Thanks for your recent reviews, guys.
I own nothing. All characters/storylines belong to Shonda. I'm simply 'borrowing' them.
I Will Be
Making it back to her parents home in record time, Arizona quietly slipped inside and found her mother waiting for her. Placing her pictures of her brother down on a nearby table, she moved into the kitchen and took a seat at the dinner table. "Hey, Mom."
"Everything okay?" Barbara furrowed her brow.
"Yeah, I think so. Is, uh, is Callie about?" Pale fingers ran through blonde curls. Checking the time, it was a little after nine and Arizona half hoped that her girlfriend may have already settled down the for the night, having been awake so early that morning.
"She said she would wait for you upstairs. I think she was taking a shower."
"Okay, I'm going to head up. Could use a quiet night." Arizona smiled as she stood from her seat. "Night, Mom. I love you."
"I love you too, honey." Pulling her daughter into an embrace, Barbara placed a kiss on her forehead before releasing her. "I'll see you both in the morning."
Heading off up the stairs, Arizona stopped when she felt her cell buzz in her pocket. Pulling it out, she unlocked the screen and immediately felt her stomach drop and her anger rise. I knew she wouldn't give up so easily. Taking a minute to think about how she should approach the situation she now found herself in, she leant back against the wall and closed her eyes. Go and see your girl. The only one who matters in all of this. Pushing off the wall, she quietly made her way down the hallway and found herself frozen outside her old bedroom door.
Listening, she found the room to be silent. Oh, please be asleep. I cannot deal with this right now. Turning the handle, she stepped inside to find Callie smiling back at her, trashy book in hand. "Hey."
"Hey. I missed you." The brunette closed her book and sat up a little more in the bed. "How did it go?"
Clearing her throat, Arizona was yet to even open her mouth. She knew everything was okay between them, so why did she feel like her world was ending? Why did she feel like something wasn't right? Dropping her gaze, she slipped off her jacket and kicked off her shoes. "Callie, do you trust me?"
"Yeah, of course, I do." Callie furrowed her brow. "Why? Why are you asking me that?"
Handing her girlfriend her cell phone, Arizona took a seat on the edge of the bed and turned her back. She couldn't bare to look at Callie right now. Not when she didn't know what was about to happen. Nothing. Silence.
Hey, thanks for coming by tonight. You don't know how much it meant to me. I hope we can get back to where we were. When we used to be good. I know this will hurt Callie, but you know we are made for each other. Eight years, Arizona. Thank you for giving me another chance. Until the next kiss…. Nat x
Hearing the click of her cell phone being locked, Arizona held her breath. Say something, Callie. Scream. Shout. Just say something. Feeling the bed dip behind her, strong arms wrapped around her shoulders and red lips placed a light kiss on her neck. "Come to bed, Arizona."
Sobs immediately shaking her body, the blonde melted into the protective arms of her girlfriend. Tanned fingers pulling at the hem of her jumper, she sat forward and allowed Callie to remove the item. Now sat in a tank top, she felt the chill in the air hit her body. No words were spoken. She simply stood from the bed, removed her jeans, and slipped under the covers. Smiling when she felt the warmth against her skin, she glanced to her right to find beautiful brown eyes staring back at her. She kept my side warm.
Callie's eyes told her that they were okay. They told her that she trusted Arizona. They told her that no matter what, she wasn't about to leave. She wasn't about to fight. She was here, with her, and she was ready to settle down in bed and hold her girlfriend all night long. If that was what Arizona needed, then that was was Callie would do. "Come here."
Turning her body into the caramel one beside her, Arizona wrapped her arm around a soft, warm waist, and held on for dear life. Her life. Their life. "I love you, Calliope." Nuzzling down into the brunette's chest, Arizona felt the love radiate from her being.
"I love you, too." Placing a light kiss atop blonde curls, Callie ran her fingertips up and down Arizona's bare arm and closed her eyes. Tomorrow they would talk about what had happened tonight. Tomorrow they would figure out how they would deal with Natalie. Right now, Callie had had enough for one day, and she suspected Arizona had, too.
Waking up to cold sheets, Callie groaned. Where the hell is she? Back at home, Arizona would always wake before Callie, but usually, the blonde would either hang about in bed, or she wouldn't be too far away. Removing her tired body from the comfortable mattress, the brunette slipped on some loose jeans and an oversized hoodie. Maybe she went for a run. She said her dad still runs. Smiling at the thought of her girlfriend running with her father, Callie left the bedroom. Oh god, what if she has gone running with Natalie? Her heart dropping into her stomach, the brunette made her way downstairs and found Mrs Robbins cooking breakfast. "Hey, good morning, Barbara."
