Disclaimer: This is AU. I do not own any of the characters from Grey's Anatomy. I just manipulate them to my will. Also, any line or phrase or setting that seems remotely familiar from any other show, movie or book, also not mine. I borrow…
AN: I know I know, long time no update. But it took a while to get the pace right. Here's the next chapter, hope you all enjoy!
Chapter 7
"It's open!" Callie yells over the din of conversation already happening in her apartment. It's date night with the team, and it's time for it to be held in Apartment 16. Glancing over her shoulder, she sees Charlotte and April walk in, closely followed by Teddy and Arizona. It's been a few days since the two pitchers standoff, and the rivals have stayed away from each other since. Amelia is still seething at the thought of her second striking her out. Even more pissed that the blonde was able to get a base off of her. Granted, Callie should have been quicker on the slap, but still… that base counted against Amelia's record.
"Wow! What smells so good?" Teddy asks, coming up behind one of her captains and peeking over Callie's shoulder.
"Back off Altman, it's not ready yet." Torres plays, gently pushing the first baseman out of the tiny kitchen of her apartment. It's not usual practice for a team member to cook for the rest of the team, but then again, most of the women on the team can't cook like the Latina can. Besides the ball diamond, Callie spends her time messing around in the kitchen. Something about combining individual ingredients, each playing their part, and coming out with a winning meal makes her smile. And no, the metaphor is not lost on the first string catcher as her brown eyes scan the apartment busting at the seams with starving team mates. Each of them their own ingredient, needing others to work with them, play off them, to make the end result perfect.
"Hey boss." A pure voice says, pulling the Latina up from the multiple pans covering the stove top. Blue and brown eyes lock, exchanging a small smile neither of them realizes they are giving. "You got something to drink around here?"
"Yeah, pop's in the fridge. Wine on top. And water at the tap." Callie answers, sending the blonde a wink. One that Arizona immediately recognizes from their little scrimmage from practice a couple days ago.
Within twenty minutes, every player has arrived and found a seat. Crammed onto the couch, sitting in chairs, a few finding a comfortable place on the floor, the all settle in for what should be a good night of team bonding. Arizona has found a small group of women who she gets along with, and tries to remain civil while around Amelia and Hahn. The few practices following their scrimmage, those two had been even more icy that usual. Which surprised Arizona because she didn't' think that was even possible.
The two pitchers meet glances a couple times throughout the evening, and Arizona can't help but remember a couple words of wisdom given to her by some veteran players. Don't let her get to you. Show her you can step up. Give her a piece of her own game. Prove you belong. All these things have been running through her mind. Try as she might during practice, Arizona Robbins knows it's going to take something bigger, something more dangerous to get these women to see her as an equal. So, the newcomer has been hatching a plan. And tonight, she intends to implement it.
Seeing that Amelia is deep in conversation with Addison Montgomery, Arizona decides that now is the time to make a move. As sneakily as possible, the blonde grabs the nearly full bottle of coke Shepard has beside her and then turns her back, blocking her hands from Amelia's line of sight. Pulling out an already rigged line of mento's, a line of floss run through the middle of four mints, Arizona opens the coke and slips the Mento's into the bottle. Replacing the cap, screwing it so that the floss keeps the mints held just over the liquid, Arizona puts the Coke back where she found it. The newcomer isn't one for pranks, Arizona thinking that they are stupid, mean and pointless, but she's been pushed too far. And especially by Amelia. Even though the pitcher denies she let the air out of Arizona's tires, Robbins knows it was her.
"What are you doing?" Someone whispers so close to Arizona's ear that it makes her jump. Blue eyes flick to those of her best friend, Teddy.
"Nothing…" The newcomer tries to cover while inconspicuously moving out of range from her little trick. Teddy, not ever being accused of being a slow person, follows her new friend. The first baseman is just about to continue her interrogation when Amelia grabs her bottle of pop and undoes the lid. Without seeing it, she dislodges the floss and the mentos fall into the dark liquid. Brown foam explodes, hitting Amelia dead in the face along with drenching everything and everyone in three foot radius.
"What the FUCK!" Amelia yells, shocked still and now very sticky. April, Addison, and Little Grey also very wet now, coke dripping from their clothes and hair, not to mention the soaked couch, dripping walls and ruined dinner in their laps.
