A/N – I have to say I am loving everyone's hate for Aria. Even I want to kill her and I am the one writing her. For everyone wondering about their age, I imagine them all in their mid-twenties. Please keep the reviews coming!
Chapter 6
After the concert almost everyone went straight to bed, it's been a long day and they all have to be up early tomorrow morning to head out to the next venue. Callie is woken by her room door opening, she lifts her head from her pillow to see her sister.
"Aria? Where have you been?" She asks as she rubs her tired eyes.
"I was downstairs in the hotel bar, I took Arizona out for a drink," Aria says dryly and closes the room door.
"Aria," Callie gets out of bed and approaches her sister.
"What? She needed a little fun, she spent all yesterday in this room entertaining you." Aria drops her jacket on the couch.
"Hey, I didn't force her to stay here with me." Callie defends herself.
"Didn't you? She's your assistant Callie, her job is to make you happy. All the times you thought that you were hanging out as friends she was just doing her job." It looks like someone just punched the singer in the gut. "Sweet dreams sis." Aria teases as she disappears into the bathroom leaving her shocked sister to contemplate everything she just said.
-x-x-
After her long night, Arizona is busy getting ready to hit the road again. The stress of the tour is getting to her, she looks in the mirror and sees a big pimple on her forehead. "Great just what I need, a second head." She takes out her make-up and goes to work trying to hide it.
Everyone is boarding the tour bus yet again. The first concert was a huge success and everyone is still riding the high. Everyone except Callie, she knew her sister was going to make trouble but she never expected this. Walking to her bunk she spots Aria already sitting next to Arizona in the blonde's bunk.
"Morning boss." Arizona gives her a dimpled smile, Callie just gives her a weak smile in return. Arizona doesn't understand what's wrong with the singer. Last night when she saw her in the dressing room she was all smiles.
"Do you know if there is something wrong with your sister?" Arizona asked concerned.
Aria just shrugs her shoulders.
Callie is sitting in her bunk giving her a direct view of the entire bus. Her eyes are fixed on the younger Torres. She is using her Torres charm to enchant everyone on the bus. The guys are drooling over her, even Arizona is laughing at her rich girl stories and Aria is enjoying every moment of it.
"Hey, why are you giving your sister the evil eye?" Meredith asks taking a seat next to the singer.
"Just look at her, I'm guessing last night wasn't enough of an ego boost for her."
"What happened last night?"
"Nothing, Aria just had drinks with Arizona in the hotel bar," Callie states bitterly.
"Arizona wasn't in the bar."
"What?" Callie turns her head so fast a few strands of her hair hits Meredith in the face.
"Yeah, me and Cristina were in the hotel bar the entire time. Let's just say I had some guy drama I had to drink away. You know there is nothing tequila can't fix. Anyway, I saw Aria, she was flirting with every guy in the bar."
"But Aria said…" Callie states confused, her brain working overtime.
"Hey, I don't know what she told you but, I'm telling you Arizona never set foot in that bar." Meredith gets up to join her best friend in front of the bus.
Callie doesn't even know why she is surprised that her sister would lie to her, what surprised her is that she was so jealous of her sister spending time with the blonde. The idea of Aria dating her assistant makes Callie's stomach turn.
-x-x-
The bus stops to refuel and everyone gets out to stretch their legs, they still have a long way to go to Austin. After grabbing a few things from the store Callie enters the bus again while everyone else is scattered around the grounds. Callie can hear someone singing Charlie Worsham's Want Me Too.
"You got a lock on your heart, it's chained in the dark, and somehow you lost the key." Callie starts moving towards the voice when she finds the blonde in her bunk, earbuds in her ears singing along. "You said you tried everything to get love back again, but baby you ain't tried me."
Arizona sees Callie staring at her. She pulls out one of the earbuds and presses pauses on her phone. "Hi." She says perkily.
"Hi." Callie returns less enthusiastically.
The blonde motions for the singer to take a seat, Callie sits down next to her and starts playing with the water bottle in her lap. Arizona turns to face Callie. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"I can see something is bothering you. Calliope, please talk to me." Arizona pleads. Callie starts picking at the label on the bottle, avoiding eye contact. "Did I do something?" Arizona asks nervously, she can't help but feel like the singer is avoiding her.
"No Arizona, it's not you." She looks up into those blue eyes that haunt her dreams.
