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Author's Note: It's been way too long. Crazy life man. Review please. Italics indicate thoughts.
Arizona rambled on about something that didn't register to Callie. There was a moment when the brunette opened the door that she was glad to see Arizona. Then the past day and a half came rushing back to her, Erica was in her apartment, declaring her love for Callie. She knew that no matter what Arizona was saying, her life was about to get much harder. As Arizona carried on Callie hoped she wouldn't stop. She wanted to hang on to this moment before things got complicated. Arizona stopped speaking. Erica got up from the couch and walked to the bedroom without Callie noticing. Callie tilted her head to the side in a mixture of sympathy, resentment, and disgust. She slammed the door shut.
"Fuck." she stuttered. She turned slowly to face Erica, she was gone. Callie's heart fell.
"Erica?" Callie said wincing painfully. She received no reply.
"Erica."
Erica stormed out of the bedroom with the previous day's clothes on. She couldn't think rationally. Callie attempted to touch her love's arm but Erica continued on with determination. She threw open the front door, Arizona turned at the end of the hallway, hoping Callie had reconsidered letting her in. Erica took a step outside and stopped when Arizona caught her eye. Arizona let confusion run about her face. Erica began to feel physically ill, she inhaled deeply and walked past Arizona into the elevator. Callie turned and followed quickly, passing Arizona, preventing the elevator doors from closing. This wasn't about Arizona it was about Erica feeling like she was replaceable. It was far too soon for their rebuilt relationship to be tested.
"Calliope," Arizona said almost desperately. Callie's eyes began to well out of frustration.
"Don't go." Callie pleaded. Erica viciously pressed a button and the doors began to close but Callie prevented them again.
"Do not leave." Callie said forcefully. Erica pressed another button and Callie pounded her fist against the doors, they remained open. Erica's nostrils flared and her cheeks became tinged with an angry shade of crimson. She stared pointedly at Callie, willing her to let her go. Callie stared back, crying now.
"You promised you wouldn't leave." she said, making sure Erica heard every word.
Erica stood, stoic. Her heart pounded.
"Erica!" Callie yelled. A lone tear fell from Erica's eye, she pursed her lips. Callie held out her hand for Erica to take. Erica was fighting every instinct to remove herself from this situation, save herself the pain, leave before she gets hurt any more. She stared past Callie, down the hall, and out of the window to see the moon rising. She remembered all of the lonely nights she endured after she left Seattle. Just take her hand. Just take her hand. Callie stepped into the elevator, still holding out her hand. Erica looked down at Callie's open hand. The first time she held Callie's hand she had felt an overwhelming feeling of belonging. All she wanted in that moment was to regain that feeling. Erica began to cry and turned her head. The elevator doors closed, and it proceeded to lower itself to the bottom floor. Just take her hand.
"I-" Callie's voice broke, "I love you." She moved closer to Erica. Take her hand. She moved closer again, they were inches away. Callie needed to try a different way of reaching Erica, she gingerly took Erica's hands into her own. "What are you thinking?" The elevator doors opened to find Mark waiting for it. Neither woman realized their audience.
Erica hesitated. "I want you to be with me. Only me."
Callie shook her head and scrunched her eyebrows at the simple response. "Okay. Then come with me and we'll deal with her and whatever the hell else gets thrown our way." Erica bit her lip as she told herself to go with Callie. "Or we can go. Whatever you want. But your staying with me." Callie said more confidently. The elevator doors closed as Mark watched, this time with adoration for the private moment. The elevator began upward again.
Erica leaned in to Callie and kissed her gently. As she pulled away she nodded her head, "okay." Callie took a breath in and turned to face the woman she knew would be waiting for them when the doors opened.
"Was that dramatic?" Erica asked, rather in jest. Callie laughed lightly and leaned over to pull Erica's necklace out from under her shirt.
"No…yes."
Erica groaned. "I'm sorry, Callie."
"Oh hush. It's my job to follow you." Callie said with a wink. The elevator doors opened slowly. Arizona was leaning against the opposite wall of Callie's apartment. The girls walked towards Arizona, Callie leading Erica. Callie wanted to protect Erica as much as she could. Erica contemplated how vulnerable she was when she was around the woman she loved. She tried to regain any form of Dr. Erica Hahn; she could handle being vulnerable around Callie but not anyone else. Arizona straightened up and looked Callie in the eye.
"I hope your happy." Arizona said emotionlessly. Callie couldn't tell whether or not the sentence was sincere or bitter. Erica decided to take ownership of what was rightfully hers. "She is." Arizona dropped her head and started to walk away.
"Nice to meet you Erica." Erica gave her a small nod and turned to head back in to the apartment.
Callie whispered to herself, "Bye."