When Arizona was leaving after her surgery ended, Meredith was waiting outside, with a cute smile on her face, like the one you have when you're waiting for someone you like to just open the door.
"Hey, I barely saw you today" – Meredith greeted Arizona, who looked tired, not to mention confused by April's words before.
"Major surgeries today" – Arizona said, softly but in a distant way.
"How was it? This surgery." – Meredith asked.
"Hard, but we could keep the baby inside. She needs more time" – Arizona explained, removing her scrub cap.
"Are you ok? You seem distant" – Meredith asked, trying to discover why Arizona's magic smile wasn't there anymore.
"Look, can we just talk for a second? Maybe outside?" – Arizona asked and Meredith was confused.
"Yeah, sure, did something happen?" – Meredith asked, worried.
"No, I just need to set some things straight, would you meet me in the parking lot in 10 minutes? I just need to change" – Arizona suggested.
"Ok" – Meredith agreed, still intrigued.
A thousand possibilities ran over Meredith's mind. She was scared it could be something related to her, but she also knew it could be anything. Maybe it was about Callie. She started to think that maybe she was out of line pushing Arizona to ask her out on a date, but the blonde seemed fine when they were talking. But then again, Meredith was the living example that sometimes just a good night of sleep can be enough for you to reset your mind and give up on crazy ideas. Was she a crazy idea? Was Arizona scared of what could happen between the two of them?
"Hi" – Arizona greeted Meredith, who was leaning against her own car.
"Oh, hey, I was distracted, I'm sorry. So what's going on? You seem worried" – Meredith asked, still confused.
"Listen, you know that I really appreciate we're being closer now, and I think Sunday was one of the best days I had lately, but this thing, between us, I think it's a bad idea, Meredith. I know we all have our limits and I think it might just get you to cross yours. So, I'm sorry, I know I had a completely opposite speech last night on the phone, but maybe we should just remain friends" – Arizona said and Meredith's feature changed right away.
"But… why? What happened? And what limits are you talking about?" – Meredith was completely lost.
"I just don't think you're ready, Mer. If you feel ready to have something with someone, clearly it's not with me" – Arizona explained.
"Why are you saying that? If I wasn't ready I wouldn't have told you" – Meredith asked, not understanding why Arizona was saying that.
"Look, I've been this person, you know? The single, unable to commit, person. But I'm older now, I have a daughter living with me, I had tons of sex my whole life, and what I need now is everything but a casual thing I'll need to hide. Especially with someone I work with. I'm done with casual sex, Meredith. At least for now. This will require so much more from us than what we're going to receive back, it's not worthy" – Arizona explained and Meredith was in silence, still feeling quite lost.
"Arizona, I think you're getting this all wrong. I…." – Meredith was beginning to explain when Arizona's pager went loud.
"Damn it, my patient is coding. I need to go back, can we finish this tomorrow? I'm sorry!" – Arizona said and ran back inside the hospital again.
Meredith took a little time to get into her car and just drive home. She was completely lost and confused about how quickly Arizona jumped into conclusion that all she intended to was casual sex. Sure she didn't know if that was going to grow and become a serious relationship, but she really had feelings for Arizona and she didn't have any intentions of making this just casual.
To be honest, Meredith was feeling a little offended by what Arizona thought of her without even asking first. She knew relationships between co-workers were often complicated but where else she was going to find someone she could actually be close to? Their schedules at the hospital were crazy enough, not to mention they both being mothers of little children. Meredith pulled her car in front of her house and walked to the door, still feeling intrigued by how things had turned around so damn quickly.
In the meantime, Arizona was back in the hospital trying hard to save her patient who was coding after surgery. After a lot of effort, Arizona managed to maintain the woman alive, but barely.
"Please, let the cardio on call aware of her condition, she might not make it through the night. I'm heading home, but please page me if anything changes, I need to save at least the baby if she doesn't make it, ok?" – Arizona asked her favorite neonatal nurse.
Meanwhile, at Meredith's house, the kids were euphoric playing with Amelia who brought them home from daycare since she left earlier than her sisters. Meredith and Amelia were always fighting but deep down Meredith knew she needed her sister. Not only helping with daily routine and the kids, but she needed her as a friend and as a sister. The kids were absolutely enchanted by her, no matter how hard her day was, she always managed to pour some happiness and joy into those kids.
"Mommy!" – Ellis squealed when she saw Meredith entering.
"These three devils are already bathed and fed, even though someone is begging me for some dessert, right Bailey?" – Amelia informed Meredith and teased her nephew.
"Did you eat your whole dinner, mister?" – Meredith asked her son, who clearly was trying to make up some story. – "I'll take this as no, then"
"Please, mommy, just a little bit of ice cream!" – Bailey begged and soon Zola echoed her brother's wishes.
"Yes, mom, just a little bit" – Zola shouted.
"No shouting, guys, it's late already. All right, I'll give you ice cream but then it's bedtime, ok? No discussion tonight" – Meredith said and Amelia smiled.
"Yes!" – the two kids squealed and Ellis mirrored her siblings' actions.
"Did you eat with them?" – Meredith asked Amelia while she was serving the kids ice cream.
"No, I just made them some quick dinner, but wasn't feeling like cooking for myself" – Amelia explained.
"Ok, so I'll give them this and maybe we can order some pizza? I could use the company" – Meredith suggested and Amelia nodded yes, even though it wasn't a usual thing for Meredith to ask someone to keep her company, especially not Amelia.
A few minutes after Meredith served the ice cream, the kids finished it. Desserts weren't something usual during the week so they were truly happy about it. Amelia ordered the pizza while Meredith was taking the kids to brush their teeth and get ready to bed. A little while after, Amelia informed Meredith that the pizza was about to arrive.
"I ordered a few beers for you, too. I'm guessing you want to talk and before you jump into tequila, maybe a beer can serve you just fine" – Amelia joked.
"I don't wanna talk. I mean, there's nothing to talk about, I just wanted us to have some dinner. That's all" – Meredith said, blushing a little realizing her sister knew better than that.
"Ok, you just put them in the fridge, then" – Amelia said.
"Why are you assuming I need to talk?" – Meredith insisted. Apparently, today was the day when everyone knew her actions before she did.
"Well, for a start you barely talk to me outside the hospital, much less inviting me to have a meal together. Usually, I'm the one who pushes you to have some human contact" – Amelia explained.
"You make me sound like a monster!" – Meredith exclaimed.
"Oh, sis, you kind of are, but that's just you, I love you anyway" – Amelia joked.
"It seems like everyone can guess my actions even before I think about them" – Meredith confessed.
"Who else did it?" – Amelia asked.
"What do you mean?" – Meredith tried to buy some time and avoid Amelia's questions.
"You said everyone can guess. I did it. Who else?" – Amelia insisted.
"No one" – Meredith answered, not looking Amelia in the eyes.
"Oh, great talking, then" – Amelia teased her – "I know there's something going on because you're switching mood like a teenager, but I won't push you to talk to me if you don't want to. But it looks like you need to talk to someone, though. Or, at least, be somewhere else" – Amelia said and the pizza arrived, so she got up from the couch to answer the door.
In the meantime, at home, Arizona paid the nanny who was watching Sofia and hugged the little girl who already had her dinner and bath. They were talking in the living room when they heard a knock on the door. Arizona thought that probably was the nanny that might have forgotten something.
Opening the door was enough to her surprise.
"Callie…"