"Mommy!" Sofia opened the door up to see Arizona standing on the other side.
"Hey, baby girl," Arizona smiled as she wrapped her arms around Sofia when she stepped forward for a hug. "How was your day?"
"Awesome," Sofia grinned up at her. "I got a hundred on my science test. And all of my spelling words right."
"I am so proud of you," Arizona smiled before being pulled by the hand to the kitchen where Callie was working on dinner.
"Hey," Callie greeted. She really wanted to walk over and kiss Arizona but the pair had agreed the week before to keep the PDA down for now in front of Sofia.
"Hey, yourself," Arizona said. "Hey, Sof, do you get your science test back to take home?" She asked their daughter.
"It's in my room," Sofia nodded.
"Go get it for me?" Arizona asked before watching Sofia run off. Once she was sure their daughter was out of sight, she walked over to Callie and gave her a hello kiss. She smiled as she pulled back and took a half step back. "I want to see the test, but I wanted to do that too."
"Clever," Callie smiled before going back to chopping the vegetables for the chicken stir fry she was making.
Sofia ran back in the room with the test in her hand. She handed it to Arizona before bouncing slightly on the balls of her feet as she watched for her mom to look it over.
Callie looked up as her knife stilled just to watch the interaction between Arizona and Sofia. The way that the two of them interacted had always been so natural and loving. It was the type of bond that Callie had prayed for when she was pregnant and things were so tense. She had a wide smile as she turned back to her chopping.
"You did so well, Sof," Arizona said before looking over at Callie. "I think this is one for the fridge, don't you?"
"I couldn't agree more," Callie answered.
Arizona helped Sofia put it on the fridge with a big magnet before giving her a big hug. "Do you have any school work you want me to help you with while dinner is being made?" She asked.
Sofia ran off again to grab her math sheet while Arizona took a seat at the table. She didn't comment on how good it felt to be sitting here waiting on Sofia to bring homework to her while Callie made dinner. When she looked up though, she caught Callie's eyes and both shared a warm smile.
/
Sofia wanted both Callie and Arizona to read her a story that night. They happily agreed before tucking her in and kissing her goodnight. They headed out to the living room where Callie had a bottle of white and two glasses waiting.
"I can't have more than one or two. I have an early meeting tomorrow," Arizona sat down with a glass in her hand. "Nicole and I are in the process of screening fellows."
"How's getting everything set up going?" Callie asked as she sat near Arizona, leaving about a foot between them.
Arizona started to explain the process of how construction and renovations was going. With Nicole's connections they were getting a build very close to the hospital for cheap. They just had to make it look and function the way they want and staff it with the type of people who could do what they did.
"You're amazing," Callie said as she looked at Arizona when she paused her expiation for a drink. "I mean it, Arizona. What you are doing is going to save thousands of children. You already are saving life with your cart idea and now this? You are awesome."
Arizona blushed at the praise that Callie gave her. "You know people tell me things like that sometimes. And I'm a doctor, a surgeon even, so I have an ego that is happy to be stroked. But hearing it from you? From someone I respect as a doctor, as a surgeon, is pretty terrific."
"Arizona," Callie ducked her head.
"I respect you, Calliope. I always have." Arizona leaned over to press a kiss against her jaw. "You are a rockstar."
"I took for granted all the times you and I got to be in the OR together when you were in peds full time." Callie reached over to tuck a lock of hair behind Arizona's ear.
"The worst part of my job now is that unless we're together on one of the very few peds cases I take, we won't operate together." Arizona moved closer to Callie so their knees bumped together. "I love seeing you take charge in an OR."
"Do you?" Callie asked with a raise of her eyebrow.
Arizona nodded before setting her wine glass down and then taking Callie's and doing the same. She leaned in for another kiss after sitting back while her hand slid up into Callie's short hair.
"You really like the hair," Callie said after breaking the kiss to move her head down to press soft open mouth kisses along Arizona's jaw and then down her neck.
"I really like the hair," Arizona agreed while tilting her head to the side to give Callie room to work. "No marks. I'm in interviews all day tomorrow."
"That's why God invented coverup," Callie said with a nip to Arizona's skin too light to cause a mark that would last more than the night.
