Title: When It Don't Come Easy
Author: HandsThatHeal
Pairing: Callie/Arizona
Rating: NC-17
Summary: After watching Arizona struggle to come to terms with the aftermath of the plane crash, Callie decides to take matters into her own hands by embarking on a cross country adventure with Arizona and Sofia. During their trip, will they be able to reaffirm their love? Or will they ultimately decide that they don't have what it takes to carry on as a family?
Disclaimer: All television shows, books, movies, songs, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings thereof are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.
Chapter Ten
"You sure you don't want to come?"
Arizona nodded her head, her eyes carefully watching as Callie packed Sofia's bag for their day out. "Yeah. . .if you don't mind. I think I'll just stay here and catch up on some emails. Maybe check in with Karev," she rapidly listed, grabbing Sofia's cup from the counter and handing it to her wife.
Looking up from the bag, Callie suspiciously searched her wife's face. "You okay?" she carefully.
Arizona smiled at her wife's concern. "Yes, Calliope. I'm fine," she tried to assure. "If you take Sofia to Airtastic today, I promise all three of us will go to the Aquarium and the Children's Museum tomorrow."
Callie continued to study her wife, searching for any hint of why she had decided to stay in for the day. "And, you're sure you're okay?"
Stepping up in front of her wife, Arizona gently pressed her lips to the corner of Callie's mouth. "I'm sure," she softly replied.
With a smile, Callie then gathered Sofia and her bag, finally seeming to concede. "Okay," she stated but, moving toward the door, she turned back to her wife. "You're sure?"
"Callie. . ." Arizona huffed, irritation beginning to creep into her voice.
Turning her attention to Sofia, Callie conspiratorially spoke to the child. "I don't know, baby girl. You think mama's being weird?" She asked, smiling when Sofia unwittingly nodded her head. "Yeah? Me, too."
"I'm not being weird," Arizona countered with a roll of her eyes. "There's nothing wrong with me staying in for the day."
Callie wasn't completely convinced but, leaning forward, she acquiesced, gently kissing her wife goodbye. Pulling away, she smiled. "We'll be back in a few hours."
"Okay," Arizona nodded. "I'll see you when you get back."
Exiting the RV, Callie walked the short distance toward the rental car they had rented for their time in Chicago and, just when Arizona thought her wife was going to slip into the driver's seat to start the car, she sighed when she saw Callie Turn back toward her, instead.
"You're sure you're okay?"
"Callie!"
"Okay, okay," the brunette replied, playfully winking at her wife. "Love you."
Several hours later, a thump against the RV door pulled Arizona's attention away from the boiling pot on the kitchen stove.
"Just a second," she called as she wiped her hands on a kitchen towel before crossing the vehicle. And, peeking out the window, a smile graced her face at the sight before her.
Quickly opening it, Arizona softly chuckled. "What's all this?"
Callie stood at the bottom of the steps, a very asleep Sofia in one arm, her chubby toddler arms haphazardly slung here and there, several shopping bags, her purse, and Sofia's bag hanging from Callie's other arm.
"Can you take a couple bags?" Callie urgently asked, shifting her weight from one foot to the other to keep from dropping her heavy load.
"Oh, yeah, sorry," Arizona answered as she quickly grabbed some shopping bags from her wife's grasp.
"Sofia needed diapers and those apple cinnamon puffs she likes," Callie stated as she ascended the stairs. "So, then I just decided to get some stuff to make for. . ."
Callie paused, looking around the RV. "Arizona?" she questioned, a smile curling at her lips. "What - what's all this?"
Depositing the shopping bags onto the table, Arizona shyly turned back toward her wife.
"Well, I just - I wanted to show you how much I appreciate everything you've done lately. This trip has been wonderful, and. . .I just wanted to thank you," Arizona sheepishly replied before stepping back toward her wife to take the rest of the bags. "It's nothing extravagant. Just grilled chicken, some brown rice, and a garden salad."
