A/N Thank you all for the reviews and the story alerts. I love knowing that people love what I am writing.
A/N 2 I am briefly borrowing a scenario from Friends but I do not own Friends either.
Approval?
Cleaning, that is what Callie and Arizona had been doing all morning to the apartment so it would be clean when their adoption caseworker arrived for an interview and an inspection. Both women were nervous about this meeting. They knew that this woman could either approve or deny their adoption request based on the interview and the home environment. Neither of them had any blood family in Seattle, but the friends that they had here were like family to them and both Arizona and Callie knew that their friends would help them out if they needed anything.
They were both attempting to eat something resembling breakfast but both Callie and Arizona were so nervous that they could barely swallow an apple slice, let alone a bowl of cereal. This woman was going to be there in a half an hour and both of them had to get dressed. They doubted that they would make a good impression on the woman if they answered the door in a t-shirt and panties and they wanted to make a great impression on this woman. They finally abandoned the attempts to eat something and they went to get dressed instead. Callie put on a red top and a pair of jeans while Arizona put on a dark blue dress.
Carrie Brooks walked down the hallway, her green eyes looking at each door as she passed them to make sure that she didn't miss the apartment that she was trying to find. As she rounded a corner, she saw a shirtless man across the hallway. And instantly she knew who that was. She had gone out with him once in New York and the next morning, she left her number and the guy had never called her again. Carrie was almost positive that this guy was the same guy. It was kind of difficult to tell as he was currently making out with a much younger woman. When the woman left, the man went back into his apartment, but not before Carrie caught a glimpse of his face. Yes that was him all right. It was his shirtless chest that had confirmed it for her. Well that and his face. Carrie couldn't believe it and she prayed that the lesbian couple she was about to interview and inspect were not friends of his. Carrie was almost certain that he hadn't seen her face, so she continued looking for the apartment where she was supposed to be meeting a couple.
As luck would have it, the couple, whose names were escaping her at the moment lived right across from the guy who had never called her again after that night they had spent together. Carrie knocked on the door and she could hear feet shuffling behind the door and finally a blond woman with the bluest eyes Carrie had ever seen, answered the door. Her partner who was the complete opposite of her in looks, stood beside her. Arizona stuck out her hand and said "I'm Arizona Robbins. You must be Carrie Brooks from the adoption agency. This is my girlfriend Calliope Torres." Callie shot her girlfriend a frown when Arizona called her Calliope in front of this woman. Callie extended her hand and shook it too with a smile on her face. She was really excited to get this process going. Carrie didn't know quite how to ask the first question that came to mind "Do you two know the guy that lives across the hallways from you?" Neither Callie or Arizona knew quite what to say. Of course they knew Mark. Callie in fact knew him quite well. Arizona finally spoke "Can we ask why you are asking us this?" Carrie figured that it was only fair that she told them what had happened ten years ago "We went out once when we both lived in New York and then we ended up back at his place. The next morning I left my number before I left his place and he never called me again." Callie suppressed the urge to groan. It sounded like something Mark Sloan would have done ten years ago. Arizona looked at Callie and then she took Carrie inside the apartment "Why don't you let me give you a tour of the place." Carrie nodded and Callie slipped out of the apartment.
She went across the hallway and pounded on Mark's apartment door. Mark opened the door still shirtless and he looked at her with confusion written all over his face, He had no clue what was going on "Don't you have a meeting with the adoption case worker right now?" Mark asked curiously. Callie almost snapped at him, but instead she replied "You slept with her and you never called her back, you idiot." Mark couldn't believe this. Now that his friends had gotten someone to work with them, his Neanderthal past could inhibit Arizona and Callie's chances of adoption He shook his head and asked "How do you know it was me?" Callie looked at Mark and commented "She said it was and I am assuming she got a look at you when you and Lexie were saying a thoroughly nonverbal goodbye before she went to the hospital." Mark rubbed his hand over his face and then looked at Callie "Okay I'll stay away while she is here." Adamantly, Callie shook her head. There was no way that she was going to allow Mark to get away with this scot free "No way. You are coming to apologize to her." Callie insisted as she kept her eyes on Mark. Mark knew that it was the least he could do. Especially if it meant that Arizona and Callie's chances wouldn't be ruined. He finally nodded and replied "I'll be over there in a bit. Callie nodded, a part of her still upset that the adoption caseworker knew Mark from his New York days. Mark was a different guy now and Callie hoped that Carrie would see it.
She returned to the apartment just as Arizona was showing Carrie the child's room. She had a feeling that Carrie knew where she had been and Callie wondered if she would mention it. Callie needn't have worried. Carrie didn't even mention it as she followed Arizona back out to the living room. In fact, Carrie was smiling, which Callie hoped meant that she was not going to hold against them, the fact that they were friends with Mark. Finally Carrie spoke "Well I can see that this apartment is a good place to start a family. Now let's get on with the interview part of this meeting." Arizona looked at Carrie and said "We are actually looking for a house to move into. We really don't like the idea of raising out child in an apartment." Carrie looked pleasantly surprised and she said "Well I'll have to do one more inspection at your new home then when you get it." Both Arizona and Callie nodded, knowing that it was only fair.
