Set after 12x24.
By the time Callie and Sofia had spent two months in New York—away from Arizona and Seattle—the distance had become their new normal, and they were accustomed to it. Every day, sometimes in the afternoon and always before bed, Callie and Arizona exchanged quick niceties before Sof could get her hands on the phone; and Arizona planned to fly in one weekend per month to spend time with her little girl.
They had found a doable routine and a way to remain a family for the sake of Sofia.
In fact, even despite the distance, they were perhaps even more of a family than before. Though it may have only been idle smalltalk, Callie and Arizona checked in daily before the brunette handed off the phone. And, for the first time in years, neither woman held onto lasting resentments any longer. Each woman was happy that her ex was happy, and that feeling wasn't clouded with any impurities.
Life had moved forward and, ultimately, so had they.
Callie had opted to spend her Friday afternoon cleaning—by choice, too. The apartment wasn't messy by any means, but she genuinely appreciated the unique mental peace that could only be achieved through organization. And she was merrily humming a tune, wiping down the counters, when she heard her phone ring.
It was Arizona. Calling when Sof would usually be home from summer camp, but this time, she wasn't home.
Still, Callie picked up the phone, not wanting her ex-wife to worry. "Hello?"
"Hey!"
"Hey," Callie smiled; Arizona's enthusiasm was palpable. Fridays were usually the days when she and Sofia really caught up—their best conversation of the week. "Before you get your hopes up, I should confess that Sofia isn't home."
"What?" Arizona complained. "Why?"
"She went over to a friend's." Callie looked down at her watch. "She should be home in less than half an hour, though. The mom promised me she'd have her back by six."
"Okay." Arizona nodded to herself, silently deciding whether to talk to Callie in the meantime or to hang up and wait for Sof.
After an endless moment of uneasy silence, Callie began, "We can give you a call back when-"
Arizona came to a decision. "How are things?"
Callie's eyebrows furrowed. "What?"
"I mean, really," Arizona continued. "How are you? How's...everything there?"
"Everything is…" Biting her lip at the care and sincerity of her ex's tone, Callie considered the truth. "Fine."
And that's what it was. Fine. Work was fine. Her girlfriend was fine. Sofia was fine. Everything was fine. She had no notable gossip to share, no drama, no suffering, but no rhapsody, either.
Everything was pure contentment. Which, Callie knew, should have thrilled her. The easiness, even despite the big move. The steady lub-dub of her heart.
Everything was fine, but excruciatingly so.
Still, she didn't say all that to Arizona. Only that it was fine.
"Fine?" the blonde questioned, joking, "Is that all I get?"
"No, well…it's good," Callie corrected. "It's good."
"Good," Arizona smiled, though she winced at the strain evident in her voice. "That's…good."
Again, a long pause. The women were accustomed to exchanging short soundbites about Sofia, work, and the freakin' weather. A conversation with possible substance, however, was proving to be harder than expected.
Stubbornly, it was Arizona who broke the silence. "I'm, um, glad you're still so much happier there," she offered generously. "After Blake left…you seemed so sad."
"I was," Callie admitted. "But…not just about that."
"I mean, after the trial, I was sad that I lost the case. Sad that it meant I'd lose Penny. But, after what I put you through, I was sad that I'd lost you, too." She paused. "It wasn't just about her. At all."
"You were sad about me?"
"Yeah," Callie sighed, almost inaudibly. "And about hurting you."
"It all hurt." Arizona's lips curled up into a sad smile. "But you didn't lose me. You never have to worry about that."
"I know," Callie vowed, certain that Arizona was telling the truth. Her ex-wife had, after all, allowed her to be happy and move to New York with Sofia. That was something. It was everything.
"You're family," Callie added. "We're family to each other. Together, we'll always love Sofia and, whether we admit it or not, we'll love each other, too."
Arizona attempted to swallow the golf ball in her throat. That was the truth that both of them knew but neither had ever said aloud. Until that moment. With respect, tenderness, and truth.
"…Right?" Callie worried, hearing nothing but even breathing on the other end of the line.
Even though Callie couldn't see her, the blonde nodded. "Yeah. Exactly right."
Just then, Sofia buzzed in downstairs, and that ended the conversation between the two exes—who, even after everything, had admitted that their love was ever-present.
From that night on, Arizona and Callie began to talk more than before. As each day and night passed, they began to look forward to their little check-ins more and more, without either of them even realizing it.
