Callie loved sleep. A lot. She believed that there was really nothing quite like being cuddled up in a warm comfortable bed, blissfully unaware of the crap that occurred around you. In the last year she had discovered that having a certain blonde beauty snuggled up in her bed was the only way to sleep and that the only thing better than sleeping with Arizona was waking up to her.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck!"
Except for today that is.
The bed moved abruptly and Callie felt the chill of morning air assault her body, causing her to curl herself slightly to preserve her warmth. Arizona jumped up stumbling over the blankets as she got out of bed. The blankets followed her across the room, attached to her sweaty calf, giving her a difficult trek to Callie's closet and causing her to trip several more times before finally reaching her destination.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" Arizona repeated louder this time kicking the blanket back towards the bed and glaring at it as though she were expecting an apology. Callie internally rolled her eyes realizing that Arizona had probably raised her voice in order to get her attention. She turned her head in the direction Arizona's curses had come from, letting out a big yawn before opening her mouth to speak.
"What is it sweetie?" Callie asked, her voice heavy with sleep. "It is far too early for so many curse words. I didn't hear any pagers go off and I mean it's only…" She peaked one eye open to look at the clock that sat on her bedside table and studied the red illuminated numbers. "Quarter after six. We still have fifteen full minutes of quality cuddle time before we have to get up. That's why we decided to stay at my place last night instead of yours, because it's so much closer to work and we wouldn't have to wake up as early." Callie finished her statement closing the opened eye and holding her arm out to Arizona to invite her back into the comfort of the bed.
"No…it's quarter after seven!" Arizona screamed throwing a balled up pair of socks at the raised hand that was pointed at her. Instead, she hit the sleepy brunette square in the forehead.
A few seconds passed before the words actually sunk into Callie's head. She quickly sprung into sitting position eyes wide open. She could see Arizona frantically throwing clothes on before she turned towards her with an accusatory glare.
"Yeah remember how yesterday we had that whole daylight's saving's thing? We were at my place we changed all the clocks - "
"Right!" Callie exclaimed effectively cutting her off, "And I changed the one above your fire place because I'm slightly taller and not afraid to get up on a chair –"
"So not the point Calliope!" Arizona snapped. Her hands were balled into fists at her side, her jaw clenched; Callie knew she was in trouble. "The point is we have like no time to shower or caffeinate or even dress ourselves properly." She gestured wildly at herself to prove her point; "hell we don't even have time for this conversation if we intend on getting to work on time and all because you insisted on staying here! And because we didn't get in till late. We forgot change your stupid alarm clock, so now we'll probably both be stupid late, and all because you won't stupid move in with me!"
Arizona let out a grunt of frustration before slamming the closet door shut and stomping into the bathroom. She knew she was acting like a child, but at this point she couldn't care less. She picked up a toothbrush, quickly putting some toothpaste on it before placing it under the running water and stuffing into her mouth to brush her teeth.
In the bedroom Callie sighed. There was nothing worse than waking up from a peaceful sleep to an argument. She got out of bed quickly and padded her way towards the bathroom. She didn't want to be late either, but she knew that she had to fix things with Arizona first because giving the pediatric surgeon the whole day to stew would only make things worse.
"Babe…" Callie started trying to keep her voice as calm as possible. The last thing she wanted to do was start a yelling match. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes trying to think of the best way to form her next sentence. "You know I want to live with you, and I will, I just – I haven't found the perfect time to talk to Cristina about the whole moving thing." Having heard no response from Arizona she decided to hazard a look at her spotting the green toothbrush that hung from her mouth and the look of utter disbelief on her face as she pondered why Callie still wasn't dressed. "Is – are you using my toothbrush?"
Arizona let out another grunt of frustration as she held up her now longer blonde mess of curls and spat the toothpaste out of her mouth aggressively. Still hunched over the sink she turned to look at Callie blue eyes wide and dark with anger, leftover toothpaste dribbling down her chin.
"Seriously Calliope? You are seriously going to comment on the fact that I've mistakenly used your toothbrush now?" Slamming the offending item on the counter top she picked up a black hair elastic and pulled the blonde tresses back into a loose bun.
"If it bugs you that much I'll replace it. You know what? I so don't have time for this. I have to get to work and unlike you, apparently, I actually care if I'm late. Children's lives depend on me being on time, I guess you just don't really get that whole urgency thing I mean you are ortho right?" Arizona asked in a harsh tone, her arms crossed over her chest. "Fix some bones and call it a day. You don't have to worry about tiny coffins, and the mourning parents, and the poor little innocent kids who can't even get out of bed to actually be kids and – " She pointed her finger at Callie, jabbing the digit into the brunette's chest as she spoke to further make her point, "and if we had stayed at my house last night not only would we have been on time but I wouldn't have used your stupid toothbrush because mine is electric and I would have remembered so – there! " She paused realizing how ridiculous she sounded. "Fuck! I have to go."
