For the first time in a long time Callie wakes up next to Arizona and she is genuinely happy. They cook breakfast and get Sofia ready for the day together. When Arizona leaves, Sofia babbling happily in her arms both women lean in for a quick kiss. It is a natural reaction for both and Callie finds it is a relief for her, maybe there is a chance for them. She cleans around the house a bit before taking a shower and getting ready to meet Erica. Callie smiles when Erica sends her a text and recommends they eat at Callie's favorite Greek restaurant. It does not surprise her that she remembers. She pulls into the parking and happily greets Erica with a hug. However, by the time they finish their salads she can tell that there is something that is bothering Erica.
"Alright whatever it is spill it." Erica pretends to look innocent and takes a sip of her water.
"I don't know what..." Callie shakes her head and looks the blonde in the eyes.
"Please don't lie to me Erica." The blonde quickly halts what she was about to say and sighs.
"I bumped into Owen Hunt the other day." Callie quickly tries to figure out why that would be a bad thing but she comes up blank. Owen and Erica did not really know each other before she left.
"He offered me a job." Very suddenly it becomes a little harder to think clearly for Callie. All of her thoughts are jumbled in her head.
"Look Callie I do not have to take it. I was just letting you know he offered. Does not mean I have to accept.' Erica rushes out.
"No, no I think that is great. Our Cardio department has had the worst luck, we could use someone like you again. I am sure Cristina would be ecstatic." Erica flinches at the name. Another wrong that she could make right if she came back.
"Callie are you sure?" skeptical at how well the other woman is taking in the information. Callie nods her head
"Yes, if that is what you want then I want you to take the offer." Callie reaches out and takes her friends hand. Both woman feel a flutter but in this moment they both ignore it, this is more than that. "You know I am going through some things. I know you do not know all the details yet but I could use another friend while I figure it all out. Cristina doesn't really speak girl all that well." Erica can feel the relief spread though her.
"Nothing would make me happier. Don't let anyone know but of all the hospitals and cities I have been in Seattle was my favorite. I just left because, well you know." Callie releases Erica's hand and leans back in her chair.
"I know but I am sure we have learned some shit along the way." Callie raises her eyebrow and tilts her head. Erica laughs and nods in agreement.
"I will still have to go back tonight and tie up some loose ends. I told Hunt that if I took the job I wouldn't be able to start for a month and he was okay with it." The waiter comes with the rest of their meal and both woman get distracted as they arrange their food to their liking when Erica looks back to Callie with a small smile.
"Looks like I am coming back home." Callie smiles back. The irony that she had said almost the same words to Arizona not more than twenty-four hours ago is not lost on her.
"Hello gorgeous!" Arizona call out into the apartment. Sofia insisted on walking and the toddler rockets past Arizona calling out for Callie. Sofia giggles happily when she sees her mother come from the bedroom. Callie picks up her daughter throwing her into the air causing her to giggle. She kisses Sofia on the cheek and puts her back on the ground allowing her to toddle up to Arizona to have her jacket taken off. .
"Hi." Callie replies and leans in giving Arizona a quick kiss. "I hope you don't mind but I asked Cristina to pick up Sofia for a few hours. There is something I need to talk to you about." Arizona looks over from attempting to get Sofia out of her jacket.
"Okay" Arizona replies slowly. " Should I be worried?" Callie watches Arizona as she finally frees the wiggling toddler from her jacket. Should Arizona be worried? The thing is Callie isn't really sure. She does not think the blonde should worry so she goes with it.
"No, I don't think so at least." Arizona looks slightly relieved as she hangs up Sofia's jacket.
"So what time is Cristina picking up this little minion?" Arizona smiles down affectionately at her daughter. The toddler has opened one of their medical journals and is carefully turning the pages as if reading the book. Sofia's love and care with books has always amazed her.
"Half an hour I wanted to get some lovings in before Cristina picked her up." Callie sits next to Sofia on the floor and the toddler happily starts to babble on to Callie about different pictures in the book. "She is picking up Zola and taking them out to eat. Arizona groans.
