AN: Thank you for your patience. We've had a really busy September and meant to have this out much earlier but you know how it is having 2 writers, trying to coordinate writing schedules around our families, and then one of us might have had a temper tantrum because she (hint: Nic) wasn't happy with something in the chapter and spent a week sorting it out after already making you wait too long. Sorry again and we hope you enjoy. Thank you SR for being a beta beast. Trace for talking one of us down the edge. And everybody for their reviews. -Nic & Sadie
Please forgive any mistakes that may have managed to escape we try but they do manage to sneak in there. Thanks again
Chapter 13: You Had My Heart, You Had My Soul. You Had It All - Didn't You?
You Have Taken Away The Trust, You're The Ghost Haunting Through Her Heart
As she lurked behind the white sterile wall of the hospital corridor, just out of view, she found herself stalking the blonde as she tried to find her way. She didn't look out of place, being a surgeon who walked halls like these on a daily basis, Arizona only stopped to ask someone twice for information about her destination. Actually, Arizona had walked straight past her in her search for Callie and she hadn't even noticed the woman whose heart she'd destroyed by just showing her face again; she cursed to herself maybe it was the fact she was fully clothed.
Tony felt her heart sink just a little more when she spotted the smile that graced Callie's face when she realised Arizona was there. Did she ever make Callie's smile that wide and glow that bright? She smirked slightly when she caught King's eye roll as Callie introduced him, no doubt as just a mere mortal in the realms of her awesomeness. Tony smiled, she knew how Callie would always project herself to be a rockstar, but deep inside all the insecurities simmered away…Arizona being the cause of it all to boil to the top.
She had been avoiding Callie around the hospital; she had just wanted to clear her head a little. She loved that Callie seemed so happy, but she still couldn't let go of the fact that it wasn't her that was making her that way, and she wasn't ready to be around it yet.
She would always laugh at those pathetic people that couldn't let go, pining over lost loves, and yet here she was hiding around the corner of the Ortho Department trying to eavesdrop in on a conversation that did not concern her. She knew it was wrong, but her lurking gave her opportunity as she overheard that Arizona had wanted to come and get Callie instead of meeting her at the therapist's office. Looks like they are giving it a shot, it was a strange feeling for her, she wanted the best for Callie, obviously she thought she was the best, but she knew if she didn't let Callie try again with Arizona, get her truly out her system so to speak, then they would never make it as a couple themselves, if they had a chance. And damn it, Tony wanted that chance. So she risked it all. Again she felt herself involuntary growl as Callie gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before directing Arizona to her office to wait while she finished. It was only a quick kiss, but one that made Tony's skin crawl with jealousy. She was sure Arizona would screw up on her own, but waiting was going to kill her. Watching the door close Tony smiled, she had something she wanted to get off her chest.
And Will We Ever End Up Together? No, I Think Not, It's Never To Become For I Am Not The One
Arizona made herself home in Callie's office. Taking in the décor of the room that was very typically Callie Torres. Behind the large wooden desk there was a large painting on canvas, she smiled when she recognised it. Callie had a print of it back in Seattle, but this was most definitely an original. She would always comment on the way the paint strokes made the salsa dancers looked like they were moving. Red dresses flowing, would always make her hear the music in her head, brighten her mood no matter what kind of day it was.
Callie was a great dancer, she loved it and you could always see the passion she had for it. Arizona was caught in the memory of the pair dancing and she never realised the extra presence in the room until she heard the door lock.
"You know, you really did break her?"
With her back still to the door, Arizona froze unsure of the presence until she caught the slight accent. It was caring and threatening in one mix of emotions. "Excuse me?" Arizona turned to face Tony. She took in her appearance more closely this time. The taller woman stood intimidatingly in front of the only exit. Her sleek straight shoulder length red hair shone in the artificial light. The woman was very pretty; Arizona couldn't deny that her ex did have very good taste, but she couldn't hate her, because she had got them into this situation and not Tony.
Arizona felt herself flinch slightly as she took one step closer; Tony's eyes sparkled with thought and emotion. "The more intense our relationship became, the more apparent it became that you'd always be the brick wall that I'd never be able to scale." Tony paused as she shook her head slightly and let out a pained laugh. "But I thought you were too self-absorbed to realise that Callie was it. She isit. I'm pretty sure she was my it; but I was never hers while you still loomed over her head. And because of that, because of you, she'll be the one I let get away, 'cause I am letting her get away because it seems I have little choice. But you. Why? You, you don't deserve her. I get that you've been through a lot, you have lost lots, but you also threw Callie away like she was yesterday's garbage. You don't do that to the people you claim to love. You just don't hurt the people you love that way."
