The Right Kiss
One Shot: It's Sofia's birthday. Setting in the future after 12x05.
Callie sighed as she stopped the car at the entrance of Arizona's new house. She thought carefully on the consequences of not entering the house as she squinted. Her daughter would hate her for not being there for her day, which would be the result of her cowardice to face her former wife.
"You okay?" The brunette heard the soft voice of her girlfriend and she did the best she could and give a short smile at the red-haired woman.
"Yes, of course. Why wouldn't I be?" She chuckled. Her fake smile across her face.
"You're sighing and thinking too much, like you don't want to go in there." Penny said quickly, raising her eyebrows. "It's because Arizona?" She asked carefully.
"What? No, of course not." Callie countered immediately. "We are friends, we get along well. I have no problem with her." She emphasized the last part.
"Then why are we still in the car and not in there celebrating Sofia's birthday, uh?" Penny asked with a smirk on her face. She didn't understand her girlfriend's behavior, but something about Callie stuttering always seemed lovely to her.
"I was thinking if Sofia will like the cake I brought." The brunette tried to frame the situation.
"I thought you said this was her favorite kind of cake." Penny said.
Callie unfastened the seat belt and finally opened the door. Suddenly it was hot in the car. "Yeah, well, I know my daughter and she's only five, well today she's turning six. Anyway, she changes her mind a lot, so you can never be sure enough." She let out her rant.
"I'm sure she'll like it, Calliope."
"Please don't call me that." Callie whispered lowly, so low that Penny didn't listen.
"Come on, I'd love to finally meet Arizona's new girlfriend."
Ugh… there was that too. Callie took the cake from the car and walked into the house with Penny at her side.
Arizona had a new girlfriend. A nice, incredibly beautiful, talented and kicks ass brunette girlfriend. A forensic psychiatrist who had met the blonde in a bar six months ago. Oh the irony. The woman was tall, brunette, curvy, thick red lips, brown eyes and wavy black hair. Sounds familiar?
Callie snorted every time she thought of the woman.
It was not like she didn't like her ex-wife's new girlfriend, it's just ... she could not bear so much perfection in a woman. Perfection does not exist, but apparently this woman was all that.
Ugh… Callie snorted again.
Callie didn't care, at least not until a week ago. But now she cared.
Arizona was finishing the appetizers for the party as arms wrapped around her waist from behind. She knew who it was, but she tensed. She shouldn't get tense, but she did.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Rebecca asked when obviously she felt her girlfriend's tense body.
"What do you mean? Nothing is wrong. You just surprised me." Arizona said, feigning indifference.
"Hmm, so you're sure or you're acting like this because of Callie and her girlfriend coming home?" Rebecca asked carefully.
"Bex, do not start that again. Callie is coming to our daughter's birthday and of course her girlfriend's coming with her. That's fine with me. It's cool. I'm cool." Arizona didn't stop her hands on her task.
"Cool people, don't say they're cool." Rebecca chuckled earning a death glare from the blonde. She instead gave a soft kiss on the puckered lips.
Both women were left out of the delicate kiss until a throat coughed interrupted them.
Arizona looked under the kitchen door and right there was the women in question. She cleared her throat and returned to her appetizers.
"Oh great you're here. This one here was about to go crazy thinking you weren't coming with Sofia's cake." Rebecca broke the silence and approached the tall brunette and take the big box out of her hands and put it on the counter. "I'm assuming that you're Penny?" Rebecca said when Callie didn't seem to make the necessary introductions.
"Oh, yes, sorry. Penny this is Rebecca Foster. Rebecca, this is Penny." Callie said quickly.
"Nice to meet you." Both women said as both shook hands. "Can I offer you something, guys?" Rebecca asked kindly.
"White wine would be nice, thanks." Penny said with a smile. She liked this woman already. She was nice.
"I'm fine, thank you." Callie said instead sticking her hands in the front pockets of her jeans. Her eyes still had to look away from Arizona, who wasn't looking back at her. So frustrating.
"Let me see if Miss Robbins hasn't finish all of them, Penny." Rebecca chuckled.
"Bex!" Arizona looked at her girlfriend trying to keep a straight face, but she couldn't help but giggle.
"Just kidding, babe." Rebeca winked and kissed her flushed cheek.
Callie's eyes almost pop out of its socket in annoyance. "Where is my daughter by the way?" She asked harsher than necessary, making Arizona finally looked into her eyes.
"Um she's outside with the other children. She was asking for you earlier." Rebecca gave Penny a glass of white wine as she spoke.
