Disclaimer: This is AU. I do not own any of the characters from Grey's Anatomy. I just manipulate them to my will. Also, any line or phrase or setting that seems remotely familiar from any other show, movie or book, also not mine. I borrow…
AN: Alright ya'll, hope you're comfortable because this one is a biggie. I was going back and forth about splitting this chapter up into two, but couldn't really find a good cut off point halfway through so figured what the hell. Also, wanted to say thank you again for the great reviews you all have left, as well as everyone else who takes the time to read my ramblings. It means a great deal to me. Now, on with the show. As always, Enjoy!
Chapter 21
The prattling of a cell phone dancing its way across the nightstand is what pulls Arizona Robbins out of her sleep. Her mind is foggy and eyes very heavy, but her body is relaxed. For the first time in… she can't remember how long, it feels like she actually slept. No haunting of her brother, no replays of the terrible words her girlfriend said to Arizona on her way out of the blonde's life. No crushing weight of hearing about her parent's divorce. No shame of seeing that tall, gray hotel in Chicago where her oral boards were. The building she couldn't force herself to walk into so instead she just stood at the opposite curb and watched the minute hands tick by, each second another wasted year of Arizona's life being flushed down the toilet.
Arizona pushes herself off the mattress, the sun streaming through the thin window shades searing the layer of sleep still remaining across cerulean eyes. Something moves next to her, and the blonde glances to the mass of covers that are emitting a steady stream of whispered curses. Both English and Spanish. It comes back to her. What happened last night, what Arizona said. How Arizona let it all go, finally. Even if she didn't want to, even if she didn't want Callie to see her like that. But when the Latina climbed into her bed and wrapped a strong, yet surprisingly soft and gentle arm around her, Arizona Robbins fell apart. That arm wrapped around her body was all the blonde needed to be able to finally fall apart. Callie didn't say anything, or push herself onto Arizona. Instead, the Latina held Arizona as much as the blonde allowed her to. When the tears came harder, her captain held her tighter. Warmth and comfort and support cloaked the wounded woman, and that was all she wanted from the beginning.
The cell phone starts to ring again, its vibrations sounding even more persistent this time than the last. Arizona bites at her lip, unsure of whether she should reach for the object or not. It is her phone, but that would mean leaning over a still very asleep Callie Torres.
But then the sleeping beauty growls "Shut it up…" Robbins snickers at the woman's distaste of early mornings and reaches for the phone. In her attempts to limit her contact with the Latina, Arizona ends up losing her balance and falls, landing on Callie just enough to scare the woman which sends her rolling off the mattress and hitting the floor with an "Oompf!"
"Oh my god…" Arizona breathes out, her mouth wide in shock. She doesn't know if she should be concerned or amused. …Maybe a bit of both. Peeking over the edge of the bed, blue eyes stare down into dark, sleep filled brown ones. "Callie? Are you ok?"
"Sleeping in the same room with you is dangerous." The Latina replies, sitting up and rubbing her left shoulder which absorbed much of the impact. When she sees her captain is pretty much unharmed, Arizona gives up her attempt at keeping her giggles in. The angelic sound of the blonde's laughter fills the room, deep dimples making a showing for the first time in a long time. …And Callie's breath gets taken away. It's a sight she never thought she'd see again, a sound Callie has become addicted to.
When the high finally passes, sparkling blue eyes find a huge, breathtaking smile on Torres's face. "What?" Arizona asks, suddenly shy after remembering all the other woman witnessed last night.
"Nothing…" Callie whispers, shaking her head softly and taking in the way the rising sun makes blonde hair shine like a halo. "Who's calling you at the butt crack of dawn?" Nimble hands unlock her phone and Arizona reviews her call history. With a groan of annoyance, the blonde chucks the cell across the room, bouncing off the other, still perfectly made, bed, hitting the far wall and falling to the floor.
"My mom." Robbins answers, those two words dripping with disdain. Callie chews on whether to respond to that as Arizona climbs out of bed and grabs her things to take a shower. It doesn't take a genius for the Latina to know her pitcher is embarrassed about last night. Though Callie hasn't known Arizona long, she knows that Arizona is a strong woman. A woman who doesn't like to show weakness, or seem as though she needs help. And she knows Arizona's response to someone getting too close is to push them away, and Callie isn't about to let that happen. Not after last night, not after Arizona finally opened up to her.
Pushing herself off the floor, a tanned hand grabs the passing woman by her hand making Arizona turn and face her. "Don't run away from me." The Latina whispers, making last night come to the forefront of the blonde's mind. "Please, Arizona."
"Callie…" Arizona breathes out, her words thick with emotion as she blinks back tears. "I… I can't-" Her head shakes, fearful that that question is going to be asked again. And Arizona was telling the truth last night, she doesn't think she has the strength to tell Callie no again.
"I'm not going to ask." Callie cuts her off softly. "But just… don't run away from me, ok? Give me that much. Please." Arizona drops her catcher's gaze, suddenly feeling very exposed and weak. Two things Arizona Robbins does not like.
Hooking a finger under the shorter woman's chin, Callie raises Arizona face until blue eyes find hers again. "Crying isn't a sign of weakness, Arizona. It's a sign of having tried too hard to be strong for too long." Brown eyes scan the face in front of her, watching as her words slowly sink into the surgeon's mind. She can see Arizona resist, trying to fight it, but then also a faint glimmer of acceptance.
What Callie really wants to do right now is to kiss her. Her entire body, her mind, her soul is yelling at her to kiss the girl. …But that would be too much, that would most certainly send Arizona fleeing again. So instead, Torres reaches out with her free hand and cups it around a trim waist, puling the blonde into her arms. At first Arizona doesn't return the embrace, but Callie holds firm. But then slowly, fair arms snake their way around Callie's neck, holding her tight. The catcher waits for the signal, the pull back, the cue that the blonde wants to stop, but it never comes. Blue eyes are shut tight, Arizona just soaking in the strength Callie is giving her. She's sure whatever kind of line there is between them is being blurred, but right now… she doesn't care. Arizona just hangs on, and hopes Callie will never let go.
Team USA is huddled around the visitor's dugout at the field they are about to play their last scrimmage on. After this game they will be playing countries from all over the world, and everyone is feeling the excitement. Lucy Fields, the latest USA recruit, has been nervously chatting to anyone and anything sitting still long enough to listen. A small smile forms on Arizona's lips as she remembers her first few days on the team, and decides that she won't be like Amelia, Erica or the rest of the team and try to ice the newcomer. But… it is kind of fun to watch the newbie squirm.
