Title: Skinny Love

Author: MysteriousSwaggerOfScrubs

Pairing: Callie/Arizona

Rating: M

Summary: A haunting tale of wealth and power, love and loss. Are one night stands ever meant to last for longer than just one night?

Disclaimer: All television shows, books, movies, songs, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings 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.

Forty-Eight

Standing in the kitchen of their penthouse apartment located at Fifteen Central Park West, steady surgeon hands meticulously chopped a variety of vegetables for a fresh garden salad, warm, motherly eyes then looking up from her work to glance over the granite countertop in the direction of her daughter who currently sat atop a high stool, a right hand very similar to her own, fastidiously gripping a Ticonderoga #2 pencil as she perfectly wrote her name.

And, as Arizona smiled at her daughter who comically hummed to a tune inside her own little head, her right hand gently set her knife to the side before slowly traveling down her body to tenderly rest against her still flat abdomen.

It had been ten days since Naomi had transferred two of Callie's fertilized embryos into Arizona's body - ten days since she had finally broken down to her wife and admitted her fears. Several profoundly intimate conversations had followed after that day - many heartfelt words exchanged about the babies that currently may or may not be developing within Arizona's womb. And, through it all - whether their interaction be a lengthy, pragmatical discussion or a simple encouraging word - Arizona honestly felt that this experience had somehow already drawn them closer, their love for one another and their solid commitment to each other's happiness further cementing and deepening like never before.

Lovingly caressing her abdomen over her blouse, Arizona's smile grew bigger as she quietly imagined what these new tiny humans might look like - would they have blue eyes like Lillian or would Callie's darker, more dominant genes completely take over? And, as the enchanting image of two gorgeous children with unruly, black hair and gleaming, azure eyes suddenly filling her mind, Arizona quickly shook herself from her silent musings, desperately forcing her imagination to please shut off.

Arizona simply refused to get ahead of herself; she still had two more days to wait until returning to see Naomi for her follow up appointment and definitive blood test. So, until then, she needed to live in the moment in order to stay sane; she wasn't sure she would be able to survive the loss of her children if she had already given them a face.

Quickly removing her hand from her body, she once again shook her head before dutifully returning to her work. But, as she continued to cut the red, bell pepper positioned on the butcher block in front of her, Arizona simply could not deter the intoxicating visions that played about within her head - Lillian and her sisters at the beach, Callie and their sons playing at the park, three beautifully giggly children all snuggled between herself and her wife in the center of their massive, king size bed.

And, suddenly realizing that she needed a distraction - something to keep her mind off the fact that her follow up appointment wasn't schedule for another two days - Arizona then glanced back up at Lillian as she anxiously worried her bottom lip between her teeth.

"Hey, Lil," Arizona called out with a smile. "What would you think about surprising momma with dinner at work?"

With diligent, caramel fingers swiftly tapping against her keyboard as alert, brown eyes flitted across the words on the large computer screen, Callie smiled as she listened to her father's voice travel through the phone she currently held between her shoulder and her ear.

"Yes, Daddy, of course," Callie honestly stated, deep, chocolate eyes subconsciously moving from her work to immediately land on a beautifully framed photo of Arizona and Lillian that sat upon her large, mahogany desk.

And, as Callie half-heartedly listened to her father's words, the megawatt smile on her face grew bigger and brighter as she quietly imagined adding another photo to her desk, the enchanting image of two gorgeous children with unruly, black hair and gleaming, azure eyes suddenly filling her mind.

Callie desperately had been trying to not think about the baby or babies that may or may not be developing within her wife's body, but with each passing day, she found it increasingly more difficult to not envision Lillian and her twin brothers joyouslyplaying in her office at Calliope & Company, Arizona and all three of their daughters exuberantly dancing around their home as she happily played them a tune. But, for as much as Callie refused to get ahead of herself, she simply could not shun the images of the future she so desperately longed for from her mind.

"Yes, daddy. I know it's been a while since we visited, but. . ."

Rolling her eyes as Carlos interrupted, Callie's attention was then drawn toward the entrance of her office when she saw both her sister and her best friend stepping through the door. "Well, yes. . .I will speak with Arizona, but we have a lot going on right now, and I'm not sure we'll be able to travel. . ."

