CalzonaFanatic101 – Hey! I remember you were one of my first reviewers! So glad to see you're sticking with the story, and thanks for the review! :)
Lianne47 – Once again a huge thank you to you for your undying loyalty in every single one of my chapters! I love your reviews so much dude!
And to all you other lovely peepuuullzz, thank you for the reviews – they really do make me feel awesome! And shout out to all the diehard Calzona fans, you guys should check out 'New York State of Mind' if you get the chance, cutest Calzona fic ever :)
anyways, hope you like the chapter!
Arizona had had a rough day. She'd lost a patient – always ten times more heartbreaking in peds than any other specialty – Karev had screwed up badly on a seperate surgery, she hadn't seen Addison all day, and Ellie appeared capable of inhabiting every possible department of the hospital Arizona went to.
Stretching out stiff back muscles, she flipped the heating on, grabbed a pack of double choc-chip cookies and headed for the welcoming couch. Flopping down with an audible sigh, she reached for the remote and lazily flicked through Sky recordings until she found her desired CSI episode. Settling back into the couch, she finally allowed herself to relax.
Around two minutes in a light buzz from her left pocket alerted her to a text. Pulling out her phone, her heartbeat stuttered as the name 'Addison Montgomery' flashed up on the screen.
I missed you today x
Arizona grinned to herself and settled down further into the couch as she replied.
I missed you too. I meant to come see you for lunch, but I got caught up in surgery. It wasn't nice. X
I heard about that, I told Webber I should have been there, but he's had me doing neuro all day with Derek, he thinks it'll help him – me being there. X
With his sister issue? X
Yeah. Which of course I don't mind, but I really needed to talk to you. X
Oh? X
I spoke to Teddy yesterday. X
Arizona's throat tightened as she read. The TV was long forgotten as she typed a hasty reply
You did? What did she say? X
She strummed her fingers impatiently against the side of the couch as she waited for a reply. Several minutes passed. It didn't come. She checked and re-checked her phone even though she knew nothing was there. What would Teddy have said? Could she have scared her off? Her panicked thoughts were interrupted by a sharp knock at the door.
Addison.
Tipping the cookie packet on the floor as she heaved herself from the couch, she reached the door and flung it open, expecting to see her favourite person in the world stood there. Her eyebrows flew up in surprise when she saw it was not Addison, but Callie stood at the door. Arms folded tightly, glowering at her.
"Calliope! To what do I owe the pleasure?"
Her upbeat chirpy tone did nothing to lighten the shadowy glare of the brunette, who regarded her coolly.
"Can I come in?" She asked gruffly.
Arizona's smile faltered slightly at her serious tone.
"Um, sure! Come on in." She stood back and let the surly latina into her somewhat messy apartment, or 'organised clutter' as she preferred to think of it as.
"So what can I do for ya? Can I get you a drink?"
Callie glanced at the fridge and almost smiled at the little doctory magnets on it, a mini stethoscope, a thermometer, and a red cross were the first of many she spotted before chastising herself for the distraction. Cute and quirky as it may be, this was no time for humour.
"No thank you. I just want to talk."
"Okay?" Arizona asked uncertainly as she automatically pulled out a kitchen chair, sensing it was going to be one of 'those chats.'
Callie advanced and leaned forward, resting her arms on the back of another one of the chairs, so she was facing the blonde.
"Addison is my best friend." She began, looking to the blonde for a tell-tale reaction, but there was none. Cool blue orbs stared back at her.
"She's my best friend, and I love her to bits. So, if anyone – anyone – was to pose a threat to her I would have to intervene. Do you get where I'm going with this?"
Arizona squinted at her in confusion. "...No?"
Callie tutted in annoyance and stood up straight.
