A/N: I own nothing.
Alright guys, two more weeks to go! In the mean time, I've written little one shot called "The Best" on my Tumblr. Feel free to look it up on the Calzona tag or on my page which is "shokoshik."
Very curious to see what you have to say about this one. More on Tuesday!
One Month Later…
"Let me help you get a publisher!" Arizona pleaded.
"No."
They've been having different versions of this conversation for the last couple of weeks and Callie was about to snap. They were supposed to host dinner an hour later. The last thing she wanted to do was to fight with Arizona in the middle of the kitchen when she was supposed to watch over the chicken simmer.
"Callie!" Arizona argued.
"It's not finished yet, Arizona," Callie brushed off.
"Yes it is. You read it over and over again and whatever comes next can only be done with a publisher. Let me save you the time and… well, hook you up."
"Arizona!" Callie threw her hands in the air in frustration. "I need to do this on my own and not only succeed because my girlfriend is famous."
"You'll succeed because it's a wonderful book! But instead of succeeding in the far off future, I want you to have everything you ever wanted now," Arizona explained, nearly begging. "Why can't I help you if I'm in the position to do it?"
"Because I'm a proud, stubborn person. Is that what you wanna hear?" Callie fired back.
"Well, humble yourself and let me help you get your foot in the door! If the situation was reversed…"
"But it will never be reversed!" Callie reminded angrily. She saw the hurt on Arizona's face and took a deep breath. "At least… at least let me try first, okay?"
Arizona swallowed hard, she wasn't sure how to feel about the outburst.
"Look," Callie started, "I know you're only offering because you love me…"
"I'm only offering because I really love you," Arizona corrected seriously.
"I know," Callie smiled softly, "and I swear, this isn't about me resenting you for being famous. I just want to feel accomplished."
"You should feel accomplished either way, Callie. The novel itself is the accomplishment," Arizona pointed out.
"Maybe, but I need someone other than my girlfriend to recognize this accomplishment," Callie shrugged, "so let me at least try to do this on my own for a few months, and then we'll see, okay?" She asked gently. She really wanted to put this argument behind them.
"Okay, but just so you know, I didn't get to where I am today all on my own," Arizona confessed. "Sometimes you have to let people help you especially when you know their only motive is their faith in you," Arizona offered and was happy to see that Callie was at least considering the idea. "We do different things, Calliope, but we're both artists," she continued, "and sometimes to get to the top of our field we need to let people help. I think we both know I'm proud, too."
"You aren't talking about anything kinky, right?" Callie brought up in concern.
"I had offers," Arizona smirked, "and your question is not totally off base because, sadly, we both know that it actually happens. But no, Calliope, just genuine good old help. People who were signed with agents and recommended me, casting directors who took chances on me because they gave me smaller roles in the past but wanted to give me something big for the first time," Arizona explained with a smile. "When you work hard and stay a decent human being people will want to help you. Sometimes you need to let them."
"I'll think about it, okay?" Callie promised, "but please, let me try first without us talking about it every other day."
"I promise," Arizona did the scouts honor to show how sincere she was.
"Ladies," Mark said an hour later as he and Addison walked into the kitchen. Teddy was staying with Callie and Arizona and took every advantage of the fact she basically had her own floor.
"How did you get in?" Callie investigated in shock.
"I used my key," Mark shrugged as he opened the fridge and took out a beer.
"How did your beer get here?" Callie was completely dumbfounded. "Did you know anything about this?" She turned to her girlfriend who suddenly looked guilty.
"I may have given him one," Arizona admitted sheepishly. "And let him leave some beer here."
"And why would you do that?" Callie glared at her. "We were finally free!"
"Hey now!" Mark protested and Addison snorted.
"Because he asked really nicely?" Arizona offered innocently.
"I told you she worships him now," Callie said to Addison and sighed.
"At least someone is being a good friend!" Addison challenged. "I can't believe it took you a whole month to make this dinner happen!"
"Well once we returned we realized we didn't really have to see any other human unless we wanted to," Callie replied nonchalantly.
"Gee, thanks." Addison scoffed.
"You think I don't care but wait until you try this chicken piccata," Callie joked, "care is the secret ingredient!"
"Really?"
"Lame."
Addison and Mark said respectively.
"I think it's sweet," Arizona grabbed Callie by the shirt and brought her in for a quick kiss.
"Of course you do," Addison rolled her eyes.
"Hey, what did I miss?" Teddy burst into the kitchen and tried to pick one of the baby carrots that were in a bowl on the table. Callie slapped her hand away.
"Ouch," Teddy pouted.
"You didn't miss anything except for these two being sickeningly touchy-feely," Addison supplied.
"Lame," Teddy commented in disinterest and managed to sneak a carrot into her mouth.
"That's what I said!" Mark announced victoriously.
