It's You, It'll Always Be You
Chapter 6
[Flashback]
"These were left outside the door…..again," Arizona's roommate, Miranda Bailey, grumbled as she brought in the seventh bouquet of flowers in as many days. "And another 'I'm sorry' card was taped on the door. She's persistent, Arizona. So she's either a crazy, creepy stalker girl, or she's really sorry and cares a lot about you."
"Aww, Bailey…"
"And coming back to all these flowers and 'I'm sorry, I'm stupid' cards are driving me insane. Now go get your stuff figured out, you dang fool."
"And now the moment's gone."
"You're being ridiculous, Robbins. So she was a little freaked out. I would be too if some overly perky blonde was trying to get in my pants."
"Hey, watch with the insults. You'd be lucky if I even just planted one on you."
"You're so full of yourself!"
"No, I'm just hot and I know it. Besides, everyone loves a blonde-haired, blue-eyed all-American girl from the South," Arizona joked in a playful manner, throwing in a wink for some added effect.
"Especially this one here who keeps bringing by flowers and cards." Arizona stopped her giggling and was silent once Bailey mentioned Callie. "Why are you fighting her so hard? I can tell that she isn't just one of your flings or one night stands because they wouldn't have affected you like this. So what's got you so hung up? Was she that good in bed?" Bailey teased.
"I never slept with her, actually. So thank you very much, Bailey!" Arizona countered.
Bailey looked at her rather shocked. "Is that so? This one must be special then."
Arizona groaned, "I'm so torn, Bailey. You're right about her though, she is special. I think that I might have developed feelings for her." Bailey's silence indicated she was waiting for Arizona to elaborate. "I don't want her to be just a fun tumble in the sheets, you know? I actually want to sit down and get to know her over dinner. I want to go dancing, see movies, walk through parks, and all those other typical date-like stuff with her. I want her to meet and hang out with my friends. I want to introduce her to my family!"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on there, tiger. How long have you known this girl?"
Arizona embarrassedly looked down at her feet, a slow blush creeping up her cheeks. "I met her at the end-of-the-year party." Bailey's jaw dropped in surprise and was about to say something when Arizona quickly interrupted her. "I know that it hasn't been that long, but there are some things that you just know. And I know that she makes my heart beat faster whenever I'm around her. I know that I feel all warm inside when her hand is intertwined in mine. I know that when she looks deep into my eyes, I feel like she can see my soul. And I know that sounds really lame, but it's like when I first saw her, I was automatically drawn in. I just… I feel like I belong when she's by my side. Call me crazy. Call me a perky blonde who's a hopeless romantic, but Calliope makes me feel something that I haven't ever felt for anyone else before."
"Calliope? Like Callie Torres, Calliope?"
"Oh yeah, that's right. I forgot people call her Callie," Arizona half-laughed.
"Wow, I didn't see that one coming. Callie is a great girl though. Very dedicated to making it through and proving herself. And she isn't hard on the eyes. I can see why you'd go after her." Bailey snickered.
"You're impossible! I thought I just told you that I'm starting to get emotionally attached to her."
"Okay, well if you're actually starting to like her, like her, then why are you avoiding her? She's said that she's sorry. I've heard that she even tried knocking on the door a couple times from some of the girls in the hall to apologize to you. She wants to talk to you, Robbins. You should give her a chance."
"But that's what scares me! I'm scared to give her a chance because that only leads to me getting my heart broken. I've done just fine the past three years here not getting romantically involved with anyone and then one girl, one amazing, wonderful, extraordinarily beautiful girl catches my eye and I am at her mercy. I feel like I'm allowing myself to be vulnerable with her and it frustrates me that I feel so strongly for her already. I am avoiding her because I feel like it's the only way I can control my emotions right now. I pretty much already forgave her the moment I heard her voice again a week ago. That's just how I am with her. I melt immediately and I just want to be in charge of something. Because I sure as Hell am not in control of my feelings. So I just- I need-" Arizona started breaking down and crumbled to the ground.
Bailey quickly rushed to Arizona's side and pulled her in close. Hey, shh…don't cry. It's okay, Arizona. It's okay. Don't cry. Everything will be alright." She repeated soothing words of comfort while Arizona cried out her bottled up emotions. When she seemed to calm down, Bailey pulled Arizona up, making her sit up straight and wiped away her last remaining stray tears. "Just for the record, this didn't happen. I am still The Nazi Bailey."
Arizona smiled at Bailey's humor. "Of course, Bailey. Of course. My lips are sealed."
"Glad we understand each other. Now how about you go and make up with your girl?" Arizona's smile widened as she nodded her agreement to Bailey's suggestion.
