A/N – Here it is an extra long chapter for you guys! Thank you again for all the wonderful reviews, favourites and follows!
Chapter 18
"You're pregnant?" Aria nods. This is not what Callie in a thousand years thought that Aria wanted to talk about. "How far along are you?"
"Four months."
"Four months, wow." Callie looks at her sister she looks nervous like it's not the whole story. "Aria?" Aria snaps her eyes up to meet Callie's and smiles at her, but Callie can tell it's forced. "Have you told mom and dad yet?" She shakes her head.
"Dad would go ballistic, and I'm pretty sure mom already has baby names picked out."
Callie chuckles, her mother has been nagging them both about having grandchildren saying she still wants to be young enough to enjoy them. But with her lack of a romantic life up until Arizona and her sister's boyfriend has clearly said on more than one occasion that he never wants kids… Callie stops and looks at Aria again.
"Who's the father?" She sees Aria visible tense. "Is it Henrico, because he said he didn't want kids?"
"No, that asshole is not the father." Aria crosses her arms clearly Callie struck a nerve there.
"But you two have been dating for like a year?"
"I dumped his sorry ass when I found the wedding invitation."
"What do you mean, whose wedding invitation?" Aria just looks down but Callie can see the hurt on her face. Then it clicks. "He is engaged."
"Well, married now I guess."
"That's why you joined the tour isn't it?" She says softening her tone, Aria nods. Even if they have never seen eye to eye Aria is very much like Callie, always wearing her heart on her sleeve and there is nothing worse than the feeling that you are not enough for someone. "If Henrico isn't the father then who is?" She sees Aria starting to get very uncomfortable.
"Callie please be okay with this," Aria says looking at her pleading.
"Who is the father?" Callie asks again this time a lot more aggravated.
"I… it's… just know I never planned for this to happen."
The room door suddenly swings open, but neither Aria nor Callie dares to see who it is.
"Callie you will not believe who I found down in the lobby." A happy Arizona says but she freezes when she sees Aria. "Oh, I'm sorry I didn't mean to interrupt."
"Hi, Arizona," Aria says, relieved for the interruption.
"Aria." She says uncomfortable, that's when she noticed her clearly upset girlfriend. "Calliope what's going on?" Hearing her girlfriend's concern Callie shakes her head.
"Who did you find in the lobby?" Callie asks when a man steps around the blonde, she looks at him confused. What is he doing here, he didn't tell her he is going to come to visit.
"Hey, Cal."
"Mark, what are doing here?" He opens and closes his mouth not sure how to answer. "Wait, Mark… Aria?" She looks between the two, who are looking at each other with the same guilty look. Callie takes a step back. "No no, no, no-no."
"Callie…"
"No! Aria please tell me this is your idea of some sick joke?"
"Cal I know this must be a shock…" Mark starts but that just sets off the singer.
"You!" She charges at him but is stopped when her girlfriend jumps in front of him. "You are a dead man!" She yells around the blonde.
"Wow, okay everybody needs to calm down. Mark go sit over there." Arizona points to the couch, but he is frozen behind her not daring to move. "Now!" He slowly moves over to the couch and Aria sits down next to him. Arizona grabs Callie by the arm and pulls her off to the side where the others can't overhear. She has never seen her this angry before. "Okay, clearly something is going on here that I don't know about."
"What's going on in here is that my best friend or at least who I thought was one of my best friends knocked up my little sister." Arizona looks at her speechless.
"Aria is pregnant?" She asks once she regains the function of her vocal cords.
"Yes, she and McSteamy did the McNasty and now they are going to have a McBaby in five months."
"I don't know what you just said." She says cautiously. Callie starts pacing again, trying to get rid of some of the builds up tension in her body. "Callie honey breathe."
"I am breathing, if I breathe any more I'm going to start hyperventilating!" Arizona starts to rub her girlfriend's back trying to calm her down.
"Okay, Callie you need to calm down. I get that you are pissed and you have the right to be but please just try to relax before you get a stroke." Callie doesn't even hear a word the blonde says her blood is boiling and she is ready to explode.
"I'm going to kick both of their stupid asses." She says through clenched teeth moving past Arizona but she grabs Callie's arm spinning her back around to face her.
"Aria is your little sister and she's four months pregnant." Going Rocky on her might not be the smartest move. Callie thinks about it for a moment.
"Then I'm just going to have to kick Mark's ass twice!" She storms back into the living room, Arizona hot on her heels. "Mark!" He jumps up from the couch.
