With just being thirteen years-old, Sofia Grace Robbins-Torres had learned a lot in her life. She learned that you really can't take your life for granted, or you'll miss everything. "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." Dr. Seuss said that. Ever since she was little her moms would read her Dr. Seuss every night before bed, and being the imaginative little kid that she was, well, still is, Sofia couldn't help but dream about everything she hoped to accomplish in the rest of her life. Everyone in her life were doctors, so of course Sofia couldn't help but wonder if she was good, or even smart enough to be like the grown ups she's grown to love and look up to. But as she thought about that quote from good old Dr. Seuss, she knew that all she had to do was live life.
So, just like everyday, Sofia Robbins- Torres stood outside in front of Seattle Grace-Mercy West Hospital after school just looking at the hospital thinking about if her doctors had a busy day today, if they had big surgeries right now, or if they were just enjoying eachothers company in the hospital cafeteria, or on-call room. As she smiled at the thought of all her doctors running around the hospital; Mark sneaks up behind his daughter and picks her quickly while tickling her. Sofia screams, but starts laughing immediately.
"Daaad!" She yells. "What are you doing!"
Mark smiles lovingly at his daughter as he sets her back down on her feet. "Well, I saw you just standing her so I'd thought I sneak up on you."
"Well, good job." Sofia laughs as she pushes her dad playfully. She starts looking around then back at her dad. "Did you forget Timothy at school again?" She asks, jokingly, but a little serious, too.
Mark rolls his eyes at his daughter. "That was one time! Are you and your moms ever going to let me live that down?" He asks.
"Well, considering I don't see your mini me on the side of you then I'm guessing it happened a second time." She points out.
"Ha. Ha. No, it didn't actually. I picked him up from school then I dropped him off at his friend's house if thats alright with you?" Mark asks her.
Sofia was the only girl in school who had three parents. And she was so happy that God chose her parents to be Callie, Arizona, and Mark. She knew that some kids that had gay parents only had the gay parents, but she knew she was special because she had her dad. What father, who gets a woman pregnant that is already in love with another woman, really sticks around for the pregnancy and growing up part? Mark did. Sofia loved how different she was. She also loved that her dad lived right down the road from them. Sofia remembered when they first moved into their first house. Mark insisted that it would be too lonely at the apartment complex without them there, so he bought a house right down the road from them. Callie and Arizona didn't mind though. And Sofia loved the fact that she could run out from her backyard to her dad's. It made everything so easy.
Sofia just shakes her head and laughs as she turns her head back to the hospital. "Do you know if my mothers are in surgery?"
Mark thinks for a second. "Uh, yeah, Arizona is, but I'm not so sure about Callie."
Sofia jumps in excitment. "K! Thanks, Dad. See you later!" She yells, running off to the entrance of the hospital.
Mark stood in his daughter's spot as he watched his little girl walk into his place of work. His little girl. Mark couldn't help but smile at those words. He never thought he would have a little girl to call his own. I mean, of course, he had Sloan, but he had her when she was practically an adult. He got to go through everything with Sofia even with her being in Callie's womb and all. He was there when she took her first breath, and he was there when she rolled over for the first time. Her first day of school, and he was the first person she showed her first A+ to. Sofia was a premature baby, which caused many issues in her life as she grew up. She was always last to figure out almost everything, but when she finally did, and she understood it, she was the most happiest and cutest kid around. So, when she finally understood that math equation and it gave her her first A+ she ran right into her dad's arms telling him all about it. Mark did not want his daughter to grow up, even though she was growing right before his eyes. His little girl. She will always be his little girl no matter what.
