A day at the beach. Set late season 10.

"Hey, you ready to go?" Callie asked, as she ambled into their bathroom to grab some beach towels.

"Ready," Arizona responded absently, attempting to smile. Callie sensed her wife's barely concealed insecurity and paused, patiently imploring the blonde's face.

"Arizona, we promised Sofia that we'd take her to the beach today."

"I know," Arizona quickly defended. "I'm fine." Looking away, she expertly fastened her waterproof prosthesis.

Callie sighed. Why wouldn't Arizona even...talk to her about her fears? It had been more than two years! Why wouldn't Arizona just confide in her?

It was Callie's job to listen and to be there, and it was all she wanted to do. But she could only do so if Arizona let her in.

Callie sat beside her wife, who was ensconced in the art of donning her prosthesis, clearly avoiding what she knew was coming.

"Sweetie," Callie began gingerly, "Can we talk about this?"

"Where's Sofia?" Arizona quickly digressed, wanting to steer the conversation away from herself.

"She's fine," Callie assured her. "She's playing with her dolls. Tell me what you're thinking." Callie lowered her head, trying in vain to meet her wife's guarded eyes. She soothingly placed her hand on the soft thigh that was nearly touching her own. "Please?"

After a moment of thick silence, Arizona exhaled loudly as she looked everywhere but into Callie's worried eyes. "I know I'm being ridiculous. I know that. But..." she shrugged in defeat, "I just...How am I supposed to go to the beach like this?" she asked, signaling her artificial leg.

Callie's eyes remained fixed on her, unblinking, until Arizona fearfully met her gaze at last.

"You are no less of a person because of this," Callie assured her solemnly. "You are no less of a wife. You are no less of a mom. And you are no less of a doctor. You're better, because you are now uniquely qualified to know exactly what patients are going through during their roads to recovery."

Almost indiscernibly, the blonde nodded, recognizing the truth in her wife's words. "I know," she agreed. Then she paused. "But people will stare."

Callie was silent for a moment, unsure of how to assuage Arizona's fears. Then, a mischievous smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "If you're a in a swimsuit, it's not your leg that people will be staring at. Trust me, honey."

Arizona rolled her eyes and groaned, but she also couldn't help but chuckle at Callie's valiant attempt at humor and at lightening the mood, given the subject matter.

"I'm serious," the brunette vowed, moving into kiss her wife's cheek. When she pulled back, she pleaded, "Now, can we please go? Today's one of the fifteen warm days we'll get all year, and I really don't want to bail and then have Sof drag us into the freezing ocean on a rainy day."

"Yeah," Arizona dimpled, squeezing her hand. "I'll drag the little munchkin away from the Barbies, and then we'll go."

"Yay!" Callie grinned, following the blonde by standing up. She paused, unmoving, staring at her wife. "Did I at least make you feel a little bit better?" She bit her lip.

Arizona took in the vulnerable look in Callie's eyes and was genuine when she smiled. "Yes, Calliope," she promised. She ran her hands down the brunette's strong arms, relishing the radiating warmth and allowing herself a moment to remember that this beautiful, wonderful, selfless woman in front of her was, in fact, real. And hers.

"Really. Thank you."

"My pleasure," Callie teased. Then more seriously, she pledged, "'Whatever you can't do, I will.'"

Arizona exhaled, and with that expulsion of breath came all the stress and fear she'd been harboring. "'That's how this works,' right?"

Callie nodded. "That's how this works."