Thank you so much for the patience with the story. I have had some trouble with it over the past week. I have rewrote it 3 times. Not sure how I wanted it to go exactly. It is a longer chapter for the wait. We will talk more at the end. For now, Thanks again for all the reviews, favorites, followings and PMs. I am so glad that you are liking this story. So for now, let's continue.

Chapter 14

Arizona had a very eventful day. Little Emily had made a wonderful turn around. No seizures for 8 days. That was a record for the little girl as of late. Arizona was proud of the work that she and Alex had done. She was proud of the doctor, and man, that he had become. He had agreed to be on call Arizona's last night in town. He was hoping that she found her way exactly where she stood, at Callie's door. Just as she was about to knock, she heard the elevator sound. She, for some reason, watched the doors open and saw the one face that she had yet to see all weekend.

He smiled at her. "Hey, Robbins."

"Mark." Arizona said as she watched him walk toward her.

"I heard that you were here. Forgive me for not coming by to say hi, but I figured that I was probably the last person that you wanted to see."

Arizona just looked at him not knowing what she wanted to say. "I- I met Matthew. He seems like a good kid."

Mark smiled. "He is. He tries to keep up with Sofia."

"He looks like you."

"Well at least one does." His chuckle fell short. "Look Robbins, I am sor-"

Arizona raised her hand and tried to smile. "Don't. It was a long time ago."

"She was devastated, Arizona. What she did, she did out loneliness. Not out of anger or desire. You need to know that."

"It's a little late, don't you think?"

"Only if that's the way you want it."

"Mark-"

"She told me that it made her miss you."

"What?"

Mark chuckled and lowered his head. As he raised his head to return eye contact with Arizona, he admitted something he never thought he would. "After. She told me that she thought it would make her feel better, but that it only made her miss you more."

The two then shared a chuckle. "Ouch." Arizona said.

"Tell me about it."

"I'm not sure I would admit that to anyone."

Mark paused for a second. "Sometimes you have to admit things for the greater good of someone you care about. She loved you, and if I was putting money on it, I'd say that my daughter does too. We have something that works, Robbins. I live across the hall with my family. My daughter and my best friend live there. It works. Sofia always has her family here. A kid can't have too much family. That's all I'm saying." Mark started to walk to his door. "You girls have a good night."

Arizona smiled. "You too." When he closed his door, she took a deep breath and knocked.

Sofia opened the door and hugged Arizona. "Hey you." Arizona said as the girl ushered her into the house.

"Moms in the kitchen."

Arizona walked toward the kitchen as Sofia busied herself with a television program. As she got closer, Callie turned to her and smiled. "Hey."

"Hi." Arizona said returning the smile. She lifted a bottle of wine. "I brought some wine. I hope that it's still your favorite."

Callie noticed the bottle immediately. She and Arizona had shared many bottles of the wine during their time together. She smiled. "It is, yes."

"Good." Arizona sat the bottle on the bar as she took a stool.

"How was work?" Callie said returning to her cooking.

"It was good. Emily is still seizure free, so Alex is staying with her tonight."

"That's good." Callie looked over her shoulder and smiled again.

Arizona was suddenly saddened. Here she was with Callie, watching her make dinner and asking about her day. She looked over at Sofia who was on the couch with a blanket draped over her legs as she watched television.

"You hear me?" Callie turned to see Arizona looking at Sofia.

Arizona quickly turned back to look at the woman before her. "What?"

Callie could read Arizona better than anyone. She knew what was going through her mind while she looked at Sofia. She decided not to make it worse and ignore the moment for now. "The wine. Do you want to go ahead and open it?"

"Sure." Arizona said taking the cork screw from Callie. "Yeah." She slightly shook her head embarrassed.

Callie heard her phone chime and ignored it. She returned to her cooking as it sounded 3 more times. Each time Arizona would look over at the woman who acted as though nothing was happening. After the fourth sound, Arizona had to ask. "Someone is really trying to talk to you. Aren't you gonna get that?"

