Disclaimer: This is AU. I do not own any of the characters from Grey's Anatomy. I just manipulate them to my will. Also, any line or phrase or setting that seems remotely familiar from any other show, movie or book, also not mine. I borrow…
AN: Yay, the last chapter is ready! Now, just wanted to explain the time progression. When it says 2 weeks later, six months later, one year later, it's not an aggregate thing. It's not like 2 weeks, then six months from that two weeks. It's six months from the ending of chapter 32, then a year from the ending of chapter 32. Didn't know if people would get confused by that so I just wanted to make it clear. Enjoy!
Epilogue
2 weeks later
"So?" A gruff and disinterested man asks from the doorway of a very dark and dingy apartment.
It's been two weeks since Arizona appeared out of nowhere in Miami. Two weeks since the blonde asked Callie, the woman who left Arizona standing in the middle of a gas station as her heart slowly disintegrated, to come to Seattle with her. Three thousand miles, leaving everything either of them knew back on the east coast. And yet, here they are. The second day of apartment hunting and each prospect seems to be slightly worse than the last. But with what the pittance Arizona will be earning during her fellowship, minus all the bills that come with being a surgeon, and the lack of job Callie has lined up means the couple can't afford much.
The tiny one bedroom apartment is about the size of the apartments the couple where living in during the Games, only those were clean. And new. The room they are standing in has stains on the carpets, patched and unfinished holes in the walls and a door that doesn't seal properly. A constant dripping from the bathroom sink is already wearing on the blonde's nerves and Callie doesn't even want to think about what could be growing in the refrigerator. But all in all… this is one of the better places they've seen.
"So?" Arizona asks in a whisper. "What do you think?"
"I think this place needs to be burned to the ground." Callie grumbles, a snarl forming on her face when she swipes a finger across one of the few windows letting in the rare Seattle sunlight and pulls it back to find a thick layer of dust and scum.
"It just needs a little TLC." The blonde replies. "A good once over. …Then a second. Some paint. Steam the carpets. We'll disinfect… everything. …Get some furniture. It could work, right?" If she is honest with herself, Arizona is terrified. Not only did she get herself into all of this, but she dragged Callie into it as well. If they don't make it Arizona will blame herself. And for all the hurt and pain she has been through in her short life, she knows that losing Callie again and forever would be the driving nail straight to her heart. She wouldn't be able to recover.
Brown eyes survey their prospective home one more time then find the blonde's, about to tell Arizona 'hell no'. But then she does find the blonde's gaze and all of Callie's misgivings melt away when she sees the hope and prospect in Arizona's look. This apartment could be roach infested and situated on the corner of a known crack zone and Callie would still fold if those blue eyes looked at her like they are looking at her now.
So with a deep breath the Latina steps around her girlfriend and approaches the wheezing landlord. "We'll give you last month's rent."
"First and last." The man replies evenly. "And 500 for a security deposit."
"You're kidding, right?" Torres asks, then gestures to the apartment they are standing in. "Security on this? No. No… we'll give you first and last month's rent, but the second month will be on the house." The man starts to fight but Callie cuts him off. "We're going to need a full month's rent to just get this place half way presentable. Unless you want to hire a painter to fix the walls, and a steamer to do the carpets. I'm sure a plumber would make a fortune in this hell hole as well. Or if you'd prefer I could just call the city health examiner and-"
"Fine." The land lord cuts the ranting woman off. "First and last month's rent."
He holds out a pudgy hand to seal the deal and just before Callie takes it she pulls away, "And second month is free." The man mumbles a bit, but then runs his hand through his greasy hair and finally concedes. The Latina notices the slickness now present on her soon to be landlord's proffered hand, so instead she just fist bumps him and says, "You got yourself some new tenants."
He watches as the two women celebrate with a hug and a quick kiss, and grumbles, "Fantastic. Welcome to the neighborhood."
Shadows flicker across the walls of the couple's new bedroom as candles illuminate the empty space. Only a mattress is present, sheets draped over it in a mess and clothes being strewn across the floor and spilling out of suitcases. It's quiet in their apartment but the sounds of Seattle night life trickle in, the occasional ambulance siren adding a flash of blue lights to their romantic scene.
"So how was work?" Callie asks lazily, sipping from her coffee mug of red wine.
Arizona picks at the piece of pepperoni on her pizza, bringing it to her lips and laying the delicious meat across her tongue, and replies, "Not too bad. I think my boss is finally warming up to me. How about you? How was your day?"
The Latina steals a bite of pizza from her blonde and answers, "Well, interviewed for a job at that bar across the street from your hospital. …Then got the size negative one blonde with big boobs got it instead of me."
"Sorry, sweetie." Arizona coos, kissing pouting lips. "But the apartment looks amazing, you did a great job. Who knew a can of Lysol could do so much."
"A week in and the place is almost livable." Callie jokes. "Give me another few weeks and this place will be looking like the Taj Mahal." She covers her disappointment by leaning into the blonde's body and kissing her again. The taste of wine and pizza is still present, but there is something extra that makes her hum in satisfaction. Something that is uniquely Arizona.
Pizza is set aside and coffee cups are placed at a safe distance as Callie pushes Arizona onto her back, their lips never faltering in their dance. The Latina works her way between the blonde's legs, center pressing against center, and Arizona's hands slip underneath the waistband of the woman's pajama shorts to cup a very shapely ass.
A shirt soon slips up over raven hair and miles and miles of caramel flesh are now exposed for blue eyes to appreciate, but they don't. Instead Callie sees heaviness weighing in her girlfriend's gaze and she asks, "What's wrong, Battleship?"
Fair hands travel the length of Callie's strong back and she asks, "Are you having second thoughts about this? …About coming with me? I mean, you just packed up your life and left."
"I didn't have much of a life to pack, Arizona." The woman replies softly. "But no, I'm not having second thoughts."
"Really? Because look at where we're living." The blonde rebuts. "And I can't promise that it's going to get better any time soon. You deserve the best and… and I want to give that to you but I don't know if I-" A finger presses pink lips to a stop and Arizona realizes that she was starting one of her long, depressed rambling streaks. More and more often she's been having them float through her mind but she hasn't voiced them aloud yet. Because she doesn't want to startle Callie. She doesn't want Callie to see how unsure of all this she really is, even though it was Arizona who asked her to come with.
Warm brown eyes stare down into blue as the candles flicker around them, and Callie whispers, "You're what's best for me, Arizona. I love you, everything about you. And I know that this isn't going to be easy, but I want to do it because I want to be with you. So… we'll sleep on the floor and not have a couch or a tv, and I'll learn to like ramen noodles if I have to but… I'm not sorry that I did this because I love you."
"We do make a pretty good team, don't we?" Arizona muses, a finger tracing the curve of her girlfriend's cheek.
