Thanks again for the reviews. I'm glad that you seem to like the list idea, because I feel like it's going to add a lot of fun to this story.


"She'll be okay," Callie promised Arizona one day about a month later. "She gets these twenty-four hour bugs, and she gets over them. She's actually done better with them than I assumed she would."

In order to avoid rejecting her donor heart, Faith had to take immunosuppressant medications. If her body was less able to fight the organ, there was a chance that it wouldn't reject it. However, a less than ideal immune system also meant that she was at greater risk for illnesses. She was able to take some extra precautions to protect herself - and she really didn't get sick very often compared to some other people in her situation because of them - but she wasn't feeling so great that morning.

"I know," she replied. "She just hates being out of the O.R. even though it's probably best that she doesn't operate today."

"Name one surgeon who doesn't hate being out of the O.R.," she responded. "She doesn't have a fever, and she's not vomiting. This'll pass. I'm sure of it. She's helping Mark with the skills lab for the interns, and she told me that she's got some research that she can do for Cristina once that's done. That's Cardio. She's not going to hate everything about today. Even if she doesn't get to see any real patients."

"I still don't like it when she's sick," Arizona explained.

"Neither do I," she agreed. "But we know she'll be fine."

"True."

"I need to take you away more," she said. "When we were in St. Lucia, you were so much less stressed."

"I work with sick children," she defended. "I'm supposed to be stressed. I can't get too stressed because that's not good, but if I didn't stress at all, that would make me heartless. Some stress is to be expected. And I don't care if our children are adults now. I'm their mom. I've worried about them since I knew that they existed. I know I'm more vocal about it than you are these days, but that's just how it's going to be."

She kissed her. As much as she wished that Arizona wouldn't worry like she did, she had to admit that it was actually not a bad thing. She found it sweet. Of course, she also felt similarly. Arizona was right about that. Callie just didn't express it quite as often.

"I love you," she smiled.

"I love you, too," she said. "And you can definitely take me away more. Please."

"I think Bailey would like it if we worked for more than a month before we started planning something else."

"Probably."


"What time do you get off tonight?" Cody asked his girlfriend.

They had been having a quick breakfast together, but now he had to get back to work. Sofia had been charting while they ate, so she would be able to finish up as long as she didn't receive a page, but she just wouldn't have his company.

"It's supposed to be eight," she answered. "But don't count on seeing me tonight. One of my patients is probably going to have some major post-op complications. Based on his history, he's in for a rough night. Without surgery, he'll die, but..."

"Oh."

"I'm sorry," she said. "I promise we'll do something tomorrow night."

"Okay."

With that, Cody left. It wasn't long before Faith came up and sat down beside her on the gurney that she was sitting on.

"What are you doing? Aren't you supposed to be working with my dad right about now?"

"He's running late. He'll call when he gets here. And I'm annoyed by my interns because they're acting like I'm amazing for being here when I'm sick. It's nice that they think that, but it's really no big deal. I don't have a fever. I'm not throwing up. Sure, this changes what I do today just because I won't risk getting people sick if I can help it, but I'm not just going to stay in bed all day. I can still do something around here. It's called liking my job enough to put up with this."

"Right," she agreed.

"In happier news, I'm getting a puppy tonight."

"You know for sure that you get her tonight?"

"They called last night to let us know," she nodded.

In an effort to cross something off of their list and to add to their family – even if they weren't adding a new person to it – Faith and Sebastian had decided to find themselves a dog. When they went to an animal shelter, they were introduced to a six-week-old puppy. Her mother was a Golden Retriever, and her father was a Labrador Retriever. She was perfect, and they knew that they had to have her. They had already decided to name her Nellie. Faith was especially excited that she would be coming home soon.

"Good."

"She has the cutest little bark. It's like she's trying to bark, but she hasn't exactly figured out how yet."

"How did you come up with the name Nellie?"

"Sebastian just thought that it suited her."

"I'll have to come over and meet her when I have time and you're not sick."

"Definitely," she agreed. "She's going to need all of the playtime that she can get."

Her cell phone rang as she said this.

"Is that my dad?"

"Yes, it is," she said as she answered. "Hi, Mark."


"How are you feeling?" Arizona asked at some point in the afternoon.

Faith was eating a salad, which had to mean that her nausea wasn't as bad right now, but Arizona was still focused on the fact that she wasn't feeling well.

"I'm fine," she told her. "I miss my actual patients, but I'm spending half of my shift focused on nothing but Cardio research. I can't complain. Plus, I'm feeling better."

"For real?" Sebastian questioned.

"No, I'm lying," she teased. "Yes, for real."

"Good."

"Are you sure you don't want to go home?" Arizona asked.

"Mom, I'm not a child anymore. I've taken precautions. I'm not even treating anyone today. Not a single person. I'm being more than careful."

"That's not why I –"

"We've all worked when we weren't feeling so great," Faith said. "You know you have."

"I have."

"Then stop telling me that I shouldn't. Cardio research is clearly the best medicine."

She laughed.

"And a new puppy will help, too," she smiled.

"Madre and I'll have to come over and meet her when you're feeling better."

"Tomorrow," she said. "I already feel better than I did last night or this morning when I woke up."

"Okay."

"Plus, I'm sure Nellie can't wait to meet her grandmas."

