Chapter 11
The next morning, Mark snuggled closer to Callie as the sun began to shine out from behind her curtains. He relished in the feeling of her warm body pressed against his allowing him to feel every wonderful curve of her body. He decided to stay the night after Callie had practically cried the entire way home from the hospital. They sat on the couch and cuddled until the call from Santana and Puck came in telling them that they had gotten back home safely. After eating their way through an entire four cheese pizza, Mark and Callie finally made their way to bed.
Now, Mark was content to just watch. He watched the fall of her chest with every breath she took. He watched the way her eyes subconsciously tightened when the light of the sun hit her face. The way her lips slightly parted when he rubbed his hand over the soft plane of her stomach.
"Stop staring. It's creepy." Callie mumbled, her voice thick with sleep, her eyes still shut.
Mark chuckled as he leaned down to place a soft kiss to her lips. "You love it."
Callie slowly opened her eyes and smiled sleepily up at him. "It's still creepy." she lifted a hand to his hair and ran her hand through his adorable case of bedhead.
"What's on your mind, gorgeous?" he asked brushing a lock of hair from her face, knowing that there was something indeed eating away at her.
Sighing, Callie snuggled closer to him, "Was it wrong for me to let my sister take the blame?" she asked quietly. Mark sighed as he pulled her closer to him.
"I think-" he paused, "-I think you did the only thing you thought you could do. You were a child, Callie. You didn't know what else to do."
"Yeah but-" Callie took a deep breath, tears springing to her eyes, "-I should've,
I should've done something. Anything."
"Okay." Mark said, he sat them up in the bed and looked into her eyes, "If you were given a chance to go back and do something, what would you do?"
Before Callie answered, she looked up at him and thought long and hard about her answer, "I guess I would try harder. I would try to make them see that I was the one to blame, not Aria." she paused and thought for another second, "I would defend her, and stand by her instead of let her stand up to them by herself. I would show them that she helped me because I begged her too, not because she wanted to." she choked on her words as a sob escaped her throat.
Mark stroked his fingers through her hair as he listened quietly and waited for her to continue.
After catching her breath, Callie wiped her eyes and continued, "If I could do anything, I would apologize to her for putting her in this position in the first place. I would've been a better little sister."
They sat in silence until Mark cleared his throat, pulling Callie out her trance. "Well, what's stopping you from doing all of that, Callie?"
Her head shot up and she looked at him in utter shock, "What-" she breathed out, "-Mark, I can't turn back time. What's done is done. There's nothing I can do to change what happened between me and Aria."
"Callie." he said grabbing her face in both hands so she was looking directly into his eyes, "You can still change your relationship with your sister. You can change the relationship with her and your family."
Callie shook her head, "No Mark. I can't"
"You can't." he repeated, not too convinced with her answer, "The Callie Torres I know can do anything she puts her mind to. The Callie I know is badass, brave, smart, and takes no shit from anyone. The Callie I know and the Callie I love, she can do this."
"She sounds pretty amazing." she said softly, looking down into her lap. Mark chuckled as he lifted her chin up with his finger.
"She's more than amazing. She's extraordinary." he said with a dazzling smile.
Callie lunged forward and crushed her lips to his as her hands cradled his face. Mark dug his fingers into her hair as she pushed her tongue into his mouth and laved over his sensually. Their passionate kiss came to a stop at the need for breath and Callie pulled away and rested her forehead against his.
"I love you."
"I love you too." Mark replied and placed a kiss on her cheek. "Now come on," he said hopping out of bed and holding out his hand for her to take, "let's get some food because I am seriously starving. All this family therapy makes for a hungry stomach." Callie laughed as she let him help her off the bed and lead her to the kitchen.
"What's the doctor hungry for?" she asked as she tied her apron behind her back.
Mark thoughtfully tapped his chin, "Mmmm...pancakes."
"Pancakes it is." Callie declared and Mark raised his eyebrow at her submission, "Well, its the least I can do for the therapy session and ego boost." she said with a shrug of her shoulders.
"Actually," he interrupted as he hopped onto the kitchen counter, "the ego boost is gonna cost you extra."
Callie raised her eyebrow, "Oh yeah?"
Mark nodded, "Yup. I let you know how you can repay me later." he said wiggling his eyebrows.
Callie laughed and slapped his thigh before she began taking out the necessary ingredients for pancakes. Before she could begin mixing, there was knock at the door.
"Are you expecting anyone?" Mark asked. Callie shook her head.
"Nope."
"If it's another one of your family members I'm gonna hurt someone." Mark decided. Callie rolled her eyes as she wiped her hands and made her way to the door.
She pulled it open and her jaw dropped at the people she saw. "Well, well, well, look who's back."
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Meanwhile, back in Lima, Santana was grumpily sitting on one side of her family's dining room table while her parents sat at the other.
"Santana." her father, Antonio Lopez, called her out of her silence. "Are you ready to explain yourself?"
"Explain what?" she asked.
Aria answered before her husband could, "You know what Santana Maria Lopez." she said sternly, "Please explain to us why you decided to run off to Seattle without so much as a note."
