Fic: Well Maybe What You Want is Right Here 34/?
Title: Well Maybe What You Want is Right Here 34/?
Pairing: Arizona/Callie
Rating: M
Summary: Sometimes we don't realize what we want until we just know. And sometimes we realize that certain things are worth fighting for. Starts a day or two after the scene in 11x08, and follows Callie and Arizona over the next year and possibly more. Timeline may not be perfectly canon.
Disclaimer: All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.
Chapters 1 - 33
Arizona
"Bailey -- Chief, with all due respect, it is ridiculous that we're going to have our state-of-the-art neonatal surgical equipment literally sitting here doing nothing for nearly five months. We invested heavily when Herman was training me to ensure the department had everything it needed. We're one of only twenty-three hospitals in the country equipped for this."
"Dr. Robbins-Torres," the shorter woman cuts in with a frustratingly patient look on her face, "I'm not sure what you want me to do here. We don't have the funds to bring on a second fetal surgeon -- even if there were any to hire, which you know very well there are not. You're not exactly a dime a dozen here."
"I've spoken to colleagues in Philadelphia, and Elise Cassano would be interested in taking a six-month contract with us. We could potentially have her here to work with me starting next month."
I shift a bit in my chair in the conference room, my ever-expanding stomach lightly bumping the table. At twenty-five weeks pregnant now, as much as I hate to admit it, certain factors are beginning to affect my work. Staying on my feet for ten and twelve hour days is nearly impossible already with the added weight and the prosthetic, and soon I just won't be able to get as close to the operating table as I need to be for the delicate surgeries I'm performing. It's frustrating at best, and I hate to think of the patients we're going to have to turn away once I can no longer operate, and when I'm gone on maternity leave.
"We can re-direct patients from the Northwest back to Addison Montgomery -- two years ago this hospital didn't even have a neonatal surgery unit."
I let out a slightly frustrated sigh, looking to the other members of the board for support.
"But we do now, and we have the equipment. It isn't fair to increase wait times for these parents when another surgeon could be taking my place while I'm gone and making use of what we have."
"I mean, she's kind of right, Chief. If this Dr. Cassano is willing to come to Seattle short-term...maternal-fetal medicine has been huge for us since Arizona became certified. I think the cost of a secondary salary would be balanced out by the surgeries she'll perform."
Meredith speaks up from the other side of the table, spinning her pen lightly between her fingers as she glances at Bailey.
"Agreed," Avery chimes in his opinion, shrugging casually, "I mean it's an added expense, obviously -- we'd have both of them on payroll for those six months, but I think we'd benefit from keeping maternal-fetal running while Arizona is out of commission. It's good for our reputation."
"Okay, she's not going to be 'out of commission' -- she's having a baby. Can we stop talking about that like it's some kind of medical problem?"
Callie sounds slightly defensive as she speaks up, and I slip my hand under the table to squeeze her thigh.
"She will be off work for four months and unlikely to be doing many surgeries for at least a month before her due date," he turns to Callie, hands up in defense, "that's out of commission! I'm not trying to be insensitive here, it's just a fact."
"Listen," Bailey makes a note on the pad in front of her, "I'll have Patricia talk to finance and see if this makes sense. I can appreciate what you're saying about the value of keeping the department open, but it's my job here to consider the bottom line and this was never in the plan. Why is Elise Cassano looking to leave CHOP in Philly anyway though? She's got a whole paediatric hospital out there."
Elise and I are actually friends from med school; she was in the same class as Amelia and I, and we all did our residency together. We were pretty good friends at the time -- well, slightly more than friends for awhile -- and we've kept in touch over the years, seeing each other at conferences and such, the occasional email contact. So I know the real reason she's interested in accepting the contract here is because she just went through a messy divorce and wants some time away from her ex, who also works at the hospital. It works out well for us though because I also know she'll want to go back afterwards -- she loves her job in Philly, and most of her family is there.
"Change of scenery for a bit, I guess," I shrug, smiling at Bailey, "she said she was up for a new challenge -- she'd run the department here, obviously, instead of being a team of four."
"Alright, well we done here then? Let's get back to work, people. This meeting has lasted long enough."
The smaller woman shuts her notebook and stands up, and the rest of the board shuffle their things together and follow suit, everyone making their way out of the small conference room. I push myself up, leaning over to drop a quick kiss on Callie's cheek before I go.
"You're getting Sofia after school today, right?"
Callie stands, pocketing her pen and resting her hand against the small of my back as we walk out.
"Actually, Courtney is going to take her and Rachel to some theatre thing that's happening by the harbour. There's some kids' performer. I saw her this morning when I dropped Sof off and she asked if I thought she'd like to go. Courtney's going to drop her off after supper."
I smile to myself, glancing at the brunette who's fallen in step beside me.
"So, you and I get to have an evening to ourselves. Whatever shall we do?"
"Oh, I'm sure we'll think of something."
