Fault Lines (24/36)
Fault Lines
Chapter 24/36
Authors: Faith kennedysbitch & Kye kye9
Pairing: Callie/Arizona, Mark/Lexie
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer
Story Summary: Sequel to Choices. Callie and Arizona make the decision to move forward with their lives, but when a gradual series of events begin to snowball, Arizona tries desperately not to lose her grip on reality.
Chapter Summary: Callie and Arizona take a moment to reconnect; someone leaves Seattle for good just as someone else returns.
Previous Chapters
A/N: Spring semester is at an end so I’ll be busy for the next week and a half. Wanted to get this out sooner rather than later, so please forgive any major editing errors. I was pretty rushed trying to get this done but hopefully it’s still satisfactory.
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The doctor’s lounge was quiet and unoccupied later that night when Callie wandered in to grab a drink. It was just after midnight and she’d left Arizona and her mom to give them some privacy with the Colonel. Once her girlfriend saw that her father was still breathing and stable, Callie planned on taking her home and making her sleep. Even if she had to smother her with a pillow to do it.
The door opened behind her just as she was pouring hot water into a paper cup. She was really craving some good coffee right about now but that wouldn’t exactly make it easier to sleep, so she’d settled for herbal tea instead. It was just an excuse to pass the time until she could take Arizona home with her.
Turning around, Callie paused while dragging the tea string around. “Erica, hey. I thought you were down in the ICU.”
Hahn stepped into the room and closed the door behind her, heading for the coffee pot next to Callie. “I figured she’d rather get the update from Altman, someone she actually likes,” she replied, glancing sideways at the other woman while pouring her drink.
“Arizona likes you,” Callie objected, “she’s just been having a really hard time with everything lately and you happen to be in the middle this thing with her dad.”
“I’m not offended that I’m not her favourite person,” Erica pointed out, lifting the coffee to her lips and taking a brief sip. “Lord knows I’m not a people person to begin with. Besides, I think there’s some kind of rule where ex-girlfriends aren’t supposed to get along with new girlfriends. We’re managing pretty well, considering the circumstances.”
Callie chuckled and continued to play with the tea string. “I know she appreciates that you flew all the way out here to do this. Teddy’s her best friend and she would’ve been fine with her doing the transplant, but you’ve been there for her dad since the beginning. Arizona really is grateful for that. So am I.”
“Daniel’s a good man,” Erica commented, awkwardly avoiding eye contact. “I like the Robbins family. Even if your girlfriend is a know-it-all.”
“Gee, I’ve never met one of those before,” Callie teased, fixing the blonde with a pointed stare. “I’m starting to think stubborn and pigheaded must be my type. Luckily you’re both really hot.”
Now it was Erica’s turn to smirk and Callie immediately blushed a furious red, hiding behind her coffee cup as she swallowed a mouthful of tea.
“I’m happy to have helped,” Hahn continued after a moment of awkward silence passed between them. “Daniel’s stable for now and I’m sure Altman will keep a close eye on him.”
“You’re not staying?” Callie asked, pretty much knowing the answer before it left Erica’s mouth.
“I have a job and other patients to get back to. I’ll monitor him for another twenty-four hours, then I’m on the first flight back to San Diego.”
Callie nodded in understanding, feeling a little weird about the whole thing. “Well, um, good luck and stuff. With everything. It was nice seeing you again.”
Erica laughed. “Now there’s a lie if I ever heard one,” she mused, shooting Callie a knowing look. “Admit it, this was weird.”
“Oh, so beyond weird,” Callie agreed, finally relaxing now that she could say it out loud. “But that doesn’t mean it was horrible. I am glad we got to talk again, clear the air a little bit. I don’t have to worry anymore if you walked off into that parking lot and got abducted by a serial killer before you even reached your car.”
Erica grimaced at the memory. “I’m sorry about that.”
Callie waved a hand and took another sip of her drink. “Nah, don’t worry about it. It’s in the past. You’ve moved on, I’ve moved on, all of that stuff. We’re...friends.”
Quirking an eyebrow, Erica tilted her head. “Friends, huh?”
“In a totally non-cliché, extra serious kinda way,” Callie added. “We’re adults, there are no hard feelings; I don’t see why we can’t be friends. Right?”
“How about colleagues that have the occasional polite conversation revolving around winter sports or surgical procedures?” Erica glanced over to see Callie pouting and began to smile. “I’m kidding, Torres. Of course we’re friends.”
“Good.” Callie gave a firm nod and clinked paper cups with her ex. “To being friends.”
“Friends.” Erica shook her head and drank her coffee.
They co-existed for another round of silence before Dr. Hahn looked at her watch. “Well, I’m going to make sure the night shift residents keep an eye on the Colonel before heading back to my hotel. Take care of Robbins; she looks like she could use an IV line these days.”
Callie let out a harsh laugh. “Yeah, that’s next on my list of things to do.”
“Take care of yourself, too, Torres. And congratulations with the kid and everything.” With a small wave, Erica left the room. Callie had a feeling it would be the last time she saw her for quite a while.
Shaking her head, the brunette ditched the rest of her tea and slowly followed in Erica’s footsteps, heading off to go and fetch her girlfriend.
She would make Arizona sleep if it killed them both.
***
It turned out to be easier than she thought. Callie met Arizona in the locker room and they quickly changed out of their scrubs. The blonde was so far beyond tired that neither of them spoke much on the way home. Callie was content to slip an arm around her girlfriend’s waist and steer her in the proper direction, too afraid Arizona might wander into traffic if she didn’t keep an eye out.
They made it inside and kicked off their shoes, purses dumped unceremoniously to the side as they headed for the bedroom. Callie took Arizona by the hand and guided her over to the end of the bed, pulling the covers all the way back and getting her to sit down with a light nudge.
Arizona sank heavily onto the end of their mattress, skin as pale as the moon and drawn with exhaustion. She was simply too tired to move, even to raise her arms and attempt to take her clothes off for the night.
Luckily, Callie was one step ahead and had figured out her lover was already half gone before the blonde even knew herself. After taking care of her own jacket and discarding it on the only armchair in the room, Callie kneeled in front of Arizona and looked up to meet those expressive blue eyes.
Usually expressive, anyway. Right now the sparkle in them was gone and she could’ve sworn Arizona was already asleep with them open.
“Up,” Callie instructed softly, waiting through the delay while her girlfriend’s brain registered the command. Arizona half-heartedly raised her arms and Callie pulled the blue t-shirt up and over her head, setting it aside for now. The creamy, smooth skin on display sent the usual ‘zing’ through Callie’s entire system, but she shut down her sexual responses in an instant.
There would be no sex tonight. Only sleep, which a certain someone desperately needed.
She had to smile as she lowered Arizona’s arms back to her sides. Her fingers brushed along the other woman’s temple, trailing slowly down her cheek and along her jaw. “Still with me in there?”
Somehow Arizona managed one of those cute little half-grins of hers, even though it was hazy. “Still here,” she confirmed. “But barely.”
“I’ll be fast.”
Arizona chuckled to herself. “I’ve heard that before.”
“Oh please, since when have I ever been quick on the draw?” Callie sat back on her heels and lightly gripped her girlfriend by the hips. “Stand up for me.”
Pushing herself up on wobbly legs, Arizona swayed once and rested a hand on Callie’s shoulder for support. She was too out of it to feel that pang of arousal in her gut that usually accompanied those fine hands clawing at her belt buckle. Only this time there was less clawing and more meticulous undoing, with the brunette taking her time in working open the leather and zipper/button combo underneath.
Callie, however, still had the same reaction she usually did when she was on her knees in front of the blonde. If she wasn’t exhausted herself, she might’ve even tried to do something about it. Instead, she swallowed back thickly and pulled Arizona’s pants down her legs, carefully helping her step out of the dark material.
Left standing in her panties and bra, Arizona closed her eyes when she felt her partner’s nose brush sensually against her navel.
Callie leaned in, automatically inhaling her scent as she pressed a soft kiss to Arizona’s stomach. “I love you,” she murmured, closing her eyes too and taking a moment just to bask.
