Arizona's New Reality.
Post therapy, Arizona reflects.
Arizona slowly studied the piece of jewellery as it manoeuvred loosely between her fingertips. Her head slightly tilted, almost lost in a trance, her focus didn't shift from the ring she had so expertly chosen. It was predominantly black gold, with a strip of yellow gold running the circumference. It had two diamonds which is exactly what she wanted; because it represented the two of them, their reunion. It was equal badass as it was beautiful, like Callie Torres.
And when she bought it, she couldn't wait to present it to her wife after their final therapy session.
She sighed as she absently ran her thumb around the inside of the band, feeling the dip of the engraved words as she did. This would be the part that touched her wife's skin, no one else would see the inscription, it would be for them and them only.
She had toyed with what to get written on the underside. Would the date of their last session be appropriate? Or maybe some words? She liked; 'My One' and 'My Love' and 'Badass & Hardcore'; it needed to show Callie she couldn't wait to spend the rest her life with her. In the end she went for a combination; 'My One True Love'. Maybe a bit soppy but it was true, Callie Torres was the one true love Arizona Robbins would ever have.
She remembers walking down the street with April as they were grabbing a coffee before rounds. She told her friend she wanted to buy Callie a ring to commemorate their new beginning. It was day 27 of 30 and she was so excited at the prospect of finally reconnecting with her wife.
"Oh oh oh! April April April! Look look look!" She dragged her friend towards the shop window. "That's so Calliope, she'll love it!"
Her friend giggled as Arizona held her face up against the glass. The redhead raised her hand to cover the glare so she could get a better look and, not gonna lie, she couldn't disagree.
"Oh yeah, that is pure Torres–" she gulped as her eyes drifted towards the small tag in front of the box. "Arizona, have you seen the price?!"
In truth she hadn't, she just saw the ring and knew it was perfect. She couldn't move her gaze away from what would be her next purchase in life. Price be damned.
"I don't care; I'm getting my wife that ring. Come on come on come on let's go let's go let's go!"
April let out a playful sigh as she was happily dragged into the store, she loved the blonde's excitement and enthusiasm. She did have to be the voice of reason though, it was a lot of money.
"Arizona, your last session isn't until Thursday, don't you need to confirm siz–"
She scoffed. "–you think I don't know my own wife's ring size?"
After shaking off her indignance and completing a careful inspection, the vote was unanimous, that ring was coming home with her... soon, anyway. It only needed slight tweaking, and the engraving could be done in the store. Basically, she saw the ring on day 27, could pick it up on day 29 and present it to Callie on day 30.
Leaving the jewellers, they decided to have a sit-down coffee rather than a to-go. Arizona couldn't wipe the smile from her face and the last thing she wanted was for Callie to think it was because she was happy during their separation. April took the opportunity to raise her latte.
"I'm so happy for you both, to new beginnings."
Arizona laughed as a small tear started to form; she raised her mocha.
"To new beginnings."
Only… it wasn't.
Callie left her in the therapist's office.
There would be no new beginning.
She didn't get to give her wife the ring; their marriage was over.
Arizona had it all planned as well, right down to how tightly she'd hold Callie's hand as they left. They'd leave the office together, cook an amazing meal, snuggle up on the couch and enjoy getting lost in each other's eyes as they zoned out whatever trash was on the TV. Then they'd make love, slow and passionate, eyes never wavering as they reached the ultimate peak. After tiring her wife out, the epic conclusion of one of the most liberating days of her life would occur; she'd grab the ring from her nightstand, slip it above Callie's wedding band and softly caress her with endless words of love and devotion.
But Callie left her.
They hadn't reconciled.
Their bed felt oddly cold, even as she was perched at the edge. She wiped away a couple of loose tears and gazed over at the suitcase she'd just packed. It was filled to the brim but she had no idea if it was too much or too little, she wasn't afforded the time to fully process what she was doing. Sofia's clothes were not packed, she wasn't leaving with her.
She turned her attention to her own wedding ring. It was the symbol of the love she always felt, and would always feel for her wife, even if she wasn't great at showing it. Damn, sometimes she was downright awful at showing it.
