Chapter 37 – Jigsaw Pieces
Her long satin lashes quivered under the penetrating glow of the morning sun as it sauntered in, igniting the shadows within its golden glory. Her mind was hazy, as the last remnants of her dream state were dashed by the realisation that she was awake once more. She stretched out under the crumpled sheets and an instinctive smile laced across her plump lips, as she was encapsulated in a feeling of contentedness.
Her delicate caramel fingers crept out in front of her in search of the beautiful silken body, it was a strange thing to constantly desire, to have that addictive sensation under her finger tips. Never had she lost herself in her own mind and senses, however, every time she was around Arizona, she could not control her want to have that delicate and fascinating feeling under her touch, that warm and inviting soft skin.
Today, as her fingers tips continued their search for the elusive vixen, they were met by the cool fabric environment next to her, her brow furrowed, as her full palm swept back and forth, pushing up from the mattress, Callie opened her eyes. Confusion interlaced her mind, as she registered that she was indeed alone, no flaxen beauty was staring intently back at her with those deep baby blues. Her still sleepy mind tried to recall the events from the evening before and she was correct they had gone to sleep together, so where was Arizona now.
As her mind tried to make sense of her environment, her nose twitched and her brain sniffed, catching the faint aroma of rich roasted beans, as it pierced her foggy veil, the invigorating scent teased and aroused her senses to the sweet promise of euphoria and consciousness.
Callie made her languorous way from the soft confines of her feathered haven and out into the cool aired kitchen. Her vision being instantly rewarded for her endeavours, as they perused the little blonde stood in the middle of the room. Arizona was evidently in a world of her own as her body shimmied along to a silent beat and her lips cast out a gentle non-rhythmical tune. The brunette's bleary morning mind was hypnotised by the enchanting motion and she couldn't help but giggle at the blissful woman pottering around before her.
The tender lyrics of Arizona's morning melody continued to fall in rhythmical discord, from her soft rose lips. "I've got sunshine on a cloudy day. When it's cold outside I've got the month of May.I guess you'd say. What can make me feel this way? My girl (my girl, my girl). Talkin' 'bout my girl (my girl)."
Callie had managed to stealthily manoeuvre her way to behind the alluring blonde, as she weaved her arms around her waist, she leaned in and lay a gentle kiss across her jawline, the sneaky move resulted in Arizona flinching slightly in surprise, as her voice wavered. "M..m..ma..morning, Calliope." She smiled brightly.
"Good morning beautiful, are you having fun?"
Slightly embarrassed at being caught out singing away to herself, Arizona turned in her embrace and provided the Latina with a bashful dimpled grin. "I am."
Cuteness personified was the only way to define Arizona Robbins in the morning, Callie considered, as she regarded the adorable woman. "You know it's not May, right?"
Arizona scrunched up her nose as her eyebrows knitted together. "Huh?"
A smile dangled on the corner of brunette's lips, as she studied the quizzical blonde. "However, I am glad to know that 'some girl' has made you feel this way."
"That is all you Calliope, you make me feel this way. Now, go sit down and let me finish making you breakfast."
Callie made her way over to the breakfast counter and jumped up onto a stool, as she watched Arizona continue to prepare their breakfast. She had previously been privy to the basic actions of the blonde making her way around a kitchen, those occasions now appeared as if they were a distant dream of another time. When Arizona was blind her movements had been small, inquiring and hesitant. Now she was striding her way, opening cupboards and drawers without a second's hesitation.
Callie wondered how the entire experience had been for Arizona, What did her pretty little mind think of everything she had went through? and How on earth had she managed to process it all? She was still annoyed with the blonde for excluding her from being a participant in the journey, to have been her shoulder of support, as she regained her sight. What was it like being reborn? To go from darkness to light and have to re-educate your entire sensory understanding.
"What was it like, Z?"
Stopping abruptly at the query, Arizona turned and looked into the deep pondering regard. "What was, what like?"
"Seeing again, learning that you would regain your sight." Callie paused for a moment, as a sudden realisation dawned on her. "Arizona, when did you know you were regaining your sight?"
