Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot. Characters are the property of ABC, etc.
Title is from the song "Healing" by Fletcher.
Author's Note: Soooo I'm obsessed with Calzona reconciling but it's been ages since I wrote a fic. In particular, I like thinking about the challenges they'll face, so there is some mild sadness, but I'm all about them overcoming it all. Please let me know what you think!
Callie had just finished the dishes and was toying with opening a bottle of red when she heard the pounding on the door. Given the security in her building, she knew instantly that there was only one person it could be. It was unusual, though. Sofia was asleep and she and Arizona hadn't made plans to see each other otherwise, although she'd texted Arizona a half hour ago. And Arizona usually wouldn't pound on the door so sloppily. Unless-
"Heyyyyy Calliope." Even from so few syllables, Arizona's slur was clear. A few strands fell out of her ponytail and clung to the side of her flushed face. She wore a stupid grin, looking so genuinely glad to see her that Callie couldn't help smile back at her ex-wife-turned-possibly-new-girlfriend.
"You're wasted," she commented dryly, reaching out to help steady Arizona, who clung to her readily.
"I had my Uber take me here because it was closer. I hope you don't mind." Arizona reeked of whiskey, not her usual drink. It was, however, a favorite of Nicole Herman's.
"Arizona, we live on the same floor."
"You're closer to the elevator. Can I come in? Just for a moment?" Arizona pouted, and Callie felt a thrill go through her. Arizona had arrived in New York six months ago, and they'd agreed to give things another try a little over a month ago, but it was taking longer than Callie wanted for them to drop their guards - and especially Arizona. They had yet to spend time alone together without planning it in advance, unless it involved Sofia.
But despite the genuine delight in Arizona's eyes, there was something else. Something was bothering her, something had brought her ex-wife to her door that night, and the alcohol was only emboldening her to do it. Maybe Arizona didn't even realize it yet. But Callie knew. And she wanted to know more.
Also, Arizona was adorable when she was drunk.
So Callie easily stepped aside. "Sure, come on in. Only, keep it down. Sofia did not want to go to bed tonight and I don't think she fell asleep until 9:30."
Arizona giggled. "Does she still have a crush on the actor on that Netflix show you're watching?"
Callie rolled her eyes as she led Arizona to the sofa. It had been a mistake to turn on Bridgerton in front of Sofia. "Yes, and if she thinks I'm going to watch it after she goes to bed, she won't go. I had to turn on the news for thirty minutes."
"You haaate the news."
"Yeah, but Sofia hates it more."
"I'm so glad you're the bad parent - I mean - cop. You're a good parent, I swear." Arizona giggled nervously as she collapsed onto the sofa, and sober, it might have rubbed Callie the wrong way, but she was still delighted with how uninhibited and comfortable Arizona suddenly seemed to be with her.
Before Callie could perch next to her, Arizona straightened up and immediately began rubbing her thigh above her prosthetic. It had to have been aching, Callie realized suddenly.
"Do you want a blanket? So you can-"
But Arizona waved her off. "Nothing you haven't seen before," she said, fumbling with the clasp on her slacks for a few moments before ripping off her pants in the middle of Callie's living room. Callie couldn't help but stare. Even when they had been together, after the leg, Arizona had hardly been so open and comfortable with her body around Callie. It reminded her of a person she'd almost forgotten, the surgeon who somehow wheeled through the hospital on her heelys while at the same time smiling and smirking suggestively. The woman who'd run off to Africa, leaving her in the dust, only to come back, and never stop begging.
"Are you alright?" Callie hesitated before sitting down a respectful distance away and looking pointedly at Arizona's face as she detached her prosthetic and began to massage her stump in an unbothered, if clumsy fashion. She ached to sit closer, to brush a few of those wayward strands of blonde hair out of Arizona's eyes, but it wasn't the right time. They had agreed to take it slow, but having once been married, it was hard to know what was really off limits and what wasn't.
Arizona was a little too drunk to notice Callie's attempt at boundaries. "I am. But let me tell you, Nicole, she is spiraling."