"Who knows what those three are going to be eating tonight." Callie arches her eyebrow at Arizona. Seriously is written all across the brunettes face. Arizona sighs and relents.
"Yeah alright." Callie has reminded her with a look that her love of all things sugary that she has passed down to their daughter is no different or better than Cristina's love of anything she does not have to cook. At least in Cristina's favor it only happens when she has Sofia during mealtimes. Arizona sits down next to Sofia and the toddler continues to tell what must be an elaborate story as she points to pictures of people and body parts in the book.
Twenty minutes later there is a knock at the door and the book and story are quickly forgotten when Sofia sees Cristina
"Ina Ina!" Sofia calls out happily. Cristina squats down and gets the full force of Sofia's hug.
"Hello Monster!" Callie huffs. The amount of ridiculous nicknames her daughter has accumulated is bordering on, well ridiculous. Callie wrangles Sofia back into her jacket and hands Cristina Sofia's bag.
"Thanks again. I owe you." Cristina waves her hand.
"You know I love my monster time think nothing of it." Cristina looks at Arizona and smiles sympathetically at Callie. "We will see you guys later. Say bye Sofia."
"Bye bye!" Sofia calls happily waving her hand. Callie hears Cristina launch into an explanation of the night's itinerary as she closes the door. When she turns she finds Arizona on the couch nervously picking at the frayed end of her sleeve.
"So what did you want to talk about?" Arizona's voice is surprisingly calm even though her behavior says otherwise. Callie takes a deep breath. It is now or never,
Callie explains where she was when she left and the people she was with. Arizona listens and even expresses interest in meeting Angel, Jason, and Jesse. However that all changes when Callie mentions Erica.
"Wait Erica as in Erica your ex? That Erica?" Arizona asks in a rushed voice.
"Yes." Callie replies. She is Angel and Jesse's cousin. She was there the night of the bachelor party.
"And you spent time with her while you were gone?"
"Yes." Callie replies again. Arizona loses some color and looks like she is about to be sick.
"Callie if you are about to tell me you slept with her I don't want to know because..."
"What, no! It was nothing like that!" Callie's voices rises more than she expected out of shock and anger."She's my friend jeez Arizona. I wanted to tell you that we are friends and we had lunch together today." Callie looks at the other woman and is happy that Arizona has the common sense to as least look chastised.
"Oh" Arizona replies trying to say as little as possible at this moment.
"Wait, there is more." Callie takes a deep breath. "The things is she will be back in a month to stay. She bumped into Owen and apparently he offered her, her old job. She brought it up to me at lunch and I told her to go for it. I wanted to be the one to tell you so you wouldn't be blindsided." Arizona clears her throat and looks down at her hands.
"Should I be worried?" Callie sighs same question different circumstances.
"Honestly Arizona I do not know." Arizona looks up at Callie slightly teary eyed.
"What?" Callie never thought one word could break her so much but the emotion Arizona manages to put in that one word is crushing. Callie moves towards the blonde but she shakes her head furiously jumping up from the couch and away from Callie. It stops the brunette in her tracks.
"Arizona" Callie whispers but she won"t look at her, "Arizona I don't know anything. You cheated on me and it's like déjà vu all over again. I have lived this soap opera story line once before and the truth is..." Callie looks at Arizona keeping her gaze hoping to make the her understand. "the truth is I have no idea what I am supposed to do. I only know what I can do and now that is trying to fix what we have left.' Arizona has started to full-out cry but manages to nod her head. It is when Arizona breathes deep attempting to catch her breath through silent sobs that Callie finally wraps Arizona in her arms. She kisses the top of the blonde's head.
"I promise to do everything that I can do." Callie whispers as both women sink to the living room floor.
A/N: Erica is coming back but Arizona and Callie are still giving it a solid chance. Her return will not affect their effort to put their marriage back together. Besides Erica is not the returning character you should be worried about! Thanks for the reviews positive and crazy alike! I hope to update at least once every two weeks. I will shoot for more is possible.
Also can I just say I have never swooned harder over an imaginary character as hard as I did Callie in the wheelie sneaks scene.