"What's so funny, Battleship?" Callie teases from beside the pitcher as she unloads her catching gear from her bag.
"Nothing… just funny, I guess." Arizona replies while twisting the last section of her braid and snapping it secure with a hair tie. "Always thought I'd be the new meat going into the Games."
Just then, Addison approaches their little group with a carrier full of styrofoam cups. Derek, who has been standing nearby while going over the line up, smiles and shakes his head as Teddy, Arizona and Callie all give the redhead a confused look.
"Juju?" Derek chances, not looking up from his authoritative clipboard.
"Yup." Addison answers, then passes the cups around to her closest friends.
"What the hell is a juju?" Arizona asks, looking for help from either Callie or Teddy but getting equally confused faces in response.
"Juju… Juju!" Addison answers, waving her hands emphatically. "You know… it's Karma. Or good luck." Then pointing between Arizona and Callie, she adds "…You two need to need some help in that department. So I thought maybe a little juju would help things move along the right path." The redhead isn't dense, she knows that there is more going on between Torres and Robbins than just a slump on the field. But hey… don't mess with the juju.
Arizona takes a sip of whatever it is and nearly burns her mouth. "Jesus!" She yelps, both Callie and Teddy quickly following her lead when their tongues feel the temperature of the beverage. Cracking open the lid of the cup, the blonde exclaims. "It's hot chocolate!"
"Of course it is." Addison replies with a smile as she brings her own cup to her lips and takes a short sip.
"It's like 95 degrees out here, Addy." Callie states. "And you brought us hot chocolate? …Where the hell did you find this anyways?"
"It wasn't easy, let me tell ya…" The redhead answers.
"You know… My college campus had a magic statue in the courtyard of the Student Union. It was a long standing tradition for students to rub its nose for good luck. My freshman roommate really believed in the statue's power and insisted on visiting it to rub its nose before every exam." Arizona explains when neither she, Teddy or Callie drink their liquid karma. "Though… studying might have been a better idea. She flunked out her sophomore year." The three of them crack up as Addison sends them all an evil eye, a sweat breaking out across the redhead's forehead from the piping hot liquid she is consuming under the searing sun.
"You really want to piss off the Softball God's now?" Montgomery asks in all seriousness. Three sets of eyes roll, and a triumphant smile snakes across the redhead's lips. "Didn't think so. Now, finish your juju before we lose another game."
The sun beats down on Team USA as they jog out to their positions at the bottom of the first inning. Arizona at short, Teddy at first, Callie at third, Lucy pitching and Erica catching. Normally it would be Arizona's time to pitch but she is more than happy to sit this game out and let the New Girl feel out her team. Every pitcher has their own pace and timing. Their own feel for how the game plays out. And now Lucy Fields, and Team USA themselves, only have a few days to get that timing down. To get the groove going.
Two batters into the first inning, Lucy looks shaken. Arizona knows it's from nerves, she's been there before. Coming onto this team with the expectation of what lies ahead of them and being told to go out and pitch? It's a lot to handle. And it can't help that the newcomer looks all of twelve years old, college ball player or not.
The third batter is able to connect on a drop ball that hung in the zone too long, but Arizona is able to sidestep and field the grounder clean enough to send it to third for an out. The throw from third to first is a rocket, but not fast enough to beat the runner.
"Time Blue." Arizona calls once play has stopped.
"Time!" The field ump calls. The shortstop gestures for Callie to join her, along with Hahn from behind the plate. The four of them, plus Teddy at first and Addison at second convene at the pitchers circle, the outfield taking their own little time out as well.
"You doing alright there, killer?" Arizona asks, wiping at her brow.
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm good." Lucy answers with a tight smile. She's been playing ball since she was old enough to throw a ball, but still… being picked up last minute to join USA on their road to gold would shake even the most confident players out there.
"Need to calm down a bit, Fields." Callie says, offering a comforting smile. "Today is just a practice, just to get you loose. That's all. Don't need you trying to rack up the K's."
Fields nods, taking her rag and mopping up the sweat collecting under her visor. "Yeah. I know. I'm just… just alittle-"
"Nervous. Yeah, been there." Arizona cuts in with a dimpled grin, blue eyes shielded by blue tinted sports sunglasses. "But just do your game. You got your team… You got Hahn behind the plate. You're covered. Just do you." A strangled laugh comes from the pitchers mouth and Arizona knows she needs to do something to calm this woman down. "What do you call an alligator in a vest?" All eyes turn and stare at the surgeon, wondering what the hell this has to do with the game they are playing right now. "Oh come on… what do you call an alligator in a vest?" Arizona asks again, glancing at each of her teammates in time.
All she gets are shaking heads and silence. "…An investigator." Robbins states, getting looks of disbelief and exasperation from her teammates. "Oh come on! You know that was funny!" A few laughs fall and everyone turns back to their positions. As she backtracks, Arizona notices a much easier smile on Lucy Fields than before and she knows she did her job… even if it meant looking like a complete goober in the process.
"An investigator?" Callie whispers as they walk back to their side of the infield. "Really?"
"What? I spend all day with kids hopped up on drugs. What'd you expect?" Arizona asks in jest, making the Latina throw her head back and laugh. And the next pitch to end up in Hahn's catcher's mitt is a strike. After that, Lucy Fields settles into her team and plays the game she knows she can play.
Arizona sits alone in hers and Callie's room, the blinds pulled closed and the lights turned off. Normally, this would be when she'd curl into a little ball and cry like a fangirl learning her favorite character was killed off. But that's not what this is. The single source of illumination in the room is the eerie glow of the TV, some old school horror film playing out in front of wide blue eyes. A thin bed sheet is pulled up to the pitcher's mouth, hands fisted tightly in anticipation.
Callie digs into her sweatpants pocket searching for her room key, eager to get back to Arizona after her meeting with the coaches. It was long, and somewhat stressful. She kept waiting for the hammer to drop, for her final punishment to be doled out, but it never came. Instead, they carried on as if nothing happened. They asked her opinion, went over the team's performance and, mostly, discussed Lucy Fields. But now it's nearly 10 pm and the Latina is craving some alone time with a certain blonde bombshell… who just so happens to be sharing a room with her.
