The cold breeze dragged Callie Torres to consciousness better than almost anything else would have and she groaned in sleepy complaint as fingers pushed the fabric of her top up slowly, warm lips scattering kisses across her stomach. "Arizona, it's cold," she grumbled, her own hand searching blindly for the misplaced covers. "What're you doing?"
Warm breath tickled a chuckle against her skin. "What does it feel like I'm doing?"
"It feels like you're trying to make me late for work," Callie answered, the realization of what exactly her girlfriend was distracting her from sinking in and making her shoot up in bed, Arizona rolling off with a groan.
"That's what I was trying to avoid," the blonde muttered. "Calliope, you've got to relax." She sat up beside her and rubbed her back gently. Callie had been patient and loving with her for weeks now, today of all days, she wanted to give that back to her partner. "You've done more prep work for this surgery than I've done on my last five procedures." Of course, she wasn't cutting today, though.
Callie shot her a look over her shoulder. "Maybe that's because I'm a better surgeon than you," she said teasingly. There was no professional jealousy between them, just lighthearted teasing. Arizona was a genius with her kids, and no one else could do all the things she could. But Arizona would be just as hopeless as anyone else if she had to do one of Callie's surgeries.
Mouth dropping open, Arizona lunged at her, tackling her to the bed, though they were dangerously close to pitching over the side. Forgoing words, she kissed her girlfriend slowly, hands roaming her sides as she coaxed Callie into relaxing, even if she didn't realize that that's what Arizona was doing.
All that effort was wasted in a heartbeat when Arizona whispered the thought that she had been completely unable to shake out of her head the last few weeks - seeing Callie interact and become part of her family, she wanted to make it official. "I want to marry you."
Brown eyes went wide in a heartbeat. "Um, what…?" Heart pounding suddenly, Callie forced herself to breathe. "What happened to - Oh my God - Arizona!" She'd been holding her head up to keep contact between their lips, but she suddenly flopped back and let her head hang over the side of the bed. Her breath was coming harder and she tried to think past 'holy shit, had that just happened?' It was a less than successful effort.
Arizona didn't move off of her, frozen as her panicked mind tried to figure out how this had happened. She wanted to marry Callie, but blurting it out while they were kissing in bed wasn't any one of the plans she'd made. She didn't even have a ring yet. Taking a deep breath and holding it for a moment, Arizona stared down at her lover, leaning in to kiss her extended neck. "Okay, so I said I want to marry you," she mused, trying to sound optimistic. "That's only bad if you don't want to marry me."
That got Callie's head up. "Don't be stupid, Arizona!"
"Stop!" Arizona interjected quickly. "I - we can't get engaged this morning. I might have just thrown it right out there, but this is not how we're going to get engaged. This was officially a statement. I want to marry you. I'm not asking you to marry me. Not yet."
The corners of Callie's mouth curled into a smile, one eyebrow rising. "You want to marry me…"
"I do," confirmed the blonde, head tilting to meet her as Callie leaned in.
"That's not your line… yet," she whispered against her lips, Arizona whimpering into the kiss as Callie flipped them. Any nerves she'd been feeling about what was hopefully going to be Tim's final surgery were completely wiped out in the feel of kissing Arizona. This woman loved her. This woman wanted to marry her. Abruptly, Callie pulled back from the kiss, her bottom lip sliding from between Arizona's teeth with a pop. "I just - I need to say one thing, okay?" Arizona nodded almost meekly. "I was married before," the blonde flinched, "and it was a disaster," the twitch was worse, "so, the next time I get married, that's it," she said, needing to know that Arizona felt the same way about it. "So when I say that I want to marry you, I mean that I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Arizona Robbins."
Arizona couldn't help nuzzling her nose against Callie's, a soft, peaceful smile on her face. "That's exactly what I want too, Calliope."
Hearing the alarm on her phone kept Callie from responding beyond a whining groan. "As much as I would love to stay here with you…"
"You're giving Tim his robot leg today." Arizona kissed her quickly before removing herself from beneath her girlfriend. "You're going to be amazing, babe."