Arizona clenched her jaw and slowly exhaled a deep sigh, as she contemplated how she would go about her explanation. Stepping forward, she lay her elbows down on the counter top and drew her gaze in line with the Latina. "Do you really want to talk about that, right now?"
"Yes."
"Oh." She lowered her head momentarily and cleared her throat. "Okay." Arizona paused and measured where she should begin, she had not been prepared for the conversation. She knew it was going to come up, she just hadn't envisioned that it would happen, now. No, this morning she had woken bright eyed and bushy tailed, as she made her smiling way into the kitchen with the direct intention of making Calliope a wonderful breakfast, before work.
"Arizona?"
Her hands intertwined with one another, as she fidgeted with them, she peered out of the corner of her eye, waiting for something to happen. For an interruption to occur, which would mean the conversation would not need to continue and the knotted feeling she was having in her stomach would subside. Arizona knew well enough what that feeling was, that was her consciousness tapping her on the shoulder, telling her that this was not going to be easy. The seconds ticked by and no interruption came, her lashes closed over as she took a breath and answered. "Technically… some of my sight was returning before I left."
"Before you left?"
"Yes."
Callie's body stiffened, a whisper of air fell from her gaping mouth, as she sat unmoving and unbreathing, wide eyed.
Arizona's teeth gripped against her bottom lip, as she pondered the stunned expression on the brunette's perfect features. She needed intervene, to explain herself, to justify her guilt. Instead, she was only able to convey the odd stutter as the words failed to find her.
Callie snapped her mouth shut and wiped her brow as the memories of that time came flooding back, the jigsaw pieces trying to lace together in an answer to unknown mysteries. "Wait, what about the day I came down to your apartment…. when I had to find out from Teddy that you were leaving. Are you telling me that you had started to see again, then?"
"Yes….. I mean, like you had stuff going on at that time too and well we hadn't really talked and like….."
"Huh. So, it was my fault?" Callie interjected.
"There are no faults, Calliope." Arizona whispered in a breath, as she took a hold of the brunette's hand. "You should know, if we are looking to start a fresh, you should know…. I want to be honest with you. I didn't have full sight, but shapes and colours were returning. You see I had met with Doctor Shepherd a few days before, to talk about the headaches and…"
"Wait, what?" Callie snapped her hand back from the gentle touch.
"Calliope, you have to understand that a lot of things were really confusing for me at that time. I didn't know what was going on and when I found out that my sight was returning, well I went straight to look for you and in a roundabout way I found you."
Callie's eyes darted across the room, she paused in contemplation, then jumped down from her stool and sauntered to the percolator. Arizona's blundering of words were doing nothing to stem her annoyance. Callie needed caffeine, she needed to waken up if she had to process the information that was clumsily being confessed. "So, why didn't you tell me?"
Following the brunette, Arizona spun on her heels and glided towards the fridge, bringing out the carton of milk. "Because, when I found you, you were in an on-call room with your ex and I didn't know exactly how to feel about that."
Callie stood upright and tall, her grasp hardening on the cups she had just gathered. "Oh."
"Yes, oh. I mean at that time, yeah we had spent some time together. We were having fun and had gone on a few dates, but then when Erika came back…well, I wasn't really sure what to think."
Erika bloody Hahn! Callie winced at the thought of the infuriating woman. Urgh! Seriously, that pig-headed moron has a tendency to ruin so many things for me. Callie measured Arizona's words, she was right, Callie knew she hadn't exactly spoken to the blonde about her ex. She hadn't explained that Erika really hadn't meant anything to her, instead, she had acted out in a tantrum. Callie had really not wanted to have to involve Arizona in the mess that was her previous relationship. She hadn't wanted Arizona to be party to the humiliating knowledge of her broken past and she sure as hell didn't want the blonde to have to deal with Erika bloody Hahn. Reflecting on her actions and how they had been perceived, Callie could only imagine how that might have appeared to Arizona. No matter how far from the truth it actually was, she could understand that her actions may have seemed, irrational.
