AN1: Thanks for the reviews /comments. Yes I did F that one up w/ the twins. I'll be as accurate as I can be but I'm merely mortal, however I appreciate the feedback tremendously!

AN2: I plan on making up lots of characters along the way to bring out more in the main characters. Sit tight

DISCLAIMER - I don't own the Grey's Anatomy characters !

Chapter 2 – Birthday Haircuts

Landing in Boston was bitter sweet. It was essentially the beginning and ending of so much for the nearly 30 year old: the final year of her surgical residency at MGH, the beginning of her countdown to deployment, the last year in the USA, but most importantly, right now, her last night of her twenties. She needed this night to devoid any and all wicked thoughts that had been plaguing her, she needed to see her friends, and she needed to forget everything else that made the world spin.

Stepping out of the secured area of Logan airport she was greeted by several of her closest friends holding a giant poster board saying "HAPPY BDAY Z!"

"ZONNNAAAA!" An over thrilled and clearly over caffeinated Teddy Altman sprinted full speed towards Arizona.

"Ouffff", jumping into Arizona's arms, "Uh, Hi Teddy." She quietly replied.

"Happy Birthday Z, I've missed you like crazy! Not to mention, I've been worried! You look too skinny and sober, let's go to a bar STAT." Teddy said into her best friend's ear as Arizona let her down onto her own feet.

It was spot-on, Teddy was genuinely concerned for her best friend Arizona. Since everything happened, Arizona distanced herself from Teddy, and now, she was moving in with her, again. But she did not think much of the blonde's distant and cold behavior as it was just her coping mechanism. Typical military brat behavior that Teddy also adopted from childhood.

Arizona smiled back, for maybe the first time in these seven days, except for – No, Robbins, SNAP, OUT – "Yee-ESSSS, OW! What the, OW! Andrew? REAL-OWWW, Cut the OW". Rubbing her arm, Andrew was now delivering their traditional birthday punches to his fellow friend.

"Aww, suck it up soldier, I'm not even close to getting warm. Happy. *PUNCH* Birthday. *PUNCH* Arizo-AHHH!"

Within an instant, Andrew's right arm was grabbed by Arizona's left hand and twisted behind his back, causing the man to cringe down to his knees. "Say it, SAY IT" commanded the blonde.

"OKAY! OKAY! BOLOGNA SHORTS!"

The group of them laughed while the crowd at baggage claim looked at them all like they were obnoxious teenagers who required parental supervision and Adderall. If they only knew the story of the bologna shorts.

"Happy Birthday Z!"

"Thank you Henry. See, a normal, GROWN man can say it, why must you abuse me in order to say it?" The blonde said turning towards the man massaging his bicep.

"Crap! It's already 2200 hours – Z we have to get the hell out of here and celebrate the last 120 minutes of your twenties. I hope you are ready for this soldier."

A devilish smirk left Teddy's lips chased with a wink which indicated that she had more than a casual night of drinking planned for the four of them. Arizona didn't even bother changing from her Navel dress uniform, she knew it only increased her chances of getting laid by 100%. And that's exactly what she needed after whathersface did merely seven days earlier.

They all piled into a cab and headed to their old stomping grounds for what seemed like a night on the town to all their old favorite dives. It only seemed appropriate.

Teddy looked down and noticed Arizona was still wearing her engagement ring. It nearly sucked the life out of Altman.

"Why is that obscenity still on you?" Looking almost disgusted by the site of it let alone speaking of it.

"I didn't want to explain to my parents what happened, at least not now. Not yet Teds. I still don't even know what's happening, and truthfully, I need to get laid by someone else to figure it out."

"YEAH Z! Lady action tonight – 'cause I need some too – you know? Well not the ladies but you know what I mean, eh?" Andrew said raising his eyebrows up and down, nudging Arizona as if he was insinuating the already inevitable obvious plans for GI Blondie. "Besides, that whore bag, no good, terrible awful, piece of shit human being, doesn't even deserve your air. You know Z?"

