/Rework 1.0
GSMH – the next day
Callie arrived at the hospital with a little headache. She bought a cup of coffee and made her way to the locker room.
She was not pleased at all, when she spotted Meredith, changing into her scrubs.
"Morning."
"Yeah, morning."
Both of them had dark circles under their eyes. A clear indication that they were way too old for getting drunk in the middle of the week.
"How are you feeling?" Callie asked her friend.
Meredith shook her head.
"I'm okay. Tired maybe a little bit. Hey, did we really drive to Robbins last night?"
Callie started to change into her scrubs, as well.
"Yes. But don't worry. She thinks I was alone."
"So you are going to ask her on a date then?"
Callie reached for her doctor's coat and felt the headache intensifying.
"I don't know. Yesterday we were drunk and it felt like a good idea. I don't know if I find the courage again, to make a fool out of myself."
Meredith looked at her friend. "So that's it?"
Callie looked in a mirror and spotted herself, she looked tired.
"Maybe I will try it tomorrow. Or maybe next week."
"So, when is Arizona's shift starting?"
Callie looked at her watch.
"In two hours. But before that she has to bring Ben to the daycare. God damn it, I can't even see my son this morning, because his mother hates me."
She felt a small kick against her own foot. Meredith was now standing closer to her.
"So go, ask her after she dropped Ben off at daycare. Ask her again and whatever she says, you can still visit the daycare and see your son. How angry can Robbins even be?"
"Why are you even interested in this? Since when do you care about me and Arizona so much?"
Meredith pointed at her locker, where there were pictures of her children and some of Derek.
"I'm a widow, with three little kids and I'm Head of General Surgery. I will probably never date again, so I'm going to live through you."
Callie felt sad for her friend.
"Come on, I buy you another coffee and then you try to catch her at daycare."
GSMH – 1:30 hours later
Callie felt nervous today. There was no liquid courage in her system. And seeing Penny walking past her, without even acknowledging her presents, hadn't lightened her mood.
Her mouth felt dry, she didn't even know if she would be able to talk at all.
She waited in the hallway to the daycare. She had seen Arizona walk in with Ben. She looked great.
She was smiling and greeting everyone she knew. Her beige mantle and the stylish scarf, made her look like a successful business woman.
This hadn't helped Callie's confidence, because right now she felt like a sad sack of potatoes.
But she needed to ask now or never that was all the courage she had left for this month.
She didn't have to wait long, when Arizona left the daycare. She looked surprised that Callie was standing there.
She walked towards Callie and stopped right in front of her. Callie could smell a feint freshly showered Arizona.
"So. Did you sleep it off?"
Callie tried to lick her lips, who were also dry.
"I'm really, sorry about last night."
Arizona nodded, like she had expected this.
"You know, lets forget about it. We do stupid things when we are drunk. Okay?"
Arizona wanted to walk past her, when Callie found her voice again.
"Wait! Yes, lets forget about that, but I still need to ask you something."
Arizona turned around and waited.
"Do you. I mean. Would you consider, going on a date with me?"
Callie was proud of herself. She finished a sentence, without stuttering like an idiot.
Arizona sighted and shook her head.
"Callie, I told you yesterday, I'm not your backup-plan, because your girlfriend left you. Stop doing that, it's embarrassing me."
Callie watched as Arizona started walking away.
But then she remembered, what her friends had told her in the car.
"No. You got it wrong, you are not a backup-plan!"
She wasn't sure if Arizona had heard her, but she had just left anyway, without saying another word. Callie felt like she wanted to cry.
GSMH – 3 hours later
Callie had a horrible day. Yes of course she had an amazing surgery and her patients boyfriend, was more then happy, that there hadn't been any complications.
But the praise of her work, didn't reach her heart today.
She looked out of a window in the Attendings Lounge. The weather was reflecting her mood.
The sky was grey and it was stormy. She was sure it would start raining soon.
Alex and Meredith entered the Lounge. First they didn't even acknowledge that she was there, because there were busy discussing Jo. Alex was the first one to notice her.
"Hey Torres, what's with the sad face? Did someone die?"
Callie looked at Meredith accusingly.
"You! You set me up to ask Arizona out on a date."
Meredith didn't look impressed.
"She said no again, didn't she?"
"Yes. And thanks to your advice, I have to avoid Penny and Arizona, for the next month. Which will be a lot of fun, since we have two children together! Thank you!"
Alex jumped to Meredith's defense.
"Back off and just tell us what she said."
Callie walked over to them.
"I asked her out and then she accused me of asking her, just because of Penny. Then I told her that she isn't some second choice, but she just blew me off!"
