Little Brook

Callie owns land, Arizona wants land. Torres Farm vs. Robbins Developments. A/U, rated M for language and future chapters.

A/N - Hi guys, my first attempt at A/U. You've been amazing with my other Callie & Arizona fics and I hope you enjoy this one too.

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"You can't seriously be considering these proposals Altman? They'll ruin our town. It'll be a magnet for yucky city folk, living here and then commuting their big corporate jobs like the soulless slaves to society they are."

"Sheriff Yang, as I said, the proposals are on the site of Torres' land, I'm cautiously optimistic she'll refuse to sell to urban developers."

Yang's words were backed by the local redhead, her diner may receive more business with an increased population, but it could also lead to more competition. 'April's' had always turned a decent profit and she was keen to keep it that way. "Look, we like our town as it is, imagine the pollution, the noise, the stretch on services, I can feed a town of 200 but I'd struggle with 2,000" (and she'd be damned if she let some Pizza Hut or Five Guys chain run her out of business).

"The town of Little Brook was essentially founded on our little running brook. If we saw a steady growth in population, I'm sure we could adapt, but we're talking what? Thousands of properties in one go? I've done my research; this development company take over established towns and run the independent locals into the ground." As a fourth-generation resident, Owen Hunt and his local store had a very personal, very vested interest in this particular matter.

The host nodded. "I agree Owen, I feel the same way as all of you, the reason I moved here was to get away from city life after the army. You guys appointed me as mayor because you know I have our best interest at heart." Teddy looked across the room, there was a mixture of worry, frustration, anger and concern from all in attendance. This was her first major test. "I've not spoken to Callie, she was invited here tonight but declined, but I'll be visiting the farm tomorrow to discuss things further."

A flurry of murmurs filled the town hall, when the news broke of the bid on Torres' land, a general uneasiness hung over their tight community. Little Brook was a town of 400 - 500, a relatively old farming town, a few hours' drive from Des Moines, Iowa. There were a few businesses and trades, each one complimenting the other, forming a delicate chain, keeping the next one in business. The majority of the town's income came from the Torres farm, not only did they sell supplies to the local shops, diner and other establishments but also to similar, smaller communities in the surrounding area. The land could also be rented for festivals, carnivals, sporting competitions, drive throughs, weddings and other such events. In a word, it was imperative for the town's survival. No one was under any illusions that a loss of income would be a disaster. Sure, it wasn't a multi-million business, but everyone led a comfortable life, no one could claim poverty.

Altman continued. "Look, this is a town meeting, I'm giving you guys the heads up and to air your views and concerns, to keep the lines of communication open. It's likely they'll be visiting in a few days to get an idea of plot size." She knew that was a risky revelation, and the looks received from her constituents confirmed it. She sighed. "They've pretty much got planning permission approved, I'm told the funds are available and so it's just a case of the specific locati–"

"And what about my bar–"

April scoffed, that would be one business that'll survive this corporate takeover. "Oh your bar will be fine Bailey, everyone needs to drown their sorrows, as long as Torres supplies you with the alcohol AND continues to undercharge you, city folk will need somewhere to drink."

"How do you know all this, Altman? The visit, the planning permission etc?" Yang's interrogation experience was being unleashed; she'd decided to revert to the mayor's previous comments.

Teddy didn't purposely hide her knowledge from the people, because truth be told she didn't know the details, and she didn't want to cause mass panic. "They sent me a letter, outlining their proposals with the hope of working together and being welcomed. They didn't give any details such as price, land area, other discussions–"

"–just a 'hey, we're gonna destroy your town and turn it into a concrete jungle and run you all outta business' kinda introduction, right?" The Sheriff slumped back in her chair, a frustrated huff essentially ending the conversation.

The business owners were rightly concerned, but in addition to those, local services would be stretched, and there's a possibility they would collapse too. "No way does Callie sell, remember when she refused the proposal from the train company?"