"Mmhmm." The Latina hums as her lips are pressed against the blonde's. "You should know by now, Battleship. I play to win, and I play for keeps."
Six months later
"Dr. Robbins, hold up a moment!"
Arizona stops in her tracks and turns to find her boss stalking up to her. She puts on her signature dimpled smile, knowing what is about to happen.
"Dr. Baines, how are you?" She greets the man.
"I just sat in on your surgery." The man starts in directly, as he usually does. "I've got to say that I am very impressed. I knew you were a force to be reckoned with when I took you on, but you've exceeded my expectations."
"Well, thank you sir." Arizona replies, a blush forming on her cheeks. "That means a great deal coming from you." For as good as she knows she is, it's always nice to hear your superior, mentor and boss admit it as well.
"I know we still have a long haul together, but I just wanted to tell you that I'm very confident that you will come out of this program as one of the names-to-know." Her boss adds just as his pager starts to go off. "Anyways, duty calls. Keep up the good work, Dr. Robbins."
For the remainder of her marathon shift there is an added pep to her step. But an hour until she is due to clock out a big pile up buries the ER in victims, a number of them being children. It's all hands on deck and Arizona is one of the first to be called into the OR. Child after child is placed before her scrutinizing eyes as she examines them and quickly decides who needs to be moved to the front of the line. All of the operating rooms are running at full steam, a certain blonde haired and blue eyed pediatric surgeon taking camp in one of them as she furiously tries to save a one year old who was injured during the accident.
Just as if she were on the pitching mound, facing an opponent from some other country, everything fades away from Arizona's mind. It's just her and the ball, just her and her tools. She takes in information around her and quickly adjusts, barking instructions to her scrub team without blinking an eye. Hour after hour passes and Arizona keeps fighting for her patient's life, a life that the baby boy has yet to live.
But nearly seven long and grueling hours later the blonde finds herself frozen at the scrub station, her gaze looking through the glassed partition as she watches a sheet being pulled over the lifeless body of that one year old boy. She was so close, so close to saving him. But then his body just gave out. He couldn't handle the trauma of the crash and then the invasive surgery to save him. He just gave in. The blonde can still hear the cries of anguish from his parents, his mother stuck in a hospital bed awaiting her own surgery. She pleaded with her husband to just let her die too so she could be with her son.
The door to the scrub room creaks open but Arizona doesn't notice. It's only when a hand grips her shoulder does she realize she's not alone anymore.
Quickly wiping a tear from the corner of her eye, she turns to find her boss staring at her. "Sorry, Dr. Baines. Did you need me?"
"No." He answers gently. "Go home, Dr. Robbins. You've been here for nearly 36 hrs, you need a break."
But blonde tresses are already waving as she shakes her head no. She's not about to leave when there are kids who need help. "I'll just grab an hour in one of the on-call-"
"We got it, Dr. Robbins." Baines cuts her off. "All the kids have been seen to and there are only a few minor surgeries left that need to be done. We're good here. You go home and get some real sleep."
She wants to refuse but exhaustion has not only set into her body now, but her mind as well. So instead she just nods and pulls her pink scrub cap from her head while pushing through to the surgical floor and heading to the locker room. Her mind goes on auto-pilot, preferring not to think at all instead of remembering the way that baby boy looked as he was wheeled into the ER, or listen to his mother's cries again, witnessing his father's heart shatter into a thousand pieces. It's just too much, and she asks herself again why she does it all in the first place.
And because her mind is on auto pilot her feet take her the opposite way of her apartment, and only when she is opening the front door and stepping into a warm and dark restaurant does she realize where she is. The hostess looks up from her podium, ready to turn away this later comer because the place is about to close, but immediately recognizes the blonde.
"Hey Arizona." She greets her.
"Hey Noelle." Arizona replies in a sigh. She steps through the winding maze of empty tables, chairs upturned for the cleaning crew, and approaches the kitchen.
"Hey Torres, your girl is here!" A voice calls from within the kitchen.
A few seconds later Callie pushes through the swinging door, a breathtaking smile on her face. "Hey honey." She coos, wrapping the tired blonde in her strong arms. It doesn't take long for Callie to sense the sadness and exhaustion in her girlfriend's body, and she asks, "Bad day?"
"The worst." Arizona mumbles against the Latina's chest, the smell of a long night's work still clinging to the fabric of her chef's coat.
"I'm sorry." The woman coos, rubbing a hand up and down the tired blonde's back. "Here, take a seat and I'll get you a glass of wine." Callie sets Arizona up at the closest table and pours her a generous portion of alcohol. With a quick kiss and a promise to be back soon, Arizona is left to relax for a few minutes while Callie finishes up her work.
Six months after arriving in Seattle and the couple are still fighting to make it every month. Sure, two jobs is a huge improvement over one, but still neither are exactly bringing home the bacon. Callie was picked up as a waitress at the restaurant Arizona finds herself in now, but after a quick performance for the owner the Latina was transferred to the back as one of the line chefs. It's not exactly what she wants to be doing… but it's a hundred times closer than waiting tables and serving beer.
By the time Callie returns to the blonde Arizona is nearly asleep in her chair, but a soft kiss against her cheek stirs the woman from her nap. "Hey, I missed you." The Latina whispers as she pulls a chair up right beside the surgeon's. "Nearly two days without seeing my Battleship. That should be illegal or something." She adds playfully, kissing tired lips again.
When all she gets is a sleepy smile from her girlfriend, Callie asks, "So what happened today, honey? What's got my perky Arizona all depressed?"
A long sigh spills from Arizona's lungs and she rubs at her scratchy eyes. "I lost a patient. …He didn't have much of a chance to begin with but… it never gets any easier." A warm hand finds hers and Arizona soaks up all the love and life Callie is offering to her. "I don't know, Calliope. Sometimes I wonder, you know? How such terrible things can happen to those who don't deserve it."
"I don't know, sweetie." The Latina replies softly. "But… there can't be light without darkness. Amazing things happen all the time. …You met me, didn't you?" A small giggle forces a dimple to show itself for a half of a second before disappearing again. "I don't have those kinds of answers for you, Arizona. But I do know that the highs make up for all the lows just like with your job. You always tell me that when you lose a patient you ask yourself why it is you do what you do. But then the next kid comes, you save them. And then you remember why. Seeing that smiling face, telling their parents the news that their child will live a long and healthy life, it makes up for everything."
"It does." Arizona whispers. "But sometimes I just can't remember how that feels."
Brown eyes watch as the blonde relives losing her patient again, the pain so evident in her light blue orbs. Callie wants to take that pain away, and there is only one way she knows how. The smaller woman doesn't put up a fight when she is pulled into a warm, loving hug, one where all of her senses are overtaken by Callie, and Callie alone. Her touch, her smell, even the taste of caramel flesh against Arizona's lips makes all of the surgeon's worries just melt away.
