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: Glad you guys mostly liked the last chapter (well except for the guest clearly has Mark …I think you just made up my mind on what to do for the epilogue, guest!). I wish they would cover that in the show (and the fact that they can now legally get married since the November election), but like so much of the story lately, it'll get left on Shonda's brain's cutting room floor I fear.

Anyway, on to another scene that I know you guys have been wanting. I hope I get it right and you enjoy. The chapter title is obviously from the song "Lady Marmelade" and was what Callie sang in a scene that was sadly cut from the gunman 2-parter in season 6 (she sang it to Ruby, the poor girl who needed surgery while the gunman was running around the hospital). It literally means "Do you want to sleep with me tonight". Kind of apropos.

Let me know what you think in comments or via PM. That always makes my day.

Chapter 10 – Voulez Vous Coucher Avec Moi

Arizona was nervous. Nauseous to the point of forcing herself not to vomit nervous in fact. This is stupid. We've slept in a bed together at least a thousand times. She's your wife and she's been so careful about boundaries. It's nothing, Arizona. It's nothing. But the tight ball in her stomach and the way her heart was beating harder than normal told her it was anything but nothing.

Still as she sat on the couch, her eyes drifting from their bedroom door to the clock on their cable box that showed how late it was, she knew just how big this really was. They'd shared a few affectionate touches and Callie had been careful to say how much she loved Arizona often enough, but they still had so many steps on their way back to one another. And sharing a bed was a huge one on that journey. Not only because it was a sign of their marriage getting back on track, but because in sleep Arizona would be vulnerable with Callie in a way she hadn't been since the amputation. Her defenses would be down both figuratively and literally.

Arizona glanced over to Callie, who was picking at the blanket over her legs, her eyes fixed on the TV but it was clear she wasn't really watching. They'd both been acting awkwardly all day, ever since the delivery guys had removed the medical bed and put their own bed back. That was almost twelve hours ago, twelve hours of building tension between them as they did everything they could to not talk about sleeping in the same bed. And now as it was really getting late, there really was no avoiding it any longer.

As if her body were trying to tell her something, she yawned.

"Um, so," Callie started to say as she sat up on her end of the couch, obviously urged into action by Arizona's yawn. She looked over at Arizona, a hint of fear playing in her brown eyes. "How do you want to work this?"

Sure, put it on me. The slightly anger-filled thought made Arizona stop and push that aggravation down deep where it hopefully wouldn't bubble up again. She shook her head ever so slightly, hardly believing that her reactions still tended toward anger even after all this time. "Um, well, would you mind if I go change first?"

"Oh, yeah, sure," Callie rushed out, an uncertain tremor in her voice. "Actually, let me get my stuff and I'll run across the hall to wash up. I don't want to wake Sofia by using her bathroom. How about that?"

"Okay," Arizona said with a nod, relieved that Callie didn't seem overly offended by her request.

Callie turned off the TV and then disappeared into their bedroom. Arizona tapped her foot nervously as she watched the bedroom door out of the corner of her eye. Luckily Callie didn't take long to collect a few toiletries and her pajamas. She offered Arizona a small smile as she moved through the living area toward the front door, grabbing her keys from the table by the door as she did. Arizona watched her until she disappeared through the door, and then let out a deep breath. "Okay, come on, you can do this," she said to herself.

Walking with her cane had luckily gotten easier, so she was able to get into the bedroom and start her nightly routine. She quickly pulled out a pair of pajama bottoms and top, frowning when she realized that she subconsciously picked the most covering pair she had. She looked at the long pajamas and shook her head, putting them back in the drawer and pulling out an old t-shirt and a pair of shorts. "Let's just jump all the way in, okay?"

She sat on the bed, pulling off her sweat pants and then removing the prosthetic, placing it near her side of the bed. She then quickly finished undressing and putting her sleepwear on. Once done, she sat there, looking down at her residual limb and sighing. She hated it, so much. And if she was disgusted by it, when she saw it multiple times every day, she could only imagine how Callie must feel about it. It was something they had only talked around, never directly, and Arizona was thankful for that. But she imagined it was something they would have to tackle sooner or later, and sleeping in the same bed might be the catalyst that would bring it up. "Damn it," she muttered.

"Arizona, you ready?"

"Can you give me a few minutes?"

"Okay," Callie said from just outside of their room. "I'll just go check on Sofia."

Arizona let out a long breath and then grabbed her crutches to help her into their bathroom. She quickly washed up and brushed her teeth, not wanting to risk Callie returning before she was finished. She then quickly hopped back out into the bedroom and pulled back the covers on her side of the bed. She slid in, glad that she was able to cover her legs with the quilt before Callie came back a second time. She sat propped up against the headboard, crossed her hands over her lap and waited.