"Callie please this isn't Mark's fault."
"Don't worry you'll get your turn," Callie says pointing at Aria before turning back to face Mark.
"When I asked you to make sure Aria got home safe, what part of that request did you understand as 'please screw her'?"
"Cal, I know I messed up, and I feel horrible…"
"Oh, you are going to feel a lot worse before they put you in the full-body cast." Mark takes a step back trying to put a little more distance between him and his very angry friend.
"Callie!"
Aria starts yelling at her sister in Spanish, Callie doesn't back down yells right back. Their arms are flying wild with gestures, neither giving the other one time to get a word in. Arizona looks at Mark who is looking like he might throw up at any moment.
"Hey, Mark how about you and I give Callie and Aria some privacy?" She rather not spend alone time with Mark but she much rather not visit her girlfriend in jail.
"No, I'm not done!" Callie turns her attention back to the actor.
"Callie I promise you can keep yelling at him all you want when we get back." She squeezes her shoulder and kisses Callie on the cheek before whispering in her ear. Callie closes her eyes focusing on her girlfriend's sweet voice trying to calm her. "Please don't kill your sister, just hear her out okay." Arizona smiles at her, seeing already slightly calmer Callie.
Arizona takes Mark to the hotel bar. It's still early enough not to have a lot of people hanging around. He sits down on one of the bar stools dropping his head in his hands.
"Here I figured you can use a drink." He lifts his head and takes the beer Arizona is offering him as she takes a seat next to him.
"Thanks." They both just sip on their drinks, Arizona keeps stealing glances at him but not sure if she should say anything. "Just say it." He says looking straight ahead.
"Aria? Really Mark?"
"I know I know."
"Callie's little sister of all people. What run out of LA girls to screw?" He gives her a look that now is not the time. "Sorry."
"We didn't plan on it, in the beginning, it was just sex. She was mad at Callie for kicking her off the tour, and me… well she's hot! We had a great time together. But then…" He looks down at his hands fidgeting with the label on the beer bottle.
"You fell for her," Arizona says knowing the look in his eyes.
"The Torres women have this ability to make you lose all common sense."
"Sing it!" Arizona agrees and clinks their beers together.
"You know she is pretty great once you get to know her."
"Sorry if I don't jump on the Aria fan train just yet."
"She really is sorry for what happened between you two."
"I know." Arizona gives him a soft smile before taking a sip of her beer.
"When I found out she was pregnant I actually asked her to marry me." Arizona chokes on her drink, spraying beer across the counter. "I know right, me Mark Sloan married. But she said no, she said she wants us to get married because we want nothing more than to spend the rest of our lives together and not because we are going to have a baby." Arizona nods in understanding.
"Why didn't you tell Callie sooner?" She asks wiping away the beer drops on the counter.
"Because of that." He points up to where somewhere two Torres sisters are hashing it out. "Because we knew she would lose her shit."
"So you waited until you knocked up her little sister before telling her?"
"Seemed like a good idea at the time," Mark orders them each another drink when takes out his wallet to pay he pulls out an ultrasound picture and hands it to Arizona. Taking it she smiles at the tiny human. "I can't believe that small thing is part me."
"I'm sure we will love them anyway." She smiles at him telling him that she is joking. "Do you know the sex?"
"No, Aria wants to wait but I'm dying to know." Mark looks at Arizona who is just grinning at him. "You know don't you?"
"I can't help it, reading ultrasounds are second nature to me." She looks back at him. "Do you want to know?" He shakes his head.
"No, it okay I'll wait." She hands the picture back to him but he puts up his hand. "Keep it I have enough photos to make wallpaper."
"Thank you."
"So, you're a surgeon?" She nods. "You were one of those creepy kids who cut open animals in their dad's basement weren't you?" Arizona starts to chuckle.
"Sorry disappoint but no, I didn't have any psychopathic tendencies." He turns to her resting his head on his hand looking at her intently.
"Does Callie find you covered in blood and guts all hot and sexy?" Arizona smiles, you can always count on Mark Sloan to make any topic about sex.
"No, but you know what they say about surgeons?"
"What?" She leans closer to him like she is about to tell him a big secret. After making him wait for a little she whispers.
"We are really good with our hands." She starts to laugh at the glazed over look on his face. Mark shakes his head and clears his throat.
"Um, I better go get our stuff to our room I don't want to upset Aria anymore. Upset the mother and you upset the baby. And lately, the mother gets upset very easily."
