A/N: Since the last few chapters were so heavy (and exhausting to write), here is a little fun and fluff with just a tiny little bit of seriousness mixed in. Also, sorry if you got inundated with repost alerts. As I was reading through to maintain consistency and keep track of my loose ends, I found some errors and NEEDED to correct them. Nothing content or plot-wise was changed.
Reviewer FFChik - The envelope and full story is mentioned in chapter 10, though there is a quick review mentioned here as well.
All characters belong to Shonda.
Arizona sat at the table in the small cafe staring out the window at all the people walking by. She used to love watching people, making up stories about them, where they were going, what they were doing. If they were in the same place long enough, she'd give them names and make up ridiculous dialogue based upon the movement of their lips. Callie used to laugh at her about it until she made her join in one day and she realized how fun it was. She smiled as she remembered how hard they laughed at some of the things they made up. Feeling a slight tingle on the back of her neck, she turned knowing that somewhere nearby, brown eyes were watching her intently. Sure enough, Callie was standing in line at the register looking directly at her. The tingle in her neck turned to full on goose bumps when Callie tilted her head and winked at her. She couldn't help the smile that lit up her face both at having that feeling again and at the woman who was now sporting a similar smile directed back at her as she returned the wink and sent a little wave with her fingers. Taking in the image before her, she struggled to reconcile this Callie with her short hair, button down black silk dress shirt, loose fitting black jeans and black boots with the Calliope she knew in Seattle with her long black wavy hair, form fitting tops and tight skirts and pants. This woman was so strong, confident, laid back, quick-witted, and…happy, whereas the woman she had become used to was more arrogant than confident, quick to anger, sarcastic, and just…broken. She wasn't always that way, when they first met, her Calliope was more of a reflection of the person who stood in front of her now, but at the same time, this woman was like a whole new person. It occurred to her at that moment that she knew very little about her ex-wife now, about who she was, who she spent her time with, what she likes to do in her free time. She knew the same could be said about herself. She felt like traces of the old Arizona were still within her, but the person she was the last time the two of them interacted was long gone. She had new interests, different tastes, her priorities have changed, her wounds have healed, she saw things differently. She realized they had spent the better part of her time here trying to deal with their past and other than the obvious changes in their personalities and responses to one another, they hadn't spent much time getting to know each other yet.
Standing in line, Callie turned to scan the little café to see where Arizona found to sit. Her breath hitched and she felt a flutter in her stomach as she found her sitting in the corner staring out the window. The sun gleaming through the glass fell on her in a way that made her alabaster skin glow, her cerulean eyes sparkle, and her soft blonde curls shine highlighting her ethereal beauty. Her soft smile made Callie wonder what she was thinking about. While she was quickly learning to read her ex-wife's facial expressions again, sometimes she was at a loss. Taking in the blonde's soft look, peaceful countenance, and relaxed posture, she realized how long it had been since she saw this side of the other woman. She wondered if she still liked to people watch, what she like to do in her free time, if she liked to go dancing again or if that was just something she did with their daughter…and, well, and her now. She seemed so body confident, something she was missing for such a long time. In fact, Arizona seemed more confident and self-assured about many things. She wasn't sure if it was because of the therapy or just self-reflection, but Arizona just carried herself differently. She said she trusted herself now, maybe that's what it was. Looking at her now though, Callie realized while so many things were the same, so many things were different and she couldn't wait to get to know everything about the new Arizona Robbins. Just then, Arizona turned and smiled at her and she couldn't help but wink. She smiled brightly when the blonde winked back and waved at her. She really liked New York Callie and Arizona.
Reaching their table, she noticed an odd expression on the blonde's face. It was like she was trying to figure something out, but she was excited about whatever it was. Setting the tray down and taking her seat, she reached out and took the smaller woman's hand, "Hey, what are you thinking so hard about over here?" Arizona was so lost in her thoughts; she was startled to see Callie sitting across from her holding her hand. Before she could even register what was asked, she blurted, "Go on a date with me." "What? Wait…What?" Callie was floored. She certainly didn't expect this. Reaching out for Callie's other hand, Arizona looked her in the eyes and explained, "It's just, we have spent so much time trying to fix our past mistakes that we haven't spent any time talking about who we are now. I mean, look at you, you have this new haircut and new style and it's sexy and confident, and I don't know what made you want to change it, and you own your own hospital and I know nothing about it, what made you want to do it, though I have my suspicions, I want you to tell me. You said you went to therapy and I can see how much it helped you where it pertains to us, but I also see changes in you, and I want to know about them. I want to know everything and I want to tell you about the new things in my life, the differences between who I am now and who I was both before and after the crash. I want to talk to you about the clinic and my hopes for the future and I want to show you that you really can trust me and I just…I just, I want to date you. I want to learn everything about the woman who is giving me butterflies again, the woman I am falling in love with more and more every day. I want to feel the excitement of starting fresh, of learning who you are all over again. So, will you? Calliope, will you go on a date with me Saturday?" Callie looked into nervous blue eyes and felt the slight tremor in the hands that were holding hers. This woman never ceased to amaze her. At times she was locked up tighter than Fort Knox, then there were these moments, these rare occasions when she opens her mouth and everything she is thinking and feeling comes falling out of her beautiful lips in one rambling thought.