Finally, someone was trying to be positive, even if there was some bias involved, Meredith was Callie's best friend after all. Teddy jumped on it. "Exactly, Dr Grey makes a good point, Callie is loyal to this community, she's refused buy outs before, I see no reason why it would be different this time." She knew when she called this meeting she'd receive a plethora of questions, but she needed to nip things in the bud as soon as possible, or at least let it be known she had a handle on it. As a relatively new resident, she was still earning their trust, despite being appointed as their mayor less than a month ago.

"Yeah but she was with Hahn then, now she has no reason to stay. What's stopping her from selling up, getting billions and billions for it and retiring in Florida?"

Teddy gritted her teeth, she knew Cristina was a no nonsense, justice hunting machine, but sometimes she'd like a little support from her local Sheriff. "That may be, but Callie's ties to this town go deeper than an ex-girlfriend, so I understand anyway."

"Yeah but this deal is worth millions right? I love the girl, but I'm not above arresting her for breaching the peace if she sells up." It's true, whilst it may appear Cristina was attacking Callie and assuming intentions, they were friends, and it was perhaps hurt rather than anger that was leading this tirade.

Sensing a rising panic, Teddy decided to end the negative comments. "Noted, Yang."

After a brief, awkward silence, April brought up two other notable absentees. "What about her two farmhands? They've always–"

Enough. "GUYS, listen. I know I haven't been in your town long, and I'm still getting used to the politics, but all I've heard about Callie are good things, right? She underprices all of her supplies to you, hosts events for our town for free, helps with medical supplies and so on. I think you all need to show her some trust."

Whilst the residents conceded this, she was still asked about a plan of action. "I'm going to see Callie first thing, have a discussion with her, understand her intentions. I can't promise I'll have all the answers but please, trust me guys, I have a vested interest in this too, I'm not just going to leave matters to fester. Do I have your trust?" The room fell silent again, bar the odd 'yes', most people opted for a simple nod. With this, Teddy thanked and dismissed the room, knowing that any future discussions with their local farmer could make or break them.

Whilst the town argued over her land, the subject of their discussion was reviewing the coming year's forecast with her trusted farmhands and friends - Lexie Grey & Alex Karev. They both brought their individual strengths to the farm which made them a unique, well-oiled machine. They were both hard workers, honest, smart, forward-thinkers and Callie rewarded these behaviours with good salaries and other benefits such as health insurance, supplies and vacation allowance. They both lived in town and despite the rumours, it was all platonic between the two, enjoying more of a stereotypical sibling-like relationship than anything else.

Callie on the other hand lived on the farm itself, a four-bedroom detached house with several barns, outhouses and sheds spread across acres and acres. Animal pens, fields, orchards, the brook and a lake dominated the landscape. The three sat at her dining table, dinner long since demolished, devising the arrangements and procedures for the upcoming season. She too was under no illusions the town relied on her to trade, if she wasn't meticulous, there was a chance livelihoods would be on the line. After careful examination of previous & future weather maps/forecasts, a supply inventory, a review last year's balance books, and the trend of supply & demand, they came to the same conclusion - it'll be a prosperous year.

They could maintain a good animal population, they always had. Bovine, porcine, ovine, equine plus fish, chickens… they had always been well looked after and well stocked. The wheat grew freely, the vegetables were always aplenty - potatoes, corn, carrots, squash and many many more. Herbs and spices were constant, and the orchard always supplied the sweetest apples, pears, plums, peaches… Callie knew she was lucky the weather and land enabled her such a wealth of crop, but none of it would work without hard manual labour, appropriate planning, good business sense and correct storage. You also needed loyalty, and she had that with Lexie and Alex.

The youngest member of the group started to neaten up the papers when she turned to her boss. "So erm, word in the town is some property developers have put in an offer on the farm, is that true?" Being the sister of Callie's best friend, it enabled her to broach subjects others may avoid, something she'd noted early on, Little Grey was a fast learner.