"Okay then I'll spell it out for you. This whole two-timing thing you've got going? - and don't pretend to be innocent because I saw you with my own eyes – Well yeah, that's gotta stop. And you have to choose. I honestly thought you were better than this Arizona, I thought you were one of the good ones. But whatever, I've been wrong about people before. So, you'd better pick one or the other, and you'd damn well better do it soon, because it's not fair – to either of them. I hope you pick Addie, I really do, because she's like a kid at a fucking candy store right now because of you." She pointed a finger at her. "And it'll be down to you if she gets hurt. If you dump her and pick Ellie, it'll be painful for her but she'll get over it. If she finds out you're cheating on her? That'll destroy her, and I can't allow that to happen. She's only just gotten over Derek. So, I'm giving you three days. If you haven't made a decision by then, I'm telling both of them. Understand?"
She maintained eye contact with Arizona throughout, her icy gaze silently demanding an answer.
Arizona sat back in disbelief. "You've got it all wrong Callie. I'm not a cheater, I would never do that to Addison. Never. You've.. You've got it all wrong." She repeated, hoping her honesty would convey through her eyes. Callie scoffed.
"Well what I saw in the on-call room suggests I've got a lot of it right to be honest."
Arizona's mouth flew open in chagrin. "Are you calling me a liar?"
"Are you saying you weren't in the on-call room with Ellie?"
"What?! Well.. Yeah.. No!"
"So you didn't come running out, crash into me, and run off, for her then to come out the same room a few seconds later, looking guilty?"
Arizona was caught off guard, and her hands flew about defensively as she spoke.
"Well I.. She.. I was but she came in! I didn't.. I didn't know she was there!"
"Were you or were you not in the on-call room together?!"
Arizona growled in frustration and thumped her fist on the table. "Yes Calliope, yes we were – but it wasn't what it looked like!"
Callie barked out a laugh.
"Whatever Arizona, you keep convincing yourself. I honestly thought you were better. But, I guess you are who you are. You have three days."
Arizona sucked in her cheeks as she regarded this woman, furious but knowing she'd better not open her mouth of she'd say something she'd regret – she was Addison's best friend after all. Instead she just exhaled loudly through her nose, folded her arms and waited, staring the brunette down.
Callie nodded though nothing had been said, and turned to leave, slamming the door behind her for good measure.
Arizona sat there for a while, replaying the conversation in her mind. She rubbed the heels of her hands against her eyes, at a loss for what to do. Suddenly she remembered her phone and went back to the sitting room, finding it on the floor along with the cookies. Picking it up, she saw Addison's reply had come through ten minutes ago.
I can't really explain it all over text and I'd rather speak to you face to face. Can we talk tomorrow? X
Arizona groaned as she read it. This was definitely about Ellie. What had Teddy said? Whatever it was, she needed to know. Tapping out a quick reply promising to meet tomorrow, she closed the messages and quickly found Teddy's number, hitting 'ring.' She picked the cookies up and broke one in half as she waited. It continued to ring until she was greeted with Teddy's professional voicemail. Huffing, she threw the phone on the couch, and paced around for a while. Eventually, she flung herself back down, and grabbed the phone again.
She would order a chinese, and try to forget about it tonight. She hit rewind on CSI and replayed from where she'd missed, accepting the fact that this would all have to be dealt with in the morning.
April Kepner found herself yet again outside the same brown door, with the same nerves floating round her body as she waited. She'd spent more time with Hahn in the past week than she cared for, still not quite clear as to why she was on this 'mission' but eager to get it over with. Finally, the door opened and Erica's stern blue eyes appeared.
"Come in."
She swiftly turned and the door shut in April's face. Rolling her eyes, she opened it again and followed the attending in. Knowing there was never any small talk involved, she got straight to it.
"Meredith has made up with Derek – he came round last night, and she seems to be helping him through his family crisis. They were talking for hours. All is still well with her and Cristina, and uhh... She's going to Joe's at some point soon.. And that's all I really know for this week." She said, picking at her sleeve. Erica looked at her. "Okay, thank you, all I needed to know."
Nodding awkwardly, April left, glad to be out of her presence once more.
Erica went back to her charts, making a mental note to tell Callie of Derek and Meredith's reconciliation.
