This is just a small moment but an important one.

I made Carlos head of the Archfield hotels because why not?

Takes place several weeks in.

/ /

The Archfield - New York was one of the crowing jewels in the Torres family hotel empire. It was only a few blocks from Times Square and a short walk from Broadway theaters. It was modern enough for current tastes with the type of timeless class that all the hotels under the Archfield name had.

Standing in the lobby, Callie felt a small knot form in her belly. Her father had called a few days ago to let her know he'd be in town. She decided it was now or never to tell him she and Arizona were together again. She looked over at Arizona and then down at their joined hands before running a hand through her short hair.

"Calliope," Arizona bumped Callie's hip with her own. "We're not meeting your father for another few minutes. Let's just go have a drink and relax."

Callie nodded in agreement and guided them over to the bar. She and Arizona sat side by side at a table near the back, facing out to the lobby so Carlos would see them when he came down and they could see him approaching.

"Straight tequila is a bad idea, right?"

"Yes."

Callie slid her hand back and forth over Arizona's thigh to try and get a hand on her nerves. It wasn't that she didn't want her father to see how happy she was, she did, she was nervous about the judgement that would come with him knowing.

After their drinks came - gin and tonic for Arizona and a paloma for Callie - Arizona turned to Callie.

"Talk to me," Arizona requested.

"I've always been a daddy's girl, you know that about me. He was angry at me when I kicked you out and madder when we go divorced. He didn't talk to me for almost two months when he heard about the custody battle. He's going to be mad at me again, and I hate feeling like I'm letting him down," Callie said as she gave Arizona a peak inside of her mind.

"He might be," Arizona said. She reached out and laced their fingers together again. "And if he is, we'll handle it together. I'm not going anywhere."

"Thank you," Callie smiled at the reassurance.

"That's what I'm here for," Arizona said as she brought her hand to Callie's cheek to cup her jaw.

Callie leaned in to kiss Arizona. She jumped back when she heard someone clear their throat in front of her. She looked up to see her father was an unreadable expression on his face.

"Hi," Callie stood quickly with a nervous smile.

"Calliope, Arizona," Carlos greeted before he sat down across from them.

Callie retook her seat and Arizona's hand again. She needed the connection to keep her thoughts from becoming a tangled mess. She watched as her father took a sip of his Scotch as he just watched the pair.

"A lot has changed, Daddy," Callie said as she found her voice.

"Has it?" Carlos tilted his head.

"Arizona and I are taking things slow, but we're back together. We're living apart. We're working on our communication. We're happy. We love each other. I'm really hoping you can be happy about this too," Callie rambled a bit as she tried to get the expression on her father's face to give her a hint as to how he felt.

Carlos lifted his glass up and took a sip before putting it on the table in front of him.

Arizona and Callie shared a look as the pair tried to figure out what to say to him. Their joined hands kept both of them from fully freaking out but just barely.

"Carlos," Arizona said as she held tight to Callie's hand. "You have every right to be concerned about this. I've hurt your daughter, and I know you might not trust this, but we've finally found each other again. I'm so thankful we have. So, be happy for us. Please be happy for us."

Carlos picked his glass up for another sip before setting it down again. "I'd like to speak with Arizona alone, Calliope."

"Daddy," Callie started.

"It's alright," Arizona stepped in.

Callie looked between Arizona and her father before slowly nodding. She leaned over and pressed a kiss to Arizona's jaw before grabbing her jaw and moving to the other side of the bar. It was far enough away unless the two started yelling she wouldn't be able to eavesdrop.

"When she was a little girl, I used to dream of the life she would have," Carlos leaned in and spoke in the low voice of a father who had seen his child go through pain he couldn't protect them from. "I saw her married with a house full of children to a loving man who made her happy. For years that was the image she let me keep. And then it changed. She brought George O'Malley into the picture, and he changed it with his behavior. And it changed again with you. And then again with Sofia. And now I am not sure I have a picture in front of me for her anymore. But I do know what Calliope looks like when she smiles and means it. And walking to this table she smiled at you and meant it."

"I look at your daughter and I see a picture that's as clear as day," Arizona said to him. She looked him in the eye as she spoke. "I see the two of us talking more, laughing with each other in the kitchen, raising Sofia together and helping her become the person we raise her to be; I see a wedding that's legal this time. I see everything when I look at Calliope."

