Characters belong to Shonda. The rest is mine.

Chapter Twenty-Six

ELIZA'S POV

Stepping out of the coffee shop, our drinks in hand…my fingers lace with Arizona's and she gives me a smile. It's not often that we take a walk together, and right now we are pretty close to the club. I know she worries about causing problems within my job, but I'm not. I'm not worried because nobody could take her away from me. Nobody could say anything that would lessen my love for this woman. No boss. No colleague. Nobody. If I'm seen with her, I couldn't care any less than I already do right now. She makes my heart beat out of my chest with just one look, and that look…god, it's the most adorable vision in this world. It's one of those looks that you could spend the rest of your life with. It's heart-stopping. It's cute. It's just…Arizona. She gives me that look. She gives me her all. How could anybody ever possibly take that away from us? How could anybody ever tell me that we can't be together?

Crossing the street, we head for the waterfront and she fixes her scarf around her neck a little better. Her gorgeous blonde curls falling around her shoulders, she's absolutely beautiful. Makes me wonder how I ever even managed to catch her eye. I know I accused her of being infatuated with what I do, but that couldn't be further from the truth. I was just angry when I told her that. I know it was a while ago, and I know that we are way past that, but I hope she knows that it was said out of anger.

"Did you want to take a walk along the front?" She asks, glancing my way.

"I don't care what we do so long as I'm here with you and holding your hand." Giving her a slight shrug, her dimples pop and my heart beats that little bit faster. It always does when I'm watching her. "A walk would be nice, though." Rounding the corner, the fresh air hits my skin and takes my breath away. I love that feeling and it's only heightened with Arizona by my side. She's so warm. Her hand is literally keeping my entire body warm right now. "You know, I never do anything like this."

"Like what?" She furrows her brow.

"This. Walking with someone. Someone I love." I state. "I can't say I've ever done it."

"Yeah, not something I do often, either." She replies. "It's nice, though."

"It is." I agree. "Did you ever do this with your ex?" I ask.

"Not really." She shrugs. "Occasionally we would take a walk, but being a publisher, she's always crazy busy."

"Is that where it became a problem?" I ask. I'm genuinely interested to know why they didn't work out. It's not like Arizona is hard to love. "If you don't mind me asking?"

"No, not at all." She smiles. "Her job was never an issue, to be honest. If I really wanted to see her, I'd simply hang in her office and write. That's the beauty of what I do. I can take my work anywhere I want. I don't have to be stuck in one room all day."

"Yeah, that must be kinda awesome."

"She was actually the one who split with me." She says, nonchalantly. "Well, it was kinda mutual, but ultimately, she is the one who left."

"Wow." I scoff. "Hard to imagine anyone doing such a thing to you."

"I'm not invincible, Eliza." Giving me a sad smile, she looks out over the river. "Things just didn't work out. I guess we didn't want the same things."

"How do you mean?"

"I always wanted us to move in together. You know, when the time was right…"

"Of course." I nod.

"She didn't." She shrugs. "It really was as simple as that. "Three years in and she still didn't want to live with me."

I'd love nothing more than to call her ex an asshole right now, but I don't think it would be appropriate. It isn't any of my business, and Arizona is way past that. "Okay." I breathe out. "Seems kinda stupid to me."

"What does?"

"The fact that she wouldn't move in with you. I don't get what the problem was. I mean, did she love you?"

"She said she did."

"Then, surely that would have been the next step to take, no?" I furrow my brow. "Isn't that what people do?"

"Well, I thought so, but she just didn't want it. She liked the idea of us having our own space. I guess that's just how some people feel, though, and I didn't hate her for it. It's why we still work together. We work together pretty well, too. At least, when she isn't breathing down my neck for my next book." Mm, she better not be breathing down her neck. Not literally, anyway.

"I feel kinda sad about that," I admit. "Knowing that you just wanted a full commitment and she wasn't willing to give you that three years on."