"I've always been terrible at using coverup to cover love bites," Arizona said while sliding her hand down to the back of Callie's neck.
"How was this not a problem for us before?" Callie sat back to look into Arizona's blue eyes. They were Callie's favorite shade of blue right now as they were slightly darker.
"You always left them in places I didn't need to cover up," Arizona said with a sexy smile. "And I returned the favor by putting mine in places no one saw either."
"I'm starting to remember," Callie nodded as her heart rate picked up. As she thought about it, she remembered all the times she made sure to turn her back to anyone else when she changed into a scrub top because her chest had been well and thoroughly marked by Arizona.
"I'll give you a reminder soon," Arizona said as she reached out to stroke her fingers over Callie's exposed collarbone. "But if we start something more we're both going to be disappointed when I go home."
Callie sighed even as she nodded in agreement. "I misjudged how turned on you still can make me when we kiss."
"The feeling is mutual and frustrating," Arizona promised as she reached for her wine to down the rest of it. "But you can always go to bed early and text me how the rest of your night goes. And when I get home I can return the favor."
Callie's eyebrow raised at that. "Oh, can I?"
Arizona leaned in to kiss Callie one more time. She sucked on her tongue in the way Callie had once commented she loved before running her tongue over the ridges of her hard palate. She pulled back and moved to her feet to keep herself from kissing Callie or escalating things farther.
"I need to go home." Arizona ran a hand through her long hair. "I want to stay for the record. And one day I will ask to. But not tonight."
Callie dropped her head to her hands to give herself a moment to gather herself and to get her hormones under control before standing. "I'll walk you to the door."
Arizona grabbed her bag before heading to the door with Callie. She turned after it was open and smiled at her. "Tonight was really nice. We never had that when she was old enough to interact with us like she did tonight. Asking a million questions and talking about her day. I'm really glad we had it tonight."
"It felt like it should happen all the time," Callie whispered as she reached for Arizona's hand and held it tightly.
"One day, Calliope," Arizona promised. "Goodnight," She said before stealing one last soft kiss.
"Text me when you get home?" Callie asked.
"I will." Arizona squeezed Callie's hand before letting it go and walking down the hall to the elevator.
Callie stood in the doorway a moment and watched her walk away. She had no idea when they would live together, but she was already counting down to that day in her head. She waited until Arizona was safely in the elevator before shutting and locking her door, leaning back against it with a smile.
/ /
"Go with the blue."
Arizona turned from the paint samples on the wall to look at the doorway of her new office. Callie stood dressed for their date that evening in dark pants with a deep red top with a few buttons undone and a blazer that was begging Arizona to tug at the lapels and bring her in for a kiss. It was there second date in the last two weeks because for once the scheduling gods had worked in their favor.
"You think?" Arizona asked while taking a step back to look at all of them. She was changed for their date into a black dress that fell just below her knee, and out of the work clothes she wore every day for now. God, she missed scrubs.
"It's light enough to scratch your itch for Easter colors while being dark enough to be worth the paint," Callie said as she moved to stand next to Arizona.
"Good day?" Arizona asked as her eyes moved back and forth between the colors before picking up the blue sample and writing "this one" on it.
"Three MVA's with a mess of broken limbs for me to work on today," Callie said as she watched Arizona put the paint sample on a small table with some other fabric and furniture selections. "I had forgotten what it was like not to run the department. It's stressful having to explain yourself to someone who does like five surgeries a week to keep the job."
"Feel like a resident under Chang again?" Arizona asked as she turned and crossed her arms over her chest with a smile at her face.
"It's worse. At least Chang let me run things even if I didn't have the title." Callie just shook her head. "I'll be fine and it's not like I'm next in line for the job anyway."
"You should be next in line." Arizona walked over and pressed a kiss to her cheek before wiping her lipstick away. "And you look phenomenal."
"So do you," Callie smiled. "You always did wear a little black dress well."
"Thank you," Arizona smiled. "I'm ready if you are. The reservations are in a half hour. Which should give us more than enough time to walk there."
Callie would have once suggested a cab but this time bit the comment back. If Arizona was prepared to walk it, then they would walk. "It's a beautiful night out," she said instead.