She grins as we come to a stop by the elevators, leaning in and kissing me softly. Usually I'm not one for too many public displays of affection around the hospital, but the way her lips linger for just a moment longer than necessary, tantalizingly full of promise...well, it makes me rethink my position a little. Like it does every time.
The doors open in front of us and we wait for a few interns to hurry out before stepping inside and hitting the buttons for our respective floors. My body is positively humming right now -- where Callie's libido had taken a serious hit when she entered her third trimester, mine has done nothing but skyrocket so far.
"So I'm going to admit to being a little jealous that your ex-girlfriend is potentially coming to work here. I fully agree that we need to keep the department running, but I'm just going to be forthright and put that out there."
Her tone is light, so I know she's not seriously jealous in a worried way, but I glance toward her anyway, nudging her lightly with my shoulder.
"You have nothing to be jealous about. And Elise is hardly an ex-girlfriend -- it was never really that serious between us. And it was more than ten years ago."
"I know, I know," my wife lets out a dramatic sigh, "but all the same, she's seen you naked. And I dislike everyone who has seen you naked on principle."
Glancing at the elevator panel, I reach out quickly and hit the stop button, ignoring the surprised look on the other woman's face before I back her into the wall. I smooth my hands under her white lab coat, slipping them just underneath her scrub top to feel soft, warm skin along her waist. I love touching her.
"Do you? I don't dislike everyone who's seen you naked -- because I'm the only one who gets to see you naked whenever I want."
I watch her eyes darken slightly as my hands roam over her skin, sliding higher until my thumbs trace along the underside of her bra. The warm scent of her argan oil shampoo and the lotion I watched her apply this morning surrounds me, and combined with the feel of her under my fingers, I'm driving myself absolutely insane.
"And the only one who gets to touch you like this, " I press my body along the length of hers, backing her more fully against the wall of the elevator, and lean in until my lips just barely brush the shell of her ear, "who gets to do whatever I want to you."
With my hands still wrapped around her ribs, I can both feel and hear her quick intake of breath. I pull my hands back and reach up to bury them in her hair at the same time my mouth collides with hers, a slight moan escaping as I kiss her almost ferociously -- possessively claiming her in a flurry of lips and tongues and fingers tugging her ever closer. I want her. I want her every second of every day and she is mine.
I pull back a few minutes later, exercising what little self-restraint I possess at the moment, and my hands trail down her jaw and over her neck as we both catch our breath. I lean in again, nuzzling her jaw lightly, and lower my voice to an almost husky pitch that I know will push her to the brink.
"And you're the only person I want to do that to."
The urge to strip her down right here and now and take her against the elevator wall is suddenly forefront in my mind, but I pull back, releasing the taller woman and smoothing her scrub top back into place. I hit the elevator button quickly, letting out a breath as it starts to move again, and ignore the growing arousal in my body as Callie shifts back to stand beside me. Her hand hangs beside mine, and her pinky finger lightly traces against mine as the elevator doors open on the fourth floor, sending a shiver down my spine.
"Arizona."
My name leaves the brunette's lips in a murmur and she makes a motion to leave the small space, but not before grasping my wrist in a quick, firm tug.
"On-call room. Now."
*
The door shuts behind us and Callie is immediately pressing me back against it, deft fingers quickly clicking the lock into place as she captures my lips with hers for a searing kiss. Her hands roam over my hips and the new curves of my body, and she wastes no time slipping them underneath the navy fabric to venture over my abdomen and upwards, until warm palms are cupping my breasts in a firm yet gentle caress.
"God, you are so hot."
The words are murmured against my jaw between kisses, and she licks a warm line along the shell of my ear before letting out a breathy sound that has me arching my chest desperately into her touch.
"I love when you talk to me like that. When you get all possessive."
"Calliope..." I groan her name softly, my head back against the door as her lips move down my throat, "I want to..."
My thoughts are interrupted as the brunette bites lightly at the base of my neck and grasps my hips, sturdy hands pulling me away from the wall and walking me backward toward the small bed in the corner.
"I'm going to be doing the touching here," she glances up at my eyes and licks her lips ever so slowly, "I know you're not going to argue."
She carefully pushes me to sitting on the thin mattress and nudges me onto my back, tugging the string of my scrub pants loose and wasting no time as she drags them and my underwear down my legs. As I lift my hips to help her, I can't help the slight whimper that escapes my throat -- I am certainly not going to argue when my impossibly sexy wife is taking my clothes off and looking at me that way. She knows exactly how much I want her right now. She knows how these pregnancy hormones have turned me into even more of a randy teenager than normal; she knows that the way she looks at me across the room sometimes is enough to create all kinds of dirty images in my head; she knows that even her breathing is enough to turn me on.
And she can be a fucking tease.
"Calliope," I let out a breath, leaning up on my elbows to watch as she climbs between my thighs, "come on."
A slight smirk crosses her lips as she pulls her hair back into a ponytail, and I'm about to growl her name again in frustration when she finally -- finally -- dips her head and ends up right where I want her.
"Oh my god."