Everyone in the apartment is stunned, no one knowing what exactly happened but all seeing the damage that has been left behind. Brown eyes of a certain catcher are wide, taking stock of her now ruined living room. But when a giggle slips from between pink lips, growing in strength and persistence, followed by a throatier laugh from Teddy Altman, all eyes turn to the two friends. Arizona's eyes are tearing up as she laughs her ass off, Altman bent in half as she clutches at her side.
"YOU!" Amelia shrieks, then lunges up from the couch with only one thought in mind. And that is to throttle this blonde bitch who has done nothing but show her up. But before the brunette can get her hands on the blonde, her senior first baseman steps between the two, shielding Arizona with her body.
"Calm down, Shepard." Teddy says during her battle to get a hold of herself.
"Calm down? Calm DOWN?" The She-Shepard shrieks. "She's RUINED my clothes, and not to mention our couch."
"How about we call it even, since it cost a small fortune to have my Jeep towed to the nearest air pump." Arizona fires back, hackles raised and ready to go 12 rounds with her competition.
"You really want to start with me Alaska?" Amelia snaps, meeting piercing blue eyes dead on. "Because if you want to go, we'll go."
"Please…" Arizona sneers, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms across her chest. "I grew up with the name Arizona, I know how to fight dirty on the playground."
"Is that a challenge?" The brunette asks, taking a step forward into the newcomer's personal space.
"I'm handing out lollipops and ass whoopings. And I'm all out of lollipops!" Arizona exclaims, puffing her chest up and bumping against the taller woman guarding her. Since she was a tyke, Arizona was taught to never back down from a fight. Sure, she doesn't go looking for it, but she's not afraid to swap a little skin when the times call for it.
"Bring it on, Nancy!" Amelia shouts back, taking a step towards the Mento's assaulter.
"Woah!" Callie shouts, jumping into action and placing herself in front of Teddy, who is still guarding a seething Arizona. "How about you take a walk, Shepard." The Latina suggests, urging the sticky woman towards the apartment door.
Looking past her catcher and captain, Ameila finds the raging blue eyes staring back at her and starts "You are so-"
"NOW!" Callie yells, cutting her pitcher off and pointing a strong finger towards the waiting front door. "And don't come back until you've gotten a hold of yourself." If looks could kill, the Latina would be struck down on the spot by her pitcher. Rage seething within her, Amelia turns on her heel and barrels through the mass of women looking all, all mouths agape in shock. The door bursts open and Shepard greets the balmy night air with a scream of anger.
Back inside, Callie surveys the damage to her living room. Arizona, now feeling slightly less sure of her little prank but determined to not show it, stands at full height, daring anyone to say something to her. Both April and Lexie are frozen, wondering how they got wrapped up into this little feud. Addison is well on her way to getting pissed off, but is grateful that she wasn't wearing her newest designer blouse and skirt, instead a set of practice clothes.
"Dinner's over." The Latina finally announces. "Everyone… out." Surprisingly, no one argues. Maybe it's because most of the places to sit are now drenched in sticky brown liquid. Arizona takes a step towards the door, but a strong hand on the back of her shirt halts her mid stride. "Not you." Callie growls, taking deep breaths to calm herself. When just four women are left in the apartment, the catcher directs "Addison, go take a shower. Naomi… just go."
The redhead and Campbell pause for a second; unsure of what their captain has in store for their newest teammate. Sure, it was mean and caught some innocent people in the cross fire. But it was also awesome. Callie wouldn't reprimand Arizona because she fought back, would she?
"Now!" Torres exclaims, making both women jump and head off in separate directions. Brown eyes turn to blue and Arizona does her best to keep a blank expression. She has this thing about authority figures, and right now her captain looks like she's about to tear Robbins a new asshole.
The Latina studies the woman in front of her. By all accounts, Arizona is perfect. Meaning, she fits with this team. Whether they like it or not, Arizona is one of them. She's a fighter, a winner. Doesn't give up. Keeps pushing. That's the kind of grit Callie wants her team made up of. But still… she has to make an example of the fact that she will NOT allow open hostility like that play a part of this team.
