It was nearly eleven at night when the cab Arizona and Callie took from the airport pulled up to the old brick home Daniel and Barbara lived in just outside of DC.
After grabbing their bags from the back, the pair walked up the steps. Before Arizona could knock or use the key she had, the door swung open.
"Oh, Arizona, honey, I've missed you," Barbara Robbins said as she pulled her daughter into a hug.
Callie couldn't help but notice how much alike mother and daughter looked as the elder Robbins moved to let Arizona in. She stepped inside behind her.
"You must be Callie," Barbara smiled at her. "I'm Arizona's mother, Barbara. Daniel will be out in a moment. He is on a call."
"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Robbins," Callie said with a slightly nervous smile.
"Mrs. Robbins is my mother-in-law, rest her soul. Barbara or Barb, please," Barbara smiled.
Daniel walked out of his office was a slightly pained look on his face. His face softened and he smiled as he looked at his daughter. "Hi, there, sweetheart," he said as he walked over and hugged his daughter tightly.
"Hi Dad," Arizona said as she hugged him back. She stepped back and took Callie's hand in hers. "Dad, this is my girlfriend and soulmate Dr. Callie Torres. Calliope this is my father, Colonel Daniel Robbins."
"Daniel is fine," he chuckled as he extended a hand for Callie.
"Nice to meet you sir, thank you for having me for Christmas," Callie said as she shook his hand.
Arizona lifted her free hand to her mouth when she yawned. "Sorry, long shift before we got on the plane."
"Why don't you two go up to bed?" Barbara suggested. "Unless you want some dinner first?"
"We ate before the last leg of the flight," Callie said as she lifted her bag from the floor.
"We're just going to head up to the blue guest room," Arizona said to hopefully avoid her father telling her they had both guest rooms made up.
"Goodnight girls," Daniel chuckled, not protesting the pair sharing a room.
/
Christmas morning with snow falling softly around them wasn't something that Callie was used to but as she woke up with Arizona tucked in her arms, she decided it might be her favorite sight.
Yesterday was full of food and decorating. They trimmed the tree with cranberries, popcorn, and old ornaments. They, mostly Barbara and her, cooked treats together before they watched some old classic Christmas movies. It was different from what she grew up with, but it was such a wonderful day that she kept looking around to try and soak the moment up.
And now she laid with a sleeping Arizona in her arms and tried to soak up this one. She closed her eyes and rested her head to Arizona's a moment before her bladder protested. She slipped out of bed and used the bathroom before heading downstairs to make some coffee for the two of them to wake up with.
"Merry Christmas, Callie," Daniel said from the kitchen table. He was already dressed for the day despite the sun barely being up.
"Merry Christmas," Callie said, only jumping a little at the unexpected greeting.
"I'm usually the first person awake," Daniel said with a soft chuckle. "Arizona still asleep?"
"Yes," Callie nodded as she poured herself a fresh cup of coffee. She took the seat across from him when he nudged it out with his foot. "Thank you for having me for Christmas. It's been really great."
"It's our pleasure. I'm glad you two could take the time," Daniel said before he took a sip of his coffee. He took a moment to really look at the young woman that was his daughter's soulmate. He watched carefully yesterday at the way the two young woman reacted around each other, and he could see how tender they were with each other.
"You have a beautiful home," Callie said politely.
"Thank you. Barb picked it out when I got the post here. She wanted a place we wouldn't need to move from once I retired. I think all the moves over the years have worn on her more than me, but even I'm ready to finally put down firm roots," Daniel said.
"Roots can be very good," Callie said as she smiled at the thought of how Seattle had become home.
"I can't wait to get started on the garden." He smiled at the thought of a long lazy summer in the same place. He'd already been mapping out where he would plant the vegetables and flowers. "And I know Barb will love the sunroom for her crafting. We always talked about settling in somewhere and this is it. We finally did it," he said with a satisfied nod.
They talked a bit before the door opened and in stepped Arizona, still sleepy but with a smile already making its way onto her lips when she saw Callie. She sat down next to Callie and reached for her mug of coffee, taking a sip before she leaned over and kissed Callie on the side of the head.
"Good morning," she said with a yawn.
"Good morning. Merry Christmas," Callie said with a laugh.
"Good morning," Daniel said.
"Morning Dad," Arizona said as she leaned against Callie.
"Your mother should be back soon. She volunteered to help at a local VFW hall this morning setting up breakfast for local vets without anywhere to go," Daniel explained.
"Thanks great," Callie said as she rubbed over Arizona's back while she snuck another drink of the mug.
"I'm going to go read the paper in my office until she gets back for breakfast," Daniel said as he stood and went to refill his mug.
Arizona smiled and took the mug from Callie to go refill it. "How about we just snuggle on the couch and watch a movie until Mom gets back?" She suggested.
Callie nodded as she got up to head into the living room. Her head nestling into Arizona's shoulder as they both settled into the couch. Arizona grabbed the remote and turned on the TV, scrolling through the list of movies until she found the perfect one.
"Ah, here it is," she chirped as the familiar opening to her favorite childhood movie, A Charlie Brown Christmas, began to play.
