Title: USNA

Author: A. Windsor

Pairing/Characters: Callie/Arizona

Rating: PG-13

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. My one semester of law school could allow me to legalese this a little more, but it also tells me it's pretty useless. So please don't sue; it's not mine, I'm just playing!

Series: Thing!verse

Summary: "He is sure of his purpose, which is well-researched and passionately argued to both his mirror and a sworn-to-secrecy Lena. But he is still absolutely terrified." [June 2030]

Author's Note: Everyone talks it out. Beta'd by my favorite weirdy reindeer, roughian.

If breakfast had been awkward (and it had been), dinner is even worse.

Teo, Lena, and Callie are trying desperately to ease the tension with conversation. Lena discusses the soon-to-start summer league, and Teo tells all the dance class gossip.

Asa never thought before that his momma was capable of the silent treatment, and maybe that's not what this is, but it sure feels like it.

"Momma."

Asa doesn't know if Teo is oblivious to their mom's foul mood or just purposely ignoring it, but he admires the way his little brother presses on.

"Momma, what's the capital of the Philippines?" Teo asks.

Momma is their resident geography expert, Marine brat that she is.

"Manila, Mateo. Why?"

Teo shrugs and Asa wonders what exactly goes on in the eight-year-old's head.

"The Philippines were a Spanish colony, too," Lena speaks up. "Like Cuba and the Dominican Republic."

That piques Teo's attention; he loves hearing everything about the two Caribbean islands he claims as his own.

"Really?"

"Yep."

"¿Se habla español there, too?" [Do they speak Spanish...]

"Not as much..."

Asa listens as his sister gives the freshman year version of colonial history, focusing on his dinner to avoid the awkwardness around the table. He looks up and tries to meet his mother's eyes, but she is also studying her peas. Asa sighs, and eleven-year-old Caroline manages to give him a sympathetic smile as The Teo and Lena Show continues.

After sending Things One through Four off to bed for the night (Teo and Caroline to sleep, Lena and Asa to chat/call/text/whatever teenagers are doing these days), Callie and Arizona head out to the back porch to enjoy the summer evening with a couple of beers. They sit in adjacent chairs around the patio table and discuss the meaningless details of their day and the logistics of four very active kids, until Callie decides to press the real issue plaguing their family at the moment.

"Let's talk about Asa."

Arizona sets her beer down and crosses her arms over her chest.

"Come on, Arizona, you had to have seen this coming."

"We see hurricanes coming; that doesn't mean we like it when they make landfall."

Callie grins at her east coast tropical metaphor but quickly smothers it. This is serious and scary, she knows, especially to Arizona.

"And why aren't you freaking out about this? You're the one who thought I was a terrible person for thinking George O'Malley enlisting was awesome."

"You're only going to hear this from me once but: you were right then."

Arizona barely manages a smile at that.

"Look what happened to George. He wasn't killed in combat; he died right here on the streets of Seattle. If we're really scared of anything ever happening to him, we'd lock him in a bubble. Plus, we're not at war in the same way now," Callie continues. "Not in the same numbers."

"There are still combat zones, and he'd serve in them."

"Probably yes. But like you said, you thought George enlisting in wartime was awesome."

"O'Malley wasn't my son!" She takes a deep breath, calming herself. "I love the Marines, Callie, I do. I probably always will, because Semper Fi is like an incurable disease. But they have taken a lot away from me. They took away any chance I had at a normal, stable childhood. They took my dad away on long assignments or kept him away for long hours, stateside. They took my brother. Danny was that same way, like it is impossible to be a Robbins without being a Marine. I won't let them take my baby boy the way they took Danny."

"There's nothing we can really do to stop him," Callie points out the painful truth. "Dad's already made a call to the Senator, and you know the Colonel will put in a good word for him."

"Your dad already called the Senator?"

"He's a big tax payer and leader in the hospitality industry."

Arizona rolls her eyes; only Carlos Torres buys a hotel merely because it is in a city where his grandchildren live. She's pretty sure she did a good old-fashioned jaw drop when he announced his plans at Teo's christening eight years ago.