Callie's eyes immediately began to flit around the cabin of the RV, widening as they took in everything Arizona had done.
Two taper candles stood flickering in the center of the dining table along with several other smaller candles that were scattered along the countertop. The interior lights of the RV were dimmed as soft music from Callie's My Arizona playlist softly played in the background.
"You're pretty fond of that playlist, aren't you?" Callie teased with a chuckle.
Arizona offered her wife a sheepish shrug. "Eh. . .it's not so bad," she coyly played, stepping up in front of her slightly stunned wife. "I, umm - I thought we could put Sofia to bed and then enjoy a nice quiet dinner. Together," she softly explained. "The putting Sofia to bed part seems to already be taken care of, though."
Glancing down at the exhausted child she still held in her arms, Callie smiled. "Yeah. She seriously played her little ass off today."
Arizona reached forward, gently smoothing the dark hair from Sofia's face, a cherubic cheek resting against Callie's shoulder and, laying a tender kiss against her forehead, she smiled. "Why don't you go put her down. I'll put away the groceries, and then we can eat."
Callie smiled. "Sounds good," she replied. "I'll be right back."
"Mmm, Arizona," Callie moaned as the blonde harshly pushed her up against their bedroom door.
Dinner had been excellent and was followed by Arizona laughing hysterically as Callie retold the story of Sofia's antics in the various bounce houses she had played in earlier that day. Sharing a bottle of Callie's favorite Pinot Noir, their conversation had flowed easily as they flirted shamelessly.
Callie had been completely unable to deny the advances of her wife as she pulled her from her seat and pushed her backward into their bedroom just moments before. She wasn't sure if it was the wine they had consumed, or perhaps the renewed sense of self-confidence Arizona had recently discovered, but she was certain that Arizona taking charge – Arizona pushing her up against their bedroom door as she guided their love making – felt frickin' amazing.
"God, I need you," Arizona panted as she tugged Callie's shirt over her head. "You're so damn hot."
Callie leaned forward to capture Arizona's lips as the blonde's hands snaked behind her to remove the deep purple bra she was wearing.
Freeing heavy breasts from their confinement, Arizona quickly devoured Callie's right nipple, pleasuring it with her tongue and lips as she pinched and rolled the other hardened bud between her thumb and forefinger.
"Oh, God," Callie groaned, throwing her head back against the door. "Mmm...so good."
Arizona continued her descent down Callie's body, dipping her tongue into her navel before teasing the skin above the waistband of her jeans with the insistent tip of her tongue. Then pulling the button of Callie's jeans through the buttonhole, Arizona started to kneel in front of her wife in order to continue her ministrations, but halted when she suddenly began to lose her balance.
"Shit," Arizona hissed, grabbing Callie's hips to keep from toppling to the floor. "Damn it."
As her wife's curses filtered into her arousal dazed mind, Callie's eyes quickly snapped open, immediately jerking her back to reality from the abyss of pleasure and excitement she had quickly tumbled into. Looking down toward her wife whose forehead now rested against the waistband of her jeans, Callie bit her bottom lip, unsure of how to proceed.
But, making a quick decision, Callie placed a hand under each of the blonde's arms, pulling her back up into standing from the awkward position she had assumed. And, when Arizona refused to meet her gaze, Callie gently grabbed her chin, forcing her to look into her eyes. "We're just going to try something different," Callie simply stated, refusing to allow this to overwhelm Arizona's psyche.
"Callie. . ."
"I said - we're just going to try something different," Callie repeated more firmly as she pressed her body forward, taking Arizona's lips into a passionate kiss.
Grabbing at the hem of the blonde's t-shirt to brusquely pull it over her head, Callie then palmed Arizona's bra clad breasts, pleased when she felt her wife's body begin to once again relax. Then stepping forward, she gently urged Arizona backward toward the bed, but gasped in surprise when the blonde unexpectedly turned their bodies to shove her onto the bed.