"Yeah, I did at the time, too." She smiles as she stops and rests against the barrier separating us from the water. "But I believe that everything happens for a reason." Wrapping my arms around her from behind, she rests her head back on my shoulder and smiles. "And I believe that you are that reason…"

"Yeah?" I ask, my smile growing wider with every nanosecond that passes. "You really believe I'm the one?"

"God, yes." She sighs. "At least, that's how I feel about us. I don't know about you."

"This is just all so new to me and sometimes I have to take a moment to stop and think about how much you have changed my life."

"I don't think I've changed it." She laughs. "In what way?"

"In every way imaginable," I admit. "Like, I can't bear to not be with you. You make me smile so much that my face hurts, Arizona. Who doesn't want to always be smiling, huh? Who doesn't want you in their life?"

"Cheryl, clearly." We both laugh and she rests her hands on my own. "But I'm glad she didn't want the commitment."

"I'm sure that's not true." Placing a kiss on the top of her head, we watch the waves slowly lap and it really is beautiful being here with her like this. "Anyone foolish enough to not want you in their life is an asshole."

"You have such a way with words." She shakes her head a little. "But I'm happy that I make you want to smile."

"Good, because I never want that to stop." I sigh. "I never want any of this to stop."

ARIZONA'S POV

We've spent the entire day just being together and I feel like I know Eliza a little better. Not anything about who she is in terms of her past, but she's been so honest and open today that it's made me feel closer to her. I felt pretty close anyway, but I love being with her like this. She's totally herself and it's my favorite side of her. The cuteness and the hand holding is adorable from her, and yeah…I could do with with her forever. I'm glad that she brought up the whole Cheryl thing because it shows me that she isn't overly concerned about my ex anymore. Of course, exes always bring problems with them, but Cheryl really isn't like that. She does her work and leaves me to do my own thing. I guess I was lucky like that, really. It could have ended really badly and I probably wouldn't have released the books that I have. She gave me a chance where my writing is concerned, and thankfully, it paid off. It paid off for both of us. Fresh hot chocolate in our hands, we catch sight of a bench nearby and I motion for us to head for it. We've been strolling along for a few hours now, and I could use five minutes to just be. "Would you mind if we sit?"

"Not at all." She wraps her arm around my waist and we head for the bench. Taking a seat, she never loses her connection to me and she goes straight for my free hand. "I've had an awesome day with you." She places a kiss below my ear and I lean into her touch. "Really awesome."

"Me too." I smile. "You know, you haven't really said anything about where you are from?"

"California." She shrugs. "Mom and my sister are still there."

"You have a sister?"

"I do. A twin, actually." Her eyes focused on the people milling about around us, I sense that she doesn't really want to discuss her sister. Maybe they aren't close. I don't know. "She's three minutes older than me so she thinks she can do as she pleases."

"O...kay." I furrow my brow. "You guys have a rocky relationship then?"

"Rocky?" She raises her eyebrow. "I guess so. Strained…maybe?"

"Why is that?" I ask, hoping she isn't about to shut down on me.

"She's a dancer, too." She snorts. "And gay. Would you believe it, huh?"

"Wow." My eyes widen a little. "Weird."

"Of course, she became a dancer when I decided I wanted to, and then she came out a few weeks after I did. I'd like to believe that there is no reason behind it, but she saw the life I was living and she clearly wanted in on it."

"Yeah...seems a little odd, I guess."

"I was dating this girl. My first relationship, you could say." Sighing, she runs her fingers through her hair. "Let's just say she wanted her as well as my life."

"Oh." I give her an awkward smile. "She didn't, did she?"

"Oh, she did." Eliza laughs. "In my bed…when she knew that I was due home. We were living together at the time and she knew my class was over exactly when she took my girlfriend to bed."

"Wow, that had to hurt."

"It did." She agrees. "Like you couldn't imagine. My girlfriend claimed that she thought it was me, but I'm not convinced."

"Oh, I'm sure she knew it wasn't you." I reply. "I mean, how could she not?"

"We are identical." She glances my way. "Like, a mirror image. She has a birth mark on her lower back, but other than that…you wouldn't know who was who."

