"Keep your readers guessing about the history of the events but at the same time give them bits and pieces about your character's involvement in the said events"

~~ Calliope Hastings's Writing Workshop Notes

Arizona angrily rummaged through her suitcase as she looked for an appropriate attire to wear. She had stopped wearing dresses and gowns and skirts and other girly stuffs when Callie & she parted ways 5 years ago. She never felt like dressing up for anyone, her finest clothing only included a series of women suits and pants that she kept handy to attend award shows and likewise page three events. Other than that her wardrobe was just full of skinny jeans and flannels, and right now, that's all what her suitcase has.

She groaned annoyingly as she emptied the contents of her suitcase on the hotel bed. According to the program left in Arizona's room, there was to be a reception to meet the famous Calliope Hastings before dinner and she's dead sure that Callie will attend the event too.

It's not like she wanted to dress up for Callie, no, that's not the case. She just wanted to make sure that Callie sees it with her eyes what exactly she gave up. Arizona smirked at the thought and pulled out an brand new red flannel shirt, paired it with an black skinny jeans and knee high boots. Yup, that will do it.

Arizona stepped out of the bath, water dripping from her elegant form. Grabbing a plush towel from the hotel's rack, she dried herself off and then wrapped her body in the softness and moved to mirror. She took a moment to look at herself—a fairly common occurrence, certainly. But this time, she saw something she didn't recognize in her ocean blues. They sparkled with a life she'd never seen before...at least not in a while. It took her aback for a moment to five years ago when she wasn't this dark and twisty, when she was full of life and she tore her gaze away and then brought it back reluctantly. She sighed, unable to deny what she saw. That woman…that infuriatingly beautiful, intelligent, stubborn, impossible Callie Torres…she had gotten under her skin again. That carefully built wall, constructed brick by brick over the years—the wall that guarded her heart so carefully—had somehow been breached again. And Arizona was not happy about it.

Arizona turned her attention back to the mirror, and applied make-up, taking care to highlight her eyes—one of her best features—to their optimal advantage. Her long lashes complimented her ocean blue orbs, drawing more attention to her already impossibly gorgeous face. She can't remember the last time she applied any make-up or dressed to impress anyone, and the thought scared her and excited her equally.

Taking one last look at herself in the full length mirror in hotel's bedroom, she smirked, and turned on her heel.

The noise of the crowd rose to meet her as she went downstairs, but that wasn't why Arizona paused. Callie was ahead of her, stunning in a long sea-green silk tunic worn over a pair of chiffon trousers that billowed transparently around her legs. And heels as high as the Andes. Damn.

As if sensing her presence, Callie glanced back and for a heartbeat Arizona saw through the expensive designer style to the girl who had smiled so shyly at her and stolen her cynical heart. Uncertain, awkward, way out of her depth. Never ever comfortable with public scrutinity. Arizona instinctively reached out, took Callie's arm, felt its warmth beneath her fingers and they both shivered at the contact.

For a moment they were transported back five years, to a party getting out of control, when Arizona had seen how scared she was and whisked her out of harm's way... Then someone turned and saw them.

"Look, she's here! It's Calliope Hastings!"

Arizona turned to the eager faces of the women surging towards them, saw the momentary panic in hers. "No," she said, stepping forward, to protect her. "This isn't Calliope Hastings. This is — "

"Don't!"

Callie's sharp interjection was a millisecond too late.

" — my wife."

"Calliope, I'm Rachel Gibson. We spoke on the telephone. I didn't realize you were bringing your wife with you." Rachel turned to Arizona. "I had no idea that you and Ms. Hastings..." She foundered on the confusion of the names. "I've seen you on television of course and my husband adores your books."

Arizona smiled but before she could engage her, divert her from Callie, she said, "I'm so sorry about your room, Ms. Hastings. I thought you were coming alone. I'm afraid the two of you will be desperately cramped..."

Arizona let her twitter on, even though she was mistaken. Her concern was all for Callie who was riveted to the spot, her luminous brown eyes filled with panic exactly as they had been when she'd first seen her... "Ms. Gibson. Rachel," Arizona said, in an effort to stop the woman. "I'm afraid you've made a — "

"No!" Callie's hand tightened on her arm, warning her not to go on. And that's when the truth struck her with the force of a sledgehammer.

There was no mistake here. Only the one she was making. Calliope... Arizona remembered now that her mother had called her that. A name forcefully imposed on her, a name that made Callie an center of bullying throughout her high school, a name Callie hated passionately, a name she had erased from her records as soon as she graduated.

Calliope...Calliope Hastings was Callie Torres.

The girl Arizona had run away with — secretly married, then lost — was the brilliant, reclusive young woman who had taken the publishing industry by storm.

Which went along towards explaining why she was publicity shy.

After her first book was published, Arizona and Calliope Hastings had been invited to share the stage at a literary festival together. An unlikely pairing, but one the organizers felt had mass appeal. But it had never happened. Ms. Hastings had cried off with "family problems." Well, Arizona could understand that. Her family had always been a problem.

"Will that be all right, Ms. Hastings? Shall we do that?"

Callie clearly hadn't taken in Rachel's question.

"That'll be fine," Arizona interjected, quickly, rescuing her. She hadn't been listening, either, but her answer seemed to make the woman happy.

"I'll see to it. Now, Ms. Hastings, everyone is simply dying to meet you." Arizona watched anxiously as Callie was swallowed up in a throng of eager fans. That's how she'd lost her before, as Callie had been circled by her family, cut off from Arizona, swept out of reach...