Tanned fingers slip the key into the lock mechanism, the little green light flashing, and Callie pushes the door open just as the killer pops out of a dark corner, eliciting a bloodcurdling scream from Arizona. The captain yells in response, scared shitless from the sudden noise. Which in turn makes blue eyes whip to the door, her vision not adjusting quickly enough and her scared brain assuming the killer has entered her room. …And Arizona screams again.
But then the glow of the TV gives enough light for Arizona to make out Callie's face, and the blonde breathes a sigh of relief. "Calliope! Calliope, come here. Come here, come here." She pleads, Callie hurrying to the other woman cocooned in her sheet.
"What's wrong, what? Arizona? What's wrong?" Torres rambles, her heart pounding a mile a minute from her fright and scared that something is actually wrong with the woman. But Arizona doesn't answer, instead she grabs Callie by the hand and yanks her down on the mattress next to her.
"They don't know it's their uncle." Arizona whispers, eyes back on the screen. This is definitely not what Callie was expecting to come back to. Thirty seconds later, the uncle descends upon another victim, making the blonde gasp and nearly jump into the Latina's lap. …And Callie isn't complaining. The minutes pass and somehow the captain finds herself under the covers with Arizona, the blonde focused more on the movie than the woman next to her. Another high point, the uncle running into a very pissed off German Shepard, and Arizona grab's the Latina's hand.
"If you're so scared, why are you watching this?" Callie whispers, using the blonde's distraction to wrap a protective arm around the other woman.
"I'm not scared." Arizona mumbles which makes her catcher laugh disbelievingly. She blindly reaches over to the empty half of the bed, blue eyes still trained on the screen, and grabs the half eaten package of gummy worms. Callie can't help but smile as she watches the frightened woman pick one out of the bag and slowly bring it to her mouth.
Another half hour passes, the movie drawing towards the climax, and the two players have eaten up the last of the gummy worms. Throughout the film, Arizona had been subconsciously moving closer and closer to Callie. To begin with, they sat side by side, bare shoulders touching. Then Callie draped an arm around the blonde's shoulders. But now Arizona is practically nestled in the Latina's arms, her head resting in the crook of the taller woman's neck. And neither of them say a word about it, nor do they want to.
By the time the innocent, traumatized family emerges from the night into the calm, clear light of day just as the end credits roll, Arizona has drifted off to sleep in Callie's embrace. A strange feeling constricts the catcher's chest. A fluttering in her heart makes her slight of breath. It's… new. The way she feels for Arizona. Sure… Callie's been in love before. At least, she thinks she has been. You have to be in love to get married, right? And she was married… once. But she never felt this way about anyone else, the way she feels about Arizona.
Moving as little as possible as to not wake the slumbering woman, Callie mutes the TV and sets the alarm on her phone. She manages to get them both on their backs so they are lying down comfortably, Arizona facing the Latina, a caramel hand resting on the thin strip of exposed flesh between the blonde's tank top and boxer's she's wearing as pajamas. Maybe she's taking advantage of Arizona, maybe Callie should tuck the pitcher in and go to her own bed. But she can't. This just feels… right.
Sweeping back a lock of blonde hair and tucking it behind a cute little ear, Callie whispers "You have no idea how closely I've wrapped myself around your heart…" A fair nose scrunches up, Arizona sleepily itching it with a finger before her beautiful face relaxes back into innocence.
It's funny, the way someone's entire life can boil down to a moment nobody else in the world notices. And even Callie doesn't notice that… this might be one of those moments. Chocolate eyes drift shut, and before sleep finds her, Callie Torres murmurs "Sleep well, Battleship."
"So you and NewGirl seem to be bouncing back easy enough." Erica chances as she signs her name and passes the poster of the entire team down the line. After another practice this morning, Team USA is scheduled to do promotional spots for the rest of the day. Right now, that means being set up at a couple tables in the middle of a large mall, throngs of people lining up to get a free souvenir.
Callie's brow furrows in confusion, turning to her fellow catcher, and ex co-captain, next to her. "What are you talking about?"
"She hasn't been trying to kill you with her glares the last few days." Hahn explains, barely paying attention to the eight year old in front of her, eyes wide in wonder as she stares at her heroes.
"Hi… what's your name?" Callie asks when the blonde passes on the poster.
"Rebecca." The girl replies, a big toothless grin greeting dark eyes.
"Rebecca… that's a pretty name. Do you play softball?" The Latina asks, ignoring the rolling of steel blue eyes next to her. So the line gets held up a couple seconds, so what? Callie is connecting to a little girl, a little girl who, down the line, could turn out to be an amazing softball player. And all Rebecca needed as encouragement was a smile and kind word from a player the little girl looks up to.
"Uh huh." Rebecca nods, ponytails waving as she nods in earnest. "In my, in my, in my team I play first."
"You do? I bet you're good at it huh?" Callie replies, a big smile on her face. Then leaning over the table, the catcher points out a certain blonde haired first baseman. "She that pretty lady? That's Teddy. She's our first baseman. I bet if you ask her really nicely she could give you a few secrets." The biggest smile takes over the eight year's old face and she nearly pulls her mother's arm out of her socket just to get to Altman.
"It's true…" Erica sneers, jumping right back into the issue Callie really doesn't want to have. Especially with this woman. Erica use to be Torres's best friend. But then… something happened. The blonde made a move and Callie shut her down. And Erica being Erica, she took it personally and retaliated by severing the friendship they did have. Then the drug thing where Callie couldn't stand to be in the same room as her co-captain. And then… this latest issue. Erica got striped of her captaincy, and Callie didn't. The Latina can understand Hahn's displeasure in how all this played out, but that doesn't mean she wants to put up with it.
"Nothing is true." Callie growls, signing her name a little harder than necessary on some 20-something year old guy's poster before giving him a quick smile and passing it on. "And for the last time, it's not 'NewGirl'. It's Arizona… or if you prefer, Robbins. But not 'NewGirl'."
Tense minutes pass, Callie doing the best she can to keep a smile on her face for the crowd while Erica just stews in her anger. She has all these… feelings. And she doesn't know how to get them out. The pain of getting turned down by Callie, only to watch her pine after another woman. Then the guilt of everything with Amelia, followed by the rage of getting her captaincy ripped from her hands. Erica Hahn is not someone who get's punished; she's not one to have her titles and privileges taken away. But mostly, she is not one to be embarrassed by those she deems her subordinates.
"You know… this is just like you." Hahn growls, a sarcastic laugh falling from her crooked lips.
