Callie Torres sat at her kitchen island helping her daughter with her homework while keeping an eye on the stove where dinner was cooking. "You know this one, sweetie. Sound out the word and write it down. We can fix it once you have a place to start, okay?"

Allegra's face screwed up in concentration and she started quietly sounding out the word she was supposed to be learning to spell. Callie's phone let out a small chime and she opened the text message as she got up to stir the boiling pot of macaroni, smiling when she saw Arizona's name pop up on her screen.

I stopped in to see Rosa before I left the hospital. It's really sweet how much she's bragging about what a good job you did on her heart. She asked again about dinner with the four of us once she gets out-I promised her that I'm in and that I'll get Cynthia to agree too. Let me know what I can do to convince you to join us. ;-)

Callie let out a small laugh and was about to respond when there was a knock on the front door. Satisfied that the pasta was cooked, she turned off the burner and moved the pot to the back of the stove before walking out of the kitchen. Opening the front door, she was surprised to see Owen standing there with a befuddled look on his face.

"Owen?"

"It's really strange having to ring the doorbell at your own house."

Smiling softly in understanding, Callie nodded. "I'm sure. What's up? Is everything okay?"

"I was wondering if maybe I could help with the kids tonight and then you and I could talk for a bit?"

Callie took a moment to consider the request. They hadn't set up any hard rules around seeing the children yet and they definitely needed to talk to help figure out their next steps. "The kids would be thrilled to have you around tonight, I'm sure."

"And you?"

Callie smiled. "Of course. Come on in." Leading her soon-to-be ex-husband into the kitchen, she ran her hand over Allegra's hair. "Look who's here for dinner, mija."

Allegra turned and her face lit up. "Daddy!" She launched into his arms and he caught her with ease, giving the little girl a big hug before setting her back down.

"Don't let me interrupt your homework, Allegra."

"I'm almost done. You can help me!" She tugged on his sleeve until he nodded and she sat down, waiting for him to sit next to her. "I just need to spell two more words."

Callie took up her post at the stove again, mixing the sauce with the macaroni and pulling the chicken out of the oven. She listened to the soft sounds of Owen coaching his daughter through her spelling words and couldn't help but smile. There was something comforting about the sounds of her family all under the same roof again, and she knew that Owen was always going to be part of her life through the children, but she was also so excited about the future. Not just for her, but for all of them. She had been silently watching Owen at work since his return and she was thrilled to see him walking tall through the halls of the hospital-a sight she hadn't seen in quite some time.

There was a quiet confidence about the man that had slowly disappeared during their marriage. Seeing that return for him made her happy, and a bit nostalgic if she was being honest. That quiet confidence, that surety in what he wanted in life, was what drew Callie to him in the first place.

Grabbing plates from the cabinet, Callie got to work setting the table and making dishes for the kids. She poked her head back in the kitchen where Allegra had finished her homework and interrupted Owen as he listened to her tell the same three jokes Callie had been hearing all week. "Owen, could you grab Sam and Gus from their playpen? Allegra, wash your hands and then come to dinner, okay?"

Confident that they would both do as asked, Callie sat down in her chair at the table and offered a small prayer over the food. She remembered the unanswered text from Arizona and pulled out her phone to type a quick reply.

Unfortunately, it won't take very much to convince me to have dinner with some of my favorite people. You'll have to save that winky face for when you have to try harder to get me to do something.

The three dots popped up almost immediately as Arizona typed back.

I'll keep that in mind, Calliope. It's good to know that you can be persuaded with...a winky face.

Callie let out a small laugh as her family came into the kitchen and she slipped her phone back into her pocket. Yes, she had some nostalgia for the family and the life she had been leading up until very recently. But there was so much exciting stuff on the horizon for her and for all of them, she couldn't help but let herself enjoy the butterflies.

Aria stepped out into the chilly Seattle air and spotted Cynthia's car waiting in front of her building. She walked over and got into the passenger seat, sending a quick smile Cynthia's way. She flushed as she watched Cynthia's eyes rake over her body before she smiled back. "Hey."

