We'll Say it All: A Series of Drabbles and 500-word Interludes (2/5)
Title: We'll Say it All: A Series of Drabbles and 500-word Interludes (2/5)
Characters/Pairing: Callie/Arizona, Mark
Rating: PG-13
Words: 900
Disclaimer: All television shows, books, movies, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings thereof are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.
Summary: If TBI-induced revelatory musical experiences are not an option, this is how Callie and Arizona might talk it out. (Takes place immediately post-7.16)
Part 1
Callie couldn’t understand how Arizona managed to sleep that night. With the inkling of how hurt and lost Arizona felt now burning in her chest, Callie had been prepared to continue their conversation. Arizona, however, had abruptly shut down. It was as if she had startled herself as much as she had Callie by that rare moment of vulnerability and had switched off on instinct. She’d placed a soft, reassuring kiss on Callie’s lips and announced that she was going to bed, leaving Callie a little stunned and increasingly frustrated by Arizona’s ability to keep her emotions so carefully regulated.
*
Callie had slept fitfully. Deepening anxiety had spurred her mind into overdrive and she had spent hours lying awake in the dark, plotting various courses of action. She realized that this was very unlike herself-plans were Arizona’s thing, while Callie unabashedly owned up to being ruled by impulse. But last night had opened Callie’s eyes to how much this whole situation was wearing on them all and she was determined to finally set things right. So when the first rays of sun filtered through the window, she rose eagerly, marveling at the expression of peaceful slumber on Arizona’s face.
***
She was attempting to quietly mix the batter for Arizona’s favorite banana pancakes when she heard the apartment door open.
“Morning, Torres,” Mark said, crossing over to the breakfast bar. “Mmmm, are you making pancakes? Great, because I’m starving. Eight mile run to start the day.”
Callie put the mixer down and turned to face Mark, who was taking long gulps from a plastic water bottle. “Mark…”
“What? Don’t tell me you’re only making enough for you and Robbins. Come on, you know this is a morning ritual.” He grinned. “How’s the baby?”
“The baby’s fine. But this is not a good morning and…” She took a breath, and looked him straight in the eye. “I think this whole ‘morning ritual’ might be part of the problem.”
Mark’s grin vanished and he narrowed his eyes. “Did you and Robbins fight again?”
“Don’t give me that look, Mark.”
“What look? So you did fight.”
“It’s that ‘what did Arizona do this time’ look and I’m glad that you care, but you have to stop being so quick to place the blame on her.”
“Hey, if she’d pay me the same courtesy-”
“Mark.” Callie walked around the bar and gently grasped his arm. “We need to talk. But right now you need to go.” She led him to the door.
Mark shook his arm from her grasp and stood his ground in the doorway. “You’re sure everything’s okay?”
“Look, Arizona and I both have the morning off-which never happens-so I just want to try to make the most of it.” Callie rolled her eyes at Mark’s suddenly leery expression, but didn’t grant him the satisfaction of a comment. “I am serious about us needing to talk, though. And I think you should give me back that spare key.”
“What?” Mark frowned. “Did Arizona say something? Look, I’m accepting my thirty-three percent and letting her have her thirty-three percent, so if she’s trying to push me out of my family-”
Callie cut him off, a little shocked by the words coming out of his mouth. It seemed a far cry from the respectful, reasonable Mark she’d seen yesterday. “Woah, hold on. First of all, it’s not your place to ‘let’ Arizona be a part of this family. She doesn’t need your permission. This baby and I might be family to you now, but we do not belong to you. Second, this isn’t about anyone trying to push you out of the picture. This is my and Arizona’s apartment and she’s right: we have a relationship and a part of it-a big part of it-does not include you. And this is our space. So all I’m asking is that you now have to knock for permission to enter, okay?”
Mark’s somewhat affronted expression didn’t change, but he dropped the key into Callie’s waiting palm. “Okay."
“Thank you.” Callie started to close the door. “See you at the hospital this afternoon?”
“Sure,” Mark said, and stepped into the hallway.
***
When Callie turned back to the kitchen, she spotted Arizona standing by the bedroom door.
“Hey,” she said softly, wondering how much of that exchange her girlfriend had seen. She searched Arizona’s face for a clue, but her girlfriend’s expression remained inscrutable.
“Good morning,” Arizona said, just as quietly. Her eyes scanned the kitchen. “Making breakfast?”
“Yeah, banana pancakes.” Callie pointed to the blender. “And green goop for the baby.”
Arizona laughed. “Both breakfast favorites.” Her face lit with genuine pleasure and Callie’s heart instantly warmed.
Grinning, she placed the spare key on the counter and gave Arizona a kiss.
*
Arizona, it turned out, had been prepared to march steadfastly on as if the previous night had never occurred. But Callie insisted that they talk, and even though Arizona agreed reluctantly, Callie caught the spark of something between hope and gratitude that flashed in her blue eyes.
When Arizona excused herself to shower as Callie finished making breakfast, Callie let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. She was used to plans going hopelessly awry but this morning (despite what she’d told Mark) wasn’t turning out half bad-and maybe even held the promise of a super-magic smile.
