fanfic: what's a calliope? (1/?)
Title: What's a Calliope?
Author: camerashy06
Rating: PG-13.
Summary: Arizona's trip back to the States takes an awkward, uncomfortable, and hilarious turn.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Callie and Arizona in any way shape or form (wish I did, but that's besides the point). I'm a poor fan who writes to avoid things like homework...and work.
A/N: I couldn't decide on a reason as to why Arizona was coming back early and it's really not the point of this story, but I just wanted to throw that note out there. This is more about Arizona's experience on the plane than anything else. BUT it still totally relates to Callie.
"1am. Why the hell did I think that was a good idea." Arizona muttered under her breath as she sat patiently waiting to board her flight back home to Seattle. She was barely able to keep her eyes propped open; she was that physically drained. Operating on tiny Malawian humans non-stop for 72 hours at a time will do that to you. She groggily glanced back down at her watch to check the time. She hated waiting. Patience never was a virtue she was very good at practicing. Callie always used to get on her about it, saying that they had all the time in the world. Yeah, she thought, funny how things change. Callie. God, she missed her. Just the thought turned Arizona's stomach into a thirty piece circus act. She couldn't remember a time when she was more nervous about seeing someone. And that was the thing, Callie wasn't just someone. She is, well was, her someone.
Arizona's sequence was stopped mid-thought when she heard an announcement echo out over the intercom. "We're now boarding flight 2272 with non-stop service to Seattle, Washington, United States at gate 33A."
The pit in Arizona's stomach only seemed to enhance as she walked up the jet way to board her plane. If there was any God upstairs, she hoped beyond hope that Callie would somehow be able to find it in her heart to forgive her. But more than that, at that current juncture in time, she was praying that she didn't get stuck sitting next to some crazy hobo who either snored or hadn't showered in two weeks. She had to book the flight last minute so she didn't have the sweet reverie of being stationed in first class. Oh well, she told herself, better luck next time. Getting through the flight was part one. If she could just make it through with her sanity still all in tact, she felt like that would be progress. Much needed progress.
Malawi had been a mixture of heaven and hell. She had thrown herself in scalpel first from the moment her foot graced the African ground. She knew she would be able to put her craft to good, important use. That's why she was there. It WAS important. But so IS Callie. She remembered on the flight to Malawi how she'd became physically ill because the image of Callie's heartbroken face had been etched in her mind. She wanted Callie there, she needed her there, but MORE than that she needed her happy. Which was why she made it abundantly clear to Callie that there was no other option but for her to stay in Seattle. And it hurt. It hurt like hell.
Arizona began making her way through the cabin in search for her seat, 8B. It was a smaller plane, only two rows of seats, three to a side, which meant two elbow buddies. "Yay." She sarcastically mumbled to herself. After walking a few more feet, Arizona arrived at her designated seat, no one had sat in her row yet and she thanked God for it. No playing Twister while trying to maneuver your body and belongings around two people. Bad news though, she quickly realized, she had the damn middle seat. How the hell was she supposed to get any sleep in the middle seat? There's nothing to lean on! You can't recline either! "Great." She said facetiously. As she began to turn around, Arizona was abruptly greeted by an unwelcome boney elbow to the ribs, "Ow! Jesus! Watch it!" She cried out whiling rubbing the newest bruise that was sure to form along the bottom side of her ribcage. Removing her attention from her throbbing wound, Arizona raised her head to meet the horrified eyes of an older middle-eastern man.
"Oh I- I is so sorry! Ma'am. Is - are--is it good? Okay?" The man stammered in broken English, reaching his hands out to convey his concern.
Arizona paused for a few seconds while she grimaced in pain before replying, "Yes. I'm fine. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap. It's been a long day...month...s. Anyway, super tired, so I'm a bit cranky. I apologize."
"Oh. I hug at you? You feel good? Kiss?" The man said as he started going in for a big slobbery wet bear hug.
Arizona's pupils dilated to about twenty times their regular size effectively displaying her horror. "Whoa! Oh no. No, no no no. No." She blurted out as she pushed both hands out in front of her to keep the man at an arms length. "No, thank you. Sir." Arizona assured the man as she reached out to pat him on the shoulder before retreating down to her seat. The man looked more than confused, but at that point Arizona was too exhausted to care about the well-being of others. That was all she had been doing the past five months. It was time to concentrate back on numero uno.
Fifteen minutes had passed since Arizona had sat down in her now very uncomfortable seat. "What did they make these out of? She wondered. "Rocks?" She had tried shutting her eyes, but quickly realized that was a stupid idea when the soundtrack of babies crying, kids yelling, and some old man wheezing was on constant repeat playing through her head. Despite all of that loveliness, there was a ray of hope still lingering over her head. No one had sat in the window seat next to her. For the time being, she only had to deal with oldy McSweaty to her left and she'd be all right.
Not five more minutes had gone by before the man sitting next to Arizona had started humming some random Lady Gaga song, off key. For just a split second Arizona had thought about smothering the man with a pillow just so she could enjoy some quiet, even if it was just at the man's expense. But in order to do that, she'd need an actual pillow, which she didn't have. And if their pillows were anything like their seats, it was most likely going to be a box of rocks. Not wanting to, but figuring there was no other way to make it through the flight without causing a huge hormonal scene, Arizona reached into her purse, pulled out a sedative, and popped it in her mouth. "Peace...and...quiet. That's all I want right now", she thought to herself. Within thirty minutes, a calming hush came over Arizona's body and withered away the sound of crying babies, yelling kids, wheezing men, and the off key humming of Bad Romance. Quiet. Yep, it was quiet all right. But Calliope was still on her brain...and for the first time in awhile, she was okay with that.
