Callie Torres slid the key to the dead bolt into the lock and twisted before repeating twice more with the locks to her New York apartment. She stepped inside and dropped her keys in a bowl before hanging her jacket on a hook by the door. She relocked the doors and let out a long breath.

She turned and looked forward down the hallway to where Sofia's bedroom was. Though because of the agreement she made with Arizona to bring Sofia to New York, Sofia was having Christmas in Seattle. She closed her eyes at the feeling of loss before heading to her left into the living room and then into the kitchen. Her bedroom and bathroom was at the far left of the apartment.

After pouring herself the biggest glass of red wine she could, she turned and walked to the large windows that looked out to the terrance. It wrapped all the way around the apartment was nearly doubled the space she had. It was the reason she had gone with this unit but in the cold of the New York winter it wasn't all that useable.

She turned back to the living room and sat down on the couch with her wine and hit the button to turn on the electric fireplace. With Sofia in Seattle and the extra hours she had been pulling lately she hadn't bothered to decorate. She had gone from the head of the ortho department in Seattle to an attending with very little control in New York. It had been an adjustment to say the least.

She brought the wine glass to her lips and thought about how her life had ended up here. Some of it had been in her control and some not. She hadn't made a plane fall from the sky, but she had made so many choices on either side of it that impacted why she was here.

She brought the wine glass back up and took a long drink before she tilted her head to the back of the couch and closed her eyes.

Her eyes snapped open when she heard the sound of boots on the hardwood floors. She tilted her head up to see a man with cobalt blue eyes, light hair, and a smile that was heartachingly familiar standing in front of her in some form of an Army combat uniform. U.S. Army was displayed on one side, the bars of a Captain in the middle, and Robbins on the other side.

"Timothy?"

Tim Robbins gave her a bright smile with his dimples popping. "In the flesh. Well not really. But yes, it's me."

Callie looked at her wine glass before slowly leaning forward and sitting it down on the coffee table. She sat back and took him in again. He looked so much like Arizona that her heart started beating a little bit faster. "How are you here? Why are you here? Am I dead?"

Tim let out a soft chuckle. "No, no you're not dead. I'm here because ..." He paused as if trying to decide how much to tell her. "Well, sometimes people need guidance. And someone from the other side put together something to help guide you."

"Guide me?" Callie asked confused.

Tim removed the tan beret he wore to ran his hand through his short hair to give him some time to think. "Are you happy?"

Callie paused before shaking her head no.

"That's why I'm here. To help give you perspective so you can get to a happier place," Tim explained.

Callie leaned forward to grab her wine glass again and downed the rest of it. This had to be some sort of dream or something. Her dead ex-brother-in-law couldn't be standing in front of her offering to help guide her toward something. But if it was a dream what was the harm in playing along?

"What are you guiding me toward?" Callie asked.

Tim offered out his hand to her. "Take my hand and find out."

Callie looked at the outstretched hand a moment before she reached her hand out to slid her against his calloused palm. She closed her eyes as his fingers wrapped around her hand, and when she opened her eyes, they were no longer in her apartment.

No, instead of being in her apartment, they were in one of her father's hotels in New York city almost thirty years before. It was decorated for Christmas with tinsel and bows and a huge Christmas tree dressed in lights and ornaments.

She turned when she heard her father's voice.

"Calliope, I know you're upset we won't be home for Christmas," a much younger Carlos said as the door opened as he and a not yet teenage version of herself entered. "But your mother has business to do here, and I have meetings of my own."

"But Aria got to stay at home with Mrs. Narvaez," Younger Callie protested. "And I don't like New York. It's loud and cold and it smells bad."

"Your sister also has school activities she can't miss over break," Carlos reminded her. He walked across the hotel suite and poured himself a whiskey from the bar.

Older Callie and Tim watched as younger Callie pouted as she went to the couch and sat down in a huff. Her head tilted forward with her long dark hair hiding her tears.

"I was so angry we wouldn't be home," Callie said to Tim. "My father's parents had both passed that year, and I felt like everything was changing."