Arizona smiles at him sympathetically she has experienced hormonal pregnant mothers all too often at work. He starts to walk away but stops when Arizona calls his name, he turns back to face her.
"Just give her some time, Callie will come around she is just a little shocked… okay a lot shocked. But she loves you and Aria, it might just take some time." He nods before slipping out of the bar.
-x-x-
Callie is standing in the middle of the room her arms crossed glaring at her sister.
"Really first Arizona and now Mark?"
"Just a few hours ago you said that the past is behind us that we are starting over, but the first chance you get you to throw it back in my face!"
"You didn't really give me a lot of proof that you have changed. You know what I don't even care anymore, it's your life you can screw it up any way you want." Callie puts her hands up in surrender.
"Well, that's a fine-looking high horse you got there," Aria says turning her back to her sister to look out of the window.
"Aria don't. You do not get to make me the bad guy here."
"And why exactly am I the bad guy? Because I'm growing a human inside me? No, it's because I'm not married, how close-minded of you."
"I don't give a crap if you're married or not. I'm mad you decided to use yet another one of my friends in your little ploy to make my life a living hell!" Aria spins back around to face Callie.
"Not everything is about you superstar! Did you even for a second stop to think that I don't know maybe I like Mark? That I might love him? No! Because the only reason that I could have to be with him is to get at you!" Aria challenges, Callie steps forward not backing down.
"Look me in the eye and tell me honestly at no point in this little love affair of you two it wasn't about you knowing it would piss me off?" Callie gives her a raised eyebrow, but Aria just looks at her because she knows she would be lying if she said otherwise. "That's what I thought." Callie walks over to the door opening it. "I think you should leave now." Aria stands shocked before grabbing her things and walking out the door.
-x-x-
Arizona presses the button for the elevator when it opens she is surprised to find the youngest Torres standing there. Arizona smiles at her uncomfortable stepping inside, she hits the button for her floor before moving to the opposite of her companion. They ride in silence, when the elevator dings signaling its arrival at Arizona's floor she breathes a sigh of relief. She smiles at Aria again before stepping out.
"Arizona…" The blonde turns to look at her. "I know it's a little late but I am really sorry for the way I acted. You're a really great person and me just… I'm really sorry." Arizona nods. This was not the same Aria she met months ago. She is surprised at the maturity that Aria is handling all of this, but I guess that's what an unplanned pregnancy will do to you.
"Good night Aria."
"Wine."
"What?" Confused by the randomness of Aria's statement.
"When she is upset she usually drinks wine, it helps." Arizona smiles at her, Aria just nods as the doors start to close.
Arizona walks into the hotel room finding Callie sitting on the couch just staring in front of her.
"Hey." She says softly. "How did it go with Aria?" Callie just looks at her, her eyes still full of anger. "That bad huh?" Arizona takes a seat next to her. She just looks at her profile seeing the wheels turning in the singer's head, she tucks a piece of hair behind Callie's ear. "What's going on in that head of yours?"
"Aria is pregnant."
"Yes, she is."
"She can't be pregnant, she is like twelve years old. How is she supposed to raise a kid if she is still a kid?"
"She is twenty-three Callie and she is not alone she has Mark, your parents, and… you," Arizona says carefully, she doesn't want Callie to feel like she is taking Aria's side.
"Mark has the attention span of a goldfish when it comes to woman." Callie leans forward placing her elbows on her knees and her hands covering her face. "For once I just want a simple day."
They sit like that for some time, Arizona just trying to provide as much comfort she can to her girlfriend. "It's getting late do you want to go to bed?"
"No, I can't sleep right now."
"You want to get some wine?" The look Callie gives her is the only answer she needs.
-x-x-
Arizona wakes up when she hears the room door open and close. She didn't get much sleep after they finally went to bed, Callie tossed and turned all night clearly her mind was still hard at work. Slipping out of bed she pulls on her robe before going into the living room area. She finds a very hot and sweaty Callie in her workout clothes pulling off her phone from her arm.
"Hey."
"Hey, sorry I didn't mean to wake you."
"I needed to get up anyway. Why are you up so early?"
"I went for a run." Callie takes a drink from her water bottle before turning to the blonde. "That run build up a real appetite, you want something from room service?" Arizona is puzzled at Callie's calm demeanor.
"I'm fine thanks." Callie just nods as she is busy taking off her trainers. Arizona bites her bottom lip pondering whether or not to ask. "Are you going to talk to Aria today?" Callie freezes Arizona sees her fists clench and her entire body stiffens.