Author: camerashy06
Rating: PG-13.
Summary: Arizona's trip back to the States takes an awkward, uncomfortable, and hilarious turn.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Callie and Arizona in any way shape or form (wish I did, but that's besides the point). I'm a poor fan who writes to avoid things like homework...and work.
A/N: I couldn't decide on a reason as to why Arizona was coming back early and it's really not the point of this story, but I just wanted to throw that note out there. This is more about Arizona's experience on the plane than anything else. BUT it still totally relates to Callie.
"1am. Why the hell did I think that was a good idea." Arizona muttered under her breath as she sat patiently waiting to board her flight back home to Seattle. She was barely able to keep her eyes propped open; she was that physically drained. Operating on tiny Malawian humans non-stop for 72 hours at a time will do that to you. She groggily glanced back down at her watch to check the time. She hated waiting. Patience never was a virtue she was very good at practicing. Callie always used to get on her about it, saying that they had all the time in the world. Yeah, she thought, funny how things change. Callie. God, she missed her. Just the thought turned Arizona's stomach into a thirty piece circus act. She couldn't remember a time when she was more nervous about seeing someone. And that was the thing, Callie wasn't just someone. She is, well was, her someone.
Arizona's sequence was stopped mid-thought when she heard an announcement echo out over the intercom. "We're now boarding flight 2272 with non-stop service to Seattle, Washington, United States at gate 33A."
The pit in Arizona's stomach only seemed to enhance as she walked up the jet way to board her plane. If there was any God upstairs, she hoped beyond hope that Callie would somehow be able to find it in her heart to forgive her. But more than that, at that current juncture in time, she was praying that she didn't get stuck sitting next to some crazy hobo who either snored or hadn't showered in two weeks. She had to book the flight last minute so she didn't have the sweet reverie of being stationed in first class. Oh well, she told herself, better luck next time. Getting through the flight was part one. If she could just make it through with her sanity still all in tact, she felt like that would be progress. Much needed progress.
Malawi had been a mixture of heaven and hell. She had thrown herself in scalpel first from the moment her foot graced the African ground. She knew she would be able to put her craft to good, important use. That's why she was there. It WAS important. But so IS Callie. She remembered on the flight to Malawi how she'd became physically ill because the image of Callie's heartbroken face had been etched in her mind. She wanted Callie there, she needed her there, but MORE than that she needed her happy. Which was why she made it abundantly clear to Callie that there was no other option but for her to stay in Seattle. And it hurt. It hurt like hell.
Arizona began making her way through the cabin in search for her seat, 8B. It was a smaller plane, only two rows of seats, three to a side, which meant two elbow buddies. "Yay." She sarcastically mumbled to herself. After walking a few more feet, Arizona arrived at her designated seat, no one had sat in her row yet and she thanked God for it. No playing Twister while trying to maneuver your body and belongings around two people. Bad news though, she quickly realized, she had the damn middle seat. How the hell was she supposed to get any sleep in the middle seat? There's nothing to lean on! You can't recline either! "Great." She said facetiously. As she began to turn around, Arizona was abruptly greeted by an unwelcome boney elbow to the ribs, "Ow! Jesus! Watch it!" She cried out whiling rubbing the newest bruise that was sure to form along the bottom side of her ribcage. Removing her attention from her throbbing wound, Arizona raised her head to meet the horrified eyes of an older middle-eastern man.
"Oh I- I is so sorry! Ma'am. Is - are--is it good? Okay?" The man stammered in broken English, reaching his hands out to convey his concern.
Arizona paused for a few seconds while she grimaced in pain before replying, "Yes. I'm fine. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap. It's been a long day...month...s. Anyway, super tired, so I'm a bit cranky. I apologize."
"Oh. I hug at you? You feel good? Kiss?" The man said as he started going in for a big slobbery wet bear hug.
Arizona's pupils dilated to about twenty times their regular size effectively displaying her horror. "Whoa! Oh no. No, no no no. No." She blurted out as she pushed both hands out in front of her to keep the man at an arms length. "No, thank you. Sir." Arizona assured the man as she reached out to pat him on the shoulder before retreating down to her seat. The man looked more than confused, but at that point Arizona was too exhausted to care about the well-being of others. That was all she had been doing the past five months. It was time to concentrate back on numero uno.
Fifteen minutes had passed since Arizona had sat down in her now very uncomfortable seat. "What did they make these out of? She wondered. "Rocks?" She had tried shutting her eyes, but quickly realized that was a stupid idea when the soundtrack of babies crying, kids yelling, and some old man wheezing was on constant repeat playing through her head. Despite all of that loveliness, there was a ray of hope still lingering over her head. No one had sat in the window seat next to her. For the time being, she only had to deal with oldy McSweaty to her left and she'd be all right.
Not five more minutes had gone by before the man sitting next to Arizona had started humming some random Lady Gaga song, off key. For just a split second Arizona had thought about smothering the man with a pillow just so she could enjoy some quiet, even if it was just at the man's expense. But in order to do that, she'd need an actual pillow, which she didn't have. And if their pillows were anything like their seats, it was most likely going to be a box of rocks. Not wanting to, but figuring there was no other way to make it through the flight without causing a huge hormonal scene, Arizona reached into her purse, pulled out a sedative, and popped it in her mouth. "Peace...and...quiet. That's all I want right now", she thought to herself. Within thirty minutes, a calming hush came over Arizona's body and withered away the sound of crying babies, yelling kids, wheezing men, and the off key humming of Bad Romance. Quiet. Yep, it was quiet all right. But Calliope was still on her brain...and for the first time in awhile, she was okay with that.