Pausing in her statement when her father once again began to argue her response, Callie momentarily relaxed back into her chair, her eyes scanning over Meredith and Aria who sat animatedly engaging in their own conversation.

"Okay, Dad. Yes. I'll see what we can do," Callie finally managed to get in. "Okay. Yep. Gotta go, now. Aria and Meredith are here for a meeting. Love you. Bye."

Completely cutting off her father's debate, Callie finally placed the handset back down on the receiver, an exasperated huff loudly leaving her lips as she looked toward the awaiting pair. "Dear, God. He can be so damn demanding," she frustratedly spoke with a groan, her elbows resting on her desk as she deeply massaged her temples with both hands.

"Sounds like someone else I know."

Harshly glaring at her sister's remark, Callie ultimately decided to tune out her snarky words, now completely ignoring the two women who sat across her desk. And, straightening her body to nonchalantly return to her work, Callie desperately attempted to revert her attention back to the task at hand, but with the winsome image of two delicious, tiny humans continuing to dance around in her mind - combined with the sudden chatter of Aria and Meredith in the peanut gallery - Callie again found herself wholeheartedly unable to concentrate on what she needed to do.

"Did you two actually need something? Or are you here just to distract me from the work I need to do?" Callie impatiently snapped, though - deep down - she knew her apathetic demeanor wasn't all the fault of Meredith and Aria.

"Well, you are just a delight this evening, Callie," Meredith huffed in response, swiftly standing from her seat to hand the brunette a requisition she needed signed. "You're lucky I love you. Otherwise, I'm not sure how much of you I'd be willing to take."

"I think you need to get laid," Aria quickly pitched in, comically flinging a pen in her cranky sister's direction. "I mean, I know Arizona probably isn't putting out right now, but maybe you should. . ."

"That's enough, Aria," Callie hastily warned, quickly signing off on Meredith's form with the wayward pen she had just snatched from the air. "It's not that she isn't. She can't," she dutifully defended. "It's called pelvic rest, and it's necessary right now. Not that it's any of your business, and not that that is my problem, anyway."

Smirking at her sister's response, Aria ruefully shook her head as she laughed at the glower on Callie's face. "You're too easy, Cal. You need to lighten up."

Aria Torres loved goading her twin sister; it had been one of her favorite pastimes for as long as she could remember and, through the years, she did it so often - and had become so damn good at it - she had absolutely no idea how Callie fell for it every single time.

"Knock, knock."

Glancing up at the sound of the melodious voice she had fallen in love with over a year and a half before, Callie's scowl instantly morphed into a grin of surprise, the sight of her two favorite blondes an infinitely dazzling sight to behold. "What are you two doing here?" Callie excitedly asked, quickly standing from her seat to help her wife and daughter into the room.

Allowing Callie to take the bags she was currently balancing in her arms, Arizona gently placed a loving kiss against a flawless, caramel cheek. "You said you were working late, and I knew you probably would just skip dinner, so we decided to bring dinner to you."

After quickly setting the bags on the meeting table at the side of the room, Callie then grabbed Lillian up into her arms as she loudly pecked a kiss against a smooth, cherubic cheek. "How was school today, big girl?" she lovingly asked, gently placing the child back on the ground and tousling a curly, blonde pigtail with her hand. "Tell me the best thing that happened today."

With small, bow tie lips pursing in deep concentration, Lillian comically plopped herself down on an overstuffed sofa, comfortably insinuating herself directly between her Tia Aria and Auntie Mer. "The best thing that happened today was that I got a 100% on my spelling test. . ."

"You go girl!" Aria proudly cheered, placing her palm toward Lillian to receive a high five.

And, happily slapping Aria's hand and then turning to fist bump Meredith, Lillian excitedly bounced up and down as she happily continued to tell her tale. "And then we learned how to ride unicycles during PE. We. . ."

"Hold up there, little lady," Arizona hastily interjected from across the room where she and Callie now stood plating their food. "You didn't tell me that," she worriedly admonished, visions of her daughter's recently worn, bright pink cast, overwhelmingly filling her mind.