"Things changing can be scary," Tim agreed. He stood with his hands behind his back as he often did even when not around other soldiers.

Younger Carlos walked over to his daughter and sat next to her. "Calliope," he sighed as he put his hand on his daughter's back. "I know you didn't want to come but spending Christmas with you and your mother means a good deal to me."

Younger Callie lifted her head and wrapped her arms around her father. "I miss Abuela and Abuelo," she said against his chest.

"I do too," Younger Carlos whispered as he wrapped an arm around her. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "They loved you a great deal."

Callie closed her eyes as she remembered how much she loved spending time with her father's parents. They always supported her when she was picked on. They supported her love of science and music too. Then they were gone and she felt so alone with how much her parents and Aria were just gone.

"Family has always been important to you," Tim noted as he watched as Younger Carlos and Callie turned on a Christmas movie to watch.

"It has," Callie agreed as she watched herself. "Daddy and I haven't been the same since ..." She trailed off. "And my mother and I haven't spoken in years, and I barely speak to Aria."

Tim lifted his hand and rubbed over her back before pulling her into a one armed hug. It turned into a full hug when Older Callie turned and pulled him in. He was a fair bit taller, so he gave her a full on bear hug as she listened to her younger self and father make plans to go to Rockefeller Center.

"Why did you show me that?" Callie asked once they had returned to her apartment in the present.

"Another Christmas in New York," Tim said as he stepped back when she dropped her arms. "Another time where you didn't want to be here and were."

Callie rubbed at her eyes. "But I had my family."

"But you had your family," Tim agreed.

Callie walked away from him and grabbed the wine bottle before coming back and sitting on the couch. She drank from the bottle as she thought about what she saw and what it meant. "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything," Tim agreed as he sat down on one of the chairs facing the couch.

"Why didn't you join the Marines?" Callie asked as she took in his uniform.

Tim chuckled softly. "Why does any child rebel against expectations?" He leaned forward. "My father is a Marine. His father was a Marine before him, and his father before him. Six generations of Robbins men have been Marines. And four generations of Chase men have been soldiers on my mother's side. I wanted to make my father proud and serve, but I didn't want to be Colonel Daniel Robbins' son when I did it."

Callie understood wanting to break away from parental expectations. She drank another gulp from the bottle before rubbing her eyes. "I miss her. Arizona, I mean."

"I do too," Tim whispered as he looked down at his hands. "I've watched over her as much as I could. Seeing her in the woods was ... torture."

"She never talked about it with me," Callie whispered before finishing off the bottle.

Tim gave a weak smile. "It's hard to tell people about the worst moments of your life. It's harder when the person you want to tell will hurt more if you do. We were raised to be good men in the storm. We were raised to take pain from others. It's not healthy but it's who we are."

"I wish she had you there to help her when I couldn't," Callie whispered as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"I do too," Tim whispered.

Callie leaned back on the couch and tilted her head back. She closed her eyes and breathed out. She sat back up and opened her mouth to ask him something else but when she did he was gone.

"Goodbye," Callie whispered to the dark apartment.

After sitting there a moment, Callie got up and headed into her bedroom. She stripped off her clothing and took the hottest shower she could stand. She scrubbed her skin as the hot water beat down on her. She often felt it was easier to cry in the shower because of the water beating down on her.

After drying off, she dressed in an old Miami Dolphins sweatshirt and a pair of dark leggings. She tied her hair up in a messy bun and looked at herself in the mirror. She was forty-two years old, twice divorced, and her daughter was on the other side of the country. This was not where she ever thought she'd end up.

When she left her bedroom and walked back to the living room, she stopped dead in her tracks as she saw someone standing by the window looking out at the terrace. Dressed in light blue scrubs with his hands in his pockets, stood George O'Malley.

"George?"

George turned and gave a bashful smile. "Hi Callie."

Callie rushed across the living room and pulled her ex-husband into her arms. The pair hugged tightly as they were reunited again. She cried into his neck as he held on to her and shed a few of his own.

"I'm sorry we didn't get to say a real goodbye," George said as he stroked over her back.

