Title: My, How Things Have Changed
Author: dbell99
Pairing: Callie/Arizona
Rating: M
Summary: Changes are abound at the Robbins-Torres household.
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 11
"Mama?"
Callie cracked open an eye, discovering her three year old perched next to the bed, her face just inches away from her mother's. Callie opened her other eye and smiled at the little girl.
"How long have you been standing there Sof?"
Sofia giggled, "I watching you sleep."
Callie laughed and reached over and tickled Sofia's belly. "You are so much like your Mommy it's kind of scary."
"I not scary," Sofia stated, "I Sofia."
"Yes you are. Did you want to come snuggle with Mama for a bit?"
Sofia shook her head. "Hungry!"
"Where's Mommy?" Callie felt as though she had just fallen asleep mere minutes ago. Their new addition, their bundle of joy, was far from full of joy; she only seemed to be happy while being held and walked around.
"With the baby," Sofia replied with a sigh. "She cries too much."
Callie pulled Sofia up and onto the bed with her and snuggled her close, "oh sweetheart, I know things are different with Maia here now, but she won't cry like this forever. She's still brand new; she's only two days old!"
Callie had pushed to be released from the hospital just hours after the birth of Maia Alexandra Robbin Torres, after having spent far enough time hospitalized after the birth of Sofia. Arizona had wholeheartedly agreed and now, on the dawn of Christmas Eve, Callie had been home for almost two days now. And it seemed as though baby Maia had been crying for almost all of that time.
"Come on Sof, let's go get some breakfast and see if Mommy needs some help with Maia."
Sofia hopped off the bed and Callie slowly followed her. After a trip to the washroom and a search for her slippers, the two went downstairs together. The sight that met her eyes made her melt.
Arizona was on the rocking chair in the living room, their newborn perched on her shoulder and actually asleep. The blonde was rocking, keeping a steady pace, her head resting gently next to the baby's. Her eyes were closed but her left hand was patting the tiny bundle gently, in time with the rocking. She heard the stairs creak as Callie and Sofia came down and her eyes slowly opened and she made a "shhh" face and pointed to herself then to the stairs. Mother and daughter bypassed the living room entirely and instead crept into the kitchen while Arizona headed up the stairs slowly, as not to wake the sleeping baby.
Fifteen minutes later, Sofia was off in the main floor play room and Arizona came into the kitchen, a baby monitor in hand. She threw herself into a chair and swiped a piece of Callie's toast.
"She's asleep?" Callie asked in amazement.
Arizona nodded. "Let's just hope she stays asleep for more than a half an hour. Did you sleep?"
"I did, thank you for getting up with her." Arizona had gotten up each and every time the baby had woken, changed her and handed her to Callie to nurse before putting her back to bed.
"You did all the hard work," the blonde reminded her wife. "Now at least I can make myself more useful."
"You've been plenty useful," Callie stated. She lowered her voice, "without you there wouldn't have been a Christmas. I was in no shape to hit the mall for gifts."
If there was one thing that Arizona prided herself on, it was being prepared, especially for the Christmas season. Gifts had started to be purchased months prior; there was no mad rush a few days before Christmas. Everything had been wrapped and hidden, right down to the stockings, including one for baby Maia as well.
Arizona stifled a yawn and stood up. "I'm going to try to get a bit of sleep before my parents arrive. Will you be okay with both when Maia wakes?"
"I will. Just go sleep. I'll wake you if I need help."
Much to Callie's surprise, Maia slept for over two hours, by far the longest stretch she'd slept since bringing her home. She and Sofia had whipped up a batch of shortbread cookies, and kept the preschooler happy by giving her full reign of the sprinkles. By the time Maia awoke the kitchen floor had a layer of red and green sugar covering it and Callie had lost track of how many cookies Sofia had eaten.
Somehow, Callie lured Sofia away from the cookies and managed to retrieve a very wet and hungry baby from her bassinet without waking Arizona. A quick diaper and outfit change quieted her down somewhat, and once she began to feed the house was quiet once again. Callie turned on the television, not feeling at all guilty for using it to keep her three year old content and settled back as Maia continued to nurse. Maia finished eating and Callie somehow managed to get her into the bassinet in the living room while Sofia dozed on the couch. Callie took advantage of the unexpected peace and quiet, curled up across from Sofia and soon nodded off as well.
A faint knocking woke Callie from her slumber and she sleepily rubbed her face as she delicately sat up on the couch as not to wake Sofia. The knocking continued and she stood up to investigate. Arizona was nowhere in sight; most likely still sleeping soundly upstairs. She went to the front door and glanced through the peephole to discover her in-laws standing on the front porch, their arms full of bags and boxes.
