Author's Note: Sorry this took me months to finish (Life gets in the way of my writing sometimes). I promise never again. Thanks to anyone who stuck to this story. I hope you enjoy the ending (I even added an extra holiday for you). Lyrics in the part from Joni Mitchell's "River".

I'm so hard to handle

I'm selfish and I'm sad

Now I've gone and lost the best baby I ever had

I wish I had a river I could skate away on

New Year's Eve

"Oh Come on, seriously?" said Arizona. She'd been on her way back from her meeting with Chief at the hospital and her car had turned off on a residential road. Her return, to say the least had been horrible. Then again, Arizona hadn't expected to be welcomed with open arms. Callie had been avoiding her like the plague since she got back. Arizona gave her distance but couldn't help feeling the need to leave her notes or ask nurses to check on her. She wanted Callie to know she wasn't going anywhere and she would try everything to get her back. Teddy and surprisingly Alex were being super supportive and for that she was very grateful.

Arizona tried her car again and when it wouldn't start, she pulled out her cell to call roadside assistance. 'No signal' it read. "Of course" she sighed. She looked out at the rain and pulled her coat a little tighter.

Arizona grabbed her purse and got out of the car. She looked around and was excited when she recognized the house a couple doors down the street. 'I thought this road looked familiar' she thought. 'I hope Alex is home'.

Arizona made her way toward Meredith's praying someone would be inside to assist her.

Meanwhile…

Callie sighed as she finished cleaning her dinner dishes. She was alone in the house as Aria left the day before and everyone else was at the hospital. She'd actually been a little excited about New Year's Eve as she and April planned a movie marathon but April was called in and Callie was left alone. This past week was one of the worst for her. The hospital had never seemed so small with so few places to hide. She couldn't face Arizona but it was like she was everywhere. Normally Callie would find it sweet that Arizona wanted to check on her but instead she found it suffocating. She was still hurt and angry and not ready to face her. Still when the first day she saw Arizona, she still felt the butterflies and the love that had blossomed between them. She was relieved to see that Arizona made it back from Africa ok.

She was on her way to living room to pop in a movie when the doorbell rang. Callie checked the time on the clock in the living room. It was 11:00. 'I wonder who that could be' she thought. The doorbell rang again. "Just a minute" she said.

She opened the door and was face to face with the one person she did not want to see.

Arizona gasped a little when she saw who answered the door. "Oh um I was looking for Alex" she said in a small voice.

Callie looked at her coldly and said "Well he's not here."

Arizona sighed and said "I'm really sorry Calliope but my car broke down and I don't have any cell reception and I was just wondering if I could use a phone. I promise I'll just be quick and then go wait in my car".

Callie considered for a moment refusing Arizona. She felt she didn't owe Arizona this small kindness. Then she took a moment and really looked at her. Arizona's hair was a little wet from the rain and her eyes were tired and her face weary. 'All she wants is a phone call' she thought. She hadn't asked for forgiveness or a way back into Callie's heart. Callie softened a little and said "Ok come in. There's a phone in the kitchen".

She opened the door and watched as Arizona hesitantly walked in and made her way to the kitchen. Callie closed the door and made her way to the living room. She picked a movie and as she was putting it in, Arizona came from the kitchen.

Callie turned to look at her. She didn't think it was possible but it seemed Arizona looked ever more tired and weary than before she walked into the house.

Her face was apologetic as she said "They said they probably won't be here for three hours with all the people out for parties and such. I was wondering" she stopped for a moment then shook her head. "Never mind. Thank you Calliope for letting me use the phone" and she turned toward the door.

Callie wasn't sure what made her say what she said next. Maybe it was the way Arizona looked or maybe it was the fact Callie was still in love with her. No matter what the reason, she couldn't let her go back out in the rain.

"Stay" she said. Arizona looked at her disbelievingly. Callie offered her a small smile and said "I can't let you go outside in that rain and it's pretty cold out. Just stay until they get here."

Arizona smiled a little in response and said "Ok". She settled in a chair by the couch as Callie finished putting in the movie. They sat as far away as possible but both couldn't help the bit of hope that welled in their hearts.

55 minutes later…

This had to be the most silent Callie had ever been while watching a movie. She kept wanting to make comments to Arizona. She wanted it to be like it used to when they would watch movies. Both of them awing at romantic moments and making fun of things that were too dramatic. Too much had happened. 'It just can't be like it used to be' she thought sadly.

Arizona sighed as she shifted in her chair. She'd taken her coat and scarf off and they lay next to her on the arm of the couch. She couldn't remember feeling this uncomfortable. All she really wanted was to take Callie in her arms and make her see that she'd come back for her. She wanted her to know that she chose to come back for a reason. She knew that she left but she wanted to make Callie see why she came back. There just didn't seem to be a good way to start. She lifted her eyes to the clock. '5 minutes to midnight' she thought. Then she said "Were you planning to watch the countdown?"