"What the hell does that mean?" Callie snaps, turning in her chair to face the blonde head on.
"Callie Torres. The superstar. The golden girl. The one who gets everything handed to her." At each sentence, Erica's voice grows louder until it catches the attention of the entire team, as well as a large number of the fans crowded around. "The one who had her daddy-"
A strong hand grips the blonde at the top of her arm, and Callie yanks Erica out of her seat. Arizona watches as her captain and roommate pull a very pissed off Hahn away from their signing table and towards the closest hallway. The Latina ignores the multiple signs and placards reading 'Authorized Personnel Only', needing to get somewhere where their dirty laundry isn't about to be hung out for all to see.
The ousted captain finally has enough of being pulled around like a dog on a leash, and Erica yanks her sleeve from the Latina's hand. "This is such bullshit." She spits. "But why should I be surprised, right? Callie Torres gets her spot back and Hahn gets booted out on her ass."
"That's not what happened and you know it." Torres replies, fists curling and uncurling in anger.
"What I know is that we played equal parts in all this, and yet you seem to come out unscathed. What about me?" Erica exclaims, her voice pinging off the high cement walls surrounding them and Callie can only hope that the roam of the crowd out in the main area is loud enough to cover anything that might slip out through the doors.
"What about you? !" The Latina yells right back. "You're still here, Erica. You're still on this team. So am I! That's… That's a million times more than what I thought would happen if this whole… thing came out. But the captain thing, that wasn't me! You were there. It was a vote. It took more than one person to vote you out, Erica. And it is not my fault you've spent the past few years treating everyone else like your own personal slave monkey." By the time the words clear the hall, both women are seeing red. Callie doesn't break her gaze from the blonde, and Erica doesn't back down as well.
Stepping closer, and lowering her voice to a growl, Callie adds "But I will keep my team strong. Even if that means cutting off the bad meat. You get what I'm saying?"
The hairs at the base of Hahn's neck stand on end, never having seen this side of her ex-friend before. Erica can hear the truth in Callie's words, so she switches tact in hopes of unarming the woman. "I knew it. You're screwing her, aren't you?"
Torres snaps and reaches out, fisting her hands into the blonde's shirt and shoving her roughly against the nearest wall. "I'm not going to play this with you, Erica. I took a bullet for you once, it's not happening again. You want to start drama? Fine. But know that I'll end it. And you know I have the power to do just that. …So if you want to keep your position on this team, you keep your mouth shut. Understand?" Dark eyes stare straight into blue ones in front of her. Without another word, the Latina lets go of Erica and leaves the blonde, returning to the rest of her team with a forced smile on her face.
"No Mom. …No. Because I said-" A growl of irritation comes from Arizona's throat and the blonde plops down on her bed, cell phone clenched tightly in her hand. Callie tries to keep herself looking busy but can't miss the annoyance and displeasure coursing through her roommate during the few seconds Arizona has been on the phone with her mother.
"I don't want to hear it! It's not Dad's fault that-" Again, a shrill voice cuts the pitcher off and the Latina can almost see smoke coming from Arizona's lip, her teeth clenching and grinding so hard that she's making spark.
"Look, I got to go. …NO! I got to go. Seriously, they're calling for me." Arizona snaps her fingers to get Callie's attention and silently pleads for some help.
"Robbins! Come on, move your ass!" Torres shouts towards the raised cell. "We don't have all night!"
"See? …Yeah, that's my captain." The smaller woman sighs, making Callie's heart flutter. Maybe Arizona didn't mean it in that way, but hearing the blonde call the captain her captain, well… it does funny things to the Latina's body. "No. God damn it, Mom! I said- Look, I got to go. Just… I'll call you." And without a goodbye or any sort of compassionate farewell, Arizona hangs up.
Callie waits, her eyes trained to the pages and pages of stats on other teams, wondering if Arizona will take this chance to open up again. Since that night two nights ago, where the Latina held the wounded woman all night just to give Arizona some sense of safety and comfort, neither of them have talked about it. And waking up this morning in much the same position, Arizona curled against Torres's warm body, hasn't helped. Sure, Arizona has slept more these past two nights than any other for as long as she can remember, but the blonde isn't ready to talk about it. Or what it means.
With a frustrated sigh, Arizona stands and heads to the door. "I need… I'm going out. I need some air."
"You're-" Callie starts but cuts herself off. Surprisingly, Arizona stops in her tracks and looks at the woman, waiting for her to finish. "You're not going to smoke, are you?" The catcher asks finally.
"No." Robbins answers, a small smile turning up her lips. "Someone threw my last ones out of a window. …Pretty rude if you ask me." The blonde plays, that smirk cracking into a genuine grin when the Latina showcases her own mega-watt smile.
Before she knows it an hour and a half has passed, and Arizona has not returned to her room. The Latina has been emerging herself into the stats of the Polish team that USA will no doubt face in pool play, but wonders what the upset blonde is up to. She didn't leave with anything except a key card, and an inkling of anxiety starts to tug at Callie's stomach. She doesn't want to smother Arizona, but she also wants Arizona to know that Torres is there, and willing to help in anyway.
"Just chill, Torres. She's fine." Callie mumbles to herself, and glances back down at page after page of numbers and statistics. But it all blurs together, ten minutes passing and the Latina hasn't understood a single thing. "Yeah, I'm not fooling anyone…" She growls, then slips her feet into her tennis shoes and grabs her key before leaving the room.
Her first stop is the room three doors down, thinking that Arizona might have sought out some… less complicated… companionship with her friends. But when Addison opens the door, brown eyes can see that the only blonde in the room is definitely not the one Callie wants.
"Try outside." Teddy states from her perch on the bed. "When she's upset, she likes to look at the moon." A slight pout forms on Callie's lips, the catcher somewhat disappointed she didn't know that about Arizona, but thanks her two teammates and leaves.
Strong, clean lungs take deep breathes of muggy air as Arizona calms herself. Her chat with her mother has done nothing but rile her up and, what's worse, she reacted to it. She disrespected her mother, something a Robbins never does. But… Barbara Robbins isn't the same woman she was six months ago. And neither is Arizona. They've all changed, they've all developed an almost… hatred for each other. And it hurts Arizona deeply. But when her mom starts to trash talk her dad, the blonde isn't going to put up with it. It's not the Colonel's fault Tim wanted to be a Marine just like their Dad, and Arizona isn't going to sit by and let her mother spew that kind of lies about her brother.
