[fic] the song remains the same [31/30]
Title: The Song Remains the Same
Rating: M
Spoilers: 8x13
Summary: I had a dream. Crazy dream. Ellis Grey is alive and well. Seattle Grace is the premiere hospital in the country. Callie Torres is married to Owen Hunt, with a home and three children, while Arizona Robbins does who and whatever she pleases. The history is different, the world itself has changed, but the song remains the same.
*If/Then* Calzona - Picking up where 8x13 ended
Notes: Well, here's the last part of this one (for now). This has been outstanding fun to write and I'm grateful to everyone who read along, gave feedback, or bounced ideas with me. I appreciate everyone giving this one a shot! Thank you!
*****
Callie had plans, plans that were currently being threatened by a bout of chicken pox that was sweeping the hospital. She couldn't very well not comfort her son though. Both of the twins had it, but Gavin was finally sleeping. Angus had been uncomfortable all day, fighting a losing battle with the urge to scratch. He had settled heavily against her shoulder by the time the door slid open.
Arizona looked stunning in her dress - red, off the shoulder, and ending at the knee - but her attention was completely focused on the boys. “Wow.” Arizona smiled even as she checked Gavin's head with a practiced hand. “You look amazing.”
“Thank you,” she murmured without waking him. “So do you.”
Callie felt a flush travel down her neck in a wave. “I think I'm getting drooled on.”
Arizona winked at her, fingers combing fair hair back from Gavin's forehead lightly, lovingly. “You're beautiful,” she stated sincerely. “Shh, it's okay,” she whispered when Gavin stirred. Under her familiar touch he settled again immediately.
“He's been out like a rock. Gus can't stop fidgeting though,” Callie reported quietly.
“Well, Allegra is at Tori's house with the other girls and reminded us that only losers get picked up before breakfast.” She turned to face her partner of three years, smiling at the sweet sight that greeted her. At six Angus was nearly too big to be carried around but he remained as willing to snuggle as he had ever been where his older siblings had started to grow out of that impulse.
“Oh good,” Callie dryly replied. “So we can sleep in tomorrow.”
“Sorry about tonight being a bust,” said Arizona with a sigh. “I know you were looking forward to this show.”
Callie swallowed down the sudden lump of nerves in her chest. She had a reason she was looking forward to tonight but I wasn't because of the tickets in her purse. Rather, it was because of the question eagerly waiting to burst free of her lips, the slight weight of a ring box in the pocket of her coat. “We can still cook...”
Arizona's brow furrowed as she noticed something, moving closer in the dim lighting of the room. Paranoid and sure that she had somehow spotted the extra item in her pocket and deduced what was inside, Callie slipped a hand down to cover the ring case. “Are you hot?”
“You're hot,” Callie countered stupidly, wincing even as she said it. She certainly felt warm now, blushing in embarrassment.
“No, I mean -” Arizona's hand felt cool when it touched her forehead, brushed across her cheek. “You have -” Two fingers guided the strap of her dress aside. “You have chicken pox,” she sighed as she saw the spots that dotted the top of Callie's chest. She caught Callie before she could stand up, hand on her shoulder keeping her seated. “You've never had them before?”
Groaning in frustration and making Angus squirm, Callie shook her head in denial. “Not all of us are Pediatricians.”
“Hey, I'm a Pediatric surgeon,” Arizona reminded her with a smile. “And I'm not the one who's sick.” She leaned in, scooping Gus up easily. He sighed in his sleep and slumped into her shoulder. “Come on. We'll get them settled and see about getting you a room.”
“Bull,” denied Callie, nearly growling in frustration. She just wanted to propose, damn it! Not fall prey to the same illness inflicting her sons. “I'll just go home.”
“No, you won't,” Arizona said primly, tucking Gus into the bed next to where his brother slept. “Because between here and home you'll touch doorknobs and push elevator buttons and you'll be the outbreak monkey.” She left either boy with a soft kiss on the head. “I love you,” she whispered to them both.
The love and devotion Arizona had for her children never failed to trigger a wave of love and it temporarily overpowered the irritation she felt at her evening's rather spectacular derailment. She couldn't even get a nice, quiet night at home to propose to her girlfriend. “You're crazy if you think you're putting the gauze paws on me,” she stated, following Arizona out of the boys' room.
Arizona smirked over her shoulder, reaching back for Callie's hand. She had to unfold her arms where she'd crossed them over her chest to let her hand be taken. Her free hand went instinctively to grasp the ring box in her pocket. “It'll help.”
“I need my hands,” argued Callie stubbornly.
Blue eyes rolled at her persistence. “What could you possibly need done tonight that I can't do for you? You're not going to operate.”
“I can think of a few things,” Callie groused, her eyebrow arching to make sure her point got across clearly.
Arizona simply smirked confidently. “My hands are at your service,” she promised with her own wicked grin. “As always.” She pulled Callie into an empty room only one away from the boys. “You can get changed and I'll get you admitted.”
