So this is number 3 of 7 - enjoy :)
Callie wanted to take Sofia. It had been the one thing that Arizona had heard when she spoke with her ex the other week. Since then, the woman had been persistent, pushing school pamphlets at her and making it clear that she wasn't going to negotiate. It had left Arizona feeling like she was worthless, was she any less of a mother because she hadn't given birth. That was until Meredith had encouraged her to fight for what she wanted.
From there it felt like everything had spiralled. She felt like she barely got to see Sofia. Callie was being difficult. She often found herself with Meredith or Richard, both turning out to be great pillars of support.
I'm only one call away
I'll be there to save the day
Superman got nothing on me
I'm only one call away
Meredith had been surprised when Callie had asked for her to take the stand on her behalf. It had been obvious that despite the fact she had been spending a great deal of her time with Arizona, that the woman hadn't realised that they had developed a relationship. She wasn't sure whether now was the time to point out the fact that she was taking a loved one from someone that Meredith was falling in love with.
"I'll speak on behalf of Sofia, but I wont speak on behalf of either of you." Meredith had told her. "What you're doing isn't a good thing Callie. You're ripping her family apart."
Callie hadn't paid any attention to what she had said and added her to her list of people. Meredith refused to consider herself being in between a rock and a hard place. This could be the only way she could help Arizona. She knew that Callie was too stubborn to listen to anyone when it didn't align with what she wanted to hear.
Taking note of the fact that she would need to talk to Arizona about this new event, Meredith invited the woman for dinner. Food would have to help.
Call me, baby, if you need a friend
I just wanna give you love
Come on, come on, come on
Reaching out to you, so take a chance
Arizona had been shocked to find out that Meredith had been added to Callie's list of people to take the stand. She had tried to hide the hurt when she spoke with her lawyer, but she couldn't shake it.
Meredith had invited her for dinner earlier. They had been spending an increasing amount of time together, even caring for the kids together, taking them on mini adventures on shared days off. They were becoming something. It had been too soon to declare them a mini family. Now she wondered whether they were anything at all.
While her head was screaming for her to go home, her heart was calling out to Meredith. Even though she thought it would be against her better judgement, she let her heart win and steered her car towards the Queen Anne home.
No matter where you go
You know you're not alone
Meredith was relieved when Arizona entered the house. She had been unsure she would when she realised that Arizona was having a meeting with her lawyer to prepare for the next day. She had tried to mentally prepare herself for the woman she would see when she made it to the kitchen.
"Ari…" Meredith sounded when she saw a tired and hurt Arizona standing in front of her. The woman shook her head, silencing Meredith. She wasn't sure whether she should try and plead her case or not.
"Dinner is ready" Meredith said quickly, hoping that food would help calm the woman and then she could explain what would happen.
Food didn't help the situation. Much to Meredith's frustration, Arizona wouldn't let her speak up to defend herself. Instead things remained tense and quiet between them.
It was only once they had made their way upstairs that Meredith decided to try again. "Arizona, please let me explain."
"Don't" Arizona said tiredly as she sat on the side of the bed. She had already stripped down and was getting ready to remove her prosthetic. "Just hold me. I don't want to talk about it."
Meredith let out a sigh as she finished her evening routine before climbing into bed. She waited for Arizona to take her side of the bed before she moved to snuggle in.
"Please just know, I love you." Meredith said and received silence in return.
I'm only one call away
I'll be there to save the day
Superman got nothing on me
I'm only one call away
Arizona had left during the night after remembering that Callie was bringing Sofia around in the morning. She had cases to see to before heading in to court and she wasn't really sure whether she wanted to wake up next to Meredith today of all days.
Last night she had heard Meredith's declaration of love. Had heard it and then left it hanging. She couldn't return it. Didn't even want to hear it. Not with everything else that was going on.
Arizona had blocked Meredith's and Callie's phone numbers. She didn't want to be disturbed by them before court. Instead she finished everything she needed to do and proceeded to grab a coffee with Richard who had offered to drive her to the court house.
Richard was proving to be her pillar of strength. She wasn't sure whether Meredith taking the stand for Callie would leave her with a leg to stand on. Already knowing that her girlfriend was stepping into this on the opposite side had knocked her off her feet.
Come along with me and don't be scared
I just wanna set you free
Come on, come on, come on
You and me can make it anywhere
For now, we can stay here for a while, ay
'Cause you know, I just wanna see you smile
Meredith struggled to look at Callie. The lawyer had spoken with her and while she had ran through the questions she would be asking, Meredith couldn't seem to think of a way to get her message across.
The questions started off basic. She couldn't lie on the stand, yes Sofia did like Penny. The woman was a novelty for her, someone new. Meredith personally had a hard time liking her.