"Sponges are under the sink, vacuum is in the coat closet. Teddy has a rug cleaner up in your guys' apartment that you can use on the couch." Callie finally says. "This room better be spotless before I wake up tomorrow, or the whole team will be running Stadium all because of your little prank. Is that understood?" The two women are not even a foot apart, dark brown staring down into glassy blue.
"Got it, boss." Arizona shakily replies, blinking back tears that are threatening to fall. When the captain finally breaks their staring contest and takes a couple steps back towards her bedroom, a sigh of relief falls from pink lips.
She turns to go get the rug cleaner from her apartment upstairs, but stops when Callie calls "Hey Robbins."
"Yeah?" The blonde asks, chancing one last look at those powerful orbs that seem to freeze her in place.
"Nice one." Sending another wink to the pitcher, the Latina turns and heads off to bed. A dimpled smile breaks across the lone face left in the living room, and try as she might, Arizona can't contain the little happy dance that bursts out.
Its Sunday morning, the second day off Arizona Robbins has had. She's been a part of Team USA for a week and a half. They only have one week left of practice before touring the states for a couple weeks, before finally jetting off to London for the Olympic Games. Her little stunt in Amelia's apartment three days ago has not been forgotten. To say that the blonde has been peeking over her shoulder at night is not an exaggeration. But where it has pissed Amelia off even more, it has made the rest of the team warm up to her greatly. Apparently all the blonde needed to do was show the girls that she is not one to fuck with. Now, nearly all of her teammates are openly friendly. But still, there are a few hold outs. Namely, Hahn and the She-Shepard.
When she woke up this morning, Arizona decided to spend a while at that cute little coffee place just down the road. The blonde wakes up early naturally, and she was not really in the mood to sit around a messy living room, trying to stay quiet so the rest of her roommates could sleep in until noon. So, Arizona packed up her laptop and made the quick trip to the java joint, which is where she is currently sipping on a coffee and just enjoying a free morning without practice, workouts, or running an ungodly number of stairs.
But when blue eyes glance up and towards the large bay windows, the morning sun cascading through their panes, Arizona's gaze falls upon a breathtakingly stunning Latina who is just striding through the front door. Callie had awoken about an hour and a half ago, much to her dismay, so taking life by the horns, she decided to go for a run. During her cool down, which consists of a nice steady jog up and down this block, her eyes immediately spied the blonde through the coffee shops window and on impulse decided that a latte would be a perfect post run beverage.
The newcomer's gaze is locked on the sweaty catcher approaching, and when Callie turns a full force smile her way, Arizona growls "Sweet baby Jesus…"
"Fancy meeting you here… again." The sweaty catcher says, taking the free seat across from the blonde without asking this time. Finding the gaze of one of the barista's, Callie motions for her regular order then turns her attention back to the blonde in front of her.
"Yeah, what a surprise. Our coffee maker is on the fritz and this is the nearest coffee joint to the Quads." The pitcher sneers, taking a long drag on her piping hot coffee while shutting her laptop closed. The blonde doesn't hold her captain responsible for the little punishment she was given. After all, all that Coke DID make a mess of their apartment. But still… it sucked.
A gorgeous smile spreads across plump lips, and Arizona's stomach start to do funny flips. "What?"
"Nothing." Callie answers, brushing the question off as she accepts her own coffee order. Blue eyes watch as caramel flesh moves over a beautiful neck, straining and contracting as her captain takes a swallow of delicious coffee beans. The ring of sweat that has collected around the purple tank top does little to put off the blonde. In fact, it works for the Latina, making images of a woman riving under Arizona touch form, a different kind of sweat forming over their flesh.
Only when blue eyes flick back up to plump, naked lips, and she sees them moving does Arizona realize she has zoned out and is now just staring at what has to be the most beautiful woman she has ever seen. "I'm sorry, what did you say?" Robbins asks, shaking out the haze that has seemed to collect in her mind.
"I said…" Callie draws, a smile upturning her lips "…That you must have balls the size of Texas to pull that little prank on Shepard. …Metaphorically, of course." A sultry wink is sent to the blonde across the table as Callie mentally adds 'because you are most definitely all woman'.