"No," Arizona replied. "We're not calling me Grandma until I have a human grandchild."

"You're no fun," she said.

"And somehow we're back to the baby thing," Sebastian realized. "Now we're going to talk about it, aren't we?"

"I'm not pressuring you," Faith assured him. "It's fine."

"Deciding to be Sofia's mom and to have Faith were easily the best choices I've ever made," Arizona said. "I used to think that I didn't want a family, but now I couldn't imagine not having one."

"But it's not that I don't want that," he clarified.

"It's that you can't get past the possibilities?" she wondered.

"Exactly."

"Calliope and I ended up with a micro preemie and another child who had H.L.H.S.," she said. "They're both here. The risk can definitely be worth it."

"It can also be devastating."

"Oh, I know it can."

"I'm not pressuring him," Faith stated again. "You probably aren't allowed to either."

"And that leaves you calling me your dog's grandmother," Arizona replied.


Faith was correct. Luckily her sickness didn't last long. She had begun feeling ill the night before, but by the time nighttime rolled around again, she was almost back to her old self. In fact, while she waited for Sebastian to return home from the shelter with Nellie, she was trying out a new recipe that Chelsea had taught her. Yet another goal could be crossed off of her list.

She heard the dog whimpering as Sebastian brought her home twenty minutes later. She had just put dinner in the oven, so she went to the door to greet her new pal.

"Hi, Nellie!" she smiled. "Why are you sad? Do you not know where you are?"

She picked her up and started petting her. She knew that the dog was unsure of where she was. She had to figure out these new surroundings before she would feel comfortable.

"I'm your new mommy," she explained. "My mom says she's not your grandma, but I'm definitely your mommy. You're my fur baby, right? It might be cheesy, but it's true."

"What smells so good?" Sebastian asked. "Did you cook?"

"That new chicken dish Chelsea taught me how to make," she nodded.

"So you really are feeling better?"

"I laid down for a few minutes after you left and that helped. I'm only a little queasy now. I don't know how much dinner I'll really eat, but I made it for you."

"Thanks."

"And after dinner, I think Nellie and I need to settle in early," she decided. "My stomach isn't killing me anymore, but I could use a long, long night's sleep."

"Faith, the dog is not sleeping in our bed."

"Not ever?" she wondered.

"Not ever," he replied.

"Daddy's no fun," Faith told Nellie as the puppy licked her hand. "Puppy cuddles are the best. He doesn't know because he's never had a puppy, but he'll learn."

"I might love the dog, but I can think of a much, much better use for our bed," Sebastian said. "Not tonight. I know."

"Sorry. As soon as I'm feeling better, I'd love to take you up on that, though."

He smiled.

"Oh, and you're going to have to fill her food bowl for today," she requested. "People food smells are one thing, but I'm not sure I'm going to handle the smell of dog food very well."

"Yet you cut people open for a living," he said.

"Not today I didn't. And that's different."

"Okay," he laughed.

"Let's go check this place out, Nellie," Faith smiled. "I bought you a pink collar. I think you'll like it."


Faith was just fifteen-and-a-half months old, but she was recovering from yet another surgery. She was doing well today, but everyone was wishing that she could just go home already. While that wasn't possible, her moms had been busy making arrangements to bring a little piece of home to her.

The little girl had been asking for her puppy lately. They were technically not allowed to bring her in, but they were breaking the rules because they just couldn't keep denying her request. It was the least that they could do for her. Therefore, Alex had just helped them to sneak the dog in without anyone who was going to say anything about it finding out.

She had been in and out of a restful state all day so far, but she woke up when the dog came into the room. She couldn't see her from where she was, but she could hear her.

"Someone came to see you, Faith Evelyn," Callie told her.

"Wub," she smiled.

"Your Love," Arizona smiled.

While they were hoping that she would realize that she shouldn't call Hershey "Love" – or "Wub" – they had to admit that it was adorable. They didn't exactly mind that she had given the newest family member her own sweet nickname.

Mommy gave her a kiss.

"How are you feeling now?" she asked. "Better?"

"No."

"Still not great, huh?"

"No."

Callie picked her up. Faith had wanted to stay in the bed so far today, but they didn't want the dog to get up on there with her. There was no doubt that Hershey's presence in the bed would likely cause all of the things that Faith was hooked up to to get tangled.

"Want to sit with me and pet Hershey?" she wondered.

She nodded.

Hershey's tail began wagging as Faith started to pet her. Even if she sometimes forgot to be gentle, the two were clearly best buddies. The toddler hadn't even been around most of the time that they had owned the dog, but she didn't seem to care about that. Hershey adored Faith and Faith adored Hershey.

"Are you happy to see each other, girls?" Arizona smiled.

"Yeah," Faith yawned.

Hershey yawned as well.

"You're makin' Hershey sleepy, Baby," Callie said, giving her daughter a kiss.

"Ow?" she asked.

"No, Hershey's not sleepy because she had surgery like you," Arizona explained.

"Oh. Sof?"

"Sofia's at school," Callie said. "Mark's going to bring her to visit tonight."

Faith smiled.

"You get to see all of your buddies today," Arizona smiled. "It's a better day for Faith."

"Ow."

"I know you still feel bad," she told her. "Mommy's looking on the bright side. At least you got to see Hershey today."