**WARNING - CONTAINS THE SUBJECT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE**
Thanks for your recent reviews. A slight time jump in this chapter. Enjoy.
I own nothing. All characters/storylines belong to Shonda. I'm simply 'borrowing' them.
Chapter Sixteen
Arizona had never felt this way before. Love? Yes, but this? This was something totally different. The ability to protect and guard someone who had been through a terrible relationship was something she hadn't expected from herself, but she had, and while she was extremely proud of herself for her actions, she knew it was Callie who deserved all of the praise. She deserved to have a happy and fulfilled life with someone who could show her what real love was. Show her how to be treated. Show her that a relationship is about being equal to one another. That was something Arizona knew she could do.
She had always been taught to see the good in people, but at the same time, protect herself and the things she loves, and that is what she truly believed she had done for Callie Torres. She had protected her, and she would continue to do so for the rest of her life, because honestly? She couldn't ever see herself being with anyone else. Callie had come into her life a vulnerable, hurt person, and now, she was truly thriving. She was like nothing Arizona had seen before. She loved it.
I did that. She smiled. I help her to rediscover who she was after that woman had ruined her. She knew they would fight someday and that would be okay, but she had so far made it her mission to ensure that Callie hadn't had to worry about a thing, and she would continue to do so.
Suzanne was due out of prison in three months, and just when Arizona thought that it may all have been forgotten about, that Callie had been forgotten about, she was hit with the force of a thousand years worth of pain. Suzanne. Suzanne had contacted Callie.
Sat tugging at her fingers, Arizona wasn't sure how she felt about the situation they were now in. Suzanne wanted Callie to visit her in prison. Something which Arizona wasn't sure was a good idea. Obviously, she wouldn't stop the brunette from going if she wanted to, but she knew she had to give her her opinion on the situation. Maybe it wasn't her place to do so, but she couldn't sit on this. If she did, it would only bubble away inside of her, and she would eventually blow. That was something neither of them needed, not when Suzanne would eventually be on the streets again.
Clenching her fists, Arizona was certain that if she ever laid eyes on the woman who hurt her girlfriend again, she would likely kill her. Slow and painfully. The rage she felt for the other woman was something that worried her. She wasn't the kind of person to allow something or someone to affect her so deeply, but this was Callie's life, and she would protect her at all costs. Even if that meant spending the rest of her life behind bars for the woman she loved.
Every day she fell a little more for Callie, and every day she knew she could never be without her. You have to stop this hate and rage. It's not healthy, Robbins. Brought out of her thoughts by the sound of her cell buzzing, she glanced down at the screen.
Hi, beautiful. I cannot wait to see you tonight. I've missed you. I'm cooking dinner. - Callie x
Mm, sounds amazing already. See you tonight. - A x
Setting her cell back down, she puffed out a deep breath she had been holding. Callie was everything she could want and more, so holding onto this hatred for a woman she had met a whole four times wasn't something she could allow herself to do. She had to rid her mind of Suzanne, and she would do that tonight when she and Callie shared a beautiful dinner. It was inevitable, her girlfriend was an amazing cook, and she was pretty certain that she could give her own mother a run for her money.
Two hours later, Arizona sat on her couch rolling her eyes. Currently talking to her mother, she wondered why she had ever even made the call. Only thirty seconds in, and she had already been subjected to a telling off for not calling, and knew what the entire family had been up to.
"So how is the hospital?"
"It's great, mom. The guys are awesome there."
"Have you met anybody yet?" Arizona could hear the tone in her mother's voice. The tone? Whatever she said, her mother would know if she was lying.
"I have actually, mom. She's great. You would love her."
"The question is, do you love her, Arizona?"
"Mom, stop!"
"What? Do you or don't you?"
"I do." Arizona sighed. "I love her very much."
"Well then, I'm sure I'll love her. Your father, too." Barbara couldn't hold back the excitement in her voice.
"I know you both will. She's that kind of person."
"What is her name, dear?"
"Callie." Arizona ran her fingers through her hair. She knew exactly what was coming next.