"Plus, your dad is totally the reason this is even happening."

"I'm going to kill him."

"Even if we could keep him out of the Academy, he'd just sign up as soon as he was eighteen. At least this way he'll be an officer."

"Look at you, all down with military policy."

"I actually listened to his proposal," Callie says pointedly.

Arizona makes a face, clearly not liking getting called out on this.

"I can't. I just can't," Arizona deflates, and it kills her wife to see the fight leave her. "And I can't understand how you can."

"He's just like you," Callie says gently.

Arizona rolls her eyes again and shakes her head.

"No, don't do that. He is. And he's not going to give up on this, no matter what. But it's going to tear him apart if his momma's not on his side."

"I am on his side; I just prefer that that side not be the Marines."

"I don't think we get that choice. Listen to him. Please? It's so well thought out, and he's really done his research. Let's sit down and listen, and then we'll have a conversation. Because right now? You're kinda being a brat."

Arizona huffs. Callie shrugs; after twenty years together, she's certainly not afraid to call it like she sees it.

"You are. You're worse than Cari right now. The silent treatment. Really?"

"I'm scared; why aren't you scared?"

"I am. But ignoring the problem until he ships off to Annapolis in two years isn't going to stop him from going, and it's only going to make us all miserable."

Arizona pouts a little, and Callie sighs, affectionately, at how a mother of four can still pull the puppy dog pout like a pro.

"I hate it when you're the rational one."

Callie laughs, leaning over to kiss her cheek.

"Then put on your big girl panties, and tomorrow it can be your turn to be the rational one."

Arizona snorts a laugh of acquiescence, picking her beer up off the patio table and taking a swig.

"Okay. Tomorrow. When?"

"Caroline is spending the night with Cristina and Owen, and I bet we could convince Teddy to take Lena and Teo for dinner at least. They just got back tonight, so they'll all want to catch up. Dinner, the three of us. Sound like a plan?"

"Okay."

Asa awakens in the middle of the night to his madre sitting on the edge of his bed. He briefly wonders if he's dreaming, or if he somehow woke up six instead of sixteen, but he shakes himself awake and asks:

"Mami, what are you doing?"

"I had a nightmare."

"Isn't that what Momma is for?" Asa asks, groggily, scooting over so she has a little more room. She's looking at him like she wants to gather him up and rock him like when he was a baby, and that's more than a little disconcerting.

"I can't tell your mother this one."

"Why?"

"Because it's about you."

"Mami..." Asa sighs sadly, sitting up.

"It used to terrify me, every time you'd ask your Grandpa about the Marines , or do 'PT' in the backyard, or read another book of military history. I wanted to steal you away and wrap you in bubble wrap and make you a ballerina or something."

"Well, you got Teo."

"His preferred title for the week is 'dancemaster'."

Asa shakes his head at his beloved little brother's silliness.

"So what changed your mind?"

"Time, and accepting the inevitable, and a lot of long talks with your Grammy. And offers to bribe Grandpa into telling you not to join the Marines."

"With Grammy, hm? She's pretty convincing."

"She is. She told me if she could do it all over again, she wouldn't keep Danny from putting on that uniform. Because without that uniform, without being a Marine, he wasn't the Danny she knew. It was a part of him. ¿Pienses que es parte de ti?" [Do you think it's part of you?]

"Sí, Mami. Estoy seguro." [Yes, Mami. I'm sure.]

"Me, too," Callie sighs. "Your momma and I want to have dinner with you tomorrow. Just the three of us."

Asa fights down the nerves that accompany the idea of that conversation.

"Uncle Mark is taking me to the Mariners game."

"Oh, right."

"But it's an afternoon game, Mami. I can make sure I'm home for dinner," he quickly finishes, unable to deny her her peacemaking efforts.

"Gracias, mi amor."

"¿Estás bien, Mami?" [Are you okay, Mami?]

Callie shakes herself out of her haze and leans down to kiss his cheek, making him feel six all over again.

"I'm good. Sleep tight."