"You want to go home?" Callie asks as though it were a secret.
"Yeah." Arizona answers.
The Latina quickly cleans up their small mess and then gives her parting word to the remaining workers before both women step back out into the Seattle summer night. Their hands instinctively find one another's, their fingers intertwining, and they easily find a comfortable pace. It's a routine that has been perfected over the past few months and neither even notice themselves doing it anymore. Just like Arizona didn't realize she had ended up at the restaurant her girlfriend works at. It's almost as if that's how it's always been, almost as if that's how it should be.
"Calliope?" Arizona asks, breaking the silence that usually comes with these late night walks back to their apartment.
"Hmm." The woman hums.
"I love you." It's said without any hidden agendas, or prompts. It's free of any sort of inflection or hintings. It's said as if it were fact, scientifically proven. Just as if Arizona had said that the sun rises in east or that one and one make two. No question. No hesitation. Just pure, undeniable truth.
It amazes Callie that those three words can still make her insides flutter as if it were the first time she heard them. And with an arm wrapped around her girlfriend's shoulder, pulling the blonde in safely against her body, the Latina replies, "I love you too."
One year later
"This was such a bad idea." Callie mumbles as she and Arizona sit in the back of their cab. "I can't believe I let you talk me into this."
"It needed to be done, Calliope." Arizona replies even though her own stomach is in knots. "Besides, it's the holiday season. What better time to try and reconnect than during the holidays."
"How about never?" The Latina muses, a slight tone in her voice. "Because that's when this plan of yours is going to work."
Blue eyes roll in their socket and Arizona decides its best not to start arguing with her girlfriend when in just thirty minutes they will be seated at a table with not only the Latina's parents, but the blonde's parents as well. The couple bickered about doing this for months, but when Arizona promised her mother to fly back home for Christmas it was pretty much game over for Callie. She couldn't not cross the country and not try to extend an olive branch to her own parents as well.
So after they pay the Boston cab driver their fair, Arizona and Callie enter the restaurant that will be lucky if it survives the night. They are the first ones to arrive, as planned, and they quickly order a glass of wine to tame the nerves slightly.
When Arizona's hearing picks up the faintest sound of someone's voice, blue eyes snap up and immediately lock onto her father. "Here we go…" She breathes out, standing to greet the man.
The hostess guides him through the restaurant until they reach their tucked away table, and his gaze purposefully studies the length of his daughter, just as a drill sergeant would appraise his soldiers. Only when she passes muster does a smile break his hardened face and he says, "Arizona, my girl. How are you?"
The blonde is wrapped up in a tight hug, one that has become a foreign memory during the last few years, and she replies, "I'm great, Dad. Really great." A scuffing of a chair behind her prompts Arizona to pull away and add, "Dad, this is Callie Torres, my girlfriend."
And for the first time Callie is subjected to Daniel Robbins' inspection, the woman silently praying that she didn't accidently spill wine on herself in the last few minutes. But she too passes when Daniel offers the woman his hand.
"Nice to meet you, Callie." He says evenly, almost unreadable. "You can call me Colonel." Dark eyes flash to her girlfriends but Arizona just shakes her head slightly, telling her to just go along with it.
"Well… Colonel, it's a pleasure to meet you as well." Callie replies just as another presence joins their group.
"Oh, there she is!" A woman exclaims, nearly blindsiding Arizona as the blonde is pulled into another hug. "My baby, how are you?" Introductions are made again, Callie getting much the same welcoming from Arizona's mother as she did her father. They haven't been rude to her, but they haven't been over friendly as well.
The four get settled in and Barbara says, "Daniel, you're looking well."
"You too, Barbie." The man replies, though neither parent is really ready to exchange actual pleasantries at the moment. Their divorce was brutal, filled with heart ache over their son's death and then their daughter's disappearance into softball. They said things to one another that would make the Devil weep. …Those kinds of wounds don't heal, not even after two years.
Almost immediately a tension blankets them and Arizona is slapping herself for even thinking that this might be a good idea. So when their waitress floats on by the blonde gestures for another drink. …A big one.
It's not long until the rest of the party appears, a silent and serious looking Torres family making their way through the restaurant. Callie is surprised to see her sister has decided to join and wonders if that's a blessing or a curse. She could use another person as back up since she and Arizona are greatly outnumbered, but if Aria hasn't seen the light then that's only one more person teaming up against the couple.
"Mom, Dad… You made it." Callie says, resisting the urge to try and hug her parents. It's been over a year since her father cut her off and this is the first time she's really attempted to try and smooth things over. Even though she was the one who invited them, Callie isn't going to go into this being the only one willing to try. If her parents want to be a part of her life again they are going to have to bend as well.
"Um, Dad, you remember Arizona." The Latina says, Arizona not shying away from the cold stare her father is giving her. "Mom, this is Arizona Robbins, my girlfriend." Lucia flinches at that word but Callie keeps on pushing. She's done tiptoeing around her parents just for the sake for their own personal comfort. "And these are her parents, Daniel and Barbara Robbins."
Introductions are had all around, each exchanging a quick word before the seven of them take a seat. Clearing her throat, Arizona tries to break some of the tension by saying, "I just wanted to thank everyone for coming tonight. Especially Mr. and Mrs. Torres, and Aria as well. It doesn't really seem like Christmas unless you are able to spend it with your family." Blue eyes scan the multiple faces surrounding her, getting a slight warmth from her parents while the other half of the table remains ice cold.
But Barbara is a mother above all else and when her daughter silently pleads for some help, she asks, "So honey, how are things in Seattle?"
"Oh, they're great. My fellowship is nearly half way complete and it seems like I'll be offered an amazing Attendings position at Seattle Grace Mercy West when I'm through." Arizona answers. "And Callie is quickly making a name for herself at the restaurant she's work-"
"I can't do this." Lucia interrupts.
"Lucia." Carlos grumbles. "You said you'd try."
"And I did." His wife bites back. "I came here and sat down with these people. What more do I need to do?" She slaps her napkin to the table and stands, grabbing her purse as she goes to leave.
Callie shoots out of her chair and exclaims, "Mom! Stop!"
"I can't sit here and watch you… ruin your life." The woman snaps back. "I thought you might grow out of this phase, that you would get over this woman, this vile sickness you have."
"Now hold on there." Daniel says, his feathers quickly getting ruffled as he listens to Lucia trash on his daughter. "Don't go on talking like that about my daughter, Mrs. Torres. That's not right."