Callie arched an eyebrow; it was only a matter of time before the gossip spread. How she had acquired the land was quite unbelievable in itself. Her grandfather worked as a farmhand for what could only be described a family who 'came over on the Mayflower'. Long story short, an illicit affair, one unexpected death and another deathbed declaration later, Callie Torres owned one of the most self-sufficient businesses in the Midwest. "Apparently so, the papers are over there but I've not looked at them yet."

Never one to mince he words, Alex seized on the opportunity. "You gonna sell?"

This really wasn't a discussion she wanted. At that moment in time, every frickin' room in that house reminded her of her ex-girlfriend… or fiancé. They hadn't told anyone they were engaged, but when Erica's cold-hearted plan came to light one night, she left before Callie could even process the repercussions. Maybe she could demolish and rebuild the house, but that wouldn't rid the memory of fishing trips, peach picking and scarecrow making activities they did together.

She didn't sound convincing, but it would have to do for now. "No, I've got a responsibility to our community; I don't plan on letting them down and selling up." That did seem to appease both farmhands for now, however. It was clear to everyone how Callie's demeanour had changed since Erica left, that much was obvious. The previous bubbly, outgoing, 'swash-buckling' Callie Torres was gone, replaced with a stoic, almost hardened shell of a woman. She sighed; it seemed a lifetime ago. "Anyway, thank you both for coming here tonight, I really think we're going to have a good year. I know you passed up the opportunity to attend Altman's meeting."

Alex picked up three discarded cups and took them to the sink. "Anytime boss, this is important to everyone. Anyway, no way did the Sheriff let anyone else speak." They all gave a knowing laugh and eye roll, when an opinion was there to be given, Yang was the first to share hers.

Paperwork filed and the table tidied, Callie walked her friends to the door. "Take tomorrow off guys, I'm just going to be checking the pantry, storage and have a general clear out." Basically, sort through Erica's stuff, something she'd be putting off. But after making her professional plans for the coming year, it gave her the impetus to sort out her personal ones too. After receiving a couple of happy grins, she locked up for the night and made her way to her bedroom. She grabbed her night clothes and stared at the cotton clad mattress, not tonight, tonight she'll go to the sofa, one day she'll be ready to return, but not tonight. Turning off the light, she retreated back downstairs, hoping sleep would come easy.

The next morning, after receiving an earbashing from her constituents, Altman made her way to the entrance of Torres Farm. She didn't visit often, despite its importance to the community but every time she did, she was taken aback at just how vast the space was. Callie could sell half of it and still live comfortably, something she tried to push to the back of her mind as she rapped three times at the door.

"Hey Callie." She noted the brunette was clad in dirtied farm gear, clearly having already mucked out the stables, fed the livestock or whatever farmers did first thing. "Sorry to drop by unannounced but erm, you got a minute to talk?"

The entrance widened as she was gestured inside. "Sure, come in Mayor Altman."

"It's Teddy, please."

"Sure thing, Teddy."

Standing in the kitchen a few moments later, Teddy had declined the offer of a seat, but took her host up on a glass of water. They both knew why she was there and neither woman wanted to beat around the bush. "You have quite a hold on this town." Callie wasn't quite sure how she was supposed to respond, thankfully the statement was quickly elaborated on. "You undercharge for supplies, you rent land on the cheap, you donate to the local practise… It's just, people are worried Callie, worried for their livelihoods. I know you're not personally responsible for the population, and you shouldn't be, but it's the situation we find ourselves in."