After checking the boards to see which OR her mommy was operating in. Sofia walks into the gallery and kneels down in front of the window. She smiles when she looks down and sees her mommy working hard. Arizona inspired her daughter so much through everything that she did. Sofia loved her Mommy's heart; her huge heart. She loved that when she was growing up her mommy taught her that being kind is the most amazing trait to have towards everyone. That smiling can make everyone else smile, and that crying can hurt, but it helps. Sofia loved that when her mom was having a bad day, or even when she was having a bad day, her mommy could find the good, or she could just wrap her arms around you and make you feel better just like that because she's just there. Her presence was magical. Her mommy was magical.
Arizona felt like someone was watching her, so when she looked up and noticed her beautiful daughter, her Callie look-a-like staring down at her; through her mask anyone could see the big bright smile Arizona had as she looked at her daughter. Sofia smiled back and gave her mommy a quick wave as she continued to watch her mommy do her magic. Arizona loved that little girl just as much as she loved her wife. Arizona remembered the very first time Sofia broke out of daycare. Her daughter knew her way around the hospital even at age three giving her parents and even the rest of the doctors heartattacks as they looked everywhere for little Sofia Robbins-Torres. Arizona was in the middle of surgery when Callie ran in telling her that their daughter was missing. Arizona started freaking out, but noticed a little figure in the corner of her eye, and when she looked up, she seen their daughter looking closely through the window. Callie followed Arizona's gaze and quickly ran out of the OR up to the gallery. When she reached Sofia, Callie quickly picked her up and hugged her tightly, but little Sofia just looked at her mom then pointed down to Arizona saying Mommy! Arizona never seen herself as a mother. Never. Until Sofia was born and she started that tiny little heart, now she couldn't see herself not being a mother.
Arizona walks out of the OR and meets her daughter, who is waiting patiently for her. "Hey, sweetie."
"Hi, Mommy!" Sofia hugs her mommy around her waist. "You did great!"
"Well, thank you, Sof. How was school?" Arizona asks.
Sofia shrugs. "It was school. Oh, and before you freak. Daddy did pick up Timothy, but he dropped him at a friends. He didn't forget him."
Arizona laughs. "Thanks for the update. Come on. Lets go meet Mom in the cafeteria." She says, putting her arm around Sofia as they walk towards the cafeteria.
"So, how is the kid? Will he be okay?" Sofia asks.
Arizona smiles softly down at her daughter. "It's going to be a long road ahead, but he will be okay." Arizona loved how concerned her daughter would be about the patients, even though she didn't know them. Callie and Arizona didn't quite want their kids to get close to any of their patients because they know the ending doesn't always come out the way they want it to, and then they'd have to deal with their broken hearts and their childrens. But when Sofia did manage to sneak into Peds looking for her mommy, she'd sometimes slip into a random patients room and make their day. Like Arizona, Sofia never talked at them, she talked with with them, and made sure they always knew what was going on by explaining their symptoms to not only their parents but to the kids, too. That's when Arizona knew that Sofia would make a great Peds surgeon, and even though she and Callie agreed not to push their kids to walk in their footsteps, Arizona secretly hoped that Sofia would.
Sofia nods in approval as they enter the cafeteria. When Sofia sees her mom sitting at one of the tables she hurries and runs over to her, with Arizona following closely behind. "Hey, Mom!" Sofia says, as she approaches her and sits directly on her lap. Callie laughs as she wraps her arms around her mini me and hugs her tightly. One good thing about Sofia being a premature baby was that at even thirteen years-old Sofia was able to sit on her mothers lap comfortable while they held her.
"Hey, baby. Where's Mommy?" Callie asks.
"Right here." Arizona says, as she kisses her wife on the lips.
"How was surgery?" Callie asks.
"Mommy rocked it!" Sofia answers for her mommy, as she takes some fruit from her mom's plate.
Callie and Arizona laugh. "I knew she would."
"There's Aunt Cristina! Be right back!" Sofia says, as she hurries to the other side of the cafeteria.
