Title: Golden Gifts
Author: JJ280391
Pairing: Callie and Arizona
Rating: G
Prompt: Callie and Arizona get a dog/cat
Summary: Sofia wants a furry little friend for christmas!
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. 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.
A/N: Sorry for the late posting. I hope you enjoy the fic and I hope you had a lovely christmas/new year. Happy Holidays <3
The snow was falling hard and fast across Seattle as night started to fall. Christmas was fast approaching and the closer Christmas came the more excited the children all across the land became and Sofia Torres was no exception. For almost 2 months she had been writing and rewriting her Christmas list for Santa Claus, changing her mind with each passing day.
“Sofia you need to make up your mind baby girl. We have to make sure that letter gets to Santa on time.” Arizona kissed her daughter on top of the head, stroking her hair before collapsing on the sofa. Work had been crazy and after 4 back to back thankfully successful surgeries she was beyond happy to be home with her daughter as they waited for Callie.
“Momma you can’t rush this. It’s important!” Arizona laughed at the emphasis in her daughters words. She spoke as if her Christmas list was the biggest decision of her young life and right now it was. She couldn’t believe how fast her daughter was growing up, it only seemed like yesterday that they were bringing her home from the hospital, terrified that something horrible was going to happen with her and she would need more emergency surgery and now here she was a fully-fledged five year old with no serious health problems and so full of life that it amazed both of her mothers. Without knowing no one could have ever guessed she was born so early and so tiny.
“Okay well you remember what mommy said, that we have to mail it tomorrow morning because reindeer mail this of year can be super slow. So can you promise me you’ll be done soon?”
“Promise. I just have to draw some more pictures.” The sound of a car in the driveway made Sofia stop as a grin broke out on her face. “Mommy’s home!” She got up and ran to the door pulling it open as Callie got out of her car. “Hi mommy!”
“Sofia!” Callie laughed as she looked at her daughter. “It’s really nice of you to come to the door but it is freezing out here and you don’t have any shoes or socks on. Jack Frost is gonna get those toes.” The little girl giggled as she hurried back inside, her mother not far behind. Callie scooped her up into her arms kissing her all over her face as Sofia squealed with laughter.
“Put me down Mommy!” Callie put her right side up and Sofia acting as if nothing had happened went right back to her list.
“You’re still writing that Sofia?”
“Do not rush her Callie.” Callie screwed up her face in confusion before leaning down to kiss her wife.
“Okay annnnnndddd done!” Sofia handed the list to Arizona as Callie sat down with her.
“Wow great pictures Sof!”
“So pretty sweetheart.” Callie looked at her watch. “Okay it’s getting late, go brush your teeth and get into bed and we’ll be there in a minute.” Sofia quickly hugged them both before disappearing to the bathroom. “Okay we need to talk about this list.”
“What it’s cute?” Callie rolled her eyes.
“Arizona did you even read the actual list of presents.”
“Well not yet, I got distracted by the pictures.” Callie pointed at number one on the list. “Oh.”
“A puppy, she wants a puppy.” Arizona smiled
“Aww that’s so sweet. Puppies are adorable.”
“I agree but, Arizona we are barely home that much I mean with Sofia’s schedule and our work schedules how are we gonna find time to take care of a puppy.”
“Tons of people have jobs and kids and pets, it’s totally do-able.” Callie narrowed her eyes at her wife.
“Why are you pushing this so much? Since when did you become so puppy crazy?”
“I’m not puppy crazy.” Arizona laughed nervously.
“Oh my god you already knew about the puppy.” Arizona opened her mouth to protest before sighing.
“Sofia asked me about it a week ago. Her friend Lacy from school got a Labradoodle puppy for her birthday and all Sofia could talk about when I picked her up last week was how cute she was because Lacy and her mother bought her in for show and tell. So she asked me if she could get puppy so I told her to put it on her list and maybe Santa would bring her one.”
“And now she’s going to be expecting a little puppy under the tree on Christmas morning.” Callie sighed and Arizona grabbed her hand.
