Life's A Game We're Still Learning To Play Parts 12 and 13
Sorry for the delay, I've been trying to hunt down the missing chapters for this which decided to save themselves in a new folder on my external hard drive without telling me! That and I've been trying to kick start some old half finished Callica fics.
Anyway, now that they've been found and briefly checked for any glaring mistakes...on with the fic!
12 - New Game, Same Players
“That was from the night of the Walter Tapley surgery!” grinned Erica as Callie produced a champagne cork from the box. They had spent the last two hours going through what turned up to be a rather substantial box of momentos, containing everything from photos to a plastic fork (the reason behind which Callie blushingly admitted to be a reminder of the ‘sapphic salad’ they had shared). “Yeah! We went to that tiny little wine bar, and I kept saying I was going to splurge on that really expensive champagne, and you kept putting me off, because you had already ordered it.” She plucked the cork from Callie’s grasp. “You hit me in the head with this.”
“Not on purpose!” countered Callie quickly, unable not to grin at the memory.
“Yeah yeah, so you say!” laughed Erica, leaning back on the couch, trying to balance the cork on her nose, unaware of Callie’s warm gaze drinking her in. It had been too long since Callie had had the pleasure of watching the blonde in such an unguarded moment. As the cork fell from her nose and tumbled to the floor, Erica met Callie’s gaze. “What are you staring at?”
“You,” smiled Callie. “It’s been two years, I have a lot of lost staring time to make up for.” She took a sip of her wine. “I’d get used to it if I were you.”
“That a fact?” asked Erica as she swept up the cork. “I suppose it’s only fair. In case you haven’t noticed I’ve been sadly deprived of you to focus my gaze on.”
“Hey, you’ve had a whole day more than me,” said Callie, nudging Erica’s shoulder. “Not my fault I was in a coma.”
Placing a hand on Callie’s thigh, Erica spoke quietly. “Can we not mention that? It’s just…I hated seeing you like that. I prefer seeing you like this,” she smiled, leaning in to kiss the younger woman’s cheek. “If you want to talk about it, I get it. It was a huge thing in your life, but can we maybe not joke about it?”
Callie nodded. “Sorry. I guess I got so used to joking about it as a way to cope, to make it seem less of an ordeal than it was that I don’t really think twice about doing it now. I’ll try not to.”
“Thank you,” breathed Erica, shuffling so she could rest her head on Callie’s shoulder. She smiled on feeling Callie nuzzling at her temple. “I still can’t believe you kept all that stuff.”
“Well I didn’t have you, and I couldn’t bear to let you go, so I tried to hold on to every little piece I did have.”
“I like that we’re talking and being honest this time,” admitted Erica.
“Me to,” nodded Callie. “I like not having to put a filter on what I say.”
Erica turned to gaze up at the beautiful younger woman. “I always loved that about you, when we met, that you would always say exactly what came into your head. Don’t stop doing that this time, please. The last time, when we let it get awkward, I don’t want that.”
“You won’t get that,” Callie assured her. “Last time, I was so scared of trying something new, of what everyone would think…but this I’m more scared of letting you go again.” She placed a gentle kiss to pliant lips. “But I do have to go.” She smiled at the childish pout the blonde turned on her. “I’m in early tomorrow and I have a couple of tricky surgeries.”
“You could stay here,” suggested Erica, her face the picture of innocence.
Callie shook her head, laughing. “I need to sleep before tomorrow.”
“I have a bed you could sleep in,” Erica went in, still trying not to grin.
Callie let out a frustrated sigh. “You…” She took Erica’s hands in her own, watching as the blonde dropped her little façade and met her gaze with a serious one of her own. “If I went up those stairs with you now, no one would get any sleep. Not me, not you, not your neighbours.” She paused, taking in Erica’s adorable blush. “And as much as I want that, and believe me, I do, it can’t be tonight. That is not an experience I want to have to cram into the five hours I have before I would need to leave for work.” She dropped Erica’s hands, her own moving to gently caress the older woman’s thigh, leaning in to nuzzle at the sweet spot below her ear. “I want that to be an experience I have all night and all day to savour.” She moved to press a lingering kiss to the blonde’s lips. “And I at least want you to let me take you to dinner before it.”
As she pulled back, she took in Erica’s laboured breathing and flushed skin, the knowledge that she could still inspire that bringing a wide grin to her face. She gently tucked an errant curl behind her ear, gently caressing her cheek as she withdrew her hand. “So, will you please allow me to pick you up for dinner on Friday?”
Erica nodded, not trusting her voice. She watched as Callie’s grin widened and the younger woman moved to collect her belongings.
“Good, then I will see you this Friday at seven,” said Callie as she leant down to place a final kiss on Erica’s lips.