Callie steps through the large, sliding glass doors of the hotel and exits out into the Miami night. A steady pounding of a ball on the ground draws her around the corner of the building to a basketball court. There, she finds a lone blonde bouncing a basketball slowly, shadowing an opponent and taking shots in time.
Faking left, Arizona moves right and shoots a close fade away. "She shoots…" the ball tips into the net "…she scores!"
"Lucky shot." Callie states, making blue eyes whip around to her company.
"Hey… didn't see you there." The pitcher mumbles and is thankful for the dimness of the court so her catcher can't see the blush racing through fair cheeks. The Latina just shrugs her shoulders and gestures for the ball, which Arizona bounces to her. With ease and efficiency, Callie dribbles up to the basket and shoots an easy lay-up, making the blonde smile.
"I didn't know you played…" Arizona muses, her eyes tracking the woman up and down, finding her outfit of a tank top, basketball shorts and sneakers very sexy.
"Lettered in three sports in high school." Callie replies. "By the time I graduated, had earned 12 Varsity letters. …There's a lot you don't know about me, Arizona." The captain adds, tossing the ball back to the blonde.
A brow arches, a thought playing through the smaller woman's mind. "How about a little one on one? …Could use alittle stress relief." Another blush washes over her as she hears exactly what she said, and knowing the it could be taken in a very dirty way.
Plump lips pull into a smile, not having missed that glaringly obvious innuendo, but the catcher decides to play nice and replies "You really think you could take me, Battleship?" Arizona just shrugs, dribbling nonchalantly and teasing the catcher. "Alright. First to 11?"
"We played to 21 but whatever…" Arizona sighs.
"Fine. 21 smartass." The captain snaps back, her competitive edge rearing its ugly head. Arizona hands her the ball but Callie gives it back.
"Smoke before fire, chica." Arizona quips, tossing the basketball back.
But Callie's not about to step down and she checks the ball back roughly. "And age before beauty, grandma." Arizona's mouth drops open, definitely not expecting that low blow.
Taking her starting position, Robbins notices that Torres is giving her a bit more room than usual, almost like Callie is afraid to be in close quarters with her. "Aren't you suppose to be… oh, I don't know… covering me?" The blonde asks sarcastically.
"I think I can handle you…" Callie answers just as sarcastically. Arizona just smiles and shrugs, then bounces the ball, fakes right and shoots from the top of the three point line. The ball sails through the air, hits the backboard and falls through.
"One, zip." Arizona states, a giggle falling from her lips at the look of shock on Callie's face. Chocolate eyes narrow, and the Latina tosses the ball back to the blonde. Robbins takes it, expecting Callie to move in but the catcher doesn't, so she shoots another shot from the three point line and it's nothing but net. "Two, zip."
"Alright…" Callie drawls. "White girl's got some game. …Prepare to meet The Beast." The taller woman taunts, moving in close to the blonde. This time when Arizona goes to fake, Callie strips the ball, takes it out and brings it back in for an easy point. The game is on. At first the two try to keep their hands… and bodies… mostly to themselves. But then the heat of the battle over takes the two lifelong athletes become consumed in the game.
Callie's larger body frame all but engulfs Arizona's as the blonde tries to fight her way to the basket, but the pitcher has the element of speed and agility that the Latina just can't match. And when Arizona is able to break away, she is able to drive a point home.
"Yeah, baby! 8 to 7." The shorter woman pants, back tracking to the line.
"Where'd you learn to play?" Callie asks, seeing a perfect opportunity to learn a little more about the closed off woman in front of her.
"Tim and I use to play… When we were growing up. And then there was a hoop outside my apartment complex at school." Robbins answers, not even second guessing whether she wants to tell Callie this or not. It's just easier to talk about all this when she's doing something, focused on something else. It's like it takes the sting out of her words, out of her memories.
Callie gets possession, strong arming Arizona as the blonde tries to protect the lanes. Back brushes against chest, ass against center. Hands and arms are everywhere, and sweat starts to run down their foreheads. Torres pushes pass the blonde and drives to the basket, laughing at the scowl that mars Arizona's face.
"I believe that's 14 to 11, me." Callie taunts, the single street lamp illuminated dark blue eyes. Arizona checks the ball back and sets up, preparing for another assault. The Latina tries to showboat alittle bit, having more experience and skill than the blonde, but Arizona is able to steal the ball and score, pumping a fist in the air.
"Hmm, 12 to 14." Arizona state's smugly.
"Watch the cockiness, Battleship. I might just have to hurt you." Torres growls, and is immediately on Arizona's ass. The blonde pushes her back against the larger woman, fighting to get a clear path but Callie has her covered.
When a tanned hand slips around the front of Arizona, accidently grasping at her chest, the blonde asks "You always play grab ass with your opponents?"
"Only the cute ones." Callie huffs back, absorbing yet another body blow from the smaller woman. The catcher slaps at just the right time and Robbins loses control of the ball, only for it to be scooped up and thrown through the hoop by Torres.
"Damn it." Arizona growls, not liking the fact she is losing at all. Callie just jogs back to the starting line, chuckling and loving how she is getting the blonde's feathers all ruffled. If sleepy and innocent Arizona Robbins was cute, pissed off and competitive Arizona Robbins is fricken hot.
"Can't stand the heat, Arizona?" The Latina asks playfully which makes blue eyes roll. The sweat is trickling down both women's faces and the blonde lifts the front of her white tank top, mopping up the slickness drenching her forehead. Dark eyes go wide as she watches that same white tank top be pulled over blonde hair, revealing a tight, black sports bra and wonderfully firm abs.
"Lord have mercy…" Callie whispers, all moisture in her mouth drying up from the fire now raging throughout her body. Suddenly the temperature of the air rises about twenty degrees and the Latina is fully aware of every sensation rippling over her heated flesh. Her eyes roam up long, lean, perfectly sculpted legs, to the short red shorts that cover the blonde's center, reaching a flat, and probably deliciously smooth, stomach, to restrained breasts.
A clearing of a throat snaps the catcher out of her trance, brown eyes finally focusing on a smirking blonde. Arizona is well aware of the way Callie reacted to her body, it was kind of hard to miss. The gallons of saliva now pooling around the basketball court is evidence enough. Not wanting to be the only one tempted, Torres follows suit and rips her own tank top off, revealing a deep purple sports bra underneath. Now it's Arizona's turn to go wide eyed. A goddess… that's what Callie Torres must be. Not a catcher or a captain… but a goddess. Stuck here on this planet, making every other earthly woman obsolete. The perfect balance of strength and womanhood. Femininity with a touch of masculinity. Rough and soft. …All blended perfectly just like the color of her skin and richness of her voice. Yeah… Arizona Robbins is a goner.