Arizona felt herself physically gulp as Tony was now loitering above her. Tony watched the panic appear in the blonde's eyes, it was actually reassuring that she was able to say something and be heard. "You are going to destroy her this time, but at least this time she will have somebody there to pick up the pieces because you, Arizona Robbins, don't know any better. Your radar consists of what revolves around you and that's never included Callie or her feelings, has it?" Tony waited for Arizona's rebuttal, but nothing came. The blonde woman sat there, a slight nod in response, shame masking her face. It wasn't the response Tony was expecting, not from a woman she'd known or at least heard about to ever take things lying down. It was unnerving.
"You know when you hurt her again…Let's just say I know people who can make you disappear." Tony purred making sure she kept the smile that was threatening to appear hidden; she wasn't a violent person and she had no ties to anyone who could do those things, but having the accent help with her threat. She wanted to see if this idiot in her eyes was going to fight for Callie. She knew from Callie, unintentionally of course, that Arizona wouldn't stand for a telling off, but the verbal fight she was expecting never came as she just looked at the ground and took a deep breath. Tony's bubble deflated a little as the silence dragged on.
Unable to stand on her own two feet both literally and figuratively, Arizona sat on the couch, her shoulders slumped, her posture defeated. "I'm truly sorry, Tony." Arizona looked up from her seated position at the other woman, pain reflected in her eyes and Tony felt her stance soften at the other woman's vulnerability. A vulnerability she not expected from the woman that would always be the villain in her own eyes.
Arizona lowered her eyes to the ground again before she spoke, she hated that look of sympathy, and certainly from someone she felt shouldn't give her. "I didn't mean for this, you know. I didn't want to wait for Callie to be happy and then do this. I wanted her to be happy because it was something I obviously lost the power to do. I've never stopped loving her, but I hurt her deeply and I didn't know where to go from that point." Arizona shook her head, she wasn't allowed to feel shame over this anymore because it would only hold her back, hold them back in their own healing process, but shame was a hard emotion to kick. Taking a deep breath, Arizona paused looking down again, when she heard the chair legs scratch across the floor. She tried to hold her head up high and dared to look the most recent heart she'd broken, in the eye. Tony had now taken a seat and was intently listening to her with understanding and what looked like compassion in her eyes.
"It's taken me a long time to get me back, I mean, I can't even say that it is me. It's a healthier version of me, and I took too long not getting help. I thought I was strong enough. I didn't want to admit I was weak, everyone already looked at me as the amputee, the disabled person, that woman that used to be Arizona Robbins. I never wanted my wife to do that too, and yet my actions forced her to do just that."
She felt rage sitting there listening to Arizona, but it was less at the woman sitting in front of her and more at herself. She had to hate this woman because this woman had stolen Callie from her, but how could she? Arizona wasn't fighting back, she was truly opening up and ... apologizing. She wanted a fight. God how she'd be able to deal with this better if only Arizona Robbins fought back. She was supposed to fight back ... but instead Tony found herself and her anger melting. "Admitting you need help doesn't make you weak. It makes you strong, you are strong enough to say that you need help. In my opinion anyway." Tony spoke gently, she understood that it was easier to talk to a stranger sometimes and if she was truly going to give Callie up without a fight ... that thought burned her, but if she was going to do it, maybe after the bitterness passed, being just friends wasn't such a bad thing. That might be the only tie she would ever have with Callie and she wasn't willing to give it up even if that meant Arizona Robbins had to be part of the package too…
"I know that now, but back then I was bitter and angry, and nasty was my defense mechanism. I made Callie go to meetings for the survivors and then I used it against her. Telling her she wasn't a victim and should stop acting like one. The fact was, I made her one. Have you ever said something you know is not right, but you can't stop it before it leaves your mouth? It was months that I put her through that. I finally saw what I was doing and tried, I tried to act like I was good. Burying everything and building a false facade of the person I used to be. The cracks were showing and I did nothing, I have no excuse for what I did to Callie...It was the biggest mistake of my life that followed another then another." Arizona shuffled slightly, moving in the seat, as she felt uncomfortable for having sat so long. Although really, her discomfort was in the ease at which she found herself talking to a woman she barely knew. A woman that had shared the most intimate moments with her lover. And that thought brought with it, slight comfort mixed with disbelief, and ultimately pain. Pain so obvious that she couldn't stop the tears from forming and then cascading down her cheeks. She shifted uncomfortably, looking everywhere but at the other woman in the room, suddenly feeling trapped, but when she went to move when a hand grasped her fisted ones with a gentle grip and comforting squeeze. She didn't know how to react especially when this woman had just threatened her life. The level of comfort she was feeling here was confusing and she needed it more than she could admit. After first freezing and almost pulling away, Arizona took a deep breath, leaning into the friendly embrace of hands. It was more foreign, the comforting gesture, than she cared to admit.