"No." She says emotionless.
"Maybe it's not such a bad idea. You had some time to process and she really looked like she wants you two to work things out." Callie's eyes snap up to blonde, Arizona gulps when she sees the fire burning in those brown eyes she loves so much.
"I don't need you playing devil's advocate."
"I'm not. I just think you should talk."
"I have nothing left to say to her. I'm not going to let her keep doing this to me."
"Do you really think she is only doing this to get back at you?" Arizona asks stepping into the living room area.
"Of course it's Aria!"
"Maybe they really do love each other?" Callie just looks straight ahead. "We can't help who we fall in love with Callie."
"But you can choose not to screw your sister's best friend." Arizona lets out a frustrated breath they are just going around in circles now. Arizona remembers what Mark gave her yesterday.
"Callie I need to show you…"
"No, I'm done talking about it." Her tone tells Arizona not to challenge her.
-x-x-
After their little 'misunderstanding' the car ride to rehearsals was filled with awkward silence neither one of them looking at each other. Arizona walks onto the stage ahead of Callie.
"Hey, Arizona we have been thinking of a way to make it up to Callie about what happened. We made a list of possible things to…"
"It's okay April I'm sure today your little hotel fun is the last thing on Callie's mind."
"Sorry, I'm late traffic." Callie lies, grabbing her guitar from the stand.
"Traffic really? How do you think we got here, parachuted in?"
"Not the time Cristina," Arizona warns the drummer. Everyone just looks at her, their little bantering is almost a mandatory part of their rehearsals.
"Aria," Arizona says simply not needing to say anything else.
"What did the little demon Torres do this time?"
"She's pregnant." Everyone stares at Callie shocked, the only sound coming from Cristina's drumsticks hitting the floor. "Oh I almost forgot the best part, Mark Sloan is the father." Callie pulls the guitar strap over her head ready to start rehearsals and just forget about everything else going on in her life now.
"So wait your sister is pregnant with your best friend/ fake ex-boyfriend's baby?" They watch Callie expectantly.
"Yes"
"Plot twist!" Callie just rolls her eyes, of course, they will find this amusing.
"You can have a double wedding!" April says excitedly.
"Nobody is getting married," Callie says annoyed adjusting the microphone stand in front of her.
"You can even get someone really famous to sing at the wedding," George adds.
"I never understood why people sing at weddings, I mean if you want a moment release a dove, and if you want a bigger moment shoot it," Alex says popping a chip into his mouth.
"Please shut up! I would really like to not think about my sister and Mark for just a few seconds can we do that?" Callie looks around and every nod. "Thank you, Cristina count us in."
Arizona is sitting in a seat looking at the stage, Callie is really working them hard. Arizona is drumming her fingers against the iPad in her hands. She has to update Callie's personal website, but it's hard to concentrate on anything when her girlfriend is clearly upset.
"Dude, you look like crap." Alex's sudden voice next to her makes her jump. He sits down next to her also looking up at the stage.
"How is it that you're still single?" He just shrugs making her smile.
"What's got you down?" She lets out a heavy sigh before dropping her head onto his shoulder.
"First Callie's father showed up at the hospital and now Aria, it's like Torres' are popping out everywhere." It makes Alex chuckle.
"Hey, at least you didn't have to fly in a crowded plane with a little boy pocking you in the back the whole way."
"Hopefully you learned your lesson?"
"Yes, mom." She slaps him on his arm. "So, Callie is not handling her sister's pregnancy too well, she is unusually quiet."
"Well, you don't plan a murder out loud." Alex just smiles. "She refuses to talk to her."
"I get that. She feels hurt by two very important people in her life totally blindsided her. She just needs time to feel angry and then she will talk." Alex is right, she even told Mark that yesterday.
"I guess I just feel helpless in all of this." She looks up at Alex. "She can't lose her sister over this Alex, she can't." She almost begs.
"There is not much you can do, it's something she needs to fight out herself. Just be there for her."
Arizona leans up kissing him on his cheek. "Careful your humanity is showing." She teases him. Alex quickly gets up from his seat.
"Just doing my part to help society." He says before turning around and walking away.
"Okay, just don't pull a muscle." She calls after him.
-x-x-
Walking back into the hotel later that night everyone is exhausted from a long day. But all the tiredness in the singer's body disappears when she sees Mark standing in the lobby. When Callie sees him she freezes before walking past him completely ignoring him. He hears her mumble the word 'pig' before disappearing into the elevator.