"God, I really am stupid, Addie. I finally find an amazing person who seems genuine and who I have some pretty strong feelings for and I go and hurt her before I could even tell her how she makes me feel. I've been trying to do these sweet gestures like leaving flowers and 'I'm sorry' cards telling her what an idiot I am. I even showed up at her door a few times to try to talk to her. But she doesn't want anything to do with me. I feel like the damage is done and I'm trying to fix something that doesn't want fixing."
"Well if she doesn't want fixing, Callie, then why are you trying to fix her?"
"Because I hurt her, Addison! I want her to know how sorry I am and for her to see it in my eyes that I'm sincere. She thinks that I'm trying to play games with her feelings and that's the furthest thing from the truth. I need her to know that she wasn't just some experiment for me; that I wasn't just curious what it would be like to kiss a girl and then realize that it wasn't for me. I want to tell her that-" Callie was interrupted by a knock on her door. She walked over to the door and was surprised to see who was standing behind it. "Arizona…" It came out as a whisper.
"Hi," Arizona said shyly. "Can we talk?"
"Umm…sure. Of course, yeah." Callie barely got out, still a little stunned to see Arizona at her doorstep. "Would you like to come in or go somewhere else to talk or-"
"Right here is fine."
"Oh, uhh, okay. Come on in then."
"Addison. I wasn't expecting you here."
"Hi, Arizona. Sorry, I was just on my way out." Addison said quickly making her way out the door. "It was nice seeing you again!"
"Bye!" Silence. "So…"
"I'm sorry." They both blurted out at the same time. They looked up at each other and started laughing.
"What are you sorry for?" Callie asked. "I am the only one who should be apologizing here. I mean, I was the one who ran away scared and didn't call or explain or anything like that."
"Yeah, that may be true, but you still tried to talk to me eventually and I brushed you off. I didn't even allow you to really talk to me. I let my anger and my hurt get the best of me and I didn't give you a chance to tell me what was going on through your head. I get it. I kissed you and it was out of line. So-"
"Please don't be sorry for kissing me."
"You mean you don't regret it?"
"Not for a second."
"Then why did you run?"
"I… You scare me…"
"I scare you? I can assure you, Calliope, that I am not a scary person."
"You're anything but, Arizona. It's just… I haven't been able to get you out of my head since we met at that party. I always want to be around you, talking to you, laughing with you, making you smile, holding you hand, and it's just all happening way too fast. I've never felt like this towards anyone I've ever met in my life and especially not so soon after meeting them. This past week I've been so terrified that I blew it and that I would never see you again. That I would never see your golden blonde hair, your beautiful, dimpled smile, your incredible sapphire eyes, or hear your soothing voice. I hardly know you, but I know enough to know that you're special. I know enough to know that I want you and I want this, whatever this is, because I have a feeling that you'll be worth it. And call me crazy or naïve or whatever else you can think of, but I want this with you. I want another chance."
Arizona was speechless for a moment, taking in Callie's words and letting them settle in her mind. Callie's confession was a lot to take in, but she smiled a genuine, heart-warming smile at Callie, which eased some of the built up tension in her body. "Yes," was all she answered with.
"Yes?" Callie questioned, unsure if she heard right.
"Yes, yes! Calliope, yes! I came down here to tell you that I can't stop thinking about you either and that I keep replaying our time together and shaking my head at myself for being so dumb. Because I accept your apology 100% and it was cruel of me to make you worry like that for a week. To tell you the truth, I had pretty much already forgiven you when you tried talking to me a week ago. So yes, I say yes to you, to us, to whatever this is."
Callie didn't know how to express her happiness in words and decided to let her actions speak for her by closing the gap between her and Arizona and pressing another breathtaking kiss upon Arizona's lips.
[Present Time]
Callie awoke the next morning to find that she was alone in the bed and that the spot where Arizona should have occupied was empty and cold. She grabbed a sweater that was hanging off the back of the door and pulled it on as she walked out into the kitchen in search of Arizona. She found her sitting at the breakfast bar holding a cup of coffee and looking deep in thought. "Hey, there you are. Good morning." Callie chimed, breaking Arizona out of her daze.
"Good morning, Calliope. Did you sleep well?" Arizona nervously smiled.
"The best sleep I've gotten in a really long time. I forgot how good it felt to sleep in a real bed next to something warm," Callie laughed, but she stopped when she saw that Arizona wasn't exactly laughing with her. "Hey, are you okay?" she asked, concern evident in her voice.
"What? Yeah, I'm fine. Do I not look okay?"
"No, you look perfect. I just thought-never mind. So what are you doing out here all by your lonesome?"
