Chapter 16

Arizona arrived home exhausted, between speech therapy, physical therapy, counselling and trying to keep up to date with the newest in fetal medicine her brain was hurting, Sofia was at the table doing her homework while Callie was cooking. She stopped, taking in the scene feeling her stress and anxiety wash away. This was her family,

"Hey," Callie called seeing Arizona had arrived home,

"mommy" Sofia shouted dropping her crayon to run to her,

"Sofia" Arizona said, her speech had improved in the month since her discharge, she had worked hard, especially on the key words, like Sofia, Calliope, and I love you over time her speech had improved it was still slow and deliberate, but she was getting there. She lifted Sofia up, cuddling her to her chest,

"My phys…i…o dis..char..ged me, Bay…ley is go..ing to set up the sk…ills lab to..mor..row" Arizona explained excitedly, "If I pass, I might be ok….ay to do sss..imple sur..ger..ies." Arizona explained, Callie nodded, turning carrying the Jell-O mould to the table,

"Mamma made so many, but we can't eat them yet" Sofia explained pouting, "you have to practice then we can eat it".

"You m…ade me prac…tice mmmm…oulds?" Arizona said surprised, Callie nodded,

"I know I wasn't the most supportive last time, but I think this new career is awesome," Callie promised, she went to the side where she had Arizona's specialist practice equipment sent over. "April sent me the recipe" she explained,

"Can we watch mommy?" Sofia begged, Arizona nodded, happy her family were proud of her.

Arizona went to the jell-o mould, noticing the grape inside with a smartie next to it. Her job was to remove the smartie without damaging the grape. She closed her eyes mentally running through the procedure, before gently checking her equipment refamiliarizing herself with the weight and movement of each device.

Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself,

"Wait, we should make this more real" Callie said, "I'll be your assistant" she offered,

"What about me?" Sofia pouted, "I'm mommy's best assistant".

Arizona hid her smirk as Callie matched Sofia's pout, identical faces asking her to choose, it was a no brainer really, she had operated with Callie before but never operated with Sofia.

"Sofia ass…st" she said, Sofia was her assistant in cooking and when they played surgery to fix Sofia's toys.

"Yay, mamma you can do the sleepy bit" Sofia requested not wanting her mamma to be left out, Callie sighed. Putting a Jell-o mould to sleep wasn't her idea of fun but this was for Arizona and Sofia.

"Fine" she sulked, "She is asleep,"

"Waa..sh hands" Arizona instructed, Sofia nodded running to the sink where Arizona showed her how to wash her hands properly, before Callie helped them put on a cooking apron and washing up gloves,

"D..rapes" Arizona stuttered, Callie nodded adding the table clothes,

"Sssca….all..pel" she ordered totally focused, Callie passed the scalpel to Sofia who passed it to Arizona, carefully and with great skill she began.

1 hour later the smartie had been successfully extracted, with the grape intact,

"Yay, you did it" Callie cheered excitedly, as Sofia ate the smartie.

"I did itttt" Arizona repeated stunned, although she was getting better she felt for sure she would struggle to return to surgery.

"Of course, you did, you are brilliant" Callie praised, lifting her up swinging her around, only putting her down to pick up Sofia, before they joined a group hug to celebrate.

"We should celebrate properly, I'm thinking Chinese" Callie offered, watching Sofia dance around.

"Yay Chinese, I want the pork balls yum yum get in my tum" she sang happily.

"Okay, so one beef in black bean, one pork balls, one chow Mein, and a noodle" Callie recited from memory. Arizona and Sofia nodded, Arizona already focusing on her next jell-o model. While Callie finished cooking placing it in the refrigerator it would do for lunch tomorrow.

She had just finished her second 'surgery' when the Chinese arrived.

"I like it here", Sofia cheered swinging her legs happily. "You smile more when Mommy is here" she said to Callie, sincerely, "and mommy has her cheek smiles back".

Both adults blushed, Sofia had hit the nail on the head, they were happier together.

"Your right, we are happier together" Callie agreed.

"Love you" Arizona said, looking at her daughter and her girlfriend,

"We love you too mommy, I'm glad we came home" Sofia said.

"Me too" Callie added.

"Family be…longs together" Arizona said firmly. Now Callie and Sofia were back she was going to do everything she could to make sure they stayed home.

"That's right," Callie agreed squeezing Arizona's hand.

The next day she went in Bailey and Amelia were waiting in the skills lab. Callie was with her offering her support. Sofia had gone to school reluctantly, with the promise of celebratory ice cream later, when they knew she could operate again. Callie having no doubts Arizona would pass with flying colors.

After 3 hours of testing Bailey and Amelia agreed Arizona could operate again, but that Alex and Bailey would scrub in.

It was 4 days later that Arizona scrubbed in.

"Scalpel" she requested, her eyes meeting Addison who stood opposite, then going to Callie who was sitting patiently in the gallery, love in her eyes. The confidence from Callie was intoxicating, that combined with Addison one of the greatest surgeons ever meant Arizona had no doubts she could do this.

3 hours later Arizona completed the last stitch, sealing the hole where the port had been. A round of applause sounded from inside the OR and the gallery,

"Well done Doctor Robbins" Addison praised,

"Thank you, Doctor Montgomery," Arizona replied, nodding her head.

Exiting the OR, she ran to Callie, who was waiting like she had promised outside, eagerly she hugged her, kissing her lips,

"I did it" she said thrilled, Callie hugging her holding her tightly,

"You were amazing" Callie praised, "I am so proud of you, I am so proud of this speciality you mastered, I am so proud that you came back so quickly, I love you".

"I love you too" Arizona replied, kissing her. She missed this so much. She missed celebrating her wins with Callie, with her family.

"I promised Sofia, we would celebrate with ice cream" Callie offered, making Arizona grin,

"Yay"

"And a dance party" Callie added nervously, she was worried as they hadn't had one since the plane crash but when Sofia had asked about it after Zola told her it was something her mom and Aunties did Callie couldn't refuse.

"Double yay" Arizona said happily, nothing would be better than ice cream and dancing with her family. That sounded like the perfect night.

While she had never asked for the head injury, she was grateful that when she couldn't remember anything else she remember just how much she loved Callie and Sofia. How much they needed to be together. Without her brain working her heart had been allowed to speak the truth, Callie and Sofia were everything.

I hoped you liked it, i'd love the day when Addison, Jo and Arizona get to operate together it would be legendary,

let me know what you think