Callie and Arizona's eyes looked a little more before without another word, the brunette left the house to the backyard.
Another positive aspect in Arizona's life was that she no longer had to share an apartment with an intern. Instead she took out a mortgage and now she has a house with a huge backyard for her child to enjoy while she spends her days with the blonde.
Arizona looked longingly as Callie left the kitchen and pursed her lips. She should have talked to Callie days ago, but she didn't and now everything is cooking on low heat. And it would burn if she doesn't do something soon.
"You need anything else, babe?" Rebecca rubbed the blonde's back with affection.
But Arizona just shook her head no. "I'm fine here. You go out I'll be there in a minute." She said without looking up.
Rebecca nodded and went to Penny, who was still standing in the kitchen. "So Penny, Arizona mentioned that you're a doctor too?"
"Surgical resident, actually." The redhead said with a grin.
"Uhh that's great." Those were the last words Arizona heard before both women leave the place.
Once alone, the blonde let out a heavy sigh and her shoulders slumped as she closed her eyes and tried to stay together during this afternoon. She owed it to her daughter.
Sofia's party was in full swing with all the surgeons of the hospital, Callie and Arizona's friends and neighbors were also there with their children to celebrate the day of the cute little brunette. The smile on Sofia's face was priceless and just for that the two mothers were smiling despite all the mess they were inside. But this day was not about them. This day was about the most beautiful thing they have shared in their lives.
Then came the games for parents and children and Sofia immediately seized both hands of her mothers, forced them to play together. Here's something that Arizona missed immensely. Family moments. Those were the best.
In one of those games Callie's hands fell on Arizona's waist and Arizona's hands reached Callie's biceps while Sofia was releasing the rope that held women captive. Each child of the party had the task to free their parents to win the competition and say that Sofia's small hands were taking time was a euphemism.
There was the tingling that ran through both women's bodies in contact. Arizona avoided Callie's gaze at all costs, but it was difficult considering that those beautiful brown eyes were like burning darts in her slightly flushed face.
"Look at me." Callie finally said something softly. Like everyone was more interested in children's competition. The brunette ran her hands to the smooth thin line of skin that was among the jeans and the blonde's shirt. She tightened her grip and dug her nails into her pale skin, earning an audible gasp from Arizona. "Look at me, Arizona." She repeated.
The woman finally looked at her with pleading eyes. She didn't want to do this. This was their daughter's birthday and she wanted to enjoy this day without any tears at the end. "I don't want to do this now, Callie." She muttered without taking her eyes off the tall woman. By God, Sofia must hurry.
"Now or never?" Callie raised her eyebrow questioningly.
"Never." Arizona said.
"You kissed me -" Callie was cut as Sofia screamed.
"Done! Momma, Mami, I did it. I'm a big girl!" She screamed in excitement jumping on her toes.
"Yay big girl!" Arizona physically back away from Callie and took the girl in her arms.
Yes, Arizona had kissed Callie exactly a week ago and has been trying to avoid her since then. The reason? Callie words or rather the lack of Callie's words after that kiss.
Flashback
A week ago.
Arizona was at Joe's taking a glass of wine ... or a few by now, she was beginning to feel a buzz, but she felt like it. Then she heard the melodious voice that she still hears in her dreams.
"Hey, can I sit here?" Callie smiled at her ex as pointing to a barstool next to the blonde.
"Hey, yes of course, why you're here, I thought you were on a date with Penny." Arizona said indifferently.
"She was paged, what about you and Rebecca?" Callie asked back.
"A new case that requires her attention." Arizona chuckled and looked away. This was odd and so uncomfortable for her. Sitting there with this woman that still had her heart in her hands and talk about their girlfriends. Just it didn't feel right.
"We are the worst mothers." Callie said of nowhere. Arizona looked at her and frowned. "Here we are in a bar, while our daughter is spending the night with Mer." who after the debacle with Penny, the dirty blonde had understood after a while that what happened it wasn't Callie's fault. She laughed and Arizona laughed with her.
"Well, I was thinking about going to pick her up, but it's your night with her so?" She joked around. "Although we are not bad mothers, Callie. Things didn't go as planned, that's all." She shrugged.
"Things never go as planned, ever." Callie said.
Arizona looked at her beautiful face and she almost lost herself in those eyes. She shook her head trying to remember those eyes weren't hers anymore. All Callie wasn't hers awhile now.
"Want a drink with me?" She asked her ex-wife with a smirk and Callie grinned and nodded.
