A/N: I apologize for the short chapter, but I'll post the next one soon.

Chapter 8

March 2013

"Your daughter?!" Arizona shot up in bed and threw the covers to the side, before leaping up and starting to pace.

"Yes, she…" Callie began.

"You don't think this might be something you should have mentioned?"

Callie took a deep breath and squeezed the sheets beneath her fingers in frustration. "When the hell was I supposed to tell you that?"

"I'm thinking sometime before we started sleeping together!"

"And have you run away again before we even got anywhere? I don't think so," Callie said with a quick shake of her head. Her nostrils were flared and her eyes were wide; she wasn't about to let Arizona win this.

Arizona whipped her head around and her whole body visibly softened. Her shoulders slumped forward and she stopped pacing, opting instead to lean against the dresser.

"So, if the baby's not Mark's, who's the father?"

When Callie looked away from Arizona and to the headboard, Arizona assumed the worst. "Oh my god, you don't know, do you?"

"Jesus, Arizona, do you think that little of me?" Callie began rhetorically. "And anyway, are you seriously trying to tell me that you didn't have your fair share of one night stands?"

When Arizona didn't answer, Callie snickered. "That's what I thought."

"So…is that what happened?" Arizona asked quietly, her curiosity outweighing her need to be tactful.

Callie shook her head and gestured for Arizona to sit on the bed next to her. Callie took one of Arizona's hands in her own and stroked a thumb over Arizona's knuckles.

"I've had really shitty relationships," Callie began with a self-deprecating smile, "if you can even call them that."

Arizona hummed in sympathy but let Callie continue.

"They all basically ended before they began. I've had people leave me randomly and cheat on me and not understand the hours I was working with my job. I've always wanted kids. So, before I turned 30, I went to the sperm bank, bought some sperm, and now I have Sofia, the most precious 2-year-old in the world. I wouldn't change a thing now that I have her," Callie admitted.

"You made me fall in love with you…again," Arizona murmured. Her tone wasn't accusatory; it was simply dejected and a bit lost and completely broke Callie's heart.

"I think that's my line," Callie teased softly.

"Doesn't mean it's not applicable here."

"I know," Callie whispered.

"I never wanted kids."

"I know," Callie repeated.

"But I've never stopped wanting you."

Callie's hand trailed up over Arizona's forearm and shoulder, before resting in the crook of her neck. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for you to find out this way."

Tears were threatening to spill over both of their eyelids and Arizona shook her head, willing them away. "It's okay," she assured Callie, her voice breaking over the lump in the back of her throat. "I just…I need some time…to figure this all out…to process."

"I'll give you time…you can have all the time in the world," Callie promised.

Arizona shook her head. "Don't give me too long. I'll run away again if you give me too much time."

March 2003

"We could get married," Callie suggested from her spot sitting against the headboard. After an awkward day of skirting the subject of Arizona's big admission, they had gotten ready for bed and Callie had decided that enough was enough.

"Callie…" Arizona warned.

"What? I'm serious! If you're leaving because you're afraid you'll get deported, then let's get married!"

Arizona shook her head. "In one of my panics, I looked it up, actually. It actually is legal...but Callie, we can't."

"So you're seriously saying that after what we've had, you're just leaving…because of immigration law?"

"Callie, we're seniors in college. We are so not ready to be married. Or even to be that serious!"

"But you looked it up!" Callie reasoned.

"Only because I was freaking out. I came to my senses, though!"

"Nice," Callie said, throwing the covers to the side.

"No, Callie, that's not what I meant," Arizona responded quickly, jumping up to prevent Callie from getting out of bed.

"I'm pretty sure it's exactly what you meant."

Arizona shook her head furiously. "No…I…that's…"

Frustrated, Callie rolled her eyes and turned to Arizona. "Look, Arizona, when I look into the future, I see you and a big house and some dogs and kids running around. I'm getting the feeling that's not what you see."

Burrowing her head into her hands to avoid Callie's understanding gaze, Arizona shook her head. "I'm just not ready, Callie. And I can't do that to you. I can't stay with you, stay in America, and hope that one day I'm ready for that."

Callie nodded, impressed with her ability to stay strong. It almost felt to her that it was an out of body experience, that she was merely observing another couple having this fight.

"I like my independence. I want to travel the world and have crazy experiences."

When Callie's brain finally caught up to the reality of the situation, she sighed. "Why can't we have crazy experiences together?"

"We just can't. I can't do that to you. I've never wanted kids, Callie. I'm not the settling type."

"You're 22! How the hell do you know what kind of type you are?" Callie asked, her voice raised to a frenzied yell.

"Exactly! I don't know who the hell I am and I don't know what I want. Neither do you!"

"I know I want you," Callie huffed.

"Calliope, please…"

"Please what? Please don't make this hard on you? You made me love you, Arizona! You made me fall in love with you. Why would you do that when this was your plan all along?"

"You think I want this?" Arizona yelled rhetorically. "I fell in love with you, too! But I just can't…"

"So what now?"

"Now…you'll stay here and be happy. And I'll…" Arizona's voice faded as she took in Callie's forlorn expression. She wanted more than anything to forget the argument, forget everything they'd said, and promise the world, kids and all, to Callie. But she knew in the end, they'd both lose. "I'll go there and be happy."