As prompted by your words, phrases, and quotes: Callie and Arizona take on the law, romcom style.
Written by me and thezenparadox.
Legally Yours
Callie hated sitting in lawyer's offices. She hated waiting—period—but especially in cold formal settings such as this. She had grown up around lawyers and constantly had been in her mother's office at the firm. So much so that, at one point, her mother had hoped that she'd go into law. But science had won out; the thrill of the cut had wooed Callie over the thrill of the fight.
Her choice of career wasn't the only hope of her mother's that Callie had dashed. She'd outright obliterated her mother's vision of her future when she had fallen in love with a woman. Her mother hadn't seen that one coming. But it hadn't been just any woman: it had been Arizona Robbins. The name still managed to make her heart flutter, even despite their divorce.
Their relationship had been great, once upon a time—until that plane had come crashing down, ruining the happy life they'd built together. The trauma's toll had been too steep, and they hadn't been able to recover. Callie had pushed too hard; she realized that now, but pushing was all she had known to do. And she had pushed so hard, for so long, that Arizona had fallen out of love with her.
That explanation was the only way she could accept their separation. Because she knew their love had been real and true…at one point. Therefore, she could only conclude that Arizona had been unable to move past her trauma and had therefore fallen out of love. She had to believe that Arizona hadn't loved her in the end—had stopped loving her—because you didn't destroy the person you loved, and Arizona had shattered Callie when she'd cheated.
Callie glanced across the wide conference table at the woman who used to be her wife.
Arizona looked happy. She looked like she finally found some peace with herself—which was why Callie had been surprised by Arizona's impassioned plea that had landed them in a family-law office. They'd never had custody or visitation problems before, but an unfortunate confluence of events had led Arizona to seek legal representation to gain a stronger legal standing in regards to Sofia.
"What do you think is taking them so long?" Arizona finally asked, breaking the silence and pulling Callie out of her reflection.
"They're lawyers, Arizona," Callie chuckled. "They charge by the hour."
"Does the meter start from the time of our appointment or from the time they actually walk into the room?"
"Appointment time."
"Well, that sucks," Arizona twisted her face in distaste. "They should charge by the procedure like us. Not by how long it takes."
"They don't perform procedures. They write briefs and file… stuff. Motions or something." Callie was distracted by something.
Arizona couldn't help but notice Callie's preoccupation. Her brow furrowed as she looked at her ex-wife, who had all but forgotten what she was saying. Her attention was solely on the cellphone in her hand.
Arizona could only assume who Callie was texting.
"Do you miss her?" Arizona ventured.
Callie shrugged, not looking up from her phone. She felt wrong discussing the other woman with Arizona. And luckily for her, their attorney chose that moment to enter the conference room.
"Dr. Robbins. Dr. Torres." The young attorney, who looked fresh out of law school, shook the hands of both women. He sat down at the head of the small conference room table, directly between the two women. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long."
Callie smirked and glanced across the table at Arizona who shared her knowing expression. "Not at all," the blonde lied. "We're just happy you could work us in on such short notice."
"It's no problem at all. All the paperwork seems to be in order. Second-parent adoptions are pretty common, and I don't see any reason why this shouldn't sail through the process."
"Oh, thank god," Arizona sighed in relief.
"You weren't actually worried about this were you?" Callie asked.
"Yes, Callie, I was worried," Arizona insisted. "April and Jackson have put each other through the ringer, and it's been horrible. And, unlike me, Jackson's that baby's biological parent. So yeah, I was worried."
"I'm not fighting you." Callie put up her hands in surrender. They'd been over this when Arizona first asked to legally adopt. "Sofia is your child, Arizona, and… I would never…"
"I know you would never intentionally treat me as anything less than her mother. I get that. But…we're live in separate homes. You almost…" She paused. "I thought you were going to move across the country for a hot minute, and it scared me."
"Wait," the young lawyer interrupted. He pointed between the two of them. "You aren't together? According to my paperwork, this is a same-sex second-parent adoption."
Callie assured him, "It is, b-"
"But we divorced two years ago," Arizona finished the sentence. She hated hearing Callie say those words. She herself managed to say them without cringing, but hearing them come from Callie's mouth still made her stomach ache.
"Well, that changes things." The lawyer cleared his throat, hesitant to bear the bad news. He looked up, seeing the sheer panic written on Arizona's face and quickly added, "But not drastically. It's just going to take longer. A lot longer. With more in-home visits. And…you're not…" He seemed reluctant to ask. "You don't have another partner or…"
Callie was curious too. Arizona never shared anything about who she was dating. Was she in a relationship? Was she dating anyone?
"No one significant."
Callie exhaled a relieved breath.
"What about your living situation? Do you have a house?" The lawyer was typing into his tablet, making sure he had all of the correct information to move the adoption along.
"I do. I'm just leasing, though. I don't own it."
"That's fine." He continued typing. "I'm going to need the address. The court will send out someone from Social Services. They'll want to make several visits over the course of the next year."
"Year?" Arizona groaned, burying her face in her hands. "I don't want to wait a year before getting papers that prove my daughter is my daughter."
"I'm sorry," the lawyer apologized. "These things take time. But if it's any consolation, I don't see anything glaring that might hinder the process further. You just need to prove that you're capable of protecting and managing the care of this child on your own."
"See, Arizona?" Callie tried her best to reassure her disappointed ex. "You are a double-board certified surgeon. You save babies. You have a nice home in a safe neighborhood. Plus, you know...DeLuca's there if you…"
Their lawyer looked up from his tablet, "What's a DeLuca?"
"He's my roommate," Arizona explained.
"Oh." The lawyer's brow furrowed.
"It that a bad 'oh' or a good 'oh'?" Arizona worried her lip with her teeth. She had trouble reading people, sometimes.
"It's not necessarily a bad thing," he assured her. "It's just another variable that has to be considered. It adds more time."
"More time?" Callie exclaimed. "Longer than a year?"
"Unfortunately." He shrugged. "I'm sorry, but when the well-being of a child is in question, the state is very careful about these decisions."
"Sofia's well-being is just fine with Arizona," Callie snarled, her disappointment manifesting into anger on her ex-wife's behalf. "She's Sofia's mother."
"Not legally," the lawyer argued. "Not yet."
Arizona closed her eyes, attempting to fight off her rising tears.
And Callie—sitting across the ominous wooden table, much too far away—watched as the blonde fought that losing battle. A hopeless tear slid down a damask cheek, and Callie felt her chest ache at the heartbreaking sight, physically weighing her down.
She felt her own eyes fill with tears of sympathy. How could the law not recognize Arizona as Sofia's mother? It wasn't right.
She knew she had to do something. She knew she couldn't just sit there and watch Arizona silently fall apart.
She couldn't bear to see her cry.
"Okay, listen," Callie began, an idea forming her head. "Have you, uh…have you started any proceedings?"
"Nothing has been filed."
"And you're saying that this process would be easier and faster if Arizona and I were together, correct?"
"Yes."
"How long?" Callie asked. "For the adoption? How long would it take if we were together?"
"Three months. Tops," he admitted simply.
"So if we were to…"
The lawyer thought he saw where Callie was going. Quickly, he shook his head. "As officer of the court, I can't condone…"
"You're fired."
"What?" Arizona gawked. "Callie, what are you doing?" She was too wrapped up in her own despondency to see where Callie was going with her idea.
"This meeting is still confidential if I fire you, yes?"
The young man smiled conspiratorially. "It is."
"Good." Callie stood up, shaking his hand. "Then you're officially fired. Send me a bill for your time, and we'll see ourselves out."
Once they were alone on the elevator, Arizona let her emotions get the better of her.
"What the hell just happened back there?" she demanded. "I can't believe you fired our lawyers. Now we have to start all over again, and it will add even more time. I knew it…" She shook her head, physically overcome with the fury she felt. "I knew you didn't want me to do this."
