Characters belong to Shonda. The rest is mine.

Chapter Six

CALLIE'S POV

Okay, so my wife is the hottest thing on this planet. Who knew that a couple of weeks away from each other would cause the kind of reaction we had to each other last night? Mind-blowing? Earth shattering? No words can describe the night we have just shared, and honestly, I don't know that I will ever find the right words for it. I've woken after a few hours of sleep, and Arizona is still wrapped around me and right now, I think I may be more in love than I have ever been before. Maybe it's the fact that we are in a hotel room in Paris, maybe it's just because… I don't know. What I do know, though, is that no matter what this tour throws at us, we will be stronger than ever before. That I'm certain of.

Sure, there will be days when I'm moody because I haven't slept, or she will be moody because we will be virtually joined at the hip, but none of that matters. This is an experience I've always wanted to share with the only woman to ever have me begging on my knees, and I'm finally getting the chance to do so. I'm finally getting the chance to show Arizona the complete me. Everything that comes with Calliope Torres. Of course, she has experienced it all, pretty much, but I feel like her being here is truly going to show her how hard I work. How dedicated I am to my fans. How music has been my life until she came along. It's going to be awesome, and I'll be damned if anything or anyone gets in the way of that. Claire ruined it during my last tour, and I lost my wife for a long time, but not this time around. No way. I won't allow it to happen.

Blonde curls moving against my bare chest, I look down to find Arizona beginning to stir. She always looks adorable when she is sleeping, and I know she is worn out. She's had a long flight and an even longer evening. I'm aching all over, and I imagine she is too. Her sleepy blue eyes finding mine as she glances up at me, I give her a genuine smile and run my fingers through her hair. "Good morning, beautiful."

"Ouch!" She whines.

"Rough night?" I laugh. She buries her face in my chest and I simply lay back, holding her.

"Why am I in so much pain?" Mumbling, a smile settles on my mouth when I'm reminded of the fun we had last night.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe around 3 am when you put your leg u-"

"Okay, stop." She cuts me off and I raise an eyebrow.

"Well, if you are going to ask silly questions…"

"I didn't think I would hurt this bad." Our conversation is cut short when my cell phone buzzes on the table beside me. Picking it up, I check the message and the name scrolling across the screen. Steph. "Everything okay, Calliope?"

"Yeah. It's just Steph." I place my cell back down and shrug. "She wants to meet around midday."

"Oh, Steph." I sense a little uncertainty in my wife's voice, but I'll get a feel for her opinion before questioning her.

"Yeah. Darryl has pretty much handed everything off to her because he's been busy with some band in Utah. He asked me if it was okay, and she seems pretty good at her job, so… "

"I like her level of concern for your safety. I'll give her that." Arizona props herself up on her elbow and runs her fingertips over my chest.

"Yeah." I smile. "She is always worrying about me and the band getting too close to the fans. I don't see the problem but I guess she has a point. It only takes one crazy, right?"

"Right. So, what exactly does her job involve?" Drawing circles on my stomach, I immediately notice that my wife doesn't make eye contact with me. She's thinking and I don't like that.

"Arizona?"

"Mm.." She keeps her focus on my body. As much as I love her focusing on my body, I'd much rather have a conversation with her. I'd rather she told me how she was feeling instead of letting this eat away at her. I know her better than she knows herself.

"Baby, look at me." Her crystal blue eyes meeting mine, I know she is trying to hide her feelings. "Is everything okay?" She may have the most incredible eyes in the world, but something is missing from them right now. That spark isn't there.

"Sure, yeah." She shrugs. I know she isn't being honest with me, and I feel like we need to nip this in the bud before it escalates. If she allows anything to play on her mind, it will escalate.

"Talk to me, please?"

"About what?" She asks, quietly.

"About whatever it is that's on your mind." I curl my fingers and lift her chin to meet my gaze. "Talk to me."

"It's nothing." She shrugs, again.

"Okay." I unravel myself from my wife and sit up, swinging my legs over the edge of the bed. Time to try a different tactic.

"Where are you going?" She furrows her brow and settles back down onto the bed, the crisp white sheet wrapped around her gorgeous body.

"To meet with Steph," I say, nonchalantly.