Reclining on her elbows, Callie scooted back toward the center of the bed, seductively smirking as she watched her wife remove her own navy blue satin bra. Hungrily licking her lips, Callie allowed her eyes to scan from her wife's erect nipples down toward the yoga pants that covered her hips before quickly moving back up to her darkened blue eyes.
"Like what you see?" Arizona sexily asked as she stalked toward her wife, crawling onto the bed in search of her prey.
"Definitely," was all Callie could reply before Arizona captured her lips with her own, pulling both of their bodies down onto the bed to rest on their sides, facing each other.
Leaning up onto her left elbow, Callie pushed Arizona onto her back, momentarily hovering over her before sticking out the tip of her tongue to trace her wife's lips. Chuckling when Arizona nipped at it with her teeth, Callie then pressed her lips firmly to her wife's, her tongue invading the blonde's mouth as her right hand massaged a bare breast.
Arizona soon grasped Callie's wandering hand and, with a sudden burst of confidence, she urgently guided it past the waistband of her pants and toward the wet heat that radiated from her center.
Knowing exactly what Arizona needed, but wanting her to remain in control, Callie allowed her hand to be led, biting her bottom lip at the sound of the gasp that fell from Arizona's lips when Callie's index finger found her erect clit through the barrier of her pants and panties.
Hopping up onto her knees at the side of her wife, Callie continued to kiss Arizona as her fingers applied steady pressure to her pulsing bundle of nerves and, then moving her hand to her wife's hip, she sat back onto her knees as she hooked both hands into the elastic band of Arizona's black yoga pants, pulling them down her legs.
Once discarded, Callie's fingers slipped into the waistband and gently tugged the navy blue panties down Arizona's thighs, momentarily stopping when the elastic caught on the metal of the prosthetic knee joint. But, quickly recovering, Callie untangled the satin material as she proceeded to remove them the rest of the way down her wife's legs.
Kneeling with her thighs slightly parted, Callie gazed hungrily upon Arizona's naked form, feeling a growing dampness between her own legs. Neither spoke, nor did they move for several seconds - Callie allowing Arizona to take the lead and Arizona wondering just what her wife would do next.
Sitting up, Arizona finally made up her mind, immediately grasping her wife's sides, drawing her breasts closer to her face. Then firmly grasping the right one, Arizona teased the erect nipple with her tongue before moving to pay the same attention to it's mate. And, getting lost in the moaned encouragements and gasped pleadings that spilled from Callie's beautiful mouth, Arizona then moved downward, running her left palm over Callie's bare stomach before pulling down the zipper of her wife's jeans. Then snaking her hand into the front of Callie's pants, Arizona ran her middle finger through moist folds.
Moaning at the contact, Callie threw her head back on her shoulder, spreading her legs further as her wife continued to stroke her aching clit.
Continuing to allow her wife all of the control, Callie immediately obeyed when Arizona urged her from her elbows to lie down on her back, groaning when the blonde removed her hand from between her legs.
Pulling dark jeans along with the Latina's deep purple panties down her long tanned legs, Arizona attempted to position herself between her wife's thighs, groaning in frustration when the weight of her prosthesis prevented her from moving into the position she desired.
"My God - this is ridiculous," Arizona muttered as she quickly sat back against the head of the bed.
Callie recognized Arizona's need to command this encounter and be dominant in this situation, so she patiently leaned back onto her elbows, allowing her wife a moment to gather herself and process her next move. Remaining quiet, she cautiously watched as Arizona obstinately attempted to regain her composure.
After a few moments, Callie smiled slightly when Arizona leaned forward, a decision seemingly made.
Pulling off her prosthesis, Arizona then guided it to the floor before removing the sleeve from her residual limb. And, taking a deep breath to settle her mind, Arizona turned back toward her wife. "Okay," she tentatively breathed out. "Where were we?"
Reaching out her arms, Callie beckoned Arizona toward her, smiling seductively when the blonde straddled her left thigh.