"I was just thinking about some stuff."
"What kind of stuff?"
"Oh you know, just some stuff. I was also thinking about making some breakfast, but then I remembered that I still burn eggs and so I just made some coffee instead."
"Ha, so I see that still hasn't changed. Let me take care of the breakfast then. You just keep supplying me with coffee and we'll be even."
"Calliope, you don't have to go through all that trouble just to-"
"Arizona, it would be the least I can do. You have been taking such good care of me that this is just a start for how I can repay you. Would it be too much to expect that you went grocery shopping between now and the last time I was here?" Arizona's blush was all the confirmation Callie needed. "Well then, how about we go shopping for some decent food at that little shop down the street and allow you to have a real breakfast for once?"
"That sounds fantastic."
"Great. Now go get dressed. I still want to get back the hospital to stay with my father some time today." Callie smiled as Arizona nodded and retreated back to her bedroom to change. Arizona emerged soon after and they were off to the shop.
They returned about forty minutes later after goofing around for a majority of their shopping trip, making them take longer than it should. Callie set aside the food she'd need to cook a full breakfast while Arizona put away the others that weren't needed at the time but were bought anyways because they were "necessities", according to Callie. "Now, watch and learn how the master does it." Callie joked while getting comfortable in Arizona's kitchen.
By the time she was done, Callie had made waffles, bacon, sausage, eggs, and cut up some fresh fruits for the ultimate complete breakfast. "Mmm…" Arizona couldn't contain her delighted moan. "Calliope, this is absolutely delicious."
"Glad to know I still have that special touch," Callie smiled, taking a bite of her own breakfast.
In so many ways, Arizona couldn't help thinking to herself. "Glad to see that you're still your confident self," Arizona smiled back.
They shared a light conversation over breakfast and before they knew it, it was already approaching ten o'clock. "I should really get going," Callie said as she cleared away her dishes. "Never know when daddy could wake up and I don't want him to be alone and think I left him there."
"No, no. Of course. You go ahead. I'll take care of this."
"Thank you," Callie said as she walked past Arizona, giving her a kiss on the cheek on the way to the bathroom. Arizona stood frozen in her place for a bit, hand up to her face, tracing over the spot where her skin was tingling after Callie brushed her lips against it. She smiled to herself slightly before shaking herself out of it and continued cleaning up. Not too long after, Callie came back out, dressed and ready to go. "So do you have work today?"
"Yeah, but not for a couple hours though. I have to take care of a couple things before I go in, so I'll see you later?" Things like think about what I'm doing and what I'm doing to Caitlin and figure out if I can handle being around you so much and cuddling in my bed or having breakfast with you.
"Oh, okay. I'll see you later then. Thank you so much again for letting me crash here last night."
"Don't mention it, really. I was glad to have you over," Arizona flashed her a smile to reassure the ever worrying brunette.
"Still. Not many people would do that for me. Especially considering-"
"Well, I'm not like many people. So you're lucky there."
"No. You are most certainly not. Lucky me," Callie agreed, smiling at Arizona and pulling her in for a hug. "Catch you later." With one last kiss to Arizona's forehead, she grabbed her bag and was out the door.
Once Callie shut the door, Arizona trudged over to the couch and collapsed onto it, letting out a pained sigh as she did. What have I gotten myself into? She thought. I can't be around Calliope like this for very much longer without doing something stupid. I need to remember that she's only going to be here until what's going on with her dad is situated, and then she's right back to San Francisco and into George's arms. She's still married and I am not a home wrecker. And neither is Calliope. She knows that I'm in a committed relationship with Caitlin and she respects it. I just need to make it through the next couple weeks and I'll be okay. She'll be there and I'll be here and everything will be back to normal. Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door and she got up to answer it.
"Calliope, did you forget something- Caitlin! Hey, what are you doing here?" Arizona asked quizzically.
"Arizona, can we talk?"
Happy New Year everyone! What a better way to start the new year off than with an update from me, right? Haha, I'm just kidding of course. =P
Sorry this one took a while. I've been spending a lot of time with family and my new puppy and talking a lot to this special someone who just makes my heart smile. =]
And I've gotten a new story idea in my head that I've been trying to suppress so I could focus on this story. Coming up: In the flashback, you'll see more of their relationship and the beginning of what destroyed it. In the present time, a talk with Caitlin as Arizona struggles to figure out her feelings. I'm trying to make Caitlin a likable girl! Why does she seem to have a lot of haters out there? =O
As always, a huge thank you to those who offered their opinion on this story and I hope you continue to do so. I love and appreciate each and every one of you!