So the procedure a few weeks ago led to multiple complications and I have been in a drugged haze for nearly the entire last two weeks. I apologize for missing an update but I'm positive you wouldn't have wanted to read anything I would have written during that time. That said, this chapter may also be full of mistakes but I'm beginning to feel better! Please forgive any errors. Thank you all for your reviews and well wishes.

Arizona wandered the apartment as she thought about the day, the conversation the night before and what she had just overheard. It wasn't that she was upset, she really wasn't. She just need a little time to process everything. Moving into her bedroom, she mindlessly began unpacking boxes as she contemplated everything. The conversation with Callie in the middle of the night actually went really well and she knew they had reached a new level of trust and understanding. Maybe even a new level of emotional intimacy and healing. Her heart fluttered at the memory of what the brunette had shared and she inwardly marveled at the ease that they were communicating even with these difficult topics. Then there was the reality that they were now living together. She was so excited and yet also incredibly nervous. Arizona was committed to doing her best to make this work but was still concerned about the possibility of suffocating the Latina again.

She wasn't too proud to admit that whole thing still confused her. The peds surgeon could understand the boulder analogy and could understand why Callie felt she needed to leave, she was just confused which of her own actions suffocated her. Had it just been the weight of all of her collective fears, anger and pain that she couldn't seem to stop piling on her wife in one way or another? Or was it something more specific that she hadn't even considered yet? Had she been too needy in some way?

Folding clothes and tucking them into dresser drawers she tried to shake off those questions and focus on everything Callie had said and done in the last week to make her feel so special and loved. A small smile tugged at pink lips as she thought of the time they had spent together talking, laughing, kissing, and touching….it had been a magical week and she had fallen in love with the brunette even more. Realistically, she knew they had really spent the week in a little bubble with neither one of them having much on their agenda's other than spending time together. Well that bubble had certainly burst the moment the redhead had stood up outside of the Latina's door. Pursing her lips, she thought about her feelings when Penny had only glanced at her and Sofia before asking Callie if she could talk to her. There was definitely anger she thought as she rolled her eyes. Anger that Penny was once again upsetting not only the brunette but also their daughter. Narrowing her eyes as she finished folding clothes, she carried the box back in the closet to get another one. Had she been jealous? Surprisingly, she hadn't. As she contemplated that, she realized that she felt 100% sure that the Latina was completely committed to her and their little family. Smiling as she felt her heart flutter again, she began putting clothes on hangers.

And then there was the puzzle conversation. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she let her hands fall into her lap. Butterflies erupted in her abdomen as she thought about how Callie had explained to their daughter about how a heart was like a puzzle. It wasn't a perfect analogy but it was so beautiful and put in a way that Sofia could understand. The Latina had been wrong though because even as she spoke those words, the piece in Arizona's heart with Callie's name on it was permanently affixed to the others. She absolutely adored the brunette and wanted so much to show her and give her everything she had been waiting for. She was still scared and nervous but her doubts were gone. Running her fingers over the silk of the dress in her lap, she knew that tonight was not the night though. Not a night tainted by the appearance of Penny. She wanted a night that was just about them and their love, without any ghosts of the past lingering around. Grinning to herself, she began to plan their next date.

Turning off the lights in the living room and kitchen, Callie made her way to her bedroom. It had ended up being a really long day and she couldn't wait to relax with Arizona and a glass of wine. She was relieved that Arizona had insisted Sofia bathe and change into clean clothes before they had left to go to the old apartment. Normally she would never put her daughter to bed in her clothes, but it was still early and she hadn't wanted to disturb her again once she had settled down.

Opening her door, her bedroom was eerily quiet and she knew before peeking in the bathroom that the blonde wasn't there. Confused, she walked back through the apartment before knocking on the peds surgeon's door.

"Arizona? Can I come in?"

"Yes, come on in" she called and Callie let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding. Arizona hadn't seemed upset earlier but she wasn't sure. Pushing the door open slowly, she smiled at the blonde as she hung a handful of clothes in her closet.

"Hey. What are you doing?" she rubbed her hands nervously down the thighs of her jeans.

Turning and grinning back at her, Arizona shrugged. "I thought it would be a good time to work some more on putting things away"

The Latina stood and watched for a minute before moving closer. "I..uh..I thought you would be in the bath."

"Oh. No. It's early and I wasn't sure if Sofia was actually going to sleep or not so I thought it was better to wait"

"She fell asleep" Callie murmured feeling the weight of the day pressing down on her.

"Well, she's had a pretty busy day so I'm not surprised" she looked up and grinned before moving back to the closet.

"Arizona...are we ok?"

The blonde turned quickly to take a closer look at the Latina. Damn, she had been so focused on their next date she had forgotten for a second that Callie may need her. Hanging up the clothes in her hand, she made her way over to her. Wrapping slender arms around her waist, she tucked her hands into the back pockets of the brunette's jeans and reached up to give her a gentle kiss. "We are absolutely ok. Are you ok?"

Slipping down to sit on the side of the bed, Callie pulled her towards her and pressed her forehead to her chest as her arms wrapped around her waist.. "Yeah. I was just not expecting her to show up and it made it worse that it was the day we brought Sofia home to our new place. I mean, today is really the first day we start really working on being a family again and now I feel like she stole part of that from all of us."

Arizona gently pulled the elastic band from the Latina's hair, releasing her beautiful locks from the high ponytail she had been wearing since showering earlier. Working her fingers gently through them, she combed through the silky tresses before gently massaging the brunettes head just letting her say whatever she needed to say.