"I got better, I admitted I needed help, but I could never fix myself with Callie around. I couldn't let her see me so broken. I let things get away from me: Callie, time…I was scared and yes, when I heard about you, it was like a lightening bolt. Please believe me, I know you have no reason to, but it was never my intention to break you up. I just realised, that I couldn't not have Callie in my life anymore."
"For the record I don't like you!" Arizona nodded, she knew the woman wouldn't and she had no right asking for her understanding. "But I don't know you. This you, I've heard all about two versions of you...maybe third time will be the charm. I love Callie, she's my best friend and I'm telling you I will always be there for her. So if you hurt her again, lets just say a missing leg will be the least of your worries." With the obvious change of tactic from when to if in that threat, the two women looked at each other as they heard the door handle turn and then the door rattle as someone tried to get in.
"Arizona? Arizona why is the door locked? We have therapy in twenty minutes and we need to leave now. Are you okay? Arizona?" Callie's panicked voice was heard as the door rattled some more. To everybody in the room, it was obvious that Callie was worried over the locked door, but more importantly, in general, genuinely concerned for Arizona. Now only Arizona knew that Callie's concerns stemmed from their impending therapy session, because they were both so wounded and walked away from each appointment with what they felt was more on their plate than they could handle, but the reasoning didn't matter because the elephant sitting on Tony's chest was all about how much Callie cared for Arizona. After everything, even if the other two women couldn't see it yet, Callie loved Arizona.
Conflicted, Tony didn't know what to do and where to go. She would always protect Callie, but at the same time, did Callie need protecting where Arizona was concerned anymore? Still, she had to at least make Arizona think there was a threat even though Tony herself knew that there was none, on either side. She came in here with one intention and was leaving with another. Maintain what she was given and accept that was all it would ever be. Arizona just didn't need to know that. Not right now. "I will give you and Callie space to work things out, but trust me if you hurt her again." With that Tony got up and made her way to the door unlocking and pulling in open. Watching as Callie fell through the threshold, she smiled brightly and walked out of the office and down the corridor. "Hey Callie."
Callie was left with her mouth open gulping like a fish out of water, looking back and forth from her seated ex-wife to the direction her ex-girlfriend took off in.
So you walk into my office and you're feeling kind of low. You're depressed, confused, and anxious, you've got no place to go. Well, I'm the one to talk to, I'm the man who understands. You just take a hundred fifty bucks and pop it in my hands. And hit the couch, hit the couch...
"Uh huh, and how does that make you feel, Arizona?" The emotionless eyes stared steely into Arizona's. She was hurt, of course she was at what came out of Callie's mouth, but she'd heard a variation of it in the elevator so the blow wasn't as devastating. What was devastating was that Callie had admitted that she couldn't trust her.
"And how can I trust you? You...you could just do all this to get me back...to hurt me like I hurt you. Make me think you want me back? What's not to say that you and Tony...I mean she's already threatened me with the Russian Mafia..."
"Seriously, Arizona is that what you think of me. That I would resort to something so low? That I'd do such an evil thing? That I would hurt our daughter in that way just to hurt you? If that is the case, then I don't think I want to see if we can be involved in a relationship anymore...and Tony, she doesn't even know anyone in the Mafia. She's lived here in the states since she was a baby; she's messing with you."
"Ladies, please can you keep your voices down. I want you to get whatever off your chest in a safe environment, but there is a daycare next door and I don't think they'll appreciate the two banshees screaming at each other." The sarcastic tone never bode well with the two women.
"We've not been screaming at each other we're merely talking." Callie straightened on her seat as Arizona laughed.
"This is a rather refined conversation." Arizona looked at Callie sheepishly as her ex bit her lip. She knew fine well that both of them had taken the volume higher than ten.
"Listening to you today, we've made great progress from our first couple of sessions. From what I've heard from you both, trust seems to be a big issue on both parts. Callie, you don't trust Arizona not to run away from things and more recently the infidelity which can be seen as an emotional flee of sense. Arizona, you don't trust Callie, because you're worried that you can't be enough for her and that she once broke a promise to you. I need you both to work on that...I would like if you could come back next session and tell me everything you do trust each other with…" He was cut off when both women spoke in tandem.
"SOFIA!" both women looked at each other and offered a smile, the tension in the room relaxed with the mention of their daughter.
Jay was smiling on the inside; he didn't let the two women see his reaction to their unity. They found common ground; things could definitely be worked on. "Alright then, Callie you need to read Arizona's letter. You can't keep putting it off. I would like you to read it because I want you to be open and talk about its contents in the safe environment we've made here. Can you do that for me...for you both?"
Callie nodded, as she looked to the floor, ashamed that it had taken her so long to open that darn letter that sat against her lamp, taunting her for being chicken. She really wasn't sure what she was going to read.
You will live in happiness too, Like the Oompa Loompa Doompety Do
Callie handed over the washcloth, grabbing another one for herself. Arizona wasn't laughing, so Callie was trying very hard not to as well, but with the foamy substance dripping down her face, it was almost impossible. She was a hot mess, in every way.