Callie stood in the doorway utterly confused and seriously pissed off. She set her jaw and got ready for a fight. They were not going to work like this. No. Callie thought. There is no way she is leaving. Not like this. We are going to talk and be adults and –
"Get out of my way Calliope!" Arizona after quickly realizing that Callie was not going to move pushed past her and made her way back into the bedroom. She had fresh scrubs in her locker and if she was lucky she would be able to shower later on. She picked up her purse and started to head towards the front door with Callie hot on her tail.
"Hey! Arizona get back here this is not how we deal with our problems!" Callie sighed when Arizona stopped in front of the door. Maybe Arizona was finally listening to her. Looking down she noticed that blond was actually putting her shoes on. "Come on! Let's just talk about this, give me five minutes."
Arizona shook her head and turned to leave as she opened the front door. "We'll talk later. I – I just super can't do this right now." She turned to look at Callie briefly before heading out into the hallway.
"Hey wait you-" Callie was cut off by Arizona slamming the door. She sighed before quietly finishing the sentence to herself. "You have some toothpaste on your chin."
Fuck, fuck, fuck! Callie thought to herself as she headed back into her bedroom to get dressed herself. This was going to be a long day.
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Callie sat at a table in the cafeteria all by herself. She had a magazine in front of her that she was pretending to read unconvincingly. She flipped through the pages quickly not paying attention to any of the articles as though she were looking past the pages instead of at them. Lost in her thoughts she was completely oblivious to Mark approaching her table. He placed his tray on the table before speaking.
"Hey you actually reading that or just looking at the pictures?" Mark asked breaking Callie's concentration causing her to jump slightly and turn to him with an annoyed look.
"God Mark! You can't just sneak up on a person like that." Callie's said in a harsh tone that she immediately regretted it. It wasn't Mark she was mad at.
"Geez! What crawled up your ass Torres?" Mark asked picking up a French fry and stuffing it into his mouth.
"Arizona and I had a fight this morning." Callie kept her voice low looking around the cafeteria to make sure no one had heard.
"Oh, trouble in paradise huh?" Mark stuffed a few more fries in his mouth. With his mouth still full he said, "That explains why you look all dark and twisty and moody." Mark waved his hand at her and finally swallowed.
"Mark that is disgusting! God – couldn't you like chew and swallow before speaking?" She asked a confused Mark as he took a large bite of his turkey sandwich. He opened his mouth again to speak but before he could Callie raised her hand at him. "Don't, why don't you process that food first?" He rolled his eyes trying to chew faster. "Besides, since when do you say things like 'dark and twisty'? You my friend have been spending way to much time with little and big Grey and their crew."
"Whatever, it's true. So what did you two fight about anyway?"
Callie thought about it for a few seconds before she realized that she wasn't really sure. A lot of things had been said or rather yelled and it was hard to pin point one precise thing that they had fought about. Callie opened and shut her mouth a few times before sighing and letting her head fall heavily on her crossed arms that were resting on the table. "I – I don't know."
"You don't know? Callie how could you not know?" Mark asked incredulously. "You were there weren't you? Cal, how am I supposed to help you with your problems if you can't even tell me what they are?"
"I didn't ask for your help." Callie raised her head but kept the slouched position letting the table hold her up. "Besides there was so many things that were said – you know come to think of it we didn't even fight. Not really. I mean don't get me wrong there was a lot, and I mean lots, of yelling. But it was mostly just her yelling at me. I think I was too shocked and half asleep to actually fight back."
"Well then what was she yelling about?" He leaned forward on the table intrigued by the story.
"I don't know! Just like stupid things…Daylight's saving, and being late for work, and electric tooth brushes, and me making her stay at my house, and moving in together –"
"Of course!" Mark exclaimed cutting her off. "God you are such a moron sometimes Torres." Callie glared at him and he moved back quickly raising his arms in surrender. "I said sometimes. I just mean that she has been hinting at you for months now to move in with her. To her this isn't stupid Cal, she is so into you and look at you! You totally brushed off all of her insecurities by calling them 'stupid things'."
