Characters belong to Shonda. The rest is mine.
One More Try: Chapter Ten
ELIZA'S POV
Five weeks later…
Wow, she is looking more and more beautiful as the days pass. Settled in my seat behind my desk, I tap my pen against the stack of papers I've been grading for the past hour or so but my mind is elsewhere. My mind is firmly on my girlfriend. Arizona is now sixteen weeks pregnant and everything about her is beginning to change. Everything about her seems different. I'm not complaining, but I feel like I should be better prepared for what is to come. I haven't picked up a book or read a single article on pregnancy and I know the time will come when I really need to know that stuff. I know the time will come when it's too late to know all of the information I feel I need to cram into my brain, so I need to start soon. I mean, what if she isn't feeling good and I just put it down to the pregnancy? What if it's something more than that and Arizona becomes ill, or the baby? I would never forgive myself if something happened to her or our beautiful bundle that is safely tucked away inside of her right now. I couldn't live with myself if anything happened and I could have prevented it by being better informed. It's time to step up, Minnick.
Pulling up a web page, I type in 'what to expect when 16 weeks pregnant' and wait for it to load up. I know Arizona is feeling good right now, but it may not always be that way. Things may change and she doesn't do too well with her pregnancy. Our pregnancy. I have to be fully prepared and now is as good a place to start as any. Smiling as I scroll through the page, I'm surprised to find that our baby is now the size of an avocado. Weird comparison, but okay. Oh great, now I have an image of an avocado in my head when I should be focusing on my unborn child. Sounds amazing in my head. Who'd have thought I'd be a mom. Who'd have thought I'd have an unborn child making an appearance in what? Five months. Shit, five months! Is that really all it is? Okay, now I don't feel prepared at all.
Our baby is beginning to show more than he or she was a week or so ago, and I think people know that Arizona is pregnant. Nobody has made a comment about it yet, but I can see how they look at my girlfriend for just that little bit longer than usual. I can see the wheels turning in their heads. It's definitely almost time to tell everyone our news, but Arizona is worried that she will curse all of this once the words fall from her mouth. Her mom is supposed to be visiting in the next few days, and I honestly don't know how she is going to react to all of this. She doesn't know what her daughter has been planning, and she doesn't know that I'm back and in her life. I asked Arizona not to give that piece of information during their calls and I feel like this should all be done face to face. If I'm here to stay, I have to take whatever her mom has to throw at me. I fully expect her to hit her roof when she sees me for the first time in over two years, but who can blame her? I mean, I left her daughter alone without a freaking word.
Shutting off my screen, I sit back in my seat and release a deep breath. Removing my glasses from my face, I set them down and rub my forehead. I can feel a headache coming on, but I don't have time for this. I don't have time to allow the stress I've been feeling to consume me. Arizona needs me and that is all I have to remember. It's all I can think about. She is my world. I'll be damned if I mess anything up for us. Startled when a loud knock on my door pulls me from my thoughts, I sit up in my seat and clear my throat. "Come in."
The door opening, a smile settles on my face when Arizona steps into my office. "Hi, beautiful." Closing the door, she moves further inside and motions for me to pull my seat out a little. Doing as she asks, she sits in my lap, side on, and wraps her arm around my shoulders. "How has your day been?"
"Good." I smile. "Yours?"
"Okay." She shrugs as her lips press against my own. "I need to get home and take this freaking skirt off, though."
"That's a shame." I give her a sad smile. "It looks incredible on you."
"Mm, I don't feel incredible in it." She wrinkles her nose. "Just feeling a little uncomfortable today."
"You have any more classes today?" I ask, my hand resting on her thigh.
"No." She sighs. "But I have a ton of work to get through."
"So, leave me your office key." I smile. "I'll pick it up when I'm leaving for the day and I'll have it finished for you."
"By who?" She laughs. "The freaking fairies…"
"By me." I roll my eyes playfully. "I'm almost done here so I don't have anything to bring home with me."
"That's sweet but you have enough of your own stuff to do." She rests her head on my shoulder. "Ugh, I want to nap."
"Go home, Arizona," I demand. "Take the afternoon to relax. Take a bath. Put on your sweats."
