A/N: The title of the last chapter is a tagline from Grey's Anatomy. I don't think I need to explain why I paid homage to that show!
I'm slowing down updating to once a week since I'm finally back at work, but I hope the longer chapters slightly make up for that. But don't worry, I'm not abandoning this story. I promise. I also hope to get the courage to finish Ortho Goddess as well.
Chapter 8: Miniature disasters
Callie got in her car and drove to her father's house to do what she always did on Saturday mornings, make him a nice brunch so they could discuss the week. Today, she also had a bag of clothing with her. Next to having a nice brunch, they would also be attending court today. Today, the case against Henry Miller was on the docket. And since she was the daughter of a Royal, who also happened to be the victim, Callie was expected to be there. There was not anywhere else she wanted to be than by her father's side.
After the date with Arizona last night, and more specifically what happened after, there was a spring in Callie's step. She felt higher and more powerful than ever before, making her walk around like she owned the place.
When Arizona had announced her leave after the sex, to Callie's own surprise she had wanted to ask her to stay the night. She had never done that. She literally had to stop herself from blurting it out and it confused her. This was not her. But even this slight doubt in her mind about being worried she was getting hooked on Arizona could not taint the amazing high she was riding right now
She drove through the gates and onto her father's driveway, her fingers drumming on the steering wheel to the beat of the happy music on the radio. As if on auto pilot, she grabbed the grocery bag that was sitting on the passenger's seat and walked into the house, using her spare key. "Morning," she called out before making a beeline to the kitchen. She had opted for eggs and bacon this morning and started preparing the lovely brunch.
Her father came downstairs and stood in the arched doorway of the kitchen with a big smirk on his face. "Well, well, well, Calliope Iphegenia Torres."
She turned around and looked at her father, not knowing what he was talking about. Usually, when he used her full name, she was in trouble. She had not been at the house long enough to be in trouble.
"I don't know whether to be proud of you or chastise you," he said with a grin.
"What are you talking about?" She really was at a loss but continued to focus on preparing the food.
"You fucked her," he said matter-of-factly.
She turned around with a gasp and faced her father. "What the hell?"
The older man laughed and shook his head. "I can feel your power, Calliope. That only happens after two things and since there was no need to heal you, you had sex with her." It was obvious from his expression that he was thoroughly amused. "Good for you, kid," he continued, smirking at his daughter, "it looks good on you."
The younger Torres blushed furiously and turned back towards the counter. This was such an inappropriate conversation, she did not even know what to say.
Carlos was obviously amused by Callie's discomfort and enjoyed teasing his daughter. "I'm surprised you convinced her. Those angels are about as straight-laced as they come. I guess you inherited some of my Torres charm, huh?"
"Dad, will you stop it?" Callie shot him a look that conveyed she was done with this conversation.
Carlos laughed again and pursed his lips. "Can't a father be happy for his daughter?"
"He can be, but he cannot comment on her sexual escapades." Callie turned around and walked towards her father, a smart-ass smirk now gracing her lips. Her initial embarrassment had faded and she decided that the best tactic here was to just join in on the fun. Her father would not stop if he knew he was embarrassing her. "And he can certainly not high-five her for it," she added as she held up her hand for him to high-five her.
The tall, impressive man high-fived his daughter and winked at her. "If only your mother knew."
"She's probably turning around in her grave watching us talk like this," Callie said before pursing her lips. There was always a sad glint in her eye when she spoke about her mother. She often wondered if the woman would be proud of her and how she lived her life. She tried so hard to do things that would make her mother proud, but it never felt like she was doing enough.
"Your mother would be happy. You are happy, I am happy, and we get along, that's all your mother wanted for us." Carlos noticed the look in his daughter's eye and wrapped his arms around his daughter for a moment, conveying he was there to protect her.
Carlos sat down at the table and Callie served them their brunches. Marta had left fresh bread for them and she had put fresh orange juice in the fridge, making their brunch complete.
"Ava is going to kill me," Carlos said with a grin.
"Why?"
"She asked me to talk to you."
"And what did she ask you to say?"
"To stay away from Arizona."
Callie raised her eyebrow and flashed her father a mischievous look. "That was a little hard, she had me pinned to the wall."
"Okay, TMI Calliope," Carlos was now the one slightly blushing, making his daughter giggle like a schoolgirl. "Seriously though, I think this is great," he continued. "Much better than all those other losers you were hanging out with."
"Dad, you are acting like I'm going to marry her." Callie shot him a look. "I think I'm done talking about this with you. Tell me how you are feeling."
Carlos chuckled but decided to leave the topic well enough alone for now. "Never better," he said with a smile before putting a fork full of egg and bacon into his mouth.
"You haven't really told me anything about what happened to you," Callie said. "I can understand it's hard to talk about," she added. "But I'd rather find out from you than in court."
It was quiet for a moment and Callie looked at her father expectantly. She had let him get away with not talking earlier, but she needed to know. She needed to be able to stay strong in court today and the only way she knew how was by already having all the information. She would rather die than show any sign of weakness today.
Carlos swallowed hard and sighed before his eyes met his daughters'. "Henry asked me to come over to discuss something. I think he slipped something into my drink because I don't remember much after that.
"How did they keep you subdued?" Callie asked. Her father was stronger than any vampire out there, she had always thought he was untouchable.
"They drained me three times a day," Carlos said, a pained look on his face. "I barely had enough blood in me to sustain myself. If…" he paused for a moment. "If it had been anyone other than Ms. Robbins finding me there, I might have killed them. I was so weak." Carlos pursed his lips and leaned forward. "I was able to feed off Ms. Robbins' energy to tide me over."
Callie raised her eyebrow at her father's last words. She had always been taught to stay in control, no matter what, so hearing her father almost lost his was kind of shocking. He must have been desperate. It made it all the more amazing that it had been Arizona finding her father and not some unknowing cop. That surely would have caused a city-wide uproar.