"What the hell is that banging?" Erica growls, the pillow folded over her ears not cutting the sound enough to let her sleep. April Kepner just shrugs, knowing its safer to not say anything to the pissy blonde. It's been a rough six days being Hahn's roommate, but the redhead is almost at the end and really really wants to live. …She's made it this far already, to trip up so close to the finish line would be cruel.
Pushing off the bed and stumbling around the mattress, the ex-captain rips back the curtains of their room window and her eyes fall upon two figures running around the basketball court just below. At first glance, it's of no real interest to Erica but then a sleek body is illuminated by the lone street lamp and something funny happens in Hahn's stomach. The way the tall, well built body moves as they push past the smaller body makes some part of her quiver.
Only when the person scores and turns to rub it in to their opponent does Erica make out of the face of Callie Torres. Anger rages through the blonde's veins as she watches, who she now sees is Arizona Robbins, playfully shove the Latina back towards the 3 point line before checking the basketball and playing another point. Both women are topless, save for sweat drenched sports bras, and both have the same intense look on their faces.
Erica doesn't even notice April has moved until the redhead squeaks "I wanna play!"
Hahn's jaw clenches and she drops the window curtain back into place. "You don't play for their team…" She sneers, then climbs back into bed knowing full well sleep will avail her tonight.
"Come on, Boss. I know you got more than that." Arizona breathes out, matching her captain step for step as Callie pushes towards the basket.
"I don't want to hurt your pretty face, Robbins." Callie bites back, then fakes left before pivoting on her right foot and shooting a fade away, the ball circling the rim before falling through. "Oh! So sweet…" The Latina calls, keep her arm up in the air to show off.
"Ass on the line, Torres." The blonde replies chucking the ball back to her roommate. Both are panting and sweating, but loving this degree of competition between them. Neither of them are allowing themselves to think about how close they are to one another, half their bodies exposed and the touch of the other making them sizzle.
"18, 14." The catcher states. "You ready for me?"
Arizona widens her stance and readies her hands. "Bring it on, Nancy."
"Getting a little testy there, New Girl…" Torres plays, loving the way she is able to push the blonde's buttons without really pissing her off too much. This is the kind of thing Callie has been wanting to happen. Something for the two of them to just... relax and let loose. Let their real personalities fly. And right now, Callie is loving competitive, cheeky and sweaty Arizona.
The Latina drives past the blonde, easily brushing off Arizona's block and scoring again which elicits a string of mumbled curse words from the losing party. Finally it comes down to game point, Arizona down by one and having possession. She needs to score two in a row to win, and the pressure is on.
"Come at me, baby…" Callie challenges, taking her strong stance in front of her team mate. Robbins makes a break for it, but Torres is a professional athlete, she learns from her competition. So when Arizona fakes, Callie goes the opposite way and stays with the blonde. Arizona tries to force her way in, but the Latina's strong stance doesn't allow it. Not being one to back down, the pitcher decides to play hard and barrels through the block.
But as Arizona goes airborne and runs into Callie, Torres falls back onto the ground hard, the pitcher landing on top of her. In an instant, their air of eased friendship has evaporated and that lurking sexual tension replaces it. Slick stomach rests on slick stomach and chocolate eyes stare up into shocked blue ones. Both are breathing hard, harder now even though they have stopped moving.
"S'rry…" Arizona breathes out, but makes no attempt to move.
"It's ok." Callie manages to reply even though her heart is racing and a beautifully toned thigh is placed in a very… intimate location. The two stare at each other, and the battle rages within both. Words make their way onto the Latina's tongue and before she can stop herself, she says "Go out with me."
It's like a pick ax stabbing away at her walls, but somehow the dam holds and Arizona pushes off her catcher. She wants to say yes. Of course she wants to say yes. Who wouldn't want to go out with Calliope Torres? But… Arizona can't. She can't say yes because she knows what will happen. It's the same that has happened to the rest of her life. It will start out great, but then… just implode. And both will be hurt, and take everything around them down with the ship. Namely, the team.
Game forgotten, Arizona stumbles to find her shirt and cover her body that seems so much more exposed than it did just a minute now. Callie sits up, silently chastising herself for asking again. The blonde was happy and laughing two seconds ago, and now? She's running away to find more bricks and cement to reinforce those barricades she has around her heart.
Just as Arizona is heading for the hotel, the Latina stands and exclaims "I was married!" The blonde stops in her tracks, then slowly turns to look at the half naked and very sweaty goddess incarnate. Dark eyes cut through the darkness and bore into Robbins' soul, pleading for a chance.
"I was married… and then… then he cheated on me with his best friend." Callie admits. "I'm not even 25 year and already I'm a divorcee. I went to college for Hotel Administration even though what I really want to do is sing and cook. I want to open my own restaurant, one where aspiring singers and musicians can come and let their talent be heard. …I have a sister who… isn't dead. Even though there have been many times I wished she were because my parents love her more than me."
Arizona stands frozen still, trying to take in fact after fact after fact Callie is giving. "In school I was that nerd in the back of the class who chewed on her hair. …I had a unibrow. …I've only been with one woman, and she messed me up good. But then I got better. …And I hated my name my whole life. I still do… except, every time you call me Calliope, I hate it just a little bit less. …And I hurt you, Arizona. I hurt you deeply. And for that, I am so sorry." The twenty feet separating them seems like a mile, and neither make a move to cross it.
"I'm not perfect, Arizona. …I know that. I've made mistakes. …God, so many mistakes." That rich voice cracks with emotion as Arizona drops her gaze from the Latina. "I haven't experienced the kind of pain you have, but I've experienced pain. We all have. That's part of life. That's part of being alive. …But what makes it better, what makes it all worth it is finding that person who will hold your hand through it all. You just have to give them a chance, Arizona. Let them show you that… they aren't like everyone else. Give me a chance…" A beat passes, and Callie isn't sure if she is expecting a response or not. She never expected to let all of this out but… it just happened. Maybe if Arizona knows some of her pains, some of her failures, it would help. …Maybe.