Her movement starts slowly, the tip of her tongue tracing against me and trailing along my inner thighs, teasing until I'm practically vibrating with need; aching for more as I watch her. I arch my back a little and she sucks lightly, drawing a gasp from me, and then her hot breath skirts over my skin as her lips and her tongue begin a rhythm that sends a seemingly impossible amount of arousal coursing through my veins. I let my head fall back onto the pillow with a groan that's probably louder than it should be, but I can't help it; and I can't stop my fingers from reaching down to bury into her hair, needing to touch her, hold her to me as my body responds quickly to her lavish attention.
"Callie...please..."
I gasp a little breathlessly as my wife shifts angles, curling two fingers into me while she hums in appreciation and continues her assault on what feels like every nerve ending in my body. That last push is all it takes, and I feel my back arching instinctively up to meet her, my entire body strung tightly, and in a second her free hand is reaching up to clamp over my mouth as the high takes me over. Thank god she knows exactly when to shut me up.
She easily brings me to release a second time, a quiet groan escaping me as my body shudders under her, and I finally melt back into the mattress as I squeeze my eyes shut and struggle to catch my breath.
"Better?"
Warm hands smooth over my bare thighs and I shiver under her touch, blinking my eyes open to see the aroused, content look on her face as she licks her lips clean. I nod, humming contently, and watch as she trails kisses up the curve of my stomach, pushing the scrub top out of her way before she lays her head against me.
We rest in silence for a moment and I smooth my hand softly over her ponytail, thinking of exactly how I'm about to return the favour, when suddenly the brunette jerks her head up, eyes widening in surprise.
"What?" I blink, still a little dazed, a frown immediately creasing my brow, "Callie?"
"She kicked me!"
A look of excitement and awe immediately replaces the lustful one that was just on her face, and she presses her palm to my stomach where her cheek was just resting. I feel a distinct kick after a second, and as her dark eyes widen again I can't stop the grin that tugs at my lips.
"You can feel that?"
"Oh my god, Arizona...oh...wow."
She moves her hand a bit, pressing firmly as she feels another movement, and the little being inside gives an even stronger jab that makes me laugh softly.
"She's feeling feisty, it seems."
Callie's eyes turn to me as she brings her other hand over to caress my stomach, and the look of adoration on her face is enough to send my heart into overdrive. Our baby moves again, giving her a few more softer kicks, and she leans down to press a tender kiss to the spot, her lips lingering against my skin.
"Hey, baby," she speaks softly, "Hi Audrey, I'm your mommy. I hope you can feel me out here. I love you, little baby."
I lean up on my elbows again and smile as she rubs her hand in gentle circles, pressing back lightly as if to return the touch our baby just gave her.
"This is amazing, Arizona."
"I know," I watch her face, reaching up to tuck some loose hair behind her ear, "that's our little girl."
The other woman laughs after a minute, looking up at me again with a grin.
"Who apparently was happy her momma just had multiple orgasms."
A laugh bubbles up from my throat and I tug Callie down until she rests beside me, her leg curling around mine as we draw closer to each other. She tugs the abandoned sheet up from the bottom of the bed to cover us and I cup her cheek and kiss her slowly, drawing her bottom lip between mine as I let my free hand wander down her body to tease under her clothing. I haven't forgotten my need to feel this woman come undone before me.
"Mm, well," I murmur, tracing my tongue lightly along her lip before kissing her again, "I know someone else who's about to be happy too..."
The brunette just purrs slightly as I undo the tie on her pants, and half an hour later....well.
Everyone is very happy indeed.
*
Two Days Later
"Callie! Your phone is ringing!"
I glance at the phone on our dresser as I round the corner into the bedroom, having just come back from dropping off Sofia at school. Both of us are on slightly later shifts this week, and so the brunette is just out of the shower, steam escaping as she nudges the door open wrapped in a towel.
"Who is it?"
"Your dad."
She glances toward the dresser and turns back into the bathroom without saying anything, grabbing some product to apply to her wet hair. I frown a little, padding across the room until I can lean in the door jam, and watch the toned curves of her back as she ignores the ringing and it finally goes to voicemail.
"I'll call him back..." she meets my eyes in the mirror for a second, "I just..."
I just watch, not saying anything, and the brunette lets out a soft sigh as she sets the bottle back on the shelf.
"We talked yesterday. He wants me to come down to Miami so I can pack up anything from my old room I want to keep -- he's letting mom have the house, apparently. He found some place on the other end of the city, near Aria's neighbourhood."
"Well..." I start slowly, "we have the weekend after next off. We could fly down and visit. I'm sure Amelia, or even Alex, would keep Sofia for a night or two."
"I don't want you flying anywhere. You're pregnant."
"Callie, I just entered my third trimester. The baby and I are both healthy. There's nothing stopping me from flying safely--"
"Me. I'm stopping you," she glances at me in the mirror again as she carefully combs some tangles from her hair, "why take a chance?"
"Sweetie..."
I take a few steps into the bathroom, sidling up behind her towel-clad form, and quietly take the wide-tooth comb from her hand. I slide it through her hair and gently work at a knot she was just struggling with, and she lets out a barely audible sigh, shoulders slumping.
