"Yeah, okay an hour is fine. Thank you." Arizona hung up the phone and looked down at the Latina who was still curled into her.
"Who were you talking to?" Callie asked as she slowly lifted her eyelids.
"I ordered some pizza, if that's okay?"
"You didn't need to do that."
"Yes," She leant down to kiss her beautiful mouth, "I did. You need food."
"I can cook you know." She was still dazed from sleeping.
"I'm looking after you."
"Then you can cook."
"Ordering me about hey?" Arizona couldn't help but smile at how natural this felt, her arms around Callie. A long finger gently poked one of her dimples, causing her to giggle.
"You know, the only thing cuter than your dimples is your giggle?" Callie placed her hand back down on Arizona's chest. She couldn't really remember the last time anybody just held her.
"It has been said before." After another slow, soft kiss, Callie stood up and said:
"I'm just gonna jump in the shower, make yourself at home. There is food and drink in the kitchen."
"Okay." She watched the brunette disappear through another door in the bedroom and got up. She was surprised to find a bottle of white wine in the fridge and poured herself a glass. After a few sips she began to look around. The apartment was more homely than she had anticipated. Not that Callie wasn't warm- far from it but all her bars and coffee houses lacked soft furnishings. Arizona noticed that past the dining table, which was adjacent to the kitchen, there were floor to ceiling glass windows and doors that opened up onto a balcony. She placed her glass down on the coffee table and walked over to a cabinet beside the bedroom door. On top were several pictures of what Arizona presumed to be Callie's family.
Just then the bedroom door opened and out stepped the Latina in nothing but a pair of black shorts, white tank top and red hooded jumper. The blonde blushed when she got caught checking her out.
"What? You've seen me naked already." Arizona shook her head,
"Not exactly, your underwear stayed on. Mine didn't." Callie closed her eyes as she got a flashback.
"Sorry, I just remembered that detail."
"It's okay." The brunette stepped behind her and wrapped her arms around the small waist, placing her chin on Arizona's shoulder.
"Is this okay?" She asked the blonde cautiously.
"You're the one with intimacy issues." She stated rubbing her hands up Callie's arms. "Calliope?"
"Arizona?" That got a smile before turning more serious.
"Why'd you have a half empty bottle of wine in your fridge when you don't drink regularly?"
"For when I entertain people."
"You always go for girls who drink white wine?"
"No, I mean when I have friends round. I don't ever invite woman back here."
"Because then they're less of a stranger."
"You are getting really good at seeing what I don't say."
"Well you're worth paying attention to. So how come I get to see the inside of your apartment?"
"You know why." Callie placed a feather light kiss of her neck and she melted.
"I meant what I said at the hospital you know?"
"I know but I'm not ready to say it back yet. I'm sorry."
"Hey, you'd be crazy to say something so huge after only a month."
"So you're crazy then?" They stood in sweet silence until Arizona pointed at the photos in front of them.
"So who are this lot then?" Callie explained about all of the pictures and who was in them until there was knocking at the door. She moved towards the door until she was pulled back.
"I can collect pizza Arizona."
"Fine but here's the money." She said as she took the cash out of her pocket. "You want a drink?"
"Please." Without even asking, she went and poured Callie a glass of lemonade before sitting on the sofa next the Latina.
They ate and talked openly about their families and eventually she got up the courage to ask:
"Can I ask about your brother?"
"Tim? He was my best friend growing up because we moved around so much. Well, him and Nick- this boy we always ended up being stationed with." A warm smile formed at the memories; then it vanished. "Every man in our family for generations had joined the military so it wasn't a shock when Tim did." She shrugged. "He had already completed a couple of tours but the last one he didn't come back alive."
Callie moved to pull her into her lap and hold her close.
"He'd be so proud of what you've become since, right?" Arizona nodded against her chest. "Are you working tomorrow?"
"No, why?"
"Would you like to spend the day with me?"
"I'd love to."
"Well Saturdays I spend at the centre; I know it's not massively romantic but..."
"I'd love to."
"I can give everyone the update on James." His mother had phoned during their meal to say that he had woken up but was still groggy. "We can visit him first though."
"Sounds great." After a long pause,
"Arizona?" The blonde pulled back to look her in the eye.
"Calliope?" Causing both woman to smile.
"I have no right to ask this..." She was interrupted by another delicate kiss.
"I'm gonna need some PJ's"
"You'll really stay?"
"Don't be so surprised."
By 10 o'clock, both were now back in bed facing each other.
"You know, just cause I have to sleep a lot doesn't mean you do."
