Fic: About Time, 3/3
Title: About Time
Author: A. Windsor
Pairing/Characters: Callie/Arizona
Rating: PG-13
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. My one semester of law school could allow me to legalese this a little more, but it also tells me it’s pretty useless. So please don’t sue; it’s not mine, I’m just playing!
Series: Thing!verse
Summary: “Dearly beloved: we have come together in the presence of God to witness and bless the joining together of these women in Holy Matrimony.”
Author’s Note: You guys rock my socks off. Hope it’s not too sappy. Beta’d by the wonderful roughian .
Part 1
Part 2
***
Aria Torres Deacon looks up from her book and smiles at the sight of her snoring nephew splayed out on the hotel bed between the two Shepherd girls. Little Lena sleeps soundly in her pack’n’play, and baby Grey snoozes in his car seat. It’s her big sister’s wedding, and she really should be partying it up, but instead she volunteered for babysitting duty because she’s five months pregnant and easily exhausted herself.
“I’m never gonna be a better son-in-law than Arizona,” Blake complains, sitting down on the bed and tightening his tie.
Aria laughs. “She’s been around longer. Daddy’s warming up to you, I promise.”
“She’ll always be the favorite,” Blake sighs, leaning in to kiss her. “Are you sure you’re okay? I can stay up here.”
“No, go. Celebrate. We’ve been waiting a long time for this day. I’m fine. Daddy wants you to drink scotch and smoke cigars with him and the Colonel. You’ll never be the favorite if you stand him up!” Aria teases.
“I told you it’s a moot point.”
“Go be a good son-in-law. But thanks for helping me get them down for the night.”
“It’s good practice for our own,” he grins, resting his hand on her belly. “I’ll give a good report to all the parents down below. But I think Lexie might be up soon to get Grey. She looked like she was having a little trouble leaving him.”
“Tell her to stay and take advantage of the time she has,” Aria laughs.
***
“You make a beautiful bride, Arizona,” Carlos praises after he’s convinced her to join him on the dance floor. He smells of scotch and fine cigars, the latter of which she declined since she wants to get lucky (again) tonight, and Callie hates when she smokes anything. The former she did join him and Blake and her father for- just one. She knows it makes Carlos feel just a little bit better to treat her like a son-in-law, which is why his admission surprises her.
“Thank you,” she smiles. “And thank you, so much, for... all of this. It’s really too much; you were brave to foot the bill for something Rosario and my mother were in charge of.”
Carlos chuckles lowly. “A father is happy to throw a wedding for his daughter when she’s marrying the right person.”
The verbal confirmation of Carlos’s support for their marriage nearly takes her breath away. Sure, he’s done a million things in the last five years to show his tacit approval, but nothing quite so effusive.
As if to save her from mustering a response to that shocker, Carlos quips: “And a good husband is always happy to hand his checkbook to his wife.”
Arizona laughs and Carlos’s fingers tighten warmly at her waist as he leads her into another complicated dance step with ease. Callie’s dance moves are definitely genetic.
On the other side of the dance floor, Callie spins Emeline with the same ease, earning that wide, infectious smile from her mother-in-law.
“Callie, your family is a hoot,” the (not-so-)slightly tipsy Mrs. Robbins exclaims, watching Callie’s relatives in attendance (mostly the younger generations of cousins from both sides and her mother’s siblings) tear up the floor when one of the family favorite salsa numbers takes over. “They’ve all been so kind and welcoming. And I really do adore your mother. You already knew that.”
“I did. You two are very dangerous together.”
“We are,” Emeline admits, biting her lip.
“It’s fine as long as you use your powers for good,” Callie assures. “Like spoiling grandchildren and planning awesome parties.”
“Awesome parties, hmm? My daughter’s influence on you is very obvious.”
“Wouldn’t change it for the world,” Callie promises.
“So. Now that the wedding’s done, are you thinking of giving me another grandbaby?”
***
Later, after most of the guests have left and the parents of the brides have gone up to their own hotel rooms, all that’s left is the SG-MW crew (plus Sam and Addison), exhaustedly draped over the ballroom chairs as the staff cleans up around them.
