Hush Little Baby
Disclaimer: I don’t own Grey’s Anatomy.
Author’s Note: I have decided that I deal with stress by writing fanfic. Because there are about a billion other things I should be doing. But this is what’s getting done. I, for one, have no problem with it-stress be gone! Please, do enjoy.
Summary: Set a few weeks after 7x16 “Not Responsible”. Mark crosses a line and Callie finally understands just what Arizona has been trying to say.
Hush Little Baby-
-A Story
She woke to the fluttery feeling of fingers against her skin and whispered words.
Callie kept her eyes closed, enjoying the feeling of Arizona softly stroking the gentle swell of her stomach. A swell that was growing bigger and bigger with each passing day.
“You won’t have to be a doctor,” Arizona’s quiet words floated to meet Callie’s ears. And it was only then that she realized the blonde’s head was not resting on the pillow nearby; rather, it was down by her stomach, whispering to the baby.
“Even though you’ll be raised by three of them. Maybe four if Lexie comes around.”
Callie almost laughed at the tone of Arizona’s voice and subject matter with which she was talking to the baby. When they had first begun dating Arizona had once told Callie that she didn’t believe in “baby talk”.
It’s degrading and should only be reserved for animals who respond to high-pitched nonsense.
She had said.
“And I hope she does, because she’s a good woman,” Arizona continued on. “And she makes your…” There was a pause as she took in a deep breath. “Daddy---she makes your Daddy happy, and he deserves happiness because he’s a good man too. And if you ever tell him I said that, I’ll put you in time-out before you can say ‘bottle’.”
Callie nearly snorted. Even through the threat she could hear the smile dancing in Arizona’s voice.
The blonde fell silent but continued to trace her hand across the skin of Callie’s stomach. Callie did nothing to let Arizona know that she was awake. She did nothing but lie still, enjoying the feel of Arizona’s touch.
Moments like these were rare.
Callie and Mark had taken to reading stories and talking to the unborn child every night. A way of connecting with the baby. Letting him or her become familiar with the voices that it would soon meet. Callie had tried to get Arizona to do the same but she always shied away. Saying she had to go to the restroom or clean something or cook something. She always had some excuse to never participate.
But a few days during the weeks, Callie had woken in the early mornings to a scene much like she had now. Arizona would whisper to the baby in the night, when she was certain that Callie was still asleep. Callie knew she should ask. Knew she should ask why Arizona only did so when she thought no one was watching. But she was too grateful that the blonde was even trying to push the subject.
So she would give Arizona her moments. And Callie enjoyed every minute of them.
“I’m so excited to meet you.” Arizona’s hushed words broke the silence again.
Callie smiled.
Before another word could be spoken, a quiet buzzing was heard from Arizona’s bedside table. Callie felt the blonde sighed and the bed dip as she pushed up. She heard a quiet “Damn it” as Arizona’s body weight completely left the bed. There was a rushed shuffling before the bed dipped again and Callie felt a kiss brushed against her stomach.
“Be good for your Momma,” she heard Arizona whisper. Callie felt her heart flutter as Arizona moved up the bed and placed a kiss on her temple. “I love you,” was whispered into her ear before Arizona left; the door closing behind her with a quiet click.
Callie finally opened her eyes, letting out a breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding. She stared at the closed door her heart heavy and her face fell of all emotion that had threatened to over take her during Arizona’s moment.
The words ‘I love you’ should have been a welcome. And they were, in the most primitive of senses. It still thrilled Callie to hear those words; no matter how often Arizona said them. And yet, she hadn’t heard the words spoken during the light of day in weeks.
But, she reminded herself, she hadn’t spoken them either.
Things were not okay.
Ever since the night Arizona had spoken of some of her frustrations. Of pointedly making it clear to Callie that she was not living her dream.
Something had changed.
The tension that had built that day and night seemed to linger. Growing stronger. Mark and Arizona fought more. Callie tried desperately to be neutral. To make them both happy. To make herself happy.
But every which they turned brought up a new set of problems.
And it was driving a wedge between them all.
Between her and the woman she loved.
And it was driving her crazy.
Callie sighed and placed her hand on her stomach, still feeling the heat of the traces Arizona had left on her skin.
And a part of her could not help but smile.
Despite their misgivings. Despite the tensions. It was moments like these; in the still of the earlier mornings when Callie was reminded that things could be far worse.
With a small sigh of hope, Callie rolled across the bed; burying her face into Arizona’s pillow and letting sleep take hold once more.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Arizona pinched the bridge of her nose.
Her head throbbed and her body ached and she wanted nothing more than to lie down and sleep for the next three days.
She had been called into work five hours before her shift that morning and thanks to a trauma, an emergency surgery on a long-term patient, being short-staffed, and the always present pressure from Stark she had had little time for food or rest.
She had lost track of time. Only aware that the sun had set hours ago.
Hours after she should have been home.
Arizona finally reached the blue of her apartment door, the color far too bright for her tired eyes. She leaned into the door as she fumbled with the lock; her body nearly falling into the apartment when she got it open.
“I thought we decided not to?” Mark’s frustrated words hit Arizona the minute she was in the room and she quietly groaned.
She looked up to see Callie standing against their closed bedroom door, exasperated and dressed in pajamas as Mark stood in the kitchen; a white envelope clutched in his hand. Arizona sighed and shrugged off her coat as she closed the door; this was not the quiet apartment she had hoped to come home to.