"Morning, dear. Did you sleep well?"
"I did. Perfectly." Callie smiled as she glanced around the room. "Did Arizona go some place?"
"She's out on the porch. Took herself off with a coffee about thirty minutes ago. I'm not sure she slept so well last night. Is everything okay?"
"Yeah, I think so. She, um, she was a little upset when she came home last night."
"Natalie?" Barbara rolled her eyes. "That woman."
"Yeah, she's just trying to mess with us. I'm not worried, though." Tanned shoulders shrugged. "I'll give her a little while to herself. I know how she likes to process things alone."
"Yes, just like her father." The older woman laughed. "How about you help out with breakfast? Take your mind off things?"
"Sounds perfect." Callie stepped into the kitchen and took any orders that came her way.
Hood pulled up, and coffee in hand, Arizona sat on the top step of her mother's porch. She had thought about taking a walk. She had thought about disappearing in her car. Neither had happened and now she found herself in the same spot she had been in for near on an hour. Leaving home had been the best decision she had ever made. It had led her to Callie. That was a fact. What she hadn't expected, though, was the internal struggle she would face when she came across her ex-girlfriend for the first time in over a year. The woman she thought she would spend forever with. The truth? She had been planning on proposing to Natalie. She had planned to take her away, woo her, and then ask the brunette to be her wife. Things had been hard for them in the weeks leading up to their breakup. They both knew that. Arizona had hoped it was something and nothing, but it hadn't been. Her entire world ended the day she found her girlfriend and her best friend naked together. Her brother had died, he had left her, and the only people she had left had just betrayed her in a way she never thought possible. She had never felt so alone in all of her life.
Sure, she was hot. Arizona knew that. She knew that she could probably have the pick of most women in her local bar, but that wasn't what she wanted. What she wanted was someone she could settle down with. Someone she could be happy with, forever. Natalie was that person. She knew Natalie was that person.
Until Calliope Torres came along. Came along and turned her world upside down once again.
Moving to Seattle had come at a perfect time in her life. Knowing that she needed a change, needed to find herself again, it couldn't have been more ideal. Her plan? Well, she didn't have one. The idea of being in a different city, where nobody knew her, caused her to take the job offer without even thinking. Sure, she would miss her parents, but that was all. They were the only people stopping her from leaving the day she found her girlfriend cheating on her. Had she been in the right frame of mind, she would have packed up and left within the hour.
Now she had Callie Torres in her bed, her life, her heart. She had her, all of her. So why was Natalie suddenly trying to work her way back into her life? Why was Natalie trying to ruin what she had built with Callie? She doesn't love me. You don't do that to somebody you love. You don't break their heart and laugh. That's not love.
"Care to share?" A voice called out and pulled Arizona from her thoughts.
Glancing to her left, Arizona scoffed and turned away. "Go home, Natalie."
"No, not until we have talked."
"I have nothing to say to you." The blonde sipped on her coffee and continued to look out across the field. "You're wasting your time."
Taking a seat beside Arizona, Natalie shared her view before turning her attention back to the blonde who was clearly struggling with things. "Please, I just want to talk."
"You think what you did last night was funny? Sending me a message like that when you knew it was a lie? Why did you do that?"
"Because I want you to come home. I want you to come back to me. I don't care how much you love her, we are the ones who spent eight years together." Natalie smiled as she shifted a little closer to the blonde. "We didn't last that long for the sake of it, Zo. We loved each other, and I know that we still do."
"No, you're totally off the mark here. I do not love you, anymore." Arizona spat. "You know, I haven't thought about you once since I left this place. Never did you cross my mind. Not once."
"Mm, I find that hard to believe." The brunette smirked. "We were inseparable, Zo."
"Yeah, until the one evening that we weren't. Until the one evening when I took my eye off of you, and you felt it would be appropriate to get naked with Julie."
"It never should have happened." Natalie sighed.
"But it did." Arizona gave her ex-girlfriend a sad smile. "If that had been you last night, if you had been Callie and I'd have shown you that message, the message you sent me, what would you have done?"
"Honestly? I'd have kicked you out and I'd have handed her ass to her."
"Because?" Blue eyes narrowed.
"Because I'd have thought you had cheated on me," Natalie stated.
"That's why you sent it?" Arizona laughed. "You sent it hoping that she would leave me, and I'd come back to you?"