"Arizona, shut up." Callie kept her eyes glued to the elevator doors.
Arizona's eyebrows flew up. "'Shut up'?" she sassed. What the hell?
"Yes." Callie turned to the blonde, gently taking her by the shoulders. "Stop talking and listen to me. I fired him precisely so we can do this."
"But…"
"I have a plan."
Arizona let her shoulders slump. "Okay," she surrendered. "What's your plan?"
"You're going to sublet your place and move in with me."
"How does that…"
"And we'll pretend we're back together for the three months it takes to make you Sofia's legal mom," Callie continued. "I had to fire our lawyer, because he knew the truth. When we get a new lawyer, we'll already be living together and 'reconciled.'"
"Callie, that's…"
"Crazy, I know," Callie sighed. "I'm rash and impetuous, a-"
"And brilliant." Arizona offered a genuine smile. "You are brilliant." Gratefully, she pulled Callie in for a hug, and Callie melted into it immediately. She had forgotten how right the blonde's hugs always felt.
Arizona closed her eyes, finally feeling like everything would be okay. "Thank you for this."
Callie's arms remained around Arizona's back. "You're welcome," she breathed. "You know I'd do anything for you."
"I know." Arizona finally released Callie from her arms. "I know you'd do anything, and that's why I can't let you do this."
"What? What do you mean? I want to."
Arizona pursed her lips. "I don't want to get in between you and…"
"Arizona," Callie interrupted before the blonde could even finish the thought. "There's nothing for you to get in between. Nothing's standing in the way"
Arizona's brow furrowed. She had thought that Callie was still…
She shook her head. It didn't matter, "I can't ask you to do this."
"You're not asking," Callie smiled. "I'm offering. It's my plan, remember? And I can't do this without you. You are an integral part of the plan. Like…the most important part."
"Okay." Arizona inhaled deep breath and let it out slowly, giving in at last. "Let's do this."
"Yay!"
"And I owe you," Arizona amended. "Big time."
The elevator dinged their arrival on the ground floor. "Come on, it's Taco Tuesday at Rancho Bravo." Callie winked and held out her hand for Arizona to take. "You can pay your dues by buying me lunch."
"You're subletting the house? When? To whom?" DeLuca followed Arizona around the kitchen as she fixed herself a cup of tea.
"Dr. Cross," Arizona explained, pouring the boiling water into her mug. "And soon. As soon as possible, actually."
"Ugh, Robbins!" Andrew whined, flopping down on one of the barstools. "He's a douche."
"I know," Arizona chuckled. "And I'm really sorry. I am. But this is really important to me, and I need you to back me on this."
"Okay," he sighed. "What do you me need to do?"
"All the heavy lifting."
Chief Bailey was a busy woman. She didn't have time for other people's personal problems; she had enough problems of her own. And, recently, her personal life had invaded into her professional, so she was doubly as stressed.
But when Robbins and Torres had asked for an official sit-down meeting with both her and a representative from human resources, she couldn't refuse.
She sat behind her desk, wanting to look professional. She had to keep that distance as chief—especially in light of everything going on with Ben. She couldn't be Callie's and Arizona's friend, in that moment; she was their boss, and she needed to act accordingly.
On her desk, the phone rang with an incoming call, and she answered immediately. "This is the Chief. Mm-hm. Sure. That's fine. No problem." She hung up and turned her attention back to Robbins and Torres, who were sitting on her sofa, feeling as if they were in the school principal's office. She eyed them suspiciously. She couldn't quite figure them out or what the purpose of the meeting was.
"That was HR," she explained. "The representative is running a few minutes late, but she's leaving her office now."
Arizona nodded nervously. "Okay. We can wait."
"So," Bailey prompted. "Why are you here?"
"What?" Callie questioned.
"What is this about?"
The two women across from her shared a look. Arizona nodded, signaling for Callie to speak first.
Callie swallowed, "Um… we need one of those official forms to declare us in a romantic…uh, and/or sexual relationship."
"What?" Bailey exclaimed, nearly jumping out of her chair. "You two are…"
"Back together? Yes," Arizona quickly assured her boss and friend, before Callie's inability to lie sunk them.
"Since when?"
"Since Tuesday," Callie replied curtly. It was the truth, afterall. They had come up with the plan on Tuesday, so it was their official fake-reconciliation date. Taco Tuesday was their new anniversary.
"Really..." Bailey forced her face to remain neutral, but something felt off. She had always hoped her two friends would find their way back to each other, but now, it didn't seem genuine. There was no joy. They hardly even looked at each other. "And this is good news?"
"The best," Callie insisted as believably as she could. She reached over and grabbed Arizona's hand, pulling it to her chest. Arizona just smiled and nodded her agreement.
"But," the chief pointed at Callie, "I thought you were still with…"
"Bailey," Callie warned, her voice dropping. "Really?"
"Look," Arizona interrupted. "Callie and I have both… been with other people, but we're together again now, and we just want to sign the official papers so we are officially on the record as being in an official relationship."
"With each other," Callie added. "Officially."
"That's… an awful lot of 'officials.'" Bailey narrowed her eyes, unconvinced. "What are you two up to?"
"We just want to be recognized as legitimate and sign the relationship contract. We don't want any secrets. Do you have a problem with that?" Callie asked.
"No, I guess not, but…" Bailey pursed her lips. Something was fishy, and she couldn't put her finger on what. "Kiss."
"What?"
"Kiss her, Torres," Bailey demanded.
It had been a long time since Callie had kissed Arizona, and she wasn't sure she wanted the next time to be in front of the hospital's Chief of Surgery. Wait, 'next time'?
"Uh… Bailey…" Callie sputtered. "I'm not going to kiss her in front of you. I'm a private person."
"Ha!" Bailey challenged. "Since when are you a private person?"
"I mean, Arizona's a private person! I'm not sure she wants to take part in a display of public affection in front of you, and…"
"If you want me to 'officially' sign those papers, you'll kiss."
"What? That's ridiculous." Callie looked between Bailey and Arizona. "You can't just hold us hostage for kiss-ransom…"
"I'm not going to commit fraud. Even for you, Torres," Bailey insisted. "Now kiss her like you mean it."
"Callie." Arizona reached out and touched Callie's cheek, "Just stop talking and kiss me already."
Deciding to surrender, Callie leaned towards Arizona. She brought her hand to the back of a milky neck, pulling her closer. Briefly, their eyes met before fluttering shut. Their lips touched—awkwardly at first. Then, the familiarly took over, and they relaxed into the feeling, their lips melding easily.
Melding perfectly.
Both women knew kisses could have many different meanings: a kiss could mean hello or goodbye; it could be an expression of love or of a platonic familial relationship. A kiss could be friendly and chaste, or it could be an invitation to more. It could be a promise of commitment and to a future. It could be awkward, or it could be beautiful. It could be soft. It could be loving.
In that moment, their kiss encompassed all of those feelings and none of those feelings at the same time. It was staged so, in that way, it was nothing; it was merely for Bailey's benefit.
But, in another way, it was also everything. That is, if the sudden warmth in their bellies and the thrum of their hearts was any indication.
Because staged or not, Callie and Arizona felt that kiss. And, more than feeling awkward, it felt good.
Really good.
The door to Bailey's office opened and Richard Webber poked his head in. "Bailey? I just ran into Jane from HR, and she asked me to bring you..." He stopped, following Bailey's gaze to the two women kissing on her couch. "Um…Miranda? Why the hell are Robbins and Torres making out on your couch?"
"I can't believe I'm doing this—moving in with my baby mama," Arizona worried as she and April packed up her bedroom. "Am I crazy? Is this crazy?"
"It's kind of crazy," April admitted.
Arizona sighed.
"But it'll be worth it!" April reassured her. "Right? You'll only have to pretend for a few months. Then, you can move back home."
Silently, Arizona worried her bottom lip between her teeth. She could survive living with Callie for three months, couldn't she? They had always been...pleasant, friendly co-parents, and that wouldn't change.