"That sounds like the best idea ever." She breathes out. "But could you do something for me?" She has a look on her face that I don't quite recognize, but I'm all ears right now. Anything she needs, I can totally do. "Could you drop by the drive-thru on the way home?"
"Sure, what did you want?" That works for me. If we don't have to prepare dinner, it gives me more time to relax with my girlfriend.
"I, uh…can you get me a large fries?" She asks. "And a banana shake?"
"Consider it done." Pressing my lips to her own, she smiles against my mouth and my hand settles on her bump. "I love you."
"I love you, too." Brushing her thumb across my cheek, my eyes close and it feels good to have her hands on my skin. It always does. "I'm headed home. You won't be too long, right?"
"Give me an hour." I check my watch. "I'll finish up here and then I'll be with you."
"Perfect." Getting to her feet, she fixes her skirt a little better and I can see that she is uncomfortable. "I'll see you at home." Pulling her purse up onto her shoulder, she heads for the door and steps out into the corridor.
God, that woman makes my heart beat perfectly…
Pushing through our front door, my hands are pretty full and I turn to find Arizona shifting uncomfortably on her feet in the kitchen. Um… Furrowing my brow as I drop the files I've brought home down onto a nearby table, she rushes towards me and takes her food order from my hands. "Oh, thank god."
"Uh, you're welcome," I reply as she disappears and drops down onto the couch. The fire is lit and she is huddled under a throw, but yeah…she looks freaking adorable right now. "Everything okay?" I shrug my blazer from my shoulders and kick my heels off.
"Mm…" She shoves a handful of fries into her mouth. "You got me two?"
"I did." I give her a nod in agreement. "And isn't it a good thing I did, huh?"
"Why?" She mumbles as she removes the lid from her shake.
"Well, you're clearly starved and for the record…I love you and I'll do anything for you, but I don't need to see your fries after your teeth have turned them to mush."
"Sorry." She gives me a sad smile and places her hand over her mouth. "Just…I thought you'd never make it home." My eyes widening and my mouth falling open, I watch my gorgeous and beautiful girlfriend scoop up her shake with her fries. "God, that's good." She shoves it into her mouth and I wrinkle my nose.
"Um…" Giving her a look of confusion, I simply watch as she devours the lot. "So, I'm just going to leave you alone to continue to be disgusting…"
"Ugh, try it." She scoops up more of her shake and holds out the banana covered fries. "It's so good."
"Oh, I think I'll pass." I hold up my hands. "But thanks for the offer." Giving her an awkward smile, she furrows her brow and looks at me like I've just been placed on earth in the last thirty seconds.
"What do you mean, no?"
"I mean…you look like you need that combination more than me." Pressing a kiss to her forehead, she moans in appreciation and I step back. "I'm changing, okay?"
"You won't be long, though?"
"I'll be back before you know it." Smiling, I head for the staircase and take them two at a time. I love this side of her, but I won't lie…the whole fries and shake thing is kinda disgusting. I guess the cravings just kicked in. Stripping my clothes from my body, I pull on an oversized hoodie and some yoga pants. Tonight is all about comfort and I knew that the moment Arizona stepped into my office earlier today. I'll take some time to just be with her and then I'll get to work on grading her papers.
How times have changed, huh? Two years ago, I was the student. I was the one who shouldn't have even been in her home. Now, though? Life somehow figured itself out and now we are having a baby. Yeah, it's still crazy. No matter how much I think about it, it will always be crazy to me. Heading back down to the lower level of our home, Arizona is settled, slurping on the remainder of her banana snake. "You doing okay here?" I approach the couch and she holds out her hand to me.
"I missed you." She runs her thumb over the back of my hand.
"I'm here now…whatever you require, I can do." Smirking as she pulls me closer, I drop down to my knees beside her and she runs her fingers through my hair. She's in that needy kinda mood tonight but that's okay. The more needy, the better. "You feeling better than earlier?"
"Mm, just had to change and I felt a million dollars again." Rolling her eyes playfully, a slight laugh falls from my mouth and she studies my face. "Have I gotten fat?"
"Nope," I say with complete certainty. "You got even more beautiful and I didn't think that was even possible." Brushing a few stray hairs from her forehead, her eyes close momentarily and she releases the slightest of sighs. "Comfort is what is important, Arizona."
"I think people need to know soon." She sighs. "It won't make anything go wrong, will it?"
