Ch.1 roomies...?
Only a small glimmer of sunlight shone through the grey skies, the hustle and bustle of the city traffic was a terror to put up with to say the least.
Callie Torres had just finished her day of work at Seattle Grace, finding herself yet again putting up flyer after flyer in the green city... she was looking for someone to help split her rent bill with. 'Roommates come and go'... she thought to herself as she stuck her last remaining flyer onto the telephone poll, sending up a silent prayer to whomever comes across her desperate plea. Who was she kidding? how pathetic... Callie shook her head, ripping the paper from the poll she wadded up the flyer and shoved it into her leather jacket pocket.
Dreading the walk home to her empty apartment, Callie mindlessly scrolled through her phone... 'Maybe I should just call and ask her' she thought to herself, taking in a deep breath she hit dial and quickly began to walk through the Seattle streets.
"Hello?"
"Teddy? it's Callie! I've been thinking about the roommate situation, and I was wondering if that friend of yours is still looking for a place to stay?" the brunette asked, Callie had become e-quaintances with the cardio surgeon rather quickly after Cristina had left Seattle Grace in such a hurry. Cristina, being one of the many people to stay with Callie, was messy but paid her half of the bills and minded her own business for the most part... needless to say it wouldn't take much to replace Cristina Yang.
"Callie hey! yes Arizona is flying into town this Friday she's still needing a place to stay, she refuses to stay with Owen and I with the kids..." Teddy trailed off, Callie wrapped her arms around herself, fighting off the cold wind she spoke into the receiver, "Uh is there any way that you could mention my apartment to her?" arriving to the blue apartment door, she fumbled with her keys before stepping inside.
"Are you sure? you don't have to Callie... maybe Owen and I could-"
"Yes, God please yes I am so sick of hanging up pointless flyers every day" Callie pleaded, grabbing a bottle of red wine she poured herself a glass before sitting down on the sectional, readjusting the phone to her ear.
"I'll ask Arizona" Teddy replied... kids squealing and the front door slamming making Owen and the kids arrivals known... Callie thanked Teddy in a hurry, ending the call, she sighed pulling a throw over her body she slowly sipped at the wine, wishing and hoping that Teddys friend would be her saving grace.
It wasn't long until Friday came, Callie was paged into the ER at 1 in the morning and the incoming traumas had not stopped.
"Hunt! I need a crash cart," Callie shouted as she grabbed her gloves and donned a yellow medical gown. A school bus crash... bodies everywhere... all hands-on deck... nonstop.
"Got it!" Owen wheeled in the supplies.
"Charge to 250! come on come on stay with me..." Callie pleaded, placing the paddles onto the teenager's chest, the body jolted... still nothing. Callie proceeded with CPR, knowing good and well that the defib was not working in her favor today, she couldn't let this boy die today... not on her watch. Chest compressions after chest compressions, Callie could feel the sweat begin to bead down her forehead as she frantically did everything, she could do to save this young man, someone's child, for Gods sakes...
"Dr. Torres that's enough... he's gone," Owen placed his hand over Callie's... she stopped and looked up at the monitor, the flatline... that damn flat line. "No! this is the 4th one today I- I can't do this!" Callie shouted, stumbling back from the innocent boy who laid there lifeless. She ripped her gloves and gown off, rushing away before wet hot tears could fall down her face.
"Dr. Torres get back here!" Owen shouted, watching the fleeing woman... he knew it was no use... ER nurses glared at the man, he shook his head in embarrassment... he called the time of death and quickly went to find Teddy.
Wiping away the evidence of tears, Callie grabbed the handle to one of the on-call rooms, slamming the door shut she locked it... her back hit the wooden door with a thud, sliding down until she reached the floor, silently sobbing into the knees of her scrub pants. Losing a patient was hard but losing 4 in the same day? felt like a gut punch... Callie sniffled, pulling down the sleeves on her under shirt she wrapped arms around herself for comfort... needing reassurance that everything was going to be okay, feeling like a failure of a doctor... not knowing how she would be able to face the families of those innocent children... their whole lives ahead of them and taken away just like that... because of a stupid careless drunk driver.