"So what? I told women that they are pretty and amazing, to get them to sleep with me."
"What does that have to do with me and my problem?"
Meredith took a medical journal from the table and looked through it.
"Because words are cheap. Just because you told her doesn't mean she will believe you. So stop with the whining and fight more. How come you are always up in our asses, when it comes to your patients, but when it comes to Robbins you give up so easily."
Callie thought about that. Yes of course, it looked bad. Penny had broken up with her in less then 24 hours. However. Arizona didn't know that.
To Arizona it looked like, they had been happy, because Callie had never said anything negative about Penny.
Arizona didn't know, that she had ignored Penny not only during their lunch together, but also in the last months that they had started hanging out.
"Okay so. How do I make her understand or better how to I get her to go out with me, if she doesn't believe me?"
"Actions Torres, actions. You ask her until she calls human resources and files a complaint against you."
Callie looked at Alex, like he had lost his mind.
"Yeah. I can also see Bailey being a big fan of that plan. I'm serious though, how can we be sure that it's not too much and I just make her even angrier at me."
"I have my sources."
Said Meredith nonchalant.
"Sources? You have sources now."
Meredith looked up from the journal.
"I had some surgeries with Kepner in the last weeks. She talks a lot. One time Kepner went with Arizona to this edgy new lesbian bar..."
Callie needed to restrain a laughter. The idea of Kepner being Arizona's wingman in a lesbian bar, was just too funny.
"Sorry. Please continue."
"So, they were at this bar and Kepner brought in the ladies for Arizona. But there was always something wrong with them. To thin, to blond. It was a complete waste of time. And Kepner told me, that Arizona is always looking at you, when she is sure, that you haven't spotted her. And when that doesn't convince you, there was also the dinner."
Callie grimaced a little. The dinner was that evening she would love to forget.
"I know I was busy with, you know what. However, there was a room full of people who noticed Arizona behavior."
Callie shrugged her shoulders.
"I know, Penny told me that Arizona was super nice to her."
Meredith shook her head.
"Yeah of course, because Penny doesn't know her. Arizona is not the type of person who is openly jealous or openly hostile. Well expect if you push her too much. But first she got really drunk that night and secondly, she was way too friendly, towards Penny. Over the top friendly. She probably wanted to kill Penny with her friendliness."
"Fine, so if you are that convinced, that Arizona wants me back, why don't you drag Kepner and her to Joe's bar and do the whole 'my husband is dead' routine on her?"
Meredith shook her head.
"That doesn't work on them. They are too perky and happy. I bet even if they are in a bad mood, they are going to order Cocktails with colorful umbrellas. No, I work best in a melancholic atmosphere. And besides, you want her back. I just want to watch."
"So I have to ask her again and convince her, that she is the love of my life."
Meredith nodded lightly.
"I'm glad we're finally on the same page."
GSMH – Pediatric unit 30 minutes later
Callie walked around the floor. She had paid Alex with food, so he would check up on Arizona, without it being too suspicious.
He had told her, that she had an hour to kill, before her next appointment and would be most likely, look at some charts.
And that is where she found her. She was slowly walking through the hallway, looking at the tablet in her hand. Callie watched as her hands dance over the screen.
She straightened her shoulders, she wanted to look confident.
Arizona only looked up, when she was nearly bumping into Callie.
The second she realized that her ex-wife stood in front of her, she looked annoyed.
"What are you doing here?"
"Well I was in the neighborhood and I thought I check up on my favorite neonatal surgeon."
"Callie."
She said that in the same tone she used on Sofia sometimes, when she didn't believe one word her daughter had just said.
"Okay. You are not in the mood for small talk and I get that. I'm pretty sure that this whole thing with Penny and me and me asking you out, looks bad. Really bad."
"Well finally you get it."
Arizona wanted to walk away, but Callie followed her.
"So, anything good planed this weekend?"
Arizona was not the type of person, who would be forceful, so she answered truthful.
"No. Just going to spend the day with the kids. And at night I will watch some TV. Pretty boring."
Callie looked pleased.
"Perfect, then you have time this weekend to go on a date with me!"
Arizona looked around, to make sure there were no hidden cameras.
"Weren't you listening? I told you already..."
Arizona picked up her speed and Callie fast followed.
"I know it looks bad, but you don't know what happened between me and Penny. Kissing her, was like I was kissing my sister!"
Arizona abruptly stopped.
"You know what? I don't want to hear this."
Her tone was sharp and hinted at a wave of jealousy. If Callie had been unsure, if she should keep trying, she smiled now. That was all the encouragement she needed. It was
on.
