Thank you for still reading this!
How about the background story now? (Some of it)
Flashback chapter
Years agoooooo….
"How are we going to fit into your tini-tiny loft Sloan? We have to pass this Thermodynamics of Bio molecular System!" Addison complained as Mark has this perplexed look on his face.
"Why do we need to-" Mark was interrupted again.
"And his place smells like a boy!" Callie scratches her head again, trying to finish one of their requirements for that class.
"Tell me again why you need a special place this weekend?" Mark asked and Callie dramatically fixes her hair and dropped her pen with force.
"Because, unlike all of you guys-" Callie trailed and point her fingers at everyone at the table. "I'm living in a dormitory. A noisy, dingy, full of drunk college kids with nothing better to do than chug beers!"
Sighing heavily, she went back to her notes. It was a bad day, even awful year to her. Her dad shipped her off for being bi, she was living in a dormitory because she was so stubborn to take too much money from her family. They all just finished their 2nd year it was a fun year, but the beginning of their 3rd year was a complete shit if she was honestly commenting on it.
Groaning again with the repeating mistake on her equation, Callie pulled the sheet from her binder and crumpled it. Throwing it as far as she can.
"Whoa, whoa. We've got a baseball rising star over here." Callie snaps her head up and saw someone that even adds to her mood. "Why so serious?" the voice mimicked Joker's line. Callie couldn't control her laughter anymore and burst out while Arizona settled at the table.
This is one more thing she couldn't figure out. Robbins. Earlier that year, they met, Robbins flirted, pissed the crap off her for being immature but turned out that they got along great. They have a lot of commonalities, even tagging Teddy and Alex along that makes their dysfunctional group even more lively.
Arizona Robbins however, she feels different. She feels for the person more than a friend. After that sappy thing they had in the auditory room. Callie thought Arizona would actually ask her out again, or something would happen to make one step towards dating or something. But nothing, after the semester, she flew back to Miami. Spent her break attending various charity events. As always, Addison and Mark visited, but nothing from the person she was expecting to message her, or even email.
Now, Callie was a strong independent woman, she could ask Arizona out, for a date. A non-friendly date. Instead of waiting, she would just ask her right? Nope. Wrong. When she got the courage to ask, they were all hanging out in a low-key bar before the break and she heard someone in the bathroom mentioning Arizona and the words "doesn't do girlfriends" and "we'll see". Callie watched then how this hot brunette struts over their table and shamelessly flirt with Arizona and ask her out on a date, but in the end of the night, Arizona didn't budge of a date. So, she kind of lost hope.
"So what made you so grumpy?" Arizona asked once more and Callie turned to see her friend trying masks on.
Callie laughed so hard and grabbed the mask away. "Stop! I'm trying to solve this stupid homework. Plus we have to find some place quiet to study. Far away from this place." She grumbled and Arizona reached for the binder and grabbed a pen, removing the cap with her mouth, as she was scribbling something, Callie stared at her, she looked so cute, those lips, those dimples. Too bad she didn't date.
Snapping out of her thoughts when Arizona sent her a dimpled smile. "There!" She studied the equation and kicked herself from not figuring it out on her own.
"Great! Now we just need some place to study, can you solve that too, Joker?" Callie grumbled still trying to figure out how the hell Arizona fixed her equation. She didn't notice Teddy nudging Arizona on her sides.
Arizona cleared her throat that catches Callie's attention. "I may have a solution." Raising her eye brow, urging the woman to go on. "I'm going back to our house up in Napa Valley for the weekend to get some stuff. There's a lot of room there and- uh, its peaceful and quiet. You can come with me." Arizona mumbled and fidget with her hands.
"Oh! That's great!" Callie clapped. "See Addie, no need to stick ourselves with Mark's boy smelling loft."
"Uhh?" Arizona mumbled but kept her mouth shut.
"Even Altman, Karev can join our study session if there's a lot of room." Callie excitedly stated while she plays with her phone arranging what she can. "So Addie, Mark, Teddy, Alex and of course Robbins the host will be there. We can take care of the gas and food and some booze?"
Callie looked up to her friends with a bewildered look on their faces. "What?"