"Was it really just their intention of changing the law and overthrowing you? I mean, they could have found another way, right? This was risky and dumb, even for them." Callie was seriously curious since she had known Henry Miller to be a savvy businessman. Yes, he was a slimy jerk, but he certainly did not seem dumb.
Carlos pressed his lips together and shook his head. "Not just that," he said. "There are documents that I am safekeeping, documents containing very important information."
Callie scooted closer to the edge of her seat. "What kind of documents?"
Her father flashed her an all-knowing look. "I can't tell you, you know that."
She groaned softly and shook her head. "All this secrecy…." She shook her head. "Sometimes I feel like it's doing more bad than good."
The older Torres chuckled. "You're just saying that because you feel it isn't to your advantage. Some things are just better kept secret, for the safety of everyone."
Callie rolled her eyes. She hated it when her father was right. It was simply a consequence of the choice she had made as a teenager. But deep down, she wanted to have her cake and eat it too. She would let it go for now though, knowing there was no way her father would tell her anything more.
"What does it feel like to be healed?" Callie suddenly asked, changing the subject completely. Her father did indeed look very good for someone who had been kidnapped and held in a wooden crate. If someone had told her he had spent all that time at some fancy golf resort, she would have believed it too. And after what Arizona told her last night, she only got more curious.
"I can't describe it," he said. "It's peaceful like you are lying in a bed of clouds and have no care in the world. All your pain, all your sorrow, it's all being sucked away. And then when they give you a piece of their energy, it's like the highest high you've ever experienced. It's like acceptance and peace are all around you and you feel centered." He paused for a moment and looked at his daughter. She was glowing and oozing with power, which she probably did not realize. It looked good on her, but he did feel he needed to warn her. "This is exactly why Ava Robbins and I made a pact and came up with a set of rules. Vampires and angels should not mingle, angels are addictive to us. In the past vampires have literally gone crazy lusting after an angel. We all stay away from each other and the world is a better place for it."
Her father's story had definitely piqued Callie's interest and she was practically hanging at his lips. What he described felt a lot like what she had felt last night. "Isn't that a bit hypocritical, seeing as you and Mrs. Robbins are friends and she healed you?"
Carlos chuckled, leave it to his daughter to take that from the lesson he was trying to teach her. "Ava and I have a mutual understanding," he explained. "We help each other when we are in need and stay in contact to maintain the balance of our communities. I don't just go to her house for coffee and some healing whenever I please. Nor does she come to me."
She pondered her father's answer and accepted it. For now. The cogs in her brain were working overtime though and it was obvious from the look on her face. "So why are you letting me do it?"
"You are your own woman, Calliope. I'm sure you know what's good for you and what's not. Plus, you are a hybrid and so is she. Her powers are not as strong as her grandmother's and I think you are probably less susceptible to them."
They continued eating in silence. When they finished, Callie got up and put their plates in the dishwasher. "I told Arizona the same thing," Charles suddenly said. "Sometimes doing something wrong only leads to a better right. I believe that if you two work together, you can be invincible. And I don't mean sexually, I mean combining your powers and fighting for what's right, for all of us. The world is closing in on us all and I believe working together will make us stronger in the end."
Callie turned around to face her father and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "You're making us sound like some sort of superheroes."
"You need to follow your heart. If I hadn't done that when I was your age, you would not be here. But also, I need you to be careful. I need you to realize that she can be addictive to you. I'm not telling you to back off, I want you to be happy and enjoy yourself. Just be careful."
Callie's mother was human and back in the day it was absolutely not done to conceive a child with a human if you were a Royal like he was. At first, her father had gotten into trouble for it. But when the time came to take over the throne, the community respected him for it. He had been a good ruler for all vampires, no matter what their heritage was.
The younger Torres nodded. "Thank you for understanding." They both knew that no matter what her father said if Callie wanted to go for something, she would do it anyway. She had tremendous respect for her father, but her vow to her mother trumped everything. She had decided to live.
"I think you two can bring our communities together, make us last with the world changing like it is at the moment." Carlos stared at his daughter intently. "I mean, look at you right now. You are oozing power, it's so strong you are almost knocking me over with it. If that is what she can do for you, imagine what good you can do if you work together." Carlos walked over to his daughter and wrapped an arm around her. "You are the apple of my eye, Calliope. I want the world for you and I will do everything to protect you and to help you succeed. I'm always in your corner."
She smiled and looked up at her father. "I love you, Daddy." She understood his words and she was definitely going to be careful. She had already noticed Arizona had a very special effect on her, but for now, it was bringing her more good than bad. She felt she could handle it. It also made her wonder what she was doing for Arizona. Did the blonde gain any power from her as well? She had not really noticed anything different in Arizona after they had sex. She promised herself to pay closer attention next time.
"Love you too, Mija." When everything was cleared up, Carlos' demeanor changed a little and he stood up straighter. "Are you ready for a day in court?" He asked.
"I've already spent most of the week in court, I can do this with my eyes closed."
She was ready for court, she had prepared as best as she could. But this would be the first time she would be present for a case with such a grave offense. She had never seen anyone be banished and she was sure that was going to happen today. Her main concern was staying strong and not showing her father's opponents how much agony they had put her through.
"That's my girl."
While they drove to the Warehouse district in complete silence, Callie looked out of the tinted window. It had been raining all morning, and fog had come in from the Sound, giving the city an eerie vibe. It was very appropriate for the day ahead and Callie wondered if the energy that was buzzing through the city right now had any influence on the gloomy weather.
Her father was sitting next to her in the backseat of the Town car and was engulfed in paperwork. She studied his face and wondered how he could be so calm, seeing the circumstances. So many things had happened and were still happening and it did not even seem to faze her father. "How do you do it?" She asked out of nowhere.
Her father looked up from his paperwork and flashed Callie a questioning look. "Do what?"
