Eduardo Rodriguez.

She had heard of him long before she'd met him, courtesy of Tim.

In fact, if she recalled correctly, which she inevitably did given her impeccable memory, Tim had first summed him up as "A guy who thinks he's a somebody because his dad is the richest guy in town, and probably the worst quarterback that Newport has ever seen".

Over their first year in Newport, Arizona had heard bits about Eduardo from Tim, none of them good. On her very first meeting with him, when she insulted his playing stats, she was only repeating directly what Tim had told her previously. Time and time again she'd asked her brother why he hung out with someone that he clearly disliked so much. Tim had just grinned and ruffled her hair, and told her that she'd understand once she was in high school.

He'd been right of course. Arizona had even perfected her fake smile for people like Eduardo. People that made her skin crawl, yet somehow had achieved an untouchable social status and so you had no choice but to suck up with them, or else you faced being completely ostracised. Which in a small town like Newport, really wasn't an option you wanted to take.

"Arizona" Callie said softly, bringing the blonde back to the present.

The way Callie had said her name on that occasion, Arizona noted, was distinctly less husky than the way she said it when they were alone. Which could only mean that she tone she had used previously was deliberate, and not just a natural inflection of her voice.

"Hi" the blonde smiled, acknowledging both Callie and her husband "thank you both for coming"

The brunette stepped forward to embrace Arizona, and without even thinking, she stepped into her arms. Instead of the long, drawn out hugs of their past, this one was brief but the tightest anyone had ever held Arizona. In so many ways it was more intense than any hug she had ever had, particularly with the full knowledge that some very interested pairs of eyes were on them.

"I'm really proud of you" Callie whispered, before stepping apart to put some distance back between them.

As they stepped apart, their eyes still on one another, the brunette spoke again.

"I think Tim would've really liked today"

Arizona laughed "Are you kidding? I bet he's so pissed right now that he's missing out on Mom and Dad picking up the bar tab"

"And a whole room of people singing his praises?" the brunette continued "I can just see him doing a victory dance right now"

As the two women laughed, Eduardo stepped in next to his wife and offered his hand to the blonde.

"Arizona, my condolences about your brother"

She stared at his hand, unable to move nor speak for a moment, as she remembered the last time she had been in that position.

10 years previously

Arizona shakily got to her feet, wiping the dirt off of her palms on the back of her jeans. She stood up to her full height, not caring that she was the shortest person there. She lifted her head and stared down the man in front of her, remembering everything her father had taught her about being strong and not letting anyone break her.

"So…" Eduardo smirked at her, holding out his hand "do we have a deal?"

Present day

Snapping herself out of it, Arizona gripped his hand confidently and shook it, more vigorously than she might have had it been anyone else.

"Thank you" she said firmly "he was a big loss to everyone"

"That he was" Eduardo paused, seemingly deep in thought "unfortunately who are we to question God's plan? Even when sometimes we all truly feel he has taken the wrong person"

The blonde held his gaze unwaveringly. The meaning wasn't lost on her, and she was determined in that moment not to back down. She couldn't be sure how long it had been since she last blinked when she felt an arm around her shoulder, and turned to find Mark grinning at her.

"I think it's time" he said knowingly.

"Time?"

"Time for a Tim special"

She rolled her eyes but found herself following Mark to the bar without further question. A Tim special was something that her brother had invented pretty soon after he'd signed up to the Army. He'd discovered jagerbombs whilst drinking back in Newport at parties, but found that the necessary components were missing once he'd met up with his unit. So, in keeping with the "bomb" principle, and based on the types of alcohol they could get their hands on in the mess hall, he'd persuaded his fellow rangers to drop a shot of whiskey in a glass of wine (or realistically, a mug of wine, given the drinking apparatus that was available to them), and from that day on, it had been known as a "Tim special". Even when back in Newport, or visiting Arizona in New York, where a conventional jagerbomb was available, he always insisted on at least one round of Tim specials. It was his way of bringing together his time as a ranger with his civilian life.