Callie nodded, forcing herself to remain in the blissful feeling Arizona had put in her chest this morning. She didn't have the space inside to be anxious. Because Arizona freaking Robbins wanted to marry her. "Just remember that you said you wouldn't get jealous when me and Tim go dancing."
Arizona's mouth dropped open as they rose from the bed, shaking her head in denial as she sifted through a drawer. "I never said I wouldn't get jealous! I said we'd go out with him. You're the one who said you'd dance with my brother. And I never agreed to not being jealous!" She scanned her girlfriend's body with blazing blue eyes. "Big brother just better watch his hands is all I'm saying…"
Her partner's exaggerated jealousy was still making Callie smile when she wheeled Tim into the OR, his eyes surveying her. "I can imagine what's got that look on your face, but since she's my sister, I'm going to pretend that you're just confident about our surgery," he declared, offering his arm to the nurse and letting himself get prepped for surgery.
"You're ready for this, right?" she checked. "If you're not…"
Tim cut her off with a resolute shake of the head. "We've got this, Callie. Cyborg me."
Muttering under her breath but smiling as she did it, Callie left him with a gentle slap to the shoulder. "Cyborg…" The scrub room door opened from the hall just as she came in from the operating room, Arizona giving her a weak smile. "What is it with Tim and the robot, cyborg, Terminator thing?" Callie questioned curiously with a laugh.
The smile became more relaxed, genuine. "Terminator was his favorite movie when he was a kid. And he's had a thing for robots his whole life." Arizona laughed, glancing through the window at her brother sleeping peacefully under the anesthesia mask. The sound of her laughter was hoarse and hollow, her anxiety unable to be restrained as the day progressed. "Believe me, you're fulfilling a lifelong dream of his here."
Callie watched Arizona's expression and gently turned her away from the window. "You know you can't watch, sweetheart," she reminded her softly. "You'll freak out, and I'll be nervous - well, more nervous…"
"No, I don't want to watch," Arizona agreed, looking faintly sick at the thought. "I just came to tell you one more time that you're a rockstar and I love you."
Smiling, Callie gave her a reassuring wink, leaning in to kiss her softly. She already had her scrub cap on, so Arizona couldn't grab onto her hair the way she liked, but she could still feel her girlfriend's hand brush across her jaw and the back of her neck. "I love you too," Callie whispered as they pulled back, Arizona sidestepping to avoid the door opening.
Owen didn't look surprised to see her there, just smiled and started to scrub. "Ladies…" he greeted them dryly.
"Okay," said Arizona, backing toward the door. "I'm going to go now, but you two… You've got this."
Callie nodded confirmation. "We've got this, Arizona. See you in a few hours, okay?"
The blonde just nodded as the door swung closed behind her, Callie shaking herself and joining Owen at the sinks. "It's a good plan, Torres," he said, not the first time he'd offered such reassurances. "I'll keep everything stable, you just have to install the titanium."
"Robot bones," Callie muttered, drawing a look from her redheaded co-surgeon.
"What?" he asked, smiling as he tied his mask behind his neck.
"Tim, the patient, has a thing for robots so ever since I told him what I wanted to do, he's been saying that I'm giving him a robot leg, or turning him into a cyborg, or the Terminator, or whatever," Callie explained, unable to help chuckling herself.
Owen took a moment to consider that, straightening his mask. "Well then, Dr. Torres, let's go give the patient his robot leg," he declared, leaving her laughing at the sink.
Callie calmed herself before she went into the OR, regaining her serious, hardcore persona before she took her spot at the table and called for a ten blade. The work went steadily, Callie feeling herself slide into a focused haze where the only thing in her mind was putting bones she'd built into place and making them work. She couldn't think about the hopeful thought Arizona had planted in her mind, she couldn't remember that this was Arizona's big brother she was trying to heal. It was an amazing, hardcore surgery and she was rocking it. That was all there was to it.
