The how-to-get-over-the-love-of-your-life handbook

Personal note: Sorry about the very late update. I've been busy with work and stuff, plus I got a bit of a writer's block. But here's the new chapter.

Enjoy : )

xxxx

Chapter 8: How to have a family dinner

It had been a long day for Arizona. She had had back-to-back surgeries and also the thought of her dad coming to town had given her a day-long headache. Right now, she would rather just spend the evening with her beautiful girlfriend. But she knew that her father could call any minute now and announce his arrival. She was exhausted when she reached Callie's apartment. She took a few seconds to get into perky-mode before opening the door. She might be exhausted but she still wanted to spend the night Callie without showing too much exhaustion. She wouldn't want to be put to bed early by a worried girlfriend.

When Arizona had managed to pull out the dimple-filled smile, which wasn't hard, she just had to think of her Calliope, she opened the door.

"Calliope, I'm ho… Dad." As Arizona saw her dad sitting that the kitchen counter she stopped dead in her tracks.

"Hi honey." Callie said as she moved to her girlfriend and gave her a peck on the lips.

"Eh… Hey…" Arizona said without looking at her girlfriend. Her eyes were fixed at the manly figure in the room.

After a few minutes Arizona shook her head lightly and then looked at Callie with a confused look.

I should have come home sooner… I should have… What did he say to her?

Callie acted like nothing was out of the ordinary, kind of enjoying her girlfriend's confusion. She looked cute when she had that confused-mouth-half-open-look on her face. Callie moved back behind the counter and continued cooking.

"Come sit. We have white wine and I'm making Chicken Piccatta." Callie said while finishing up on the dish.

"Hey Zona. Long day at the hospital?" Her father, the Colonel, asked as he moved towards her and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Eh… Well… Yes dad." Arizona replied, moving to sit on one of the chairs.

"What… Eh… What's going on here?" Arizona asked, still with that cute confused look on her face.

"Well, I came over earlier." The Colonel began. With that Arizona's head jerked up and she looked at her girlfriend with a horrified look on her face. "Don't worry honey." The Colonel continued as he saw his daughter's reaction. "We talked… or well, Callie talked." The Colonel smiled at Callie, who returned his smile. "And, Arizona, I want to apologize for not listening to you. I assumed that the girl who made you so heartbroken was different… I don't know, meaner or something… But I was wrong. I know now how much Callie loves you…" The Colonel said, as his smiled grew bigger, showing off his dimples. Arizona had tears in the corners of her eyes. She did not expect this. "But Arizona, you really should have told me you two were back together." The Colonel finished with a glimpse in his eye.

"I tried dad, but you…" Arizona said.

"I know I was being stubborn and protective… Can you blame a dad for keeping an eye out for his daughter?" He answered and giggled slightly. Callie joined in with the giggling.

"No you can not." Callie said and winked at the Colonel.

Arizona was totally thrown back. Her dad had come to Seattle to yell at Callie and now they where giggling and sharing jokes? What the hell happened? Then suddenly Arizona remembered what her dad had said about Callie and their talk. She turned to look into the beautiful brown eyes of her girlfriend.

"You talked to him?" Arizona asked.

"Ya… I'm sorry?..." Callie tried, frowning, not knowing whether Arizona was mad or happy about it.

"No, no… I love you, God, I love you so much." Arizona said as she quickly walked behind the counter and captured Callie's lips in a passionate kiss.

"I take that as a thank you?" Callie said in surprise, when Arizona pulled away from the kiss.

Arizona just nodded with a smile, dimples and all.

"I love you too, by the way." Callie said with a huge grin.

"So lovebirds, I think dinner's ready." The Colonel interrupted and pointed towards the food on the counter.

"Eh… Yes sir." Callie said as she broke her intense gaze with Arizona.

"Let's eat then." Arizona said, smiling towards her dad.

This day had just gotten so much better. She had never expected this to happen. Not alone her dad and Callie making friends. She was now looking forward to a nice, un-awkward family dinner.

xxxx

Callie and Arizona had said goodbye to the Colonel and Callie was taking out the dishes, when she felt two arms snake around her waist.

"Hi." Arizona said, leaning her head on Callie's shoulder.

"Hi." Callie replied leaning closer into the embrace and feeling the warmth of the blonde.