"Callie you know you can tell me anything." Callie nods. Arizona tries to think of a way to cheer her up, seeing her boss like this breaks her heart. An idea crosses her mind, what better way is there to cheer up a singer then using music. She hits play on her phone. "Tell me what it takes to put a smile on your face and leave your lonely days behind. I can take it from there, get you floatin' on-air girl if you just give me a sign." She sings to Callie wholeheartedly.
Callie playfully nudges the blonde. "You're such a dork you know." She says with a small smile.
"At least I got you to smile." Seeing nothing but pure intentions behind the blonde's words, Callie knows that this more than just a job for Arizona no matter what her sister might think. Arizona is her friend and quickly becoming one of her best friends. Even if deep down she wants to be so much more than just friends, she's not willing to risk what they have.
"With you singing like that anyone would find it amusing." Arizona slaps her on her arm.
"Hey, I'm sorry I don't have a Grammy Award-winning voice." The blonde crosses her arms pulling out her signature pout.
"I just never figured you to be a Country fan." Callie tries to recover.
"Do you really what to start criticizing my taste in music?" Callie realizes that would not be very smart seeing as she is at the top of the blonde's list.
"Good point." For the first time, Callie sees the exhaustion in Arizona's face. "You look a little tired."
"Yeah, I feel fried but I don't know why. After the concert, I went straight to bed." Hearing Arizona confirm she didn't go out with Aria, blew the last remaining dark cloud over Callie's head right out the window.
"Maybe you should try to take a nap." She hands her a pillow and pulls the blonde's legs onto her lap. "We still have a long way to go."
"I guess. But you don't have to sit here with me." Arizona scratches her stomach.
"I'm fine, I have like a million emails to answer." Callie pulls out her iPad and goes to work. "Besides I get really bored back there." She whispers the last part.
"Okay, then the least I can do is entertain you with my beautiful singing voice." They both chuckle. Arizona starts to sing again, looking Callie straight in the eye. "My heart is skippin' like a stone on the water, tell me what do I got to do, to make you want me too." After another round of giggles about the blonde's singing, she closes her eyes. Falling sleep with a smile on her face knowing the singer is with her.
Callie spent the rest of her time in Arizona's bunk, she tried to leave a couple of times but the blonde would just pull her back. Arizona wasn't feeling too good and she wanted the comfort that the singer seems to provide her.
-x-x-
They have been on the road all day, everyone is starting to get a little cranky from being in such a small space. Hoping that food will get them to lighten up a bit, it is dinner time after all. Not having time to sit down to eat, the bus is turned into a moving restaurant.
"Arizona this salad is amazing you have to try some." Callie holds a fork full to the blonde.
"Um, no thanks I'm not hungry." She says scratching her arm.
"You haven't eaten all day, you need to get some food in you."
"I don't have an appetite." Arizona whines.
"Please just a little bit for me." Trying to use the blonde's pout against her holding out a sandwich to her.
"Hey, no fair!" Seeing how cute Callie looks pouting, she reluctantly takes her sandwich. "I don't even like sandwiches, I like pizza." She adds with a hopeful smile.
"I like pizza too, but if you can find a pizza place who can deliver to a moving bus be my guest," Callie states as she takes another fork full of her salad smiling at Arizona.
"Okay fine." The blonde caves.
"Good girl." Callie pinches a dimpled cheek. This makes the blonde stick out her tongue at her in return, making the singer chuckle. Arizona takes a bite out of a flavorless sandwich.
-x-x-
Arriving at the hotel at 03:00, luckily the lobby is almost empty. Everyone is waiting restlessly while Arizona gets the room keys. Callie is leaning against one of the pillars trying to keep herself upright as she watches the blonde interact with the young man behind the desk. The poor boy is putty in her hands once she pulls out her dimple smile. Callie sympathizes with him because she knows the feeling all too well.
"Is that my hot girlfriend I see?" A voice says behind the singer.
Callie turns around. "Mark?"
"Hey, Torres how are you doing?" He wraps her in a big hug.
"Busy. Wha…" She gets interrupted by another familiar voice.
"What no love for me?" Callie looks behind Mark.
"Addison!" She pushes Mark out of the way to get to her best friend.
"Harsh," Mark comments on his quick dismissal.
"What are you guys doing here?"