"That doesn't make sense. She was pissed because we forgot to change my alarm clock anyway that hardly has anything to do with her insecurities Mark. God, you know you are such a girl." Callie said reaching her hand over to his tray and stealing a fry, confidently popping it into her mouth.
"That's what she said it was about but women are deep Cal." Mark nodded his head while Callie looked at him like he was an idiot. "On the outside it was about the clock but on the inside, deep down, it was totally about the living situation. If you were living together then the clock would have been right, and you wouldn't have been late for work – the toothbrush thing though, that I'm having a hard time figuring out –"
"Oh my god! Mark you are so right." Callie looked at the ceiling everything clicking into place in her mind. "She thinks I'm not really in this with her. So me making her late by not changing the clock, and the not talking to Cristina thing, and my commenting on her use of my toothbrush –"
"She used your toothbrush?" Mark asked with a look of disgust.
"In her head that is just me not accepting her, not accepting us." Callie's head snapped back towards Mark, eyes wide with fear. "Oh my god Mark! I am a total moron. I have to fix this, I have to talk to her…" Call pushed her chair back and stood to leave. "I wonder if she's in her office…"
"I think I saw her name on the surgery board." Mark said with a look of sympathy on his face. "Her schedule looked pretty packed today Cal."
"Fuck!" She exclaimed. "Why does my life suck so much today?"
"Listen Callie why don't you meet me at Joe's after work? We'll have a drink, I'll coach you on what to say and then you can go talk to her."
"No offense Mark, but what on earth would make you think that I want you to coach me on what to say to my girlfriend?"
"Hey I figured out your problem didn't I?" Mark asked raising his eyebrows at her and popping the last piece of his sandwich in his mouth smugly. "Just come out with me and I'll help you figure things out. I don't want you going back in there when she has a loaded gun and you don't even have shield to protect yourself."
"Aw…my knight and shining armor." Callie said sarcasm dripping from every pore. She sighed, looking at the ground. "Maybe you're right. Meet me in the lobby when you're done. We'll go together."
Callie gave him a tight smile before heading out of the cafeteria. She had a lot of thinking to do.
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Callie walked into Joe's later that night with Mark directly behind her. She made her way to the bar deciding that a drink was definitely what she needed, especially if she was going to make it through the rest of her evening. She was in the middle of making a decision between a shot of tequila or jack's when she heard a very familiar voice beckoning her from a table on the other side of the bar. She turned around watching as Arizona waved her over to the table feeling confused and completely terrified.
"Callie over here!" Arizona bellowed, slurring slightly. "Yoohoo! Cal I'm lonely so get your cute tushy over here and keep me company!" Her dimples showed as she continued to wave Callie over holding her arm up.
"Here!" Mark said from behind her, handing her a double shot of Jack Daniel's. Callie immediately downed the shot and handed the glass back to him. He pushed her lightly towards Arizona's table whispering in her ear, "Go get her kid."
She turned slightly towards him and gave him a small smile to show her thanks before making her way towards Arizona. Arizona was obviously very drunk and Callie wondered how long exactly she had been drinking. The blonde's smile grew bigger, her dimples becoming even more prominent the closer Callie got to her.
Arizona rose from her chair deciding she was going to make her was going to make some grand speech of apology to the beautiful brunette. She however only made it two steps before tripping over her own feet and falling on her knees. Her body shook and Callie feared she was crying until she heard a loud snort escape the woman before her and she realized that Arizona was instead laughing, hysterically.
"I am such a klutz today! My ankle is so not going to be happy with me." Arizona said looking up at her girlfriend, tears running from her drunken glazed over eyes. Her stomach grumbled loudly and she was sent into another fit of laughter. "I am super hungry right now. You know I haven't eaten all day, sure did drink a lot though. Hey have you eaten? You should probably do that you know! It is super, super bad for you to not eat, especially when you're having a drink, trust me." She gave a smaller smile as she tried to stand up. She was able to get herself halfway up but when she tried to put weight on her left ankle she winced in pain and fell quickly and hard onto her backside. "Crap, crap, crap! You know what? You go a head…I'll just meet you there once I crawl my way back over to the table and pull myself up."
She started to turn herself back over to get back on to her hands and knees when Callie stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. The blonde looked up at her, brow furrowed and eyes squinting with confusion. Callie smirked at her, "here take my hand I'll help you up." She extended her hand before her still confused girlfriend and hoisted her up when Arizona grasped her hand.