He turns back to see the rest of the band looking at him. Slowly one at a time they follow Callie, some glare at him while some smile at him sympathetically. Cristina is just smiling at him. "Yang?"
"Sloan. Looks like your pretty face isn't getting you out of this one." The two of them have never really gotten along.
"You know what I think? I think you're just happy that you're off the hook for the little stunt you guys pulled in the hotel room." Cristina just shrugs happily.
"Stop trying to think, you're not really good at so don't even bother."
"Go ahead insulted away."
"Oh I'm not insulting you, I'm describing you. I think your current situation is evidence of that." Mark just glares at her. "Was Aria really worth losing your friend?"
"I didn't plan on falling in love with her sister okay?"
"Love? Wow, that's a big boy word."
"You know what hate my all you want I don't care. All I care about is Aria, Callie, and that baby." Mark grabs his keys from the counter and storms out of the hotel.
-x-x-
Callie is busy rubbing lotion on her hands, her hands took a real beating today. Hours after hours of her fingers hammering onto her guitar strings have really taken its toll. There is a knock on their door she quickly rubs the remaining lotion into her hands before answering the door. When Callie opens the door it's the last person she wants to see, she closes it quickly but Aria stops it.
"No, you do not get to close the door in my face."
"What do you want Aria?" Callie asks annoyed.
"I want to talk, not yell but talk sister to sister."
"It's a little late for talking don't you think?"
"We should have told you sooner I get that…" Callie interrupts her.
"Do you?"
"Dammit, Callie will you just listen!" Callie just looks at her defiantly. When Aria is sure she is not going to interrupt again she continues. "I came here because I needed my big sister because my entire life has been flipped upside down and in five months it's going to flip again. I know I have messed up in the past Cal but this time it's about more than just me and you." She places her hands on her belly rubbing it lovingly. "A baby is entering this world and they're going to need their cool aunt Callie to get into trouble with behind me and Mark's back and tell them embarrassing stories from when I was a kid. Don't punish an innocent baby for my screw-ups." Callie is just looking at her emotionless.
"Is that it?"
"Yes," Aria says confused. Callie starts to slowly close the door in her sister's face.
Turning around Callie leans against the door letting her head fall against the door. Closing her eyes she takes a deep breath, when she opens them again she sees Arizona standing in the middle of the living room.
"How am I suppose to trust either of them again? Sometimes sorry just isn't enough." Callie says almost in a whisper.
Arizona can see that this is Callie's last attempt at staying angry at her sister and Mark. She knows Callie has been really hurt in the past and this is a defense mechanism, if you're angry you don't feel the pain. Arizona wishes she could help but nothing she can say will help her if Callie isn't ready to forgive. Well, maybe there is one thing she can do.
Callie hits her head against the door in frustration, but freezes when she sees Arizona busy unbuttoning her shirt.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm helping?" She smirks at Callie. "I'm your little distraction."
A smile starts to work its way onto the singer's lips when her shirt falls on the ground. The next second she is pulling the blonde against her connecting their lips.
Arizona completely wiped any thoughts except for the beautiful blonde from Callie's mind. But now with Arizona in the shower, Callie's mind starts to drift back to her earlier conversation with Aria. She rubs her eyes, she knows she is not going to get any sleep until she works all of this out. Finally having enough she gets out of bed putting on some clothes.
"Where are you going?" Arizona asks emerging from the bathroom.
"I need to get out of here." She says grabbing her gym bag, she walks over kissing the blonde on the lips before leaving the room.
-x-x-
Callie is alone swimming laps in the hotel pool trying to clear her head, she is tired of fighting. In a matter of days, her life has turned into one big fight. She keeps replaying the last six months over and over how could she have been so blind to not see what was happening in front of her. Aria's little trips to LA and Mark being so secretive about his new love interest.
When her muscles start to burn she hops onto the edge of the pool trying to catch her breath. She watches as the water dances under the dim lights as she slowly moves her legs to makes little ripples. She knows she is being unfair to Arizona, she has been nothing but supportive the entire time and she has been taking out all her frustrations on her and using her as a distraction. She cringes, she hated that word. She rubs her hands over her face. All of her anger towards her sister has been replaced with frustration and most of all hurt. She feels a body sitting down next to her, sighing she drops her hands from her face but ignores the persons.
"Okay, I think you have about five minutes before Arizona finds us so now is your chance to inflict as much bodily harm as you can." Mark lifts his arms to open himself up for the beating he knows he is about to get. He shuts his eyes and waits.
