A/N: Ok, so this is something I've been playing with for a week or so, I have a few ideas on where to take it, but feel free to throw more my way :-) I have a month or so off, so I'll have time to write for a while at least. Please review and let me know what you think :-)

One last thing, this is set six or so years into the future.

Too Long Now

Chapter 1.

Callie woke suddenly, confused but alert, there was someone pounding on the front door, she quickly made her way toward it, hoping no one else was woken by the noise. She glanced at the time as she passed through the kitchen, twenty past five, she shook her head.

"Do you realise what time it – Aria?" Callie looked over her sister, unsure of what to make of her presence. "What are you doing here?"

"Can we talk inside, please, it's freezing!"

"Sure, but keep your voice down, I don't really want to wake the whole house." Callie nodded standing aside and pointing to the lounge room.

"Ooh, does my little sister have company?" Aria asked with a wicked grin, Callie laughed. "What?"

"Sorry, it's just that I live a very different life now than I did when I last saw you."

"What do you mean?"

"Take a look around Aria, I'm fairly sure this place speaks for itself."

Aria took the time to look around the room, there was an overflowing toy box in one corner, a family portrait hung on the wall among a collection of photos. Aria crossed the room to get a better look at the photos, she examined them closely then turned back to her sister. "You have kids and we never knew." Aria spoke more to herself than to her sister, she let out a long sigh, realisation hitting her; "We waited too long, didn't we?"

"Yeah, you did." Callie looked up to see Arizona standing in the doorway.

"Sorry babe, did we wake you?" Callie asked with concern as she made room for Arizona beside her.

"No this one seems to think I don't need sleep." Arizona rubbed her swollen abdomen as she crossed the room and sat carefully beside Callie.

"It's probably a little uncomfortable in there by now." Callie soothed as she draped her arms around the blonde.

"Good, come out then!" she groaned with a slight glare directed at her stomach.

Callie laughed, "You can't rush perfection babe." She rubbed soothing circles across Arizona's large bump. "Aria, this is Arizona, Ari this is my big sister Aria."

"Hi," Aria said quietly, loitering uncomfortably by the photos. "I'm sorry Cal."

"I'm assuming you're here at this hour for something in particular and not just for a catch up?" Callie said waving off her sister's apology.

"Dad was killed in a car accident, I just didn't want you to hear it through the grapevine, or over the phone, I figured you deserved that much." Aria said quietly.

"When?"

"It was a little over a week ago, mum's a wreck, Maria is watching her while I'm here, I flew out here after the wake."

"Thanks for coming." There was a finality in Callie's tone, Aria knew she was being told to leave.

"Cal, I'm sorry about all of this, I don't want to ignore you, I've missed you." Aria said.

"Had you come a few years earlier I would have accepted, but it's been too long."

"Cal, please, at least call mum, she misses you, it might even cheer her up."

"I'll think about it." Callie nodded as Aria saw herself out with a nod of farewell.

There was a lingering silence which was broken finally by Arizona. "Are you ok?"

"I lost my father years ago," Callie nodded.

"What about your mother?" Arizona asked gently.

"I don't know, I love my mum, she was the best when we were growing up, but she went along with everything, she disowned my because he told her to, she never even spoke to me about it, all I got was silence, years of it."

"People make mistakes babe, maybe it's time to forgive her?"

"I guess." Callie sighed letting her head fall back against the back rest of the couch. They lapsed into silence once more, enjoying the rare peace in their home.

"Mummy! Where are you?" A small voice called from the top of the stairs.

"I'll be right back." Callie whispered kissing Arizona's temple and she slid of the couch. "I'm here Caiti, what's up?" Callie asked from the bottom of the stairs looking up to her little girl.

"I couldn't find you, or mama." She replied walking down the stairs to hug Callie.

"Sorry, I was on the couch with mama, did you have a bad dream?" Callie pulled her daughter into her arms, lifting her up, she smoothed her long dark curls, placing a kiss on the top of her head as the little girl nodded. "Wanna tell me about it?" Caiti shook her head and buried her face in her mother's curls. "Ok, let's go sit with mama then, or did you wake your brother too?"