Callie shakes her head as she watches her daughter run to her Godmother. Who knew Cristina would be a good godmother to her daughter? She surely didn't, but Cristina proved her wrong. Sofia loved her, and Cristina loved Sofia, but then again everyone did. Callie loved how Sofia could get into everyone's hearts and how they would just light up when she's around them. Actually, it reminded her a lot Arizona. Arizona did that to her, she did that with her patients, and well, she pretty much did that with everyone. And if she could choose anyone for Sofia to end up like, it would definitely be her wife. She knew from the beginning that Arizona never wanted to be a mom. They did break-up and all because of it, but Arizona turned out to be an amazing mother. And Callie was so glad she chose Arizona to spend the rest of her life with.
As Sofia watched her parents talk and smile at eachother, she couldn't help but put her own smile on her face. Her moms were so in love it was actually some times sickening, but Sofia wouldn't have it any other way. A lot of her friends parents were getting divorced and just knowing that her moms had a love that nothing could destroy put warmth in her heart because she knew they would all be okay. Sofia looked at her mom's smile. It was actually similiar to hers which is why most of her aunts and uncles called her Little Torres. She didn't mind though. Just knowing that she had three great people who made her who she was today, she'd look and act like any of them anyday if it made them happy. Sofia didn't know what she'd do without any of them.
"Sofie-girl, you ready!" Sofia looks up at her moms as they stand up. "Lets get going."
Sofia nods her head at her mom before look at Cristina. "Bye, Aunt Cristina!"
"See ya, Little Torres."
Sofia runs over to her mothers. "Alright, Mija. Lets go pick up your brother and start dinner." Callie tells her.
Sofia smiles up at her mothers. "And I will be meet you at home in about an hour." Arizona tells them.
Callie and Arizona exchange kisses while Sofia heelies towards the door. Callie glares at her wife as Arizona just gives her a big white smile. "I hate those stupid shoes."
Arizona rolls her eyes as Callie runs to catch up with her daughter. "Mija, can we please ditched the rolling!" Sofia stops just as her mom runs into her and picks her up by her waist making her laugh. Arizona started laughing as well. These little moments made her so happy to be able to watch.
In the kitchen of the Robbins-Torres household, Callie is in the middle of cooking her famous spaghetti while Sofia sits at the counter as she writes her Science paper. Callie smiles when she hears her son run down the stairs calling her name. Arizona had her own little look-a-like and his name is Timothy Robbins-Torres. He was a little ball of eight year-old energy and a little boy any man would dream of having because Mark surely did. Timothy loved every sport you could possibly speak of. He was his mommy's twin, but his dad's best friend. Sofia didn't mind being a big sister because at least she was on the only girl.
"Mama, when is Mommy coming home!" He whines.
Suddenly the front door opens and in walks Arizona. "I'm right here." She says, setting her stuff on the ground so she could catch her son who ran straight into her arms.
"Mommy, I have to show you what I made you!" Timothy says in excitement as he runs upstairs to get what he made for his mommy. Arizona just laughs as walks over to Sofia, planting a kiss on her cheek, looking at what she was typing up.
"Ooh. Science paper." Arizona says, as Callie makes her way over for a kiss from her wife.
"Yeah. It's about how to a child's organs work. Will you read it when I'm finished?" Sofia asks.
Arizona smiles softly at her daughter. "Of course." Callie didn't know when the last time Sofia asked her to read a paper. But that's when she knew that Sofia was going to be a Peds Surgeon just like her mommy. Science wasn't her daughters favorite subject, but writing was, so Sofia would always make sure to write the best paper that she could for the subject her moms grew up to love. And even though Science wasn't Sofia's favorite subject, what amused Callie and Arizona the most was that Sofia understood everything about it. She understood what went where, why certain things worked, what made them work, but that was also probably because she grew up with Doctors all around her.
"I am going to go print this out!" Sofia says, hopping off the stool and running towards the stairs just as Timothy runs right past her.
"Mommy, I made this for you! I made Mama one, too, but I already gave it to her. This ones yours!" He says in excitment, handing over the picture he made to Arizona.