Addison entered the cafeteria, making her way through the hussle and bustle until she spotted that gorgeous blonde hair. Making a beeline for the table, her heart sank slightly as she realised Arizona was not alone. Accompanied by Callie and Erica, and of course, Teddy. Addison's pace subconsciously slowed as she approached, and she briefly debated avoiding them and seeing Arizona later. The thought didn't last long as Callie spotted her and waved, alerting the table to her presence.
Oh well.
There was a choice of two chairs, one next to Arizona – which Addison presumed she'd saved – or one next to Erica – which she presumed was vacant out of fear. Feeling Teddy's attentive eyes on her, Addison strained a smile at them all and dropped down next to Erica, ignoring Arizona's quizzical look.
"Montgomery" Erica nodded in greeting, but no one else spoke. Callie's eyes glued to Arizona, Teddy's to Addison.
"Have you seen Derek today?" Erica asked casually, twirling her fork round in her spaghetti.
"Nope, I was with him all day yesterday though, why?"
"You didn't see him last night?"
"Nope, he did some work on the house."
Callie and Erica looked at each other.
Addison didn't notice. "I think it helps, you know? Take his mind off things."
"Huh." Erica grunted, and the red head couldn't help but feel there was something sceptical in her tone. Disregarding it, she stared into her lap, wondering why no one else was talking. She looked up at Arizona, who looked back at her briefly, before her eyes flicked over to Callie, and she bit her lip and looked back down again, staring at the table. Addison frowned, and continued to stare at her, willing her to make eye contact again. Teddy cleared her throat and Addison suddenly looked down too, and began chewing on her finger – something she did a lot when she was either thoughtful or uncomfortable. Today it was the latter.
The table was silent as those who had food ate, though everyone could feel the tension in the air. Eventually, Erica spoke.
"So, who wants to talk about their religion?"
Callie snorted but again, thick silence dominated as they ignored the remark. About a minute of this discomfort passed, and Arizona was just about to steal a quick glance at Addison again when a husky, oozingly seductive voice that she was starting to very much dislike broke the silence from her left.
"Hey guys!"
Addison's skin prickled as she saw her, and she heard a small shuffle next to her as Erica placed a hand on Callie's arm. Of course, Ellie had only one chair open to sit in, and it was the one next to Arizona. Addison silently cursed herself for being such a chicken earlier as the girl grabbed it. But to her surprise, Ellie merely shoved it aside and flung herself bouncily onto Arizona's lap, throwing her arms round her. Arizona immediately froze, rooted to the spot, stiff as a board, and her pained expression desperately tried to communicate something to Addison. But the red head glanced over at Teddy, who had "told you so" written all over her face.
"Sooooo I was thinking we could go out tonight? Maybe dinner and a movie?" Ellie said as her hands began twirling a lock of Arizona's hair.
Addison's gut twisted into a knot.
"Excuse me, I've got to check on a patient." She left quickly, attempting to control her boiling blood.
"So?" Ellie asked again, and Arizona looked at her for the first time.
"Uhh not tonight I can't I've got.. Stuff.. I need to check on a patient too." She went to stand, making Ellie fall off her. "Sorry." She turned away, ignoring Teddy's frown, and hurried away.
Addison shut the store cupboard door behind her and pressed her back flat against the wall, exhaling loudly as a great tension left her shoulders. She needed a moment to breathe, to evaluate the meaning of what she had just seen. Was Teddy right? Could Arizona actually have something for this girl? The thought sent her heart lurching, and she closed her eyes as she tried to gather her thoughts. The door opened, and when she opened her eyes again her grey gaze connected with crystal blue. Arizona bit her lip timidly. "There you are."
Addison waited.
"I'm sorry about that."
"Sorry she did it or sorry she did it in front of me?" her tone was sharp.
"It wasn't what it looked like." She cringed as she said it, she'd uttered that cliché far too much lately.
