Liam was pacing through their living room as his wife was sitting on the couch, her face in her hands. "We have to tell her", he said.

"She won't like it", Susan answered.

"Whether we tell her now or in a month, I don't think her reaction would be different."

"Well, it would. Because a month down the road, there would be only four weeks left for her to come to terms with it. It doesn't seem right, though. How can we do that to her? She has her life here. She's in her last year of Junior High."

"Don't you think I know that? But it's not like she can't finish school", Liam reasoned. "I didn't chose for it to happen now." Frankly, the timing couldn't be worse.

"I know. And I know it's a huge chance for you and it will look so good in you curriculum vitae when you apply for the headmaster position, but-", Susan sighed. Still, in her eyes, it wasn't right.

"But she won't like it", he repeated his wife's words. "When will she be home?"

"Any minute now. Barbara said they'd have dinner together and she'll come home after it and that was about an hour ago."

Taking a deep breath and closing his eyes, Liam thought about the last days. There was no way he could turn down such a big offer. "You know, it would be easier if they wouldn't have a job waiting there for you too."

"You really think that?"

"I do. If it would only be me, there would be more to think about and saying no would be easier. But this chance is a chance for you, too. They run their hospitals in a different way. Here, you are a nurse. Over there, you're kind of equal with the surgeons."

"You don't have to tell me that. I know that. I've alwayss wanted to spend a few years in a different country and work there. But then I met you and my dream changed. And I don't mean it in a bad way. We met, we fell in love and I knew where I wanted to be." Giving her husband a reassuring smile, she got up from the couch. "But it's not just the two of us anymore. You applied so many years ago..."

"I actually had forgotten about it. When I got the call last week I thought someone was making fun of me. But then he said he heard of the project I started at the elementary school. The sports class and all the other things. He said they want someone being innovative like me. With new ideas. I was more than shocked."

"I know. But Liam, it is two years", Susan reasoned.

Neither of them heard the quiet closing of the front door or the school bag that was put down on the floor. Nor did Liam notice the slight moving and changing of the shadows one could see in the mirror of the hallway.

"I know", he sighed. "I can still turn it down", he offered.

"That's not what you want", Susan said and she was so right with that.

"We have to tell her", he said again, unknowingly making the Latina who just got home listen up carefully.

"Yeah." Looking for some kind of comfort, she nestled her body closer to her husband, taking in the warmth of his body as he pulled her into a tight embrace. "How do you tell your daughter she has to move thousands of miles away without crushing her little world?"

"There's no way, I think."

"She'll hate us."

"Presumably", Susan agreed.

"But you're sure you're in this with me?"

"One hundred percent", she said, kissing him softly. "We're in this together."

"So, we're moving to Sweden?"

"We're moving to Sweden."

Stepping into the living room, looking at her foster parentsin disbelief, not trusting her ears that she had heard right, she asked. "We're moving to Sweden?"

XXX

"We're moving to Sweden?"

Parting at the sudden sound of their daughter's voice, Susan and Liam shared a last look before their eyes focused on the Latina. "Calliope, why don't we all sit down and we talk about it?", Susan suggested.

"I want an answer", the brunette demanded.

Sighing, Liam made a few steps towards her. "Yes, we're moving to Sweden."

"When?", Callie asked, tears already filling her eyes.

"The week of Christmas."

"No! That's two months!"

"Calliope, please. Sit down and we'll talk about it."

"I don't want to sit down. And what's there to talk about anyway? You already made the decision." Looking up, she let the adults see the tears that were filling her brown eyes more and more and it broke their hearts. They knew it wouldn't be easy. "Why?"

"Liam won the Swenson Grand. It means, he'll be teaching at a Swedish school and-"

"You have a job here", the girl protested. She didn't understand how they could do that to her.

"I do. But the Swedish school system is different from ours and it's a great opportunity to learn some more. And it's not forever. It's only two years and after that, we'll come back."

"Only two years?", the Latina sobbed and scoffed at the same time. "What about me?"

"You'll go to school in Sweden. And Susan will work at a hospital. Everything will be the same", Liam answered.

"No", she cried. "No, it won't be the same. I don't want to move. I live here. This is my home. You made this my home. I live here. Arizona lives here. I don't want to move to Sweden!" Yelling the last word, she grabbed her bag and ran up the stairs, leaving Susan and Liam standing in shock. Slamming her door shut once she reached her room, she tried to breathe. The wood was hard and cold in her back as she let her upper body fall against it. Sliding down until she felt the floor, she wrapped her arms around her knees and pulled them close to her body. Not able to hold them back any longer, her tears were spilling from her eyes now inexorably.

"Calliope?", Susan knocked softly on the door on the other side.

"Go away!"

"Calliope, please. Let us talk."

