It was seven o'clock when they finally reconvened around the dining table, freshly showered and in clean clothes. Callie, once again, had put the washing machine on to allow for the clothes to last a bit longer but silently dreaded the day the electricity cut out and little luxuries like freshly laundered clothes would become a thing of the past.
They sat in companionable silence as they tucked into the roast beef and vegetables that Addie and Millie had cooked, along with some gravy made from the beef juice. Each person felt ravenous despite having had two meals already that day. The hard work was taking its toll on their bodies and for some, not Callie, but the others they were unused to manual labour. They could stand and operate for ten plus hours without rest, but having to lift and move heavy items was not something they were accustomed to.
Callie basked in the hard days labour, she was in her element and felt a sense of achievement and couldn't hide her smirk as she glanced at the tired and exhausted faces around her. They would soon get used to it, their bodies would adapt, and they would grow stronger and become more resilient to the new world around them. They had to, there was no choice about it. This new world was made for the strongest and whilst Arizona may have been right that some people survived the outbreak by pure luck, to survive in this new world you needed to be strong.
Once the food was finished and the dishes were washed and put away. Derek and Mark set to updating Callie's paperwork in her office as to the houses they successfully had broken into and cleared of the infected, they had moved the bodies using a wheel barrow they had spray painted a red cross on so that it wouldn't be used for anything else, and deposited the carcasses at the far end of the carpark opposite Callie's house to be burnt at a later date.
Whilst the men finished off their days work, the women set about in finding a game to entertain Millie and Ben, finally they selected 'Uno' and the eight survivors set to playing, the children with cans of pop and the adults with chilled beers.
-oOo-
Waking to the sound of someone mumbling and whimpering, Callie sat up from the mattress and instantly found the source of her rude awakening. Arizona appeared to be mid nightmare and decided to put the poor woman out of her misery. She began to stroke her hair and soothingly roused her from her sleep. Arizona awoke with a start and almost headbutted Callie.
"Hey! its ok, your safe it was just a bad dream" Callie said softly as she moved her hands from Arizona's hair to her hands where pale hands grabbed tightly at the bed sheets.
"I'm sorry, did I wake you?" Arizona said after taking a few moments to regulate her breathing and heart rate and gather her surroundings.
"Yeah, but it's no big deal, are you ok? Do you want to talk about it?" Callie asked carefully as her thumb stroked over an alabaster hand.
"I'm ok. I just had a dream that I was back in the hospital... I suspect dreams like that will be around for a while for all of us" Arizona said sadly. She glanced behind her at the two sleeping children on the couch to make sure she hadn't woken them up too. Thankfully they seemed to be completely zonked and having, unlike herself, sweet dreams.
"Do you want to try and get some more sleep?" Callie asked, squeezing the hand within her own reassuringly.
"Yeah, I think I need to. I am bone tired after today" the blonde admitted.
"Hard labour will do that to you when your body isn't used to it" Callie smiled softly to show that there was no malice in her words.
"I don't know how you do it Callie I mean it's obvious that you are in great shape but to be on your feet being so active and moving heavy things all day every day. I have a whole new appreciation for people like you"
"Your body will soon get used to it, just take it easy and make sure you don't overexert yourself. I don't need to lecture a doctor on pulling muscles or taking risks that cause accidents" Callie smirked cheekily. "How about we lay back down and try to get some more sleep, it will be time to get up soon"
"Okay, do you think... could you stoke my hair again, that felt really nice" Arizona popped her dimples and fluttered her eye lashes which caused Callie to laugh a little too loudly.
"How can I say no to that face?" Callie asked as she motioned with her head for Arizona to cuddle into her. The blonde complied, resting her head on the brunette's shoulder, Callie snaked her arm underneath the surgeon's head and began a mixture of stroking the blonde tresses and massaging her scalp as she listened to the sounds of Arizona falling asleep. Once content that the blonde was in a nightmare less sleep, Callie allowed herself to doze off.
-oOo-
At five in the morning, Axel rose from the mattress and stared at his new master sleeping soundly snuggled into the blonde lady. The two small humans were sound asleep on the couch behind them and although he would be content to scratch at the quilt a little to get it more comfortable and curl back up and sleep some more, mother nature was calling, and he needed to use the bathroom.
He pawed at Callie's legs a few times hoping to rouse her, when that didn't work, he let out a single bark and wagged his tail as his mistress shot up and glanced around the room in confusion. He scratched softly at her legs a few more times before padding to the backdoor where he turned and waited patiently for Callie to join him, which she did a few minutes later.
With a ruffle of the fur on his head, Callie released the lock on the glass sliding door, then on the Crim-Safe sliding screen and released the pooch into the garden. Axel sped out into the garden, sniffed at a few spots before cocking his leg and relieving himself. Once his bladder was empty, he sniffed again for a new spot before crouching down on his hind legs. He looked over his shoulder at his new owner and saw her nose crinkled up in disgust.