The following weekend, Arizona called before Callie put Sof to bed. Penny was always busy at work, so, most of the time, it was just the two of them at home.
"Hey," Callie smiled as she answered the phone, the sound of Sofia's electric toothbrush buzzing in the background. "How was your day?"
"Busy," Arizona exhaled, exhausted after her long day of patients and families and surgeries. "Yours?"
"Fun," Callie grinned. "We did a surgery on conjoined twins. The boys were nine."
Arizona's eyebrows flew up. "Nine? Why'd they wait so long?"
Callie shrugged. "They're from some village in rural India," she explained. "Their family couldn't afford it until now."
"And how'd it go?" Arizona pressed. "How was the surgery?!"
Callie grinned, appreciating the interest. "We separated them successfully! Very few complications. Though, honestly, there wouldn't even have been any if you'd been there." That last statement sounded like a confession, her voice lowering self-consciously.
Arizona's lips rose into a slow smile. "The lead Peds surgeon wasn't any good?"
"The Peds guy here is decent, don't get me wrong," Callie defended. "But he's no you."
Bouncing across the living room in her bunny slippers, Sofia whispered, "Is that Mommy?"
"Oh, Sofia's here." Callie was almost disappointed that Sof had gotten ready for bed so quickly. "You want to talk to her?"
"Please," Arizona implored. "And Callie?"
"Hmm?" Callie held up a finger, signaling for Sofia to wait.
"Thank you. For, well, for saying that."
Callie smiled. "Just telling the truth."
"Mommy!" Sofia exclaimed, running to meet her mom as Arizona walked through security towards the exit.
After the mother-daughter pairing had their long-awaited moment, Callie impulsively opted to embrace the blonde herself. "It's good to see you," she whispered, silently noting how perfectly they still fit together.
Which surprised her. Not the fact that their bodies wrapped around each other as if it were where they belonged, but the fact that she made note of that.
She also made note that she regretted pulling away.
"How was the flight?" she asked, mannerly grabbing Arizona's suitcase as they walked towards the exit, Sofia skipping alongside them.
Arizona shrugged. "I made it," she offered vaguely, not wanting to divulge how difficult it still was for her to take planes.
Once they entered the taxi, Sofia began to jabber about all her big plans. They were going to watch movies, get the best chocolate croissants in all of New York, and visit her favorite Brooklyn park.
"That sounds like a great plan, sweetie," Arizona grinned, overjoyed finally to be united with her girl. "Where do you want to go for dinner tonight?"
"Hmm…"
"There's this great Spanish restaurant downtown that we like," Callie chimed in.
"Oh, yeah!" Sof exclaimed. "Yummy paella."
Arizona waited.
"You'd love it," Callie swore, joking, "And I hear they make really good sangria…"
Arizona affectionately rolled her eyes, amazed that Callie still remembered their argument from years and years ago.
"I'm serious!" Callie laughed. "Every time we go there, I think of you." She felt her eyes widen at her own statement but realized it was the truth.
In the opposite seat, Arizona found herself surprised by Callie's words, too. Callie thought of her? Ever? That was news to her.
"Come on," Callie continued, unable to stop herself. "It's been a long day for you. Let me treat us all to dinner."
A few weeks later, Callie did something she'd never done before. Something she hadn't even realized she was doing until it was already happening.
She dialed Arizona's number.
She didn't know why. But she'd had a difficult, successful surgery earlier that day, and—for some reason—Arizona was the only person she wanted to share her success with.
Of course she'd told her girlfriend. And, of course, her girlfriend had been proud. But, for some reason, that hadn't meant much to Callie.
"Callie?" Arizona picked up the phone immediately. "Are you okay? Is Sofia okay?!" Callie never called first, so it was no surprise that, initially, she panicked.
Callie knit her eyebrows together. "What? No. Sofia's fine. I just…I just wanted to talk to you."
Arizona felt her eyes widen. "To…me?"
Callie released a nervous laugh. What the hell was she doing? What had she been thinking? Why would Arizona care about her stuff?
She groaned to herself. "Never mind. I didn't mean to bother you."
"No!" Arizona exclaimed, her tone sounding urgent, even to her own ears. She tried to soften her voice. "You don't bother me. Really. What happened?"
Within nanoseconds, Callie regained her excitement, shamelessly sharing the details of her surgery, and her badassery.
