Something quick! Written after 12x08.
Callie and Arizona had gotten tangled up in each other again. Neither woman was sure of how it happened; it just had. Arizona had gone over to Callie's that evening to pick up Sofia, and Callie had invited her in. Then, she had stayed for dinner. And she had stayed for dessert. And she had stayed for longer.
And, there she was, lying beside Callie in an unfamiliar bed, in an unfamiliar house, with an unfamiliar feeling consuming her.
She was in unfamiliar territory. She had just hooked up with her ex, and it had been…positively blissful. Extraordinary, even. Really, really good.
Because she trusted Callie now. And — from the way Callie had touched her — Arizona sensed that Callie trusted her again, too. They had both relinquished control to the other, and it had been okay. It had been good, in fact.
Really, really, really good.
But it was unfamiliar territory, and she didn't know what to do next. She didn't know how to ask Callie what she wanted, or how to tell Callie what she wanted.
She didn't know how to say that she wanted Callie. And she certainly didn't know how to apologize for old hurts and assure the other woman — the woman she loved — that she would never hurt her that way again. She didn't know how to say any of it. It had been so long since they'd truly talked.
Finally, deciding she had to say something, she turned towards Callie. The brunette's eyes were already fixed on her, a blissed-out, contented smile still teasing her lips.
Callie wasn't sure how she'd managed to get Arizona into bed that evening, but she was grateful she had. During the past several months, her deep, lasting feelings for the blonde had returned. Hard. And she'd had the sneaking suspicion that Arizona had been in a similar position; the last hour had only affirmed her speculation, and Callie had never been more thankful for being right.
And she wanted more. She wanted to forgive, to move on from the past, and to move forward with the future — with Arizona.
"Callie," Arizona whispered, seeking out shining brown eyes in the dark of the night.
Callie turned towards her, her eyes instinctively widening with expectation and hope.
"I…" Arizona didn't know how to say everything she needed to say. She didn't know how to express how she felt. What she wanted and needed. How deeply she loved Callie.
Callie lifted her palm to Arizona's roseate cheek, reverently smoothing her thumb over soft skin. "It's okay," she breathed. "You don't have to say it."
Arizona furrowed her brows in confusion, and Callie's thumb came up to soothe the crease that had formed between them. She continued, vowing, "Everything you're about to say…" she paused, meeting receptive darkened blue eyes. "I already know."
She knew how deeply Arizona loved her. There was no way not to.
Arizona exhaled a long, shuddering breath. God. She had never been so consumed with emotion as she was in that moment. And she had never loved Callie more.
Slowly, she brought her hand up to Callie's caramel palm that rested on her face. She lifted Callie's hand, bringing it to her mouth and pressing her lips against it. She wanted to worship her forever. "I want to say it."
And Callie certainly wasn't in a position to stop her. She didn't want to.
There was so much Arizona wanted to say to her. She wanted to say everything. She wanted to spend the rest of her life saying everything. Reminding Callie everyday of just how deeply Arizona's love for her flowed. She wanted to explain how, when Arizona found her, her heart found a home. And she wanted to make a home out of Callie — and provide Callie with a home — forever.
She hoped that Callie would give her a lifetime to describe how she felt, because there was no way Arizona could've said everything that night alone.
"Calliope," she finally began, clear veneration and immense feeling in her tone, "I didn't just…fall into bed with you, tonight. I love you. I'm in love with you. And I want an entire lifetime with you."
Slowly, a dazzling grin blossomed on Callie's face. They were on the same page. Finally. "Me, too," she promised. "You are still the one I want to spend my life with. You are still the most amazing woman. You're still the person I love most."
And, at that, an equally wide smile grew on Arizona's face. She loved Callie. Callie loved her. They loved each other, and it was enough, now. It would be enough for all the years to come.
She was sure of it.