"How long has she been working for you?" Arizona's words catch me by surprise and I know this is going somewhere. I wanted her to talk to me, but I didn't think that would involve her indirectly accusing me of something. Is she accusing me? Hold on, Torres…wait it out and see what she has to say.

"Since I started the tour, why?" Turning back to face my gorgeous blonde, she is toying with the edge of the sheet, her eyes anywhere but on my own.

"Why didn't you mention her?" My wife asks, and yeah, I guess she has a point.

"Why would I? There is nothing to mention, and you would have just freaked out. I wasn't keeping her from you, I promise you that."

"I know you weren't. I just thought you may have told me that you pretty much have a new manager."

"Oh, that only happened a few days ago," I state as I go about the hotel room, retrieving our clothes from the night before. "She started as a promoter."

"So long as she sees me as your wife, there will be no problems." My wife's words a little icy, I try to gauge how she is feeling.

"What else would she see you as?" I furrow my brow. "You are my wife."

"Someone working for you. Your photographer. I'm your wife before your photographer, Calliope, and it will always be that way."

"I know that." Moving back towards the bed, I take a seat and lace my fingers with Arizona's. "Don't worry about it, please?"

"I'm not worried, I just don't want the whole Claire thing again." Tightening her grip on my hand, I know exactly how she is feeling. I let myself trust too easily last time, and that only caused a tonne of issues. That will not be happening again. "You do remember how bad that got, right? I lost you, Callie."

"Steph isn't Claire. I can promise you that. She may be my manager, but I call the shots, Arizona. I say what goes. You will always come before any of this. You are all that matters."

"I trust you, it's everyone else around you that I struggle to trust. People haven't exactly made it easy for us, so you can see why I worry sometimes."

"Of course, I can." I smile. "You are here to enjoy this experience with me, though, and I won't let anyone get in the way of that. The slightest hint of anything suspicious, and they will be gone. Any of them. Hell, all of them if the time comes."

"I'm sure it won't." She laughs. "So, do I have to make my mark when I walk into this meeting?"

"Oh, please." I scoff. "Like you have to make your mark anywhere. Don't worry, everyone knows exactly who you are."

"What does that mean?" She furrows her brow and I give her a smile.

"It means that everyone involved on this tour knows better than to mess with you. It means that you are my beautiful wife and you are here as the other half of me. You being here completes me, Arizona."

"You mean that?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Giving my wife a confused look, I'm truly lost as to why she would think any different.

"I didn't want people to think that I'd come here to be the possessive wife. The untrusting kind."

"You aren't here because of that. You are here because I want you here and I had to bribe your boss." I laugh.

"You bribed Miranda?" The genuine shock on her face is enough to melt my heart.

"Well, yeah." I nod. "Like she was just going to let her editor leave for months. I didn't bribe her exactly, more like… beg."

"Aww, you begged Bailey for my services? That's adorable."

"Uh, pretty sure I received your services for free last night and this morning." Placing a kiss on Arizona's soft pink lips, I squeeze her ass and stand. "Now, are you coming to this meeting to dish out your demands, or?"

"Hell yeah." Jumping from the bed like a child, I motion for my wife to join me in the shower. If I'm going to get through this meeting unscathed, I need to relieve a little of that tension she has pent up. A tense Arizona is never good company for strangers.

Stepping into the restaurant we have planned to meet Steph at, Arizona takes me by the hand and pulls me a little closer to her. I know she is showing everyone that I belong to her, and I'm totally fine with that, but I really hope that she believes me when I say that there really isn't anything to worry about. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Just a little sore." She smiles and I blush. Not the response I was expecting.

Catching sight of Steph waving from the other side of the room, we head straight in her direction. Taking a seat at the table away from the other diners, we exchange pleasantries before checking out the wine menu. Glancing around, I'm thankful that the restaurant is quiet, and mainly consists of the older generation. Sometimes enjoying lunch in peace is perfect.

"So, how was your first night in Paris, Arizona?"

"Oh, it was amazing." My wife smiles as I squeeze her thigh underneath the table.

"That's great. Are you settled in? Can we get you anything at all?" Steph is just doing her job, but I can see the change in Arizona's body language.