"You're amazing… No great… No… wait, I can't find a word that fits… You're just…" Arizona said while searching her brain for the right word. She had a cute little frown on her face.

"Awesome?" Callie asked and felt Arizona smile into her shoulder.

"Yeah. Awesome." Arizona said as her smile grew bigger and she kissed Callie's should.

"Well, he didn't really yell at me. He was actually kind of civil and calm. He just wanted an explanation… so I gave him one." Callie turned around in Arizona's arms and gave her a light kiss on the lips.

"What did you tell him?" Arizona asked, curious to find out just what her dad and Callie had talked about, that had made him so happy and non-worry-like.

"Uh no. no." Callie said with a smirk. "That's between me and the Colonel."

"What? Calliope. Seriously." Arizona tried. But Callie broke out of her embrace and started walking towards the bedroom.

"Nope, not telling ya." Callie kept teasing.

"Calliopeeee… Tell meee…" Arizona tried again, putting on that cute little pout of hers.

"You're so cute when you pout… But I'm still not telling you." Callie said with a smirk on her face as her head popped out from behind the bedroom door.

"Care to join me?" Callie said, as her smirk grew bigger.

Arizona was still a bit irritated about Callie's new secret with her dad, but she couldn't resist the brunette. As she walked into the bedroom she thought to herself.

How did I get this lucky?

xxxx

We need to talk.

Meet me at your place in 20.

Xoxo Lexie

Mark had gotten that text from Lexie 19 minutes ago. He was pacing around his apartment, nervous as hell.

What did I do wrong? Why does she wanna talk? 'We need to talk' that's never good, right?

He was brought out of his pacing when the door shot open.

"Hi Lexie." He tried in a happy voice. Maybe that would help.

But Lexie wasn't in the mood for happy small talk. She stopped in front of Mark and look him directly into his eyes.

"We need to talk." She said without looking away.

"Yeah, you kinda said that. But why? I mean I didn't do anything. Not that I know of anyway." Mark started to ramble as his nerves took over.

"Not about us, Mark." Lexie said and smiled, trying to reassure her boyfriend. "We need to talk about Arizona."

"Oh… What about her?" Mark asked, feeling a wave of relief wash over him.

"I don't even know if I should be telling you this. I mean I'm her friend... And. And you. You're Callie's best friend." Lexie said pointing to Mark, who was just standing there complete confused about what Lexie was rambling about.

"What is it Lexie?"

"Well… I had rounds with Arizona today, and she asked me to do some paperwork for her in her office… And well, I went into her office, because I mean, she told me to…" Lexie was starting to ramble to fast and it was getting hard to understand her.

"Lexie. Breathe." Mark said, as he grabbed her shoulders.

Lexie took a deep breath, but she had to continue. She had started this, now she had to finish the story.

"Well, I looked in her shelf to find the papers… for the paperwork… and… I found it." Lexie continued.

"What? What did you find?" Mark questioned, he was getting kinda impatient now.

"A ring, Mark… I found a ring, in a box… A wedding ring." Lexie answered with a defeated tone.

"A ring? But that's good right… That's good?" Mark hesitated by the look on Lexie's face.

"I thought so too, but then… nosy Little Grey…" Lexie mocked herself. In some way she was mad at herself for doing this. "Took the ring out and looked at the engraving… I looked and. and… It wasn't her name, Mark… I wasn't Callie's name in the ring…"

Mark looked shocked. He couldn't believe it. How could Arizona do this? After everything they had been through. Callie was finally happy again. He couldn't allow this to happen. And who was the woman with the name on the ring? He couldn't believe it. He stood there for a while, wide-eyed, not knowing what to think or do.

"I… Mark, I think we need to tell her." Lexie said, sadness evident in her voice.

"I know, but… She's just so, so happy… I don't know if I can." Mark said as he stared into Lexie's eyes. Lexie just nodded, she knew this was going to be hard on Mark. But they had to do something.

xxxx

To sum up:

The dinner went well, there was action in the bedroom and a new discovery was made.

Uuuhh, whose name is on the ring? And what the hell is Arizona doing?

Spoiler:

Okay readers, here is the biggest spoiler yet.

The next chapter will be titled:

How to deal with another heartbreak