"He still wants things to get serious, huh?" Callie grinned.
"I just don't get why she won't cut him loose. It's very unlike her. You should hear her, Callie. "It's the best sex of my life, Robbins. I've never had the best sex of my life before, and blind sex is fantastic. You don't just give up the best sex of your life."" Arizona's Nicole Herman expression was spot on, and Callie couldn't help but laugh.
"I told you it was the sex!"
Arizona made a face. "Yeah, but you just see sex everywhere, Callie."
"And you don't?"
"I see sex everywhere because it is everywhere."
"And how is that - nevermind." Callie knew better than to pick apart a drunk Arizona's reasoning. "You showed me the man's Facebook, Arizona. He's hot."
"Yeah, but she doesn't know that." Arizona giggled at her own joke, and Callie couldn't help but laugh too.
"I wouldn't say that to her," Callie warned.
"I'm not an idiot, Calliope," Arizona leaned over and swatted at Callie's arm, nearly losing her balance and clinging to Callie instead. Callie relished the simple contact, the uninhibited way Arizona reached out for support.
"Says the woman who drove half a mile with the parking brake on last week," she said, only pulling away a little after Arizona righted herself.
"Okay, you know what, I was having a day-"
"Or the fact that you thought that the "turtle" Sofia was talking about at school was a real person, and not, in fact, the class pet."
"Okay, she said she had a conversation with him-"
"She literally has conversations with inanimate objects all the time, she's a child. Oh, and remember that time we were out of detergent and you put the hand dish soap into the dishwasher? The kitchen flooded with bubbles."
Arizona covered her face with her hands. "I thought we'd agreed to leave the past in the past."
"The Dawn Dishwasher story is never in the past," Callie teased. She reached out and wrapped an arm around Arizona, hugging her tight, suppressing the natural urge to say "I love you" as she pressed her lips onto the top of Arizona's head. Her ex-wife was slightly sweaty, but Callie had missed the scent of Arizona's sweat. Arizona pulled away again slightly to continue clumsily massaging her stump.
Callie pointed to her leg. "May I?" she asked with as much patience as she could muster.
Arizona moved her hands away and nodded. "It's hot when you go all control freak."
Callie flushed. Was this the first time since getting back together that Arizona had actually called her hot? Certainly it was the most brazen. "Says the control freak."
At the feeling of Callie's fingers kneading her flesh, Arizona leaned back against the sofa and closed her eyes, which left Callie relieved. "God, that feels so good. And I am so drunk."
"You don't say."
"You look really pretty tonight." Her blue eyes opened and drilled into Callie's. "Well, every night. But it's tonight right now and you're also really pretty right now."
Callie met her gaze, something deep in the pit of her stomach unravelling. It was getting harder to tamp down on that impulse to seize her ex-wife and immediately take her on the couch. Usually, Arizona was the one setting the boundaries between them, but Arizona would never forgive her if she didn't now. A small part of her wondered if that was secretly the reason Arizona had come over, but somehow, it didn't quite fit. Drunk Arizona could get really handsy, and the fact that she hadn't yet meant her guard was still up. "We can't tonight, Arizona. Even if we hadn't agreed to wait, you're drunk. And thanks to our daughter, I'm sober."
"I know," Arizona sighed. "I wasn't actually thinking we would tonight. But a girl can dream. And I do dream. Oh, do I dream." She closed her eyes again, presumably picturing Callie naked, Callie's hand still on her thigh.
It was not like Callie to take her time with anything, but even the small progress she and Arizona had made since they first decided to try again felt like a huge victory, and had made her happier than anything else had in a long time. Really, it was seeing Arizona happy, something she had rarely witnessed in their last few years together, that made it so wonderful. It was wonderful to be in a place again where she could make Arizona happy, where they were actually working toward the same thing. So she withdrew her hand slowly, and settled back against the sofa much closer to her ex-wife.
