It was New Year's Eve, and Callie was at Joe's with Mark, Lexie, Meredith, Derek, and Cristina. Hunt had had to work much to Cristina's disappointment. They all had taken shots, and enjoyed each other's company, but Callie was constantly distracted. Something that had not gone unnoticed by Mark.
"Hey, you alright?" Mark asked as he noticed Callie look towards the front door once again.
"What?" came her natural response. "Oh, yeah. No, I'm good."
Mark didn't really buy it, but decided to let it go. As time passed, and it got closer to midnight Callie had noticed how packed the bar had gotten. She also remembered what she had been told. So with 5 minutes to midnight she got up from her seat.
"I'll be back guys," she said.
"Alright, make sure you're back by midnight," Mark said not wanting Callie to be alone. She'd been a little gloomy lately. She just mumbled, "uhuh," as she headed to the bar. She stood at the spot, their spot, and she waited. She kept nervously looking around.
Where could she be?
Christmas Eve (1 week earlier)
Callie was on her fourth tequila shot, and Mark was concerned. He knew all about getting trashed on Christmas, but usually it was with the idea of picking up someone to get laid. Lexie was working all night so there was no chance in getting laid tonight... well maybe she could get away for a little awhile. They could sneak off to an on-call room and she could give him a Christmas gift a few hours early.
"Mark!" Callie said, pulling his attention back to her. "Were you even listening to me?"
"Sorry," he said, shrugging. "I zoned out for a second there. Miami was a bust. The holiday party with your family sounds awful."
"Yeah. It was just me telling everybody including my distant relatives 'No, no kids. No I'm not married, no, no boyfriend either.' They don't even care that I'm a successful surgeon. It's just about how successful can you marry, and it doesn't help that Aria has her perfect husband with his perfect hair and perfect teeth," Callie ended her rant and shot back another shot of tequila. She signaled to Joe for another, but Mark used his hand to signal no, and mouthed water which Joe understood. Callie hadn't been able to get Christmas day off this year and so her dad had insisted that she come for a holiday get together with the family. Callie had agreed. She loved her family, but sometimes they could make her feel bad about herself, even if they did so unintentionally.
"Well cheer up! It's the happiest time of the year," he said as he heard the Christmas music playing in the background.
"It's the suckiest time of the year," Callie grumbled.
Callie and Mark chatted away, him trying to keep a cheerful mood, but when he felt a wall hit, he thought maybe it was time to take Callie home, and then to go see Lexie.
"Callie, I need to say goodnight to Lexie. How about I take you home first?" Mark suggested.
"No, just leave me here," Callie said as she took a swig of water, then scowling when she realized it was still water. This was the third time she had asked Joe to bring her a shot, and every time it had been water. She was not a child! She knew how to hold her liquor! "I'll be fine," she sighed.
"How bout you wait for me here, and then we'll go back together alright?" Mark asked. He really wanted to make sure Callie got home alright.
"Yeah, I'll wait for you here," Callie said. She wasn't ready to go back to her empty apartment.
"Alright, I'll be back soon," Mark said. Then he left to go "check" on Lexie.
"Joe, can I please have another drink besides water?" Callie asked.
"You've already had quite a bit," Joe countered.
"Oh come on! You know I can handle much more than that," she argued back.
"True, but you drank them pretty fast."
"How about I finish my water, and then you give me one of your spiked eggnogs?" Callie asked. She knew another drink wouldn't kill her, and she knew Joe had been really excited to have people drink his "famous" eggnog recipe.
"Alright fine, I'll get it for you, but finish your water," He said. Then turned to fetch the nog.
"Is this seat taken?" Callie heard someone ask. She turned to face the voice and was surprised to find a very beautiful blonde with a pair of mesmerizing blue eyes starring back at her.
"No. Please. Have a seat," Callie said, turning her attention to the woman. She took a quick moment to admire her. She was dressed in a blue top which really made those eyes pop, while also highlighting her cleavage, and a pair of jeans that hugged her body tightly.
"I was surprised to see so many people out on Christmas Eve," the stranger said.
"Yeah, it's mostly doctors and nurses I think," Callie said.
"Does that make you a doctor or a nurse?"
"I'm a doctor. Surgeon actually," Callie said, while she noticed the blonde's face break out into a wide grin. Callie was immediately taken with the woman's dimples.
"What's your specialty?" the blonde asked with genuine interest.
"Ortho," Callie answered, and at that moment Joe brought her her eggnog.
"Hey, could I have one of those too?" the woman asked as she laid bills down on the bar. Enough to cover her and Callie's drinks.
"On me," she added.
"Sure thing," Joe answered as he went to go get her drink.
"Well thank you," Callie said.
"You're welcome. You could say, I'm having a good day. I just accepted a job offer, and now I'm going to be enjoying a drink with a beautiful woman," the blonde said, and Callie couldn't help but blush a little. It was lame, but she enjoyed the compliment none the less. Joe quickly set down Arizona's drink and then left to go continue taking orders.
"Congratulations," Callie said raising her glass.
"Thank you Callie," the mystery woman said.
"How'd you know my name?" Callie asked.
"I heard the guy who was sitting here," came the reply.
