Note: Sorry about the crude jokes… I have a problem, I know. Also I speak no French so Google translate is my friend. Dick's drive-in is a real place in Seattle that I know nothing about. Thank Google again.
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The night went by quickly, as they always do when sleeping. Arizona was able to rouse Callie without any problems. Her safety assured, Arizona left early the following morning so as not to overstay her welcome. They exchanged mobile phone numbers and once again promised lunch. Callie needed a week before she could come back to work due to the concussion, and Arizona was only taking a few days away from the hospital, then she was returning, but on limited duty. No surgeries, just consults and teaching until her finger was healed.
Callie promised herself she'd wait a few days before texting Arizona… she lasted until the afternoon of the third day.
'Hello. How's that finger feeling? Is it ready for some action?' Callie hit send. She read back what she had typed, her face turned red. Dammit. She threw her phone on the sofa, embarrassed at the unintentional dirtiness of that text. Why had she let herself send that?
'My finger is fine. How is your nose? Is your head feeling better?'
Callie picked her phone back up and read Arizona's smiled and pushed past her embarrassment. Thankfully Arizona had ignored the awkward innuendo. 'It is. I got the cast off my nose yesterday, and the bruising isn't quite as bad as I expected.' Her fingers flew across the tiny touchscreen. 'And these pain pills are fantastic.'
'Right? I barely feel any pain. How are doing other than your head? Having fun with your time off?'
'I'm bored. No kids, no work… I can't really do anything. Not supposed to drive until after my neuro follow-up. I'm going stir crazy.'
'I'm at the hospital now, picking up some research. I'm all finished though…"
Callie's phone indicated that Arizona as still typing, so she waited, impatiently, for the rest of the sentence.
'I could swing by, pick you up. Maybe take you out for lunch?' Callie smiled at Arizona's response. 'Not a date or anything, just a friendly lunch. ;-)' Came another quick reply.
'Oh my, I would LOVE that. But, you've done too much for me already. Plus, I'm not sure about being seen in a restaurant looking like a raccoon.'
'Don't you worry about that, you always look great. But I'll think of something. Ok?'
'Ok.' Callie responded. 'I'll do it.' She didn't want to sound too eager. 'But take your time. Don't rush on my account.'
'I'm finished here anyway. See you soon.'
Callie smiled, thinking the conversation went well and she didn't humiliate herself too much. Then her phone buzzed again. She looked down at the phone in her hand and chuckled.
'BTW, my finger is always ready for action.'
So much for avoiding embarrassment.
Callie quickly shook off the embarrassment and ran upstairs to make herself look as presentable as possible considering she had hints of purple under both her eyes. The discoloring wasn't as bad as she was expecting and the swelling had diminished in the few days since she'd last seen Arizona. The cast was off and in its place was a simple bandage, just a small bit of support to keep the fractured bone from slipping. She figured she looked as well as could be expected under the circumstances.
She pulled her hair into a loose ponytail and applied a bit of gloss to her lips. Make-up was pointless. Covering her bruises wouldn't fool anyone, so natural would have to do. She was wearing a simple grey V-neck t-shirt and some black yoga pants. She looked in her full length mirror and decided the shirt was fine, but removed the yoga pants and changed into a comfortable pair of well-worn jeans. It was early spring, and rather nice, but the weather still called for some outerwear. She was going to grab a basic casual sweater, but something in the back of the closet caught her eye. Something she hadn't put on for years… her black leather jacket.
"Oh yes," Callie spoke aloud to herself. "This will due." She slid her arms into the familiar, well-worn coat. She pulled the lapels toward her nose and tried to take a whiff of the once ever present smell of the leather. Unfortunately, her nose was still not functioning to capacity, so the affect was somewhat subdued, but she knew that perfect leather smell was there and that made her happy.
Callie was pacing back and forth in her foyer, waiting for Arizona to arrive. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, causing her to jump. She pulled it out and answered without looking at the caller id, assuming it was Arizona letting her know she had arrived.