"Lovely. So when can we meet this Callie?" And there it was. The one question she had been waiting on during this whole conversation. "You know we would love to meet her."
"I know you would, Mom. Things are just a little difficult right now." Arizona wasn't sure she should share her girlfriend's business with her mother, but she knew eventually she would have to.
"Difficult how, honey?"
"Just, maybe now isn't the best time." She sighed. "I'll run it by her and see how she feels about it. Would that be okay?"
"Of course, honey. You would tell us if you were in trouble, wouldn't you?"
"Huh? Of course. I'm not in trouble, though, mom. When have I ever been in trouble?" Arizona scoffed.
"Oh, never." The blonde knew her mother was rolling her eyes right about now. "But, Callie? Is she in trouble?"
"No, mom. Callie isn't in any trouble."
"Okay. If you are sure." Barbara stated. "You know, um, memorial day is coming up soon?"
"I know, mother. I know exactly when memorial day is."
"Don't use that tone with me, young lady." Barbara's voice turning a little stern. "What I'm asking is, have you told Callie about your brother?"
"No, I haven't."
"Why not? You know keeping it all inside isn't good. I don't know how many times I've told you this, Arizona."
"Please, mom. Not now. I'm not keeping anything in, it's just, it never comes up." Arizona shot back. "I don't like talking about it, about him. It hurts too much, and Callie has her own stuff going on right now."
"Please tell her about him. Whatever she has going on, I'm sure she would like to hear all about your wonderful brother."
Tears threatening to fall, Arizona gave her mother what she wanted to hear. "I will, mom. Look, I have to go. I have to be in work in a little over an hour."
"Okay, honey. You have a lot to discuss with your girlfriend. Please don't leave it so long to call me again. I only have you now, Arizona."
An immense amount of guilt hitting her like a train, Arizona bit down on the inside of her cheek. "I'm sorry, I promise to be in touch soon. I'll talk to Callie tonight about coming to visit. I love you, tell dad I said Hi."
"We love you too, sweetie. Talk to you soon. Bye."
"Bye, mom." Hitting the end call button, Arizona felt awful. She had lied to her mother. She didn't have to be in work, and she also had no intentions of bringing Tim into their relationship right now. Once Callie knew, Arizona feared that it would become an often talked about subject, and she didn't want that. It was true, Callie did have her own stuff going on, and the last thing she needed was for Arizona to be an emotional wreck at the mention of her brother's name.
She would keep him locked away a little longer. At least until they went to visit her parents. Once that day came, all of her secrets would be laid bare. She could promise that wherever her mother was concerned.
Sat on Arizona's king-size bed, Callie reread the letter she had received a couple of days ago. She didn't like bringing it out in front of Arizona because she knew exactly how the other woman felt, but she genuinely was interested in what Suzanne may have to say to her.
Calliope,
I know I haven't been the most loyal or loving person in your life, so I am writing this letter as an apology. Having spent the last nine months inside, I have come to realize that my actions towards you, and Arizona, have been disgusting. Never in my life have I loved someone like I do you, and although you never want to see me again, it's true, I do still love you very much. You have always been there for me, even when I did what I done, you still came back. You gave me a second chance, one which I blew. I do not know what the future holds for me, hell I know I'll never be able to love anyone like I love you, but I hope that you are happy, and your future is everything you imagined it to be. You deserve it. You deserve it, and more.
I have been taking anger management classes as part of my lesser sentence, and I believe that I have come to terms with my behavior, and my issues. If only one day you could see the person I've become, I would be forever happy knowing that you could see the real me. Those two years of hell that I put you through were anything but me. I was vile and I was abusive. You didn't deserve any of that. No one ever deserves that. Please know that I am truly sorry for all of the hurt and the pain that I put you through. I would never hurt you again, and I hope you know that. Coming to terms with what I have done has left me feeling void. I know I've been a cold heartless bitch, but please know that that isn't me anymore. I truly have moved on, and I'm ready for the outside world once again. This time, I'll be better. I promise. Maybe one day we could be friends. Who knows.
