The Irony of It All-chapter 10
Mark stood staring at the mirror mounted on top of his large mahogany dresser. It was of course located directly across from his large king sized pillow topped bed. He had hoped to have the perfect view of any sexual activity with this location but itseemed he couldn't even concentrate on pursuing ass since a certain blond had entered his mind. Quite frankly it was driving him crazy. He had been very careful to avoid Arizona Robbins for the last week. What happened in the bathroom affected him more than he wanted to admit. She had actually hurt him. But that meant nothing to him. Sophia had come through her last surgery with flying colors. There had been some hiccups but Dr. Stark had actually proven competent and even let Arizona watch him operate.
He glanced down at the picture of his little girl that he had already framed from a few days ago. She was 3 ½ pounds and 8 ounces now. She was looking healthier every day which meant lots of snuggle time with daddy and mommy. He sighed again. Whenever he thought of Arizona it felt as if someone had turned on the light in a darkened room and now he could see all the things that had been concealed by darkness. He shook his head as he tried again for the fifth time to tie his silk tie. Today was the first meeting with Torres's and the mediator. He was already running late since he had taken time printing off some new pictures of Sophia to give to her grandparents. He hoped the good will gesture would break what was sure to be an icy reception.
Arizona stood silently in the door way watching Mark fight with his tie. He had seemed to be in a deep thought a moment ago and just as suddenly he was fidgeting with tie. She knew he had been avoiding her for the last seven days, Not that she hadn't been doing the same thing yet somehow she was the one feeling guilty. She watched as he irritably gave up on the tie and began to put on what looked like diamond cuff links. He ran a comb through is unruly pepper gray curls before adding a little product to make it look like it was done. She smiled in spite of herself, sometimes he was so metro sexual. He sighed and placed his large hands on the dresser leaning forward to rest his forehead against the mirror.
"Mark you ok" she said softly, taking a hesitant step into his room. It smelled like him, leather and fresh rain.
His head jerked up, eyes wide. "Yea I'm good" he said clearing his voice, once again trying to fix his tie. She gave weak smile before moving towards him. He watched her with uncertainly as she placed her hands on his shoulders and turned him towards her.
"Here let me" she intoned softly.
He simply nodded as her hands deftly began to turn and twist the silk material. He tried unsuccessfully to focus on anything but those cerulean blue eyes. He stared at her blond hair which was pulled back into a simple pony tail at the base of her neck with a swoop bang drifting over the side of her face. He hadn't taken the time to realize how blond her hair actually was before. Now he could see she was a natural, no die jobs here. Suddenly he could see himself running his fingers through her hair, wondering if it felt like the silk she was now manipulating with fingers. Shaking his head slightly, he decided to focus on her nose, nothing carnal there. Except he couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to place a gently kiss on the tip after one of her rants or trademark speeches she was famous for. This brought a smile to his face.
"What are you smirking about" Arizona said softly smoothing his tie against his chest. Her hand lingers a bit longer than it needed to, feeling nothing but hard muscle and his heart beating under his grey button down. Now it was her turn to remember every ripple that she had seen and felt in the bathroom and this very room She bit her bottom lip unconsciously and looked up to find herself lost in blue-grey eyes. His eyes reminded her of the storms that came out of nowhere near the Mediterranean Sea. Her father had been station in Italy when she was younger and they had taken a family vacation to a Greek island one summer. Arizona always remembers it because her family had been on a private yacht when a summer storm came upon them. One moment the skies were as blue as sapphires and in the next clouds of misty grey swirled and mixed until all she could see through the lashing rain was a stunning blue-grey horizon. It was so beautiful that it had stunned her to the danger. Her father had to drag her back into the cabin.
And this is how she viewed Mark Sloan, a beautiful danger. He was full of life with his screw the rules bravado and yet he was someone who could quite literally take her breath away with his vulnerability. It had been so very long since she felt anything. She swallowed the lump in her throat. She felt as cold as the ground that they lowered her Calliope in. Nothing warmed her except her daughter and the feelings that were quite literally pulled out of her against her will when she found herself crushed against the oak door Mark's bedroom. In that moment she felt every pent up emotion, hurt, anger desperation and longing being dragged out her by the need in his kiss. She stared at him lost in the moment.