GSMH – the next day
Her shift wouldn't start until this evening. Normally she would use that time, to spend it with Ben, since Sofia needed to go to school.
She felt a little bit guilty for dropping him off at daycare, but she decided that this would be also in his interest.
She was ready. She had picked up Arizona's coffee and stood ready to jump into action at the coffee cart.
She didn't need to wait long.
First Arizona didn't notice her, but the sight must have shocked her, because she stood there for a second, before moving towards Callie.
"Good morning, I brought you coffee."
"Are you stalking me now?"
Callie ignored her and just smiled.
"No, I will not harass you on your floor today, I simply thought it would be a nice gesture. And wanted to wish you a very nice day."
Arizona took the coffee slowly and sipped on it. It was very sweet, just like she liked it.
But there was something else, having Callie's attention send butterflies through her stomach.
Still, she decided to ignore her. She just didn't feel brave enough, to say yes.
Callie watched Arizona leave for the elevator. She had picked up something from her ex-wife, it was more like a feeling, but she wasn't sure what it was.
GSMH – OR 3
Arizona was focused. She had her favorite scrub nurse with her and was preforming a laparoscopic surgery.
Something she would call a standard procedure, but so difficult and hard to preform on a baby, that wasn't even born yet.
She had thrived through this challenge, she needed this.
In the corner of her eyes, she saw a movement in the Gallery. Callie had sat down in one of the chairs and was waving at her enthusiastically.
Arizona sighted deeply.
She saw Callie again, when she was scrubbing out.
"That was amazing, Arizona. You are amazing."
She had been guarded about Callie's question, but she sure was not a person who would ignore a compliment. Only a few people could do, what she just had done and it always filled her with great pride.
"Well, thank you. I appreciate it."
Callie took her still wet hand.
"You have great hands, Arizona."
She looked at their hands. Callie's darker hand, a little bigger then hers and her own paler more delicate one.
That dark hand had touched her so many times, in intimate places and Callie's soft words let her heart pick up a little speed.
"Thank you."
They smiled at each other and Callie noticed with great pleasure, that Arizona's cheeks were a little flushed.
"I see you."
And then Callie left the OR again.
GSMH – Boardmeeting 4:55 pm
Arizona walked towards the conference room at 16:55, military time. If punctuality wasn't given to her through DNA, she sure had picked it up, through her milk as a child.
The other surgeons, always tried to be fissionable late.
So seeing Callie sitting there already, looking like she had been waiting for her, threw her a little off.
Callie immediately stood up and pointed to a chair next to hers.
"I reserved this one for you."
Arizona looked at the nearly empty conference room.
"Thank you, I guess."
She sat down beside Callie and spotted a delicious donut in front of her.
It had a pink frosting, with many sprinkles on top. She wondered if it also had a cream filling, they were her favorite.
Callie pushed the plate with one finger in front of Arizona.
"It has a cream filling."
Arizona mouth started to water.
"I thought, after a day of saving unborn children that you would deserve a little sugar rush."
"That's so thoughtful. Thank you Callie."
She watched as Arizona took the donut in one hand and started to eat it. Some of the cream filling landed on her lips. She licked her lips with her tongue and Callie felt blood leaving her brain.
"hmm" Arizona moaned in pleasure.
"That's so good."
The next person who entered the room was Bailey. She looked at Arizona eating a donut and Callie staring at her.
She had already heard the gossip about Callie and Arizona having an affair. What she saw now was harmless enough, but who knew what was else going on behind closed doors?
"I don't know what the two of you are doing there and I really don't want to know."
Arizona looked at Bailey in mid chew.
"But it better not interfere with your work!"
Before anyone of them could say anything, the other board members started to arrive.
GSMH – Foyer 8:00 pm
April and Arizona left the elevator. Arizona had told her friend how sweet and attentive Callie had been, but that she still felt a little bit reluctant to agree to this date.
There were many doubts clouding her mind. The same doubts, Callie had had.
As they slowly walked past the front desk, one of the nurses called out to her.
"Dr. Robbins?"
Arizona and April turned to her.
It was one of the nurses who worked at GSMH for years and knew all the Attendings pretty well.
"Hey Stephanie."
Arizona smiled at her.
"Dr. Torres said, that I should give you this before you leave. It sounded like it was important."
She pulled out a long but somehow thin and white packet.
She exchanged looks with April, before slowly opening it.
In it was a bouquet of white lilies, her favorite flowers.
"Oh, that's so sweet. There is a card! Come on open it!"
Arizona sighted deeply, it was kind of funny to see April that excited and she wanted to be excited as well. But there were still doubts in her mind.
She opened the card and there was only one word written.
Date?
"God, I thought she would stop asking."