And so, having never drunk a Tim special together, Arizona found herself at the bar with Mark while he ordered three of them. As the glasses were placed down on the bar, Lexie turned to him with an incredulous look.

"You guys know I loved Tim, but you aren't seriously expecting me to drink that are you?" her eyes darted between the two of the them.

"Don't worry Lex, I'll drink yours"

The husky voice that reverberated in her ear as a palm was placed on her lower back sent Arizona's mind into overdrive. Her hands gripped the bar in front of her involuntarily as she felt the hand on her back slide round to her hip and settle there.

"Torres!" Mark shouted gleefully.

The thought momentarily crossed Arizona's mind that surely Torres was no longer Callie's surname, but it really wasn't the right moment to mention that.

"I'm so glad you've joined us" Mark continued "Not that I don't love you Lex, but I would rather not have to carry you home in the next half an hour"

Lexie laughed "I am totally happy for Callie to take this one for me"

"In that case, ladies…." Mark picked up one of the shots and used his other hand to indicate towards the other two.

Reaching for one of the shots, Arizona held her breath as she felt the brunette press up against her back. Every curve was touching her as Callie reached around her to take the final shot glass from the bar.

As she felt Callie's body move away from hers, the blonde turned around, raising her shot glass. The three of them clinked glasses and swallowed the liquid. There was maybe a split second where each of them tried to play it cool, but almost immediately they all winced as the combination of flavours hit their palate.

"Dios mio" Callie spluttered, wincing heavily.

Mark didn't say anything, but rather covered his mouth as he coughed repeatedly in an attempt to keep the liquids down.

Arizona screwed up her nose "that was fucking disgusting!"

Everyone burst into laughter at her comment, and Mark immediately put an arm round her, beckoning the other two women to join his embrace. The four of them giggled as they swayed against each other, and Arizona had never felt freer in her whole life.

"Tim!" the blonde yelled in the middle of their huddle "you're a fucker!"

She felt Callie's hand on her waist, pulling her in tighter, and she couldn't stop laughing in that moment.

"You have the worst taste in alcohol Timothy!" the brunette continued.

It was Mark's turn to join in "Tim" he held up an empty glass "I'm tempted to overlook the absolute disgusting nature of your special, given that it's currently allowed me to be surrounded by three beautiful women. But my god man, that stuff sucks!"

The four of them were in fits of giggles again, but it only took a few moments for Arizona's laughter to turn into tears. As her face begun to crumple, she felt Mark's arm slide out from her side to allow Callie to pull her into a full embrace.

She could feel herself melting into the brunette's arms. Those strong arms that wrapped themselves around her and made her feel like there was nobody else in the room. Her head tucked naturally into the crook of Callie's neck, and she took a deep breath. In ten years her scent hadn't changed. Whether it was her perfume, or her body lotion, or just her own unique smell, the overwhelmingly familiar scent flooded her senses and she gripped onto the brunette tightly,

"Breathe…" came the whisper in her ear "just breathe for me Ari, you're ok"

Arizona did as she was told, taking another deep breath to drink in the woman that was surrounding her. She lifted her head, her arms still clutching onto Callie's back as looked up and into her eyes.

Both women swallowed visibly, and the blonde was 100% sure that in that moment she wasn't the only one desperate to lean in for a kiss.

It was Callie who broke the eye contact, looking down at the watch on her wrist before lifting her gaze to meet the blonde's again.

"Can you….can you stay here for like 5 minutes please? And I promise you, I'll be right back with you"

Arizona could only nod, having no choice but to trust those brown eyes that were staring deeply into hers.

As the brunette walked away, Arizona turned back to Mark, who immediately pulled her into a hug. Just being wrapped up in his arms gave way to a world of emotions for her, There was such a familiarity, he was always someone that she could be safe around. And then there was the guilt. The guilt that she had turned her back on him, even though he'd never done anything but be there for her.