They were, however, pleasant, friendly co-parents who had shared a less-than-friendly kiss for their boss's benefit. "We kissed," she admitted, breaking the comfortable silence.
April nearly dropped the books she had been holding. "What? When?"
Arizona bit her lip. "A few days ago."
April's eyes bulged. She couldn't wrap her head around the idea. Her friends had been divorced for over two years, and they had never so much as made physical contact in their time apart. They hardly even spoke to each other. "When? How? Was it...good?"
"No! I mean, well…" Arizona sputtered. "It was for Bailey. She didn't believe we were really together."
"You're not."
"I know!" Arizona exclaimed. And, even knowing that, she didn't know how to tell her best friend about the compelling, undeniable enjoyment she had experienced during that kiss. It had certainly been weird, given the circumstances—there was no doubt about that—but she also had felt the weight of their previous connection.
It had been as if all her past attraction to Callie had swirled to the surface when their lips had met. As if they hadn't been split up for so long. As if she hadn't cheated. As if Callie hadn't fallen out of love with her and left.
She shook her head, clearing the thoughts that were far too confusing to consider. "I don't want to talk about it," she insisted. "Distract me. How are you?"
"Arizona…" April warned. She knew that her best friend had a habit of shutting herself away when she was scared, and she didn't want her fear to ruin something that could be good.
Stubbornly, Arizona met April's eyes, pleading for her to drop the subject.
April exhaled a long breath of surrender. We'll talk about it some more later, she decided. Then, for the moment, she let the matter go. "It's weird being alone after living with Jackson for two years," she began.
Arizona waited, grateful for the welcome distraction. She always prefered to focus on other people's problems than her own. She had a knack for fixing other people but not herself.
"Like, yeah, I'm having this baby now, but I can't actually interact with it, yet," April continued. "And sleeping alone sucks…"
Arizona knew that feeling well. There were still days when she missed Callie's body wrapped around hers from behind.
"So, instead, I've been staying up late and watching TV. Did you hear that Ted Cruz is the zodiac killer?"
Arizona rolled her eyes, chuckling, "Hopefully, that actually swings some voters our way." Then, sensing April's watchful and worried eyes on her, she prompted, "Find any good shows?" She didn't know what to talk about; she only knew that she most definitely, without a doubt, did not want to talk about her suddenly complicated relationship with Callie. Or their kiss.
April made a face. "No good shows air at two in the morning." She paused, then gently began, "Arizona, shouldn't we talk abou-"
"What's your favorite movie?"
April fixed Arizona with a 'seriously?' look.
"It's just that w-we're supposed to be best friends," Arizona rapidly stuttered, feeling April's judgmental eyes on her. "A-And I just realized that I don't even know. I mean, I should know your favorite movie, right?"
April knowingly crossed her arms. "Now you're just throwing shit out there and hoping it sticks."
Arizona released a hopeless sigh. Wasn't that the truth.
"When you are ready to talk about it, I'm here," April assured the blonde, giving her arm an affectionate squeeze.
Arizona nodded, smiling gratefully. "I know. Thank you."
"'Titanic.'"
"What?" Arizona's eyebrows rose as turned to face the redhead.
"It's my favorite movie," she shrugged. "It gets me everytime. Especially when Rose says 'I'd rather be his whore than your wife.' That's my favorite quote."
"Really?"
April nodded, "I mean it didn't used to be—I was so scandalized the first time heard it, but…I get it now. Rose chose love."
Arizona just nodded.
"What about you? Do you have a favorite 'Titanic' quote?"
Arizona scrunched up her nose. "I don't really like it."
"You don't like 'Titanic'?" April couldn't believe it. She'd thought everyone loved it. "Why not?"
"It was a stupid waste of a happy ending," Arizona grumped. "There was enough room on that chunk of wood for both of them. I hate when happy endings get wasted."
Meredith and Callie sipped their beers while waiting for their burgers. They were having a much needed, long absent, girls night at Joe's. Both women had been busy with work and their personal lives over the past few months, but now that Amelia and Maggie were both back in the house and Callie was 'single,' they had opted to spend a night out to renew their friendship.
"So tell me about this thing with Arizona." Meredith picked up a peanut and crushed the shell between her fingers, carelessly throwing the crushed inedible bits on the table.
"What do you mean?" Callie raised her beer to her lips.
"You know what I'm talking about, Callie. She's moving back in with you. That's complicated."
"Not really," Callie lied. Oh, it was going to be complicated. She could pretend otherwise, but deep down, she knew that Meredith was right. Especially after that kiss. She'd forgotten what it was like to kiss Arizona, but no longer. That beast had been awakened. Unfortunately. "Because it's fake. Though you, Kepner…and maybe DeLuca, are the only ones that know that."
"You know I'm always up for a complicated scheme but, in my experience, these things never work out how you expect them to. There's going to be a wrench."
"A wrench?"
"Thrown in. Someone's going to throw a wrench. Someone always throws a wrench."
"No." Callie shook her head, insistently believing in the simplicity of their 'scheme.' "There will be no wrenches. We're just…We just need to do this for a couple months. You know how adoptions go. Arizona needs this, and Sofia deserves it. Besides, we're adults. We can handle it."
"When is it happening?"
"April's over there now helping her pack right now." Callie picked at her napkin. "Then, tomorrow she's moving in. Officially."
"You two really think you can live together without anything happening?" Meredith pressed.
"Yeah. Why wouldn't we?" Maybe if she said it enough, it would be true.
"Years ago, when Derek and I were broken up, being in close-quarters always led to sex. And we both already know you used to get excited by Arizona's vagina," she smirked.
Blushing, Callie remembered the conversation they'd had years ago, during the 30-day break. "That was before," she argued weakly. It was wrong for her to even picture sex with Arizona anymore, wasn't it? But since that kiss...
"Wait, don't tell me Blake was better." Meredith leaned in conspiratorially, ready to hear the gossip.
"No." Callie shook her head, immediately dissenting Meredith's words. "She was different. And don't get me wrong...It was good, especially at first, but emotionally...It didn't compare," she admitted. "Sex with Arizona was always…" She paused. It had been...transcendent. Life-affirming. Orgasmic, obviously, but also so much more. And, as foolish as she felt thinking the clichéd words, sex with Arizona had always been more than just sex: it had been making love. They had made love. Through the corporeal act of touching each other, pleasuring each other, focusing solely on the other, they had made love and felt their love expand infinitely. Sex with Arizona was always…
"More."
"'More'?" Meredith pressed, even though she knew just what Callie was referring to. She'd had that with Derek. Maybe it was time for Callie to realize that what she had with Arizona was a once in a lifetime thing.
"Do you know how coffee is really only good when it's hot?" Callie went on to explain. "When it's hot, it's amazing. It makes you warm. It makes you moan. There's…there's just nothing better. But when it's room temperature…"
"You only drink it because you need the boost?"
"Well, I wouldn't say 'only,' but…" She chuckled, then let out a frustrated sigh. "Arizona was always hot, so hot…" Callie made a face, unable to verbalize the rest of that thought.
"I wonder if all I'll ever experience is lukewarm coffee." Meredith's face twisted with a sense of loss.
"I take it hot military doc wasn't so…hot?"
"Oh, he was hot, but the sex…Well, it was different—good even…" She echoed Callie's earlier sentiment. "But he wasn't Derek. I'll never have that again." She couldn't imagine sex ever being as good as it had been with Derek, but Callie's situation was different. Her friends weren't together because they had divorced; they had chosen to be apart. Her husband, on the other hand, was gone. Forever. She had no choice but to accept that sex would be forever altered.
"I wonder the same thing sometimes," Callie admitted. "If I'll ever connect with someone the same way."
"Well, I may never, because the person I married is dead, but your person…your person is moving into your house as we speak. If you really wanted to…"
"I couldn't." Callie shook her head. "No matter how hot Arizona's coffee is, I couldn't. Because…" She bit her lip, heaving a heavy sigh.