With a guilty smirk tugging at her lips, Lillian mischievously shrugged. "I forgot," she innocently claimed before turning back to the women she was currently sandwiched between.

And, as Lillian continued to chatter on and on about her day filled with unicycles and spelling test, Spanish lessons and story time, Callie softly smiled as she intently listened to each and every word, her mind immediately wandering to the vision of Lillian being such a good big sister to her new little brother or sister, patiently teaching him or her how to color within the lines and throw a ball.

"You okay?"

With Arizona's question quickly penetrating her silent musings, Callie visibly shook herself from her own thoughts, her eyes slowly clearing of whatever latest image she thoroughly had become lost within. "I'm great, Arizona," she earnestly stated, leaning over to press a lingering kiss against inebriating, pink lips. "And, I'm really happy to see you. Thank you so much for bringing dinner."

Curiously eyeing her wife, Arizona smoothly moved to stand behind her, two strong, surgeon hands gently pressing themselves against the long muscles at the center of Callie's back before slowly travelling upward, over the bony prominences of slightly winged scapulae, only coming to rest when they reached the top of tense shoulders.

From there, Arizona didn't say a word, choosing instead to steadily work against stiff trapezii, pushing deeper to apply painfully pleasant pressure to the taut muscles under her wife's silky blouse.

"God, that feels so good," Callie softly moaned and, dropping her arms to her sides from where they had been bent at her elbows as she plated their food, brown eyes then gently fell shut as she thoroughly enjoyed the wondrous work of her amazing wife's magical touch. "Harder, please," she softly groaned, curling her shoulders inward to allow greater access to unrelenting teres major and minor. "Mmm. . ."

"Should we leave you two alone?" Aria sarcastically quipped from her seat across the room.

But, as Callie glared back at her, Aria and Meredith only laughed, waving off the other woman's attitude as they purposefully pulled Lillian up from the sofa and crossed the room. "How about dinner on the rooftop with me and Auntie Mer?" Aria chipperly offered the little girl whose eyes soon beamed with excitement. And, handing one of the plated meals of garden salad, roasted chicken, and lemon roasted asparagus to Meredith and the other to the anxiously waiting little girl, Aria then grabbed her own plate before quickly making her way toward the door. "And, maybe after that. . .ice cream."

"Aria. . ."

"Can I mommy? Please, momma? Please, please, please. . ."

With the child's intoxicating exuberance completely melting her heart, Callie glanced in Arizona's direction before offering her an acquiescent nod.

"Go," Arizona conceded with a smile. "But, be good."

"We've got her," Meredith earnestly assured, allowing her best friend and her wife what seemed to be some much needed time alone. "Thanks for dinner, Arizona."

And, as the happy trio quickly exited the room, Arizona immediately went back to work, smiling as the room once again filled with Callie's euphoric moans and groans. "I should give you massages more often," Arizona gently cooed, leaning forward to press her lips against the shell of a tanned ear as her hands continued their arduously pleasing work. "You've been working too hard, Calliope. You need to take a break."

Purposely choosing not to respond, Callie decided instead to revel in this moment - to enjoy the presence of her wife - and, after several long, glorious minutes of Arizona's expert massage, the brunette slowly leaned back, her head coming to rest against her wife's middle as Arizona's arms laced themselves around her neck.

"You know. . .it's been ten days," Arizona cautiously stated, leaning forward to rest her cheek against the side of Callie's face.

With a heavy sigh, Callie gave a tight nod.

"I know."

"We could do a home pregnancy test. . ."

Immediately sighing in response, Callie lovingly patted the back of Arizona's hand before brushing the gentlest of kisses against the smooth, ivory skin. And, then turning so that she could see her wife, Callie apologetically smiled. "Arizona, honey, you know Naomi warned us against home pregnancy tests because they aren't always accurate," she leniently warned. "Is that really something you want to risk?"