"Callie, that's…" Arizona paused, overcome with personal and professional respect for her ex-wife. "That's incredible. You're amazing."
Callie blushed, humbling, "Well, I had a lot of-"
"No, I mean it," Arizona interrupted. "You're incredible. I can't wait to tell Bailey about it. I-" Her breath caught in her throat. "We," she corrected. "Miss having you here."
A huge smile bloomed on Callie's face. Arizona was proud, and that meant everything.
As the days and weeks wore on, Arizona was happy, but in the strangest way. She was fulfilled in her work, in her friendships, and in her family life—as much as she could be with Sofia on the other side of the country, anyway—and yet some feelings she couldn't reconcile entirely.
She was happy. In many ways, she was happier than she'd been before Callie had left, and she knew that their newfound friendly camaraderie was mostly responsible for that. Another part of her, however, hid the leaden weight of pain she was carrying inside herself.
And while Callie was responsible for the joy, Arizona was evolved enough to realize that she was also responsible for that pain. Though they were closer in many ways—confiding in each other frequently—that only made the blonde feel her absence even more fully.
Callie was close—closer than she'd been when she'd been in Seattle, in many ways—but not close enough.
Callie was closer emotionally, but never as close as Arizona wanted her. Never close enough. Never in her arms, calling that home.
"Sof?" Callie whispered, briefly bringing her daughter's phone conversation with her mother to a halt. "Time for bed, okay? Say goodnight to Mommy."
"Mama says I have to sleep," Sofia pouted, informing Arizona of the bad news.
"Mama's right," Arizona opined. "I love you, sweetie. We'll talk tomorrow, okay?"
"Okay!" Sof agreed. "I love you!" She handed the phone to Callie.
Callie lifted the phone to her ear. "Hey," she smiled.
"Hey," came Arizona's lilting voice on the other end of the line. "She has to sleep?"
"Yeah," Callie sighed regretfully. "It's late."
"Give her a big kiss from me!" Arizona pleaded, but there was an air of sober gravity in her voice.
"I will," Callie promised. "Hold on. Wait for me, okay?"
"Okay."
Callie haphazardly discarded the still-connected phone on the bookshelf, then sat down on Sofia's mattress and pulled her blankets up to her neck.
"Alright, sweet girl, time for a big kiss from Mommy, and then one from me."
Sofia giggled. "Why?"
"Well," Callie shrugged, "Kissing is a way for people to show how much they love each other. Mommy wants me to give you a big kiss from her because she loves you so, so much."
Sofia grinned. "I love her, too."
Arizona, able to hear their interactions, felt her heart fill with affection for their perfect little girl.
"I know," Callie smiled. "Now…you ready?"
Sofia nodded eagerly, lying back against her pillow and closing her eyes in preparation.
"Okay," Callie grinned. "This…is from Mommy." Then, she pounced, assaulting Sof's face with dozens of wet kisses, nuzzling her nose against soft skin and smooth hair that smelled of baby shampoo.
Arizona couldn't help but dimple as she heard Sofia collapse into a fit of giggles, imagining her arms and legs thrashing in delight.
"And this," Callie paused, pulling away momentarily, "Is from me." She leaned in, repeating her playful ministrations as Sofia protested "That tickles!"
Finally, she planted one final kiss on Sof's forehead, finishing, "Goodnight, sweetie. Mommy and I love you."
"Love you, too, Mama." Sof closed her eyes, sated and tired from another busy day of fun.
Callie grabbed the phone, then tiptoed towards the door, closing it behind her. She lifted the phone to her ear. "Arizona?"
"Hi."
"Hey," Callie whispered. "Sorry that took so long."
"Don't be," Arizona maintained. She'd been more than happy to listen to the sweet exchange.
Callie sighed.
"Is Blake there?" the blonde wondered. "Should I let you go?"
"No, no," Callie quickly corrected. "She's working late, again." And—oddly enough—Callie found herself thankful for that. She seemed to enjoy the evenings her girlfriend wasn't there more than the nights she was.
She realized that she by far preferred her conversations with Arizona. As innocent and dull as they were, whenever she talked to Arizona, she felt…something. Something more than this is fine or this is pleasant or this is good.
Something more like: this is it.
And that was a heady realization.
It was life-altering, perhaps. Realizing that was enough for her to see that continuing in the direction she had planned—in New York, with her girlfriend—would be to live a lie. To settle. To live and die in cowardice.