"Hey, are you here?" Callie asked.
"No, I'm in LA… giving birth."
"What?!" Callie exclaimed. "Wait… Addison? Is that you?"
"Of course it is, who else do you know that's as pregnant as I was… am? Soon to not be?"
"You're in labor right now?" Callie asked. "How are you so calm?"
"Drugs," Addison sighed. "They induced me this morning. Finally, because I'm three weeks overdue."
"And you just… paused contractions to call me?"
"I'm in between, we have a solid five minutes to talk. Plus, I'm taking narcotics… can't really feel a thing. Screw that natural birth stuff. I've seen too much, delivered too many."
"Preaching to choir, Addie. You forget I've popped out three myself?"
"No, no… how could I forget that? I delivered them for you."
"I believe I did most of the work," Callie countered.
"Yeah, yeah… Mark said you broke your nose? And Dr. Robbins punched Owen. What the hell is going on in Seattle? I knew that place would fall apart without me."
"Addison… you wouldn't believe me if I told you." Callie said. "I've been trying to call you for over a week. Owen and I are divorcing."
"I heard… Mark again, he loves his gossip."
"Does that mean he told you…"
"That you have a burning desire for Dr. Robbins? Oh yeah… he told me. What's the deal?"
"God, Addison it's… crazy. I can't stop thinking about her. She's invading my every thought and fantasy. I… I feel like I'm Captain of the Starship Fantasize and my mission is to seek out a new life in the form of a hot dimpled perky blonde. I need help."
"Callie," Addison said. "Are you actually speaking the vagina monologues now?"
The doorbell rang before Callie could answer Addison. She opened it to find the gorgeous blonde she was currently talking about standing there… giant dimpled smile on her face, holding up her medical bag. She really didn't want to have this conversation with Arizona in earshot, but Addison was still talking. Callie would have to… improvise. She indicated with a raised finger that she'd just be a minute and waved the other woman into the house.
"I'm all for it, okay?" Addison said, worried that she'd offended Callie. "I think it's fantastic. Is this… a new development?"
"No, I uh… picked it up years ago. I'm bi..." She glanced up at Arizona "lingual. I thought you knew I was… bilingual?" Not that this was something she wanted to hide from Arizona, she planned to discuss it with her soon, actually, but she didn't want Arizona to know she was currently talking about her.
"I've only ever seen you date men, and… you know… you have husband, so no… I didn't know that," Addison replied.
"Well, just because you've never, uh… seen me speak the language, doesn't mean I don't."
"Why are you talking in code?" Addison asked. "Are the kids there?"
"No, Dr. Robbins just got here… we're about to head out for lunch." Callie put her hand over the mouthpiece of her phone and whispered to the blonde. "It's Addison, she's in labor."
"She's in labor? Why is she questioning you about being bilingual?"
"Uh… it's the drugs," Callie replied, her hand slipping from the mouthpiece.
"What?" Addison said from the phone. "Drugs don't make you gay Callie, you're a doctor for God's sake. You know this."
"No, not me Addison… you."
"I'm not gay," Addison announced. "Or bilingual. Well… I did experiment with some French in college, but we never got past the rouler une pelle and a little heavy pelotage… I'm nowhere close to fluent…"
"Addison," Callie firmly stated. "I need to hang up this phone right now,"
"Fine, but after I squeeze this baby out… I want details."
"Of course I'll give you details. Good luck with the baby, I'm sure everything will be fine," Callie said. "And tell Mark hello from me. Call me later, okay?"
"Okay, Cal," Addison said. "Enjoy your hot dimpled perky lunch."
Callie hung up the phone without responding. She slipped it into her jacket pocket and turned to look at Arizona. "Hi," She smiled.
"Hi," Arizona replied. She held up her medical bag. "I have something for you."