"You died saving someone's life," Callie said as she pulled back just enough to look at his face, now unmarked by the bus.

George gave a slight shrug. "Anyone would have done it."

"George, no they wouldn't have," Callie said with a shake of her head. "Are you here to guide me too? Arizona's brother was just here."

"I'm here to show you the Christmas of now," George explained.

Callie winced. "I'm not sure I want to see this."

George gave a sad smile. "Sometimes facing things that you don't want to face is the only way to move forward."

Callie wrinkled her nose but nodded. "Alright. Show me the Christmas of now."

In a flash of brilliant white light, Callie and George were transported from New York to Seattle. They stood outside of Arizona's home. White lights framed the house with LED candles in the windows. There was a light coating of snow around them but George and Callie didn't feel the cold as they stood facing the home.

"She found a nice place," George noted as they looked at the house.

"She did," Callie whispered as she looked at the home Arizona made without her. "All the important rooms are on the first floor. The second just has some extra bedrooms."

"You've seen inside of it?" George asked as they stood outside.

"When she was thinking about it, she wanted me to see it, because Sofia would be living here half the time," Callie nodded.

George took Callie's hand and walked through the wall of the house and inside of it. The smell of gingerbread and hot chocolate filled the air. Christmas music was on low as Arizona and Sofia sat together on the couch watching the classic version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

"She loves this movie," Callie whispered as she watched Arizona running her hand over and over through Sofia's hair. "The first Christmas we were together we watched it four or five nights in a row after we got off work."

"Mommy?" Sofia looked up at Arizona as Cindy Lou Who handed the Grinch the ornament from the tree.

"Yes, baby girl?" Arizona turned her head down to look at Sofia.

"Momma's fireplace isn't real," Sofia said with a worried look on her face. "How is Santa going to bring her presents?"

Arizona thought for a moment before a big grin lit her face up. "You see Santa is magic baby girl. So when he goes down the chimney, it turns the fireplace into a real one for a minute."

"Really?" Sofia asked with wonder written over her face.

"Yup," Arizona said as she stroked through Sofia's long black hair.

Callie watched as a chill ran through her at how much she wanted to sit down on the couch and be with them. "She's always been so good with Sofia," she whispered to George.

"She is a lucky little girl having you both," George commented as he watched Callie's face.

"She has us, but we don't have each other anymore," Callie whispered.

"People grow apart," George said.

Callie walked to the back of the couch and looked down as Sofia settled back against Arizona's side as the movie played on. She wanted to reach out and run her fingers through Arizona's hand and kiss the top of Sofia's head but she didn't. Instead she stood there and tried to figure out what the feelings swirling around inside of her meant.

"We didn't grow apart," Callie said after taking Arizona's face in for a moment. "We had figured out our crap. We were married and had a life that we both loved. And then a plane fell out of the sky and nothing made sense after that. We didn't grow apart, we were ripped apart. And it sucks."

As the Grinch's heart grew three sizes and he lifted the sled over his head, Arizona turned to Sofia and smiled down at her. "This is my favorite part," she said in a stage whisper.

"Mine too," Sofia grinned before cuddling a little deeper against Arizona's side.

George shifted a bit on his feet. "It's time to go back, Callie."

Callie closed her eyes and fought back tears at having to go. "Just a few more minutes?"

As the movie credits rolled, Sofia let out a yawn. "Can you give me a piggyback ride to bed like Momma does?"

"No, I can't. I'm sorry sweetie," Arizona said with a shake of her head. "But how about you help me put the milk and cookies out for Santa before I tuck you in?"

"Okay!" Sofia said as she got off the coach and headed to the kitchen.

Callie turned back to George with tears in her eyes as she nodded for him to take them back to New York. She couldn't watch anymore.

In a flash of white light, they were back to Callie's apartment. Gone were the lights and decorations, the tree, and the warmth. Instead there was a dark apartment and her family on the other side of the country.

Callie wordlessly walked to the kitchen and pulled out a bottle of tequila and poured herself a shot and then a second and a third. She put her hands on the counter and bowed her head.