"I'm not going to hit you, Mark." He slowly opens his eyes, he looks confused at the singer who is still refusing to look at him.
"You're not?" She shakes her head. "Oh," He lowers his arms. They sit in silence both their minds working overtime until after about five minutes Callie breaks the silence.
"Why didn't you just tell me, Mark? I understand why Aria didn't, but you? I thought you were my friend." He can clearly hear the hurt in her voice.
"I'm so sorry Cal, we never meant to hurt you. I wanted to tell you, believe you me. I wanted to tell you all about this amazing woman I'm dating and how I'm head over heels in love with her. When I found out I was going to be a father, after my initial panic attack you're the one I wanted a call."
"So why didn't you?" She looks at him for the first time. It's the question she has been asking herself ever since she found out.
"Because you Callie Torres are a hothead. You're the type of person who would cut off my balls first then asks questions later." This gets a chuckle out of the singer. "Honestly I was more scared about how you would react than your father." Callie knows Mark would never intentionally do anything to hurt her, they have been through so much together and he has always been there when she needed him.
"I wouldn't count him out yet, I'm sure he is going to be trilled." She says sarcastically.
"Nah I can handle old Carlos Torres, if he wants to kick my ass I'm okay with that. What I'm not okay with is losing my best friend." She just looks down. "Just tell me what I have to do to make this right. Want me to run butt naked across your stage in front of thousands of people? I will do it." Mark gets up starting to pull his shirt over his head.
"Sloan don't you dare take that shirt off!" She looks up at him a small smile on her face. "I can't traumatize my fans like that."
"So you don't think I'm a pig?"
"Oh you are a pig, but you're a cute pig… like a pot-bellied pig." He smiles at her as he pulls her onto her feet and into a hug.
"We good?"
"We're good."
"Thank you, because I'm going to be the father and I have no idea what I'm doing."
"Don't worry between all of us and my overly involved parents I'm sure we will figure it out." He kisses her on her forehead.
"I love you, Cal." He knows he still has a long road of making it up to her ahead of him.
"Yeah yeah." She says pulling out of the hug. She starts walking away, but suddenly stops and turns back to her friend. "Just one more thing." She hits him as hard as she can on his arm.
"Ow!" He yelps rubbing his arm.
"That's for sleeping with my little sister."
-x-x-
Callie walks into the room seeing Arizona asleep holding onto Spot. You can't help who we fall in love with. Callie smiles to herself, falling in love with her perky blonde assistant was not something that she had planned, but she wouldn't want it any other way. She carefully sits down next to her sleeping beauty leaning closer she kisses her lips softly. Arizona lets out a contents sigh before opening her eyes.
"Hey, beautiful."
"Hey you're back… and you're wet." Callie chuckles at her sleepy Arizona.
"Yes, I am. I did a few laps in the hotel pool and then I talked to Mark." Suddenly Arizona is a lot more awake.
"You did?" Callie nods. "How did it go?"
"I have my friend back." A dimpled smile breaks out on the blonde's face.
"I'm glad Callie." Callie slides in next to her taking Spot out of the way so she can snuggle next to her girlfriend, she lays her head on Arizona's chest.
"I don't want you to ever feel like you're just a distraction." Arizona is caught off guard by the singer's words.
"What?" Callie pulls Arizona as close as she can.
"I love you so much Arizona and I don't want you to ever feel like you're just my little distraction from the real world." She plays with the silver music note around the blonde's neck. Arizona kisses her head.
"Calliope you make me feel so loved every day, believe me when I'm with you the last thing I feel like is a distraction. Luckily I know you well enough to know that you're a fighter." Callie's face falls. "Hey it's not a bad thing, you fight for what you want and what's right. Maybe sometimes you lose your cool, but angry Callie is hot." Arizona says wiggling her eyebrows making the singer roll her eyes,
"I do want to fight." She looks up at her blue eyes. "But I only want to fight for you." Arizona laces their fingers together bringing it to her lips kissing their joined hands.
"There you go again saying those Grammy-winning romantic things, you seriously need to stop your making me look bad." Callie smiles up at her, she quickly closes the gap between them kissing her softly a kiss promising forever. Looking down at her girlfriend Arizona can see how to warn out Callie is. "You want to dance it out?"
"No, I just want to be with you."
"Okay, I can do that."
"I love you."
"I love you too my little fighter." She kisses her on her lips one more time. "You better get some sleep you have a concert to perform tomorrow and you can't disappoint the fans."