"Always stay in control as you do," she replied matter-of-factly.
Carlos smiled and closed the file folder on his lap to give Callie his full attention. "Control is an illusion, Calliope," he said. He could not help but chuckle at the sarcastic eye roll his answer got him. "Alright," he added. "I'm not always in control, it's impossible to do that. The secret is to accept that you aren't always in control and to just be prepared for whatever might come your way. Expect the unexpected and adjust as soon as you know what you're up against."
Callie huffed and shook her head. "Can we please just cut the philosophical bullshit and get to the point?"
"You don't think I'm angry?" Carlos asked. "You don't think I'm worried about all this news of a coup and the fact that some of my most trusted confidants abducted me?" The older Torres' nostrils flared slightly and it was the first time Callie saw any kind of emotion related to the abduction on her father's face. He rarely showed his emotions, apart from the love he harbored for her. "You don't think I was worried about what they would do to you while I was gone?" His voice had lowered when he spoke his last words, his anger now showing more. "I would have never forgiven myself if anything had happened to you while I was gone. I'd rather die than break my promise to your mother."
Callie could only compare it to things she had seen in the corporate world, which came nowhere near the seriousness of being responsible for a whole community. It was hard to compose herself at work sometimes, so she could only imagine how hard it would be for her father, who was responsible for a whole lot more than just a portfolio of clients. "So….how do you do it?"
"I just don't show it," Carlos said simply. "I have my ways of dealing with my emotions. But I have a responsibility to our people. It would seriously harm my credibility if I were to lose it and let my instincts take over. What do you think would have happened if I had simply killed Henry? The temporary satisfaction could never compare to the long-term consequences of that. I have others to think about."
She knew he had a point, but it was still bothering her. "Just because you have responsibilities, doesn't mean you can't show emotion. Emotions are not a sign of weakness. Being able to show your emotions takes courage."
Carlos gently patted Callie's arm. "You sound so much like your mother right now," he said. "I can't afford to show emotions. To vampires, it is a sign of weakness. You've seen how our world works, it's different from the human world, it's more animalistic."
"I'm glad to know you are more sophisticated than those baboons," Callie replied. "Oscar Miller is seriously repulsive and I don't get how he and his father gained such a following."
"It just proves that we are not so different from humans. Most of the followers weren't alive during the time we were hunted by humans, they didn't experience the witch hunts and uncertainty from that time. They don't know what it was like, but choose to focus on the good things, or at least, what they are told the good things are."
She shook her head. "Bored rich kid babble, if you ask me."
Carlos chuckled. "It's a good thing no one asked you," he retorted, secretly amused by the feistiness of his daughter. "I know your position is complicated, but please stay out of it. You already know more than you should and you will be under their scrutiny. It's imperative you stay in control of your emotions, Calliope. You can be angry or annoyed as much as you want behind closed doors, but today in court, and anywhere else in the public eye, I need you to stay composed. Can you do that?"
"Of course, I can, daddy," she replied. "You taught me well," she added with a wink. "This face," she circled her own face with her index finger, "will remain impassive."
"Good," Carlos looked at Callie proudly before turning back to the file in his lap.
###
It had been hard to say goodbye to Callie last night, but they both had things to do. Arizona needed some time alone to process what had happened and how it had made her feel. She could not do that while Callie was still present, so she decided to leave after they had sex.
Arizona had slept fabulously well though, almost falling asleep before her head even touched the pillow. Today, she was feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the world.
She had showered and finished her breakfast. When she looked out of the window and saw the sun shining brightly, an excellent idea popped into her head. She went back upstairs and changed into leggings and a sports top, deciding to run to her grandmother's house instead of using her car.
She put her personal belongings in her small backpack, put her earphones in, and made her way outside. The rays of the sun caressed her skin and she felt light. All the anger of the past weeks had completely lifted and she felt energetic. She felt centered and more like herself than she had done in a very long time. And most of all, she felt powerful, strong, like nothing could touch her right now. She picked up the pace and made her way to the kiosk close to her grandmother's house, where she got the morning paper. After a little chat with the paper guy, she continued her way.
"Grandma, I'm here," she said as she let herself into the house, panting slightly from her run.
"I'm in the kitchen."
She walked over to the elderly lady icing a freshly baked cake. "Hey," she said as she kissed Ava's cheek.
"Hi, dear. Oh, someone is happy today." Ava smiled at her granddaughter, looking at her inquisitively to inspect her closer.
Arizona smiled back. "I think I'm finally at peace with everything."
"I can see that," Ava replied. When she finished what she was doing, she wiped her hands on her apron and turned toward her granddaughter. "In fact, I think a blind person can see that."
Ava Robbins was a little more subtle than Carlos had been with Callie, but she could not help but comment on what she was seeing. She had known exactly where things would go once Callie had shown up at her doorstep a little over a week ago. And even if she had not known, she could have figured it out when she started feeling Arizona's energy from over a mile away.
She had also known that whatever would occur was supposed to happen and it would be futile for her to try and stop it. "You know I think you are making a mistake, but you look happy right now. Promise me you'll be careful. Don't let her take all your energy."
The younger Robbins looked at her grandmother and pursed her lips, knowing exactly what Ava was talking about. "This is such an inappropriate topic, grandma." She sat down and nodded her thank you for the cup of tea her grandma slid over to her. "But thank you, I'm glad you're giving me your blessing." She took a sip and savored the tea. Silence filled the room for a moment as Arizona contemplated her next words. "I don't feel like she is taking anything from me, if anything….she is very giving. I don't think I have been this energetic in a long time."
Ava smiled. "As long as you feel there is a good balance, then it's alright." She knew it was useless to push Arizona any further. All she could do was warn her.
"How come Mr. Torres and you ended up being friends?"
