Callie awoke to the sound of a screaming baby and sighed happily, it was real. She was a mother now, she was responsible for a gorgeous tiny human being and she couldn't be any more thrilled. And to think she had even considered adopting her out, she must have been crazy.
Suddenly the baby stopped crying and she opened her eyes in fear only to find blonde hair rocking back and forth next to her.
"Hello little miss, are you hungry already. Mama will be awake any minute and you can get some yummy milk, but for now you'll just have to talk to me, I'm your aunty zona and I promise I'm going to love you for ever, you can always come to me even if its about your mama, I promise I will look after you and love you always"
"I don't want you to be Aunty Zona" Callie said causing Arizona to spin around in shock.
"Oh sorry, I shouldn't have assumed" Arizona said with her heart in her boots, she was gutted. She wanted to be something to this little girl, she had been there for every single ultrasound, her first flutter, her first kick, hell she had delivered her into this world. Surely she had earned the title of aunty Zona.
"You don't understand Arizona... I don't want you to JUST be Aunty Zona... your more than that. Being an Aunty to this sweet girl would be an insult to all you have done for her whilst I was pregnant and in her short life. I can see it in your eyes how much you love her, you love her like I love her... what I'm trying to say is... will you be her mother?" Callie said nervously.
"Are you serious?" Arizona shrieked making the baby cry. "Sorry, do not squeak in excitement with Sofia in your arms... Callie, do you mean it, like really mean it. Because once I agree to this, there is no going back, there is no changing your mind... If I am her mother then I'm going to love her like my own for the rest of my life, we cant change that" Arizona said as she handed the baby over to Callie.
"I'm serious Arizona. You said you saw our future and it holds brothers and sisters for Sofia... She may not be biologically yours but you were there for every milestone, you were there for every step, you went out to bring me beetroot juices at three in the morning even though you had worked a twelve hour shift that day... you have beyond all means of doubt earned the right to call her your daughter, if that's something you want" Callie asked.
"Oh sweetheart, you have no idea how happy I am right now, you have literally made me the happiest woman alive" Arizona grinned as she perched on the bed and watched the baby suckling against Callie's breast.
"And you make me the happiest woman alive. Sofia, can you say Hi to Mommy?" Callie grinned as she looked down at the little girl in her arms.
"Mommy. Oh my god I'm a mom" Arizona sobbed as she leaned into Callie, her forehead pressing against the side of Callies head.
"You are... we are" Callie agreed as she felt a tear fall onto her shoulder from Arizona. "Are you ok?"
"I'm more than ok, I'm fantastic... I love you so much Calliope and I promise you one day, we are going to get married and have a dozen brothers or sisters for Sofia"
"I don't think I could go through this a dozen times" Callie joked.
"No dumbass, you can do six and I will do six, that way its fair" Arizona grinned as she pulled back from their slightly awkward embrace to kiss Callie's crown.
"How about we do one more each, three children is more than enough" Callie said seriously.
"Ok three it is... although you know I'm a twin so chances are it could be four" Arizona joked.
"I can live with four, as long as they have your dimples" Callie grinned.
"Its a deal" Arizona sealed their pact with a kiss.
-oOo-
The next morning, both women were feeling as exhausted as they were exhilarated as Addison entered the room. Sofia had kept them up most of the night grousing and wanting feeding and when Sofia was up, everyone was up. That little girl, for such a small thing, had one hell of a set of lungs on her.
"Good Morning ladies, how was our first night" Addison said cheerfully as she laid two coffees down on the bed side tray and smiled as both women grabbed for them greedily, Arizona grimacing as she tasted the bitter coffee. Addison reached into her pocket and pulled a few sugar sachets out and handed them to the blonde.
"Couldn't you have led with the sugars?" Arizona grumbled.
"Nah, Cal tells me you love tasting her bitter coffee" Addison teased as she moved to the crib and began checking over Sofia.
"She looks healthy, how are you feeling Cal?" Addison turned towards the brunette who looked a little perkier now she had some coffee in her system.
"I feel great, tired but great" Callie admitted.
"Get used to that feeling, your going to feel it for a long time" Addison laughed. "Well I don't see any reason you cant be released today. We will get you up and walking shortly. You can take a shower while Arizona or one of the nurses look after little miss Sofia, then you can get her home"
"Already?" Callie asked.
"It was a simple birth, no problems. Baby girl is doing well, she's feeding and your feeling good so there is no reason to keep you, plus I know how much you hate being in hospitals as a patient so there is really no need to keep you in for longer than necessary... go live your lives, be happy" Addison smiled.
"We will still see you right?" Callie asked nervously.