"Hey." Aria grinned. "Are you going to tell me where you're taking me?"

"Nope. There are plenty of red lights between here and there for you to run screaming from the car. I'm not taking my chances."

Aria laughed as Cynthia carefully maneuvered them into traffic and started driving. "Can you at least tell me if I'm dressed appropriately before we get too far from my apartment?"

Cynthia glanced over again, appreciating Aria's outfit. "You look amazing."

Slapping the other woman's arm lightly, Aria teasingly admonished her. "Of course I do. That wasn't my question."

"It's perfect. Your cleavage might turn some heads, but I, personally, don't want you to change a thing."

Aria glanced down. The tank top she was wearing underneath her open button-down shirt was low cut, but not that scandalous. "Are you taking me to a nunnery?"

Cynthia laughed and shook her head. "Just enjoy the ride. You'll see when we get there."

Aria shrugged and changed the subject. "How long have you been having nightly chats with Rosa?"

"Ah...since she moved out of the ICU. She called me into the room one day and it came up that we both like crosswords. She made me promise to find a minute to come back when I could, and it became a bit of a nightly ritual."

"How did I miss that?"

"I may have tried to time it when you had surgeries." Cynthia grimaced and looked over at Aria. "I wasn't sure how you'd feel about it."

Aria thought for a moment. "You're both trouble makers. That's my biggest concern."

Laughing, Cynthia shook her head. "You have nothing to worry about."

Aria made a noncommittal sound.

"Can I ask what the two of you were talking about when I came in earlier? You seemed upset."

Shrugging, Aria waved a dismissive hand in the air. "I was asking about the guy my mom had her affair with."

"That's...that's a pretty big deal. Did she have any information for you?"

"Pretty much just his name. She didn't know what happened to him after he stopped working for my parents. Apparently, he was nice and kind and funny."

Cynthia shot a quick smile at the other woman. "And so are you." Cynthia watched as Aria shrugged and seemed to close off a little bit. Not wanting to push or upset her, Cynthia decided to change the subject. "Can I ask a question about your family and Torres Hotels?"

Aria closed her eyes and sighed inwardly. She braced herself for any possibility of question. She had heard so many of them through the years...most rooted in jealousy or greed. This was always the part she dreaded most about people finding out about her family-when they revealed their true selves and their motivations for getting to know her changed. "Go ahead."

Cynthia took a deep breath. "Do you know Paris Hilton?"

Aria's eyes shot open and she turned in her seat to face Cynthia as she let out a small chuckle. "What?"

"Well, I was thinking about it, and you're both the daughters of hotel giants...I thought maybe you two may have met."

Aria couldn't stop the laughter that bubbled up. "That's your biggest question about it? If I know Paris?"

"Okay, see, from the fact that you're just referring to her by her first name makes me think the answer is maybe yes?"

Trying to stop her laughter, but not succeeding, Aria struggled to get herself under control, which just made her laugh harder.

"It's a serious question!"

"In the whole history of being a Torres, that has never been anyone's first question."

Cynthia shrugged. "Maybe I have different priorities."

Her laughter subsiding, Aria regarded the woman sitting next to her. "Maybe you do."

"Well…? Paris?"

Aria let out a small chuckle. "She and Callie are closer in age...I was just the annoying little sister trying to tag along. I did flirt with her younger brother pretty hard for a while there, but nothing ever came of it."

"So what you're telling me is that I'm two degrees separated from Paris Hilton."

"Cynthia Rogers. Do you have a crush on Paris?"

Cynthia's mouth dropped open in mock outrage. "How dare you. I most certainly do not." She paused. "But 15-year-old Cynthia was a different story."

Aria's laughter rang through the car again, causing Cynthia to chuckle along with her. Cynthia made a left turn into a parking lot as Aria looked around in confusion. "A high school? Are you taking me to a football game or something?"

