Just as Arizona had anticipated, Callie completely lost track of time, only looking up from her microscope when Arizona knocked lightly on the doorframe. "You look hot being all studious like that," she commented, smiling across the room at her.
Arizona was looking pretty good herself, in Callie's humble opinion. She'd ditched her scrubs for clingy jeans and a sky blue button-down with the sleeves rolled up, while her wavy hair was pulled back in a low ponytail. "Look who's talking." Callie stood up to greet her with a kiss, glad when Arizona stretched it out well beyond the scope of a normal greeting kiss. "Mmh, you miss me?" Callie questioned in a hum, wrapping both arms around her fiancée's hips and lightly palming her butt.
"Always. You checking on my ass?" Arizona teased, smirking and doing nothing to remove the hands from her backside.
Callie nodded, faking earnestness. "I have a vested interest - as your doctor and your fiancée." Arizona laughed happily and Callie obliged her with a smile before she leaned in to catch her eyes. "Seriously, though. You feel okay? No dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea?"
"No ma'am, Dr. Torres," Arizona dutifully reported even as she rolled her eyes. She'd had a headache for about an hour after the fall, but Karev had enough hangovers that he kept ibuprofen at hand to take the edge off and he'd surrendered some to her when she'd ordered him to. And telling Callie that her head had hurt would just end up with her back in CT. "I'm fine, Calliope…" She snatched a pecking kiss. "But I expect you'll want to thoroughly check everything for yourself when we get home," she prompted, resuming their flirting.
Callie's eyes darkened at the thought. "Definitely," she agreed, voice slightly hoarse.
Leaving the lab, Arizona wound their fingers together, resuming holding her hand after Callie had changed into her own street clothes. Coming off the elevators though, Callie stopped suddenly, dragging Arizona to an awkward halt. Searching for a reason for the sudden pause, Arizona spotted Mrs. O'Malley in the row of chairs that lined the wall, her sad eyes already on them.
"Calliope, do you want to talk to her?" Arizona offered. "She was important to you, even if you and George didn't work out." And she refused to be the jealous partner that resented Callie trying to have a conversation with her past. Callie's head turned to look at her, searching her face for any trace of disingenuousness. "Really," prompted Arizona, giving her a little push. If Callie didn't want to talk to or about her parents, that was fine. But this was something she clearly wanted, maybe needed, to do. She wasn't going to stand in her way, just support her however she could.
"You don't mind?"
Arizona just shook her head. "I'm going to get us some coffees." She grinned widely. "And a doughnut for myself."
"A treat for busting your ass?" Callie teased, laughing when Arizona immediately went grumpy. She was marrying the cutest woman alive. Sometimes it still surprised her that she'd fallen for someone so bright and shiny. But Arizona was amazing, stunning, even awesome. She loved everything about her. And she knew that she was damn lucky to have her.
"No bear claw for you, then!" She did accept Callie's apologetic pinch on her butt though, shooting her a grin over her shoulder as she turned around to go to the coffee cart.
Mrs. O'Malley was already on her feet when Callie turned back to her, the surgeon's smile fading slowly as she moved closer. "Mrs. O'Malley, I'm so sorry that George never told you. I thought he had."
"What happened to you two?" she pleaded almost desperately for answers, an explanation. "You were happy once!"
Callie sighed. "I wish we had been. But George was suffering and I was there." The older woman flinched and Callie felt her heart break with sympathy. "He'd just lost his dad and we'd just started dating, and I was crazy about him. But we made a mistake when we got married. We were never going to last, even if he hadn't slept with Izzie. And we never meant to hurt you." She thought of how things had fallen apart, how her life had come back together in Seattle. Arizona. Alex and Teddy and Tim and all of their friends. Her dream job. "But I think we're both happier now. I know I am." Her smile was tinged with sadness. "George and I don't talk much anymore, but I genuinely hope he is. Izzie's still here, so they're probably happy."
"Izzie is not his wife," Mama O'Malley declared. "In God's eyes, you are his wife, Callie." She picked up Callie's left hand suddenly, gesturing to the ring on her finger, Arizona's ring. "You still wear your ring."
Looking down at her hand, she had to fight back a hoarse laugh. The ring George had given her was a pittance, bought last minute on the Vegas strip before they'd gone into a cheesy theme chapel and let an Elvis impersonator marry them. The ring she was wearing now was aesthetically more beautiful, but it also held more meaning for her. Because Arizona's proposal, even blurted and spontaneous as it was, meant more to her than her relationship with George had. Her life, her future with Arizona, was symbolized in the ring she wore on her finger. In the short time she'd worn it, George's ring had always felt more like a reminder - oh, yes, they had actually gone to Vegas on a pathetic whim and gotten married.
