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Arizona paced around her apartment, phone to her ear, waiting for the person on the other end to answer. She had just returned home after her lunch with Callie and she was bursting to share her joy. She hadn't felt so free and comfortable with a person since, well, she wasn't sure she'd ever felt so much, so soon… for anyone.

"No… no, don't go to voicemail," Arizona sighed as she waited for the tone. "Dammit, Timothy. Where are you? I need to talk to someone."

After her lunch with Callie, she was buzzing with excitement. She was happy, for the first time in a long time she felt a brightness in her future. A sense of impending greatness. The future that she'd stopped imagining for herself a long time ago was within her grasp… a future filled with possibility. If she wasn't careful, she would let her excitement and hope overwhelm her. She needed someone to share it with that could talk her down from her height, without completely bursting her bubble.

She needed her big brother.

Callie couldn't keep the smile off of her face. Arizona had dropped her off after their glorious afternoon spent laughing and just enjoying each other's company and she was still giddy from the experience.

Owen was due at any time to drop off the kids, they'd been with him the night before. He'd offered to keep them again, since Callie was still recovering, but she was happy and wanted to spend the evening sharing her excitement with the children. Not that she was going to tell them why she was so happy yet, but they'd all spent too many nights as a family in discomfort and solitude. Callie wanted to revel in the joy.

She was in the kitchen preparing a snack for the kids, as they were always hungry when they got home from daycare, when she heard the front door opening. A chorus of 'we're home' and 'mommy' followed. Owen's gentle reminder for them to hang their school bags on the hooks, came right before the tiny pounding of feet as the three ran into the kitchen to greet her. She bent down just in time to receive their hugs and kisses.

"Hey guys," I missed you last night.

"Missed you too, Mommy," Gus replied.

"Me too, me too," Gavin had to get his in.

"Mommy, there was a lady looking for you at preschool today," Allegra informed. She looked back at her father for confirmation. "She was old, right Daddy?"

"Yes, Allie, she was, but don't say that," Owen corrected the young girl.

"But she was!"

"It's just not polite to say that about someone, even if it's true," Callie added. Her mind immediately went to Genie. "Did this woman say what she wanted?" Callie looked from Allegra to Owen.

"She said she was 'just checking in' and that you'd know what it was about," Owen replied. "She was a volunteer… I'd never seen her there before, but Allie said she has."

"Yes, Mommy she was there… talkin' to you at the sale." Allegra said. "Don't you remember?"

"Is your bwain still squishy, Mommy?" Gus asked.

"Is dat why you forget?" Gavin finished Gus' thought.

"No, no guys, I remember. My brain is fine," Callie started herding them toward the bathroom. "Go wash up, and you can have a quick snack before playtime. You too, Al. Let me talk to your daddy for a minute."

Once the kids were in the downstairs washroom Callie turned back to Owen. "She didn't say anything else?" Owen shook his head no. "How to get in touch with her? Nothing?"

"No, nothing. Just that she'd find you," Owen replied. "So… uh, how was your day? Heard Robbins was coming by to do a neuro on you?"

Callie didn't respond right away, she moved back to island and finished plating some crackers and cheese for the kids, but the smile on her face… that she couldn't control.

"How did it go?" Owen prodded a little more. "You look happy…"

"It was nice, Owen," Callie said. As much as she wanted to burst with joy and gush about her afternoon and as cordial as her and Owen had been since separating, it just didn't feel appropriate to discuss with him. Not yet. "I got cleared to drive, and return to work… but I'm waiting until Monday for that. And we had some lunch. Chatted a bit." She carried the snack plates over to the table and then returned to the refrigerator to grab some juice boxes.

Owen watched her carefully, he knew she was holding back. Their marriage may have been a farce, but you don't live with someone for four years and not get to know them, at least a little bit.

Callie looked up and saw the look on Owen's face, it was a look she never quite figured out. His brow was creased, like he was deep in thought… he almost looked angry, though she could tell from his posture he wasn't. He was relaxed.

"How's Yang," Callie ventured.

"I'm sorry, what? Dr. Yang?" Owen brow creased further and now his shoulders tightened. "Why… why do you ask?"

"Have you asked her out yet?" When Owen didn't answer right away, Callie added, "Or were you still seeing her from when we were separated before?"

"Callie, no," He quickly replied. "I swear… after we got back together. I didn't…"

"I know, Owen… I know that, I'm sorry," She backtracked. "I'm not bitter…" Callie chuckled. "This is what we both need. The past… is the past. I want to move forward, and I think you should too. And… I… uh… I like Cristina…"

"How did…"

"I'm not blind, Owen," Callie replied.

