: Always Our Baby
Author: VietAngel
Character: Callie
Rating: K+

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.

Summary: It's the night before her wedding and Callie can't sleep. A nice fluffy one-shot that fits in with my Torres-Sloan family series.

"Hey gorgeous, is there anything I can do to help you sleep?" Mark asked the woman who would become his wife in less than twenty-four hours. "You've been tossing and turning all night and I can't have you passing out before you say 'I do'." He rolled to his side so he was facing her and brushed her messy hair away from her face. Even in the dark he could tell that something was bothering her. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing. I'm sorry I'm keeping you up…go back to sleep. I'll try to keep still this time," she replied.

"Callie," Mark started, propping himself up on his elbow so he could look her in the eye, "I know you—it's something. You love sleep. Sleep and The Cure are the only things I am absolutely sure you love more than me. You're not sleeping and on top of that you got sick this morning and you barely touched dinner. I know something is wrong…spill it."

"It's stupid," she replied shyly.

"If it's bothering you this much it can't be stupid," Mark said, reaching over to stroke her cheek. "You're not having second thoughts are you? I'm happy to be with you in any way I can, we don't have to get married if you don't want to."

"No! No, it's not that. There's nothing I want more than to marry you. I'm just being a baby."

Inside, Mark was relieved. He meant what he said about being with her in any way he could…but he really, really wanted her to be his wife. Suddenly, it dawned on him.

"Is this about your parents?" he asked.

"Yeah," she replied, finally giving in. "It's just—my mom and I always talked about what my wedding day would be like as a kid. We always talked about how she would help me pick out my wedding gown and we'd spend the night before the ceremony together. I stole that from her when I married George."

"It's still the night before, Cal," he replied. People often saw her as the tough-as-nails Ortho chick, but sometimes she could be such a sweetheart. "You should be with her. Put your shoes on, I'll drive you over to the Archfield."

"I should be with you. You don't have to…" she started.

"You're about to be with me for the rest of our lives, but tonight you need your mom and I think it's amazing that you have that relationship with her…I want our daughters to have that one day. You should be with her."

"Ok," she said with a smile. Sometimes she couldn't believe how well he knew her.

Amaia Torres rolled her eyes and sighed when her husband didn't even stir at the sound of someone knocking on their door. The man could sleep through anything. As she secured her robe and made her way to the door she wondered who on earth could be bothering them at such an hour. It was after midnight, everyone should have been in bed already so they'd be well rested for Callie's wedding.

"Callie, Mark…what are you two doing here, you should be in bed!" she gasped. They were the last people she expected to see. "Come on in. Is something wrong?"

"Thank you Mrs. Torres, but I just came because I didn't want Cal driving over alone. I'm heading back home," Mark replied, never crossing the threshold. He kissed Callie goodnight and went on his way before any further questions could be asked.

"What's wrong, mija?" Amaia asked her daughter as she ushered her over to the sofa, wondering why she would be improperly dressed and at her door at such an hour. Callie was still dressed in her pajamas…Super Mario Bros. pajama pants and a grey thermal.

"It's nothing really. Just…remember how we used to talk about my wedding day when I was a kid? We always said we would spend the night before together and we didn't get to do that when I married George," Callie started, "I just thought maybe we could do it now."

"Oh honey, I would love that. Come with me," Amaia replied as she stood. She kissed the top of her daughter's head before taking her hand and leading her back to the bedroom where her husband was still sleeping. She flipped on the light and shook him, but he still didn't stir. Callie stood back and laughed while she kicked off her shoes and got out of her coat…her father was impossible to wake up. "Emilio! Move over so your daughter can have some room!"

"Huh?" he said, finally conscious. "What are you doing here, nena? Did Mark do something? Should I go kill him?"

"No, daddy," Callie answered, kissing her father on the cheek as she crawled into the big king-sized bed and propped herself up against the headboard between her parents. "He didn't do anything. I just wanted to spend the night with you guys."

"Oh, well it's late, princess" he started, kissing her on the forehead and patting the pillow beside him. "Lie down and go to sleep, you have a big day tomorrow."

Callie nodded and did as her father said. They all said their goodnights to each other and Amaia turned off the light. A comfortable silence blanketed the room, but it was soon disrupted by the sound of sniffling. Amaia and Emilio would know the sound of their daughter crying anywhere and they both instinctively sat up and turned on their bedside lamps. Sure enough, they found her red faced and sobbing into her pillow. Emilio rubbed her back while his wife whispered softly in their baby girl's ear to try and calm her. Eventually the sobs subsided and Amaia nodded toward the bathroom, silently telling Emilio to go get a cool cloth to wipe Callie's face with.

"What was that about, sweetheart?" he asked softly, handing the cloth to his wife. He waited patiently and stroked her hair while his wife wiped the salty tracks from her face.

"I—I'm sorry. I just—I just realized I'm not going to be your baby anymore after tomorrow," Callie hiccupped. Amaia and Emilio smiled at each other and wondered how the hell they'd managed to be blessed with such an amazing kid.

"Honey, no matter what you do or how old you get, we will always love you and you will always be our baby," Amaia said, wrapping her arms around Callie.

"Yes, mija…your mother is right," Emilio chimed in.

"Even when I'm old and grey?"

"Yes, Even when you're old and grey," they both replied.

"Even when I have babies of my own?"

"Yes, Even when you have babies of your own."

"Good…because I'm pregnant."

"You're not even married yet! I knew I should have killed him!" Emilio yelled.

"Oh hush!" Amaia responded, smacking him in the head with a pillow. "Your daughter just told you you're going to be a grandfather! You will not make her feel bad about this!"

"But…" he started, only to be cut off by his wife.

"But nothing! Apologize…NOW!"

"I'm sorry, mija," he replied, turning to Callie. "I didn't mean to make you feel bad, I just—it's a dad thing. I'm happy I'm going to be a grandfather, really. I don't want them to call me grandpa though; it makes me sound like an old man. They'll call me abuelito, right?"

"But you are an old man, daddy," Callie replied with a laugh. She rested her head on her father's shoulder, relieved that he was happy about becoming a grandfather. "They will call you abuelito and abuelita."

"Does Mark know yet?" Amaia asked, resting a hand on Callie's. She knew it was much too soon to feel the baby kick, but she firmly believed that the baby could already feel their love through her touch.

"No," Callie replied, placing her hand over her mother's. "Addison knows because she my doctor, but other than her, I wanted you to be the first to know. I'll surprise Mark with the news tomorrow."

This time Amaia couldn't hold the tears back. She always knew the day would come when her baby would have a baby of her own…she just never expected it be so soon. It seemed like only yesterday she was just bringing the beautiful little screaming ball of hair that was Calliope Iphigenia Torres home for the first time. In reality it had been twenty-nine years ago…and her baby girl was now a gorgeous woman—who still had too much hair for one person—and she was mere hours away from getting married.

"Come on, lie down," Amaia said after noticing Callie trying to stifle a yawn. "You're going to be a mommy, you need your rest."

Realizing how tired she was, she curled on her side with her back facing her mother and her head resting on her father's shoulder. Emilio ran his fingers through her hair lightly, while Amaia rubbed her back in soothing circles…the same way they'd done when she would crawl into bed with them when she couldn't sleep as a child—and just like always, she was out within minutes. Amaia and Emilio whispered their "I love yous" in her ear as usual and just watched her sleep…it had been a long time since they'd had the opportunity. Emilio reached for his wife's hand and kissed it, silently thanking her for the gift of his daughter for the millionth time…and they didn't need to say anything to know what they were both thinking--she wasn't a baby anymore, but she would always be their baby.

Fin.