I am a very impatient writer- I write at one go and upload them sometimes even without cleaning them (bad habit though). But, writing this chapter took me ages…

I would appreciate if you could let me know your feedback

Chapter 7

Arizona takes a long breath before entering into Callie's lab; she is going to discuss the presentation. Quietly opening the door, she finds Callie bending on the microscope, a sight she would never tire of looking at.

-"Hey… you…" Callie suddenly looks up having a feeling of somebody staring at her "how long you have been watching". She remembers how Arizona loved watching her working.

-"I think we need to discuss your project before we fly" she does not want to answer the question.

-"Are you okay with flying? If you want we may try to take the road trip too"

-"road trip will be too time-consuming and none of us have that much of time and we cannot leave Sophia for this long time too"

-"hmm… okay… so these are the initial findings of the new idea," Callie takes a pause, "Arizona…?" she continues when Arizona looks up from the paper, "thanks for doing this." Over the time, Callie, in fact, has realized that how selfish she always has been to Arizona- first not wanting to let her go to Africa, then sleeping with Mark, being impatient after the crash, forcing Arizona for another baby instead of having double board certification and there are so many others. If possible, she wants to say sorry to her, but this is not the time.

Arizona starts reading the findings not dragging the topic anymore. Soon both of them fall into a comfortable working zone not bringing their personal issues in between them, at least for the time being.

-"Dr. Robbins, you are the last moment addition in the team. So, we could not arrange a room for you in the hotel where other doctors are staying. We can arrange the room in some other hotel, but the nearest available hotel would be an hour car ride from the venue," the girl in the HR office informs her apologetically in the HR meeting with the team.

-"That would be too far. I need her to stay near to me… I mean near to my room so that we can work for the presentation," Callie is totally pissed off.

-"Try to find a way, come on," Arizona pleads; she knows that she cannot stay that far when she is actually accompanying to assist Callie.

-"I am sorry, we have been trying"

-"Arizona, stay in my room. The room they have given me, it is for two people actually," Callie suggests which earns looks from other people including Penny present in the room. Arizona's breath is almost struck in her lungs; no way that she can stay with Callie. They were always so sexually attracted to each other and now after what has been happening in between them recently, she cannot take the risk. She can swear what is going to happen if they end up in the same room. Moreover, Penny is also on the team- she does not want any catfight in the conference which would create juicy gossip in the hospital.

-"No… arrange room in the other hotel"

-"Arizona!" Webber interrupts, "I guess Callie is right- if you will stay so far from Callie, it will be difficult to assist her." Webber was out of town for last two weeks, so he does not know the recent development between the ex-wives. Even if he would know, he would have suggested the same- at the moment, everyone wants to concentrate on making Callie's presentation working.

Callie whispers on Arizona's ear, "are you afraid that you will not be able to control yourself?" earning a light laugh from the blonde. She is glad that after years they can again make fun of each other. This was the most important part of their relationship while they were married. They could make fun of the each other even in the worst situation. She replies with a chuckle, "I hope your girlfriend is okay with this". Callie looks at Penny, who is, in fact, looking at both of them, "Do not worry about her, I already have settled down with her". Suddenly Arizona feels confident, "Okay, I will share the room with Dr. Torres," putting emphasis on the name Dr. Torres and not Callie. This is a reminder to Callie that this is strictly business.

Callie feels totally annoyed when she sees that Arizona's seat is next to Webber in the aircraft. This trip should be her way of getting her ex-wife back in her life, does not matter I win Harper Avery or not, but I have to win her back. She always has been a believer in God- probably this is an indication from God or whoever is there that she is supposed to be with Arizona Robbins. Without thinking twice, she requests Webber if they could exchange seats since she wants to use the two hours flight to tighten her presentation with the help of Arizona. He has noticed the change in the interaction between the ex-wives. He has seen both of them from the beginning of their relationship till the end of everything. After coming back from the tour, the first thing he has noticed, the spark between Callie and Arizona has come back somehow- it is truer for Callie actually. Being close to Arizona recently he knows that only one Callie is enough to make Arizona's life full. So, happily he exchanges the seats.

When Callie takes over the next seat, Arizona feels better. She is still not okay with flights- so many tragic memories. Once the aircraft starts the engine, Callie feels Arizona's stiff shoulder next to hers, she holds her hands in a tight grip, "Arizona, I am with you". Arizona wraps Callie's shoulder and almost hides her face in her shoulder. For the first time ever Callie realizes how traumatizing the plane crash was for her Arizona. Oh God, give me another chance with her and do not crash the plane… I want to make a life with her, which is worthy to live. Rest of the flight, neither of them talks; they keep holding each other's hands with everything they have. Webber watches them from his seat- he is glad that Callie could make the choice which he could not make. There is nothing more regretful living your entire life without your true love, seeing them slipping away from you and pretending to be satisfied.