Leaning against the work surface, Callie took pause, she hated the unwanted power she had. She had no intention of selling the land, she loved her community, they were all equals. She could have a laugh with the town drunk/Sheriff, dance with the local physician and drink the store owner under the table. Not only did she like her current life (minus the fiancé ditching her bit), but she was also grounded by the one she led before. "Teddy, I grew up with nothing, my grandfather and father worked on farms their whole life, with piss-poor pay and terrible working conditions. I've experienced the hand-to-mouth lifestyle, seen the cracked, hardened skin, the zero healthcare, the long hours… I don't want a multi million dollar conglomerate coming in and running everyone into the ground. These are my people."

"But?"

She sighed, there was always a but. "But everything around here reminds me of my ex, I struggle to get up in the morning sometimes, if it wasn't for Alex and Little Grey dragging me up on bad days, I don't think I'd move." She hated to admit that weakness, god how could one person have such a hold over another?

Having experienced heartache herself, there was a sense of empathy, but having got past it too, there was some frustration. She decided to press on and not wallow in Callie's self-pity, she was there for business. "The developers are sending some representatives next week; they use their own construction company and obviously have their own legal representation. They've asked to meet both of us. I'd like to know what I'm going into that meeting with Callie, if you could share your thoughts and plans, I can go in prepared, even if it is bad news."

She ignored the question. "When are they getting here?"

"Tuesday, they plan to stay for a month or so, get to know the town, inspect the land with developers and architects. It's a huge project, they obviously want to make sure all bases are covered. They were satisfied with the ground, stability, resources and economic prospects based on reports and projections, but I think they want to see it in person too."

"A month?"

"Yep, that's what their letter said."

Callie would have to entertain and put up with these slimy business men and women for a whole month? Not bloody likely, she had farm duties to attend to. They continued with awkward pleasantries and chit chatter, but ultimately the mayor left frustrated, not gaining a solid answer to any of her questions.

Whilst Callie had somewhat opened up, Teddy set out to find more information on what appeared to be the stumbling block. Making her way to the local practise half an hour before opening time, she located Meredith Grey. "Hey Dr Grey, how much do you know about Callie's situation with Erica?"

"Not much, one day they were happy giggling on the porch swing and next she was gone. Callie doesn't really talk about it, not even to me, but it broke her. Callie lives with her heart on her sleeve, she's all in, she's loyal, she's committed, and she wants that in return."

Teddy suddenly felt a pang of guilt. People talked, where they lived and people really liked Callie. They respected her, were concerned, and interested. They really liked her. Some of them really liked her. The talk was good. "That's not a bad thing, has she been hurt before?" Teddy felt all consumed with this woman, even felt a bit stalkerish, but she held the town's very existence in her hands, she had to understand more about this enigma.

"She had George, he wasn't loyal and was punching well above his weight." She chuckled at just how far Callie was out of his league. "But she has admirers from all over, Sadie has a crush on her, hence why she gets given doubles when she only pays for singles." She looked up in thought. "Percy and Ross duelled over he once and we all have our suspicions about Alex."

"Erm, wow, that's a pretty big fan base for such a small town."

Meredith shrugged as she collected her files, noting it was close to opening time. "She's hot, fun, a caring person to be around, or at least she was. She just wants Mr or Mrs Right."

There was a knowing nod as she followed the doctor out. "Don't we all."

Callie was exhausted, the day that started at 5am and was ending at 6pm. She sat down on her couch/bed, the place of near slumber for the past 2-3 months and started picking through the memory box she'd retrieved earlier that day. Movie stubs, letters, photo's, restaurant receipts… all the things you keep from the beginning of a relationship. Well, a teenager might, was it normal for a 31 year old? She scoffed, who cares, she liked memento's, the idea was to bring them out on their five year, ten year, fifteen year anniversaries… if she ever got that far with someone.