"You afraid of getting burned?"
Callie nodded, repeating, "I'm so afraid of getting burned."
Meredith figured she should move the subject away from sex, as it only served to frustrate them both even more than they were already.
"So, what did you tell Sofia about Arizona moving back in?"
"Oh," Callie's eyes went wide, and she nodded for emphasis. "We lied."
Andrew DeLuca carried in the heaviest of Arizona's boxes worked on placing them wherever the supervising women instructed. The current box in his arms was full of books, and he grunted with the effort of carrying its weight. Callie pointed him towards the bookcase in the family room.
"He's pretty useful, Arizona." Callie couldn't help but let her gaze follow the young man's backside as set the heavy box on the floor by the shelves. "And easy on the eyes."
"Yeah, he's been a great roommate." Arizona cut through the tape on a box labeled miscellaneous. "I got lucky with him."
"Not as lucky as Maggie, though," Callie whispered slyly, just as Andrew walked into the kitchen.
"I can testify to that," Arizona quickly whispered back, then smiled innocently at her former roommate. "There's water in fridge, Andrew. Thank you for the help, by the way."
"Yes," Callie added, giving him the once over,. Her eyes lingered on the tight t-shirt he wore and the muscular pecks it revealed. "We really appreciate you…I mean…your help. Thanks."
Andrew walked to the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of water. He cracked the lid and gratefully downed the bottle's contents.
Callie watched him appreciatively, and Arizona silently watched Callie.
DeLuca wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "That was the last of the boxes, so I'm going to head out. I'm on-call for the rest of the weekend, but if you need any more help…"
"No, I think you got it all, thanks." Arizona ushered him toward the door. "I'll call you with the details of the lease later this week, if I don't see you at work first."
"Okay. Good luck, you two. Nice seeing you, Dr. Torres."
Arizona waited until she heard the front door shut, then immediately turned on Callie and playfully laid into her. "Was that absolutely necessary? You were ogling him like a piece of meat!"
Callie laughed. "No, I wasn't."
"Yes, you were!"
"Okay, first of all, I don't ogle meat," Callie defended. "And second: I'm single. I can look at whoever I want."
Arizona's eyes widened in shock. That was news to her. "You're single? I thought..."
"I told you when we started this that there was nothing standing in the way—nothing that you were coming between." And that had been the truth. "We broke up before she left." Callie began cutting through the tape on a box labeled 'Personal Stuff.'
"Oh," Arizona was so distracted by Callie's admittance that she was single that she didn't realize the other woman was opening a box that wasn't just personal, but very personal.
Callie flipped open the flaps of the box and started to dig through the contents to see where to put away the items inside. As she rifled through it, however, her eyes suddenly bulged—almost comically wide. "Oh my god...Arizona? Whose penis is that?"
Arizona eyes shot to the box Callie had opened, and her face immediately flushed crimson. She reached over and slammed the top cardboard flaps shut. "It's not a penis!"
Callie smirked. "It looked like a penis."
Arizona heaved a long sigh, grabbing the box off of the table and away from Callie's wickedly amused gaze. She had never been so embarrassed. Callie had once known everything about her, sure—even the most intimate details—but that had been before: before their divorce and their permanent separation.
And given that, the discovery was awkward. More than that, it was mortifying. "It's a vibrator!" she hissed defensively. "Not a penis." She paused. "And, unlike you, I've been single for a long time. You don't get to judge."
As she carried off the box toward the room that was hers for the duration of her stay, she could feel Callie's ever watchful eyes following her and hear her light laughter behind her. "Come on, Arizona… don't be embarrassed," she called after her. "We all have one! Mine's in my sock drawer. You can go get it if you want. Laugh at me. Will that make you feel better?"
"Ew!" she shouted from the bedroom, "There's no way I'm touching that!"
That only made Callie laugh harder.
Thank God Sofia was at Meredith's for the afternoon.
Later that evening, the two women fixed dinner together for the first time in years. It was wonderfully domestic and surprisingly delightful. They'd always worked well together in the kitchen, and they easily fell back into that rhythm.
Sofia was sitting at the table drawing with her crayons, while Arizona moved in and around her to set the table.
"What are you drawing, baby girl?" She leaned over Sofia's shoulder to get a glimpse of her art. She could make out a house and possibly some people.
"That's us," Sofia pointed to the vaguely people-shaped scribbles. "Me, an' you, an' Mommy. And that's our house, 'cause we all live together now."
Arizona's eyes met Callie's; her ex-wife looked as unsure as Arizona felt. They knew they had to tread lightly to avoid breaking the young girl's heart when Arizona inevitably had to move back out. She sighed, then kissed the top of Sofia's head. "It's beautiful, sweetheart."
"You should hang it on the fridge, Sof," Callie called from the spot at the stove, a hint of melancholy laced her voice. "You need to put your crayons away, anyway. Dinner's almost ready."
Arizona packed up and put away the art supplies, and Sofia insisted on hanging up the picture herself.
Callie plated their food and joined Arizona at the dining room table. Sofia skipping along behind her.
The three shared a family dinner for the first time in years, and none of them could contain their excitement. They roared with laughter at Sofia's stories of her afternoon spent with Zola, Bailey, and Ellis. Apparently, Bailey was becoming quite a little prankster—so much so that Amelia and Maggie had trouble keeping up with him.
When they were finished eating, Sofia went to her room to pick out a book to read before bed, while Callie and Arizona worked side by side to clean up the dishes. Neither talked much, but the silence wasn't awkward. In fact, it was the opposite of awkward: the silence was familiar and comfortable.
Arizona hand-washed the dishes, and Callie dried them and put them away. When, suddenly, Arizona began fidgeting, Callie watched her with curious amusement.
The blonde rolled back her shoulders, shaking a little. She pulled her hands out of the dishwater and dried them, and resumed her spastic shimmying; this time, with her arms, too.
"Okay, what exactly are you doing?" Callie finally asked.
"I have an itch and I can't reach it," Arizona whined. She turned to face Callie, noticing her endeared smile. "Do you have a back scratcher?"
"There's a spork in my sock drawer that you can use," Callie offered facetiously.
"I'm not going anywhere near your sock drawer," Arizona grumbled. She still hadn't recovered from the vibrator incident. "Wait…why do you have a spork in your sock drawer?"
"Well, you see…" Callie waggled her eyebrows.
"No, you know what? Never mind." Arizona held her hands up in surrender, smiling and shaking her head. "I don't want to know."
Callie threw her head back and roared with laughter. "You're missing a great story…" she teased.
"Nuh-uh. I'm not falling for it."
"Just ask Sof about it sometime. She'll tell you."
Just then, Sofia walked into the kitchen with a book in hand. "Ask me what?"
"About the spork." Callie raised an eyebrow at her daughter, then pointed with her head toward Arizona. "Momma wants to know why it's in my drawer."
Sofia's eyes got as big as saucers, and she shook her head no. Her small cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "Oh, no, Momma, I'm not telling…" She dropped her book on the table. "It's time for my bath." She ran out of the kitchen, with Callie chasing her down the hall, laughing.
"Well, now I have to know," Arizona decided, trailing behind them.
"Oh, no. It's too late. You said you didn't want to know. You'll have to convince Sof to tell you."
"Callie, come on…" Arizona pleaded, the itch on her back long-forgotten.
"Nope." Callie grinned. "My lips are sealed."
That only made Arizona more determined. She took off after Callie, who let out an uncharacteristic squeal as she tried to escape the pursuing blonde.
"Dude," Alex greeted, sitting down beside Meredith, Maggie, and April at their cafeteria table. He nodded towards Callie and Arizona, who were seated a few tables away. "Look at them."
Meredith looked over, smirking at her friends; the two women sat across from each other, each eating a slice of pizza and freely talking and laughing. She'd had a feeling that living together might change their relationship and, already, she knew she'd been right.