"We felt really bad about not being at your first concert, so we decided to surprise you. Is that okay?"
"Of course, you know I love having you guys around." She puts an arm around each one of her friends.
"Hey, Cal who's that?" Mark asks pointing at the young brunette.
"Who Lexie? Oh, no-no-no. Mark don't." She warns him waving a finger in front of him. He just gives her a mischievous smile before walking towards the brunette. "Real smooth Mark, flirting with another woman in front of your girlfriend!" She calls after him.
"So, how is it going with Hurricane Aria?" Addison asks once they are alone.
"Except for getting on my last nerve? Well, at least she hasn't stabbed, shot, or bit anyone. I'm just scared that it's the calm before the storm."
"Sorry to disturb, Calliope here is your room key." A smiling Arizona holds out the room key.
"Thank you. Arizona I would like you to meet my best friend Addison Montgomery, Addison this is my assistant Arizona Robbins." Callie introduces them.
"Wow! I watch your show all the time!" Arizona says excitedly seeing one of her favorite celebrities.
"Well, it's nice to meet you too Arizona." Arizona gives her a dimpled smile before leaving to hand out the rest of the keys. Addison watches Callie drool as the blonde walks away. Callie sees the look her friend is giving her.
"What?" Callie asks knowing she has been caught staring.
"Do you know those cartoons where there is a bear or whatever and it's starving, so it looks at a table and the table turns into a delicious cooked turkey with like lines of deliciousness coming off of it?"
"I was not looking at her like that!"
Addison just rolls her eyes at her friend. "Whatever Calliope, come on let's go it's three in the morning and I need my beauty sleep." Addison wraps her arm around her friend's shoulders.
-x-x-
Rehearsal has been moved to later in the afternoon, to give everyone a little recovery time after their marathon bus ride. Aria sees Arizona sitting alone during rehearsals. Instead of her usual perky outfits, she is wearing jeans and a hoodie, her eyes are closed and her fingers rubbing her temples.
"You look like hell," Aria comments as she takes a seat next to her.
"Thanks."
"How are you doing?"
"I'm tired, my entire body hurts and these stupid lights are giving me a headache." The blonde rubs her hands over her face. "So, what have you been up to? I haven't seen you all day?"
"Oh, um I decided to sleep in this morning." Aria quickly covers.
"Hey, you okay?" Arizona asked concerned
"Yeah." Aria answer with a fake smile
"I have to say the room service at the hotel is crappy, but they make the best cheesecake I have ever eaten!" The redhead states as she drops in the chair next to Arizona holding onto her stuffed belly.
"If you think that's good you should try their chocolate mousse." Addison closes her eyes as her mouth starts to water. Arizona quickly realized why the redhead and Callie are such good friends. She is smart, funny, and great to talk to, which must be why she has the number one talk show. "Where is Mark?"
"He spotted a blonde at the hotel pool. So, he is busy working his Sloan charm on the poor girl."
"Blonde huh? Should I be worried?" Arizona asks already planning her exit strategy.
"He wouldn't dare make a move one you, Callie would have his manhood removed if he just looked at you in that way." They both start to chuckle.
CRASH!
Three sets of eyes dart to the stage. One of the stage lights wasn't fastened properly and come crash down in the middle of the stage only inches away from Callie. The singer fell backward on her back trying to get out of the way of the falling death trap. Everyone rushes to her aid.
"Callie!" Arizona pushes her way through the crowd. Owen is already busy helping her up. "Callie!" Arizona looks down at the shattered glass and bent metal on the ground. She rushes to the singer's side. That was way too close for comfort, if Callie was standing just a little to the right she would have been a goner.
"I'm fine." She says as she tries to straighten herself.
Arizona grabs the singer and starts examining her. Her eyes scanning Callie's body for cuts, bruises, and bumps, while her finger feels for any broken bones. "Did you get hurt?"
"No, I'm good." But Arizona doesn't even register the singer answer.
"Did she lose consciousness?" She directs the question at Owen, who shakes his head. "Do you remember where we are?"
"We are in Austin, Texas."
Arizona puts her hands on either side of Callie's face to keep her still while she examined her eyes. "Do you feel nauseous or off-balance?"
Callie grabs the blonde by her shoulders stopping her, Arizona looks as pale as a ghost and her eyes are wild with fear. "Really Arizona I'm fine." She sees the blonde's features slowly starting to return to normal. Arizona gives her a hard slap on her arm. "OW!"