"Not right?" Lucia sneers, looking at both of the elder Robbins like they are the plagued or something. "I'll tell you what's not right. You raising this sinner and calling her your own. You sitting there and judging me while you and your wife are mortal sinners yourself." By now Barbara is flushed and red-faced, her heart hammering as her adrenaline pumps. "You let this woman drag my daughter, my beautiful daughter into her sinister, impure lifestyle that will lead her to hell while the two of you scar the holy union that binded you together to make that damned monster."
Three Robbins shoot up out of their chair, Barbara nearly climbing the table to get at Lucia while Daniel holds his ex-wife back. Spanish and English screams are tossed back and forth like some kind of verbal tennis match. Tears stream from Callie's eyes as she fights with her parents in a language Arizona can comprehend while the blonde herself does her best to keep her Marine father from using his training on one of the Torres's.
"Stop. Stop! STOP!" Aria yells, one voice dying out at a time until it's just Lucia and Callie screaming. A hand on the Latina's back and her fight is cut off, slick eyes trying to find somewhere to hide so no one can see her cry.
A well dressed man approaches their table with a serious expression and says, "I'm going to have to ask your party to leave the restaurant. …Now. Or I'll be forced to call security." No one asks why, it's painfully obvious. They've interrupted the entire restaurant with their fighting and if it wasn't for the large table between the two families Arizona is sure that a steak knife would have ended up somewhere it shouldn't be.
They leave the restaurant quietly, and in three groups, stepping out into the brisk Boston winter night feeling very ashamed and still revved up. Arizona knows that the best thing to do is to get her parents into a cab and send them on their way, but when she hears her girlfriend fighting to keep her sobbing under control everyone else ceases to matter.
"Hey…" Arizona coos, slowly approaching the distressed woman. Tear stained brown eyes meet blue and the blonde's heart breaks. Something breaks within the Latina as well and Callie nearly collapses into her girlfriend's arms. She could care less about her mother who is still having it out with the others, for all Callie knows today was her last shot. She prayed that her parents would finally understand. …But they don't. And what's more they called the woman she loves a monster, and that's something Callie can never forgive.
"I'm sorry, sweetie. I'm so sorry…" Arizona whispers as she gently rocks the woman. Tears stream from dark eyes and the blonde can feel them pooling on her shoulder even through the thick coat she is wearing. This is all her fault, if she would have just listened to Callie her girlfriend wouldn't have her heart broken right now.
"I'm so sorry, baby. I'm sorry. …Shhh, it'll be ok, honey. We'll be ok. I'm not going anywhere, Calliope." The blonde murmurs, not knowing what else she can do besides holding the woman tight and letting her cry. Only when she hears a particularly loud shot does she look over to their parents. Both Daniel and Carlos look like they are about to go toe to toe, and their mothers aren't far behind.
"Stay here." Arizona whispers to Callie, then approaches the chaos and forces herself between the two men. "Just go!" She snaps, catching both of their attentions. "I'm serious, just go. Get in a fucking cab and leave. Do both Callie and I a favor and just leave. Never speak to each other again, never speak to us again. Because obviously that's the only way this is going to work."
"Arizona…" Barbara gasps.
"What mom?" The blonde snaps back. "What? What do you want me to do? The woman I love is standing just ten feet away with her heart breaking and I can't handle that. So I'm going to do what I need to do to protect her and to protect me. If that means cutting every single one of you from our lives, I will do it. Don't you dare think I won't." She turns back to Carlos and Lucia and says, "I don't care what you call me. Call me a monster. Call me a sinner. Call me a whore, I don't care. Think whatever you want about me, I don't care because I love your daughter and she loves me and that's all that matters. So if you losing the most amazing woman ever to walk this earth makes you feel just the tiniest bit better about being homophobic, close minded assholes, then fine. Callie and I will get back on our plane and go to Seattle and you will never hear from us again. But you can't keep me from loving her, because I'll never stop loving her."
"Why did you do this to her?" Lucia asks between sobs. "You stole my daughter and now she's going to burn in hell for it."
"I'd rather burn in hell than live a fake life." Callie replies, having heard everything her girlfriend had said and it giving her some strength. "I'm sorry I've disappointed you and Dad but… this is who I am. I fell in love with a woman, and I'm not sorry about that. And if you can't accept that, if you can't understand it then Arizona is right. …You need to leave."
"Calliope…" Carlos sighs. "You don't know what you're-"
"I know perfectly well what I'm doing, Dad." Callie cuts him off. "I'm taking a stand, something you taught me to do. Only this time I'm siding with myself. I chose Arizona, and that's it. I'm happy with her, even though we are broke and can't afford fancy dinners or fast cars or expensive homes. I'm happy. How often can you say that?"
Silence fills the otherwise loud street around them, and then Callie finds her girlfriend's hand. "Come on, Arizona. …Let's go home." Blue eyes give each so called adult one last look before climbing into the back of a cab.
But just before she is able to close the door a hand grips the edge and Aria appears. "Here…" She says, passing the blonde a hand written note. On it it has Aria's number, followed by the words, 'In case you wanted to know'.
It all falls together and Arizona's gaze snaps up to find Aria's. "It was you. You sent me-"
"Just give them time." Aria says, her own heart breaking from having to watch her sister fall apart. Even though she herself can't understand it, Aria still loves her sister and wants her to be happy. Even if it is with a woman. "They'll come around, just… just give them some time."
"They've had time, Aria." Callie says glumly. "And I'm done waiting."
Two years later
Charts are piled high in her arms as Arizona roams the halls of the pediatric ward. Her fellowship is about to come to an end and Dr. Baines has decided to use the few remaining weeks of her servitude to use it as a means to get all his paperwork caught up. Normally she would put her foot down and protest, but since the hospital just spent nearly half a million dollars to train her over the course of the past two years, the blonde figures she could put in a little grunt work just to repay the favor.
As she rounds a corner, her focus averted to the cell phone in her free hand, Arizona plows into someone who she never saw coming. Charts fall to the floor in a mess and blue eyes go wide in terror.
"Oh my god, I'm so-" But then she sees who it is and confusion quickly replaces fear. "Calliope? What are you doing here?"
"That's the kind of greeting I get after my girlfriend runs me over?" The Latina asks as she kneels down and helps the woman collect her charts.
"Sorry, but… what are you doing here?" The blonde asks again.
But before she can be answered her Chief of Surgery approaches with a big smile on his face. "Ah! Just the ladies I was looking for." He gives his fellow surgeon a friendly smile but claps Callie on the shoulder. …Almost like they were buddies. "I'm guessing Callie here filled you in?"
"Filled me in on what?" Arizona asks, now twice as confused as before.
"Actually, I hadn't gotten to the part yet, Mike." Callie replies.
"Mike?" The peds surgeon is now completely lost. Since when has her girlfriend gotten in so well with her Chief of Surgery to the point that they refer to each other by their first name. "What's going on?"