Callie lifted an eyebrow in question, "And what might that be?"
"A quick neuro evaluation, Shepherd said if you passed, you could drive again. So… where did you wanna?"
"The kitchen has the best light," Callie eagerly responded. She took Arizona's injured hand lightly in her own and led her to the kitchen.
Arizona's breath caught in her throat when Callie took her hand. The brunette's soft fingers gently brushed her palm. Arizona ran her eyes down the beautiful form in front of her. She had to close her eyes and a deep breath. This woman.
She followed the brunette to the kitchen and placed her medical bag on the island. She quickly got to work testing Callie's balance, memory, and strength.
"You're doing great," Arizona said. "Just one more, and you'll be free to do as you please. Drive at will… return to work even." She pulled her penlight out of her bag and had Callie sit on the barstool. Arizona moved her body close to the brunette's, she reached up and brushed aside a piece of hair that had fallen in front of Callie's eyes. She was so close, she could smell the clean sent of Callie's soap, a hint of vanilla from the woman's shampoo, and the leather from her jacket.
Callie swallowed hard at the proximity of the blonde, their faces were only inches apart, if she leaned forward just the slightest bit their lips would touch. She fought the urge.
Arizona used the light to check Callie's pupillary reaction, they were equal and reactive, indicating normal neural function. She lowered the penlight and the two women just gazed into each other's eyes for a moment. Callie looked as though she wanted to kiss her, and Arizona wanted her to, she really did, but it was too soon. She cleared her throat and took a step back.
"All good," she said. "You are free to take up your regular activities… within reason. I wouldn't suggest any contact sports."
"Damn, my tackle football league starts this weekend," Callie said.
Arizona scrutinized Callie's face for a second, "You're kidding… right?"
"Of course I am, Arizona. I don't play football…" Callie teased, "I kickbox. No… hockey."
"Dr. Torres, stop yanking my chain," Arizona instructed.
"But your chain is so adorable," Callie said, "it's hard not tweak it a little." She reached out and gently pulled on a few strands of Arizona straight blonde hair.
"You just wait until I'm the one doing the tweaking," Arizona replied. "Then we'll see how much you like it." She tilted her head and her eyebrows crept up in challenge.
"I look forward to it."
Arizona's car was pristine. Not a spot of dust, nor crumb of food to be found. No crushed cheerios or dried silly putty. Even when she was single, Callie wasn't sure her car was ever this clean. She glanced up at Arizona adjusting the rearview mirror. God, she was beautiful. So, so beautiful.
Addison's questions about her sexuality got Callie thinking. Did Arizona know for sure that Callie was interested in pursuing something more than friendship? Callie wasn't necessarily closeted about her fluid sexuality, it just didn't come up while she was married to Owen. He knew, of course. As did her sister and father. Though she'd never had a serious long-term relationship with a woman, she did date one during med school long enough to bring home to meet her parents. She hadn't really dated a woman since coming to Seattle, unless you counted a few sort-of-dates with Erica Hahn before she left town. Erica was nice and interesting, but nothing came of it. Then she met Owen and had been in a monogamous relationship ever since.
Had she made herself clear? Did Arizona know that she was also interested in women? Or did she just think that Callie was into…
"Do you like Dick's, Callie?" Arizona interrupted Callie's train of thought.
"What?"
"Dick's? Do you like them?" Arizona asked again. "Because if you don't… I'll have to think of something else for us to do this afternoon."
"What?"
"The burger place? You know… the drive-in diner? What did you think I was…?" Arizona's face turned red as she realized what Callie thought she was talking about. "Oh. OH! No… I wasn't asking…" She stuttered and fumbled. "I wouldn't…"
"The diner… What…? Oh! Dick's! I love Dick's," Callie finally understood what Arizona was asking. She started giggling like a twelve year old. "What about you, Dr. Robbins?" Callie's giggle turned into cackle. "Do you like…" She couldn't stop laughing, "I can't…. I can't even say it now."