"Or something." Cynthia pulled into a parking spot and turned off the car. "Come on." She got out of the car and waited for Aria to join her, gesturing at the main entrance where other groups of people were also wandering in.

They stepped into the school and walked up to a table labeled Tickets.

"Two, please." Cynthia paid for the tickets as Aria looked around in interest.

Finally spotting a poster, Aria read it aloud. "Twelve Angry Jurors. You brought me to a high school play?"

Cynthia grimaced. "Do you want to run screaming?"

Aria's eyes lit up as she looked around the lobby, wandering over to a poster with headshots of the students. "Are you kidding? This is great." She looked over at Cynthia. "Not what I would have expected you to do on a rare night off…"

Cynthia pointed to one of the headshots on the board, at a handsome young man. "I'm part of the Big Brothers, Big Sisters organization. This is Jerome...my 'little brother.' I promised him I'd come to see the show."

Aria's eyes twinkled in appreciation. "That's amazing."

"It's no big deal."

"It's a really big deal to Jerome, I'm sure. Let's go sit. I don't want to miss a minute!"

Owen wandered into the living room after finally convincing Allegra to go to bed. He sat down with a sigh and Callie smirked at him. "How many books did she make you read?"

"I convinced her that four was enough. I'm not entirely sure she's not going to wander out here in a few minutes demanding more."

Callie took a sip of her wine and slid Owen a bottle of beer that she had opened for him. "She misses you. They all do."

"I miss them too." He smiled ruefully.

"You seem good these days," Callie offered.

Owen grabbed the open beer bottle and took a sip. "I feel good. The therapy has really been helping. I feel…"

"Like your old self?"

"How did you know?"

Callie lifted her shoulder in a small shrug. "You're not the only one feeling that way. Things are obviously different now, but I feel like my old self is coming back out of hibernation or something...you know?"

Owen nodded. "I hate that it's taking a divorce to make us feel this way."

Callie tucked her feet up underneath her and leaned back against the arm of the couch. "I've been coming to terms with it, actually." At Owen's raised eyebrows, she continued. "I know that kids are going to be the happiest when their parents are happy. I think we can both agree that they're our priority. Even if the next few months...or, god forbid, years...are going to be a little bumpy, I think we're all going to make it through as happy people."

"Are you happy, Callie?" Owen was looking at her intently.

Callie took a sip of wine and thought about what was happening between her and Arizona. It was surprising and good and warm and it felt right and she realized that Arizona was absolutely making her happy. "I am. I'm learning to be," she amended. "Are you?"

"I'm learning to be." Owen smiled. "I've been enjoying the time with my mom and sister. I've been going to some group therapy programs and meeting other vets. I feel much more whole than I have in a long time."

Hesitant to bring up the topic, Callie almost cringed as she asked, "And Yang?"

Owen chuckled. "There's a pause there. She knows I have to do some work and, to be honest, I think the idea of three kids freaks her out." Owen glanced over at Callie and grimaced. "It's weird to talk about this with my wife."

"I think we've got a lot of weird conversations in our future," Callie said, laughing. "But we'll be better off because of them."

"Well then, I'll come right out and ask about you and Robbins."

"Ah, yeah." Callie sipped her wine. "I've been nervous."

"Because of me?"

"No, not entirely." Callie paused to collect her thoughts. "It's an opportunity that I'd never considered. It can be daunting."

"Are you telling me that there's something that scares the badass Callie Torres? And it's a tiny blonde woman?" Owen teased.

Turning serious, Callie looked into Owen's eyes. "Are you okay with it?"

"Without question," Owen answered immediately. "Who better to take my place than a pediatric surgeon?"

"She's not taking your place, Owen."

"I know that. I'm teasing you. We can still do that, right?" Owen asked with a twinkle in his eye.

Callie rolled her eyes and teased him right back. "I forgot how much of a pain you can be."