"Well, if you had read the monthly newsletter, you'd know that we are forming a softball league to take on Seattle Pres." The chief says.
"Oh no." Arizona groans.
"And I just happened to recall that I had two superstars within arm's reach." He continues, shaking Callie's shoulder playfully as he talks. "I put in a little call, and your girl stepped up. I'm expecting you to join too, Robbins. It's all about being part of the team."
"I… I…" The blonde fumbles. "Wait, you have to work for the hospital to play for the hospital." She says.
"We've fixed that." Her boss replies. "Callie here is now a part time employee of Seattle Grace Mercy West."
"See?" Callie teases, pulling out her retractable ID badge for blue eyes to find before letting it snap back.
"Like I said…" The Chief adds as he starts to back track down the hallway. "I expect to see you in the dirt as well, Dr. Robbins. Go Team!"
The blonde watches as her boss fades from sight then slowly turns back to see her smiling girlfriend. "Seriously?"
"What? It'll be fun!" Callie replies giddily. "You and me? Out on the diamond again. Sweating it up, kicking ass… just like the good ole times." The Latina steps into Arizona's personal space and chances a kiss on an ivory cheek, but pulls away when the chill nearly freezes her. "Why are you being like this, Arizona? It's just softball."
"It's never just softball, Calliope." Arizona grumbles. "And besides, that's not the point. How could you not tell me my Chief brought you in as a ringer? Isn't that something you're supposed to tell your girlfriend?"
"It just happened today, honey." The Latina replies. "Besides, it's not like I'm going to be living here. All I have to do is spend five hours a week within these walls to be considered an employee. I'll just… I don't know… play with cancer kids. Or work the flower cart." Caramel hands slip underneath the dark navy scrubs and tickle fair flesh beneath as she adds, "Or maybe we could check out one of those on-call rooms…"
Despite her best attempts at trying to play off her girlfriend's come on, Arizona can feel her body reacting accordingly. What with their hectic schedules rarely coordinating well, there remains one thing the happy couple have not been able to explore in their sexual relationship and that's the all too common on-call room hookup.
The Latina knows she has the blonde when she notices a very distinctive change in the color blue that is staring back at her. So she leans in, lips barely tickling the skin of Arizona's ear, and she whispers, "Meet me there in five minutes."
A brown eye winks seductively and Arizona watches as the shapely body sashays away. Five minutes is too long and the blonde takes after the woman immediately, ending up at the first available on-call room mere seconds after the Latina. Frantic hands start their work at removing clothing as soon as the lock is flipped closed.
Pushing Callie back on to the bunk bed, she says, "Fine, I'm in. But I'm not pitching."
Callie just smiles as the blonde rips her pants from her body and climbs on top of her, and before they get down to business she replies, "We'll see about that, Battleship."
Despite Arizona's firm refusal to pitch during the hospital games, the blonde finds herself up on the mound. Callie has, of course, taken over the catching responsibilities but the two have toned down the intensity of their game seeing as it is just a friendly rivalry. It's more of an excuse for the two hospital's surgeons to get outside and drink. …Or at least that's what some of Arizona's colleagues think is appropriate because they've been taking hits from a flask since warm up's.
"How you feeling, baby?" Callie asks as she approaches the mound in her catcher's gear. It's no where's near as nice as the USA gear, but just being behind the mask again makes her giddy.
Arizona tries to keep from smiling, wanting to play up the part of unhappy participant, but she can't help it. "Ready to kick some Presbyterian ass, Boss." She replies, fist bumping her girlfriend like they used to do.
"Let's do it." The Latina drops the game ball into her pitchers glove then jogs back to her position to get set for the first batter.
And as that batter steps up, a Plastic surgeon who looks too hot for his own good, he flashes the blonde a cocky smile. Just the way he carries himself lets everyone know that he thinks the sun shines out of his ass. And when he opens his mouth to say, "Let's see what you got, honey," he removes all doubt of how big of a jerk he actually is.
Quite suddenly the need to shut him up hits Arizona full force and she dismisses the sign Callie never calls. It doesn't take long for the Latina to catch on and a shit eating grin crosses her face. She calls for a heat high and inside just to scare the asshole, and when Arizona hits the mark perfectly the batter nearly wets himself.
Callie tosses the ball back to her pitcher and says, "Only I get to call her honey, honey."
It doesn't take long to get Seattle Grace Mercy West on the board while the keen eye and killer arm of Callie Torres behind the plate keeps Seattle Presbyterian scoreless. Only a handful of her co-workers are taking this game half-way seriously, but nonetheless Arizona is having a ball. Plus being able to openly flirt, kiss, and touch her girlfriend while she wears the sexy blue uniform makes it all the better.
And as the game progresses the Latina's nerves get worse and worse. For weeks she's been planning this, hoping to get Arizona on board and pitching. Now that she has, it feels too good to be true. Even the two home runs she manages to send over the fence don't measure up to what is about to happen, and after Seattle Presbyterian manages to get its third out, Callie and her team retake the field.
"You feeling alright, Calliope?" Arizona asks as they meander out onto the dirt.
"Perfect." Callie replies, keeping her catcher's mitt closed tight from prying eyes. "Three up…"
"Three down." The blonde finishes and they part ways.
By now the game is pretty much determined, but still when Callie misses a pitch is makes Arizona stop and notice. Callie Torres never misses a pitch. She'll jump, dive, roll… whatever it takes to stop it. But she doesn't miss pitches. And when it happens for a second time Arizona knows something is going on. Blue eyes watch as her girlfriend asks for a new ball, almost as if the ball they were currently using were wet or slippery, and when the Latina tosses it back to her pitcher Arizona finds it's not a ball at all.
As she opens her glove she finds a small black velvet box, complete with the signature ball diamond red dust sticking to it. Her hands go numb and her gaze slowly tracks back up to find Callie jogging towards her, the most brilliant smile on her face. She comes to a stop right in front of the frozen blonde and pulls her catcher's mask up on top of her head, slight out of breath for another reason besides running.
"Calliope…" Arizona starts, looking between her girlfriend and the box. "What are you doing?" She asks in a weak voice.
But the woman doesn't answer, instead she yanks off her mitt and tosses it to the ground while grabbing the velvet box in Arizona's glove. "Arizona… I love you. More than I ever thought I could love another person. You've made my life complete even though I never realized it wasn't. Every day I wake up next to you is the best day of my life. …And I want to keep waking up to you for the rest of my life. So…" She takes a deep breath and sinks to one knee right there on the pitcher's mound. "Arizona… Will you marry me?"
Tears collect in blue eyes and before she knows it Arizona is on the ground with Callie and is kissing her with salty lips. Both teams applaud the happy couple but neither of the women hear them, the couple so wrapped up in their own pretty pink bubble. A shaky hand pulls the engagement ring from the dirt covered box and Callie somehow manages to slip it on Arizona's hand.