A glance into the crowded gallery showed Karev and Teddy watching, but thankfully no Arizona. She knew she'd freeze up if the blue eyes she adored were watching her operate on Tim. She gave them a reassuring nod, confident that they were in the homestretch. "How we doing up there, Dr. Hunt?" she asked, putting her drill back on her tray. As long as everything was stable, she was ready to close.
"Everything is holding steady. Did you finish with the robot leg?" he asked, meeting her eyes over the table and she could tell he was smiling even behind his mask.
"The robot bones are in," Callie confirmed, smiling herself as he leaned over to look at what she'd done. "What do you think?"
Owen nodded, light blue eyes scanning the work. "I think you're going to make a man walk, Dr. Torres. Are you ready to close?"
The Ortho surgeon rechecked every connection before she agreed, taking what felt like her first breath in hours only after they'd finished their work and she snapped off her gloves to the applause from her staff and their audience in the gallery, tearing off her mask to grin up at her friends in the observation deck. Teddy gave her a smile and Alex pointed over his shoulder, clearly wanting to go tell Arizona the good news. Callie gave him a nod of permission, laughing when he bolted.
"Good work, Callie," Owen congratulated her, one hand patting her shoulder as he passed her into the scrub room. She didn't speak, wasn't sure she could, just heaved a breath of relief and let her body relax. She'd done the best she could do, the best anyone could have done with Tim's situation. The work was by no means over, but it was on Tim's shoulders now. She could simply be his loving sister's girlfriend - with a professional investment in his recovery.
Swallowing hard, both hands pulled her scrub cap off, fingers unwinding the hair at the back of her neck and letting her head roll back on her neck as she relaxed for the first time in the weeks since Tim's arrival. She took her time scrubbing out, already smiling when she pushed the door open to find Arizona waiting for her in the hallway.
"You…" The blonde was breathless and she moved forward to kiss her without speaking, moaning when both of Callie's arms slid around her hips, holding her tight against the Ortho surgeon's body. The kiss was slow, full of lips and tongues, and Arizona held her girlfriend's face with both hands. "You did it," she whispered against her mouth.
"Pulled off the robot leg," Callie answered her, starting to feel almost giddy with her success.
"Do you know how amazing this is, Calliope? How many people you can help?" But lips were back on hers and she couldn't say more. Abruptly, Arizona giggled, pulling her head back. "The Chief is going to love you!" she gasped in realization, teasing. Dr. Webber had a well-known fondness for any surgeon that could increase his hospital's prestige. And this would certainly do it.
"Arizona, we're not even sure that it's going to work right," Callie reminded them both. "There could be complications, or…"
Arizona's head shook in denial. "Nope, no way, not listening," she interrupted. "This is you, my hardcore, rockstar girlfriend, and Tim, my heroic, cyborg brother. You built his awesome robot leg and he's going to use it to do whatever he wants." Abruptly, she looked straight into Callie's eyes, silently taking her in. This was the woman she loved. Brilliant, talented, gorgeous, and this woman loved her. It was miraculous. "I changed my mind…" she mused.
Callie's eyes widened slowly, thinking of only one thing that Arizona could have possibly changed her mind on. It was the only thing that would have made her more completely overwhelmed with joy than rocking her surgery, marrying Arizona, and she could practically feel it slipping away from her suddenly. "What?" Her voice was breathy and soft, not able to put words to the sudden fear.
Arizona could see it on her face, though. "No, Calliope, no!" She shook her head quickly. "I didn't change my mind about that," she continued quickly. "I meant that I changed my mind about this morning - about waiting for some dumb occasion to propose." Callie's face relaxed and she started to smile. "I love you more than anything, but I want commitments, and I want rings, and I want to marry you." The smile on Callie's lips grew in a heartbeat. "Marry me," Arizona repeated her desire, blue eyes wide and hopeful. She knew Callie loved her, had even said that morning that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with her, but no one anywhere had ever asked someone to marry them and not been nervous.
Callie didn't hesitate. "Yes!" she said, still breathless.
"Oh my God, really?" Arizona couldn't help double-checking, even as she laughed happily.
