Good Evening by jodief1
A/N: Thanks so, so much to all reviewers! I do sincerely apologize for the delay in getting this installment up, and hope that I'll be able to update sooner this time. (Within the next week, in any event - but if I can do it earlier, I will!) Hope you all are surviving the summer hiatus before S7 starts. Now for some responses:
punkyhunk, Darkshines1984, thinkingintheshower: Thanks, and I hope you like where this one is heading too! funkyshaz57: This is not Calzona fluff, exactly, but we're definitely getting to the good stuff now. :)
PinkJover: My ears haven't yet regained their normal color, and I really appreciate your taking the time to say you're enjoying it so far. I will do my best to keep the quality/realism intact.
ormerod: I love, love the detailed feedback and would be glad to hear it if you think I could be doing anything better. But if your intent was partly to make me keep going, you've done the trick!
Chapter 3:
After a long while, Callie remembered that she hadn't yet filled Arizona in on what she had learned about their other friends, so she pulled away from their embrace just enough to quietly describe her conversations with Cristina and Mark. Arizona stayed silent for a few moments, digesting what Callie had said; when she replied, her voice was very soft.
"Well, I'm glad that you reached Mark before he got the Ch—I mean Webber's—message. Sounds like he would've gone ballistic if he found out about Derek that way. Who is…well, I'm really glad he'll be okay. It'll be a long road for him, though. I can't even imagine how Meredith..."
But Arizona was interrupted when Callie stepped back, smacked herself on the forehead, and groaned. "Oh, God, I totally forgot about Webber's message. He asked us to respond, remember? Have you done it yet?"
"Nope." Arizona retrieved her BlackBerry and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I was just reading the messages when you came over. But don't worry!" She held out the BlackBerry with her index finger extended behind it in the universal sign for Hold it right there. "I'm the fastest texter west of the Mississippi, so I'll just fire him a quick note and be done with it."
"Hey there, uh, cowgirl, not so fast." Callie pulled out her own phone and pointed to it. "I'm the fastest texter around these here parts. Just ask anybody in this hospital, they'll tell you. How come I never hear anybody making you out to be Speedy Gonzales, hmmm?"
Arizona's eyes flashed. "Seriously, you do not want to mess with my mad texting skills right about now."
"All right, all right!" Callie threw up her hands in mock exasperation. "Then we'll each do our own texts, 'kay?" She flashed her devilishly sarcastic smile and positioned her thumbs over her phone's keyboard. "Ready, set, GO!"
Both Callie and Arizona typed furiously for a few seconds. Then they simultaneously yelled "Done!" and held up their devices in identical gestures of triumph. For a moment the two women just stared at one another, wearing the same incredulous expression, until Arizona frowned and broke the silence:
"Yeah, okay, but in addition to saying that I, Doctor Robbins, am fine, I also noted that we had a brief run-in with the shooter that we'll be reporting to the police." She struck her best I-dare-you pose with her chin out and both hands on her hips.
Callie snorted. "Oooo-kay. But in addition to saying that I, Doctor Torres, am fine, I also gave Webber fair warning that we are back together again and that both of us intend to take our 15 banked vacation days effective tomorrow."
Arizona's eyes got wide. "Really? All that in five seconds flat?" She gave a low whistle. "Calliope Torres, I think maybe you do deserve the Western Text-Champion title — for today, anyway. But what's this about offering to use our days before we even know when the hospital is re-opening?"
Callie took Arizona's hand and started tugging her toward the main police tent. "I don't want to have to argue with anybody about when we need to show up again. If they decide to give us a couple extra days, hey — that'll be even better. And you —" Callie nudged Arizona playfully with her arm — "you've definitely got the mad texting skills yourself. I declare a tie, and I'll be glad to share the honors with you. For today, anyway." She treated Arizona to her sauciest wink. "Now let's go tell the men and women in blue whatever they need to know."
Arizona reached across to grasp Callie's forearm with her other hand as they walked, and Callie hazarded a quick glance to see that Arizona was, in fact, cracking a little smile. She knew that the yo-yo just happened to be hitting the top of its arc at the moment and would have to drop again at some point, but she took heart in the thought that she could look forward to at least some of the lighthearted banter that she had missed so sorely, even as they worked to process what had happened. Not everything, even in the face of Death and all his friends, had to be dark and dramatic. For the survivors who had their whole lives to look forward to, anyway.
Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, the police interview shattered Callie's lighthearted mood and sent the yo-yo spiraling back down to earth. It was tough, but at least the officer allowed Callie and Arizona to stay together; they held hands so tightly as they described the day—and especially that brief but terrifying moment when time had stopped in the presence of Gary Clark—that the officer clearly understood that this pair would not be separated. When she came to the toughest part, Callie closed her eyes and steeled herself in order to get through her version of events without choking up. But Arizona was a different story: she hesitated for a long while before answering the question about what she had been doing while Callie confronted the shooter, and when she finally spoke, her voice quavered terribly. Callie gripped Arizona's hand in both of hers to lend support, but she still felt nauseated by her partner's anguish. At least we didn't lose it completely, Callie thought when the officer wrapped up the interview by taking down their contact information. But then again, I can't tell if the reality of this situation has even hit me yet. Maybe Arizona's actually ahead of me in really feeling it — I guess I'll just have to give it some time.
Afterward, neither woman spoke during their short walk back to Callie's place. The thought struck Callie that Arizona wouldn't have any of her own things to change into, but then she remembered the early days in their relationship, when Arizona would sometimes have to borrow one of Callie's tighter-fitting t-shirts and a pair of drawstring sweatpants after an impromptu sleepover. The memory made Callie smile to herself, and she gave Arizona's hand an extra little squeeze; Arizona returned the pressure, though she remained silent, her lips set in a tight line.
Even though Callie was feeling a little better by the time they reached her apartment door, she had started to worry about Arizona, who was acting much more withdrawn then she had been before. But when Callie fished out her key and fumbled to put it in the lock, she felt warm arms embrace her from behind, and Arizona's breath tickled her right ear.
"I need you, Calliope."
Callie half-turned in surprise, and Arizona's lips met hers. Callie's heart and stomach started doing somersaults, and even though her lungs suddenly felt too constricted to take in air, she deepened the kiss and felt the familiar heat that had been missing from her life for too long. Arizona responded with even greater passion, suggesting that she hadn't been withdrawing from Callie so much as fighting her own desire — and now she was finally able to express it.
With difficulty, Callie broke off the kiss and leaned her head against Arizona's, breathing heavily. She swallowed and, without looking around, turned the key in the lock with one hand behind her back and pushed the apartment door open with the other. She walked backward through the door, pulling Arizona with her, and then slammed the door shut behind Arizona's back once they were through. Callie swiftly kissed Arizona again and firmly but gently pushed her back against the door, pressing their bodies together as she had ached to do ever since that unexpected and poignant moment in the elevator.
When Arizona started trailing kisses down Callie's neck and collarbone, Callie's mind went blank, and a few moments elapsed before she became conscious that Arizona was propelling them both toward Callie's bedroom door. She had just enough time to leave her keyring, cellphone, and ID badge on the side table before they reached the door, which Arizona opened behind Callie's back. An instant later, they were in the dark, cool room, and Arizona pulled back from Callie just long enough to close and lock the door behind her.
Arizona's eyes looked almost liquid in the dim light: they had become incredibly inviting, sapphire-blue pools. She pulled off her scrub shirt in one fluid motion and then grasped Callie behind the neck. "I need you, Calliope. Now."
As she backed up to the bed, Callie realized that her cheeks were damp. "I need you too, Arizona. Come here."
[to be continued! :)]