"Times were bad before you were born," Ava started. "Vampires were like a bunch of teenagers, not able to control their urges. They murdered humans and we kept having to set them straight to make sure they did not murder them all. Us interfering was the last thing they wanted." Arizona was hanging on her grandmother's lips, happy to get more information. "Carlos actually saved my life one evening," Ava continued, taking a short moment to sip her own tea. "A group of unruly vampires had me cornered and I couldn't keep them all off me. Carlos came up to us and made them stop just in time."
"Really?" Arizona could not believe her ears. Carlos Torres had saved her grandmother's life? That sure was complete news to her.
"If the feuding between vampires and angels wasn't bad enough, humans suddenly started to fight back. That was when things really went awry. Carlos and I got together and came up with a set of rules to ensure the safety of our communities and that of the human world. For some reason, we managed to get everyone to abide by them and there haven't been any big issues since. Humankind now barely knows we exist. They make movies and books about us as if we are merely a myth. Just how we like it. Like with everything in life…not all vampires are bad, just like not all angels are good."
"Then why do you think Callie is bad?"
"I don't think she's bad, dear. I just think she is bad for you."
"If I wait for the person you think will be good enough for me, I will never be with someone," Arizona said with a wink.
Ava chuckled and shook her head. "It's not like that. From what I've seen and heard, Callie is a nice person. It's just that she still is half vampire. Angels and vampires do not mix."
"Isn't that a bit of a racist thing to say?" Arizona asked, raising her eyebrow at her grandmother.
"Not at all, dear. It's not about where they come from, it's the effect angels and vampires have on each other. You saw what happened when I healed Carlos. He could not help but suck up all my energy and power, it's in his nature to take. I am strong enough to stop him and take back my power. You are not experienced enough. We don't even know the true extent of your powers yet, so being with her could mean she will take more energy than you have to give. It could literally kill you." The worry was evident in Ava's eyes and voice and she gently rested her hand on Arizona's arm. "I've been telling you that you need to figure things out for yourself, that it will come to you. And I will let you do that because I trust you. I've seen you grow and you always make wise decisions."
Arizona would lie if she said these words did not scare her. But she trusted Callie. The woman had bared her soul, and had shown her so much already. Callie trusted her without her even having to go as deep as the other woman had done. Arizona felt safe with her and knew Callie would not hurt her. "You just don't think this decision is wise," she filled in for her grandmother.
"I don't."
"I might not know Callie that well yet, but I know that she would never hurt me." Arizona's voice sounded confident.
"Those are strong words," Ava said. "Just keep trusting your instinct and be careful. I don't mean to rain on your parade, I am just looking out for you. I promised your mother I would."
Arizona was tempted to roll her eyes. "You know what," she said. "Callie has already proven herself more than mom ever did." There was a venom in her voice that even surprised her. She felt very protective of Callie for some reason.
"Arizona! You don't talk about your mother like that," Ava said sternly.
"No, we don't talk about it at all," Arizona responded. "And look what not talking brought us. If I had been educated more, so many things could have been prevented. I've harbored such anger and I've found myself in dangerous situations because I did not know things. Things you could have easily told me. Instead, everything is cryptic. Everything except me having to stay away from Callie." She let out a deep sigh, purposely blowing out the anger that was building up inside her again. She was not going to let it get to her this time.
Ava did not respond to Arizona, but the younger Robbins could see the turmoil in the older woman's eyes. "I'm sorry, grandma. I'm just frustrated. I want to learn more. I think…I feel it's time. If I'm going to keep this city safe, if I'm going to do what I'm meant to do, I need more information."
"You're right, my dear." Ava's words surprised Arizona. "I have realized that I'm not really protecting you anymore. If you are going to be around vampires regularly, you need to know more. Not only about them, but also about yourself."
Arizona raised her eyebrow. Was it really that simple? She should have gotten mad at her grandmother before if that was the case.
"Just as Callie takes from you, you take from her as well," Ava spoke. "If you are going to spend more time with her, get closer to her, it might trigger new powers within you." The way Ava stressed the word closer made it very clear she meant intimately. "The power you are feeling right now is partially hers. I can see it in you, your light is stronger, but her darkness is there too."
Arizona pursed her lips. "So, that's evidence that she is also giving, isn't it?" She suddenly felt quite triumphant.
"I guess it does," Ava replied. "But you know very well what I mean, young lady." Ava Robbins was not the kind of person you could mess with and Arizona felt the energy that came with the words, putting her into place.
Just when Arizona drew a breath to start speaking, Ava held up her hand. "Arizona, I need you to know that I was trying to protect you. I was not intentionally keeping things from you. You had so much anger in you, you felt wronged. Those emotions are the kind of feelings that can make our powers go the wrong way. Our powers come from a place of love and the ability to accept things the way they are. I needed you to let go of the anger first. And most of all, to let go of the need to understand everything. Some things are not meant to be understood, they are only meant to be accepted."
The younger Robbins sat in silence, trying to process what her grandmother was telling her. Had her own anger and need for control blocked her from growing? Had she been the one sabotaging herself all this time?
"I'm glad to see you have found a way to deal with the anger," Ava continued. She had just seen Arizona get worked up right in front of her eyes, but she did not explode as she had done previously. Instead, she watched her granddaughter let the anger ebb away. That was a big win and a sign she was ready. It surely was not the best way, since Ava knew Calliope Torres had to do with it. But, Arizona was moving forward towards growth and that was what really counted.
Arizona smiled, feeling quite victorious. "I chose to not let the anger get the better of me. It's nicer to feel happy," she said with a shrug, trying to dial down what she was feeling right now.
###
Henry Miller had been convicted of treason, as expected. His sentence had been banishment, meaning he was no longer part of the community. He had one day to pack up his things and leave. Callie felt the court had still been very lenient on the man. She would not have even given him time to pack up and say goodbye. There was nothing animalistic about this decision by the vampire court and deep down she felt justice was not really served.