The Colonel was one step closer to getting better, which meant they were one step closer to getting their lives back to normal. Then the baby would be born and all hell would more than likely break loose a second time around.
She’d really appreciate a bit of ‘normal’ before the baby-drama started up in the fall.
Arizona rested a hand on top of Callie’s head and stroked her fingers through soft hair. “Not nearly as much as I love you,” she replied sincerely. No part of her thought it was remotely possible for Callie to ever realize just how much she meant it.
“I wouldn’t have gotten through any of this without you, Calliope.”
Callie smiled, nuzzling into Arizona’s abdomen again. “Yeah, you would’ve. But I’m glad I was here.”
A small sigh escaped Arizona’s lips and she dropped her fingers down to rake across the back of the brunette’s neck. “His hands were warm after the surgery. They haven’t been warm in six months.”
“That’s a good sign,” Callie agreed, reluctantly pulling her head away and getting her girlfriend to sit back down on the bed. She scooted closer, nudging her way between Arizona’s legs and resting a hand on each bare knee. “Means his heart is strong. His circulation is good.”
Arizona nodded silently, taking a moment just to watch the woman in front of her. Until she’d met her girlfriend, until she’d nearly lost her father and thought every aspect of her life was about to change for the worst, she’d never thought that someone like Callie existed. She didn’t think she would ever be privileged enough to love somebody such as her and be loved back the same.
Arizona wasn’t a ‘God’ person by any means, but if something or someone up there approved of who she was and what she stood for, gay or not gay, then she was truly blessed. She’d made the mistake of letting Callie go once before and would never make the same mistake again.
As Callie sat back on her heels, hands drifting idly up and down Arizona’s bare thighs, she saw a range of unreadable emotions flicker across her partner’s face. “What?”
Arizona shook her head, knowing there was only one way to get across how she was feeling in this moment. She leaned forward and moved both hands down to cradle Callie’s face between them, wasting little time before tilting her head and pulling the woman into a soft, lingering kiss.
Brown eyes fluttered closed and Callie leaned into it, feeling extremely warm and fuzzy all of a sudden. As tired as Arizona was, she was still a fantastic kisser and capable of rendering her completely speechless in moments like these.
Callie regained a little composure and pushed herself up a bit more, both hands sliding over her lover’s sides. A tiny alarm bell in the back corner of her mind went off, protesting that Arizona needed to rest before her vital organs began to shut down on her, but it wasn’t enough to deter Callie from responding.
Nothing short of a meteorite crashing into Earth was capable of interrupting this moment.
Grunting into the contact, Callie broke it just long enough to push up to her feet and set one knee on the bed. Arizona caught on and scooted backwards, grabbing a fistful of the brunette’s shirt and pulling her forward. Callie crawled over, gently settling down on top of Arizona while their tongues meshed in a slow and passionate kiss.
The spark Callie knew had been missing for so long was back with a fiery, if somewhat sleepy vengeance. She could feel the body beneath her responding to her every touch and quite enjoyed the small moan that Arizona released against her mouth.
“Clothes,” she murmured, already tugging impatiently and sluggishly at Callie’s shirt.
Without a word, Callie sat back again and pulled it over her head while Arizona’s nimble fingers worked open her jeans. Before long she was kicking them down her legs, too, arms supporting her weight on either side of the blonde as she shimmied out of the slim-fitting material. Brown eyes immediately dropped down to their next destination.
She wasted no time in kissing down Arizona’s chest, one hand sneaking underneath her warm body and fiddling around for a moment with the complicated bra clasp. It eventually gave way and she discarded the material over the side of the bed before descending on the perfect breasts now exposed.
An encouraging groan spilled from Arizona’s lips as she encased Callie’s body with her legs, right hand tangling into dark tresses and holding her in place. While she was usually the one harboring a fascination with Callie’s breasts - just look at the woman without a shirt on and try not to be entranced - she didn’t put up a fight to be the one on top this time around.
That told Callie how exhausted Arizona really was. God bless her girlfriend’s type-A control freak nature sometimes, but in moments like these, she was extremely eager to take advantage while she could. Arizona had been through enough these last few weeks, things that had been completely out of their control as a couple. This was something Callie could do to make her feel good, something she deserved after the hell she’d been thrown into.
Callie’s tongue traced slow, teasing circles across a perky nipple, glancing up and watching with satisfaction as Arizona’s breath visibly hitched in her chest. She sucked the hard peak between her lips, giving it another swirl with her tongue before pulling back and biting gently along the side of her breast.
Arizona purred with delight, hooking her right leg over Callie’s hips and giving her entire body a tug forward. She continued to stroke her fingers through dark hair, practically melting into the bed as Callie teased her for a long moment before switching sides. Never one to lack patience in the bedroom, the brunette gave it the full treatment as well, kneading the other breast in the palm of her hand.
Any doubts Arizona had about getting aroused when she was this tired disappeared almost immediately. It was no secret to either of them how wet she was beneath the one layer of clothing left between them. Callie made sure Arizona knew she knew by grazing her right hand hard over her crotch, using just the right amount of pressure to make Arizona moan.
“Please, baby,” she begged softly, tugging encouragingly at Callie’s hair. As much as she loved the mouth against her breast, there was another location she was quite desperate to feel it work its magic.
Callie departed Arizona’s left breast with one last nip and a flick of her tongue, attaching her lips to every square inch of skin she came across while shifting down Arizona’s body. The smell of her partner’s arousal assaulted her senses, drawing a low groan from the back of her throat. Suddenly that little black cotton slip between her and her prize was way too concealing, leading her to eagerly tug Arizona’s panties over her hips and down her thighs.
They got to her knees before Callie was distracted by the glistening arousal beneath them. She instantly attached her mouth to the source, delivering another hard suck while Arizona’s thighs clenched around her head.
The blonde’s back arched off of the bed, both sets of fingers digging hard into the back of Callie’s skull. Her legs dangled precariously in the air, bent at the knees and hovering over the woman’s shoulders. They were still tied together by the irksome panties that had yet to make their way to the floor, and for a moment Arizona found herself too distracted to dispose of them herself.
Callie paused long enough to flatten her tongue and steal a long lick of Arizona’s sex, reveling in the familiar flavour that exploded over her taste buds. She sought out her partner’s engorged clit, teasing it into view before sucking it between her lips. A grin appeared when the move produced the breathless gasp she had been looking for.
She knew what her girl liked.
“Mm, Calliope,” Arizona moaned, bucking her hips and giving an appreciative tug against the hair tangled around her fingers. She forced a few deep breaths into her lungs before finding the motor function to fumble around with her free hand and extract the panties the rest of the way. Once they were no longer an issue holding either one of them back, Arizona ran her right calf across the smooth expanse of Callie’s back. She inwardly cursed the fact that her girlfriend was still wearing a bra but knew stopping would be a requirement for either one of them to take it off.
That wasn’t happening any time soon.
Callie grunted as she pulled back for a much-needed breath, bringing her right hand up to circle Arizona’s swollen clit with her thumb. “So good,” she murmured, placing a row of chaste kisses along her girlfriend’s inner thigh. She loved the way she would tug at her hair, spurring her on and letting her know she was doing something right.
“Don’t stop,” Arizona begged through a hoarse moan, repeating the motion and urging Callie forward again.
With a breathless smile, the brunette dove back in, stealing a quick suck against her lover’s clit before pushing her tongue through slick folds. She sought out Arizona’s entrance and plunged her tongue forward, taking up the motion of her thumb once again.
“Oh, fuck,” Arizona growled harshly into the otherwise quiet room.
Hearing the unusual curse slip from those lips was a huge turn-on for Callie. She grasped Arizona’s thigh with her left hand, feeling the taunt muscle quivering against the side of her head. Once quick glance upward was enough to tell her everything she needed to know.
Arizona was definitely not too tired to be enjoying herself.