Arizona was laughing now too, her embarrassment fading and amusement taking over. "Well, there is no way in hell I'm saying that. And you can't make me."
Arizona's refusal to say she liked Dick's made Callie laugh so hard she snorted. "Ow!" she exclaimed. "Oh… that hurt my nose."
After grabbing their burgers at Seattle's famous Dick's Drive-In restaurant, Arizona drove them to a small park that overlooked the city. They took their burgers and fries and found an empty bench with a perfect view of the city's skyline.
"Thank you for getting me out of the house," Callie said. She pulled her greasy burger out of the bag and took a bite. "Mmm. God, this is a really good… burger."
"Yes, it is." Arizona grabbed a fry from their shared pile. "I love… these burgers." She pointed a fry at the giggling brunette. "I'm still not saying it."
Callie chuckled. She licked her lips and decided she need to clear things up. Just get it out there, so they could start this thing without any confusion or misconceptions. "Can I ask you a question?"
"Of course," Arizona responded. "Anything."
"What are we doing here?" She gestured between them.
"You aren't going to trick me into saying 'eating d. i. c. k. s.', Callie." Arizona spelled out the word she was avoiding. "I'm too smart for that. I grew up with an older brother."
"No," Callie smiled. "I'm not. I'm being serious. What… what are your intentions? Because I know mine… and I just want to be sure that we are both on the same page."
"Ah," Arizona sat her burger down and wiped her mouth with her napkin. She turned on the bench to face the nervous woman next to her. "I like you. A lot. I think you are stunning, Callie… and I really want to get to know you more."
"Are we talking… get to know in a friendly manner or more of a girlfriendly manner?"
"It's rather early to be throwing the word girlfriend about, but yeah… I'm talking in a more than friend capacity. Not that I wouldn't be okay with just being your friend, if that's what you want?"
"No! No, I just wanted… I wanted to be sure, you know? Because, I mean… I was… am... married… to a man."
"I'm aware," Arizona said. "But you are separated."
"Yes, yes… of course," Callie sighed. She wasn't making herself clear. "How did you know I was…?" She paused. "That I'd be into dating a woman? I've been married to a man since you've known me."
"I wasn't sure," Arizona said. "I'm still not one hundred percent confident, and that frightens me a little, but… I think you are worth the risk."
"I had a girlfriend before, you know," Callie said.
"I didn't know," Arizona replied. "But… you don't have to defend yourself to me, Callie."
"I just, I don't want you to be 'frightened' by me," Callie sighed. "I want you to know that I'm capable of having a relationship with a woman, I'm not… inexperienced. I'm out to my family. Well… my dad and sister know I'm… bisexual. Oh… and Uncle Berto."
"I take it he's…"
"The gay uncle? Yep."
"What about your mother? You didn't mention her. Does she know?"
"She did. I don't think she took it seriously though. I think she thought it was a phase. At first, my father wasn't for it all, but Mom was mostly silent… like she was waiting it out. Eventually, he came to accept it, but Mom still didn't discuss it with me. I didn't push because I wasn't even with my girlfriend anymore so it didn't matter." Callie looked thoughtful, as if debating whether or not to continue. Looking in to Arizona's warm blue eyes, she felt safe, so she sighed, "Mom passed away, a few months after Owen and I started dating. I think… I think that's why we… I was sad and he made me not sad. My mom loved him… We, uh… ended up in Vegas getting married by Elvis. He shipped out two weeks later and month after that I found out I was pregnant with Allegra."
"Sounds like a lot was going on at one time."
"It was," Callie picked at her burger. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean bring the mood down. I just wanted you to know that I would like to take you on a real date, and that I'm not experimenting… or rebounding. You're more than that, you're special." Callie looked away, embarrassed.
"I think you are special too," Arizona replied. "I'll admit… I was a little unsure. When I saw you with Mark Sloan last week. I kind of thought maybe you were interested in him."
