10am

I'm feeling pretty good about myself right now – yup I definitely did good. It must be written all over my face because a couple of the nurses are looking at my strangely. Well I do look a little out of place in orthopedics with their harsh color schemes and serious expressions.

"Can I help you Doctor?"

I can't help but jump a little as one of the nurses bring me out of my thoughts. She's peering at me curiously, her lips forming a hard line instead of the smiles that I'm usually greeted with by the PEDS nurses.

"I'm just waiting on Cal...Dr. Torres, I have a chart I want her to take a look at"

Smooth Arizona, real smooth. A couple of the nurses snigger and nudge each other. Wait, are they laughing at me? It's not until I thrust my hands into my pockets defiantly that I realize I don't have a chart in my hand...shoot!

"Okayyyy...I can have her paged if you like, she was paged to neurology..."

As if on cue the elevator doors ping open and out steps Calliope she looks tired but beautiful. As soon as she sees me her face lights up as she flashes me her megawatt smile. It might sound really cheesy but when she looks at me like that it makes me knees weak and although it might be too soon for me to be thinking like this I hope that feeling never goes away.

"Dr. Robbins are you causing trouble for my nurses?"

I can tell she's joking by the playful tone of her voice but it does nothing to stop my cheeks flush with embarrassment.

"Dr. Torres - Mr. Jackson in room 214 wanted to speak with you , the discharge papers for Mrs. Davis are ready for you to sign, your 12:30 hip replacement has been moved back til 3 and Dr. Robbins here wants you to review a chart"

I notice some of the nurses share a smirk, I am a constant source of amusement to these people? I am Arizona Robbins, I am freaking awesome! I came here for a reason and I will complete my mission.

"Ah yes, may I speak with you privately?"

I grab her arm and drag her down the corridor and out of sight.

"Calliope – would you like to join me for dinner tonight?"

I know I seem really lame right now but I know Calliope needs this, even if she didn't ask, I need to treat her like a princess. Besides I have plans for tonight, we are well over due our official third date, not counting lunches, or on-call room make out sessions or comforting her after too much red wine and the heartbreak of losing her family becomes too much.

"What's with the formality...oohh"

I really need to work on my face not been so expressive, she can read me like a book - if the quirk of her eyebrow is anything to go by and for the second time in our brief encounter I feel my skin blush. Rocking back on my heels, I give her a slight nudge with my elbow and reassuring smile.

"Sooooo is that a yes?"

"No"

Wait - this was not how this was supposed to go. Getting a table at this place is nearly impossible, I was only able to score a reservation because of my super surgeon skills – well not quite but the parents of a young girl I successfully operated on this morning are determined to not to leave her bedside so offered their reservation to me rather than it going to waste. I've been looking for somewhere amazing to take Calliope on a date, granted over-priced French food wasn't my thing but Callie grew up with money, all her life she's been accustomed to the finer things in life and I have this need to give her everything her heart desires.

"I mean I do want to bu.."

She's fidgeting with bottom of her scrub top, does that mean anything? Should I be concerned? No – I'm sure she's just nervous about the implications of this date – of "our night".

"Super – the reservations at 7 so I'll pick you up at 6"

I'm not the manipulative sort but I'm well aware that flashing my dimples and batting my eyelashes can get me a long way. I'm half way down the corridor when I hear her.

"Erm- Arizona...where are we going?"

Hmm to tell or not to tell..

"It's pretty fancy so dress up – I'm sure you'll look stunning in anything you wear Calliope"

10pm

My fingers clutch the wheel and I can't help but give her a long sideways glance. She looks stunning in her form fitting black dress, just looking at her makes me melt. Something's isn't right, I can see the gears turning in her head – she'd barely spoken to me since we'd arrived at the restaurant. I keep replaying the evening up until the moment her face twisted slightly, the atmosphere darkened and the flirty, witty banter I'd come to expect ceased. Maybe being at a fancy, romantic restaurant made her realize that dating a woman wasn't what she wanted – Sure I'd noticed the lingering looks, the not-quite polite whispers from strangers, but this was all new to Calliope. What if instead of further establishing a connection between myself and Calliope, I've only succeeded in pushing her back toward men?

As I pull up outside her apartment building I really don't know what to do. Sex is surely out of the equation…right?

"Thanks"

I know it's almost comical how quickly my head snaps up and I meet her gaze, it's the first time she's spoken the whole car ride. Just as the familiar sizzle I've become increasing excited about grows between us she looks away and clumsily begins to loosen her seatbelt. Ever the "gentlemen" I scramble to get out of the car to open her door. I feel my chances of a perfect end to the evening slipping away as she clambers out of the car, the whole time refusing to look up at me.

"I'm pretty tired, so…"

I'm not stupid, I know I'm getting the brush off and my stomach sinks as I'm certain this isn't about first time nerves.

"oh okay…Goodnight Calliope"

I know I must looks pretty pathetic as she walks away; she turns and offers me a sad smile and a flicker of something else. It's enough though, enough for me to keep fighting, for me to crave her more.

No, Arizona Robbins won't give this one up without a fight.