"Are you here to research a book, Ms. Robbins?" She dragged her attention from the stranger who was her wife, smiling that brilliant megawatt smile as she stopped to engage with each and every single of her fan. Arizona's heart sank as she saw the eager face of a reporter from the local newspaper. Calliope Hastings was certainly getting the celebrity treatment.

"Or are you just here to give your wife the benefit of your wide experience? She doesn't usually do this sort of thing, does she? Is that why your marriage has been kept such a secret?" the reporter continued with a barrage of questions, her eyes alight with the prospect of a "big story."

"It's not a secret." It was a matter of public record like any marriage. "My wife simply prefers not to live in the media spotlight," Arizona said, enjoying the novelty of the word "wife." She was sick of the publicity too, but she had just dredge up something outrageous to keep the reporter satisfied.

"Can I get you a drink — " Arizona glanced at her name badge and smiled, "Lauren?"

Callie pushed her dessert around her plate.

"Not hungry, sweetheart?"

"Don't call me that. I'm not your sweetheart."

Callie had insisted that it wasn't necessary, but Rachel had rearranged the seating plan so that "her wife" could sit by her. And Arizona was still legally that. 'Til death do us part', she had promised. And she had meant it. They had said she was stubborn and stupid and they were probably right. Maybe if her parents hadn't tried to force her into a divorce she would have given in and signed the papers. But Arizona hadn't bothered with it, either. Callie had never understood why. It had been too late by then to prove her father had been wrong about Arizona.

Arizona leaned towards her, her jacket brushing against her sleeve in a gesture of such intimacy that she felt naked. Arizona could do that to her with just a look. Her eyes were so eloquent. They said, I see you — in my mind I'm touching you...

As her fork clattered to the floor, Arizona caught her hand, held it to still her shaking fingers.

"Nervous, Callie?" she asked.

"Not nervous. Angry. And don't call me that."

"It's your name Callie. Calliope— " Arizona shrugged, " — is just the baby name your mother persisted in calling you, long after it was obvious to anyone with eyes to see that you weren't a baby anymore."

Arizona was still touching her... She'd tried to forget how good that felt, blot her out.

She should hate her. "Leave my mother out of this. I haven't..." No. She wouldn't give Arizona the satisfaction of telling her that.

"What?" Arizona's gaze held hers remorselessly. "What haven't you done?"

"Nothing. Just... I'm Calliope, that's all. Always have been, always will be."

"Calliope!" someone called out, as if to prove her point and she glanced round, gratefully. There was a bright flash and, too late, she realized that she'd been photographed with her hand in Arizona's, like some "lost in love" teenager.

"Oh, terrific," Callie said.

"Maybe you're right," Arizona murmured, her dimples doing nothing to help. "Calliope."

She wished. It was the sexy way Arizona had said her name that had got her into trouble in the first place. Still could, she realized, belatedly snatching her hand away. She didn't know how she was going to get through the weekend with Arizona there, watching her through narrowed, knowing eyes. Remembering how it had been.

Deliberately Callie turned away, engaging the woman opposite in conversation.

Arizona kept staring at Callie, but Callie was doing her best game at avoiding her. She stood up and made her way towards the bar, ordering her favorite fix she turned towards the crowd, engaging nonchalantly with various publishers. But her eyes keep returning to Callie, who was now engaged in a hearty conversation with a Hercules look alike.

"Arizona, are you paying attention to what I am saying?" Asked the attractive woman that had been by her side for most of the evening.

"Huh? Yeah, Lucy. I... couldn't agree more," Arizona mumbled, her eyes unable to leave Callie's now moving form, her arms engulfed in Hercules's look alike's arms no less.

"Lauren," she began as she moved to stand in front of the distracted writer. "Great. I am glad that you agree. So, your room or mine?" Arizona leaned to the side in an attempt to regain her view of the oblivious brunette. Lauren shifted her body so that she was once again obstructing Arizona's view. "Arizona?"

"What?" Arizona shot to the other side, but retreated quickly when she noticed that Callie's chocolate orbs were now fixated on her. Smooth, Robbins. It's showtime. "I'm sorry, Lucy! I wasn't paying attention, but I am more than willing to make it up to you." Arizona trailed her index finger down her heaving breasts, "If you'll let me."

"That's Lauren," said the honey haired woman as she wasted no time and leaned in to nip at Arizona's neck. Arizona threw her head back, pretending to enjoy the woman's wandering mouth she snuck a glance at Callie, who was walking towards her purposefully. Arizona closed her eyes, hoping that her wife did not notice how bored she truly was.

Callie brushed past Arizona, purposely lingering long enough to whisper, "It's not going to work. In order for me to be jealous I would have to care."

Arizona opened her mouth to speak, but closed it quickly realizing she couldn't be bothered to give the reporter an explanation. She scooted out of her bar stool and stalked after Callie, but engage-and-chase game she was hoping to play with Callie died quickly within her when she saw Callie in Hercules look alike's arms, dancing to a sensuous beat. The wine glass in her hands broke with the force she was clutching it, breaking her skin in response and Callie's eyes immediately found hers again. She distangled herself from Hercules look alike's arms and was at Arizona's side in a heart beat.

Callie held Arizona's bleeding hand, her eyes watering with unhushed tears as Arizona winced in pain. And as their eyes locked on each other, both of them realized that they aren't the young lovers they once were. They have grown...changed.

AN - keep guessing!