Callie peered down and poured the coffee into the awaiting cups, all the time debating her previously misguided choices. "But Arizona, nothing happened between, Erika and I."
Blue sapphires watched transfixed, as the black liquid changed to soft brown and a light smirk teased at her lips. Indeed, she now knew that nothing had happened between Callie and Erika, she supposed that, if considering all aspects, she had always known. But jealously? Well, jealousy was a dangerous emotion to have and it had done nothing to alleviate her fears. Arizona sighed as her body brought back the icy vibrations that raised the hairs on the back of her neck. The blonde knew that she had been consumed in anger and envy, at the thought of another laying their lustful hands upon her sweet Calliope.
It was a strange sensation, which even now wreaked havoc across her body and soul. In an ideal world, Arizona would have preferred that Calliope had never been touched before, that she had been innocent to intimate delights of another. However, she knew that was crazy and unrealistic, although it did nothing to extinguish the fire deep within her. She closed her eyes upon her breath and nodded in acknowledgement, before slapping on the milk bottle lid and returning it to the fridge. "I didn't know that, to be fair Callie the way you acted didn't exactly make me feel positive about, you and I. For all I knew you were sorting out your relationship."
Callie leaned back against the work top, her head falling upon her shoulder as her gaze drew across the woman before her. "I suppose, I didn't really explain things to you, did I?" Picking up a coffee cup she handed it to Arizona before returning to her own, breathing in the caffeinated aroma in her desire for clarity.
"No, Calliope you didn't. However, neither did, I. I don't think either of us will win an award for communication."
Turning her consideration to the cup that was slowly being spun between her palms, her words came out within a knowing whisper. "Jesus Arizona, it's so messed up and stupid. I wish you had just spoken to me."
A small smile tickled at the corner of her lips as she looked upon the brunette's motion. "Hindsight is a great thing, Calliope." She leaned back against the work top and sighed. "To be fair I didn't know at that time that I could ask."
Her observation remained steadfast as the muscles in her face tightened. "What do you mean?"
"Well, it wasn't really my place to say anything about your relationship."
"Arizona, there is no relationship. Erika started to make a scene in front of everyone, so I took her into the room so there wouldn't be a show…so I wouldn't end up being part of Seattle Grace rumour mill, again." She tutted to herself and raised her brow in acceptance. "That didn't go entirely to plan."
Considering the Latina's words she lifted her shoulders in a shrug. "I hadn't known that Calliope. All I knew was that you had acted all strange…..and well…." Arizona took a deep breath and closed her eyes in an attempt to stem the feelings of possession that continued to swell. "I thought I had lost you."
Her heart beat uncontrollably at the blonde's admission. How had they been so stupid? How could they have allowed for such a trivial and insignificant situation to have had such a major impact on them? Callie absorbed the sadness that laced across the blondes soft features. In all the time they were apart, she had never recognised that they had both played their equal role in causing each other's heartache. They had both been stupid enough to act like adolescents, unable to form words and communicate appropriately. Callie placed her cup down against the counter and smiled, as she reached out and pulled the flaxen beauty closer, her arm curling around her waist and tugging her in next to her. "I honestly thought you didn't care, Arizona. The way you were with me, the way you left me, that really hurt."
She stared deeply into the sparkling cosmos and breathed her Latin Goddess in. "It hurt me too, but yet here we are."
Smiling down, she ran her fingers across the delicate rose petals. "It's going to take us time Arizona, but I want us to move forward…..how about we take things as they come, together?"
Her dimples shone out as the butterflies released a frenzy across her sentiment. "We can do that, Calliope."
"Also, Arizona. I take my coffee black." Callie winked.
The building block stood tall in its elegant luminance, as the blinding midday sun reflected against its cold granite craftsmanship. The cloudless sky fell, as a backdrop to the cities architectural skyline and the Stellar Jay glided through the warm air, calling out in its rapid chatter. Arizona's dimples radiated outward in her satisfaction, as she breathed in the crisp smell of bliss. She was becoming more accustomed to her new surroundings in the city of hills and water, the city of broken streets.
