Disclaimer: I own none of these characters; all belong to Shonda Rhimes. Any resemblance to the show is simply borrowed.

A/N: Not to happy with what's going on in Grey's right now...obviously. So. many. feelings! It made me so angry for a while. But, at least their story will be interesting. As long as they stay together in the end...okay. So I know I've written them all perfectly happy and stuff, but I figured we could use a little bit of that. And don't worry, there will be some angst down the road, just enjoying this part of it for now. Shonda kills me. Alright, read away.

Chapter 19:

Both Callie and Arizona stood staring at the closed door for what felt like an eternity, but in reality was only a few moments. Arizona didn't know what to say. Callie's mouth was wide open, tears waiting to spill, eyes staring at the invisible path her father just formed. Arizona gently placed a tentative hand on Callie's lower back, causing her to tense at first, but then relax underneath Arizona's magical touch.

Arizona walked in front of Callie's eye-line, trying to gauge her facial expression, but Callie seemed to be coming up blank, not looking Arizona directly in the eye, looking everywhere but. Arizona placed both hands on Callie's cheeks, but even then the girl seemed distant.

Arizona rasped out a small, "Calliope..." in an apologetic, melodic, and distraught tone that caused Callie to finally snap out of it, looking deep into those bright blue orbs before she immediately burst into a fit of sobs and tears. She collapsed into Arizona's awaiting arms, burying her head in the crook of her neck, fists clenching at Arizona's shirt. Arizona wrapped strong arms around the woman she loved, one holding her head tight to her chest as she peppered kisses into her hair and whispered soothing words into her ears.

Callie was gasping for hair as Arizona tried to take deep breaths for Callie to follow with her. She gently led them over to the couch, where she laid against the back of it and wrapped her arms around Callie, who still had her face covered and as close to Arizona as possible. Arizona could feel the hot breaths against her collar and the trail the tears had formed.

"I-I-I'm sssorry," Callie managed to gasp out between sobs.

Arizona immediately gripped Callie's face and forced her to look up at her, "What on earth do you have to be sorry about?" She asked stroking Callie's cheeks and hair.

Callie took a few deep breaths to calm herself before speaking and rasped out, "He said-he said aw-awful things about you, and none of them are true at all-"

"Hey," Arizona said softly cutting her off, "I know, okay? I know. You have nothing to apologize for, love. He said awful things about you too-his own daughter. And right now, you need to just...let it out. Let go, Calliope."

And let go she did. She gripped her arms tighter around Arizona as her tears continued to fall and her soft lips quivered on Arizona's clavicle. Arizona tried to keep her own tears at bay, for just seeing Calliope in such a state hurt her more than anything else could. She buried her nose into Callie's hair and continuously smoothed her hands over Callie's back, lifting her shirt ever-so-slightly.

"Are the kids-"

"Fast asleep. I had them out, no problem," Arizona whispered, trying to ease any pain she could.

"Thank you..." Callie whispered, trailing off.

Arizona lifted her chin slightly and kissed her nose softly, lingering, and whispered, "Let's get you to bed."

Callie barely nodded before they slowly got up, Callie feeling a little wobbly and needing to lean on Arizona.

Arizona managed to get them upstairs and sat Callie down on the edge of the bed. Callie was staring blankly ahead once again. Arizona slowly lifted Callie's arms up and pulled the shirt gently over her head. She unzipped her pants and managed to get Callie out of them with little help. She swallowed as her eyes raked up and down the gorgeous body she loved in front of her with a lustful stare. This only lasted for a moment though before she snapped out of it and shook her head, keeping her mind on the situation present.

She bent down in front of Callie, trying to meet her gaze. "Calliope," she rasped out, once again grabbing her attention, "What can I do? I need to do something."

Callie smiled ever-so-slightly and reached out to graze Arizona's cheek with her fingers. "You're doing everything..." Callie whispered.

Arizona grasped the hand lightly tracing her face and leaned into to kiss it lightly.

"Can you just...hold me tonight?" Callie asked shyly.

"Of course I can," Arizona said incredulously, "Let me just grab you a pajama shirt."

"Wait," Callie said grasping Arizona's hand before she could get far.

"What? What is it?" Arizona asked softly.

"I don't need a shirt," Callie stated.

"Okay..."

"I just...I need...Well, I just..." Callie couldn't seem to be forming sentences tonight.

"Whatever you need," Arizona assured giving her hand a squeeze.

"I need to feel you," Callie admitted looking up into the blue orbs she loved so much.