"No, I have everything I need back at the hotel with Calliope." She smiles and eyes Steph.

"Excellent." My manager nods. "Okay, so let's get down to business, yeah?"

"What business is that exactly?" Arizona furrows her brow, and I too am a little confused.

"Y-Yeah, um…what business?" I sit forward in my seat a little.

"Well, we were looking at Callie's old promo pictures and we figured that we could use some new ones. Maybe in time for the next leg of the tour?"

"Um, I'm happy to take some new shots of my wife, but you do know that I'm not actually here for that?" Blue eyes find mine, and I give her a nod in agreement.

"Arizona isn't here to be the tours photographer, Steph. Did Darryl not inform you?"

"No, he didn't." She shakes her head and scoffs. "If you aren't here to photograph the tour, why exactly are you here?" Oh, that attitude will not work with Arizona.

"I'm here to tour with my wife. My magazine has asked that I follow her day to day and live her life, so I am. That doesn't mean I'm here to be the photographer, though. If Callie wants new shots, I'm more than happy to do them, but I don't actually work for you, or her." Good answer, baby. Settling back in her seat, she folds her arms across her chest and waits patiently for Steph to give her something, anything.

"Well okay then." Steph raises her eyebrow, clearly taken aback by my wife's words. "Now that we have that cleared up, you are more than welcome on the tour….providing you don't get in the way."

"Um, get in the way?" Arizona looks between us both.

"Steph, that's not necessary. Arizona is here, and she is here with me. She will be free to go wherever she likes, even if that means she is sat beside me at my piano during a show." I give my manager a hard glare and she just shrugs.

"Fine."

"Fine?" I scoff.

"Yeah, whatever you want to do, Cal." Steph stands and grabs her belongings. "Darryl asked me to manage you, and that's what I'm trying to do. If you don't want to cooperate, that's your choice." She holds up her hand. "Maybe you should find someone else…"

"That's a little dramatic, don't you think?" I stand and meet the other woman's gaze. "All I'm saying is that Arizona is here, and she has no intention of getting in the way. Whatever that means."

"I just don't want you to get caught up in your relationship while you're on tour, Callie." Turning to my wife, she gives her a sarcastic smile. "No offense, Arizona, but she needs to be mentally and physically prepared for every show. She can't turn up tired, or hungover, or late."

"Why would I allow her to be any of those things?" Arizona jumps back into the conversation but stays seated. "Callie's health and reputation mean everything to me."

"So we are all on the same page?"

"Well, I don't know what page you were even on to begin with, but yeah… whatever." Arizona shrugs. "I am here to do a job, just not the job you expect of me."

"Okay." Steph breathes out. "Take the day, Cal. Get yourself ready for tomorrow's show, and then we are back up in the sky." Steph gives me a slight nod of the head and turns to leave. "Guess I have to go find myself another photographer." I take a seat next to my wife and pull out my cell. I can see that Arizona is unhappy, but right now I have to fix the mess that has just been created.

I don't know what the hell that was about, but you won't speak to my wife like that again. If you don't want to do this, take it up with Darryl. C

I don't know what you mean. Steph x

"What the hell was that?" Arizona gives me an incredulous look. "Is my being here going to be a problem?"

"What? No. No way." I shake my head. "I honestly don't know what that was about."

"I don't want to cause any trouble on your tour, Calliope." Arizona sighs. "And I don't really want to sit here after that scene she has just caused." I could kill Steph right now. Last night was great, amazing even, and I felt like my life was falling back into place after being separated from my wife for a couple of weeks. Now, I feel as though Arizona doesn't want to be here. And I don't just mean in this restaurant, I mean in Europe with me. Watching as Arizona stands and straightens herself out, she turns and walks away.

"Arizona, wait." Throwing a bunch of Euro notes on the table, I follow her outside. It's a beautiful day in Paris, not too hot, but ideal for spending the day outside with the woman you love. I feel my chances of that happening lessening by the minute. "Arizona?"

Turning to face me, I find those blue eyes that belong to me filled with unshed tears. It breaks my heart to see my wife upset, but I honestly hadn't expected that reaction when she arrived here. "I'm heading back to the hotel, Callie."

"Then I'm coming with you," I state as I fall into step with her.