"If we're so insufferable then why are you all here?" Arizona demanded.
"Have you tasted the food?" Mark asked her as if her question was the most unreasonable thing ever. "It's superb."
"Yeah, I'm hearing care is the secret ingredient," Addison concluded and the three went to the living room leaving the exasperated couple to stare at them go.
"Okay, no joke, Callie you're an amazing cook," Teddy complimented sincerely. "Had I known I would've never tried to stop Arizona from visiting you at the hospital that very first time."
"Wait, you did what?" Callie asked in shock.
"Aaaaanyways, I think we should go now," Teddy tried to sidetrack.
"This is where you're staying," Arizona deadpanned, glaring at her friend for the unnecessary revelation.
"Well, we're going drinking and we know you two love birds are dying to be left alone," Addison tried to save her relatively new, yet loyal friend.
"Nice save Addison, but," Callie turned to lock eyes with Teddy, "you're gonna make it up to me one day."
"If it was the other way around, you would try to convince her not to go, too," Teddy blurted in a barely audible voice. Mark snorted and took another sip from his beer.
"What was that?" Callie challenged.
"Nothing! Nothing! Well, time to go!" Teddy stood up and dragged Addison by the arm.
"Ouch, calm down, Woman!" Addison protested, "I'm the one who should be hurt because I'm the one who tried to get Arizona into that hospital in the first place."
As Addison and Teddy kept bickering Mark leaned in so only Callie and Arizona could hear him.
"I'm gonna do you both a favor now and get these two out of your hair."
"Thanks, Mark, you're a true friend," Callie smiled gratefully.
"Which is why I got my own key!" He declared victoriously as he got up. Callie gave the ashamed Arizona another annoyed look before she got up as well.
They walked their friends to the door and as they opened it Teddy who was the first one out realized there's a box at their doorstep.
"Oh! You guys got something! And it's pink!" Teddy announced excitedly. "How considerate!"
"What's inside?" Addison questioned curiously and tried to open the box.
"It's addressed to Arizona and I believe opening another person's mail is a federal offense," Callie warned once she saw the label.
"But we wanna know!" Teddy whined making Arizona chuckle.
"You kids go have fun. We'll tell you know what it was later," Arizona promised.
"Too small for a pony," Teddy observed.
"Yes, Genius, it is," Addison mocked. "Come on, let's go. We're not wanted here at this time!"
"Shut up," Callie rolled her eyes. "Tonight was a lot of fun. Thanks for coming."
"Thanks for cooking for us, Cal," Addison smiled, "we'll see you soon."
"Don't stay out too late!" Arizona called after her best friend once the three companions started walking down the hallway.
"Whatever you say, Mom!" Teddy mocked as they turned around the corner and disappeared.
"I'm not her mom," Arizona pouted and walked back in followed by her girlfriend who carried the pink package.
"Bummer for her, you'd be an amazing mom," Callie shrugged.
"Do you really think so?" Arizona never been with anyone who she actually wanted to start a family with before so she didn't pay the whole parenthood subject much thought.
"Of course, Arizona," Callie looked at her as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, as if she was surprised Arizona was even asking. "Is that not… something you want?" Callie added, now in concern. "You had that whole spiel about kids, and chickens so I thought…" she let the sentence linger.
Callie knew she found the one, but she also knew that she wanted kids and to find out now, when they were both so invested that they weren't on the same page, would be devastating.
"I… honestly?" Arizona started cautiously, "I never thought about it too much."
"Oh," Callie commented in disappointed.
"Don't get me wrong, Calliope, I love kids," Arizona was quick to explain, "I just never met someone who I actually wanted to start a family with and being a parent is something that I didn't want to do on my own, you know? Not that there's anything wrong with it, but it's just not something that I wanted for myself. Being a single mom," Arizona wrapped up.
"So what you're saying is…" Callie encouraged her to say more, hope now back on her features.
"What I'm saying is that I found someone I'd actually want to have a family with, at some point," Arizona concluded with a smile.
"At some point like… soon, or…?" Callie mirrored her smile.
"Callie…" Arizona started, wondering if it was finally time to give Callie the speech she has been reciting since they came back from Spain or to wait a while longer, make a bigger gesture.
"You know what," Callie cut her off, "I absolutely want us to talk about this more, a lot more. But if we don't see what's in this box I think the curiosity might kill me," Callie admitted teasingly.
"Not you too," Arizona sighed. "You know fans found out this address within like five days after we moved here. It's just fanmail!" Arizona protested.
"Tsk, tsk. Be more appreciative, Arizona," Callie scolded.
"You know that I am. There's just no rush," Arizona stated.
"Some of the fan art is gorgeous, though."
"Fine! Fine, you can open it!" Arizona gave up, exasperated. "So not how I thought this night was gonna go."