The intention of the coup was a huge sign though. Callie knew that the sentiment behind it would not just go away with the banishment of Henry Miller. His son, Oscar, and he had quite the following and even though they were mostly airheads, their numbers had grown as of late. They were not completely out of the woods yet, but there was still reason to celebrate. Oscar was no longer a Royal, which meant he no longer had anything to say over Callie. And that alone felt like a win.
Of course, Oscar had been absent from the trial. Since his father had taken all the blame, saying Oscar had only acted on his instructions, the young man got away with a slap on the wrist. And even though it did not sit well with Callie, she accepted it for now. She chose to be the bigger woman and leave it all well alone. She had a promise to keep.
The drive back home had been quiet. Callie had studied her father closely, but he had kept his emotions to himself. She wondered what was going through his head right now and if he would ever find peace with what had happened to him. She knew she would not be able to. Deciding to give her father some space right now, her gaze turned back to the gloomy Seattle sky. As her eyes took in the gloomy sky over the city, her thoughts drifted toward Arizona.
Callie was very well aware of the fact that last night had changed everything. Arizona and she had taken a step over a threshold that could not be uncrossed. Their dynamic had changed forever and she realized that it had also changed her forever. It was not like she was in a relationship with Arizona and needed to change for her or something like that, but she did feel she wanted to change some of her old ways.
The partying, the sleeping around, the drug use, it had all been fun, but she felt it was no longer really serving a purpose. She would not abandon her friends and she would still party, but she would be going home alone. And funny enough, that did not sound all that bad. Did that mean she had evolved? It felt like it. She certainly felt stronger than she had ever done before.
"James," Carlos' voice cut through the silence in the car as he addressed the driver, derailing Callie's train of thought. "Could you please make sure Calliope gets home safe?" The driver nodded at Carlos before parking the car and getting out to open the door for Callie.
Callie had been so lost in her thoughts that she had not noticed they were already back in her father's street. She wanted to tell her father she could take care of herself, but realized that maybe this was his way of dealing with things. He obviously wanted to be alone right now and she would humor him and let James follow her home.
Carlos turned to Callie and smiled at her. She could immediately see it was a fake smile, one that did not even reach his eyes. "I'll let you get back to your regular schedule," he said, his way of dismissing her. "I'll see you later, sweetheart."
Callie walked over to her father and wrapped his arms around him. "Take care, Daddy," she said quietly before kissing his cheek and stepping back.
Once Carlos was inside, she turned her attention to James. He was her father's go-to driver and he had driven her around when she was younger as well. The man was tall and built like a pro wrestler, but he did not intimidate her in the slightest. "I hope you have a heavy foot," she said with a mischievous smirk on her face.
James chuckled and shook his head. His demeanor had changed slightly once Carlos had entered the house and he seemed more relaxed. "Just drive, Miss Daisy," he replied with a wink.
She threw her head back and laughed before getting in her own car. She was not going to try and lose his tail, but the playful banter was very welcome. The enormous tension of the day was wearing her out and she longed for simplicity.
The drive home was uneventful. Callie waved at James when she turned onto her driveway and watched the man drive out of view. He had done his job and she was home safe. Almost as soon as she got inside, her phone rang. She smiled when she saw the number ID. "Hello Lena, what can I do you for?"
Lena was one of the very few vampires Callie actually considered a friend. They had met one night in The Basement and had hit it off right away. They had slept together that same night and many nights after it. Unlike with all the other one-night stands Callie had, she had formed a friendship with Lena and she actually cared about the woman.
"Someone sounds happy," the voice on the other side of the line responded.
"I'm always happy to hear from you," Callie replied in a flirty tone, not able to help herself.
"I wish I had happy news," Lena continued. "Can we talk?"
"Of course," Callie responded right away. "What's up?"
"Ah…" Lena paused for a moment and Callie could hear noises in the background. There was shuffling and she heard several male voices. "Sure mom, I will come right home." And with that Lena hung up.
Callie raised her eyebrow and stared at her phone for a moment. Something was up and she needed to know what. Lena had never been to her house so she texted Lena her address. If she wanted to come here, it must be something big.
Callie had left the house in a hurry this morning, so she had a few things to do before the house would be decent. She picked up the glasses that had been left in the living room and put them in the dishwasher. She then went upstairs to her bedroom. She had not opened any of the windows, which had caused the scent of Arizona, well, the scent of sex, to still hang in the air. A big smile appeared on her face as she walked through her bedroom to air it. She could swear she could still feel Arizona's fingers on her skin, burning her flesh with those delicate touches of hers.
She was just coming down the stairs when the doorbell rang. Callie knew it was Lena and rushed downstairs to buzz the woman through the gate. She opened the door and watched her friend rush towards the house, looking disheveled.
"Jesus, Lena," Callie said, worry evident in her voice. "Are you ok?" She stepped aside to let her dark-haired friend in.
When Lena entered, she stopped for a moment. She had never been inside Callie's house before and she suddenly seemed to realize that.
"Can I get you anything?" Callie asked as she took her friend's coat.
"I ahhh…do you have something strong?"
Callie chuckled. "Is the pope Catholic?" She retorted before guiding Lena to the living room. She motioned for the woman to sit down as she walked over to her liquor cabinet and poured them both a vodka on the rocks, their go-to drink.
"Thanks," Lena said as she took the glass. "Your house is amazing by the way," she added. Lena took a big gulp of her drink and only seemed to settle down once the alcohol started having its effect.
"What's wrong, Lena?" Callie's patience was wearing thin and she could see something big was bothering her friend. Small talk would have to wait until later.
"It's Oscar," she said. "He is planning something."
Callie raised her eyebrow, scooting closer as if trying to hear her friend better.
"A few of his hardcore followers are still around and he wants to avenge his father." Lena took a shaky breath before taking a long sip of her drink.
