Sorry folks for being little late in uploading this chapter. The story is going to have a major transition in this part- so it took me time to figure out the plot. And I have been insanely busy since last seven days… I hope you are still with the story.

Chapter 8

Next morning Arizona wakes up pressed against Callie's for the first time in years. She laughs happily looking up at sleeping Callie. Waking up like this after years reminds her the lonely nights she had. She hated waking up alone not having her wife beside her. But today is a perfect day in her life. Slowly she starts detaching herself from Callie; she wants to get out of the bed before Callie wakes up. She blushes at her own shyness about facing Callie in the morning like this in her bed. Once Arizona is gone, Callie slowly opens her eyes; I will never be tired of her staring me in the morning. She laughs at herself- she is happy whatever right now they have in between them.

Both ex-wives enter into the conference venue together and start meeting other people. Many of their friends and colleagues from other hospitals and universities have also come to attend the conference. "Dr. Robbins- Dr. Torres", both of them turns back; one of the doctors from Hopkins is there. "Hey, Dr. Bird, how are you?" Callie gives the biggest smile and Arizona annoyingly sees how he is drooling on Callie's smile. This was the reason, she never liked him. When Dr. Bird rubs Callie's arms, Arizona chimes in between, "Dr. Bird, we have to meet somebody now" and almost drags Callie from there. "Somebody is jealous", Callie gives the mischievous smile. Arizona gives her a glare in return, "Callie!". But, Callie honestly has enjoyed Arizona's being jealous. Even when she was dating Penny, somewhere deep inside her heart, she wanted to see Arizona being jealous of her date. "Callie, you have the presentation after the lunch, so after this networking we will sit in the presenter's room for next two hours", Arizona tells her while moving towards the coffee machine.

Right now, they are almost inseparable from each other and people who know about their divorce find it shocking to see the ex-wives clinging to each other in this way. Callie suddenly holds Arizona's hand seeing Murphy approaching them. She really hates this girl, more than Lauren. "Callie, you have to get rid of this insecurity," Arizona softly teases her following her sight to Murphy. "The way you are becoming beautiful day by day, I am bound to become insecure more", Callie teases her back but keeps the hand in her clutch and Arizona too lets her hold it. Murphy says hi to them locking her eyes in their laced hands.

-"Hi, Dr. Robbins"

-"Hey, Murphy- good to see you"

This time, Callie pulls her, "Murphy, we really have to go, can we talk to you after my presentation?" Arizona shakes her head, "Callie, you go to the presenter's room, I am coming" she looks at her almost pleading. Callie leaves making the biggest pout.

-"Arizona, good to see you too… so you two got back?"

-"Murphy, I am sorry if I hurt you", Arizona does not answer the question. She, in fact, does not know if they are together right now. Now and then Callie has been hinting a future together, but they have not talked about that yet.

-"I do not want to talk about this"

-"Neither do I. But I need to do this- I do not want to move forward taking the traces of my past with me," Arizona says looking at Callie's direction- Oh! Erica is there too. She is talking to apparently an uncomfortable Callie.

-"well, you do not need to- your past will always be Dr. Torres". Arizona looks back to Murphy surprised by her words. She knows Murphy actually developed feelings for her. "Now after years, though still I am hurt, I know that you never could get over Dr. Torres", Murphy comes near and touches her arms, "Arizona, I really…really liked you… maybe still I do… so, do not let her slip away- you two are meant to be each other". She laughs suddenly, "look, how Dr. Torres is looking at us… she is so jealous even now too". "Thanks, Murphy, you have become so mature", Arizona walks towards Callie's direction.

Nearing them, Arizona overhears a proud Erica is boasting, "Yeah…I heard your blue eyed blonde left you…you were not her type…". "She was always my type Erica", Arizona interrupts, "I did not leave her, she left me", she holds Callie's hands, "Erica, why don't you take care of your own business?". Erica smirks looking at both of them, "aha! Old love getting back?" Arizona pulls Callie towards the presenter's room. She is still a little bit shocked at her own diction. Probably she has finally healed. She can talk about her failure without any resentment. "Arizona, thanks for saving me from Erica and sorry for leaving you", Callie says somewhat embarrassed. "Sorry for the second time?", Arizona taunts.