The kids came barreling back into the kitchen before Owen could respond. They each climbed into their normal seats and started eating their snacks.

"How about you stay for a cup of coffee, and we can sit on the patio and talk while they have some play time in the yard?"

"Sounds great, Cal."

Arizona had managed to tamp down her excitement enough to pull out her laptop and do a little work for the evening. She was writing a paper on advances in minimally invasive pediatric surgeries, she was a big believer in less is more, especially when it came to cutting open a child. Her mind was too busy to get much actual writing done, though, so she was just doing some editing and random surfing in between.

She was just about to give up on this too, as her brain was currently stuck on one subject, when an incoming Skype call window popped up on her browser. She immediately answered the call.

Major Timothy Robbins, Arizona's beloved big brother came into view when as soon as she accepted the call.

"Hey, Sis. I got your message. What's going on? It sounded urgent," he said. "Everything okay?"

"Everything is great, Timmy. It's fantastic!" She could barely contain her smile.

Timothy held his hand up in front of his face as if he were blocking the sunlight, "Whoa, dial down the dimples a bit. My shades aren't handy and I don't have on my leg."

"Sorry, sorry… I'm just happy." She took note of his lack of uniform and surmised he was Skyping from home. "Are you home for the day?"

"Oh, yeah. I was on the freeway when you called. Easy days for desk Marines," there was a hint of regret in his voice.

"Timothy," Arizona warned. "Don't."

"Don't what, Sis? I'm fine… I just miss the action. You know me."

"I do, and that's why I'm glad you have a nice stress-free desk job," Arizona replied. "I worry less."

"You didn't call to talk about me, and I know I don't put that kind of smile on your face, now spill. It's about a girl right?"

"Of course you put a smile on my face, but…" Arizona grinned again. "You're right, it's about a girl. No… not a girl, I'm not a teenager anymore, Timothy, it's about a woman. An extremely successful, breathtakingly stunning woman."

"Wow, I haven't seen you this excited about someone since that bitch…"

Arizona held up both hands in front of the laptop screen, "No, no, no… don't' say that name. This is a happy call, no downers." As she did so it put her splinted finger right in line with the camera.

"Hey, what happened to your hand?"

Realizing her mistake, Arizona quickly pulled her hand out of view of her laptop camera.

"It's nothing, just a little…. thing…"

"Arizona, you can't lie to me, I know all of your tells. And right now? Your neck is turning red, indicating that you are both embarrassed and lying."

She tried to cover her neck with her good hand, but gave up when Timothy insisted, "Come on. Just tell me."

Arizona shook her head no, "It's nothing… I promise."

"Not only is your neck red, your eyes looked up and to the left when you spoke, and I'm your brother, Arizona. I know you. And, I've had Marine Corps Intelligence training. Interrogation tactics 101… we learn to read body language. You are an open book to me, Little Sis. So you might as well go all in. You know I won't give up on this." Now his dimples were on display. "Please. I really wanna know."

"Okay, fine," she sighed, trying to compose her explanation in a way that didn't sound so… juvenile. When she couldn't come up with something that sounded reasonable she just blurted. "I punched the husband of the woman I like. I fractured the proximal phalanx… basically, I broke my pinky. I'm can't perform any surgeries for a few weeks while it heals. It's fine, though. It didn't require surgery or anything, just a minor break…"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa…. Back up there," Timothy said. "Did you say husband? Your new girl has a husband?"

"No, of course not," Arizona bit her lip, "I mean, technically yes. But they are separated." She quickly added.

"Oh, Arizona. Married? To a man? Separated or not, that's a mess to get into. Especially if you are having to punch people… What is that about?"

"Well, it's a long story. And I will tell you, but before I do, promise me… no judgments, okay? I really need a friend on this, someone I can trust. She makes me feel things, Timothy, and I don't want you to dampen that, okay? Can you promise you'll listen to me?"

"Of course I'll listen. You know it," he picked up his laptop off the stand and brought it with him as he leaned back on the sofa and made himself more comfortable. "See, all comfy for a long story."

"Okay… I don't know where to start…"

"How long have you been dating her?" Timothy tried to get the ball rolling.

"Oh, well… we haven't actually had a date yet," Arizona smiled.

Timothy sighed and rubbed his forehead in frustration. "Arizona, you better start at the beginning… and I mean the very beginning."