“Get out of here,” Teddy very tipsily insists, pushing on Arizona’s bare shoulder. “It’s all you two wanted earlier.”
Callie laughs; drunk Teddy never fails to amuse her. Her fingers are tangled with her new wife’s, thumb almost unconsciously stroking the back of it. She grins at her. They’re in no hurry to get anywhere, now. They have the rest of their lives.
“I suppose it is time to go to bed,” Arizona says tranquilly.
“I hope everyone’s taking advantage of Aria’s insanity and enjoying a night to themselves,” Callie grins to the Shepherds and Sloans.
“Oh hell yes,” Mark confirms. “Great party, ladies. And excellent idea for us all to get hotel rooms. Can’t imagine trying to go home now.”
“The streets of Seattle thank us,” Meredith laughs. She and Cristina managed to steal an entire bottle of tequila from the bar, which they pass back and forth.
Every single one of their friends is totally wasted, which greatly entertains the relatively sober brides. They’re happily buzzed on champagne and wine, of course, but neither wants to forget a second of this night and so they’ve been careful not to imbibe too much.
Their friends disperse up to their individual rooms, leaving Callie, Arizona (and the cleaning staff) all alone.
“Dance with me,” Callie whispers warmly into Arizona’s ear.
“Haven’t we been doing that all night?”
“Yeah, but this time without the audience.”
“We have a hotel room upstairs.”
“Your wife is asking you to dance, Arizona.”
“Mm,” Arizona grins sweetly. “My wife.”
“Please?” Callie breathes, nipping lightly at Arizona’s earlobe.
“I guess I have to,” Arizona almost giggles.
“That’s the spirit,” Callie pulls Arizona to her feet.
“There’s no music.”
“We don’t need music,” Callie says, pulling her in close, no longer caring about wrinkling dresses or smudging already mussed makeup. Her arms slip around Arizona’s waist as Arizona rests her head on her shoulder. They barely sway to the beat only they can hear.
“Happy wedding day,” Arizona says, arms looped lightly around Callie’s shoulders.
“Helluva day,” Callie grins, fingers tracing her new wife’s spine. “That story Daddy told!”
Arizona blushes. “I can’t believe he brought that up.”
“Arizona, he loves you so much. And I can’t believe you talked to him that day. I knew there had to be a reason he came around.”
“He came around because he loves you, Calliope. I just... gave him a little push.”
“With your Robbins-speechifying ways,” Callie teases. “Good man in a storm... Where do you come up with this stuff?”
Arizona shrugs, still a little sheepish, and Callie just smiles adoringly at her.
“Oh,” Callie finally remembers.
“Yeah?”
“Your mom asked for another grandchild.”
“What? Already? We have two still in diapers. Or, well, one in diapers, one in pull-ups. She can’t wait through at least one round of potty-training?”
“She said: ‘Wedding’s over. How about another grandbaby?’”
“Oh jeez,” Arizona groans. “We never should’ve mentioned we were thinking of four.”
“A fatal miscalculation.”
Arizona’s lips brush against Callie’s shoulder. “I’m so in love with you.”
“Oh, well, that’s good, since we just got married.” At the laugh that she feels more than she hears, Callie continues, “I’m so in love with you, too. I still can’t believe it. I’ve married a five-year-old with roller skates for shoes.”
“Asa thinks my heelies are awesome.”
“Asa is three.”
“But he has great taste.”
“Right.”
“He loves you.”
“Ever the charmer, Arizona,” Callie teases. Then she begs, already knowing the answer, “Take me to bed?”
***
Callie wakes to the sun high in the sky. Her wife is snuggled into her arms, and she couldn’t separate herself from Arizona if she wanted to. Not that she will ever want to.
As she ponders what to order for room service and just the perfect way to wake Arizona, her phone starts buzzing. She groans and tries to reach for it while remaining as intertwined with Arizona as possible.
“Hello?”
“Hey, sis. We’ve got a pair of little ones that are pretty set on seeing their mommies. Can we bring them up? Say, in an hour or so?”
