A/N
Just a quick note on this one – I've based the legal stuff in part of this chapter on my personal experience of the UK system, combined with some research on the USA to confirm that it's technically possible.
Anything else I'm claiming artistic license!
Callie sat at Arizona's dining table with two cups of coffee in front of her, watching as the blonde paced up and down her lounge, her hands clasped on the top of her head.
"I cannot actually fucking believe that he would do this…was it not enough that he took away everything that mattered to me?"
The brunette went to answer, but realised before she spoke that Arizona just needed to let her thoughts out.
"Clearly not, because now he's trying to destroy my career. How am I going to show my face in the hospital again? What the hell are people gonna think of me?"
Arizona stopped pacing and finally let her eyes meet the brunette's "When you were there…who knew?"
"Honestly, most people didn't know a thing. Christina and I had to go up to paediatrics to find out that you'd gone. Can I umm…can I make a suggestion?" Callie asked meekly.
"Go right ahead"
"When we were talking to the nurses they…well, everyone in fact…all seem a little scared of Christina. How about we get her to…politely…ask the people who do know, to keep their mouths shut?"
"No" the blonde shook her head, closing her eyes "you don't understand…you have no idea what the hospital's like"
"It's got to be worth a try though, right?"
Arizona shrugged and turned away again, but placed her unlocked phone on the table. Callie took that as an invitation for her to obtain Christina's number and text her, which she did. The blonde meanwhile was muttering to herself, and every other word appeared to be a curse word.
"I fucking hate him Calliope. I hate that he's getting inside my head. I don't want to let him win, but…"
"But what, Arizona?" the brunette asked quietly.
"I'm questioning everything" the blonde turned again, but avoided Callie's gaze "because it would be so much easier to just give him what he wants, to keep him out of my life for good"
"And what about what I want? Does that count for anything?"
"This is what I mean, this is what I hate" tears streamed down Arizona's cheeks as she finally got the courage to look into the brunette's eyes "He's got me standing here, looking at the woman that I've spent my whole life waiting to be with, and questioning whether she's worth it"
Callie stood up, closing her eyes momentarily to fight back the tears "Only you can answer that. But you need to understand that whatever you decide, I will fight that bastard, so he will never win. He will never get me back"
"Even so I…" the blonde took a deep breath "I've been here before. I gave up my entire life. And I know none of this is your fault, but there's this voice in my head telling me that if I just stayed away from you, I could just get on with my life"
"I guess…I guess that depends on what you want from that life"
"You know what I want…what I've always wanted" Arizona said softly.
"But you don't know if that's enough?"
"Please don't take this as a reflection of how I feel about you. I know that's easier said than done, but…"
"Nothing about this is easy" Callie interrupted.
"I…I don't know if I can go through this again"
The brunette stepped forwards, gently placing her hands on Arizona's upper arms "It's different this time. You're not alone, ok? People know what's going on here. And I will always, always be on your side"
"I know" the blonde said softly, managing a slight smile "but he's never going to stop, is he? It's taken me years to rebuild my life and I'm so utterly terrified that he's going to destroy it"
"I won't let him" Callie stated firmly.
"But how…how do we stop him? He has so many people fooled"
The brunette took a deep breath, ready to articulate the plan that had been forming in her head since the moment she had heard what he'd done.
"We hit him where it hurts"
"I'm gonna assume you don't actually mean hit him?" Arizona raised an eyebrow.
"I mean, you can if you want" the brunette smiled "but no. I'm talking his ego, his wallet, and then his reputation"
The blonde's eyes narrowed "You have a plan, don't you?"
"I do" Callie nodded "see I know enough about Eduardo to know how he works. He thinks this will get me to go back to him. That you'll walk away, and I'm so pathetic that I'll go crawling back to him because I can't stand to be alone. But he's wrong. Even if you told me now that you wanted nothing more to do with me, even if it meant that I spent the rest of my life alone, I'd rather die than go back to that man"
Arizona smiled "That's my girl"
"That's exactly who I am" the brunette replied softly.
"So what's your plan?"
"I'm going to make sure he gets the message. In the form of divorce papers"
"You're gonna go see a lawyer?"
"Actually I figured I would file myself. I've been doing a bit of research over the last few days, and it seems like the case is actually pretty straightforward. We've got no kids, I already have half of our cash, so all that's left is the house, which we jointly own. I don't have thousands of dollars to spend on a lawyer, and before you even say it, I'm not borrowing money from you or anyone else…"
Arizona opened her mouth and then shut it again, the brunette having accurately predicted what she was about to say.
"…even if he fights it" the brunette continued "no judge is going to do anything other than order that the house is split between us. I don't care if he wants to sell it, or get his parents to buy me out. Either way. And that brings me on to the second aspect of my plan. Eduardo works for his father. His pay is nothing to write home about, and if he wants to keep the house, he'll have to rely on them to bail him out"
"You've really thought this through, haven't you?"