"I'm actually pretty tired and I like watching you sleep."
Callie pretended to get out of bed, "Weirdo." Once the giggles had died down, Arizona stretched out her hand and caressed a tanned cheek. She slowly began to run it through dark hair before Callie removed it.
"Why won't you let people run their hands through your hair?"
"Arizona, that's an easy one." The Latina stated with the usual sad smile.
"Scar."
"Scar." Callie confirmed.
"It will bother me as much as this one." Arizona gently trailed her fingers across a scar on the other woman's lower abdomen. It must have been an appendectomy in the days before laparoscopic techniques.
Smiling at the contact, she replied "Having my appendix removed is..." But she sighed heavily and gave up. Callie reached over and took the pale hand and placed on her own head. "Happy now?"
Arizona applied a little pressure and felt an indentation in the top, right side. It wasn't huge but it was definitely noticeable.
"It's not so bad." She finally supplied.
"It's kind of a symbol for everything that could go wrong here." The blonde shook her head and kissed the scar before allowing Callie to snuggle in close to her chest.
"Time to sleep now."
"Now who's ordering who?"
"Goodnight Calliope."
"Goodnight."
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The next morning Callie woke Arizona up by gently blowing on her earlobe. The blonde scrunched up her face at the ticklish sensation and rolled away from Callie's laughing. She turned off of her stomach however, when the brunette began kissing her neck.
"Morning."
"Morning." Callie replied as she leant over Arizona. She then dipped her head down and kissed pink lips with all the love she had. After a few minutes they broke for air. "I need to get ready." She said regretfully.
"Okay, I'll get breakfast." With another peck on the cheek Arizona left the room.
When Callie was dressed she stood in the doorway for a few minutes until Arizona caught her staring.
"What?" The blonde asked with a hint of self consciousness. The Latina just walked and sat down at the breakfast bar.
"You're just incredibly beautiful."
"Charmer." Arizona sat in the chair next her and placed to plates of eggs and bacon down. When she noticed the look on Callie's face she asked, "Is this okay."
"Yeah," She paused to wipe a stray bit of ketchup from the Surgeon's lip, "It's just not what I normally have for breakfast."
"What do you normally have?"
"Oatmeal and a fruit smoothie."
"Wow, that sounds mind-numbingly healthy." Arizona joked.
"Yeah well it helps to be healthy."
"What? Helps your head?" Callie smiled when the blonde spoke like she was asking about the weather,
"Yeah you know, eat well and keep fit means I get tired less easily."
"Sorry for ruining your programme."
"Please you couldn't ruin anything if you tried." She spoke absent minded, eating without concern. "It tastes too good anyway. And I slept better than in a long time, so thank you."
"My pleasure."
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Arizona drove both women back to the hospital because Callie had had to leave her car there the day before. After dropping the brunette, she went home to shower and change. When she got back to James's room, she couldn't quite bring herself to go in.
Instead she stood at the window, watching the two interact. They were like old friends. She suddenly felt somebody stood next to her and when she saw that it was Mrs. Harris, she smiled warmly.
"He is doing a lot better today."
"Yes," The mother replied, "He seems to be okay for the most part. We're at the glad he's alive stage but beyond that there is no way to tell if he is okay until he gets out of here. She seems to be doing better as well, thank you."
"Why are you thanking me?" Confused by the older woman's powers of perception.
"Oh please, even James could sense the tension between you two, and he was comatose." She joked. "Then you came back here and listen to us for a bit but you never took your eyes off of her. And then you walked her out of here. It doesn't take a genius. You're still staring by the way."
Arizona was pulled out of her gaze and asked "How did you know? Yesterday you looked at her and just knew she was shutting down. Is it every time she's tired?"
"No and if you start searching for it, you will go crazy and so will she. If you spend enough time around somebody with an ABI, you get good at spotting the signs. Mainly there is a look in their eye."
"Glazed over?" Arizona could remember from two nights ago.
"Yeah but even then there a differences and each sufferer has different effects."
Arizona ran her hands through her hair. "You will get there eventually." Mrs. Harris insisted.
It was at that point that Callie came out of the room.
"Hey Janet, he's doing well."
"He is."
"Where's Tom?"
"Oh, on the phone to his sister, giving her an update." The brunette then asked Arizona:
"Are you ready to go?"
"Whenever you are."
"Are you going to Adams' house today?" Janet asked.
"Yeah, I'm gonna introduce her to the rabble." Callie explained as she put an arm around the blonde's waist.
"Well say hello to everyone from me." She then went into her son's room and left the two women to walk to Callie's car.