She picked up her phone, signal in the town was sketchy, but construction of a recent cell tower had improved connection. She inwardly wondered if it was the start of the tycoon invasion. No texts, missed calls, voicemails, emails… Erugh, why did she bother? She was frustrated, angry at herself for still being hung up on her ex. She looked at the box of heartache then over at her fireplace, would destroying the contents prove she had moved on or just show petulant anger? One item that stood out for no apparent reason was the blonde's business card, 'Hahn's Veterinary Clinic'. When Betsy, the loudest cow in all the land, gave birth to a sick calf a year or so ago, it was Erica who swooped in and saved the day. In an attempt to banish the tears that were threatening to form, she grabbed the lid, placed it on top, shoved the box onto the floor and slid it under the table, hidden from sight.

It was going to take a very special, exceptional person to make her forget about Erica Hahn.

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"I want that land Sloan, no ifs, no buts, I. Want. That. Land."

He sighed, Mark new his boss was motivated, she had built a huge business empire from the ground up, but since Eliza left, she had become cutthroat. "I know, we sent her the papers a week ago, but we've heard nothing back. The proposal's good, very good in fact, unless she has some deep ties with the town or is naïve and stupid, she'll sell up."

"A week Sloan? A WEEK? Have we received any response? Even an acknowledgement?" The fact that anyone would ignore the Arizona Robbins was unfathomable to the blonde, do people not know how valuable her time and attention was?

"Nope, no letter, email, phone call or anything. We thought we'd hear something from an agent or lawyer at least but nope, just radio silence her end."

She was seething, she wasn't even acknowledged by some slack jawed farmer?! "Where's Montgomery? I want you both on that plane too, if that…" she checked her paperwork. "Calliope Torres thinks she can just ignore our correspondence, then I'll be damned, we'll go to her. What about their Mayor… Theodora Altman?"

Mark nodded, hoping this information would settle his boss down. "She picked up the phone, she'll welcome us to the town and provided some accommodation details. Nothing local to the town, but there are places a few miles out, no biggy."

It was then the straight talker of the group entered the marble office. Mark was the charmer, Addison was no nonsense, much like their boss. "We have a problem, apparently all the hotels in the surrounding area are booked up for the next two months."

"What?! Is there some sort of sporting event or convention in town in Iowa? I didn't know the state had that many people!" All three viewed Google Maps on the MacBook in front of them, if these hotels were all indeed fully booked, then they were screwed. It was doable of course, but you were looking at a two hours drive, the perils of being so isolated.

"Well, if we're going there, we're either gonna have to stay miles out, sleep in our rental…" The blonde scoffed at the very notion. "…or snag an outhouse." Mark was pleased with his teasing parting comment, but received scowls from both women, he knew his time was up. "I'm gonna go grab coffee - latte and mocha?"

Both women half agreed, half dismissed him, taking that as an affirmative, he left to grab their hot drinks and would attempt peace with a snack and a donut.

Grateful her charming, yet annoying colleague was gone, Arizona turned her attention to Addison. "What do we know about this farm owner?"

"Calliope Torres, goes by Callie, 31, Latin heritage but born here, inherited the farm from a wealthy American family, precise details unknown. No husband, kids or family members nearby, has a sister out of state. Seems to keep the farm well run, tax returns all in order, no financial concerns… I couldn't find any skeletons; word is she had an ex-girlfriend, but nothing confirmed."

"So she runs a good business, certainly as much as a farmer can anyway."

"Didn't you grow up in rural America?"

Her jaw tightened, yes up until her late teens she too had grown up on a farm, although admittedly not as grand as this one. After falling out with her parents and the town, due to her 'choice of lifestyle', she made a beeline for the city and never looked back. Now based in Chicago in her high-rise apartment, women coming in and out like a revolving door, her former life was a distant memory. "Yes, but a long time ago, there's no money to be made."

Addison nodded, she had done the research but bookings, travel arrangements etc fell into Mark's remit, whilst she dealt with meetings, coordinating schedules and so forth. Her boss was very hands on, liaising and communicating with developers, solicitors, clients and the main contact - the bank. "Right, I'll email Sloan with some details whilst I'm on the train home tonight, I've got to jump on a call with Malcolm."