"Yes," Callie said again, laughing herself. "Yes, I will marry you, Arizona." Her arms tightened around her lover, her fiancée, and leaned in for a long, slow, deep kiss. She was going to get to do this every day for the rest of her life. It made her smile against soft lips. Arizona's lips parted as she smiled too, teeth nipping gently at Callie's bottom lip. "So, we're engaged?" Callie checked, whispering. They were still in the OR hall, in the middle of the day, at their job. It was a miracle they hadn't been interrupted yet. Though it was possible that Karev was warning people to steer clear.
"We're engaged," confirmed Arizona happily. She took another kiss, her eyes falling closed. They were both still smiling languidly as the kiss ended. "Can I just - could we not -?" stammering, Arizona stopped herself and took a deep breath. "Do you mind if we don't tell my parents yet?" she requested. "Not that I don't want to," she clarified rapidly. "I just - I want to keep you for myself for a while."
Nodding, Callie leaned in to nuzzle against the blonde's cheek. "I know exactly what you mean. We don't have to tell anyone yet." She smiled against pale skin. "Are you going to tell Tim?" Watching them together since Tim's arrival, she knew that they were very close. Arizona had no secrets from her big brother.
She shook her head, though. "Not yet." Arizona let her head rock sideways, giving Callie's lips room to explore her neck. "Though it will be pretty obvious something's up if you give me a hickey."
Callie just licked a slow path up toward her ear. "I just rocked a major surgery," the Latina reminded her, the words a hot breath against her skin. "And if I rock you after, it doesn't mean they can figure out we're engaged," she reasoned, Arizona gasping in reaction as traitorous fingers curled into dark hair and held her in her spot.
This was breaking all of their rules about public affection at work but she couldn't bring herself to care - if Callie wanted to celebrate in the hallway, she was going to go with it as long as it meant that Calliope's hands stayed on her. A warm, strong body pushed her gently into the wall, keeping her in place through contact. "I love you," the blonde gasped out as she surrendered willingly, Callie abandoning her neck to kiss her on the mouth.
"Come on," she said after a firm, passionate kiss. "We need to get out of this hallway." The glance Callie directed around the empty passage was positively promising and Arizona felt a shiver slide down her spine. She could only imagine what was in store for her once they got some privacy. "We are not having sex in this hospital, Arizona," Callie whispered, brown eyes playful. The blonde groaned in needy protest. "Your parents are waiting on us." A cute pouty grimace was her response.
"Fine," Arizona declared petulantly, grumpy. "But you owe me sex, woman."
"Your parents are staying with us," Callie reminded her, blue eyes glaring at her.
Arizona pointedly clarified, "You owe me a lot of sex. I'll make sure Alex gets stuck here charting after my parents leave…"
Chuckling, Callie stepped back to release Arizona from the wall, pulling her along toward the doors. "We don't have to kick him out to have sex, Arizona. He has a TV in his room now."
"We'll get him noise-cancelling headphones," Arizona declared, fingers laced through Callie's. The Latina sent her a look and she shrugged, grinning and clearly pleased with her idea. "What? His birthday is coming up."
"Oh, so you don't celebrate your own birthday and refuse to let anyone else celebrate it, but you remember everybody else's birthdays?" Callie questioned, rolling her eyes.
The blonde head nodded, still grinning cheerfully. "Yes, Calliope. Alex and I have lived together for a long time and he's my friend. It would be rude if I didn't get him anything." She paused, expression becoming wicked. "Just like it would be rude to have loud, energetic, sex for days with my new fiancée and not give him a way to not hear us."
Callie couldn't fight a grin of her own. This was shaping up to be her best day ever. If only they could actually have some of this celebration sex Arizona was so eagerly planning. "You're right," she agreed dryly. "That would be rude." She bumped an elbow lightly against her girlfriend's ribs. "Let's at least get him the nice ones that will connect wirelessly to his TV."
"Oh, of course!" Arizona agreed, both of them laughing as they walked.
Okay, this is part one of the chapter and I'll get the next part up this weekend sometime, but after that I'm starting a new job so I'm not sure what my schedule's going to be, but I'll do my best to keep the updates regular for y'all!