“I can’t wait,” breathed Erica as she watched her go, waiting until she heard the front door close before she let out what was quite possibly the girliest scream she had ever produced. At that moment in time she couldn’t have cared less about what had passed between them, or what problems they were still likely to face. She had a date with Callie Torres!
13 - Don’t hate me just because you’re not playing...
“Can we tone down the happiness Torres?” growled Mark as the young woman practically vibrated with nervous excitement beside him. “Some of us are still at the ‘confused as hell’ stage as to what to do with our love lives.”
“Yeah if you’re going to go all Arizona on us we are no longer talking to you,” commented Yang as she slumped down to fill out a chart.
Callie rolled her eyes. “Seriously? Not one of you is going to ask what I’m so happy about?” She huffed at the pointed silence she received. “Fine, I’ll go and fine someone who’ll be excited with me. I’ll go find Keppner.”
“Wouldn’t do that if I were you,” warned Yang. “She’s in the middle of having every offer she had being rescinded.”
“Ouch,” winced Callie, not even wanting to contemplate how the young doctor must be feeling. “Then at least tell me Lexie’s in a good mood.”
“Oh yeah I’m sure she’s great,” growled Mark.
“Oookay, I am gonna go and spread my happiness elsewhere be before I catch whatever this is.” She gestured between Yang and Mark, beginning to walk off.
“You do that Torres, you go and spread that happiness!” shouted Arizona, wheeling past a furious pace, almost knocking the young woman on her ass.
“What the hell is up with that?” asked Bailey, the high pitch of her voice signalling to all present she was not best pleased.
“Oh, you didn’t hear?” asked Yang, a smirk on her face. “Callie has a date with Erica Hahn.”
Bailey’s eyes flew toward the young woman, eyebrow raised. “That true?”
Callie couldn’t help but nod excitedly.
“Then I am getting the hell outta here!” Bailey collected up the files she had just put down, glaring at Torres. “And don’t you dare come find me for no girl talk!”
Watching the older woman storm off, Callie couldn’t help but smile. She didn’t need any girly chats this time. She was more than willing to venture beyond the Mason-Dixon line of Erica’s pants. And, if her recent comments were anything to go by, Erica was more than willing to let her. Turning back to Yang and Sloan, she took in their bemused expressions, and let them stay there as she turned on her heel and left, pulling out her phone as she did so. A quick ‘I can’t wait to see you,’ to Erica helped to widen the smile on her face as she set about finding someone cheerful enough to share her news with.
“Torres! Pit! Now!” came the authoritative shout of current Chief, Owen Hunt.
“Oooh, what do we have?” she asked, unable to keep the excitement from her voice as she fell into step beside him.
“Car versus motorbike. Motorbike is all yours. From the sounds of it he’ll be lucky to have one bone intact.”
*
Callie rolled her shoulders as she exited the shower, releasing the last of the tension from surgery. Owen hadn’t been kidding then he’s said about the state of the accident. It had taken Callie the next eight hours to piece the kid back together, but she would be lying if she didn’t admit she relished the challenge. And it had given her something to focus on other than her impending date with Erica, helping her to remain somewhat calm.
She crossed over to the bed, her hand skimming over the soft material of the dress she had picked out for tonight. It was new; black with a modest neckline and coming down to rest just above her knee. As she began her usual routine for getting ready, she couldn’t help but wonder what Erica would be wearing. She had said she would wear that little deep brown leather jacket, but Callie’s mind began wandering as to what the blonde would be wearing under it…and under that…
*
Erica, usually organised and on time, if not early for everything, was watching the minutes tick away, still nowhere near ready. She wanted, no, needed to look her best tonight but unfortunately, that was taking a lot longer than she had anticipated. Sitting at her vanity table she focused back on her reflection in the mirror, getting back to the task of fixing her hair. So that she could then move on to her make-up and choosing her outfit.
*
Snatching up the phone, Callie froze on reading the name. She took a deep breath before answering. “Please don’t say you’re cancelling.” She heard Erica’s chuckle over the line.
“I’m not,” came the warm voice. “I just wondered if it would be possible to push the reservation back an hour.”
“Er, yeah, I suppose so,” frowned Callie.
Erica breathed a sigh of relief. “Great! I just didn’t want to turn up late and have you thinking I wasn’t going to turn up, or arriving on time and looking like a mess.”
Callie smiled at the blonde’s outpouring. “You couldn’t look a mess if you tried.”
Erica found herself blushing over the phone. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”
“I am,” said Callie, leaving no room for discussion. “Since we’re pushing the time back an hour, how about I come pick you up rather than meeting at the restaurant?”
“Cal, you don’t need to do that.”
“I want to,” said Callie. “And it’s either that or I pace a hole in the floor for the next hour.”