"Mmmm...feels good" Callie whispered, closing her eyes and pressing her head against the peds surgeions palms. "I was so mad that she was there...she didn't really get to say much. I mean...first of all, I am going to have words with a certain scrub nurse on Monday. Apparently her and Nancy still talk and Nancy lives in the same building I did. Why that gave her the right to tell her my address is beyond me. I moved away specifically to be in a Penny free zone. If I wanted her to have my address, she would have had it."

The Latina's fiery temper was building as she continued to talk and Arizona moved her hands down to massage tense shoulders. Sighing softly, Callie nuzzled in between her breasts and relaxed against her. The blonde bit her lip and mentally counted to thirty in her head. She had just reached 29, when a dark head lifted back up and continued her rant. Barely able to contain her grin at how well in some ways she still knew the woman in her arms, she slipped behind her and knelt with her right leg on the bed as she pressed a little deeper into her shoulders with her thumbs. As she manipulated the knotted muscles, Callie's voice got quieter and quieter until she was moaning more than talking.

"Why don't you lie down so I can have better access?"

She nodded but didn't move further then to turn to her and lift her eyes to meet Arizona's. The look in those beautiful brown eyes was an odd mix of hurt, sorrow, and pleading that made the blonde's heart physically ache.

"What is it, Callie? What else happened?" she stroked the hair at her temples as she cupped her face in her palms.

"I asked her about the custody papers" Callie whispered, voice breaking. "I asked her and do you know what she said?" tears slipped down tan cheeks. "She said she didn't think it really mattered. How could she say that? And how could I have ever thought I could be with someone who would think having shared custody of my daughter wouldn't matter? How could she say that? What did I do to make her think it wouldn't matter to me?"

"Calliope" she breathed out, pulling her to her and trying to soothe her pain. "You are a wonderful mom. I know it, Sofia knows it, and you should know it. You are amazing and Sofia is so lucky to have you as her momma." She could feel hot tears soaking her shirt and dampening the skin between her breasts where a dark head nestled. "She has no idea what that means, Callie. Until she is a mom she won't realize how much a mom needs to know that she has rights to her own child, how important that is." Callie nodded her head as trembling fingers reached up to play with the buttons of the blonde's blouse.

Wiping a few tears away, questioning dark eyes met blue. Smiling softly, Arizona nodded and reached up to help undo her buttons pulling her blouse open to expose a lacy mint green bra. Rubbing her cheek against the newly bared skin, Callie sighed with contentment. Holding the blonde in her arms, skin to skin, had long been the one thing that had calmed her through many of their years together. After a really hard day, she used to love to come home to the peds surgeon and slowly undress her until she could cuddle up safe in her arms, pressed against her warmth.

They stayed like that for a while, Arizona standing and Callie snuggling against her. "Do you want that massage now?"

Soulful brown eyes met hers. "Do you think we could just snuggle for a while? I know we can't sleep in the same bed, but can I hold you?"

Bending down and kissing her softly, Arizona nodded. "Absolutely. I would love that"

Callie scooted back pulling the blonde along with her. As they sunk down into the pillows, the Latina sat back up and looked at the bed beneath her. Patting the sheets, she looked up in confusion.

"Arizona? Can I ask you something?" face carefully blank as her hands continued to feel the bed beneath the sheets.

"Anything" she grinned up at her, blushing a little at the question she knew was coming.

"What the hell is wrong with your bed?"

Arizona's head fell back as she laughed out loud. "I bought a new mattress before I left Seattle and when the movers left today there wasn't time for me to take the plastic off. You were busy and I'm going to need your help with it." she grinned up at her. "So I just made the bed over it so it would be made when we brought Sofia home"

Laughing lightly, Callie bent down and kissed her smiling lips. "You are such a dork. A new bed, huh?"

"Yep. The other one had ghosts and needed to stay in Seattle" she wrapped her fingers around a tan neck and brought her back down for another lingering kiss.

"Ghosts, huh?" she murmured as she pulled back. The blonde just nodded as her dimples flashed. "Ghosts".

Her smile grew as the Latina slipped a hand inside her open shirt and stroked the skin of her abdomen.

"Momma! Mommy!" Sofia called. Groaning, Callie pressed her head against Arizona's chest again causing the peds surgeon to giggle even as she attempted to button up her blouse. She had just fastened the last one as the Latina stood up when Sofia came in and sleepily climbed onto her bed.

"Are you having a slumber party?" she asked with a little pout at being left out.

Winking at Arizona, Callie said "Actually, Mommy and I were just thinking about how great a slumber party would be on our first night in our new place. What do you think about piling on to my bed and watching a movie?"

"Could we have popcorn too?" the tiny brunette suddenly didn't look as sleepy as she grinned hopefully at her mommy.

"I think that's a great idea" Arizona nodded, kissing her cheek. "How about you go get pajamas on while I change and Momma makes the popcorn?"

"Yay! Slumber party!" Sofia squealed as she ran for her room.

Less than an hour later, they were both snuggled up with their daughter, watching her eyes drift slowly closed. "Mommy?" Sofia woke enough to murmur.

"Yes, Little Miss?" the blonde whispered as she stroked her hair.

"You gotta wiggle the right puzzle piece so it fits" Sofia's eyes slowly closed and stayed closed this time as cerulean blue eyes met and held stunned dark brown.

Would love to hear your thoughts...