I am so so so so so very sorry for the delay. I hate that it's been...months (god, that is so bad) since I've updated. I never had any intention to go that long between chapters. Life...happens. Work days are long. And personal life becomes amazing ;) I've had this chapter mostly done for a while, but it was hard to find time to finish it and get it to where I was happy and okay to post it. Anyway, again, I am so sorry and I hope you guys can forgive me for keeping you hanging. Everyone has been amazing with the reviews and I really appreciate it!

Chapter 11

"Where were you?" the blonde asked, her eyes focused on the far wall of the kitchen, her arms wrapped tightly around herself as she leaned against the counter. Traitor tears threatened to fall, but she refused to cry over her girlfriend again. "I waited for hours, Megan."

The tall, slender woman with curly, red hair and freckles stood from the kitchen table. Arizona stared at the woman as she unsteadily crossed the kitchen to open the fridge. She had once thought Megan was the most beautiful woman in the world. Her fair complexion, cute little freckles and crystal blue eyes were gorgeous. When they first got together she thought she was the luckiest woman in the world, but as time progressed she slowly learned that Megan's beauty was only skin deep.

"What do you want from me, Ari? I'm here now," the redhead spat, as she pulled out a bottle of vodka from the freezer. "You know, it would really be nice if you could just get the fuck off my back once in a while."

Arizona averted her gaze from the woman. It was obvious she had already been drinking before she got home, so there was no sense in arguing with her. "It's our anniversary," she said softly. "I made reservations and everything, Megan."

The redhead paused for a moment as she brought the open bottle to her lips. "Has it been two years already? Feels longer than that," she slurred, her tone laced with contempt.

Arizona ignored the low blow. "You promised me you would be there," the blonde spoke up, her voice becoming firmer. She had made reservations at a fancy French restaurant months in advance.

"Don't you dare raise your voice at me, Ari!" the redhead screamed, taking a step towards Arizona. "You were nothing before me, and don't think I would hesitate for one second before I walked out of that door and left your pathetic ass behind."

Arizona backed away to the corner of the kitchen as Megan stepped closer to her with her finger pointed straight at her face. Arizona had met Megan when she hired her on as their publicist for the coffee shop when it had first opened. Megan was amazing at her job, and with her help the coffee shop became one of the most popular hangouts in town.

"You're nothing without me. So what if I wanted to go out after work with some friends? What's it to you?" she snarled, grabbing Arizona by the upper arm and squeezing.

The blonde cried out and winced at the pain and tried to pull her arm back as tears streaked down her face. She never thought she would be one of these women. "Let go of me," she pleaded trying with her free hand to pull back on the redhead's vice like grip. Her whole body was shaking. "Please," she whimpered, terrified for what Megan might do next if she didn't get away. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she repeated, finally wrenching her arm free when she felt the redhead's grip relax.

Megan quickly released her hold on her girlfriend and backed away to the other side of the kitchen, her hands automatically flying up, smoothing her unruly curls back away from her face. Her eyes were wide in shock at what she had just done. This wasn't the first time she had hurt her girlfriend. Over the past year it had been little things…being stressed at work and taking it out on the unsuspecting blonde. Arizona being more successful than she was also got under her skin.

She had lost another client today. They weren't satisfied with her work. How the fuck did she fall so far? She used to be #1 in her firm, but ever since she had gotten together with this blonde her life and career had slowly gone to shit. It seemed like the more successful the blonde got with her coffee shop, the more her career took a dive. She closed her eyes again, trying her best to think rationally. Her head was swimming with the booze she had consumed while out with a pretty brunette she had flirted with at the office. Nothing had happened, but she needed to be with someone who still thought she was a success, and Arizona looked at her with eyes full of pity, and at the moment, absolute terror.

She didn't know why she did it. Maybe she was unhappy and couldn't stand for her girlfriend to be happy without her. She wanted her to feel how she felt? Jealousy? She didn't know. Either way, this wasn't what she had ever wanted to become. She looked over at her shivering girlfriend, her handprint still evident on the blonde's cheek from a few days ago when she had come home drunk after losing another client that day. Arizona questioned her, and she wasn't in the mood to be questioned. She wanted to puke just thinking of how she had hurt the beautiful blonde. "I am so sorry, Ari. I don't know what's wrong with me," she whispered, sinking to the floor of the kitchen, her face falling into her hands as she tried to hide her shame.