Mark stared into her eyes, in them he could see wonder, hesitation, and fear and could it be longing? The air was tense with anticipation. He knew he was still smarting from her comments a week ago but the way she staring at him with her hand resting against his chest was the only thing he could register. It was taking all his will power not to kiss her into oblivion and spend the rest of the day making love to this woman. Make love? Jesus I'm losing it! He thought fiercely.
"We're going to be late" he said hoarsely.
The spell broken, Arizona smiled quickly before stepping back out of his personal space. "Right! I see you got the pictures of Sophie, they look great" she rambled quickly reaching past him to flip through the pictures that were strewn over the top of the dresser.
"Yea she's a super model in the making" He joked moving to his closet to remove the Armani jacket from a hanger.
"So what do you think is going to happen today" Arizona said still rifling through the pictures. She wanted to move past the awkward moment as quickly as possible.
As he was slipping his jacket on he turned and immediately lost his capacity to speak.
"Mark?" she asked again, this time looking up to see him staring at her like a deer caught in headlight. His eyes were staring appreciatively at her legs. She found herself actually blushing...
"Mark?"
He could only wonder how it was that he hadn't noticed the pale green mini skirt and impossibly long and toned legs that stretched out from underneath them. "Wow" he stammered.
He watched her smile a dimpled smile and cock her head shyly to the side..."Sloan you'll never change...Let's go" she said exited the room, feeling his eyes on her all the way.
SGMW NICU
"She's just so damn cute" Teddy smiled holding the little girl. She was garbed in the peach protective smocks that were standard wear. The little girl looked so much like Callie it could make you cry. She had Sloan features of course and the hazel grey eyes were definitely something that grabbed one's attention. She cooed and squirmed adorably in the heart surgeons arms.
"I know…just another month and you are out of the toaster princess" April cooed to her, placing a kiss on the top of her dark head.
"Yea especially since she's off the O2 machines." Teddy smiled down as the NICU got another visitor.
"Hey stop hogging my progeny" Christina complained
"Your progeny?" teddy chuckled..."Says the women who wants no children"
"I have a godchild, my childbearing duties are fulfilled" she quipped reaching to take the baby from Teddy.
"You didn't give birth Yang" teddy said exasperated...
"Whatever I suffered just the same…Isn't that right jr" She grinned
"Jr?" April asked
"Hello…Torres jr right here. See that look she just gave me…So Callie" she said
"Uh if Callie was here, she'd tell you to stop pilfering the credit for her kid" Teddy smiled.
"Nooo. If Callie was here she'd ask why her girlfriend was throwing Sloan please fuck me looks last month at lunch and then I hate your fucking guts looks two weeks ago when she found out he was putting it to Fields." She said smugly
Teddy sighed and April looked like she had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar...
"So you know?" April said incredulously
"Kepner!" teddy interrupted
"Of course I do …know what exactly...wait are they fucking?" she said a wild sense of awe etched on her face…"Jesus! Maybe I should have tried some of that Sloan loving when I had the chance a few years ago"
"No their not fucking but—you had a chance at what?" Teddy gasped…"No way"
"Ok, I think it's time for us to go" April said yanking Teddy by the arm...
Christian moved quickly but carefully to block their escape...She rocked the baby gently in her arms..."Me thinks your aunties are hiding something dirty about your mommy and daddy" she cooed eyeballing them…"Spill it!"
"NO!" Teddy said defiantly
"Fine, then I'll just have to tell everyone I come in contact with that Roller girl is now taking the sausage…" she grinned
"You wouldn't" April gasped
"Taking the sausage with relish!" Christina said triumphantly
Teddy rubbed the bridge of her nose…"Fine but I swear if you open your mouth to ANYONE…I will personally see to it that you never see another heart surgery again!"
That actually made the woman cringe… …"so help me god!" Christina crossed herself.
"Christian you're not Catholic!" Teddy said throwing her hands in the air.