"I had to see Aunt Callie." Santana answered plainly.
With a roll of her eyes Aria pressed on, "Yes but why. Why did you have to see your Aunt Callie? Why couldn't you come to us for help? We are your parents, Santana. Your aunt should have nothing to do with you, she is vile and, and she -"
"Stop talking about Aunt Callie that way!" Santana exclaimed.
Aria stood from her seat and stared down at her daughter, "I can talk anyway of your aunt, she is my sister and she -" she stopped at the hand of her husband on her arm.
"Arianna, please." he said calming her down. Antonio then turned back to his daughter, "Sweetheart, we just want to know why you couldn't talk to us about what was going on. We only want to help you."
Santana sighed before answering her father, "I can't talk to you guys." she told them. "You guys are always jumping to conclusions, making decisions for me that I want to make for myself."
"Okay." her father sighed, "So why didn't you just tell us that you were going to Seattle."
"I knew you'd try to stop me."
"Damn right we would have tried to stop you!" Aria agreed. "You are sixteen years old. You are not old enough to be leaving the state without telling us."
"This is why I can't talk to you guys! You are constantly treating me like a child!" Santana shouted at her mother.
"So what?!" Aria questioned. "Your dear Aunt Callie treats you like an adult?!" she said with a sneer, "She lets you make your own decisions?"
"No mother! She treats like an actual human being! And not like I'm some child who can't choose for herself! Unlike you!" she exclaimed pointing her finger at her mother.
"Stop!" her father's voice boomed over the two heated Latina's as he stood from his chair. He looked between his wife and daughter before focusing his attention on Aria. "Aria, this is not the way to handle this. Yelling at her is not going to get her to talk to us, so stop. Just stop." Aria dropped her gaze to her lap as Antonio turned to his daughter, "Santana, we just want to help. We cannot do that if you don't let us in. Let us help you."
"You wanna help me? Help me by staying out of my life." Santana barked before she stormed from the room and up the stairs. Seconds later, Antonio and Aria heard her door slam hard enough to rattle some of the pictures on the wall.
The two parents sat in silence before Antonio looked to his wife and sighed, "How are we suppose to get through to her when we can't even hold a simple conversation without it getting out of hand?"
Aria simply shrugged. "I feel like she is constantly trying to push me away." she admitted. "The only person she wants to talk to is Callie." she sneered at her sister's name.
Antonio reached over and gently cradled her hand in his. "What's wrong with her confiding in Callie? She trusts her. There's nothing wrong with that."
"What's wrong is that she's suppose to be able to confide in me. Not my sister." And with that, Aria stood from the table and quietly walked upstairs.
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"Oh shut up you know you missed me!" Addison exclaimed as she lunged toward Callie and hugged her tight. The two women laughed as they embraced each other before they pulled away and held each other at arm's length.
"Damn right I missed you!" Callie said with a smile then tugged a piece of Addie's fiery red hair, "You look great as always. How was the vacation?" she asked.
Addie mimicked her actions and tugged a lock of Callie's hair, "You look fabulous also. The vacation was fantastic! We definitely needed it." Addie answered as she looked over her shoulder at Derek, who was standing quiet watching the two women fawn over each other with a smirk on his face.
After another break-up with Meredith Grey, Derek found himself visiting his family in New York where Addison had decided to go for some much needed soul searching. The exes ran into each other one day at Central Park when they decided to have lunch. Their spark had rekindled and they planned to meet again for dinner that night. Several dinners, lunches, walks in the park later, they realized that their love for each other was still there and they were going to do everything in their power to make each other happy.
Weeks later, Addie packed up her things in L.A. and decided to move back to Seattle. Callie was ecstatic at the thought of having her best friend back and even more happy that Addison had found love again.
"Are you just noticing I'm here?" he asked playfully as Addie slapped him on his shoulder. Callie pulled away from Addison to hug Derek, laughing when he lifted her off her feet.
"How you hanging, stud?" she asked as Derek held her at eye level.
"I'm good. Except for the fact that your wife over there," he said nodding to Addison who rolled her eyes, "can't seem to show me any type of respect whatsoever." Callie laughed and swatted his shoulder in the exact spot that Addie had and he set her on her feet, grumbling about his probably now, bruised shoulder.
"Careful," Callie warned, "two naughty rich girls is way worse than one. If I were you, I'd stay on our good side." she said proudly as she slung an arm over Addie's shoulder who nodded her agreement.
"Naughty rich girls?" Mark's voice came from the doorway where he stood leaning against the door jam. "More like needy rich girls." he growled when Addison and Callie both sent a punch his way. "Stop with the violence." he complained rubbing his shoulder.
Derek laughed as he through an arm around Mark's shoulders. "Don't even try my friend. We're clearly overpowered."
Callie and Addison shared a smile with each other, "You sure are." they said simultaneously.
They all erupted in laughter as Callie and Mark ushered their best friends inside.
"Breakfast?" Callie offered, resuming her spot behind the counter.
"Sounds great." Addison said, "You need any help?"
Callie raised a curious eyebrow in her friend's direction as Derek burst out laughing. Addie narrowed her eyes in his direction.