April lightly bumped into her. "Come on, you have to admit, it's kind of nice, that she is fighting for you. Why not just say yes?"
Arizona thanked Stephanie, put the card in her pocket and took the packet with her as they continued their way towards the parkinglot.
"I don't think I would survive, if we broke up again."
April looked sadly at her friend.
"But what if you have a chance, to grow old with her?"
Arizona looked ahead.
"Yeah. That's why it is so hard to say no."
Callie's apartment – 10:00 pm
Arizona had driven home and had put the flowers in some water. She had tried to stop her thoughts running through her mind, but she couldn't stop thinking about Callie.
She needed to talk to her, otherwise she couldn't sleep tonight, so she decided to drive to her apartment. She was sure the kids would be already asleep.
But they needed to talk about this.
Flowers, compliments and attention were nice, but this was not Callie asking out some random woman for a date.
They had been married for years.
She knocked on the door and hoped that Callie was still awake. Maybe she should have called, but something in her needed to talk to Callie, face to face, right now!
Her ex-wife opened the door and looked surprised.
"Hey. I didn't expect you."
"I think we should talk."
A couple of minutes later, they sat on Callie's sofa. Callie had made them some tea and had turned off the show she had been watching.
"Did you get my flowers?"
Arizona nodded and smiled.
"Did you like them?"
"You already know, they are my favorite. I didn't come here, because of the flowers."
"I know."
"I think, you should stop. We have just too much history together."
"So that's the only reason you won't go out with me?"
"No, of course there is also Penny and our responsibility as parents! I don't want you to ask me, because of the wrong reasons."
"Okay, I understand that. I had my doubts as well. Just let me explain, okay?"
Arizona took a cup of hot tea and leaned back on the sofa.
"I know it looks like, I'm the desperate Callie, who needs another relationship, because I can't live alone. But that's not true. I haven't had feelings for Penny for awhile now. I mean I like her, like I like my sister Aria. But when I was together with her, I would think about you and wondering what you were doing. And I would grab my phone in the morning, hoping you had texted me. Yes, Penny broke up with me, but I didn't really care about that. I just wanted to proof that I could maintain a stable relationship. I saw it more like a challenge, that I'm not a completely unlovable. I'm asking you out for all the right reasons Arizona. The past months we spend together... I could get to know you all over again and I love how strong you are, how amazing you are with our children. I love your kindness, I love that we could talk about anything. I would love to spend every minute of my day with you."
Arizona looked into the tea. Could she trust Callie? Could she trust the woman, who had taken her back, but never truly forgiven her. Who had ended their marriage in a therapist's office, without giving her the slightest warning.
"I'm not asking because of Penny and I'm not asking, because we have kids together. Although I would love for them to grow up in a intact family. But I'm asking you out, because after two years, there are still such strong feelings between us. Doesn't that mean anything?"
Callie was searching for Arizona's eyes, she needed that eye contact, to make her sure that she saw that she was sincere about this.
"This is all about the past months that we didn't spend arguing about our past. We can't change what happened between us anyway. We made a clean slate remember? So what if you ignore all the pointing of fingers and if you forget, who said what and who did what... what if we leave that just behind. Think about it. Is there any other reason, you wouldn't go out with me this weekend, expect our history?"
Arizona put the teacup on the table. She swallowed. She tried to suppress tears who were threatening to escape her eyes. Her voice was small and still full of doubt.
"But I'm scared, what if it goes wrong again..."
Callie embraced her.
"I'm scared, too. See it that way, we can be scared together then."
She felt Arizona embracing her back and they held each other like that for a couple of minutes.
"We just take our old relationship as a blueprint on how NOT do it. If I start ignoring you and get too self involved, I want you to kick my ass. I promise, I go to a couples councilor, if you feel like we need it. I will do anything. Just say yes, please?"
Both of them left the embrace and looked at each other.
Arizona looked into her eyes.
"I promise, I never cheat on you again. I haven't been with anyone for two years. You have to believe me, that it was one mistake. I was waiting for you for two years, for you to miss me, but then you met Penny and I kind of gave up."
Arizona couldn't hold back her tears any longer. And what Callie hadn't had the power to acknowledge then, when her wounds of the betrayal had been still fresh, she could see it now.
Honest guilt and regret.
"I believe you. How about we put 50 dollars into the jar and you just say yes. Go on a date with me this weekend?"
"Yes."
"You know I wanted to wait until our first date was over, but screw that."
Callie laid both her hands on Arizona cheeks and pulled her into a kiss. It was soft and slow. They didn't rush. Careful their mouths met and it felt like they were kissing for the first time again.
/Thank you all for your feedback.