"I-We, Karev and I can't go. We have something to do here." Teddy answered while looking at Arizona.
"That's okay. I think the 3 of us can still manage to split the expense." Callie smiled once more not noticing Arizona's reaction. "Thank you for this, Robbins!"
"Uh. Yeah. Just tell me the final count okay? I need to go-" Arizona didn't even finish her sentence and pointed at the door then walked towards it.
Callie was so excited at the motion that she gets a weekend away, in Napa Valley nonetheless. She saw some pictures that Alex and Teddy showed her after spending their break in Arizona's childhood home. Plus the fact that they have a silent sanctuary to study.
"She didn't really notice." Mark muttered.
"Hold on, she might get it." Addison shushes him.
"What are you two whispering about?" Callie snapped back.
"You were complaining since last semester if Robbins would ask you out and been moping when you thought she wouldn't date anyone and when she actually asks you for a weekend away you have no clue?" Addison sarcastically stated.
"You wanted Robbins to ask you out?" Teddy spits her drink out.
"I-what?" Callie mumbled. "Wait, what? She's asking me out?" She turned to Teddy. "And yes, but she doesn't date. You heard her when we went out that night, she said she doesn't date."
"She doesn't just 'date' but you are different!" Teddy exclaimed but Alex nudges her.
"Wait! She's actually asking me out?" Callie nervously picks on her finger with her mouth and Addison pulled it away from her.
"Yes!" Everyone at the table yelled.
"Oh god. What do I do? What should I wear? It's a whole weekend!" Callie yelled as she stood up. She started muttering Spanish words no one could decipher. Addison nodded at Mark who stood up and blocked Callie's way. She dramatically places his hand on top of Callie and made her stop.
"Stop speaking Spanish! We don't speak Spanish and we can help you!" Mark raised his voice making Callie halt and sit down again. "Okay, now. I might have seen Robbins in action. But you are different because you are you and she never asks a girl out unless its dinner or a bar or her penthouse." He looked at Teddy and Alex for confirmation.
"Right! This time its different. So just go with it. Be yourself." Teddy nodded. "And we are just a phone call away."
After their discussion, Callie called a rather sullen Arizona but perked up when she told her that Addison and Mark couldn't come. They both decided to drive up there Friday afternoon so they could have more time relaxing. So there she was, waiting at the lobby of her dormitory with 3 cups of coffee in hand and her bag for the weekend. 1 cup for her, one for the driver and one for Robbins which she made sure was the coffee mix Arizona liked.
A few minutes passed and a black or blue Bentley SUV parked in front of her, she just ignored the car and looked out for Arizona's limo. Trying to calm her nerves down, she sipped her coffee.
"Are we waiting for someone else?" Arizona smiled at Callie who almost choked on her coffee.
"What? No, no." Clearing her throat and wiping her chin, Callie turned to Arizona. "You know how to drive?"
Arizona just chuckled and opened the passenger side door for Callie. "Of course I do. Let me help you with that." She reached for Callie's bag and settled it in the back seat. Arizona's phone rang while she was closing the back seat door. "Shit, I have to take this. Hold on for a minute." Arizona advised as she closed Callie's door.
Callie could see Arizona pacing in front of the car, talking on the phone. Not knowing what to do, she chat up her friends.
Callie: 911!
After a few seconds, few messages pop-up
Addison: What's wrong?
Mark: Already messed it up?
Teddy: What's the matter? She didn't show up yet?
Alex: She's there, she left the penthouse already.
Callie: She is here, but she's driving. I thought she would bring her driver along. She has a hot car though.
Callie: But what should I do? Having a driver is better! Its just the two of us!
Alex: What car? She drove?
Addison: So? Just talk to her.
Mark: Reach over to the console and massage her legs!
Teddy: She drove?!
Callie: Yeah. Why?
Alex: Nothing
Teddy: Nothing, just, nothing.
Callie: Hold on. She's coming back.
"Hey, sorry about that. All settled?" Arizona climbed in the driver seat and put her seatbelt on.
"Yeah. Here." Callie handed Arizona the coffee she prepared earlier.
"You need two coffees?" Arizona pointed at the third cup.