Arizona had found that her new city of residence was somewhat quirky, both within its culture and layout. It was a city that proudly sat between beaches and mountains, whose boulevards connected the rat race, blue collar workers to the green spaces and its oasis of nature, captured within. She had been inquisitive about Seattle after reading Jonathan Raban's statement that 'Seattle was the only city you move to in order to be closer to nature, nowhere brings you closer than gliding along the manmade dreamscapes.' What more could she want, but to be able to live in a city that still kept her close to nature, close to her history, to her roots. During her time in her new found homeland, she was beginning to consider that this was a true reflection of the city, it was indeed the organic city.
Despite the morning getting off to a rocky start with some confessions being made, Arizona was full to bursting with happiness. She knew that they would take their time and above all else continue to actually communicate with one another. Calliope Torres, was the cherry on top that just made living and working in Seattle, perfect.
In high spirits and waltzing down the small staircase, Arizona had been in a world of her own and had nearly stepped upon that damn cat, again. In its jilted mistrust, the feline cried out in distaste before scurrying away in the opposite direction. "You really need to make up with Mr Bojangles." Callie sniggered.
Arizona rolled her eyes and expressed a deep sigh. "It's technically not my fault. It should never have been sleeping on a step." Raising her arms in exasperation. "I mean who does that? Who falls asleep on a cold stone step?!"
"Oh I don't know, maybe a cat, Arizona. You know the kind of creatures that aren't human and like to sleep around." Callie nudge her arm into the blonde, as she teased.
"Well, there are a few people that I would also add to that terminology."
Making their way to the curb, Arizona raised her observation to the large building that lay across the road, Seattle Grace Hospital, which had now become her second home. It had been handy that both Callie and Teddy had chosen to stay in the flat block across from the hospital, as it provided extra time away from the hustle and bustle of the commute and rather provided more adequate time in the arms of a certain Latina.
Since, their return from the Team Building weekend, several days before, the women had tried to spend as much time with one another as they could. That often proved difficult given work schedules, but when they could, they often found themselves in each other's company. Arizona giggled, as she reflected that more often than not, their time with one another would be held in naked embraces, as they became more and more physically acquainted. Never in her life had she been so sexually satisfied. However, despite being satisfied on an exceptionally regular basis, her hunger continued to be insatiable.
Turning her gaze to the radiating woman beside her, Arizona considered that Callie was the epitome of Latin charm. She was indeed, sexy, sassy and exceptionally spicy, in every meaning of the word. Arizona, was beside herself with elation that the beautiful goddess had chosen to be with her. As she continued to study the alluring woman her vision fell to her soft caramel hands. A wave of electricity swept across her body and she was ignited in her need to constantly hold on to the woman beside her. Reaching out she ran her hand down the brunette's arm, lacing their fingers together before giving a gentle squeeze in contentment.
Callie smiled as she looked down at her held hand and she felt a fast thud echo out in her heart, upon the single touch. Nothing compared to the comfort and security she felt of having Arizona hold her. She considered that it was such a subtle gesture, when no words required to be spoken, it was a moment held within the present when the past seemed irrelevant and the future still untold. Callie knew that she would remember the feel of the blonde's hand around her own for the rest of her life, the soft fair skin and its intoxicating embrace. Her eyes took voyage across the blonde beauty and rested upon her exposed décolletage, her vision mesmerised by the gentle rhythm of her breath.
As Arizona went to take a step further forward, she was thwarted in her movement by a stationary Latina. Turning on the spot she considered the contemplative look of the brunette as she pressed her lips together and her nose crinkled. "Are you okay, Calliope?"
Chocolate orbs sparkled, as they surveyed the mesmerising sapphires before her, pausing upon her breath before her determination to ask her question kicked in. "So, are we, like a thing now?"
"A thing? What do you mean?"
The corner of her mouth turned up, as she rearranged her words. "Like, what are we, are we dating but open to seeing others? Are we exclusive?….I suppose I just need to know what we, are."
Arizona felt her heart swell upon the query and her dimples blossomed into a wildly beaming smile. "What do you think, Calliope?"