"I just got fed up at being treated as a second class citizen. Seems she can't take as good as she gives." Arizona replies, taking a sip of her coffee in attempt to remain calm and collected. "Between Shepard and Hahn, I'm not so sure I'm actually WELCOMED on this team."
"What's wrong with Erica?" Callie asks, now very interested in what her newest teammate has to say. The Latina is aware that the blonde is not everyone's favorite, but no one has ever come out and said that Erica isn't a good leader. She's strong, and determined, and knows what she wants. Sure, she has a different attitude about her position than Callie, but that just makes their pairing all the better. When Callie lacks, Erica rises. And when Erica lacks, Callie is there, picking up the slack.
Arizona mulls over her choice of words for a moment, but then decides against it. There are rumors, only a few, but the newcomer has heard them. The pitcher doesn't want to believe it, but there are rumors that Hahn and Torres are a bit more than just friends. That they share positions other than just co-captains.
"Nothing." Robbins finally says, replacing her cup back on the table between them.
"Doesn't sound like nothing." Callie replies, raising a perfectly shaped eyebrow, just daring the newcomer to say what she has to say.
"Nothing I can't get over." Arizona amends her statement, sending a forced dimpled smile to the Latina across from her. But those brown eyes, so full of life and wisdom, stare right into the blonde's soul. Almost like Callie is reaching a hand within Arizona's mind and pulling out all those little secrets that no one ever wants anyone else to know.
With a sigh, breaking first from their staring contest, Arizona concedes. "She… I…" The blonde tries to find a nice way to put it, struggling greatly. "We just don't work." The pitcher finally explains. "She fights me… every pitch. You KNOW that each pitcher has their own style, their own… rhythm. Erica hasn't… adjusted to mine."
"Have you told her?" Callie asks, pulling up her best diplomatic face. It's this face that makes her such a good captain, because anyone can talk to her. And her teammates trust her to act without emotion. If something is going on, no matter whom it is, Callie will call them on it.
"Not in so many words…" Robbins grumbles, staring at the bottom of her coffee cup. "But I know I'm not the only one who's picked up on it. I mean… you've seen us work. Do we look comfortable together? Like… AT ALL?" The catcher scrutinizes the blonde for a second, digesting her words and thinking the question over.
Finally, a throaty chuckle fills the small café, and a raven ponytail swings from side to side as Callie shakes her head. "No. …No, not really." Finding the gaze of one of the barista's, the Latina asks "Can we have two more, please?" Then turning back to the blonde, she adds "Erica can be difficult."
"You think?" Arizona growls.
Laughing lightly, Callie replies "Well… telling her to get her 'fat ass back behind the plate' doesn't really help things." Referring to one of the more heated pitching practices they have had. Arizona and Erica nearly tore each other's head off before Sloan called it quits for the day.
"Neither does describing my form as an epileptic kid on crack." The blonde fires back, making the Latina laugh all over again. "I told Sloan that my knuckle was crap, and I'm working on it but, Jesus… she was just being rude."
"You're not driving off right." The Latina says before she knows what she's doing.
"Really?" The blonde asks, suddenly very interested in this conversation. "That's… that's it? I'm not driving off the rubber right?"
"Well, I'm no coach, but I have caught for my share of pitchers. The only thing I can see you doing wrong is your push off." The catcher answers, chugging half of her second cup of coffee. When she looks back up at Arizona, she sees the blonde deep in thought, almost as if she is already hard at work during practice. A smile itches at the Latina's lips, glad to know that she, herself, is the only one obsessed at being the best.
"You know…" The catcher drawls, pulling the blonde back into real life. "…if you don't have any plans today, I'd be happy to catch for you if you wanted to put some work in."
Shocked at the actual offer of assistance, Arizona babbles "I, I… I thought… Sloan said no extra pitches between practices."
With a simple wave of her hand, Callie answers "What Mark doesn't know won't hurt him. I'm not saying you pitch yourself out, I was just suggesting that we work on your push off a bit." The blonde's brow furrows, weighing the offer to that of what would happen if her coach caught her going against direct orders. Sensing the internal struggle, the Latina purrs "Fine… if you don't want my help…" She starts to stand, feigning like she is about to leave.
"Wait!" Arizona yelps, reaching out and grabbing a caramel forearm. "Ok." She adds, quickly letting go of the Latina because her fingertips feels all… tingly. "You free now?"