Callie didn't move, chewing on her bottom lip as she mentally debated. The evening was not going to go the way she'd hoped. There was no way to salvage it that she could see. She'd put so much planning into tonight and it hurt to let it go because of something as ridiculous as a grown woman catching the chicken pox from her own children.
More than that, though, she simply didn't want to spend another day without putting a ring on Arizona Robbins' finger. She wanted to be engaged to marry the woman she loved. Maybe it was pride, but she simply couldn't propose in a hospital gown.
Arizona felt the hand in her grip slide out and assumed resistance without turning around. “Callie, it's really not a big deal and I'll stay -” She turned at the sound of shuffling behind her. “Oh my God.” One hand braced on the chair beside the bed to help her balance, Callie had knelt down on one knee. “What are you doing?” Arizona asked shakily, eyes wide.
Callie shrugged as she dug the ring box out of her coat pocket. “I was trying to do this right, dinner and candles and wine, but this is where we've ended up.” She tried a hopeful smile. “I'm not a patient person. You know that.” Arizona blinked back tears but smiled. “Tonight was supposed to be the night - our night. I can't wait for another night to ask you to marry me.” Reaching up, she took Arizona's left hand and gathered her breath and her courage.
“Arizona Robbins, you are the most amazing person that I've ever known. You're my best friend, and you came into my life before I even knew that I needed someone. We've been together now for three years but it's not enough for me.” Arizona's next breath was hoarse with emotion she was struggling to hold back. “I want decades. I want the rest of our lives with you. I love you, Arizona. Will you marry me?”
Arizona was already nodding but Callie didn't breathe until she spoke. “Yes, of course, Calliope.” She gestured eagerly, for the ring, for Callie to stand up and kiss her, for any next step that got her closer to being Callie's wife. Callie's embrace, the kiss that followed, literally swept her off her feet as Callie leaned back to spin her happily. “Took you long enough to ask!”
Laughing, Callie kissed her again before finding Arizona's hand again to slide the ring onto her finger. “I can pretty much guarantee it won't be a long engagement.”
The ring was simple, a thin band of white gold lined with small diamonds. It wasn't showy or flashy, but perfect. “Oh my God, I love it,” Arizona breathed as she looked at her hand's new adornment.
“It's more a wedding band than an engagement ring, but -”
“It's perfect,” Arizona stated definitely, closing her hand. Her mouth worked without words coming out. She'd had her own plans for tonight, though obviously not as big as Callie had made. She'd just been hoping for some sex. Now she was wearing an engagement ring and her fiancee had chicken pox. The thought of going home and sleeping in an empty house was just inconceivable now. “Uh, well, how about I go get some scrubs from the locker room and you can get settled while I go pick up -” she trailed off, thoughts moving quicker than her mouth could keep up with.
“What are you talking about?” asked Callie, amused.
Blue eyes blinked. “We're going to eat dinner,” she said as though it should be obvious. “I'll get some takeout, and you can find something to watch, or I can pick something up from the machine.”
“Are you going to stay too?” Callie couldn't help her hopeful tone, more hopeful about the prospects of the evening now that she had a fiancee in addition to the chicken pox.
Arizona's smile was playful, dimples framing her mouth, and she pecked her lips lightly. “Sickness and health, Calliope. You're stuck with me.” Her fingers curled around either strap of Callie's dress. “Now, you just think about what you want to eat while I take care of everything else.”
“Can that be how we plan the wedding too?” she asked, teasing happily.
Arizona just took another kiss, drawn against Callie's body by arms that snaked around her waist and held her. She forced herself to step back when hands squeezed her ass. “We can't have sex in the hospital,” Arizona reminded her in a whisper against her lips.
“Like we haven't before?” countered Callie.
“Not when you're a patient and the boys are next door.” She reached backward for Callie's hands and fingers rolled her ring, prompting her to surge in for another kiss, plundering and passionate for a few too brief moments before she regained her sense and breathlessly pulled back. “I'm going to go, but I'll come back. Try not to scratch!” she ordered as she backed out of the room.
Dinner was eggrolls and fried rice instead of the seared salmon she'd been planning on, the entertainment some slasher movie they would have never chanced having on the television with the kids around, but Arizona traced shapes into the spots on her arms after they'd set the cartons aside and forgotten about the movie. It wasn't how she'd imagined their night going, but for all that it was ending exactly how she wanted every night to end, with Arizona's arms around her. The details didn't matter.
Callie dozed with her head on Arizona's shoulder, stirring only when the new ring on her finger caught in her own dark hair. “Are you going to get the chicken pox?” she asked drowsily. It hadn't occurred to her to ask earlier. It was too little, too late now, anyway.
Arizona had had the chicken pox when she was six but smiled against Callie's hair and kept combing her fingers through the soft curls. “So I get the chicken pox.”