"Don't you ever scare me like that again!"
-x-x-
Everyone is watching as the crew resets the lights, checking and double-checking everything. A very angry supervisor is yelling at the crewmen about their stupidity. Arizona is sitting protectively close to Callie, she has never been so scared before. Arizona can't help but scratch her arm, maybe it's from her nerves but she can't seem to stop. She keeps staring at the singer looking for little hints that she's not okay.
"Arizona stops looking at me like that, I'm okay." Callie stops the blonde's hand from scratching.
"I still think we should get you checked out just to be sure." She tries to ignore the itch but soon finds herself scratching her arm again.
"This coming from the woman who almost chopped of her finger and refused to go to the Emergency Room?" Callie stops her scratching again, this time taking the blonde's hand in her own. "Arizona. I. Am. Fine." Callie has to admit Arizona being so protective over her makes her heart flutter.
Arizona's free hand starts scratching her neck. "What's going on Rollergirl your flea collar not working?"
"Shut it, Yang!"
"What's going on Arizona?" Callie asks, the blonde has been acting strange since yesterday.
"I don't know, I guess my boss almost dying threw me a little." She forces her hand to stop.
"Torres!" A bewildered Mark comes running to them.
"What?" Both Aria and Callie answer at the same time.
"Um, I mean the original Torres. Are you okay I just heard what happened?" He asks out of breath.
"I'm okay Mark," Callie reassures him. "We are just waiting for the crew to finish before we get back to our rehearsal."
Mark bends over to catch his breath when he notices that his girlfriend is holding the blonde's hand. He looks at them, both of them looking like it's the most natural thing. He turns his gaze at Addison who gives him a knowing look.
"Well, it seems to me that you're in good hands."
After getting the all-clear Callie and the band wanted to get in a few more hours of practice before heading back to the hotel for a good night's rest for the concert tomorrow.
-x-x-
Addison is relaxing on her bed in her hotel room with Callie, trying to catch up on the tour gossip. "So, tell me about this Arizona?" Addison asks as she pops another spoon full of chocolate mousse in her mouth.
"There is nothing to tell." Callie can feel the blush forming on her cheeks.
"Oh, there is plenty to tell. Seriously, I haven't seen you this love-struck since…"
"Erica." Callie finishes for her.
"Yes, is that what is holding you back, what happened with Erica?"
"No. Yes." Callie starts rubbing her temples to stop her growing headache. "You know I use to walk tall. Then I got my heart broken that took off at least an inch, then Erica she… well that shaved off a few more. All that humiliation makes you shorter. So yeah, I'm scared of getting hurt because if one more person hurts me I will be cut off at the knees."
"Well, that explains Mark," Addison comments scrunching up her face at the thought of dating him.
"Yeah, you can't get hurt by something that's not real."
There are a few seconds of silence. Both women reflecting on what has been said. Addison takes the singer's face in her hands to look her in the eye. "Callie you deserve love and happiness. I have seen the way you two look at each other, there is definitely something special there. Sure you got dealt a few shitty hands, but all you can do is be brave enough to get out there. You fought, you loved you lost. Don't let your failures define you."
"Since when have you become so philosophical?" Callie asks.
"Since my talk show has become number one," Addison states proudly taking another spoon full of chocolate mousse. "So, are you just going to sit here or are going to go get your girl?"
-x-x-
Arizona knocks on the hotel room door. The door swings open to show the younger Torres.
"Arizona what a nice surprise." Getting a smile from Aria.
"Hey Aria, is Callie here I just wanted to come to check up on her, see how she is doing?"
Arial rolls her eyes. "No, but you can come in if you want." Arizona smiles and enters the room.
"Did she say when she will be back?" Arizona asks as she takes a seat on the couch.
"We are not exactly on speaking terms right now."
"Oh."
"Don't worry I'll keep you company." Aria takes a seat next to her, after a few moments of silence she gets back up. "I know just what we need." Aria takes out a bottle of tequila and two shot glasses.
"Aria, no I don't think…"
"Come on, it's been a rough day you just need a little something to help you relax." Aria places the items on the coffee table.
"I'm not good at holding my liquor," Arizona confesses.
"Oh, you'll be fine. Besides, it's just the two of us here nothing is going to happen." Aria says with a smile as she hands the blonde one of the shot glasses.