"Nope." Callie says with a smile, then laughs when a pout crosses the pitchers face. "I have to go to the trainer, then I have a meeting with the coaches. But how about we meet at the diamonds at, say… 2?" Blonde locks wave as Arizona nods yes. "Good, see ya then." With a wink, and a twenty to cover the cost of both of the players' coffee, Callie strides out of the café, all the while blue eyes trained on a very shapely ass.
"Hey, Robbins! Where you headed off to?" Teddy asks her friend and newest teammate as she is running around with her hair on fire. Arizona's phone, which should have awoken her at 130 to give her plenty of time to be ready to meet Callie at 2, decided not to. So her Sunday nap stretched on a little longer than planned and Arizona is rushing to meet her secret rendezvous on time.
"I uhhh… I'm meeting someone." Arizona answers, not really sure what kind of secret meet up this it. Did everyone do a little work on the side? Was it one of those don't ask, don't tell kind of rules that seemed to make up the dating situation on the team. Because Teddy and Owen are definitely flirting with that line now-a-days. If it wasn't for an ill-timed entrance to the storage shed, Arizona was sure that those two would have been making out like a couple of teenagers.
Muting the baseball game that is blaring on their large screen TV, Teddy perks up. "Ohh, hot date? At…" Then she looks at the clock, a confused expression crossing her face "2 in the afternoon?"
"Hot? Yes. Date? No." Arizona mumbles to herself as she tries to pull her long blonde hair up into a ponytail that looks nice, but not nice enough that it looks like she was trying. After all, this IS just a friendly practice session between friends.
"What did you say?" Teddy yells so her voice can make it to the bathroom, which is where Arizona is frantically applying some lip gloss. Why? She doesn't know. She'll no doubt be sweating in a couple minutes anyways.
"Nothing, Teds. I'll see you later." The blonde spits out, grabbing her bag then rushing out the apartment door, not bothering to take the time to lock it behind her. Running full out across the parking lot in front of their apartments, then crossing the road and hitting gravel that leads to the ball diamonds, cruses fall from pink lips as rocks make their way into her sandals.
Callie, who has been sitting under the shade of one of the many large trees, looks up from her phone as she hears a string of not so nice words being growled. Perfect teeth bite her bottom lip as brown eyes watch a frazzled blonde turn the corner and come into view. Hoping around on one leg, ridding the other shoe of pointy rocks, then trying to get said shoe back on bare foot, all while on the move, is probably the most hilarious thing the Latina has ever seen. Arizona's ungraceful appearance, hindered even more by the heavy and awkward bag over her strong shoulders, it too much for the usually calm catcher. Giving up her fight, a full bodied laugh falls from plump lips, making blue eyes flash up to her audience just as a blush races across fair skin.
"Awesome." Arizona growls to herself.
"You're late, Robbins." Callie says to the approaching blonde, feigning displeasure at having to wait even though there was nothing the Latina would rather be doing. What can she say? She loves the game.
"Sorry, boss." The blonde says, quickly taking a seat in the soft grass and changing out her sandals for her cleats. Callie pulls on her shin guards and mask, preferring not to sweat her ass of in the full suit on her day off is she doesn't have to, and takes her place behind the bull pin's home plate. After a couple minutes of warm up, Arizona starts to throw heater after heater. All the while, Callie watches the pitchers form. When the blonde starts working on her problem pitches, the Latina pipes up when she sees something off. Just a word here, a gesture there, and before Arizona knows it she is throwing knuckle after knuckle.
Sweat is pouring down both of their backs and face when Callie deems Arizona good. They head back over to the old tree and sit, sipping on a cold bottle of Gatorade while they recover. Arizona can't help but think how much easier it was pitching to Callie, how it didn't feel like a tryout. Because that's all it ever is with Hahn. Constantly proving herself to the older blonde that Arizona belongs on this team, that she has the right to be pitching to one of the best catchers in the country. But Callie? It was… natural.
"Good work, Robbins." The Latina says, playfully nudging the blonde's shoulder. Brown eyes scan the pitcher while she takes a drag of orange Gatorade, a couple drops leaking out from the side of her mouth and flowing down a smooth neck. Arizona chose a tank top to work out in today, showing off the pink and purple butterfly that is inked onto the flesh over her right shoulder.