Pressing forward, Arizona rested her body firmly onto that of her wife, gasping when her already aroused nipples brushed against Callie's. Then sucking a plump bottom lip between her own, Arizona pressed up on her arms and right knee as she continued to assault Callie's full lips.
Pulling back, Arizona gazed down the curvy tanned body, wanting to touch her more intimately – wanting to bring wave after wave of pleasure to her gorgeous wife.
Arizona couldn't remember the last time she felt such a longing to indulge in her deepest desires and, quickly leaning forward supporting her body with her elbows and forearms, she eagerly suckled and teased her wife's breasts.
"Oh, God," Callie moaned at her wife's fervor, arching her back, seeking the friction she desperately needed.
Pulling Arizona up to kiss her waiting lips, Callie reached down to wrap her arms tightly around her wife, her fingers cupping her firm ass, as the blonde lowered her left thigh to press against the Latina's core.
Callie flinched slightly at this new sensation, her throbbing clit aching for more friction, though her mind raced. This was something they had done so many times before - Callie found her wife the very hottest when she would greedily give in to her own desires, shamelessly riding her thigh in the heat of passion, and she knew that Arizona loved it when she did the same.
But, bucking her hips toward her wife's residual limb in an attempt to rid her brain of its untimely thoughts, she just couldn't go on, ripping her lips from her wife's mouth.
"Stop. . .wait. . .please," Callie stammered, a blush creeping across her face and chest.
Pushing up onto her hands and right knee, Arizona stared down into her wife's clearly conflicted eyes.
"What wrong?" Arizona breathlessly asked, the concern evident in her voice.
Callie only shook her head as she closed her eyes, too embarrassed and ashamed to speak.
"Calliope. . ." Arizona urged.
Slowly opening her eyes, Callie tried mightily to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat. Finally finding her voice, she purposely averted Arizona's gaze.
"I. . .I'm sorry. I. . ."
Moving to settle herself at her wife's side, Arizona pulled Callie's face toward her. "Look at me, Calliope," she forcefully demanded. "Look at me right now."
When brown eyes tentatively reached her blue ones, Arizona was surprised to see tears welling in the magical chocolate orbs. "What's wrong?" she gently asked, pushing brunette locks away from Callie's face. "You can tell me."
Knowing she needed to be completely honest with her wife, Callie let out a staggered breath. "I'm sorry. I just - I got a little uncomfortable. I. . ."
Arizona searched her wife's face, confused by her statement. "What are you talking about?"
Callie shook her head, completely frustrated with herself. "You - your leg. When you touched me with it. It felt. . .good."
"Well, isn't it supposed to feel good?" Arizona questioned with a smirk, still wholly perplexed by her wife's reaction.
"Well, yeah. But, it's your leg, Arizona! And, I know we've done that before. A thousand times, but now. . ."
Callie trailed off, mentally steeling herself for what she was about to say. "It just doesn't seem right," she hesitantly continued. "I shouldn't be allowed to feel pleasure from something that has caused you so much pain."
"Callie. . ."
"I - I'm so sorry."
"Callie, stop. Right now. I need you to stop," Arizona insistently chided. "Please just stop."
"Arizona. . ."
"Shhh," Arizona softly replied, pressing her fingers to her wife's lips. "You have to accept this, Callie. . .just as much as I do. This is who I am now. This is who I'm going to be for the rest of my life – for the rest of our life together. Nothing is going to change this," she tried to rationalize, her hands gesturing toward her residual limb. "So, if that happens again, then it is what it is, Calliope. We can't change things now."
Callie found herself completely unsure of who the blonde was trying to convince. "But, I. . ."
"No more talking. We will discuss this some other time," Arizona whispered as she adamantly pushed through, leaning forward to capture her wife's lips. "Because right now, I really, really want you."
Hesitantly rolling onto her side to face the blonde, Callie nuzzled her nose against Arizona's neck before pulling back to search her face. And, finding only confidence, certainty, and love in those steadfast cerulean eyes, Callie smirked.
