Calzona - Together Again

Chapter One

- Arizona -
"Okay, sweetie. Do you have everything?" I ask, looking down at my daughter.
"Yes mommy." She says, innocent. Her big brown eyes shine up at me.
Grinning, I take her hand and lead her to the front porch where Calliope is waiting. I hand Sofia over, and then go to Calliope's car and I put Sofia's little suitcase in the trunk.
Closing the door, I walk back up the steps to Calliope and my daughter.
"Promise me you'll have her back to me by Christmas?" I ask Callie.
"I promise." She says, grinning.
Squatting to Sofia's level, I lovingly put my hand on her arm, and say gently "I'll see you in five months. Okay? I'll FaceTime you from Mama's phone every night."
Not fully understanding what was happening, Sofia looks at me, knowing that something was off.
"Will you be okay, Mommy?" She asks, forehead crinkled, eyes wide.
Wiping my eyes, I smile my best smile. "I will be perfect, honey. I'll just miss you and your Mama so much."
Gasping at what I had just said, I blush slightly. Shaking my hair to cover my face from Calliope, I wrap my six year old daughter in my arms and kiss her on the cheek. "I love you." I say, my heart heavy and my gut in my stomach.
I get up off of the ground, wiping my tears away when Calliope touches my shoulder.
My heart flutters violently, and my eyes grow wide.
"Come to the airport with us." She whispers. "Get Richard to pick you up when our flight leaves. Send us off." She says.
Nodding, I smile gratefully at her. "Thanks, Callie." I say, tears streaking down my face. She takes her hand and slowly wipes the single tear away from my cheek.
"Let's go."
I follow them into the black Ford, holding Sofia's hand tightly in mine.
Calliope buckles her in the seatbelt behind her seat, and I get in the passengers seat.
I text Richard as Calliope gets in the drivers seat and starts the car.

Me: Richard, I'm going to the airport with Calliope to send them off. I need someone to come pick me up once they leave.

Richard Webber: I'll be there in two hours.

Me: Thanks, Richard.

Richard Webber: No need to thank me.

As Calliope starts the car and we get moving, I notice something strange. Callie began to shed tears as well.
Hesitantly, I reach over and take my thumb. Slowly, I swipe the tear away from her beautiful face. I do the same to the other side. She looks over to me, her chocolate colored eyes full of sadness.
I look away, unable to stand it.
Not only would I be leaving my daughter, but is would be leaving the curvy, beautiful, gorgeous, amazing love of my life.
I was losing two people in one day. The two people who meant most to me in the world.
But I would do anything to make my Calliope happy.
Callie turns up the music when her favorite song - Chasing Cars comes on.
Her beautiful melodic voice fills the car.
If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me
And
Just forget the world.

Deciding to join in, I begin to harmonize.

Forget what we're told.
Before we get too old.
Show me a garden
That's
Bursting into life...

As our voices mesh together, the windows down, our daughter grinning out the window, music turned up - everything feels... perfect.
Just for a second.
A millisecond.
I didn't get into a plane crash.
I didn't lose my leg.
I never cheated on Callie.
Callie never met Penny.
Everything was forgotten.

If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me
And
Just forget the world?

The music fades out, and the moment is over. Everything comes rushing back in an instant. She was no longer my wife.

We get to the Seattle airport, a big glass building with thousands of people looking for their flights. Some loved ones are saying goodbye. Others welcoming each other. Some sad. Some happy.
I turn around and look at Calliope.
My stomach drops and my eyes fill up again as I get a flashback.
"Hey." I say, smiling hesitantly.
"Hey." She says sarcastically and a bit sharply, furiously wiping her tears away in the mirror.
"Ortho, right?" I ask, stepping closer.
"Yeah." She says, fixing her mascara.
"I'm Arizona Robbins. I've seen you at the hospital... Are you okay?"
"Yeah, no I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm -" Callie says, turning around from the mirror.
"People talk." I say. "Where we work. A lot. So, for the sake of being honest, I think I should tell you that I know things about you. Because people talk." Chuckling awkwardly, Callie gasps.
"Oh." She says. "You mean about the -" she says, meaning her just recently coming out.
Grinning, I nod.
Sarcastically, she looks up. "Terrific."
"It is! Actually!" I say, smiling wider. She chuckles. "The talk. People really like you over there. I mean, they respect you and they're concerned and they're really interested." I say. "They really like you. Some -" I say, blushing. "Really like you." I say, referring to many people having crushes on her.
"You just - you look upset. And I thought you should know that... The talk is good! And... When you're not upset... When you're over... Being upset - there will be people lining up for you." Nodding, we make eye contact and I keep smiling.
All of a sudden, Callie starts laughing. "You wanna give me some names?" She asks between chuckles.
Looking at her, I lay a hand on her neck and Lean forward. Kissing her for about five seconds, I pull away from her plump lips.
She looks at me in surprise.
"I think you'll know." I say, smiling at her.
Leaving her speechless, I open the door and I walk back into Joe's bar.
That was the first time we met.
That was our first kiss.

"Arizona!" Callie says. "You coming?"
Looking out the windshield, I see Calliope hand in hand with our daughter waiting for me to come inside with them.
Unbuckling my seat belt, I hop out of the car and shut the door behind me. I take Sofia's other hand and we begin walking toward the airport.
Callie reaches over and swipes tears off my face again. Blushing at her touch, I realize
I had been crying.