"It's not funny, Calliope!" Arizona growled.
"I'm not laughing." She swore, holding up her hands and fighting the urge.
"You're laughing inside and that still counts." Arizona whined. "This is out of control, she's out of control!"
"It's not like we've spent much time correcting these antics in the past; we're kinda to blame that she didn't take us seriously when we finally put the kibosh on it." Callie snickered as she watched Arizona smear white foam further across her face. It wasn't cleaning well.
"Calliope!" She grabbed Callie's washcloth out of her hands, giving her face another go after wetting it. "What is this stuff anyway?"
Spying what she presumed was now an empty shaving cream can on the toilet, Callie laughed again. "It's shaving cream, you aren't going to die from it."
She huffed, feeling chastised for her feelings. "Why aren't you angry? You should be angry. Sofia was told to cut it out with the pranks, be angry." Arizona growled.
"Oh, I'm angry. I just bought that can!" She smiled an evil grin. "But I was thinking..." She trailed off trying to collect her thoughts.
Arizona caught on rather quickly. "It's payback time, isn't it?" She finished Callie's thought. She'd been doing that a lot lately; as if they were back in the zone, but Arizona wasn't going to point that out. Things were still so new, again. And fresh. And still raw between them. But she found an odd comfort in her old annoying habit of finishing Callie's sentences. Even during their many phone calls while Arizona was still in Seattle, this seemed to be the norm. And what a wonderful norm it was to have again.
"Oh yeah, payback!" She nodded. "I know that we really shouldn't because it could only encourage her to further continue this shit, but if we make it really good, really scare her, maybe, just maybe, we might scare her into stopping this once and for all."
"So, you must have something brewing, but is it going to be enough? She got us both with shaving cream to the face in one swift kick. And are we just going to teach her that pranking is acceptable outside of April Fool's Day? I don't want to send her the wrong idea."
"I don't have anything as of yet, but it'll come to me." Callie grabbed for another towel, cleaning herself off while she thought hard of their next step. "But it really is time to teach her a lesson, Arizona. I want pranking to come to an end, even on April Fool's Day. I think using this as a scare-tactic is our only hope. Maybe it's not the best thing, using a prank to stop her from pranking, but ... I'm out of ideas. Punishing her hasn't stopped it because we're covered in shaving cream. Sometimes you've got to join them."
"Are we going to bring Cristina in on this? She might..."
Callie cut her off with a look. "Oh hell no, Arizona. I think it's time to get them both back, once and for all. A lesson of all lessons."
Revenge is a dish best served cold, and both parents knew their lack of discipline for Sofia's pranking would be more effective than any punishment they could dish out. Sofia needed a taste of her own medicine and while they weren't sure how yet, they would figure it out. All in due time.
"Movie time!" Arizona was the first to join her daughter in the family room. Plopping down on the couch, she cuddled into the corner, enjoying the scene of her daughter squirming before her.
"Movie time? But..." Sofia wasn't really going to question her mom's easy-going mood, but she just got them both with shaving cream.
First, Sofia waited until she was certain both moms were sound asleep on their respective couches after watching mindless daytime television in an attempt to de-stress after their appointment. Once they were out, Sofia filled her mom's hand with shaving cream. The priceless and never failing feather to the nose, hand smacking the face went off with a hitch and Sofia almost died laughing when shaving cream went everywhere. The look on her mom's face was worth it as her eyes grew wide with shock, spitting out the white foamy substance followed by a blood curdling scream; a mix of rage, surprise, and panic. The scream was so startling that her mama panicked from a dead sleep, trapping herself in the blanket around her, causing her to roll off of the couch. That in itself was great, but she played right into Sofia's finale by rolling face first into a pie of shaving cream waiting below. It was her best prank to date as it killed two birds with one stone. She wasn't even sure it would work, the second part of her plan, but it was priceless and Sofia was damn proud of herself. She was even willing to take her punishment like a champ, but this complacent mom thing was very unwelcome.
"But what? Don't you want to watch a movie?" Arizona bit her tongue as Sofia eyed her suspiciously.
"Willy Wonka?" Sofia continued to give odd looks waiting for the other shoe to drop. Adding Willy Wonka into the mix she was sure would push them over the edge. They both hated that movie and she loved it. She loved it so much that she had ruined at least two DVDs each at both parent's houses from over-watching and her grandfather had banned the movie from even being mentioned in his presence.
"Sounds good." Callie plopped on the other end of the couch giving a little space between herself and Arizona. There were still very awkward moments when neither of them knew exactly what to say or do with each other. What was pushing it too far, and what was being insulting by holding back too much. She figured that putting Sofia between them was a safe thing at the moment. Especially since things had gotten slightly heated at the relationship therapy appointment from earlier in the day, and both of their prides and feelings were a little wounded. "Sof, go get a snack, I'll bring up the movie."
