Arizona took a shower while Callie got ready for bed. She pulled on her old college sweats and a tank top. If Arizona was truly going to let her sleep with her, then their shared body heat would keep her warm. Taking the clip out of her hair, she ran a brush through her blonde curls. She was going to have to control herself tonight, and she would, for Arizona. Pulling back their covers, she sunk into the bed. Everything had turned around so suddenly. Three hours ago, Arizona wouldn't even look at her. Now she wanted to sleep together. She was afraid to breathe for fear that tomorrow it would reverse again. She couldn't deal with the reversal again. She heard the water turn off and tried to calm her thoughts. The bathroom door opened and Arizona came out in just her towel. Despite herself, Callie loudly gasped at the sight. There was a time when Arizona in a towel had been a signal for something other than just trust. She watched Arizona's shoulders rise and fall as she took a deep breath. Callie held her own. She watched the Blonde's back relax and then watched as the towel fell to the floor. The light highlighted the puffy red crisscross of scars on Arizona's back and Callie couldn't help but think that she'd never seen anything so beautiful. Arizona slipped into her underwear, her back still to Callie, and then into her favorite pair of sweats. T-shirt in hand, she turned and climbed into bed with Callie.
"Will you do my back?" Arizona asked softly, lying on her stomach.
"Okay," Callie said, letting go of the breath that she had been holding. She picked up the lotion as Arizona reached behind and undid the clasp of her bra so Callie would have unobstructed access to her scarred skin. Squeezing lotion onto her palm, she rubbed her hands together to warm it up. She slid her hands up Ari's spine. Arizona let out a sigh of contentment and Callie smiled as she massaged the lotion into her girl's skin, touching her as much as possible. As she neared completion, she noticed Arizona's shoulders shaking slightly. "Baby?"
"I'm okay," Arizona said.
Callie looked at her face. "Then what are these?" she asked, wiping away tears.
"How can you still love me?"
"Zona," Arizona said, taken aback. "Arizona, how could I not?"
"Calliope, look at my back."
"You didn't ask for this to happen to you, love."
"I was so sure that you would walk away when you saw...that. I'm not the same, Calliope. I know you want to think that. All positivity and rainbows and crap, but I'm not the same. I can hardly kiss you. I have hideous scars all over my body and my mind. I think differently. I didn't want you to ever see...that. What normal person has that?"
"Arizona, you are beautiful. Scars and all. This is just a part of your story now. Your life. I never said that my love was conditional. I never said 'I love you under the condition that nothing terrible ever happens to you.' You'll be able to kiss me again. And you may never be the exact same person that you were, but this has changed me too. We'll grow out of it together. You're all that I have mi amor and I'll never let go of you."
Arizona sat up and pulled on her t-shirt. She slid underneath the sheets and rolled onto her side. She took a deep breath and felt Callie shift over. The lights went out.
"Are you sure about this?"
"Please Callie," Arizona asked. "I want to trust you. I have to push myself." She felt one of Callie's arms slide underneath of her and the other slink over her stomach.
Callie pulled Arizona flush against her and held her until Arizona relaxed. "I love you, Arizona."
"I want to love you, Calliope," she said. "I once did. And I will."
Callie let a sad smile spread across her face before she kissed Arizona's neck and settled in to sleep. "I know."
When Callie woke the next morning by sunlight pouring in through open windows, she smiled to realize that not only had Arizona stayed in her arms all night, but she had rolled over so she was facing her.
"Arizona," she whispered, swiping her hair out of her sleepy face.
"Hmm?" Arizona asks, smiling up at Callie.
"No nightmares."
Arizona grinned. "No nightmares."
