The 502 Stories

By AmboDriver

Disclaimer: As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just playing around with them. They are owned by Shondaland, ABC, and probably a lot of other really rich folks.

A/N: And now onto something a little more happy than my other story. Glad you guys enjoyed the last chapter. I definitely think it's important that we see Arizona understand that Callie went through hell, too. Would definitely be a point where they would have healed some as a couple, so I wanted to include that.

Now on to a scene that I'm reasonably sure didn't happen in the time period I'm writing, because it deals with a theme from earlier in season 8 that I doubt Shonda would skip if she intended to do it. But I wanted to write it and it's my story, so here goes. And I hope you all enjoy it. I think we've officially hit rolling snowball stage where things are picking up faster and faster as they heal.

As always, thanks so much for your reviews. I love to hear your thoughts and truly appreciate them. They are a great motivation to write more.

Chapter 9 – Not Just a Piece of Paper

Callie closed the apartment door and wearily placed her keys on the table and her purse on the floor. It had been such a long day and she was glad it was all behind her. Why she had thought it would be a good idea to schedule the meeting with Mark's lawyer after a full day of work was beyond her. Maybe it was because when she had made the appointment she was still having such problems with Arizona and had likely hoped to have an entire day away. But now that they were mending their relationship that incentive wasn't there. Instead, a tough day at work had been followed by an incredibly emotional meeting, and now she wanted nothing more than to just crash.

Arizona's head poked around the corner from the kitchen. "Hey. How'd it go?"

Callie sighed heavily as she shrugged out of her jacket. "It was hard. Sit down and I'll fill you in."

"Sofia's asleep and you don't have to work tomorrow, so how about we open a bottle of wine? Or are you too tired?"

Callie laughed as she moved toward Arizona, still so unsure of herself as to how to greet her wife. Instead of giving her a kiss in greeting, as she would have before the accident, she paused a few feet away and gave Arizona a simple smile. "I might fall asleep on you, but wine sounds perfect. I'll get it."

"No, sit down. I can manage." She pulled her hand up to show that she had her cane with her. "It'll take two trips, but I've got it."

"Thanks," Callie said as she first went and glanced into Sofia's room, smiling at the peaceful look on their daughter's face as she slept all sprawled out in her crib. Then she turned and went into the living room, kicking off her shoes and practically falling onto the couch. Her body ached, but worse her brain was screaming from all the emotions of the day.

Arizona first brought over a bottle of merlot and the bottle opener, placing it on the coffee table near Callie, and then went back into the kitchen to grab two glasses. "Can you open it or are you too tired for that?"

Callie laughed quietly as she forced her muscles to move her forward. "I think I can handle that. Every second wasted with this bottle unopened is a second wasted in getting to the drinking part." She made quick work of the cork, pulling it out and enjoying the satisfying noise it made as it pulled free. "I love that sound," she said to herself.

Arizona's laughter indicated she had heard. "A real wine addict."

"I prefer connoisseur," Callie said as she placed the bottle back down on the table. "Let's leave it to breathe for a few moments."

"Okay," Arizona said as she placed the two glasses on the table and then sat down on the couch next to Callie.

It didn't go unnoticed that Arizona hadn't sat on the other couch or even as far as possible away from her. A smile spread unbidden to Callie's lips as she turned so that she was facing her wife. "And how was your day?"

"Let's see," Arizona said with a mock look of introspection on her face. "I watched the Judge Judy marathon this afternoon, read about a year's worth of pediatric journals, and finally had something to do when Bailey brought the munchkin home. We played for a little while and then she attacked a plate of chicken nuggets and carrots. Having Bailey bring her home was a good idea, by the way."

Callie was relieved that Arizona thought that. When she had suggested that Bailey bring Sofia home from daycare and then Arizona would be home alone with her for a few hours while Callie went to her appointment with the lawyer, she was worried that Arizona would have thought she couldn't handle it. But she had simply smiled and agreed. Callie was incredibly proud of her for that. "It's time like this I'm glad we live across the street from the hospital."

They then fell into silence, just being comfortable both being there. That was at least something that was newly rediscovered in their relationship and Callie for one was glad. After enjoying the companionable silence for a few moments, Callie leaned forward and poured them each a glass of the red wine, smiling as she handed it off to her wife. "I'm glad you had a good day. Was she okay going to sleep?"

Arizona nodded. "She was. I think she was actually a little surprised that you weren't there when she went to sleep, but not in a bad way. The shock actually seemed to mellow her out. She was asleep within a few minutes after I tucked her in."

"Good." Callie sipped at her wine and then sighed as the alcohol trickled down her throat. "Today was really rough."

"You want to talk about it?"