Arizona was still cowering in the opposite corner, surprised by the words that were coming out of Megan's mouth. She had apologized before, countless times and it usually took a few days and then she would come groveling back with some lame flowers or something. The tone in her voice was something that she had not heard from the redhead in a long time…sincerity? "You need help, Megan," she said, standing up slowly and leaning back against the counter.

"So she left?" Callie asked curiously, her mouth still agape after hearing the blonde tell her some of her past. She was holding Arizona's hand and rubbing soothing circles with her thumb.

Arizona shook her head, her lip trembling when she remembered. "I told her to leave, Calliope…I begged her to get help…" Arizona turned her head into Callie's shoulder and let the tears fall. She hated talking about this. She hated that her past was affecting her this way.

"What did you say?" the redhead growled. Her sudden moment of guilt was overshadowed by this surge of hatred towards the blonde. How dare she suggest she needed help?! She was a successful businesswoman, people knew her all over the city. Who was this stupid woman to suggest that she needed help?

Arizona stood her ground. These days Megan could turn on a dime. Her blue eyes that were full of guilt one moment were now full of hatred and bitterness. She looked around quickly trying to come up with her best escape option. Her arm was still throbbing from where Megan had grabbed her and her fingerprints were clearly defined now on her porcelain skin. Anger now coursed through Arizona and she clenched her fist as Megan stalked towards her, her fists also clenched in rage. "We're done," the blonde said, her voice cold and emotionless. She tried to stand tall and sure, but the redhead was much taller than she was.

This stopped Megan in her tracks. Done? What did she mean by 'we're done'?

Arizona could tell the redhead was confused. The alcohol she had consumed was definitely making her slow. "I'm done, Megan. We're done," she said simply, relaxing her hands and resting them on the counter behind her. "I'm not this person…you're not this person…I think…I think we-"

"No," the redhead rushed out quickly. "You're not leaving me, Ari. You can't-"

Arizona sighed and shook her head slowly. Megan really didn't see it. How could she not see it? She was tired of being weak and used as Megan's emotional - sometimes physical - punching bag. She was done. "I'm going to pack a bag and you're going to let me. I'm going to stay with my brother and on a day when you're at work I'm going to come back for the rest of my stuff. You need help, Megan. I've tried to help you-" she bit her lip, trying to hold back the sob. She really had loved Megan, she had tried so many times to get her to talk to her…to get her to talk to anyone. But in the end, she knew she was the trigger.

"No," the redhead spat, taking a step closer to the blonde. Blind rage totally filled her being. "You're not leaving me, Zona. You're not going anywhere!" she yelled, lunging towards Arizona as the blonde tried to run for the back door.

"Oh my god," Callie breathed out, her hand covering her mouth in total shock. It had been incredibly hard to listen to this beautiful and sweet woman tell her story of what she had gone through with her ex. Arizona had said that it had been mostly emotional abuse. That the redhead had put her down any chance she got, never supporting her after the coffee shop had really taken off and was flat out jealous of her career. But she had never thought she would ever hear that their relationship had escalated to this. She scooted closer to Arizona on the blanket and wrapped her arms tightly around the slender blonde.

Arizona was no longer crying. She was done with crying over her ex. It had happened and there was nothing she could do about it. She hated that she would have to tell Callie the rest of the story. There was no getting around it.

"Did you make it out?" Callie whispered into blonde locks, honestly afraid to hear the answer.

Arizona took in a deep breath and leaned back wanting to look at the gorgeous face of the racecar driver. She waited until Callie's deep chocolate eyes made contact with her blue. She raised both of her hands to Callie's smooth cheeks and guided her lips to hers. She loved kissing Callie. She had never experienced anything like it. The kiss was so gentle, so sweet and she never wanted to stop.

Callie pulled back slightly, wanting to know the answer. She raised a questioning eyebrow letting Arizona know that she was still waiting.

Arizona smiled weakly and brushed a few strands of raven hair out of Callie's face. She forced her eyes away from Callie and stared off into the city, focusing on the Space Needle in the distance. She shook her head slowly, unwrapped herself from Callie's embrace and stood. "No," she whispered, pursing her lips and not making eye contact with Callie as she slowly paced in front of the brunette.