I have one request if you have even gotten this far in the letter. I was wondering if you would consider visiting me? I haven't had a visitor in nine months, and I know I don't deserve one, but I guess there is no harm in asking. Maybe it could be a sort of closure for the both of us. To know that we have both truly moved on. Please consider it, it would mean an awful lot.
Suzanne.
Sighing, Callie placed the letter down on the table beside her. Torn, she truly didn't know what to do for the best. She was intrigued to see how Suzanne had changed, or to see if she had at all, but the thought of bringing it up with Arizona left her with a sense of dread.
She didn't want to see her ex, but she believed that she should. Arizona would likely not understand, but that would be okay. This wasn't about their relationship, it was about closing the final chapter on her past relationship. She wouldn't ask Arizona to go with her, no, this was something she had to do alone, but she was struggling to find the words to use when bringing it up in conversation. She will probably think I want Suzanne back. Laughing at her own ridiculous thought, Callie glanced up to find Arizona leaning against the door frame to her bedroom. "Hey."
"Hi." Pale fingers ran through blonde curls.
"You okay? How long have you been standing there?" Callie furrowed her brow.
"Long enough to see that you are thinking hard about something."
"Sorry, I was just having a few minutes to myself." Red lips curled into a small smile. "I'll be out now."
"No no. Take you time." Arizona waved away Callie's previous comment. "I'm not rushing you. Just do what you need to do." The blonde smiled and hoped that her girlfriend would know what she was trying to say without having to actually say it.
"Okay." Brown eyes narrowed. "You sure?"
"I'm positive. You know what you need to do, and I trust that you will do whatever you think is best." Arizona pushed away from the doorframe and closed the door over.
Making her way down the hall, she pulled out a beer and took a seat on the couch. Feet up on the coffee table, she took a large sip from her bottle and lay her head back. She knows what she should do. Mind your own freaking business, Robbins. This is her battle, and she will fight it how she chooses to. Eyes closing, she decided to focus on the dinner she had just shared with Callie. The aroma still hanging in the air around the apartment.
She loved this. Sitting down after a beautiful dinner, made by a beautiful woman. She wasn't sure she could ever stop this from being one of their regular things to do. Her last relationship had consisted of romantic dinners out or a takeout, but this was so much better. Knowing that they could share a comfortable silence while having dinner at home was something Arizona had quickly gotten used to. Words weren't needed for the sake of a little noise. Together, yet alone in their own thoughts, it was nice. It was comfortable. It was what Arizona liked in a relationship. Watching Callie as she ate was quickly becoming one of her favorite things. Feeling a presence around her, she opened her eyes to find her girlfriend standing in front of her. Unaware that she had tears falling, she sat up and smiled. "You okay?"
"Um, yeah. Are you okay?" Callie furrowed her brow.
"Yeah, why?" Blue eyes stared back intently.
"You've been crying?"
"Oh, no, I'm just tired. Watery eyes." Running her knuckle beneath her eye, Arizona discovered that she had in fact been crying. She didn't like that. She didn't like not having control over her own body, especially when she was completely unaware of it happening.
"No, they are tears, baby. What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I was just thinking."
"About?" Callie took a seat beside her girlfriend.
"Us." The blonde smiled.
"You've been crying thinking about us? That doesn't sound good." Brown eyes dropped their gaze. Tanned fingers pulling at each other, Callie couldn't look at Arizona. "Are you not happy?"
"What? No, of course, I'm happy. I've never been happier, Cal."
"Then why the tears?"
"Happy tears I guess." Pale shoulders shrugged. Taking her girlfriend's hands in her own, Arizona smiled. "I promise I'm happy with you. Please don't think that I'm not. I just, I was sat here thinking about how it's been between us, and I just, I-I guess I can't believe how lucky I got."
"Really? You mean that?" Callie lifted her gaze. "I feel like I'm the lucky one, Arizona."
"Then I guess we are both lucky, huh?"
"I guess we are." Callie agreed. "I, uh, I decided that I'm going to visit Suzanne."
"Oh, okay." Arizona gave a nod as her own gaze dropped. "If that's what you want to do."
"It is." The brunette smiled. "I have to do this, Arizona. I have to tell her once and for all that we are done. We are through."
