Chapter 9

"Mamma" Sofia cried running out of the car jumping into Callie's arms. Arizona stood awkwardly; when she suggested to Meredith that Callie fly out here to talk to her face to face she hadn't expected it to be one day later. Coming home to see Callie in Seattle had thrown her the last thing she expected was to find her sitting outside her house. She felt guilty, she had promised to call Callie but had put it off, not have the emotional energy for the fight that was likely to continue. Not when everything she had was for Sofia, keeping her calm, keeping her safe, and stopping herself from bursting into tears everytime she saw her bruises, or the awkward way she moved.

Still Callie was here now, and she didn't look mad.

"Hey Callie" Arizona said awkwardly "Do you want to come in?" she offered by way of apology for not calling.

"Yes" Callie replied, "If I'm allowed" it was snarky but polite

"Of course, your allowed," Arizona sighed frustrated, trying to keep her voice neutral so Sofia didnt pick up on the tension.

"You issued a restraining order!" Callie replied through gritted teeth, keeping her voice down so she didn't alarm Sofia.

"Not against you" Arizona sighed sadly.

"Mama, you not working?" Sofia asked interpruting them, Callie shook her head confused, Penny had said the restraining order was against them both. Now she was starting to wonder. What else had Penny lied about?

"Not today, I missed you" Callie lifted her daughter up easily carrying her inside.

"Right Sofia what do you for tea tonight?" Arizona asked, "Were having takeout" She explained to Callie, hoping her ex-wife wouldn't judge her for the unhealthy diet choices.

"Can we have pizza?" Sofia asked

"Sure, you want your normal?" she asked both Sofia and Callie who nodded. Arizona walked to the kitchen calling the pizza place. She used the phone call to get some air, away from her ex-wife. Why was she here, was she going to fight custody? What had the police told her?

After placing the order Arizona poured a glass of water, she really wanted wine but didn't want to give Callie any ammunition in a custody battle, not when she was already a workaholic slut according to her ex-wife.

Arizona sat watching Callie interact with Sofia, wanting her daughter to have time with her Mamma. Both silently agreeing not to discuss the argument in front of their daughter. The pizza came and luckily Sofia was able to make enough conversation for 3.

"Bath time bug" Arizona ordered, "Do you want me or Mamma?"

"You mommy" Sofia said shyly, "But Mamma can do story time"

"Of course, bug, go get your bath toys out" Arizona asked, "You know where the stories are, she started Harry Potter with Alex, they got to chapter 3" she said to Callie.

"Alex was here?" Callie asked, Arizona tensed defensively, waiting for the accusations to start,

"Is that a problem?"

"No," Callie replied, wondering why Arizona was so defensive.

"Cus it takes a village, and Sofia wanted to see him"

"Okay" Callie held her hands up,

"Mommy I'm ready" Sofia yelled, Arizona smiled, Sofia definitely took after Callie in terms of patience.

"Okay" Arizona called going down the corridor. Callie automatically got up to follow. Arizona began the bath. Sofia was already undressed. They added the bubbles, before Sofia climbed in. They played with the toys, the little mermaid and several boats. Before Arizona deemed it time to get out. From the door she heard a gasp, Callie! She'd followed them to the bathroom and had watched the bath time and had seen the bruises and welts for herself.

"Okay let's get you dry; I brought your frozen pyjamas." Arizona ignored Callie allowing her time to process, Sofia's bruises and welts looked worse than they did when she first got here turning a deep purple that stood out against her tanned skin. First the pull up pants went on also frozen print then the frozen pyjamas before Arizona dried her hair carefully brushing out the knots.

"Mamma story time" Sofia demanded climbing into bed. Callie nodded having not spoken after seeing the bruises. Luckily, she got herself together enough to read chapter 3 of Harry Potter. Arizona was waiting in the lounge having poured 2 glasses of wine, truly convinced by her reaction that Callie hadn't known about Sofia's bruises or had any suspicion, but now desperate to know how she could have missed it. After all she had trusted Callie to keep her safe.

Callie sat opposite Arizona taking a big gulp of wine,

"Those bruises and welts, they're old, she got them in New York" she stated, "she was hurt, and I didn't notice, who? Why didn't she tell me?" Callie asked sounding lost. "That's why you sent the police and the social worker you thought it was me?" Tears were running down her face and her hands were shaking as she tried to grab the glass. Someone had hurt her daughter. She hadn't believed it, she hadn't wanted to believe it but seeing was believing, this wasn't Arizona out for revenge, this wasn't a vendetta, or Arizona having regrets about sending Sofia to New York and making excuses to keep her in Seattle like Penny suggested, this was real.

"No, never I never thought for a second it was you, but it was somebody. Sofia didn't want to show me either, tried to bath herself was eating less, I knew the signs. I pushed," Arizona replied trying to make Callie feel slightly better.

"I missed it, I've been so busy working shifts, sleeping at the hospital, the head of Ortho is retiring I thought if I could prove myself, I'd be a shoe in, I've been picking up extra hours, difficult complex surgeries trying to show how good I am. Penny has been looking after Sofia, she works 9-5 is home every night, cooks' dinner does bath time, even story time. I've only really seen her at night when she is already in bed and at the weekend and even then I get called away" Callie reflected, Arizona winced, she knew how work could be especially when you were new and trying to prove yourself.