"You know something," Alex insisted, reading his friend's expression.
April's eyes widened, but she quickly looked down, stuffing french fries into her mouth and hoping Alex wouldn't set his sights on her.
"What's there to know?" Maggie asked. "They're back together, and it's obviously working. They look happy."
"They do," Meredith agreed, but her tone was telling.
There was an underlying sense of unaffectedness that led Alex to believe there was more going on than what met the eye. Plus, Arizona had been surprisingly vague about the whole thing. It wasn't like she was generally one to share the intimate details of her life, but this felt different to Alex.
"Oh, 'it's obvious,' alright," he shrugged. "To anyone who doesn't know them. Right, Mer?"
"Alex," she warned. "Don't."
"I mean, you know things… I know things…" He looked at April who refused to make eye contact. "It's obvious she knows things. Things she doesn't want to know."
April scowled at Alex, but she didn't deny anything.
"See?" he smiled. "We all know."
"I don't know," Maggie interrupted. "Tell me! I can keep a secret."
"Fine," April caved. Easily. "They aren't really back together."
"April, no!" Meredith growled. But it was too late. "He's lyi—"
"It's all an elaborate ploy for Arizona to legally adopt Sofia," April explained. "They're pretending to love each other."
"Lying," Meredith finished, unnecessarily. "He was lying."
"I knew it!" Alex threw up his arms as if he'd won a wrestling championship, then slowly lowered them when he remembered where they were. "I knew something was up."
Maggie turned her head and scrutinized the two women. "It doesn't look pretend to me."
"It certainly doesn't," Meredith added, the corner of her mouth quirking up.
A few weeks later, on a Saturday morning, Callie opted to sleep in and didn't walk into the kitchen until eleven a.m.
And, when she did, her eyebrows immediately knit together in confusion. She turned towards Arizona, who was pouring herself a mug of coffee, and pointed towards the dining room table. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she prompted, "Why are there donuts, donut holes, and glue on the table?"
Arizona turned to smile at Callie. "Good morning, sleepyhead."
Oh. Right. Pleasantries. "Morning." Callie offered a sheepish smile. Then, she waited for an answer.
"Sof's historical diorama is due on Monday," Arizona explained. "We were working on it this morning before breakfast, but she was getting really frustrated." She paused, lowering her voice. "I thought donuts might help. You know they always make me feel better."
"I do know that," Callie remembered. "Is she okay now?"
Arizona nodded cheerfully, pouring coffee into a second mug. She added a little milk and sugar to one, and a lot of milk and sugar to the other. "She's fine. The donuts helped, and we finished up about half an hour ago. She's in her room reading a book."
"You're amazing," Callie complimented. "Thank you."
Arizona's eyebrows shot up, surprised by the concealed emotion in her ex-wife's voice. "For what?" All she had done was help their daughter with her homework; that was hardly a task that warranted compliments.
Callie shrugged. "For being you. For being such a good mother. And person," she added shyly.
Arizona smiled, handing Callie the stronger cup of coffee. "Here. If I remember correctly, it's just the way you like it."
Callie'd had a tough loss: her patient, a sweet old woman and former feminist activist in the 1970s, had died during a routine hip replacement surgery; she had just been too weak to withstand the trauma.
So, like she had many times before, Callie had opted to make her way up to the nursery to look at all the happy, living, breathing babies.
And, as it had turned out, Arizona had been there, on the other side of the window, checking up on all the former preemies.
Seeing her there, cooing over the little ones and being an incredible doctor, made Callie feel even better. Silently, she watched the blonde, smiling, when she heard footsteps behind her.
Chief Bailey walked towards her friend, watching Callie watch Arizona. "Torres…" she began, sounding a little less self-assured than usual.
Callie reluctantly tore her eyes away from Arizona to look over at Bailey. "Hey."
Bailey made a face. "I think I owe you an apology."
Callie widened her eyes in mock-shock. That had been the last thing she had expected her friend to say. Bailey wasn't one to apologize; that much Callie knew. "You owe me an apology?"
"As your friend," Bailey clarified. "Not as your boss."
Callie waited. "I'm listening."
Bailey nodded towards Arizona, who noticed them standing there and offered a quick smile and wave before returning to her work.
Her eyes tracking the blonde, Bailey began, "I shouldn't have doubted you two when you first came to me. You were acting weird, but I should have believed you when you said you were back together."
Callie gulped, feeling very, very guilty. Bailey'd had reason to doubt them. They had lied. They were still lying.
"But it's clear how much you love each other," she continued. "It's obvious in the way she looks at you, and in the way you look at her."
"Bailey, I-"
Bailey turned to face the taller woman. "I'm happy for you, and I should have said that at the start," she lamented. "After all, I was the one who officiated your wedding. And I spent long enough waiting for you two to figure your crap out!"
Callie laughed, though it came out a little forced. How would she ever tell her friend the truth? Or...would she have to?
"We should have another girls night, soon," Bailey suggested, grumbling, "Lord knows I need one."
"Robbins!" Richard whisper-hissed, beckoning his friend over.
Furrowing her brows, Arizona hesitantly walked towards her former wingman. "Hey." She offered an unsure smile.
The man crossed his arms, giving her a knowing look. "What are you doing?" he demanded.
Arizona felt her stomach do somersaults. "What do you mean?" she worried.
"You love her!" Richard exclaimed. He had been alive a long time, and he'd had his fair share of experiences; and, with that knowledge, he knew that Callie and Arizona were lying to their coworkers, lying to each other, and even lying to themselves.
To the public, they claimed to be together; that was a lie. To each other and themselves, they claimed that they were 'friends' and 'co-parents'; that was a lie because, in truth, they were so much more. They always had been.
"I see things. Lots of things. Things other people miss. Because," he pointed to his chest, "I'm paying attention. I know there is the an adoption involved, and I don't want to mess with that, but this is it, Robbins. What you've been searching for. You found it. You know it, and I know it."
"Richard, I…" Arizona trailed off. She wasn't exactly sure what he wanted her to do, but she knew it wasn't possible. "I can't."
"You have to," Richard insisted, taking her by the shoulders. "This is your chance. She loves you, and you love her. Don't let your fear get in the way of admitting it."
Arizona knew Richard was right. But, still, she wasn't ready to admit the truth. Not yet.
Being a surgeon came with many perks, money and respect being high on the list, but also pride in knowing one could do something—life saving or life changing—that very few people in the world could do. There were also many downsides: long hours and erratic schedules being the chief among those.
Callie was exhausted as she put the key in the lock on her front door. She had been in surgery all day and was getting home well after Sofia's dinnertime; it was actually closer to her bedtime. She pushed open the heavy wooden front door, and she was surprised to hear loud music and the sound of Arizona's and Sofia's playful giggles in another room.
With a curious smile gracing her lips, she walked further into the house, searching for her family. "Arizona? Sofia?"
"In here!" Arizona called, causing Callie to change directions and head towards the kitchen, instead.
When she walked into the room, she couldn't stop the laugh that bubbled past her lips. Sofia was dancing on a chair in the middle of the kitchen, whisk in hand and brownie batter all over her face. Beside her, Arizona was shaking her hips to Taylor Swift, looking more confident and carefree than the had in years.
"You two decided to have a party without me?"
"Mommy!" Sofia squealed, hopping down from the chair and running towards Callie.
"Wait," Callie commanded before Sofia's sticky, fudgey fingers could make contact with one of her favorite blouses.
Sof stopped in place, and Callie tickled her ribs, making the little girl thrash and flail. She leaned down, offering her daughter her cheek instead of a chocolatey hug. "Can I have a kiss?"
Sofia tilted her head up, planting a loud smooch on her mom's cheek.
A few feet away, Arizona smiled at the sweet interaction.
"Dance with us!" Sofia demanded, running over to grab Arizona's hand and lead her towards the more spacious dining room.