"Well, yeah." The brunette placed her hand on Arizona's knee. "Did she fall for it? Is that why you are sat outside alone?"
"Actually, no." Blonde curls shook. Brushing Natalie's hand away, she turned and faced the brunette. "I came back last night and I showed that message to Callie. I expected her to go crazy, I would have, but she didn't. You know what she did? She held me and told me it was okay. She told me she trusts me. You never once said that to me. You never once stopped for a second to think about me. I'd never have done that to you. I'd never have cheated on you. Never."
"I didn't think, I'm sorry. It was the biggest mistake of my life." Natalie's voice broke. "Please forgive me?"
"Callie has been more and meant more to me in this past year than you ever were in the eight years we were together. I could never trust you again."
"Zo, please?" Natalie raised her hand and ran her thumb along Arizona's cheek.
"Take your hands off of my girlfriend." A deep husky voice called from behind both women. "NOW!"
Standing, Natalie stepped close to Callie and laughed. "I think you'll find that she was mine long before she was yours."
"Yeah, she was. But not anymore." Callie stood tall. "I hope Julie was worth it."
"Worth what?" The other brunette scoffed.
"Losing Arizona." Tanned shoulder shrugged. "How anyone could be so stupid, I'll never know."
"Stupid?" Natalie furrowed her brow.
"If you'd have stopped and thought about Arizona. If you'd have taken a moment to actually really see her, you know, to love her, like she deserves, you'd see what an amazing person she is. How beautiful she is, both inside and out. How she takes a couple of minutes every day to tell me how much she loves me. How much she wants me in her life. How she holds me every night and I wake up in her arms every morning. That is what I mean by stupid."
"She never did any of that with me." Brown eyes dropped their gaze.
"Well then, I guess that tells you all you need to know." Callie gave the ex her full megawatt smile. "Maybe if you'd have given her a little more attention. Maybe if you'd have taken the time to give back the love she had given to you, you might not have felt the need to go exploring. You might still be together."
Pulling Arizona up to her feet, Callie stood behind her and wrapped her arms around her waist. Placing her chin on the blonde's shoulder, she pressed a kiss below her ear and turned back to Natalie. "You should probably leave now. You've upset my girlfriend enough."
Watching the other woman walk away, she turned her girlfriend around in her arms and gave her a sad smile. "You okay?" Pulling her into a hug, she felt warm tears hit her skin. Gaining a slight nod from Arizona, she ran her fingers through blonde curls and sat them both down on the bench nearby.
"Callie, I swear I didn't ask her to come by. I mean, I guess it was stupid of me to sit out here, alone, but I just wanted some space. Some air. I didn't want her to touch me."
"I know." Callie smiled. "Which is why we aren't having this conversation."
"But-"
"I heard everything, Arizona." The brunette stated as she wrapped a blanket around their bodies. "You don't have to explain anything to me."
"You did?"
"Yeah, that woman does not take no for an answer." Callie laughed. "Are you okay, though? That is all that matters."
"Yeah." Pale fingers ran through blonde curls. "Callie?"
"Yes, baby?" She turned to face the blonde.
"Can we go home?"
"I know, Mom. I'm sorry, I just can't be here right now." Arizona gave her mother a sad smile as she packed up her belongings. "I promise, you and dad can come visit once we have a house."
"Arizona, you look after that girl of yours, okay?" Barbara stopped her daughter long enough to hold the smallest of conversations.
"I will." She smiled.
"She told me, you know. Callie told me about her past. She said that that woman will be back with the public in a month." A hint of fear was evident in the older Robbins voice.
"Yeah, Mom. She will." Arizona took a seat on the edge of her bed. "But I'm praying that she stays away."
"Do you think she will?" Barbara asked.
"Yeah, sure." Pink lips gave a half smile.
"Arizona?"
"I don't know, Mom. I really don't." The blonde tugged on her fingers in her lap and sighed. "I'd like to think that she will stay away. She wrote to Callie a few months ago. Said she's been in a program. You know, to deal with her anger."
"That's something, I suppose," Barbara responded, unconvinced by her daughter's words. "Maybe she will move on after all."
"You're a terrible liar, Mom." Arizona laughed. "But yeah, Anytimemaybe she will."
"You'll keep in touch?"
"Of course. We will both be busy at the hospital when we go back but I'll try and make time at least twice a week."
"Okay, honey." Giving her daughter's hand a tight squeeze, the older woman moved towards the door and left the blonde to finish up.