Arizona gulped and nodded, slowly pulling her shirt over her head. She understood what Callie wanted, what she needed. Arizona felt comforted by the skin on skin contact as well. Usually, the skin on skin contact led to something else entirely, though, so this would be different.

Arizona slowly pulled down her pants while Callie stared on lovingly, not expecting it to lead anywhere, just loving her girlfriend's body. Arizona saw the look in her eyes and let out a raspy sigh. She could feel the love Callie felt just with a look.

Arizona moved toward the bed as Callie scooted backwards and Arizona crawled right beside her and pulled her into her body. Callie sighed contentedly as she snuggled into Arizona's warm body, the only thing separating them being their undergarments.

"Thank you..." Callie whispered as small tears escaped.

"Shhh," Arizona soothed, "Get some sleep. It's okay."

Callie nodded slightly against her chest and eventually fell into a peaceful sleep.

In the morning, Callie awoke and felt around the bed for the warm body of the woman she loved, but felt nothing but sheets. Her head snapped up as she looked around the room and saw no blonde hair. She threw a large shirt on and quickly made her way down the stairs and heard Arizona in the kitchen. She stopped before making her way around the corner and smiled at the blonde humming her own tune at the stove, wearing one of Callie's large T-shirts. Callie folded her arms and watched the blonde, oblivious to her onlooker.

Arizona turned and jumped slightly. "Oh! Good morning, Calliope."

Callie chuckled slightly and replied, "Good morning."

"I know you told me not to make anything in your kitchen," Arizona said pointing the spatula toward Callie, "But it's just pancakes. And I couldn't burn them."

Callie raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, so maybe I could," she admitted, "but I didn't and I really just wanted to something nice for you and the kids."

"Arizona," Callie tried.

"But I know you get nervous with me in the kitchen and I shouldn't have so I'm sorry."

"Arizona," Callie said a little louder.

"Yeah?" she said taking a breath.

"It's...it's fine. Perfect, even. Thank you," Callie admitted walking further into the kitchen.

Arizona smiled softly and continued to flip the pancakes.

"And...thank you. For last night. You didn't have to do that and I know it's a lot to handle..."

"Stop," Arizona said softly yet sternly, "Just, stop, Calliope."

Arizona put down the spatula and walked closer to Callie.

"Stop thanking me...because there's nowhere else I'd rather be."

Callie slowly smiled brightly and pulled Arizona lightly by her shirt so that she stumbled closer and had no choice but to meet her lips with Callie's softly. They pulled apart and looked at each other for a moment before Callie reclaimed Arizona's lips with hers and Arizona certainly wasn't complaining. Callie caressed Arizona's thighs beneath the large shirt sending goose bumps through her body. Arizona let her arms loop around Callie's neck as she leaned into the kiss.

"Did I ever tell you how much I like you in my shirt?" Callie mumbled against pink lips.

"Mmm, not that I recall," Arizona replied with a smirk.

"Oh, 'cause I do," Callie said lightly kissing Arizona again, "And also, your pancakes are burning."

"What?!" Arizona exclaimed releasing Callie and turning around to fix the mess up, "That was completely your fault, Calliope. You distracted me."

Callie chuckled and said, "I'll let this one slide."

"Well you should, or else you're getting this burnt pancake."

"Eh, I like my pancakes a little brown."

"Ha, ha," Arizona said sarcastically finishing off the batter. She put some on a plate for Callie and herself and sat down at the table near her. "Soo...how are you? I mean, obviously I know, but how are you?" Arizona asked hesitantly.

"I'm fine," Callie said playing with her pancakes.

"Which means the exact opposite," Arizona commented.

Callie looked up and met her eyes, "I will be fine. And I am fine, as long as I have you here."

Arizona looked down and admitted, "I feel terrible, Calliope."

"What? Why?"

"If it weren't for me..." Arizona trailed off.

"Arizona, if it weren't for you, I wouldn't be as happy as I am. I would be in a loveless marriage still, or in the middle of a messy divorce, and my kids wouldn't have you in their lives. I wouldn't have you in my life...and I can't imagine that."

"You wouldn't have that fight with your father," Arizona pointed out.

"And not have known who I really am?" Callie asked incredulously, "Arizona, I feel like for the first time, with the exception of my children, I have finally found where I belong."

Arizona smiled softly, but needed to hear more. "And you don't...regret what you said? About...choosing me? Because I would understand if you changed your mind. It's your father for Pete's sake and-"

Callie cut Arizona off with a quick kiss to her lips and rested their foreheads together, lightly nuzzling her nose, "Stop. Just stop. He can ask me a million times, and my answer wouldn't change. I choose you. No, you know what, it's not even a choice, because I need you in my life."