With a slight pout forming on pink lips, Arizona childishly rolled her eyes. "I know. And, no. . .I don't really want to take that chance. I'm just feeling so damn impatient," she frivolously whined before quickly moving to agitatedly pace around the room. "I'm a doctor, for God's sake. A freaking surgeon. Of course I know all this. I know that a beta hCG blood test is the most definitive way to tell if I'm pregnant, but if I have to wait two more days, Callie, I swear to God, I am seriously going to explode!"

Softly chuckling at her wife's over the top antics, Callie meaningfully crossed the room and, adoringly taking a smooth, alabaster hand into her own, she then settled the completely flustered woman onto the couch. And, sitting across from her on the opposite cushion, she then leaned forward, gently kissing her cheek.

"First of all. . .you're not going to explode."

Loudly harrumphing at Callie's response, Arizona immediately opened her mouth to speak, but was quickly cut off when a tanned, index finger resolutely pressed against her mouth.

"It's only two more days. And, really, not even that," Callie gently argued, briefly glancing down at her watch. "Our appointment is bright and early Thursday morning, so really, we have less than forty hours to wait."

Seeing that Arizona still wanted to argue, Callie tenderly took her wife's hands, a caramel thumb benevolently fidgeting with the gleaming, diamond band that gracefully encircled her left ring finger. "If you really want to do a home test, we will," she honestly conceded.

Seeing Arizona instantly perk up at those words, Callie felt behooved to continue with the remainder of her thought. "But, don't you want to be absolutely - without a doubt - one hundred percent certain of what is truly going on? Do you really want to deal with the emotions surrounding a potentially inaccurate result?"

Knowing Callie was right - that she certainly did not want to have all their hopes and dreams irreparably shattered by a false, negative result - Arizona sheepishly smiled before dutifully nodding her head. "I'm sorry. You're right. I'm just. . .I'm feeling more than a little crazy right now."

Winking in reply, Callie lovingly leaned forward to tenderly press her own mouth against succulent, pink lips.

"That's okay. You take today. Tomorrow - it will be my turn."

After Callie and Arizona had happily joined Lillian, Aria, and Meredith for their impromptu rooftop dining experience -followed by a trip to the ice cream shop just down the street - they then begrudgingly had parted ways, Callie back to her office to finish up some work, and Arizona and Lillian into the awaiting black, luxury sedan to travel home for bath time, story time, and bed.

And, now, several hours later, Callie tiredly deposited her attaché case onto the desk in her home office before exhaustedly plopping down into her high back chair, her elbows resting on the mahogany desktop as her fingers rubbed against her temples for what felt like the millionth time that day.

Arizona had been right before; she had been working too hard, lately - they both had - but knowing that her own latest project was finally nearing its end, she felt exceedingly accomplished and overjoyed.

Maybe they really could take some time to travel to Miami in the near future like her father had so determinedly insisted or maybe he could meet them for a visit somewhere else.

With that admittedly lovely thought in mind, Callie finally dragged herself from her seat and, painstakingly making her way through their penthouse home, she first took a moment to peek into Lillian's room. Finding the little girl nestled all snug in her bed, she gently kissed the top of a wavy, blonde head before then moving on toward the welcoming serenity of the master bedroom she lovingly shared with her wife.

And, after gazing in on Arizona's sleeping form - undetected - for several long moments, Callie finally stepped further into the room, careful not to wake the other woman who desperately needed her sleep, especially now that she hopefully had at least one tiny human magnificently developing within her womb.

But, try as she might - as still as she possibly could be - Callie simply was unable to ready herself for bed without accidentally rousing her wife.

"Hey," Arizona softly greeted, weary, but sparkling blue eyes instantly finding chocolate brown the very moment her wife stepped back into the bedroom from the bathroom ensuite.

"Hey," Callie lovingly replied, leaning down to press a tender kiss against a silky, ivory cheek, the palm of her hand automatically finding its way to Arizona's belly beneath the silky fabric of a button up pajama top.

"I'm sorry I woke you. I'm sure you had a long night," Callie earnestly stated, compassionately brushing blonde hair back from Arizona's angelic face with a gentle sweep of her hand before comfortably nestling her own body beneath the duvet and against the welcoming warmth of her beautifully, sleepy wife.