"Is that a yes?" The Latina asks playfully.
"Yes! Yes. Yes, Calliope, yes." Arizona cries, tears of joys racing down her face. "Of course I'll marry you." The sparkle of the ring nearly blinds her, but it pales in comparison to the look of utter happiness warm brown eyes are giving her in this moment. Everything is perfect, the only thing missing right now is a kiss from the woman she loves. So Arizona corrects that injustice by pulling Callie in for another embrace, her hands cupping the Latina's face passionately while caramel arms snake around the blonde's waist.
When they part, Arizona whispers, "I love you."
"I love you too." Callie replies, then looks around at all the people watching them. "Now, let's finish this game so we can go home and celebrate."
Four years later
The atmosphere is buzzing with electricity and all eyes are glued to the action at hand. Arizona is sure she's never felt this nervous before in her entire life. Everything she'd done up to this point doesn't matter because now all she can do is sit and watch. Fingernails have been chewed down to the stud and beads of perspiration start to trickle down her face, blurring the red, white and blue face paint present on either cheek. Blue eyes dart to the scoreboard over centerfield and then flick back to USA's dugout just in time to see Team USA step out for their final inning.
It's 2016 and Team USA is in the final match of the summer Olympics. Captain Callie Torres has been leading her team to victory after victory, and now has her sights set on a second straight gold medal. The only thing that would make it even better is if it were Arizona stepping up onto the pitcher's mound. But she need only to look to the stands to find her wife fully decked out in USA attire, cheering both Callie and her team on to victory. Three outs, that's all she needs. Three outs and USA secures their place at the top again. Three outs, and they send Japan home crying… again.
It's been a long and crazy road to where they are now, but neither of them would change a thing. Well, maybe the year they spent in a long distance relationship with Arizona in Seattle working at the hospital while Callie trained in Oklahoma City for her second games. But none of that matters anymore because it all comes down to this inning.
"Come on baby! You got this!" Arizona hollers from the stands, brown eyes finding blue despite the thousands of people packed within the stands.
Torres signals her pitcher, now seasoned veteran Lucy Fields, and gets set for the pitch. A called strike and the Japanese batter snarls and shakes her head. Arizona fidgets with the chain around her neck where a heart shaped pendant and her wife's wedding ring are placed, the blonde keeping Callie's ring for good luck during the game.
The batter manages to get on but Callie keeps her team calm and they quickly get the next opponent out. Minutes seem to drag on into hours all the while USA battles to keep Japan from scoring. A sharp play from King at short earns USA their second out and Arizona shoots from her chair in excitement. Her voice has long since gone hoarse from the days of screaming at the top of her lungs, but that doesn't stop her from cheering anyways.
What could be Japan's last batter steps up to the box and the stadium silences. Lucy takes a minute to calm herself before turning to face her next batter, accepting her captains call for a drop and setting up for her pitch. The runner at third digs in deep and prepares to run her hardest ever. The drop comes and the batter makes contact. But because it dipped low just at the right time the batter barely catches a piece of it. The ball merely dribbles towards Lucy and in her frantic state to field it and make a play she immediately goes to the closest bag.
All eyes are on USA as the pitcher lobs the weak grounder to home, Callie steeling herself for what could be one of the most important plays in her career. Arizona's heart stops as she witnesses her wife catch the ball and turn to apply the tag just as the runner plows into her at full force. There's no room left for playing nice so the runner never flinched, never pulled up, never slowed down.
Callie takes the hit full on, a shockwave surging through her body as she falls back onto the dirt. The wind is knocked from her chest and she's pretty sure that the tiny Japanese woman bruised one of her ribs, but all the catcher is focused on is keeping hold of the ball.
She lands with a thud and everything goes deathly quiet, every fan, coach and player waiting for the call. The home plate umpire stands over her, holding his judgment until he sees the ball. And when she raises it high in the air, he calls that third out, closing the game.
The stadium erupts and a dog pile is quickly formed atop their downed captain. Confetti gets unleashed from somewhere up above and celebration music makes the bench seats rattle. Japan shuffles off the field, their heads hung low in defeat from their second straight let down while USA takes over the field. Flags are handed out and players wrap their home country's colors around their shoulders and they take their victory lap.
And as Callie and her team pass by the America section, the Latina breaks away to approach her wife, all of America watching as the camera's pan to them.
The blonde leans over the rails and cups the captain's tear streaked face. "You did it, Calliope. I'm so proud of you." She whispers before kissing the woman soundly for all to see.
"That one was for you, Battleship." Callie replies, stealing one last kiss before rejoining her team on field.
Arizona watches as her wife, the love of her life, takes the medal podium for the second time and gracefully bow her head to accept gold. Despite having been in that exact spot just four years ago, the blonde has never felt more proud in her life. It's not just a handful of young, immature women anymore. USA has matured, and grown, just as Callie and Arizona have. Through obstacles and fights and nights spent on the couch and wondering how they would pay the next months' rent, they've thrived. And here they are again, winning gold.
As soon as Callie is released again, she jogs over to Arizona and urges her out onto the field. There, in front of thousands of fans and millions of fellow Americans watching from back home, the married couple share a true embrace. Callie drapes the woman in the American flag as she hugs the surgeon tight while photographers snap pictures that will soon become symbolic to USA's fight and victory in these games.
"Callie! Callie Torres!" A reporter shouts, trying to catch the star's attention. "A moment?"
One thing that hasn't changed over the four years is the Latina's fear of public speaking, and it's only because she's riding the high with her wife right next to her that she doesn't melt into a sputtering puddle of nerves.
"Second straight gold. How are you feeling?" The interviewer asks, shoving the mic right into Torres's face.
"Awesome. Amazing. Perfect. Fantastic. …Words can't describe it." She replies.
The man turns to the blonde next to the player, and asks, "Arizona Robbins, it was only four years ago that you were standing right along next to Callie Torres, and many of the other players on the team. What was it like being on the other side of things?"
"It was a whole new experience for me. Watching Callie and the girls from the sidelines was more nerve wrecking then actually competing. But I never doubted them for a minute." Arizona answers with a big dimpled grin.
"Any regrets on not competing yourself this year?" He ask.
"I miss it, especially being back here with the elite of the elite competition. And being away from my wife for that year she was training was rough, but no. No regrets." The blonde replies truthfully. "Being a surgeon has always been my dream and… a surgeon's hands are their life. I couldn't risk getting injured."
"What about you, Callie? This is your second Games, meaning nearly eight years of committing yourself to the sport. Any chance we'll be seeing you in 2020 as well?" The reporter asks, winding down his interview.
"It's too soon to tell." The Latina shouts over the continued celebration being had by her teammates. "But I'm not against keeping my options open."