Their bodies crashed into each other, hands still clasped between them. Arizona leaned slightly to the right, putting all her weight on that side as to not put too much on her hurt ankle. "Calliope…" Arizona started but she wasn't quite sure what else to say. Her mind was clouded with alcohol and lust. Their faces were mere inches from each other. Callie shivered when she felt Arizona's breaths coming out in puffs against her dry lips. Arizona tilted her head forward allowing their lips to finally touch.
The kiss was slow at first, gaining passion the longer it lasted. Callie's free hand flew to her girlfriend's cheek letting her fingers slide into silky blonde curls while her thumb caressed the pale cheek. Arizona smiled, deepening the kiss. Her left hand moved stealthily under the black leather jacked the brunette wore pulling their hips closer together, her fingers sneaking up under her deep blue top and lightly caressing the undersides of her bra clad breast. Both women moaned. She slipped her tongue lightly into Callie's mouth, her kisses tasted like gin. Arizona grabbed her bottom lip with her teeth, sucking on it before pulling back letting her teeth scrape against it before it popped free. She heard Callie whimper and smiled scratching her nails up and down the brunette's side.
She leaned in again kissing her way up Callie's jaw line making her way up to her ear. She nibbled at the lobe lightly before whispering, "I twisted my ankle today you know."
"Re-really?" Callie stuttered out.
She tried to move her hand from between their bodies the reality of the situation sinking in as she realized where they were. But Arizona only held it tighter shaking her head. She smirked and slid her hand up the flushed brunette's abdomen and under her bra placing it on her breast before flicking her thumb over the erect nipple. Before Callie knew what was happening Arizona had removed her hand and was taking a wobbly step backwards.
"Yeah, I lost control of my heelies trying to avoid you today. I was so angry and embarrassed and I knew I wouldn't be able to handle seeing you so instead I injured myself. Then the chief found me on the floor by the nurse's station huddled over in pain and tried to get me to see you but because apparently today I'm a total child I refused. So he sent me home, but I super didn't want to be there so instead I figured I would drink my weight in alcohol and make out with my girlfriend in front of all of our co-workers. Wow, I ramble…a lot…especially when I drink." Arizona leaned against the empty table behind her for support and started to shake her good leg. "I also have to pee a lot when I drink, I think maybe I have an abnormally small bladder or something. Or maybe it has something to do with the fact that I haven't actually gotten up to go to the washroom since I got here because it hurts way too much to walk on my own. Oh Calliope!" She said with a concerned look on her face. "I super hope I didn't wet myself when I fell, like super, super." She chewed her lip fear evident in her eye as she looked at Callie who burst out laughing. She was momentarily confused until she realized what it was that she had said. Her eyes grew wider, cheeks flushed with embarrassment and she lifted her hand to cover her face. "Oh...my god."
Callie continued to chuckle as she stepped towards the embarrassed pedes surgeon. She lifted her hand to Arizona's taking it away from her face. "Why don't I take you to the washroom so you can remedy that and then maybe we can head back to my place and talk about what happened this morning?"
Arizona smile her appreciation, squeezed the strong hand that held hers and nodded. "I think that would be a good idea…" She paused biting her lip before speaking again. "Do you think we could pick something up to eat though? I think I might puke if I don't get something in my stomach soon."
The brunette smiled taking the hand she held and putting it around her shoulder before placing her own hand on Arizona's waist in order to help her walk. "What ever you want."
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They had decided that considering Arizona's current condition going out to get dinner probably wasn't the best plan so instead they ordered in. They both sat on opposite ends of the couch, Arizona leaning against the arm. Her ankle was propped up on a pillow with an ice pack placed on it. There were food containers scattered all over the floor and coffee table, the living room looked as though they were having a party.
"Mmmm…. you have got to love the Chinese! They have brought us so much freaking good food." Arizona gushed taking a large bite out of an egg roll to prove her point. She closed her eyes and moaned as she chewed and swallowed. "God this is so good, y'know I have never enjoyed any Chinese quite as much as this. This is seriously good stuff Calliope."
"And you are seriously drunk." Callie chuckled. The food tasted like cardboard at best and it was far too greasy. She chuckled again when she noticed that Arizona had some plum sauce on her chin. She leaned forward making sure to watch Arizona's ankle and wiped it off. "You had a little sauce there."
Arizona let out a bark of laughter and snorted. "Thanks. You know my face must be like a magnet for crap today." She said dropping the rest of the egg roll into an empty food container. She heard her stomach gurgle and brought her hand to rub it, leaving grease marks from her finger tips on her white t-shirt.
"Oh – really?" Callie asked playing with the tips of her hair.