Sofia squealed, racing for the pantry for either something sweet or salty, processed food that Callie hated keeping in her house, but before she reached her destination, both moms yelled out at the same time. "Fruit."
Smiling behind their backs, she took great pleasure in the fact that they were parenting together and able to be in the same room for long periods of time without killing each other. It had only been a few months of having what she felt was a real family for the first time in her memory, but it was a great few months. Sofia was even certain that when everybody was in town together, the guest room where her mama was supposed to sleep, remained empty at night, both moms holed up in the master bedroom, together. It was a few visits after they sorted things out, and the visits were becoming more frequent when she found that they were sleeping together after a nightmare one night. First, Sofia stopped by the guest room as it was the closest to her own room and she needed immediate comfort, only to find it empty. Tears streaming down her little cheeks, she was terrified at her mama's disappearance until she entered her mom's bedroom, finding two lumps under the covers, cuddled together. Her own nightmare forgotten as this dream was a much better thought so she returned to her room, smile pasted on her face at the new knowledge that her moms were sharing a bed. But she'd never dare point out that she knew; the waters were still too murky.
"Wash it first." Callie hollered when she heard Sofia walking back without hearing the sink turn on in the kitchen. Turning her system over to the DVD player, she didn't even have to get up off of the couch knowing that Willy Wonka was already in her damn machine. She didn't even have to get off of the couch to check, she knew. Sofia watched Willy Wonka any chance she was given.
"Ready?" Callie asked looked between Sofia sitting with a bowl full of berries in her lap and Arizona looking as if she was ready to fall back asleep knowing the doom of Willy Wonka would surely bore her there.
"Where's the doctor tonight?" Sofia asked, both women rolling their eyes.
"You know me and Mommy are both doctors too, right?" Arizona asked wondering why Cristina was always the doctor and they weren't anything special.
"I know, but she's an important doctor. She works on hearts!" Sofia grinned when both moms huffed and growled. She was just repeating the stuff her aunt had told her to in order to annoy her moms. She enjoyed pushing their buttons.
"Excuse me, Little Miss. Did I hear you correctly in saying that me and Mommy aren't important doctors? I saved your life..." Arizona started lecturing.
"And Mommy saved yours." Sofia added her two cents silencing her mama. It was still a slightly sticky subject and one they did not discuss in front of their daughter. "I know you two are important. I was teasing, don't have a cow, Dude."
"Don't have a cow, dude? Where did you hear that?" Callie asked.
"The doctor." She smiled at the mutual groan.
"Aunt Cristina is out with Toby." Callie answered her daughter's original question hoping to change the subject from getting out of control. They were not having the 'my penis is bigger than Aunt Cristina's' conversation with their daughter.
"Oh. Why's she always come out here with Mama if she never spends time with us?"
"Because Mama hates to fly and they made a deal, Mama won't recommend Dr. Kepner to head up her department if your aunt flew out with her every time she came. For moral support." Callie explained. While she knew Cristina wasn't Kepner's biggest fan, her role on the board would make certain that April never got that position and Callie knew this. She figured that Cristina came out to keep an eye on them, keeping them in line. Her friend wanted them to get their happily ever after and would make any excuse to see that happened, but Callie wasn't going to point that out. Let them all feign ignorance because Cristina would deny it until the cows came home, and they all liked the little family they had rebuilt, all of them together.
"Oh." Sofia shrugged, snuggling in between her moms. She was certainly okay with just them time, but she did miss seeing her godmother too. If only she could convince Aunt Cristina to move out to Pennsylvania too, she'd be a happy camper.
The movie was half over and both mothers were beyond bored, but family time was important so they set their minds to pretending they were enjoying themselves and kept trekking on. "Let me have some berries, Sof." Arizona grabbed the bowl that her daughter had been hoarding. "You ate all the blueberries, Brat!"
Sofia grinned big, her teeth and tongue dyed a nice shade of purple. "You're gonna turn into a blueberry one of these days, Sofia." Callie lectured as they dug through the bowl of berries for blue, but coming up short. "Seriously Sofia, there was at least a pound of blueberries in that mix. You ate them all."
"Yup." She stuck her blue tongue out at her moms and went back to watching her movie.
"Given good manners you will go far. You will live in happiness too, like the oompa loompa do-ba-dee-doo." Sofia sung along with the movie, gleefully cheering as Violet was rolled off to the juicers.
Callie grinned so big her cheeks hurt. Taking her phone out, she secretly texted Arizona from next to her thigh, out of sight of their daughter's wandering eyes.
Arizona groaned as her phone vibrated, pulling it out from her back pocket.
"Who texted you, Mama?" Sofia paused to look at Arizona whose smile was even bigger than that of Callie after reading the screen.