She took a few deep breaths when she shifted her eyes over to Arizona. She could see the hurt in her eyes. It was breaking her heart all over again.
Meredith shifted her attention to the lawyer representing Arizona. She had been looking for an opening to speak for Sofia. It seemed that while Callie's lawyer only asked closed questions with limited responses, this lawyer could see that she wanted to elaborate.
"We do need help as single parents. We need help getting our kids to where they need to be with all their limbs intact. We have learned to lean on each other. That's not a sign of weakness or bad parenting. I've been there for both of Sofia's parents just like they have been there for me. When you're a surgeon, it takes a village to raise your child, we are a village." Meredith stated, her eyes moving to Arizona once more. "Sofia's village is here in Seattle."
"Are you saying that Sofia would be losing her village?"
"Callie would be losing her village." Meredith said simply. She knew that she had just hurt Callie with what she had said. She had warned the woman that she would be speaking for Sofia. Deep down she also knew that she would be speaking for Arizona.
No matter where you go
You know you're not alone
I'm only one call away
I'll be there to save the day
Superman got nothing on me
I'm only one call away
Arizona had been shocked by Meredith's testimony. It had been heart felt and honest. She wasn't sure still what to say to the woman. She had barely spoken to her the night before, hadn't let her explain herself either. Yet the woman had stood tall for her.
Meredith had taken the stand only for her own lawyer to throw in her face that she was a single mother, to identify her as a widow. To point out that she herself wasn't at home looking after her children. Meredith hadn't become defensive as such, it had obviously hurt her, but she had taken it in her stride. As a result, the woman had obviously found a way to say what she must have planned to say all along.
"What was that Meredith?" Callie asked. Her voice echoing down the hallway and reaching Arizona who had been sitting on a stool, contemplating what to say to the same woman.
Arizona looked up to see Callie standing face to face with Meredith. She stood, knowing that this could become heated. The scorned Latina could be quite explosive when things didn't go her own way.
"If you had listened to me yesterday, Callie, I told you that I wasn't going to speak on behalf of you or Arizona. I told you I would speak for Sofia." Meredith stated and Arizona felt her heart explode with love. "You only heard what you wanted to." Meredith added as she turned to face Arizona.
Arizona wasn't sure whether Meredith was looking at her or past her as she was standing near the exit. Suddenly the woman began to make her way towards her. Arizona shifted nervously. What should she say to Meredith?
"And you didn't want to hear anything at all." Meredith said quietly as she walked past her.
Arizona, stopped to look at her girlfriends face. She had reached out her hand towards her, but had it shrugged off. For the first time since she had found out that Meredith was taking the stand, Arizona truly looked at her girlfriend. There was something there in her eyes that made Arizona feel sick to her stomach. Had she just lost her girlfriend and child in one court case?
And when you're weak I'll be strong
I'm gonna keep holding on
Now don't you worry, it won't be long, Darling
And when you feel like hope is gone
Just run into my arms
Meredith had gone to bed alone that night. She hadn't heard from Arizona and she herself didn't seek her out. There was something that had happened between them that was irreversible. It either cemented them as a couple or tore them apart.
Meredith didn't want to know which one it was. Nor did she want to ask. Instead, she switched off her phone and burrowed into her bed for the night.
I'm only one call away
I'll be there to save the day
Superman got nothing on me
I'm only one, I'm only one call away
I'll be there to save the day
Superman got nothing on me
I'm only one call away
Arizona couldn't believe her ears. She had won. Sofia Sloan Robbins Torres, her little girl, was going to be permanently hers. Callie wasn't going to be able to take her anywhere.
Arizona felt like she was going to burst with the news. Yet the person that she wanted to tell hadn't responded to her texts last night and she hadn't seen her at all today. She was due to pick up Sofia from Callie's in a few hours.
Needing to see Meredith, to do more than celebrate, Arizona decided that if Meredith wasn't going to answer or respond, then she would go to her.
It took numerous beatings on the door before she decided to just use her own key. She entered the house to find Meredith sitting in the family room with Zola and Bailey reading a book. Ellis was sleeping in the bouncer at her feet. The trio looked up from their book.
Arizona found herself speechless as Meredith closed the book and gestured to the kids to go and play. "We will finish our story later." Meredith promised them.
Arizona waited for the kids to disperse before she moved further into the room. Meredith stood, book still in her hands.
"I love you too." Arizona said quickly before Meredith could grouch at her. The other woman stood frozen, her revelation catching her off guard. Arizona found that as much as she wanted to celebrate the custody win, this currently seemed a little more important.
"I heard you the other night, I'm so sorry. I love you too."
I'm only one call away