Callie grabbed her phone... 4pm? she sighed, getting up from the floor of the on-call room she dusted herself off... her phone buzzed.
'Owen told me what happened today... if you want to schedule a different time to show Arizona the apartment, I'm sure she would understand' Teddy texted. "Shit!" the brunette cursed, collecting herself in a hurry, she was supposed to show Teddys friend the apartment at 5 she quickly stopped by the locker rooms, the sound of Teddys laughter and another's whom Callie hadn't heard before made the Latina freeze. Damnit, she thought... trying to adjust her scrubs to look more presentable knowing she was going to switch them but the thought of Teddys friend, Arizona, her possible future roommate seeing her disheveled would not be a good first impression.
Here goes nothing, Callie thought to herself, pushing the door to the locker rooms open. Teddy and another woman turned to the door, immediately locking eyes with Callie.
"Callie! this is Arizona..." Teddy motioned between the two, "Zona this is Callie the ortho God I've been telling you about!" Teddy smiled folding her arms across her chest.
Callie smiled politely at Teddys friend, "Nice to meet you I've heard little to nothing about you thanks to our friend Teddy" the Latina teased, the petite blonde giggled as she stretched out a hand, "It's nice to meet you too Callie I've heard nothing but good things" Arizona stifled a laugh at the reaction she got from Callie.
"Teddy!" Callie glared at the cardio surgeon
"What? I'm sorry! Arizona and I talk lots and lots about the Seattle Grace gossip of course she knows about you, Meredith, Alex, Cristina, Mark, pretty much the whole hospital" Teddy defended, looking to Arizona for help she nodded her head in agreement, "Yeah Teddy and I go way back" the blonde supplied, Callie looked between the two women, "Okay - okay fine but I think it's only fair that I get to know more about you," Callie declared, Teddy and Arizona shrugged simultaneously, "Of course how about the three of us get something to eat then we can go see the apartment?" Callie and Arizona looked at each other and then back at Teddy, "Yeah that sounds super!" the blonde smiled, unbeknownst to Arizona, Callie cringed silently... super? how perky is she and what am I getting myself into? she thought to herself, Teddy smirked at the Latina knowing her blonde friends perkiness might be the one thing that irks Callie to no end or might just grow on her. Shaking her head, Callie thought of a better plan,
"Since we are going to my apartment anyways for the 'tour' how about I just cook you guys something?" Teddy frowned, "But after the day you had wouldn't you want to just take the night off and relax?" the dirty blonde said, trying to watch out for Callie as best she could, Owen of course had told Teddy the whole spill about the brunette losing patient after patient today.
Callie's eyes started to burn, thinking back to just hours prior, she shook her head and avoided eye contact... collecting herself she spoke, "No! it's okay I'm fine really I need something to do to keep me busy to keep my mind off of it," Teddy nodded but not without noticing the change in Callie's behavior. Arizona cleared her throat,
"One thing to add to my resume as roomie is that I am a great listener," the blonde smiled this got a bark of laughter out of the Latina, "Oh good you're already one step ahead of Cristina she was a terrible listener," Arizona smiled at the comment, "So Callie, you cook?" the blonde changed the subject, the topic of food all caught their stomachs attentions, "I do, I make a mean Chicken Piccata," Callie gloated, taking pride in her work of art.. Culinary and Ortho were her two love languages after all.
"Guys! let's stop talking about food it's killing me!" Teddy whined, having tasted the delicious chicken with lemon-caper sauce before, the thought of a home cooked meal was starving her out.
Callie and Arizona laughed; tonight was going to be a good night.
Callie's 2-bedroom apartment was messy to say the least, having been in a rush night before, the Latina had clothes and boxes of lasts seasons decor strung out everywhere, "So... this is it!" the Latina threw out her hand motioning to her humble abode, Teddy and Arizona's eyes scurried around the living and kitchen area, "Ignore the mess I uh was in a hurry with the big emergency this morning and I had no time to clean this up," Callie laughed nervously, walking over to the kitchen area to grab 3 wine glasses and a bottle of red wine off the rack for the three of them.