Once they reach to the hotel, both the women start feeling nervous as well as excited with the idea of sharing rooms after ages. Callie punches the card to open the door and let Arizona enter first. But, two beds in the room somehow gives a relief to both of them.

-"what is your plan for rest of the day," Callie asks while looking around the room.

-"You tell me," Arizona asks while letting her head fall to the left of her shoulder. Callie laughs at this scene- typical Arizona style, she would always do this while talking.

-"Griffith?" Arizona used to love this place.

-"yeah…let's go," Arizona almost jumps out of the couch- this is her favorite place in LA.

Arizona takes a deep breath in the open air at Griffith. She can see the whole city standing here. Callie watches Arizona from behind- the way her golden locks are flying in the air, the way she is standing there binding her hands on her chest, her relax hips- Callie starts having a hard time not able to hold her from back. Earlier whenever they used to visit this place, Callie would always hold Arizona from back and would stand enjoying the view holding each other. Arizona also feels the hit Callie's body is throwing at her. She is missing the warmth of the other woman too. Okay, that is it. I want her in my life, thinking this Callie comes forward, but before that, I have to know something- I have to ask this one question to Arizona.

Rest of the day, they roam around here and there before visiting one of their favorite restaurants for dinner.

After coming back to the room, Callie cannot hold this any longer, "can I ask you something?"

-"Why did I sleep with Lauren?" Arizona can read Callie like an open book and it is a relief after years that Callie is finally ready to ask her without being angry at her. From the Griffith tower to the dinner, all the way Callie was behaving strangely as if something was bugging her and somehow Arizona had a sense that she would ask this question. Callie feels a little bit exposed finding that Arizona still knows what is going on in her head, she keeps quite. Today she wants to listen to her, something which she should have done years back.

-"Callie you knew me before the plane crash too. I always found you breathtakingly stunning and after the crash… I found I was not enough for you…" Her voice breaks a little.

-"Did I ever make you feeling like that?"

-"But I was not in a state to understand this then. When Lauren met me, she found me attractive even after knowing that I did not have a leg. That night… I just wanted to prove to myself that I was still attractive." Arizona's eyes are full of water and remorse. For last two years, every day she hated herself for doing this.

Callie starts weeping, "Arizona, I could not tolerate that you did this to me…to us… you were my everything…always"

-" I am sorry Callie. I called it wrong… I was wrong" Arizona knows that nothing can justify this.

-"Then Murphy?" Callie was more hurt because of her fling with Murphy.

-"With Murphy… It was nothing but a way to forget that you left me… I was trying to distract myself with sex"

-"I understand this" Callie nods with a sigh, "I did the same with Mark when you left for Africa." Callie looks at Arizona's blue eyes and continues, "I never tried to understand you… I was always so selfish". Telling this she takes Arizona's hands in her hands, "you left Africa for me, became the mama of Mark's baby, you tolerated when I let Mark spoil our private moments, you stood by when I forced you for babies and …". Before she could finish, Arizona embraces her with all her energy- water starts flowing from the blue eyes as if it is never going to stop. Callie reciprocates the hug while she also does not try to stop her tears, "I wish I could say sorry to you years back"…when you were only mine…before you slept with anybody…before I stopped feeling for you. Arizona does not know how to reply Callie, but this is what she always wanted Callie to feel- she wanted Callie to realize that she was there for her, she was not a selfish.

They stay embracing each other for how long, neither of them knows. Callie pulls up, "let's sleep". Arizona just nods and goes to the bed. Even if Arizona is on the bed for last half an hour, she finds herself wide awake. After what Callie has told her tonight, she is feeling so relief and relaxed as if a big stone has been removed from her heart. Even though things are not same for them, at least, Callie has apologized. She sighs thinking about Mark. Later she became Mark's friend too, but Mark was always there ruining all their private moments. He even told her that she was nothing to Callie. But she misses Marks too. In the process of separation, she could not stop thinking that if Mark would be there, he would have never let Callie ruining everything. She is pulled up from her thoughts by the feeling Callie climbing up her bed. Callie settles down herself under the blanket and cuddles from the back "I want to sleep with you". Arizona is little surprised by Callie's relax behavior as if nothing had ever happened between them. She squeezes Callie's hand, "thank you". "Hey…that sorry is only one-time, you don't expect this ever in future", Callie chuckles while holding her more tightly. Arizona does not reply even though Callie gives her a slight hint of future- a soothing feeling has started taking over her tired mind. Maybe finally, she is going to sleep peacefully in years in the arms of that woman, who means everything to her.

I always wanted them to talk! They never had that conversation… and sometimes it is important to say sorry, especially when you truly care…

Please let me know what do you think about the conversation?