"I don't want to go. Doesn't this all seem so fast to you? I mean god, Aria was just here last month telling me about all of this, and now he's already found a new place and he's moving out? We were actually divorced and six months later we still hadn't...we hadn't divided up our belongings and our house and--"
"And half the hospital talked about how weird and distinctly not-normal that was."
I use my fingers to loosen the last of the tangle and smooth her hair down, running the comb through the rest of it before setting it back on the counter.
"He just seems to be making these decisions awfully fast. They were married for forty-seven years. He should be taking more time...they should try and work something out."
"I think your dad knows what he wants," I reply softly, stepping to the side and sitting on the closed toilet beside the vanity, "you know him, Callie. He doesn't make decisions lightly."
"It's my fault though."
She leans her hands on the counter, looking into the mirror again, and I'm suddenly struck by how tired she looks. I know she didn't sleep well last night, and she's been stressed out by a new trial in the robotics lab and trying to get the nursery prepared here at home, and although she doesn't often let on that she's thinking about her parents while she's busy rushing around...I know this whole thing has been weighing on her mind every since her sister's phone call and visit last month.
"I know everyone says it's not, and I know that's what you always tell little kids when their parents are getting divorced -- but this actually, literally is my fault, Arizona. If I wasn't bisexual, if I wasn't married to a woman, my father wouldn't be leaving the person he's loved for his entire life. There would never have been a problem between them to begin with."
"Hey."
I look up at my wife, speaking firmly to get her attention. There are a lot of things I've learned to let slide in life, but this? This is not one of them. I'm not about to let my wife start doubting and blaming herself for other peoples' reactions -- even if those other people are her family.
"Is that what you told Jessica?"
The name catches her off-guard, but she looks at me, immediate recognition flashing in her eyes. She'd treated the teenager and her girlfriend a few months ago after a serious accident, and she'd stood up for the girl when her bigoted, homophobic mother had come crashing angrily into the hospital. Callie had been livid with the way those parents acted. She'd wasted no time in telling them exactly how horribly they were treating their own child, and she'd stuck to that girl's beside like glue to protect and comfort her.
The brunette flounders for words for a moment, and I continue while she holds my gaze.
"Would you have told Jessica it was her fault that her mom wanted to send her to some conversion camp? Her fault that her parents were screaming at each other in the hallway?"
She sighs softly.
"Of course not."
"Of course not," I repeat softly, tilting my head a little as I take in her pained expression, "and it's not your fault either. My dad didn't want me to be a lesbian -- you know he didn't, it was against everything he'd spent his whole life believing. But he decided that I was still the same person, and I would still be happy and be successful and be everything he wanted me to be -- so he changed his beliefs. And so did your dad. You have given your mom everything she ever could have wanted for you, Callie; you had a beautiful wedding, you gave her grandchildren, you believe in God, and you're articulate and smart and have a reputation as one of the best doctors in this country."
I stand again, stepping closer and turning the other woman to face me, my arms wrapping loosely around her middle.
"Hell, you're not even forty and you've already been shortlisted for the Harper Avery once; and you know very well that this year you're probably going to get an actual nomination. You are every parent's dream. And because of one thing -- one part of you -- your mother refuses to bend even a little?"
Callie glances down between us, bringing her hands up to rest on my stomach. She softly caresses our growing baby and I just watch her face for a moment, my heart clenching at the heavy weight in her eyes. Even if Lucia Torres was to ever change her mind, even if she were to join freaking PFLAG, I don't think I could be anything but angry about the way she crushed a part of the beautiful, kind-hearted woman in front of me.
"It's not your fault," I speak softly again, resting my hand against hers as I feel a light flutter, "it never will be."
Our baby girl shifts again inside me and a tiny elbow or foot bumps under our hands, bringing a small smile to Callie's face as we stand in silence.
"I don't know why it's so hard," she sighs, looking up again, "because I know you're right. And I'm a grown-up; this shouldn't be that big a deal."
"It is a big deal, I'm not denying that. I think at any age it would be. But you just have to remember that your dad is doing what feels right for him. And what feels right for his relationship with you. And sometimes...that's okay."
"I still don't really want you to travel to Miami," she reaches up, brushing hair back behind my ear, "I'd just be worried. And...I mean Aria will be around, and Dad. It'll be okay."
"If you'd rather I stay with Sofia, that's fine. But I'm there if you want me to be."
"I know."
She kisses me lightly, a small smile tugging at her lips again as she pulls back.
"You know, I feel the need to point out right now that the only successful, supportive, happy marriage in my family is the gay one," she holds her hands up, eyebrow raised, "I'm just sayin'."
I can't help but grin at the smug look on her face.
"That's because we're the best. Plus, you know, my lesbian super powers."
She bursts out laughing as I strike a superhero pose, but then when she's distracted I reach out and quickly tug her towel loose, letting it fall to the floor. My eyes drift over her naked form for a brief moment, but when I trail back up to her eyes I laugh softly at her startled expression.