"You need your family," Arizona said choking up, trying not to cry.

"You are my family," Callie said gripping her neck.

Arizona let out a light sob.

"You are apart of my family, you hear me? Don't you feel it too?" Callie asked softly.

Arizona could only nod, forehead still pressed against Callie's.

"Good," she said wiping Arizona's hair out of her face, "Listen, if my father can't accept me...if he can't accept us...I don't want him in my life. I'm not going to let him ruin what we have, because I know what we have is the real deal stuff, okay?"

"Real deal stuff," Arizona mumbled with a nod.

"Can't believe you even had to ask, you moron," Callie muttered with a slight smile and leaned in to kiss those lips she loved.

Arizona smiled into the kiss as they slowly made out wearing nothing but t-shirts and underwear. "I gotta make more pancakes," Arizona muttered, "for when your kids get up."

Callie shook her head and leaned in to kiss Arizona again, "We still got time."

"Mommy, mommy, mommy!" Allegra called hopping down the stairs.

"Dammit," Callie muttered and Arizona laughed, getting up swiftly to make more pancakes.

"Morning, Allegra," Arizona said at the counter.

"Morning, morning, morning!" Allegra said excitedly hopping over to give Arizona's leg a hug then racing to jump in her mother's lap.

"Morning, beautiful girl," Callie said with a grunt as Allegra landed in her lap, "You must have grown over night..."

Allegra's eyes went wide and she asked excitedly, "Can we check? Can we check?"

Callie chuckled. "After breakfast, we'll measure you. Go get your brothers, please, so we can all eat together."

Allegra hopped off her mother's lap and raced up the stairs.

Arizona pouted slightly as she placed a plate on the table.

"What's the matter with you?" Callie asked lightly.

"I just realized we never got to finish our game of Operation," Arizona said sadly.

Callie laughed. "What are you, 4 years old?"

"Hey, it's a good game, Calliope!" Arizona exclaimed hitting her lightly with the spatula, "It was the first game that made me want to be a surgeon."

"It's a child's game," Callie pointed out chuckling.

"It's symbolic."

"It beeps."

Arizona grinned, "I know. I love it. So when can we play it again?"

"How about 50 years?" Callie asked.

"Next week!"

"Never."

"You're not very good at this bargaining thing, Calliope," Arizona said with a pout.

Callie laughed and couldn't resist the pout anymore, "Fine, I'll play it again...one day. But on that day, you will owe me so big. I can't stand operating on that piece of plastic."

Arizona grinned widely and pecked Callie lightly. "Thank you," she said a little too peppy for Callie's liking.

"Don't go and gloat about it," Callie said lightly flicking pancake batter at Arizona.

"Hey!" Arizona said with a chuckle, flicking some back, hitting Callie in the face.

Callie's mouth and eyes went wide as she slowly wiped off the batter, and Arizona covered her mouth trying to stifle the giggles that unwillingly escaped.

"Oh, you think that's funny, do you?"

"Maybe a little bit."

Callie slowly picked up a larger portion of the batter and held her hand up, ready to fling it at Arizona.

"You wouldn't," Arizona said scooting her chair back a little.

Callie proceeded to fling the batter, getting it all in Arizona's hair, causing Callie to burst into a fit of hysterics. They both jumped up out of the chairs at the same time and started flinging batter on each other, realizing very well the example they were setting for the kids. Arizona grabbed one bowl while Callie grabbed the other, just as the kids came bouncing down the stairs.

"I call Allegra!" Arizona shouted.

They ended up having Arizona and Allegra hiding behind the island in the kitchen, while Callie flipped the table over for her and the boys to hide behind, pancake batter effectively all over the kitchen.

"Okay," Allegra whispered to Arizona, "You go around that way, and I'll go the other way."

"They'll out-man us!" Arizona whispered harshly.

"We have to try! We can't just give up!" Allegra insisted.

Arizona nodded with a smile. "Ready?"

Allegra nodded.

"Go!"

They both went around opposite sides, but Callie was already waiting as she got batter all over Allegra. Arizona came up behind Callie, hopping on her back as she slammed batter in her face, the twins soon climbing on top of Arizona to do the same to her. They all were in a fit of hysterics on the messy floor, pancake batter covering the kitchen and themselves. The kids went to get more batter, realizing both bowls were empty, leaving Arizona on top of Callie laughing.

"Hey," Callie said cupping Arizona's cheek, getting her attention and causing her laughter to die down. "I love you, you know that?"

Arizona slowly smiled and kissed the batter off Callie's nose. "And I love you."

Alright, let me know what's going on in those wonderful minds of yours(: