Disclaimer: I own nothing. Praise be to Shonda and ABC.
Amelia awoke to the scent of coffee winding its way up the stairs and into Arizona's bedroom. The blonde's side of the bed was empty, but still warm. Amy sighed happily, sinking back into the pillows and closing her eyes.
It had been two months since Arizona had told her that she wanted to be with her, too – and they had been the best two months of Amy's life. The women spent most of their time off of work together; Amy cherished the time she got to spend getting to know Sofia and getting closer to Arizona. Being with them was like being transported to another world, one where she'd never been an addict or lost a baby. Life with Arizona was a fresh start, one that Amelia had so desperately needed.
Knowing that Meredith had to work early in the morning, Amelia took the sun flooding in through the window as a sign that she could go downstairs in nothing but an oversized t-shirt and her underwear.
Meanwhile, Arizona was downstairs, leaning over the counter with a cup of coffee cradled in her hands.
"Arizona, we need to be able to talk about this," Callie insisted. She was standing on the other side of the island, an untouched mug of steaming hot liquid in front of her.
"I'm sure I don't know what you want to talk about, Callie," Arizona said for the second time with a sigh. "I don't have a problem with Sofia being around your girlfriend, so why can't you give me some space?"
Callie's sigh sounded more like a growl as she shook her head, "We can't just have people in and out of her life! What happens when you and Amelia break up? What's she going to think then? She's seen her mothers divorce already. What is she going to grow up thinking about commitment?"
Arizona pushed away from the counter and put her hands on her hips, glaring at her ex-wife defiantly. "I should ask you the same, Calliope. If I remember correctly, you wanted the divorce. And then you introduced our daughter to your new girlfriend, before Amelia began spending any time around her. What about when you break up with your girlfriend? Why is it that my relationship is the one that you pin as destined to fail?"
When Callie just stared wide-eyed at Arizona, the blonde continued, "And you know what, Amelia is Zola's aunt. And Zola happens to be our daughter's best friend. So whether you like it or not, Amelia is going to be around her. She is my daughter, just as she is yours. You don't get to tell me how to parent or who to let around her."
Arizona released her glare on Callie, looking up to see Amelia standing by the staircase, listening to the two women argue. She sighed.
"Amelia, you can come in honey," Arizona called. Callie's head snapped around to see her ex's new girl walking timidly into the kitchen.
Amelia felt Callie's eyes on her, but she only focused on Arizona. The blonde was turned around fixing a cup of coffee, which she set in front of Amy as soon as the brunette came to her side. "Good morning," Arizona said sweetly before she turned back to Callie.
Feeling defeated, Callie stood and pushed her chair in. She brought her coffee mug to the sink and set it down before turning to leave. "You're right, and I know that. Just be careful," she directed a pointed look towards Amelia who stood with her back turned to Callie. She noticed that the woman was clad only in an oversized t-shirts – one of Arizona's t-shirts, actually. She tried to ignore the pang of hurt that gripped her heart as she walked to the front door and let herself out.
Amelia and Arizona stood in silence for a moment. Arizona felt the need to explain what had just happened to her girlfriend, but didn't want to hurt her feelings – or her relationship with Callie, for that matter. Eventually, Arizona felt the words, "I'm sorry," fall quietly out of her mouth.
Next she felt Amy's arms wind around her from behind and the brunette's head fall against the back of her shoulder. "You don't need to be sorry," she said. Arizona searched the woman's voice for any trace of hurt, but could find none. She relaxed back into her embraced, take deep breaths.
"I know Callie is worried about Sofia," Arizona began before she turned around in Amelia's arms to face her, "but I wish she could let me live my own life. I don't berate her every time she drops Sof off here to go on a date."
Amelia smirked, seeing that Arizona truly didn't understand. "Arizona, she's jealous."
Arizona scoffed, "Of me? No, I mean, I don't think she's that petty. Unless – I mean, has she made passes at you? Because you're beautiful, of course she –"
"No, Arizona! She's not jealous of you. She's jealous of me. She doesn't like that I have you and she doesn't."
Arizona scoffed yet again, this time shaking her head, "Amelia that's ridiculous, she started dating months after the divorce was finalized. There is no way she'd be jealous of you."