Another fast-paced song came on, and Callie gestured towards her bedroom. "I'm going to go take a quick shower, Sof. I don't want to interrupt you two."
"Oh, don't be stupid," Arizona argued sweetly, twirling Sof in a circle.
When Callie remained hesitant, Arizona sighed. Covertly, she whispered, "I'm going to go make Mommy dance" in Sofia's ear, causing the little girl to giggle mischievously as Arizona reached for her ex-wife's hand.
"Come on," she teased, urging Callie to follow her easy movements. "You know you want to…"
That was all the encouragement Callie needed. She shook her hips, pulling Arizona closer and offering Sof her other hand.
Sof clasped it excitedly, shaking her hips alongside her moms.
As the song played on, Arizona met Callie's eyes, and the two women shared a passing moment of poignant nostalgia—as a series of similar moments, from a lifetime ago, danced through their memories.
Briefly, their smiles faded as they regretted their past hurts and remembered the pain of their separation, but the moment didn't last long. Distracted by Sofia pulling them closer—towards herself and towards each other—soon, the three of them felt nothing but pure, unadulterated happiness: breathlessly laughing and dancing together.
As a family.
"Sweetie?" Callie questioned once she and Arizona had finished explaining the situation. "Do you remember what we told you when Momma moved in?"
Slowly, Sofia nodded. "Yeah." She turned towards her momma. "Andrew's friend needed a place to stay, so you were gonna live here for a little while."
"Right." Arizona drew her lower lip between her teeth, the released it with a nervous exhale. "Well...that wasn't exactly true."
"You lied?" Sofia's little hands covered her mouth in shock.
"No," Callie interrupted, inadvertently lying again (oops). But she didn't want Sofia thinking Arizona had been anything but genuine in her intentions. "Not exactly."
Arizona swooped in to save Callie. "Andrew's friend did need a place to stay, but there was also another reason." Her eyes met Callie's, silently begging for help.
"You see, Sof, Momma needs a piece of paper."
"Paper?" A small line appeared between Sof's brows as she tried to figure out what her mom was talking about.
"Yes." Arizona sat down on the couch beside her. "This piece of paper is very important to me."
"Why?" Sofia had lots of papers she could give her momma if she needed one so bad, and she said as much.
"But this one is really important," Arizona explained, "Because it will officially say that I'm your momma."
"Why do you need a piece of paper to say that? You're already my momma, silly."
"We know that," Callie acknowledged. "This is just… like a certificate. One that proves once and for all that you belong to Momma."
"Build-a-Bear," Arizona blurted, thinking of a way to explain the concept to the little girl.
Sofia turned to look at her mom, her small face scrunched up in confusion. Arizona smiled at the look, and then she laughed when she noticed that Callie was sporting the same expression. Like mother like daughter, indeed.
"You know when we went to Build-a-Bear and you adopted Tickle Bear?" Arizona prompted.
"Yeah!" Sofia recalled.
"Remember how you got that slip of paper, saying that Tickle belonged to you? That he was yours forever?"
"I remember. It said that I was his momma!" Sofia jumped up and down in her excitement.
"That's right." Arizona pulled her daughter in for a hug, planting a sweet kiss on her head. "I just want a certificate like that. One that says I'm your momma."
"Oh, okay," Sofia immediately agreed. "Can I get one, too? To hang in my room next to Tickle's?"
Callie smiled. "I think we can make you a copy."
"Yay!"
"But we need you to do something, Sof, and it's really important." Arizona started.
"Someone is going to be talking to you," Callie added. "A woman just needs to ask you a few questions."
"What kind of questions?"
"We aren't exactly sure, but probably about Momma and me."
"I know lots of stuff about both of you! I can answer questions."
"Are you sure?"
"Mm-hm," Sofia insisted.
"Now..." Callie licked her lips and met Arizona's equally-worried eyes. Both hated asking their daughter to lie for them, but it was inevitable. She was going to have to lie…just a little. "She might ask why Momma moved here, and we don't want you to say what we told you. About Andrew's friend? We just want you to say she wanted to be with us all the time."
"Because that's the truth," Arizona added, smiling brightly despite her anxiety. "I can't think of two people who I'd rather spend my time with. All my time."
And that was the truth.
Callie, Arizona, and Sofia had been living together for almost two months. All three felt happier than they had been in years, and it showed. At work, Callie sang, hummed, and was downright giggly, and Arizona's dimples hadn't receded in weeks.
Sofia reveled in the love and attention. It wasn't as if she hadn't felt it before, but now, when she made something with her mommy, she didn't have to wait to show her momma. She was there—they both were—all the time.
Which is why there were little butterflies flitting about in her tummy that afternoon. An important lady was there to ask her questions about her moms, and she didn't want to mess up. She really, really wanted her momma to have that piece of paper.
"Hi Sofia." The woman smiled, crouching down to be at eye-level with the six-year-old. "My name's Leslie. Can I talk to you for a few minutes?"
Sofia looked towards Callie and Arizona, who both offered her encouraging smiles. "Okay," she smiled.
"Great." Leslie turned to face Callie and Arizona, vowing, "I just need to talk to her for a few minutes. You two sit tight. I don't think you have anything to worry about."
Callie nodded in understanding, and Arizona offered a genuine "Thank you."
The woman ushered Sofia into the adjacent room, shutting the door behind them.
As soon as the woman was out of sight and Callie and Arizona could only hear the sound of muffled smalltalk through the wooden door, Arizona closed her eyes, leaning her head against the doorframe.
She couldn't help but worry, even despite the social worker's reassurances. She just wanted Sofia to be hers, in every sense of the word, once and for all. And even though she considered herself an optimist, she couldn't entirely repress her fear. Her life, in truth, rarely turned out the way she liked.
After all, she had lost her leg. And her wife.
A few feet away, Callie mirrored her ex-wife's position, resting her head against the opposite side of the doorframe. "You still nervous?" she whispered, careful not to disrupt the conversation inside.
Lifting her lids to meet Callie's eyes, Arizona merely nodded.
Callie released a sympathetic sigh. "We'll get you that piece of paper," she promised. "However long it takes, I promise you we'll get it." That was one promise she could keep.
Arizona smiled softly, silent but thankful for Callie's decisive words.
Feeling waves of anxiety continually pulsing past the blonde's small frame, Callie offered out her hand. Verbally, she had offered Arizona all the consolation she could. Physically, however, she had more comfort to offer. She thought that, maybe—if nothing else—a hand to hold might help.
And it did. Arizona reached for Callie's hand and, soon, two caramel palms cradled her own, offering a sense of oneness and warmth.
She held onto Callie's hand as if it were a life raft that could save her, rather than merely an extremity made up of metacarpals, sinews, and a dorsal venous network.
Callie's hands saved lives. They touched broken bones and torn bodies and mended them. They were magical and, like magic, they grounded Arizona. They offered a sense of safety and hope, even in a state of uncertainty.
Their heat melted Arizona's qualms.
And, in their silence, they were able to hear Sofia interact with the social worker.
"My mommies love each other," she vowed with conviction.
On the other side of the door, Callie and Arizona's eyes bulged, and they suddenly refused to look at each other. What was Sofia talking about?
Leslie's lips quirked up. "They do?" she prompted indulgently. Often, she was forced to enter households where the parents very clearly did not love one another. She appreciated the change in pace, so she reveled in it. "How do you know?"
If Callie and Arizona had been quiet before, they then became dead silent. Neither woman so much as breathed as they waited for their daughter to answer.
Sofia grinned. "Because they smile all the time now, and they didn't used to," she explained. "Momma always tells me that love is when someone can make you smile, even on the sad days."
Callie's eyes flicked to Arizona, but Arizona's remained fixed to the door. She refused to meet her ex-wife's eyes, even as she felt her face burn.
"Well, your momma is very wise," Leslie complimented. "And it's clear that your moms love each other very much."