Clearing her throat, Callie shook her head, still looking at her ring. "I gave George that ring back before I left Miami," she said gently, not sure how to break this woman's heart again. Because she knew it would. "I'm engaged." And the O'Malleys (like the Torres) were Catholic. Nothing about this would be acceptable to her. Not George's infidelity, not their divorce, and definitely not her relationship with another woman.
The older woman's eyes went wide and she swallowed. "Callie…"
"Mrs. O'Malley, I'm sorry. And I loved being an O'Malley for a little while, but I'm happy now. For the first time, really. I'm really, really happy. But I understand if you can't be happy for me. Really, I do."
"Does Georgie know?" She was clearly surprised.
Callie fought back a smile as she remembered her ex's reaction from that very morning. "Yes, he does." George wasn't the person she ran to talk to anymore, but she was still glad that he knew. It had taken so long for him to let her move on, but she was happy now. So, so happy.
"Who is he? Is he someone you met here?"
Callie took a deep breath, trying to prepare herself. She'd come out to her parents, her friends, but this was something else entirely. She didn't know how to do this. "Well…"
"Calliope…" Arizona's voice interrupted her.
Smiling hesitantly, Mrs. O'Malley looked around Callie at the new arrival. "You're Callie's friend from this morning. I knocked you over. Are you feeling okay, dear?" She was genuinely concerned and Callie glanced between them. Mama O'Malley had always been such a sweetheart.
"Mrs. O'Malley, this is… Dr. Robbins," Callie introduced them awkwardly, suddenly unbelievably nervous. And the cock of Arizona's eyebrows hinted that she might have just messed it up. Damn it.
Arizona just smiled, a look that was simply polite to someone who didn't know her well. Which Callie did. She was definitely going to be in trouble when they got home. "Mrs. O'Malley, it's so nice to meet you. I'm so sorry we didn't get to officially meet this morning," Arizona said sweetly, offering her hand.
"Nice to meet you too. I'm so glad you're alright. I didn't mean to hit you with my bag like that."
"Oh, no, it wasn't your fault…"
"She has wheels on her shoes," Callie chimed in without thinking, Arizona shooting a narrow look at her. Foot, meet mouth. So much for trying to get herself out of trouble.
Arizona cleared her throat pointedly and the blonde nodded to Mrs. O'Malley. "The kids like my shoes!" she said a bit defensively. "But it really wasn't your fault."
Without prompting, Mrs. O'Malley noted the tray with two coffees in Arizona's other hand, a pastry bag wedged carefully between the two cups. "I don't want to keep you girls from anything," she said, though it clearly made her sad to let Callie go. There was nothing more Callie could do to help her. She wasn't going to get back together with George. She could explain about Arizona, but it would only hurt the older woman.
"It was nice to meet you, Mrs. O'Malley," Arizona offered politely. "Dr. Torres…" She didn't look back, just turned on her heel (non wheeled for once) and left Callie looking after her.
Turning to follow her, Callie grimaced. She was definitely up shit creek. Damn it. Quickstepping, she caught the blonde's free hand before she made it out the door, trotting to keep up with her. "Arizona, babe, come on…"
"Oh, did you need something, Dr. Torres?" The blonde disengaged their hands to get the car keys out of her purse, Callie falling a few steps behind her in disappointed surprise.
Arizona couldn't help smirking when she heard Callie mutter, "Damn it, George," under her breath. She wasn't really mad, but Callie was making this way too easy. Callie sulked in the car the whole way home, sneaking quick glances at her when she thought she wouldn't notice, keeping her fringe of dark hair in front of her eyes. All Arizona had to do was keep quiet, Callie was doing the rest herself.
Callie was grumbling when Arizona went straight past Tim and Alex watching basketball on the couch and into the kitchen, the two men looking left to watch Arizona leave and then right to look at Callie lingering just inside the front door.
"Dude, what did you do?" Alex asked curiously, already grinning. His smile didn't slip when she glared at him.
"Shut it, Karev."
Tim leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "Did something happen?" He looked more concerned than Alex did, but still curious and intrigued. It was rare to see them short or angry with each other.
Callie sighed, shaking her head. "I, my, George's mother, my ex-mother-in-law, came by the hospital and ran into us this morning. And I've kind of constantly been putting my foot in it all day since then…" She bit her lip, catching a glimpse of Arizona moving through the open kitchen door. "I think she's mad at me."
"She didn't look mad," Tim offered supportively while Alex just stifled his laughs into ill-disguised coughs.