"If you saw how messy Arizona's room in my old house was..." Teddy started, Arizona cleared her throat glaring in the direction of her best friend, "Theodora! don't tell her that she'll deduct points from my resume!" Teddy scoffed, "You mean the same Callie Torres who had Cristina Yang as her roommate? the literal human form of the Tasmanian devil?" Arizona opened and closed her mouth trying to conjure up something to say.
"Guys! guys! everyone makes messes, Cristina was the dirtiest roommate I ever had so I don't think anyone's ever going to outdo the doer," Callie said defending Arizona all the while agreeing with Teddy, she brought 2 glasses of red wine to the coffee table and sat them down on the red and black coasters that Mark had gotten Callie as a housewarming gift years ago, leave it to Mark to get one of the cheapest gifts out of everything in her entire apartment, the salary of a surgeon but the gift giving of a literal man child.
"Uh Callie?" Arizona asked, looking at Teddy who was snickering about God only knows what, "Yeah?" the Latina asked, drying her hands on the dish towel that was donning her shoulder. Arizona looked nervously between the two, Teddy knowing that Arizona absolutely despises red wine and Callie having not a clue in the world.
"Arizona doesn't like Red wine," Teddy spoke for the blonde, Arizona gasped as if she was going to disagree with her best friend that knew everything single thing about her from her dislikes to her likes and even down to her childhood, "Oh I'm sorry I was just so used to everyone liking red that I didn't even think to ask," Callie apologized, returning the glass to the kitchen to replace it with white.
"No, it's okay Callie, really, just blame Teddy it's her fault for not telling you much about me," Arizona teased, bumping her shoulder against the thinner woman, "Ugh I can't catch a break between the two of you," Teddy sighed, taking a gulp of the red wine that was much needed after a hard day of work.
"Well get used to it because if everything works out and if Arizona likes the place, then I have no problem with her being my roommate!" Callie declared, looking over her shoulder she shot a wink at the blue-eyed woman who smiled back at her.
Teddy took note of the exchange... oh boy did she dig herself into a hole, her best friend and her other friend ganging up on her, Teddy pretended to despise it but deep down she was secretly happy that the two hit it off so quickly despite their differing personalities, Callie dark and moody and Arizona a literal ball of sunshine.
As the night went on, Callie Arizona and Teddy all sat on the sectional enjoying a delicious home cooked meal by the Latina the three of them topping off their glasses of wine, chatting about how Teddy and Arizona both had served in the marines as medics and how Teddy had met Owen years prior stationed in Afghanistan.
"Well, are you guys ready for dessert?" Callie asked, getting up from the sofa she gathered the three sets of dirty dishes, placing them in the sink, she turned around and stood at the kitchen bar. Not even a minute later, a pager started beeping 911 emergency...
Teddy rummaged through her purse, finding the pesky device, she sighed "I'm sorry guys I have to go... my patient from the crash today... she..." Arizona and Callie both nodded collectively, "We understand" Callie spoke for the two of them.
"I don't know if I can give you a ride back to my place to get your stuff tonight," Teddy said to Arizona, collecting her things she rushed to the door.
"Don't worry about it she can stay the night in the guest room if she'd like and I can drive her over in the morning to get her things," Callie said, Arizona smiled and agreed, "Yeah Teds don't worry Callie and I will be just fine" Teddy smiled sadly at them, not wanting their night off to end.
"Okay but don't eat too much dessert without me!" the woman threatened jokingly. The women laughed and said their goodbyes to Teddy.
Silence filled the apartment, "Okay so we've got banoffee pie..." Callie rummaged throughout the fridge, "oh and Cherry pie!" the Latina held out both pastries, sitting them down on the marbled countertop.
Arizona joined Callie in the kitchen, taking a seat on one of the barstools she pulled herself up, rubbing her hands together excitedly, "Did you make these? they look awesome!" the blonde asked as she eyed the cherry dessert.
The Latina chuckled, cutting a slice of the banoffee pie for herself and a slice of the cherry for Arizona.
