Callie's POV
By now I've become accustomed to getting well under the amount of sleep the average human needs. There were the nights I silently cried myself to sleep after being abused, both physically and mentally. Then there were the nights that I laid awake worrying about Arizona's safety. Not even with the exhaustion from my pregnancy, was I ever able to rest unless she was in my arms. Even then, there were plenty of times I was awake half the night just listening to her breathe.
Once we were able to escape our houses, it became a habit for both of us to rarely ever sleep at the same time. Even when we were at Mike and Jenna's, we would both wake up either having nightmares or just to make sure the other was okay. When we were in the hotel rooms, neither of us ever got a full nights sleep. Since we learned of my being pregnant, Arizona has been extra nervous about everything I do. Which is why when I didn't get much sleep, I never really told her. She would worry about how I should be getting rest, and not stressing out so much. This is all new for me; having someone love me so much, that they would worry all the time. I've never had any one love me as much as she does.
About an hour into the plane ride, I noticed her eyes getting very heavy with exhaustion. I let her scoot even closer to me, and wrapped my arm around her, holding her head to my chest with my free hand. She fell asleep within fifteen minutes, leaving me alone with my own thoughts. For a while, I thought of how none of this feels real. From the most beautiful women I've ever seen being mine, to being on our way to a new life, I feel like it's a dream. I've felt like it was a dream since the moment I laid eyes on Arizona. The first time she told me she loved me, I almost pinched myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming. I had been wanting to tell her I loved her, but feared it would be too soon.
I thought back over all the time we had spent together in Boston when she first moved there. Every time one of us would finish some daily tasks at work, we'd wait for the other, just to have some extra time together. We'd have lunch together every day, and take short breaks sitting in on call rooms talking or sometimes just napping. We spent more time together at the hospital at first, which always left me wanting more. Very quickly, I found myself always wanting to be around her.
Then there were the nights Lisa and Louis planned dinners for the four of us at our house, so they could talk about their work. Louis would ask me to go out into the garage and move more beers from the fridge in the garage, to the kitchen. Arizona would offer to help me, and the second we were in the garage we'd be stealing kisses from one another. Not being able to see her all the time, killed me inside. We never had to hide our love for one another from Mike and Jenna, but as Lisa and Louis started speculating, things got harder.
They would keep a closer eye on us, and we often got hit, or slapped around for trying to sneak out to see each other. We are now on our way to a place where we will no longer have to worry about people finding out about us. We're not even there yet, and we already know that it's going to be easier for us. Arizona's friend Teddy never once questioned why we were together so soon, or why Arizona would decide to take on the task of raising a baby with me. She never once judged the situation, and did everything in her power to get us out of Boston.
I wake up from the very little sleep I got on the plane and see Arizona still sleeping soundly in my arms, for now. I look at the small tv screen on the seat in front of me, and realize we will soon be landing in Seattle. The plane has started moving downward and the small plane on the map is almost directly over Seattle. As Arizona feels the changes in altitude she begins to wake up. She removes her head from my shoulder and wipes the sleep from her eyes. When she looks over at me, I point to the screen. A dimpled smile appears on her face, as she realizes how close we are.
The pilot makes the announcement, that we will be arriving in Seattle shortly. We share a smile, followed by a sigh of relief. After months of fighting for time alone together, we have all the time in the world. After being hurt for so long, we are closer then ever, to a life together free of pain.
"We did it" She says.
"Yes we did" I reply.
She leans forward, not caring whose watching, and gives me a kiss.
"I love you" she gently pats my stomach. "...and I love you"
Everything she does brings a smile to my face. Through all my fears of becoming a mother before I'm fully ready, she's been so strong and confident for me. She has also accepted the baby as a part of our lives, which definitely took me by surprise. She never let me push her away, she fought harder to be there for me. I knew it would be a lot for her to take in, but she never runs out of ways to amaze me.
"love you too"
"You know...I did my research. Addison is one of the best there is. You have the best OBGYN you could ask for."