“I’m sorry Calliope. I should have talked to you about this before I told her to put it on the list. I just wanted to make sure she had the best Christmas possible. I want all of us to have that, we deserve it.” Callie leaned in and kissed her.
“I love you Arizona Robbins.”
“I love you too.” Callie pecked her lips one more time.
“Get the laptop, we better start looking at places to get a puppy.”
“Seriously?”
“You’re right. It’s totally do-able. I’m gonna go get her in to bed.”
“I think this is a really great idea Calliope.” Arizona said as they drove along the highway.
“Me too, I feel good about this. We’re doing a good thing.” Callie squeezed her wife’s hand before pulling off at the next exit. They drove in silence for a few minutes, the only words spoken were by the GPS system. Callie pulled up next to a big farm house with a sign that read The St Francis of Assisi Rescue Centre for Injured and Abandoned Animals.
“Here we are. Oh Callie I’m so excited! I can’t wait to see Sofia’s face.” The two woman climbed out the car as a woman came out of the house waving and smiling at them.
“Hi there. You must be the gals from Seattle. I’m Julia, I’m who spoke to you on the phone yesterday.”
“Yes Julia hello, I’m Callie.” Callie shook her hand. “And this is my wife Arizona.”
“It’s nice to meet you.”
“Oh the pleasure is all mine. Anyone who chooses to come and rescue one of our Animals is welcome here any time as far as I’m concerned. Come on follow me and we can go to the kennels.” Callie and Arizona followed Julia around the house where all different animals’ sounds became much more prominent and louder.
“So as I mentioned on the phone, we’re looking for a puppy for our daughter.”
“Oh that’s just precious. I love children, my husband and I have 9 of them ourselves, in fact that my youngest Thomas over there feeding the chickens.” She called out to her son who waved before going back to his job.
“Wow 9 kids, that’s a lot. I don’t know how we do it with one sometimes.”
“Children are god’s greatest gift to us no matter the number don’t you agree. What’s your daughter’s name?”
“Sofia. She’s 5.”
“What a beautiful name and such a great age.” Julia pulled a key out of her pocket as they stopped by a small fence behind which was a beautiful wooden kennel. The sound of barking filling the air. “Oh don’t worry, we don’t keep the dogs locked up all the time. It was just bath time a little while ago and so it’s always just easier to keep the fence closed.” Julia unlocked the fence just as the door to the kennel opened and three men came out holding puppies. “These are my other sons Matthew, Isaac and Nathaniel. I know you wanted to take a look around but I got to thinking after we spoke. These little fellas were bought to me about 2 months ago. There were found abandoned on the side of the highway.” Arizona gasped in shock.
“That’s horrible.”
“It truly is and sadly it happens quite frequently. They were so scared when they were bought here but now they are happy and healthy and ready to be rehomed.” The men put the dogs on the ground.
“They are adorable.”
“Feel free to get down there and say hello. They are very friendly.” Both women got down and instantly were surrounded by the puppies.
“What breed are they?”
“Golden Retriever. That’s actually the main reason I thought one of these would be perfect because Golden Retrievers are the best dogs to have around children. They are very gentle and calm and just wonderful for families such as yourself.”
“Calliope look I think this little guy likes me!” Arizona giggled and she was licked over and over again by the smallest puppy in the litter.
“I’d say you’re right about that. He’s the shy one of the bunch. Normally never goes near anyone” Arizona couldn’t stop laughing as she stroked the puppy before handing him over to Callie. She looked into his eyes and instantly felt her heart melt.
“We’ll take him.”
“You have got to be freaking kidding me.” Arizona smiled her best smile at her prodigy as she stood at his door carrying a dog carrier and a bag full of supplies.
“Come on Alex it’s just for one night.” Alex rolled his eyes and moved aside to let her in.
“Thank you thank you thank you.” Alex took a swig of his beer he was holding.
“I hate you.”
“No you don’t.” Arizona replied without looking at him as she set up a temporary bed for the puppy in the corner of the living room.
“Well I hate puppies.”
“No one hates puppies.”
