As the plane shuttered to its stop in Baltimore, Arizona and Callie had barely noticed. Sofia had been napping between them for the past few hours and they had been so engrossed in catching up on each others stories they hadn't even paid attention to the pilot's address letting them know they were landing. They looked up in surprise to see people opening the overhead lockers and getting their luggage. They had loosely linked their hands the entire time and neither one wanted to let go.
Arizona was the first to speak. "Wow, okay, that went fast."
"Yeah. Time to wake the munchkin or she won't sleep tonight."
"Good idea. Lets get out of here."
"Yeah, cause I smell like airplane and I need a shower in the worst way." Callie jokingly smelled herself.
"You smell just fine Calliope, stop exaggerating!"
"Yeah, yeah. Just take Sofia will ya. I'll get the carry on."
"Fine. Come on baby girl wake up! We're here!"
Sofia turned slightly away from her Mama. "No, me want to sleep!" Arizona gently shook her again.
Callie stood and opened the locker and watched Sofia slowly wake up. That was the one part of her personality that was all Callie's. The need for five more minutes in bed! Sofia cuddled into her Mama. Arizona carried her while she followed Callie down the aisle to the exit. They said goodbye to the flight attendant and went down the tunnel to baggage pick up. While Arizona held Sofia Callie put Sofia's backpack on one shoulder, their handbags on the other and started dragging the two suitcases in both arms.
"You sure you don't want me to take something Callie? You kind of look like a bellhop!"
"Ha, ha. Just look for your Dad."
Arizona smiled and looked around for the Colonel. As happy as she had been to get through the plane ride and how happy it made her to have simple and fun conversations with her wife, she was dreading seeing her father. He would bring everything crashing back to reality. When she finally spotted the Colonel he looked even more shattered than when they found out about Timothy. At least with Tim there was always something in the back of your mind that something could go wrong, he was a soldier after all. With her mother, it was just so sudden, so unexpected.
Callie stopped walking when she spotted Daniel and put down one of the suitcases. She put a hand on Arizona's shoulder. "Give me Sofia and go to your Dad. We'll give you two a minute."
Arizona nodded, tears beginning to pool in her eyes. She gave Sofia to Callie and walked to her father. She melted into the comforting hug her dad offered. They rocked slowly together and just held on. They pulled back from each other and started speaking in hushed tones.
"I miss her so much Dad. It feels like this is just a dream, like I'm going to wake up and this will all be a horrible nightmare, the last two months included."
Daniel nodded, always a man of few words and looked over at Callie holding Sofia waiting patiently for them. He gestured to Callie. "Well it looks like something good might come out of this right? You two talking again?"
Arizona gently chastised her father. "So not the time Dad!" At least it put a smile on her face.
Daniel Robbins gently smiled at his daughter and looked back at Callie and Sofia. "Come on, I want to see my littlest princess." Daniel put an arm around Arizona and led them back to the rest of her family.
Sofia looked at her grandfather and put her arms out. "Pop, Pop!"
Daniel took Sofia and gave her a hug and a little twirl. "How's my princess? You been behaving yourself, hmm? Been good for your Mommies?"
Sofia smiled and shook her head yes. She was always good, why did everyone ask her that! Sofia looked around. "Where's Nan, Nan?"
Daniel looked past his granddaughter at Callie and Arizona. Both had their heads hung, not meeting at the gaze of the Colonel.
Callie decided to speak up. "I'm so sorry Daniel. Everything was just so sudden and we've just been so caught up in everything we haven't had a chance to explain to Sofia what happened to Barbara. I am so sorry." Arizona nodded her agreement. "We'll sit her down and tell her when we get back to yours."
Daniel nodded and motioned to the car park. "Come on you two, we've got family at home and they're waiting on us. Let's get out here."