Mediator Anthony Darrell's office
You could cut the tension with a knife. Mark and Arizona sat on side of the long cedar table while Carlos and Lucia sat on the other. Each party had their lawyers present. The mediator, attorney at Law Tony Darrell sat watching the two parties apprehensively. He had been studying the case for the last month which included looking over the judge's notes. He watched each person's body language because people could lie but the body could not. The father of the child in question, Dr, Sloan sat rigidly in his chair, jaw clenched eyes predatorily watching the Torres. The blond with the incredible legs sat with her hand lying discretely on his knee, slightly gripping it every so often. Her eyes were soft and full of sadness when she looked at the grandparents.
Lucia Torres was iron willed, Darrell could see. She had not cracked so much as a smile. Not even when presented with photos of her grandchild. The child who she was desperately fighting for a place in her life. However, her brown eyes had softened when she thought no one was looking, glancing every so often at the pictures that were now in her husband's hands. Carlos was mixed bag of loss, pain, hurt and longing. The pictures of the baby had brought tears to his eyes. Yet he refused to let them fall. Instead he met Dr. Sloan stare down for stare down in some invisible face off.
"Ahem…let's get started shall we?" The mediator said finally speaking.
All eyes were now on him. "I think we are all glad and relieved to hear that Sophia is out of the woods. SO this should be a time of celebration" he said staring pointedly at all of the adults. After taking a moment, he continued..."The bottom line here is that the baby is firmly in the custody of her father" he said directly to the Torres's. That is not up for debate"
"What is up for debate" Carlos asked gripping his hands together.
Mark mumbled under his breath but managed not to say anything out loud.
"We are here to find a middle ground on how much time you will get to see your granddaughter" the mediator stated calmly. "This would go smoother if you all could find common ground.
Arizona's voice was clear and strong, belying her true emotions. "I know you don't believe this, but we all loved Calliope" she said
Lucia scoffed…"Your love is what destroyed her" she said cutting the blond to the quick.
Mark grumbled…"See this is why I don't want my kid around you two paranoid bible beaters!"
"You are man with no morals and no family values! If you had one ounce of respect for my daughter you would have given us custody! We are Calliope's parents! We are her family" Carlos exploded
"A family that turned their back on her when they found out she was dating a woman!" Mark roared back.
"I NEVER TURNED MY BACK!" Carlos said emotionally…"You know that!" he said to Arizona..."
"He didn't ...at least not for long" Arizona said laying her hand on Mark's arm…" He turned to give her scathing look. She knew he was thinking she had betrayed him by siding with Carlos on this point... "Mark please just let me explain"
He nodded mutely
"Carlos, I saw how much you loved Callie. I know your heart is broken, I know it because mine is shattered to badly I can't even breath sometimes…Every night I wake myself from nightmare because of the loss of your daughter…SO I know you are in pain" she said softly
Mark stared ahead...He had heard her turning and crying out in her sleep at night but he could never bring himself to go to her...
"I just want to make things right...Callie's gone but that beautiful little girl is still here. She's a gift from God. I know you believe in God. So you have to believe that she was left here for a reason" Arizona implored him, her eyes glistening. She reached across the table to hold his hand despite getting the death glare from his wife. "For Callie's sake...Please" she said with all the vulnerability in the world.
The mediator watched as a myriad of emotions played out over the older Latinos face.
"Do not try to distract us with your supposed grief" Lucia said bitterly
"Enough! Escucha me mi amor. nuestra hija está muerta. el tiempo de combates. Es no más .. que sea sobrel amor. (Listen to me my love, our daughter is dead. The time for fighting is over. Let it be over love)
"Como desee" she said quietly. (As you wish)
"Sooo I take it we are ready to start the negotiations" Darrelle smiled, he was fluent in Spanish and the look of defeat was written in Mrs. Torres's eyes.
For the first time that day, Mark finally relaxed; it was only now that he noticed his fingers were intertwined with Arizona's, squeezing them tightly.
The Kitty Korner-12am
"Ok I don't know about you but I feel like the piece of meat that they toss to the hungry lions at the zoo" Christian said whipping her head from side to side taking in all the salacious looks she, Teddy and April were getting.
"It's a gay club...The women are assuming we are gay Yang" Teddy laughed as she sipped her Malibu breeze
"I think they just wanna know who we are "April smiled happily..."This is my first gay anything" she practically giggled
"I could probably pimp her out to the butchy in the corner over there...Still wanna make friends" Christina snickered as the young woman's eyes were wide as saucers.