Callie lifted the cup as if she was inspecting it. "No, no. It was supposed to be for your driver but you didn't bring him soooo." She mumbled the last part.
"Oh. Are you more comfortable if we have a driver? I can go call him, I just need to return this car to my penthouse and he can pick us up there." Arizona nervously rambled as she punches some numbers in her phone.
Widening her eyes as the famous Robbins nervously rants. "No! Of course not." Lowering her voice as she noticed the shocked face of the blond due to the volume of her words. "I just wasn't expecting that you would be driving. But it's a pretty cool car and a pretty cute driver is better."
"Uhm-well. That's, yeah." Hiding her blushing face, Arizona started the engine and the radio on. "Seatbelt?" She reminded her companion and they were off.
Callie forgot how fun it was to drive around, with the windows down, singing at the top of her lungs. They both admire the scenery. Especially Callie, it was probably the first time she ever seen the woman so carefree. Her flowing golden hair, those dimples.
"Hey! We are here." Arizona perkily snapped Callie's thoughts. She looked around and saw a long paved driveway and a rustic house from a far. A series of people were lined up horizontally in front of the house with their hands on their backs. Arizona parked the car and jumped out, placing her sunglasses in her head, she hugged the chubby old lady and did a little dance. Callie just watched from the car not knowing what to do. Arizona fist bump a teenage boy, an older man patted her shoulder who lifted Arizona in the air and twirled her around before letting her go. Callie watched as this stubborn, boastful woman who she knew be so perky around this people, she also watched Arizona point at the car and ran towards it. Now Callie's hand is sweaty.
Jolting back into reality, Callie felt the passenger door open. Arizona pulled her from her seat and to the people outside. "Let's meet some people!" the brunette stands awkwardly in front on the car looking at the people who just welcomed her friend home.
"This still sexy lady is Bette. She manages the house." Arizona pointed at the older woman who hugged her earlier. "This hunk is Parker. He is my favorite playmate." She winks at the boy who blushes. "And of course my favorite, and the one who taught me to drink, Max. He manages the vineyard." He offers a smile and a simple hand shake to Callie.
She heard a couple of mumbles in the back and noticed 3 muscular guys nudging each other. "And those 3 are Max's guys. Jeff, Paul and Cameron." Nodding to the 3 guys who almost had their eyes out. "They think you are really hot!" Arizona raised her voice, teasing the guys who scratch their own heads.
"Come on Dimples, let's get some food in you. We don't want those big intestines of yours eat your small intestines." Bette wrapped her arms around Arizona who just grumbles beside her.
Callie wasn't sure what to do so she just stood there. Until Arizona's hand was offered to her, with a dimpled smile. She gave another smile at Arizona but looked back at the car for her things. Seeing the trio get the stuff inside and carrying it inside, Callie turned back to Arizona, not missing the sly look of Max and Parker.
"Does everyone calls you Dimples?" Callie teased Arizona who looked at her with a glare which made her laugh even more. They sat at the center island while Bette was fixing them up with dinner.
"Oh yes! Because she has the cutest dimples in the world!" Bette exclaimed making Arizona groan. "And we are not supposed to call her that in front of people because she's the big bad wolf in school." The old woman grabs Arizona's cheek and pinches it.
"So she's not really a big bad wolf?" Callie looked directly into Arizona who was just buried her face in her hand.
"No!" Bette laughed out loud. "The big bad wolf is just her costume. She's not the big bad wolf here. Are you?" She questioned Arizona who mumbled a 'no'. Bette clapped. "So! Eat up you two!"
Widening her eyes at the amount of food being served in front of her, her eyes almost fell out. "Is anyone joining us with this?" Callie whispered at Arizona when she noticed no other plate setting was in the counter. "This is a lot of food." Looking from the tray of mac and cheese, a roasted chicken, some beef slabs and an assortment of tarts.
"Hush dear, Dimples here can eat whatever you can't." Better plops down a bowl of gravy.
"Is the aim of this dinner to embarrass me?" Arizona muttered.
"Who said I was talking to you?" Bette crossed her arms. "As I was saying. Dimples here can probably out eat any man in the vineyard." The woman started her story while serving Callie a handful of mac and cheese.
