Gosh, the response to this story has been overwhelming, and I'm so grateful. Like I said, I hope to keep a few chapters ahead of myself so that my updates will be fairly frequent, so here's hoping. Please enjoy and let me know what you think.
Previously: "Good morning ladies and gentleman. This is a boarding call for all passengers traveling on Éclat service to Seattle. Please have your boarding cards ready for inspection at gate A5."
Chapter 3
"I'm so happy they're easing us back into this." Teddy smiled, slipping from the flight deck and into the front galley with her travel mug. As she moved to fill it, Arizona swatted at her hand, taking the cup herself.
"My galley."
Teddy chuckled.
"I know how to fly this thing, Robbins. I think I'm capable of re-filling my coffee cup."
"Oh sure, says the lady who nearly set the plane on fire when she tried to re-heat her take-out. I don't touch any buttons in the flight deck, you don't touch any in the galley." Arizona warned, filling Teddy's cup to the top and replacing the lid as Teddy rolled her eyes.
"That was one time…"
"Mhm…" Arizona cocked her eyebrow, handing the cup back to the pilot.
"You're right though. I'm so glad they put us on a domestic route. American hotels are always far easier to check into than some of other ones. Like Paris…"
"Amen to that." Teddy sipped her fresh coffee as they awaited the arrival of the passengers.
"How many are we expecting?"
"Dispatcher said 98, two infants and a wheelchair." Arizona replied, glancing at her paperwork.
"Nice and easy for you guys then. Is the wheelchair walk on or lift on?"
"Lift, I think, but I'll check when the dispatcher comes back."
Teddy smiled, bumping elbows with Arizona before returning to the flight deck.
"Send him my way."
Arizona nodded, pointing the dispatcher into the flight deck as he returned. Ground staff indicated that the passengers were waiting as Meredith Grey returned from the back.
"We're ready to board, Mer. Can you check the boarding cards whilst I finish off this paperwork?"
Meredith nodded, smiling at the first passenger.
"Welcome aboard."
With boarding nearly complete and her paperwork finished for now, Arizona stepped into the front bathroom for one final check of her appearance. After applying a little more lip gloss she returned, just as Meredith was checking the boarding card of one of their final passengers.
The woman was beautiful; either of Spanish or Cuban decent, Arizona couldn't be sure. Her tall, perfectly curved body was clad in a pair of dark jeans and a top that exhibited her cleavage perfectly. She carried a leather jacket on her arm, and barely looked up when Meredith pointed her towards her seat. In the next moment she was gone, leaving Arizona to only stare after her. Meredith gave the ground crew the thumbs up before letting the dispatcher disembark. Smiling at Arizona, she closed the main door.
"Saw something you like?"
"Huh?"
"The hot, bad-ass Latina chick. I saw you drooling…" Meredith smirked. It was not often she caught the Senior Purser at a loss for words, so she enjoyed poking fun.
"Oh behave, Grey." Arizona rolled her eyes before taking the interphone from the wall.
"Cabin crew, arm doors and cross-check."
Callie settled back into her seat, thankful that the plane was far from full. She chose the aisle, placing her bag on the window seat and attempting to get comfortable for the next six hours. Placing her headphones into her ears, she kept her music low enough that she would be able to sleep, but loud enough to block out the sounds of the people around her. She watched out of the window as the plane turned onto the runway, before the engines powered up. Moments later, they were airborne, drifting through the clouds and heading far away from Miami.
"So two hours?"
"Two hours. Hey, Meredith mentioned there's a pretty hot gal in seat 10B you've been eyeing up." Teddy smiled, picturing the look of shock on her best friend's face back in the cabin.
"I'm going to kill her. I'm going to kill her and make it look like an accident." Arizona grumbled into the phone, narrowing her eyes in Meredith's direction. Grey simply winked in return.
"Well do it after we land. I don't want any extra paperwork."
"Fine." Arizona huffed. "I'll call you soon."