Having said her goodbyes, Callie found herself sat on the porch waiting for her girlfriend to bring out their luggage. She'd enjoyed her time at the Robbins family home, and she knew that once both of them had settled down in a home of their own, Barbara and Daniel would be stopping by whenever possible. Callie loved that. She loved the sense of family, the sense of love from her girlfriend's parents. It was something she had missed for several years. Maybe I should call my family. My sister, at least?
The sound of voices behind the front door pulled the brunette from her thoughts. Her girlfriend followed by Barbara and Daniel made their way out onto the porch and pulled Arizona into a hug. "You call us if you need anything. Don't hesitate, honey."
"I know, Mom. I'm sure we will be fine, though."
"Do as your mother says, kiddo." Daniel gave his daughter a hard stare. "You know how she can be."
"I know, I know." Blue eyes softened. Turning to Callie, she gave the brunette a smile and pulled her up to her feet. "You ready, beautiful?"
"Sure am." Callie smiled. "Thank you for having me, Mr and Mrs Robbins. It's been wonderful."
"Anytime, Callie." Daniel wrapped his arms around the brunette and gave his daughter a wink over the Callie's shoulder. "You keep in touch now, yeah?"
"Of course." Callie stated as she moved to the other parent. "Barbara." Pulling her into a hug, she lowered her voice and thanked her for the talk they'd had the previous day. The non response was enough for Callie and as she pulled away, she took her girlfriend's hand in her own and walked them both down the steps leading to Arizona's car.
Placing their luggage in the trunk, Callie pressed her lips to Arizona's and gave her a knowing smile. "Let's go home, baby."
Two hours into their drive home, Arizona felt a weight had lifted from her entire body. The longer she stayed at her parents house, the more likely she and Callie would have fought. Natalie had made it clear that it was her intention to cause them problems, and Arizona had no plans to stick around and see how far she would go. She and Callie didn't need the added stress right now, not when the fact that Suzanne was due out soon was playing on her mind. She could ignore it, and hope that it went away, but she knew better than anyone that it wouldn't. She knew that the redheaded abuser would soon be back in Seattle, and she knew that they would cross paths again. Whether that was in a friendly capacity or not remained to be seen.
"So, um, Suzanne is out soon." Arizona stated as she kept her baby blues on the road.
"Yeah, I know." Callie wiped her palms on her thighs. "She, um, she probably won't come back."
"You don't think?" The blonde asked, nonchalantly. I wish I felt the same way as she does.
"No, I mean, she knows that we won't sit back and let things happen anymore. I think you may have finally put her in her place."
"Mm, who knows." Arizona sighed. "So, what is the plan exactly?"
"The plan for what?" Callie turned in her seat as best as she could.
"If she does come back. What is the plan?"
"I, uh, I don't know." The brunette sighed. "I hadn't thought about it."
"No, me neither, but we should probably start thinking about what we do if she shows up at my apartment door. Our apartment door."
"How um, how long do you think it will take us to find a place? I-If it's what you still want." Brown eyes stared intently. Callie was fine with what had happened back at the Robbins house, but she would be lying if she said it wasn't festering away somewhere in the back of her mind. Arizona continued to drive on in silence. Too busy processing the idea of her and Callie sharing a house together within a month, too excited at the prospect, she remained silent. Don't get your hopes up. You may not find anything you like. "I mean, if you don't want to, I get it. I-I know how long you two were together, so I get it. Just, I-" Cutting herself off, she couldn't believe what she was about to say. "If you decide to go back to her, please tell me. Don't disappear. Don't string me along. I just, I get it, okay?"
Pulling over at the side of the road, Arizona sat slack jawed. Did she just actually say that? Have those words just actually come from that beautiful mouth? Cutting the engine, the blonde unbuckled her belt and removed herself from the car. Pacing back and forth along the side of the road, Arizona felt her heart pounding out of her chest. She just asked me if I was leaving her. Bile rising in her throat, she tried to calm her breathing. She actually suggested that I would go back to Natalie. She thinks I'd go?
Hearing footsteps approach, she stopped dead in her spot. Turning to find glistening brown eyes, Arizona shook her head and closed her eyes. "Y-You think I'd do that to you? Y-You think I'd leave?"
Swallowing hard, Callie dropped her gaze and shoved her hands into her pockets. "I-I don't know."…..
Sorry to leave you guys on a kind of cliffhanger. I won't leave you waiting too long. You all know I wouldn't do that to you…..
Looking forward to your reviews.