/ /
Callie and Arizona sat together on the couch with Daniel in his chair. Barbara, as always, was playing Santa's helper and passing the gifts out. They had all opened their stockings full of chocolate and candies and smaller gifts but it was time for the main gifts to be passed out.
"This is from Daniel and I, dear," Barbara said as she handed Callie a hefty wrapped package.
Inside was a double volume set of books, Orthopaedic Surgery of Injuries, edited by Sir Robert Jones. Jones was known as the father of orthopedic surgery.
"Oh, wow," Callie grinned as she carefully flipped through the books. "I've read some of Jones' work, but I've never read these. This is wonderful, thank you."
"I was in an old book shop, and thought they would be a nice addition to your collection," Daniel said as he smiled from his chair.
Callie smiled and hugged the books against her chest. Being accepted like this was more than she had hoped for.
"I have something for you too," she said as she stood up and went to the tree.
Daniel took his and looked at her curiously before he unwrapped it. Inside was a vintage compass made of heavy brass.
"This is a recreation of a compass that belonged my grandfather. He used to take me camping when I was little. I thought it would be nice for you to have it, to remind you of all the places you've been and all the places you'll go," Callie said with a slightly nervous smile.
Daniel's eyes shone as he ran his fingers across the glass of the compass. He looked up to Callie with a warm smile. "Thank you, Callie. This is a very thoughtful gift."
Next, Callie reached out to Barbara with the other box in her hand. Barbara carefully unwrapped it to find a handmade wool shawl.
"Oh, my goodness," she gasped.
"I helped on a double hip replacement a few months to a woman from Ireland. She and her husband had a small sheep farm outside of the city and she made things from the wool. When Arizona asked me here, I reached out and had her make a shawl for you," Callie explained.
"Oh, Callie this is lovely," Barbara said as she unfolded it and wrapped it around her. "Thank you."
Callie smiled in return and took a seat next to Arizona on the couch. She leaned her head against her shoulder and sighed in contentment.
"You're so good at this," Arizona whispered before turning her head to press a kiss to Callie's forehead.
Barbara kept on the shawl as she walked over and picked up ten different wrapped seven by nine frames and brought them over to Arizona. "These are for you, honey."
Arizona unwrapped each of them to find drawings of the skeletal, muscular, nervous, endocrine, cardiovascular, lymphatic, respiratory, digestive, urinary, and the reproductive systems done by hand. There were brilliant colors in each to make them really pop.
"One of the gentlemen I golf with is a retired Navy doctor. In his spare time, he does medical art. Your mother and I thought when you get your own office you might need some art for it or even your home office," Daniel explained the gift.
"This are beautiful," Arizona said as she traced over an arm showing the nerves there. "Thank you both," she said with a dimpled grin.
Arizona got up and went under the tree to grab her gift for her parents. She handed each a simple white envelope and watched as they both opened theirs.
"Arizona, what did you do?" Barbara asked with a gasp. "
"I know you both have traveled a lot over the years, but it's been mostly for the Marines. I thought now that Dad doesn't travel as much you might like to do a little traveling for fun," Arizona said as she watched her parents look at the tickets to a fully paid trip to Ireland.
"This is too much Arizona," Daniel said as he looked up at his daughter.
"It's already paid for, all you two have to do is pick the dates. There is a number in there to call, and Susie the agent will get all the details settled for you," Arizona said before being crushed in a hug from her mother.
"Thank you, dear," Barbara said as she pulled back. "This is too much, but I don't think your father and I have been on a trip like this in years."
"You didn't have to do this, but thank you Arizona. It is much appreciated," Daniel said as he got up and hugged his daughter.
Arizona sat back down next to Callie and pulled a small box from the floor beside her. Callie pulled a box that was the same size from the floor at the same time.
"Open on three?" Arizona asked.
"Okay," Callie smiled.
On three the two women opened the packages to show two matching box boxes. They both opened them to show off heart necklaces. Callie's in silver while Arizona's was in gold.
"Did we...?" Callie trailed off.
"We did," Arizona laughed.
"We got each other the same one?" Callie laughed as she nudged Arizona's shoulder with her own.
"Daniel and I have done that before. Soulmates have a habit of thinking alike," Barbara said as she walked over and put her hand on her husband's shoulder. The bracelet he got her this year caught the light.
"You two seem to be in step," Daniel said as he reached his hand over hers with his new watch from his wife on display.
"We try to be," Arizona said as she swept her hair to the side, so Callie could put her necklace on.
"Thank you," Callie said as Arizona did the same for her.
"I would say this has been a very successful Christmas," Daniel said as he looked at the girls and then up to Barbara.
"I think you're right," Barbara said as she smiled down at him.
/ /
The afternoon before they were set to fly back to Seattle, Arizona and Callie were sitting on the back sunroom under a shared blanket watching it snow while both drank from mugs of hot chocolate.
"Thank you for asking me to come home with you," Callie said as she drew patterns on Arizona's thigh under the blanket.
"I'm glad I did," Arizona said as she leaned her head against Callie's shoulder. "This has been a really great trip."
"It has," Callie agreed.
"I really love you, Calliope," Arizona whispered.
"That's good, because I really love you too," Callie whispered.
"I'm glad you're my soulmate," Arizona said as her eyes closed and a smile came to her face.
"Me too, honey," Callie said as she tilted her head against Arizona's.