This time, Arizona shifted closer as well, which wiped away Callie's hesitation. She wrapped her arm around, Arizona's shoulder and the other woman immediately melted into her, not an ounce of tension in her body. God, Callie had missed this kind of intimacy. Things had been good between them, better than they'd been since Sofia was still a baby. But she still always got the sense that Arizona was scared of giving her too much. Now, despite being quite drunk, Arizona seemed more in control of her vulnerability.
"Callie?" Arizona's voice was high pitched and a little unsteady, and Callie wondered if she was about to find out why Arizona had come over. Something about Arizona's tone made her unsure that she'd be able to answer.
"Yeah?" She pulled back, just a bit, to look Arizona in the eye.
"Do you think I could see Sofia? I know she's sleeping, but I would just… I would really like to see her. I promise I'll be quiet."
It was not out of the ordinary for their relationship since Arizona had come to New York, even before they'd started to work things out, except for the drunk part. On occasion, after a late surgery, usually one that didn't go well, both mothers had the habit of swinging by the other's to leave Sofia a small note and maybe a chocolate to find in the morning.
But the relationship they'd left in Seattle was still haunting them, and the request felt loaded to Callie. Had Arizona come over to test her, and if so, could Callie blame her? It was a question Callie had said "no" to, too many times in the past, and even though Arizona's current level of intoxication was the only real reason to say no now, it still scared her to even think about saying it, to think about going back there. Arizona was still wounded, more than she liked to show, and it was only now, years later, far away from the place where that was happening, that Callie had begin to realize that sometimes, she needed to think about how their past affected their present. How her words affected Arizona, just as much as Arizona's had affected her.
"Of course you can see Sofia," she replied gently, and it was worth it alone for the smile that spread across Arizona's face, the smile she used to see every day, back before Arizona had lost her leg. "You do have to be quiet though, no words or giggling. I'm serious Arizona, if you wake her, I'm signing her up for that swim team where practice starts at 4:30 every morning. And you'll be the one taking her."
Arizona's drunken face told Callie that she did not take the threat idly.
"I'll be so quiet," she nodded solemnly. "Quiet as a mouse. Quieter than one. Get it? Cause they squeak." Her demeanor instantly shifted, and she giggled, then clapped a hand over her mouth.
Callie rolled her eyes, suppressing a smile. "I didn't actually think it was possible for your jokes to get worse when you left peds," she commented. "You dork."
Arizona giggled even harder, and Callie couldn't help but pull her close and kiss her on the top of her head again. "Get it all out now," she warned.
Still giggling slightly, Arizona reached for her leg. Gently, Callie moved to help, moving away as Arizona put her pants back on. Then, together, Callie keeping a hand on her drunken ex-wife to stabilize her, they moved towards Sofia's room.
Sofia liked the door kept open just a crack, for the light, and Callie pushed the door open carefully and quietly. The slit of light at the foot of Sofia's bed widened, but like her Mama, Sofia was a heavy sleeper.
Arizona made no move to pass over the threshold, instead leaning against the door frame. Her jaw dropped in drunken, open wonder, her eyes shining at the small child tucked between the covers, rolled over on one side, fast asleep. She did not say any words, but Callie could almost hear her thoughts, the love pouring out of Arizona. She wondered how many nights Arizona still spent alone in New York, missing Sofia, but being unsure if she could ask to see her. She wondered if there were words she could give Arizona that would always make up for the doubt echoing in her mind.
Sometimes, with their relationship, she felt like they could leave everything that had happened between just the two of them them behind, truly behind, even if it wouldn't be easy. And maybe they would. But deep down, she wasn't sure the same could be said of their relationship as the parents of Sofia, not after Callie had tried to take her away so many times, to the point that Arizona had caved and crossed the country so Sofia could be with both of them. And for what? To even the score? To attempt to have a part of herself that Arizona could not touch? To leave Arizona behind, after always watching Arizona be the one to leave? To make Arizona pay, after having forgiven her so many times? Callie couldn't fully explain it, and it was hard, when the three of them were together and happy, to understand why she hadn't ever realized that, whether or not their relationship worked out, whether or not she and Arizona were on good terms, them being a family together was what was best for all of them.