When it all finally caught up with her, when everything that just poured out of the blonde finally registered, she could feel her pulse quicken, her heart jump, electricity course through her veins. It was quite odd given the fact that they had already discussed being together, had already slept in the same bed and shared some very intimate moments, but in that instant, she felt oddly like she did the first time Arizona Robbins asked her out on a date. Arizona sat anxiously as she watched Callie catch up to everything she just said. She didn't know why she was so worried. Surely Callie wouldn't say no given the fact that they agreed to try again. But still, she was more on edge than she was the first time she asked the brunette out after turning her down once. She finally started to breathe easily when that stunning megawatt smile spread across a beautiful tan face, dark chocolate eyes twinkled with delight, and her head started nodding up and down. She nearly cried in relief when she heard, "Yes. Yes Arizona, I would love to go on a date with you." Then she found herself being pulled forward across the table as her lips were captured in a brief chaste kiss. Pulling back, Callie sat back down and said, "I would love nothing more than to learn who you are all over again, to share everything I have learned and done with you. I need you to know, I feel it too, the butterflies, the hitch in my breath when you hold me, touch me, the flip in my heart when you say something I don't expect. I am falling in love with you too and I can't wait to start our new journey together." Arizona smiled and reached her hand out to stroke the short stubble at the side of Callie's head and just enjoy the moment.
Her growling stomach broke Arizona's focus on the gorgeous woman across from her as she put her hand on her stomach and said, "I didn't realize how hungry I was." Callie took a bite of her grilled chicken sandwich and said, "Well, it is nearly 2:00 pm and I kinda ruined breakfast." Looking up to gauge the other woman's mood, Arizona was relieved to see she was just making a statement and not upset or harboring any guilt. She took a bite of her salad and shook her head as she offered, "You didn't ruin breakfast. We had a much needed conversation with our daughter and with each other." Shrugging her shoulders she added, "Plus, we don't have to make breakfast tomorrow." Callie laughed at that, then thought back to their conversation with their daughter and teased, "So you talk to dead people now?" Chuckling, Arizona corrected, "Only Mark. He's always been a good listener and now I don't have to listen to his dirty comments." Callie laughed and responded, "Plus there's the added benefit of not worrying if he is looking at your boobs." Arizona reached out and took the paper cup and took a long drink then answered, "Exactly!" When the cup was snatched from her hand, the blonde pouted and said, "Hey, I was drinking that." Callie took a sip and said, "I know! But it's mine. You always do that; you ask for water or juice then drink my pop." Arizona tilted her head and shrugged, "Yes, but do you really want to be around me after I've drank a whole Mountain Dew?" Callie's eyes bugged out and she got a little chill at just the thought of what all that sugar would do to the already upbeat and fast-talking woman. "Oh hell no." Nodding in satisfaction, Arizona reached for the cup again and said, "Nobody wants that, so really, I am doing the world a service by drinking your pop." Callie chuckled at the erroneous logic and snatched her pop back.