"Nah." Callie said never turning. "It will stop eventually."

It sounded again. "It could be a patient, Callie."

"It's not."

Arizona immediately knew. "It's Amanda, right?"

Callie didn't respond.

"If you need to take it, that's fine."

"It's fine."

"She knows that I am here, right?"

"She does now." Callie said as she looked toward her daughter. "Dinner's ready, Sof. Go wash up."

"Yeah, I'm starving." The little girl announced as she ran from the room.

Callie then turned to Arizona. "Amanda and I had lunch today and I didn't tell her. She's been busy all day and so about an hour ago I text her and told her."

Arizona chuckled. "Ok."

"So I am sure those last 5 messages are from her."

"Why does she care that I'm here?" Arizona played dumb.

Callie looked at Arizona with that WTF face and raised her eyebrow. "I don't know. My ex is in town and I am having dinner with her. Kinda doesn't look good to the new ..." Callie stopped. "Person I'm ...whatever it is that I'm doing."

Arizona looked away from Callie. "So, I think that I will go wash my hands too."

Callie smiled awkwardly and said. "Yeah. You can use the bathroom in my room. It's..."

"I know where it is, Callie." Arizona said quickly and Callie watched her walk into the room.

As she was walking through the room, Arizona noticed the pictures on Callie's night stand. One picture was of Callie and Sofia at Disney World. Sofia looked to be about 5 and was dressed in a princess outfit standing with Belle. Her dress even matching the characters. Arizona smiled as she went to the next picture that was Sofia in a soccer uniform with Matthew. Sofia had her left arms around the back of Matthew's neck and he had his right arm around the back of hers. They were both smiling so big. Arizona chuckled at how cute they were. They were only a year apart in age and Arizona was a little jealous that Lexie had forgiven Mark and Callie so quickly. The last picture she saw made her smile. It was a double frame. The picture on the left was of Sofia at her first birthday. She had cake smeared all over her face and one hand in the cake with this huge grin. The picture to the left was Callie holding Sofia under a "Welcome Home" banner. It was obviously Sofia's first night home. Arizona looked at Callie and saw the pure joy over the baby. It had always been Callie's dream to be a mother. It was something that, Arizona had to admit, suited the woman.

She was just about to sit the picture down when she noticed something. She pulled the picture closer. Her eyes widened as she saw pictures sitting on the mantle behind Callie and Sofia . It was one in particular that caught her eye. It was a picture that she and Callie had taken a week after they got together. She smiled as she remembered Callie showing the entire hospital a similar picture during her presentation. Only in this one, Callie was still looking at the camera while Arizona had her lips close to Callie's cheek. She was just about to kiss her cheeks when Callie snapped the picture. The picture in the frame was taken 7 months after Arizona left, yet her picture was still on display. As she put the picture down, she wondered just how long it had taken Callie to give up on her returning and remove the photo.

Arizona turned from the pictures and went into the bathroom. As she looked into the mirror she saw the shower behind her. The shower they had shared several times. Arizona still chuckled at the memory of Lexie bursting in on them. She quickly turned the water off and walked through the room just wanting to get out of there. As she walked into the living room, she saw Sofia already sitting down and Callie just starting to sit.

"You find everything ok?"

"Um, yeah. Thanks." Arizona looked down at the dinner. "It looks amazing." She smiled.

"Mom is a really good cook."

"I try." Callie blushed.

"No. I distinctly remember you being an amazing cook as well. She's the reason that Owen, Cristina and myself survived."

Dinner went well with them talking about just random events during the week and weekend. As they were cleaning up the table, there was a knock at the door. "You expecting someone?" Callie looked at her daughter.

"No."

Callie made her way to the door to find Amanda standing there with flowers.

"Hey." She said slightly shocked. "You ready?"

"Ready?"

