A/N

smiley714 - I just wanted to check in and say I hope that you're ok. Obviously as writers, our intention is to move people, but what you've said really struck a chord with me. I think there's many levels on which parents do or don't support their children, obviously this story has some extremes, but I hope that I've done the scenario justice.

Callie could feel that she was being watched. Begrudgingly, she prised her eyes open and found herself staring directly into baby blues.

"You're kinda creepy" she complained in her gravelly morning voice.

"And you're kinda cute when you're all grumpy in the morning" Arizona retorted with a wink.

"How do you do it?"

"Do what?" the blonde creased her forehead in confusion.

"Even after a day like yesterday, you still wake up all perky, and well…perfect"

Arizona shrugged "Perky is just who I am"

"If you were anyone else, you'd be so annoying" Callie grumbled, burying her face in the pillow.

The blonde threw an arm lazily across Callie's back "I guess we're both lucky I'm me then"

A grunt that may or may not have been meant to be a word came out of the brunette's mouth before she lifted her head enough so that one eye was visible.

"Would it help if I made you a coffee?" Arizona offered.

The brunette shook her head "Stay where you are"

"I'm not going anywhere"

"Can we just keep ourselves locked up in here and forget that the rest of the world exists?"

"While the concept and the company are both very appealing, the accommodation…" the blonde answered with a smile, indicating their surroundings "is maybe one step below the luxury I'd be looking for if I'm going to be held prisoner"

"I wasn't aware that I was going to be keeping you prisoner in this scenario" Callie responded, rolling back over so that she was on her side facing Arizona.

Their eyes met and the air seemed to grow thick between them. The blonde bit her lip, and Callie could feel her fingers involuntarily clenching the pillow.

Knowing that she needed to break the moment, Arizona rolled onto her back and focused her eyes on the ceiling.

"I've been thinking…" she started.

"Sounds dangerous"

"I may have an idea about what we…you…could do to try and get some answers" the blonde continued nervously.

"I'm listening" Callie encouraged her, gently placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Well, Eduardo wasn't the only one there that night. Your father was. And even if he never knew what Eduardo said to me, he obviously knew that threats were going to be made"

The brunette sighed "I guess, but I can't see him ever admitting that he allowed someone to make threats against me, let alone the man he walked me down the aisle to marry"

"No I guess not. But do you think he might admit to offering me money to leave if he was directly confronted about it?"

"Maybe? I mean, I'm currently second guessing everything I thought I knew about him. But he…he's a proud man. And if in his own way, no matter how misguided, he believed that what he did was to protect me, then he wouldn't be ashamed of it"

"So you think it's worth a shot?"

Callie sat up "I…I think it might be. But what about Eduardo? My father wasn't there when he threatened you. So him admitting the truth won't stop Eduardo lying about it if I confront him"

"True" Arizona reached out to stroke the brunette's back "but it would be a start. And it would mean that Eduardo had to at least admit to being involved. And he'd have to be able to find a way of explaining what he was able to say or do to make me change my mind about leaving"

Callie nodded and exhaled "You're right. God…can I really do this?"

The blonde sat up, wrapping her arm around Callie "I know you can. You're a badass, you've got this"

"And I…I can't really put this off, can I?"

Arizona leant in, resting their heads together "We can stay here for as long as you need. But you know that the longer we sit here, the more you're just going to be worrying. It's gonna be like ripping off a band-aid. The quicker it's done, the quicker the pain is over"

"I feel like that's what you tell your patients before they have an anaesthetic…conveniently leaving out that there is a whole world more pain to come"

"Little by little, Calliope. Let's just focus on dealing with your father first"

Callie sighed "I know you're right. It doesn't make it any easier though"

"Do you want me to drive you there?" the blonde offered "I could come right back here and wait for you to call me…or not, whatever you need"

"I'd like that" the brunette nodded "but I think you should sit in the car at the end of the drive. I'll feel stronger if you're there. And I want him…I want him to see that he hasn't won"

Arizona swallowed nervously "I can do that"

"He needs to see that we're not afraid of him. That you're not afraid of him anymore"

"Calliope…you know I am afraid of him right? He's exactly the kind of authority figure that I'm terrified of"

The brunette shrugged "He doesn't need to know that"

"Right. I'm sure I can be a badass too" Arizona said, more for her own benefit than anyone else's.

"Are you kidding?" Callie turned to her incredulously "You stood up to my father when you were a barely an adult. You're the biggest badass I know"

The blonde smiled gratefully "Thank you Calliope. Now get that badass of yours ready and I'll meet you out at the car in ten minutes"

In fact, it took Callie less than five minutes to gather her belongings and return her room key to the reception desk. That meant that she had the time to fully appreciate Arizona from a distance as the blonde made her way down from her room and sauntered over to the car.

"This is new" Arizona remarked.

"What is?"

"You waiting around for me. I think I can count on one hand the number of times that's happened in our lives. You're never ready first"

The brunette winked "Maybe I grew up"

They drove the short distance to the Torres house in silence as Callie checked her phone for the first time that day. Seven missed calls and five messages, all from Eduardo. She skimmed through them quickly.

19:04 When are you coming home?

19:58 Be home by 9, I have plans for you ;)

20:39 Don't fucking ignore me Callie, you owe me a good time tonight, I've barely seen you all week

21:02 Guess I'll just have to look elsewhere for company

21:25 Fuck you, don't bother coming home

She raised her eyebrows as she read them, and for the first time, found herself simply feeling nothing at all in response to his behaviour. If any of his messages had indicated that he was worried by her lack of contact, maybe she'd at least initially have felt a hint of guilt. But he seemed to only care about her absence for one reason, and so she fired off an emotionless response.

09:12 Seeing my parents. Don't know when I'll be back

She then returned her phone to her purse, still on silent mode so that she could choose to ignore him for as long as necessary.

"We're here" Arizona broke the silence, causing the brunette to realise that the car had in fact stopped.

"Oh god" Callie exhaled "I don't think I can do this"

"Yes you can" the blonde reached over to squeeze her hand "just remember, you hold the power here. You know the truth, and you deserve answers"

The brunette laughed lightly "I don't think anyone ever really has power when it comes to my father"

Arizona shook her head "Your power is your heart. And his weakness is his pride. Just remember that"

"Ok" the brunette sighed "my heart. Right. I can do this. I can just come out with it and demand that he tells me the truth. I'm going to stand up to my father…"

"Don't start second guessing yourself"

"I…I wasn't?" Callie defended herself weakly.

"I can hear it in your voice. I know you Calliope. Now go, before that little voice in your head talks you out of it"

"Yes ma'am" the brunette gave a mock solute.

Unfastening her seatbelt, Callie reached for the car door handle "Here goes…"

"You've got this" the blonde met her eyes "I believe in you"

"Thank you" the brunette whispered before getting out of the car.

She walked slowly down the drive, turning back once to look at Arizona who gave her a reassuring smile. She had been right earlier, knowing that the blonde was right there was just enough to give her the confidence to carry on walking and ring the bell.

Her father answered the door, and looked at her in confusion "Calliope, I wasn't expecting you today"

"I know dad" she tried to smile, almost certain that he'd see straight through it "I was hoping I could talk to you for a few minutes"

"Of course, come in. I'm afraid your mother is out but she should be back in the next hour"

"It's ok, I wanted to talk to you alone if that's ok?"

He eyed her suspiciously "Ok, what's this about then?"

"Sit down and I'll tell you"

"I'd prefer to stand"

There it was, she thought, his attempt to use his physical presence to assert his power. Well, two could play at that game. So she stood facing him, drawing herself to her full height before speaking.

"It's about something that happened ten years ago"