"Sure, I mean, I've obviously been thinking about divorcing him since before we even left Newport. I just needed some time to figure out how to actually do it. It's not exactly something that people tend to research until they actually need to…"
"Fair" the blonde smiled "and do I get to know about the third part of your plan? I assume there is a third part…"
"There is. Currently still working on it though, this bit is uh…the newer bit of the plan. Like…it came to me maybe thirty minutes ago? But I think I can use this for my pitch for the New York Times"
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah" Callie paused, unsure of herself "unless you think that's a terrible idea?"
"No" the blonde answered quickly "no, I think it's perfect"
"Really?"
"Really" Arizona chuckled, pulling the brunette in for a hug.
"Good" Callie said softly into the blonde's ear "because I think I missed out a key step in my plan"
"Oh yeah, what's that?"
"After I file for divorce online, and I'm hoping my super smart, sexy girlfriend will help me, I have every intention of taking you to bed and worshipping every inch of your perfect body"
"Mmm" the blonde smiled "I think I could get on board with this plan"
"So you'll help me?"
"I will" Arizona brushed her lips lightly against the brunette's neck "although I think I might be even more convinced if you gave me a little preview of what you have planned for me?"
"I'm sure that can be arranged. Did I ever tell you that there's something incredibly hot about you in scrubs?" the brunette nodded at Arizona's current attire.
"Oh really?" the blonde purred, tracing her finger over Callie's collarbone "That's interesting"
"Uh huh" the brunette dipped her head, flicking her tongue over Arizona's ear "one look at you and all I can think about is how easy it would be for me to slip my hand in your pants and fuck you"
"Jesus" the blonde gasped.
To prove her point, Callie slid her hand straight into the blonde's scrub pants, letting it dip into her underwear and immediately feeling the wetness that had pooled between Arizona's legs.
"Oh god" Arizona whimpered, feeling the brunette's fingers brushing over her clit.
"You need me now, don't you?"
"Yes. I need…god, I need a release"
"I can help you with that" the brunette smirked, slowing guiding them both backwards so that she could sit back down on the chair "why don't you sit down?"
"It's a little hard to uh…do anything…right now" Arizona nodded down at the fact that the brunette's fingers were slowly stroking her.
"Sit down and I'll make it worth your while" Callie commanded "even more so if you lose the pants"
The blonde did as she was told, pushing her pants and underwear to the ground before slowly straddling Callie's lap as she felt the brunette's fingers slide up inside her.
"Oh my god!" Arizona cried out, rocking her hips towards the brunette's body.
Callie captured the blonde's lips with her own, their tongues moving together hungrily. Her free hand pressed against Arizona's lower back, guiding her body down against her.
"I want you to ride my fingers…take them as deep as you can…" she murmured against the blonde's lips.
"God" the blonde groaned.
Slowly, Arizona raised her body up before sliding herself back down onto the brunette's fingers. Her hands gripped Callie's shoulders as she repeated the movement, gradually picking up the pace until her hips were bucking with vigour.
"That's it baby" the brunette encouraged "keep taking it just like that"
"Fuck" Arizona growled, flinging her head back as she rode the brunette's fingers.
"I've got you. You're safe with me" Callie stroked the blonde's lower back "so you can just let go"
"Callie….god you feel so good…"
The blonde changed her movement, keeping Callie's fingers inside of her and instead arching her back and rocking her hips back and forth. The brunette took the hint, and applied extra pressure on Arizona's back, increasing the force with which their bodies were colliding. She was able to angle her hand so that her thumb was touching the blonde's clit, and every thrust of Arizona's hips caused her to cry out at the additional contact.
"I…I need you…" the blonde panted.
"I'm right here baby" Callie sucked on the blonde's exposed neck "and I'm all yours"
"Calliope…god…" Arizona cried out "right there…right fucking there"
"That's it…let it all go baby…"
The blonde practically screamed as the orgasm crashed over her, her hands clinging to Callie desperately as she felt all of the tension from the last few hours leave her body.
"I've got you" the brunette whispered repeatedly, rubbing Arizona's back as her body finally stopped shaking.
"Calliope…" Arizona slowly lifted her head, blinking until her eyes were able to focus on the brunette's "I need you to know…"
"It's ok" Callie tried to reassure her.
"No, listen to me please…however scared I am, however hard this is going to be…you're worth it, ok"
"Please…if you don't mean that…"
Arizona cut her off with a forceful kiss before pulling back "I mean it. And I'm sorry that I ever even doubted it for a second. If you weren't worth all of this bullshit, I could have walked away years ago"
"I'm sorry" the brunette said softly.
"This isn't your fault"
"But you don't deserve this. Any of this"
"Neither of us do" the blonde kissed her again "but it's the hand we've been dealt, and this time we're in it together"
"I was about to say something really corny"
"Say it" Arizona smiled sweetly, lightly brushing her lips against the brunette's.
"When I…umm…" Callie blushed "when I'm with you I feel like I can deal with anything"
"I guess we'd better stick together then"
"I'd really like that"
The blonde grinned "So how's about we get those divorce papers filed so we can celebrate properly?"