Author's Note - Sorry guys, I might be slow on updates from now on, seeing as I've just started med school but I'll try and post up chapters are regularly as possible. I haven't had much time to read over this chapter much, so sorry for the spelling/grammar mistakes if there are any and I'm sorry that this chapter is a filler, I'm trying to set the scene for the next chapter.
A Better Woman
They tell you that the anti-social working hours and the early morning shifts were all part of the package when it came to be being a doctor, but I had been one for several years, and they weren't getting any easier.
I yawned loudly and blinked quickly in an attempt to keep my heavy eyelids open. Sat at the nurses station with a coffee in one hand and a pen in the other, I tried and failed miserably to sort out my patients files. Today was not my day, I thought to myself as I groaned at the splitting headache I had and the cold I could feel coming on. I would have done just about anything to have been able to crawl back into my bed with my jammies on and a hot water bottle to sleep the rest of the day away, but glancing over at the wall clock, I realised that sadly that wouldn't be happening for a little while – it was 4.32am, there was still another two hours left of my shift.
I sighed heavily and drained the last dregs of my coffee.
"There you are. Good morning!
I turned to where the voice was coming from and saw Arizona skipping up to the station. The perkiness of her voice and her energetic personality was exhausting enough just to hear and to be around and I muttered my greetings in response.
"I thought you might need this." She chirped, leaning in to kiss me, "I saw you walking around like a zombie earlier."
"Thank you! Thank you." I said, as she handed me a fresh new cup of coffee, "Yes, I really, really needed that."
I put my pen down and slurped at my drink, propping my head up with my hand. I watched Arizona twirl a blonde curl around her fingers. How could she be so lively at this time in the morning?
"So," She said, letting the piece of hair she was fiddling with fall onto her shoulder, "you know what would be awesomely fun? A lunch date. Today."
"Sure, that sounds good," I said, automatically without thinking.
Even though I was in desperate need for sleep, I had just voluntarily given away my time to Arizona. I internally sighed and continued drinking my coffee.
"Ok, great! Is 1pm good? I'll meet you at your place?"
"Perfect," I said with a nod, ignoring the thoughts in my head that told me to sleep.
"Awesome," She smiled, "I'll see you later."
My eyes followed Arizona as she walked down the corridor away from me until she disappeared out of sight.
With our impromptu second date just hours away, I was flung into a state of panic. I've always thought that there is so much riding on the second date – an expectation to live up to and the fact that our first date had been nigh on perfect, the bar had been set quite high.
In fact, I had been trying to come up with an elaborate second date idea, in an attempt to match the standard of our first date but that had been fruitless.
The throbbing inside my head became more intense and I decided that panicking wouldn't make me feel any better – whatever Arizona and I decided to do that day would be great.
Home
I gasped at the sound of the doorbell ringing and immediately sat upright in my bed. My head was spinning and the sound of the doorbell ringing was not helping. Steadying myself as I heaved myself off the bed, I saw the face of my alarm clock – oh shit, was it really 1 o'clock already? I swore I only put my head down and closed my eyes a second ago…
I turned to look in the mirror and tried unsuccessfully to smooth down the bird's nest on my head that was my tangled hair. I looked like an absolute state.
The doorbell rang again and I pulled on my dressing down to hide my embarrassing Elmo pajamas. I hurried down the stairs, wiping my runny nose on my sleeve as I opened the door for Arizona.
"Hey," She said, as she stepped into the house, but I was already half way up the stairs, "are you ready?"
"Uhhh, almost, just give me a minute!" I said, trying to suppress the involuntary groan as I held my head.
I dashed into my bedroom and the room began to spin, causing me to fall back onto my bed. I shut my eyes for a second, just for a long blink…
"Calliope, Calliope? Are you alright?"
I murmured as my eyes slowly flickered open. Arizona had found her way up to my bedroom and was now stood in the doorway, peering in at me collapsed on the bed. I had no intended for her to see me sprawled out on the bed, well at least, not in this way.
"I'm f-fine. I just need a moment…" I whispered, making a feeble attempt to sit up.
"Oh nonono." She said, dropping her handbag down on the floor.
Arizona approached the bed and sat down beside me, placing her hand on my forehead, "Just as I thought. We're definitely not going anywhere today – you're sick Calliope."
"No, no, I'm fine," I muttered, shrugging off her diagnosis. I tried again to sit up in an attempt to prove my wellness, but Arizona placed a hand on my shoulder that forced me to lie flat.
"No pretty lady, you're going to get back into bed and I'm going to stay in and take care of you." She asserted as she helped me back into bed, pulling the duvet over my body, right up to my chin, "You should take a nap now. I'll be back in a second, ok?"
I made no attempts to defy her and obediently followed her orders. Arizona rewarded me by leaning in and giving me a light kiss on the cheek before she turned to head out of the room.
"Wait, where's your house key?"
"It's downstairs on the hook in the kitchen. Wait – why?"
"Well, I think I'll need it to get back into your house…"
"What? Where are you going? Stay with me," I stuck my arm out from underneath the duvet and held it out for her, "please Arizona, I want you to stay here with me."
She took my hand and gave it a tight squeeze. Success! I had made her an offer that she could not refuse – how could anyone pass up on the incredible opportunity of spending the whole day with me?
"Oh Calliope, you know, if I could I'd spend all day every day with you, but I'd never get anything done. I really need to go and do something quickly, but I promise to be back by the time you wake up, ok?"
I frowned – what could be so important as to abandon one's sick girlfriend for?
Arizona screwed up her face when she saw my eyebrows furrow.
"Calliope, it won't take long, I promise."