“Then you know the way,” smiled Erica.
Grinning, Callie nodded to herself. “Yeah, I do.”
*
Anyway, now that they've been found and briefly checked for any glaring mistakes...on with the fic!
12 - New Game, Same Players
“That was from the night of the Walter Tapley surgery!” grinned Erica as Callie produced a champagne cork from the box. They had spent the last two hours going through what turned up to be a rather substantial box of momentos, containing everything from photos to a plastic fork (the reason behind which Callie blushingly admitted to be a reminder of the ‘sapphic salad’ they had shared). “Yeah! We went to that tiny little wine bar, and I kept saying I was going to splurge on that really expensive champagne, and you kept putting me off, because you had already ordered it.” She plucked the cork from Callie’s grasp. “You hit me in the head with this.”
“Not on purpose!” countered Callie quickly, unable not to grin at the memory.
“Yeah yeah, so you say!” laughed Erica, leaning back on the couch, trying to balance the cork on her nose, unaware of Callie’s warm gaze drinking her in. It had been too long since Callie had had the pleasure of watching the blonde in such an unguarded moment. As the cork fell from her nose and tumbled to the floor, Erica met Callie’s gaze. “What are you staring at?”
“You,” smiled Callie. “It’s been two years, I have a lot of lost staring time to make up for.” She took a sip of her wine. “I’d get used to it if I were you.”
“That a fact?” asked Erica as she swept up the cork. “I suppose it’s only fair. In case you haven’t noticed I’ve been sadly deprived of you to focus my gaze on.”
“Hey, you’ve had a whole day more than me,” said Callie, nudging Erica’s shoulder. “Not my fault I was in a coma.”
Placing a hand on Callie’s thigh, Erica spoke quietly. “Can we not mention that? It’s just…I hated seeing you like that. I prefer seeing you like this,” she smiled, leaning in to kiss the younger woman’s cheek. “If you want to talk about it, I get it. It was a huge thing in your life, but can we maybe not joke about it?”
Callie nodded. “Sorry. I guess I got so used to joking about it as a way to cope, to make it seem less of an ordeal than it was that I don’t really think twice about doing it now. I’ll try not to.”
“Thank you,” breathed Erica, shuffling so she could rest her head on Callie’s shoulder. She smiled on feeling Callie nuzzling at her temple. “I still can’t believe you kept all that stuff.”
“Well I didn’t have you, and I couldn’t bear to let you go, so I tried to hold on to every little piece I did have.”
“I like that we’re talking and being honest this time,” admitted Erica.
“Me to,” nodded Callie. “I like not having to put a filter on what I say.”
Erica turned to gaze up at the beautiful younger woman. “I always loved that about you, when we met, that you would always say exactly what came into your head. Don’t stop doing that this time, please. The last time, when we let it get awkward, I don’t want that.”
“You won’t get that,” Callie assured her. “Last time, I was so scared of trying something new, of what everyone would think…but this I’m more scared of letting you go again.” She placed a gentle kiss to pliant lips. “But I do have to go.” She smiled at the childish pout the blonde turned on her. “I’m in early tomorrow and I have a couple of tricky surgeries.”
“You could stay here,” suggested Erica, her face the picture of innocence.
Callie shook her head, laughing. “I need to sleep before tomorrow.”
“I have a bed you could sleep in,” Erica went in, still trying not to grin.
Callie let out a frustrated sigh. “You…” She took Erica’s hands in her own, watching as the blonde dropped her little façade and met her gaze with a serious one of her own. “If I went up those stairs with you now, no one would get any sleep. Not me, not you, not your neighbours.” She paused, taking in Erica’s adorable blush. “And as much as I want that, and believe me, I do, it can’t be tonight. That is not an experience I want to have to cram into the five hours I have before I would need to leave for work.” She dropped Erica’s hands, her own moving to gently caress the older woman’s thigh, leaning in to nuzzle at the sweet spot below her ear. “I want that to be an experience I have all night and all day to savour.” She moved to press a lingering kiss to the blonde’s lips. “And I at least want you to let me take you to dinner before it.”
As she pulled back, she took in Erica’s laboured breathing and flushed skin, the knowledge that she could still inspire that bringing a wide grin to her face. She gently tucked an errant curl behind her ear, gently caressing her cheek as she withdrew her hand. “So, will you please allow me to pick you up for dinner on Friday?”
Erica nodded, not trusting her voice. She watched as Callie’s grin widened and the younger woman moved to collect her belongings.
“Good, then I will see you this Friday at seven,” said Callie as she leant down to place a final kiss on Erica’s lips.
