Chapter Two
"Madam President?" the brunette called out to the empty oval office
At first it came out in an inquisitive tone, one of care and curiosity. Wanting to know whether the president was in the office but also wanting to know if she was okay, she was cautious in her movements not wanting to seem too suspicious to the agents that were following .
Apparently the white house had cleared out the old staff and brought in new people that she wasn't too familiar with or fond off either. There was just something, that irked her with the special agents that escorted her to the white house. But that wasn't really her focus at the moment, she needed to find Arizona and since Lauren decided to bail on her, the options were endless.
The Latina decided to go with her gut and take an "Arizona guess" which would be the equivalent to an educated guess, just the Arizona version of it. The brunette decided to go to the one other obvious place, which would be the master bedroom.
With the agents standing outside, Callie walked in cautiously into the bedroom, which looked like it had been through a tornado. The bedside lamp was on the right side of the bed was, carelessly thrown on the floor with the globe, or what's left of it, scattered all over the brown bedroom carpet. The bed looked like it hadn't been made in days, a couple of empty wine bottles. The brunette crouched down, to pick up one of the bottles on the floor, "Chateau Lafite" she read, one of the blondes most prized possession.
Callie knew that at this point it didn't matter where Arizona was, what mattered was the emotional, mental and physical state she was in, and Callie was sure that it wasn't good. As she stood up from where she was, Callie would hear muffled crying sounds from the left side of the room, which she assumed was either the bathroom or the closet. Bingo.
She hesitated.
It wasn't her place. It should be. But it wasn't her place.
Putting her feelings aside Callie walked towards the faint sound, careful not to trip over the mess that was on the floor. She didn't know whether to knock or to just walk in. She decided to knock.
"Madam President." The brunette said in an even tone.
No answer came from behind the door. So she decided to knock again, with more force this time, she was hoping that the blue eyed blonde had not heard her the first time.
"Madam pre-" before Callie could finish her sentence, there was a reply.
"DON'T YOU DARE CALL ME THAT CALLIOPE! AND GET OUT OF MY HOUSE." The president shouted from the other room.
"NOW." Was the last thing she said before bursting into tears.
Callie didn't know what to do. She never knew what to do when it came to Arizona, she never knew what the right thing to do was exactly. The blue eyed beauty was a puzzle, not just any easy puzzle but rather a complex one, one that needs time, planning and strategy.
Not knowing what to do, so Callie just stood there. Staring at the two white classic color doors in front of her. If she was honest to herself, it wasn't that she didn't know what to do, she knew exactly what she had to do, but she was scared.
She was scared.
She was scared of all the emotions she would feel if she opened those doors. Feelings that she had hidden and buried for almost a year now. Words she had repeated to herself, convincing herself and those around her that she didn't care. She was screwed.
All it took was hearing a whimper from the blonde, and Callie went rushing into what she then realized was the clothing closet.
"Ari-zona"
The closet was dark, there was no light that was switched on, and the only source of light that was coming into the room was from the window that was right across the door. Trying to find the blonde but failing to do so, until she noticed her silhouette curled up in the corner of the room.
"Oh Arizona." Callie said as she rushed to her side. She immediately took her into her arms, even though the blonde was fighting her. Her arms were firm and strong and she was not about to let the blonde go anytime soon.
It felt like time came to a standstill, as if they were in their own world. But really they had been in the same position for hours, with Callie sitting and leaning against the wall and Arizona was curled up to her side with her head safely nestled into the brunettes chest. Listening to her heartbeat.
They sat in comfortable silence. Just allowing themselves to just be. Just Be. Arizona was one of the most powerful woman in the entire world. Some might she was the most powerful, she had money, lived in a beautiful house, had a lovely wife and beautiful children. People thought she had everything, but right at this exact moment, being in Callie's arms was when she had everything.
Calliope Torres was her home. Wherever the brunette was, that was her home. Unfortunately for Arizona it was also her downfall.