If Arizona had asked her two days ago, she likely wouldn't have. But then her wife had sat with her in the middle of the night and listened to her tale of what had happened while they were all missing and how it still haunted her. It had been a real turning point for them, especially when Arizona had suggested they bring their bed back and actually share it. While Callie could barely wait for the next day when they would be doing just that, in the meantime, she knew she needed to continue to break down the barriers between them by being open and honest. Besides, so much of what had happened had to do with Arizona, not the least of which was the final thing she had discussed with the lawyer. She could only hope that Arizona would take it all in stride. "Well, work was rough and I almost missed the appointment with the lawyer. Hunt wanted me to stick around for a car accident that was coming in, but I told him that I'd already rescheduled this a few times and Mark's estate had to be settled. Why he chose me as his executor is beyond me."

"Because you were his best friend and the mother of his child. Who else was he going to ask?"

"Derek?"

Arizona rolled her eyes and shook her head with a slightly amused smile on her lips. "Callie, just because you hate doing it doesn't mean you aren't the right person for the job. Or really the only person for the job. While he and Lexie weren't together, you were pretty much all he had."

"I know," Callie said with a long sigh.

"So?"

She let out a deep breath. "Well, the long and short of it is this. He left us, as in you and me, all his real property—his apartment, car, furniture, that vacation cottage he bought last year as an investment. It's all ours."

"Wow, did you know he was going to do that?"

"Not a clue." Callie had been incredibly surprised when the lawyer had sprung that on her. "Now, the down side of it is that we'll have to pay taxes on it. But I guess if we just sell everything that will take care of that and we can put the rest into an account for Sofia."

Arizona nodded, but there was a far off look in her eye. Then the corner of her mouth turned up in a smile. "Maybe we could keep the cottage? I wouldn't mind having a little vacation place nearby and we could rent it out."

Callie smiled brightly, excited more about her wife's interest in planning for the future than the prospect of owning a rental property. "We can talk about it later when we get more information on everything, but that might be something that would be fun."

"Deal. Anything else?"

"He had a few really nice life insurance policies, all with accidental death riders, so the values were actually doubled. And he had quite a few investments. I knew he was a little into playing the market, but it turns out he found a great broker and was doing very well." She bit at her lip and then let out a quiet laugh. "I made sure to get the broker's name and number."

"Sounds like we might need it between all this and whatever settlement we get from the crash."

"Yup. So, anyway, all that money gets split between Sofia and Sloan. Sofia's money can be used for education only until she's twenty-five or graduates from college. We can use it for private schooling expenses, too, if we want. It doesn't have to be saved for college. But anything that is left is hers, like I said, when she either graduates from college or turns twenty-five." Callie laughed. "Poor Sloan has to either graduate from college or turn thirty."

"Well since I can almost guarantee she won't graduate from college, I guess she'll be waiting quite a while."

"She gets a little stipend every year to take care of her. Seems Mark was sending her money so it just continues that until she can get the trust fund." Callie shrugged. "So, that's pretty much the gist of it."

"Well," Arizona drew out quietly as she concentrated on her glass of wine, "I guess it's nice to know that Sofia is taken care of." Her voice got a little tight as she said, "But you know, I'd live in a skanky motel room the rest of my life if it meant he was still here."

Callie instantly reached out and put her hand on Arizona's arm. Arizona looked up with just the smallest hint of shock in her eyes, which soon gave way to a sad smile. "Me, too," Callie replied. She then felt a little nervousness play in her stomach as she thought back to what she and the lawyer had spoken about after the reading of the will. "Speaking of making sure Sofia is taken care of, there was one more thing, but it wasn't in his will."

Arizona's brow furrowed. "What?"

Callie swallowed hard. She wasn't sure how Arizona would react to the suggestion. "Well, the lawyer said he and Mark had discussed you adopting Sofia if he died."

"Oh," Arizona said, tears now welling in her eyes. She looked off over Callie's shoulder, obviously deep in thought.

"Arizona?"

Arizona's voice was barely a whisper when she finally spoke. "I used to worry so much about not being her legal parent. But we went to such lengths to guarantee my rights and I knew there was no way I would feel any different about her than you or Mark did."

"Of course. This wouldn't change anything about how you feel, but it would protect Sofia and your relationship to her." Now Callie felt her own eyes watering up. "You know it's all still so fresh and I hate to think about it, but if the last few years have taught us anything, it's that life can be incredibly uncertain and short. I want to know that if something ever happened to me you would have custody of her without a shadow of a doubt."

"Let's not think about that."

"But we have to, Arizona."

Arizona finally turned her eyes back to Callie. "I know." She let out a long sigh. "Having real rights to her that would be recognized by the law was always so much more than just a piece of paper to me. I just feel horrible that I can finally have something I wanted so much and it's only because Mark died."

"He wanted it for you and Sofia."

"That still doesn't make it easier."