Arizona shut the lights off and walked to the elevator before pulling her phone from her purse when it vibrated. "April said Sofia is playing with a practice suture kit with Jackson at the kitchen table. Oh, she sent a photo."
The photos showed Sofia bent over the pad of fake skin with child sized gloves on. Her tongue was between her teeth as Jackson pointed at the pad. Arizona turned her phone after they entered the elevator so Callie could see.
"God, she looks just like Mark when she does that," Callie said as her hand pressed to her heart. "Mark would be proud of Jackson for teaching her an simple interrupted stitch this early."
"We might have to get her some of the practice kits. I don't want to pressure her but if she likes it, I want to nurture that," Arizona said as they stepped off the elevator.
"Zola tells Meredith she's going to be neuro like Derek. Maybe Sofia will go plastics or ortho or save tiny or tinier humans like one of us," Callie said. When they exited the building, she laced her fingers with Arizona as they headed down the street.
"Pediatric orthopedics is a thing," Arizona teased Callie as they walked. It was a warm night and they had time so they strolled without rushing.
They were soon seated in a romantic restaurant near where the center would be that both had read great reviews for. White table clothes, leather chairs, and dark wood all combined together. One of the benefits in moving cities was getting to find new favorite places together and separately.
"Oh, by the way. I'm paying. So don't worry about dividing up what a salad costs," Arizona said as she looked over her menu with a slight smirk on her lips.
"That was a hundred years ago. I have my trust fund back and a killer paycheck now," Callie laughed at the memory. She could laugh at it now that so much time had passed but at the time she was running on fumes. "Some things don't change though, like how much you hate sandwiches."
"I don't hate them. I just would rather eat about anything else most of the time," Arizona teased as she slid her hand across the table without looking away from the menu.
Callie held Arizona's hand as she tired to decide between the sea bass and the spinach-ricotta ravioli. "Do you want to split a dozen oysters?"
"Yes," Arizona agreed. "I haven't had east coast oysters since I was a resident. It's the best part of being on the east coast again."
"The best part?" Callie looked up from the menu with a raised eyebrow.
"The 'after being with you again,' was implied," Arizona laughed as they bantered back and forth.
"I'm sure it was," Callie chuckled. "Ravioli or sea bass?"
"You get the sea bass and I'll get the ravioli and we'll share a bit?"
"Genius."
After they ordered wine and their food, they just smiled at each other for a moment. The last few weeks had been going well.
They texted a lot, because they no longer worked together all the time, and it was the only way they got to see each other unless Arizona was doing a surgery that day. They had a few dinners together with Sofia and while they knew she noticed they were friendly she hadn't commented to either about things changing.
The making out was nice too if a little frustrating.
"New York looks good on you," Arizona said to Callie. "I know not heading ortho is difficult, but the city looks good on you."
"Seattle was such a big part of my life for so long, but there was too much history there for me to be able to change the way I needed to," Callie said as her thumb traveled over the peaks and valleys of Arizona's knuckles. "New York gave me a fresh start."
"Carlos must love it," Arizona said. "It's what, a three hour flight vs almost seven to Seattle?"
Callie nodded. "He has more business here than Seattle so it's easier for him to build out a little more time for his trips and see us. He's still upset I didn't stick it out with us though."
"You stuck it out plenty long," Arizona said.
"You believe that and I do too most days, but we are daughters of stubborn fathers who believe what they want about us," Callie noted as she watched Arizona process everything. Her eyes always gave her away.
"That we are," Arizona agreed. "I'll go but don't tell him we're back together over the phone. The next time he comes, you and both of us can tell him in person. If you tell him before that, he's going to get on his plane and fly up that day."
"True," Callie snorted slightly.
"We're really doing this, aren't we?" Arizona whispered as it hit her that doing this included telling people who had watched them fall in love the first time and saw them break apart at the seems.
"Yeah, we are," Callie nodded with certainty in her eyes. "If I have it my way, we're going to fall in love with who each other is now and then we're going to get remarried and this time it's going to be legal everywhere and then we're going to live happily ever after."