Feeling the need to hear the other woman's voice, decided to say something. Somehow Callie's voice had the ability to calm her, make her feel everything at once.
"Tim died." Arizona didn't realize how hoarse her voice and how dry her throat was until she decided to speak. She swallowed the little bit of saliva she had left, so she could speak.
"I know."
"where did yo-" her throat was so dry
"Do you want some water?" Callie offered.
"Where did you go?"
"I don't think now is the right time. You need to rehydrate yourself, how long have you been crying?" Callie purposefully tried to change the topic of conversation, she didn't want to get into it with Arizona right now.
"Don't leave me please." The blonde cried out when she felt Callie try to move them.
"I'm not going anywhere, I just want to reach my handbag. I think I have a water bottle in there somewhere. Is that okay?" the blonde nodded in agreement, reluctantly allowing the Latina to stand up and get the bag which was carelessly discarded when she had rushed to her side earlier.
"Arizona where is the light switch?" Callie asked while her hands searched the wall for a switch.
"No don't please. I don't want you to see me like this." She pleaded.
"You have a tiny dimple shaped like Texas on your butt cheek. If you allowed me to see that, I don't think there is any part of you that can scare me." Callie teased
"Hey! Hey! You said it was cute." The blonde teased as Callie came back to her original position.
"Well, I really really wanted someā¦.water when I said that." The brunette lowered her voice bringing her lips to the blondes ear "and I was really thirsty that night." She whispered.
Arizona shivered at the contact, but as soon as it was there it wasn't there anymore because Callie sensed the closeness and moved away. Her actions just made Arizona sad.
Callie had a smile on her face, the room was dark but Arizona could see her bright smile, fake as it may have been but it was still bright nonetheless. Arizona just stared at her, her stare was too intense for Callie to handle, so the raven haired woman just looked away.
The other woman being uncomfortable didn't seem to bother the blonde, she went straight for the question she has been wanting an answer for.
"Where did you go?"
"Please don't," Callie said immediately standing up. "Don't do this to me. Please." She pleaded without looking at Arizona. "I need light, this place is too dark. And hot! Don't you feel hot? You must be hot." She was rambling, and she was running, if Arizona didn't stop her she would lose her again.
"Callie stop." The blonde said standing up. Callie was already nearing the door, when she paused. Arizona caught up to her and hesitantly switched on the light. They both stood there looking at each other.
Callie was dressed in black loose slacks, a white cropped jacket and black knee high boots. She was well put together as always, how she manages to look this perfect and well put together in the early morning hours Arizona could never understand. Arizona on the other hand was wearing a grey tracksuit bottom and a navy and grey Stanford hoodie which Callie immediately recognized as hers.
Arizona had been drinking and crying for hours, her eyes were red and puffy. Mascara all over her face and she thought she looked horrible, she was pretty sure that this is the worst she's looked. Yet here she was bearing it all in front of Callie. All Callie could think was how beautiful she looked.
The fixer who know had a slight height advantage to the blonde, pulled the other woman closer to her, she put both hands on Arizona's cheeks. Kissing each of her eyes tentatively. Callie waited patiently for Arizona to open her eyes, before placing a ghost kiss on her lips.
"You're beautiful." Callie assuring her. It was like she knew exactly what the blonde needed. Callie stepped back giving them space to not only breathe but compose themselves. After a while Callie decided to speak up.
"You-yo" the brunette said pointing at the hoodie
"I saw you yesterday." The president said in a whisper. "up-up in the gallery. I saw you."
Callie waited for her to continue, because she knew that the other woman wanted to say more.
"I could sense you from the minute you walked in, you consumed me the minute you entered that hall. I kept looking and looking, and I couldn't find you. But I could feel your eyes. Your eyes were like a fire burning me. I could feel you.
She was now pacing, "and all I kept thinking was, don't faint, be strong, you can do this Arizona, Callie would want you to do this well and right."
