Hey guys, I'm really glad you all liked my last chapter, I guess I had no reason to be nervous after all! I had to create drama because as I'm sure all of you know life isn't always perfect. This chapter takes place in Arizona's perspective. Sorry it's a little bit later than usual because life has been getting in the way, also known as advanced mathematics, as much as I love math I wish it would just go away sometimes XD I really hope you enjoy this one as much as the last. Thank you again for all your support!

Six. Emergency

"It's really not your fault that no one cares to talk about it.
Cause I've seen love die way too many times when it deserved to be alive."
- Emergency, Paramore

I can't help but feel nervous as we enter Calliope's parents house but I put on the best smile I can muster. I know she sees right through me but it's more for my benefit than hers. I feel her reassuring hand on the small of my back as I take a deep breath. It's time to face the music, Arizona.

"Let's put Rory down for a nap in my, well our, room before we get into this. I do not want her to go through that again." She says motioning to our sleeping daughter in my arms. We had both been amazed that she had not cried when Calliope's grandfather raised his voice. At home in Seattle she had cried if Mark so much as laughed to loudly while he was in the same room.

"That sounds like the best thing to do." I agree with her knowing she's right as she gives me a forced grin. "It's okay to be nervous or scared, Calliope." I look into her eyes so she can sense my sincerity. "I'm not going anywhere we're going to do this together." I give her a quick peck on the lips before hesitantly entering further into the house.

We somehow manage to make our way to our room without running into anyone besides Aria who was unnaturally quiet. When Calliope had asked her where their grandfather was she had simply said he was in the study with their parents in a voice that was barely louder than a whisper before continuing down the hallway.

"I don't want to leave her. I just want to stay here and watch her sleep, she looks so peaceful." Calliope says as I lay Rory down in her crib.

"You can watch her sleep after we've gotten everything resolved, okay? Just think about that to keep you composed when we're talking to them." I say hoping it will calm her nerves even if it's only a little bit.

"Okay, let's get this done and over with." She takes my hand in hers. "Night, Rory." She places a kiss on her opposing hand before placing it on Rory's cheek. I can't resist the instinct to smile. "Let's do this." Calliope's eyes meet mine before our lips mirror the action in a soft yet passionate kiss.

As we pull apart I take a deep breath. "Let's do this."


"There's no turning back now." I can hear Calliope mumble under her breath as she hesitantly knocks on the study door. She doesn't wait for a response before opening the door.

Her grandfather is sitting in a dark brown wing chair in front of a stone fire place. Mr. and Mrs. Torres are sitting on a matching couch with their backs to the door; only my mother in-law turns around to acknowledge our entrance into the room which is filled with silence.

After receiving a small smile from her mother Calliope leads me into the study with a firm hold on my hand. I only now notice the other couch across from them as we reach the other side of the room. I take a seat next to Calliope across from Mr. Torres. I can see the shame on his features. I expected the shame to be directed at his daughter but I can only see it directed at himself. Out of the corner of my eye I can see Calliope's grandfather; his arms folded, his face almost apathetic.

We sit in silence for what feels like hours before I get up the nerve to break the silence. "Mr. Torres, I under."

I don't even get to finish my word before I'm silenced. "Do not speak to me." His voice is laced with malice.

Calliope quickly comes to my defence. "Don't you dare speak to her like that." Her hold on my hand tightens. "You very well know I'm to much of a Torres to be good with words but I'm going to try and you're going to let her help me explain this to you because she's just as big a part of this as I am." She doesn't say anything more, I rub the back of her hand with my thumb as I feel her palm begin to sweat.

There is a quick flicker of contentment on her grandfather face that lasts only a moment before he nods hesitantly.

I take this as a sign and begin to speak again. "Mr. Torres I understand that you're angry, upset, confused and maybe even scared. That's not your fault you weren't aware of this before we came here because no one talks about it. But I need you to do something for me. I need you to remember the look on Calliope's face when she walked into the family room this afternoon. I need you to remember what she sounded like the last time you spoke with her on the phone." I stop for a moment to let him process what I've just said. Out of the corner of my eye I can see a small smile on Calliope's face that wasn't there before I had begun speaking.

Mr. Torres slowly nods his head, signalling me to continue but before I even open my mouth Calliope squeezes my hand. I turn my head slightly to look at her. She smiles wider as if to say she's got this covered. "Abuelo, she asked you to do that because she was trying to show you that I'm happy and that I made a decision to do this, she didn't force me into anything. You know that I've never been this happy before. Arizona makes me happy. Do you remember when I asked you how you knew that abuela was the one?" She emphasizes her last two words. "You told me that you just knew. That you couldn't help but feel like a lovesick teenage every time you saw her. That your heart would race and you couldn't resist the urge to smile at everything she did that was unique to her. Do you remember that?" Mr. Torres his mouth to speak but Calliope stops him. "Arizona makes me feel like that, abuelo. She makes me feel all that and more. She took the time to put me back together piece by piece when I was broken. She made me believe in love and happy endings like I used to when I was a kid." Calliope goes to speak again but I stop her.