"I'm so sorry!" Callie exclaimed as she opened the door and relieved her mother-in-law of several gift bags she was carrying. "I fell asleep."
"There's nothing to be sorry about Callie," Barbara Robbins said as she dropped her bags in the hallway and took her bags back from Callie. She embraced her daughter-in-law in a hug. "I'm so happy to see you again!"
"It's good seeing you again too." Callie turned to her father-in-law who surprised her by engulfing her in a hug as well. "I'm glad you two are here."
"Where's Arizona?" Barbara asked.
"Hopefully still asleep," Callie replied. "She was up practically all night with Maia." As if on cue, Callie heard a soft cry from the living room. "Looks like you'll get to meet her now." The trio went into the living room and found not only Maia awake but Sofia as well.
"Grandma!" Sofia exclaimed, hopping off the couch and tearing past Callie, straight to her grandmother's embrace.
"There's my big girl!" Barbara said. "I missed you so much! And you grew!"
"I'm three," Sofia informed her.
Daniel laughed and knelt down, "How about Grandpa? Do I get a hug too?"
Sofia tore herself away from Barbara and launched herself into Daniel's arms, squeezing him tightly. "It's Christmas Eve. Santa comes tonight!" Sofia giggled excitedly.
"Santa?" Daniel said, "He's coming
here?"
Sofia nodded her head enthusiastically. "Mama and Mommy said I've been good so Santa is coming."
"Oh, I see," Daniel said. Sofia untangled herself from him and ran over to Callie, hugging her legs. Daniel stood up and sat himself down on the couch. Before he knew it, Sofia was back and snuggled up next to him.
Callie had picked up Maia and had handed her to Barbara, who was now busy cooing and grinning from ear to ear. Callie took advantage of it and went into the kitchen and turned the kettle on for tea. Barbara followed with Maia.
"She's perfect," Barbara said as Callie sat down across from her at the table. "She looks exactly like Arizona when she was a newborn."
"Arizona said the same thing when she saw her."
"What did I say?" Arizona asked sleepily from the entrance of the kitchen.
"Oh, did we wake you?" Barbara asked.
Arizona shook her head, "no, not at all. At least I don't think you did." She was using her crutches now, and she headed over to the coffee maker. She measured coffee and water and turned it on, then sat down with her mother and Callie. "I don't remember being this exhausted with Sofia when we brought her home." Her thoughts drifted back three years, when not only Sofia was discharged from the hospital but also her wife. Memories of Mark filled her head and her breath caught in her throat. She stood up suddenly and busied herself getting cups from the cupboard hoping to hide her emotions.
"Well you can catch up on your sleep for the next week," Barbara filled in the awkward silence. "Because unless this little girl is eating I doubt Daniel or I will be very willing to let her go. I'm going to go sit with Daniel and Sofia for a bit. You two just relax. I'll come get you if she gets hungry."
"She should be ready in about an hour or so." Callie called as Barbara left the kitchen. Once she was gone, she approached her wife, who was still at the counter, her back turned to Callie. Callie wrapped her arms around Arizona and pulled her towards her. Arizona's crutches fell to the side. "Hey, why the tears? I'm the one who should be crying with all these crazy hormones."
Arizona sniffed and took a deep breath as she composed herself. "You know, usually I'm okay. I don't think about him as much as I used to when we lived in our apartment. It's just now and then that something triggers all sorts of memories and I get overwhelmed."
Callie nodded and held Arizona closer. "I know. When I look at Sofia sometimes, she just gets this look that is totally Mark and I feel the same way as you do. I try to remember all the good stuff though and try not to focus on the bad stuff."
"I know. I've tried too. The bad stuff just pushes its way through the good stuff though. The bad stuff is closer and fresher than the good."
Callie sighed. There was no way she would ever know or be able to completely understand how her wife felt. She hadn't been on the plane. She had no idea what had happened during those days as they had waited to be rescued. Arizona never spoke of the woods, never let Callie into those memories.
Callie kissed Arizona then released her from her grasp. She picked up the crutches and handed them back to her wife. "Let's go upstairs for a bit, okay? I just want to lay with you."
Arizona nodded and followed Callie. She wished that Callie knew what had happened in the woods. She didn't want to talk about it, but she wanted her to know. She had tried to write her a letter telling her what they had gone through, but she ripped it up before she was even a quarter of the way through. None of the survivors spoke of those days. Callie had never asked, nor had anyone else, but there was an unspoken rule that if anyone did, that they wouldn't say anything. But now, Arizona felt as though she needed to tell Callie, she just didn't know how. Maybe now she would be able to find the courage to sit down with her and explain it. Maybe.