That thought made Callie smile as she pulled away for another quick breath, evidence of Arizona’s arousal glistening on her chin. She knew exactly what needed to be done in order to make her reach that peak with ease, but quick ‘n easy wasn’t what Callie was looking for tonight. She wanted to release some of the pent up tension the blonde had been carrying around for God knows how long now.
So instead of buckling down and pushing inside her right away, Callie took her time exploring with her tongue, spending some time focusing on the sensitive bundle of nerves that had to be throbbing by now, before slipping down to glide through swollen lips. Callie playfully sucked one into her mouth, stroking it with her tongue before releasing it and again dipping down to plunge inside.
Arizona clawed at the top of her head, hardly able to see straight and ready to start begging. Callie kept her on the brink of orgasm but never quite let her get there, something that usually infuriated and turned Arizona on like no one would believe. Right now, it just kept her wanting more.
Though if she didn’t come soon, she might die from lack of oxygen before she was ever allowed to get there.
Callie took pity on her eventually, removing her tongue from inside and replacing it with two fingers. She sunk them deep into Arizona’s pussy, pushing down and really letting her feel it.
The blonde gasped loudly and bucked her hips again, spreading her legs open to give Callie all the room she needed to work.
Growling at the openly sexual display, Callie worked up a steady rhythm, pumping her arm with a hard motion and pushing her fingers as deep as they could go. Her lips and tongue once again sought out Arizona’s throbbing clit and pulled it into her mouth, keeping up a steady pressure while occasionally soothing it over with a soft lick.
All Arizona could do was hold on for dear life, whimpering in pleasure and writhing beneath her girlfriend. Her left hand was about to rip a hole in the pillow behind her head while her right fought to keep itself from pulling too hard against the back of Callie’s. She could feel the fingers inside her core roughly massaging her inner walls, scissoring and doing their best to leave her feeling extremely well-fucked.
Mission successful.
“Callie,” Arizona cried out a short time later, jerking her hips forward and grinding her pussy into the woman’s face. Whatever spilled from her lips next was unintelligible, but Callie knew what the incoherent sounds meant.
She sucked hard on Arizona’s clit and curled her fingers upward, working them harder than before and listening to the response. Not more than a few seconds later, she felt two strong thighs clamp down on either side of her head, barely staying attached as her lover’s hips flew off of the bed.
Arizona slammed her eyes shut as she came, shaking uncontrollably as wave after wave swept through her body. A small part of her was worried about suffocating Callie to death, though she didn’t seem to mind.
She kept both her mouth and fingers going until Arizona collapsed against the bed in a spent heap, then reluctantly withdrew with a small moan of her own. She dipped down to steal a few more lazy licks, lapping up the remnants of her girlfriend’s orgasm that had poured out around her fingers.
Neither of them could remember the last time she’d made Arizona come this hard. Callie made a mental note to keep it up now that their lives were stabilizing again.
Half-dead and mostly incoherent, Arizona groped a hand around until it landed on Callie’s shoulder. With a weak, uncoordinated tug, she pulled her up and immediately circled her body with minimally functioning arms and legs.
Still breathless, she met Callie in a slow, heated kiss. She could taste herself on her girlfriend’s tongue, something that was never really a huge turn-on for her in the past. Now, however, it drew another moan from the back of Arizona’s throat as she snaked an arm around her partner’s shoulders and pulled her in closer.
Callie settled comfortably on top of Arizona, content to remain in the kiss and feel her lover’s heart pounding against her own. A light sheen of sweat covered both their bodies and Callie’s hair fell forward across her shoulder, mixing with Arizona’s on the pillow beneath them.
After a moment, Arizona dropped her head back and expelled a hard breath from her lungs. As Callie ducked down to burrow into the side of her neck, blue eyes slipped closed and Arizona contented herself with drawing lazy circles along the small of the brunette’s back.
It was a while before her heart and lungs finally slowed down, after which a sensation of pure, undiluted bliss washed over her. No outside thoughts invaded her mind; nothing nagged at the back of her conscience. The only thing she care about right now was the woman on top of her and how much she loved her.
Arizona turned her face in to nibble on Callie’s earlobe, her right hand sneaking slowly down to cover that underwear-clad ass she was extremely fond of.
Another hand shot back to stop hers mid-motion, dragging it back up to Callie’s side.
“No,” Callie husked in a low voice, pulling back from Arizona’s neck and gazing down at her. “I just want you to relax. Don’t think about anything other than closing your eyes and getting some sleep.”
“Calliope,” Arizona protested, though she was cut off before she could go any further.
“Arizona, please. I just want to hold you in my arms and fall asleep. Okay?”
Well, that was a lie on some levels. She was definitely aroused and trying very hard to ignore the growing ache between her own legs, especially with the taste of Arizona’s essence still lingering on her tongue. But Callie wanted this moment to be about Arizona and knew her partner needed some serious sleep. She really did just want to hold her.
She could survive tonight without an orgasm of her own. Taking care of her girl was more than enough to keep her satisfied.
“Callie,” Arizona murmured again, though she wouldn’t have been able to deny the fact that her eyelids were drooping if she’d been called on it.
Smiling, the brunette leaned down and dropped a delicate kiss against Arizona’s temple before scooting back onto her side of the bed. “Just relax,” she whispered, fishing around below them for the covers and tugging them comfortably back into place. She stealthily discarded her underwear over the side of the bed in the process.
Arizona finally let her mind go and was nearly asleep already when Callie curled up behind her. Their legs twined together and a strong arm fixed itself around her waist, drawing her motionless form backward.
The only thing that kept this from being like every other time Callie big-spooned Arizona was the slight baby bump wedged discreetly between them.
That thought alone made the blonde smile. She sighed contently and covered the arm around her midsection, lacing their fingers together and bringing them up to press a kiss against Calliope’s knuckles.
Callie nuzzled into the back of Arizona’s neck and smiled as the blonde wiggled her hips and settled in. She counted maybe thirty seconds before Arizona’s breathing evened out and she was sound asleep.
Only once her girlfriend was out did Callie allow herself to close her eyes and drift off next to her.
***
After sixteen days of waiting, praying, hoping and feeling terrified, Arizona stood motionlessly at her father’s former bedside for the second time since his arrival in Seattle. She was packing his remaining items into the same duffel bag they’d arrived in, though a sudden wave of sadness had made her pause in the middle of doing so.
The private room was bare now and the only trace that he’d ever been there to begin with was the watch still sitting on the bedside table. His sheets had already been removed earlier that morning and the bed looked completely untouched. Arizona reached over and picked up the watch, balancing it on her palm and tracing the familiar, worn leather with her fingertips.
He’d had it for nearly forty years now and not a day had gone by that she didn’t see him wearing it. He rarely took it off, except when she was a kid and asked to play with it. She remembered always being super careful, knowing how much her daddy liked his watch. She didn’t want him to get mad at her if anything happened to it, so she would usually sit on his lap and fiddle around while he watched TV in his favourite armchair. Not even her brother was allowed to play with the thing. One time she’d accidentally turned the dial and changed the time. Fearing the worst, she’d only received a small laugh from her father in return and then he’d shown her how to change it back.
“Arizona?”
Snapping out of her trance, Arizona glanced over her shoulder and saw Callie watching apprehensively from the doorway. She managed a weak smile. “Hey.”
Furrowing her brow, Callie stepped into the room and slowly made her way over. “Are you okay?” she asked tentatively, studying her partner closely.
Biting her bottom lip, Arizona looked away and nodded, focusing on the object in her hands once more. “Yeah. Just...memories, y’know?” She sighed heavily and tucked the watch neatly into the duffel bag before zipping it shut.
Strong arms circled her waist from behind and drew a smile from her as she felt Callie trying to press in close. Their daughter had grown in the last few weeks and was making that feat somewhat difficult, however. Callie usually huffed about it and it was up to Arizona to reinforce how sexy she still was and always would be.
Right now, though, Callie simply dropped her chin down to rest on Arizona’s shoulder and kissed the side of her neck. “Do you need some help?”
“Naw,” the blonde replied. “All done here.” Another sharp pang resonated inside her chest.