“I can’t wait,” breathed Erica as she watched her go, waiting until she heard the front door close before she let out what was quite possibly the girliest scream she had ever produced. At that moment in time she couldn’t have cared less about what had passed between them, or what problems they were still likely to face. She had a date with Callie Torres!
13 - Don’t hate me just because you’re not playing...
“Can we tone down the happiness Torres?” growled Mark as the young woman practically vibrated with nervous excitement beside him. “Some of us are still at the ‘confused as hell’ stage as to what to do with our love lives.”
“Yeah if you’re going to go all Arizona on us we are no longer talking to you,” commented Yang as she slumped down to fill out a chart.
Callie rolled her eyes. “Seriously? Not one of you is going to ask what I’m so happy about?” She huffed at the pointed silence she received. “Fine, I’ll go and fine someone who’ll be excited with me. I’ll go find Keppner.”
“Wouldn’t do that if I were you,” warned Yang. “She’s in the middle of having every offer she had being rescinded.”
“Ouch,” winced Callie, not even wanting to contemplate how the young doctor must be feeling. “Then at least tell me Lexie’s in a good mood.”
“Oh yeah I’m sure she’s great,” growled Mark.
“Oookay, I am gonna go and spread my happiness elsewhere be before I catch whatever this is.” She gestured between Yang and Mark, beginning to walk off.
“You do that Torres, you go and spread that happiness!” shouted Arizona, wheeling past a furious pace, almost knocking the young woman on her ass.
“What the hell is up with that?” asked Bailey, the high pitch of her voice signalling to all present she was not best pleased.
“Oh, you didn’t hear?” asked Yang, a smirk on her face. “Callie has a date with Erica Hahn.”
Bailey’s eyes flew toward the young woman, eyebrow raised. “That true?”
Callie couldn’t help but nod excitedly.
“Then I am getting the hell outta here!” Bailey collected up the files she had just put down, glaring at Torres. “And don’t you dare come find me for no girl talk!”
Watching the older woman storm off, Callie couldn’t help but smile. She didn’t need any girly chats this time. She was more than willing to venture beyond the Mason-Dixon line of Erica’s pants. And, if her recent comments were anything to go by, Erica was more than willing to let her. Turning back to Yang and Sloan, she took in their bemused expressions, and let them stay there as she turned on her heel and left, pulling out her phone as she did so. A quick ‘I can’t wait to see you,’ to Erica helped to widen the smile on her face as she set about finding someone cheerful enough to share her news with.
“Torres! Pit! Now!” came the authoritative shout of current Chief, Owen Hunt.
“Oooh, what do we have?” she asked, unable to keep the excitement from her voice as she fell into step beside him.
“Car versus motorbike. Motorbike is all yours. From the sounds of it he’ll be lucky to have one bone intact.”
*
Callie rolled her shoulders as she exited the shower, releasing the last of the tension from surgery. Owen hadn’t been kidding then he’s said about the state of the accident. It had taken Callie the next eight hours to piece the kid back together, but she would be lying if she didn’t admit she relished the challenge. And it had given her something to focus on other than her impending date with Erica, helping her to remain somewhat calm.
She crossed over to the bed, her hand skimming over the soft material of the dress she had picked out for tonight. It was new; black with a modest neckline and coming down to rest just above her knee. As she began her usual routine for getting ready, she couldn’t help but wonder what Erica would be wearing. She had said she would wear that little deep brown leather jacket, but Callie’s mind began wandering as to what the blonde would be wearing under it…and under that…
*
Erica, usually organised and on time, if not early for everything, was watching the minutes tick away, still nowhere near ready. She wanted, no, needed to look her best tonight but unfortunately, that was taking a lot longer than she had anticipated. Sitting at her vanity table she focused back on her reflection in the mirror, getting back to the task of fixing her hair. So that she could then move on to her make-up and choosing her outfit.
*
Snatching up the phone, Callie froze on reading the name. She took a deep breath before answering. “Please don’t say you’re cancelling.” She heard Erica’s chuckle over the line.
“I’m not,” came the warm voice. “I just wondered if it would be possible to push the reservation back an hour.”
“Er, yeah, I suppose so,” frowned Callie.
Erica breathed a sigh of relief. “Great! I just didn’t want to turn up late and have you thinking I wasn’t going to turn up, or arriving on time and looking like a mess.”
Callie smiled at the blonde’s outpouring. “You couldn’t look a mess if you tried.”
Erica found herself blushing over the phone. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”
“I am,” said Callie, leaving no room for discussion. “Since we’re pushing the time back an hour, how about I come pick you up rather than meeting at the restaurant?”
“Cal, you don’t need to do that.”
“I want to,” said Callie. “And it’s either that or I pace a hole in the floor for the next hour.”
“Then you know the way,” smiled Erica.
Grinning, Callie nodded to herself. “Yeah, I do.”
*