"What?"
"You can't cook."
"Yes I can!" she protested, "I cook."
"Warming up leftovers from a restaurant does not count as cooking, Addison." Callie interjected.
"Whatever." she huffed crossing her arms over her chest. The others bursted into laughter at Addison's childlike tantrum.
Soon, the two couples found themselves at Callie's dining table laughing at one of the misfortunate events that happened on Addison and Derek's vacation.
"It was so funny! I almost drowned laughing my ass off at Derek's scream!" Addie exclaimed as tears streamed down her face from laughing so much.
"It was not funny! I really thought that fish was a shark!"
Mark and Callie laughed along with Addison, "Don't lie Derek," Mark said with a chuckle, "We both know you're a scaredy cat on the inside."
"It was this big!" Addie said using her fingers to show small the fish actually was.
"The goggles made it look bigger under the water." Derek insisted.
"Okay buddy." Mark said, clearly not believing him.
The best friends shared a few more laughs and stories before Callie began clearing the plates, Addie deciding to help her.
"So, what did we miss while we were gone?" she asked as she dried, while Callie washed.
"Well," Callie began, "Nothing really new. The hospital's the same. Same annoying residents. Same dark and twisty grey and the all too perky Izzie Stevens." she said, grimacing at the thought of the blonde, "Oh, and my niece showed up here a few nights ago."
"Sounds like we didn't miss much. Wait, you said your niece? Santana?" Callie nodded and Addie continued, "Santana came here? Was Aria with her?" Addie knew all about what happened between Aria and Callie, and she knew how much anger was between the two.
"Yes Santana came here, and no Aria was not with her." Callie answered as she continued to rinse the dishes.
Addie nodded as she dried off a plate, "Well, what did she come for? It's the middle of the school year. Not really a common vacation time."
Callie chuckled a bit rinsing the last dish then turning the water off and leaning against the counter, "That's what I said. She came here for help. Her boyfriend broke up with her and she needed to get away I guess."
"Ah. The joys of being a teenager." Addie said with a laugh, "So she came to you for help? You?" she dryly.
"Yes me! I can help with relationships!" Callie protested.
"Oh please Cal, your current boyfriend is the hospital whore, well, reformed whore." she reminded her best friend. "You and me, we aren't the best people to go to for relationship advice."
"And yet, we both have the most stable relationships at the hospital. We're both happy. We have men who adore us." she said pointing to Mark and Derek who had migrated to the couch where they were chatting up a storm, "I'd say we're both pretty damn lucky."
Addie followed her gaze and smiled, "Yeah, I guess we are." she agreed. "So, did you help her? Give her advice and stuff."
"Wait, I didn't even get to the best part." Callie said hopping up onto the counter, Addison following. "Mark's nephew showed up that same night."
"Mark has a nephew?" Addison asked confused
Callie nodded, "Yeah. It's okay, I didn't know either." she said waving her hand, "Anyway, his nephew showed up, asking for his help-
"Someone asking for Mark Sloan's help. Wow. I guess we did miss a lot."
"Shut up." Callie said, "And stop interrupting me." Addie stuck her tongue out and threw her hands up in surrender, "Anyway, he came for help, and Mark brought him over for breakfast the next morning, he tried to flirt with me. It seems that the Sloan methods don't fall far from the tree." Addison threw her head back and laughed and Callie waited for her to calm down before she continued.
"So my niece walks out into the living room and it turns out that they know each other! Puck, that's Sloan Jr.'s name, was the one who broke up with Santana and they both came to us at the same exact time for relationship advice!"
Addison gasped and Callie simply nodded head, "Yeah I know. I couldn't believe it either. So they started arguing, the whole time me and Mark are trying to wrap our minds around what was going on. Eventually we had to step in, it was getting a little too heated."
"Of course. They obviously take after you and Mark."
"So then we helped them figure out their problems. They went on a date while they were here, it went great, well that's what Santana said. Things were going great for them then..." she took a deep breath.
"Then what?" Addie asked.
"Then Aria showed up."
"Aria!? What- what happened?"
Callie looked at Addie, "What do you think happened?" she asked sarcastically. "She demanded to take Santana home, and we got into an argument. She told Mark about my-" she lowered her voice and leaned closer to Addison, "abortion."
Addison put her hand on Callie's, "What did he say?" she asked quietly.
"He was actually really understanding." Callie replied with a smile, "He held me as I cried. He made me feel better. And then, I'm not really sure what happened, I guess Aria told Santana she was taking her home and Santana said no." Callie watched the shocked expression pass over Addison's face, "I know, I was just as shocked as you. But I told her she had to go home. Puck decided to go with her, and they just left yesterday."
They were quiet for a few moments, Addison let the information she was just given settle. "Wow." she simply said.
"Yeah." Callie said nodding her head. "Now, Mark has convinced to make good with my family and Aria."
"And how do you plan on doing that?" Addison asked.
"I have no idea."
A/N: I know this chapter was mostly Mallie! I promise Pucktana fans that the next chapter will be mostly them! Please stay with me! Reviews are amazing!