AN: Thanks for all the follows, favs, reviews and PM's, I really appreciate them. This is entirely AU, so you can't expect their characters to be exactly as they are in the show. Do not think that Arizona is weak or is going to be pining after Callie the whole fic, that's not going to happen.
Chapter Four
"You've been edgy the last couple of weeks" teddy said, massaging Arizona's left foot. "What is it honey? Are you ever going to tell me, or have I just got to carry on tiptoeing around your bad mood like a zombie.?"
Arizona roused herself from Tina & Amy's GG television monologue. "What bad mood are you talking about?"
Teddy dropped her foot and let out an exasperated sigh. "Either you're going to tell me, or you're not. Obviously you're not, so quit with short answers and long silences, otherwise I am out of here." She raised her voice. "You hear me, Ariozona? O-U-T."
"Geez relax would you, I'm just stressed out Teds. Two whole months I've been at T & A, and all I've been doing is photocopying, brewing coffee, picking up laundry and basically doing scut work for his majesty Sloan. He won't allow me to even touch a case file, I've been reading some of his cases and they are so interesting Teds, he gets the cream of the crop." She sighed falling back into the couch.
"I mean I am so close yet so far. I thought I would be learning so much stuff my brain would be exploding at this point. Apparently I am on a time out, until Calliope decides I can get out of the dog house, which is absolutely not fair because I did nothing wrong. I mean Teds is this what my whole life is going to be about being Marks maid?" she said throwing her hands up in the air while letting out an exasperated sigh.
Teddy could see the worry and frustration on her friends face, but something was lurking behind those eyes, and it wasn't just the problems she was facing with her job. It was like she was hiding something, or not telling her something. "Well hun I don't know what to say, what about the other firms that wanted you? You could contact them I'm sure they would jump at a chance to get you." Teddy offered.
"No. No I am not leaving. Besides we both know that Callie's firm is the best there is, even you want to work there, it's just, I just wish they didn't treat me like crap. I'm always holed up in the file room, digging through paperwork for Mark, that I don't even see anyone besides April. I have no friends or contacts there Teddy. I feel so alone." She said sadly. "This isn't what I thought it would be."
"Why don't you talk to Callie? I'm sure if you apologize, she will understand."
"Ha! Talk to Callie? You think I haven't tried talking to Callie. She is nowhere to be found, she disappeared on the first day I started working there. Gave me whip lashing, then flew to Lord knows where. It's like she disappeared no one knows where she is."
"I think you exaggerating Arizona, she must be on vacation, did you ask her assistant when she is coming back? I'm sure if you set up an appointment with her, she could give you an exact date. There's only so much you can do babe. I think talking to Sloan would be the way to go, just tell him how you feel in a calm cool manner. Try and not be hard headed, I know you have a temper but put your pride aside for a while." She said glaring at Arizona. "Cheer up Arizona, you are working at your dream job, it may not be perfect at the current moment, but it will get better soon, I would kill to be in your position."
Teddy was a paralegal, and Arizona knew how many times she's applied at T & A, being rejected every single time. She knew that she had an opportunity of a lifetime, she didn't want to sound whiney, so she decided to take Teddy's advice. Giving her a warm hug, she whispered "Thank you. And I'll chin up" she smiled weakly.
XXX
"Mark. Can I speak to you" Arizona said standing on the door of Marks office.
"Blondie done with all your duties for today? Come in and have a seat, i can see the stress lines on your forehead." he smirked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes, I was hoping we could talk about my work actually." She said as she pulled out a chair and sat down. "I am sorry for giving you an attitude on my first day here, it was not my intention. I'm hoping I have been punished enough these past two months, so I'm asking for a second chance. Please teach me." She pleaded with him.
"Robbins you are speaking to the wrong person, I may be your mentor, but I don't touch tainted people." He argued.
"What do you mean tainted?" she asked a bit confused.
"You pissed Torres off, and people that piss Torres off are tainted. Even I am scared of pissing her off. I hired you purely based on your merits, yeah I'm sure after the interview you thought all I looked at were your boobs, but I know your record Robbins and its impressive and so are your boobs." He winked at her. "So clear your shit with the boss and you and I will be thick as thieves." He said animatedly.
Arizona hesitated before she spoke, "Where is Callie, because I've haven't seen her these past few weeks."
"I don't know?" he said distractedly as he texted something on his phone. "What do you mean you don't know? Did she go somewhere specific?" she said with a hint of panic in her voice.
"She left for London, told me some old fucker wanted sex in return for a contract, then she left London to who knows where. So yeah I don't know where she is. And I am done for the day, so you may now leave my office." He said standing up and picking up his coat and briefcase. Arizona left the office and as she was leaving she met up with Karev, on the elevator. "The mighty tainted on" he said to her with a smirk.