"No, you have things to be doing. I'll just see you back there when you've finished." Her voice a little broken, I take her hand in my own and lace our fingers. "I have to check on my equipment. Make sure it survived the flight. You go and be Callie Torres, Superstar."

"Nope." I shrug. "I don't have any place that I need to be. Except here, with you."

"I'm sure there is plenty you can be doing." She shrugs my hand away and crosses the street. My heart sinking into my chest, I find myself alone and watching her walk away.

Where are you? C

At my hotel. Checked on the guys and told them to take it easy tonight. Steph x

Meet me in your hotel lobby in 5. C

Okay. Everything okay? Steph x

It will be…

Crossing the familiar street I've spent my time on during this past week, I head towards the grand hotel that my new manager is staying at. I could kick Darryl's ass right now, but he's not here. I get that he needs to branch out and hand off some of his work, but if it's going to cause any problems in my life, he will have to find someone else to do whatever the hell it is he's doing back in the US. He knows what happened with Claire, and he knows that I'd happily walk away from this tour if it becomes an issue, so in my opinion, he needs to sort this out if I can't. I won't have Arizona feeling threatened, or spoken to the way she was a little while ago. I don't care what the job title is, it won't happen again. Stepping into the hotel, I'm greeted with a megawatt smile from Steph. She knows I'm not happy, and her usual smiley face isn't going to work with me right now. "You can stop with that innocent smile shit!" I step up to her and take her by the arm, pulling her into the bar area of the hotel. "Sit."

"Whoa, chill out, Cal." She takes a seat at the bar and she gives me a smirk.

Lowering my tone, I move in a little closer to my manager. "Stop fucking about, Steph."

"Excuse me?" She scoffs.

"The attitude with my wife. What is your problem?"

"I don't have an attitude. I don't care who Arizona is, if she's going to lead you astray, we won't work."

"Lead me astray? I'm not fucking five years old, Steph. I've been doing this a lot longer than you. My wife has been sent here to do a job. Sure, that job is me, but it's still a job to her. One which she will take very seriously." I state. "She didn't get to where she is now by fucking around."

"Then there won't be any problems." She shrugs. Her nonchalant response to my anger is enough to make my blood boil but I'm trying to keep my cool.

"No, there won't be any problems." I agree. "You upset her again, or try to pull something like that again, and you'll be out on your ass. I'll make sure no one wants to work with you."

"I thought we were friends." My managers gaze dropping to the table between us, I wonder if I'm being a little harsh. No, I'm not.

"We are friends, Steph. You are excellent at your job, even Arizona made a comment about your concern for safety. I just can't allow you to speak to my wife like that. She's a good person, and damn good at her job." I run my fingers through my hair. "Yes, Darryl should have told you about her reason for being here, but he didn't… and that isn't mine or Arizona's problem. It's bad communication on his part, and I'll speak to him about it."

"I'm sorry. It's just, this is my first time managing and it's huge for me. I don't want anything to go wrong."

"Nothing will go wrong. Just keep doing your job and we will all get along just fine. Yeah?" I give her a genuine smile and she returns one of her own. "We've had a bad experience before while I was away on my last tour. We are both just a little on edge, Arizona more so than me."

"A bad experience?" Steph furrows her brow.

"Yeah, with one of the girls who used to work for me. I lost Arizona, and I almost quit my tour."

"So she is worried about my intentions?" She nods to herself. "I get it. You really don't have to worry about me, though."

"I know we don't, but Arizona has never met you before so you can see why she was a little wary when you questioned why she was here. Just get to know her, she's awesome."

"I'd like to apologize?" She gives me a questioning look.

"I'm sure she will accept your apology, just give it a few hours." I climb down from my stool. "She left me in a mood, so I'm going back now to fix it." I sigh. "Just, let us do our thing, okay?"

"Sure, Cal, and I really am sorry. I don't want to have any enemies on this tour, especially not your wife. Go and spend some time with her." Giving her a slight nod, I make my way out of the hotel bar and back onto the street. My hotel is only a block down from where I am, and the sooner I get there, the better. The one thing I know for sure right now is that I have to have Arizona on this tour with me.

Thanks for reading, guys. Reviews are welcome and appreciated as always.