Another reason Callie left her there, she never told her anything positive or reaffirmed that she and Sofia were her entire life. She'd argue Callie never let her, but saying 'I love how your eyebrow arches when you're confused' or 'I love how you purse your lips and tap your pen against them when you're stuck at Sudoku', wouldn't have resulted in a slanging match. But no, she just… assumed Callie knew? She was complacent.
Dammit.
She slipped her wedding band back on; not wearing it felt foreign, her finger itched without it.
She can barely remember what Dr Wyatt said as she watched Callie close the door behind her, not once looking back. Maybe she should have– no, no she should have gone after her. Forcibly stopped her, talked to her, shown her just how damn much they were meant to be together. To fight for her… but no, she was frozen, her heart had just been broken into a million pieces, she could barely breathe, let alone form movement. So, she just sat there.
Which is why the ring was still in her hand.
She checked the clock on the nightstand, she knew Callie would be home soon and it would be time to leave. She knew her new reality.
Then, talk of the devil, she heard the front door close and her head snapped up in response. Eyes wide with panic, she quickly shoved the box into her purse and dropped it to her feet, all nice and casual like. It would never go back into her nightstand, wasn't the place to keep it, not anymore.
"Arizona? Arizona are you there?"
Her heart raced as she heard the unmistakable footsteps approaching.
"Errr yeah, bedroom."
Callie opened the door slowly and took in the sight in front of her. Arizona looked tired and emotionally spent. Should she be surprised? After what happened just hours before?
She then looked on the bed and saw the packed suitcase…
…and a huge sigh of relief left her body.
Her smile was wide. "Oh good, you've packed for the both of us!"
Arizona playfully rolled her eyes and shook her head as she flashed her wife a wry smile. Standing up from the bed she slowly walked over to the raven-haired beauty and snaked her arms around her waist, Callie's automatically mirroring.
"That's because you, Calliope Iphigenia, are a terrible packer."
She feigned offence, but it was hard to argue.
"Hey, it's our honeymoon, surely it's just a bikini or two and a few nice outfits?"
"More like a few bikinis and maybe one nice outfit. Maybe some new lingerie."
They both leant in and enjoyed a languid kiss, Arizona's hands drifted towards Callie's cheeks, Callie's slowly caressed Arizona's waist. Their eyes met as they pulled back, Arizona's smile was soft and content, Callie's was bright and warm. Her voice was delicate as she pulled the blonde in for a chaste kiss.
"All these years later and we're finally honeymooning in Spain." They swayed just a little in each other's arms, their bodies in sync, it was intimate, it was everything. After removing one hand from a tender hip, Callie poked a pale thigh which elicited a squeal. "Just the chickens left to get right?"
"Mmm… right." This time Arizona simply straightened Callie's necklace and placed it back onto her chest, slowly dragging her hand over the first token of their love. "So, I packed and sorted our schedules, did you keep to your side of the bargain, Mrs Torres?"
There was that smile again, she nudged Arizona's nose with hers and arched an eyebrow.
"Of course Mrs Torres, your parents took Sofia and Cecilia to the park and I've booked a table for the six of us at Canlis for 5pm. Once we've said goodbye to our little munchkins, a cab will take us to the airport hotel ready for our flight tomorrow." She flashed a smile then quickly became somewhat somber after remembering what happened earlier. "How are mum and baby doing?"
A few hours ago, Arizona quickly dropped her wife a text letting her know she might be delayed. Whilst attempting to tie up loose ends before they flew to Spain for ten days, she got severely sidetracked by an emergency surgery. It was touch and go but she was Arizona Robbins, of course they survived.
The blonde pulled her in for another kiss, a gentle brush against the side of her lips this time. She hadn't caressed Callie there in a while and she loved how her wife's smile would form at the slightest of contact.
"They're good, Nicole called not long after and said they're doing well. She kicked me out of my own centre, told me to 'enjoy lots of hot wife-on-wife newly-wed dirty hot sex'."
Callie laughed. "I'd ask if you were paraphrasing but I'm guessing not?"
"Word. For. Word."