Callie's eyes remained on Arizona's face. Silently, she perused her soft porcelain skin, her mysterious cerulean eyes, her pink lips, and those smile wrinkles that had formed around her eyes from all the times Sofia had made her laugh.
Watching her ex-wife, she appreciated everything she was and everything she would ever be. Every part of her. Every piece—even her stubbornness, even her intensity, and even the parts that drove Callie crazy.
Seconds later, Leslie threw open the door, almost walking right into Callie and Arizona's still-clasped hands. "Oh!" she jumped.
Immediately, they dropped their respective hands to their sides, allowing the woman passage. Bouncing on her toes, Arizona wondered, "How'd it go?" immediately turning her attention to the social worker and her daughter.
"Good," Sofia chirped. "She gave me a lollipop, but I'm gonna wait 'til after I eat my dinner."
Arizona grinned. "Good girl," she cooed, tousling dark-brown hair as Sofia skipped past them to go play with her dolls.
As soon as Sof was out of earshot, Arizona turned back to the social worker. "Did it really go well?"
Leslie smiled at both women. "It went great," she assured them. "This home visit was the last hoop your family had to jump through. You're in the homestretch. I just need to process my report, and you should get the official, signed adoption papers in a week or two."
Callie's jaw dropped. "Wait, what?" she doubted. "That's it? It's done?"
The social worker nodded. "It's a pretty cut and dry case." She turned to face Arizona, rifling through her papers to look for something. "I asked your coworkers and friends for testimonies. Alexander Karev stated that he wouldn't be the surgeon, or person, he is today if it weren't for you. And, about you two as a couple, he said, 'they're gross but, you know...in a good way.'" Her lips quirked up into a smile, which only widened when she saw Callie and Arizona sneak sly peeks at one another out of the corners of their eyes.
"Richard Webber," she continued, "Stated that he personally sought you out to work at Grey-Sloan not only due to your surgical abilities, but also because, uh..." She paused, looking down at her notes. "Dr. Tim Kenner at Johns Hopkins insisted you were the 'most promising doctor he'd ever seen as well as one of the most incredible people.'"
Callie grinned as she watched Arizona's cheeks blush. That was the truth.
"Miranda Bailey," she read on, "Well...first, she told me she was too busy."
Callie and Arizona chuckled; that sounded just like her friend.
"But, then," she looked back at Arizona. "She said you were one of the best teachers she's ever had. She then added she officiated your first wedding and that she 'damn well better be invited to the second.'" She waited a moment for that to sink in, then forged on: "April Kepner was nothing but complimentary about your character, except she did say that she was better at keeping secrets than you."
Arizona cringed. Even months later, April was still a little bitter about the whole telling-Jackson-she-was-pregnant fiasco.
"And Meredith Grey?" the woman scrolled through her notes. "Um, let's see…she had some really favorable comments about you professionally and about your relationship together. She said her best friend/soulmate moved away and the love of her life died, so she stopped believing in happy endings, but that you and Callie are 'extraordinary together' and give her hope." She smiled, reading further: "Oh, oops…She also went on to demand that I not tell anyone that she said that." Leslie looked up and cringed. "Could you maybe not mention that I divulged that part?"
Both women hastily agreed. "Of course," Arizona agreed, while Callie nodded affirmatively.
"So you see, Dr. Robbins, you are well-respected and loved. Your peers view both you and your relationship as above reproach. There's no reason for you not to be her legal parent and, soon, you'll have the official documentation to prove it."
Still too stunned by the news—and by their friends' commentary—to do anything but stare at the woman, Leslie knowingly led Callie and Arizona towards the front door, wanting to give the sweet family time to process the good news. "It was a pleasure to meet you both. And Sofia," she added, shaking their hands.
"Thank you so much for everything," Callie and Arizona gushed once more. Then, they shut the door behind the woman's retreating figure.
As soon as the door shut, Callie turned to face Arizona, whose eyes had welled up with tears of joy.
"Arizona…" Callie breathed, feeling her own eyes water at the sight. She stepped towards her ex-wife, reverently vowing, "You're her momma."
Arizona's grin extended from ear to ear, her face almost hurting from the strength of her happiness. "I'm her momma," she repeated, her voice breathy. "Finally."
Knowing well, in light of recent events, just how much this moment meant to Arizona, Callie crossed into her space, wrapping two strong arms around her smaller frame.
Immediately, Arizona reached up to return the hug, burying her face in Callie's neck and tightening her hold around her body. If it weren't for Callie's strength and heat against her, she might not even have believed the moment were real. Callie's touch reinforced the blissful reality of their success, and she reveled in it.
And, if she were being entirely honest with herself, she might admit that she also appreciated the touch for an entirely different reason.
Having heard the front door shut, Sofia ambled out of her room, hurrying towards her moms to find out what had happened.
She smiled when she found them locked in a tight embrace. "Are we getting it?" she asked, excitedly bouncing in anticipation. "Are we getting the certificate, Momma?"
"Yes, honey," Arizona sniffled, sitting down on the couch and opening her arms to Sofia.
She eagerly raced into them, hugging her mom back as tightly as she could.
Callie sat down beside them, one arm resting on the back-cushion behind Arizona, the other on the small of Sofia's back.
She felt her heart fill with joy, feeling like a truly happy family as Arizona peppered Sofia's head and cheeks with kisses, murmuring, "You're mine, you're mine, you're mine."
"She's yours," Callie echoed, offering additional reassurance and further adding to Arizona's elation. "Officially."
"Hey." Callie tiptoed into Sofia's darkened room and headed towards where Arizona was seated on the bed, watching her sleep.
"Hey," Arizona breathed, turning her attention away from the sleeping beauty to smile at her ex-wife.
Callie sat down beside her, nearly shuddering at the feeling of Arizona's right thigh against her own leg.
As Callie sat beside her on the edge of the bed, Arizona felt her skin tingle at the body contact—even while knowing how minimal and chaste it was.
"Out like a light, huh?" Callie whispered, her eyes on Sofia.
"Yeah," Arizona exhaled, content to just watch their daughter sleep peacefully. "I think she was almost as nervous about this meeting as I was. I'm worried I scared her," she lamented, running her fingers through silky brown strands of hair.
"You didn't scare her," Callie assured her. "She could just tell how much you cared, which is a good thing."
Arizona didn't offer a response and, a few seconds later, Callie stood up. "Come on," she beckoned.
Arizona's eyebrows furrowed.
"This was it," Callie explained. "The wait is over, and we'll get that paper soon. Let me open a bottle of champagne so we can celebrate."
"Callie, you don't have to-"
"I know I don't have to," Callie, interrupted, giving her a tender smile. "But I want to celebrate. This is a big deal." She wanted Arizona to know how much she valued her as an equal parent; she didn't want her ex-wife to ever question that.
"Okay," Arizona surrendered, pecking Sofia's forehead and following after the brunette.
"Go ahead and sit down," Callie offered, gesturing towards the couch. "I just need to grab it from the fridge."
Arizona was about to offer to bring over two wine glasses, when she noticed that they were already placed on the coffee table. Callie clearly had been ready to celebrate the day of their success, and her thoughtfulness made the blonde smile.
Callie walked in, cold champagne in hand and steaming cold.
"Callie…" Arizona warned, her eyes locked on the extravagant bottle.
Knowing what her ex-wife was thinking, Callie set the bottle down on the table, sitting down beside Arizona and putting her hands up in surrender. While it was true that the 'Moët & Chandon Dom Perignon White Gold' was one of the more expensive bottles, it wasn't like it wasn't in her price range. And, even if it were, Callie knew that Arizona deserved the very best; she would have been willing to pay someone every cent she had if it would ensure the blonde's happiness.
"You shouldn't have-"
"Arizona." Callie put an end to her ex-wife's complaints with a dazzling smile. "Stop worrying. Money doesn't matter. This: Sofia being ours—both of ours—does."