Callie turned toward Arizona. "Oh what?" She hadn't been paying too much attention and almost forgot that Arizona was there.

Arizona smiled a little. "The countdown to midnight?"

Callie sighed "Oh yeah. Um I guess". She grabbed a remote and switched to a New Year's Eve special.

They sat for a couple minutes until Arizona couldn't take it anymore.

"I meant what I said before" she said simply.

"I'm sorry what?" said Callie. She was trying to think of what Arizona could be talking about.

"The e-mail I sent you" she said.

"Oh" said Callie as she turned to look at her. 'Is she really going to do this now?' she thought. "We don't actually have to talk about that right now".

"I'd like to if you don't mind. Please Calliope, I haven't been able to say some things and I think they're really important" said Arizona.

Callie sighed as she considered Arizona. The television started to count down and as it did Callie thought of the million reasons why she didn't owe Arizona the chance to explain. When she turned to look at her though, it was the one reason she wanted her to that made her say "Ok".

Arizona moved to sit closer to Callie on the couch. "Like I said in my e-mail, I'm still not sure about why I left but I do know why I came back. I'm so sorry I hurt you, I'm sorry that I made you spend months here feeling horrible and rejected. I know people leave you. I know that's what hurts you more than anything else and then I went and did that same thing. I came back for you though Calliope and I will spend the rest of my" she stopped for a moment as tears welled up in her eyes. Upon seeing her like that, Callie moved a little closer. Arizona took a deep breath and continued "the rest of my life trying to make it up to you. You're it for me Calliope. Honestly and truly. You're it" she said as a few tears fell from her eyes.

Callie couldn't help her own tears forming in her eyes. She took a breath and said "You don't know how much I want to just take you at your word and let you back in. I've spent all this time without you, rebuilding and learning to be myself again. It's not easy Arizona. You leaving hurt more than anyone else before you. I believe in love. I believe in it almost to a ridiculous point sometimes and I've gotten my heart broken because of how often I give it freely. I appreciate you coming back. I want you to know how much I wanted it to happen sooner. I just don't know if I can do this again". She stood up and moved to stand in front of Arizona.

Arizona felt like getting on her knees and begging at this point. Instead she said "I love you and I will love you until the day I die. If it takes me that long to make you see that. To help you see that I would do anything, I will do it. I will take that time. All I ask of you and I know it's not fair and you have every right to say no. All I ask is that you give me a chance"

Callie shook her head and said "I don't know that I can". With that she went upstairs and Arizona spent the next two hours on the couch waiting and hoping for her to come back down.

4th of July

"Come on, we're going to be late!" said April as she hurried to the front door with her picnic basket.

"Is she always this excited?" asked Arizona as she carried their blankets and followed April.

Alex and Callie laughed and said together "You have no idea".

As they all made their way to April's chosen spot on the grass, Arizona turned to Callie and said "Thank you so much for letting me come. I haven't seen a fireworks show in so long".

Callie smiled brightly at her and said "Of course I'd invite you. I couldn't have some other girl snatching you up to make out with you under the fireworks".

Arizona laughed a little and said "Oh now I see your motive. Sneaky Calliope". She winked at her and placed their blankets on the ground.

They'd taken it super slow. After that night on New Year 's Eve, Arizona kept trying. On Teddy's advice, she approached Callie as a friend and was slowly invited back into her life. They'd had a case together a couple months ago and the working long hours together was the perfect opportunity for both of them once again to air their grievances. Callie agreed to a date and from there they'd slowly found their way back to each other. They still had a long journey ahead of them but Arizona was so thankful for the opportunity to show Callie that she really wasn't ever going anywhere again.

Alex laughed at April as the fireworks started and her face lit up like a five year old. She noticed and punched him in the arm. "You can't argue that there isn't something magical about fireworks."

Arizona sighed as she leaned her back against Callie's front. "She's right Karev". Callie placed a light kiss on Arizona's neck. Arizona turned to her and smiled as she asked "What was that for?"

Callie smiled back at her and said "For being you."

Arizona smiled even brighter and gave Callie a gentle kiss. Then she had a thought "What made you say yes eventually after I came back?" Arizona had been wondering this for a while and hadn't had the opportunity to ask yet.

Callie considered her for a moment then said. "You came back for me. No one has done that and eventually I realized it was so much more important than the fact you left."

Arizona turned and put her arms around Callie. "I'd do it again Calliope. I'd choose you every time."

Callie smiled and said "And I'd choose you".

Then they kissed as April squealed over the fireworks and Alex cracked a smile.