-"What were you talking to Murphy and why was she touching your arms?"

-"She was friendly. By the way, you too have been doing this since yesterday- touching thing!"

-"I can do this. I have that right even though we are not dating or married". True, Callie has that right, Arizona thinks.

Arizona and Callie unconsciously become too comfortable with each other in front of all these people. Seeing them nobody would tell, they ever had a separation. Throughout the networking session, they keep teasing each other referring to the possible future they might have, albeit unconsciously.

Just before the presentation, Callie starts her miniatures such as puking and crying due to stage fear. Arizona takes her to the stage holding hands, "Callie, I always wanted to see you winning the Harper Avery. Will you do this for me?". "Will you be with me then?" Callie asks her like a child. "I will be". The presentation goes really well- in the presentation Callie and Arizona play in sink. Callie discovers how well prepared Arizona is for the presentation- nobody would say that she just has joined in the project. Without Arizona's help, there is no way she could have done this. After the Q&A, most of the audience runs towards Callie to ask more questions. Arizona instantly knows that Callie has probably cracked the hard nut. Throughout the day, Callie remains busy and Arizona leaves her with researchers promising that they would meet at the conference dinner.

Not seeing Arizona almost the rest of the day, Callie is already impatient and after the grand success of the presentation, now Callie is ready to talk to Arizona- she cannot hold her feelings anymore. She texts Arizona to meet her on the balcony of the banquet hall. When she reaches, she finds Arizona standing backing her. Okay…I have to tell this to her right now. Good that it is a little bit of darker- she cannot see my face. Slowly she approaches at the back of the standing silhouette. Without any introduction, she starts, "I am sorry for breaking your heart…I am such a badass… I want you to come back to my life…I miss you…A…" before she could finish lips are on hers, but Callie does not reciprocate the kiss. This is not Arizona. This is Penny. She is so shocked and surprised that it takes a moment to process what just has happened. Callie looks back hearing little movement at the entrance of the balcony. Arizona is standing there with the iciest eyes Callie has ever seen. The light coming from the hall also is unable to read those blue eyes. She leaves without saying a word. Callie sees her leaving still holding Penny's waist. Slowly turning to the other blond she says, "Penny, I am sorry again, this was not for you," and leaves. Callie has to explain this Arizona- she cannot let this happen again. A perfect phase of her life cannot be finished in this imperfect way.

Arizona starts walking on the empty streets with a blank mind. She cannot believe seeing Callie kissing Penny. Why did she call her then? The last two days were so perfect. Finally, she has started feeling truly happy, just like before the plane crash. Arizona is feeling so numb that she just wants to go home. Home? A lonely apartment?

On an impulse, she calls the taxi to the airport and catches the next flight to her parents' home. Right now this is the only place she could feel like going. From the airport, she sends an email to Bailey asking two days leave. At this moment, nothing matters…she is not in a state of mind to think about job or career.

On the other hand, after coming back to the room Callie feels little-relieved finding Arizona's suitcase still in the room. She does not dare to call, rather she wants to have a face to face conversation. Moreover, knowing Arizona for years, she knows that she is not going to receive the calls. She needs space right now. When it is midnight and Arizona still does not come back, Callie starts panicking and calls her, but her cell is switched off. Not understanding what she could do, she calls Meredith.

-"Mer, I cannot find Arizona and her cell is…"

-"She went to her parents'. Don't you know?"

-"How do you know?"

-"She emailed Bailey in the evening requesting for two days leave and to postpone all her surgeries. I had to take over one of her surgeries. Anything wrong?"

-"Mer, everything is wrong…I will talk to you after coming back", she drops the call and lays straight on the bed closing both her eyes- a vain attempt to stop the tears.

Let me know what you think about this. What should be the next step both for Callie and Arizona?