"I don't mean to interrupt and sound disrespectful Mr. Torres but I love your granddaughter and that's what matters. I know that your belief in God is great and it might cause this to scare you but, a new commandment that I give unto you, that you love one another. I've heard Calliope say this verse many times and I don't think that she should be punished for her loving me, sir. I've seen relationships and love die when it deserved to be alive too many times in my life, sir. And you know that Calliope has had her fair share of storms and battles in relationships and love. You know that she's fought like hell to stay strong. You know that she builds her walls up to hide and walks tall so that no one can see the pain. So she deserves her happy ending. She deserves to have that one person who sees through her mask and breaks down those walls. She deserves that person who is there for her no matter what, a good man in a storm. I was raised to be a good man in a storm, sir, and I am that person for your granddaughter and I always will be. I wouldn't be wearing this ring on my finger if I wasn't." I quickly motion to my hand that is currently held in Calliope's. "So I need you, she needs you to understand this and let her have her happy ending with having to fight you for it."

I don't need to say anything more because I notice that there are tears in Calliope's grandfather's eyes. "Calliope, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I over reacted but I didn't want anything to ruin your chances of seeing the kingdom of God but I understand. Arizona, I'm sorry for our first meeting was under those circumstances. But thank you, thank you for making me understand that you love her and you're a good man in a storm. God should be glad that you've both found love." Mr. Torres chuckles slightly with a smile before wiping the tears from his eyes.

I now know who Calliope resembles. When I first met her parents I could tell automatically that she was their daughter because of the relationship they had but I she physically looked unique; she hadn't inherited their eyes or smile. I have only now noticed that Mr. Torres' eyes are the exact shade of brown that I had classified as unique to Calliope. His smile has the same wide goofy characteristic to it.

I feel Calliope's hand release mine and before I know it she's hugging her grandfather tightly. "Thank you, abuelo. You have no idea what this means to me." A huge smile has now formed on my face and I can't stop the tears from forming in my eyes.

"No thanks are needed, nieta. I should have just waited for your side of things before yelling at you. I'm sorry for that. I'm sorry." Mr. Torres looks over Calliope should at me as he speaks. His eyes meet mine and I can tell that he's telling me that this apology is for me as well. I nod in thanks. I can tell his words are sincere and aren't forced; he understands. "Now can get I too see my bisnieta?" He chuckles again; it's her chuckle.

"Of course you can, abuelo. Of course you can." Calliope says with a slight sniffle.

"I had made Calliope's favorite for dessert and I saved some for her and Arizona so would you like to go to the kitchen and we all can have a nice chat? You can see Rory and get to know Arizona." Calliope's mother speaks, continuing to lighten the mood.

"I think that would be the best idea." Mr. Torres replies with a smile that I've seen many times before on the face of his granddaughter, my wife.


"You like flan?" Calliope's eyebrow is raised.

"Yes, of course I like flan. Who doesn't?" I spread a smile across my face to try and convince her.

"Arizona, you're a picky eater, you."

"Yes, I am but flan is great." I don't allow her to continue speaking because I know if she continues the topic the mood in the room is likely to become awkward.

"So Arizona, I know very little about you expect that you love my granddaughter and you apparently like flan." Mr. Torres chuckles with a smile. "You must tell me more about yourself."

"Well, sir." I begin to speak but Mr. Torres holds up his hand to stop me.

"You must be from a military family, no one has every called me so much in one conversation before. There is no need to call me sir, Arizona, just call me Mick." He says before telling me to continue.

"As you noticed, I am from a military family. My father was a Colonel in the United States Marine Corp before retiring last year. I moved around a lot a kid because of it but it wasn't so bad." I can't help but laugh at remember all the places we lived with all the weird school names and mascots.

"It seems like a childhood you wouldn't wish on anyone else." Mr. Torres says, his voice is now serious.

"Well I wouldn't put my child through that but it did have its strong points, it made me really close to my siblings growing up." The genuine smile that was once on my face has faded to a fake one. All I can think about is his face. I can feel Calliope place a hand on my knee, letting me know that it's okay, that I'm safe.

"So, you have siblings. That's nice. How many do you have?" Mr. Torres doesn't recognize the forced smile and continues the topic.

"I have two older sisters, a younger brother, and I had an older brother." The tears are starting to form in my eyes but I try and blink them back. I even look over at Rory who is in Mrs. Torres' arms to stop them. But my resistance isn't enough; they begin rolling down my face.

Mr Torres gives me a sad smile and places his hand on my own that is on the table. "I'm sorry, I know the pain of losing a sibling but to lose one at such a young age as you have that is tragic. I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thank you, sir." The formality slips out of my mouth automatically and I chuckle. "Sorry, Mick." I can't help but sniffle.

"It's alright, Arizona."

"I think it's been enough for one night, we'll all get to talk again tomorrow. Come on, Arizona let's get you to bed." Calliope stands up from her chair; giving me a small smile and taking my hand. Just by the look in her eyes I can tell that I had made the right choice today, I made the right choice facing my fears and stand up for Calliope, Rory, and our life together. I knew I made the right choice because our love was never going to die in front of my own eyes.