Arizona took her bag from Callie and followed after her father. They got to the car park and found Daniel strapping Sofia into the car seat Barbara insisted they buy for when the girls visited them. He thought she was wasting money. Arizona didn't want to get on a plane anytime soon, but he was glad she insisted now. God he missed his wife. She was the heart of their family, often holding the family together when the stubbornness they all possessed would rear its ugly head. He popped the trunk and put the girls luggage in. Arizona took the passenger side and Callie got in the back next to Sofia. It wasn't a long trip to the family home, but they were all exhausted and the fact they had family waiting, well, it was a tiring prospect.
When they arrived at the Robbins family home Callie noticed all the cars in and around the drive. Daniel stopped the car and popped the trunk again. Callie freed Sofia from her car seat and put her on the ground. Now she was fully awake she was full of energy and wanted to run around! Callie went to the back and got her luggage while Daniel took Arizona's. Arizona carried Sofia's backpack up the drive, chasing after a curious Sofia. Arizona opened the unlocked door and ushered Sofia inside and held the door open for Callie and Daniel. Arizona halted Sofia from running away from her and started greeting various uncles, aunts and cousins.
Callie hadn't met a lot of Arizona's family except for at their wedding and it was such a blur she didn't remember a lot of names or faces, so she hung back. Daniel, sensing Callie's discomfort, asked her to help him take the luggage upstairs. When they got to Arizona's bedroom Daniel put Arizona's luggage down.
Callie turned to Daniel. "Where should I put my stuff?"
Daniel turned back to Callie. "Callie I'm so sorry, I didn't even think. With all the family in town I don't have much room. I just assumed you and Arizona could share. I have a little fold up be Sofia can use, I just have to get it out of the basement. I've been so out of it since yesterday, I just didn't think." He rubbed his tired face. "Look, don't worry, I'll figure something out. I'll find you somewhere else to sleep."
Callie knew how hard this was for the Colonel and didn't want to add to his misery. She could suck it up, they could share a bed. They could just keep to each others own side and everything would be just fine! Callie put her hand up to silence Daniel.
"It's fine Daniel, don't worry. We're both adults, we can share a bed. We did it last night."
Daniel nodded, surprised by the admission. When Arizona had texted him last night she made it clear that Callie and Sofia were coming but not to get his hopes up, that they were only just starting to work things out. He was surprised they spent the night together!
The look on Daniels face clued Callie into his thought process. "No, no, not like that! We just held each other. With everything going on, with Barb, our issues, the fight we had, we just needed to hold each other. Nothing else was happening, that's for sure!"
Daniel chuckled at Callie. He loved this woman just like a daughter. When he first found out about how Sofia came about he wasn't happy, especially when Mark kept sticking his nose in their family time! But the longer he spent with Callie, the longer he knew her, how she loved and made Arizona so happy, he couldn't care less how they got Sofia, he was just glad she was in his life. He loved that little girl and he loved her mother, the woman his daughter betrayed. He's been so upset with Arizona when he found out. Arizona had of course not told him, but her mother what she'd done. She didn't dare tell him! Daniel Robbins might have been a marine but he was first a father and husband, and the thought of cheating on his wife was one he had never had in his life! It had made him so mad what his daughter had done!
Daniel looked Callie in the eye. She hated his 'Terminator Stare'. It made her feel he could see right through her. It always made her nervous, like she had to speak in public!
"So what is going on with you and Arizona? You gonna work it out?"
Callie sighed and sat on the bed. "I want to, God knows I do."
Daniel nodded, but sat quietly next to Callie and let her carry on.
"We have so much to work through, it's going to take some time. I'm kinda embarrassed it took Barb's passing for us to talk about everything."
Daniel took Callie's hand and looked her in the eye again. "Don't be. It's no secret I wanted to slap my daughter upside the head when I found out what she did to you and to Sofia. I've seen PTSD and the effects it has on families, I just never thought my daughter would get it. I should have been there for her more. I should have recognised what she was doing to you, to herself. I raised her to be a good man in a storm and she failed that miserably. I feel like I failed her."