Arizona smiles as big as she could, showing off her deep dimples that Callie fell in love with. "I love it! You are very talented."
"Dad said that I'm going to be a plastic surgeon like him because I work well with my hands!" Timothy says, showing his mommy his tiny hands. Arizona gave Callie a nervous look while Callie couldn't help but laugh hysterically. Sometimes Mark just didn't know how to talk to kids, especially his own son.
"Well, I am going to put this in my locker at work so that I will see it just before I go to my surgeries."
"Awesome!" He yells, running back upstairs.
"Will Mark ever learn?" Arizona asks her wife as she walks over and puts her arms gently around Callie's waist.
Callie laughs. "I doubt it."
"Have I mention how much I love watching you cook?" Arizona whispers into Callie's ear.
Callie smirks as she turns to her wife and kisses her lips gently, just before it turns into a full on make out session in the kitchen, but gets interrupted with a knock on the door and Mark walking in. "And then Mark ruins it. What's up, Mark?"
"I need to talk to you two." Mark says. Callie and Arizona could both see the somber look Mark has on his face as he walks slowly into the kitchen.
"Mark, what's going on?" Callie asks, worriedly.
Mark walks over to the two women and sits down on the stool that's in front of them. "I don't really know how to say this. So, I'm just going to come out and say it because there's no looking passed it."
"You're scaring me, Mark. Spit it out." Callie says anxiously.
Mark looks down embarrassed. This was the last thing he ever thought he would have to go through, ever. And this was ever also the last thing he ever thought he would be saying to the mothers of his children. "I have cancer." He says, slowly.
Callie and Arizona were both speechless as their mouths were agaped in surprise. Mark having cancer? No, this was not happening. This was never suppose to happen. Ever. What were they going to tell Sofia and Timothy who admired their big old dad so much. They were going to be devastated.
"Cancer." Was all Callie managed to get out as she sat on the other stool in front of Arizona. Arizona puts her hands on Callie's shoulder to try to calm her.
"What kind of cancer, Mark?" Arizona finally asked.
Mark took in a deep breath. "Prostate."
"No." Callie cries.
"What are your chances?" Arizona asks. She surprisingly was being very calm about this. But she had to be strong right now for Callie's sake and for her children upstairs that were oblivious to what was going on with their parents.
Mark shakes his head, sadly. "Not good." Is all he says.
"Then you get a second opinion." Callie tells him, sternly.
Mark takes Callie's hand. "I did, Callie. I even got a third. It's not good."
Callie takes a deep breath and squeezes Mark's hand. The father of her children had cancer. It was hard to believe. It was hard to even think about. How were they going to tell Sofia and Timothy. Sofia is going to be devestated and Timothy isn't really going to understand except that his dad isn't going to be around anymore and he won't really understand why. "Cancer." Callie repeats to herself, but loud enough for anyone to hear her, even her daughter.
The three of them look up when they hear something crash to the ground. They turn towards the staircase to find Sofia standing there staring at them with a pale face, and the computer crashed at her feet. Mark smiles weakly at his daughter as she just stands there staring at him. "Sofia."
"Cancer?" She asks, quietly as tears streamed down her face. Callie and Arizona looked helplessly at their daughter. It was like time froze because neither one of them could move to console their baby girl. "Cancer?" Sofia repeats.
Mark finally stands up and walks over to Sofia. He kneels down in front of his daughter, on the stairs, and takes her hands into his. "Sof."
"Daddy." She cries.
Mark was lost of words. He was trying to find the right words to say to his daughter to make everything okay, but he knew there were no words. So, all he could do was reach up and wiped his daughter's tears before she finally collapse in his arms, holding him tightly around his neck with her small arms. Mark pulled Sofia in closer, picking her up with his strong arms, and bringing her into the living room. Callie and Arizona were still frozen, as they watched their daughter and her father cry into eachothers arms. This all just seemed so unreal.