"Now get dressed, before I make us late again."
*
Pairing: Arizona/Callie
Rating: M
Summary: Sometimes we don't realize what we want until we just know. And sometimes we realize that certain things are worth fighting for. Starts a day or two after the scene in 11x08, and follows Callie and Arizona over the next year and possibly more. Timeline may not be perfectly canon.
Disclaimer: All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.
Chapters 1 - 33
Arizona
"Bailey -- Chief, with all due respect, it is ridiculous that we're going to have our state-of-the-art neonatal surgical equipment literally sitting here doing nothing for nearly five months. We invested heavily when Herman was training me to ensure the department had everything it needed. We're one of only twenty-three hospitals in the country equipped for this."
"Dr. Robbins-Torres," the shorter woman cuts in with a frustratingly patient look on her face, "I'm not sure what you want me to do here. We don't have the funds to bring on a second fetal surgeon -- even if there were any to hire, which you know very well there are not. You're not exactly a dime a dozen here."
"I've spoken to colleagues in Philadelphia, and Elise Cassano would be interested in taking a six-month contract with us. We could potentially have her here to work with me starting next month."
I shift a bit in my chair in the conference room, my ever-expanding stomach lightly bumping the table. At twenty-five weeks pregnant now, as much as I hate to admit it, certain factors are beginning to affect my work. Staying on my feet for ten and twelve hour days is nearly impossible already with the added weight and the prosthetic, and soon I just won't be able to get as close to the operating table as I need to be for the delicate surgeries I'm performing. It's frustrating at best, and I hate to think of the patients we're going to have to turn away once I can no longer operate, and when I'm gone on maternity leave.
"We can re-direct patients from the Northwest back to Addison Montgomery -- two years ago this hospital didn't even have a neonatal surgery unit."
I let out a slightly frustrated sigh, looking to the other members of the board for support.
"But we do now, and we have the equipment. It isn't fair to increase wait times for these parents when another surgeon could be taking my place while I'm gone and making use of what we have."
"I mean, she's kind of right, Chief. If this Dr. Cassano is willing to come to Seattle short-term...maternal-fetal medicine has been huge for us since Arizona became certified. I think the cost of a secondary salary would be balanced out by the surgeries she'll perform."
Meredith speaks up from the other side of the table, spinning her pen lightly between her fingers as she glances at Bailey.
"Agreed," Avery chimes in his opinion, shrugging casually, "I mean it's an added expense, obviously -- we'd have both of them on payroll for those six months, but I think we'd benefit from keeping maternal-fetal running while Arizona is out of commission. It's good for our reputation."
"Okay, she's not going to be 'out of commission' -- she's having a baby. Can we stop talking about that like it's some kind of medical problem?"
Callie sounds slightly defensive as she speaks up, and I slip my hand under the table to squeeze her thigh.
"She will be off work for four months and unlikely to be doing many surgeries for at least a month before her due date," he turns to Callie, hands up in defense, "that's out of commission! I'm not trying to be insensitive here, it's just a fact."
"Listen," Bailey makes a note on the pad in front of her, "I'll have Patricia talk to finance and see if this makes sense. I can appreciate what you're saying about the value of keeping the department open, but it's my job here to consider the bottom line and this was never in the plan. Why is Elise Cassano looking to leave CHOP in Philly anyway though? She's got a whole paediatric hospital out there."
Elise and I are actually friends from med school; she was in the same class as Amelia and I, and we all did our residency together. We were pretty good friends at the time -- well, slightly more than friends for awhile -- and we've kept in touch over the years, seeing each other at conferences and such, the occasional email contact. So I know the real reason she's interested in accepting the contract here is because she just went through a messy divorce and wants some time away from her ex, who also works at the hospital. It works out well for us though because I also know she'll want to go back afterwards -- she loves her job in Philly, and most of her family is there.
"Change of scenery for a bit, I guess," I shrug, smiling at Bailey, "she said she was up for a new challenge -- she'd run the department here, obviously, instead of being a team of four."
"Alright, well we done here then? Let's get back to work, people. This meeting has lasted long enough."
The smaller woman shuts her notebook and stands up, and the rest of the board shuffle their things together and follow suit, everyone making their way out of the small conference room. I push myself up, leaning over to drop a quick kiss on Callie's cheek before I go.
"You're getting Sofia after school today, right?"
Callie stands, pocketing her pen and resting her hand against the small of my back as we walk out.
"Actually, Courtney is going to take her and Rachel to some theatre thing that's happening by the harbour. There's some kids' performer. I saw her this morning when I dropped Sof off and she asked if I thought she'd like to go. Courtney's going to drop her off after supper."
I smile to myself, glancing at the brunette who's fallen in step beside me.
"So, you and I get to have an evening to ourselves. Whatever shall we do?"
"Oh, I'm sure we'll think of something."
She grins as we come to a stop by the elevators, leaning in and kissing me softly. Usually I'm not one for too many public displays of affection around the hospital, but the way her lips linger for just a moment longer than necessary, tantalizingly full of promise...well, it makes me rethink my position a little. Like it does every time.