"Then why does she glare at me every time I walk into the attendings' lounge? She's jealous of me. Maybe she doesn't want to get back together with you, but she sure as hell doesn't want anyone else to be with you," Amelia explained. She watched as Arizona's face went from disbelief to even more stubborn disbelief. The blonde continued to shake her head until Amelia grinned, leaning forward to kiss her. "But you're all mine," she whispered against her lips, "no matter what the ex-wife has to say about it."
Arizona melted into Amy's kiss, letting herself forget about the rest of the world until her phone beeped, reminding her that she had to go to work.
Since the divorce, Arizona had decided that her favorite thing about fetal surgery was that she rarely had to share a case with Callie. Not to be mistaken, she didn't have any problem working with Callie. In fact, she still regarded her as a brilliant doctor and surgeon; but the orthopedic surgeon often undermined Arizona's expertise when they worked together, so not being questioned at every single incision was a nice change of pace.
Today was a particularly awkward day regarding Callie; in light of their argument that morning, the woman kept watching Arizona as she made her rounds. Resolving to ignore it, she made an extreme effort to avoid any floor that Callie might be on if at all possible.
I spend a lot of time in this hospital avoiding people, she thought, smirking as she recalled the day that Amelia had hunted her down to confess her feelings.
She doubted that, if Callie found her, their meeting would have the same effect.
Dr. Bailey, however, seemed to keep finding Arizona and asking her questions. Questions that she had no interest in answering.
At first, her inquisitions seemed harmless.
"Dr. Robbins, I've been looking for you! Can you look over this chart for me and tell me what you think? The patient is a six year old boy with severely decreased circulation."
After a while, they became more invasive.
"Dr. Robbins, why is it that you aren't staying on one floor for any more than five minutes at a time?"
Soon, they became downright demanding.
"Arizona Robbins, why are you running from your ex-wife?"
Arizona sighed, "Dr. Bailey, I don't think this is really an appropriate conversation…"
Bailey scoffed, grabbing Arizona by the arm and leading her into the office behind the nurses' station. "Arizona Robbins, as you know I am also a divorced woman and I also have a child with my ex and I also have to look at my ex's ugly mug some days, even when I don't want to! I don't know what's going on with you two, but figure it out, because you are a professional, and I don't have time to deal with you two."
"I'm sorry, Bailey," Arizona said with a sigh. She dropped into the arm chair behind her and leaned her head back, groaning.
Miranda looked at her friend, cocking her head. She didn't know if she wanted to know what was going on between the two women, but she knew she should ask.
"What's wrong with you? Did you do the nasty with –"
"Oh God no!" Arizona exclaimed. "Miranda, no. I wouldn't. She's just… If I talk to you about this you can't tell Callie or anyone else. Ever." Her voice was serious, and Dr. Bailey responded with a like nod. Mum was the word. "I've been seeing Amelia Shepherd," she sighed. Miranda didn't seem all that surprised. "For a couple of weeks. Callie found out and came over this morning to tell me she didn't want Sofia around Amelia."
Miranda scoffed, "Oh no, she didn't."
Arizona nodded solemnly, "She did. She made a big stink about having people in and out of Sofia's life and made Amelia the example, saying that when we broke up it would be confusing to her."
"Isn't Callie dating someone too?" Dr. Bailey asked, her voice rising an octave.
"Yes," Arizona said with a nod, "She is. And she regularly has this woman around Sofia. Anyways, I told her she was being unreasonable. But Amelia overheard the whole thing."
Miranda sighed, sitting down in the chair adjacent to Arizona's. "I see," she said and she clucked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. She stared nowhere in particular for a moment, trying to decide what to say to the other doctor. "Arizona," she finally began, lifting her eyes to meet the blonde's, "what you do and who you date is your business. Callie Torres decided that she wanted a divorce, and in that moment she lost any right to comment about who you choose to spend your time with."
Arizona sighed, "Thank you! That's what I've been trying to get through to her."
Bailey chuckled, but then very seriously added, "But, who you date is your business. Which means it has no place in my hospital!" The shorter woman stood up resolutely and took off towards the door. She hesitated in the threshold, turning around to look at Arizona once again. "I had a feeling about you and Amelia. I like it. Be good to each other." And with that, Dr. Miranda Bailey disappeared through the door.
Arizona looked at the space where her friend had been a moment before with a small smile on her face. Telling other people about Amelia felt good.
It felt like moving forward.