"Yay!" Callie announced victoriously and opened the box to find a much smaller envelope inside.
"Well, that's a lie in the advertising," Callie scoffed in disappointment but opened the envelope nonetheless.
She started reading and Arizona could see her getting worked up.
"Calliope, what is it?" Arizona asked in concern.
Callie swallowed hard and finished reading.
"Nothing of importance," she brushed off and put the letter away. Arizona grabbed it immediately and started examining it.
There was a paper clip with a photo of them kissing at the Temple of Debold in Madrid. Callie's head was circled in what seemed like a target drawn with a red Sharpie.
Arizona's blood ran cold as she read the attached letter.
She read it three times in a row and still didn't feel like it was real. The whole letter was by a fan named Heather who claimed she was in love with Arizona and couldn't understand why she'd date someone from an "inferior" race. It was awful enough but then she outright threatened to kill Callie if Arizona wouldn't break up with her. The letter ended with:
Make the right choice, my love, so we can be together. Don't make me do something unnecessarily messy.
Yours always,
Heather.
"Well, I guess this proves that the curiosity could kill the cat," Callie tried to joke. "Not the best fanmail you ever got, cute photo of us, though." She felt surprisingly composed and she couldn't help but thinking it was because she already looked death in the eyes once and won. This was nothing. No, it was disturbing and unwelcome and absolutely required a reaction but Callie had no intention of letting it ruin their night. Whatever they decided to do, press charges, call the cops, they could discuss, but she refused to let their day end on a sour note.
However, when she finally looked at her girlfriend's face she saw that Arizona was as white as a ghost.
"Callie…" Arizona started breathing heavily.
"And what does she even mean by a bi-racial couple?" Callie teased again, bringing Arizona into a hug. She knew her girlfriend was taking it much harder than she was and maybe it was because it was Arizona's significant other who was being threatened. If someone ever threatened Arizona's life Callie didn't know what she would do.
"You know what she means," Arizona gritted her teeth and stood up.
"I guess, but a lesbian white supremacists? Can this even be a thing?" Callie tried another tension breaker but then saw the absolutely horrified expression on Arizona's face.
"Arizona?" She asked in growing concern.
"You'll never be safe with me," Arizona stated and turned her back to Callie. "If it's not her there'll be others."
"So, what? You're doomed to roam these grounds alone?" Callie chuckled.
"I'm sorry, Calliope, I can't do this," Arizona turned towards her but looked anywhere but at her.
"Arizona, you're just freaking out," Callie stood up and softly put her arms on Arizona's shoulders. "This is scary, but take a moment and calm down so we can talk about this."
"No. There's nothing to talk about. I have to keep you safe," Arizona replied decisively, still looking away.
"Then we'll hire people," Callie offered seriously and put a hand below Arizona's chin to make her look at her.
"It'll be too much and at the same time it'll never be enough," Arizona eyes watered up, "I need to not give these people any reason to come after you."
"Can't we just laugh about it and let it go?" Callie tried in desperation. She didn't like where the conversation was headed.
"No. We can't," Arizona declared and moved away from Callie.
"What are you saying?" Callie could feel the tears fill her eyes too.
"I… I have to go," Arizona replied in a shattered voice.
"Arizona what are you talking about? Are you actually breaking up with me because of some psycho? You are giving her exactly what she wants!" Callie fired in an angry voice that was full of both heartbreak and disbelief. "We just bought an apartment! We talked about starting a family not five minutes ago!" She begged.
"I'm sorry," Arizona answered in a completely defeated voice and started walking towards the door.
"Stop apologizing and stop being a coward!" Callie yelled after her making her turn around on her heels.
"How can you say that?" Arizona snapped, total sorrow apparent all over her face. "I love you more than anything. I can't stand the thought of something happening to you!"
"If you really loved me, you would've stayed and fought this with me," Callie countered quietly.
"It's because I love you that I have to go," Arizona explained miserably and turned to leave again.
"Arizona, don't you dare walk out of that door!" Callie warned. "Don't you dare walk out on me again!"
"You can have the apartment," Arizona offered choking on a cry. "Teddy will pick up my stuff."
"I don't want to stay here without you!" Callie broke down in tears. "Please, please don't leave."
"I'm sorry," Arizona pleaded for Callie to understand. "I love you so much."
She turned around and a moment later was gone.
A/N: Hey guys. I knew early on that Steak Knives was going to make an humble appearance. If anyone found the letter personally offensive, I apologize. That's the whole point. I've heard in the past of celebrity couples actually getting death threats because they were a bi-racial couple (or whatever) and that's actually why I chose to bring it up. Specifically, I heard about Taye Diggs and Idina Menzel and I think it's important to know that some twisted people out there still think that way. This story deals a lot with fame and the good and bad things that come with it. Sadly, what I described here is a plausible scenario that comes with the territory.