"Um ..." Arizona thought for a moment. "It was my bank. Telling me that the problem with my account was under review and to look for a deposit any time now. It's about time." She winked over her daughter's head whose attention was now back on the screen.
When the credits rolled across the screen, both mothers let out a sigh of relief. Not only did that cue that their Willy Wonka induced hell was now over, but that it was bedtime for their darling daughter. Before waking Sleeping Beauty from where she'd crawled onto the floor to watch the end of the film, they slipped out of the tv room and made their way to the kitchen.
"You really think this plan will work?" Arizona asked as she watched Callie sorting through her baking cabinet.
"Perfectly!" She silently cheered as she found the bottle. "Can you go grab her Burt's Bees lotion from her night stand. The emptier bottle please, I don't want to waste an entire bottle for this."
"I don't know, Callie." Arizona put the bottle on the counter. "This could be pretty dangerous, what if she has a bad reaction?"
"It's organic. I made it."
"You made it?" Arizona scoffed. "What are you, Super Mom or something?"
"Pinterest addiction. My addiction runs far worse than I care to admit. There should be a support-group for it, I swear." Callie laughed with Arizona. "I use it in her paints, her play doh, and when she wanted to go out as The Hulk for Halloween last year. Completely, one hundred percent safe. You can eat it, your skin can absorb it, and if it gets in your eyes, you have no worries." She explained while she finished up the setup for the prank.
"Can you shake it?" Callie asked bending over to put the remainder of her stash away.
Arizona smirked taking a few steps in, grabbing Callie's hips as she was bent at the waist, and started to literally shake it.
Taking a few moments to enjoy the feel of Arizona up against her, pressed intimately in all the right places, Callie worked herself backwards before turning herself around, her arms circling around Arizona. Daring more, she leaned in for a quick peck that immediately got out of control. Arizona backed her into the counter, her hands now tangled in Callie's hair as they both deepened the kiss.
Moaning loud enough to break the trance, Callie pulled back. "Mmm, what brought that about?" She asked timidly.
Since their joint counseling session, things between them looked dank for the foreseeable future. They kept bringing up the most painful stuff and every time they thought they were both on the same page, more wounds were torn open once again only to start bleeding out even faster. They had years of issues to address and those issues seemed to put new barriers between them each session. Callie wasn't ready to admit defeat, she really wanted to work toward something more with Arizona that didn't involve just co-parenting and the occasional "sexy sleepover" when neither of them could control their raging hormones, but things seemed so bleak as they continued to figure out their roles in each other's lives. They knew what they wanted the end result to be, a solid family unit, them together as more than just Sofia's mom Callie and her mom Arizona, but Callie and Arizona, Sofia's moms. But it was also an uphill battle that was going to take time. Therapy was their battleground, a combat zone where progress was proving more painful than anything else Arizona reaching out like this was a new development and one she accepted with open arms.
Knowing this conversation could go one of two ways, Arizona opted for the easier one. They had other things to deal with and maybe later in privacy where they wouldn't be interrupted, they could get deeper, but for now, a simple answer was necessary. "You said to shake it, you should have probably specified what you wanted me to shake because if you're going to bend over and show me your ass and tell me to shake it, I'm going to shake it." She smiled when Callie chuckled at her.
"You're a hot mess. Shake the lotion bottle. I'm going to get Sofia and meet you in the bedroom." She separated herself from Arizona because had she stayed even a few more moments, she'd probably finish shaking it.
"Sofia Baby. It's bedtime. Wake-up." Callie gently stroked her daughter's hair. Half mooned eyes looked up at her before falling back into a deep sleep; not even a moan out of her.
After ten minutes of sweet talking and poking, Callie gave up on trying to wake their daughter. She gathered her into her arms and made for the bedroom. After removing her hearing aid, they stripped their daughter, trying very hard not to let their own excitement wake Sofia from her deep slumber.
"What on God's green earth are you doing?" Sofia asked in her sternest voice.
Both women panicked as they had the lotion squirted into their gloved hands ready to lather her up.
"Um ... well ... we're putting on your night cream, Baby. You know so you because you and you put it on every night when you and sleep and ..." Arizona started stuttering until Callie elbowed her in her side.
"She's still sleeping. Look at her eyes." She whispered, motioning with the same elbow that Sofia was indeed still sound asleep."
"I hate that. I hate when she talks in her sleep. It freaks me out. One time she started an entire conversation with her dolly in her sleep. Telling her she knew what I was doing in the other room and they had to be quiet because I needed to finish. She was so loud and it was so real that it scared me and I injured myself. Was the very last time I ever ... when she was home." Arizona wiped her hand across her forehead to remove the fallen bangs. Callie had to bite her tongue as a colorful streak appeared across her skin. There were always casualties in war and she figured better Arizona than her.
"Just what the hell were you doing, Arizona?" Callie teased.
