Chpt 12

Arizona's POV

"I still don't see why we need all this food for breakfast Robbins?" Mark asked as he walked around the living area of our Las Vegas suite. "There is enough food here to feed the entire strip and most of Seattle."

"HOLY McBacon" Christina's voice filled the room, as her and Owen finally emerged from their bedroom. "HOLY McHashbrowns, HOLY Mcfruit, Holy..." as she picked up a plate from the counter, ".. chicken balls?"

I caught Calliope giggle out of the corner of my eye. She was so beautiful this morning. Her hair was pulled back in a messy pony tail, while pieces of her dark locks fell around her neck and face. And if it was even possible, her eyes shown brighter today. Brighter than I had ever seen before. Seeing her sit there, smiling from ear to ear, made me want to ask her right then. The thoughts of asking Calliope to be my wife had me so nervous, that I woke up at 4, went down to the casino and burned two hundred dollars at the blackjack table, then came back up to the room and proceeded to order one of everything on the menu from room service.

"Did someone say chicken balls?" A groggy Addison now appeared wearing the t-shirt she had purchased on the way home last night. It was inside out course, as she gracefully modeled one sock pulled up over her knee.

"I hope you got some Wong tongs and cherry sauce to go with them"

"I don't see any wong tongs" Meredith said in between bites of chocolate cake and french fries. "But there is a full rack of ribs with barbecue sauce"

"I don't know what you did to her last night Cal," Christina says as she walks over to the bar and starts to fill her shot glass necklace with tequila. "But if it means waking up to a massive buffet every morning, please don't ever stop" as she shows Calliope her pleading eyes, while downing her shot on top of chocolate covered toast.

"I just wanted everyone to have an endless choice for breakfast today" I walked over to where my girlfriend was lying on the L shaped couch, and sat on the floor in front of her. "If you don't see what you want, just tell me, and I will call room service again"

"Wong tongs," Addison said with a mouth full of battered and deep fried chicken "and cherry sauce please."

"I think you can live without another deep fried treat Addison" Calliope said as she picked at the plate of fruit Lexie had balancing on her left thigh next to us. Her hands were occupied with a plate of chocolate cake. One holding the plate, and one doing the feeding.

"So after you ordered all this food Arizona, your not gonna have any?" Owen questioned from the kitchen island. He seemed to be the only one eating a normal breakfast of eggs and toast. But this was vacation, and we were in Vegas, as he drank from the tiny cup around his neck. Morning Liquor means liquid courage. Liquid courage meant less anxiety. Good plan.

"Like I said" as I quickly stood and made my way to the bar "I wanted everyone to have whatever their hearts desired this morning. And what I desire right now is a shot of whiskey."

"WHISKEY?" The choir like sound filled our suite, as my co-workers and friends, including Calliope, each shot me a look that not only disowned me as their friend, but made me spit the harsh liquor out. Lessons learnt in Vegas: When spitting our liquor inside, be sure to avoid your passed out friends.

"What the..." Teddy screamed as she finally woke up from her drunken slumber. Dueling Piano's had agreed with her, as she joined Christina and Meredith in piano top singing. Teddy certainly put up a fight, but Mark finally pulled her down, and piggy backed her along the strip back to the hotel early this morning.

"First of all, that better not be whiskey" she sniffed at her now whiskey covered hair and shirt "and second of all, when did our suite get downgraded to the kitchen?"

"Oh my god Teddy, I am soooo sorry" as I grabbed a towel from the bar and started patting her down frantically. "I was making a morning shot cause I was feeling a little sleepy and my brain wasn't functioning and I took the whiskey instead of tequila and everyone started yelling..."

"Ari" Teddy grabbed my towel clenched hand "Its okay. Waking up to a Whiskey waterfall is not what I would normally want, but hey, its Vegas. Your aloud to sin in this city"

"Please don't sin in front of me again." Christina said with her mouth now full of chocolate cake, sitting next to Meredith and a bottle of tequila. I need that tequila. Right now.

As I stood and started to walk across the room, weaving in between trays of food, I was suddenly stopped and pulled down into the lap of my dark eyed girlfriend. She kissed my cheek. then put her nose in my hair, and I felt her breathe in. My stomach rolls, as I feel the need for her. And tequila.

"Why are you so nervous babe?" She whispers in my ear, as she continues to breathe in deeply against me.

"Nervous?" I question. Why does she think I am nervous? Isn't it normal to order breakfast for your friends? And why won't Meredith and Christina share their booze with me? "I'm not nervous. I'm not nervous at all. I am thirsty though" as I try and push myself our of her clutches.

"You are not going anywhere or having anything to drink until you tell me whats going on Ari" Calliope keeps her hold on me, as I remain seated in her lap. Christina and Meredith can see my need for their poison and tease me, by each downing another shot.

"Nothing is going on Calliope" I quickly put my lips to hers, knowing that by letting her taste me a little, she would loosen her grip, and I jump up and head back towards the bar. I wished I was wearing my beaded necklace, as I filled a champagne glass with vodka instead.

"You're not good at hiding your anxiety Robbins" Mark said as he walked up behind me, and I downed my glass of courage. "What's got your panties in a knot today? Torres didn't wanna play the slots this morning?"

"Mark" I hit him, knocking the contents of his shot glass all over Teddy once more.