"No, baby." I rest my head on her shoulder. "It will help, though. I mean, if you aren't feeling so good, people should know the reason why. Then they can help you out if it's needed."
"Mm, I guess you're right." She agrees, reluctantly.
"Of course, I'm right." Resting my hand on her stomach, it's definitely beginning to take shape. God, this is going to be amazing. "Is the avocado feeling okay today?"
"Eh?" She looks at me with total confusion. "Avocado, what?"
"Our baby is the size of an avocado right now."
"It is." She smiles. "You did some research, huh?"
"I have to." I shrug. "I don't want to be one of those partners who is oblivious to what is going on around me. If I need to know stuff…then a little studying never did me any harm."
"Mm…" She narrows her eyes. "Does this mean I'm about to become Professor Robbins again?" My body responding to her words, I study her face and tug on my bottom lip.
"Did you want to be Professor Robbins again?" I counter. "I mean, my Professor Robbins?"
"Oh, beautiful." She presses her lips to my own. "I'll always be your anything." Smiling at her words, the palm of my hand caresses her bump and she settles back against the couch. "That feels good."
"Yeah?" I raise an eyebrow and she simply nods, her eyes closing. "You know, anything you need…just say the word, okay?"
"Anything?" She cracks one eye open and smirks. "Just…everything is still really sensitive, you know?"
"Mm, I do know." My hand trailing up and under her oversized tee, I smile when I discover she isn't wearing a bra. My thumb barely even brushing over her nipple, a gasp falls from her mouth and her back arches as she shifts further down the couch. "Feel good?" I raise an eyebrow. "I mean because you need this…right?"
"Y-Yeah." She attempts to talk but it's more of a moan. "Just makes me feel better…"
"Well, anything I can do to help." Giving her other breast a little attention, she takes her bottom lip between her teeth and the smile on her face is adorable and hot. "I'd hate to see you suffer."
"You're too g-good to me." Her breath catching, she takes my hand and runs it down her stomach and past the waistband of her sweats. "Far too good…"
"It's my job to make you feel good, Arizona." My fingertips connecting with pure arousal, it takes everything I have within me to not climb on top of her right now and take her how I know she likes it. "Just relax, okay?"
"Mm…" Slowly rolling my fingertips over her swollen and sensitive clit, her head buries deeper into the cushion beneath her and the low moans she is releasing is like music to my ears. God, I love how she moans for me. "Oh god." She whispers as I run two fingers through her soaked folds.
Still on my knees beside her, she turns her head slightly and I capture her lips. No words are needed right now. So long as I know that she is feeling okay, she doesn't need to give me any words at all. Her hips meeting my every movement, her own fingers tug at her nipple and the view I'm receiving right now is making me crazy. Fuck, she's something else. "You look so beautiful when I've got you like this…" Leaning in, I press my lips to her own and pick up my pace a little. "When you let go and just feel good...it's so hot."
"E-Eliza…" Groaning as her orgasm approaches, I press my fingers against her clit a little harder and she forces her ass into the couch. "Oh god, yes." Gripping my wrist, my pace slows but Arizona's hips continue to meet my movements. "Fuck…" Slowing, her body shudders and shakes as a smile creeps onto my face.
"So beautiful…" I press a kiss below her ear, her hand now resting on her forehead and her eyes closed. "Everything about you is beautiful."
"God, everything just feels so much more intense right now." Releasing a deep breath, she steadies her breathing and I give her a moment to come down from her high. "Especially when you are involved."
"I'm going to assume that is a good thing?" I raise an eyebrow.
"Always a good thing." She gives me a dimpled smile. "Lie with me?" She suggests. Waiting until she shifts onto her side and settles comfortably, my own body comes to rest beside her and my hand settles on her hip. "Thank you."
"You don't have to thank me for anything, Arizona."
"I feel like I do." She presses her lips to my own. "Just accept my thanks and leave it at that, okay?"
"Okay." Her eyes flickering shut every few seconds, I know she is tired. I can see it in those baby blues as they dull ever so slightly. Falling into a comfortable silence, she wraps her arm around my waist and settles her head against my chest. I may not know much about anything right now, but I know one thing is for sure…
This woman is pure perfection…
Thanks for reading, guys. Reviews are welcome and appreciated as always.