"I am glad to see you but that sucked," Callie said. She lifted her head to look at George, but she found she was alone again.

After putting the tequila away, she headed back to the couch and laid down. If the pattern held up, someone would be coming soon to show her the future. A future she very much didn't want to see. She threw an arm over her eyes and breathed out slowly.

The last few months, she had felt more stuck than she had in years. She once told Arizona she felt suffocated by her but living without her tripled the feeling of being unable to breath. This was like some monkey's paw version of freedom that she wouldn't have wished for if she knew what awaited her.

"You look like shit, Torres," a male voice said from the end of the couch.

Callie slowly moved her arm away from her eyes to see a grinning Mark Sloan looking down at her. She felt tears fill her eyes as she flung herself off of the couch and into his arms. Mark managed to catch her and keep them from landing on the floor.

"I missed you," Mark said as he wrapped her up in a tight hug.

Callie couldn't form words for a moment as she cried against his chest. She couldn't believe she got another moment with her best friend even if it was like this. "I miss you so much," she finally got out.

Mark rubbed her back as he held her. They rarely needed a lot of words and right now they needed none. He kissed the side of her head as she slowly pulled herself together.

"I've been watching from wherever I am. I've seen things, heard things, and watched things," Mark said. "I screamed sometimes, and others I just sat next to you and wished I could have held you. I watch Sofia as much as I can."

"Everything got fucked up," Callie whispered into his chest. "You died and Arizona and I fell apart and ... everything just went wrong."

"I tried to fight, but I missed her," Mark whispered. "Lexie and me, we're as together as we can be now. Took death to get us there but we're happy."

"I'm glad," Callie said as she pulled back enough to wipe her eyes. "We named the hospital after the two of you."

"I know," Mark said in a low chuckle. "Kind of wish it didn't come to that."

Callie breathed out as it hit her why he was there. "Timothy said that someone put this together to give me guidance, it was you, wasn't it?"

"Yeah," Mark said bashfully. "I wasn't there to help when I should have been. If you and Robbins get back together or you don't, I just wanted you to stop feeling like I've seen you feel. I want you to be able to walk tall again."

Callie hugged him again and kissed his cheek. "You're going to show me the future, aren't you?"

"I'm going to show you the future if nothing changes," Mark corrected slightly.

"I'm not going to like it, am I?" Callie asked.

"No," Mark said honestly.

"Terrific," Callie sighed.

Mark held her hand and gave her a bit of a sad smile. "Ready?"

"No, but let's go anyway," Callie answered.

The white light flashed around Callie and Mark as they were transported from current day New York to a future in Nashville, Tennessee.

"Where are we?" Callie asked Mark as they stood outside an apartment complex.

"Nashville, Tennessee in about 20 years," Mark explained. "This is where Sofia lives while she's a resident at Vanderbilt Medical Center."

"Sofia becomes a doctor?" Callie asked with excitement creeping into her voice. The idea that Sofia follows her, Mark, and Arizona into the medical field filled her with a sense she at least did something right as a parent.

"In this version, she does," Mark said with a proud smile. "Come on." He walked through the door without opening it but took the elevator with Callie up to the seventh floor where Sofia's apartment was.

For a moment, the pair stood outside the door. Even from the hallway, they could hear Christmas music playing. Mark reached down and took Callie's hand in his before tugging her through the doorway into the decorated apartment.

Callie looked around at the open kitchen, living room, and dining room. Sofia had clearly gotten her idea of holiday decorating from Arizona. There were lights and villages, a large real tree in the corner with cranberries and popcorn strung on it, and music playing. It brought a smile to Callie's face.

"Do you want some wine, Mom," Sofia asked. She was dressed in a black cocktail dress and an apron, standing in the kitchen, and looking healthy and happy. It brought tears to Callie's eyes as she saw her daughter as an adult.

"Thanks baby," Arizona smiled from her seat at the island. "I would love a glass."

Callie took in her ex-wife. She had white through her fair hair but otherwise she looked much the same. She had a dimpled smile on her face as Sofia slid her a wine glass.