Addison's nostrils flared. "Well do you want to tell me what it was then? Cos it looked to me like your date mounted you in the middle of the cafeteria, made plans for this evening, was all over you the entire time, whilst Teddy practically wet herself in excitement." She watched the blonde scuff her feet like an embarrassed teenager. "Don't fuck with me Arizona." The words were cold, and Arizona felt the sharpness of them as she looked up into Addison's bluntly honest face.
"I'm not. Ellie.. She just doesn't understand the word 'no.' I can promise you there's absolutely zero interest on my part."
"I see, so do you make a habbit of sleeping with people who don't interest you then? Don't all those boring people just drive you wild?"
"Don't be a smartass. That was once."
"Yeah but you still did it – so obviously you do have something for her."
Arizona threw her arms open in frustration.
"Well yes, just look at her! She's attractive sure, I slept with her based on that and only that, it was stupid I'll admit, but I didn't know she'd be so freakin' clingy! And besides, that was then and this is now."
Addison mockingly looked at her watch.
"Oh, what, right now? What's so different about now?"
Arizona's hands dropped to her sides.
"I thought I'd never have you then."
Addison blinked, shocked at her sudden tender honesty.
"You were with Derek that night, and the two of you were.." She thought for a moment, then shrugged. "Well you looked happy."
Addison rubbed the back of her neck and looked at the floor. "I remember."
"It didn't mean anything Addison. It was just sex. Nothing. You mean everything."
"But Teddy said it was going well between you guys and she-"
"Teddy wants it to go well between us because she thinks I'm still hung up over you. I swore I wouldn't tell anyone about us until you were ready, and I haven't. So the girl's just working with what she's got. She doesn't know, and she wants me to move on, so she set me up with someone new. It was just unfortunate she had to pick a god damn limpet."
Addison giggled in spite of herself, and Arizona visibly relaxed.
"Look." She said firmly, and out of nowhere Addison suddenly felt soft lips press against hers, as Arizona pulled her by her neck into a deep, meaningful kiss. Parting Addison's lips with her tongue and enticing a soft groan in response, Arizona brought her hands up and ran her fingers through red hair, pressing her palms flat against Addison's ears as she did so, blocking out all sound. With both her hearing and sight now impaired, Addison felt her heart's erratic beating, excitement coursing through her. Arizona's mouth became her world, her sweet scent served as Addison's own personal high as it invaded, and the feel of her body, her skin, her hair in the red head's hands was divine, sending electric pulses shooting through her veins. She could hardly move as her three remaining senses were consumed by all things Arizona, and she let out a loud moan of ecstasy into the blondes mouth as she melted in her arms. Arizona was everywhere, she was everything, and it was heaven.
It was only when Addison literally felt herself go weak at the knees, and her back began sliding slowly down the wall that Arizona stopped. Pulling away softly, she removed her hands from the other woman's ears, and trailed a soft line down her cheek to her jaw. Addison opened her eyes and her senses became her own once more as she returned from planet Arizona.
"You see?" The blonde said, their foreheads pressed together, both of them breathing heavily. "You. Are. Everything." She said, in-between swift kisses. "That is what you mean to me. Ellie is nothing, nothing to me at all. She's not you."
Arizona pulled back stared at her with such intense passion and honesty that Addison felt close to tears. No one had ever cared about her in such a way before, and she didn't know how to feel. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she burrowed her face into Arizona's neck, and spoke into her hair.
"I'm sorry I doubted you."
Arizona wrapped her arms around her, engulfing her in a warm, safe embrace. "It's okay." She replied simply. And a peaceful quiet fell among them.
They stayed like that for a while, each of them perfectly content in the others arms. Safe and happy in their own private little sanctuary.
"I just don't get it." Ellie exclaimed, flicking a fallen pea across the table.
"Get what?" Teddy asked.
With Callie and Erica having left shortly after Addison and Arizona, Teddy found herself alone at the canteen table with a very moody Ellie. She had sipped her fruit juice quietly whilst the brunette stewed in her own anger, patiently waiting for the outburst she knew would come. It looked like this was it.
"Arizona! I don't get Arizona!"