Arizona exhaled a long breath of surrender, finally allowing herself to match Callie's mega-watt smile.
Satisfied, Callie poured a generous amount of sweet champagne into each glass and handed one to Arizona. "Should we toast?"
"To being a family?" Arizona suggested.
Callie's smile widened even more, and she felt her chest pool with unrivaled joy. "To being a family," she confirmed, and they clinked glasses and took a long sip.
"Mmm," Arizona moaned appreciatively.
Callie grinned. "It's good. Admit it."
"It is," she surrendered. "All day was."
"Yeah," Callie exhaled, recalling their eventful day that had ended on such a happy note. Then, she remembered: "Sofia was such a sweetheart earlier, when she was talking to Leslie."
Arizona's eyes shot up to Callie's face. Instantly, she knew what her ex-wife was referring to. "When she insisted that we love each other because we 'smile more,' now?"
Gulping, Callie nodded. She had felt a visceral reaction when she'd heard the words earlier, and she felt it again, in that moment.
Sofia was right. Since Arizona had moved in, she—without a doubt—knew that she had smiled more. Arizona's joyful spirit rubbed off on her, and even just her presence made Callie feel better. Happier. More loving and more loved.
Arizona pursed her lips, her eyes exploring Callie's face. Callie was the woman with whom she had fallen in love—again and again—every day since she had moved in.
With Callie's bright brown eyes on her, Arizona silently surveyed the face of the woman she loved, appreciating the outer beauty that made her stomach flutter and only hinted at the inner beauty of her heart and soul.
Suddenly, neither woman could stand to keep their feelings a secret any longer.
Simultaneously, they admitted: "She was right." "It's true, you know."
Their eyes shot up. "What?" Callie demanded.
"Wait, what are you saying?" Arizona backtracked. Could it be possible that Callie was on the same page?
"What are you saying?"
Arizona inhaled a breath in preparation. She needed to take the risk. The only thing standing in between her and her dreams was her fear. And it was high time she fought that.
"I'm saying she was right," Arizona vowed. "Sof was right: I'm happier here, with you. And Leslie was right. I do love you."
Callie's eyes widened. "You do?"
Almost imperceptibly, Arizona shook her head, as if she were unable to even fully comprehend how deeply, fully, and inevitably she loved Callie. "I do."
"Arizona…" Callie breathed, overcome with unbridled joy. "I…I love you, too."
"Really?" Arizona felt her breath catch in her throat. Oh, how she'd ached to hear those words.
"Yes, really," Callie promised. Duh. It was impossible not to love Arizona; she could never stop—no matter how hard she had tried not to during their time apart.
Arizona's heart ran rampant in her chest. "So...what does this mean?"
"What do you think it means?"
"I think it means…I want to kiss you, and not because Bailey is making me. Actually…I wanted to kiss you even when she made us, but that's…" She trailed off, then breathily, she maintained: "I want to kiss you, Callie. I always want to kiss you."
"Kiss me, then." Before Arizona could even answer, Callie began leaning forward, desperate to finally feel those soft pink lips against hers.
Eagerly, Arizona met her in the middle, devotedly cradling Callie's cheeks in her palms. Her thumb lightly traced down a caramel cheek, and Callie felt herself shudder at the welcome feeling.
Their lips a hair's breadth away, Arizona exhaled, "I love you, Calliope." Now that she could finally say the words, she wanted to repeat them again, and again, and again.
And, feeling Arizona's sweet, warm breath against her mouth, Callie couldn't wait a second longer. With her heart pounding in her chest and her blood pulsating other places, she closed the distance, brushing her lips against Arizona's and tasting champagne and the sweet flavor of the mouth she craved.
The blonde's lips parted at the welcome contact, and Callie immediately pressed forward as their warm, wet tongues melded together.
Arizona whimpered, grateful to finally get a taste of the woman she loved again, and pulling her impossibly closer. When their breasts rubbed together even despite their awkward positioning, she felt a shiver consume her frame.
It was electrifying: being with Callie again. Like this. She was already breathless, and she felt the brunette briefly pull back, gasping for much-needed oxygen.
"God, I love you," she murmured, her devoted lips immediately finding Arizona's, again. Her hands caressed the smooth ivory skin she found beneath a worn t-shirt, and she felt her abdomen jolt at the sound of Arizona's sudden unfiltered, unguarded moan. "Callie…"
Both women were overcome with an insatiable hunger for the other. After years apart and three months of painful close-quartered separation, they were desperate for each other: to complete each other, to pleasure each other, and to feel a sense of unbroken unity, for once and for all.
For once and forever.
Finally pulling away—but not far—Arizona blinked languidly at Callie, admitting, "I missed that."
Licking her lips, Callie reached up, lovingly tucking a strand of blonde hair behind Arizona's ear. "I missed you."
Arizona dimpled, overcome with love that expanded indefinitely. "Seriously," she swore. "You have no idea how much I'd hoped it'd be you and me in the end."
"I think I do," Callie maintained. "Because I felt the same. Because you are the love of my life. You're the one I choose. Forever."
And that was the truth. Ultimately,for Callie, Arizona was the one person who truly made everything worth it; she was a salve for Callie's soul, even on her darkest days, and on the good days, she just made everything more. She was the one person—apart from Sofia—who Callie loved with her whole heart and body and soul, entirely and completely, in her weakness and in her strength.
Arizona thought she might burst with the fullness she felt. She knew that Callie was the one love of her life, and she was beyond grateful to discover that Callie felt the exact same way. Her index finger ghosted down the column of Callie's neck, and she wondered aloud, "When did you know?" They had lived together for the past three months, and she was curious about when had Callie first realized how deep her feelings were. "That you loved me?"
Callie's lips rose into a serene smile. She knew the answer to that question immediately. She replied simply: "When you said you 'like the girl who has the sandwiches.'"
That was the moment she had known. And—ever since that moment—her love for Arizona had remained. They hadn't ever faded. Not for a second.
"Wait…" Confused, Arizona made a face. "That was years ago."
Her palm coming up to clasp Arizona's wandering hand and intertwine their fingers, Callie beamed, "I know."
Two weeks later, the signed adoption papers finally came in the mail, and Callie, Arizona, and Sofia were still—and forever—one united family.
Callie and Arizona walked through the double doors of the hospital with their hands entwined and swinging merrily at their sides.
"I have a surgery at four, so I might be home late," Arizona warned once they were inside.
"Aww," Callie pouted. "We'll miss you."
Arizona grinned, leaning in for one final kiss before they parted ways. "Meet me for lunch?"
"You know it," Callie agreed, closing the distance and returning a quick kiss.
A few feet away, standing by the ground-floor nurses' station, Meredith watched the interaction with narrowed eyes. Callie had informed her a few days before that the adoption papers had come at last. With that in mind, there could only be one reason for the two women still acting like a couple.
She walked towards her friends before either had the chance to walk away. With raised brows, she smirked, "The adoption's official now. Sofia's legally yours. You two can stop pretending."
Arizona dimpled. "We know," and Callie admitted the truth: "We're not pretending." She looked at the blonde, infinite tenderness emanating from her eyes.
Meredith sniggered. She pointed a knowing, accusatory finger at Callie. "I knew you you wouldn't be able to live with a hot cup of coffee and not drink it."
Callie's eyes bulged. "Meredith!" she chided. But her friend was already walking away, offering a playful wave.
"What?" Arizona turned to face the blushing brunette. "Callie, what does that mean?"
She didn't have a simple answer to that question. Callie squeezed Arizona's milky hand, opting not to delve into the details but admitting the ultimate truth: "It means no one compares to you."
"Really?" Arizona dimpled, and blue eyes explored Callie's face. Then, bravely: "You think I'll ever be officially yours, again?" she questioned. "Legally, I mean."
To this question, Callie's answer was straightforward. She grinned, entirely overcome with love for the other woman. "I can't imagine a future where you aren't."