Callie smiled, "We were talking about you," she confessed.
It was Arizona's turn to be surprised "What?! You were talking about me?"
"He kept trying to hit on me, so I told him, in no uncertain terms, that I wasn't interested in him. I was already interested in someone else."
Arizona couldn't help the smile that crept on her face.
The two women went back to eating their burgers. Callie was happy with how the conversation had progressed, she'd said everything that she wanted… maybe shared a little more than she wanted, the stuff about her mother was a little heavy, but overall it went well.
"So," Callie nudged Arizona with her elbow. "What's the deal with Sam? How long has she been in love with you?"
Arizona sucked in a surprised breath, causing a tiny piece of her burger to fly down her throat. She coughed hard to clear it from her airway. Callie reached over and patted her on the back. When she finally got herself under control she looked over to find amused brown orbs staring back at her.
"I bet when you got out of bed this morning you didn't think you'd be choking on a…"
"If you finish that sentence… I'm never speaking to you again."
After they got their laughter under control and finished their burgers, Callie asked again about Sam Wylie.
"So… Dr. Wylie? What's the deal there?"
"Sam is my friend, Callie," Arizona answered. "Nothing more."
"Is she aware of that? Because she looks at you like a person who is feeling things beyond friendship."
"For my part, I'm sure," Arizona sighed. "But it has recently come to my attention that she's a little… resentful that I…" she licked her lips, "That I'm suddenly interested in you because you are single."
"Is it?" Callie asked. "Your interest… Is it sudden?"
"You were married, I wasn't allowed to be interested in you."
Callie smiled at the answer, "Just so you know… I've thought about you a lot. When I knew I shouldn't be. In ways that I shouldn't have." Her cheeks burned red. "God… my marriage was over long before I acknowledged the end."
"Well, I'm sorry…" Arizona replied. "I'm sorry that I can't be sorrier your marriage is ending."
"Me too," Callie agreed, but she wanted to move the conversation to safer waters. She didn't want to accidently blurt that she was in love with Arizona, even though she already knew she was. It was way too soon for such declarations. She didn't want to scare her off. So instead she blurted, "I think Owen is in love with Cristina Yang."
"Get out," Arizona replied, shocked. "Yang? Really?"
"I have no proof, mind you," Callie confided. She didn't, other than what she saw in the other universe. Those two being married there, was kind of a big clue. "But I'm pretty sure he had a 'thing' with her when we were separated. A sex thing. That he never go over."
"I bet that was tough," Arizona said sincerely. "Did you? When you guys were apart? See anyone?"
"No," Callie sighed. "I took vows, you know? Even though he broke his… I thought I should keep mine, we never did an official separation, not like this time. I filed immediately. I know we are done. We gave it a valiant effort, but we are so over. I'm not a cheater, but I'm not waiting three months for the divorce to be final. I've given up too much of my life to that farce."
"That's good to know."
"So what about you?"
"Am I a cheater?"
"No," Callie chuckled. "I know you had a serious girlfriend for a while, what happened with her? Did she cheat?"
Arizona looked at Callie long and hard. She wasn't sure she was ready to share this stuff yet. They hadn't even had a date yet.
"No," Arizona finally said. "She didn't… that I was aware of. But she did do something unforgivable. Something… I'm not ready to talk about yet. Is that okay?"
"Of course, Arizona," Callie stated. "I didn't meant to pry."
"No… it's fine, it just… still stings," Arizona bit her lip, then grinned. "Besides… we need stuff to talk about on our date, right?"
"We do," Callie said. She reached over and took Arizona's hand in her own. "I have the kids this weekend, how about I take you to dinner… I want to say next Wednesday, when Owen has the kids again, but I want my bruises gone, so next Friday? Or Saturday?"
"Friday night," Arizona quickly agreed. "It's a date. Our first."
"Hopefully, the first of many."