"Callie, I want you to be happy. I want you to chase after happiness the way that you've chased after everything you've ever wanted in your life. If you need to talk or if you need a friend, I'm here."

Callie smiled. "I appreciate that, Owen. More than you know."

"That being said, I'm sure she's going to be around the kids. But maybe we hold off on telling them that you're dating her for a bit? It seems early," Owen tentatively offered.

"I agree with you. I'll talk to you first."

"That's all I ask."

The lights came up in the high school theatre after the show and Aria turned to Cynthia with a big smile on her face. "That was so great!"

"Yeah? You enjoyed it?"

"Didn't you?"

"Sure, but I don't think I enjoyed it as much as you did." Lowering her voice, Cynthia asked, "Are you a secret theatre nerd?"

"If you had known me in high school, there was nothing secret about it. I was constantly splitting my time between the bio lab and the stage."

A smile crept across Cynthia's face. "You're full of surprises."

"Tell me more about Jerome. He's really good, Cyn."

Cynthia shrugged as she got up from her seat and started putting her coat on. "I got matched up with him a few years back. I do my best to hang out with him whenever I can. His mom isn't super with it or supportive, so it's a struggle sometimes. But he's a really good kid. He loves this stuff too," she gestured to the theatre surrounding them. "I'm just here for support-I don't know much about it, but I think he does okay."

"He's doing more than okay. He's the best one up there."

Cynthia couldn't help the proud smile that took over her face as they started exiting the theatre into the lobby. "He really wants to try out for the musical, but he's nervous about singing."

"Have you heard him? Can he sing?"

Cynthia shrugged. "He won't sing in front of me."

Aria stopped in the lobby and shrugged her leather jacket over her shoulders. "We're staying to say hi to him, right?"

Nodding, Cynthia smiled. "I was planning to see if he was going out with any friends tonight. If not, I wanted to take him out for some ice cream."

"Definitely! I want to try to get him to sing for us." Aria paused. "If I'm invited, of course. I shouldn't have assumed…"

"Don't be ridiculous, obviously you're invited."

Aria grinned and bumped her shoulder into Cynthia's as Jerome came out from a side hallway, spotting Cynthia through the crowd. He ran up to her and gave her a big hug.

"Miss Cynthia! You came!"

"I told you I would. You were great, kiddo!" Cynthia turned and gestured towards Aria. "This is my friend Aria. Aria, this is Jerome."

"You got her to talk to you again?" Jerome asked.

Aria laughed and turned to the other woman. "You're gossiping about me with high schoolers now?"

"He told me about his love life and asked about mine! I had to give him an update!"

Shaking her head, Aria turned to the young man. "It's nice to meet you, Jerome. You were phenomenal up there."

Jerome dipped his head shyly and muttered a quick, "Thank you."

"Has your mom come to see the show?" Cynthia asked.

"She came last night." He shrugged sadly. "She said she didn't get it. I don't think she stayed until the end."

"Hey," Cynthia touched his arm in support. "It's pretty great that she came, though, right?"

"I guess."

Aria smiled and decided to change the subject. "Is the cast going out somewhere after the show?"

"Not tonight. We went out yesterday for opening and we'll go out again tomorrow for closing."

"Can we tempt you with a trip for some ice cream at Rick's?" Cynthia asked.

"Can I get extra sprinkles?"

She smiled. "Anything for you, kid."

"I'm in! I just need to go change and get my stuff." Jerome turned on his heel and bolted back down the hallway, high-fiving a friend on the way.

"He's great." Laughing, Aria turned back to Cynthia. "And you're great with him. It's awesome that you do this."

Cynthia shrugged. "I was lucky enough to have a big, supportive family. I like giving back where I can."

"You're very impressive." Aria flashed a bright smile and Cynthia felt her heart skip a beat.

Jerome came running up behind them and threw his arm around Cynthia's shoulders. "I'm ready, Miss Cynthia. Can I call shotgun?"