Characters/Pairing: Callie/Arizona, Mark
Rating: PG-13
Words: 900
Disclaimer: All television shows, books, movies, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings thereof are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.
Summary: If TBI-induced revelatory musical experiences are not an option, this is how Callie and Arizona might talk it out. (Takes place immediately post-7.16)
Part 1
Callie couldn’t understand how Arizona managed to sleep that night. With the inkling of how hurt and lost Arizona felt now burning in her chest, Callie had been prepared to continue their conversation. Arizona, however, had abruptly shut down. It was as if she had startled herself as much as she had Callie by that rare moment of vulnerability and had switched off on instinct. She’d placed a soft, reassuring kiss on Callie’s lips and announced that she was going to bed, leaving Callie a little stunned and increasingly frustrated by Arizona’s ability to keep her emotions so carefully regulated.
*
Callie had slept fitfully. Deepening anxiety had spurred her mind into overdrive and she had spent hours lying awake in the dark, plotting various courses of action. She realized that this was very unlike herself-plans were Arizona’s thing, while Callie unabashedly owned up to being ruled by impulse. But last night had opened Callie’s eyes to how much this whole situation was wearing on them all and she was determined to finally set things right. So when the first rays of sun filtered through the window, she rose eagerly, marveling at the expression of peaceful slumber on Arizona’s face.
***
She was attempting to quietly mix the batter for Arizona’s favorite banana pancakes when she heard the apartment door open.
“Morning, Torres,” Mark said, crossing over to the breakfast bar. “Mmmm, are you making pancakes? Great, because I’m starving. Eight mile run to start the day.”
Callie put the mixer down and turned to face Mark, who was taking long gulps from a plastic water bottle. “Mark…”
“What? Don’t tell me you’re only making enough for you and Robbins. Come on, you know this is a morning ritual.” He grinned. “How’s the baby?”
“The baby’s fine. But this is not a good morning and…” She took a breath, and looked him straight in the eye. “I think this whole ‘morning ritual’ might be part of the problem.”
Mark’s grin vanished and he narrowed his eyes. “Did you and Robbins fight again?”
“Don’t give me that look, Mark.”
“What look? So you did fight.”
“It’s that ‘what did Arizona do this time’ look and I’m glad that you care, but you have to stop being so quick to place the blame on her.”
“Hey, if she’d pay me the same courtesy-”
“Mark.” Callie walked around the bar and gently grasped his arm. “We need to talk. But right now you need to go.” She led him to the door.
Mark shook his arm from her grasp and stood his ground in the doorway. “You’re sure everything’s okay?”
“Look, Arizona and I both have the morning off-which never happens-so I just want to try to make the most of it.” Callie rolled her eyes at Mark’s suddenly leery expression, but didn’t grant him the satisfaction of a comment. “I am serious about us needing to talk, though. And I think you should give me back that spare key.”
“What?” Mark frowned. “Did Arizona say something? Look, I’m accepting my thirty-three percent and letting her have her thirty-three percent, so if she’s trying to push me out of my family-”
Callie cut him off, a little shocked by the words coming out of his mouth. It seemed a far cry from the respectful, reasonable Mark she’d seen yesterday. “Woah, hold on. First of all, it’s not your place to ‘let’ Arizona be a part of this family. She doesn’t need your permission. This baby and I might be family to you now, but we do not belong to you. Second, this isn’t about anyone trying to push you out of the picture. This is my and Arizona’s apartment and she’s right: we have a relationship and a part of it-a big part of it-does not include you. And this is our space. So all I’m asking is that you now have to knock for permission to enter, okay?”
Mark’s somewhat affronted expression didn’t change, but he dropped the key into Callie’s waiting palm. “Okay."
“Thank you.” Callie started to close the door. “See you at the hospital this afternoon?”
“Sure,” Mark said, and stepped into the hallway.
***
When Callie turned back to the kitchen, she spotted Arizona standing by the bedroom door.
“Hey,” she said softly, wondering how much of that exchange her girlfriend had seen. She searched Arizona’s face for a clue, but her girlfriend’s expression remained inscrutable.
“Good morning,” Arizona said, just as quietly. Her eyes scanned the kitchen. “Making breakfast?”
“Yeah, banana pancakes.” Callie pointed to the blender. “And green goop for the baby.”
Arizona laughed. “Both breakfast favorites.” Her face lit with genuine pleasure and Callie’s heart instantly warmed.
Grinning, she placed the spare key on the counter and gave Arizona a kiss.
*
Arizona, it turned out, had been prepared to march steadfastly on as if the previous night had never occurred. But Callie insisted that they talk, and even though Arizona agreed reluctantly, Callie caught the spark of something between hope and gratitude that flashed in her blue eyes.
When Arizona excused herself to shower as Callie finished making breakfast, Callie let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. She was used to plans going hopelessly awry but this morning (despite what she’d told Mark) wasn’t turning out half bad-and maybe even held the promise of a super-magic smile.