"I missed you. . ." Arizona softly spoke, suddenly pausing in a futile attempt at stifling an exhausted yawn, ". . .otherwise the night wasn't so bad," she honestly finished, her eyelids fluttering shut and then back open, each blink lasting longer and longer until she was once again completely lost to the land of nod.

With an adoringly devoted smile suddenly lighting her dejected features, Callie took a moment to simply gaze upon the woman she loved, the palm of her hand once again gravitating to benevolently rest against Arizona's silky, smooth skin. And, after allowing herself the briefest of moments to just be - to simply relax, breathe, let go, and just revel in this intimate moment spent with her wife - Callie then reached over to her bedside table, happily grabbing a small book from within the drawer.

Subconsciously burrowing her back impossibly closer to Callie's front, Arizona contentedly sighed at her wife's presence, her body instantly relaxing as Callie softly began to read to their babies, just as she had done every night since those two tiny embryos had been transferred into her body.

When I look at you

And you look at me,

I wonder what wonderful

Things you will be.

When you were too small

To tell me hello,

I knew you were someone I

Wanted to know.

Aimlessly drawing random patterns over alabaster skin, Callie momentarily paused, deeply breathing in the intoxicating scent of her wife's shampoo before then glancing back at the words on the page.

"Have I told you lately how much I love you?" Arizona softly whispered, her own palm coming to rest over Callie's tenderly wandering hand as she turned onto her back so that she could to look up at her wife.

Surprised that Arizona was - indeed - still awake, Callie slowly closed the book, setting it to the side and turning off her bedside lamp before fondly moving impossibly closer to adoringly envelope her wife.

"You have. And, I know," Callie earnestly replied, pressing a gentle kiss against Arizona's lips. "I love you, too."

And, with Callie's head now resting against Arizona's chest, their joined hands absentmindedly tracing circles over still completely flat skin, Arizona softly cleared her throat before deciding to speak.

"Callie?" she faintly whispered.

"Hmm?"

Will momentary silence ominously filling the darkened room, Arizona carefully chose her words before deciding to speak. "If, umm. . .if something happens, and this doesn't work. . ."

Abruptly pausing in her reverently persistent ministrations, Callie's already fragile heart instantly dropped at the suggestion, her stomach painfully churning at such a harrowing thought.

Both women desperately had been trying to remain positive - to push past the what if's in order to remain as much in their pretty pink bubble of the present as they possibly could - but, with the time until their appointment quickly ticking by, they both knew some difficult decision could eventually need to be made.

"If it doesn't work. . ."

"Do you want to try again?"

Staring into the darkness of their bedroom, now lit only by the lights of New York and the silvery glow of a waning crescent moon, both women then moved so they could better see each other - emotive, russet eyes now apprehensively staring down into increasingly sleepy, azure blue.

"I would like to try - at least once more," Callie honestly answered, desperately holding out hope that her wife felt exactly the same. "What about you?"

Carefully rolling onto her side so that she was now face to face with the woman she loved, Arizona gently placed her palm against a flawless, caramel cheek before intimately leaning in so their lips could meet.

"As long as I have you, Calliope. . .I'm willing to keep trying until it works."

The following morning, Callie comfortably sat in the back of the black Mercedes, luxury sedan as Jackson expertly chauffeured her from her office in Midtown West toward the Financial District, on her way to a meeting with a group of investors that would hopefully put into motion her latest business endeavor. And, as she multitasked looking over her notes and checking her calendar for whatever appointments she had scheduled for later on in the day, she was soon interrupted by the ringing of her personal cell phone at her side.

Smiling brightly when she saw that the call was from her favorite, blue eyed blonde, she quickly flicked her thumb across the touch screen before happily bringing the phone to her ear. "Hey babe," she cheerfully greeted, meticulously tucking away her paperwork into her bag.

"Callie. . ."

With the megawatt smile that was currently gracing her face immediately falling at the agonizing sound of her wife's hysterically tearful voice, Callie's eyes instantly began to brim with unbidden tears.

"Arizona!?" she hastily questioned, her own voice cracking as a gigantic lump rose within her throat. "Oh, my God. I'll be right there."