"Calliope tried to take your daughter away from you," Carlos said after a moment. "How does a parent forgive such a thing?"

Arizona closed her eyes for a moment and she let our a breath and nodded. "She did. And the custody battle was the worst experience of my life. Bar none. But things are different, and we're different people in different places in our lives. There are unforgivable things on both sides, Carlos. I don't want to be her ex-wife for the rest of my life. Not when being her wife is an option."

Carlos finished his drink before signaling the bartender for another.

"I watched you on your wedding day and you were both so happy, and then suddenly she calls to tells me you aren't," Carlos said with a slight tightening of his jaw.

"Marriages are complex things," Arizona reached out to put her hand over Carlos' as his drink was brought over.

"They are," Carlos took a drink. "Are you who your father raised you to be again, Arizona? Can I trust this time you will be wiser and more careful with my daughter's heart?"

"I am and you can," Arizona nodded with a soft smile. "And she's who you raised her to be. She is the best person I know. We just got lost for a little bit and forgot to take care of each other."

Carlos lifted his glass and swirled around the Scotch before taking another sip.

"You know, when you married Calliope, you became my daughter too. That hasn't changed," Carlos said. His face finally broke into a slight smile. "Family is forever no matter the pain caused."

"It is," Arizona said before finishing her drink. "Can I bring Calliope back over before she strains something trying not to watch us?"

"Would you give me a moment alone with her?" Carlos requested.

Arizona walked over to the table Callie was sitting at. She bent down to kiss Callie's cheek before dropping to the seat across from her.

"He wants to speak with you."

"I didn't hear yelling."

"Because there wasn't any."

Callie raised an eyebrow as she stood up. She bent down to kiss Arizona a little deeper than she usually would with her father in the same room, but the bar hid them even if he were to look over.

"If you hear Spanish ranting come save me?" Callie asked.

"If I hear Spanish ranting, I'm hiding under the table," Arizona teased.

Callie rolled her eyes but left the table with a smile on her face. She sobered up a bit as she sat down across from her father.

"Say what you need to say," Callie said softly as she waited to be scolded.

"Do you love her?" Carlos said.

"I do," Callie nodded. "We forgot for a little while just how much. But we're remembering now."

Carlos swirled his drink as he thought of what to say. "Your mother and I have been married for a long time. I've spent months away from her at a time when I forget. She's done the same to me when she does. But we've never taken our rings off, never signed papers to end our marriage."

"Arizona and I aren't you and Mom," Callie sighed. "We don't take off to Spain or England or Brazil when we're mad at each other for a month at a time. We have jobs that keep us in the same place. She and I aren't you and Mom."

Carlos frowned slightly. "She misses you."

"I miss her," Callie admitted. "But it's been years."

Carlos nodded before he took another drink. "Does Sofia know?"

"Not yet," Callie said.

Carlos set his empty glass on the table. "I will give this a chance for both of your sakes. But if it ends again, do not expect me to hold my tongue. Against either of you."

"If it ends again, honestly Daddy I'm going to have bigger worries than you being disappointed in me," Callie said. She reached across the table to hold his hand.

"If you and Arizona do remarry, I'd like to be there," Carlos said as he held tight to her hand.

"Of course," Callie smiled. "But that's a ways off yet."

Carlos pulled his phone out as it vibrated. "I need to take this. But we'll see each other tomorrow at seven?"

"Yes," Callie said.

Carlos answered the phone before telling them to hold. "Goodnight, Calliope, tell Arizona the same. I love you."

"I love you, goodnight." Callie stood up and hugged him before he walked away.

Arizona felt Callie's hand on her shoulder and looked up at her. "How's it go?"

"He's willing to give us a chance to show we've learned something," Callie sat down across from Arizona.

"Ready to go back to your place?" Arizona asked.

"We have the babysitter for another hour and a half. Up for a walk before we head back?" Callie asked as she stood and offered Arizona her hand.

"I could go for a walk." Arizona stood before taking Callie's hand.

They stepped out into the warm night air holding hands and letting them swing slightly as they walked. They didn't have a destination in mind, but ended up going with the flow until they found themselves in front of an all night cafe.

"Want something sweet?" Callie asked.

"Always," Arizona said.

They headed inside for a sweet treat hand in hand.