"Of course, I mean from now on Sofia will be referred to a peadiatric doctor, but on a personal level you wont be able to keep me away from having baby snuggles"
"Well Sofia will always be happy to see her Aunty Addie, and so will Mama" Callie grinned at her friend, she desperately wanted to tell her the news about Arizona agreeing to be Sofia's mom but didn't want to do it in front of Arizona.
"Babe, could you go ring Papi and ask him to put the baby chair in the car and bring it down here please?" Callie asked sweetly, Arizona instantly picked up on the fact that was being dismissed and with a knowing smile she agreed, kissed Callie on the forehead before kissing Sofia in the same place and leaving the room.
"Wow, what was that?" Addison asked as she watched the exchange.
"I have something to tell you" Callie admitted.
"Oh do I feel gossip?" Addison teased.
"Yup... I asked Arizona to be Sofia's mom" Callie grinned.
"Oh my god! I take it by the smile on both of your faces she said yes"
"She said yes... have I done the right thing, is it too soon?" Callie asked, doubting herself despite her being over the moon that Arizona had said yes.
"I don't think so... I mean Arizona has pretty much been a parent to Sofia since the day we found out you were pregnant, she has done everything to look after you and this gorgeous little girl" Addie said as she picked up the little girl from the crib that was starting to grouse. "You and Arizona might have only been in a 'intimate' relationship for a short period of time, but she has been in your life since you were what ten?"
"Seven" Callie corrected as she watched the red head fuss over her little girl.
"exactly, that's nearly twenty years this relationship has been building for, if there was anyone you could trust to help you raise this little bundle of joy, its her... and I know that you two haven't had sex yet, and probably wont for a while, but that doesn't diminish what you two have, it doesn't lessen the connection and commitment the two of you have and have made to each other. So in answer to your question I absolutely don't think its too soon"
"Thanks Addie" Callie smiled softly, feeling better.
"Knock knock" Mark said as he walked into the room with a beaming grin, a pink helium balloon and a white teddy bear. "Uncle Mark is here to meet the gorgeous girl, is now a good time?"
"Come in Mark" Callie grinned at the familiarality of the man, he may have only been in her life a short time but he had become a stable in her life and she could happily say she loved the man like a brother, like she loved Tim.
Mark walked to Callie and placed a kiss on the crown of her head, put down the teddy bear and the balloon and made his way to Addison where he held out his hands expectantly, with a roll of the eyes Addison passed Sofia over and Marks grin grew.
"Cal she's gorgeous, she has your eyes and your nose, she even has your beautiful lips, you did good kid!" Mark turned to Callie who was watching him with her own big smile.
"I can't believe how beautiful she is, how much I love her already. Honestly I was terrified there wouldn't be a bond when she arrived. I was terrified she was going to look like him... Earl... but I couldn't love her more if I possibly tried. Shes just so delicious" Callie smiled whimsically.
"She looks nothing like him at all" Mark confirmed "She is all you, and your going to love her more every day that she is here. Just think of all the exciting things you've got to come, first smile, first laugh, first word, first step, first day of school, first boyfriend or girlfriend..."
"No boyfriends or girlfriends till she's at least twenty" Arizona interrupted as she entered the room with two coffees in hand, smiling at the scene in front of her. She made her way to Callie and placed a sweet kiss on her lips before handing a coffee over to her girlfriend.
"I heard we have a new baby in the hospital" Bailey smiled as she entered the room, fresh on shift.
"Hey Bailey" Callie smiled.
"Oh Callie she is just the cutest thing" Bailey swooned as she gazed into Mark's arms and saw the little girl watching him intently. "You did so good"
"Thanks Bailey, thank you for coming"
"of course, I wouldn't miss this for the world. You know when you first entered this hospital you had nothing and look at you now... a girlfriend, a baby, friends, family... I'm so proud of how far you have come Torres" Bailey said with damp eyes.
"Awww is Aunty Miranda getting emotional?" Mark joked, motioning to the baby when Bailey made to slap his arm.
"Aunty Miranda will kick you're a-s-s later if you don't quit it" Bailey raised her eyebrow warningly. "Now Robbins, I've okayed it with the chief and we are going to give you two weeks off to help Torres settle in, I don't want to see you inside this hospital until those two weeks are over"
"Bailey are you sure, that's very generous but I really don't need to take time off, I can do both" Arizona offered in shock.
"Deadly sure, the chief agrees with me, you need to be at home with Torres... sorry its not for longer but we don't want to risk your education by giving you too much time off"
"no, no... I really appreciate it, thank you so much Bailey. And if theres anything I can do to repay the favour please let me know"
"I'm sure there will be a weekend I need covering at some point" Bailey joked, well half joked.