The last day the women are stateside is full of publicity spots and sponsor endorsements. No working out, no practice, no weight lifting. All they do is smile and thank those who have helped them get to where they are. Nerves are starting to pick up again and everyone is feeling the electricity. Tomorrow… after a nice 7 hour plan ride, they will have their shoes on English soil. They will be one of the many thousand Olympians hoping to make their countries proud by fighting hard and giving it their all.
Which means that the last night they are stateside, it's party time. After a long day, Team USA dresses up in their best going out clothes and hits the town. After months and months and months of working and sweating and crying and bleeding, they've made it. Of course, the biggest, most intense part is yet to come. But they have decided to celebrate the fact that the trip is nearly complete, and the destination is clearly in their sights.
So now Callie finds herself in the middle of a screaming club, music blaring and bodies grinding against each others. Because of her last little alcohol adventure, plus the fact that she and Arizona have been dancing around each other all day again, the Latina decides to stick with mineral water for the night. But Arizona has other plans, no… she's worked hard. And now she's going to play hard.
The blonde is just getting a firsthand lesson in 'dancing it out' from Yang and Grey out on the dance floor when a slightly tipsy redhead takes a seat next to the very observant Latina. There are only a handful of women on the team that would notice their captain leering at Robbins, and one of those just happens to be Addison Montgomery. She and Teddy have been placing wagers all week, ever since the duo were forced to room together, on whether they would cave or not. And who would make the first move. But so far, Arizona hasn't revealed a word and Callie is just as tight lipped as the blonde.
"Thought you'd be neck deep in tequila by now." Addison practically yells to be heard over the music but just gets a shrug of the shoulders in response. "You know… it's not attractive to pine." This gets a response and brown eyes roll in their sockets until reaching amused green ones.
"Is it that obvious?" Callie asks, shifting closer so she doesn't have to yell. A longing sigh worthy enough of the big screen falls from plump lips and her gaze falls back on the dancing and twirling blonde. "I kissed a peads surgeon… and I liked it." A smirk starts to cross her face as memories of those few kisses replies in her mind. "I liked it a lot."
"Oh, gag." Addison growls, then slams her empty glass on the table while signaling for a waitress.
"What? I thought you were all for this?" Torres states, giving her friend a confused look.
"Yeah but… watching you drool over Robbins? Hearing you talk about how her lady lips tasted is not helping my dry streak any. It's just sorta mean. It's sort of like bringing a 6 pack to an AA meeting." The redhead answers, quickly grabbing her fresh drink and swallowing down the numbing alcohol. All Callie can do is laugh at her friend and turn her attention back to Arizona.
Hours pass, and drinks flow readily. But soon Callie has to play the bad guy and breaks up the party. After all, they do have to be at the airport bright and early tomorrow morning. So when the tab is paid off they all saunter back to their hotel room. Arizona has a very wonderful buzz going, playing on that fine of drunk and plastered. During their walk back to the hotel, she and Teddy used each other to keep up right, while Addison used Callie as a walking stick.
When in the elevator, Arizona starts to sway and nearly topples over as the carriage kicks to life. Thankfully a strong captain was standing right next to her and caught her, the rest of the team who were able to fit breaking into a loud round of laughter. Tears fall and sides' cramp, but finally they all spill out of the elevator and start to shuffle to their rooms. Callie hangs back with Arizona for a minute while the pitcher attempts to get her foot back in her shoe, but the moving floor doesn't help the process at all.
Finally they step off and Callie sees nearly everyone has already made it to their rooms, leaving the hallway empty. Even though they've been in the same room the entire six days they've been here in Miami, when it comes to going left or right, Arizona turns the wrong way.
"Woah woah woah…" Callie says, laughing to herself. "We're this way, Battleship." Sky blue eyes twinkle and a giggle falls from pink lips as Arizona corrects her course and falls into step next to the Latina. Their pace is slow, but apparently it's still too fast for the intoxicated blonde because she slips her arm through Callie's and slows.
"I think you're drunk." Torres states with a playful tone, looking down and seeing a dimpled grin.
"Calliope…" Arizona chastises, bringing a finger up in front of the captains face. "I don't get drunk. …I get awesome." And even without the slightest trace of alcohol in her system, Callie starts laughing her ass off.
"Awesome, huh?" The Latina asks as she slips their key into the mechanism, the door swinging open.
"Don't deny it, Calliope… I'm super awesome." The blonde's drawls, shuffling into the room, bouncing off each wall and stumbling over the cushion armchair before plopping down on the mattress. "Chairs are bullies… and the walls get in the way." She whines, which makes Callie laugh all over again. The catcher hops around on one foot, then the other, as she peels way too high heels off her tired feet, all the while blue eyes stay trained on her.
"Calliope…" Arizona whispers just loud enough to catch Torres's attention. "Calliope…" She whispers again, each time making the fluttering in the Latina's stomach worse. "Calliope… Calliope…"
Slowly crossing the room, approaching the inebriated blonde, Callie asks "Is there a reason you keep saying my name?"
"You said…" A hand wipes at numb lips and Arizona pushes herself into the sitting position, her world spinning for a second and she waits until it stabilizes again before continuing. "You said… every time I say your name, you hate it just a little bit less. So if I say it enough… you won't hate it."
A blush races up a caramel neck, embarrassment prickling the captain. She didn't expect Arizona to talk about their 'talk' again, just like Arizona hasn't talked about the night Callie held her while she cried, or the night Arizona fell asleep in her arms after the horror movie. But apparently alcohol dulls the blonde's filter quite well.
"Uhh… Yeah. Yeah, I said that." Callie answers, trying to find something in the room to hold her attention besides the swirling pools of blue right in front of her. "Sometimes I get started talking and I say way more than I should."
A beat of silence, then the pitcher muses "The past can hurt… But the way I see it, you can either run from it, or learn from it." Brown connect with blue, and then something clicks in Callie's brain.
"Wait a minute… you totally stole that from The Lion King." Torres states accusingly. As hard as Arizona tries, her straight face cracks and she falls into a fit of giggles back on the bed. A feeling of relief floods the Latina, grateful that whatever kind of serious conversation they were about to have seeming to dissipate. Kneeling down, Callie starts pulling off one of blonde's shoes, and then the other, Robbins seemingly content to pass out in her full outfit.
When Callie is back on her feet, blue eyes are shut and the catcher assumes the alcohol has finally won over. So she scoops up the pitchers legs and rotates her so she is fully on the bed. But when she is bent over Arizona trying to reach for the blonde's phone so it doesn't get lost in the pile of sheets, a fair hand fists the front of Torres's shirt and yanks her down on top of Arizona.