"Yes yes that's fine, I think I'm going to come too, no man or woman can resist my charm. Tell him to find somewhere local-ish, three rooms. No less than four stars."

A few days later they found themselves pulling into a motel parking lot, god knows how far from their intended destination. They'd figure that out in the morning. Arizona was not impressed, but after doing some research herself, she admitted this was the closest they were going to get to frickin' Little Brook. She didn't even read the Google reviews, check its hygiene rating or how many stars it had, she knew she'd be angry. She was in Iowa, miles away from civilisation, missing Chicago.

Grabbing their suitcases, they made their way to a very 'Bates Motel' looking reception area. They made a mental note to only shower if someone was standing guard on the other side of the door. They had rented a car at Des Moines International Airport, thankful for its air con, modern GPS, comfortable seats and spacious interior.

"Erugh, what's that smell?"

Addison pulled her sunglasses down. "Unpolluted air."

Mark gruffed. "I don't like it."

Arizona halted their progress, her words firm and final. "We're here for a day, I'm not staying any longer, I swear I saw Norman Bates going into one of the rooms, I'm not ending up like Janet Leigh." She tripped over her luggage and growled in frustration. "Mark, you sort this shit show out, find a fucking hotel."

They entered the reception area and noted the patron was slouching in his chair, immersed in a well-worn book. She wouldn't be put off by a seemingly apathetic attitude, she dealt with the stroppy male form before, she didn't get where she was without flashing her dimples and delightful charm. "Hi there, Arizona Robbins, Robbins Developments, party of three."

The owner didn't look up, instead he skimmed the list of reservations and located the name. Turning to the key hooks, he handed it to the blonde and returned to his previous position. "Room three, welcome to 'Koracick Motel', we hope you enjoy your stay."

Arizona took the one key provided and nervously laughed. "Erm, there should be three rooms, there are three of us, we booked three rooms. Three, are you blind?"

"No, you booked room three."

Arizona almost gave herself whiplash as she turned and gave a pointed look to her salt & peppered assistant, who at least had the decency to look sheepish. She gritted her teeth. "Sloan, I leave you with ONE job, are you telling me you booked one room for the three of us?" She was seeing red, but she'll deal with him later, and by god will she deal with him.

She returned her attention to the owner, who now sported a rather amused grin. "I'd like an extra two rooms please, and information on hotels in the area." She quickly added, "Not that this isn't a lovely establishment." The sarcasm laced in 'lovely' made both her colleagues cringe, that response was not going to go down well.

"I'm afraid all of our rooms are booked."

"What?! You didn't even check!" This was a joke, right?

He shrugged, returning to the book. "Maybe another hotel has some extra rooms?"

"Don't you think we tried that before we ended up here?"

Addison tried to interject. "Erm Arizona, you're not helping–"

She took in the 'tone it down Robbins' look from Addie but her usual calming influence only seemed to trigger the blonde. "Do you know who I am? Do you KNOW the business I run? I could buy this shit heap from you, demolish it, build a micro city and still have change to ship you off to butt fuck Alaska." There was nothing wrong with Alaska of course, it was just the first state that came to mind. At least she didn't say butt fuck Arizona, yikes.

He smirked, she really was giving him enough reasons to leave her hanging high and dry. "I'm sure your establishment would be lovely. But we're fully booked. Would you like your cases carried to room three?"

Erugh, fine. She'll deal with this later. She was tired, hungry, sweaty, frustrated and was going to kill Mark Sloan. Before she could carry out the lovely fantasy of chasing Mark with an axe, she banished him to the lobby with the corporate credit card, under instruction to buy this shit heap and find rooms elsewhere. "Fine, yes."

"That'll be an extra $20."

"Oh screw you…"

"Tom."

"…Tom!" She waved her arms around, seemingly gesturing to everything, anything and nothing. "MARK! Sort this shit out or I'll send you to–"

"'Butt fuck Alaska'?"