Cynthia glanced at Aria, who shrugged. "Okay with me. Do you need to call your mom before we go?"

"She doesn't care."

Cynthia made a face. "I'm going to call her just so she knows you're safe. I'll be right back." She stepped out from under Jerome's arm and walked a few feet away, pulling out her cell phone and dialing.

Jerome grinned at Aria and lifted his eyebrows. "So you and Miss Cynthia are dating again?"

"Ah...not quite. But we're friends."

He groaned. "C'mon, Miss Aria. She's pretty great, you know."

"I know." Aria couldn't help the smile that crept onto her face. "We're working on it, alright?"

"Hmph." Jerome looked Aria up and down. "I'll still be auditioning you for the role of her girlfriend tonight. You're going to need my stamp of approval."

Aria laughed. "I don't doubt it."

Cynthia stepped back to join the group. "She said it's okay. Let's go get some ice cream."

Jerome grabbed the keys out of Cynthia's hand and ran ahead of them into the parking lot. When he was out of earshot, Aria asked, "You talked to his mom?"

Cynthia nodded sadly. "I think she was trashed. He was right; she doesn't care. But I think it's important for him to have seen me call."

"You're incredible." Aria slipped her arm through Cynthia's as they walked out of the school together.

Arizona was enjoying a quiet night at home, sipping a glass of wine while halfheartedly reading a book that a friend had recommended to her. She couldn't help her mind from wandering back over the last few months and marveling over how much had changed. Ever since working on that first case with Callie, there had been an absolute shift in her life. Arizona had gone from a bit of a player and a party girl to being someone who sat at home on a Saturday night, still smiling hours after a brief texting conversation with a woman that she couldn't get out of her head.

Her mind wandered back to the previous evening and dancing with Callie at the gala. It had felt so right being in Callie's arms and dancing with their bodies pressed together. It was crazy, too, how quickly Callie's sister had wormed her way into Arizona's heart. When she had heard the sharp words being exchanged between Aria and Kelly, Arizona's first instinct was to rush in and defend the younger Torres. Callie's hand in hers had held her back, and she found that she loved watching the Torres sisters have each other's backs.

Arizona's phone started to ring, shaking her from her musings. Smiling when she realized who was calling her, she set down her book and answered the phone quickly. "Calliope. What a surprise."

"Hey. I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"I've been reading the same paragraph for about 45 minutes now. I think it's safe to say I'm not terribly invested in what I'm doing. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah! I'm...I'm not sure why I'm calling, actually."

Arizona laughed softly and pulled her legs up underneath her, settling into a comfy position on her couch. "Alright. Well, how was your night?"

"It was nice. Owen came over and had dinner with us and helped me get the kids to bed. He and I talked for a bit before he left."

Arizona couldn't help the feelings of jealousy that washed over her, but she tried her best to push them aside. "That's nice." Unsure how much she was allowed to pry, she simply asked, "It went well?"

"Mmhmm. Oh! Apparently, he and Yang are on a break, of sorts. The idea of children freaked her out."

"Honestly, I'm not terribly surprised. She was on my rotation once. She does not mix well with kids."

Callie's laugh traveled over the phone.

"I'm a little surprised you two talked about Yang."

"At the risk of putting the cart before the horse, you came up too."

"For the record, I do actually mix well with children."

"I would hope so!" Callie chuckled.

The two women sat in a warm silence for a moment. Arizona finally asked, "So I can count you in for dinner with Rosa?"

"You know," Callie mused, "with how much she likes you and Cynthia, I'm not sure if Aria and I even need to be there!"

"Oh, I'm one hundred percent sure we'll have the dinner ourselves if you two can't make it. But personally, I know I'd like to have you there."

Callie laughed. "Well, I can't turn down such a great invite. Rosa will probably be able to go home by Tuesday. We'll just have to see how Aria is feeling towards Cynthia by then."

"I think she's warming up to her. They went out tonight."

"On a date?"