“Hey.” Callie turned Arizona around and pulled her in by the waist. “Everything is gonna be okay. I promise.”
Despite her best efforts to remain unaffected, Arizona sniffled once and glanced down as tears threatened against the back of her eyes. “You don’t know that.”
“I do,” Callie repeated. “Because I’m always right, remember?”
Arizona laughed and hurriedly wiped away the single tear that escaped.
“You’re a Robbins,” Callie said firmly, tugging Arizona in by her sides. “Robbins folk are strong, passionate, and stubborn as hell. You’ve been through the hardest part, now you just need to let yourself move forward.”
“But what if-”
“It won’t,” Callie interrupted.
“But he-”
“Did everything he could to prepare for this,” she cut in again before her girlfriend could fall into another rambling worry-fest. “Zona, please, don’t cry. Everything is gonna be okay.”
The blonde wanted to believe her, she did, but she just wasn’t sure anymore.
“Arizona?”
Both parties looked over to find Mrs. Robbins standing just inside the doorway, rummaging distractedly through her purse.
“Have you seen your father’s watch? He swears he gave it to me but heck if I remember what I did with it. He’s sitting in the car holding the keys hostage until I return with the darn thing.” Maria then muttered some choice not-so-nice words for her husband’s actions under her breath.
That made Arizona crack a smile. “It’s in his bag, mom. Tell him I put it there myself so he can stop worrying.”
Callie chuckled as Mrs. Robbins sighed in exasperation and shoved a bunch of random items back into her purse. “Do you folks need us to take care of anything else?”
“No, he’s signed out and ready to go. Made a heck of a fuss when the kind nurse informed him he needed to be taken out in a wheelchair. If I hadn’t threatened him with divorce, he would’ve strolled right out of here and probably pulled a stitch.”
Arizona laughed again, suddenly feeling lighter than she’d been moments before. “Oh boy. How’s he gonna feel when you’re wheeling him around the airport tomorrow morning?”
“He’s going to suck it up is what he’ll be doing,” Maria replied as her daughter grabbed the duffel bag and headed over with her partner. Together the three of them started for the elevators that would take them to the main floor and out the front doors where the Robbins’ rental car was waiting.
Callie placed a hand on the small of Arizona’s back as they walked, occasionally sneaking glances at her and searching for any more traces of uncertainty or sadness.
But Arizona had relaxed back into her usual state, stress over her parents’ departure for San Diego now passed. Callie knew they would be fine, with regular visits to Erica and check-ins from a home nurse for a while that Arizona had arranged herself. The Colonel was glad to be getting out of a hospital bed for the first time in ages and seemed content with the idea of sleeping in his own again.
That didn’t mean father and daughter wouldn’t miss each other terribly.
A short time later, the three women arrived next to the rental SUV sitting out front. Arizona opened up the trunk and tucked her dad’s belongings in beside their other suitcases. She did a quick once-over to make sure everything was in place before closing the hatch and stepping around to the passenger’s side door.
The Colonel wore a warm smile and pushed the door open, staying seated and pulling his daughter into his arms without any hesitation. “I’ll be fine, sweetie. Stop worrying. I feel better than I have in years; like I could lead a charge into Sparta with only a butter knife and emerge victorious.”
Arizona grinned and hugged him back tightly. “Please don’t. You’ll give mom and I heart attacks instead.”
Chuckling, Daniel Robbins tightened his hold. “I love you, pumpkin.”
“Love you too, daddy,” Arizona whispered back, her voice thick with emotion. She was torn between demanding they stay so she could keep an eye on him and letting them get back to the life they had in San Diego.
Maria and Callie stood by watching the exchange, giving the two blondes a moment to say their goodbyes. Callie heard a sniffle and looked over to see the older woman trying to hide how this was affecting her.
Maria caught Callie smiling and waved a hand at her own actions. “Oh, don’t mind me. Old lady emotions, they sneak up on you out of nowhere. Just you wait another twenty years, you’ll see.”
Callie laughed and Mrs. Robbins pulled her into a hug. “We’re gonna miss you around here, Mrs. R.”
“Hopefully I passed the ‘mother-in-law test’,” Maria smiled, affectionately rubbing a hand over the back of Callie’s shoulder. “I like to think I’m less batty than some of the old broads you could’ve been stuck with instead.”
Callie pulled back and flashed her a lopsided grin. “Don’t think like that. I’m grateful I got to know the two of you, even with the circumstances. I’m gonna miss you guys.”
“Well, I’m certainly going to miss you both,” Maria replied. “You’re a wonderful woman, Calliope. And I’m counting on you to send me weekly photographs of that granddaughter of ours once she’s born. Lord knows Zona will conveniently forget.”
“I heard that,” Arizona called from by the car.
Maria smiled expectantly at Callie and waited for a response.
“I promise,” Callie giggled. “And I’m looking forward to the two of you coming out to meet her in person.”
“She just means for the free babysitting,” Arizona cut in, strolling over to her mother and smirking at her, hands shoved in the back pockets of her jeans. “So please, come out and visit and take our daughter for entire days at a time if you must.”
“Oh, you,” Maria chided playfully, swatting Arizona in the arm before pulling her into a tight hug as well.
Arizona’s grin widened and she held her mother closely, the years of tension and animosity between them no longer a factor in their relationship. “You sure you don’t want me to drive you to the airport in the morning?”
“Don’t be silly, it’s a ridiculously early flight and you have a job to get back to.” Maria released her daughter and stepped back, visibly pulling herself together to keep from crying. “We’ll just use this as our ‘goodbye’ for now.”
Callie stepped over to where the Colonel was waiting and opened her mouth to talk when she suddenly found herself engulfed in a great big bear hug. She grinned into his shoulder. “Promise you’ll take it easy, Daniel.”
“I always do,” he replied with a conspiratorial wink as he pulled back. “Keep an eye on my little girl for me, will you? And take it easy yourself. Robbins babies are always on time, so don’t worry about our little pumpkin coming along earlier than expected.”
Callie grinned.
“Sometimes they’re even overdue, but never before the date given.”
The grin faded.
“Dad,” Arizona chastised, stepping over to save her girlfriend. “Don’t freak her out, please. We’ve got a long way to go before any of that.”
Father and daughter embraced again, Arizona closing her eyes and sighing heavily as the last bit of tension drained from her shoulders. “Call me when you get home, okay?”
“Of course,” Daniel agreed. They separated and he watched his little girl and soon to be daughter-in-law step back from the car as Maria climbed in the driver’s side. “Take it easy, you two. Enjoy your freedom while you still have it.”
Maria swatted him. “Oh, shush.”
“Yes, dear.”
Arizona slipped an arm around Callie’s waist as they waved and watched her parents drive away. She kept her eyes on the car until they pulled into traffic and disappeared from view.
Callie slung an arm around the shorter woman’s shoulders and planted a firm kiss against the side of her head. “He didn’t really mean overdue as in way overdue, right?”
Arizona leaned into her partner and thought about it. “My Uncle Linus was supposedly born two weeks after the doctors said he would be. They tried to induce labor after one week and it failed.”
Callie stared at her with wide eyes.
“Don’t worry, you’ll be fine,” Arizona smirked, tugging at the shirt material over Callie’s stomach and slowly guiding her forward. She stole one last glance across the parking lot before turning them around and heading back toward the hospital.
“Feel like some lunch?” Callie asked, basking in the quietness of the moment as they walked along the cement sidewalk. “I’m kinda starving.”
“As long as you’re not ‘jonesing’ for a peanut butter and salami banana sandwich again, I could eat.”
Callie hip-checked Arizona and laughed as her lover stumbled to the side.
“Dr. Robbins?”
Arizona was still giggling when a sudden male voice caused her to stop in place. She turned around and spotted the source standing by the front doors, shoulders hunched over and hands tucked deep into his front pockets.
She’d know that perma-scowl anywhere.
“Alex?” Arizona blinked in surprised.
Callie glanced between Arizona and her work husband, chewing on her bottom lip tentatively. “Sooo...I guess this means lunch is off now, huh?”
