Callie quickly excused herself from Natalie at the conclusion of the song. As she headed back towards the bar, she saw Arizona gathering her things. Approaching, she overheard the blonde talking to Bailey.
"I'm gonna head out," she said. "I hope you had a great birthday."
"Already?" Bailey pouted.
"Yeah, I'm beat," Arizona said, giving Bailey's shoulder a squeeze and saying goodbye to their other friends.
"You're leaving?" Callie asked disappointedly.
"Yeah, I'm gonna go," Arizona said, forcing a tight smile. She laid some money down before exiting the bar and talking the short distance to her apartment.
Callie sat impatiently for the next few minutes, her leg bouncing wildly as she tried to wait an appropriate and unsuspicious amount of time before leaving herself.
Quickly abandoning any attempt at discretion, Callie yawned conspicuously before bidding everyone farewell.
"Where's she going?" Bailey asked, watching Callie walk the opposite direction from her car or the hospital.
Mark, who was standing nearby, jumped in on Callie's behalf.
"She's going to sleep at my place," he said. "She drank too much and I didn't want her to drive."
Bailey thought about this for a minute before smiling at Mark.
"You're a good friend," she slurred.
"Yeah," Mark sighed, signaling for another drink.
.
Callie used her key to unlock the door to Arizona's apartment. She was immediately hit by the smell of smoke. Arizona was sitting on a chair near the kitchen, smoking a cigarette. In any other situation, Callie would admonish her for this bad habit. Right now seemed like a bad time.
"Hey," Callie said, dropping her purse onto the couch as she walked over to crack a window.
"Hey," Arizona answered, blowing out a steady stream of smoke before ashing into an empty beer can.
Callie took a seat on the arm of the couch, facing Arizona.
"That was… uncomfortable," she said hesitantly.
"No, Callie. That was fucking excruciating," Arizona corrected, her voice cold but her eyes shining with unshed tears.
"I'm sorry," Callie said. "There was nothing I could do, you saw the way she dragged me out there."
"Yeah – I also saw her putting her hands all over you," Arizona said, raising her voice. She took one last drag of her cigarette before dropping her butt into the can. "She couldn't possibly be trying any harder to fuck you."
Callie was taken aback by Arizona's brashness.
"How do you think I felt?" Callie countered. "That the minute I stepped away you jumped right into a conversation with the woman you so recently had feelings for? Maybe even still have feelings for?"
Arizona sighed heavily.
"I don't" she said, her resolve breaking a bit as she tried to convey the honesty of her words. "Calliope, I don't. I don't want anyone but you."
Callie kept her eyes trained on the ground.
"I'm sorry," Arizona continued. "I just felt… really invisible tonight."
"You're not invisible, baby," Callie said, standing to walk over to Arizona. She stood in front of the blonde, taking the beer can out of her hands and placing it on the counter. She tilted Arizona's face upwards so that she was looking at her.
"This doesn't have to happen again," she whispered. "Let's just tell people, I don't care."
"I'm just not ready for that yet," Arizona said sadly. "It's only been two weeks; it's too soon." Her eyes began tearing at the harsh reality that either decision would hurt her right now.
"Come here," Callie said, pulling Arizona out of her chair and into her embrace. She kissed Arizona delicately, pulling her close and trying to comfort her.
The blonde felt her tension start to dissipate at the first touch of Callie's lips. She wrapped her arms around Callie's lower back, hanging onto her, her body weak with fatigue and emotion and alcohol.
Arizona broke the kiss, resting her head against Callie's shoulder, her lips touching her lover's neck.
"Will you stay with me tonight?" she murmured.
"Of course," Callie answered, walking Arizona backwards toward the bedroom. As they walked, Callie helped the blonde discard her shirt, revealing her black bra. As they reached the foot of the bed, Arizona peeled Callie's knee-length dress up and over her head before unbuttoning her own pants and shrugging them down her hips.
The women stood in front of each other, nearly naked, taking a moment to drink in the sight of the other.
"You're so fucking beautiful," Arizona sighed, brushing her fingertips down Callie's shoulders. Callie placed her hands on the bare skin of Arizona's sides, pushing her backwards until she was sitting on the bed. As Arizona inched toward the headboard, Callie crawled on top of her, exhaling raggedly as she felt her skin pressing against the blonde's.
Arizona's hands roamed the expanse of Callie's back; her panties were cut high on the cheek and the blonde couldn't help but grab that exposed skin in her hands. Callie moaned and instinctively ground her hips down against Arizona's pelvis, forcefully kissing her.