The girl smiled. "Yes, Callie. The movie?" Callie looked at her blankly. "The one we talked about today."

"Oh my God." It was obviously something that Callie agreed to when she wasn't listening to Amanda while trying to decide if she should tell her about Dinner.

She then noticed Arizona in the apartment. "She here to watch Sofia?"

"I am so sorry, Amanda. It just slipped my mind."

"Since this afternoon?" Amanda said looking back at Arizona again.

Arizona started to gather her things. "Maybe I should go."

"Wait." Sofia said.

"It's ok, Sofia." Arizona hugged Sofia and whispered to the girl. "We have to let her do this in her own time." Arizona pulled back and smiled at the girl.

For the first time Sofia saw hope. "But-"

"It's ok." Arizona turned to Callie and smiled. "Thanks for dinner."

"Arizona, I-"

Arizona smiled. "Have a good time, Callie." With that Arizona left the apartment. As she waited on the elevator she heard someone running toward her. She looked over to see Sofia.

The girl stopped just in front of her. "If you still love her, you have to tell her. Now!"

"It's not that simple Sofia. A lot of time-"

"You have to tell her! She doesn't know."

"I can't tell her that in front of the person she is...whatever it is that she doing."

"Please. Your walking away again."

"There is a lot that we need to work on Sofia. It isn't going to happen over a weekend. Callie and I have to be on the same page and obviously we aren't."

As the elevator door opened, the girl pleased again. "Please don't leave."

"Your Mom as plans tonight that don't include me. I'll come by and see you tomorrow ok?"

Sofia just nodded. Arizona kissed the girls head. "It's ok Sofia. It will work out if it is supposed to." She rubbed the little girls back and stepped into the elevator. Arizona smiled and raised her hand to wave as the doors were closing.

Sofia stood in front of the elevator for a moment and shook her head. "It's no wonder this has taken 13 years." She continued to huff as she made her way to her dad's apartment.

Arizona had gotten to work early that morning. Emily was still doing well and Arizona made her finally documentation in the girl's chart. She wanted everything to be so that she could spend a couple hours with Sofia before her noon flight.

She was doing the documenting when someone walked up to her. She looked over very surprised. "Amanda?"

"I heard that you would be here this morning."

"From who?" Arizona chuckled, less than amused.

"Paula and Monica are friends of mine and they said if they knew you, you'd be here this morning."

Arizona had actually seen Monica this morning as the scrub nurse was heading into surgery. Arizona totally understand the smile that Monica gave her this morning after hearing that. "So you found me. What do you need?"

"I need for you to walk away."

"Excuse me?"

"From Callie. I need for you to let her move on. I know that-"

"You know nothing about me."

"Monica was around back then Arizona. I know that you really hurt her."

"She had someone else's ch-" Arizona stopped in frustration. "Never mind. This is none of your, or Monica's business."

"She is my business now. She is finally moving on and if you love her, you need to let her. Don't keep popping back up in her life."

"What I do, or don't do, with Callie is my concern. So if we are done here-" Arizona looked at the woman.

"Love her enough to leave." The woman said and Arizona watched her walk away.

She finished up everything at the hospital and made her way across the street to Callie's. She knocked on the door and moments later was staring at the woman she was asked to forget. How do you forget Callie? How had she forgotten Callie?

"Hey?" Callie said as she studied the woman.

"Hi." Arizona smiled.

Callie moved to the side and allowed Arizona in the apartment. "She is still at Mark's. She said for me to let her know when you arrived."

As she watched Callie pick up the phone, she quickly spoke. "Can you wait just a minute?"

Callie looked at her hopefully and confused. "Yeah."

"I just-" Arizona had so many thing that she wanted and needed to say, she just didn't know where the hell to start. "I just haven't had the chance to talk to you- alone."

"Ok." Callie placed the phone back on the counter. "What do you want to talk about?"

"I don't know where this is going. I don't know where WE are going." She looked at Callie hoping that she understood.

"I don't know, Arizona." Callie sat on the bar stool. "Where do want this to go."

"I live in Maryland. I have a huge practice that helps thousands of people. I can't leave Maryland so I wouldn't get to see...her, but a couple times a year at most." Arizona watched Callie's eyes fall as she realized that Arizona was talking about Sofia and her, not Callie and her.

"Well maybe she could come visit during the summer. She goes down to Miami during the summer and stays with Mom and Dad some. We are never apart long, but maybe she could spend some time in Maryland too."

Arizona smiled. "I'd like that."

"I'm sure she would too."

Arizona looked at Callie and tried to smile while holding back the tears that didn't go unnoticed by Callie. "What about you? Would I see you, maybe?"

"If you want that, I'm sure that I could make some room in my schedule."

Arizona started to place with her own fingers. "I just-" Arizona thought about what Amanda said. "I want you to be happy, Callie. You have to know that."

"Ok." Callie looked back at her blankly.

"I mean, I want you to-"

"I know what that sentence meant Arizona. You don't have to spell it out for me." Callie stood and walked to the other side of the bar. "I don't need you to tell me that."

"I didn't mean to-"

"I know what you meant. You think that I should be happy here with Amanda. That I shouldn't wait on...anyone. Got it!"

"That isn't what I said." Arizona shook her head. "I am screwing this all up."

Callie just looked at her. "What do you want Arizona? From me? From Sof? What do you want?"

"I want to be a part of the life that... I just don't want this to be the end. Not again."

"Well we can arrange for her to come out then."

"It's not just her!"

Callie looked at Arizona as she watched a tear run down her cheek. "I don't know what you want from me, Arizona."

"Nothing. I did this."

"You had help, if I remember right."

"I just can't look at you with someon-"

"You don't have too."

"I just need a minute. Last week I hadn't seen you in 13 years. This week...I feel like the only reason I know that much time has passed is the 13 year old that's here." Arizona looked at Callie and took a deep breath. You have to know that I still-"

"Hey!" The two women turned to see Sofia come through the door. The girl immediately started backing up when she saw Arizona's demeanor. "Do I need to go back to Dad's?"

Arizona smiled and walked toward the girl wrapping her arms around her. "No, it's ok."

"But, I can-"

"It's fine."

"You always say that." Sofia said as she noticed that her Mom had completely turned her back to them. "Mom?"

Callie turned after she wiped the tears from her face. "Yeah?"

The girl looked from woman to woman. "I'm going back to Dad's. Lexie was gonna take me and Matthew to the park so I'll just go now."

"No." Arizona plead.

Sofia walked over and put her arms around Arizona's waist and hugged her tightly. She looked up at Arizona. "Will you call me tonight?"

Arizona nodded. "Yeah."

She hugged Arizona as tight as she could. "Bye"

Arizona returned the tight hug. "Bye, Sofia."

They watched the girl walk out of the door. Arizona turned to Callie and just let it go. "I love you. I need for you to know that I always loved you."

Callie's heart started to race. "What do we do?"

"I honestly don't know." Arizona took several steps toward Callie then she was closer than she had been in years. "I need for this to be what you want too."

"How do we have any kind of relationship on different sides of the country?"

Arizona shrugged and smiled. "We could talk every day? Maybe you could come out to Maryland."

"Sofia isn't off until Christmas so we wouldn't be able to until then."

"What about you? Maybe Sofia could stay with Mark a couple days and you could come to Maryland. I could show you around, maybe we could have dinner. We could spend some time together and try and work this out." Arizona said hopeful.

Callie smiled. "Are you asking me out on a date, Doctor Robbins?"

Arizona returned her smile. "What I am asking for is a second chance, Callie. I know that you are dating someone, but I want another chance."

"I'm willing to try."

With that, Arizona hands found both sides of Callie's face. She gently pulled the woman's face toward her own, never losing eye contact. Just as their lips were about to touch, Arizona whispered. "I'm gonna give you one chance to stop me."

"I don't need it." Callie finished just as Arizona's lips brushed hers.

Arizona's lips gentle glided over Callie's. It was a sweet kiss. No rush or want was felt in the kiss. Callie's lips were home to Arizona. It was like she was returning home. She took her time with the woman in front of her. It was without a doubt the most sensual kiss that Arizona had ever felt. It was a feeling the she had only ever felt during sex. It was the most sweet, patient, loving, and arousing kiss she had ever been a part of.

Their lips separated when they needed air. Callie chuckled into Arizona's lips. "God, I just realized how much I miss that."

Arizona smiled. "So is that a yes to my date?"

"It's a yes."

Arizona placed a few light pecks on Callie's lips again. "I hate leaving."

"We'll figure something out, but for right now, this is the way it has to be."

"I know." Arizona looked at her watch and huffed. "I gotta go, Callie."

Callie groaned. "I know." She kissed Arizona again. "Call me when you land."

"I will." Arizona kissed her again. When she pulled back she took Callie's hand and led her to the door with her. "Promise me that we make this work."

"We will, somehow." Callie pinned the woman against the wall, hands still intertwined and now above Arizona's head against the wall. She kissed her again. This time the kiss was different and it was pure hunger. As her tongue found Arizona's, she released Arizona's hands and ran her hands down the other woman's hips.

"Callie, you have to stop or I will never board that plane."

"You say that like it's a bad thing." Callie said as she returned to kissing Arizona.

"It's just... the way it has... to be for... now." She said breathless as Callie kissed and licked the sides of her neck.

Callie pulled back. "I know."

"I really have to go, Calliope."

Callie smiled at the name. "Ok. Call me."

"I will." Arizona placed one final kiss on Callie's lips and opened the door. "Tell Sofia I'll see her at Christmas?"

Callie smiled. "I will."

Arizona said one last goodbye and closed the door.

Arizona stood at the airport trying everything that she could to convince herself this was the right thing to do. She had responsibilities in Maryland. Patients, sick children that needed her. She sat in her seat listening for the announcement of her flight boarding . She smiled remembering that kiss. Callie's hands roaming her body, the desire in her eyes that Arizona was sure she had matched.

Just as her flight boarding was called, she felt her phone vibrate. She looked down to see Callie calling.

She smiled into the phone. "Calliope Torres, I told you-" Arizona stopped and the smile fell. "I'm on my way."

xxxx

Callie was standing just outside the OR where they had taken Sofia. She had paced the floor for the past 15 minutes. Sofia, during a kick with a soccer ball, had lost her balance and hyperextended her right knee. Callie knew this scenario too well. How many knee injuries did she see in a year. How many times that she saw people who have reoccurring problems with that knee. Doctors, who weren't her, that botched knee surgeries every year. She was about to completely panic, when she heard someone coming up behind her.

She turned to see Arizona, already in scrubs, a scrub cap and tying the mask around her neck. "What are you doing?"

"You're her biological Mom. You can't go in there, so I will."

"I am sorry about your flight. I shouldn't have -"

"I'll let you know when it's done." Arizona quickly pulled the mask up over her face and slid the tie onto the crown of her head. "She'll be fine, Callie."

"Then way are you going in there? Why aren't you on the way to Maryland? You are as scared as me."

"I'm here for the same reason that has you out here pacing these floors."

"I'm pacing this floor because she's my daughter."

Arizona lowered the mask, took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. "And I'm here because she should've been mine." With that she placed a kiss on Callie's cheek, slid the mask over her face and never losing eye contact with Callie while walking into the OR.

A/N During the time that I was writing this chapter, something happened that I wasn't expecting. I saw the end. As a writer, you know what that means. It's time. There will be a couple more chapters and I am hoping that you all enjoy where it goes. So hang around for a VERY appreciative Callie. ;)