"One for Carina too?" Older Sofia asked.

"Carina?" Callie asked over Arizona's answer.

"Dr. Carina DeLuca," Mark explained. "Arizona's wife. They met a few years after you went to New York. On and off a bit but they got married after a few years together."

Callie crossed her arms as the aforementioned wife came out of the bathroom down the hall. She was beautiful and when she walked to Arizona and draped an arm around her shoulders, Callie felt her chest tighten.

"You have a beautiful home, paperotta," Carina said to her step-daughter. She still called her the Italian for 'little duck' even after all these years.

"Thanks," Sofia smiled with her dimples popping. They weren't as deep as Arizona's but they were there. "Momma should be here soon, and Eli should be back from the hospital any minute. Freaking interns paging their residents when they aren't really on-call."

"Interns gonna intern," Arizona laughed. She leaned back against her wife before turning her head and kissed her tenderly.

Callie looked at the floor as Mark's arm wrapped around her shoulders. She hated this future with every bite of herself. She let out a breath as the door opened and a tall man with light brown hair walked in. He has scrubs on and a jacket over them.

"Sorry, I'm late," Eli smiled as he walked in and kissed Sofia's cheek. "Turns out kids don't wait to have burst appendixes until after Christmas. Who knew?"

"I remember those cases," Arizona laughed softly. "Nothing like an appy on Christmas."

"The glamorous life of peds surgery," Eli smiled as he wrapped his arms around Sofia from behind.

"You smell like the hospital," Sofia said as she leaned against him. "Go shower before Momma gets here?"

"Yes dear," Eli said as he pulled away. "It smells great in here by the way. Glad you got your cooking skills from the Torres side." He winked.

"Hey," Arizona reached over and smacked him lightly in the arm. "I'm a good cook."

"Of course, bambina," Carina laughed.

"I don't need to be ganged up on," Arizona said with a pout.

"Arizona can cook," Callie said to Mark in defense of her ex-wife. "You and she had that cooking kick. You know she can cook."

"She can, but you and I both know it's not her favorite thing. Not like you or Sof there," Mark said.

Callie scowled a bit but didn't protest Mark's point. Even after everything between them and the distances, she couldn't help but want to protect Arizona in ways that she didn't totally understand.

After Eli went to shower, the three women chatted away about Sofia's residency. Callie learned she was learning trauma or general but had entertained cardio too. She moved forward into the apartment and stood at the island to almost fool herself that she was part of the conversation, but she knew she was just trying to ease the ache in her chest.

"Much better," Eli said as he walked out dressed for dinner. "Hopefully, we won't have anymore surgery needed today."

"The only carving you need to do the rest of the day is the roast when it comes out," Sofia said while patting his arm.

There was a knock on the door a moment later.

"That would be Momma. Eli grab it for me?" Sofia asked as the timer went off for her to check the beef roast.

"You got it," Eli smiled.

As Eli headed to the door, Carina and Arizona turned and had a whispered conversation that Callie couldn't quite hear. She didn't like how at ease the pair was with each other, even if she thought herself ridiculous for it.

"Hey, Callie," Eli smiled when he opened the door. "You're right on time."

Callie turned around to look at the older version of herself and felt her breath catch. She looked fine, but Callie could see the forced smile on her own face, and the way her eyes looked like she wanted to bolt already. There was more gray in her hair than she really wanted to think about too.

"Hi, Eli," Older Callie said as she wrapped her arms around her daughter's boyfriend. "Thank you for inviting me."

"Of course," Eli smiled as he took her coat for her. "Sofia just pulled the roast out, and we have wine open. Can I get you a glass?"

"Yes," Older Callie said without pause.

Callie watched as an older version of herself walk nervously toward the kitchen area in her apartment. She was playing with her hands which was a surefire tell that she was unsure.

"Hi, Callie," Arizona said with a much easier smile.

"Arizona, Carina," Callie nodded to the pair before moving around the island to hug Sofia.

"Hi, Momma," Sofia said as she turned and hugged her mother tightly. "I'm glad you could make it. Didn't bring James?"

"He went to Boston to see his siblings," Older Callie said with a tight smile.

"James?" Callie turned to Mark.

"You had a string of partners since going to New York. A year or two on each but none really stuck and you don't really bring them to family events," Mark explained as he walked over to stand next to Callie as they watched the evening unfold.

"New York just got a lot of snow, didn't it?" Arizona asked.

"About a foot," Older Callie nodded. "I did three different surgeries around the storm to fix broken ankles."

Callie walked away from Mark and the group to walk around the apartment. She couldn't stand there and listen to her and Arizona sound like former co-workers as their daughter worked on putting Christmas dinner on the table. Over by the tree, a photo caught her attention.

"It's my favorite photo," Mark said as he stepped behind Callie.

The photo was the one taken the day that Sofia came home. Her three parents stood there together as if they would always be there for her. None of them had any idea what was going to happen in the future. So unaware of planes and lawyers and DNRs. They had been a family. Unconventional. Sometimes held together by sheer force of will. But happy.

"I can't watch anymore," Callie whispered when Mark put his arm back around her shoulders. "Take me back to New York. Please, Mark."

The light swallowed them whole and soon they were back in Callie's apartment.

Callie pulled away from Mark and started to pace as a mix of Spanish and England let her lips in a rant on how she could let any of this happen. She felt like she failed Arizona, Sofia and herself. And selfish for wanting a change to a future where Sofia and Arizona were so happy. But she couldn't accept that.

"I still don't speak good enough Spanish, Torres," Mark said as he watched Callie pace.

"I need to fix things," Callie said with a determination in her eyes. "I can still fix things, right? I can fix things? It's not too late?"

"I wouldn't do this if it was too late for you to be happy," Mark said. "Robbins or not, I want you to have what you want."

"I want my family back," Callie said with a voice full of absolute certainty. "I want to go home."

Mark pulled Callie into a tight hug. "I will always have your back. Even if you can't see me or hear me, I've got your back," he promised her with a voice full of emotion.

"I love you, Mark," Callie said with a tear in her voice.

"I love you too, Callie," Mark whispered. He didn't step back for a long moment.

When Mark did step back, Lexie Grey appeared next to him. She reached down and laced their fingers together before giving Callie a smile. A second later both she and Mark had vanished, and Callie was left standing in her empty apartment.

Callie grabbed her wallet, her phone, and jacket and headed out the door. She needed to get to Seattle.

/ / / / /

Arizona Robbins was sitting on her living room couch just before one in the morning on Christmas Day trying to get the last of Sofia's gifts wrapped and under the tree.

Christmas music was still softly played as she drank wine and ate the cookies that Sofia left out for Santa. Sofia was sound asleep in her bed, unaware that her mother was playing Santa Clause.

After putting the final gift under the tree and cleaning up the wrapping, she sat back down on the couch and looked around the living room. It was picture perfect, and yet It was just off. There were only two stockings hung at the fireplace. There was only one glass of wine next to the tray of cookies. And there was no necklace around her neck or ring on her finger.

She let out a breath as she stood to get ready to go to bed. She knew Sofia would be up early tomorrow, and she needed as much energy as she could get.

Before she could make up her mind if she wanted the last cookie on the tray, a knock came to the front door. She cautiously turned toward the front door and made her way to it. She glanced at the softball bat she had there more for her own peace of mind than any real notion that she could use it for self protection.

When she opened the door and saw Callie standing in front of her in a leather jacket with her hair around her shoulders her breath caught in her throat.

"So, picture it. I'm in New York, and I got everything I thought I wanted. I have Sofia, and I have a job; I have my research. And I hate it. I hate it so much," Callie started. Having remembered Arizona's words from years ago and used them in hopes of softening Arizona. "And I have to let her come to Seattle for Christmas because that was the deal I made with you to let her come with me. But with her gone, all I can feel is the weight of my choices crushing me."

"Calliope," Arizona whispered.