As loathe as she is to put clothes on, Callie misses their babies desperately, and they’re about to spend a whole week without them.
“Yes, please, in an hour. That would be, yes.”
“Work on the coherent thing, Callie. I’ll see you in an hour.”
When Callie drops the phone back on the nightstand, she can tell Arizona is already beginning to stir. She kisses her way up from her clavicle to her ear, where she whispers.
“Wake up, sleepyhead. We’re gonna have company in an hour, and I still don’t think we’ve made proper use of that giant shower.”
Arizona groans and grumbles, but her lips are slowly spreading into a smile.
“Is this company of the tiny human persuasion?” she manages, slowly threading her fingers through Callie’s hair.
“Maybe.”
“Mm. Good. Miss them.”
“I know. Let’s order room service and then hop in the shower, so we’ll be done by the time they arrive.”
“I love a woman with a plan.”
***
“Mami! Momma!”
“Ma! Ma! Ma!” Lena follows up her brother’s excited cry with her barely discernible, collective word for them.
Aria waves from the doorway as the kids run to greet their moms, who are leisurely enjoying their room service breakfast in their sweats on the honeymoon suite’s plush bed.
“Are those waffles?” Asa marvels, immediately crawling into Arizona’s lap. “In the bed?”
“They are,” Arizona confirms, giving him a quick hug. “You want some?”
“Yes, please!”
Callie laughs and cuts him off a piece of her waffle, holding it out for him, as Lena scoots in beside her.
“Hey, Lena-bug. Did you have a good sleep?”
The sixteen-month-old is indifferent, fascinated instead with reaching for one of the enticing strawberries on her madre’s plate.
“Oh, you want that, huh?” Callie asks, moving to cut up the berry for her and dropping a piece into her mouth, getting a happy little smile in return.
“Did you have fun at the big party last night?” Arizona asks their son as he swipes a strawberry of his own, red smeared across his face.
“I did! I danced with Aunt Addy,” Asa giggles, leaning up to place a messy kiss on his momma’s cheek.
“You danced with a lot of people, m’ijo,” Callie laughs.
“Tía says that you and Momma are going on a trip,” Asa comments, this time stealing a piece of bacon to chew on.
“We are,” Arizona confirms warily, waiting for the coming meltdown.
“¿Dónde are you going?”
Arizona laughs. His Spanglish never ceases to amuse her, even when she can barely understand him. Lena squirms out of Callie’s arms to play amid the fluffy pillows.
“We’re going to Spain. And all of your grandparents are gonna stay and play with you for a whole week,” Callie grins encouragingly. “Isn’t that cool?”
Asa nods, distracted by his unbalanced efforts to grab Arizona’s glass of orange juice. His momma quickly tries to assist.
“Did Tía Aria even feed you?” Callie asks as their son continues to decimate what’s left of their brunch in bed.
“Sí. We had pancakes.”
Callie meets her wife’s eyes with a grin.
“I think we might need a little more room service,” Arizona suggests, grinning back.
Callie shakes her head and extracts herself from the comfy bed to reach the hotel phone. As she waits for room service to answer, she glances over her shoulder and watches her amazing little family. Arizona has pulled Lena into her lap as well, tickling both kids until they giggle manically. Her hair is still wet from their shower, her face free of any make-up, and she’s still the most beautiful thing she’s ever seen, arms full of the love they’ve created together. Callie’s thumb finds the warm metal of her platinum wedding band, and she smiles again. The voice on the other end of the phone line surprises her.
“Oh, hello, yes. This is Room 1523 again. Yeah, I think we’re gonna need more waffles, thanks. Ten minutes? Perfect. Oh, wait. Yeah, sorry. My wife is trying to tell me something... More orange juice, too, please. Sorry about that. Thanks!”
Arizona giggles a little as Callie sets the phone back on the receiver.
“What?”
“You said wife.”
“I did,” Callie realizes. “How’d it sound? Like I’m gonna be saying it for the next forty years?”
“It sounded perfect.”