They had some time before they had to leave, which was good because since saying 'I do' the day before yesterday, they hadn't had the chance to bask in their 'just married' glow. Callie had been called in for a trauma at precisely 9:05am the morning after, she remembers because she made her wife come for a fifth time at 4:05am.
Arizona was brought out of her thoughts by a vibrating chest as Callie chuckled underneath her cheek.
"Hey, eyes up here Robbins."
"I'm sorry, you were saying?" She removed one arm from around her wife, arched her body upwards and gently stroked her fingers through her hair. "I was miles away."
She had been remembering taking Callie from behind on the dresser.
"Mmm no you weren't." She turned and indicated towards the far wall. "You were against that dresser again, against me… again."
Well, I mean… who wouldn't go back there?
Noticing the slight blush and pouted shrug, Callie decided best to repeat what her wife had clearly missed due to sexy flashbacks.
"Apparently the Colonel bought a subscription to Disney for them whilst we're away. I think he's realised he'll need a movie break or two in the ten days they're there. I told him all the things the girls want to do with him and err… I think he's slightly scared."
Arizona genuinely snorted. The thought of her father, Colonel Daniel Robbins, being wrapped around two little fingers was– well, scratch that, the thought of Doctor Arizona Robbins being wrapped around two little fingers was hard to believe.
But she was, she so was.
"Do you think Sof and Cece will be a harder test for him than the Marines?" She knew for herself saying no to their daughters was harder than her residency days, and that had kicked her ass.
Callie chuckled as she let out a light-hearted sigh. "Probably." They both eased back as she mentally read off her list. "So, suitcase packed, passports sorted, tickets printed, the girls' suitcase packed for their stay with grandma and grandpa, work schedules cleared and… am I forgetting anything else?"
Arizona went up on tippy-toes. "Lots and lots of sex."
"Well duh."
She laughed as she bent down to retrieve her purse. "So that's where Sof gets that from."
"Yeah yeah, you love your three Torres women, attitudes an' all."
She didn't need to reply, her silence and smile said it all. She did, she really, really did.
Callie heaved the suitcase from the bed, pulled up the handle and gestured towards the door.
"You ready, wife of mine?"
"I am, and I love that I get to call you that again."
As she went to leave, Callie stopped her and leant down for a final kiss, Arizona's arms pulling her in by her elbows as she deepened their embrace.
"Me too, I love you."
"I love you too."
They enjoyed their meal with Arizona's parents. They shared stories from the wedding (Cristina Yang vs. Nicole Herman in a drinking contest anyone?), listed all the (PG) activities they had planned and listened to how spoilt their daughters were going to be for the next ten days.
Their flight was uneventful, thank goodness. We've lived through enough angst.
Their drive to the hotel was uneventful, thank goodness. Nothing came out of nowhere.
Their first few hours in the hotel room were… eventful. Say no more.
They decided they needed to relax, recover, recharge then reconvene, so they made their way to the beach.
Arizona held tightly onto Callie's hand as they walked out of their room. They left the hotel together, grabbed some lunch, snuggled up on their beach towels and enjoyed getting lost in each other's eyes under the parasol as they zoned out whatever game a kid was playing in the background. Then they made out, slow and passionate, eyes never wavering every time they came up for air. After leaving her wife breathless, the epic conclusion of one of the most liberating days of her life occurred; she grabbed the ring from their beach bag, slipped it above Callie's wedding band and softly caressed her with endless words of love and devotion.
Callie slowly studied the piece of jewellery as it manoeuvred loosely between her fingertips. Her head slightly tilted, almost lost in a trance but her focus didn't shift from the ring that had been so expertly chosen just for her. So deep in concentration, she didn't notice Arizona staring, taking in their joint happiness as the waves crashed a short distance away.
Her heart was fully mended.
And she chuckled when she heard the declaration of 'its badass!' coming from her left.
She didn't give Callie that black and gold ring after their last therapy session. She gave Callie that black and gold ring on the beach, in Spain, on their second honeymoon.
Four years later.
And Callie loved it.
And she loved Callie.
And Callie loved her.
Married to the love of her life, two wonderful daughters, her career thriving, her wife's career thriving and their new home was filled with love and laughter.
Yes, after four years after heartbreak, this was Arizona's new reality.