Brown eyes rolled. "She's calling me 'Dr. Torres,'" she admitted, discouraged.
Tim grimaced, conceding, "Yeah, she might be mad at you…"
"I'll try and remember to clean the crumbs off the couch for you after the game," offered Alex mockingly.
Callie growled at him and Tim leaned back in case she felt the need to dive over him at Karev. There was no way she was going to sleep on the couch over this. Hell no. She'd go back to the hospital and find Mrs. O'Malley and tell her straight out who Arizona was to her before she'd sleep alone tonight.
But first…
Arizona was at the sink when Callie slipped into the kitchen and kicked the doorstop out of the way so the door swung closed behind her, the blonde's back to the rest of the room, but Callie kept her distance, not sure the reaction she'd get if she went to touch her. "I really did well today, didn't I?" she mused, moving forward slowly but keeping the kitchen island between them. "Arizona, I'm sorry. I love you. More than anything, I love you. And I should have told Mrs. O'Malley who you are to me. Because I am going to marry you. But I don't know how to say, 'oh, hey, not only did I divorce your son, but I'm also into girls, and this is my fiancée and the love of my life,' and not break her heart worse than I already did…"
Arizona turned slowly and leaned back against the sink, not bothering to hide a smile. Callie wanted to present a hardcore, badass persona, but really could be too sweet. But she wasn't looking at Arizona, speaking instead to the countertop between them. "Calliope, you don't have to apologize to me," she said.
Callie's head came up to lock eyes with her. "But I didn't - I should have…"
"It's okay."
Blinking, Callie kept her cautious distance. "Really? Because you seemed kind of pissed."
"I was trying to be funny…"
"Well, then you suck at jokes…"
"Hey, listen. Coming out is important. It's everything. With your family, with your friends. And I know the family thing is rough for you, but if you tried to hide me from them, I'd kick your ass." Callie couldn't help a smile, biting her lip. She couldn't hide how she felt about Arizona even if she wanted to. "But coming out to your ex-husband's extremely Catholic mom? Not necessary. Not for you. And certainly not for me! So, it's okay."
Callie let out a big breath of relief and smiled. "Thank you."
Nodding, Arizona smirked. "I do not suck at jokes…" Callie took a few slow steps toward her, drawn in like moth to flame. Arizona was like gravity - everything in her called to Callie, pulled her in. "And you do not glance as sneakily as you like to think you do, Calliope." She shifted against the counter as Callie moved in closer, wincing as the edge hit her still-bruised butt.
Noticing the flinch, Callie slid both hands across her lover's hips and down the outsides of her thighs. "It still hurts?" she asked considerately.
Arizona shrugged. Nothing much hurt when Callie looked at her like that. "I just hit it on the corner. No big."
Strong hands slipped around the back of her legs, Callie bending her knees slightly to lift Arizona to the counter behind her, the blonde unable to hold back a squeak at the sudden movement. "Okay?" Callie checked, her own stomach pressing against the counter as she pushed forward into the space between Arizona's opening knees.
"Of course," Arizona agreed as if it was a stupid question, which it was. Just to emphasize her answer, she curled her calves around Callie's hips. "I like being up here. It makes me taller than you." Both hands rose to trace through long, dark waves of hair, smiling when it drew a moan from Callie, the Latina leaning her head into the contact.
Callie considered her own viewpoint, the height advantage putting her at eyelevel with Arizona's chest. Which was okay with her. "And the view is pretty spectacular from where I'm standing too," she agreed, leaning in to pop the top two buttons of Arizona's shirt with her teeth. "Even better now."
"Oh, you're an evil woman!" Arizona said, feeling a bit breathless as Callie's face buried itself in her chest, hands on her hips pulling her to the edge of the countertop to bring them even closer.
Callie lifted her lips from skin only enough to speak, her breath warm and wet inside Arizona's shirt. "How's that? I've got my face in your cleavage." She emphasized her words with a slow lick of the valley between Arizona's breasts, silently cursing her lover's bra keeping her from coveted skin.
"But we still have clothes on!"
Callie pulled back at that, ignoring her lover's whining protest. "Not everything is about getting you naked, Arizona," she said, sounding much too amused for Arizona's taste.
"Well it should be!"
Callie stood up on her toes to kiss her, not used to having to do so to get to Arizona's lips. She liked their usual height difference, but this was fun too. And provided her with plenty of options, her hands sliding over the jeans covering the blonde's taut thighs. Anytime Arizona's legs were around her was a victory for her. And the easy access to breasts was very nice too. Arizona's hands in her hair gave a gentle tug, drawing her mind back to the pleasurable pursuit she was engaged in, kissing Arizona soundly, and away from her mental plans for the playground of her lover's body.