"No", she sobbed again, not loud enough for Susan to hear though. She cried and waited until she heard footsteps moving away from her room before she got up. Emptying her school bag, she threw some fresh clothes in it, wiping her eyes every few seconds so she could see something, but it was useless. Her sight was blurry because of the tears, but when she was sure she had everything she needed, she opened her door and walked back downstairs. Putting on her shoes and a light jacket, she stood still for a moment and took a few deep breaths to calm down. She was just about to enter the living room as she heard her parents stepping up behind her.

"Calliope", Liam tried.

"Can I stay the night at Arizona's?", she asked, not turning around so she didn't have to look at them. She would never just leave or run away. She respected her foster parents way too much to do something like that. But she really didn't want to stay.

"No, honey. We have to talk about it. We didn't do this to-"

"Can I stay the night at Arizona's, please?", she asked again.

"Calliope, you can't just show up at their door after 8pm."

"I can. Barbara and Daniel said I am always welcome."

"Do they even know you're coming?"

"No", Callie sighed. "Can I go now?"

"No", Liam stated in a stern voice. "It's dark outside and I will not let my daughter walk around alone that late."

Finally turning around, she kept her head low. "Ple-hease." But her plea was interrupted by a sob she couldn't contain and it was all it took to break their hearts all over again. "Please."

Placing a hand on her husband's shoulder, stopping him before he could say another word, Susan grabbed her keys and a jacket. Knowing it wouldn't change anything right now, even if they would sit down and talk, she said: "I'll walk you over. But we will talk tomorrow", she said. She knew the girl just needed time. They just dropped a bomb on her that no teenager would like to hear. But, maybe one night would be enough.

"Okay", the Latina sighed. "I just really don't want to talk about it right now."

"Fair enough", Susan answered.

"Calliope", Liam tried one more time, but was cut off by a whispered 'Let her be' from his wife and then she opened the door for Callie.

"I'll be back in about twenty minutes, okay? I just want to make sure she's inside before I come back."

"Okay. Do you think we made the wrong decision?"

"It was our decision and I think she just needs some time without us and with her best friend and her godparents", Susan smiled, gave him a soft kiss on his cheek

"Susan?"

"Yeah?"

"I wish there would be another way for her. It's really not fair to her."

"I know you do, Liam. That's why I love you", she answered and then she left the house as well.

XXX

"Are you expecting someone?", Daniel asked as the doorbell rang. Their son was upstairs, using the last 30 minutes of today before it was time to go to bed to play with the pirate ship his grandparents gave to him for his seventh birthday and Arizona was taking a shower because she skipped it this afternoon after swimming class because she was running late.

"No, are you?"

"No. I am so ready for a cozy Friday night in with some television or a good book and my beautiful wife", he smiled, partly joking on the book part, because unlike his wife, he didn't read books that often. He read the newspaper and some magazines about marine-stuff.

"Maybe it's just a neighbor", Barbara suggested, already about to open the door.

"Maybe it's a stranger", Daniel said. Opening the door himself as his wife left for the living room, his eyes took in the picture. There stood the Latina who had just left his house about an hour ago. But he saw that something was wrong. When Callie had left after dinner, she was smiling and happy. Now, she stood before him, her eyes puffy and red and her cheeks were tear streaked. "Calliope?"

"Did you just say Calliope?", Barbara asked, coming back from the living room.

"I am sorry, Co-Co-Colonel Rob-Robbins. But, can I come in?", she asked between sobs.

"Of course, honey," Barbara answered, pulling the girl inside. "Did something happen?"

"Yes", Callie answered, fighting so hard not to cry

"Do your parents know you're here?"

Taking another deep breath, because that was all she could do to stop herself from crying all the time, she answered: "Yes. Susan walked me over." Looking up into the Colonel's eyes and then to Barbara, it was that much harder not to let her tears win. When she'd have to move to Sweden, she wouldn't see them for two years. "I don't want to move", she whispered.

"Move? What are you talking about?", Daniel asked.

"Can I stay the night?", she asked instead of answering his question.

"You know you are always welcome in our home." He assumed that her parents already agreed to staying overnight. Otherwise, Susan wouldn't have brought her over, but something told him he should call them. "I'll call them and tell them it's okay."

"Thank you. Can I go upstairs?"

"Of course, sweetie", Barbara answered. "Arizona's taking a shower but she should be finished soon. You can just wait for her."

"Thank you", Callie nodded and made a few steps towards the stairs. She turned around though before going upstairs, hugging her godmother first and then her godfather. "Thank you."

"What did she mean, she doesn't want to move?", Barbara asked her husband as Callie was out of earshot.

"I don't know, darling. Did Susan mention something like that? I know for sure, Liam didn't. And why would they, it's their house."

"I think we'll have to wait."