Callie reached out and touched Arizona's shoulder comfortingly, and Arizona offered her the smallest smile. She stared for a few minutes longer, then retreated from the door. Callie pulled it almost-shut behind them, careful to leave the crack at the exact length Sofia liked it.
As she turned away from the door, Arizona grabbed Callie and unsteadily pinned her against the wall. Callie wanted to laugh, thinking of all the times Arizona had done the exact same thing much more smoothly. Instead, she said, in an extremely low voice, "We said we weren't going there tonight."
"Relax, Calliope." Arizona touched the side of Callie's face and let her fingers trail down her body. Despite being sloppier than usual, Callie still shivered at her touch.
"Shhh."
Arizona smiled. "You just looked so pretty and I wanted to kiss you."
What the hell, Callie thought, it wasn't like they hadn't been kissing, and she'd been on her best behavior tonight. Arizona closed in, and despite her drunkenness, it was like returning home - except for the whiskey on her breath. But Callie didn't care. She buried her hands in Arizona's hair, stifling a moan when Arizona's teeth grazed her bottom lip. Arizona pulled away, hands lingering fitfully on Callie's waist, clearly fighting the instinct to cup her ass. Callie wanted her to - she always did - but she waited for Arizona.
"I miss this," said Arizona simply. "I miss it being like this all the time."
"I miss it too," Callie confessed, and it was a weight off her shoulders to know that Arizona was struggling with the awkwardness between them too, and that she had built up the strength to actually verbalize it, for once. It wasn't just her then, that regretted that Arizona could not fully relax around her yet.
Arizona's hand traced lazily across Callie's collarbone, and Callie shivered again.
"Do you remember those necklaces we got for our first Valentine's day, all those years ago?"
"Of course I remember, Arizona."
"Bailey made fun of us. But she was just embarrassed because she liked Ben. And we teased her about it."
"Bailey needed to be teased sometimes. It was good for her."
"I still have mine," said Arizona. "I never got rid of it. It's in a box, with - with my wedding ring."
Callie was almost incredulous. "Do you think I got rid of mine?"
"I don't know?" Arizona looked a little guilty even as she shrugged. "Sometimes you get a little impulsive when you're angry - or honestly, even when you're not angry - and you had a lot of good reasons to be angry at me."
"I still have it," said Callie gently.
There was a beat. And then...
"Can I see it?" Arizona asked.
Callie cupped her face gently and pushed lightly off the wall. "Of course." Drunk Arizona was no match for her, and stumbled backward, following as Callie led the way into her bedroom.
Arizona's head turned in every direction as Callie headed toward the dresser. She had still only been in Callie's New York bedroom a handful of times, and all for reasons that had never given her the time to examine it. Before Callie could stop her, she was poking pieces of furniture and decorations, making slight noises of judgment or delight. Other than removing all traces of Penny and slightly adjusting the color scheme, Callie hadn't put too much effort into the room.
"I love this one."
Hearing the smile in Arizona's voice, Callie looked up just in time to watch her knock over the photo of the two of them and Mark holding Sofia on what used to be Penny's nightstand.
"Oops." Guilty Arizona was so goddamn cute, Callie reflected, pulling the small box from her dresser. Arizona picked up the picture and tried to set it upright, only for it to clatter even more loudly to the nightstand.
"You can leave it, Arizona."
Arizona traced her finger down the front of the photo gently before turning back to Callie with a smile. "I always have this one hanging in my kitchen."
"I know."
"Even back in Seattle, it was in my kitchen. Always in my kitchen," she insisted. "Even when Sofia wasn't home. I wanted to - to remember."
"They were good times."
Callie circled the bed and perched quietly on the edge next to Arizona. She indicated the box in her hand, and Arizona sat beside her.
Fumbling with the catch, Callie opened the small box to reveal the heart necklace, along with their wedding ring and the photo of the two of them, dancing at their wedding.
Far more gently than she'd touched the photo, Arizona reached out and touched the necklace.
"Were we stupid?" she asked.
"Yeah," Callie admitted. "We really were."
Arizona turned back to face Callie, still very drunk but suddenly sad. "Are we stupid now?"