"I cannot eat anymore. I think she just fed me a month worth of food." Callie plops in the couch in front of the fire place. "But honestly, for a small woman, you eat awfully much." She grins at Arizona who was starting to light a fire.
"Well, she was kind of surprised that I was coming with a- a friend." Arizona almost whispered the last word. "And she wanted to make a good impression." She fidgets with the lighter and sat down the other couch.
Not really knowing what to do, Callie just stared at Arizona. "It still early, you can go ahead and start studying, I had your things brought up in the room, I know it was the reason you agreed to come here and-" Arizona stopped when Callie placed her hand on Arizona's arm.
"Relax. It's still early as you said." Callie smiled. "Tell me about them? Or this place."
And Arizona did. She told Callie about first knowing Bette, she was so shy so Bette would put little candy beside her food. Max let her taste her first wine and was the first one who found out when she tried to sneak in some wine to bring to school. Parker was a stable boy who attends to the horses with the trio. The trio started as grape pickers and stepped on the ladder to lead new pickers.
Callie could sense some restrictions when she asks about family, Arizona at times side step the issue. Then Callie started her stories. That she grew up in a fairly strict family, so she always had to be prim and proper. Once out of rebellion, she went commando going to the church. Unlucky for her, an altar boy tripped and grabbed on her skirt. Needless to say his father was furious.
The two of them were so engrossed about exchanging stories, they didn't notice they were holding hands. It might be when Callie laughed out loud when Arizona told her about the horse-shit-on-her-school-uniform story.
"DIMPLES! HOW ABOUT A RIDE?!" A blaring voice disturbs them. Making them jump far away from each other. Parker walked in and laughed. "Ooh. Am I disturbing?" Arizona threw a pillow to him which he immediately threw back at Arizona's face. Making Callie giggle. "So? Ride? Or are you chicken?"
"You are chicken!" Arizona yelled as she stood up and ran after Parker.
Callie looked around nervously. Being left alone in the big house. After a few minutes of silence, she decided to look for the room she was going to stay in. The blond forgot to tell which room it was so, she walked up stairs, opening the first room. She saw a big bed, it looked unused. It was brown and has some certificates. It was fairly cleaned up.
"That's her brother's room." Callie heard and swears that she just had a heart attack as she places her hand over her heart. Bette was unfazed by Callie's reaction and continued. "He didn't live here that long. That room is almost unused."
The old woman curls her arm at Callie's and walked through the corridor to the big window overlooking the vineyard.
Stopping at a certain wall with random pictures, "Wait, is this her?" Callie asked while giggling. The photo was of a young Arizona holding a sunflower, smelling it as if it was horrible with a slightly old blond boy carrying her on his back. Their matching smile gave away that they are definitely related.
Callie let her eyes scan the pictures for a while, there was a photo where she was on the lap of an old man in a uniform kissing his cheeks. There was another one with the same boy, they were a little older and was dressed in a formal wear but was posing as if they were in an action movie. Another one with a young Arizona, she was around 16 at that time. The old man and the same boy were holding a shot gun and a hand gun pointed at the camera with Arizona in the back with her arms crossed.
The old woman noticed why Callie was snickering. "Her father and brother insisted that they take that photo and blow it up like that to scared potential suitors when they went shooting." Bette laughed. "Even when she said she was gay, they just said 'guns scare girls too' and shrugged."
Her eyes landed on a precious photo. Arizona and an older but very beautiful woman who she assumed was her mom. They were hugging and their faces were cheek to cheek. She scanned the wall for another photo of Arizona's mom. She saw Arizona in a toga, sitting on the hood of the car they arrived in, with her mom on her side. Callie saw baby pictures of Arizona with her mom carrying her, guiding her to walk. There was a photo where Arizona scrunched her face up when her mom most likely fed her a grape. Her mom was laughing so hard in the picture.
Callie landed on a photo where Arizona's mom was hugging her tightly. The older woman was almost in tears and Arizona was just grinning with her eyes closed. "That was when she went to camp for a few weeks, even though she was busy, she missed Dimples so much." There were a lot of photos, including Arizona's brother hugging their mom from the back. Her parents' portrait, Arizona's dad was sitting in a recliner and her mom was sitting on top of him. The family seems so perfect.