Arizona closed her eyes a moment as a wave of hope filled her. She reopened her eyes and looked into Callie's. "When you say things like that, it's very hard not to kiss you in the middle of dinner with a room full of strangers around."
"You'll just have to kiss me after dinner," Callie smiled one of her super magic smiles.
"You can count on that, Calliope," Arizona laughed softly while shaking her head.
They shared bits of their dinners when they came. There were some things that they couldn't ease themselves into and just fell back as if they never stopped. Sharing food and sharing their days was an easy thing to add back in after the pressure of being in Seattle and trauma they both experienced there was taking away.
"That was great," Arizona said when they were outside and on their way to Callie's apartment. She wanted to walk Callie home before going to pick up Sofia.
"The food and the company both were," Callie said as she swung their hands slightly as they walked.
Arizona blushed just slightly. The fact she still did over silly little comments like that warmed her heart. Callie still got to her in all the best ways. She could make her heart race; her palms sweat; her breathing pick up at the just the thought of that megawatt smile and the hint of something wonderful in Callie's eyes.
"I am going to walk you to your door and give you a goodnight kiss, but I promised to pick up Sof before ten," Arizona said as a breeze blew around them causing her to shiver.
Callie pulled Arizona out of the path of others and took her jacket off before sliding it around Arizona's shoulders. "You never remember to bring a wrap when you wear a dress," She chuckled with affection in her eyes.
"Maybe I just like stealing your jacket too much?" Arizona asked with a flirtatious smile.
"Maybe I like letting you?" Callie winked before bending down for a quick kiss.
Arizona and Callie stood side by side as they road the elevator up to Callie's apartment. Fingers laced together, Arizona leaned slightly against Callie, though it was more just to be close than to discomfort in her thigh.
"This part I kinda hate," Arizona said once she and Callie were standing just inside Callie's apartment.
"I'm not a fan of it either," Callie said as she wrapped her arms around Arizona's waist under the jacket she hadn't taken back yet.
Arizona's hands cupped Callie's jaw before she leaned forward to press a soft kiss to her lips. It didn't stay soft for long as they both decided to deepen it. Tongue slid over tongue as Callie stepped back and Arizona forward to pin Callie to her suddenly closed door.
Callie's hands moved down to cup Arizona's butt and pull her in closer. She always did have a deep appreciation for Arizona's ass and having it back in her hands made her very happy indeed.
"You always did love groping my ass." Arizona broke the kiss to grin at Callie with a knowing smile. She didn't wait for an answer as she moved one hand down to push Callie's partly undone shirt open so she could press feather light kisses over her collarbone and then down between her breasts where a faint scar barely stood out.
One of Callie's hands moved into Arizona's hair to press to the back of her head. This wasn't new. Arizona kissed over this scar nearly time they had done more than kiss since her chest has to be cracked open all those years ago. A small thanks to the universe for not taking Callie out of it.
"You're the only one I've ever let linger on my scars," Callie said as she tilted her head back until it hit the door.
"They make me remember just how grateful I am you're alive and how close I came to only having you in my head," Arizona said from between Callie's breasts just over her heart. She kissed back up, over Callie's neck and jaw to press a firm kiss to her lips.
Callie felt Arizona's tongue thrust into her mouth as her hand tugged just slightly at her hair while her other hand palmed her ass. When Arizona's hand lifted to palm one of Callie's breasts, she seemed to remind her they were taking things slowly and drop her hand a second later.
"I need to go pick up our daughter and go home."
"I know.
"I rather stay here and rip your clothes off."
"Me too."
Arizona kissed the underside of Callie's jaw before stepping back. She pulled off Callie's jacket and handed it to her before smoothing out her dress. "I had a really nice time tonight, Calliope."
"Me too," Callie nodded as she pushed herself off the door so Arizona could leave. "Text me when you get home for the night?"
"I will," Arizona said.
Callie opened the door and let Arizona step into the hallway. "Give Sof a hug and kiss for me and say hi to Kepner and Avery."
"You know you can call them April and Jackson, right?" Arizona laughed.
"They will always be residents to me, that's what I first knew them as," Callie chuckled.
"I first knew you as a resident," Arizona pointed out.
"Yeah but I was awesome," Callie said.