"She woke Lincoln too, I can grab him if you want?" Callie looked up to see Arizona's goddaughter, Sarah rubbing her eyes and yawning.

"You can go back to bed if you want hun, I'll get him."

"It's fine, I'm awake now." Sarah replied with a dismissive wave as she padded down the hallway to get Lincoln.

"Apparently everyone's awake now." Callie smiled as she reclaimed her seat beside Arizona and settled Caiti on her lap.

"Morning mama, morning baby," Caiti greeted.

"Morning baby girl," Arizona smiled tiredly.

"Morning Ari," Sarah said as she sat in the armchair opposite Callie and Arizona, moving Lincoln from her hip to her lap.

"Morning hun, what are you doing up so early?"

"I heard you guys talking, there was someone else here though right?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry if Aria woke you." Callie told her.

"It's ok. I couldn't sleep anyway." Sarah shrugged.

"Come here," Arizona patted the space beside her, "Are you ok?" She asked putting her arm around Sarah's shoulders and hugging her.

"I'll be ok." She replied quietly.

"What's up?"

"I miss her." There was a quiver to Sarah's voice, Arizona didn't have to look at her face to know she was holding back tears.

"I know, so do I." Arizona placed a kiss on the top of Sarah's head and pulled her closer. Callie quietly collected the two younger children and took them through to the kitchen, closing the door behind her. Sarah shifted slightly so her head rested on Arizona's shoulder and circled her arms around Arizona. Neither of them felt the need to speak, each lost in their own thoughts.

Arizona sat in a large office, she looked around but didn't really take anything in, all she could see was the image of Angela, her best friend, lying motionless in her casket, it was burned into her memory. She sat beside Angela's mother, neither of them hearing what the lawyer was saying, only one sentence penetrated Arizona's grief clouded mind. "Soul custody of Sarah Elizabeth Johns passes to her godmother, Arizona Robbins." Suddenly Arizona's head shot up.

"What?"

"Is there a problem with that Ms. Robbins?"

"No, it's just – unexpected." She paused and looked to Angela's mother. "You don't mind, do you?"

"No, I'm too old to raise another child, and Angie chose you." Arizona nodded.

The lawyer finished the reading without Arizona really taking much further notice, her thoughts buzzing with the realisation that she was now entirely responsible for a twelve year old girl.

xxxx

Sarah followed Arizona into her house, she looked around, it was bigger than it looked on the outside and very comfortable not one of those magazine houses that was too perfect and thus almost impossible to live in. Arizona gave her a quick tour which ended in the kitchen.

"Sarah, honey, this is Callie, my girlfriend, she lives here too."

"Hi, want something to eat?" Callie smiled motioning to the array of sandwich fillings and bread before her.

"Sure." Sarah replied.

"Just watch what she puts on your sandwich, Cal's had some weird flavour ideas lately." Arizona warned with a smile.

"It's not my fault you didn't appreciate the genius of apple sauce and tuna ice cream." Callie laughed.

"Sorry Sarah, Callie's a little crazy at the moment," Arizona explained with a smile, "It's the baby that's doing it."

"You're having a baby Callie?" Sarah asked with interest, Callie nodded. "Cool."

Sarah shifted slightly bringing Arizona out of her thoughts, she could smell Callie's cooking skills wafting through the house. "Let's go have breakfast then we can curl up on the couch all day and watch movies, ok?" Sarah nodded, wiping her tear stained face.

"Thanks Ari." She lifted herself off the couch then turned to help Arizona up as well.

"Anytime hun," She hugged Sarah across the shoulders once more and led her into the kitchen.

Knowing from experience what Arizona and Sarah's plans would be Callie declared the she was taking Caiti and Lincoln out for the day. Arizona smiled gratefully at Callie, normally she would have taken Sarah out for the day but with her due date so close they all knew it was wiser for her to stay in. After breakfast Callie tidied the kitchen, dressed the two younger children and put them into the car.

"Have fun you two." She called as she left.

TBC

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