Momentarily drawing her gaze to the pavement, the brunette lightly scuffed her toe against the concrete flooring. "I don't know, I just…I just want to know what it is, you think we are." She drew her eyes back to the mischievous blues that twinkled before her. "I don't want to share you, I want you all to myself….and just….ummm."
If Arizona had ever considered her heart would burst out of its restricted confines, it would have been in that moment. If the bliss she had already been feeling could have ever been conveyed in words it would now been tenfold, as the euphoria tingled through her body. "Calliope, I am all yours. I am not looking or remotely interested in anyone else." She gentle ran her thumb across the delicate caramel skin as the butterflies released in a frenzy. "I think I would like to refer to the magnificent, beautiful and intelligent, Doctor Calliope Torres as my wonderful girlfriend….if that's okay, with you?"
Stunned into silence by the omission, the brunette struggled to gather her breath, as a wide white smile fell upon her lips and she nodded in agreement.
"Good."
Her heart beat faster and faster as Arizona drew her in and the delicate lips came to meet her own. The kiss was soft and caring, spellbinding and enchanting, as they sealed their commitment. They had kissed on many occasion but for the first time the sensation was one of new beginnings as the world surrounding them fell into silence. As their lips parted once more, Callie considered that all the strength had been teased from her body as she went weak at the knees.
"Come on, girlfriend! We better head to work or we are going to be really late." Arizona smiled, as she pulled on Callie's arm and stepped forward. "So, I suppose the next question is, when are you going to let me take you out on a date?"
"Whenever you want, I've just been waiting for you to ask, Arizona."
"Okay, well I will plan something extra special for my lady on our next set of shifts off."
Ecstatically smiling away, as her happy haze swept her up in a bubble, Callie could not wait to see what Arizona would plan for their date. She gazed longingly into the sparkling baby blues as they made their way to the front door of the hospital.
Stepping forward, Arizona made her way through the automatic glass doors and into the entrance hall of her workplace. However, despite her body willing its way through the door it remained unflinching in its deadlock. It took a moment for the discomfort to catch up to her perplexed mind as the excruciating pain seared across her face. Her hand flew up to rub away the numbed throbbing as her eyes darted in confusion to the unwavering doorway. "Ouch! What the actual fuck?!"
"Oh my God, Arizona?" Callie called out, as she realised that in her mesmerising bubble Arizona had unceremoniously walked straight into the glass door, hard. The noise in itself, of the little blonde's face colliding with the unrelenting thick glass, caused her body to wince in her consideration of the woman's pain.
Despite her head being exceptionally sore, Arizona placed her hands against the glass trying to figure out why it wasn't moving. Her eyes traced upward to the sensor, as she waved her hands in bewilderment but the door remained steadfast and unrelenting in its determination to remain closed.
"What the actual?" She repeated, as she jumped up and down, flailing her arms around, considering that this gesture would trigger the sensor and open the bloody door.
"How strange."
"Just a little."
As the women continued to ponder why on earth the door wouldn't open, it suddenly spun into action, sliding without hesitation and freeing the trickle of bodies that were looking to leave the premises, on the other side.
Arizona grabbed a hold of the brunette's hand and yanked her through the open door, as quickly as her little feet could take her. When they were safely on the other side and standing under the cool of the air-conditioning machine, the blonde wiped her brow in relief.
"Well, that was just weird."
Brown eyes perused the noticeable red mark that was beginning to form on the blonde's forehead. "Arizona, we should probably get you checked out, that looks sore."
Turning to observe the Latina, Arizona flexed her dimples. "What can I say, Calliope. Your beauty just stuns me."
AN:Hello everyone! I know it has been a little while since my last update and I can only apologise for that.
So, we have a little lazy morning chat to start us off...
As always I love to get your feedback and reviews so hit me up.
The song for this Chapter is Sweet Disposition by Temper Trap
I continue to be on Twitter and Tumblr Calzazoo
Soundtrack is as always on YouTube Calzazoo
I do hope you enjoy the Chapter before we move on to other things. ;) Have a wonderful weekend and see you around.