Tucked safely in the arms of her love Callie quickly drifts off to sleep. Not nearly as tired Arizona pulls out a medical journal from under the bed and reads about the new medical advances in her field.
-x-x-
Early the next morning Callie is walking around the room getting ready to go to rehearsals. Almost tripping over Arizona's jeans that are half under the bed. Bending down she picks them up, she is sure the Colonel would have a cow if he knows how messy his daughter can be sometimes. She walks over to put them away when she feels something in the pocket. Reaching inside she pulls out an ultrasound photo. Her heart starts to flutter, there is only one baby it could be - her little nephew or niece.
Sitting down on the bed she looks at the photo, even if it's just a bunch of black and white lines she knows it is so much more. Moving her finger over the tiny little head she feels a tear running down her cheek. For the first time, she knows what she has to do. This baby is part Mark and part Aria it's going to need all the help it can get with those two.
Walking out of the room Callie finds Arizona sitting on the couch watching an old sitcom, her head tilted to the side concentrating on what they are saying. Sitting down next to the blonde she kisses her on the cheek. When Arizona turns to Callie she sees a real smile on her face for the first time in days but frowns when she sees some unshed tears. Cupping Callie's face she runs her thumb across her cheek trying to erase tear streaks. Closing her eyes Callie leans into her touch, when she opens her eyes again she looks into those deep blue eyes. She holds out the ultrasound photo to Arizona answering the blonde's silent question.
"I have something I need to do but I'll see you later." Arizona doesn't need to ask, she just leans in kissing her passionately.
"I'll see you later then." Callie gets up from the couch grabbing her things. Before leaving she turns back to Arizona. "Oh by the way I want like ten of those." She says pointing to the photo in Arizona's hands.
Arizona's smile falls. "By ten you mean two right?" Callie just winks at her before leaving. "Right?" Arizona yells at the closed door.
-x-x-
Callie walks up to the stage when she hears music playing. She finds her sister with her back to her sitting at George's keyboard. She and Aria are a lot more alike than she realized, music is also her go-to when she is going through something. She is sure Aria hasn't played in a very long time, she pretty much gave up music when Callie got her record deal.
Aria's fingers are moving over the keys on their own, years of practicing having burned every note into her brain. When her finger slips and hits a wrong key Callie cringes. Aria slams her elbows down on the keys dropping her head in her hands in frustration. Callie steps closer but quickly steps back when she hears someone else.
"Good job butterfingers," Mark says walking up to Aria.
"Like you can do any better?" She challenges. He sits down next to her. He makes a big show stretching and cracking his neck before he starts playing a butchered version of Chopsticks. When he is done the tears are rolling down Aria's cheeks as she's laughing.
"So you can't eat with chopsticks or play it on the piano?"
"Hey, I can eat with chopsticks!"
"Stabbing doesn't count."
"You're just jealous of my amazing talents."
"No need to worry about that." She playfully nudges him on his shoulder but he grabs her hand before she can pull away. Instead, he pulls her closer kissing her softly on her lips. When they pull apart they look at each other smiling.
"How about you show me how to play that little song you were trying earlier?"
Callie is watching Aria and Mark interact. She is trying to teach him how to play the song. But it doesn't sound anything but a bunch of uncoordinated false notes. Aria is laughing as Mark stumbles over the keys his fingers getting tangled. As much as it pains her to admit they are in fact good together.
Not wanting to put it off any longer Callie walks onto the stage, clearing her throat. Mark and Aria turned around surprised to see her.
"I'm sorry to interrupt," Callie says, looking at Mark for help. Mark gets the hint and stands up.
"I have to go talk to my agent." He leaves patting Callie's shoulder as he walks past her. Aria turns back to the keys in front of her starting to play again but again she hits the wrong key.
"You need to relax more, don't try to force the music. You know the music just let your hands move freely they will remember." Callie looks down at her guitar smiling as the back is now completely covered with Arizona's drawings. Maybe a little Arizona is just what she needs right now. Pointing at it she looks to Aria. "Mind if I join you?" Aria just shrugs.
Callie picks up her guitar sitting on the stool next to the piano facing Aria. Callie lets Aria take the lead, after a few seconds Aria starts to play. Callie smiles when she recognizes the song her sister is playing, it a song their father taught them as soon as they were old enough to reach the keys. Callie joins her plucking at her guitar strings.