"What about her? I thought you guys were doing great?"
Ellie huffed. "Well I thought we were, after the night and all, and like I said – she's totally into me, but she keeps shunning me whenever I suggest anything! And I know it's not cos she's shy or anything.. She definitely proved that on our date.. So why does she keep blowing me off?" She pouted at Teddy, who realised this was her cue.
"She blows you off? How?"
Ellie widened her eyes obviously at her. "Well, duh! Did you not see her leave this table as soon as I asked about a date tonight?"
Teddy rolled her eyes. "Oh, that, yeah that's probably cos she didn't want to upset A-"
Oh crap
She abruptly shut her mouth, stopping herself before she finished the sentence. She knew it would be wrong to betray Arizona's trust like that, and it would definitely cause all sorts of fresh problems for Addison if people found out. She mentally bellowed at herself for being such an idiot. Arizona would have a hard time forgiving her if she'd let that slip.
"...Uhh, upset anyone." She finished lamely, not fast enough to think of anything that would make more sense.
Ellie's eyes narrowed. "Upset anyone? Who would she upse-" She suddenly gasped mid sentence as realisation hit her. "Oh my god, she likes someone else!"
congratulations Theodora, you're in shit.
Sighing in frustration at her own stupidity, Teddy decided to be honest. Or at least half honest, she'd always been a rubbish liar anyway.
"No, she doesn't.. Well, she thinks she likes someone, but trust me, you're better for her. This person is straight anyway to be honest. She just had a little... Moment of curiosity? I dunno, whatever you wanna call it. But yeah, it failed. So she'll eventually realise and get over it, and she'll see how good you are for her." Teddy finished with a reassuring smile in the hope it would put Ellie's mind to rest and thus she'd escape further questioning. It didn't.
"Who?! Who does she think she likes? Who is it?" The urgency in her voice was a little unnerving to the attending.
"Uhh.. She didn't say any names. I'm still trying to figure it out myself! She just told me the details." She giggled nervously, and shoved her straw in her mouth.
Ellie sat back thoughtfully, running an index finger over her lips.
"Look, Ellie, forget about it okay? It'll pass soon – like I said, she'll realise. You honestly have nothing to worry about, kay?"
"Oh no no!" Ellie said sweetly, and flashed her a giant, poisonous smile. "I'm not worried."
The rest of the day passed quickly, and Arizona spent most of her time trying to restore Alex's self confidence in his surgical skills. Since his major blunder with the patient she almost lost, he'd been pretty shaky. It was highly unusual she needed to step in with his surgeries lately, and this one had been pretty urgent, thus filling him with doubt.
But, by the end of the day he was smiling occasionally, and, seeing this as a good sign, she hoped he'd start to forgive himself. Everyone makes mistakes, he was just lucky his didn't cost a life. Hopefully he'd learn from it and come back stronger. With this positivity in mind, she strode through the lobby, and was pleased to see her favourite neonatal surgeon standing there, absorbed in her cell phone.
Ducking into her line of vision, Arizona raised a hand and waggled her fingers, and Addison looked up, her face cracking into a dazzling smile as she spotted her, and her memory instantly took her back to that store room.
"Hey!" She called. "Going home?"
Arizona came to a stop in front of her. "Yep, early finish – rare huh? What're you doing?" She gestured to the red head's long grey coat. "Going out?"
"I'm waiting for Derek, we're gunna take a walk. Talk about his plans with his sister – he's thinking of going over to L.A. for a bit to see her."
Arizona nodded. "Well that's good...That's awesome." She rocked back on her heels and looked at the floor. Addison studied her face, sensing there was something she wasn't saying.
"What's up?"
Arizona blew air upwards into her hair. "Okay, this is gunna sound really lame and all geeky high school kid, but, can we just.. Spend time with each other?"
Addison smiled fondly at her, admiring how cute she looked when she was embarrassed. "What?"