---
Chapter 24/36
Authors: Faith kennedysbitch & Kye kye9
Pairing: Callie/Arizona, Mark/Lexie
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer
Story Summary: Sequel to Choices. Callie and Arizona make the decision to move forward with their lives, but when a gradual series of events begin to snowball, Arizona tries desperately not to lose her grip on reality.
Chapter Summary: Callie and Arizona take a moment to reconnect; someone leaves Seattle for good just as someone else returns.
Previous Chapters
A/N: Spring semester is at an end so I’ll be busy for the next week and a half. Wanted to get this out sooner rather than later, so please forgive any major editing errors. I was pretty rushed trying to get this done but hopefully it’s still satisfactory.
---
The doctor’s lounge was quiet and unoccupied later that night when Callie wandered in to grab a drink. It was just after midnight and she’d left Arizona and her mom to give them some privacy with the Colonel. Once her girlfriend saw that her father was still breathing and stable, Callie planned on taking her home and making her sleep. Even if she had to smother her with a pillow to do it.
The door opened behind her just as she was pouring hot water into a paper cup. She was really craving some good coffee right about now but that wouldn’t exactly make it easier to sleep, so she’d settled for herbal tea instead. It was just an excuse to pass the time until she could take Arizona home with her.
Turning around, Callie paused while dragging the tea string around. “Erica, hey. I thought you were down in the ICU.”
Hahn stepped into the room and closed the door behind her, heading for the coffee pot next to Callie. “I figured she’d rather get the update from Altman, someone she actually likes,” she replied, glancing sideways at the other woman while pouring her drink.
“Arizona likes you,” Callie objected, “she’s just been having a really hard time with everything lately and you happen to be in the middle this thing with her dad.”
“I’m not offended that I’m not her favourite person,” Erica pointed out, lifting the coffee to her lips and taking a brief sip. “Lord knows I’m not a people person to begin with. Besides, I think there’s some kind of rule where ex-girlfriends aren’t supposed to get along with new girlfriends. We’re managing pretty well, considering the circumstances.”
Callie chuckled and continued to play with the tea string. “I know she appreciates that you flew all the way out here to do this. Teddy’s her best friend and she would’ve been fine with her doing the transplant, but you’ve been there for her dad since the beginning. Arizona really is grateful for that. So am I.”
“Daniel’s a good man,” Erica commented, awkwardly avoiding eye contact. “I like the Robbins family. Even if your girlfriend is a know-it-all.”
“Gee, I’ve never met one of those before,” Callie teased, fixing the blonde with a pointed stare. “I’m starting to think stubborn and pigheaded must be my type. Luckily you’re both really hot.”
Now it was Erica’s turn to smirk and Callie immediately blushed a furious red, hiding behind her coffee cup as she swallowed a mouthful of tea.
“I’m happy to have helped,” Hahn continued after a moment of awkward silence passed between them. “Daniel’s stable for now and I’m sure Altman will keep a close eye on him.”
“You’re not staying?” Callie asked, pretty much knowing the answer before it left Erica’s mouth.
“I have a job and other patients to get back to. I’ll monitor him for another twenty-four hours, then I’m on the first flight back to San Diego.”
Callie nodded in understanding, feeling a little weird about the whole thing. “Well, um, good luck and stuff. With everything. It was nice seeing you again.”
Erica laughed. “Now there’s a lie if I ever heard one,” she mused, shooting Callie a knowing look. “Admit it, this was weird.”
“Oh, so beyond weird,” Callie agreed, finally relaxing now that she could say it out loud. “But that doesn’t mean it was horrible. I am glad we got to talk again, clear the air a little bit. I don’t have to worry anymore if you walked off into that parking lot and got abducted by a serial killer before you even reached your car.”
Erica grimaced at the memory. “I’m sorry about that.”
Callie waved a hand and took another sip of her drink. “Nah, don’t worry about it. It’s in the past. You’ve moved on, I’ve moved on, all of that stuff. We’re...friends.”
Quirking an eyebrow, Erica tilted her head. “Friends, huh?”
“In a totally non-cliché, extra serious kinda way,” Callie added. “We’re adults, there are no hard feelings; I don’t see why we can’t be friends. Right?”
“How about colleagues that have the occasional polite conversation revolving around winter sports or surgical procedures?” Erica glanced over to see Callie pouting and began to smile. “I’m kidding, Torres. Of course we’re friends.”
“Good.” Callie gave a firm nod and clinked paper cups with her ex. “To being friends.”
“Friends.” Erica shook her head and drank her coffee.
They co-existed for another round of silence before Dr. Hahn looked at her watch. “Well, I’m going to make sure the night shift residents keep an eye on the Colonel before heading back to my hotel. Take care of Robbins; she looks like she could use an IV line these days.”
Callie let out a harsh laugh. “Yeah, that’s next on my list of things to do.”
“Take care of yourself, too, Torres. And congratulations with the kid and everything.” With a small wave, Erica left the room. Callie had a feeling it would be the last time she saw her for quite a while.
Shaking her head, the brunette ditched the rest of her tea and slowly followed in Erica’s footsteps, heading off to go and fetch her girlfriend.
She would make Arizona sleep if it killed them both.
***
It turned out to be easier than she thought. Callie met Arizona in the locker room and they quickly changed out of their scrubs. The blonde was so far beyond tired that neither of them spoke much on the way home. Callie was content to slip an arm around her girlfriend’s waist and steer her in the proper direction, too afraid Arizona might wander into traffic if she didn’t keep an eye out.
They made it inside and kicked off their shoes, purses dumped unceremoniously to the side as they headed for the bedroom. Callie took Arizona by the hand and guided her over to the end of the bed, pulling the covers all the way back and getting her to sit down with a light nudge.
Arizona sank heavily onto the end of their mattress, skin as pale as the moon and drawn with exhaustion. She was simply too tired to move, even to raise her arms and attempt to take her clothes off for the night.
Luckily, Callie was one step ahead and had figured out her lover was already half gone before the blonde even knew herself. After taking care of her own jacket and discarding it on the only armchair in the room, Callie kneeled in front of Arizona and looked up to meet those expressive blue eyes.
Usually expressive, anyway. Right now the sparkle in them was gone and she could’ve sworn Arizona was already asleep with them open.
“Up,” Callie instructed softly, waiting through the delay while her girlfriend’s brain registered the command. Arizona half-heartedly raised her arms and Callie pulled the blue t-shirt up and over her head, setting it aside for now. The creamy, smooth skin on display sent the usual ‘zing’ through Callie’s entire system, but she shut down her sexual responses in an instant.
There would be no sex tonight. Only sleep, which a certain someone desperately needed.
She had to smile as she lowered Arizona’s arms back to her sides. Her fingers brushed along the other woman’s temple, trailing slowly down her cheek and along her jaw. “Still with me in there?”
Somehow Arizona managed one of those cute little half-grins of hers, even though it was hazy. “Still here,” she confirmed. “But barely.”
“I’ll be fast.”
Arizona chuckled to herself. “I’ve heard that before.”
“Oh please, since when have I ever been quick on the draw?” Callie sat back on her heels and lightly gripped her girlfriend by the hips. “Stand up for me.”
Pushing herself up on wobbly legs, Arizona swayed once and rested a hand on Callie’s shoulder for support. She was too out of it to feel that pang of arousal in her gut that usually accompanied those fine hands clawing at her belt buckle. Only this time there was less clawing and more meticulous undoing, with the brunette taking her time in working open the leather and zipper/button combo underneath.
Callie, however, still had the same reaction she usually did when she was on her knees in front of the blonde. If she wasn’t exhausted herself, she might’ve even tried to do something about it. Instead, she swallowed back thickly and pulled Arizona’s pants down her legs, carefully helping her step out of the dark material.
Left standing in her panties and bra, Arizona closed her eyes when she felt her partner’s nose brush sensually against her navel.
Callie leaned in, automatically inhaling her scent as she pressed a soft kiss to Arizona’s stomach. “I love you,” she murmured, closing her eyes too and taking a moment just to bask.