She pulled back to look at his face, and he smiled at her, before lifting his head further as someone over her should caught his attention.

"Teddy!" he exclaimed.

Arizona turned to face her old friend, the panic setting in again.

Teddy stepped towards her and took hold of her hand.

"Hey Robbins" she smiled sweetly "it's really, really good to see you"

Arizona took a deep breath and returned the smile "Hey Teds. It's good to see you too"

"I just wanted to say I'm so sorry about Tim" Teddy squeezed her hand "and also to tell you that whatever happened in the past, I care ok"

Arizona bit her lip, not quite ready for this kind of conversation.

"I mean it ok….I know you would never have just upped and left…" Teddy paused, considering her next word carefully "…us, like that, without a good reason. So whatever happened, I just want you to know that you're always welcome here"

Arizona could feel her resistance melting, and found herself pulling Teddy in to her arms. After all, this girl had been her best friend from the first day of high school, and then she'd left….well, without saying a word.

A loud cough came from behind them, and both women lifted their heads to see Callie stood there.

"Is this a private hug, or can anyone join in?" she asked with a grin on her face.

"Get in here" Teddy beckoned her in.

Needing no further invitation, the brunette stepped in and wrapped her arms around the two women who had been her best friends through high school. Tears glistened in all of their eyes at the significance of the moment, the first time they had been together in ten years.

As they broke apart, Callie kept one hand pressed on the small of Arizona's back.

Not-so-subtly noticing the continued contact, Teddy stepped away from them both.

"It was really great to see you Arizona. Can we please hang out before you leave? It…well, it would be really great to see you properly" she said, smiling.

"It's a date" Arizina grinned.

"Hang on" Teddy fanned herself melodramatically "did THE Arizona Robbins just agree to a date with me"

"I think she did" the blonde laughed.

"In that case, you definitely got yourself a deal"

With one final hug, Teddy was gone, and Arizona turned her attention back to Callie, as Mark and Lexie not so subtly snuck away to prop themselves up further along the bar.

"Sooo…" Callie mused, her eyes never leaving the blonde's "Teddy gets a date with you, huh?"

"She asked" Arizona offered, honestly.

The brunette bit her lip, refusing to break the stare "So what would I have to do to get a date with you?"

Arizona stepped closer so that their bodies were barely touching "I think there's always been an obvious answer to that question. All you have to do is ask, Calliope"

"I…" Callie reached out, letting her fingertips graze the blonde's hip "I'll remember that"

"It won't happen unless you ask" Arizona whispered firmly.

"I know"

"Please don't look at me like that"

"Like what?"

"Like I've hurt you by saying that"

"I'm sorry" the brunette swallowed "I guess it's just kind of hard to accept the fact that despite everything…that has happened between us, we never went on a date. And so hearing about you going on a date with someone else…"

"Callie" the blonde took hold of her arm "you do know that if I meet up with Teddy, it won't actually be a date, right?"

Callie brushed "Right, I'm sorry, I'm being totally stupid"

Arizona lifted her other hand so that she was holding onto both of the brunette's forearms, and stared straight into her eyes.

"I really wish I could kiss you right now"

Callie whimpered, her fingertips unconsciously grazing the blonde's sides.

"This is killing me, you know that" the blonde continued.

"I…I'm coming back with you to the motel tonight" Callie stuttered.

The blonde creased her face in confusion.

"That was where I went a few minutes ago. I knew Eduardo had some family business he needed to see to tonight so he was never going to stay for the whole evening. So I said that I was staying…" Callie took a deep breath to regain her confidence "and what I really meant was that I was staying with you"

"He doesn't know that last bit, right?"

"Right"

"Well, seeing as you make it sound like I have no choice in the matter…"

"You don't" the brunette interrupted confidently.

A wry smile crept across Arizona's face.

"In that case, why don't we get out of here?"