Despite being the biggest pain in the ass, annoying, and obnoxious being, he was a great friend and even better trauma nurse. He was also, the biggest and gayest playboy on the eastern seaboard outside the hospital. He was a 9 out of 10 on bad days and an 11 on sick days – that was annoying. He had this knack for knowing what everyone was thinking before it was even thought of and saying what needed to be said no matter what. An insufferable know it all, all the time – obnoxious. But absolutely stunning, the long tan and handsome Nebraska farm boy turned city-sleek stud that everyone wanted a piece of – literally, a pain in the ass.

Teddy could only laugh at the pair. Despite them being polar opposites on the sexuality spectrum they really were the gay/lesbian versions of themselves. Instead of adding to Andrew's growing list of insults for the provider of Arizona's ring, she took the blondes left hand, and removed the ring. Debating on chucking it into the August night, she instead situated it on Arizona's dog tag chain.

"I would have chucked that gallstone out the window"

"Shut up Andrew." The three others said in unison

After dropping off Arizona's luggage, the group arrived to The Bell in Hand Tavern after 11:00 and were allowed to skip the line free of cover (one of the few perks of being in uniform on your birthday). Finding a booth near the karaoke stage, Andrew ran to the bar and came back with an array of drinks.

"Jez, what did you buy the bar Drew?" Henry dropped his jaw when he saw his friend wade through the crowd only to drop an entire pitcher of beer and a measuring cup full of a brown liquor.

"Fuck, I would of if I had some HELP Henry, oh friend, oh pal!" Andrew situated four shot glasses and four beer glasses in front of each friend. Pouring everyone a helping, he then stood up on his stool with the measuring cup and pitcher in hand. Henry then jumped on the table and let out a bellowing whistle causing the bar to drop in silence.

"AH-TEN-TION!" The deep, raspy voice of Andrew now commandeered all airspace. "Fellow patrons of Bell in Hand, ladies, gentlemen, and even underage children! Today is my best friend Arizona's 30th birthday and she is going to be a surgeon in the mother fuckin' Navy next year!" The bar erupts in cheers, as Arizona shrinks into her chair, turning every shade of red known to Crayola.

"And, well, this blonde beaut' is in need of a birthday trim! What do ya say blondie?" Before Arizona could even jump up to object what she very well knew was coming her way. Teddy already had her palm on her forehead holding her head back and opening her jaw with her left hand. Henry wrapped a dingy grey bar towel around her neck and that was the beginning.

Andrew began to dump the brown liquor into her mouth followed by Henry finishing up with the pitcher of cheap beer. In unison the bar was erupting in a "CHUG CHUG CHUG" chant, only prompting the blonde to finish the remaining drops pitcher of said cheap beer. Once the pitcher was nearly empty the entire bar began to sing "Happy Birthday" to the blonde and then resumed their nights.

"You absolutely needed to do that – didn't you?" Arizona deadpanned whipping her face of any remaining beer or whiskey – at least it wasn't on the uniform.

Andrew winked – "I actually did it to look down your shirt." *WHACK* "OUCH! Lay off the juice GI Blondie, I was kidding. I was actually trying to make you forget and to look for anything good for us. And…"

The dirty blonde returns to the table with another round interrupting Andrew's speech … "AND it looks like this place is a bust, it's all pathetic looking undergrads. Let's go to the next one."

"Did we look this pathetic as undergrads, did I?"

"Andrew, you were too busy looking for the next piece of ass in some thumping gay club and these two nerds" Henry was now pointing at Arizona and Teddy, "Were too busy studying."

"Nope, Arizona was a genius in undergrad remember? Plus undergrad is child's play when you compare it to med school. That was when we became hobbits." Teddy corrected her boyfriend in a matter of fact tone.

"Regardless, I have no plans on sharing an XL twin bed tonight, so let's head out and continue the celebration." Andrew said as he paid for the tab.