***
el fin
Author: A. Windsor
Pairing/Characters: Callie/Arizona
Rating: PG-13
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. My one semester of law school could allow me to legalese this a little more, but it also tells me it’s pretty useless. So please don’t sue; it’s not mine, I’m just playing!
Series: Thing!verse
Summary: “Dearly beloved: we have come together in the presence of God to witness and bless the joining together of these women in Holy Matrimony.”
Author’s Note: You guys rock my socks off. Hope it’s not too sappy. Beta’d by the wonderful roughian .
Part 1
Part 2
***
Aria Torres Deacon looks up from her book and smiles at the sight of her snoring nephew splayed out on the hotel bed between the two Shepherd girls. Little Lena sleeps soundly in her pack’n’play, and baby Grey snoozes in his car seat. It’s her big sister’s wedding, and she really should be partying it up, but instead she volunteered for babysitting duty because she’s five months pregnant and easily exhausted herself.
“I’m never gonna be a better son-in-law than Arizona,” Blake complains, sitting down on the bed and tightening his tie.
Aria laughs. “She’s been around longer. Daddy’s warming up to you, I promise.”
“She’ll always be the favorite,” Blake sighs, leaning in to kiss her. “Are you sure you’re okay? I can stay up here.”
“No, go. Celebrate. We’ve been waiting a long time for this day. I’m fine. Daddy wants you to drink scotch and smoke cigars with him and the Colonel. You’ll never be the favorite if you stand him up!” Aria teases.
“I told you it’s a moot point.”
“Go be a good son-in-law. But thanks for helping me get them down for the night.”
“It’s good practice for our own,” he grins, resting his hand on her belly. “I’ll give a good report to all the parents down below. But I think Lexie might be up soon to get Grey. She looked like she was having a little trouble leaving him.”
“Tell her to stay and take advantage of the time she has,” Aria laughs.
***
“You make a beautiful bride, Arizona,” Carlos praises after he’s convinced her to join him on the dance floor. He smells of scotch and fine cigars, the latter of which she declined since she wants to get lucky (again) tonight, and Callie hates when she smokes anything. The former she did join him and Blake and her father for- just one. She knows it makes Carlos feel just a little bit better to treat her like a son-in-law, which is why his admission surprises her.
“Thank you,” she smiles. “And thank you, so much, for... all of this. It’s really too much; you were brave to foot the bill for something Rosario and my mother were in charge of.”
Carlos chuckles lowly. “A father is happy to throw a wedding for his daughter when she’s marrying the right person.”
The verbal confirmation of Carlos’s support for their marriage nearly takes her breath away. Sure, he’s done a million things in the last five years to show his tacit approval, but nothing quite so effusive.
As if to save her from mustering a response to that shocker, Carlos quips: “And a good husband is always happy to hand his checkbook to his wife.”
Arizona laughs and Carlos’s fingers tighten warmly at her waist as he leads her into another complicated dance step with ease. Callie’s dance moves are definitely genetic.
On the other side of the dance floor, Callie spins Emeline with the same ease, earning that wide, infectious smile from her mother-in-law.
“Callie, your family is a hoot,” the (not-so-)slightly tipsy Mrs. Robbins exclaims, watching Callie’s relatives in attendance (mostly the younger generations of cousins from both sides and her mother’s siblings) tear up the floor when one of the family favorite salsa numbers takes over. “They’ve all been so kind and welcoming. And I really do adore your mother. You already knew that.”
“I did. You two are very dangerous together.”
“We are,” Emeline admits, biting her lip.
“It’s fine as long as you use your powers for good,” Callie assures. “Like spoiling grandchildren and planning awesome parties.”
“Awesome parties, hmm? My daughter’s influence on you is very obvious.”
“Wouldn’t change it for the world,” Callie promises.
“So. Now that the wedding’s done, are you thinking of giving me another grandbaby?”
***
Later, after most of the guests have left and the parents of the brides have gone up to their own hotel rooms, all that’s left is the SG-MW crew (plus Sam and Addison), exhaustedly draped over the ballroom chairs as the staff cleans up around them.
