Title: Another Statement of Causality (28/?)

Author: Maggiemerc

Rating: M

Status: In Progress

Pairings: Callie/Arizona, Cristina/Owen, Callie/Owen, Teddy/Owen, Amelia/Lexie. Basically if they look at each other something is going on. Except for Meredith and Cristina. Theirs is a deep and platonic love.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. It is a tragedy I suffer through daily.

Summary: If Callie is meant to be with Arizona and Cristina is meant to be with Owen but Callie and Owen are married with kids then something must change. The status quo must shift. A continuation of 8x13 "If/Then."

Chapter Twenty-Eight

"Cristina."

He moaned her name. She loved the way he moaned her name. Like she was the only person in the world. Like she could build him up and destroy him with a touch. Her name on his lips was like being crowned a goddess.

They'd found there way into a conference room. Quiet and secluded despite it being the middle of the business day. He'd pushed her back until she was sitting on the conference table and they were making out like they were teenagers in the honeymoon period of the relationship.

But there's was barely a relationship. It was sex in on call rooms. Lots of sex. They'd only slept together for the first time the day before and already Cristina was wondering how she'd be able to walk and wondering, just a little, how Callie could have ever given this man up.

She'd missed sex. Desperately. Four years of abstinence since Burke broke her heart. She'd honestly thought she'd lost it. The desire and the desirability, but one twenty four hour period with Owen Hunt and she felt—rejuvenated.

Afterwards Owen zipped up his pants and looked like he wanted to ask something. She raised an eyebrow and waited.

"The party this afternoon?"

"The baby thing?"

"You going?"

Was he…asking her to go as his date to a baby shower?

"Meredith wanted me to go as her back up."

"So I'll…I'll see you there."

"Sure."

He started to kiss her on the cheek but stopped himself. Instead he just nodded congenially and left her alone, satisfied, and confused.

She found Meredith afterwards at the nurse's station. "Owen…just tried to ask me on a date to that baby shower?"

Meredith was resting her chin on her fist and staring into space so her reply was a little muffled. "You should take him up on that."

"I thought you wanted me there to protect you from Addison."

"But Owen is a big guy. Much better defense then you. You're tiny."

She had to agree. "I can fit in clothes at Forever 21. I don't—because I'm not twelve—but it's nice to know I can."

"So is he going with you?"

"We just sort of agreed to meet up there."

"Maybe a plane will crash into the hospital and we'll get so swamped with traumas we'll have to miss it."

One could only fervently hope so.

####

She had a girlfriend in nothing but panties and a t-shirt in her kitchen and she was completely oblivious to being watched. She was also remarkably at ease in Arizona's kitchen. Her back was to her and she was humming to herself and rooting through the spice shelf (a shelf Arizona was very proud of). Finding something that pleased her immensely she hummed happily and plucked it from the shelf.

She probably was going to turn around then. Approach the bowl of batter near the sink. But Arizona Robbins was the daughter of a Marine and the sister of a very crafty brother and she could move stealthily. Like a cat. You had to with Tim as a kid. The guy could hear a pin needle drop.

At the last second Callie sensed the presence behind her and paused. Arizona said nothing. She nudged Callie's elbows until her hands were above her head and pressed into the cabinet door. The position raised her shirt a few inches above her waist and Arizona crouched and ran her tongue along the line of newly revealed flesh.

Callie tried to move but Arizona raised a single hand and pressed it to her shoulder, immediately stilling her. "Have I told you," she whispered against dark skin, "how gorgeous you look this morning?"

"The batter…" She didn't actually care about the batter. Arizona stood up again and was pressing Callie into the counter with her hips and using her one free hand to do some really incredible things around her panty line. Her other hand was busy keeping Callie's hand above her head and her lips were creating a trail of pleasure all along her neck.

"Leave it," she heard whispered into her ear before teeth gently tugged at her ear lobe.

####

It was. It was. She groaned. Words failing her. They'd been doing that a lot. Ever since they renewed the sex part of their relationship the night before. She was fairly certain that by the time her day off was complete she'd be wheelchair bound.

