So, I stayed up last night because I wanted to finish this and post it for you. The website didn't like that idea. Technical difficulties arose and I went to bed before my fist went through the computer screen. =D
Anyways, it's working now, so enjoy.
PS--Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and also to KtK, who saved Callizona. Sorta.
Arizona pressed her hands up against the protective glass in the baby ward of the hospital. So many infants wrapped in pink and blue blankets slept soundly, waiting for their mother and father to take them home. They all looked so innocent, so peaceful. She looked around her at the doctors hurrying through the halls, wondering how many of the babies before her would become one of them.
"Arizona?" Addison said softly. Arizona held her breath. She didn't move for a moment. This was it. She was about to see her baby girl for the first time. Slowly she turned to her right where Addison stood holding a small pink bundle. Arizona's breath caught in her chest.
She was beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. She was sleeping soundly, nestled against the warmth of her blanket. As Arizona looked down at her, she made a quiet gurgling noise, twisting her body, turning her head to the other side. Addison held out her arms to Arizona, offering her the baby. Arizona accepted eagerly.
As she entered Arizona's comforting arms, the baby stirred. Her eyes tiredly pried themselves open, looking at who had intruded upon her sleep. She had sparkling blue eyes, just like Arizona. With this realization, Arizona found she had lost her voice altogether and could do nothing but smile brightly at the baby while gently rocking her back to sleep.
…
Callie's eyes opened slowly. There was something obstructing her view, something very close to her face. Gold. Blue. Warm. What was it? Blinking several times to clear her vision, Callie happily realized that it was Arizona, with her blonde curls and light blue eyes. Arizona was beaming at Callie. What's she so happy about? Callie wondered vaguely. Oh, wait. Arizona's always happy like that.
Callie tried to push herself up into a more comfortable sitting position. Arizona leaned back, allowing Callie to prop herself against the pillows. Arizona was kneeling on Callie's hospital bed, one knee on each side of Callie's right leg. It took a moment for Callie to realize that Arizona was holding something. A small pink something.
"Calliope," Arizona whispered excitedly. "This is Natalie. Our baby girl."
Those three words got stuck in Callie's ears, taking a few minutes longer than usual to make it to her brain. Our baby girl. She liked the sound of that. She liked it very much actually, especially coming from Arizona's mouth. Callie smiled, her eyes wide. Arizona mimicked Addison, offering the baby to Callie.
She was a little reluctant to allow the warm package to pass from her arms to Callie's. Already she missed the feel of it, how the baby fit so well into her arm, like a missing puzzle piece found after years of searching. Finally Arizona felt right, complete. And there was no one she wanted to share the moment with than Callie Torres, the one who had found the missing piece in the end.
"She looks just like you," Callie observed, her voice barely a whisper. Natalie smiled up at her, her light eyes shining. There was hardly any hair on her head, but what was there was very light, almost transparent looking against her peach colored skin.
"Yeah, she does," Arizona agreed. She sat back on her feet, watching Callie with the baby with adoration in her eyes.
"Natalie?" Callie asked softly.
"Natalie Louise," Arizona confirmed. Callie beamed at the baby.
"Well Miss Robbins," Callie said, addressing the child in her arms. Arizona's chest swelled. "Welcome to the world."
…
"So, what happened to me?" Callie asked quietly. Arizona was lying beside her in the hospital bed, Natalie once again sleeping in Arizona's arms. Arizona's eyes grew serious and she looked tearful.
"Addison said you were hemorrhaging. You sure were losing blood like mad. You could have died Callie, and it would have been all my fault." Arizona's voice cracked halfway through her explanation, fear and realization of the situation hitting her hard and fast.
"Shhh, I'm here now, right? I'm fine, so, so fine with you and Natalie here with me. I would never leave you like that, Arizona, didn't I promise you that?" Callie assured her, wiping away the few tears that had leaked from Arizona's eyes. Arizona moved close to Callie, hugging her while still holding the baby between them.
"I know," Arizona breathed. The scent that she had come to know and love as Callie filled her and calmed her down. "I was just so scared that I'd lose you forever and that it would be because of me. I love you so much Callie."
"I love you too Arizona. You're not getting rid of me that easily, get over it," Callie joked, trying to make Arizona laugh.
"I don't want to ever get rid of you," Arizona responded into Callie's neck, no trace of a chuckle in her voice. Callie grabbed Arizona's arms (a difficult feat considering their position and the fact that one arm was cradling a baby) and pulled her away so that she could look dead into Arizona's eyes, which were still glistening.
"I will live in a bubble if that's what it takes to convince you that I'm okay. I'm going to be fine because I love you and I love Natalie and I plan on being here for both of you for a very, very long time," Callie said firmly. Arizona took a deep, grateful breath.
"Thank you Callie. We love you very much." Arizona smiled bravely, lifting Natalie up towards Callie. Callie laughed, and then turned her attention to the baby, who was now awake, and began making silly noises and faces, tickling the baby.
"You're going to make a great mother," Arizona commented, finally getting her composure back almost one hundred percent.
"Psh, are you kidding? I'm just the surrogate; this is your kid," Callie teased. For a moment, Arizona's jaw dropped, but then she started to laugh, catching on to Callie's expression. "You're going to be a really great mother too," she added seriously.
"Thank you," Arizona whispered, leaning forward to kiss Callie softly. Natalie made a happy gurgling sound from between them.
I hear babies cry, I watch them grow
They'll learn much more than I'll never know
And I think to myself what a wonderful world
So keep up with the awesome reviews =) I'll be back with a new chapter probably tomorrow haha