"You think she will listen?"
"I hope so." Tanned shoulders shrugged. "I really hope so."
"Well, you are a better woman than me. That's for sure."
"Why?"
"I'm not sure I could do it if I were in that position. I'm not sure I could ever look at her again."
"I know."
"She threatened to rape you, Callie."
"I know." The brunettes body flinched at the thought. Her memory suddenly taking her back to that day, that day when Arizona came back and saved her. Her exes hands all over her body, almost down the front of her pants. She shuddered.
"It just, it doesn't sit comfortably with me is all. Something doesn't feel right about it."
"Would you rather me not go?"
"That is your decision, Callie. I'm not about to stop you from doing anything. I'm not her." Blonde curls shook.
"Hey, look at me." Callie curled her fingers under a pale chin. "I didn't mean it like that. I know you are nothing like her. I was just asking you opinion."
"I really can't give you my opinion. It's not my place, Calliope."
"Okay." The brunette stood. "I'm going to take a shower."
"Sure." Arizona took a sip of her beer.
"Maybe we could open a bottle of wine when I'm done?"
"Sounds good." The blonde gave a nod in agreement.
"Maybe you could keep me company while I'm in there?" A perfectly defined eyebrow rose, pure love pouring from brown eyes. "I'd like some company."
"Well, I could definitely use a little hot steamy water right now."
Biting down on her bottom lip, Callie felt her arousal pool. "Steamy it will definitely be."
The following morning, Callie found herself making a call to visit Suzanne. Arizona had suggested she give herself a little more time to decide what she wanted to do, but she couldn't. If she was going to visit the woman who had subjected her to two years of abuse, she had to book the visit on impulse. So now, here she was, making the call.
She wasn't sure how she felt about her ex anymore. Nothing? Something? All she knew was that the pain she had felt whenever she was around her had disappeared. That was down to the woman she was now sharing her bed with. Maybe she did feel nothing for Suzanne. Maybe she would still feel nothing for her when she walked into that visiting room. What she did know for certain, though, was that this was the last time she ever planned on seeing the woman who had ruined two years of her life.
Thanking the voice coming through the line, she ended the call and sat back. Five days. Five days until she came face to face with her abuser. Suddenly feeling it hit her like a train, she wondered what she had just gotten herself into. You will be okay. She can't hurt you. Sighing, she made a note of the date and the time of her visit and decided to think no more about it.
Checking the time, Arizona was due home any minute. God, I miss her so much when she isn't here. Putting on a pot of fresh coffee, she sat and waited for the other woman to return home. Hearing the sound of her keys from behind the apartment door, she smiled. She would spend forever waiting for Arizona to come home, because every time she watched her walk through that door, her heart swelled with an immense amount of love for the pediatric surgeon. "Hi, baby."
Making her way over to the brunette sat in her kitchen, Arizona smiled back and placed a kiss on soft red lips. "Hi, beautiful. How was your day off?"
"Alright, I guess." Tanned shoulders shrugged. "Missed you, though."
"I missed you too. Crazy busy today. I'm sorry I didn't get much time to call you."
"It's okay. Saving tiny humans, right?" Brown eyes narrowed.
"Correct." The blonde threw her girlfriend a wink and laughed. "Good to see you are getting the hang of it."
"Which?"
"My perkiness." A dimpled smile appeared. "I'm adorable aren't I."
Pulling the other woman in by the hips, Callie spread her legs and allowed their embrace to take over for a moment. "You are more than adorable."
"What do I get for being so adorable, though?" Arizona squinted.
"Oh, wouldn't you like to know." Tanned hands gripped onto the tight ass beneath them. "That ass does not quit."
Smiling into their kiss, Arizona moaned. "Maybe you could take me down the hall and get a closer look."
"Now that is the best idea I've heard all day."
Pulling the brunette to her feet, Arizona laced their fingers together and guided them both down the hall. She could fall in love over and over again with Callie Torres, and right now, she wanted nothing more than to show her just how much she loved her.
Thanks for reading, guys. I look forward to all of your reviews.