"Because I don't have you," Callie kept rolling even with Arizona's minor interruption. "I don't have stupid roller skate shoes that are going to make you break your neck one day. I don't have butterflies on scrub caps looking down at me from the gallery. I don't have you walking down the hallway smiling at me before we each went in different directions. And no I haven't had that even when I was here for a long time, but at least I got to see you. I got to see you. I got to hear your voice. I got to have some of you, and in New York I have none of you."

"Calliope," Arizona tried again.

"I've been yours, and I have not been, and I gotta tell you that being yours is better on the worst day than being not is on the best," Callie said as tears sprung to her eyes. "I have tried for years not to be in love with you, and it hasn't worked. I have tried so hard not to be in love with you, and it's exhausting. I am fried trying to live a life I hate. I just want to come home."

There were a million competing thoughts running through Arizona's mind as she stood there in the same spot she had once put Callie. Standing on one side of the door and having a grand declaration of love hit them after they flew away from a life in Seattle. Instead of saying anything, she did what she wished Callie would have done all those years ago.

Arizona stepped forward and she kissed Callie right on the mouth.

It took no time at all for the kiss to deepen and the two women to wrap their arms around each other. Years of angry words and ill intentioned actions melted away as the pair reunited with each other.

"Sofia asked the Santa I took her to for us all to be together for Christmas," Arizona whispered when she pulled her lips away from Callie's.

"Maybe this is a Christmas miracle," Callie whispered. Arizona's head was tucked under her chin, and the pair were wrapped up together. This was all she needed for Christmas.

Arizona pulled back when the cool air outside started to be a problem. She tugged Callie inside before shutting and locking the door behind them.

For a moment, the two of them just looked at each other with matching grins plastered on their faces. Neither could quite believe they were in the company of the other at the moment. And yet here they were, standing in Arizona's entry way.

"Do you want wine or something to eat?" Arizona asked after a moment if just smiling at each other.

Callie shook her head. "Take me to bed, Arizona? We can talk later about the details, but right now I just want to lay in bed with you, and feel like I haven't thrown it all away on a bad call."

Arizona's smile widened at the idea of the simple pleasure of laying in bed with Callie again. "Come on, I put the Christmas Tree sheets on the bed that you always used to love," she said before reaching out and lacing her fingers with Arizona's.

Callie looked to her left before they headed to bed to see the same photo hanging of Mark, her, and Arizona with Sofia as she saw in the possible once but no longer future.

"I love that picture," Arizona whispered. "And I miss him."

"I have a feeling he's watching over us," Callie said as she gave Arizona's hand a squeeze. She did a double take as she swore Mark winked at her from the frame. She just shook her head slightly and smiled.

"I hope so," Arizona said as she looked at the photo. "I hope Tim is too," she said in a quiet voice.

"He is," Callie whispered. "He's watching you, and I would bet my last breath that he's proud of you."

Arizona leaned against Callie a moment as she digested her feelings. She shook her head after a second and smiled up at Callie. "It's a nice thought, isn't it? Mark and Lexie and Tim and everyone else watching over us."

"It really is," Callie whispered.

Arizona led Callie to her room and lent her something to change into. It stuck both just how easy it was to fall back into the pattern of getting ready for bed they had perfected years before. It was as if no time had passed while at the same time both didn't have the anger and hurt inside them they once did.

Callie slid into her old side of the bed and wrapped her arm around Arizona's middle.

"Calliope?"

"Yeah, Arizona?"

"Thank you for coming home. I love you," Arizona whispered as she shifted so her forehead was resting against Callie's shoulder as they leaned toward each other.

"You do?" Callie asked with her voice cracking. She could still remember like it was yesterday when Arizona said the words to her the first time.

"I really do," Arizona promised as her hand slid up to rest on Callie's bicep.

"I love you too," Callie whispered back.

Arizona cuddled a little closer to Callie with her eyes closed. Within a few moments of Callie holding her, she was already asleep.

Callie looked upwards. "Thank you," she mouthed to those who helped her find this path. She turned her head back down to rest it against Arizona's as she fell into the best sleep she had since before a plane fell out of the sky.