"Woah!" Callie yelps, bracing herself on either side of Robbins' head.
"You're gorgeous, Calliope…" Arizona breathes out, blue staring up and connecting with rich brown eyes. "And I can't stop thinking about you. No matter how hard I try…" Callie can feel herself breaking, splitting in two for this woman below her. These are the words she's wanted to hear for a very long time, and Arizona urges her lower and lower onto the pitcher's body.
"Kiss me…" The blonde breathes out. Plump, delicious lips press softly on the pair below, and both let out a moan of satisfaction. It starts slow, getting reacquainted with each other. Then it builds, Callie's body weight resting fully on Arizona and fair hands tangling into raven locks. Robbins nips at the woman's lower lip, eliciting a hiss from the Latina. A tongue seeks access and the other complies. Breathing becomes rapid and that haze Arizona had going quickly dissolves as the miraculous woman on top of her starts to grind her hips into the blondes.
"Wait. Wait, no. Wait." Callie murmurs pulling away. "I can't. We can't do this."
"Why not?" Arizona asks, arching up to meet those lips again and succeeding only to have Torres pull away the next second.
"We can't do this, Arizona. Not like this. Not tonight." Even as she is saying them, she wants to smack herself in the face with a truck. "You're drunk and I'd be-"
"I'm not drunk." Robbins retaliates, which gets a questioning raised eyebrow from the woman above her. "I'm not. Watch. Hydrogen, Helium, Lithium, Beryllium, Boron, Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Fluorine, Neon, Sodium, Mag-"
"Are you really listing the Periodic Table of Elements?" Callie asks, a smile on her face because of the sheer adorableness that is Arizona Robbins going into full on geek mode.
"In atomic number order." The blonde adds. "I could do it alphabetically if you'd prefer." She states in full earnestness.
A chuckle falls from plump lips, Callie shaking her head and smiling. "You are such a dork."
"Sober dork." Arizona corrects, then reaches up and cups Torres's face, pulling her down for another soft kiss. "Sober dork who knows what she wants. …I want you. I've always wanted you." Another kiss, this one more pressing, more passionate as lean legs wrap themselves around Callie's hips, pulling their heated centers closer together. A fresh wave of hormones wash over the Latina and it's nearly enough to make her throw her earlier convictions out the window.
But finally, she pulls away and says "Not this way, Arizona. I can't." Blue eyes darken instantly and Callie can literally hear the wounded woman's thoughts. Thoughts of being let down again, someone leaving her. So she quickly adds "I want to. …God, Arizona, I want to. But we do this now and… it's meaningless. It's just a… a fling. It's casual. …I've done casual sex before. I don't want casual with you. I want the real deal. …Whenever you're ready. …I'll wait." Five seconds pass, and silence. Ten seconds, and still all Arizona does is stare up at the catcher above her. Callie can sense that those walls are going up and knows that's when the blonde wants to be left alone.
She tries to stand up, to get out of this very compromising position the two of them are in but a strong grip on the front of her shirt keeps Callie in place. "Ask me again." Arizona commands in a soft, yet firm tone. Brown eyes go wide, wondering if what she heard was actually what the blonde said. "Ask me again, Calliope." The pitcher says again.
"Go out with me." Torres whispers, the same exact words as the first time she asked.
"…Ok." Arizona answers, a streak of fear and a streak of excitement racing through her at the exact same moment.
"Yeah?" Callie asks, her mega watt smile shining down on the blonde below her.
"Yeah. …Definitely." The surgeon says, tracking the Latina as her lips slowly make their way back down onto hers. Before their kiss connects, the buzzing of Torres's phone pulls them apart, a very angry sounding growl coming from deep within Callie's chest. Arizona unlocks her legs from her captain's hips and the catcher nearly races to the item, ripping it open and barking a greeting.
Five minutes later, Callie apologizes one more time for the less than pleasant hello to Webber and turns to face the blonde still on the bed. "Apparently there is a storm blowing in tomorrow so we have to be…" But her words fade out as she notices Arizona completely out of it. Blonde hair strewn all about and her body completely lax, evening clothes and all. Disappointment pulls painted red lips into a slight frown, Callie afraid that whatever just happened, whatever wall she just knocked down tonight, will be built higher and stronger tomorrow morning when the remnants of alcohol leaving Arizona's body. Will the pitcher say it was just the wine? Will she even remember this conversation, will she remember saying yes?
Torres quickly changes into her pajama's and flicks off the bathroom light, sending the room into darkness. Her still made bed, untouched going on three days now, looks cold and unwelcoming. It'd be so easy to just slip in next to Arizona, to sleep next to the blonde one more night. The thought makes another image form in her mind, one where they share a bed… but it's not to sleep. Callie's body aches for more of the pitchers touch, and her blazing center is yelling at her for being so nice. What if tonight, in a haze of alcohol, emotions and hormones, was her only chance at ever being with Arizona in that way? What if the blonde wakes up tomorrow and changes her mind? There's a lot of what if's. What if Arizona's brother never enlisted, never went overseas? Or, what if he had actually come home, alive? What would that Arizona be like, the one who still had a brother, a family? Still had a girlfriend?
There are so many what if's. So many holes in the blonde's heart, and Callie isn't sure even she can fix her. The Latina wants Arizona to be happy, and she wants to be the reason. So… even though life is a series of 'what if's' and 'if only's', she keeps hope. Because… after all, Arizona did say yes. And Callie has to believe that that means something, that there is a chance at opening the wounded woman's heart and filling in all those holes that seeped into Arizona's soul.
So with a confident smile, Callie kneels next to the passed out woman and covers her as much as possible. Sweeping blonde hair out of the way, plump lips press softly on a dimpleless cheek and she whispers "Sleep tight, Arizona. …And I'm holding you to your yes." With that, Callie climbs into her own bed and lays so she is facing her pitcher. A fresh wave of hope fills her, a fluttering in her heart making her feel invincible. Because… maybe it's not always about trying to fix something broken. Maybe it's about starting over and creating something better.
AN2: Progress? Seems so… Will Arizona remember what happened when she wakes up? Will she be ok with it, or will she be upset and run away again? London is right around the corner, and the Games not much further. Lots of drama can still happen… and drama always happen when it comes to a group of women. Stay tuned. And thanks again for your support!