"You were. You are." Arizona stepped forward to kiss Callie's cheek. "Goodnight Calliope, sleep well."
Callie leaned against her door and watched Arizona walk away again. It had only been a few weeks and already she was over the thought of Arizona leaving after their dates. She wanted what they had back even if it might look different than it once had.
/ /
April Kepner sat at a little pub that was nicer than Joe's but wasn't full of colleagues turned friends turned family. But that's what happens when you followed your ex-husband turned friend turned something more to New York so he could run the Catherine Fox Foundation. She was in the process of putting together a program though the foundation to help put together medical care or those who couldn't afford it.
"Hey!" Arizona walked over with a grin.
"Hey!" April smiled as she leaned forward to hug Arizona before the older doctor slid into a seat. "How's the center coming? Has Herman driven you up a wall yet?"
Arizona laughed before flagging down a bartender and ordering a gin and tonic. "No, she's been great. She is great at interviewing people and reading their tone when they give answers. We have about four times as many candidates as spots so it'll be tough narrowing it down. We've been at it for weeks already."
"I'm so proud of you," April smiled at Arizona. "You are going to save so many babies and you get to be your own boss for real now."
"New York hasn't been at all what I expected when I decided to move," Arizona said before sipping her drink when it arrived. "How's the new program coming?"
"Really well," April smiled. "Getting all the approvals we need and getting the budget in order is not fun but you know all about that. This could help a lot of people and that's all I've ever really wanted to do as a doctor, help those who needed it."
"And how's living with Jackson?" Arizona asked with a knowing smile.
April laughed at the question. "I'm falling in love with him all over again," she admitted with a blush coming to her cheeks. "We got out of Seattle and all this history and pressure just fell away. We laugh so much more and we talk to each other and not at each other. Harriet's happier with us in the same house too. She's getting so big and she has his smile. It melts me."
Arizona reached out and took April's hand for a moment as she took in just how much lighter and happier she was than she had been in Seattle. "I am so happy for you."
"How are things with you and Callie?" April asked.
It was Arizona's turn to blush. She took a sip of her drink to give herself a moment to gather her thoughts.
"You and I weren't close when she and I dated the first time around. But between when we got together and when we broke up because at the time I didn't want kids, we had these months of just being so happy together. We were learning about each other and figuring out how to fit each other into our lives. And it was amazing," Arizona said with a goofy smile on her face. "This feels like that mixed with the comfort of the first year of our marriage. It's different than either of those times but it makes me recall two of the happiest periods in our history. I'm falling in love with her all over again."
April leaned forward to pull Arizona into a tight hug. She was beyond thrilled to know that things had turned around for Arizona and Callie. She had supported Arizona through some painful momenta and Arizona turned into the big sister she needed.
"We're going slow," Arizona told April once they were both sitting upright again. "We're both making sure this works for both of us this time and we're not rushing it. But every time I leave her place I know I'm a little bit closer to sharing an address with her again, and I get this big smile on my face."
"You aren't staying over yet?" April asked with a tilt of her head.
"No. So far we've been making out like high schoolers with their parents out late. I think we're both concerned when we cross the line and get our sex life back it makes things more…" Arizona trailed off.
"More?" April raised an eyebrow.
"Our sex life was always great minus the months I was having body issues with my leg. Always. Sex is how we said all the things we couldn't or didn't want to or were scared to say to each other. We've always had great sex but it's always, always been more than just getting each other off," Arizona explained before finishing her drink and quickly ordering another. "Right now we're communicating really well. We're having fun without it becoming too suffocating. If we add sex in, what happens if we stop talking with words and go back to sexually wallpapering our problems?"
April sipped her wine as she thought for a minute. Arizona did present a good point but on the other hand Arizona wasn't who she the last time she and Callie were together. Neither was Callie for that matter.
"I'm not going to tell you if you two should go back to sleeping together," April laughed softly. "But I will say that there is joy in reconnecting to the person you're in love with the second time around. There is a level of comfort because you know them and they know you. And you get to show them what you know now and they get to do the same."
"Carina did teach me a few new tricks," Arizona nodded with a contemplative look on her face.