"DON'T MEGAN!" Arizona screamed as her legs were thrown out from underneath her and she crashed face first into the hardwood floor. Megan was on her back now, pinning her arms above her head and holding her legs down with her own.

"You ruined my life!" Megan screamed into the blonde's ear. Arizona's head was throbbing from hitting the floor and she could taste blood that was now trickling down from her busted nose. She could smell the alcohol wafting over her face and tried her hardest to keep from puking. The room was spinning and it was nearly impossible to breathe with the full weight of the crazy woman on her back. She tried her hardest to throw Megan off of her, but she might as well have been trying to move a freaking mountain. "I told you, Ari. You were nothing without me. NOTHING! You think you can leave ME?" she yelled madly, her grip tightening on the blonde's arms.

"Please…please stop…Megan," Arizona gasped out. She was very close to passing out from the lack of oxygen. "Plea-"

The slap echoed around the room. Arizona's cheek burned and her eye throbbed from the backhand that had just been inflicted upon her. 'I'm gonna die' she thought to herself as her vision began to blur. She was very close to passing out and her head was throbbing. Megan was still screaming at her from above, but all she could do was lie with her cheek on the cool floor and wait to pass out. 'Someone please help me…' she pleaded over in her head. She knew it was hopeless. No one was coming.

Arizona jolted when she heard the kitchen door creak and Megan's body stiffen above her.

"Zona?" a soft voice was heard through the crack in the screen door. "Are you home? I tried the front door…Tim said you texted him about Megan not showing-" she heard Teddy's voice abruptly stop and she could dimly see the haze of white tennis shoes from her place on the floor. "GET OFF OF HER!" she heard her friend yell. Teddy sounded like she was a million miles away. Her head was fuzzy and her body was beginning to become numb.

"What happened?" the brunette whispered. Her eyes were wide with shock. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. How could anyone treat this beautiful woman like….like a dog! Worse than that! She treated her like she was nothing! All because she was down on her luck and wanted to blame everything on Arizona?! Callie was livid. In that moment she wanted to track down this horrible woman…no, no scratch that…the BITCH from Hell and…and…and…well, she couldn't think exactly what she would do if she got her hands on her but she knew it would be bad.

"I blacked out at that point. I woke up in the hospital," the blonde continued. Her voice was distant. She was telling the facts – emotionless and distant now.

Callie stood behind Arizona as she continued to stare out over the beautiful expanse of Seattle. Callie wasn't really sure what to do. What do you say to someone who has gone through something like this? All she knew is that she wanted to hold the blonde and reassure her that she was there. She placed her hand on Arizona's hip, noticing her flinch slightly. She didn't remove her hand, though. She took a breath and carefully wrapped it around Arizona's waist and pulled her close to her. She felt the blonde's body stiffen and then relax into her embrace. Her other hand caressed the smaller woman's arm reassuringly and she nuzzled her nose into blonde curls. "You don't have to tell me anymore Arizona…I'm…I'm so, so sorry…" she said softly, pulling the woman in closer to her.

Arizona felt so safe in the strong arms holding her and practically melted into Callie's embrace.

"It's just crazy to me that she went off like that," Callie uttered, her mind replaying Arizona's story again. "You did nothing wrong," she whispered, holding Arizona tightly and nuzzling her nose behind the blonde's ear.

"I know, Calliope," the blonde breathed out, still staring out over the city. She was ashamed that she had let Megan do that to her. Not once, but for months. She wasn't a weak person, but Megan had made her feel that way. Looking back, she has no idea why she stayed with the insane redhead for so long. Was it love? Pity? What the hell was I thinking? She shook her head at her own wonderings and felt the brunette gently kiss her behind her ear. "She's in the past," she sighed, blowing out a deep breath and turning around to face the gorgeous driver. "I'm only looking ahead now," she uttered, grinning while looking into the deep chocolate brown eyes gazing down at her. God, she's beautiful. She linked her arms around the brunette's, neck and lifted herself to her tippy toes and gently kissed the full, plump lips that she was slowly becoming addicted to.