"Oh really? browsing the internet, to make sure she's good enough for me?" I joke.
"Well...Teddy said she was really great, so I just had to see for myself. I also knew you were kind of nervous about everything too so I wanted to help calm your fears by making sure you and the baby would be in good hands."
See, amazing! How is she even real?
"You're amazing, you know that?" I ask, smiling at her.
"You may have mentioned it once or twice, but feel free to remind me."
"Oh I will..." I trail off, followed by a short pause. "I can't believe we really did this"
"I can't either. If I didn't have you, I wouldn't have been able to go through with something like this. You and the baby were the reason I was able to stay strong, long enough to make it."
"We did it, together"
We share a smile. "Yeah, we did." she replies.
She shifts her gaze out the window and her eyes fill with excitement. I turn and look out the window, catching the view of the city lights.
"Yay! We're finally here" She exclaims.
At this point, everyone on the plane is awake and active. Everyone's talking so no one can really hear her except for me. I smile at her level of excitement as I look out the window, watching the lights get closer. She takes my hand in hers as we get closer to the ground.
Once the plane lands, she immediately takes off her seat belt and gets ready to grab our carry ons. Having studied the map of the airport like she was studying for a test, once we were off the plane she led us to the baggage claim without having to read signs.
As we're walking through the airport hand in hand, she begins to pick up the pace, dragging me along with her.
"Arizona seriously my legs are killing me" I groan.
"There's Teddy!" She exclaims.
Teddy see's us and begins quickening her pace in our direction. I let go of Arizona's hand, as she runs into the open arms of her best friend. Her best friend who she lost contact with, because she wasn't 'allowed'. The friend who helped her and I find a way out of where we were, and onto something better.
The two best friends wrap their arms around each other. The expression on Teddy's face says it all. She worried for the safety of Arizona, and thought she'd never see her again. This moment means so much to both of them. Teddy's eyes begin to water, and she closes them for a moment to hold back tears.
When the two break from the hug, Arizona takes my hand, leading me two steps forward.
"Teddy, this is my girlfriend Callie"
I extend my hand for her to shake it "It's nice to meet you"
She hugs me instead, taking me by surprise. Outside of Arizona, physical contact was not something I was ever comfortable with. However, Teddy is Arizona's best friend. Arizona trusts her, so I will too.
"It's nice to meet you too. I'm so glad you guys made it." She replies, still hugging me. When she releases me from the hug I look to Arizona who has the biggest smile on her face.
Teddy digs through her purse for her phone, and then begins typing a text. "I'm just going to text Mike, let him know you made it..."
Teddy takes some of our luggage. "Well, let's get you guys home...we'll grab dinner on the way if you don't mind and then you can rest all night."
Arizona and I grab the rest of the bags, both leaving one hand free so we can hold hands again. Teddy leads the way, looking back over her shoulder every so often to make sure we're still behind her.
"Are you hungry?" Arizona asks.
I shake my head "Not really"
She looks at me with her pleading puppy dog eyes. "You need you eat something, you haven't been eating enough...please"
"Oh alright..."
We get to the car, loading the luggage into the back of Teddy's trail blazer. Arizona puts her last bag in the trunk and turns around, resting her hands on my hips.
"Do you want to sit up front with Teddy?" I ask.
"You don't mind?"
"Not at all" I smile at her, reassuringly.
I kiss her before getting into the seat behind hers, as she gets into the front seat with her best friend.
Arizona's POV
As we're driving around the streets of Seattle, Callie and I both look out our windows, taking in our new surroundings. Neither of us have been to Seattle before, but it doesn't look so bad. I reach my hand into the back seat, placing it on her leg. I feel the need to always be close to her, to always have some contact to remind myself that she's with me, that she's mine.
"Do you guys like Chinese?" Teddy asks. She points further ahead. "This place coming up here on the corner is pretty good."