"Oh, brother," Callie sighed, rolling her eyes theatrically. "Do you know what he is planning?"
"He wants to build an underground community, build it up so he can fight your father. Some…some of the vampires had a taste of blood and are hunting again and they like it. I ah….I'm automatically on board since I am his servant."
Callie put her hand on Lena's leg and gently squeezed. "Lena, he's not a Royal anymore, you don't have to do that. You are no one's servant and you don't have anyone to answer to."
The woman stared at Callie's hand on her leg and bit her lip. "I ahh..I want to, it will get me close to him so I can gather information. I could be useful."
"Hell no," Callie retorted, her voice coming off stronger than she had intended. "At what cost? Lena, I need you to think about this. I appreciate you informing me and wanting to do this, but don't sacrifice yourself. You know what a pig that man is." After knowing what they had done to her father, Callie could only imagine the things they would do to Lena.
"I owe you my life, Callie," Lena replied simply. "There is nothing I wouldn't do to protect you and yours."
"I appreciate that. But please, consider your debt paid off. You're a dear friend of mine and you and I are equals." Callie's hand was still gently moving up and down Lena's thigh, trying to soothe her friend.
Green eyes met Callie's brown, shock evident. Even though they were friends, Lena had always known her place. She had been raised to respect the Royals and even though Callie was only half vampire, she was still a Royal.
"Yes," Callie said with a wink. "I'm not any better than you or anyone else for that matter. Well, apart from Oscar," she shuddered as she spoke his name. She was going to kill that man with her bare hands if she ever got the chance. "You know I abdicated, Lena. I'm only a Royal by blood and I won't have you as anything other than an equal friend. Please, don't put me on a pedestal."
"I…I know," Lena replied. "I just…I want to do this. I want Oscar to go down. He already got away with so much, he needs to be punished."
Callie nodded in agreement. There was nothing to dispute there.
"Okay," she said after a short pause. "But I need you to keep me updated and if he makes you do anything you don't want, you tell me. I will not have it."
Lena smiled and leaned in to plant a kiss on Callie's lips. She flashed her friend a surprised look when her lips ended up on Callie's cheek instead.
"Promise me you won't do anything to put yourself in danger?" Callie said, concern evident in her look.
Lena nodded. Just when she wanted to speak up, her phone started beeping. She quickly got it out of her pocket and looked at the screen. "It's Oscar, I have to go."
Callie bit her lip and watched her friend all but jump up. "Be careful," she said while getting up herself. "I'll come around the Basement tonight, ok?"
The other woman shook her head. "Don't, I need to gain his trust first. It won't be weird if you aren't around tonight, with court and all. And hearing about us together will only rile Oscar up. I promise I'll update you, but let's keep physical contact at a minimum, ok?" She got up and made her way back to the front door.
"You're right," Callie said, following her friend. "I don't like it, but you're right. I'll go out tonight, so I'll be close. If there is anything, anything, you text me, ok?"
"I will."
With that, she took her coat and put it back on. "Thanks for the drink," she said as Callie opened the door for her.
This time it was Callie that leaned in, planting a kiss on Lena's cheek. "Don't do anything stupid." She shook her head as she watched Lena walk down the driveway, toward the gate. She did not like this one bit and had a bad feeling about the whole idea. She would have to inform her father, but not until she had more information. She did not want to unnecessarily worry him.
Her phone rang again. This time it was Addison, who probably wondered where she had been.
"Addie," Callie said as she sat down. As she checked the time, she realized it was already way later than she had thought it was.
"Where are you, Callie?" Her friend shouted into the phone. The thumping in the background suggested that she was exactly where Callie figured Addison would be.
"I'm coming. Had to sort something," she replied.
"Look, I know you have a lot on your plate with your father being back and all. But we haven't seen you here in a while. I know it's Saturday, babe, but you promised," her friend pleaded.
"I know, I know, I'm coming."
It was exactly what she needed. Callie still was not 100% how she felt about the sentencing today. She had expected Oscar to be punished as well and did not understand her father was letting him get away with everything. Especially now she knew the slimy bastard was continuing behind her father's back. This would not be good for Carlos' reputation and it made her angry.
She managed to get ready in record time and as she entered the club, she scanned the crowd for a sign of her friend. She found the outgoing redhead in the middle of the dancefloor, exactly where she expected her to be. And by the looks of it, she was also quite a few rounds of alcohol behind. When Addison spotted her, the tall woman's face lit up and she opened her arms. "If it isn't the enigmatic Callie Torres, gracing us all with her presence." She wrapped her arms around Callie and planted a loud smooch on her cheek. "I've missed you."
Addison was one of the richest people in the city and Callie and her bonded over their mutual disdain for the high society. They were both part of the community just by the family they were born into and they had been friends since they were teenagers. And even though they had been friends for years, it all stayed a little on the surface. They had not really gone deep, but Callie still considered Addison to be a good friend.
Callie smiled brightly and squeezed Addison tightly before letting go. "I've missed you too, babe."
Callie's friends were at their usual spot near the bar so she joined them after dancing to a few songs with Addison. They were good people. There were no profound friendships where they talked about life and love and whatnot, but they were the kind of people you wanted with you at a bar. Good for that kind of conversation. Perfect for winding down after a stressful week.
As they all stood at the bar, sipping their drinks and making small talk, Addison came to stand next to Callie. "Are you good?" She asked, her green eyes staring deep into Callie's brown.
"Always," Callie responded.
"Bullshit," Addison retorted right away. "You've been through hell and back, it's okay to not be okay sometimes, you know?"
It was the first time Addison commented on Callie's life like that and it threw her a little. Usually, their conversations were about relationship, conquests, and their sexual escapades. "It's been rough, but my father is back and things are sort of back to normal. I'm good."
"That sounds more like it," the redhead said with a smile. "You know, I'm not just your party friend. You can talk to me, ok? Even when we're not in our Kingdom," she grinned when speaking her last words and pointed her finger around the room.