The woman in question was dressed in baggy jeans, a blue hoody and black leather vest that covered it. She was Hispanic with dark assertive eyes and long hair that was tied in a pony tail hidden under a fitted cabin. "That's a woman" April cowered against Teddy...
Teddy laughed shaking her head as she caught sight of the blond entering the club. The seas literally parted as she made her way to her friends The blond was wearing the mini pale green mini skirt with a black halter top and a tapered pale green dress jacket. She was in 4 inch black heels that accentuated her long legs and every women in the place was now drooling with every step she stoop.…Arizona looked incredulously at the trio sitting in the booth…"YOU BROUGHT YANG!" she said sliding in.
"Hey! I take offense to that!" She smirked…
"WhooHOOO…Look at you...Sexx on a stick baby" Teddy teased her for which she was granted a dimpled smile...
"Flattery will get you nowhere, why is Yang here" Arizona smiled motioning for a the waitress
"Hey! Right here" Christina quipped
A bronze skinned beauty appeared at the table in black booty shorts and a tank top. "What can get for you" she said licking her full lips.
Arizona gave her very long look before smiling…"I don't know can you" she winked
"Ok eww..Really?" Christian said…"Uh Nubian queen, can we get some drinks" she said rudely
The woman finally pulled her eyes away from the blond…"whatever...what you want" she said curtly
Arizona and Teddy chuckled while Christina ordered.
"Anything for you sweetheart" the woman said to April and was rewarded with a blush..."um...well. I don't know...I uh"
"She'll have a rum and coke" Arizona said gently...
"Will do" the woman smiled as she turned and walked away.
"I think she liked you April…that's a step up from butchy over there" Teddy teased her
April put her head in her hands…"Did we have to come here"
"Where else are we gonna find a lesbian for roller girl here, they ain't just growing on trees at the hospital" Christina laughed.
"Again why are you here?" Arizona laughed
The Nubian queen returned with drinks and glasses of water, before tossing one more look Arizona's ways.
"You are going to trust these bitches with picking your future booty call" Christian gasped with mock shock.
"Right...Because you know so much about attracting women!"Teddy put in looking incredulously at her protégé.
"Hey...I have good taste" April said indignantly wanting to be included.
"You're a virgin, "Christiana laughed..."Those lips couldn't recognize the taste of dick if it was bobbing in front of you"
"Yang!" Arizona snorted her water
"And I just talking about your pussy Kepner, how about we master men first...Needless to say I think you know jack shit about women!" Christina said sipping her vodka and pineapple.
"Ok...you" Teddy said directing to the Asian..."Shut the fuck up!"
"Thank you" April said taking a big gulp of coke and rum.
"I must have been crazy to think that this plan was going to work" Arizona said staring at her friends...
"Hey we are here for you" Teddy said dramatically, pinching her friend's cheek like a five year old.
"Too keep you off McSteamy's stick" April chuckled at herself
The blond pedes surgeon rolled her eyes...
"Actually I'm' here for the entertainment" Christina deadpanned
"Aha" Arizona quipped "You are enjoying this way too much"
"So what is the plan" teddy asked after they all had stopped laughing.
"Find Arizona a woman so she can stop thinking about Mark" April said coolly
"Nooo it is not" Arizona interrupted. "I just needed a safe place to discuss this without prying ears"
"So then what is the plan" Yang chimed in
"Actually" Arizona ran her finger over the rim of her glass. "An old friend of mine is coming to town"
Teddy looked at Christina who then looked at April. They all looked at the blond for a long hard second before…."so would you have been fucking this old friend" yang smirked
Another roll of the eyes..."Yes Christina. She' is an ex but she is not coming to screw me. She actually is a trauma Dr and she called me this afternoon to say she got a job at the hospital" Arizona laughed...
"So then we have a candidate" teddy smiled
"Maybe" Arizona smiled quietly…
"So this is good" April asked
"This is …" Arizona paused sipping her drink, her eyes locking with the Nubian Queen behind the bar…she licked her lips..."Distraction" she said before pushing herself up from the booth. "Ladies I intend to get my grind on and release a little tension." She called back as she made her way over to the bar.