Carrie crossed her stocking covered legs before she looked at the couple in front of her "Let's start with family. Do either of you have family support here in Seattle?" Both women shook their heads. Callie was the first to speak "My family lives in Miami. I have not spoken to them since they found out I was dating a woman. They are not supportive of my life with Arizona at all. Arizona squeezed her girlfriend's hand comfortingly. Arizona continued to hold Callie's hand even as she spoke "My family lives in California and I haven't seen them in awhile. They know about Callie and I and they are not against it, but they have never come to see us." Carrie, sighed knowing that not having family support would be rough, but she knew other parents had done it. Carrie moved onto the next question "I assume you both have friends here that you would trust with your life." Both Arizona and Callie nodded. Carrie smiled and asked "May I have two friend's names and numbers so I can call them?" Arizona nodded immediately and scribbled out Miranda Bailey's name and telephone number. Callie had the more difficult task. She knew that she probably could put Mark on that list without annoying Carrie again so she thought for another minute and she finally put Lexie's name and number down on the same piece of paper. Carrie smiled and clipped the paper to the rest of Callie and Arizona's application. They went through the usual questions about family dynamics and both of Callie and Arizona's health histories. They went through drug and alcohol abuse histories. It seemed like the interview took forever, but all that Callie and Arizona cared about was that Carrie gave them a fabulous report.
When Callie heard a knock at the door, she knew who it was and she had a feeling that Arizona knew too. She wasn't sure if Carrie had an inkling of who it was and Callie wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. She got up to answer the door and it was Mark. Callie wasn't surprised at all, but she was grateful that he had remembered to put a shirt on before he had come over to apologize to Carrie. Carrie had been talking to Arizona, but when she turned towards the door, she froze. She had no clue what Mark Sloan was doing in the doorway. Yes she still remembered his name even from ten years ago. She happened to be equipped with a very good long term memory. She crossed her arms over her chest in her typical defensive pose and she kept her green eyes right on Mark. Mark was starting to feel slightly uncomfortable with the intensity of her stare. He wasn't sure if she was going to start throwing things at him or if she would allow him to speak "Look, I was a prick back then um…" Mark trailed off, not wanting her to know that he couldn't remember her name "Carrie. My name is Carrie. And yes you were a prick." Carrie informed him, gritting her teeth. Carrie wasn't sure if she was imagining things but he was sounding sort of contrite. Mark was contrite. Carrie was right to agree that he had been a prick the next day after their date and what he guessed as at least decent sex "Look are you sure you left me your number? Because I would have called you the next day if I had it." Callie was trying not to look at Arizona because she knew if she did look at Arizona, they both would start laughing. Mark was doing his best to blame it on Carrie when everyone knew that he had been the one to mess everything up. Carrie glared at him and said "Yes I did. I left it on your nightstand." Mark wasn't entirely sure that she was telling the truth, but he wasn't stupid enough to call her a liar either. Mark shrugged and said "Well whatever happened, I should have called you. Especially now that you inform me we had a date before anything happened that night." All three women stood in shock that Mark had actually admitted that he had messed up. Mark hoped that this wouldn't hinder Callie and Arizona's chances to adopt. Carrie nodded and said "That sounds like as much if an apology as I can hope for." Mark wasn't about to come out and say he was sorry. His statement was an apology and he was glad that Carrie seemed to accept it. Callie and Arizona smiled and Callie gestured for Mark to leave so the three women could finish things up with the interview. Mark nodded and waved to the three women before he left.
Once he was gone, Callie and Arizona turned to Carrie and waited for her to continue with the questions. She seemed to be done though as she was packing up her papers and her notes and the application "Mark's behavior ten years ago won't hinder us will it?" Arizona asked nervously. Callie prayed that it wouldn't. Carrie shook her head "No it won't. My report on you two will be based on the inspection and the interviews as well as the interactions I have seen between you." Callie and Arizona breathed a sigh of relief. They thanked Carrie for coming over and apologized for Mark's behavior. Carrie promised them that they would hear within a week's time what the decision was.
--------One Week Later------
Callie and Arizona were sitting at home with a glass of red wine, anxiously waiting to hear anything. It was taking to long and they were growing impatient. When the phone rang they looked at each other before Arizona reached for it. She put it to her ear and said "Hello?" It was Carrie. Arizona nodded at Callie and Callie reached for Arizona's hand.
"You have been approved for an international adoption. Your home inspection went perfectly as did the interview. I think you both will make excellent parents." Arizona was grinning and Callie knew what was going on. Tears filled both Callie and Arizona's eyes. Arizona finally was able to speak "Thank you so much for everything Carrie." Arizona told her, choking back tears.
Carrie was smiling at the other end of the line "Give me a few weeks to get some things together and then I'll come over and show you some pictures of kids who are waiting for a home." Arizona nodded, but then realized that Carrie couldn't see her nodding "Okay we look forward to hearing from you." Arizona told Carrie before she hung up the phone.
Carrie hung up the phone smiling. She loved making couples days. Today was one of the good days where she could tell a couple they had been approved to adopt a child.
When Arizona hung up the phone, Callie flew into her arms and they both hugged each other and they cried together. Finally they were getting a child and they were going to be able to start their family. Arizona kissed Callie and said "I love you Calliope." Callie grinned into Arizona's kiss and murmured "I love you too Ari." They went into the bedroom that would soon be occupied by a child and they stared out the window at the Space Needle and they wondered what their child would look like and if it would be a boy or a girl and how old they would be, Many things were running through their head, but the main thing was how excited they were,