Arizona kissed my cheeks again and I reluctantly closed my eyes. I heard the front door close quietly a few moments later and I eventually surrendered myself to sleep.
"I love you even when you're sick and look disgusting."
My eyes immediately opened and I raised my head to look up to where the voice had come from. Arizona was sat up in bed next to me, fixated on the TV.
"What?"
"Huh? Oh, Calliope, you're awake! Oh my God, I didn't wake you did I? I'm so sorry..." Arizona flicked the remote at the TV to pause the movie she was watching and turned her body towards me, running the back of her hand over my forehead, "You're still quite hot."
"Why thank you," I winked, to which Arizona wrinkled her nose, "and no, you didn't wake me. Did you say something?"
"Uh no, it was just the film – Love Actually, my favourite."
"Oh... Right."
I looked over at the TV screen and what I saw made me feel so stupid. Mr. Firth was on screen, professing his love to that awful girlfriend of his.
I love you even when you're sick and look disgusting.
The words rang in my ears as I pulled the covers up to my face to hide my blushes. What was I thinking? Of course Arizona hadn't had said that, it was a quote from the movie, idiot!
Arizona smiled sweetly at me, unaware of my embarrassment.
"Anyway, are you feeling better?"
"Well k-"
"You must be hungry."
Arizona didn't even bother to wait for my response. I grinned widely as she flipped over the duvet and hopped out of bed, revealing that she was wearing her pajamas too – silky and hot pink, matching Arizona's bright personality.
"What – why are you in your jammies?"
Arizona smirked at me and gave me a little twirl.
"Do you like?"
"Well, yes, they're nice but I –"
"You didn't think you'd be the only one having fun in your pajamas, did you?"
"Yeah actually, if you call being sick having fun..."
I rolled my eyes and attempted to get out bed. Arizona smacked my legs gently in response for my eye roll and sarcasm.
"No. You stay there, I made you some chicken soup, it's in the flask."
She untwisted the lid and handed me a steaming flask. I breathed in the heart warming smell of homemade soup and accepted it gladly.
"You're amazing, thank you." I whispered, taking a few sips and reclining back against the headboard, "You know, you should really get out of here, you don't want to get sick too."
"Don't be silly." She said, clambering back into bed, snuggling up under the duvet with me, "I don't care! I'll be fine, I just need to take care of you."
My heart tightened a little in my chest and I involuntarily let out a sigh of affection. Could anyone have blamed me for being so madly in love with Arizona already when she said things like that? I mean,
"Don't be silly!" She said, clambering back into bed, snuggling up under the duvet with me, "I don't care! I'll be fine anyway, I just need to take care of you."
My heart tightened a little in my chest and I involuntarily let out a sigh of affection. Could you even blame me for being so madly in love with her already when she said things like that?
"Rewind it to the start, I haven't seen this in ages."
"Are you kidding? You've only missed five minutes, let's just keep watching."
"Exactly! Five minutes is hardly anything to re-watch!"
Arizona tilted her head sideways and pouted her lips at me, but still indulged me, however reluctant.
"Fine... Only for you." She said softly, and if I'm not mistaken, with a sniffle.
I felt a little twinge of guilt; it was evident that Arizona had caught my cold, but that feeling quickly subsided as she kissed my forehead, and I could have sworn that that kiss left a burn of passion on my head.
Arizona stirred underneath me and I roused from my slumber. Turning my head to look at her, I found that her eyes were shut and her face was expressionless – she was asleep. I moved gently off of her, carefully trying not to wake her up and saw that the TV was still on – we must have both fallen asleep whilst watching the film. I stifled a yawn as I stretched my arms. I could smell Arizona's scent on me, the sweet floral fragrance that made the tugging in my chest a little bit stronger.
"Oh, thank God."
I turned down to look at Arizona, her eyes were still closed but she was now smiling at me.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up." I whispered, noticing that Arizona had a runny nose. I instinctively wiped it with the sleeve of my jammies and she opened her eyes.
"Oh... Thanks." She said, sitting up, "You didn't wake me, I've been up for about half an hour. I didn't want to move and wake you up. You're so beautiful when you sleep you know?"
I could feel my cheeks burning up, and murmured some gibberish.
"Are you feeling better?"
I nodded. I was feeling a hundred times better than I had been feeling earlier that day.
"I'm sorry. This is the crappiest second date ever."
Arizona frowned and folded her arms.
"I'm sorry you feel that way. I happened to think that this was a super great second date."
"What? Why? You're sick, I'm sick... How is that "super great"?" I asked, struggling to understand how Arizona could think that this was a nice date.
"Well, firstly I'm not sick. I'm fine. Secondly, this is super great because it's been low key, relaxed, casual, calm. I don't feel like I have to put myself across or act in a certain way around you, I can just be myself. None of that pretentious dinner date stuff. I mean, I've had some horrendous second dates but this... This has been perfect."
My heart melted a little inside of me, and I felt the gooey sweet feeling of love pour out of it. I had given up trying to resist and ignore the sensation and happily welcomed the warm feeling in my chest. I didn't know what to say and instead just relished the feeling. My eyes were locked to hers for a few moments, before I seized her hand and pulled her into an embrace.
"Firstly," I sighed, slightly mocking her, "you're sick Arizona."
Arizona protested slightly but I shushed her and she backed down.
"So, I'm going to stay in and take care of you – I just need to take care of you."
She smiled as she heard me repeat the words she had uttered before.
"And secondly, you're right. This has been a good date, I'm sorry I said otherwise. It's been great – you're great." I said, kissing her forehead, then each of her cheeks before kissing her lips.
I somehow got the feeling that inside of her, Arizona's heart was melting in the same way mine had done as I watched her close her eyes and heard her sigh a deep contented breath.