When they are playing together like this it's always when she feels the most connected to her sister. They understand each other, each move they make is met by the other creating a perfect harmony between them. It doesn't matter who said what all that matter is the notes floating between them. When the last note is played they both smile at each other.
"I missed this." Callie finally says.
"Me too." Aria looks down avoiding eye contact. "I love him, Callie."
"I know."
"When I'm with him it feels like my heart is beating faster and slower at the same time."
"Sounds more like a heart attack to me." Callie mumbles.
"Callie…" Aria says frustrated standing up. "I can't keep having the same fight!"
"Hey," Callie pulls her back down by her arm. "Yes, I'm not happy about you and Mark. But… I'm trying." Aria just looks at her to see if she means it, when she sees nothing but honesty in her eyes she nods.
"Thank you." Callie just smiles at her. "This not at all how I envisioned my future, but this baby is going to be so loved. But maybe we should keep the baby away from the band for a little while, they kind of scare me."
"Yeah, they are not the most child-friendly group of people." They both chuckle. "So what is the next step?" Callie asks.
"I guess I have to tell mom and dad."
"Do you want me to be there when you tell them?"
"Thanks but I think this something I have to do on my own." Callie just nods understanding.
"Just make sure daddy's hunting weapons are locked up first." Aria smiles, at least they know where they get their tempers from.
"Poor Mark he really has no idea what he has gotten himself into."
"Oh, he's a big boy he can handle it. When are you guys going home?"
"Tomorrow morning Mark has a meeting with the network about a show they want them to do."
"Wow, that's really cool."
"And that way I also get to see you perform tonight. I didn't get to last time because… well you know why. Now that I think about it I can't remember when was the last time I watched you perform."
"In that case, I will have to make sure you get the best seat in the house. What do you say you, Mark, me, and Arizona go out to breakfast tomorrow before you have to go?"
"I'd like that." She smiles at her sister before getting up. "Besides this baby is always hungry!" She whines. "Oh, I know this great little bakery just around the corner sells the most amazing muffins!" Callie feels her body tense.
"Um, maybe we can skip the muffins." Aria just looks at her sister confused but decides not to question it. Callie gets up and places her guitar back on its stand. "Hey that's really pretty but I never figured you to be the butterfly kind?"
"I'm not, this is all Arizona's work," Callie says proudly.
"She's pretty good." Aria looks at her sister smiling. "She's the one isn't she." It's not a question but more of a statement.
"Yes and I believe it more every day."
"Good if you don't marry her I just might."
"Wait you would go for Arizona?" Aria stops and thinks.
"Nah, I want someone who can hold their liquor."
"Maybe you and Mark really are soul mates."
Aria gets to watch her sister perform for the first time in years. Even if she hates to admit it Callie is good, really good. She knows how to work with the audience giving them the show of their life. Her crazy perfect voice never missing a note. Looking around at all the people she can clearly see they are all overjoyed and adore Callie. Even their big smiles and excited faces didn't come close to the look of pride on the blonde next to her. The way she watched Callie's every little move like it's the first time. And she is pretty sure she saw Callie look over to the VIP section where they are sitting just to catch a glimpse of Arizona.
-x-x-
The next morning went by too fast for everyone. Most of the time revolved around talking about the pregnancy and where they are going from there. When Aria says she is going to move to LA to live with Mark, Callie could already hear her mother's heartbreaking from having her youngest daughter and soon to be grandchild moving to the other side of the country.
After breakfast, it's time to say goodbye to Mark and Aria. Callie hugs her sister promising to call each other, before turning to her best friend.
"Now you take good care of my little sister and the baby growing inside there." Callie threatens him.
"I promise Cal." He says pulling her into a bear hug. Arizona steps forward hugging Mark as well, before stepping out of the embrace she whispers something in his ear making a huge smile break out on his face.
With one last goodbye, Callie watches Mark and Aria leave the hotel lobby. Reaching out she takes Arizona's hand in her own, feeling very grateful to have this amazing woman by her side. Arizona looks over at Callie with a big smile on her face.
"And what's got you so happy?"
"Well I saw something in the hotel gift shop and I just had to buy it."
She hands Callie a small shopping bag. Callie takes it skeptically and pulls out a baby onesie with a picture of a guitar on it and written above it is 'My aunt rocks!'
Callie cant helps the huge smile on her face. The baby isn't even born yet and she already knows she will be wrapped around that chubby little finger. She turns back to face a still smiling Arizona.
"Really?" She asks with a raised eyebrow.
"What? It's never too early to be a fan."