"What? How do you know that?" she asked a bit confused. "Everyone knows about you, and they know to stay away from you, you like the black sheep." He said looking rather uninterested. "Do you want to go out for a drink." Arizona asked him hoping to get some more information from him, but she doubted that he would agree since everyone was being rather cold towards her, for some unknown reason that she didn't know of.
"Sure why not? Unlike all the others I'm an actual lawyer with some big balls." He said looking so proud, I would like to see him in front of the bosses. Ha Arizona thought bet he wouldn't say all the crap his saying now. "Lead the way" she said as they exited the building.
When Alex and Arizona got to Tiffany's a little bar at the corner of Lex street, they thought it would be packed since it was just after working hours, and people would want to drink and unwind. But that night it wasn't the case there were a few people in the bar, with whispered conversations. The place was small, cozy and intimate. It smelt of honey and cinnamon, it was just the place she would usually go to, she was actually shocked that Alex picked this place. They sat on the bar chair and ordered shots, after an hour Alex was already buzzing and laughing feeling more relaxed. Arizona thought it was the perfect moment to ask him questions.
"So what year are you in? I assume you a lawyer right?" she subtly asked. "Yep, am a lawyer, third year focusing mainly on finance. I work under Stark a real ass, but he does his job." He said burping and taking another shot. Disgusting.
"So you don't work with Mark or Callie?"
"Nah. I've done a few cases with Sloan his a pain but his really good. Wins eighty percent of his cases, although maybe if he didn't focus most of his attention on screwing chicks all the time, he would be better. He is easily distracted. But no one works with Torres, she is a lone ranger, does all her cases alone, doesn't trust anybody and wins all of them. I joined this firm three years ago and never have I once heard she lost a case. I am totally scared of her. It's like there is something she is hiding, no one enters her office unless invited by her. But she is very nice though, Oh let me give you a tip don't enter her office without an appointment unless you turn to Mark Sloan or Cristina Yang overnight."
"Why?" she asked curiously. "Just don't." he asked the bartender to give him some water, he had to sober up before he leaves.
"Why am don't the people at the office not like me? I mean I'm a super cool person, everybody gives me these weird looks." She said a bit sad because she had been here a for weeks and no one has even tried being nice to her, when she asks for help with direction or how to do something everyone just says ignores her.
"Don't take too personal, they all would love the chance to be in your shoes, you got to be Sloan's lapdog, just by mentioning his name in places will get doors opened for you, doors that will be forever closed for us." He answered her. "But he treats me like crap." She shouted a bit too loudly. "Only cause you pissed Torres off." He said simply. "Yeah well Calliope Torres is very mean and harsh, and quite frankly bitchy. Don't know why anyone would want to work for her." She shouted loudly, so loud that people were now starring at their direction. "I'm just going to leave, thanks for the drinks Alex."
"Hey I didn't say I'm buying" he shouted after her, as she left the bar.
She didn't know where she was walking too but she was so angry and frustrated that she could hardly see what was in front of her. Somehow she ended up in front of Callie's office door. She missed Callie. She missed talking and laughing with her, she missed going out and partying a storm on weekends. She just missed her. She came to New York to her, she went to law school for her. She was still in love with her, and she just couldn't forget her. If she had a moment to talk to Callie and explain what happened, if she could just talk to her and make her listen.
She tried opening her office door, but it needed a security code. She hoped it was the one password that Callie used for almost everything, back when they were together. 'Badass'. She typed the word in and there was a green light which meant the door had opened. "YESSS" she squealed.
XXXXX
Callie Torres had her own private jet, modestly named 'CALLIE'. She had a crew of seven and, on her trip for the past few weeks travelling from Greece to South Africa, no other passengers. Two flight attendants took care of her every need. They were pretty girls – a brunette and a redhead. The 'CALLIE' uniform was a short white skirt, fitted whit jacket and a navy blue T-shirt with 'CALLIE' stenciled in white across their breasts. The flight attendants called her 'Ms. Callie', and smiled a lot. Good teeth was another job requirement.
Callie never messed with the help no matter how attractive they were. In fact she hardly ever noticed them , they were hired for a purpose, and that was to keep up with the Torres image. Callie demanded three things from the people who worked for her- loyalty, brains and a decent appearance. If they didn't shape up, they were fired. She was five minutes away from New york, it had been a long flight from Dubai. She decided to treat herself to a vacation she called the 'Arizona-stress-free holiday', she just needed to breathe.
Entering the lift to her office, she just felt like sleeping on the elevator, that's how tired she was. But she needed to fetch her keys from her office which she left mistakenly on her desk. She got to her floor, and had a weird feeling, a tingly feeling, the hairs at the back of her neck stood up. Entered her office expecting to find someone in there, but there was no one, she looked at everything and all seemed perfectly fine and normal. She looked for her keys on top of the table but couldn't find them, so she took the spare that were in her safe.
Callie entered her penthouse distractedly texting Mark that she was back, she turned on her lights, and when she looked up she found Arizona sitting on her couch drinking a glass of wine.
"What the fuck are you doing in my house?"