Callie grinned into the kiss and gladly wrapped her arms around the blonde's waist. She slowly pulled up the back of Arizona's shirt and slid her hand across the blonde's smooth back, needing some skin on skin contact. The blonde hummed at the touch, laced her fingers through silky black hair, and lightly traced Callie's bottom lip with her tongue. Callie tried to hold back the moan that was bubbling up insider her when her tongue finally met Arizona's. They were perfectly in sync. They both craved each other and pulled the other one closer as the kiss deepened further, exploring one another's mouth.

After quite a few minutes of some very hot making out, Arizona pecked the plump lips before pulling away and taking a deep breath. She rested her cheek against the brunette's neck and could feel her pulse racing. Wow, she thought. What is this woman doing to me?

Callie's heart felt like it was about to beat out of her chest. It had been so long since she had felt so close to someone. Even when things were good with Reagan, she had never felt this close to her. Maybe in the back of her mind she never fully trusted her ex. And for good reason. But here was this amazing woman, that she had only met a few days ago, pouring her heart out to her, and she had never felt anything like it. The emotions coursing through her were confusing and scary.

"Are you okay, Calliope? Your heart's still racing. I mean, I know I'm a good kisser and all," the blonde chuckled, still nuzzling against the driver's neck and combing her fingers through the silky hair. She could feel the brunette wrapping her arms even tighter around her waist, pulling her impossibly closer. "Callie, what's wrong?" she whispered, wondering what was running through the gorgeous driver's mind all of a sudden.

Callie bit her lip and slowly stroked the skin on the blonde's lower back. "I'm leaving tomorrow…and…and I don't want to at all," she sighed. At this moment she hated her job.

Arizona pulled away keeping her arms around the driver's neck and tried to get the sad, chocolate eyes to look back at her. "Hey," she said softly, taking her hand and softly placing it on a caramel cheek, waiting for Callie to look at her. When the brunette finally made eye contact she gave her her best dimpled smile. "It'll be okay," she said simply. "We'll call each other. And hey, there's always Skype!" she sang.

Callie smiled at Arizona's positivity and perkiness. She knew the blonde was just as upset about her leaving, but she was doing everything she could to lighten the blow. "Right," she said. "There's always Skype," she mumbled. Skype was nice, but it wasn't the real thing. She leaned over and placed a light kiss on the blonde's forehead, not wanting to miss a second of the time they had left to be together.

Arizona grinned as Callie skimmed across her forehead, peppering her with light kisses. "You know, you could meet another girl at the next race. There are lots of women eager to meet you, Calliope," she whispered, wanting to be playful with the brunette, but in all actuality she was worried about this possibility.

Callie took in a deep breath, really thinking about what the blonde was saying. You could meet another woman, too, Arizona, she thought. She quickly shook off that horrible thought. She knew the blonde was worried and was trying to be joking about it, but Callie was having none of it. "I don't want any other woman, Arizona. I only want you. And I want to try this. Nothing official, just…we try. We talk everyday, no matter what. Even if it's just a little text here and there, we talk," she said firmly.

Arizona nodded her head, her mouth slightly open as she stared at Callie in wonder. Callie wanted to try! She was elated that this amazing woman, who could literally have anyone she wanted, wanted to try with her. What did she have to lose? She had been hiding for so long, afraid to get close to anyone, and here this gorgeous racecar driver came zipping in out of nowhere, and wanted her. Even with the distance, and travelling, Callie wanted to make the effort with her. She would be a fool to say no! "Everyday," she agreed, tilting here head up and pecking soft, plump lips.

Callie smiled here megawatt smile and hugged the blonde tightly. "Everyday," she repeated. "We'll make this work. I know it will be hard, but I really really want to try Arizona," she said, pulling away from blonde and grabbing her hand to lead her back to the car.

Arizona reluctantly followed Callie back to her car, and smiled as the brunette opened her door for her. It was getting late and she knew Callie had to get up early tomorrow. She just wanted more time. But she knew this was going to be a big part of their relationship for a while. The goodbyes. She sighed as she sat in the passenger seat. "Callie?" she asked, looking up before the brunette closed the door. "Everyday, right?"

"Everyday," the brunette whispered, grinning down at the pouting blonde. Everyday, she thought to herself.

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