"Night, Mami."

"Hey, Acer, brought you two hotdogs and a Coke. I miss anything good?"

"Two groundouts," Asa shakes his head disdainfully, adjusting his Mariners' cap over his buzz cut.

"Really? What the hell, guys?" Mark yells at their team, for good measure, as he sits down next to his godson.

"Thanks, Uncle Mark," Asa says around a mouthful of hotdog.

"It's in the godfather contract," Mark shrugs. "'Must feed godchild when in custody'."

Asa laughs. "Good to know."

"So, I hear things are getting pretty serious between you and Katie."

Asa chokes a little on his soda, eyes widening.

"Um, yes?"

"I just, uh, wanted to tell you to be careful. Do you know about protection and-"

"Uncle Mark, please, stop," Asa eeks out. This is just going to be the day of awkward, uncomfortable conversations, then. "Mami's got it covered; we've talked about it. A lot. Too much."

"You sure? 'Cause if you ever want a, uh, male perspective, you just let me know. Pretty sure that one's in the contract, too."

"I'll keep that in mind," Asa says, shifting uncomfortably. "Thanks."

"I'm also, as her uncle, obligated to say that if you hurt her, I will have to kill you. And if you knock her up, they will not find the pieces of your body. That last part is from Derek. You know I love you too much; I'd make it quick and painless."

"Okay."

"Alright. Pass me the peanuts. Did you see what those girls did to my little boy? Bright blue finger- and- toenails! Just in time for summer workouts for football."

"Baby Grey did that to himself, and no one doubts he will still crush people on the football field," Asa promises, relaxing with the changed topic.

"He told me last night that 'masculinity is a construct'," Mark sighs, earning a chuckle from his godson. "What the hell does that even mean?"

"That's Lena's doing. And it means that he can get a mani/pedi and still be a badass safety and cornerback."

"I don't see your nails painted."

"I'll go out and do it tomorrow if it'll make you feel better. Do you think red or pink better complements my skin tone?"

Asa holds a hand, dirty with ballpark grit, up against his face, wiggling the fingers playfully.

"Red. Definitely," Mark grins, taking a swig of his beer. "They're gonna kick your ass for that in the Marines."

Asa shrugs. "What don't they kick your ass for in the Marines?"

Mark smiles and affectionately punches Asa's shoulder.

"Wanna know a secret?" Asa asks.

"Yeah."

"The Colonel gets pedicures once a month. Gram makes him."

"No, he does not!"

Asa nods affirmatively.

"Does he like them?"

The teenager shrugs, turning his attention to the field as their designated hitter slams one towards center. It looks like it has the possibility of escaping the wall, and he and godfather half-stand in anxious anticipation.

It falls neatly into the Oakland A's centerfielder's glove.

They deflate, sitting back down.

"Gonna be a long road to October," Mark sighs.

Asa pulls the brim of his cap low over his eyes, sighing in agreement. That is if he survives tonight in order to make it to October.

When Asa gets home, it's just his mami waiting. Momma had a surgery go long, and the younger three are out for the night: Caroline to her godmother's, Lena and Teo to the Altman-Tate residence for a dinner and movie night.

"How'd they do?" Callie asks as Asa plops down at the bar.

He grabs the baseball cap off his head and rubs at his buzzed hair.

"Not great at all. Munchkins out?"

"For the night."

"So Momma has time to hide the body?"

"No. I won't let her kill you," Callie promises, attention on the stirfry.

"I guess that's the outcome she's trying to avoid," Asa quips, clearly nervous.

Callie's head pops up, and she points warningly at him with the spatula.

"Don't you joke about that," she orders.

"Sorry, Mami," he says contritely.

It's odd to see him to shaken up. He's pretty fearless in most situations, but upsetting his momma seems to be one of the few situations that unnerves him.

"Wash up and set the table, okay? Your mom is on her way home now."

"Yes, ma'am."

He grabs all of the necessary supplies and starts to set the table with an unconscious military precision. While many of his habits purposefully mimic military behavior learned and copied from his grandfather, setting the table with near perfect symmetry was just how their momma had taught them.