Arizona wrapped her legs around Callie's hips, needing to feel her heat directly. Wanting it closer. She felt lips against her neck as Callie began thrusting long and slow against her. And even though they were both wearing panties, Arizona could feel the pressure against her ever-hardening clit. She sucked in a break as her brain fogged over. She heard Callie's breath quickening in her ear as she felt herself drawing closer and closer to the edge.
"Fuck, wait," Arizona rasped. "I'm getting close."
"Cum for me," Callie growled, her hips grinding down harder.
"No, Callie, wait," Arizona said again, grabbing Callie's hips and trying to halt their movement. "Wait."
Callie pulled her head back to look at Arizona worriedly. Questioningly. The blonde's face was flushed, her eyelids heavy with arousal.
"What's wrong?" Callie asked.
"I'm sorry," she said, rolling out from underneath Callie and sitting on the side of the bed. "I'm just not…"
"Ready?" Callie guessed bitterly.
"I'm sorry," Arizona whispered again, hugging a pillow to her chest. Callie laid on her side, facing Arizona's back.
"Is it me?" Callie asked, feeling suddenly self-conscious. "I know my body has changed…"
"God, Callie, no," Arizona said, quickly turning around to face her. "Your body is beautiful." She looked at the woman before her reverently. "I am so attracted to you, Calliope."
"Then why don't you want this?" Callie asked.
"I do, I really do. Just… not yet. Not tonight. I want it to be special. I want it to be the right time for us."
Callie sighed.
"Okay," she conceded, although her arousal hadn't abated at all.
"Can I hold you tonight?" Arizona asked, pulling the covers back.
When Callie consented, Arizona climbed in beside her, spooning her from behind. She wrapped her arm tightly around Callie's stomach, nuzzling her nose into the smooth skin of her lover's neck.
"You know in the morning I'm running those cigarettes under the faucet right?" Callie mumbled sleepily.
"Yep."
.
A few days later the weekend rolled around, as did Derek's fundraiser for his new Alzheimer's trial. It wasn't going to be a very formal affair (they were having it right at Derek and Meredith's house), but all the Attendings were expected to show face and make nice with potential donors.
Mark hired a babysitter for the night; a quiet 20-something who lived two floors up. Currently, Callie and Lily were next door at Arizona's while Mark showered and got ready.
"Arizona you need to finish getting dressed," Callie said, looking at her watch. "We're supposed to be leaving in 15 minutes."
Arizona was standing at the microwave in her robe, making Lily a bowl of Easy Mac. So far she had only blow-dried her hair.
"Okay. Watch the food," she said, heading into the bedroom.
"Are you gonna wear the dress I picked out?" Lily called after her.
"Yes," she yelled back.
As Arizona dressed, Lily finished her Mac & Cheese. Within a few minutes, Mark knocked once before entering.
"Hey, Shelly's here," he said.
"Ooh, Daddy you look handsome!" Lily giggled.
"Why thank you," he said, lifting her over the back of the kitchen stool she had been sitting on. "You ready to go next door?"
"Yeah," she said, gesturing for her mother to come over and kiss her goodbye. "Aunt Zo, I'm leaving!" she yelled.
Arizona walked out of her room, in her dress but barefoot, hooking in her earrings.
"Robbins, you look sharp," Mark said.
"Dad, I picked that out," Lily said proudly.
"Yes, she did," Arizona said, leaning over to kiss Lily. "Have a good night Sweetie; be good for Shelly, alright?"
"I'll be back in a few minutes and then we can go, okay?" Mark said, carrying Lily next door.
"Almost done?" Callie asked when they were alone again.
"Makeup and shoes. Five minutes," she said, heading back into her room.
"Hey, where's the remote?" Callie called out to her, looking for something to do while she waited.
"I don't know, Lily had it last. Check the couch cushions."
Callie slid her hand between the couch cushions, finding nothing. She pulled one of the cushions out, checking behind it. Still not seeing the remote, she fisted a handful of change, a pen, and two bobby pins and placed them on the end table. As she went to replace the cushion, something shiny caught her eye.
"Hey baby?" she called.
"Yeah?" Arizona said, appearing in the doorway. She leaned against the frame, sliding one heel over her foot before the other.
"Did you lose an earring?" she asked, holding the jewelry out to her.
Arizona approached her, taking the earring and studying it.
"No, that's not mine," she shrugged.
"Huh," Callie said confused. "Well, whose would it be? I just found it in your couch."
"Oh," Arizona said, diverting her eyes as she realized whose it had to be. "I don't…"
"Arizona?" Callie asked, noticed how skittish the blonde had become. "Whose earring is this?"