"Then take me. Please."
As Arizona's nipples caressed Callie's breasts, they pressed their bodies more firmly together until they seemed to become one. In that moment, their souls seemed to intertwine, electricity jolting between them as they hungrily kissed.
Moving down Callie's body, Arizona explored every inch of her tanned skin with her tongue and mouth. Reaching the trimmed patch of dark curls, Arizona looked up toward her wife whose mouth hung open in anticipation. Pulling Callie's legs over her shoulders, Arizona wrapped her arms around her thighs, pulling her core closer to her face. Dipping her tongue to flick at her wife's erect bundle of nerves, Arizona smirked when Callie bucked her hips.
"Oh, God! Yes!" Callie cried out when she felt Arizona's warm lips envelop her throbbing member.
Continuing to lick and suck just as she knew Callie needed, Arizona intermittently dipped her tongue into her wife's center, perfectly content to continue her assault on her wife's core.
Needing her wife closer to her - needing to look into her eyes, Callie soon tugged at blonde hair, pulling her upward.
"Up here," she huskily breathed.
Arizona obeyed, moving up her wife's body, both once again lying on their sides.
Now able to stare into her gorgeous wife's clearly aroused eyes, Callie took Arizona's hand into her own, guiding it to the place her mouth had just vacated. And, gasping when the blonde immediately pushed two fingers into her wet center, Callie held her wife's gaze as she in turn did the same.
Arizona's eyes immediately slammed shut at the delicious sensation her wife was creating inside her.
"Open your eyes, Arizona," Callie requested. "I need to watch you."
Arizona's eyes slowly opened, her mouth falling open when Callie's fingers curled, skillfully stroking her to perfection.
"Yes, Callie! Oh, God. More."
Their legs intertwined into the perfect position for their mutual pleasure, and Callie gasped when Arizona's thumb brushed against her clit before applying a steady pressure to her bundle of nerves.
"Arizona. . .I'm. . .oh, baby. . .I'm c. . ."
Callie's words were cut off when her mouth opened in a silent scream, her internal muscles clenching and sending her into a wild orgasm that consumed her entire being.
Arizona's center pulsed as she witnessed the unadulterated pleasure flash across Callie's wide eyes, deft fingers somehow managing to continue sliding in and out of her.
The blonde's body soon arched into her wife when Callie simultaneously curled her fingers, her thumb firmly circling her aching clit and sending her toppling over the edge, her throbbing core tugging on her wife's fingers.
"Oh. . . oh. . .oh my God!"
Lying face to face, their noses touching, both women desperately tried to calm their ragged breathing, one trembling body quaking and jerking against the other.
Several long minutes later, Arizona leaned in, gently kissing her utterly sated wife. Gently running her tongue along the full lips, Arizona smiled when she felt her wife shiver in response.
"Mmmm. . .amazing."
Sometime later, after slipping into their pajamas, Callie rested her head on Arizona's shoulder as the blonde gently ran her fingers through thick brunette locks.
"It's never going to be the same, is it?" Arizona haltingly questioned after several long moments of silence.
Callie initially hesitated before leaning up on her elbow to look down at her wife.
Momentarily surprised by the insecurity she now found on Arizona's face - a direct contrast to the confidence and certainty the blonde had displayed less than an hour before - Callie gently shook her head.
"No, sweetie. It's never going to be the same."
Arizona sighed at that response, ruefully shaking her head.
"But, that's not necessarily a bad thing," the Latina quickly continued.
Arizona searched the soulful eyes of the woman she loved.
"Just because it's not the same, doesn't mean it's not outstanding."
Callie pecked her wife's lips. "Amazing. . ." she smirked. "Breathtaking. . ." Callie added, chuckling against her wife's face.
"Well don't stop there," Arizona teased, her mood lightening. "By all means, keep going."
"Magnificent. . ."
Kiss.
"Totally awesome."