The next dive was around the corner, and this place had a dance floor in which Arizona fondly recalls many a nights dancing like a fool. Where did the time go?

Skipping the line and cover the group gravitated to the dance floor immediately. Andrew was always Arizona's designated dance partner when Henry was in town. She did not mind dancing with him, since they were both gay and good looking. They attracted the sexes they wanted – men and women – straight or gay, it didn't matter. Sex was all the duo cared about on any given night.

It wasn't long before a tall sultry looking man moseyed his way towards Arizona. Hair, that's all she saw when she saw him, well three of him.

Andrew knew that look of Arizona all too well by now, and ushered her to a booth to make sure his friend didn't pass out before last call. He brought the blonde a water and sat across from her.

"Drink up baby blues, you've got a long night ahead of you." Andrew said he slide the water in front of her

"Fahhkk youuu." As mumbled as she chugged her water.

He knew his friend was in need of 'lady lovin' tonight after all that has happened and plus – it was her damn birthday! Andrew skimmed the crowd for any lookers and was met with green eyes of envy across the bar. Green eyes that said 'I'm going to find you and eat your lady soul." PERFECT FOR ARIZONA!

The brunette was heading towards them after she caught Andrew staring at her.

"Fuck, Z, sit up – look pretty! Dimples!" pointing to his cheek to initiate the blonde to smile and look alive. Giving his friend encouraging nods and pretending to be deep in conversation, he was interrupted when that same devious green eyed woman nearly sat on top of him. She rested her head on her fist, and began to speak.

"I'm sorry, you must excuse me, and I wanted to get a full on view of this, gorgeous soldier. Robbins?" She said squinting at the name tag. She continued to eye the blonde as if she was the last supper.

"Uh-uhh-um" Make your mouth work Robbins. What the fuck is Drew doing? Huh? Face? Oh. O-OH! "Yes" Smile, dimples, flash, blue eye bat, bang. "Arizona – actually. And y-your name?"

Green eyes narrowed as if they were eyeing prey, preparing to strike but only to maim. "You'll get to know it if you can show me what you have out on the dance floor."

And with that, the blonde was being dragged back out to the dance floor one more time to prove her stuff. The music was upbeat – not too fast and not to slow either. Typical top 40 but she was grateful for that. Feeling the woman grind up against her brought back a feeling she hasn't felt in what seemed like forever. Fuck this feels, great.

The woman was now entering a very dangerous territory with Arizona, and she knew it. She liked it.

Turning to face the blonde she rest one arm on the her shoulder and let the other one sway above her head, all while gyrating her core against a uniformed thigh. Noticing that Robbins was increasing the pace along with the music, the brunette did a quick 180 and pressed firmly onto her body to increase the pace. Arizona was running her hands up and down her sides placing a firm grip onto the vibrating hips before her. The brunette reached up behind her, she grabbed the back of the blondes head and pulled her closer. Grazing her earlobe with her lips she whispered – "Shot?" Which was followed by a quick nip and lick that nearly melted the blonde on the dance floor.

Slapping down their third consecutive shot, Arizona stuck with whiskey, the green eyed monster took to tequila. Insane this woman is. "Can I know your name nowww?" popping more Robbins dimples at the woman, yet she remained stoic.

"Kiss me" the green eyed monster deadpanned with eyes that said, Now I'm striking to kill.

"Uhh-wha-." Before she could even formulate a response, lips collided together in a frenzy of pent up aggression and lust. A light moan left her lips when she felt the brunettes hand on her hips pulling her into embrace. Unable to stop, she swiped her tongue on the bottom lip of the monster and was readily granted access to this gorgeous brunette's mouth. Mirroring her hands on hips, Arizona reach up and took a fist full of sweat tussled locks, causing the brunette to deeply moan.

Before they publically rounded second in a dingy dive, the brunette broke the kiss. She was now looking into the deepest blue eyes she had ever seen. Navy. Narrowing her gaze to eliminate her drunken double vision she slurred out.

"My place?"