"Well I mean I know you're with Derek, and you still need to tell him and so we can't... 'Go there' yet, cos it wouldn't be moral and right and all that jazz, so I know I can't kiss you – that much – or touch you or anything like that yet, but.. I really, really like you Addie, and I miss you when you're not there, kiss or no kiss, touch or not, I miss you. I like just being with you. So can we? Just.. you know, be with each other? As like, friends on hold?"
Addison laughed. "Friends on hold?"
Arizona blushed. "Well I meant before you end it with Derek but it came out wrong." She mumbled.
Warmed by her little confession, Addison put an affectionate hand on the blonde's shoulder.
"Hey, friends on hold sounds awesome."
Arizona's huge grin was reciprocated as the red head pulled her in, enveloping her in a soft hug. Arizona wrapped her arms around Addison's waist. Pleased for the contact and knowing she'd miss it immediately when it'd gone. She rested her chin on Addison's shoulder, squeezing her tighter.
"Wait.. Do friends on hold hug?" She said into the read head's ear, and felt her chest vibrate as she laughed.
"Yeah, friends on hold hug." Addison replied softly, nuzzling into blonde locks.
Ellie felt her teeth grind as she watched from afar. Having followed Arizona down to the lobby, determined to find out who this mystery woman was. Watching the blonde's every move, she darted behind a pillar quickly as Arizona stopped and spoke to her friend. That red headed attending who she recognised from the night at Joe's, Addison something? Addison.. Montgomery – that was it.
She watched as the two spoke, growing increasingly impatient, having hoped to have followed Arizona to mystery woman's house – as if she was blowing Ellie off, she must be going there. There was no other explanation for it. She watched as the attending pulled Arizona in for a hug, and thought nothing of it, until she saw the Montgomery woman close her eyes and smile, before pushing her face down into Arizona's neck. Ellie's blood turned to ice at the move. This was not your standard, friendly hug. It was far too affectionate. Friends only hugged like this if they were saying goodbye, or had terrible news or something like that.. No, this hug was too.. Meaningful. The longer they drew it out, the more it sank in. This was too long, too loving...
It was her.
Ellie's jaw constricted as it hit her. The mystery woman had been under her nose the whole time! That was why Arizona was so awkward at lunch, and they left together! Ellie felt like screaming in rage as it dawned on her, the proof was right there in front of her, happening at this very moment as the two embraced. She wanted to yell, wanted to hiss and spit – how could she not have seen this? And how could this woman, this old, dried up hag of a surgeon have been chosen over her? She was Eleanor Striden. She was stunning, she was wanted by everyone, she was beautiful, she was the whole package. How could Arizona not want her?
Her aggressive thoughts were interrupted briefly as a handsome, dark haired man came striding past and she was nearly seen. Ducking down further, she watched as he approached the two, hands open in friendly gesture. She recognised him from neuro, Dr 'McDreamy' as he was known. She watched him speak to the red haired bitch and hold out his arm. She looped her own through it, and the trio began to walk out together, laughing and chatting away.
Hold on a minute.
Was Montgomery with this guy? Teddy had said she was straight.. Were they married? Wait... Yes! They were together that night at Joe's! She'd seen them, and they'd even offered to walk together! Ellie felt a sly, vindictive smile creep onto her face as she pieced it together, and an plot began to form in her mind. This was too easy. If she was to get what she wanted, she would have to simply remove the obstacle that was keeping her from it. Addison Montgomery would just not do. She'd have to be taken out the picture. Arizona didn't really want her anyway, she wanted Ellie. She was just deluded at the moment, this Montgomery woman was blinding her to the better option, and she needed to be taken care of, so that Arizona could see what a huge mistake she was making. Emerging from her hiding place, she stormed away, her brain whirling. She wanted Arizona, Addison was in the way. With Addison out the way, Arizona would completely belong to Ellie, and be hers to keep, ultimately. And she always got what she wanted. This one was just going to take a bit more work, but nonetheless, the solution was simple.
"Addison Montgomery." She said aloud, smirking to herself. "You've got to go."
Whaddya think? Anyone starting to hate Ellie yet? ;)