Callie and Owen sat on the partially covered patio in what used to be their backyard, but now it only belonged to Callie. Carlos had purchased the house for them after they had reconciled. He hadn't thought much of it at the time, but Owen had to chuckle to himself now, Carlos must not have had too much faith in their reconciliation, because he purchased it solely in Callie's name. He had claimed it was for tax reasons, but it certainly made the division of assets easier. It didn't bother Owen anyway, he'd never felt quite at home in the place. Callie and the kids loved it though, so even if he could, he'd never try to take this home from her.

He didn't even want to consider getting a place of his own, not for a while. He loved his kids dearly and would never intentionally endanger them, and Callie trusted him… but he liked having the buffer of his mother. Plus, his mom loved having them all at her home. She insisted her house was a home for a family, not a lonely old woman.

He wasn't sure what Callie knew about him and Cristina, or how she knew what she knew, but after he punched the glass at the hospital all those weeks ago he'd started therapy. He'd kept it from Callie, the only one who knew was Cristina. He thought he was protecting his wife from his problems, but what he was doing was shutting her out. He had been intentionally shutting her out of his recovery and he learned from therapy that he kept this from her because he partially blamed her for his anger. He knew deep down that his problems were deeper than him and Callie. They were a result of his time in combat zones, but her inability to help him and his inability to trust her to help him was something that put a wedge in their marriage. A wedge that caused a gaping hole, one he thought he would be attending therapy to close, but that plan had changed as soon Callie had asked for the divorce. Callie's request allowed him to concentrate on himself, and what he needed, as opposed to trying to fix his marriage. He could barely express how grateful he was for that.

"So, do you want to tell me about Yang?" Callie ventured. They were sitting on the patio sipping on coffee. The boys were digging in their sandbox, while Allegra was on the wooden swing set that Owen built their first summer in the house. "You don't have to, it's okay. I just…"

"There is nothing to tell really," Owen interrupted. "Not yet, at least." He took a sip of his coffee and sighed. "I do like her though, she calms me, Callie. Makes me feel safe… and grounded."

"I'm sorry I couldn't be the person you needed, Owen."

"So, you would be okay if I…"

"If she helps you with your PTSD, I'm all for it. If she makes you happy, it makes me happy."

"I think she can… she has this way about her that," he shook his head, trying to come up with an explanation. "I don't know how to describe it, but she feels right."

"I'm glad," Callie said sincerely. She reached over and touched his arm, and for the first time in long time, he didn't flinch. "I'm happy for you."

"What about you?" Owen asked. "Robbins is nice."

Again, Callie couldn't help the smile that took over her face at the mention of the blonde's name. "Oh, God, Owen. This is so weird… us talking about other people? I didn't really want to do that, but it's killing me not sharing with anyone." She looked him directly in the eyes. "I really like her."

"I figured," Owen smiled gently. "Does she reciprocate?"

"I hope so, no… I'm pretty sure," Callie steeled herself to ask the next question. "Are you okay with it? She's a… she and… I…"

"Callie, relax. I know you've been with women before," Owen reassured. "You've never hidden that from me. We used to talk, remember? When we were first together, we would talk for hours."

"I do remember," Callie replied. "Seems like a lifetime ago."

"Is it serious or just…?"

"It's not just sex, Owen. We haven't even had a date," Callie looked at him earnestly "I just… I need to know if you are okay with it."

"I would never presume to tell you who, man or woman, you could date. I think she's great. The kids will love her. You don't need my permission."

"Thank you," she swallowed. "Though, to be fair… I wasn't asking permission. You don't actually get to have input into my romantic ventures. I just… wanted to know what I was dealing with. That's all."

Owen chuckled. "Right… what was I thinking? You… asking me for approval? Like that would ever happen."

"Hey! I didn't always make decisions without you…" she balled up her napkin and tossed it at him.

Owen held up his hands in surrender, "It's not a bad thing, Callie, I wasn't complaining. Your independence is one of the things that attracted me to you in the first place."

"And here I thought it was my extremely fine ass."

Owen laughed out loud, "That too."

Arizona was away from her laptop grabbing a beer from her fridge, while Timothy recapped what he'd learned.

"So you've known her since you moved to Seattle?"

"Yes," Arizona said as she sat back on her couch, beer in hand. "But I didn't know know her, you know?"

"No… I don't' know."

"Stop it. I mean we met and were colleagues, but we weren't friends. Actually, she separated from her husband right around the time I started. I almost hit on her in a bar… a couple weeks later her and the husband were back together."

"And you work with the husband too?"

"Yes, he's a trauma surgeon. Kind of intense. He was an army surgeon, a good guy, he did a good bit of battlefield medicine… field surgery. He apparently lost some friends, I think he has PTSD. There are some anger issues, for sure."

