By 2 AM, Callie had been in labor for almost 8 hours and was dilated to 5 centimeters.

The birthing suite at the hospital was beautiful, homey and comfortable and decorated with floral sheets and pretty watercolor paintings of landscapes and soft, warm lighting. Addison sat in a recliner with her feet propped up in the corner of the room, trying to keep from nodding off to sleep. Arizona sat next to Callie's bed, holding her hand, cheek resting against the soft sheets.

"Do you need to sleep?" Callie asked between contractions, bringing a hand down to stroke blonde hair. She was exhausted, and the contractions were starting to become more painful and more frequent.

"And miss all the fun?" Arizona giggled and lifted her head, finding Callie's hand to give it a squeeze. "I'm fine. I've done overnight deliveries before. Several, actually. I can definitely handle staying up for my own baby."

"Good answer. 'Cause I would've been a little bit mad."

Arizona laughed, though she knew there was truth to her words. She pressed a soft kiss to the brunette's palm and gazed at her lovingly. "You're doing amazing. Seriously, never seen anyone handle labor better. Strongest woman I know."

Callie rolled her eyes. "Stop sucking up. I'm still gonna yell at you during the next contraction."

A giggle fell past pink lips. "I can handle it. You think I haven't been screamed at by laboring moms before?"

Arizona had been hovering a bit, checking her stats constantly and bossing around nurses with words Callie didn't fully understand. It was impossible for her to shut the doctor side of her brain off, especially not now, in her specialty, when the person she loved more than anyone was the patient. She was a bit overprotective, but Callie didn't mind. It made her feel safe.

A soft snore from Addison made both women snicker, and Callie narrowed her eyes at her. "Oh, I'm gonna kill her."

"Let her sleep. You know she's grumpy when she's tired. I told her I'd wake her up if the real action starts." Arizona stood up, stretching her legs. "We probably still have quite a while, baby."

"Lovely."

"Can I get you anything?"

"Could you… hold me for a few minutes? Until the next contraction when I'm yelling again."

Arizona's gaze softened and she complied without arguing, crawling into bed with her and wrapping her arms around her. She nuzzled her face into her neck and kissed it sweetly, a tender moment shared between only the two of them. "We're about to be moms." Arizona whispered after a couple of minutes, and Callie could hear the smile in her voice.

"I can't believe it."

"Wanna know a secret?"

"Hm?"

"I think I've dreamed about this with you for my entire life."

Callie melted, shifting in bed a little to lean down and kiss her. "Honestly? Me too." A contraction hit her and she winced, hissing in pain. "Ow! Fuck."

Arizona scrambled out of bed before she became collateral damage, giggling with a toothy grin at the pissed off glare it earned her.

Callie was almost at 8 centimeters by 7 AM.

Arizona was wiping her forehead for her with a cool cloth and offering her ice chips. Addison had gone to the vending machines to get a bag of chips for breakfast.

Callie whined in pain, and no matter how much Arizona reassured her that it was almost over, that things would pick up quickly from here, she was growing restless and agitated and exhausted.

"I want—" Callie grit her teeth, leaning forward in bed and groaning as her body cramped. "I want your mom."

Arizona's eyes softened. "She's here. They're in the waiting room. I'll go get her. Be right back." She pressed a kiss to her forehead before she left.

A soft knock at the door surprised her, and her eyes flickered up to see Addison with an amused grin standing in the doorway. "I brought you a present."

"What?"

"Look who I found wandering the halls." The redhead pivoted and returned with Richard, pushing him in a wheelchair.

A bright smile spread across Callie's face, delighted to see him. "What the hell are you doing here?" She laughed. It had been so long since she had been able to see him, almost months now, and he looked older and thinner and weaker somehow.

"Oh, just here for a doctor's appointment. I can't stay long." He waved her off, smiling at her with pride. "I heard you were having a baby today."

"I am! Right now, as a matter of fact." She laughed breathlessly, pushing sweaty hair out of her face.

"Congratulations." He sounded genuine.

"Thank you." Callie smiled warmly. She had missed him. "Will you come back and meet her later? I want you to meet her."