"Maybe," Callie reflected, the sadness in Arizona suddenly reflecting in her own tone.
Swiftly and chastely, Arizona leaned forward and kissed Callie gently on the lips.
"What was that for?" Callie asked.
"I hate it when you're sad."
"Arizona, you made me sad."
"I know."
Callie sighed. "That's not what I meant. I meant, just now-"
Arizona silenced her with another kiss, sighing into it before pulling away. "I know what you meant. And I know what I meant," she declared. "I think."
Callie set the box on the bed and reached out and pulled Arizona into her again. Arizona leaned in willingly, resting her head on her shoulder.
"I'm really glad you stopped by tonight," she said softly. "I didn't know how badly I wanted to see you until you came."
"I'm glad I came too." Arizona paused. "Even though we're trying again, I still feel so lonely sometimes. So lonely, Calliope."
"Because we're not where we used to be?"
"Maybe," said Arizona, but Callie could tell by her tone that even though Arizona was getting more vulnerable, she still didn't know everything.
They sat in silence, staring at Callie's bedroom wall, neither wanting to move. Callie had a surgery in the morning, she should be getting to bed, but despite the strangeness of it all, it was the most emotionally intimate they'd been, and not in a way that made Callie feel like she was taking advantage of Arizona. Not in a way that made Callie feel like Arizona was conceding to her, for the sake of it. It was a step forward, for both of them.
Finally, Callie asked, almost sleepily, "Do you think Nicole's gonna end it?"
Arizona sighs. "I don't know. I still can't tell if she's actually emotionally unavailable or if it's just her personality."
"Well, she did ghost you for awhile there instead of leaning on you in a dark time," Callie pointed out.
Arizona made a face. It can't have been easy, Callie reflected, losing the person who had helped her most after the divorce. Sure, Alex had been there, but he was… Alex. Talk about emotionally unavailable.
"Still, she's got to have an idea of how hot he is," Callie pointed out. "Like… she hasn't she run her hands down those arms?"
Arizona giggled a little more loudly. "It's so funny to imagine her doing anything that sensual. She's so… harsh."
Arizona so rarely spoke of her mentor and partner that way, Callie couldn't help but laugh.
Arizona pulled back, taking Callie by the shoulders and then closing her eyes.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm seeing if your arms feel as good with my eyes closed as they do open."
A grin spread across Callie's face as Arizona began rubbing her upper arms up and down.
"Any change?" Callie asked.
Eyes still closed, Arizona shook her head. "Nope, in my professional opinion, still sexy."
"Given that you work with unborn babies, I'm kind of uncomfortable with the fact that you used the word 'professional' there."
Arizona laughed, still rubbing Callie's arms.
"Wait a second," Callie said. "I want to try something. An experiment. Don't open your eyes," she added quickly.
Arizona pulled back slowly.
"Okay," said Callie, not moving a muscle. "I want you to reach out for them again."
"What did you do?" Arizona asked, confused as she started to stretch her hands out again, groping and nearly whacking Callie across the nose.
"I'll ruin it for you - careful, a little lower."
As Arizona descended on her, inches away from touching her again, Callie ducked suddenly, falling back onto the bed with a laugh as Arizona lost her balance fell on top of her. Then they were both laughing, a comfortable tangle of limbs. Arizona lay with her head pressed against Callie's chest, still heaving from the laughter.
Emboldened by Arizona's newfound vulnerability, Callie finally decided it was time to test the waters. She'd missed this intimacy, and, besides, she could give Arizona some space, but if Arizona never took any steps forward, their relationship was never going anywhere. Still, she chose her words carefully, even though she let them slip out casually.
"I could lay like this forever. I hate that you have to go. I know you have to, and that's okay, but..."
Arizona did not move or react or respond at all. In fact, for the first time that night, she lay completely still and quiet.
"Arizona? Are you already asleep?"
Arizona twisted, bright blue eyes meeting Callie's, expression almost sober. "I'm awake, Callie."
"Oh. You just…"
"I know."
"It's okay if you don't wanna talk about it tonight," Callie said softly, "But we have to talk about it sometime. If you want this to go forward. Okay?"
Arizona sighed. She was teetering on the edge of true vulnerability now, Callie could see it in her eyes. And still, she waited, gently and silently, the way she used to back when they were first together, when Arizona was getting ready to talk about growing up, about losing Tim, about all the things that were hard that she pretended didn't affect her now.
"I'm afraid if I stay, you're going to change your mind in the morning," she admitted softly.
"What?"
"I know it's silly," Arizona cringed. "I just… last time we slept together, you divorced me the next day. And I know we talked about it Callie, and I know you apologized and that you meant it and I know I need to let it go I'm just… afraid. Afraid that when things start to get good, you'll leave again." Her bottom lip trembled. "And I don't want you to leave again, I can't take that. And you're giving me all this space, and you're being great and I need that, but I'm afraid you'll get tired of it, and that you'll leave because you can't wait. And I know I would deserve that, Callie, but I can't take it, I can't. I don't want to leave, but I can't stay tonight, I can't."
As she rambled, Callie's hand curled up around the back of Arizona's head, stroking her hair lightly with one hand. When Arizona finished speaking, Callie cupped her face gently with the other. What hurt the most was the fact that they'd had this conversation before, multiple times, years ago, when they'd tried so hard to make it work. And she could see the same fear, except multiplied, running wild in Arizona's eyes.
Callie didn't know what to do. She knew that sober Arizona probably would never have confessed all the hurt she was still feeling, the fears she still had. Even when they'd first given it a try, even when Callie had begged and Arizona had insisted how hurt she was, Callie had realized there were layers of grief that Arizona wasn't ready to share. Callie had gotten her feelings out as their marriage had slowly dissolved, during and after their divorce. But Arizona never had, and, given the way Callie had gone after her in court, probably felt like she never could. A part of her hated hearing these things. The selfish part of her, the part of her that always felt attacked when the love of her life reminded her the ways she'd failed. But the empathetic part of her bled, bled because somehow, it was harder to know what was what with Arizona, the person she also somehow knew best.
And yet.
This was the first time Arizona had ever expressed this fear when they hadn't been fighting, when she wasn't afraid to lose Callie.
And this was the first time Callie hadn't given her an ultimatum, had let Arizona open up herself, instead of dragging it out of her, in ...years. It reminded her of that fresh vulnerability they'd had when they first started dating, when Arizona told Callie that she was opening up to her in a way she never had before.
"Hey," said Callie softly, torn between the desire to pull her ex-wife closer and the desire to look her in the eyes. "Arizona, you did not, and do not, deserve what I did to you. And I'm sorry I did it, and I'll apologize as many times as you need. I know we both did terrible things to each other. But look at us. This is such a different place from where we were. Yeah, I'm giving you extra space because I hurt you. And yeah, in the moment, I don't always want to. And yes, I pushed you a little to tell me what was going on. But if you hadn't budged, I wasn't gonna push you further. And you know what, Arizona?"
Arizona shook her head. Tears were streaming down her face, and her nose was clogging up with snot that threatened to drip onto Callie. Carefully, Callie helped them both ease up into a sitting position, so she could grab a few tissues off her nightstand and hand them to Arizona. She waited until Arizona blew her nose, then continued.
"You laughed tonight, so much, Arizona," Callie couldn't stop the smile from breaking out on her face. "And you were sweet with me, and we cuddled. And yeah, you just drunkenly took off your pants in my living room and told me it was nothing I hadn't seen before, which was a little weird, but also, everything was just… exactly what I've missed. About us. Being close. Not being afraid to touch. Being able to laugh. Loving our daughter." She stroked Arizona's arm softly. "I'm okay with being a little more careful if it means getting those things back. Will I always have this much self control? Probably not."
"Definitely not," Arizona sniffed.
"But look at you. You were more comfortable tonight with me than you've ever been. And I don't know what it is, but you weren't this open last time you were drunk. And that takes time, too. The point is, Arizona, we're growing together. Isn't that what our relationship is supposed to be? I'm in this too, Arizona. I - I can't lose you again either. And I'm not going anywhere."