Somehow, over the course of the past few months, her feelings for her ex-wife had changed, and developed, and transformed.
Without her realizing it, Arizona had become, to her, her friend, and then her best friend, and then her…person.
The person with whom she wanted to share it all. Not just her thoughts and the details of her day, but…everything. Her life. Her love.
Callie interrupted the Grey-Sloan gossip the blonde was relating, her voice sounding strange, even to her own ears. "Arizona."
Arizona stopped short, and her heart began pounding in her chest, somehow knowing something her brain didn't. "Yeah?" she squeaked.
Callie paused, feeling—on one hand—completely unhinged, but—on the other—entirely sure.
Sure of her feelings. Sure of this decision.
"I miss you."
She waited, listening to Arizona's slow, even breathing on the other end.
No answer.
No answer.
No answer.
Finally, Arizona copped-out. "We miss you here, too." She attempted to force some humor into her strained voice.
"No." Callie shook her head, correcting her ex's mistake. "I don't mean our coworkers."
Arizona waited.
"I miss you, Arizona."
Silence.
"I miss you," she continued. "And us. You. And me. Together."
"Callie…" Arizona exhaled, and Callie swore she heard her breath catch, throat phlegming with emotion.
"I mean it."
The next twenty-seven (twenty-seven!) days, their phone calls were awkward. Whenever possible, Arizona avoided making conversation with Callie and, when she had to, their exchanges were curt and merely polite.
Arizona hadn't been able to think of anything but what Callie had said. It was the only thought on her mind. That and all her feelings of reciprocity.
And, yet, she hadn't said anything. And she continued to not say anything, because Callie hadn't brought it up again.
So, perhaps, Arizona figured, her ex-wife had changed her mind. Perhaps Callie'd had one second of regret about their divorce before remembering how perfect her girlfriend was.
Perhaps it had only been a slip-up. Perhaps she wanted Arizona to forget that she'd said anything at all.
So, out of respect for Callie, Arizona didn't say anything.
Until Day Twenty-Seven, that is. On Day Twenty-Seven—twenty-seven days after I miss you—Callie finally brought it up again.
It was time. She'd done what she'd needed to do, and Arizona had called for Sof, but Sof wasn't home.
It was time, Callie knew. She had no more excuses. She was ready.
"Listen."
Arizona felt herself stiffen. She didn't want to listen. She knew what was coming: something big.
She was terrified.
"About…before," Callie continued, her heart beating in her ears. "You should know that I meant it. I meant what I said. And you, um, you never answered."
Arizona's eyebrows shot up. "About…missing you?" she wondered uneasily. Of course she missed Callie. Every waking moment. Even in dreams.
"Yeah," Callie breathed. "I just…I want to talk, Arizona. I have some things to say to you, but first…I need to know I'm not alone in this."
"You're not," Arizona vowed, giving in, her voice meek but certain. "I miss you, too. And not just you being here, but you being…here. With me." Enveloped in her arms, calling that home.
Callie exhaled an uneven breath of relief through her nose. Thank god. It's not just me. Slowly, one side of her lips curled up. "Me, too." She missed it more and more with each passing day.
And then she told Arizona what she'd been up to during the past twenty-seven days: how she'd ended her relationship with her girlfriend as soon as she discovered her ever-present feelings for Arizona; how she'd moved herself and Sofia into a nice hotel, just until she could finish up her contract with NYU and then move back to Seattle; how she had been planning on coming home, even if her feelings had been unrequited; how she was ready to fight for Arizona, and their love.
And, with every profession of love Callie made, Arizona felt her heart grow and swell.
She had been unsure of Callie's intentions, of her constancy, but no more. Callie had become her best friend—a woman she trusted, and one with whom she was in love.
They were both in love with each other, and they both wanted to be together. So, they decided, let's be together.
Unfortunately, being together didn't turn out to be that easy. It wasn't immediate.
They were together, but they hadn't seen each other in months. Their polite co-parentage had morphed into a long-distance friendship and then, finally, a long-distance relationship.
It was progress, certainly. They loved each other, and they knew it. But, still, they were two physical people who couldn't physically be together, and they were impatient.
They'd spent years apart. They'd spent years…confused about what they wanted. And now that finally they had realized they wanted only each other, they were stuck on opposite ends of the country.