The Colonel was one step closer to getting better, which meant they were one step closer to getting their lives back to normal. Then the baby would be born and all hell would more than likely break loose a second time around.
She’d really appreciate a bit of ‘normal’ before the baby-drama started up in the fall.
Arizona rested a hand on top of Callie’s head and stroked her fingers through soft hair. “Not nearly as much as I love you,” she replied sincerely. No part of her thought it was remotely possible for Callie to ever realize just how much she meant it.
“I wouldn’t have gotten through any of this without you, Calliope.”
Callie smiled, nuzzling into Arizona’s abdomen again. “Yeah, you would’ve. But I’m glad I was here.”
A small sigh escaped Arizona’s lips and she dropped her fingers down to rake across the back of the brunette’s neck. “His hands were warm after the surgery. They haven’t been warm in six months.”
“That’s a good sign,” Callie agreed, reluctantly pulling her head away and getting her girlfriend to sit back down on the bed. She scooted closer, nudging her way between Arizona’s legs and resting a hand on each bare knee. “Means his heart is strong. His circulation is good.”
Arizona nodded silently, taking a moment just to watch the woman in front of her. Until she’d met her girlfriend, until she’d nearly lost her father and thought every aspect of her life was about to change for the worst, she’d never thought that someone like Callie existed. She didn’t think she would ever be privileged enough to love somebody such as her and be loved back the same.
Arizona wasn’t a ‘God’ person by any means, but if something or someone up there approved of who she was and what she stood for, gay or not gay, then she was truly blessed. She’d made the mistake of letting Callie go once before and would never make the same mistake again.
As Callie sat back on her heels, hands drifting idly up and down Arizona’s bare thighs, she saw a range of unreadable emotions flicker across her partner’s face. “What?”
Arizona shook her head, knowing there was only one way to get across how she was feeling in this moment. She leaned forward and moved both hands down to cradle Callie’s face between them, wasting little time before tilting her head and pulling the woman into a soft, lingering kiss.
Brown eyes fluttered closed and Callie leaned into it, feeling extremely warm and fuzzy all of a sudden. As tired as Arizona was, she was still a fantastic kisser and capable of rendering her completely speechless in moments like these.
Callie regained a little composure and pushed herself up a bit more, both hands sliding over her lover’s sides. A tiny alarm bell in the back corner of her mind went off, protesting that Arizona needed to rest before her vital organs began to shut down on her, but it wasn’t enough to deter Callie from responding.
Nothing short of a meteorite crashing into Earth was capable of interrupting this moment.
Grunting into the contact, Callie broke it just long enough to push up to her feet and set one knee on the bed. Arizona caught on and scooted backwards, grabbing a fistful of the brunette’s shirt and pulling her forward. Callie crawled over, gently settling down on top of Arizona while their tongues meshed in a slow and passionate kiss.
The spark Callie knew had been missing for so long was back with a fiery, if somewhat sleepy vengeance. She could feel the body beneath her responding to her every touch and quite enjoyed the small moan that Arizona released against her mouth.
“Clothes,” she murmured, already tugging impatiently and sluggishly at Callie’s shirt.
Without a word, Callie sat back again and pulled it over her head while Arizona’s nimble fingers worked open her jeans. Before long she was kicking them down her legs, too, arms supporting her weight on either side of the blonde as she shimmied out of the slim-fitting material. Brown eyes immediately dropped down to their next destination.
She wasted no time in kissing down Arizona’s chest, one hand sneaking underneath her warm body and fiddling around for a moment with the complicated bra clasp. It eventually gave way and she discarded the material over the side of the bed before descending on the perfect breasts now exposed.
An encouraging groan spilled from Arizona’s lips as she encased Callie’s body with her legs, right hand tangling into dark tresses and holding her in place. While she was usually the one harboring a fascination with Callie’s breasts - just look at the woman without a shirt on and try not to be entranced - she didn’t put up a fight to be the one on top this time around.
That told Callie how exhausted Arizona really was. God bless her girlfriend’s type-A control freak nature sometimes, but in moments like these, she was extremely eager to take advantage while she could. Arizona had been through enough these last few weeks, things that had been completely out of their control as a couple. This was something Callie could do to make her feel good, something she deserved after the hell she’d been thrown into.
Callie’s tongue traced slow, teasing circles across a perky nipple, glancing up and watching with satisfaction as Arizona’s breath visibly hitched in her chest. She sucked the hard peak between her lips, giving it another swirl with her tongue before pulling back and biting gently along the side of her breast.
Arizona purred with delight, hooking her right leg over Callie’s hips and giving her entire body a tug forward. She continued to stroke her fingers through dark hair, practically melting into the bed as Callie teased her for a long moment before switching sides. Never one to lack patience in the bedroom, the brunette gave it the full treatment as well, kneading the other breast in the palm of her hand.
Any doubts Arizona had about getting aroused when she was this tired disappeared almost immediately. It was no secret to either of them how wet she was beneath the one layer of clothing left between them. Callie made sure Arizona knew she knew by grazing her right hand hard over her crotch, using just the right amount of pressure to make Arizona moan.
“Please, baby,” she begged softly, tugging encouragingly at Callie’s hair. As much as she loved the mouth against her breast, there was another location she was quite desperate to feel it work its magic.
Callie departed Arizona’s left breast with one last nip and a flick of her tongue, attaching her lips to every square inch of skin she came across while shifting down Arizona’s body. The smell of her partner’s arousal assaulted her senses, drawing a low groan from the back of her throat. Suddenly that little black cotton slip between her and her prize was way too concealing, leading her to eagerly tug Arizona’s panties over her hips and down her thighs.
They got to her knees before Callie was distracted by the glistening arousal beneath them. She instantly attached her mouth to the source, delivering another hard suck while Arizona’s thighs clenched around her head.
The blonde’s back arched off of the bed, both sets of fingers digging hard into the back of Callie’s skull. Her legs dangled precariously in the air, bent at the knees and hovering over the woman’s shoulders. They were still tied together by the irksome panties that had yet to make their way to the floor, and for a moment Arizona found herself too distracted to dispose of them herself.
Callie paused long enough to flatten her tongue and steal a long lick of Arizona’s sex, reveling in the familiar flavour that exploded over her taste buds. She sought out her partner’s engorged clit, teasing it into view before sucking it between her lips. A grin appeared when the move produced the breathless gasp she had been looking for.
She knew what her girl liked.
“Mm, Calliope,” Arizona moaned, bucking her hips and giving an appreciative tug against the hair tangled around her fingers. She forced a few deep breaths into her lungs before finding the motor function to fumble around with her free hand and extract the panties the rest of the way. Once they were no longer an issue holding either one of them back, Arizona ran her right calf across the smooth expanse of Callie’s back. She inwardly cursed the fact that her girlfriend was still wearing a bra but knew stopping would be a requirement for either one of them to take it off.
That wasn’t happening any time soon.
Callie grunted as she pulled back for a much-needed breath, bringing her right hand up to circle Arizona’s swollen clit with her thumb. “So good,” she murmured, placing a row of chaste kisses along her girlfriend’s inner thigh. She loved the way she would tug at her hair, spurring her on and letting her know she was doing something right.
“Don’t stop,” Arizona begged through a hoarse moan, repeating the motion and urging Callie forward again.
With a breathless smile, the brunette dove back in, stealing a quick suck against her lover’s clit before pushing her tongue through slick folds. She sought out Arizona’s entrance and plunged her tongue forward, taking up the motion of her thumb once again.
“Oh, fuck,” Arizona growled harshly into the otherwise quiet room.
Hearing the unusual curse slip from those lips was a huge turn-on for Callie. She grasped Arizona’s thigh with her left hand, feeling the taunt muscle quivering against the side of her head. Once quick glance upward was enough to tell her everything she needed to know.
Arizona was definitely not too tired to be enjoying herself.