"Oh, sure." He dug around in his coat pocket and pulled out a small envelope, passing it off to her. "Here. Just a congratulations card. But don't you read it 'til she's here. That's bad luck."

"I promise." Callie rolled her eyes and set it on her bedside table. "Are you doing okay? Another doctor's appointment? The wheelchair…?"

"Now you know I hate when you fuss like that." He narrowed his eyes at her. "I'm an old man, pie girl. It comes with the territory."

Callie laughed. "Fine, fine. I'll let it slide. But only today."

"I can't believe you're bringing another Aries into this world. God help you." He clicked his tongue against his teeth in a tsk noise, a gravelly laugh rattling in his chest.

"I thought you didn't believe in all that voodoo magic?" Callie's brow arched, an amused grin on her lips.

"A girl told me once that we could all use a little more magic. I think she might have been right."

Callie smiled at him, soft and warm. She had grown to truly love him. "Thank you for coming to say hi. I'll see you later?"

"Of course. I should get going." He glanced at the clock and sighed lightly, moving to wheel himself towards the door. He glanced back at her over his shoulder. "Best of luck, Callie."

A contraction hit her and she moaned in pain, so strong that it distracted her from the fact that it was the first and only time he had ever called her by her real name.

With the Robbins women on one side of her and Addison on the other, Callie's daughter entered the world at 9:34 AM, healthy and beautiful and screaming.

Callie would come to say that they were both born that day. Something inside of her fundamentally changed.

Every ounce of pain over the past 9 months, over the past 10 years, disappeared the second she was placed safely in her arms. It was the most beautiful and surreal moment of her entire existence.

She was beautiful. Perfect. Callie couldn't stop staring at her, at her tiny nose and hands and eyelashes as she cradled her to her chest, heart aching with a feeling so deep she couldn't even name it. It felt a lot like love, but deeper, so much deeper. An unwavering devotion, a promise to dedicate every second of her life to protecting and loving her locked into place.

She laughed a little at her past self. She couldn't believe there was ever a single moment where she didn't want her, where she was worried she couldn't love her. It was unfathomable now. She had never loved anything more.

The truth was her daughter had saved her life. It was her daughter that had given her the strength to fight for herself, to carve out a life of peace and gentleness.

Callie vowed that the child in her arms would know nothing except gentleness for as long as she was alive.

After marveling at her for what could have been 10 minutes or 10 hours, Callie wasn't sure, her brown eyes finally flickered up to see Arizona patiently watching them with the sweetest look she had ever seen, letting her bask in her moment.

"She's so beautiful, Calliope." She whispered, moving stray locks of hair out of Callie's face for her. She swept down and kissed her forehead, lips lingering. "I'm so proud of you."

"Here. Go meet your mama." Callie carefully passed her off and Arizona cried as she held her for the first time, cradling her as if she were the most precious thing on earth.

"I love you." Arizona whispered, both to Callie and to the tiny baby in her arms. She brushed her fingers over her full head of black hair, over her squishy little cheek, and any lingering doubt she had about being her mother vanished. "I love you so much, my sweet girl." She rocked back and forth slowly, resting her forehead against her daughter's. She felt her mom rub soothing circles on her back and smiled. "This is your grandma. And your grandpa is waiting just outside. And your Aunt Addie is here, too. And I think you just might be the most loved little girl that has ever been born."

Several hours later, Callie and Arizona lay together in bed, their daughter curled up and sleeping on Callie's chest. Both women had been in and out of sleep all day, exhausted from the long night but too excited to sleep for more than an hour at a time. Arizona was half asleep now, head resting against Callie as they talked.

"I really thought a name would just come to me when I saw her."

Arizona giggled sleepily, rolling her head to the side. "I told you so."

"Hey! Watch it. I just pushed your child out of a very small hole. No I told you sos about anything for at least a month."

"Fine. I definitely did not suggest that we have a name ready before she got here and I am very surprised she hasn't whispered suggestions in your ear yet."

"I hate you."

"That's horrible news. Because I am super in love with you."

"Oh yeah?"

"Super." Arizona smirked, pressing a deep kiss to Callie's mouth.