"Butt fuck Alaska."

A little under an hour later, the three found a more than questionable place to eat. They were deflated, Arizona had genuinely made them keep watch whilst she cleaned off the day in the shower. She took comfort in the fact this trip would be worth it in the end, the land will bring in a huge amount of money, enough for her to travel the world, buy an island, sail the seven seas. The idea of fucking a woman from each country did appeal to her, she didn't have a type and would more than happy to sample the local cuisine. However, when they got the restaurant after her cleanse, she was reluctant to try any of the cuisine. What even was that grey meat they served?!

Instead of enjoying a nice meal, they filled up on bread and beer instead, carbs and alcohol, what a combination. The sleeping arrangements hadn't been discussed, but as it was Mark's fault they found their selves in this situation, he knew he'd get the short straw. One less-than-double sized bed, no couch, just a wooden table and chair furnishing their dingey room. He knew his fate, but it didn't stop him from attempting a spot on the bed, hoping his colleagues would be too tired to lift his frame.

Arizona noted the intrusion and was having none of it, she had taken her place on the left whilst Addison occupied the right. "Shift your ass Sloan, you can sleep on the floor."

"Do I at least get a pillow?"

"There aren't enough."

"Addie has two!"

"I need two, I have a condition."

"What condition is that?"

"It's a condition where I need two pillows to sleep."

"Bullshit, what it's called?"

"Comfort."

"Seriously, not gonna give me one pillow? What about a sheet?"

"There's a towel in the bathroom, it's kinda small though." Arizona was flip flopping all over the place, trying to find any sort of position where she wasn't in complete discomfort. The growls were growing increasingly louder, causing the redhead to lift her eye mask to see what her boss was actually doing.

"So I'm to sleep on the hardened floor with no pillow and a hand towel to cover me?"

"Ding ding ding, we have a winner. Now get some sleep, we have a big day tomorrow. I. Want. That. Land."

It was with that repeated statement that they concluded the conversation was over. Mark tried to shift into some sort of sleeping position but couldn't settle. He did use his shirt as a pillow and covered his shoulders with the hand towel, but it was less than glamorous. He did think about returning to the car, but that would only piss Arizona off more.

"Am I the first redhead you've shared a bed with Robbins?"

"Kinda, normally I'd have kicked them out by now, their taste still on my mouth."

"Ew."

"Nice."

In unison. "Shut up, Mark."

The next day didn't start any better than it ended. It was in fact a two-hour drive from their motel to the town of Little Brook. Two hours! They hadn't even planned where to house their builders/construction workers etc when they followed in a week's time, there was nowhere for them to stay. For now, however, they needed to discuss the purchasing of the land and understand why Calliope Torres didn't think she had to acknowledge their correspondence. They had the funds, even if it was buying 80 motor homes and shoving everyone in there until completion.

"I'm not eating that."

"What is it?"

"Some sort of congealed– oh god I'm gonna be sick."

"Out the window Sloan, you're not throwing up in the one thing you managed to get right. Did you even manage to sort out alternative accommodation? Or are we stuck in the murder house?"

"I left enquiries with some hotels and– oh god."

"WINDOW MARK."

Showing zero sympathy for her colleague's plight, Addison was in the front seat, reviewing the letters sent to both Callie and Teddy. "They're expecting us, right? We didn't give dates on this letter, just that we're staying for a month to get the final sign off from all service providers."

"Yes, according to the idiot in the back, he or someone or whoever, spoke to their mayor, said she was pleasant enough. They know we're coming, but whether he gave specific dates or not I don't know. You'll have to check with sick bag."

Arizona was scanning the signs as the GPS indicated they were near their destination. After some careful scouting, the 'Welcome to Little Brook' sign came into view, and for the first time on this god-awful trip, the blonde felt exhilarated. She made the next right, turning onto a very uneven, very rickety 'road', already missing the smooth highway concrete.