"Yes please."
"Still red wine?" She asked knowingly.
Callie chuckled. "Still red wine, yes." She confirmed.
They were friends. Not the kind of super intimate friend as Cristina and Meredith used to be or as Mark and Callie, but they were friends. They care for each other, they look after each other and they take each other's backs. They were friends.
But while that was something good was also the largest torture at the same time. The longing never lost, the cheesy butterflies in the stomach, tingling of their bodies by being close to each other, that never ended. But they were in other parts of their lives now. They both have committed, loving and stable relationships. They both were living their lives and following separate ways. But nobody said it was easy, even over time.
It's hard to see the love of your life away from you and with another person.
They talked and laughed enjoying the lightness of the moment. It was fun for both to talk like this, especially after so long. It was nice. It was like old times. Only that old times were like in bed with some pizza and beer. Those times were the best.
"Can I ask you something, Callie?" Arizona shook her finger on the rim of the wine glass causing a delicate sound.
"Of course." Callie looked directly at the blonde as she drink from her own glass.
"Why do you let Penny call you Calliope?" Then the lightness became tense. Arizona glanced at the woman sitting next to her.
Callie looked at the woman for a moment, she thought about lying, but she knew that Arizona knew her too well for that. "I don't know. She just does it - "
"Yeah, I get that, but why do you let her?" Arizona quickly cut off.
"I don't know, Arizona. I suppose it feels good - " She was cut again.
"You hate your name, which is ridiculous because your name is beautiful and special, but you hate your name, that's why only your father call you that and until some time ago I used to do it too. So why?" Arizona was starting to raise her voice. Apparently alcohol was conjuring up old painful memories.
She will never forget when the skinny redhead named Penny - What kind of name was that anyway - said Callie's name at Meredith's dinner months ago.
She may have been drunk and joking around, but that bugged her and still today she had some apprehension about it.
"Arizona, I don't know what can I say, why are you so upset about this?" Callie looked completely confused.
"God, you're so oblivious sometimes. It's so damn frustrating. Just forget it, Callie." Arizona shook her head standing up and straight to the bathroom.
Arizona leaned against the sink, wetting her face with some cold water to calm down. Her face was on fire and when she looked in the mirror besides finding her flushed face also found worried brown eyes. This felt too familiar. Like a deja vu.
"You want to tell me what was all that about? Why am I being oblivious" The brunette asked as calmly took a step up.
The shoulders of the peds surgeon fell as she sighed. "She should not be able to call you that." She said quietly, but Callie heard anyway.
"What's wrong with that? It's just my name."
"I should be able to call you that!" Arizona finally broke. "Don't you get it? That was my right. Only I could call you Calliope and then you let her call you that and I don't care if we are not together, she shouldn't call you that." Arizona looked at her ex-wife breathing heavily. "She does not get to call you that." She repeated.
"Arizona…" Callie was at a loss of words. She didn't expect this explosion.
"That was all I had left. Your name was all I had left of us and you gave it to her and then I don't have anything else." Her eyes filled with tears.
Callie then moved closer to the woman and she instinctively reached up and stroked Arizona's flushed cheek. Her body shuddered in contact and then Arizona's closed her eyes leaning on it. It felt so ... right.
"That was all I had left." The blonde repeated as she opened her eyes again.
Callie wanted to tell the blonde she has the most important thing. She has her heart. But she refrained herself instead.
"I want something of you with me again." Arizona moved her hands to the tall woman's waist. "I want you, Calliope." And before the brunette could say anything else, pink lips closed with hers.
Arizona didn't know what she was doing. This was wrong. Callie was in a relationship, she was in a relationship, but it felt so good to have their lips together again. It felt like home and that encouraged her.
Then she felt Callie's lips dancing with hers and her fingers tangled in her hair. Callie wanted this as much as she did. Arizona pushed Callie against the wall and kissed the woman with everything she had. Callie's tongue slipped into her mouth and she gave the welcome rewarding. Hands began to walk everywhere and rubbing their bodies. Arizona bit the brunette's lower lip and sucked it gaining an audible gasp from the woman, she smiled at the bruised lips.
Only when the air was a problem their lips slowly broke apart. Arizona took a couple of pecks those luscious lips before kissing Callie's jaw and then her neck, wasn't something suggestive, it was just the urge to kiss her. She gave a delicate kiss behind the ear and literally felt how Callie's body shuddered, she smiled again before whispering.