That thought made Callie smile as she pulled away for another quick breath, evidence of Arizona’s arousal glistening on her chin. She knew exactly what needed to be done in order to make her reach that peak with ease, but quick ‘n easy wasn’t what Callie was looking for tonight. She wanted to release some of the pent up tension the blonde had been carrying around for God knows how long now.
So instead of buckling down and pushing inside her right away, Callie took her time exploring with her tongue, spending some time focusing on the sensitive bundle of nerves that had to be throbbing by now, before slipping down to glide through swollen lips. Callie playfully sucked one into her mouth, stroking it with her tongue before releasing it and again dipping down to plunge inside.
Arizona clawed at the top of her head, hardly able to see straight and ready to start begging. Callie kept her on the brink of orgasm but never quite let her get there, something that usually infuriated and turned Arizona on like no one would believe. Right now, it just kept her wanting more.
Though if she didn’t come soon, she might die from lack of oxygen before she was ever allowed to get there.
Callie took pity on her eventually, removing her tongue from inside and replacing it with two fingers. She sunk them deep into Arizona’s pussy, pushing down and really letting her feel it.
The blonde gasped loudly and bucked her hips again, spreading her legs open to give Callie all the room she needed to work.
Growling at the openly sexual display, Callie worked up a steady rhythm, pumping her arm with a hard motion and pushing her fingers as deep as they could go. Her lips and tongue once again sought out Arizona’s throbbing clit and pulled it into her mouth, keeping up a steady pressure while occasionally soothing it over with a soft lick.
All Arizona could do was hold on for dear life, whimpering in pleasure and writhing beneath her girlfriend. Her left hand was about to rip a hole in the pillow behind her head while her right fought to keep itself from pulling too hard against the back of Callie’s. She could feel the fingers inside her core roughly massaging her inner walls, scissoring and doing their best to leave her feeling extremely well-fucked.
Mission successful.
“Callie,” Arizona cried out a short time later, jerking her hips forward and grinding her pussy into the woman’s face. Whatever spilled from her lips next was unintelligible, but Callie knew what the incoherent sounds meant.
She sucked hard on Arizona’s clit and curled her fingers upward, working them harder than before and listening to the response. Not more than a few seconds later, she felt two strong thighs clamp down on either side of her head, barely staying attached as her lover’s hips flew off of the bed.
Arizona slammed her eyes shut as she came, shaking uncontrollably as wave after wave swept through her body. A small part of her was worried about suffocating Callie to death, though she didn’t seem to mind.
She kept both her mouth and fingers going until Arizona collapsed against the bed in a spent heap, then reluctantly withdrew with a small moan of her own. She dipped down to steal a few more lazy licks, lapping up the remnants of her girlfriend’s orgasm that had poured out around her fingers.
Neither of them could remember the last time she’d made Arizona come this hard. Callie made a mental note to keep it up now that their lives were stabilizing again.
Half-dead and mostly incoherent, Arizona groped a hand around until it landed on Callie’s shoulder. With a weak, uncoordinated tug, she pulled her up and immediately circled her body with minimally functioning arms and legs.
Still breathless, she met Callie in a slow, heated kiss. She could taste herself on her girlfriend’s tongue, something that was never really a huge turn-on for her in the past. Now, however, it drew another moan from the back of Arizona’s throat as she snaked an arm around her partner’s shoulders and pulled her in closer.
Callie settled comfortably on top of Arizona, content to remain in the kiss and feel her lover’s heart pounding against her own. A light sheen of sweat covered both their bodies and Callie’s hair fell forward across her shoulder, mixing with Arizona’s on the pillow beneath them.
After a moment, Arizona dropped her head back and expelled a hard breath from her lungs. As Callie ducked down to burrow into the side of her neck, blue eyes slipped closed and Arizona contented herself with drawing lazy circles along the small of the brunette’s back.
It was a while before her heart and lungs finally slowed down, after which a sensation of pure, undiluted bliss washed over her. No outside thoughts invaded her mind; nothing nagged at the back of her conscience. The only thing she care about right now was the woman on top of her and how much she loved her.
Arizona turned her face in to nibble on Callie’s earlobe, her right hand sneaking slowly down to cover that underwear-clad ass she was extremely fond of.
Another hand shot back to stop hers mid-motion, dragging it back up to Callie’s side.
“No,” Callie husked in a low voice, pulling back from Arizona’s neck and gazing down at her. “I just want you to relax. Don’t think about anything other than closing your eyes and getting some sleep.”
“Calliope,” Arizona protested, though she was cut off before she could go any further.
“Arizona, please. I just want to hold you in my arms and fall asleep. Okay?”
Well, that was a lie on some levels. She was definitely aroused and trying very hard to ignore the growing ache between her own legs, especially with the taste of Arizona’s essence still lingering on her tongue. But Callie wanted this moment to be about Arizona and knew her partner needed some serious sleep. She really did just want to hold her.
She could survive tonight without an orgasm of her own. Taking care of her girl was more than enough to keep her satisfied.
“Callie,” Arizona murmured again, though she wouldn’t have been able to deny the fact that her eyelids were drooping if she’d been called on it.
Smiling, the brunette leaned down and dropped a delicate kiss against Arizona’s temple before scooting back onto her side of the bed. “Just relax,” she whispered, fishing around below them for the covers and tugging them comfortably back into place. She stealthily discarded her underwear over the side of the bed in the process.
Arizona finally let her mind go and was nearly asleep already when Callie curled up behind her. Their legs twined together and a strong arm fixed itself around her waist, drawing her motionless form backward.
The only thing that kept this from being like every other time Callie big-spooned Arizona was the slight baby bump wedged discreetly between them.
That thought alone made the blonde smile. She sighed contently and covered the arm around her midsection, lacing their fingers together and bringing them up to press a kiss against Calliope’s knuckles.
Callie nuzzled into the back of Arizona’s neck and smiled as the blonde wiggled her hips and settled in. She counted maybe thirty seconds before Arizona’s breathing evened out and she was sound asleep.
Only once her girlfriend was out did Callie allow herself to close her eyes and drift off next to her.
***
After sixteen days of waiting, praying, hoping and feeling terrified, Arizona stood motionlessly at her father’s former bedside for the second time since his arrival in Seattle. She was packing his remaining items into the same duffel bag they’d arrived in, though a sudden wave of sadness had made her pause in the middle of doing so.
The private room was bare now and the only trace that he’d ever been there to begin with was the watch still sitting on the bedside table. His sheets had already been removed earlier that morning and the bed looked completely untouched. Arizona reached over and picked up the watch, balancing it on her palm and tracing the familiar, worn leather with her fingertips.
He’d had it for nearly forty years now and not a day had gone by that she didn’t see him wearing it. He rarely took it off, except when she was a kid and asked to play with it. She remembered always being super careful, knowing how much her daddy liked his watch. She didn’t want him to get mad at her if anything happened to it, so she would usually sit on his lap and fiddle around while he watched TV in his favourite armchair. Not even her brother was allowed to play with the thing. One time she’d accidentally turned the dial and changed the time. Fearing the worst, she’d only received a small laugh from her father in return and then he’d shown her how to change it back.
“Arizona?”
Snapping out of her trance, Arizona glanced over her shoulder and saw Callie watching apprehensively from the doorway. She managed a weak smile. “Hey.”
Furrowing her brow, Callie stepped into the room and slowly made her way over. “Are you okay?” she asked tentatively, studying her partner closely.
Biting her bottom lip, Arizona looked away and nodded, focusing on the object in her hands once more. “Yeah. Just...memories, y’know?” She sighed heavily and tucked the watch neatly into the duffel bag before zipping it shut.
Strong arms circled her waist from behind and drew a smile from her as she felt Callie trying to press in close. Their daughter had grown in the last few weeks and was making that feat somewhat difficult, however. Callie usually huffed about it and it was up to Arizona to reinforce how sexy she still was and always would be.
Right now, though, Callie simply dropped her chin down to rest on Arizona’s shoulder and kissed the side of her neck. “Do you need some help?”
“Naw,” the blonde replied. “All done here.” Another sharp pang resonated inside her chest.