"We're here people!" She jumped out the car, heart racing, she was here and wasn't leaving until those deeds were exchanged. "Sloan, tidy yourself up, Montgomery, slap on that lip gloss, we've got money to make and a farmer to see." She parked in what she assumed was the town's main lot, having followed the additional signs upon entering. She went to check her phone to get an idea of walking distance between there and the farm itself, but she had no signal, must be the network provider.

"Excuse me, excuse me Miss, we're looking for Torres Farm, can you point us in the right direction?"

The woman in question lifted her hat and gazed over her aviator sunglasses, taking in the foreign form in front of her. "That depends, are you going to address me correctly and tell me what business you have with our town?"

"We're here for the farm– OW!"

An elbow landed firmly in Mark's gut. "Haha, please excuse my associate, he's ill, in fact I think he's on his last legs. I'm Arizona Robbins, Robbins Developments, we're here to meet with Calliope Torres and Theodora Altman, could you point us in the right direction?"

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

Arizona was quick on her feet, it gave her clients and contractors complete trust, but she wasn't entirely sure what she was missing on this occasion. "Err… oh right, these are my business partners, Addison Mont–" She was stopped abruptly, focus changing to the star-shaped badge being firmly tapped in front of her. "My apologies, of course. Sheriff, could you point us in the right direction? We've had a long journey and just wish to be punctual."

Cristina thought about having some fun, they were clearly out of their depth, the fact the two women were wearing ridiculously high heels brought a slight chuckle. She was nervous, since the town meeting they still didn't know Callie's intentions, but she had to trust her friend. She pointed in the direction they had to take. "Walk down this road, second turning on the left, walk for about five minutes and it'll come into view, you can't miss it."

The response was almost sickly sweet. "Thank you Sheriff, we appreciate your time."

The three made their way to the farm, the tiredness and frustration of the previous day all but evaporating as they took in what laid before them. Land, land, land and land. Money, money, money and money. Addison wasn't sure, but she wouldn't be surprised if the blonde was drooling at the prospect, dollar signs for eyes. "Oh yes my friends, this makes it all worth it." They reached the door and gave a few light taps, she stood back, posture straight, fake smile plastered on her face. "Watch and learn my friends, no one can resist the charm of Arizona Robbins, especially some poor, simple farmer."

The door opened after a moment or two, seemingly with caution, and Callie would swear on a thousand stars that each and every one of their breaths hitched. Still got it. Before she could ask who they were (although she knew) or even offer her own greeting, she was beaten to the punch. "Good morning, I'm Arizona Robbins, you must be Calliope Torres. These are my associates Addison Montgomery & Mark Sloan. We're from Robbins Developments, I believe you're expecting us. May we come in?"

City folk. You could spot the $1,000 suits and haircuts from a mile off, no doubt covered in the most expensive cologne and perfume too, probably hand delivered from Paris. Callie took in the corporate sight in. Soulless, money-driven individuals, damning the little man and crushing all that got in their way. All three were picture perfect gorgeous, could easily be models, no doubt another reason they were able to make it big. She did note something was off though, they were slightly dishevelled, something she hoped she had contributed to and maybe take advantage of.

She smiled warmly at the trio, any conflicting emotions she had were disappearing fast.

The blonde noted the easing of features, and her dimpled smile became more prominent. They'll come in, enjoy some hospitality, get some papers signed then get the hell out of dodge, returning to her air-conditioned apartment and selecting a name from her little black book to celebrate with. Callie caught this subtle change, it was one of victory, they were at an unspoken standoff. At that one facial movement from the blonde, any doubts she had were banished. She extended her own smile in return, her tone as equally sweet and sickly as Arizona's before.

"No."

Three faces fell as she slowly closed the door. At that moment, she couldn't have been more pleased she had booked every hotel in the surrounding area a few days before.

She really hoped they enjoyed the hospitality of Tom Koracick.