"I'll give them a call, just to make sure Callie's allowed to stay", Colonel Robbins said, picking up the phone and dialing the number that was probably burned into his brain forever now.

xxx

Showered, dressed for the night in her butterfly pajama-bottoms and a simple shirt, her hair still a little wet, but her teeth brushed already, Arizona exited the bathroom. She heard her parents downstairs talking, but she didn't understand every word.
Shrugging, because it was most likely about something from the news, she walked over to her bedroom, but stopped as she stood in front of the door. She knew she'd closed the door before she took the shower. She always closed her door since Timmy came running in as often as he wanted to. And that was something, she just didn't want. Some days, he was just too nosy or too noisy. Or well, too annoying. She loved her brother, she just didn't want him 'snooping' around when she was not in her room. And right now, she thought that he sneaked in while she was taking her shower, because her door was in fact not closed anymore.

"Timothy Robbins, I told you I don't want you to- Calliope?" Smiling as she saw her best friend waiting for her in her room, she dried her hair some more with the towel in her hands.

Callie jumped up as Arizona burst through her door, biting down on her bottom lip in the process. "Ow", she hissed.

"What happened?", she asked immediately as she saw her best friend's face and let go of the damp fabric. She tried to look her in the eyes, but Callie was successfully avoiding any eye contact. "Calliope, what happened?"

"I went home", she started, suppressing her sobs again as they tried to resurface. "And Susan and Liam were talking in the living room. They said we're moving." So far so good, she thought. "To Sweden." And as soon as those last words left her mouth, she watched as all color seemed to leave Arizona's face and blue eyes widened in shock.

"What? You're...you're what?", she stammered.

"Moving", Callie could barely say before she started to cry again. She didn't even have to blink to let the tears roll down her tanned cheeks. Her eyes were just not able to hold so much salty water.

"No", the blonde said, shaking her head. "No..."

"I-", the Latina tried, but no actual word came across her lips as they were quivering with her sobs. She just stood in front of her best friend, sobbing, trying to breathe and watching the blonde.

"No", Arizona said anew and wiped away some of the Latina's tears with both her thumbs. And though they were instantly replaced with new ones, the simple contact made it better for both of them, even if it was just for a few seconds. "Don't", she whispered and put her arms around the taller girl. She didn't know what else to do. Still shocked from the news she just received, she could not wrap her mind around all of it. What did all of that mean? She didn't want to lose her best friend. And she couldn't even imagine what her life would be without Calliope in it.

"Christmas", Callie muttered into the crook of Arizona's neck.

"What did you say?"

"We're moving the week of Christmas", the Latina replied, hiding her face behind her hands. "I can't move. I can't go away for two years."

By now, Arizona had begun to cry as well. Seeing Callie like this reminded her of all the times she witnessed her having nightmares. At least, she could hold her now, and that's what she did. She held her best friend in a tight embrace, letting her cry until there would be no more tears left and Callie tore herself out of the hug.

"I couldn't stay at home", Callie stated with a broken voice as she could finally talk again. "I don't want to move. Everything I have is here. My team is here. You are here. They are ripping me away from my life just like that. Without asking me. They just decided. What am I going to do without you?"

She could say it was only two years, but that would be a lie. "I will miss you", the blonde said. Her normally sparkling eyes were dull and the only thing that gave them a little glistening were the tears.

"I don't want to have to miss you."

"Neither do I."

"I don't want to go."

"Christmas?"

"Christmas."

And all of a sudden, the mood of the blonde changed. She took a few deep breaths and when blue eyes met brown, she said: "You'll always be my best friend, whether you're here or in Sweden."

Callie tried to smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "You'll always be my best friend too", she answered and hugged the girl again. "I am allowed to stay the night. Susan and Liam, they want to talk to me about it tomorrow. I couldn't do that tonight."

"So, you're staying the night", Arizona smiled. "You can go and change, I ask mommy if I can make some hot chocolate and we just watch a movie until we fall asleep."

"Sounds good", the Latina answered, showing a weak smile.

"Okay." Wiping her best friend's tears away again, she squeezed Callie's hand before she left the room and went downstairs. Seeing that her mom was already busy in the kitchen, emptying the dishwasher, she asked: "Mommy? Can we have some hot chocolate?"

"Of course", Barbara answered without turning around at first. But when she was about to put away the plates, she noticed her daughter's face resembled pretty much the same as the Latina's when she was standing at the front door. "Dimples, what's wrong?"

Not looking at her mom, Arizona prepared the milk. "Calliope's moving."

"Whereto?" Barbara asked, completely unaware of what was next to come

"Sweden", she replied with a knot forming in her throat and still not looking up. That one word was all it took to make it real for her. Not that she didn't get it the times before, because, she did. But telling her mom made it sound so final. All the more when she heard her mom gasp and the fork hitting the tiles of the kitchen floor.