Arizona had led down and fallen asleep. The morning had been pretty challenging and completely wiped her out.
A few of hours later the blonde woke up, checking the time of the clock on the wall she realised her shift was already over, aware that her phone hadn't rung, so Alex must have been covering for her all day. She picked it up off the floor and checked her messages. She had 15 texts, most of them from Eliza, causing her to roll her eyes. She was still quite pissed at her girlfriend. Until she read her messages anyway.
EM: Arizona, I'm sorry.
EM: I didn't mean to stop you talking.
EM: I just wanted to protect you.
EM: I couldn't stand Jackson starting on you because of me.
EM: Please can you reply to me? I'm getting worried about you.
EM: Did you want him to find out about us? Because that's where u talking to him was heading.
EM: I don't want to make your life difficult.
EM: Ok, I get it, you're angry.
EM: Please talk to me, I hate it when you don't talk to me.
EM: I miss you.
EM: Arizona, I um... uh never mind.
EM: I love you. I'm sorry.
Arizona's mood changed rapidly, from angry, to calm, to shocked, all in less than a minute. Eliza loved her. The blonde now understood why her girlfriend had shut her down. She was protecting her. She took a few minutes before finally responding.
AR: You love me?
The blonde asked Eliza before going to her other messages. She had two from Alex telling her all was ok in paeds and one from Andrew asking is she was ok because he had heard about her surgery with Eliza and Jackson, and the following argument between the three doctors. She quickly replied to Andrew letting him know she was ok and sending Alex a thumbs up emoji.
Arizona decided to head to the attendings lounge and change ready to go home. She managed to do this whilst avoiding everyone she didn't want to see, and was already in her car when Eliza finally messaged her back. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and read Eliza's text.
EM: Of course I do, have you seen you? It's hard not to you know. You're amazing, smart funny, beautiful, gorgeous, sexy, just completely awesome.
Arizona was somewhat embarrassed. She didn't enjoy it when people told her all these amazing things about herself. No one had said that since Callie either. So when she replied to Eliza she changed the subject.
AR: Are you still at work?
EM: Just about to leave.
AR: Meet me at my car?
EM: Ok
A few minutes later Eliza exited the hospital and spotted Arizona stood leaning against her Volvo, waiting for her. Arizona smiled a big genuine smile, easing Eliza's fears that this exchange was going to go horribly. Eliza smiled back. When she reached Arizona's car, the blonde pushed herself off the car and pulled Eliza into a passionate and heated kiss, without even a spec of hesitation.
Of course at that moment, Meredith, Riggs and Jackson all walked passed. Arizona knew, she had spotted them walking through the hospital doors when Eliza had reached her but she had decided she didn't care anymore. None of the three doctors said anything, they just carried on walking, no doubt in a little shock. Arizona knew she would have a fight on her hands but that would be tomorrow, in that moment she didn't care. Eliza loved her.
When both women needed to pull back due to lack of air, the blonde grinned with a full dimpled smile at her girlfriend before uttering breathlessly "I think I love you too." Both women were grinning now, trying to compose themselves a little.
"What are you doing tonight?" Arizona asked Eliza.
"Um, I was going to go back to my hotel and drink myself stupid after the crappy day I had, but the drinking seems unnecessary now." She winked at the blonde, causing her to grin even wider.
"How about you come home with me? We can get pizza or something on the way home. I was pretty horrible today and I think we need to make up." The blonde said a little shyly following the kiss they had just shared.
"What do you have in mind?" Eliza asks flirtatiously, causing Arizona to giggle. The blonde just smiles before getting in the car saying nothing.
With both women in the car, Arizona leans over and kisses Eliza gently, taking her hand before speaking to her. "You know I don't need you to protect me right?"
"I know, I just don't want you getting hurt and if your friends find out about us, that's exactly what will happen."
"Yeah about them finding out," Arizona says nervously, "when we were kissing a minute ago, before we got in the car, Jackson, Nathan and Meredith walked passed." Eliza doesn't know how to react.
"You did that on purpose didn't you?" The brunette is a little angry that Arizona would do that when she had spent all day trying to protect her from people finding out.
"I did, but before you get angry at me, listen, you make me happy, you love me and I love you. I don't care who knows. Richard is still my friend and professionally I don't agree with what was done here, the way it was done, but personally I'm glad it was, because I met you." Arizona squeezes Eliza's hand gently, looking into her eyes.
A smile slowly spreads across the brunettes face, causing Arizona to smile back at her.
"Now that's all sorted, lets go, I'm starving!" The blonde says before starting the car and heading home.