“Get out of here,” Teddy very tipsily insists, pushing on Arizona’s bare shoulder. “It’s all you two wanted earlier.”
Callie laughs; drunk Teddy never fails to amuse her. Her fingers are tangled with her new wife’s, thumb almost unconsciously stroking the back of it. She grins at her. They’re in no hurry to get anywhere, now. They have the rest of their lives.
“I suppose it is time to go to bed,” Arizona says tranquilly.
“I hope everyone’s taking advantage of Aria’s insanity and enjoying a night to themselves,” Callie grins to the Shepherds and Sloans.
“Oh hell yes,” Mark confirms. “Great party, ladies. And excellent idea for us all to get hotel rooms. Can’t imagine trying to go home now.”
“The streets of Seattle thank us,” Meredith laughs. She and Cristina managed to steal an entire bottle of tequila from the bar, which they pass back and forth.
Every single one of their friends is totally wasted, which greatly entertains the relatively sober brides. They’re happily buzzed on champagne and wine, of course, but neither wants to forget a second of this night and so they’ve been careful not to imbibe too much.
Their friends disperse up to their individual rooms, leaving Callie, Arizona (and the cleaning staff) all alone.
“Dance with me,” Callie whispers warmly into Arizona’s ear.
“Haven’t we been doing that all night?”
“Yeah, but this time without the audience.”
“We have a hotel room upstairs.”
“Your wife is asking you to dance, Arizona.”
“Mm,” Arizona grins sweetly. “My wife.”
“Please?” Callie breathes, nipping lightly at Arizona’s earlobe.
“I guess I have to,” Arizona almost giggles.
“That’s the spirit,” Callie pulls Arizona to her feet.
“There’s no music.”
“We don’t need music,” Callie says, pulling her in close, no longer caring about wrinkling dresses or smudging already mussed makeup. Her arms slip around Arizona’s waist as Arizona rests her head on her shoulder. They barely sway to the beat only they can hear.
“Happy wedding day,” Arizona says, arms looped lightly around Callie’s shoulders.
“Helluva day,” Callie grins, fingers tracing her new wife’s spine. “That story Daddy told!”
Arizona blushes. “I can’t believe he brought that up.”
“Arizona, he loves you so much. And I can’t believe you talked to him that day. I knew there had to be a reason he came around.”
“He came around because he loves you, Calliope. I just... gave him a little push.”
“With your Robbins-speechifying ways,” Callie teases. “Good man in a storm... Where do you come up with this stuff?”
Arizona shrugs, still a little sheepish, and Callie just smiles adoringly at her.
“Oh,” Callie finally remembers.
“Yeah?”
“Your mom asked for another grandchild.”
“What? Already? We have two still in diapers. Or, well, one in diapers, one in pull-ups. She can’t wait through at least one round of potty-training?”
“She said: ‘Wedding’s over. How about another grandbaby?’”
“Oh jeez,” Arizona groans. “We never should’ve mentioned we were thinking of four.”
“A fatal miscalculation.”
Arizona’s lips brush against Callie’s shoulder. “I’m so in love with you.”
“Oh, well, that’s good, since we just got married.” At the laugh that she feels more than she hears, Callie continues, “I’m so in love with you, too. I still can’t believe it. I’ve married a five-year-old with roller skates for shoes.”
“Asa thinks my heelies are awesome.”
“Asa is three.”
“But he has great taste.”
“Right.”
“He loves you.”
“Ever the charmer, Arizona,” Callie teases. Then she begs, already knowing the answer, “Take me to bed?”
***
Callie wakes to the sun high in the sky. Her wife is snuggled into her arms, and she couldn’t separate herself from Arizona if she wanted to. Not that she will ever want to.
As she ponders what to order for room service and just the perfect way to wake Arizona, her phone starts buzzing. She groans and tries to reach for it while remaining as intertwined with Arizona as possible.
“Hello?”
“Hey, sis. We’ve got a pair of little ones that are pretty set on seeing their mommies. Can we bring them up? Say, in an hour or so?”