Arizona fell forward into Callie's arms, breathing and sobbing into her neck. "I love you," she finally wheezed, and it didn't feel wrong, or forced, or like anything Callie didn't already know.
"Me too," Callie whispered back. "I love you too, Arizona."
After another moment of holding her tight, Arizona pulled back. "Ugh, I'm all gross."
Callie laughed and handed her another tissue. "No offense, but you kinda are."
"I guess I should stay," replied Arizona, dabbing at her face. "I don't want to be seen walking down the hall looking like this."
"Wait, what?"
A smile slowly crept up Arizona's face. "I do want to stay. The night. With you. In your bed. But with all our clothes on. I can't do that tonight- I can't."
"No offense, sweetheart, but I want our first time to be good, and you're kind of trashed right now."
Arizona pouted. "I've fucked you when I'm trashed. You said it was good. Were you lying? Please tell me you weren't lying."
"It's just... it'll be our first time after being divorced for years," said Callie, and Arizona's expression softened, in a way that showed she agreed. "During which time we had a custody battle we got all of our friends involved in."
Arizona blanched. "Yeah, not our best moment."
Callie rubbed her shoulder. "Hey, in our second divorce, we'll keep it out of the courtroom."
"Too soon, Calliope Torres."
"Look, Sofia has to be up at 7 tomorrow, so set an alarm on your phone for 6:30. I'll get you some pajamas." They had decided not to tell Sofia about them until they were sure it would take. After tonight, however, Callie was confident that that day was just around the corner.
"6:30?" Arizona whine as Callie crossed over to the dresser.
"Let's be honest, you're not exactly a princess in the mornings, Arizona. And you made the decision to drink on a weeknight."
"Nicole made that decision."
"Yeah, well, Nicole doesn't do surgery anymore, either." Callie tossed Arizona a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. "Why don't you use the bathroom first, and get situated in bed? I'll get you some water and ibuprofen for when you wake up."
"Ugh, you're an angel."
"I know." Callie pecked Arizona lightly on the lips as Arizona wobbled toward the threshold of the bathroom. Arizona was just about to enter when Callie stopped her. "Arizona?"
Arizona turned.
"I know how hard it was for you to open up to me. I know I haven't always made it easy for you in the past to do that. So, uh, thanks."
Arizona sighed. "And I know I'm not always good at saying things, and I know that's hard for you." That was an understatement, Callie thought. "So thanks for being patient."
"Of course, Arizona. Now, go get ready, I'll see you in a minute."
After Callie finished brushing her teeth, she found Arizona under the covers as if it were her own bed, nearly almost asleep, the glass of water Callie had left for her already drained.
As soon as Callie crawled under the covers, Arizona curled up beside her, the way she used to.
"I'm never going to be the little spoon, am I?" Callie grumbled.
"And yet you still decided to get back together with me."
Callie reached for the lamp on the nightstand and turned it off, before wrapping her arms around Arizona and burying her nose in that hair again. God, she'd missed that smell, even if it was mixed with whiskey. And the way Arizona's body pressed against hers.
"You were right," Arizona murmured sleepily. "I'm glad I stayed."
"Arizona?"
"Yes, Callie?"
"I'll see you in the morning. And the morning after that, hopefully."
"And the one after that?" Arizona yawned.
"I actually have a pretty early surgery scheduled on Thursday, so probably not."
"Yeah, yeah, you smartass." Then, after a beat of silence, "See you in the morning, Callie." There was a trace of a smile in her voice, matching the smile forming on Callie's own lips again.
"You better not wake Sofia."
"I'm not that drunk, Calliope." Callie could practically hear Arizona's eyes roll in her head. "I'll be fine in the morning."
"You'll be hungover and grumpy."
"And you'll still be the big spoon."
Callie pressed one last kiss to the top of Arizona's head, once more inhaling her scent. Arizona's hand clutched at the arm that was wrapped around her own waist.
"Good night, Arizona," Callie murmured.
"G'night, Calliope."