"Seriously?" Teddy wakes from her mid morning coma to a shower of champagne and orange juice. "Now I'm gonna be sticky" She pouts as I again try and pat her down with a towel.

"I am so sorry Teddy. I don't know whats gotten into me today" I said catching Calliope's wondering stare. Whenever I'm nervous, anxious, upset, what do I do? I eat. I eat a lot. Ordering all this food I thought would make me feel better, but instead I've become more anxious, and super clumsy. I form a fake grin to try and ease my girlfriends suspicions, as she turns her attention to Meredith and Christina, who have decided to share their morning cocktail. Right. Share with her. I don't need any. No, don't you guys worry about me.

"I know whats gotten into you Robbins, but you need to sit down and breathe" Addison pushes her necklace out from her chest towards me "And drink this"

I quickly down the shot, and realize that one is not gonna cut it for me at this point. Thank god its not everyday you have to ask someone to be your wife, because drinking this early in the morning has the potential to be very very dangerous for me.

"So whats the plan for today?" Addison ask as she continues to feed on chicken balls that are now being dipped in liquor. I must be looking at her like she has ten heads as she replies "What? You wouldn't get me cherry sauce," as she continues to drown the battered bird in my liquid courage. "Now stop judging and tell me the plan"

"Oooh I want in on the plan" Mark takes up residence in the middle of Addison and Teddy, who has fallen back into her coma, and gives me his trademark evil grin. "I always up for The Adventures of Arizona Robbins and friends"

"There won't be any adventures for you if you don't get off my leg Sloan" Teddy mumbles as she puts a hand out to give Mark a weak push, all the while remaining face down in the pillow.

"Sorry Teddy" he says shifting his weight to Addison and her chicken. "So Robbins, whats the plan?"

I feel myself panic, as I look to Calliope who has obviously been watching us this whole time and I feel a rant building inside my brain. Focus Arizona. Don't let him read your mind.

"The only plan I know of, is the one that involves you finding me another bottle of tequila please" I say while putting on a pout.

"Ah Robbins" He pushes himself off of Addison and walks to where Calliope is sat with Christina and Meredith. "All you had to do was ask" as he pulls the bottle out of Christina's hands. Correction. He pulls the bottle and takes Christina with him. "Now share" he says to Christina as she quickly fills her own shot glass with tequila and pushes it towards me.

"I don't think all these shots are a good idea for you Ari" Calliope has now made her way over and is pulling back on Christina's outstretched hand. I grab for the tiny glass and a mini tug of war begins.

"Everyone else is Calliope" I pull harder as Christina's neck jerks towards me "Why can't I?"

"You know what happens to you when you start drinking to early Arizona" Calliope yanks back on Christina's arm, while jerking her neck in the opposite direction. "And I would like you to remain conscious today"

"Are you saying I can't handle my liquor?" I pull back harder this time and Christina has obviously had enough as she tries to remove the beaded necklace.

"Just take it" Christina says "And you will expect the bill from my Massage Therapist for my whiplash treatments" as she continues to try and avoid injury. Unfortunately, it was too late for Teddy to avoid injury, as the beads break and the shot goes flying, landing square in the back of her head.

"You have got to be kidding me?" Teddy again mumbles, not moving her head from the pillow. "I guess I can now cross bathing in liquor off my bucket list" she finally turns her head towards up. "And get a concussion"

"I am just going to get a shower" I quickly rise from the couch and move towards mine and Calliope's room "Its a big day, lots to do, lots to see" as I rush in and close the door behind me. I take a deep breath and start to feel a little more at ease, as I focus on the rays of light coming in the window. I move away from the door towards the light, only to hear the door open behind me.

"Are you sure everything is okay Arizona?" Calliope's voice was the final piece I needed to fight the anxiety. I shouldn't be nervous. She was going to say yes. She WAS going to say yes. Right?

"Everything is fine Callie" I say as I walk to the window and stare out at the morning sun beaming down on the strip. "I think Las Vegas just makes me a little crazy"

"I think Las Vegas has made us all a little crazy Ari" she says while wrapping me in her arms and again burying her face in my hair and breathing in. It was the first time I felt 100% relaxed since we got there. "Whoever thought dipping chicken balls in hard liquor or eating a chocolate cake and french fry sand-which was sane?"

I can't help but laugh as I let my head rest against hers. The food was definitely a lot, but it made for a very memorable morning. Well, except Teddy, who probably won't remember anything at this point.

"Hey look" Calliope says while keeping one arm tight around me and pointing with the other "The water show is starting"

"I don't even think I payed attention to it since we got here" I said as water starting spraying higher and higher from the man made lake in front of our hotel. It was a pretty spectacular sight to see, but even better to see and hear when you were outside of the Bellagio at night.

We stand there, watching the fountain dance as the morning sun acted as its light show. The way the power full spouts of water moved in perfect sync with each other was overwhelming to me, as I realized how for the first time in my life, I felt in perfect sync with someone.

"I love you so much you know that" I say, never taking my head from its resting spot on hers, or my eyes from the water.

"I know" Calliope says as her arms pull me tighter against her body and we continued to be mesmerized until the fountains began to slowly die back down.

"It's amazing" Calliope's voice finally broke the silence.

It was amazing. She was amazing. I finally wasn't nervous anymore. And I finally knew how I was going to ask the question.