As loathe as she is to put clothes on, Callie misses their babies desperately, and they’re about to spend a whole week without them.
“Yes, please, in an hour. That would be, yes.”
“Work on the coherent thing, Callie. I’ll see you in an hour.”
When Callie drops the phone back on the nightstand, she can tell Arizona is already beginning to stir. She kisses her way up from her clavicle to her ear, where she whispers.
“Wake up, sleepyhead. We’re gonna have company in an hour, and I still don’t think we’ve made proper use of that giant shower.”
Arizona groans and grumbles, but her lips are slowly spreading into a smile.
“Is this company of the tiny human persuasion?” she manages, slowly threading her fingers through Callie’s hair.
“Maybe.”
“Mm. Good. Miss them.”
“I know. Let’s order room service and then hop in the shower, so we’ll be done by the time they arrive.”
“I love a woman with a plan.”
***
“Mami! Momma!”
“Ma! Ma! Ma!” Lena follows up her brother’s excited cry with her barely discernible, collective word for them.
Aria waves from the doorway as the kids run to greet their moms, who are leisurely enjoying their room service breakfast in their sweats on the honeymoon suite’s plush bed.
“Are those waffles?” Asa marvels, immediately crawling into Arizona’s lap. “In the bed?”
“They are,” Arizona confirms, giving him a quick hug. “You want some?”
“Yes, please!”
Callie laughs and cuts him off a piece of her waffle, holding it out for him, as Lena scoots in beside her.
“Hey, Lena-bug. Did you have a good sleep?”
The sixteen-month-old is indifferent, fascinated instead with reaching for one of the enticing strawberries on her madre’s plate.
“Oh, you want that, huh?” Callie asks, moving to cut up the berry for her and dropping a piece into her mouth, getting a happy little smile in return.
“Did you have fun at the big party last night?” Arizona asks their son as he swipes a strawberry of his own, red smeared across his face.
“I did! I danced with Aunt Addy,” Asa giggles, leaning up to place a messy kiss on his momma’s cheek.
“You danced with a lot of people, m’ijo,” Callie laughs.
“Tía says that you and Momma are going on a trip,” Asa comments, this time stealing a piece of bacon to chew on.
“We are,” Arizona confirms warily, waiting for the coming meltdown.
“¿Dónde are you going?”
Arizona laughs. His Spanglish never ceases to amuse her, even when she can barely understand him. Lena squirms out of Callie’s arms to play amid the fluffy pillows.
“We’re going to Spain. And all of your grandparents are gonna stay and play with you for a whole week,” Callie grins encouragingly. “Isn’t that cool?”
Asa nods, distracted by his unbalanced efforts to grab Arizona’s glass of orange juice. His momma quickly tries to assist.
“Did Tía Aria even feed you?” Callie asks as their son continues to decimate what’s left of their brunch in bed.
“Sí. We had pancakes.”
Callie meets her wife’s eyes with a grin.
“I think we might need a little more room service,” Arizona suggests, grinning back.
Callie shakes her head and extracts herself from the comfy bed to reach the hotel phone. As she waits for room service to answer, she glances over her shoulder and watches her amazing little family. Arizona has pulled Lena into her lap as well, tickling both kids until they giggle manically. Her hair is still wet from their shower, her face free of any make-up, and she’s still the most beautiful thing she’s ever seen, arms full of the love they’ve created together. Callie’s thumb finds the warm metal of her platinum wedding band, and she smiles again. The voice on the other end of the phone line surprises her.
“Oh, hello, yes. This is Room 1523 again. Yeah, I think we’re gonna need more waffles, thanks. Ten minutes? Perfect. Oh, wait. Yeah, sorry. My wife is trying to tell me something... More orange juice, too, please. Sorry about that. Thanks!”
Arizona giggles a little as Callie sets the phone back on the receiver.
“What?”
“You said wife.”
“I did,” Callie realizes. “How’d it sound? Like I’m gonna be saying it for the next forty years?”
“It sounded perfect.”
***
el fin