Callie squeezed Daniel's hand. "You didn't fail her Daniel. She failed herself. She could have talked to me, to you, to Barbara, a therapist, anyone. She could have gotten help if she really wanted it, but instead, she let us all down. I know we haven't talked a lot lately, but you should know she forgave me for cutting off her leg, for promising the impossible. We made some great progress last night and this morning, I just don't understand why she had to cheat on me. She could have talked to me. I would've listened, I mean, I did listen, she just didn't want to tell me. I know how you feel though. I feel like I failed her sometimes too."
Daniel squeezed Callie's hand again and got off the bed. "You didn't Callie. We all have to accept this is something Arizona needs to come to terms with. It's up to you to decide if you can move on from this and forgive her. I'll leave you to it. I better go before the natives get restless and get some food for dinner!"
Callie chuckled and watched as Daniel left the room. Callie put her luggage on the bed and started to put a few things in the closet. She stopped to have a good look around Arizona's childhood room. Arizona always told her Baltimore felt like her home town because this was were they settled down, where she finished high school and where she always came home to during college. She noticed the Cindy Crawford poster and couldn't help the smile that settled on her face and the little snort that escaped her mouth. "I'm hotter than her." She didn't realize she said it out loud until she heard a voice behind her.
"It's true you know? You really are!"
Callie's hand flew to her heart and turned to find Arizona leaning against the door frame, arms folded over her chest, smirk firmly on her face.
"Didn't anyone ever tell you it's rude to eavesdrop?"
Arizona laughed at her wife. "Yeah, yeah. So hey listen, Dad's monopolizing Sofia downstairs and showing her off and he said there was something you need to talk to me about?"
Callie silently cursed Daniel Robbins. Of course he'd leave it to her to tell Arizona. Sneaky bastard! "Yeah, your Dad said he doesn't have enough room for everyone, so, he needs us to share. You cool with that?"
"Of course Callie. We can share a bed. I'll behave, can you?"
Callie swallowed. Her voice broke slightly when she spoke. "Of Course. You just stay on your side and we'll be fine."
Arizona moved into the room and stood in front of Callie. "Oh my dear Calliope, I'm not the one who always seems to drift over to the other person's side of the bed!" She gently tapped Callie on the cheek and walked to her suitcase and started unpacking.
Callie silently cursed her wife this time and her ability to make her feel this way. She sighed and turned back to face Arizona. "All joking aside though, we need to talk to Sofia after dinner. I know you don't want to do it and I know I'm not looking forward to it, but it has to be done."
Arizona's shoulders slumped. Callie was right. It had to be done. "Alright, straight after dinner. We'll sit down and explain." Arizona couldn't help the tears that started to fall.
Callie put her arms around Arizona from behind, head on her shoulder, and just held her while sobbed. "Shh. I got you."
Callie felt her own tears fall and hugged her wife closer. "We'll get through this. Just talk to me and tell me how you feel. Don't hold it in."
Arizona turned and gripped Callie tight. "It's just being here makes it all real. It seemed like a dream until we got here, now it's real. So real. Being here just reminds me she's really gone!"
Callie and Arizona continued to hold each other. Callie was the first to pull back. She wiped the tears from Arizona's face and looked her dead in the eye.
"I love you Arizona. I'll be here for you, just talk to me, okay?"
"I will Callie, trust me I will! You'll probably get sick of hearing my voice and beg me to shut up, but I will! I don't ever want to be how we found ourselves before, I never want that again. I just want you and our family!"
Callie nodded again and held Arizona again, tight against her body. She gently swayed them until Arizona calmed down. She pulled back after what seemed a lifetime.
"Come on. I know you probably aren't hungry, but you need to eat, and besides, we'll need our strength for when we talk to Sofia."
Arizona nodded and allowed Callie to gently guide her out of the room. Callie took her hand and held it the whole way down.