Loving your comments. Clearly, many of you are invested in this story, which is awesome! For the Callie lovers out there-don't worry. She will be back (sooner rather than later :))

xxxxxxx

I woke up the next morning naked, with a headache, in an unfamiliar bed. Shit, I was really making a habit out of this behavior.

Suddenly, the memories began to trickle back into my mind. Leah. The cab. Coming back to her apartment. Hastily kissing and stripping our clothes off. Falling back into bed, Leah on top of me. Feeling like it was all so wrong, hating the way she touched me, the way she held me. Closing my eyes and seeing Callie. Oh Callie...and crying. Oh the crying. Leah trying to comfort me and getting nothing but the cold shoulder. It couldn't have been that bad...right?

Leah was still asleep beside me. This was good, I thought. I could quietly get dressed and sneak out. Just as I began to shift out of bed, I heard her rustle in bed beside me.

"Hey you. Where are you going?" Leah asked, already sitting up in bed.

"I should really get going. My brother is flying out in three hours and I have to get him to the airport" I said as I put my clothes back on. God, this was so awkward. How had things never been so uncomfortable with Callie?

"Let me drive you home. Please. My car is just down the street" She said. Why did she have to be so nice? Why couldn't she have just pretended she was sleeping while I snuck out'?

"Please, Arizona. Your apartment is at least five miles from here" She said. She did have a point...

"Ok. Thanks" She smiled. At least I hadn't ruined her night badly enough to never speak to me again. We got dressed and walked to her car. Her car was like mine, at least 8 years old, well used but taken care of. Though, it was a far cry from Callie's Mercedes...

"Look, I am sorry about last night. I was really drunk. And like you said, I have been going through...stuff and I probably wasn't ready to get naked with a stranger" I said.

"It's really okay, Arizona. I am sorry if I pushed or pressured you..."

"No, no. It's nothing like that. I just...I feel like I was using you to prove to myself that I could be a person again" I said, the words flying out of my mouth before I could filter them. I saw her eyes drop in disappointment.

"I'm sorry. That came out rude and I didn't intend it to..."

"Again, it's okay. I have had fair warning" She said simply. She pulled up to my apartment building.

"Well, thanks for the ride. I'm sorry, again, for all of this" I said, stepping out of the car.

"Please, stop saying sorry. I would do it again" She said with a small smile. I nodded, shutting the door of the car.

"Arizona!" She yelled, rolling her window down.

"Yeah?"

"I know you don't really know me. But I'm here, if you ever want to talk. Or not talk. I just...I think you are beautiful. And I know I said that last night but I wanted you to hear it again. It seems like you haven't heard enough of that lately" I smiled, looking Leah in the eye. She really was a sweet girl. She didn't set my heart on fire or make my stomach flip whenever she spoke, but she was good. I needed more goodness in my life.

Maybe we aren't meant to be with the ones we love so much. Maybe my love for Callie was too much, too consuming. Was it always destined to destroy me?

"I'll see you around" I said.

xxxxx

"So you went home with Leah huh? Nice!" Tim exclaimed as I walked into the apartment. Teddy, Tim and Henry were sitting at the kitchen table, beaming at me like proud parents.

"Why do I feel ambushed every time I walk in my front door?" I asked.

"So, you did, you did go home with her. Right?" Teddy asked, practically squealing.

"Yes, but we didn't, you know, have sex" I said. Tim frowned.

"Why not?" Tim asked. I struggled, trying to keep my cool.

"You started crying, didn't you?" Tim said.

"What are you, a fucking mind reader?" I asked.

"Ha! So you did cry" He said. I nodded in shame. Teddy and Henry looked at me like with pity in their eyes.

"But she was cool about it! I even tried to sneak out this morning and she didn't pretend to be sleeping! She drove me home"

"Well, that's something, right?" Teddy said hopefully.

"I guess. Whatever. I am not really interested" I said.

"You should give her a chance, Arizona. She is really nice. And funny. And she is going to be in our med school class! Things with her would be so easy. You don't have to freaking marry her, just spend some time with her" Teddy said. I wasn't in the mood to argue; I nodded in agreement.

"Enough about me, Tim, how was your night with the hot blonde?" I asked.

"Awesome. She was a total babe" He said.

"I'm assuming by that stupid smile plastered on your face that you got laid?" I asked.

"Actually, no. The Robbins siblings went 0 for 2 last night"

"Wow, you must have actually liked her" I said. He scoffed.

"Maybe I could, but I am leaving today and probably won't be back for a few months. Speaking of leaving, we should get going, Zona. I have a plane to catch"

"Already? I was just getting used to having you around"

"Yeah, duty calls. I'll be back in a few months. I am starting a new job on a military base tomorrow so I have to get my feet wet there before I make another visit. Unless you spiral into another black hole of depression, in which case I will make an exception" Tim said.

"Aw, you're the best, Tim" I said. I was really dreading him leaving. I would probably still be in bed if he hadn't come to visit. He was the one person who could cheer me up, no matter what the circumstances. He had that effect on people.

"Don't mention it. Bullshitting aside, I am always here for you sis!" He said with a big smile.

"You siblings are just too cute" Teddy said sarcastically.

"Oh shut it. Let's go, Tim, before one of us collapses into a puddle of emotions"