"Really?" I raise an eyebrow. "That much alike, huh?"

"Yeah, crazy really." She shrugs. "Still, she should have known it wasn't me. As my girlfriend, she just should have known."

"Yeah, I get that." I nod in agreement. "You may look exactly the same, but you must have different mannerisms and personalities."

"Yeah...she's a bitch and I'm not." She shrugs. "We talk, occasionally, but I don't go out of my way to stay in touch with her. My life is so much easier without her in it."

"Shame." I give her a sad smile. "You should always stay close with your family."

"Oh, not mine." She scoffs. "They're a pain in my ass. Trust me. She even called a few weeks ago and asked about working at the club. I shut that down right away. It's bad enough that she is living the same life as me…I don't need her to be doing it in the same city."

"You wouldn't get her a job? Even if she was desperate?"

"Maddie is always desperate for something, so no." She shakes her head. "I wouldn't get her a job."

"Well, this has been interesting." I laugh. "I can't believe you are a twin."

"Mmhmm…"

"Kinda crazy, really?" I state. "Since I'm also a twin."

"No freaking way!" She turns to face me. "You're lying."

"I'm actually not." I shrug. "Difference is, my twin was awesome."

"W-Was?" She furrows her brow.

"Iraq." I sigh and focus my eyes on the river. "8 years ago."

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Arizona." She tightens her grip on my hand. "I had no idea. Now I feel like an ass."

"Don't worry about it. We can't all get along with our siblings. I was just lucky, I guess."

"Yeah." She pulls me in a little closer. "Wanna talk about it?"

"Not right now, but I will." I smile. "Just…not now." She has a look of worry on her face, but I'm really not mad at her for how she has just spoken about her sister. There were times when I wanted to kill Tim, so I know exactly how she feels. There may have been times when we fought, but I'd give up everything to have him back. "Maybe one night when we are just lounging around, okay?"

"Whatever you want to do." My head resting against her shoulder, she runs her fingers through my hair and it relaxes me a little. "I'm sorry, Arizona."

"For what?" I glance up at her, my brow furrowed.

"The hurt you went through." She whispers and places a kiss on my lips. "I can't even begin to imagine going through that."

"I hope you never have to." Her thumb running across my cheek, my eyes close and I take in her energy. She's always got the most amazing energy and it's something I'm quickly becoming addicted to. "Can we head home?"

"Sure." She smiles. "Where to?"

"It's up to you." She shrugs. "I'm at the club tomorrow night so where would you like to spend the night tonight?" Ugh, I won't spend the night with her until Sunday after tonight and it's making me a little depressed already. I hate not having the entire weekend with her, but she has to work and there isn't anything I can do about it. I've told her she can always come by when she finishes her shift, but it's often heading towards sunrise before she even gets out. I really don't know how she does it.

"Maybe we could stay at your place tonight?" I suggest. "I'll be at my place all weekend anyway, so?"

"Sounds good to me." Standing, she pulls me up to my feet and my body connects with her own. Those strong arms wrapping around me, she tilts her head and gives me a slight smile. "You know, you can always hang at my place until I get home?"

"Oh, I couldn't." I shake my head. "That's your personal space and I shouldn't be there without you…"

"Why not?" She furrows her brow. "Then you can be there when I get home…"

"I'd love that, but I can just head home before you leave tomorrow." Taking her hand in my own, we head off towards the direction of Eliza's place. I'd love to be there waiting for her to return home from work but I'm not sure if she has asked me because of the discussion we had earlier regarding Cheryl. Maybe she just genuinely wants me there. I don't know. "Takeout?"

"You took the words right out of my mouth…" Throwing me a wink, she slips her hand into the back pocket of my jeans and pulls me into the side of her. "Do you have any idea how much I love snuggling with you?"

"No." I pout. "Maybe you could show me just how much you love it later…"

"I'm sure that can be arranged." She smiles. "Wouldn't want you to think I'm not all in. Snuggles included."

Thanks for reading, guys. Reviews are welcome as always. Always appreciated, too.