"Arizona."

"What?"

"It sounds like this guy needs help… not you moving in on his wife."

"Hey! Don't… don't." Arizona pointed at the screen. "I don't presume to know what happened in their marriage, or what is going on in Owen Hunt's head… but they are both happy their marriage is over. I don't believe I've ever seen Owen smile as much as he has since they've been separated. Callie and Owen separated on their own. I had nothing to do with it. We didn't even start… talking, until they were separated. So just… don't."

"Okay, I believe you," Timothy held his hands up in surrender. "I've just seen post combat issues destroy a lot of marriages, it's tough."

"I think their problems started long before Owen's PTSD," Arizona shook her head. "But that's not what I want to talk about. I want to talk about Calliope, not her husband."

"Right, right… where were you? Oh! You almost hit on her in a bar, but didn't because…"

"I wasn't in a good place then. I had just moved… you had just lost your leg… A lot was going on."

"Ah."

"So… I waited. Next thing I know, she's back with her husband and within a year they had twins."

Timothy sat up so fast he almost dropped his laptop, "Twins? They have kids, Arizona?"

"Yeah," She said a little sheepishly, "They have three."

"Oh, Sis. What are you getting yourself into?"

"I don't know," Arizona said honestly. "I don't know what's going to come of this, but I know I can't not find out. Timothy… I've never met anyone like her before."

"Okay, okay relax. Where does your broken finger come in?"

"Oh, well. Like I said, Dr. Hunt has had some anger issues. He punched an intern a while back… and just a month or so ago he punched and broke a glass partition in the ER."

"Are you sure you want to be getting mixed up with these people, Arizona? It sounds messy."

"Just let me finish, okay?" At her brother's nod she continued. "Last week, I heard some nurses talking about Callie and that she had a broken nose… that Owen caused it. I kind of freaked. I thought he hit her, Timmy. So I found him and when he didn't deny it… I lost it and punched him. Just like Dad taught me. Turns out… he hadn't hit her… well he did, but it was with the door to the attending's lounge. A complete accident."

Timothy had tried to keep a straight face while Arizona told her tale of gallantry, but he couldn't. He put his hands over his mouth and giggled like a teenager.

"Timothy Robbins! You are a Marine, giggling doesn't become you."

"God, you sounded like Dad. Chill, Sis." Timothy said. "Just the thought of little ole you punching a former military guy in defense of… a hot girl," At his sister's narrowed eyes, he quickly changed to, "Woman… I mean a hot woman."

"Better," she said.

"Anyway, you mistakenly punching a guy for hitting his wife, when he really didn't hit his wife. It's just such a comedy of errors…"

"Yeah, well Chief Grey didn't think it was so funny," Arizona chuckled. "But Owen forgave me. He was actually kind of impressed... happy someone stood up for Callie. Even though she didn't need it."

"And they say chivalry is dead."

"She inspires me," Arizona shrugged. She sighed deeply and picked at the label on her mostly undrunk beer. "Can I tell you something really personal?"

"Of course, Arizona. You know it."

"I've had some," she paused, "dreams… of a life with her. Literal dreams… almost like glimpses of what our life together would be like. At first it was just an occasional dream, but lately… it's almost nightly. I wake up… and I want to go back to sleep. I want that life so bad. And… I'm pretty sure she feels the same way."

"Okay."

"Okay? What…?" Arizona was confused by Timothy's simple declaration.

"I mean… it's okay. I get it. You are feeling soul-matey things. You should go for it, see if she's your one."

"And if she's not? If my subconscious is just crazy into her because I think she's hot?" Arizona questioned.

"You'll never know if you don't try, right?" Timothy said. "So go for it, and if she isn't the one… then you're no worse off than you are now. And if she breaks you? I'll help you pick up the pieces, just like when that bitch whose name you won't let me say tore you apart."

"I can tell you one thing," Arizona said. "I've felt more joy after one lunch with Callie, than I did during my whole relationship with Lauren. And you know what? You can say her name… I'm not giving her any power over me anymore."

"Right on, Sis!" Timothy pumped his fist.

"Really? That's what you are going with?" Arizona picked on her brother's interjection.
"Right on?"

"Right. On." Timothy repeated with a nod of his head after each word.

"Dork."

"I have one more question for you, Sis." Timothy stopped smiling and look of complete seriousness came over his face.

Arizona was a little bit afraid of what he might ask, his expression was so earnest. "Um… okay, go ahead and ask."

"How's her ass?"

"Jesus, Timothy. I'm not answering that." She tried to look offended, but it made her think about the object in question and she couldn't help the blush that crept up her neck and into her cheeks.

"You don't have to, that blush on your face tells me everything I need to know."

"And just what is that?"

"Your Callie has a fine ass."

Arizona's call with her brother ended a few hours ago and she'd long since given up on getting any work done tonight. He'd covered every reason she shouldn't be dating Callie Torres and not a single one swayed her. She was confident and sure, Callie was a risk… that much was clear, but it was risk Arizona had to take. This was her chance at something she couldn't quite grasp.

It was either going to be the greatest thing that ever happened to her, or not. It was that simple. She couldn't view it any other way.

She couldn't keep her mind from wandering to the perfect afternoon she'd shared with Callie. They'd laughed and talked for most of the afternoon, and only parted when Callie had to go home to be there when her kids arrived. The afternoon could have easily turned to a full evening together, possibly into the night. Neither had wanted to part when the time came.

Arizona was sitting on her couch flipping through the channels on her television. Normally she would have been out with friends, possibly at Joe's having some drinks, but tonight she just wanted to sit and think… about Callie.

She was fighting the urge to pick up her phone and call, she didn't want to seem overeager. She purposefully avoided looking at her phone as it sat on the coffee table and taunted her.

Arizona stopped her channel surfing when she came across a documentary on parallel universes. It was being narrated by Morgan Freeman, and reminded her of the conversation she'd had with Callie the night she'd stayed at her place.

She grabbed her throw and settled herself on the couch.

"Is there more than one of you? More than one of me? Another version of me may look identical…" Morgan Freeman narrated from the television screen. "We could all be living multiple parallel lives. Because as scientists explore the outer reaches of physics and the cosmos, they are beginning to believe that parallel universes do exist. And that they might determine the fate of humanity."

Arizona became so engrossed in the show that she actually jumped when her phone buzzed from the coffee table. She picked it up when Callie's name flashed across the screen.

"Oh, thank God," She paused the show and answered her phone before it could go to voicemail. "Hello," she quickly said. "Callie?"

"Oh… hey," Callie stuttered. "I thought it was going to voicemail… I was prepping an awe-inspiring message in my head."

"Hmm, well now I wish I had let it go…" Arizona said in a teasing voice.

"Stop, it's not nice to tease." Callie replied.

"Teasing is very fun, if done properly," Arizona chuckled. "I uh… had a really great time today. I haven't laughed like that in a long time. It was super fun."

"That's exactly what I was calling to tell you," Callie said. "Except… I probably wouldn't have used the word super."

"Okay… maybe you are right," Arizona grumped at being on the receiving end of teasing. "It's not nice to tease."

"Turnabout is fair play."

"Fine," Arizona conceded. "So, how was your evening? Did you have a nice dinner?"

"Oh, I skipped dinner. I just fed the kids," Callie replied. "I was still full from that big…"

"Callie," Arizona warned.

"Burger. I promise I was just going to say burger."

"You realize you've ruined Dick's for me," Arizona admonished over Callie's laughter, "Yeah, that's right. I said it. Get your laughs out now because I will never be eating there with you again."

"I'm sorry, I'll stop… I promise."

"I was actually just thinking about you when you called," Arizona went for the subject change.

"Really?"

"Yeah. I'm watching this show on the Science Channel about parallel universes, it's really interesting. It made me think about our conversation the other night."

"Oh?" Callie was curious, but didn't want to make herself sound crazy. If she talked about her actual experience, it could scare Arizona off. She definitely didn't want to do that.

"Yeah, they really believe there are other universes out there, parallel to our own… that could even have duplicates of ourselves in them. It's really interesting stuff. I may have to go find that article my brother sent me and actually read it now."

"I'll have to try and catch the show sometime," Callie said. Maybe someday she could share her experience with Arizona, but not yet. "I'll let you get back to watching… I was just calling to let you know I'll see you at work on Monday, I'm taking the weekend with the kids before I return. Maybe we can meet up for lunch?"

"Of course, having lunch with you again would make my day."

"Mine, too. Today was… great," Callie said. "I…" She was interrupted by Allegra screaming from her room. "Hey… I gotta run, Allie must have had a nightmare."

"You go," Arizona quickly replied. "Take care of your kids. I'll see you Monday."

"I can't wait," Callie said. "Goodbye, Arizona,"

"Goodbye, Calliope." Arizona pulled the phone down from her ear and pressed the button to end the call.

Arizona pressed play on the remote and the show started up again. She glanced over at the clock on the wall and sighed.

Monday was four whole days away.