"Well that's not fair. You know my name, but I don't know yours," Callie said in almost a whine, making the blonde chuckle who then leaned in close, lowering her voice.
"That's all a part of my mystic."
Now it was Callie's turn to chuckle.
"I see. You like the mystery," Callie asked.
"It can make things interesting can't it?" the mystery woman Callie had a chance to respond, they heard a chiming come from the blonde's purse. She pulled out her purse, and then her phone, quickly sliding across the screen.
"Shoot. I'm sorry, I didn't realize how late it was getting and I have to go. I have a plane to catch," she said, and she noticed Callie's smile falter just a little bit. She knew that Callie was as disappointed as she was that their evening was coming to and end. She stood up to leave. "Um, listen though. I really was looking forward to talking to you, and so if you really want to know the mystery behind my name, meet me right here, at this end of the bar, on New Years Eve. Right before midnight."
"Midnight huh?" Callie asked smirking. She couldn't help but admire how smooth the other woman was.
"Yeah, I promise you won't be disappointed," The woman added with a wink as she took a few steps back, moving towards the front door. "Merry Christmas Callie," she said before leaving, the last thing she heard was Callie wishing her a Merry Christmas.
Present
Callie blew out a long puff of air as she allowed her frustration to hit. She was likely waiting on someone who wouldn't show, and she knew she should have seen the woman's suaveness as a bad sign. She heard the count down begin. She plastered a smile on her face, not wanting anyone to tell she was already having a bad night.
10, 9...
Callie was looking forward to drinking over being stood up. At least she hadn't mentioned to anyone that she was planning on meeting someone here. She didn't need those pity eyes starring at her.
"3! 2! 1! Happy New Year!" the bar chanted before going berserk with cheers, and whistles. Callie looked around her and saw many other patrons engaging in their New Years kiss. It caused Callie's smile to falter for a second, then she had to more forcefully smile when her friends started wishing her a happy new year.
"Happy New Year you guys!" Callie yelled to be heard over the chatter of the bar. Her New Year was already off to a poor start, but she quickly decided she was going to pull up her metaphorical big girl pants, and get this New Year back on track. She had to believe that this would be a good year.
She took a seat at the bar, and signaled to Joe for a drink, and when he acknowledged that he saw her Callie allowed herself to slump a little in her chair.
"Hey Callie," Callie turned around to see the mystery woman, simply dressed, and with her suit case in tow. "You look really beautiful."
Callie just starred at her, and the other woman got nervous, knowing she probably blew it. She couldn't describe what had happened, but the entire time she had been in Colorado visiting her parents for the holiday's, she hadn't been able to stop thinking about the brunette. She felt butterflies, and it's why she had been so angry that her flight back to Seattle had been delayed, and why she had rushed straight from the airport to Joe's. She had desperately wanted to make it before midnight, but just hadn't been able to manage it.
"I am so so sorry for being late," the woman began. "My flight back was delayed, and-and I came straight here from the airport, so I'm sorry that I look like crap, and I hope you didn't think I stood you up," off of Callie's raised brow the blonde continued even more flustered, "I mean, not stood up because it wasn't a date, but I mean, I did tell you to meet me here before midnight, and it's after midnight now, so, yeah. I'm, I'm sorry," she finished, before nervously chewing on her lower lip.
She couldn't take the look that Callie was giving her, but she noticed the woman slowly break into a smile.
"You don't look like crap. You look beautiful," Callie said sincerely, and the other woman blushed. Callie loved the woman's rambling because it was the first time she hadn't come off as completely suave and smooth. She seemed nervous, and Callie found that endearing. There were no other chairs available in the busy bar, and so Callie rose from her chair to stand with Arizona.
"I have 2 questions for you?" Callie said.
"Okay," the woman said while nodding.
"Where did you accept your job offer?"
"Seattle Grace! I'm a PEDs surgeon," she said with a grin, making Callie's face also break out into another brilliant smile while she lightly shook her head. Of course! A group of people made their way towards the bar, and it crowded Callie and the PEDs surgeon, and so the blonde took Callie's hand and led her away to another section of the bar, dragging both Callie and her suit case.. When she found a less crowded area for them to stand she turned back to face Callie.
"And to answer your other question, my name is Arizona. Arizona Robbins."
"Well Arizona, it's nice to meet you," Callie said while holding out her hand, but Arizona didn't take it, instead she broke out into a sly smile.
"Nice to meet you too, Callie. And I'm sorry you missed your midnight kiss, but I promise I'll make it up to you."
Before Callie could ask how, she noticed Arizona point up, and when she turned her head towards the ceiling she spotted it. The mistletoe.
"Smooth," Callie said, her dazzling smile once again on full display. Arizona chose that moment to lean in for her kiss. It ended too soon for Callie's taste, but she still had that smile.
"Welcome to Seattle Grace," Callie said, and then she took the opportunity to kiss Arizona. This kiss being much less chaste.
Arizona couldn't help but think that she would really love living in Seattle, and Callie couldn't help but think that if she was lucky, maybe she'd get her midnight kiss next year.
AN: It's not exactly what I planned, but I've written so many versions of this, and so I thought I'd finally post one of them. For anyone who reads my other stories, I'm on break, and so hopefully I can post chapters for For Love and the Game and Wanted PII shortly!