"So what comes next after winning two golds?" He asks his last question, smiling along with the happy couple.
Arizona gives the woman an expected look, also waiting for her answer, Callie answers, "That's easy. We go back home and start our family." And the camera fades out with the happily married couple sharing a passionate kiss, both women excited beyond words about finally being able to move on with the next part of their lives together.
Nine years later
It's early Sunday morning and the sound of birds chirping just outside their midtown home mixes with the faint snoring of a sleeping Latina. Their bed is warm and plush, the house quiet of any chaos or crying. It's perfect. It's everything a Sunday morning should be. Then an incessant beeping pierces the air causing Callie's night time noises to falter.
Blue eyes crack open as Arizona is pulled from her sleep. A weary hand reaches over to her nightstand and she finds the offending item. "Damn it…" She groans.
"Noooo." Callie whines, barely cognizant enough to process what is going on. "It's Sunday, hon. You don't work on Sundays."
But the blonde is already out of bed and hurriedly trying to find something to wear. "I know, Calliope, but I have to. Just go back to sleep." The few rays of sunshine just starting to poke through their windows gives the surgeon enough light to get dressed, and as she's about to head out the door she leans in close to her wife and whispers, "I'll be back as soon as I can, sweetie."
She gives the woman a kiss on her warm cheek and smiles when the Latina sleepily mumbles, "Remember, the game's at-"
"2 oclock. Got it." The blonde says, then kisses her wife one last time and then high tails it to the hospital to quell the latest disaster.
That disaster ended up being a seven year old girl who needed surgery immediately, and by the time the surgeon closes her up she is playing dangerously close to 1:30. Thankfully, as head of Pediatrics, she is able to delegate any other menial tasks that come her way so she can make her date on time.
The woman makes it to the park in record time, and with a load full of strawberries in one hand, she starts her hike over to the fields. Laughter and squeals fill the air as kids of all sizes play on the playground, making the blonde smile as well. She soon comes upon a group of adults and they all greet her with a friendly smile.
Just as she's handing off her dish to one of the other parents, a very distinctive, "Mama!" is yelled, making the blonde turn around just in time for an excited 5 year old to hug her.
"Hi, baby girl!" Arizona coos, kneeling down to get a better look at her daughter. A large, toothy grin greets her in delight while the girl's softball jersey hangs down past her waist. Raven hair is pulled into a messy ponytail that sticks out the back of her visor. Yeah, her daughter is prepared for battle.
"You ready to play some ball?" The surgeon asks, trying to tuck in the girl's jersey to her already grass stained white baseball pants.
"Yeah! I'm ready." She replies, "And guess what? Coach Mike is sick so Mommy is our coach."
Eyebrows shoot up in surprise and Arizona asks, "Mommy is coach?" Big brown eyes nearly pop out of their skulls as the girl nods enthusiastically. "Wow."
"You sound surprised." A husky voice adds, blue eyes darting up to find her wife wearing a jersey, the bottom knotted around her waist, and a matching visor on her head. "Jamie, why don't you go gather the team and get them circled up, ok?" Callie asks her daughter, and the little girl takes off at a run.
Arizona stands and appraises her wife, then says, "You volunteered to be coach?"
"Anything I can do to help." The Latina replies, tugging the blonde in closer and kissing the woman quickly.
"And it has nothing to do with your pathological need to win?" The surgeon asks sarcastically, giggling when a look of hurt crosses her wife's face. "You do know that even though this is the championship game, there are no winners. Right? I mean, you're not going to go all Boss-mode on them, are you?"
Brown eyes roll and her wife's description of her competitive streak, and she replies, "If there are no winners then why do they keep score?" Arizona only offers her a hard stare and the Latina quickly folds, "I was kidding, Arizona. I know that this is for fun, ok? I'm not expecting Jamie to-" Again the blonde raises a disbelieving eyebrow and Callie quickly corrects herself, "Ok, yeah. I expect our daughter to kill it but I know that's not what this day is about. Ok? Just relax sweetie. Just relax and cheer on your girls from the Mom section, ok?"
Pink lips turn up in a smile and Arizona replies, "Alright. Good luck Boss."
Her wife smiles then brings the silver whistle to her lips and blows, catching her team's attention. "Alright Titans, let's warm it up!" She hollers, sticking her clipboard underneath one arm while adjusting her visor.
Callie takes a step towards her waiting team but Arizona reaches out and grips her arm. Lips dance over the flesh of the Latina's ear and the blonde whispers in a sensual tone, "Don't lose that whistle and clipboard, Calliope. You're going to need it tonight." All the moisture in Callie's throat relocates to a more southern area and Arizona knows exactly what she did to the woman. With one last kiss to a now flushed cheek, the blonde smacks a very firm ass then turns to join the rest of the parents on the sidelines.
Soon two teams of highly wound five to seven year olds take the field and a game that barely resembles softball commences. Tiny humans bat and field and throw and run around in a haze of excitement, more often than not getting distracted halfway to first base as they go. But it's all in good fun, and the smile on Arizona's face never leaves. Despite her wife's huge competitive nature the Latina is nothing but patient as she coaches her daughter's team through the game.
But when Jamie steps up to bat both Callie and Arizona turn on their A game. "Come on sweetie, you got this honey!" Arizona shouts. "Eye on the ball, baby girl. Eye on the ball." If her mothers' cheering bothers the little girl, she doesn't show it. Instead brown eyes narrow and cute little pink cleats dig into the ground as she get's set.
Callie watches in silence as her daughter stares down the pitcher, a feeling of pride swelling within her. And when Jamie takes a big cut she connects and sends the ball sailing far into the outfield. "Run Jamie, Run!" Callie shouts, waving the little girl on through first base and towards second as the other team's outfielders scurry after her hit.
"Go! GO! GO!" Arizona yells, blue eyes locked on her tiny human as she hits second and turns towards third. The other team's coach, who has the third base box, waves the little girl on through as well and Jamie sets her sights on home.
There isn't even a play at the plate as their little girl crosses home, the biggest smile on her face. Arizona claps and cheers and hollers praise to her daughter while Callie is beside herself in pride. They watch as Jamie's team spills out of the dugout and congratulates their teammate, high fives and hugs being given by all the her little friends.
When the inning comes to a close Callie joins her wife at the fence and they share an equally large smile. "Did you see her?" The Latina asks. "Did you see that swing? She's a beast!"
"And that speed? Jamie was like a little roadrunner rounding those bases." Arizona replies in equal enthusiasm.
"Mommy?" A little voice asks, making both women look down to find their daughter. "Can you help?" She asks.