The doors open in front of us and we wait for a few interns to hurry out before stepping inside and hitting the buttons for our respective floors. My body is positively humming right now -- where Callie's libido had taken a serious hit when she entered her third trimester, mine has done nothing but skyrocket so far.
"So I'm going to admit to being a little jealous that your ex-girlfriend is potentially coming to work here. I fully agree that we need to keep the department running, but I'm just going to be forthright and put that out there."
Her tone is light, so I know she's not seriously jealous in a worried way, but I glance toward her anyway, nudging her lightly with my shoulder.
"You have nothing to be jealous about. And Elise is hardly an ex-girlfriend -- it was never really that serious between us. And it was more than ten years ago."
"I know, I know," my wife lets out a dramatic sigh, "but all the same, she's seen you naked. And I dislike everyone who has seen you naked on principle."
Glancing at the elevator panel, I reach out quickly and hit the stop button, ignoring the surprised look on the other woman's face before I back her into the wall. I smooth my hands under her white lab coat, slipping them just underneath her scrub top to feel soft, warm skin along her waist. I love touching her.
"Do you? I don't dislike everyone who's seen you naked -- because I'm the only one who gets to see you naked whenever I want."
I watch her eyes darken slightly as my hands roam over her skin, sliding higher until my thumbs trace along the underside of her bra. The warm scent of her argan oil shampoo and the lotion I watched her apply this morning surrounds me, and combined with the feel of her under my fingers, I'm driving myself absolutely insane.
"And the only one who gets to touch you like this, " I press my body along the length of hers, backing her more fully against the wall of the elevator, and lean in until my lips just barely brush the shell of her ear, "who gets to do whatever I want to you."
With my hands still wrapped around her ribs, I can both feel and hear her quick intake of breath. I pull my hands back and reach up to bury them in her hair at the same time my mouth collides with hers, a slight moan escaping as I kiss her almost ferociously -- possessively claiming her in a flurry of lips and tongues and fingers tugging her ever closer. I want her. I want her every second of every day and she is mine.
I pull back a few minutes later, exercising what little self-restraint I possess at the moment, and my hands trail down her jaw and over her neck as we both catch our breath. I lean in again, nuzzling her jaw lightly, and lower my voice to an almost husky pitch that I know will push her to the brink.
"And you're the only person I want to do that to."
The urge to strip her down right here and now and take her against the elevator wall is suddenly forefront in my mind, but I pull back, releasing the taller woman and smoothing her scrub top back into place. I hit the elevator button quickly, letting out a breath as it starts to move again, and ignore the growing arousal in my body as Callie shifts back to stand beside me. Her hand hangs beside mine, and her pinky finger lightly traces against mine as the elevator doors open on the fourth floor, sending a shiver down my spine.
"Arizona."
My name leaves the brunette's lips in a murmur and she makes a motion to leave the small space, but not before grasping my wrist in a quick, firm tug.
"On-call room. Now."
*
The door shuts behind us and Callie is immediately pressing me back against it, deft fingers quickly clicking the lock into place as she captures my lips with hers for a searing kiss. Her hands roam over my hips and the new curves of my body, and she wastes no time slipping them underneath the navy fabric to venture over my abdomen and upwards, until warm palms are cupping my breasts in a firm yet gentle caress.
"God, you are so hot."
The words are murmured against my jaw between kisses, and she licks a warm line along the shell of my ear before letting out a breathy sound that has me arching my chest desperately into her touch.
"I love when you talk to me like that. When you get all possessive."
"Calliope..." I groan her name softly, my head back against the door as her lips move down my throat, "I want to..."
My thoughts are interrupted as the brunette bites lightly at the base of my neck and grasps my hips, sturdy hands pulling me away from the wall and walking me backward toward the small bed in the corner.
"I'm going to be doing the touching here," she glances up at my eyes and licks her lips ever so slowly, "I know you're not going to argue."
She carefully pushes me to sitting on the thin mattress and nudges me onto my back, tugging the string of my scrub pants loose and wasting no time as she drags them and my underwear down my legs. As I lift my hips to help her, I can't help the slight whimper that escapes my throat -- I am certainly not going to argue when my impossibly sexy wife is taking my clothes off and looking at me that way. She knows exactly how much I want her right now. She knows how these pregnancy hormones have turned me into even more of a randy teenager than normal; she knows that the way she looks at me across the room sometimes is enough to create all kinds of dirty images in my head; she knows that even her breathing is enough to turn me on.
And she can be a fucking tease.
"Calliope," I let out a breath, leaning up on my elbows to watch as she climbs between my thighs, "come on."
A slight smirk crosses her lips as she pulls her hair back into a ponytail, and I'm about to growl her name again in frustration when she finally -- finally -- dips her head and ends up right where I want her.
"Oh my god."
