Title: Back at One
Author(s): y0ungalaska & BrennaAimee
Rating: Ranging from PG to M
Disclaimer: The characters belong to Shonda Rhimes and ABC. We own nothing but our ideas.
Summary: "It's so incredible, the way things work themselves out and all emotional once you know what it's all about."
A/N: I just want to say that I dreamed of this fic one night, and I went a few days just putting it off until I couldn't anymore. BrennaAimee has gladly joined on to co-write with me, which I can not be more happy about. I appreciate her time, patience and input. I hope that we can do this fic justice and I hope that you all will understand the journey that we're trying to take you on.
A/N 2: I'm so glad to finally be co-writing with one of my best friends y0ungalaska. She told me about this dream she had had and I loved the idea. We often talk about fics together and read each others fics/chapters before they are posted and this time when this was done she let me 'play' with the chapter and we began to brainstorm. It soon turned into a co-written fic. Its an honor to write with a writer as amazing as she is. I know this story may seem like a slow start just stick with it. I think it will be well worth it.
Back At One
Callie Torres watched as a moving truck pulled up to the house next door. 'New neighbors?' she questioned silently as she worked in her front yard. Trying not to pay too much attention, she noticed a tall man exit the driver's side. As he ran around the truck, he opened the passenger side door and waited as a woman stepped out. She smiled at him so lovingly; Callie couldn't help but to smile as well.
The two were unloading boxes for most of the afternoon, sporadically giving light kisses to one another and playfully flirting. Definitely new love, Callie thought to herself as she rose to her feet and wiped her hands on the towel draped over her shoulder.
Walking into the house, she called for her husband, "Javi!" Making her way through the house, she called out again, "Javier!" Moments later, her husband flew around the corner, "What? What's wrong, babe?"
Callie stifled a giggle, "Nothing is wrong. We just have new neighbors."
Javier let out a sigh as his shoulders dropped. "You can't do that to me, baby. I thought something was seriously wrong."
Callie made her way over to him, snaking her hands around his waist, "I'm sorry. I'll remember that next time. You know how I get when we have new neighbors."
"Yeah, unfortunately, I do. New neighbors mean cooking the best food, meeting new people, and all of that. Please tell me we don't have to have a party this time?" He pleaded with his wife.
"No, no party this time," she shook her head, releasing her grip on him, "but I do want to cook a little something and bring it over. Hopefully, they'll be a little nicer than our last neighbors."
Callie made her way into the kitchen, looking through first the fridge and then the cabinets. Their last neighbors were anything but nice. When Callie had showed up on their doorstep with a welcome to the neighborhood gift, the man simply looked her up and down, smirked, and closed the door in her face. Needless to say, they didn't last very long and were out faster than they had arrived. Good thing too, Callie thought to herself, because there were some weird things going on in that house. She just couldn't pin-point exactly what they were.
"Hey, baby!" she shouted while bending down to reach a couple things at the bottom of the fridge, "Did we use the last of the vanilla?"
"I'll go to the store!" he called back before she heard the front door shut behind him.
Arizona busied herself with unpacking a few boxes while her husband, James, was out picking up a few sorted things for their new house. Taking a moment to herself, she looked around her new surroundings and smiled. It was time for a new beginning, new friends, new relationships and hopefully, a new start.
There was a lot of history in their last town, a lot of people that Arizona really didn't want to leave, but when James had explained the situation to her, she had all but jumped at the chance. Change, It was what they both needed. Arizona knew in her heart that if they could just get away from the old life, the old memories, that everything would be okay. Yes, she and James would make it.
She smiled to herself as she sorted the books on her bookshelf. The doorbell rang and she called out, "James, the front door is open!" There was no answer. Again, the doorbell rang out and she finally placed the object in her hand on the table and made her way to the front door. She put her hand on the knob and twisted it pulling it open quickly and pasting a smile on her face.
She opened the door to come face to face with a smiling Latina woman. She took in the woman's appearance quickly; she was taller than herself, short bouncy raven locks, and a megawatt smile. The woman was holding a pie in her hand and quickly shifted her weight nervously.
"Hi, I'm Callie. I live next door and I saw you moving in earlier." The woman rambled.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Arizona." The blonde smiled brightly, glad to see she had a friendly neighbor. Maybe I can have a friend here, Arizona though as she extended her hand to Callie. Callie balanced her pie on one hand and reached to reciprocate Arizona's inviting gesture.
"Please, come in but excuse the mess. I was just unpacking."
"Not a problem. I have lived next door for two years and seen people in and out of this house. I try to make them feel welcome, but I've never made it past the threshold."
"Well allow me to give you the tour, and maybe get to know a little about you." Arizona stepped back and gestured her hand for Callie to walk in. Callie obliged and followed her. Arizona again looked down toward Callie's hand and remembered the pie she generously brought over.
"Let me get that for you, thank you so much for bringing it. It looks amazing, do you mind me asking what it is?"
"Well of course not, if you're planning to eat it." Callie laughed. "It's a Kahlua cheese cake, my absolute favorite. It's a family recipe so it has a little something extra thrown in."
"I can't wait to taste it. You made it, so you must have a piece." Arizona looked around for the box labeled 'kitchen', but doesn't see it. Callie, seeing the puzzled shifty eyed confusion, quickly rushed to redirect her.
"How about we have that later? You and your husband can come to the house. I would love to introduce you both to Javier, my husband."
"That sounds wonderful Callie. Thank you so much, again. I was worried about moving here and not meeting many new people. With me not being in work until I can transition, I didn't think I would meet many new people."
"Is that so? What is it that you do?"
"I'm a real estate agent for Harper and Harper. What is it that you do?"
"I'm a mediator downtown."
"How is that?"
"Honestly, I love it. I couldn't think of a better job. I love settling disputes and when people are fired up, my immediate response is to fix it. The skill comes in handy plenty."
"I can imagine so. It sounds like something useful." Arizona heard the front door open and became wide eyed.
"James, honey, we have company." She yelled through the house rushing to meet her husband in what would soon become the living room area. Callie rose to her feet and followed the perky blonde into the next room. She looked at the tall man she saw getting out of the moving truck earlier. James looked at Callie and reached out to shake her hand. The first thing Callie noticed was his light brown eyes, so warm and friendly. He wrapped his arm around his wife and she smiled lovingly looking up at him.
"You two are so cute together, new love?"
"We have been married for six months, but together about two years." James answered dipping down to place a gentle kiss on his wife's cheek. "Are you married, Callie?"
"Yes, I am, my husband and I live next door in the brick two story. I just invited you and Arizona to the house to enjoy the pie I brought over since I see you haven't had the time to unpack your kitchen stuff yet. It would be great to get to know the new neighbors. Arizona hasn't accepted yet, so would you like to come to the house? I can cook dinner; you won't have to bring anything." Callie offered showing her smile. Her neighbors already seemed nicer than the last and she would love to have a new friend like Arizona.
James looked down at Arizona, seen a bright smile on her face, and he couldn't resist. He loved seeing her happy. "That sounds great just give us a time."
"You can stop by around eight o'clock. Any food allergies I should know about?" Both James and Arizona shook their heads. Callie smiled and saw herself out of the house to prepare for a night with her new neighbors.