“Hey.” Callie turned Arizona around and pulled her in by the waist. “Everything is gonna be okay. I promise.”
Despite her best efforts to remain unaffected, Arizona sniffled once and glanced down as tears threatened against the back of her eyes. “You don’t know that.”
“I do,” Callie repeated. “Because I’m always right, remember?”
Arizona laughed and hurriedly wiped away the single tear that escaped.
“You’re a Robbins,” Callie said firmly, tugging Arizona in by her sides. “Robbins folk are strong, passionate, and stubborn as hell. You’ve been through the hardest part, now you just need to let yourself move forward.”
“But what if-”
“It won’t,” Callie interrupted.
“But he-”
“Did everything he could to prepare for this,” she cut in again before her girlfriend could fall into another rambling worry-fest. “Zona, please, don’t cry. Everything is gonna be okay.”
The blonde wanted to believe her, she did, but she just wasn’t sure anymore.
“Arizona?”
Both parties looked over to find Mrs. Robbins standing just inside the doorway, rummaging distractedly through her purse.
“Have you seen your father’s watch? He swears he gave it to me but heck if I remember what I did with it. He’s sitting in the car holding the keys hostage until I return with the darn thing.” Maria then muttered some choice not-so-nice words for her husband’s actions under her breath.
That made Arizona crack a smile. “It’s in his bag, mom. Tell him I put it there myself so he can stop worrying.”
Callie chuckled as Mrs. Robbins sighed in exasperation and shoved a bunch of random items back into her purse. “Do you folks need us to take care of anything else?”
“No, he’s signed out and ready to go. Made a heck of a fuss when the kind nurse informed him he needed to be taken out in a wheelchair. If I hadn’t threatened him with divorce, he would’ve strolled right out of here and probably pulled a stitch.”
Arizona laughed again, suddenly feeling lighter than she’d been moments before. “Oh boy. How’s he gonna feel when you’re wheeling him around the airport tomorrow morning?”
“He’s going to suck it up is what he’ll be doing,” Maria replied as her daughter grabbed the duffel bag and headed over with her partner. Together the three of them started for the elevators that would take them to the main floor and out the front doors where the Robbins’ rental car was waiting.
Callie placed a hand on the small of Arizona’s back as they walked, occasionally sneaking glances at her and searching for any more traces of uncertainty or sadness.
But Arizona had relaxed back into her usual state, stress over her parents’ departure for San Diego now passed. Callie knew they would be fine, with regular visits to Erica and check-ins from a home nurse for a while that Arizona had arranged herself. The Colonel was glad to be getting out of a hospital bed for the first time in ages and seemed content with the idea of sleeping in his own again.
That didn’t mean father and daughter wouldn’t miss each other terribly.
A short time later, the three women arrived next to the rental SUV sitting out front. Arizona opened up the trunk and tucked her dad’s belongings in beside their other suitcases. She did a quick once-over to make sure everything was in place before closing the hatch and stepping around to the passenger’s side door.
The Colonel wore a warm smile and pushed the door open, staying seated and pulling his daughter into his arms without any hesitation. “I’ll be fine, sweetie. Stop worrying. I feel better than I have in years; like I could lead a charge into Sparta with only a butter knife and emerge victorious.”
Arizona grinned and hugged him back tightly. “Please don’t. You’ll give mom and I heart attacks instead.”
Chuckling, Daniel Robbins tightened his hold. “I love you, pumpkin.”
“Love you too, daddy,” Arizona whispered back, her voice thick with emotion. She was torn between demanding they stay so she could keep an eye on him and letting them get back to the life they had in San Diego.
Maria and Callie stood by watching the exchange, giving the two blondes a moment to say their goodbyes. Callie heard a sniffle and looked over to see the older woman trying to hide how this was affecting her.
Maria caught Callie smiling and waved a hand at her own actions. “Oh, don’t mind me. Old lady emotions, they sneak up on you out of nowhere. Just you wait another twenty years, you’ll see.”
Callie laughed and Mrs. Robbins pulled her into a hug. “We’re gonna miss you around here, Mrs. R.”
“Hopefully I passed the ‘mother-in-law test’,” Maria smiled, affectionately rubbing a hand over the back of Callie’s shoulder. “I like to think I’m less batty than some of the old broads you could’ve been stuck with instead.”
Callie pulled back and flashed her a lopsided grin. “Don’t think like that. I’m grateful I got to know the two of you, even with the circumstances. I’m gonna miss you guys.”
“Well, I’m certainly going to miss you both,” Maria replied. “You’re a wonderful woman, Calliope. And I’m counting on you to send me weekly photographs of that granddaughter of ours once she’s born. Lord knows Zona will conveniently forget.”
“I heard that,” Arizona called from by the car.
Maria smiled expectantly at Callie and waited for a response.
“I promise,” Callie giggled. “And I’m looking forward to the two of you coming out to meet her in person.”
“She just means for the free babysitting,” Arizona cut in, strolling over to her mother and smirking at her, hands shoved in the back pockets of her jeans. “So please, come out and visit and take our daughter for entire days at a time if you must.”
“Oh, you,” Maria chided playfully, swatting Arizona in the arm before pulling her into a tight hug as well.
Arizona’s grin widened and she held her mother closely, the years of tension and animosity between them no longer a factor in their relationship. “You sure you don’t want me to drive you to the airport in the morning?”
“Don’t be silly, it’s a ridiculously early flight and you have a job to get back to.” Maria released her daughter and stepped back, visibly pulling herself together to keep from crying. “We’ll just use this as our ‘goodbye’ for now.”
Callie stepped over to where the Colonel was waiting and opened her mouth to talk when she suddenly found herself engulfed in a great big bear hug. She grinned into his shoulder. “Promise you’ll take it easy, Daniel.”
“I always do,” he replied with a conspiratorial wink as he pulled back. “Keep an eye on my little girl for me, will you? And take it easy yourself. Robbins babies are always on time, so don’t worry about our little pumpkin coming along earlier than expected.”
Callie grinned.
“Sometimes they’re even overdue, but never before the date given.”
The grin faded.
“Dad,” Arizona chastised, stepping over to save her girlfriend. “Don’t freak her out, please. We’ve got a long way to go before any of that.”
Father and daughter embraced again, Arizona closing her eyes and sighing heavily as the last bit of tension drained from her shoulders. “Call me when you get home, okay?”
“Of course,” Daniel agreed. They separated and he watched his little girl and soon to be daughter-in-law step back from the car as Maria climbed in the driver’s side. “Take it easy, you two. Enjoy your freedom while you still have it.”
Maria swatted him. “Oh, shush.”
“Yes, dear.”
Arizona slipped an arm around Callie’s waist as they waved and watched her parents drive away. She kept her eyes on the car until they pulled into traffic and disappeared from view.
Callie slung an arm around the shorter woman’s shoulders and planted a firm kiss against the side of her head. “He didn’t really mean overdue as in way overdue, right?”
Arizona leaned into her partner and thought about it. “My Uncle Linus was supposedly born two weeks after the doctors said he would be. They tried to induce labor after one week and it failed.”
Callie stared at her with wide eyes.
“Don’t worry, you’ll be fine,” Arizona smirked, tugging at the shirt material over Callie’s stomach and slowly guiding her forward. She stole one last glance across the parking lot before turning them around and heading back toward the hospital.
“Feel like some lunch?” Callie asked, basking in the quietness of the moment as they walked along the cement sidewalk. “I’m kinda starving.”
“As long as you’re not ‘jonesing’ for a peanut butter and salami banana sandwich again, I could eat.”
Callie hip-checked Arizona and laughed as her lover stumbled to the side.
“Dr. Robbins?”
Arizona was still giggling when a sudden male voice caused her to stop in place. She turned around and spotted the source standing by the front doors, shoulders hunched over and hands tucked deep into his front pockets.
She’d know that perma-scowl anywhere.
“Alex?” Arizona blinked in surprised.
Callie glanced between Arizona and her work husband, chewing on her bottom lip tentatively. “Sooo...I guess this means lunch is off now, huh?”
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