She wanted sleep. Then food. Then more sleep.
Arizona wondered if she would be able to turn and walk back to the hospital without being noticed.
No such luck, as both Mark and Callie turned to look at her. One for help and one with annoyance.
She managed a feeble smile as she spoke: “What’s going on?”
“Mark is upset because we had Lucy write down the sex of the baby.”
“So?” Arizona asked, turning to look at the man.
“So? We decided not to know until the birth,” Mark explained, his teeth gritted and Arizona wondered just how long he and Callie had been talking in circles about this.
“And I told him,” Callie said, taking a small step forward. “That we didn’t look. We just have it incase we changed our minds.”
“Then I don’t see a problem,” Arizona said, squinting as she tried to grab hold of the words swirling around her.
“The problem is that you two made a decision without me.”
“It wasn’t much of a decision, Mark. We still don’t know the sex of the baby. Nothing has changed.”
“Then why even have Fields write it down?”
“We don’t need to constantly bombard Lucy with questions,” Callie said. “She’s got her hands full with us as is.”
Arizona snorted.
“You could have waited until the next appointment, when I wasn’t in surgery.”
“Mark, it’s a piece of paper, just throw it away if it bothers you that much,” Callie said, taking another step forward.
“No,” Arizona interrupted, looking at Callie through wide eyes. “He shouldn’t because it isn’t a big deal. We still don’t know the sex.”
Arizona looked from Callie to Mark; hoping that her annoyance with the current situation was clearly displayed in her posture. Why was this being made a big deal?
“This isn’t just about knowing the sex of the baby,” Mark spoke before Callie could open her mouth to respond.
“Then please, Mark, enlighten me,” Arizona bit, her headache becoming stronger the longer she stood.
“You know I don’t want you two making decisions without me, even the little ones. This is my kid too,” Mark said, part of the bite of his earlier words edging slightly. “I don’t want to miss out on anything.”
Arizona felt something inside her tick.
Contrary to popular belief, she did not like arguing with Mark Sloan. She never had and never would. She hated it, actually. It left her with a headache that not even Tylenol could cure, a bad taste in her mouth, and a craving for the cigarettes she had promised Callie she didn’t buy.
But when he started down this road…Arizona felt a small part of her heart sink.
They had argued about this topic for nearly two weeks now. On and off, everyday there was something and Mark always made a point to remind her (and Callie) that he was present and going to be around. She knew it shouldn’t bother her, he had every right to. Every heavenly-legal-natural selection-what-ever right.
And the smallest, most spiteful part of Arizona hated him for it.
“There are three of us Mark,” Arizona said, not caring that her tone had become a little bit more dangerous. It was from fatigue, she knew, but whether from the physical fatigue of the day or the mental fatigue of having this conversation for the umpteenth time she could not say. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Callie’s face fall slightly.
The brunette took a step forward and placed a gentle hand on Arizona’s arm. The blonde felt herself relax slightly; momentarily amazed that no matter their current state of relationship a simple touch from Callie always had the same effect on her.
“Three,” she continued. “Sometimes, someone is going to miss something.”
“And I don’t think that it should have to be me,” Mark responded, his frustration returning loud and clear.
The envelope in his hand crunched slightly.
“What is that supposed to mean?” Arizona asked, shrugging off Callie’s touch. She was vaguely aware of Callie’s quiet sigh behind her, but she didn’t care. She wanted to be left alone. She wanted sleep.
She wanted to forget this day. Forget.
Forget.
“I’m this baby’s father and you are doing a hell of a lot of things that I should be doing.”
Arizona’s mouth dropped slightly. She turned, looking to Callie for support, but the brunette simply stared back, giving a small shrug. She looked unsure as she subconsciously placed a hand over her stomach.
Arizona’s face hardened as she turned back to Mark. “I’m sorry, Mark. The next time Callie is craving pickles and pudding at two in the morning I’ll be sure to wake your ass up after you’ve performed two eight hour surgeries.”
“What about when the baby kicks for the first time?” Mark retorted, coming around the kitchen island to stand right across from Arizona. “Or he takes his first steps? First words? I wasn’t even the first person Callie told, it was you and it should have been me.”
“Callie is standing right here,” Callie spoke quietly but her words fell on deaf ears as both Arizona and Mark held up a hand to quiet her.
Arizona could practically feel her scowl emanating the room.
“Yes, because that was such a happy and beautiful moment. Would you like me to recreate it for you?” Arizona asked, her head tilting slightly. Mark huffed and looked away as Callie’s head fell to the ground; all knowing just how happy that moment of would be joy had been.
“How many times do I have to remind you that Callie and I are in a relationship?” Arizona pressed again. She felt her mouth moving, her voice speaking, but she was only vaguely aware of what was being said. She was acting on autopilot; fight or flight and the strong need for Mark Sloan to leave her the hell alone.
“And a large part of that doesn’t include you. If it makes you feel any better I’ll go out and buy a video camera so you never have to miss anything again.”
A part of Arizona knew that she had chosen the wrong words. But she didn’t care.
She had stopped caring about five minutes ago.
Mark’s face hardened. “You shouldn’t have to record anything,” he barked. “How many times do you need to be reminded that this isn’t your kid, Robbins. The only reason you’re still here is because Callie is letting you.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Part Two