Once finished his business, he stretched his body, had a quick shake then scratched the grass over his deposit, hearing Callie grumble "bloody dog" as he dashed back into the house and towards the big container holding his food.
Callie followed him sleepily and quietly poured some of the biscuits into a bowl which she then placed gently on the floor before he began to wolf down the delicious offering. When he had finished, he looked up to offer his thanks to Callie, but she had gone. He trotted back into the area where they slept and found his mistress back in bed cuddled into the blonde woman again, deciding that now he had been fed and had done his morning business there was no harm in taking a nap so he crawled onto the foot of the mattress, circled twice before laying down, his chin resting on Callie's feet.
He missed the people he used to live with, they had treated him well enough but Callie... she treated him like a king. He ate 3 meals a day, he walked, played and ran almost all day every day and she talked to him like he was her friend. What more could a dog want?
-oOo-
The next time Callie woke up she could feel someone's eyes on her before she had even opened her own, but it wasn't an unsettling feeling. Instead, it made her feel... all kinds of feelings that she couldn't quite place. She peeped one eye open and as she suspected, blue eyes were focussed on her face in a dreamy expression. When blue eyes met brown, the bluer pair widened in surprise at having been caught.
"Sorry you just looked so peaceful, and I didn't want to wake you" Arizona whispered.
"Thats ok, have you been awake long?" Callie smiled softly to show it really wasn't a problem for her, in fact she enjoyed waking up to Arizona so close to her.
"About a quarter of an hour, I figured after I woke you up last night the least I could let you do is have a little sleep in"
"What time is it?" Callie asked as she rolled onto her back and proceeded to stretch her back out.
"Just after eight" Arizona answered in a voice that seemed a little distant, Callie turned her head to the side where she saw Arizona looking at her chest before her eyes snapped up guiltily. If Callie had any doubts before about Arizona's sexual orientation, those questions were now quashed.
Before either woman could say something to break the slightly awkward silence, Derek and Mark walked into the kitchen bickering quietly between themselves. They quietly... well as quiet as two men can be in a kitchen... began making coffee for the group. Whilst Mark was boiling the two gas top kettles on the stove, Derek opened the fridge and pulled out a couple of packets of bacon. He grabbed a couple of frying pans and set to making bacon and eggs for the group.
Callie untangled herself from Arizona with a bashful smile and made her way to the bathroom to relieve herself and wash up, when she returned seven people were sat around her dining table waiting patiently for her.
Since leaving home to attend college, Callie had always lived alone. She, of course, had been in a relationship or five over the years and therefore had shared her living space, but on the whole... it had just been her; it was what she was used to. But the longer these people lived in her space the more she realised how lonely life had been the last few years. She of course had friends, but none that she was overly close to. They were more acquaintances that she met for dinner or drinks occasionally. It was nice to have people in her life and in her home.
She sat down in the remaining seat and waited till the others had started eating as she took a swig of the hot coffee that had been made just to her liking.
"So, what's on the agenda today?" Addie asked once she had finished, she had fun yesterday baby sitting and cooking, but she was hoping for something a bit more adventurous today.
"Well Mark has a few more houses to work on, so he and I will be doing that... I have almost mastered the art of lock picking" Derek announced proudly as Callie finished what she was chewing.
"Right, Jim how are you going with the solar panels?" Callie asked after she had swallowed.
"Good, I took the liberty of photocopying your maps of the estate and have marked up which houses have solar panels, which are single story, and which are double story and I think there are enough single-story houses to rig a system up. It won't be pretty. But if we use the corner house, this house and the house next door that way" Jim pointed to the house on the right "then I think if we can collect enough power boards, fridges and freezers we might be able to keep going after the electricity grid goes off. The only thing we are going to need are batteries, and a few of them" Jim said, scratching at the beard starting to grow on his chin.
"What kind of batteries?" Mark asked interested.
"Big ones. Car batteries should be fine" Jim mused.
"What about if we salvage some from the wall of cars? There's about a dozen cars there sitting and going to waste" Callie offered.
"They'll do, it's going to take me the best part of a day if not longer to get the batteries though. It would be a lot easier to set this solar farm up if we do it with the power still on"
"Why don't you show me how to unplug them and remove them, that way I can help?" Arizona asked much to the surprise of the rest of the group. "Don't look so shocked. I grew up the daughter of a marine with an older brother. I know a bit about cars" Arizona shrugged.
"The more the merrier" Jim replied.
"I don't want you guys out there without a spotter. The infected can creep up on you, we don't need anyone being bitten or scratched" Derek warned carefully.
"I can spot them, it will be nice to rest my body for the day. I'm used to manual labour but even I need a break sometimes" Callie suggested "plus Axel will growl if he even scents a walking corpse"
"Addie, what are your plans?" Arizona asks as she take a large pull of her coffee.
"I think Ben, Millie and I will go investigate the houses we have keys for. See what useful items there might be there. It will keep us out of mischief!" Addie grinned at the kids as they punched the air in excitement at getting to help out.