"Calliope…" Arizona gasped into the kiss, nipping her bottom lip as she went into the next series of deep, slow kisses. "Hands…"
Realizing that she was groping a breast through Arizona's shirt, Callie laughed but didn't remove her hand. The other was dangerously high on Arizona's thigh and she found herself agreeing with Arizona's earlier complaint - everything should be about getting her naked. Because if she didn't touch some skin soon, she was going to burst. And not in the good way.
Slowing it down, Callie withdrew slightly, fingers tightening in her hair to keep her from moving too far away. "You have beautiful hair, Calliope," Arizona murmured, running her fingers through the thick, soft locks. A hand under her jaw lifted Callie's face to hers, the seated woman leaning in to kiss her again softly. "You're so beautiful."
Callie chuckled against her lips. "I thought I was the one who was supposed to be sucking up."
"You know I love when you suck up, but we are in the kitchen." It was clear from her tone that Arizona wasn't talking about making up for her earlier flub but doing something else entirely. "And Tim and Alex are right in the other room…"
"It's March Madness," Callie pointed out hopefully. "The game just started. I'm sure the boys'll be busy for a while." She arched an eyebrow and smirked. "As long as you can be quiet." Her fingers were already hooked in the front of Arizona's jeans, flipping her belt buckle open and tugging her even closer to the edge of the counter.
Arizona just grinned, legs keeping Callie close even as the brunette endeavored to get her pants open. Unfortunately for them both, no matter how quiet they were managing to stay, Alex ran out of beer before the first half was over. And the sound of his sister's yell, which would have normally brought him running to her defense, made Tim Robbins, decorated Marine and war hero, curl his knees to his chest and stuff fingers in both of his ears. He steadfastly refused to meet a hastily returning Alex's eyes. And neither one of them turned their heads from the television when the stopper at the base of the kitchen's swinging door flipped into place, just turned up the volume on the TV.
"What happened to it being March Whatever, Calliope?" Arizona hissed as she slid down off the counter and tried to jerk her jeans back up her legs. Her face was flushed, beet red in a mixture of intense arousal and embarrassment. She'd been so freaking close!
Callie was there before she succeeded, smirking as she heard the buzzer of the game through the closed kitchen door. Both hands slid into the gap at the back of Arizona's pants, curling around the backs of bare thighs. "It's still going. And I don't think Alex will be thirsty anytime soon," she mused, walking them back toward the kitchen table.
Arizona jumped when she felt the warm wood on her ass. "Calliope, no," she denied her halfheartedly. She was still so close… "They're right in there… How would you feel if Alex Karev saw me with no pants on?" She knew he couldn't possibly have seen anything a minute ago, he'd only been in the door for a split second and Callie's head buried in there pretty effectively hid the important bits.
Cocking her head, Callie leaned in slowly. "He'd die very quickly, but very happy," she promised teasingly, the threat breathed onto her lover's lips.
"We could just go upstairs…" Arizona suggested, swallowing hard and taking a hard kiss in spite of her own protests. Callie resumed pushing her jeans down again, taking the kiss as a sign of imminent capitulation. Arizona just leaned back on her hands and breathed hard as Callie's kisses left her lips to trail down the open collar of her shirt. Below her breasts, a few buttons were still hanging in there but Callie popped them open on her way back down. Maybe it wouldn't be too embarrassing if they could finish this quickly and retreat upstairs in humiliation… "Hurry, baby," she pleaded.
Callie dropped to her knees in no apparent rush, nuzzling in between her lover's thighs. "This is better. The countertop is just a little too high. I had to kneel weird," she noted almost conversationally. The table was the perfect height for her on her knees.
"Calliope…"
An eyebrow rose slowly and full lips smirked. "You're not getting off that easy, Arizona," she promised. "Basketball games last a few hours at least," blue eyes went wide and Callie couldn't resist licking her lips, "How long can you last?"
"Calliope," Arizona whimpered again, though she was pleading for something else now. She needed Callie's mouth on her now or she was going to take matters into her own hand. And Callie was so much better than her own hand. "Please…"
Pushing her knees open gently, Callie returned her face to its place between her fiancée's legs. Arizona had been close, she noted as she went back to work. A quick tumble over the edge couldn't hurt before she teased her out of her mind. With that in mind she went straight for the blonde's clit, pulling it into her mouth and sucking hard. She could hear Arizona gasp her name even through the thighs muffling her ears and had to smirk. Good thing the boys had turned the TV up.