For the next hour and half the girls watch Arizona distract herself on the dance floor with many different women and with the way she was moving.
Even Yang had to admit..."Yea, she is pretty distracting"
Robbins Sloane Apt.
It was four in the morning when Mark heard a raucous in his home. He immediately grabbed his aluminum bat and made his way to the living room where he found Yang half dragging/half carrying a very drunk Arizona into the house.
"What the hell?" he said incredulously
Yang looked up..."Do you ever wear a shirt" she asked
"What happened?" he said folding his arms across his broad chest.
"Short version, she got drunk at the lesbo club and almost got laid literally on the dance floor" Christiana laughed when she saw Mark clench his jaw. "Awee you jealous?"
Arizona took this moment speak up..."Hey Marky…I was out celebrating our victoryyy" she slurred
"Aha" he said reaching to take her from Christina…"Goodnight Yang" he said with finality
"Fine fine. I exhausted, I had to beat off the butchies all night" she quipped as she left out the door.
Mark easily maneuvered the blond as she locked the door. He lifted her over her shoulder and carried her to her bedroom,
"Whooo...I don't think heights are good right now" Arizona laughed…"Put me down you brute" she said lightly punching his back her hands a few inches above his backside... "You have a nice ass" she giggled.
He stood her up his hand steadying her..."And you are drunk" he smiled
"Just an ill" she said pinching her fingers together
"Come on let's get you ready for bed" he said softly. He eased the pale green dress jacket off her shoulders while she watched him, slightly swaying. Their eyes locked as he lifted the halter top off her body to reveal a pale pink bra.
"I think you're blushing Dr. Sloan" she grinned closing her eyes for a moment trying to steady herself
"I am not..." he said gruffly…as his hand reached around her to slide the zipper on the back of her mini skirt down agonizingly slow.
Arizona placed her hands flat on his chest…"You are so pretty you know that?"
"Thank you?" Mark said quietly as she slid the material down her long legs, his fingers brushing gently all the way down. She placed one hand on his muscled shoulder and the other in hair, gently caressing the locks...
Mark shuddered the intimacy of the contact as he lifted her foot and slid a high hell off and then the other. Mark took a breath and stood up, finding her quite literally in his arms. His hands loosely held her hips. She was wearing pale pink lace panties. He swallowed hard…
Arizona stared into his eyes…"I'm sorry I hurt you Mark" she whispered
"It's fine, let's get you back to bed" Mark said trying to move her to the bed
"Its not ok, I was a bitch" she said caressing his check her thumb grazing his bottom lip. "But why did you have to kiss me that night" she said almost desperately..."Now its all messed up"
Mark couldn't resist pulling her closer to his body..."I kissed you because when I'm with you I feel" he paused at a loss for words
"Alive" she finished.
He nodded mutely...Suddenly he was holding her very closely to his body. She reached behind his neck pulling him few inches closer to her. "You can kiss me again if want" she whispered.
"I don't think that's a good idea" he said hoarsely
"Your life is a series of bad ideas. What's one more" she smirked licking her lips.
He literally groaned at her words…"Arizonaaa"
"Need some convincing" she husked. In one swift moved hand was in his boxer shorts caressing his manhood.
"Robbins! Don't do that" He said gripping her hand holding it place…
"It's what you want" she slurred…"We both know it is" she said her thumb caressing the tip of his erection.
Mark literally rested his forehead against hers, trying to steady himself. He gently pulled her hand from his body and held both of them together…"You are worth more than a drunken fuck" he said gently breathing hard.
"You're driving me crazy Sloan" Arizona sighed resting her head against his chest. "I never...I don't...I need sleep" she said finally
"Good idea" Mark smiled lifting her and laying her on the bed. He covered her with a blanket and placed a kiss on the top of her head.
"Good night" he sighed
"Good night Mark" she yawned before she drifted off.
Mark watched her for a moment. He knew that this was a bad idea. Arizona Robbins was a bad idea. But he one thing he was sure of, that he only felt alive lately when he was in her arms or doing anything that involved the blond. It was the only time he felt he could actually breathe.