"I can't say much, the police they want to interview you, but I won't stop you from seeing Sofia I know you'd never hurt her." Arizona winced, knowing the next sentence would destroy her ex-wife. "But for now, it has to be supervised, at least until the police rule you out as a suspect"

"You want me to have supervised visits with my own daughter!" Callie cried; Arizona nodded

"Penny is denying abusing Sofia, she is saying it's you, the police need to prove its not, but if I go against what they want it makes proving the charges harder and I want that bitch to pay"

"Me too" Callie agreed, "I just can't believe I didn't see it, that Sofia didn't tell me. I'm a terrible mother, I'm a terrible person" she stood pacing, too upset with herself to sit still, she needed to get her emotions out.

"Dios me ayude la voy a matar, voy a asesinar a esa perra por atreverse a hacerle daño
a mi hermosa hija en mi casa. Confié en ella, la amaba y ella me traicionó.
Está muerta, te juro que está muerta." Callie ranted walking up and down.

God help me I'm going to kill her, i'm going to murder that bitch for daring to harm her, my beautiful daughter, in my home. I trusted her I loved her and she betrayed me. She is dead, I swear she is dead.

"She didn't tell me either. Penny told her if you found out she'd hurt you too. She was trying to protect you. I only noticed when i found she'd been wetting the bed, I caught her washing the sheets in the middle of the night and saw the bruises." Arizona explained sighing, she didn't speak Spanish but could tell Callie was angry. "Even then she wouldn't tell me who, or when, I took her to Susan at Pres,"

"Why not Karev?" Callie asked unable to help herself. She was surprised Arizona hadn't gone to her student someone who she had declared the best peds surgeon since herself.

"Technically I'm still his boss, so are you as a board member I didn't want anyone crying undue influence. I wanted it watertight." Arizona stopped herself, was she telling Callie too much, Callie sensed her hesitation. She too didn't want to ruin the case by her ex-wife blurting out too much.

"I'm going to head off, can I come by and see Sofia tomorrow?" she asked pleadingly. Arizona nodded.

"Sure, we were going to the sea life centre at 11am your welcome to come along," Arizona invited not mentioning that they both had therapy session before and the sea life centre was a distraction afterwards.

As planned the next morning Callie was waiting outside the Sea life centre. Arizona and Sofia pulled up slightly late. After Arizona's session she had needed a minute before talking to Sofia's therapist. Finding out her daughter had been abused and now seeing her ex-wife had brought a lot of issues and buried feelings forwards to work through. The good news was Sofia was doing much better. She recognised what Penny did was wrong and that telling Arizona was the right thing, she also had told the counsellor that her Mommy would protect her from everything. Her only worry was now her Mamma was here Sofia was feeling apprehensive to see if her Mamma was mad at her for being naughty, something she still thought she had been to deserve the abuse.

It was something Arizona wanted to resolve today. After they saw the penguins, otters, sharks and everything else the sea life centre had to offer. Afterall hearing Sofia laugh was the best medicine any doctor could prescribe. Arizona had made sure to push Callie forwards at every chance knowing Sofia needed the reassurance that her Mamma still loved her, even after the abuse, and Callie needed to see her daughter happy. Arizona was slightly concerned Callie's temper would take over, she'd half expected her to fly back to New York and beat Penny senseless. The thought had passed her mind a few times. But Callie seemed calm, guarded, her whole focus was on Sofia and Arizona, about making it up to them. Even going so far to buy Sofia the largest soft toy in the shop, a sparkle bracelet, adopting a whale, and buying bubbles. Arizona had allowed it sensing Callie needed to do this.

After the sea life Callie had treated them to dinner before helping Arizona bathe Sofia reading chapter 4 of Harry Potter.

"We went to Counselling today" Arizona blurted out, "Sofia needs to know you're not angry with her, she needs to know you love her and you're not mad at her,"

"I could never be mad" Callie said surprised, Arizona held her hands up

"I know, but Penny didn't just physically abuse her"

"I'm so sorry if I had known I'd have never…" Callie apologised, she felt so awkward, such a failure. She was furious with Penny and herself, she should have noticed, she should have been home more.

"I know" Arizona replied not wanting to discuss it, truthfully, she was annoyed at Callie for not putting their daughter first, for not noticing she was traumatised, that she was having nightmares, eating less, wetting the bed. But she was sure Callie hadn't known, Callie would never endanger Sofia or hurt Sofia. Callie would die before letting that happen the only thing that Calle was guilty of was trusting too much, spending too much time at work, and jumping into things with both feet and Penny had taken that trust and abused her daughter.

"I have an appointment with the police Monday, I'll tell them everything I know, I'll make sure Penny pays" Callie promised, Arizona nodded. It's what they both wanted, Penny in prison away from their family.

"Okay" Arizona said as there was an awkward silence

"I'm going to go, can I come see Sofia tomorrow?" Callie asked, Arizona nodded,

"Sure, were going grocery shopping first thing but I can text you when we get back" Arizona offered. Callie smiled,

"Thanks"

They spent Sunday watching Disney films on the sofa, playing board games and hide and seek. All 3 enjoying the family time without complications. The unspoken agreement of not mentioning Penny, or plane crashes or anything controversial worked. Both moms here for their daughter focusing on making sure she felt safe, secure and loved.

I wanted a little bit of fluff in a chapter, Callie is back and is now a bit sheepish.