"And you did. You did Arizona. Your speech was lovely, it was clear, it was exactly what each and every single person in the audience and across the country needed to hear. It was real and genuine and most importantly it came from your heart." The brunette said chipping in.
"Are you back?" Arizona asked pointedly.
"About Tim. I'm so so-"
"Answer my question Callie."
"I'm back." Callie said not making eye contact, the Latina could hear the blonde loudly exhale, was she relieved?
Then there was silence.
"Lauren said you tried to-" Callie didn't know how to say or ask this, "Lauren said you tried to kill-"
"LAUREN NEEDS TO KEEP HER MOUTH SHUT" the president shouted, Callie flinched at the tone and volume of what the words, Arizona had just blocked anything that the Latina was going to say next. That was the end of the discussion about that topic. Callie decided to leave it alone. For now.
"Where did you go, Calliope?" Arizona pleaded for the last time. She was close to tears and she wasn't sure she could handle being shut down yet again.
Callie looked at Arizona and regretted making eye contact, because now she had to answer, because she may be a strong independent woman but dammit the president of the United States was her weakness, and the president of the United States with tears in her eyes was an even bigger weakness.
"I went to Mauritius."
"You went to Mauritius?"
"Beautiful Island. Has the best mangos." Came the quick short reply.
"Best mangos, huh?"
"Yup."
"Why?"
"Why what?" she knew what was coming, but she really didn't want to answer.
"Why did you leave me? You just left." The shorter woman said with teardrops streaming down her face.
"I just. I couldn't breathe Arizona. I couldn't breathe. I felt like I was suffocating. Everybody was breathing down my neck and I just couldn't do it anymore."
"So you left."
"So I left."
Arizona could feel herself getting angry, but she had to stay calm. How could Callie just leave her like that, up and move without saying anything to her. Arizona would never leave the love of her life behind, yet here Callie was dismissing everything that they had and constantly leaving Arizona.
"Who did you go with?"
"Excuse me?" Callie asked
"Who went with you on this trip?" the shorter woman asked in an even tone, with no emotion.
"Addison." Callie really didn't want to answer but the truth would come out sooner or later, why not lay everything out in the open now and be done with it?
"Your fuck buddy Addison? I'm sure you had fun in your own private island, sex on the beach? While I had to run a fucking country and bury my brother you and Addison were rolling around in the sand?" the blonde said in a sarcastic tone. Her blood was boiling at this point, she was so angry.
"You have no right or say on how I live my life." Callie was now fuming. How dare Arizona accuse her of such things.
"You took our relationship and-"
"NEWSFLASH Arizona there is no US! You are MARRIED. I am just your whore, one that you fuck in your spare time. I walk around with a scarlet A on my chest, I'm the one who has to wear that badge not you. You have ruined me!" Callie shouted.
"Vermont-"
"Vermont doesn't exist! Vermont will never happen. We don't get a happy ending here! You get to live your life as the president of the United States, a wife, a mother and me? I'm nothing. I don't fit in that equation. So yes, I left because I was tired of watching the woman that I love belong to someone else." Her voice was starting to break and she could feel the hot tears on her face, never has she felt so vulnerable and afraid in her life.
To say Arizona was shocked would be an understatement. Did Callie just say she loves her? Callie had never said she loves her before. Arizona had told the fixer that she loved her a million times but Callie never said it back. But how could she sleep with Addison if she loves her? Arizona's mind was spinning.
"Get out." Arizona said
"What?" Callie said bewildered.
"Get out of my house Callie." Arizona said again. It was as if she was in some trance.
Callie picked up her handbag from the floor, and calmly exited the closet, and a couple of seconds later Arizona heard the master bedrooms door shut. The minute she heard the door shut, she knew what a mess she had made, slid down the wall, her knees couldn't hold her up anymore. What had she done.
The president needed the fixer.