"Thanks," Callie said, chuckling slightly. "It's been a lot, but nothing I couldn't handle." It was the truth, or at least what she liked to tell herself.
Just when Addison was about to respond, she yelped when two strong arms wrapped around her from behind. Derek Shepperd, Addison's on again off again boyfriend had made his appearance tonight as well. The man was a stellar surgeon at the Seattle Hospital, where Addison also worked. By the way Addison let Derek touch and kiss her, Callie figured at the moment they were 'on again'.
When Derek left to get them another round of drinks, Addison spoke up. "Soooo," she drew out before she sipped from her colorful cocktail. "Which distraction will you be going home with tonight?"
Callie shook her head and chuckled. Her mind automatically went to Arizona, but there was no way in hell she was going to tell Addison about that. "I just came here to wind down and have some fun," she replied.
Addison's eyebrow almost connected with her hairline and she dramatically held her hand over her heart, feigning shock. "What? Are my ears deceiving me?"
"You heard me, Montgomery," Callie said mockingly.
"Yeah, something is definitely going on with you," Addison replied with a chuckle. "Did the kitty lose her claws?"
She playfully slapped her friend on the arm. "I've never been a kitty, Addison. I'm more like a tiger, always on the prowl and ready to pounce."
The redhead chuckled sarcastically. "Just not tonight? Is your old age getting to you?"
"Says the friggin' dinosaur," Callie retorted with a wink. Addison was a few years older than Callie and she had always reminded the woman of that. Their playful banter came from a place of affection and she absolutely loved it. No one dished out as well as Addison did, maybe apart from Arizona.
As the night grew older and the alcohol level in her blood rose, Callie was starting to feel looser. She was finally in the relaxed state she wanted to be in, having fun with her friends, dancing, and helping them pick up someone. She was having plain good old fun and it was nice. With an accomplished smirk on her face, the lawyer leaned against the bar with her drink in hand, looking over the crowd of the club.
"Proud of yourself, huh?"
Callie turned to see Addison standing there. Somehow the woman had extricated herself from Derek's arms and had left the dancefloor.
"Very," Callie replied as she raised her glass to toast with her friend.
"I was just wondering," the redhead started. "Remember that hot blonde that came up to you a while ago?"
"Uh huh," Callie replied, not wanting to give away too much information. Her eyes stayed trained on the dancefloor where some of her friends were dancing.
"Did you see her again?"
"Nope," she lied.
"Have you seen her here tonight?"
"Nope," she lied again.
Addison tilted her head. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"Nope." Callie turned her head and chuckled. "There is nothing to talk about," she said, lying through her teeth once again.
"Wanna do a shot?" Addison knew when to leave things well enough alone and this was her cue. Her lips curled into a bright smile when her friend nodded and she turned around to order them shots right away.
One more turned into two more and two more turned into three. Three more turned into popping some Molly, which meant the night did not end early. Most of their friends had left the club, with or without a new conquest, but Addison had stuck with Callie all night. They had danced and talked the night away. Derek had left earlier, leaving the two friends to reconnect.
"Oh man, Cal, we should do this more often," Addison said while they walked out of the club and into the bright sunlight. Their arms were linked and they were both staggering.
"Definitely," Callie said with a smile. "We're not that old yet." Addison had been a blessing in disguise, helping her take her mind off the real world for a moment. It had been good to let go.
"Never too old to party, babe, never."
Addison planted a kiss on Callie's cheek and hailed the cab that happened to drive by. "See you around, Tiger."
Now she was standing on the sidewalk by herself, sobriety hit her. The sun was already shining brightly and it made her squint. Where had she put her sunglasses? While frantically searching her purse for her sunglasses, she walked towards her car. The drugs she had taken earlier in the night had made her alert and she figured she could still easily drive home to sleep everything off.
Arizona was leaning against Callie's car, in full uniform, her arms crossed in front of her chest. Big aviator shades were hiding her eyes, but she pulled them down a little so she could inspect the other woman over the rim of the glasses. "Aren't you a ray of sunshine?"
Callie looked up, her face immediately lighting up when she noticed the other woman in front of her. Once again, Arizona had surprised her. This time she had not felt her coming from a mile away. Was it the drugs? Had they affected her gift? She did not want to let on her surprise though, knowing she also had to try and hide her current state. "Well, well, Miss Robbins, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you were still following me."
"If I was, you wouldn't know," Arizona responded with a chuckle. She stood up straight and waited patiently for Callie to come up to her.
"I always know," Callie replied. She wrapped her arms around the blonde and planted a sloppy kiss in her neck, unabashedly inhaling the scent that was pure Arizona.
"I surprised you just now," Arizona replied matter-of-factly. To her own surprise, she accepted the other woman's affection. She did however cut it short and stepped back from their embrace, shaking her head as she noticed the state Callie was in.
"Well, yeah, no one should be out on the streets at this ungodly hour," Callie replied simply. She went to lean in for a proper kiss, but Arizona stopped her.
"I'm on duty," she said. Even though she did not have to explain herself, she felt the need to do so.
Her happy state had made her a little more affectionate and seeing Arizona only seemed like a cherry on top of her party cake. Callie could not help but feel a little disappointed when her advances were turned down.
"Well, in that case, I'll let you get back to work. We all need you to keep us safe, Detective." She flashed Arizona a bright smile, letting her know she was just teasing.
Arizona shook her head while she stared at Callie. She watched her search through her purse and finding her keys with a triumphant look on her face. "There is no way you are driving in that state," she said simply, putting her hand on Callie's arm as she tried to unlock her car.
"But my car…"
"Let me drive you home," Arizona said, pointing at her black BMW. "I'll come back later and return your car, how about that?"
"Wow, what did I do to deserve that?"