The two ate in companionable silence for a while before something that was said in their earlier conversation came back to Arizona. She looked up and cautiously asked, "Callie, you said something earlier and, and It made me remember something and I'm kinda wondering about it." Trying to think what it could be, Callie arched her brow and asked, "What is it?" Hoping she wasn't starting something, Arizona replied, "You said I gave Sofia back to you legally. I filed the motion and had the papers sent right after I returned from New York, but you didn't send them back for nearly 6 months. What…um, what took so long?" Callie had just lifted a fry to her mouth and froze at that question. She really didn't want to get into all that right now, but she really had no choice. Pulling her hand away from her mouth, Callie situated herself in her chair and sighed before she said, "This is going to piss you off. It pissed me off. It's a whole thing and I…ugh, okay…so do you remember our first talk when I said there was this one day, about five months after I moved here that everything hit me at once and that's when I realized it was you?" Arizona thought for a moment trying to think back to that conversation then nodded. Callie took a deep breath and said, "This one day, I was feeling all kinds of unsettled. I knew I would, because…I always did on this date. Anyway, I called off work and decided to go to Penny's apartment to pack up her things since her lease was up." Furrowing her brow, Arizona asked, "You and Penny never lived together?" Callie snorted, "Not the point Arizona, stay with me." Arizona didn't know why, but knowing they never lived together gave her heart a little jump. Callie continued, "I went to her closet to grab the blankets to pack up and under the stack of blankets, I found this box with my writing on it. At first, I thought she just saved it from when I moved, but I realized it was a special box and it occurred to me that I hadn't seen it in a while, so I opened it and sure enough, it was my stuff." Arizona was slightly confused as to why Penny would take some of Callie's things…unless… "What was in the box Callie?" Feeling a blush creep onto her face Callie offered, "Just some pictures and stuff." Arizona wasn't buying it. "Pictures and stuff?" Callie huffed in exasperation, of course Arizona wasn't going to make this easy.
Looking the blonde in the eye she said, "Pictures and stuff…of our life together. Ticket stubs, notes, my necklace…" She was cut off by the gasp that came from the other woman and saw the tear roll down her cheek. Reaching out to wipe it away with her thumb, Callie kept her hand on her face as she said, "I kept it all honey. I couldn't throw that away. It was…all I had left. Anyway, I opened the box and sitting on top was this envelope from your lawyer." "That bitch!" Snorting Callie nodded, "That was my thought. I saw that she had signed for it four months before that and she opened it. She had balled up your note and everything. Anyway, when I read your letter, that's when it all started to hit me and hit me hard. That night, I was already committed to meet her parents for the first time and they asked to meet their granddaughter and…" "What the fuck?" Callie chuckled, "Calm down Arizona, it shocked the shit out of me too, but I took Sofia to Maria's house before that, I just…I didn't want her there. That, her mom saying that was just another flag, then…" Callie closed her eyes and took a minute before she finished. "Her dad, he uh…he asked me when I was going to make an honest woman out of his daughter." She paused and watched as Arizona stiffened and though she kept her face passive, all the color drained from it. Pointing to her, Callie said, "That was my reaction. When he asked that…Arizona when he asked that, I felt sick. That's when I knew I couldn't stay with Penny because I was still married." She looked up expecting to see anger but she only saw patience and understanding. Thinking about that night, she smirked and said, "You might find this part funny. While I was stammering over an answer, my phone rang and I remember thinking I wanted to kiss whoever was calling me at that moment." She chuckled then as she said, "It was you." She watched as the little grin formed on those beautiful lips that she really did want to kiss and finished, "So, after she dropped her parents off, I confronted her about the box and told her she wasn't moving in, we were breaking up because I was still in love with you." Not knowing what else to do, Callie finished her lunch and waited for Arizona to process and respond.
Arizona sat quietly for a moment taking it all in. She could be mad, she could hate Penny, she could hold onto her anger about the whole situation. But what good would it do? Callie wasn't with Penny, she left Penny…because of her, for her. Callie was here, with her and agreed to go on a date with her. Then she furrowed her brow, date…thinking everything through she did the math in her head. With a huge grin on her face she asked, "Callie?" The brunette looked up and was surprised to see Arizona sporting a huge cocky smile. Tilting her head in question, she figured out why as Arizona asked, "That date, you felt unsettled…Callie when did you break up with Penny?" With that question, Callie knew two things: 1. Arizona figured it out. 2. She was never going to live it down. Letting out a long breath she confirmed, "Yes, Arizona, I realized I was in love with you and broke up with Penny on your birthday." She watched as Arizona fought to keep from smiling and shook her head and chuckled when the blonde dropped her head and said, "Happy birthday to me." As Arizona continued to eat like none of that just happened, Callie finally asked, "Is that it? No comments? No questions?" Arizona nodded her head and said, "That's it, you answered my question and a few others. I don't have any comments because none of that matters now. You are here with me, and you agreed to go on a date with me. So that is what I am going to focus on." Snatching Callie's pop once again, she added, "But I can't wait to see how you're going to top that present this year!" Callie threw her head back and laughed at that. Collecting their trash on the tray, she stood up and offered her free hand as she said, "Come on goof, how about we go get your new fancy leg?" Arizona smiled and said, "Yes please." as she took Callie's hand in hers and the two made their way out of the small café.