"I uh, I was ... it was a really long day and I was pleasuring myself, okay? Please don't try to tell me you've haven't done it because I caught you, on more than one occasion." Arizona smiled a flirty grin. She was trying to be funny and it would have been funny except the last time she caught Callie masturbating it was right before she finally decided enough was enough and her wife asked for a divorce. They lived together for a few months after the affair; if you could call that living together since Callie made certain they were on opposing schedules, never home together. Toward the end, Arizona walked in on Callie physically relieving all of the tension she carried around with her. They were both so wound up and for a few minutes they let lust cloud their judgement until Callie found her footing again, pushing Arizona off and fleeing the shower and then apartment as fast as she could without looking back. She left Arizona, almost fully clothed, barely topless, standing in the shower, her world caving in on her. When Callie finally found the courage to return home, she brought divorce papers along with her and moved out that night. So what should have been fun teasing was just a sore memory for both of them.
"Just put her night lotion on." Callie ordered quietly, ignoring the elephant in the room that the last comment brought with it. Shaking the bitter thoughts from her head, she started to lather up Sofia from head to toe. "When did she put her black sheets on the bed?" Callie asked changing the subject.
"She didn't. I did. I didn't want this staining her white sheets and if she woke up and saw it all over white sheets, she's smart enough to figure it out." Arizona explained. "Holy fuck look how dark she is." Arizona remarked as she watched her daughter's tan skin turn into a crayon.
"You're brilliant." She smiled when Arizona smiled in response. "Let's get her pjs on and get out of here before she decides to wake up and ruin it"
There's something wild about you, child. That's so contagious. Let's be outrageous. Let's misbehave.
Cuddling on the couch, Callie and Arizona had reached a common truce for the night having worked together for the good of their daughter. Well, the good was probably a far fetch, but maybe this would teach Sofia a lesson once and for all. It seemed more and more they found common ground through their daughter and having that, they could work through whatever else was thrown at them. Callie still hadn't been able to open the letter Arizona gave her; she wasn't ready and today when their relationship counselor asked her to do it, she finally agreed it was time. Callie told Arizona that she would do it tonight, but not whilst the blonde was in the room. Grudgingly, Arizona said she would sleep in the guest room, she supported her decision even if it was driving Arizona a bit bonkers, but she wasn't sure if she wanted to see Callie's reaction to it or not. Callie remained firm that whatever the letter had to hold wouldn't change where they were going; she just wasn't ready to face the emotions that the letter would surely bring to the surface with it. She had wanted to be stronger, she wanted them to be stronger, but she understood that while they were both in counseling, it was definitely a supported environment to keep them both grounded.
The door flew open tearing each woman from their chain of thought causing both of them to jump apart like they were doing something wrong.
"North of the Island, there lives an old dear train. A little tram engine. TOBY is his name." Cristina swayed side to side as Toby tried desperately to hold her up in his own drunken state, staggering into the doorframe as he tried to protect the un-equilibrated woman, who continued to bounce off of every surface possible.
"LOOOOOOOOOOOK ROBBINS! I lost a shoooooooeeeeee!" Cristina stood looking at her barefoot as her arms flailed around before rigidly pointing her finger to over emphasise the missing item, giggling manically to herself. "Do you remember the last time I lost my shoe? You know, looking back it kinda was a bit dumb because you lost your left leg, well you didn't lose it did you, you kinda know what happened to it!" Cristina motioned a chopping action with her hand and moved toward Callie making growling noises. "It wouldn't have bothered you as much if you'd lost a shoe, now would it?" Cristina hiccupped as Callie raised her voice louder than she intended in saying her friends name in shock, she looked over toward Arizona expecting to see anything, but the amusement in her eyes.
"He's quaint and old fashioned, but careful and wise." She bellowed out as he finally managed to get her into the TV room, dropping her on the couch next to Callie and Arizona.
"She's plastered. Threw up in the can on the way over." Toby scratched his head, that didn't sound right. "Can. NO. Can. NO. The can. NO. The yellow thing. That thing that drives and is yellow. I think that's where the shoe is?"
"Toby, oh Toby. The world's much nicer when we see you. Toby, dear Toby. There's still lots that you can do." Cristina continued to sing her voice much lower after both moms growled for her to shut up and not wake Sofia up.
"Are you singing Thomas the Tank Engine? What is wrong with you?" Arizona queried, squinting her eyes in confusion as Callie laughed at her friend singing toddler songs.
"But nobody rides him nowadays..."
"She's been telling everybody I'm old and 'unridden' since we ended the night." Toby growled. "It's the last time I talk to anyone, I was just trying to get a word in anyway. The twisted woman has issues, I have no idea why they allow her to cut!"
"Yeah well I AM THE BEST and I speakith the truthith." She laughed hard. "Sofia and I watch it sometimes. What is wrong with you?" She poked Arizona in the ribs. "You know what's wrong with you?" She continued before Arizona could respond.