"I know." Callie took the wine glass from Arizona's hand and placed both of their glasses on the coffee table before turning back to Arizona. She moved a little closer to her, not wanting to cross that invisible line they still had, but needing to really connect with her wife just then. When she took Arizona's hands in her own, she tried to offer a brave smile, even as she felt her own grief about Mark's death tighten around her heart. "We will always make sure Sofia knows how much her dad loved her. It breaks my heart that she won't ever remember him, but that's something we can't change, Arizona. All we can do now is make the best of what is left to us. And you adopting her is what's best for all of us. God forbid anything happens to either of us, but if it does, wouldn't you rather that at least your relationship with her is not something that needs to be worried about?"

"Of course," Arizona said as a tear slid down her cheek. "I'm not saying I don't want to adopt her. Just the opposite in fact."

"You just feel bad that you can now."

Arizona nodded, but didn't say anything.

Callie reached up to her cheek and wiped away the errant tears that were moistening her skin. Arizona didn't shy away and that brought a soft smile to Callie's lips. She really wanted nothing more than to pull Arizona into her arms then. Maybe it's time. She took a deep breath. "Arizona, can I hold you?"

Her blue eyes shot up then in shock. But it was only a few seconds before she let out a dry laugh. "How screwed up is this that you even have to ask?"

"It is."

Arizona looked down to where their hands were intertwined before looking back up. There was just the slightest hint of fear in her beautiful blue eyes, even as she smiled sadly. "I'd like that."

Callie let out a deep sigh of relief and smiled. "Come here," she said as she reached up and pulled Arizona into her arms. She felt like her heart was going to burst as Arizona tucked herself under her chin, her arms wrapping tightly around Callie. It felt so amazing to have her in her arms again and Callie couldn't help but smile and think that they still just fit so perfectly together like two pieces of a puzzle. But still, this was about Arizona and focusing on her was what was important. There would be time later to enjoy this return to some level of intimacy. "It's okay to feel conflicted about this, Arizona."

"I miss him," Arizona said, her voice clenched tight with tears.

"Me, too. God how I miss him," Callie answered as she started to lightly rub Arizona's back, hoping that the familiar touch would help settle her wife.

They stayed like that for a few minutes as both of their tears slowly subsided. Finally, they found themselves just still holding on to one another for no other reason than that they wanted to. Or at least that was why Callie was still glad to have Arizona in her arms. She just hoped it was the same for Arizona. It had been almost two months since the last time she had been allowed to wrap her arms around her wife and now she felt like someone crawling out of the desert after a long trek without water. If she had her way, she probably would have sat there all night just enjoying this small return to something approaching normal in their relationship.

"Callie?" Arizona's voice was muffled against her shoulder.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry I've been so distant and standoffish. I'm trying. I really am." She looked up then, eyes still shining from tears, and smiled hesitantly.

"I know." Callie leaned down then and kissed the crown of Arizona's head before letting her go. "Thank you for letting me hold you. It helped me."

Arizona laughed quietly and a hint of red came to her cheeks. "It helped me, too. I'm…" She trailed off with her voice just as she averted her gaze. After a few long breaths, she finally said, "I'm sorry that I still feel so uncomfortable."

"Arizona, no, it's okay. We're making progress, right? That's what's important." And Callie meant that. Sure, it felt like the repairs in their relationship were happening at some glacial pace sometimes, but there were improvements, a little bit every day, and that was what got Callie through and made her hopeful that things would be okay one day.

"It is." This time it was Arizona who took Callie's hands. "And I do want to adopt Sofia. Of course I do."

"It'll mean a home visit and a lot of paperwork. We'll have to talk to a lawyer and go before a judge. It will be rather intrusive."

"Of course. But it's worth it, right? Sofia is the most important person in our lives. She needs us to be there to protect her." She then rolled her eyes just a bit. "I guess we should start the paperwork soon, then, huh? Maybe by the time the home visit is scheduled I'll be walking better." She smiled more genuinely then. "I really hope my ability to chase after her isn't a deciding factor."

"Of course it won't be. They'll just want to know that you'll be an amazing mother and we both know you are, so no worries there."

Arizona nodded a little self-consciously. She then took a deep breath and nodded. "So, are you hungry? I made some pasta earlier and there's plenty left for you."

"Thanks," Callie answered as she started to get up, but Arizona's hand on her leg stopped her.

"No, you've had a long day. I'll do it. You relax."

Callie smiled brightly as she watched her wife get up slowly, making sure she had her balance before using the cane to slowly walk into the kitchen. She looked up then, her thoughts returning to Mark, and she smiled gently. Thank you. I think you might have just given her something to really focus on that doesn't have to do with her leg or the accident. She needs that. We both need that. She then looked back at Arizona, who was busy getting together a plate of food, and smiled. Maybe this healing between us isn't so glacial anymore. We really are going to get there. I just know it.

TBC…