Callie smiles, shaking her slightly at the choice of tattoo this woman chose. But as she looks closer, something catches her attention. Arizona freezes when she feels a single finger tracing the skin of her shoulder.
"Is that a scar?" The words are so soft that if it weren't for the fact Callie was sitting right next to Arizona, lips not a foot from the blonde's ear, Arizona wouldn't have heard them.
"Yeah." The pitcher answers, making brown eyes flash up to blue. Callie Torres may not be a doctor, but she's been playing ball long enough to know what injuries go with what positions. Catchers get concussions, broken bones from runners barreling into them. First base men get stomped ankles from base runners going full charge through the bag. Shortstop acquire tendinitis is their elbows from the quick action, and very unnatural, throwing they do. And pitchers… they throw out their shoulders.
"When?" The Latina asks, eyes flashing back down to the stained flesh, the faint scar barely visible through the purple of the butterflies wing.
"First year of college." The blonde answers, looking away from her captain and towards the empty field just waiting to be played on. "Actually, it was pre-season my first year. …Never played a single inning."
"That's why Sloan couldn't find any stats on you." The catcher states, more to herself than to the blonde. One of the biggest things Coach Sloan brought up during their morning meeting was the fact that their newest star was seemingly unknown. There were no records of an Arizona Robbins that played in college. And when you have talent like Arizona Robbins… you PLAY in college.
The ringing of Callie's phone breaks the tense silence, and the Latina, not so smoothly, fishes the cell out of her bag. Taking the distraction as a means to get some distance, Arizona stands and grabs her bag, throwing it over her shoulder to walk back to the quads. Brown eyes watch as her newest team member starts to shuffle back towards their apartment complex.
Quickly ending the call, Callie bolts up and packs her bag. "Robbins, hold on." She exclaims, making the blonde freeze. Jogging to catch up, the catcher falls in step with the pitcher and they continue back to their living quarters. "You got any plans tonight?" The Latina asks.
"Uhhh, no. Planned on grabbing some food from the caf, then doing alittle stu-" Arizona catches herself before letting the word slip. Callie hears her hesitation and gives the newcomer a look of confusion. "I mean… just chill around the apartment for a while. Why?"
"A couple of the girls are going out tonight. If you're up for it, you are welcome to join us." Callie answers, feigning nonchalance about the whole thing. But inside, she desperately hopes Robbins says yes.
"When you say a couple, who does that entail… exactly?" The blonde asks, weighing her options and needing to know who she would be spending 'extra' time with. Arizona has spent used a lot of effort staying away from those few who really don't like her right now.
"Me… and a few others." The catcher says, but when blue eyes beg for further information, Callie concedes. "Hahn, Amelia, Monty, ummm… probably the Twisted Sisters. Maybe Charlotte and Naomi." Brown eyes catch the slight grimace Arizona gives as she listens to the list of names, nearly half being those who don't care for the new girl or those that were on the receiving end of her little coke prank not three days ago. "So?"
"I…. I don't know, Calliope." Arizona replies, not catching the slip of Callie's full name. But the Latina does, and what surprises her more than the fact that the blonde said it so naturally is that Callie doesn't mind it. Not when Arizona is the one saying it.
"Oh come on Alabama." The Latina pleads, giving the pitcher a light punch on her shoulder, making her smile. "You know you want to. Besides… you don't need to worry about the other mean kids. I'll be there to keep you safe."
Thinking that a nice night out on the town would be just the thing to get in better with some of the harder women on the team, Arizona finally agrees. "Well… it does sound like a good time. And as long as I got you as a body guard, I'm game."
Brown eyes catch blue as they slowly make their way back to the Quads. A smile plays across pink lips, making a funny feeling swelling in the pit of the Latina's stomach. "Great. Be ready at 8." Callie says, then adds a sultry wink for good measure.
AN2: So… was it worth the wait? Arizona got some revenge on Amelia. She and Callie got some quality alone time. Found out a little bit about Arizona's past. It's all coming together. Next chapter? Their night out on the town. What kind of shenanigans will arise once alcohol is involved, and inhibitions are lowered. Stay tuned folks!