"Of course, mija." Callie replies, then squats down to help the little girl with her chest protector strap. Of all the positions Arizona and her wife have watched their daughter try, Jamie was just drawn to catching. Callie was ecstatic but a part of Arizona was a bit worried. Sure, she's great at it but then Arizona can also clearly recall many instances where her wife was nearly knocked unconscious by aggressive base runners, and the blonde kind of wishes that Jamie would have ended up in the safety of the pitcher's circle.
The game comes to a close and even though it's very evident that one team far exceeded the other, both are given participation medals to celebrate the close of the season. Parents take a sigh of relief, having survived yet another few months of games, practices and last minute snack runs while the kids excitedly talk about the next season. …Soccer.
When they manage to wrangle their girl again, they ask her what she wants to do to celebrate and she replies, "Mommy's!"
"Really?" Callie asks. "We can go anywhere you want, mija."
"No, I want to go to mommy's." Jamie replies firmly.
"The girl knows what she wants." Arizona muses with a shrug, just another thing their daughter inherited from the Latina.
A quick trip across town and the happy family step into the warm and already crowded restaurant that has become Callie's second baby. After her win in 2016, investors were quick to make themselves known as she presented her business plan for her restaurant. And now, after years of building its reputation among the ranks of both the food world and the entertainment world, her restaurant is one of the most popular places in all of Seattle. People wait in lines for hours just to eat her delicious creations and to hear the fresh talent that performs while they dine. The Latina has a whole crew set aside just to find those unknown singers and artists, adding to the mystique of the already elusive restaurant.
Her hostess immediately picks Callie out of the throngs of people waiting and tells her that the owner's table is free. The three women shuffle through the restaurant until they reach the best table in the house, out of the way but a perfect view of the stage, and Arizona gets Jamie settled in while Callie goes to quickly check on how her business is doing.
A quick run through the kitchen, seeing everything working like clockwork, Callie rejoins her family with their drinks and they settle in for a family dinner. Jamie gives her mom's another game play by play, acting out all the big moments with gusto as she chomps on her favorite meal in the world, her Mommy's chicken strips.
"Mama?" Jamie asks, "Can we put my medal on the fireplace like Mommy's?"
"Of course, sweetie." Arizona replies. "We'll do that as soon as we get home, ok?"
A smile turns up the corner of the Latina's lips as she watches her wife and her tiny clone interact. The relationship they have is something so amazing that Callie can't even describe it. Even though Jamie came from her body, Arizona is so finely attuned to their daughter that it's almost as if their daughter was of the blonde's own blood.
But she's shaken from her thoughts when someone taps her shoulder, and she looks over to find one of her employees. "Hey Cal, there have been many requests to hear you perform and we just so happen to have a fifteen minute break coming up."
"Yeah, you should sing Mommy." Jamie agrees.
Callie brushes her daughters messy hair and then finds bright blue eyes twinkling in agreement. It's not the first time she's been requested to perform on her own stage and every time she stands in front of those lights it makes her entire soul smile.
"Alright, you talked me into it, mija." Callie says, kissing her daughter's cheek before sliding out of the booth and approaching the stage.
A quick word to the sounds guy and she steps into the spotlight still wearing her jersey. "Thank you all for coming today…" She starts, the fear of public speaking never bothering her when it comes to singing. "Hope you all are enjoying your meal and the atmosphere. This little number is dedicated to my special girls." She gives a slight nod to the sound man and soon the opening bars of "Universe & U" start to fill the restaurant.
Arizona and Jamie watch in wonder as the Latina's voice spills out of the woman they love so deeply, her rich, thick tone playing the words perfectly in time with the melody. And it's not just her family that Callie captivates, but then entire audience. Her emotion and passion seeps from her soul as she performs the number, she and the music becoming one entity.
And as the ending notes fade out, Callie almost whispering her last "I am the universe and you…", the restaurant applauds in equal measure to the talent they just witnessed. The Latina smiles wide, her mega-watt grin sparkling in the spotlight, and she takes a few quick bows before stepping off the stage.
"That was awesome, Mommy!" Jamie exclaims as her mother rejoins their table.
"It was pretty amazing, Calliope." Arizona adds, leaning across their daughter to kiss those still smiling lips.
"Excuse me…" A gruff voice interrupts the couple, three sets of eyes turning to their intruder. "My name is Peter Klimeck and I work for Blue Note Records… I have to say, you impressed me, Ms. Torres. Here's my card. You should call me." Peter hands the stunned woman his business card then tips his imaginary hat and disappears into the crowd of the restaurant.
"Oh my god…" Callie breathes out, holding the card in front of her like it was made of dynamite. "Blue Note? I'm dreaming, right?"
Arizona just smiles and kisses her wife's cheek, whispering, "I married a superstar."
Later than night, after Jamie had been put to bed, Arizona finds herself standing in front of the fireplace staring at the mantle. It's amazing how one can fit an entire life's worth of memories on one small shelf, but as she glances from picture to picture, keepsake to keepsake, that's exactly what it is. Pictures of Jamie as a baby, Callie and Arizona just after winning their first Gold, that snapshot of the two of them surrounded by the American flag, kissing when the Latina won her second. It's all there.
Two gold medals hang reverently in their display cases, each labeled with the year and location of their victory. Beside them a picture of Arizona's brother along with his Silver Star he was awarded. The case is inscribed with 'Timothy James Robbins' along with the date of his act of heroism, which just so happens to be the date of his date. And right in the middle of those trophies is the 99 cent fake gold medal Jamie was given after the game today. It takes up the most honorable spot along the mantle, just as it should.
Tears collect in the corner of blue eyes as Arizona's mind pulls up memory after memory. This coming winter will mark ten years since the blonde's life spiraled out of control. Ten years since she lost her best friend and nearly gave up on life all together. But then something amazing happened. And she's not talking about the outcome of her trying out that fateful day. No, what happened was she met the one person in the world who could stitch and sew and glue Arizona's heart back together until the blonde had the strength to mend it herself. Callie came into her life at a point where it was the darkest, and she brought the brightest light imaginable. Now ten years later they are both wildly successful at their chosen professions, they own a beautiful home, and have a happy marriage. But all of that pales in comparison the moment Jamie came into their lives. Which is why there was no discussion when it came to naming their new born baby girl.
Warm, soft hands snake around from behind the blonde and Arizona's eyes flutter close as her wife envelopes her in a loving embrace. She melts into Callie's arms and takes comfort in the love that is always present, thanking a god she never used to believe in that he brought such an amazing woman into her life.
"You coming to bed, Battleship?" Callie whispers against an ivory neck as her lips softly peck at her flesh.
She turns in the Latina's embrace and kisses her wife, a warmth and calmness crashing over her body. Blue eyes open again and find those same brown orbs that she fell in love with so long ago staring back at her.
With a soft smile, Arizona replies, "Yeah, Boss. Let's go to bed."
The End.