Arizona's wandering hand found it's way actually into her panties and involuntarily she thrust against it. "That feels…"

"Tell me."

"It's—"

Ruined. The door to the living room swung open suddenly and Addison bound in red faced and carrying a squalling infant. Everyone froze. Addison's wide eyes took in the scene. Took in the suspicious position of Arizona's hands. Somehow the shock grew more pronounced. Suddenly Arizona was on fire and flying away from Callie in an instant. She pulled her t-shirt, borrowed from Arizona, down as far as it would go…which wasn't far. It didn't even cover her underwear.

"I…uh…"

Addison was failing to find words. Arizona was getting over her shock and smiling beatifically. "Problem," she asked wryly.

"Do you even knock?"

"I would have if I knew you were here Callie!"

Arizona, being a little more dressed than Callie, and recuperating from the shock of being caught in the sexy times quite smoothly, came around the kitchen counter. "Everything okay?"

Addison gave her baby, who was still crying up a storm, a little jostle. "She won't stop crying."

Arizona wasn't saying it so Callie really wanted to point out that Addison was the premiere baby doctor in the United States. The best. Period.

Then Addison started rattling off the myriad of diseases and ailments that could have afflicted her child and it all made sense. Arizona just nodded and took the baby up in her arms and immediately began attempting to comfort her. The suddenly maternal picture before her sent a pang of odd longing through Callie.

"Did you try that ginger stuff Mark got?"

Still a little snotty, but calming a little now that there were sane people around, Addison shook her head.

Arizona glanced over at Callie, "Can you run across the hall and check for a tiny bottle in the diaper bag? Should be on the dining room table."

Callie immediately did as asked, and sure enough, there on Mark's dining room table, was a diaper bag. She found the bottle, just barely bigger than her thumb and filled with liquid and ran back to Arizona's.

She didn't really want to dwell on how Arizona knew where it would be.

The two pediatric surgeons had moved and were now sitting on the couch. Arizona still held the baby in her arms and still looked incredibly maternal and adorable. Callie held out the bottle and she took it without looking.

"Here you go baby girl."

The baby immediately latched onto the plastic nipple and started sucking. Her eye lids drooped and she took on that doped up look that satisfied babies often got.

"Mark's been ranting about this stuff for the last week," she explained to Addison and Callie. "Won't shut up about it. Insists we should have a steady supply in the NICU."

Addison shook her head. "I remember him mentioning something for the NICU. But it's Mark."

Arizona looked down at the baby and her voice went up an octave, "And that explains everything doesn't it baby girl? Your daddy's kind of a doofus when it isn't related to boob jobs and burns. Isn't he?"

The bottle emptied in short order and Callie took it back, marveling at how quickly it had sated the baby. "Wow. I wish I'd known about this stuff with mine. All three of them were the most colicky babies you've ever seen."

"Really," Addison asked. She was trying to act nonchalant. Like she hadn't just rushed into Arizona's home to beg for assistance with an infant. As Callie could sympathize a little she agreed.

"Yup. Nearly killed Owen and I."

"And little did you know," Arizona said, still playing with the baby and being thoroughly delighted by the way her tiny hands waved about, "that Mark Sloan ordered the miracle cure for colic off Amazon."

"He can never know he succeeded."

"Nope. Never."

####

An hour later Addison was gone, pancakes had been made and imbibed and Arizona and Callie were back in bed and entirely naked. Callie stretched and felt the pleasant pop of tendons in her arms and shoulders. She'd pillowed her head on Arizona's smooth bare stomach and Arizona dozed lightly while running her hand through Callie's hair.

"This is nice," she murmured with a kiss to the swell of Arizona's stomach.

Arizona murmured contentedly but didn't open her eyes.

"No babies."

"Mm. No babies are a big plus."

"I was kind of surprised though." Arizona peeked at her through half lidded eyes. "You knew exactly where the bottle was."

"Mark and I are close."

Really close.

"I never thought you and him would be friends."

She smiled lazily, "You know, if things were different we might not have been."