Her movement starts slowly, the tip of her tongue tracing against me and trailing along my inner thighs, teasing until I'm practically vibrating with need; aching for more as I watch her. I arch my back a little and she sucks lightly, drawing a gasp from me, and then her hot breath skirts over my skin as her lips and her tongue begin a rhythm that sends a seemingly impossible amount of arousal coursing through my veins. I let my head fall back onto the pillow with a groan that's probably louder than it should be, but I can't help it; and I can't stop my fingers from reaching down to bury into her hair, needing to touch her, hold her to me as my body responds quickly to her lavish attention.
"Callie...please..."
I gasp a little breathlessly as my wife shifts angles, curling two fingers into me while she hums in appreciation and continues her assault on what feels like every nerve ending in my body. That last push is all it takes, and I feel my back arching instinctively up to meet her, my entire body strung tightly, and in a second her free hand is reaching up to clamp over my mouth as the high takes me over. Thank god she knows exactly when to shut me up.
She easily brings me to release a second time, a quiet groan escaping me as my body shudders under her, and I finally melt back into the mattress as I squeeze my eyes shut and struggle to catch my breath.
"Better?"
Warm hands smooth over my bare thighs and I shiver under her touch, blinking my eyes open to see the aroused, content look on her face as she licks her lips clean. I nod, humming contently, and watch as she trails kisses up the curve of my stomach, pushing the scrub top out of her way before she lays her head against me.
We rest in silence for a moment and I smooth my hand softly over her ponytail, thinking of exactly how I'm about to return the favour, when suddenly the brunette jerks her head up, eyes widening in surprise.
"What?" I blink, still a little dazed, a frown immediately creasing my brow, "Callie?"
"She kicked me!"
A look of excitement and awe immediately replaces the lustful one that was just on her face, and she presses her palm to my stomach where her cheek was just resting. I feel a distinct kick after a second, and as her dark eyes widen again I can't stop the grin that tugs at my lips.
"You can feel that?"
"Oh my god, Arizona...oh...wow."
She moves her hand a bit, pressing firmly as she feels another movement, and the little being inside gives an even stronger jab that makes me laugh softly.
"She's feeling feisty, it seems."
Callie's eyes turn to me as she brings her other hand over to caress my stomach, and the look of adoration on her face is enough to send my heart into overdrive. Our baby moves again, giving her a few more softer kicks, and she leans down to press a tender kiss to the spot, her lips lingering against my skin.
"Hey, baby," she speaks softly, "Hi Audrey, I'm your mommy. I hope you can feel me out here. I love you, little baby."
I lean up on my elbows again and smile as she rubs her hand in gentle circles, pressing back lightly as if to return the touch our baby just gave her.
"This is amazing, Arizona."
"I know," I watch her face, reaching up to tuck some loose hair behind her ear, "that's our little girl."
The other woman laughs after a minute, looking up at me again with a grin.
"Who apparently was happy her momma just had multiple orgasms."
A laugh bubbles up from my throat and I tug Callie down until she rests beside me, her leg curling around mine as we draw closer to each other. She tugs the abandoned sheet up from the bottom of the bed to cover us and I cup her cheek and kiss her slowly, drawing her bottom lip between mine as I let my free hand wander down her body to tease under her clothing. I haven't forgotten my need to feel this woman come undone before me.
"Mm, well," I murmur, tracing my tongue lightly along her lip before kissing her again, "I know someone else who's about to be happy too..."
The brunette just purrs slightly as I undo the tie on her pants, and half an hour later....well.
Everyone is very happy indeed.
*
Two Days Later
"Callie! Your phone is ringing!"
I glance at the phone on our dresser as I round the corner into the bedroom, having just come back from dropping off Sofia at school. Both of us are on slightly later shifts this week, and so the brunette is just out of the shower, steam escaping as she nudges the door open wrapped in a towel.
"Who is it?"
"Your dad."
She glances toward the dresser and turns back into the bathroom without saying anything, grabbing some product to apply to her wet hair. I frown a little, padding across the room until I can lean in the door jam, and watch the toned curves of her back as she ignores the ringing and it finally goes to voicemail.
"I'll call him back..." she meets my eyes in the mirror for a second, "I just..."
I just watch, not saying anything, and the brunette lets out a soft sigh as she sets the bottle back on the shelf.
"We talked yesterday. He wants me to come down to Miami so I can pack up anything from my old room I want to keep -- he's letting mom have the house, apparently. He found some place on the other end of the city, near Aria's neighbourhood."
"Well..." I start slowly, "we have the weekend after next off. We could fly down and visit. I'm sure Amelia, or even Alex, would keep Sofia for a night or two."
"I don't want you flying anywhere. You're pregnant."
"Callie, I just entered my third trimester. The baby and I are both healthy. There's nothing stopping me from flying safely--"
"Me. I'm stopping you," she glances at me in the mirror again as she carefully combs some tangles from her hair, "why take a chance?"
"Sweetie..."
I take a few steps into the bathroom, sidling up behind her towel-clad form, and quietly take the wide-tooth comb from her hand. I slide it through her hair and gently work at a knot she was just struggling with, and she lets out a barely audible sigh, shoulders slumping.