"Ready?" Callie's voice questioned about a minute later.

"Yeah, sure," Arizona said quietly.

Callie came in with her clothes pilled in her arms. She smiled at Arizona before going into the walk-in closet to dump her clothes in the hamper there. She then came out and hesitated, a half-smile on her face. "This is a little awkward, huh?" she finally rhetorically asked, giving voice to what had been hanging between them all day.

Arizona couldn't help but laugh as she nodded. "Thank you for saying that. It's been like that all day."

Callie sat down on the bed but on top of the quilt. She just looked at Arizona for a few moments before saying, "If you're not ready, I can go back out on the couch. Maybe give you a chance to get used to our bed first?"

Arizona sighed as a huge wave of relief flooded over her. She understands me so well. She shook her head though, knowing that as nervous as she was she needed to do this. Putting it off would never make it easier. "No. We need to do this sooner or later and I want it to be sooner."

"Really?"

Arizona smiled then, although she was painfully aware how unsure it was. "Really. Now climb in." She hoped that her voice held more confidence in it than she felt.

Callie looked hesitant but then nodded before tossing the accent pillows from her side of the bed onto the floor and then climbing under the covers. Arizona couldn't help but notice that she was about as close to the far edge of the bed as possible. "Okay, then, here we are."

"Here we are," Arizona repeated, looking at Callie out of the corner of her eye. Her wife was sitting stiffly up in bed, eyes held forward like she was willing herself not to look with all her might. Arizona closed her eyes and pondered how absolutely ridiculous they were being. How ridiculous I'm being is more like it. She took a breath, about to say something, when instead she just laughed.

Callie's head shot around, a slight look of shock on her face. "What's so funny?"

"Us. Me. This is so crazy, isn't it?"

"It's not crazy, Arizona. I understand why you're nervous and why this is so hard."

Arizona stopped laughing and looked at her wife, really looked at her. She had been through so much in this whole thing, Arizona knew. Listening to Callie recount her nightmare had likely just scratched the surface of all the pain she'd been through. And yet here was Callie, always trying so hard to do what was best for Arizona, putting her own needs aside.

Callie was the wife that Arizona had failed to be for months, the wife Arizona had wondered for so long if she could ever be again. But she wanted that finally, wanted to try to be more supportive, more understanding. She knew it wouldn't be easy, and there would be so many missteps, but she needed to try, to put Callie's needs above her own as much as possible. They would never get past all the pain if she didn't. "I love you," she said, the words slipping out of her lips so easily it made her smile.

Callie's brown eyes were wide in surprise and her mouth fell open slightly. "Arizona," she breathed out.

Arizona felt a heat come to her cheeks. "I know I haven't said it in a long time. And I'm sorry." She felt emotion tickling the back of her throat and pushed it down, needing to say this all before she lost her nerve. "Even when I was furious and blaming you for everything, I never stopped loving you. I lashed out at you because I love you so much. I knew it was safe, that you wouldn't leave me just because I was a bitch for months."

"It wasn't months."

"It was months," Arizona said with a roll of her eyes.

Callie let out a soft laugh. "Okay, maybe two months."

Arizona smiled at the banter they were sharing. It was helping her feel more comfortable and for that she was grateful. "As usual, I'm right."

That brought out a loud laugh from Callie. "Oh but of course."

The laughter felt good and Arizona smiled brightly, sure that her dimples were on full display. On an impulse, she leaned over and gave Callie the quickest peck on her cheek. She pulled back quickly, surprised at herself and not quite ready for anything to develop from that. She saw the surprise in Callie's eyes, and it reminded her of another impulsive kiss long ago in Joe's bathroom. Just like then, she let out a lilting laugh and moved away. "Good night, Callie."

Callie's mouth moved, like she was trying to say something, but nothing came out. She then laughed and shook her head, obviously feeling a little embarrassed by her reaction. "Good night, Arizona. And I love you, too."

"I know." They shared a look for a moment before Arizona started to work her way down the bed so she could lie flat. Callie turned the light off on her bedside table and the bed shifted as Callie burrowed under the covers. They lay there for a few moments in the silence, Arizona just listening to Callie breathe next to her and she smiled. They'd made it this far and she knew, without a doubt, they'd continue to make it, however fast or slow that may happen.

She smiled in the dark, feeling the weight that had settled on her chest lift ever so slightly. She had dreaded this evening all day and really it had turned out to be one of the better nights in the last few months. There was more hope in her heart now than there had been that morning. And above all else, she was proud of herself for taking the plunge and opening herself up. It was progress. Real progress.

Sweet dreams, Calliope. I love you. So very, very much.

TBC…

Next will be the morning from Callie's POV so we'll get a bit of both sides.