"Later."
As Meredith approached the front galley, she gestured back to the passengers.
"Hot stuff in 10B is finally awake, and asked for a drink. I have to go to the bathroom."
Arizona was beyond sure that the younger crewmember was lying; Grey often proclaimed to be able to go an entire flight without a pee break, but she disappeared into the toilet nonetheless, leaving Arizona to get 10B her drink. She took a deep breath, straightening out her outfit before heading down the cabin. The Latina had her nose buried in what looked like a medical textbook.
"Interesting reading. My colleague said you'd like a drink. Can I get you some tea or some coffee?"
"Could you get me some red wine?" The brunette asked tiredly, barely glancing up from her notes. Arizona grimaced. Red wine at 11am was only ordered by passengers having an exceedingly crappy day, and the thought of such a beautiful woman having said crappy day made Arizona more than a little glum.
"Sure. I'll be back in a second."
Callie glanced at her watch, happy that in two hours she would be back on solid ground and hopefully heading to Joe's with Mark, but for now, she'd have to settle with some wine. She looked up as she heard the click-clack of the flight attendant's shoes approaching her again, and for the first time, she actually noticed the woman standing before her.
She was beautiful. So beautiful that Callie would have thought so before she realized her interest in women. Her hair was elegantly swept off her face and her make-up was flawless. Her black uniform hugged her every curve perfectly, and when she smiled she had a killer set of dimples. Her cerulean eyes sparkled, concentrating on pouring the glass and setting it gently on the meal tray.
"Is there anything else I can get for you?" She asked, smiling softly.
Callie swallowed, her fingers tracing the rim of plastic cup.
"No, thank you."
Arizona chewed thoughtfully on her lip before kneeling down to Callie's level.
"I know it's none of my business, but you look upset, and I just want you to know that whatever it is, I'm sorry. If you need an ear, I'll be right up front, ok?"
Just as quickly as the blonde had kneeled down, she was gone, leaving a very confused Callie clutching her cup of wine. A stranger, a freaking beautiful stranger, no less, had just tried to cheer her up. Callie watched as she arrived at the front of the cabin, her dimples popping again as she flashed another supportive smile.
Downing the miniature bottle of wine in record time, Callie attempted to spend the remainder of the flight studying, but her attention was constantly being pulled back to the flight attendant. She watched as she talked to her colleague, as she picked up the interphone to call, Callie could only assume, the pilots. She was mesmerized.
An exhausted Arizona was very grateful when the plane touched down at SeaTac. After being given a week off to move from New York, getting back into the rhythm of things wasn't proving as easy for the crew as they had anticipated, and they were all dreaming about their beds. As Teddy gave the command, the doors were disarmed and the air-bridge was extended. She opened the door to the flight deck as the passengers were getting ready to disembark.
"Wine, take-out and whatever we find on TV tonight." Said the pilot, trying unsuccessfully to stifle a yawn.
Arizona nodded in agreement, willing her tired face into a genuine smile as they bid goodbye to their passengers. Soon, Arizona noticed 10B gather her belongings, her leather jacket now donned in preparation for the chilly Seattle weather.
"Is that her?" Teddy whispered discreetly. Arizona only nodded, captivated by the gorgeous Latina.
As she approached the door, Callie stopped, flashing a smile at Arizona.
"Thank you."
She extended her hand towards Arizona, depositing a piece of paper in her surprised hands as she disembarked.
Arizona stood in shock, watching as the woman disappeared from view.
"What does it say, Arizona?" Teddy nudged once all passengers had disembarked. Arizona carefully unfolded the notepaper to reveal the Latina's elegant scrawl.
You're right. I was upset, but then a kind, beautiful flight attendant turned my day around. You didn't have to but I'm grateful that you did. I'd like very much to thank you again. In person. Maybe over drinks?
Callie T.
Callie's cell number was written under her name. Teddy grinned.
"Way to go, Robbins."