"I never stopped loving you, Callie. I just don't see that happening and Bex is great, but she's not you and I want you and nobody else. I want us and our family." Arizona confessed firmly. "I want you." She repeated. But when Callie didn't say anything, she became concerned. She looked up and met the brown orbs staring at her almost in fear. "Say something, Callie." She almost begged.
Callie's hands fell off the short woman. "Penny -" She was cut when the name of her girlfriend went out of her mouth. That was something she definitely should not say. "I ... I'm ... Arizona, I ..." For God's sake why is she having vocabulary troubles now.
Arizona moved away from her as if Callie was a hot breaststroke and was burning. That was kind of what she was feeling. She should have known better. She should know that Callie didn't feel anything for her. She was so pathetic to believe that Callie would love her.
"I get it, Callie. Don't worry." Before Callie could pull her head out of her ass, Arizona was out of the dirty bathroom.
End of Flashback
Sofia's party was a success and when the time to cut the cake arrived, the little girl was over the moon with happiness to have her mothers on her special day together. She loved family time.
After the party everyone was there to help pick up the mess that children left in their row as Arizona walk in the supply room to grab some garbage bags and other things when she heard the door open and then closed quickly. She turned around and there was her torment (in a good way).
"Callie are you doing here?" The room was so incredibly small that both women were two feet away.
Callie raised her eyebrow and crossed her arms. "What do you think?" She asked, sarcasm dripping from her lips.
"Looking for garbage bags?"
"Cut the crap, Arizona. You know why I'm here." Callie was losing patience.
"No, actually I don't." Arizona copied the other woman's pose.
"You kissed me and told me all these things -"
"Yeah, I remember that part, and I also remember you picking to perfect pretty Penny." The blonde cut her off.
"I never did such a thing. You wouldn't let me finish." She refuted.
"Well, when the first thing that come out of your mouth after spilling my heart to you is the name of your girlfriend, there's not many choices, don't you think?"
"Ugh just shut up!" Callie completely lost it with this woman.
"Excuse me?"
"You have to stop talking so I can finish saying what I was going to say that night." Callie ranted. "What I was going to say that night was that Penny isn't you either. I also want to be with you and I want our family back and it's crazy, but it's all I want. My life is good now and I feel good, but something is missing, something is missing and that something is you." Callie said sincerely.
Arizona's eyes narrowed. "That was what you were going to say?" She asked warily.
"YES! If you had waited until my stupid mouth would agree with my brain you would have known, but no! You just ran away from me."
She looked at her ex-wife, her eyes softened a little but skepticism was still present. "Why?"
"Why, what?" Callie frowned.
"Why do you want to leave Penny for me? I mean, apparently she makes you happy, happier than you ever been, as you said like for EVER happy, so why? Why the sudden change of heart?" Arizona asked again.
"There has never been any change of heart, the only reason I never said anything and tried to move on with my life was because I thought you had no interest in me. So I set you free, so you could find your happiness even if it wasn't with me." Callie said her voice beginning to crack.
"Why on earth did you think that? We had our problems and all that, but Callie my love for you was never an issues. That never changed." Arizona moved closer to the woman trying to convince her that she's telling the truth.
"Good, because my love for you hasn't changed either." Callie said, her face breaking into a grin. And when the cute dimples appeared on screen, she couldn't hold it anymore. "Come here, you crazy woman." Arizona chuckled as Callie closed the distance between them and their lips met.
But the kiss did not last as much as they expected.
"Momma, Mami, you're kissing!" The women broke apart to find a smiling Sofia with the door open wide and when Callie and Arizona looked up they found two pairs of angry and sad eyes looking straight at them.
Standing there was Rebecca and Penny, seeing all the scene thanks to Sofia.
Before either of them could react, Rebecca and Penny walked away.
"Oh dear. What are we going to do now?" Arizona was the first to say something as Sofia jumped into her arms.
"You want to be with me, like are you totally sure?" Callie asked staring at the blue eyes.
"Sure as I'll ever be, Calliope. More than anything, I want to be with you." She said with all her heart.
"And I want to be with you too." Callie stroked her cheek. "So we'll figure out. Together." She said before looking at the empty space where moments ago were the other two women. "At least we saved the uncomfortable conversation with them." She looked at her daughter who had her face buried in Arizona's neck. "And that's thanks to you, little miss." Callie played with the girl's chin.
"My birthday wish came true, Mami. So I'm happy. Happy Birthday to myself." The three of them laughed at Sofia's antics.
"Happy Birthday, Sofia Robbin."
All mistakes are mine.