Callie sat at the corner of the bar with Arizona. After she ordered her drink she wasted no time in trying to figure out exactly what Arizona had heard. "So enlighten me with this incredible reputation".
Arizona turned to Callie, flashing her smile and said "Well I hear that you're one of the best ortho surgeons Seattle Grace has ever seen. I hear that you're quite badass in surgery and that you care more for patients than most people. And lastly" Arizona leaned a little closer "I hear you have one of the most brilliant smiles in the world and I for one would love to see it."
Callie gasped a little as Arizona leaned toward her. She was sure her heart skipped a beat and she found Arizona's stare a little too intense to hold so she ducked her head a little and focused on her lap. It wasn't until she heard Arizona whisper "Please" that Callie looked up and before she could help it broke out into a wide smile. Arizona thought her heart would melt in that instant. She nodded her head a little and gave a small smile as a thank you for Callie's smile.
Joe came by with their drinks. Callie welcomed the distraction of taking a sip and then tentatively turned back to Arizona. "Well I guess not everyone is as focused on talking about people's personal lives as I thought." She tried to laugh a little but it just came out sounding a little more pathetic than she would have liked. She took another sip to calm the butterflies in her stomach.
"Well they talk about that too." Said Arizona. She was very impressed that she had gotten Callie to smile. She decided that people weren't lying and she would try and bring out that smile as much as possible. "I think though on personal matters, it's best to hear it from the person rather than take the gossip for truth."
"It's all a little boring really." Said Callie. She felt for some reason that she could tell Arizona anything but she wasn't going to start that way. She didn't think she could be as open as she wanted to be. Not to mention that willingness had gotten her in trouble more times than she would like to admit. She decided to veer the conversation in a different direction. "Tell me a little bit about you Arizona as you have heard so much, probably too much about me."
"Well what would you like to know?" said Arizona taking a sip of her drink.
"How bout why you chose Peds, I would think it would be hard. I like children but I always feel like there are few things sadder than when they're sick." Said Callie.
Arizona thought for a minute and then smiled while she answered. "Have you ever had to explain something to a child?"
Callie looked at her confused. "What?"
"I know it's an odd question but it's important when you talk about Peds. It's amazing the way children's minds work and their optimism. I love science, don't get me wrong but I also love a challenge. Explaining to sick children why they're sick is usually a challenge because you can't use big words and often you have to use references that most people haven't thought of since they were children. They are also more perceptive than you would think. I like simple things and I like simplifying things. You have to do that with children to make sure they don't get lost in the language. You have to be creative because you want them thinking that although things are bad, they aren't impossible. They often have such positive attitudes because the world hasn't messed them up too badly yet. They're so free and emotional and giving. I think it's always important to remember what that's like because sometimes I think it's the only way to live" Arizona offered Callie a small smile.
"How do you deal with loosing them though? Of knowing that they had so much ahead of them?" said Callie. She noticed Arizona loose her smile and turn away a little. "I'm sorry was that too much?"
Arizona took a minute and then turned back to Callie. "How do you deal? Death is sad either way Calliope but life is what's important. You say you feel like there aren't many things sadder than a sick child, whether there aren't many things happier than a healed child." Arizona shrugged a little and took another sip of her drink.
Callie admired Arizona's optimism. She didn't understand it completely but it made her feel better. It made her feel warm and comforted to know that people could think and believe that way. And wait, did she just call her Calliope?
"So how bout you? Why did you choose ortho?" said Arizona.
"Oh that one's easy. I've always been a bit of a rebel. I like adrenaline. Ortho is all that and more. It's challenging and exciting and there's nothing like holding a drill in your hands to make you feel on top of the world." Callie smiled as she spoke. She really did love her work. Though it was often hard to put herself back together, it helped that she could at least put something back together.
Arizona loved the way Callie talked about her work. There was a passion in her voice that Arizona definitely preferred over the defeated tone she had heard earlier. She smiled and noticed that Callie had finished her drink. She didn't want this evening to end too soon so she said "Would you like another?"
Callie smiled back at Arizona and said "Sure."