"What kind of different?"

Arizona cupped the back of her head and tugged her upwards. Callie happily obliged. "If he and I were both into the same woman…"

Callie kissed the side of her mouth. "Jealous easily?"

"Definitely." She kissed Callie and it was half affectionate and half an intense claim. Callie was okay with that. She liked a lover who knew what they wanted and, more importantly, she like a lover who put her first. It was…nice…and something she'd missed with Owen since almost from the beginning.

With them there had been Iraq and Teddy and kids and everything unsaid. A chasm between a real marriage and what they had. With Arizona—with Arizona it was the two of them against the world. The most natural relationship she'd ever been in.

####

Sadly there was no epic plane crash, or another sinkhole, or even a shooter rampaging through another school, and late that afternoon Cristina found herself wearing almost as much pink as Meredith usually wore and trudging through the brisk spring air beside her.

Meredith had brought a present. It was big, pink, and looked expensive judging by the wrappings. Apparently her parents had selected it and sent her as their envoy—because that wasn't awkward. They could have gone and it would have been fine, but no they had to send their daughter—who was sleeping with the mother's ex.

Cristina, realizing that it was probably rude to show up sans gift, bought a bag in the gift shop and threw a surgical kit into it. "She's got surgeons for parents. This is a valid gift."

Meredith clearly thought otherwise but said nothing.

Somehow Percy worked out that when they were going to the party and managed to time his own arrival perfectly. He and Avery had purchased a giant stuffed bear together and then actually wrapped the bear in neon green wrapping paper. Every time he readjusted his grip on it the whole thing crinkled and new tiny tears appeared.

When they entered the apartment building they found Owen there with all three of his children. They all stepped onto the elevator.

The silence would have been deafening but Percy kept shifting the bear and it made little noises every time. Owen's oldest, Angela? Allegra? Something. Turned around to look at him.

"What's that?"

"A gift?"

"You should wrap it better."

Cristina bit back a smile. The kid had a point.

Owen took his daughter by the shoulder and pointed her forward. "Allegra," he chastised, "be polite."

"What?" She turned back around, "My mom is really good at wrapping stuff. You should ask her for tips."

"Allegra," he warned. It was a stunningly dad moment. One that actually reminded her of the fact he was a father. Often times she'd actually forgotten. He glanced at her in the reflection of the elevator and she held his gaze. Smiled. He smiled shyly back

Behind her Meredith coughed discreetly. She was staring at Cristina and Owen both and giving Cristina a mute warning. Right. Probably not good to have crazy sexy tension with her bone buddy in the middle of a party his ex-wife would definitely be at.

The elevator opened and because Owen seemed to know where he was going they all followed him and his kids to a door where he knocked and Callie answered. Almost immediately Cristina realized that they'd all followed him to an apartment that wasn't Mark Sloan's. Meredith realized it too, because Meredith was smart and had actually been there before.

Percy though, Percy waltzed right in and whistled low. "Sloan's got a nice place. Though what's with all the African stuff?" He saw the bike resting next to the couch and brightened. "Aw. Cool bike."

The elevator dinged open again behind them and Amelia Shepherd came barreling through with Lexie (in a very sedate and un-Lexie like outfit) following after her.

Amelia wasn't even phased by all the people. Just slipped past them and into a bedroom off the main room. It slammed behind them and Lexie coughed and smiled awkwardly. "She wanted to change before the party."

Callie had stooped down and picked up one of the twins from their stroller and sat him on her hip. "Did you guys have fun with Daddy today?"

"We went to daycare," Allegra gleefully provided.

Callie looked sharply at Owen.

Uh oh. She hadn't though anything of it when Owen showed up at the hospital and dragged her into the conference room. She had just been pleasantly surprised.

"I—there was an emergency in the pit they needed me there for," he said. Everyone paying attention (which was everyone besides the kids and Percy) picked up on the big fat lie.

"Right," she said a little frigidly, "we should probably go next door. To the party."

It finally dawned on Percy, "This isn't where the party is?"

"Do you see any streamers," Lexie remarked.