“If that thing craps on any of my stuff then I am holding you personally responsible.” Arizona punched him in the arm. “Ow hey what’s your problem?”
“Do not call him a thing!” She picked him up out of the dog carrier and cuddled him. He shook nervously.
“Well what should I call him then, I mean you can’t name him until you give him to Sofia.”
“Obviously he doesn’t have an official name but Callie and I have been calling him Cutie Pup.” Alex stared at her.
“Yeah I’m not doing that.” Arizona held the puppy out to Alex. “What are you doing?”
“He needs you to hold him, to get used to you. It’ll soothe him. Like when you helped that baby in the NICU.”
“That was completely different.” Arizona gave him her best puppy dog eyes and Alex let out a groan.
“Let’s hope Sofia doesn’t grow up to be as annoying as you.”
“If by annoying you mean awesome and cute then she’s already there.” Alex held the dog and he almost immediately stopped whimpering. Arizona could have sworn she saw Alex smile.
“Aww someone’s making a new friend.”
“Shut up.” Arizona nudged him. “Okay fine he’s pretty cute. And it’s just for one night right?”
“I’ll pick him up tomorrow afternoon, Sofia is spending the afternoon with Callie at Meredith and Derek’s because I have to work the Christmas Eve shift. Or at least that’s what Sofia thinks cause im going to set cutie here up in the basement. Hopefully Sofia will be so tired that we will be able to get her in to bed nice and early so she doesn’t spot him.”
“Okay well I actually AM working the Christmas Eve shift so make sure you are here by 3 because my shift starts at 4.”
“I’ll be here with bells on.” Arizona laughed. “Get it bells…Christmas.”
“Hilarious.”
“You used to be fun.” Arizona kissed the puppy. “Bye baby boy have fun with Uncle Alex.” Arizona waved goodbye as she walked backwards to the door. She closed it and left.
“Looks like it’s just you and me tonight buddy.” Alex held the puppy up and was given his answer when a stream of urine hit his sweatshirt. “Yup. I hate puppies.”
“Mommy, Momma, wake up!!!!! IT’S CHRISTMAS.” Callie and Arizona were awoken by an extremely excited Sofia jumping up and down on their bed. Sofia jumped off the bed and ran to the door before stopping and turning round. “Come on get up Santa’s been.” She shouted before disappearing into the living room. Both women sleepily got up and followed their daughter.
For the next half an hour the Robbins-Torres household was filled with nothing but happiness and love as the three ladies opened their presents. Arizona pulled out the video camera and recorded Sofia opening all her presents and she was so happy with all her new toys. Callie and Arizona had then exchanged gifts, a necklace for Callie and a tennis bracelet for Arizona.
“Do you like your presents Sofia?” Arizona asked as she noticed her daughter looked a tiny bit disappointed.
“Yeah I love them momma.” She half smiled but there was slight sadness in her eyes.
“Wait I think I saw something else for you Sofia in the basement.” The child’s eyes went wide with excitement and anticipation. “Let me go get it.” Sofia jumped to her feet and started jumping up and down with excitement. Callie soon returned carrying a box with holes in.
“Merry Christmas Baby. Santa put it in the wrong place. Silly Santa.” Sofia opened the box and screamed with joy
“PUPPPPYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!” Callie picked him up out of the box and put him on the floor. “HE’S SO CUTE MOMMY I LOVE HIM!” Sofia hugged him and giggled when he licked her face. “This is the best Christmas ever!!!”
Arizona and Callie’s hearts were ready to burst at seeing their daughter so happy.
“What’s his name?”
“Well he doesn’t have one yet, we have to give him one.”
“I want to call him Joey!” Callie smiled.
“Joey sounds perfect.” Arizona nodded in agreement. Both women got on the floor with their daughter. They both hugged and kissed her.
“Merry Christmas Sofia.”
“Merry Christmas. I love you guys.”
“We love you too.” Arizona ruffled Joey’s fur and gave him a kiss on top of his head.
“Merry Christmas Joey, and welcome to the family!”