"Don't think you are getting special treatment, Torres," Arizona said as she watched the woman get into the passenger's seat. She opened the car door and got behind the wheel, shaking her head. She was once again breaking her own rules for Callie Torres. "You are high as a kite, I could arrest you right now."
Callie flashed Arizona a goofy grin. "Oh yes, please, cuff me, Detective," she said, putting her arms out demonstratively.
Arizona ignored Callie's comment, focusing hard on suppressing the chuckle that threatened to leave her throat, and started the car. Even though this little encounter was sort of fun, it also gave her an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. This whole situation just proved how different Callie and she were. Callie Torres was a party girl and with that partying came things that Arizona did not agree with. But at the same time, the whole bad girl vibe around Callie was incredibly tempting. It drew Arizona in even more, making her feel deeply conflicted. She had to stay focused and professional.
"Me tracking you down is not only pleasure," Arizona said, her eyes focused on the road. "I want to ask you something."
"Ah, so you admit you were following me."
"Calliope, I don't need to follow you. You practically live at that club, I didn't even have to try to find you."
"Are you saying I'm easy?" Callie raised her eyebrow, but the smirk on her face gave away she was joking.
It was so tempting to comment on that, but Arizona refrained from it. "Nothing of the sort," she said, trying to divert the conversation to where she wanted it to go.
"Wuss," Callie retorted with a wink. "So, what can I do you for?" Her hand slid over to Arizona's thigh, gently squeezing, gauging the other woman's reaction.
"Not now," Arizona said firmly while pushing Callie's hand off. She needed her focus, she was on the clock and working a case. She could not let the other woman cloud her judgment any more than she already was. She was already going out of her way to get Callie home. "There was another murder," she said, finally looking over at Callie.
"Fuck," Callie mumbled. "And?"
"There was blood left in the body this time. And while the other victims were elder people, this one was a young woman. We found her completely naked…"
Callie's eyebrows shot up. With the information she had gathered from Lena earlier, she feared Arizona's case was indeed a case of actual vampires. She would certainly not put it past Oscar to hunt or to find some sort of revenge for his father's banishment.
They arrived at Callie's house and Arizona parked the car in front of the gate. She turned towards the party girl next to her and looked at her intently. Even though it was obvious she had partied all night and she was still under the influence, Callie looked absolutely stunning. Arizona still felt such a pull towards the other woman, it was almost impossible to ignore.
"You should take a picture, lasts longer," Callie said with a wink. She was loving the effect she had on the blonde and she did not hide it. "Wanna come inside?" Her voice sounded seductive and she gave Arizona a sultry look.
"No," Arizona replied after swallowing hard. "We both know what will happen if I do." She could have replied with a simple no, but she had to go there. Deep down, she knew she was only egging Callie on and she wondered why on earth she was doing that on purpose. She was working for crying out loud.
"Who says it can't happen in the car?" Callie raised her eyebrow and smiled. Of course, she would accept the challenge Arizona gave her. And then some.
"Me," Arizona answered. "I'm working and you are on drugs."
"Alright, alright," Callie said holding up both her hands, giving in easily this time. "I am fine though, as lucid as a dream," she added with a smile. She wanted to help Arizona and she needed the other woman to know she could count on her.
"You don't have to tell me everything," Arizona said. "But if you know about anyone breaking the rules, please tell me. I can't have vampires run wild in this city. It will cause an uproar."
"I know. I'll take care of it," Callie said. "We handle our own." She bit her lip and put her hand on Arizona's arm. "Arizona, I promise I will take care of it, ok? You don't have to worry."
"Of course, I worry, Callie," Arizona said. "People are getting murdered and I'm withholding facts from a police investigation into those murders. It's wrong on so many levels."
If she had not sobered up before, Arizona's turmoil would surely have done the trick for her now. Callie was on high alert from the change of pitch in the other woman's voice. She knew it was difficult. She understood Arizona's position. It was one she had been in many times. The only difference was that Callie felt she was more flexible when it came to seeing grey instead of only black and white.
"I understand," she said, her thumb gently caressing the blonde's arm. "I will help you as much as I can." She let out a deep sigh and bit her lip before she spoke. "I…I think I might know something and I have someone…well, I know someone who is close to the fire. They agreed to give me information, I just have to wait until I get some intel, ok? I want to nail this person as much as you do."
Arizona realized the risk Callie was taking by telling her this. A small smile appeared on her lips and her body visibly relaxed. "I appreciate that, but….I can't keep doing this. I have to do my job."
Callie pursed her lips and nodded. "Just do it less good," she replied triumphantly. Deep down she knew it was utter bullshit, she herself would not be able to do her job 'less good' either.
Arizona chuckled, grateful Callie always seemed to know how to deflate a situation and make her feel better. "I don't know how," she said with a wink.
The lawyer leaned closer to Arizona, so close that their lips were almost touching. "I could teach you," she said in a husky tone.
Arizona's knuckles were turning white from squeezing the steering wheel. It was taking all of her power to control herself. "Another time," she replied.
"You need to have fun every once in a while, you know," Callie said as she gently pushed a strand of hair behind Arizona's ear. "It's important to live your life, not just go through the motions of following the rules and doing what you're supposed to do."
The blonde smiled and playfully pushed Callie off. "I'm breaking the rules right now. Plus, you have no idea how to do your job less good. Go sleep off your buzz, I'll be back later to take you to your car."
Callie leaned in and planted a sweet kiss on Arizona's lips. "I'll be here," she said. In the back of her head, a little voice was laughing at her. She was actually going to wait for her to come back? Callie Torres never waited for anyone.
"I'll see you later," Arizona replied, a dumb smile on her lips. Calliope Torres was going to be her downfall, but she was loving the playfulness that came with every conversation they had. She was loving the challenge the woman posed and the way it made her feel free and light.
Without saying another word, Callie got out of the car and made her way into the house. Arizona backed out of the driveway and returned to work. She had a murderer to catch.