And it wasn't as easy as taking a plane to visit one another. Callie had sent Sof on a plane to Seattle a few times, but she'd never been able to accompany her—being too busy with obligations at work and the overwhelming amount of surgeries NYU had assigned her before losing her for good.
And Arizona hadn't visited, either. A few weeks before, she'd finally admitted how hard it still was for her to get on a plane on her own, and Callie had made her promise not to, until she or Sofia could accompany her. It was a promise she would have eagerly broken, had she had any time.
But she was swamped at work, too, so the way things were…they hadn't seen each other. In months.
And it was unbearable.
"Hey," Callie yawned, collapsing on the bed in her own room after she and Arizona had put Sofia to bed together.
"Hey." Arizona smiled at Callie's sleepy-voice. "You sound exhausted," she worried. "Should I let you sleep? We can always catch up tomorrow. I could call you during your lunchtime for a little lunch date."
Callie smiled at the thought, and at the blonde's concern, but she shook her head. "No, I'm okay. How are you? I want to hear about your day."
Arizona hummed appreciatively, then began, "My day was…" She sighed.
Callie knit her eyebrows together, leaning onto her elbow and propping up her head in her hand, as if it'd help her focus. "What's wrong?" she worried.
"Nothing's wrong," Arizona quickly assured her. "It was just…long."
Callie felt her heart lurch with sympathy. She knew those long days well. "What happened?"
"Just…" Arizona released a long exhale. "I had to see lot of sick kids, Callie. I saw a bunch of kids I couldn't fix. And all day, I had to look all their parents in the eyes and tell them that there wasn't anything I could do for them." She paused, then murmured, "That there wasn't anything anyone could do."
"And then I came home, and…the house is empty." She'd (lovingly) kicked Deluca out after Callie had revealed her plans to return to Seattle and they'd decided to get back together. It had seemed like a good idea at the time but then, some nights, it just meant that she was really, really lonely.
"You have Sof there," she continued. "But I don't have either of you. And," she exhaled a tired breath. "You know what I want? The one thing that could make me feel better?"
"What?" Callie wondered, her voice tight with emotion. God, she ached to be with Arizona. Her body shook with an overwhelming need. To be there. To go.
"You," Arizona intoned. Her sheets rustled as she reached for one of her bedpillows, wrapping an arm around it and squeezing hard. "The only thing that would help is one of your hugs. Just…a hug."
Callie almost whimpered aloud, her bedroom smudging at the edges as the vulnerability in Arizona's voice nearly dissolved her body into a puddle of tears. She felt her innards cool to ice, her body a leaden weight, a manacle that kept her grounded in the New York high-rise. She wanted to fly. She wanted to run to the woman she loved and hold her and hold her and hold her. "Arizona…"
"It's stupid." Arizona quickly waved it off. "I know that. Rationally, I know that. But…I miss you."
"I know," Callie agreed, the two words coming out strangled. The missing never ceased. She just wanted to go home to Seattle. And to Arizona.
"And we love each other, so we're supposed to be together."
"I know," Callie breathed, shutting her eyes in frustration. "The distance…sucks." There was no better way to describe it. It simply sucked.
"You're just…really, really far away," Arizona concluded, voice thick with emotion. Too far. Never close enough.
Callie felt her heart splintering. Her legs shook uncontrollably, her feet arching towards the door. She trembled with need. A need to go, to love, to protect. Getting to Arizona was more than a simple desire. It was a cellular longing.
And it was all futile. It was the middle of the night, their daughter was sound asleep, and she had work the next morning. She wanted to catch a flight, but she couldn't.
So she offered the only consolation she could give. "I'll be home, soon," she promised. "And then I'll be able to hug you. I might never stop."
Arizona smiled, wiping at her watery eyes. "I guess that's a fair compromise."
Callie exhaled a long breath. "It's not enough," she acknowledged. "But I'll be home in two weeks. And I'll stay there. If we ever leave Seattle again, it'll be together."
"Two weeks," Arizona confirmed. "Two weeks until I get my girls back."
Callie nodded, even though Arizona couldn't see her. "Two weeks. We'll be there. Then, we'll get you back. Finally."
"Finally."
Two weeks later, to the day, Callie and Sofia got off their plane in Seattle. They were welcomed by cool, wet air, their favorite city skyline, and the big yellow taxi Arizona had reserved for them.