"As friends, from what I understand. Aria had a rough day and asked Cynthia if she wanted to go for a drink. Cynthia wasn't going to say no even though she already had plans, so she took Aria along with her to a High School play."

"Ah...that's right up Aria's alley."

"I hope those two crazy kids make it work."

Callie laughed softly. "Me too. Hey, do you want to do something tomorrow night?"

"Like what?"

"I have no idea yet. I just...I want to spend time with you."

A big smile spread over Arizona's face. "That sounds good to me."

"Me too."

"Nope, sorry! It doesn't work like that!" Aria protested from the backseat of Cynthia's car after the trio enjoyed their ice cream. Aria had been trying to convince Jerome to sing for them since they entered the ice cream parlor, and he had put them off, promising he would sing for them once they got back in the car. He was now trying to go back on his promise. "If you put on your music, Jerome, you have to sing along. It's a rule."

"You're the one who told me to put on my music!"

Cynthia laughed at the antics of her companions and shook her head. "I don't think he wants to sing for us, Aria."

"Do you want me to sing with you? Let's do a duet."

"You don't even know any of these songs!"

"Psh. Try me."

"It's stuff from Broadway."

"Yeah, and?" Aria leaned forward, poking her head up into the front seat. "Just play something and we'll see if I know it."

Jerome rolled his eyes and scrolled through his phone, which was attached to Cynthia's bluetooth in the car.

He clicked on a song and the first notes sounded through the speakers, causing Aria to roll her eyes. "This isn't a duet."

"If you're so excited about someone singing, you have to go first," Jerome retorted.

"Don't think I won't. Turn it up, kid."

Jerome reached over to turn up the volume while saying quietly to Cynthia, "No way she can sing this one."

"I don't even particularly like this show, but I will do this for you, Jerome," Aria said before taking a deep breath and belting out a very fast-paced song that Cynthia had never heard before. Jerome and Cynthia shared a look of wide-eyed wonder as Aria sang along in the backseat. Once the song ended, Aria flopped back and sighed. "Will you sing for me now? Please?"

After a beat of silence, Jerome exploded, "Absolutely not! How do you expect me to follow that?!"

"You're really good, Aria," Cynthia agreed, catching Aria's eye in the rearview mirror.

"Oh, come on." Aria leaned forward and snatched Jerome's phone out of his hand, scrolling through until she found a duet that she recognized. "Sing with me. It's more fun than just listening to me sing, I promise." She clicked on the song and waited. When Jerome didn't join in, she started it over and waited again. When he still didn't sing, she started it over one last time. Rolling his eyes, Jerome tentatively began to sing. A smile of wonder spread across Cynthia's face and she caught Aria's eye again, mouthing Thank you at the other woman.

Driving slowly so that the song could finish before they reached Jerome's house, Cynthia was so thrilled to be sitting in the car with two of her favorite people and watching as they enjoyed each other's company. Jerome's singing got bolder as the song continued and Aria was clearly having a blast singing this duet with him. The song finished just as Cynthia pulled up in front of the house.

"Yes! Jerome! You rock!" Aria sang his praises from her spot in the backseat. "That was great, buddy-seriously."

Jerome grinned shyly and dipped his head. "I can't sing like you can."

"Hey. Seriously, Jerome. You can sing."

"Maybe. But you can sing sing," he retorted.

Aria grinned and looked around. "I assume this is your stop?" When Jerome nodded, Aria popped out of the car and opened his car door. "I'm hugging you before you go."

Jerome smiled and turned to Cynthia. "Thanks for coming tonight, Miss Cynthia. And for the ice cream." He stuck his thumb out towards Aria. "I don't know how I feel about you bringing her along."

Aria laughed from her spot outside the car. "You love me, Jerome."

"I don't know about that, Miss Aria." He turned back to Cynthia and turned serious. "But I do like her. Don't mess it up again, okay?"

"I'll do my best, kid. I'll talk to you soon, okay?"