"I don't want to go. Doesn't this all seem so fast to you? I mean god, Aria was just here last month telling me about all of this, and now he's already found a new place and he's moving out? We were actually divorced and six months later we still hadn't...we hadn't divided up our belongings and our house and--"
"And half the hospital talked about how weird and distinctly not-normal that was."
I use my fingers to loosen the last of the tangle and smooth her hair down, running the comb through the rest of it before setting it back on the counter.
"He just seems to be making these decisions awfully fast. They were married for forty-seven years. He should be taking more time...they should try and work something out."
"I think your dad knows what he wants," I reply softly, stepping to the side and sitting on the closed toilet beside the vanity, "you know him, Callie. He doesn't make decisions lightly."
"It's my fault though."
She leans her hands on the counter, looking into the mirror again, and I'm suddenly struck by how tired she looks. I know she didn't sleep well last night, and she's been stressed out by a new trial in the robotics lab and trying to get the nursery prepared here at home, and although she doesn't often let on that she's thinking about her parents while she's busy rushing around...I know this whole thing has been weighing on her mind every since her sister's phone call and visit last month.
"I know everyone says it's not, and I know that's what you always tell little kids when their parents are getting divorced -- but this actually, literally is my fault, Arizona. If I wasn't bisexual, if I wasn't married to a woman, my father wouldn't be leaving the person he's loved for his entire life. There would never have been a problem between them to begin with."
"Hey."
I look up at my wife, speaking firmly to get her attention. There are a lot of things I've learned to let slide in life, but this? This is not one of them. I'm not about to let my wife start doubting and blaming herself for other peoples' reactions -- even if those other people are her family.
"Is that what you told Jessica?"
The name catches her off-guard, but she looks at me, immediate recognition flashing in her eyes. She'd treated the teenager and her girlfriend a few months ago after a serious accident, and she'd stood up for the girl when her bigoted, homophobic mother had come crashing angrily into the hospital. Callie had been livid with the way those parents acted. She'd wasted no time in telling them exactly how horribly they were treating their own child, and she'd stuck to that girl's beside like glue to protect and comfort her.
The brunette flounders for words for a moment, and I continue while she holds my gaze.
"Would you have told Jessica it was her fault that her mom wanted to send her to some conversion camp? Her fault that her parents were screaming at each other in the hallway?"
She sighs softly.
"Of course not."
"Of course not," I repeat softly, tilting my head a little as I take in her pained expression, "and it's not your fault either. My dad didn't want me to be a lesbian -- you know he didn't, it was against everything he'd spent his whole life believing. But he decided that I was still the same person, and I would still be happy and be successful and be everything he wanted me to be -- so he changed his beliefs. And so did your dad. You have given your mom everything she ever could have wanted for you, Callie; you had a beautiful wedding, you gave her grandchildren, you believe in God, and you're articulate and smart and have a reputation as one of the best doctors in this country."
I stand again, stepping closer and turning the other woman to face me, my arms wrapping loosely around her middle.
"Hell, you're not even forty and you've already been shortlisted for the Harper Avery once; and you know very well that this year you're probably going to get an actual nomination. You are every parent's dream. And because of one thing -- one part of you -- your mother refuses to bend even a little?"
Callie glances down between us, bringing her hands up to rest on my stomach. She softly caresses our growing baby and I just watch her face for a moment, my heart clenching at the heavy weight in her eyes. Even if Lucia Torres was to ever change her mind, even if she were to join freaking PFLAG, I don't think I could be anything but angry about the way she crushed a part of the beautiful, kind-hearted woman in front of me.
"It's not your fault," I speak softly again, resting my hand against hers as I feel a light flutter, "it never will be."
Our baby girl shifts again inside me and a tiny elbow or foot bumps under our hands, bringing a small smile to Callie's face as we stand in silence.
"I don't know why it's so hard," she sighs, looking up again, "because I know you're right. And I'm a grown-up; this shouldn't be that big a deal."
"It is a big deal, I'm not denying that. I think at any age it would be. But you just have to remember that your dad is doing what feels right for him. And what feels right for his relationship with you. And sometimes...that's okay."
"I still don't really want you to travel to Miami," she reaches up, brushing hair back behind my ear, "I'd just be worried. And...I mean Aria will be around, and Dad. It'll be okay."
"If you'd rather I stay with Sofia, that's fine. But I'm there if you want me to be."
"I know."
She kisses me lightly, a small smile tugging at her lips again as she pulls back.
"You know, I feel the need to point out right now that the only successful, supportive, happy marriage in my family is the gay one," she holds her hands up, eyebrow raised, "I'm just sayin'."
I can't help but grin at the smug look on her face.
"That's because we're the best. Plus, you know, my lesbian super powers."
She bursts out laughing as I strike a superhero pose, but then when she's distracted I reach out and quickly tug her towel loose, letting it fall to the floor. My eyes drift over her naked form for a brief moment, but when I trail back up to her eyes I laugh softly at her startled expression.
"Now get dressed, before I make us late again."
*