Callie turns off the stove and dumps everything into a bowl for serving. The dryer buzzes back in the laundry room, and she goes to retrieve it.

Asa looks up when the door to the garage opens and freezes when he sees his mother. Arizona gives him a gentle smile and drops her stuff on the table by the door. She walks over purposefully and wraps her arms around his middle. His strong arms come around her automatically and hold on tight as she buries her face in his shoulder.

"I'm scared, Asa," she whispers and squeezes him even harder.

"Momma..." he says, voice getting tight.

"I don't want to lose another boy I love."

"I know, Momma. I'm sorry."

He's so tall by now that he towers over her and Callie. It's just one of the many things about him that reminds her of Danny. Her little brother quickly surpassed her in height and never let her forget it, constantly manhandling her the same way she'd pushed him around when they were younger. For not the first time, she thinks about how much her brother and her babies would have adored each other. Asa, especially.

"I'm scared, too," her (not so) little boy says softly, clinging to her.

Arizona pushes away gently and takes his face in her hands.

"You don't have to do this."

"But I want to. It feels right."

"I know," Arizona says sadly, pushing up to kiss his cheek. "You wouldn't be my little man if you didn't."

"Not so little anymore."

"One knife in your mother's heart at a time, okay?"

"Yes, ma'am," Asa grins. "We don't even know if I'll get in."

Arizona smiles wanly at her eldest.

"Oh, you'll get in." She studies his beloved face just a few seconds longer before releasing him and saying: "I don't love this, but I love you, and I'm proud of you, Asa."

"Thank you, Momma."

"Okay. Tell me your plan. Make the pitch."

"We should wait for Mami."

"Mami's here," Callie calls from behind them, wiping unsubtly at her eyes.

Arizona pokes her son's hip. "Go hug your madre; she's leaking."

Asa grins and walks over to hug Callie tight.

"Told you she wouldn't kill you," she whispers in his ear.

"Eres muy sabia, Mami," [You're very wise,] Asa jokes as she rests her head on his shoulder.

"Come have dinner before I eat it all. It smells great."

Callie rolls her eyes at Asa and lets him go, following Arizona to the table.

"I'm gonna go get my papers," Asa calls as he heads for the stairs.

"Hi, honey, how are you? Long time no see," Callie teases, getting a quick kiss from her wife. She leans in and whispers so their retreating son can't hear her. "Thank you."

"I get to be the rational one, remember? You're doing pretty well at the crazy, hysterical one," Arizona smiles gently, reaching up to wipe at the few tears that escaped Callie's earlier attempts to clean herself up.

"I had an excellent example of it yesterday."

Arizona sticks her tongue out and kisses her again, briefly.

"I'm still scared."

Callie squeezes her hand as they seat themselves around the table.

"Oo, I'm going to take Teo's seat," Callie announces, excited at the idea of usurping the usually strict seating arrangements. More seriously, Callie turns to Arizona. "I'm scared, too. But all we can do now is listen to him. And pray."

"Call the priest," Arizona says shakily.

"I know your brother died in duty, but your dad didn't. Nothing is set in stone."

"I know. I just can't imagine what it will be like to be without him."

"Things will definitely change around here," Callie notes. She brings Arizona's hand to her lips. "But we had four for a reason, right? Totally interchangeable. It's okay if we lose one."

"Gee, thanks, Ma," Asa calls from the bottom of the stairs as Arizona smacks Callie playfully.

"No, they're each irreplaceable," Arizona insists as Asa comes over and sits next to her.

"Thank you, Momma. I'm so telling Teo you said that," he directs to his madre, setting the papers on table next to his plate.

"You wouldn't dare," Callie fakes being scandalized.

"Alright, let's eat now. We'll hear the sales pitch once we're full of this yummy dinner. Is that okay?"

Asa nods.

"Good," Arizona says firmly, finally. "Alright, so, how did this afternoon go? Did we win?"

"No. But I think I talked Uncle Mark into getting a pedicure..."

el fin