Jerome got out of the car and Aria immediately pulled him into a big hug. "You're super talented, Jerome. I'm proud of you and I can't wait to see the next thing you do," she whispered into his ear.

A goofy smile spread over his face and he waved at the two women before walking up to his front door and letting himself in. Aria slid into the passenger seat of the car and smiled at Cynthia. "He's such a great kid."

"What did you think of his singing? Thank you for getting him to do that, by the way."

Aria waved a hand in the air, dismissing the praise. "He's pretty good. Definitely shy and needs to work on his support. Voice lessons would do him good, but he's got a solid foundation. I'm sure he'd get cast in the musical if he tried out for it."

"His mom won't let him take lessons. She says she can't afford it, but she won't let me pay for them either. I think it's a pride thing."

"That's sad." Aria buckled her seatbelt as Cynthia started driving her home.

"I had no idea you could sing like that, Torres."

Aria shrugged. "I liked theatre and Daddy liked us to be perfect. I spent plenty of time in my own vocal lessons."

"Well, anytime you'd like to belt out showtunes in my car, I'm okay with it."

"I'll keep that in mind." Aria chuckled and the two women rode in silence for most of the rest of the trip back towards the hospital. Once her apartment building was in view, Aria spoke up. "Thank you again for taking my mind off of things. You seem to have a knack for turning a bad day into a good one."

Cynthia smiled and pulled up in front of Aria's building, putting the car in park and turning in her seat. "I'm here whenever you need me."

Aria licked her lips and regarded the other woman. She took a deep breath and smiled. "In the interest of being transparent about my feelings, a trait that I recently learned from you, I want to tell you that I do still need some time."

"I get it…"

"Let me finish?" Aria asked. She waited for Cynthia to nod before continuing. "I understand that the conversation you overheard with Kelly triggered all of your insecurities and I can see you working on that, which is incredible. But what happened next in your office triggered mine."

"And I'm so sorry…" Cynthia trailed off as Aria raised an eyebrow.

"I was absolutely not prepared for you to come into my life the way that you did. When I met you, I thought we'd just have some fun together but it's been so much more than that. I think about you all the time. I think about your laugh or the way you moan when I kiss you right here," she ran her fingers softly over Cynthia's collarbone, enjoying the way that Cynthia's eyes darkened at her words. "But I just need a minute more to get my head on straight and be sure. I know you're waiting on me and that's not fair. And I know everyone in the hospital is rooting for us because they tell me all the time. So, to be transparent, I just wanted you to know that I'm rooting for us too. But just...in a minute."

Cynthia nodded as she contemplated Aria's admission. "It's scary. For me too, for the record. But I know you don't do well with scary, so I'm okay with letting you have your time."

"If something changes and you decide it's not worth it to stick around...just let me know, okay?"

"Will it make you feel better if I agree to that?"

"It will."

Cynthia let out a small sigh. "Then I agree to let you know if my feelings change. But, for the record…"

"Don't," Aria cut her off quickly. She sat in the dark car for a moment longer before she sent Cynthia a small smile and unbuckled her seatbelt.

As she went to open her door, Cynthia reached out and grabbed her hand for a moment, giving it a small squeeze. "Thanks for coming with me tonight. I really liked spending the time with you and I know Jerome did too."

Aria squeezed back and swallowed hard as she fought the urge to kiss the woman sitting across from her. "Thanks for inviting me. I'll see you tomorrow." She got out of the car and walked into her apartment building, stopping just inside the door to take a deep breath and let it out slowly. When she was alone, Aria knew she had fears and insecurities telling her to run from Cynthia, but when they were together those voices were suspiciously silent. Deciding to leave that thought to be dealt with another day, Aria continued through the building to her quiet apartment.

A.N: For the record, in my mind the songs in the car were Satisfied from Hamilton and Suddenly, Seymour from Little Shop of Horrors. As always, thank you to every single person to read, follow, favorite, or review this story. You all make me very happy and I appreciate every single one of you.