The elevator dinged again and Alex and April stepped out giggling. They both paused as soon as they saw the crowd at the door. Beside her Meredith scowled. "Does Robbins have anything to drink?"

She didn't wait for an answer. Just walked in and rooted through the fridge of what Cristina realized was Arizona Robbins' apartment.

April still stood just outside the elevator with a slightly shocked Alex. She clutched his hand and looked like she was going to cry. Which Cristina really didn't want to see. She rolled her eyes and called out to Meredith. "I'll help you look!"

That required brushing past Owen and Callie who both stood at the door smiling congenially and trying to act like things weren't incredibly weird.

But it was too late. Things were weird. Really, really weird.

####

Mark caught Arizona cradling his daughter against her chest and looking at her like she was some sort of tumor. Which was pretty offensive. He slid onto the couch next to her and lowly murmured, "Aren't you supposed to like babies?"

She looked up, surprised, "I do."

He motioned to his daughter with his beer bottle, "You're looking at her like she's a growth."

"I—I am not." When she wanted to deny things she was the worst.

"If I gave you a scalpel you'd be carving her away from your chest."

She scowled and grabbed his beer. After a long sip she reappraised his child. "She gets cuter the more you drink."

"You probably shouldn't have to drink to stomach holding kids. Besides you're a pediatric surgeon."

Not looking up from the baby she handed the beer back, "Right. In hospitals I love kids. I love fixing them. And I love this kid. I just—"

Mark frowned. Leaned forward. Something was up with her. He said her name gently, "Robbins?"

There was some deep thinking going on in that pretty little blond head of hers and she looked as though she was going to share, but at the last moment she blinked and her face turned bright with a smile. "Nothing."

He might have pressed it. He wanted to. Only Addison came in from the bedroom looking fantastic and impeccable in a sheath dress. She paused at the sight of the two of them sitting on the couch sharing a beer and a baby.

"Didn't you invite more people than Arizona? Where's Callie?"

"Next door. She was waiting for Owen and their kids."

"And Amelia?"

Arizona grimaced, "Yeah she stayed over at Lexie's last night."

Addison glanced down at her watch, "The party should have started ten minutes ago. A party full of Type-A surgeons who wouldn't be late to their own colonectomys."

That was his woman. Making really terrible visual images. Arizona passed off the baby and stood. "I'll just go check on Callie."

She jogged to the door and opened it revealing the door's remarkable ability to muffle sound. Because there was, in fact, a great number of people in the hallway. They were all staring into Arizona's apartment where Karev was trying to talk to Webber and Yang was trying to keep Webber from doing something violent. Out in the hallway Kepner was sobbing. Her only company was Torres's oldest who was patting Kepner's leg and trying to comfort her despite not even being five. Amelia and Lexie were sitting on the floor leaning against the couch watching the fight and laughing hysterically and Callie and Owen were dealing with their sons who were both attempting to climb the stupid fern the building manager stuck in the hallway to "liven the place up."

Arizona was stunned into silence by the tableau but Addison wasn't. "What the hell—"

"Is going on here?"

Every single head snapped in the direction of the unusually authoritative voice. Miranda Bailey, formerly known as "Mandy," had arrived with her incredibly tall husband and son and was not amused.

"You all are surgeons! Doctors! Adults! You're standing out here with your mouths hung open like a bunch of idiot children. You've got an infant making this poor sobbing sad sack feel better!" She looked at everyone incredulously. Then waved over at Percy who was looking lost and confused and hugging a poorly wrapped giant teddy bear. "And I don't even know what his problem is."

No one in the hallway spoke. Even over in Arizona's apartment the bickering ex-couple was silent. Mark took another sip of his beer. Arizona took it and wordlessly finished it off.

Mandy flippin' Bailey.

Satisfied that she'd embarrassed every single person in the hallway, of which there were many, she took a deep breath and approached Mark's apartment with a smile. "Congratulations on the baby." She glanced at Mark like he was an unusual worm suddenly discovered in the bowels of a seemingly healthy man. "And on knowing who the father is."