So early into her pregnancy, Callie's eating habits have changed a lot. What she can eat one day, grosses her out the next. I keep trying to convince myself that it's also because of her nerves. She's been feeling more sick than usual which of course has me worrying, because she doesn't eat as much. I want her to eat whatever she can now that she finally has freedom. I remember the nights she told me about that instead of a chance to eat her dinner, she just got hit, so I always take the initiative to make sure whatever we eat is something she wants.
"Callie, is that okay for you?" I ask. "I know you like rice..." I tease.
"It sounds good" She replies, so quietly I almost can't hear her.
"Okay. I'll just call them when we get home and have them deliver. You guys are probably exhausted from the flight" Teddy says. "...actually maybe I'll call them now..."
Teddy dials the number as we turn onto her street, ordering nearly one of everything on the menu. She places her phone back into the compartment next to her.
*Teddy's phone rings*
"Hello?...Hey Addison!...I just picked them up. I'm going to order Chinese for us when we get home...you are?...okay hold on."
"Hey do you guys mind if Addison stops by? She's excited to meet you." Teddy asks. "I understand if your too tired though...from traveling and all..."
I quickly turn around to Callie, who nods.
"We don't mind" I reply.
"Hey Addison..." Teddy says into the phone. "...we should be there in about two minutes, if you want to hang around you can eat with us...well I'll call him later, I mean they just got here and I don't know if they're up for half the hospital tonight..haha...okay...see you then..bye."
When we arrive at Teddy's apartmentbuilding, we all grab the luggage, to save extra trips down to the car.Teddy unlocks the door, flicking the light on to the left of her just inside the door. Placing her keys and purse on the counter before she motions for us to follow her just beyond the kitchen/living room area.
"This will be your own area of the apartment, my bedroom is on the other side, so you guys will have some privacy, you'll have your own bathroom, right across from the bedroom..." she opens the bedroom door, and flicks the light on. "...and this is your room, I know it's not much..."
We enter the bedroom, taking in our surroundings. The walls are freshly painted a very light purple color, with a queen sized bed and a bed set matching the color of the walls. There is an empty walk in closet, and two white dresserswith mirrors that match.
Teddy's apartment is unlike the huge expensive houses we lived in. We both lived in very nice houses, and with all the money we had, one would think we would have been happy. We never considered our houses 'home'. For us, it was more like a prison. Teddy's apartment is small, but it's moreof a 'home' to us than we ever had. It's a place where we can be together, surrounded by people who care, instead of suffering within our own houses, each wondering if the other would live to see tomorrow.
"It's everything..." Callie replies.
"Addison chose the color of the walls...It was a gross off white color, I couldn't look at it anymore.." Teddy trails off
"I love it!" I exclaim
"Of course you do" Callie jokes
We pile the luggage on the floor at the foot of the bed.
"Oh and this room down here..." Teddy leads us out of the bedroom and to the right, to a very small room down the hall. "...this room I usually use to store stuff...but IF...if you decide to keep the baby we can turn it into the baby's room. It's small but we could fit everything in hereonce I clear my stuff out, that way you would still have your own room..."
"We wouldn't want to put all of that on you, you've already done so much." Callie replies
"Yeah, I mean we've talked and as of right now she's keeping the baby...I'm hoping by then we'll have our own place...you don't want to live with a screaming baby..." I add.
Teddy shakes her head. "I really don't mind...I don't want you to feel like you have to rush out of here. You can stay here as long as you need...It's been too quiet for me any way. A baby might liven up the place." Teddy replies with a smile. "...really, take as much time as you need okay?"
I almost burst into tears at Teddy's level of kindness and acceptanceof us and how she's welcomed us into her home, as well as the baby if need be.
*front door opens and closes*
"Teddy?" The voice calls. I'm guessing it's Addison.
"Looks like Addison's here.." Teddy trails off.
She turns the light off and the three of us head down the hall, back out into the living room. The tall red head smiles when she see's us, and comes to greet us. Shaking each of our hands as we introduce ourselves, she introduces herself as well. "I'm Addison. Welcome to Seattle."
Teddy answers the door before heading into the kitchen, grabbing 4 plates and begins setting the small table for the four of us.