"Ewwww. Stop making out in front of my niece." Addison interrupted with a grin, pleased with herself for being annoying and at the eye rolls it earned her. "If you ever feel the need to do that let Aunt Addie babysit."

Callie laughed, trying to keep it quiet to keep from waking the baby on her chest. "Ads, will you go see if Richard is still around somewhere? He said he'd come see her. I want him to meet her."

"On it."

Arizona sat up a bit to keep from falling asleep, watching Callie with an endearing expression. "We're a family now. Isn't that crazy?"

"It is."

"Just you and me and Jane Doe."

Callie rolled her eyes. "Okay, okay. I get it. Let's talk names." She took a deep breath. "Charlotte?"

"Mmm…. No. Eloise?"

"I don't think so. Ava?"

"I do like that. But no."

It took Addison 30 minutes to return, and the women were still laying in bed and bickering about names, sharing quiet laughs with each other at some of the suggestions.

Addison returned alone and with a pained expression on her face. It was the kind of look that preceded bad news. "Callie…"

They looked up, both startled by the look in those green eyes. "What? What is it?"

"Callie, I am so sorry."

Arizona furrowed her eyebrows and, sensing the shift of energy in the room, sat up and carefully took their daughter from Callie. She held her to her chest and moved to get out of bed, and Callie sat up with a panicked look on her face. "Addison, what?"

"Callie, he's… he's not…" Addison blinked back tears. She didn't even particularly care for Richard, at all actually, but she knew how much Callie did. She had watched their relationship blossom over the years. "I'm so sorry. He—He died, Cal."

"What?" Callie started to shake her head, denial flooding her. "No he didn't. You're confused. He was just here."

"He did." Addison swallowed. "He did. I'm so sorry. He was in surgery I guess and—"

"Surgery?! There's no way, Addison. He would have told me. I think you're confused. He would have told me." Callie's eyes were watering as she reached for the envelope Richard had left her with, and she fumbled to tear it open with shaking hands. There was no congratulations card. It was a letter. Her eyes were blurry as she read his small, chicken scratch handwriting, heart hammering in her chest.

Callie (Pie Girl),

I was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer in September, around the same time you found out you would be bringing a child into this world.

I hope you will cherish being a parent. Love for your child is the most miraculous thing a person can feel. I don't believe I truly knew what love was until I held my daughter in my arms for the first time.

My daughter was a beautiful child, incredibly bright and more empathetic than any person I had ever met. She was so empathetic that she pulled a half-dead cat out of rubble and named it Monday. You have always reminded me of her.

I lost my Margaret and my dear wife in a fatal car accident in May of 1963, 6 days before the grand opening of Monday's Place Diner. She was only 10 years old.

I let it destroy me. I let it make me bitter. The world was cruel to me and in turn I became cruel back.

I have watched the way the world has been cruel to you, with your mother's death and your father's abandonment and your husband's brutality. But you have never let it make you cruel. In fact, you are the only person who has shown me consistent kindness and patience in moments when I may not have deserved it. It is exactly what my Margaret would have done.

The doctors say I have exhausted all other treatment options. The surgery I am undergoing has a 5% chance of being successful. I know I will not make it out alive and I am at peace with it. I'm ready to go be with my girls.

I regret that I will be unable to meet your daughter, but I find comfort in knowing that you will make a wonderful mother. Your child will know love in ways that many only ever dream of.

In your name, I leave to you Monday's Place Diner and the rest of my estate. I trust you will take excellent care of it.

I hope this makes up for the bad tips.

Best of luck and thank you for all of the pie,

Richard

P.S. Horoscope for the day:

Aries, as the moon moves into Gemini, your problems seem to be clearing up. Cherish sacred new beginnings and embrace the power of love. Let it guide you as you move forward. Welcome the magic that is all around you.

A/N: thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Richard secretly being the owner of the diner, dying, and leaving everything to Callie has been planned since chapter 1. I didn't want to make it too obvious, but I didn't want it to feel like it came out of nowhere either. This is the first story I have ever written so I hope I was able to pull it off somewhat successfully.

Please leave me a review I appreciate them very much :) have a great day guys!