She had, of course, planned to meet them at the airport herself, but when she'd gotten paged to do an emergency fetal surgery a few hours before, she and Callie had agreed to meet at the house, instead. The house that—at least for a little while—would become their house: Arizona's, Callie's, and Sofia's. The Robbins-Torres house, for all of them.
In the taxi, Callie mindlessly ran her fingers through Sofia's hair, attempting to soothe her own nerves to no avail. She felt sundered, split in two and split at the seams. She hadn't seen Arizona in months. Not since everything had changed. And the reality of being together again—truly together again—after so much lost time was enough to still her lungs and heart, if she would allow.
And she might have surrendered, allowed her heart to stop in fear, if it weren't for Sofia's tiny, allaying hand that then wiggled its way into her own. "Are you scared to see Mommy?" she sensed.
God, that girl has an awareness beyond her years. "A little," she admitted.
Sofia couldn't imagine why her mom was scared. They were about to be a family, again. To live together, to love together, to laugh together, to do it all.
"Why?" she wondered, all doe eyes and innocence.
Callie bit her lip, wondering how to explain her complicated feelings to her seven-year-old. "Well…" she began. "Mommy and I haven't seen each other in a long time, now. And we both love you, and I love her, and I know she loves me very much, but-"
"OH!" Sof exclaimed, bringing her mom's weak explanation to a halt. "I forgot!"
"Forgot what, Sofia?" Callie pressed, suddenly worried she'd left something important on the plane.
"When I talked to her before we got on the plane, she said to give you a big, big kiss from her, but I forgot to!" She pulled Callie's arm towards herself, effectively angling her mom's face low enough to plant a big, sloppy, sticky-from-chocolate-ice-cream kiss, right on her supple left cheek. "There!"
Pulling back in surprise, Callie looked at Sofia, wide-eyed, then laughed. Suddenly, she felt much, much better. She had nothing to worry about. Arizona loved her bigtime, and that was undeniable. "Thank you, sweetie." As usual, Sofia had saved the day, bringing her a sense of perspective.
Sofia dimpled back at her, and they spent the rest of the taxi ride in companionable silence.
Minutes later, they stood on Arizona's doorstep, a collection of suitcases discarded behind them.
Sofia ran up to the door, ringing the doorbell without hesitation. "Mommy said she and Andrew repainted my room! There are butterflies on the walls now!"
"No way!" Callie feigned interest, even as she shifted from foot to foot, fidgeting continuously and shivering in the blackness of night. The nerves were back with a vengeance, and she couldn't breathe. I'm going to faint I'm going to faint I'm going to faint.
Somewhere, Mark rolled his eyes. You're not going to faint.
And then Arizona opened the door, and Callie saw her face, and you're right. Callie saw her face, and she was healed. She felt calm—no anxiety, no agitation. All at once, she felt sure. Of everything.
"Mommy!" Sofia leapt into her mom's arms, not wasting even a second.
"Sofia," Arizona exhaled in contentment, enfolding Sof into a big, tight hug; breathing her in. Sof was there to stay. Where she belonged.
From her position near the ground, Arizona looked up and caught Callie's eye, and they exchanged shy smiles as Callie waited for her turn.
Too soon, Sof pulled away. "I want to see my room!"
"Of course you do!" Arizona laughed, pushing the front door all the way open. "Come in, come in!"
Sofia raced into the house, skipping up the narrow staircase to catch a peek at the welcome surprise that awaited her.
Callie and Arizona's eyes trailed after her and, when she was out of sight, Callie stepped forward, arms outstretched.
"I think I owe you something."
Maintaining fixed eye contact, Callie watched Arizona's pupils dilate, finally getting the chance to fully take in the tall goddess in all her glory.
Stepping forward, Arizona shivered in anticipation for her much-awaited hug. Then, she wrapped her arms around the taller woman, feeling Callie instantly reciprocate and pull their bodies as close together as was humanly possible. Callie molded herself into Arizona's smaller frame, exhaling a shallow breath.
There was nothing that could eclipse the feeling of finally holding Arizona, like this: smelling her sweetness, feeling her softness, and shuddering at the magic of it all.
Against Callie's shoulder, with eyes closed in unalloyed fulfillment, Arizona murmured, "You're home." She still couldn't believe it. Callie was home. Home in Seattle. Home in her.
Callie nodded. Right there, in that moment, she was home. Where she belonged.
"I'm home."
Finally, minutes later, they pulled away—but not far. Callie's soft, strong hands dropped to Arizona's waist, and Arizona's fingers caressed Callie's cheek as she brushed lose strands of hair behind her ears.
"Calliope," she smiled in jest, "I've loved you for a hell of a long time."
Callie offered a gentle smile. "Me, too. You're…the one love of my life."
Arizona's eyes inadvertently widened, her strong, playful façade slipping and leaving her feeling naked and wide open.
She knew Callie loved her whole-heartedly, but that hadn't been something she'd expected to hear.
"Really?"
Callie's smile grew, her thumbs lightly stroking up and down a slim ribcage. "Yeah!" she vowed, as if Arizona should have known. "I mean…aren't I yours?"
Solemnly, Arizona nodded. Of course she was. Callie was the only woman who mattered.
"Well, it goes both ways," Callie shrugged. "You're…" she paused, feeling oddly bashful. "You're my true love."
Arizona's lips curled up into a slow smile, and she felt her heart swell with warmth and love. "I think you owe me something else, then, too," she breathed, her gaze falling to perfect plump lips.
Callie didn't need to be told twice. She lifted one hand to the back of Arizona's neck, pulling the face of the woman she loved towards her and capturing her lips in a long-overdue kiss.
With their wet lips entwining and moving against each other to the rhythm of ecstasy, Arizona moaned in appreciation—a sound she usually would have swallowed, but…this was Callie. And, anyway, she had the right; she'd waited long enough for this moment.
And, in the end, she was glad she didn't swallow her groan, because Callie released an answering sigh of pleasure, her grip tightening on a narrow waist.
They were filled with each other, surrounded by each other, overcome with each other. They saw, heard, smelled, tasted, and felt nothing much each other, and it was wonderful.
It had been too long, and nothing and no one else in the world compared to being together.
Eventually, they pulled back to catch their breaths, blissed out and happy, never breaking eye contact.
That is, until Callie saw something behind Arizona out of the corner of her eye. Something she hadn't expected to see.
Sofia. Eyes wide, mouth agape, stuck in a permanent "O"!
"Sofia!"
Arizona whipped around to face their daughter, her face burning with embarrassment. Kissing in front of Sofia eventually wouldn't be a big deal, she knew, but the one they'd just shared perhaps wasn't the best inaugural example of physical contact between her and Callie; it hadn't quite been G-rated.
Perceiving Arizona's distress, Callie lifted her hand to affectionately rub her back as she bravely addressed their daughter. "Sofia…remember how we talked to you about how Mommy and I are-"She stopped short, though, as Sof's stupefied countenance turned to one of utter amazement.
Arizona noticed, too, and that helped her recover from her moment of mortification. She reached for Callie's hand and prompted, "Sof…?" She paused. "What are you thinking?"
Sofia grinned. "That was a big kiss! The biggest kiss ever!" she exclaimed. "You must love each other more than the whole wide world!"
Callie and Arizona turned to face each other, and the second their eyes met, they positively giggled. Arizona leaned in, leaving a chaste whisper of a kiss on swollen red lips.
"We do," Callie confirmed, noting the way Sof bounced on her toes, ready to leap into the air at any second. It appeared that their kiss hadn't freaked her out in the slightest; she was overjoyed.
Her moms were back together. It was a dream come true.
"And we love you," Arizona added. "Which is why I bought half a gallon of chocolate ice cream to celebrate your homecoming."
"Yaaay!" Sofia sang, racing towards the kitchen. "Ice cream!"
Callie smacked her face with the palm of her hand as they began making their way to the kitchen. "She already had ice cream today. Now, she's never going to sleep."
"Good," Arizona quipped, squeezing Callie's hand that was still intertwined with her own. "Because I don't ever want to let her go again."
And as they watched their daughter diligently scoop out ice cream into three white bowls, Callie realized that Arizona hadn't just been talking about Sofia and about letting her go, but about letting Callie go, too.
Arizona had let her go, and a part of her worried that Callie might leave, again.
But Callie wouldn't. Never again would she go. Or ever want to.
Slowly walking towards her after grabbing a few spoons from the drawer, Callie tenderly wrapped her arms around Arizona from behind. She felt dozens of butterflies take flight in her stomach when the blonde contently leaned back against her and held onto caramel arms to keep her there, clearly craving the warm contact just as much.
Callie leaned forward, pressing a kiss into a smooth porcelain clavicle, and whispered the promised truth: "You won't have to. We're home."