"Thank you. It's nice to meet you." we both reply, at the same time.
"So...Callie, we'll be seeing a lot of each other." Addison says.
"She's kind of nervous about everything but I told her you are one of the best." I add with a dimpled smile, taking Callie's hand in mine to comfort her.
"That I am.." Addison replies. "...we'll get you in to see me soon, see where we're at and I'll see you through the pregnancy. Do you know how far along you are?"
"Around 8 weeks by now.." Callie trails off.
"Whose ready to eat?" Teddy calls from the kitchen.
We head into the kitchen, Callie and I sitting next to each other across from Addison and Teddy.
General POV
The four women ate dinner, carrying on easy conversation about SGMW, and the people in it. Teddy and Addison told them all about their coworkers and the latest hospital gossip or funny stories, anything to keep their minds off of what they have just escaped from, if only for a few minutes. They could clearly see the remnants of physical abuse on both Callie and Arizona. What they can't see, is the damage that's been done to each of them mentally.
Out of force of habit, both Callie and Arizona only spoke when spoken to. They were used to being controlled; having no say in anything, it will take them a while to adjust to a life of not being 'held captive' and told what to do and what not to do. Neither of them ever had control over their own lives.
Each struggling internally, unable to imagine what these two women have been through and how they managed to get out alive; no questions were asked, and no judgments were made. Teddy and Addison gave Callie and Arizona the space they knew would be needed.
After dinner, Callie and Arizona each took showers and got ready for bed. Exhaustion from the flight, and lack of sleep for as long as they can remember, they were eager to be close to one another. When Arizona finished showering, Callie was already in bed. She crawled into bed, wrapping Callie's arm around her and relaxed in the warm embrace of her girlfriend, the only one who ever truly loved her. Her security and comfort is found in Callie's arms. She would stay here forever if she could, and stay hidden from the world.
Both women fall asleep, unaware of the struggles that are yet to come. Their surroundings are unfamiliar, and right now they still feel that all they truly have is each other. Meeting new people would mean letting them inside. It would mean they would have to tear down the four walls they spent what seemed like a life time, building around them; shielding themselves from the outside world, to protect them from being hurt.
In order to learn that not everyone is like Louis and Lisa, they would have to learn to trust again. Long after the scars and bruises heal, they will continue to struggle with the psychological effects of their abusive relationships. They may have made it out of Boston, but so much of their pasts have come with them without them realizing it. Their journey has really just begun. As always, they will remain strong for each other, and pull each other through. When one doesn't have the strength to make it through the day, the other will step up. They each get as much as they give, which is something they both never thought they would find again.
After Addison left, Teddy struggled with her own emotions. She spent two weeks worrying about the safety of her best friend. After being in the military, she always felt she should be strong enough to be able to control her own emotions. But she can't, because she can't bear the thought of what Arizona and Callie have both been through, and how someone could ever do that to them.
She hesitates, not wanting to disturb them, but needing to see for herself that they are okay. She quietly creeps down the hall to the bedroom, cracking the door open enough to see inside the room. The street lights shine in through the window, giving off enough light for her to see Arizona wrapped securely in Callie's arms, both women already sleeping.
She heads to the other end of the apartment to her own bedroom. Tonight, she'll sleep for the first time in two weeks; because she won't worry that the next phone call she gets will be Arizona telling her Callie's dead, or Callie telling her Arizona's dead.
Long after the physical abuse ends, the emotional trauma lasts a long time, sometimes forever. Teddy knows this much because she can see it in the way that both women act. How they never leave each others sides, how they always feel the need to ask for things, because they are used to being deprived of things that they need. She knows her friends will have a hard time. She is prepared to help them in any other way she can.
They would remain in their shell for a little while, but not forever.
To Be Continued...
A/N: I know there wasn't a lot of Arizona's POV in this chapter...but the next chapter is more of her POV on the baby as far as more insight into why she feels the way she does, and the situation over all...as well as some interaction between her and Teddy, and if I can squeeze it in, their first time leaving the house since arriving and how they feel about being out and about.