"My cue to leave, I've had enough abuse tonight. Bitch can dole it out with the best of 'em. I've gotta get another can cuz the driver was maaaaaaaaad and peeled away when we got out." Toby swayed his way to the door.
"Toby, stay, sleep on the couch." Callie ordered.
"Where's she gonna sleep?" He pointed at Cristina, who had begun to drift off into a drunken slumber, but his acknowledgement of her set her off again.
"You know what's wrong with you?" Cristina asked again. "You need somebody to take the stick out of your ass."
Arizona sighed, drunk Cristina, while fun, was blunt and honest. More so than her normal blunt and honest. This wasn't Arizona's first tango with the she-demon, the nonsense that came from a drunk Cristina stopped being hurtful years before, but mostly because as well as she could dole it out, she could take it just as well and it gave Arizona plenty of opportunity to get her own jabs in. They both cleared the air through alcohol.
"I mean, you're hot. You're intelligent, though I'd never tell you if I wasn't drunk. If I were into girls, I'd do you in a heartbeat. But you're so uptight, Robbins. Torres, pull the stick out of her ass and fill her with something else or I might just do it myself."
Arizona's face went from shock to amusement. Her grin causing bewilderment to cross Callie's face.
"Cristina, why don't we get you into bed. First let's get Toby settled, can you sit over on the chair." She was smiling so big and Callie still wasn't catching on. Quickly setting off, she gathered stuff to make his bed, nobody moving to help. "Down, sleep it off." Arizona pointed once everything was settled; Toby obeying without arguing.
"Mmmm Callie, is she this bossy in the bedroom, Meoooowww!?" Callie laughed when she saw her best friend try to make cat claw impressions towards Arizona as the blonde forced him down on the sofa asserting her authority.
"Don't worry King, she just has a way with controlling misbehaving children." Callie smirked when she received a feeble attempt at a stuck out tongue.
"Where am I going to sleep?" Cristina whined.
"Don't worry your pretty little head about that." Arizona almost choked on her words as she caught the look on her ex-wife's face when she finally caught on to her plan. She finally remembered that she was going to stay in the guest room and given all the nonsense that just came out of Cristina's mouth, Callie was enjoying the fact that her ex was going to mess with woman. Callie was also enjoying the fact that Arizona was taking full control of this prankster and that without a word spoken, she could read Arizona's mind and know exactly what was going to go down. It reminded her that they still had it.
"I'm not sleeping with youuuuuu, Robbins. You might be hotttttttttt, but I'm not drunk nuff to dive in the muff." Cristina slurred following them into the bedroom. "Get it, nuff-muff. I rhymed!" She hiccuped.
"Clever one you are." Arizona's voice echoed with laughter that went unnoticed by the drunk.
"Why are you putting me in your bed? Oh god, are we sleeping together?"
"I'll keep my hands to myself, I promise." Arizona scooted into bed as Callie folded her drunk friend into the opposite side, under the covers.
"You are pretty hot, Robbins. For a girl." Cristina muttered as she relaxed into the bed. "Maybe one day. If I were that way inclined."
"So you keep saying. Now shuddup and go to sleep." Arizona closed her eyes when Cristina rolled over and started spooning her. This was going to be harder for her than she expected, but so worth it in the end. Smiling to herself as she heard the drunken snore take over, she nudged her to test how deep her sleep was. Knowing that she was out for the count, Arizona set about making sure her plan worked.
Cristina looked everywhere, but it was gone. It was nowhere in sight and she was starting to panic.
"Where's ...?" Meredith's words were mumbled under Cristina's panic.
"I lost my leg." She looked down seeing only one foot.
"But where's?" Meredith's incessant questioning was getting on her nerves.
"I lost a leg." Cristina shook her head trying to remember the last place she saw it. They'd just operated, it had to be somewhere. Her leg didn't just get up and walk away ... did it?
"Cristina ... is this what you are looking for?" Meredith asked holding up something for Cristina.
"I don't know. Left or right?!" She didn't look up. "I only have one leg." Cristina finally glanced up seeing Meredith holding onto her leg. Grabbing it back with enough force that her friend fell backwards.
"Oh god." Cristina moaned stroking the length of her leg in the joy that it was found. "You're so soft and smooth and mine and I never want to lose you."
A pounding feeling took complete control of Cristina's entire state of being as she was viciously thrown into reality.
"What the fuck?" She winced trying to open her eyes. What was she holding?
"Um, Cristina. I'd rather you go back to stroking something else, I can't really feel you touching my prosthetic and I was enjoying where your hands were only a few hours ago." Arizona purred next to her as Cristina opened her eyes again seeing Arizona's prosthetic come into clear view; Arizona's prosthetic that she was hugging tightly.