A few shots in Arizona started to feel the effect of the booze. Not having eaten all day wasn't helping matters. Soon the room started to spin, but Aria showed no signs in stopping. When the world comes in to focus for a moment Arizona sees Aria's hand on her thigh. Feeling uncomfortable she moves her leg away. Apparently not nearly as intoxicated as the blonde, Aria moves closer and starts playing with a strand of blonde hair.
"You know you really are beautiful Arizona."
"You're just saying that because you're drunk."
"Maybe, but it also makes me want to do this." Aria starts leaning forward to kiss her.
"No, we shouldn't." Arizona pushes her away.
"Why not?"
"Because… it feels wrong."
"I bet I change your mind." Aria moves even closer starts leaning in again.
"No. Aria please I can't." Arizona pushes her away with more force.
"Come on you know you want to." Aria tries to kiss her again this time only a breath away from her lips.
"No!"
SLAP!
Aria's hand flies to her cheek where Arizona slapped her.
"Aria what the hell are you doing?" The younger Torres turns around to see a very pissed off Callie behind her. Callie pulls Aria off the couch, the singer takes a seat next to Arizona. "Arizona are you okay?" Arizona just nods and puts her head on the back of the couch, trying to keep the tequila from making another appearance. Callie stands up looking at her sister dead in the eye. "What the hell Aria?!"
"Hey relax we were just having some fun." She starts moving back to get some distance between her and her sister.
"Fun? You call-forcing yourself onto my drunk assistant fun?" Callie starts moving towards her, clenching her fists.
"She was coming on to me okay! Besides the only reason, you are reacting like this is because you like her." Aria points at Callie
"That doesn't justify your actions."
"Aha! So you admit it you like her?"
"Yes, Aria I like her. I really, really like her. I think she is gorgeous and smart and she has the most amazing magical smile I have ever seen." Callie says with a smile looking at the half passed out blonde on the couch. Turning her gaze back at her sister, her smile disappears and her brown eyes turn darker than ever. "And she is too good for you."
"Well, aren't we all high and mighty? So, just because you're a famous singer you think you're better than me?" Aria crosses her arms.
"No, but I treat people with respect! I don't go around using innocent people just to piss off my sister! Aria I'm sorry that you're so mad at me, I don't know what I did but I'm sorry. Also, I'm sorry I'm famous and you're not, but enough with the pity party. It's time to grow up, start taking responsibility for yourself, and not have a temper tantrum every time things don't go your way. I want to be a good big sister and take you to all the fancy parties and events, but how can I do that if I don't trust you?" Callie sees a whirlwind of emotions crossing her sister's face. "I want you packed and ready to leave by morning. I'm done." Callie puts her hands in the air in surrender.
Callie goes back to a drunk Arizona. "Hey, what do you say we get you to bed?"
"Yes please." Callie helps her up putting her arm around her to keep her steady. She gives her sister one last look before leaving.
Callie helps the blonde onto her bed. Grabbing the dustbin and putting it next to the bed just in case. Callie sits down on the side of the bed and gets busy taking of Arizona's shoes.
"I don't like your sister anymore." The blonde mumbles.
"Don't worry right now I'm not too fond of her either."
"I don't want to kiss her." Arizona slowly sits up on the bed. "I want to kiss you." She places her finger on Callie's lips. It's the same finger Callie kissed when she almost chopped it off. Even drunk and confused Arizona is still able to make Callie's heart skip a beat just by looking at her. Arizona starts to turn green and the next moment empties her stomach into the dustbin next to the bed.
Callie rubs soothing circles on her back. "It's okay, let it out." Callie moves the blonde hair away from her assistant's face, to keep it clear of the splash zone. As she moves the last strand of golden hair away she sees three small red spots on Arizona's neck. "Arizona?" No longer feeling sick the blonde falls back down on her back, trying to stop the room from spinning. Callie places the back of her hand on Arizona's forehead. "Arizona you're hot."
"Well, you're not too bad yourself." Arizona gives her a drunken wink.
"No, you have a fever." Callie tries to lift the blonde's shirt but Arizona stops her.
"Hey, you should at least buy me dinner first." Arizona starts to giggle.
"I just need to check something." Callie lifts her shirt and sees the blonde's stomach covered in red spots. "Pox, you have the Chickenpox!"