Bette smiled at Callie then focused on the group of people huddling down with horses. Callie turned and focused her eyes and saw a beaming blond playfully punching one of the trio.
"Dimples, she secludes herself from everybody. Because she's so afraid to get hurt. But hearing you two earlier. I thought I would never live to see her open up to someone." Bette watched as Arizona and the guys straddle those horses.
"But she's still closed off with some topics. Especially her family." Callie slowly shook her head.
"This family has been through a lot. And Arizona witnessed everything. She was so young when everything went to chaos. But I'm telling you, there's something about you that makes her open up. You are the first woman she brought home." Bette focused on Callie again and went back to watch Arizona and the trio race with their horses around the vine yard.
"IF ANYONE OF YOU GETS HURT, I'LL SERVE LEAKS THE WHOLE WEEK!" Bette startled Callie by yelling at them.
"I'm sorry I just left you like that." Arizona ran towards Callie who was clapping after she had won the 'race'. "I'm kind of competitive." She shrugs.
"Kind of?" Callie just laughed it off.
"Well, very." The blond just smiled sheepishly. "How about I introduce you to Sparkles?"
"Sparkles?" Callie had no time to react when Arizona pulled her across the vineyard to stables.
Hands to her knees and trying to catch as much oxygen as she can, Callie looked up to Arizona who was petting a large black horse. "What. Sparkles? For a- ginormous black horse?"
"She was a little thingy when got her. Plus she sparkles, hence, Sparkles." Arizona answered as if it was so obvious. She handed Callie a soft brush and encourage her to pet it. "I got her from my mom."
Callie stop petting the animal and stared at Arizona who avoided her gaze, so she just tried to focus on the horse and let Arizona talk when she's ready. Noticing the blonde's fingers fidgeting, Callie looked up once more. "How about we walk Sparkles?"
Nodding along with Callie, Arizona unlocks the gate and held on the restraints of Sparkles.
It maybe the moonlight, the setting or having Callie around that made Arizona open up, whatever it is, the big bad wolf really couldn't stop herself.
"Sparkles was the daughter of my mom's horse. She used to ride around here when she was a kid too. When mom's horse got pregnant, she instantly said that the baby horse would be mine." Arizona walked in front of Sparkles and somewhat blocked the horse's ears with her hands.
"Sparkles' mom died due to complications with her birth. My mom was devastated." She said still keeping her hands on the horse's ears. "I didn't understand then why she was so sad. But when my mom passed away, not only did I understood, I felt pain that I never imagine that would happen to me."
Callie didn't know what to say, so she just reached for Arizona's hand and squeezed it lightly. Arizona looked at her briefly and guided the horse back.
Still holding Callie's hand, they walk side by side towards the house. Callie instinctively wraps her arms around Arizona's and nuzzled her face towards the smaller woman. They continued walking towards the house, up to Callie's designated room.
Callie was leaning on her door and playing with Arizona's hand. She didn't want the night to end. Pulling Arizona into a hug, she whispered. "Thank you for telling me about your mom." Callie caressed those blonde strands and waited for any reaction. "And that was kind of cute when you blocked Sparkles' ears so she won't hear what you were saying like she understands."
Hearing a giggle from the blond, Callie pulled away and stared at her. "I shut off, people, everything. Because I'm afraid to feel that kind of pain again." Arizona looked at Callie. "But with you, I feel comfort. I feel the feeling of being home."
Before Callie could respond, Arizona spoke again. "I know we agreed to be friends, but I was wondering if I can ask you out on a date? No blocking a whole restaurant or limo rides."
Chuckling at the million-words-per-hour speed of the woman, Callie just nodded and gave her a big smile.
"Really?" Arizona sent a dimpled smiled just to be sure. "Well, I'll let you rest so you can reserve your strength tomorrow."
"Wait! Tomorrow?"
Arizona nodded and pulled on Callie's hand and placed a light kiss on her knuckles. "Good night Calliope."
Deciding it was all fair and game, Callie pulled Arizona back when she walked away and kissed her cheeks. Lingering longer, she whispered "You aren't the only one who can do the whole flirting thing."