"You said sleeping with her was curative. I have a feeling sleeping with Callie, when you two are so obviously in love, is going to blow that out of the water." April patted Arizona's knee.
"You got wise, Kepner," Arizona laughed as her second drink arrived.
"I learned from the best," April said before she drained the rest of her wine and ordered her second. "How's Sofia taking it?"
"We haven't told her yet," Arizona admitted. "It's only been about a month since Callie and I decided to try again. We want to make sure we're rock solid before we talk to her about it."
"Harriet isn't old enough to really understand much more than Mommy and Daddy live together again," April nodded in understanding.
"Sof totally understands Callie and I have a better relationship now. Which she really seems to like. But we're keeping things somewhat separate and giving each other time with her. We're each getting days with her and switching when we need to. My time is a little more flexible now and with her in school it's a little easier. And you and Jackson help a ton. She adores you both," Arizona said with a thankful tone.
"Jackson loves spending time with her, and I do too. I think he feels a duty to Mark's memory to do it. He really loved his mentorship with Mark," April said.
"I never thought I'd miss Mark Sloan. But I do. Every time Sofia gives me that grin that's just like his or she says something the way he would or she flops on her bed and sleeps the way he would pass out in on call rooms," Arizona sighed at the thought of the biggest pain in her ass turned dear friend.
"Jackson has a couple of his surgical tapes that he plays sometimes if he's missing him a lot," April admitted. "If he's really stressed and he can't talk to anyone because he isn't sure what to say, he puts them in and drinks a beer while he watches."
"I know Callie kept some of them. Maybe we should screen some of them and have Sofia watch if she wants. I want her to know his voice. To hear his jokes. To know he was such a good doctor," Arizona took another sip of her drink and popped a chip of ice in between her teeth.
"Our kids got lucky to have good men as fathers." April took her hand again. "Pretty good moms too if I say so myself."
Arizona laughed at that one and nodded.
They started to chat about other things besides work and their relationship as the night went on. They swapped gossip about everyone back in Seattle and were both so glad they weren't back there anymore.
Later, just before eleven, Arizona dialed Callie's number after texting her to let her know the call she was about to make wasn't an emergency and getting a reply that Callie understood.
"Hey."
"Hi."
"Have fun with Kepner?"
"I really did. She is a good friend and it's nice to have some of Seattle in New York."
"I'm glad."
Arizona paused under a street light and leaned against it for a moment. She could hear Callie breathing on the other end and for a moment she closed her eyes and just listened.
"Arizona, you still there?"
"Yeah. I need to tell you something."
"You can tell me anything."
Arizona forced herself to stand up fully. She had been carrying this around too long and the alcohol swimming in her brain made her lips a little looser.
"I had the chicken pox. As a kid. Tim and I had them at the same time. Mom made us hug until I got them so she didn't have to do it twice. I lied to you, and made Little Grey take care of you, because I didn't want to pop our bubble. And it was silly, and I shouldn't have done it, but I was already in so deep, and I didn't want to burst the pink bubble. So, I lied. And it was the first lie that I ever told you. And I'm sorry. I am so sorry Calliope that I lied to you. About that and about all the lies of omission and the outright lies and you looked really pretty even with the gauze paws."
Arizona stopped rambling when she heard laughter from the other end of the time.
"I know you had the chicken pox."
"You knew?"
"Lexie said something about it before I left the hospital, because I was freaking out about giving them to you."
"You never said anything."
"You weren't the only one who used to avoid things they didn't want to address."
Arizona rested her forehead against the lamppost. The cool metal felt nice as she went back to listening to Callie's breathing for a moment.
"Text me when you make it to your place?"
"I will. Kiss our girl for me?"
"Always."
Arizona disconnected the call and walked the few blocks to her apartment building. She headed to the elevator and then to her apartment on the third floor. Once her make up was off and her business dress was changed out for an old shirt that was either Tim's or Callie's - it was Callie's but if she pretended it was Tim's she wouldn't feel guilty for having stolen it when she was packing to move out - she took her leg off on the side of the bed before sliding under the covers.
She texted Callie before closing her eyes and dreaming of a night so many years ago with Callie in a birthday hat and a plate of donuts that never got eaten.