"Yeah. Now with the Chinese sauce and also this morning. I walked in to check on a patient when a laughing ten-year-old boy pointed out to me that I had crusty toothpaste on my chin. I was super embarrassed."
"Huh." Callie tried to be nonchalant picking the dead ends from her hair.
"You knew…?"
"No…"
Arizona shook her heard, accusing look on her face but a smirk on her lips. "Oh you totally knew!" She reached her hand into a random food container and picked up a chicken ball preparing to throw it at her girlfriend.
"Okay fine…I knew… and if you hadn't slammed the door in my face this morning I would have been able to tell you. "
Arizona looked down at her lap guiltily, placing the chicken ball back into a random container and picking a piece of lint off her sweatpants. "I'm sorry about that Calliope." Arizona said looking up at her girlfriend and meeting her soulful eyes. "I was such a butthead this morning. I took my frustration about being late on you. I had no right to treat you that way or say those hurtful things. I am such a jerk!"
"No, Arizona you're not a jerk…I mean yes some of the things you said were hurtful like dismissing what I do as an orthopedic surgeon, brushing it off like it's so easy." Arizona winced at Callie's words. Had she really said those things? "But I've hurt you a lot lately too and I've been brushing your feelings aside. So I guess we both haven't been very nice to each other."
Blue eyes filled with tears and Arizona looked anywhere but at Callie.
"Listen…Arizona you mean the world to me and I know I don't tell or show you that enough and I'm going to work on that. I want you to know that I'm in this too. I want to move in together. I want to have spats over what colour to paint the living room, and see all of my clothes hanging in the closet next to yours. I want to wake up early Sunday mornings and make you breakfast without having to wake you up because I have no clue where the pans are. I want to come home to you asleep on the couch with a book on your face because you were waiting up for me after a long shift at work. And I want to fill our walls with pictures of the moments we share together."
Arizona wiped the tears from her eyes. "I want that too Calliope, more than anything." She moved forward with the intent of kissing the woman she loved when she was hit by a shock of pain. "Ouch!"
"Baby, be careful." Callie warned. She picked the ice pack off of Arizona's ankle and leaned forward a bit to inspect it. "The swelling has gone down a lot, you shouldn't be out of commission for too long." She placed the ice pack on the table next to her empty can of diet coke, the ankle had been iced for long enough. She got on her knees on the floor and moved towards her girlfriend on the other end of the couch. "I love you Ari." Callie smiled leaning in to kiss the lips she had been craving since they had left Joe's.
"Love you too Cal…mmm…scrub cap." Arizona mumbled.
"What?" Callie asked.
"In my purse! Could you go get it for me?" Her face was bright as she beamed with excitement.
Callie walked across the cluttered room to pick up the purse. She walked back into the living room depositing it in Arizona's lap and making her way back to the side of the couch she had previously been occupying. The blonde reached into her purse and took out a balled up piece of fabric and throwing it at the brunette. Callie picked it up and inspected it. She looked up at her girlfriend who still wore a big smile her dimples very prominent.
"It's a scrub cap…." Callie started her voice full of confusion. "With…lemons on it…?"
"Yeah, it's a peace offering!" She clapped her hands together excitedly. "It's supposed to be funny, you know, lemons because I put you in a sour mood…get it? It's funny right?"
"Hilarious." Callie replied sarcastically. Arizona's face fell, a frown on her lips. "And it's completely adorable. I love it."
Callie felt relief run through her and she smiled when she saw excitement fill Arizona's face once more. Arizona's stomach grumbled loudly and she lifted her hand to rub her stomach again.
"I'm starting to think that eating this much greasy food after drinking as much as I did and not eating all day was a super, super bad idea." She groaned closing her eyes and praying for her stomach to stop hating her.
"Feeling sick?"
Arizona nodded her head and Callie got to her feet moving back to where her sick girlfriend sat. She helped her stand putting her arm around her waist to support her weight as she started to lead them both to her bedroom.
"I think it's time for bed babe." Callie kissed the blondes cheek. "And tomorrow I will make you breakfast in bed and I will talk to Cristina about the moving."
"Calliope I love you. You are the best girlfriend anyone could have and I am so lucky to have you."
Callie helped her girlfriend change and got them both into bed. She laid on her back with Arizona cuddled up to her. Her head was in the crook of Callie's neck, arm draped over her waist, their legs entwined. Arizona snored lightly, which made Callie smile.
"I love you too Ari." Callie whispered kissing the top of the blonde curls that rested on her shoulder. For the second time that day Callie felt content as she realized how much she loved sleeping with Arizona.
End