"I did make them; I love to bake in my free time and give desserts a way to coworkers and friends..." Callie shrugged as if it were no big deal, Arizona smiled in amazement then immediately frowned when the cherry pie slice was placed in front of her, "How did you...?" the blonde looked up at the Latina standing across from her on the other side of the bar slicing into her banana and toffee flavored pie, Callie smirked "I saw the way you were eyeing the cherry pie I just had a gut feeling," she shrugged, taking a small bite of the flaky dessert.
Arizona giggled, "I can't help it I love all kinds of sweets," she said taking a quick bite of the pie, the blonde groaned, "Callie this is amazing! how could anyone ever move out of an apartment when their roomie cooks like this?" Arizona asked.
Callie chuckled and shook her head, "You'd be surprised... the stories I could tell... absolute horror stories of roommates," she said as she took another bite of her pie.
Arizona frowned at her words, "But I don't understand... you're an amazing cook, you're funny, you break bones for a living and dare I say that's bad ass!" the blonde raised her fork in the air, feeling a little livened up from the wine she had earlier at dinner, Callie choked on the piece of dessert, hitting her fist against her chest she cleared her throat, laughing at the perky woman, "Bad ass huh?" Callie tilted her head, scraping the rest of her plate clean.
Arizona giggled as she took the last bite of the fruity pie, "yup! bad ass! I could never break bones and build them like... like..." the blonde threw her hands in the air in attempt to find the right words...
Callie placed both plates into the sink, "Like God?" she supplied, Arizona's eyes grew wide, eagerly nodding her head in agreement. The two of them taking a seat back in the living room, Callie began to browse through channels and channels of garbage television, one in particular caught the blondes' eye, "Oh! that one!" she pointed at the screen, American bake off of all shows.
"You like American bake off? I thought I was the only one!" Callie asked in excitement. Arizona nodded her head, "I haven't saw it in years, Tim Nick and I used to..." the blonde stopped in her tracks, not meaning to bring up such a personal detail so soon to her almost roommate.
Callie sensed the shift in mood, she muted the bakers on the tv, turning her attention to the blonde, "I'm sorry I didn't mean to ruin the moment I just... I miss my brother and Nick... they were by best friends, you know?" Arizona said, Callie nodded, tentatively reaching out a hand, her thumb grazed the back of the fairer woman's hand.
Arizona shivered, her eyes filling up with tears. "No don't be sorry you have a right to miss the people you love," Callie smiled sadly at the blonde, wanting nothing but to take the sadness away. Tears rolled down the blonde's face, Callie frowned, "Hey... it's okay! you've got me I'm here you can watch American bake off with me," Arizona looked up at the Latina a small smile grazing her face, "yeah?" she asked quietly, crisscrossing her legs for comfort, turning her body towards the other woman.
Callie nodded, "they will always be your number one watch buddy but I can watch it with you when they're not here," she rubbed her thumb once more over the back of Arizona hand, unbeknownst to her the real situation of Tim and Nick, Arizona pushed back the tears and smiled her dimpled smile and nodded her head, "okay yeah you're right.. thank you, Callie, you're the awesomest roomie ever," the blonde turned her attention towards the tv, Callie chuckled, "roomie? awesomest? please don't let those words make their way into my vocabulary," the Latina joked, Arizona feigned in fake shock, "Oh would that knock your badass level down a notch?" Arizona smarted off, already teasing and bantering with Callie like they had known each other for years and years.
"It's already too high to knock down, but none of those words need to rub off on me... if Dr. Bailey catches me saying that she will use me in another one of her speeches," Callie shuttered, the blonde laughed at the Latina, "Oh Miranda Bailey, I've heard a few things about her, she sounds like one tough cookie," the Latina chuckled, "Oh you have no idea. Just don't let her hear you call her cookie," Callie smirked, unmuting the tv the sounds of the American bake-off show filled the room, Arizona made a mental note to never get on Dr. Baileys bad side.
Both women quietly watched the culinary show, making small talk here and there about the delicious desserts and Arizona pointing out which ones Callie should try her hand at making, the two talked and watched tv like they had known each other for years, really forming a bond between the both of them... maybe this roomie thing, as Arizona calls it, was meant to be after all.