Scar Tissue (Part Two) -- Chapter 15
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Scar Tissue (Part Two)
Chapter 15
Authors: kennedysbitch & livelovelearneg
Beta'd by englishstrawbie
Rating: NC-17 [Depictions of violence, PTSD, Language, Sexual Content]
Pairing: Callie/Arizona
Disclaimer
Scar Tissue [masterpost]
Summary: When Arizona Robbins’ brother dies in Iraq, her life takes off in a completely different direction. Now a highly-rated trauma surgeon with the United States Marine Corps, she spends the three years following his death serving their country overseas - until an insurgent attack leaves her with debilitating injuries. Traveling to Seattle at her father’s request, she falls under the care of orthopedic surgeon Dr. Calliope Torres. Damaged emotionally and physically, Arizona tries to start the healing process with the help of a headstrong woman she never saw coming.
Part Two: Now free from the confines of a hospital bed for the first time
in almost five months, Arizona begins her physical and emotional recovery while
navigating a budding yet rocky relationship with Callie Torres.
Warnings: Depictions of violence, PTSD, Language, Sexual Content
Trailer:
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May 2nd, 2009
Arizona awoke from a dead sleep, disoriented and out of breath. She had no idea what time it was, where she was or what she was doing there. Wherever ‘there’ was.
Vivid images and flashes from her dream were still dancing around her head, taunting her as they gradually faded into the background. She sat up and tried to vanquish them by blinking rapidly, steering her mind back towards consciousness. It felt like trying to claw her way out of a quicksand pit and she was on the verge of a losing battle.
The curtains across the room were drawn, blotting out most of the morning sunlight. Her eyes started to adjust in the darkness and her heartbeat gradually began to slow down, the steady ‘thump-thump’ resounding loudly in her ears.
Arizona’s cellphone buzzed across the bedside table, bringing her back to reality. It must have been what woke her up. She fumbled to turn on the lamp and squinted as soon as it lit up the room. Her eyes were puffy with sleep and barely open as she swiped a hand through her hair, taking a moment before reaching for the device.
She answered without looking at the call display, her voice husky with sleep. “‘llo?”
“Arizona?”
The blonde instantly recognized the person on the other end of the line and it caught her by surprise. She thought Callie was going to call her after sleeping in, not at-
A glance at the clock told her it was eleven o’clock in the morning. When the hell did that happen?
Her leg gave a sharp throb of protest and she grimaced, digging her fingers into her thigh. “Callie, hey.”
“What happened to picking up before the first ring was over? I was about half a second away from getting your voicemail.” A pause. “Is everything okay?”
Arizona pinched the bridge of her nose. “I’m good, I was just - you woke me up is all. Guess I slept later than I thought.” She forced herself to sit up and dangled her legs over the edge of the bed, groaning at the stiffness in her knee.
Callie hummed softly on the other end of the line, not convinced.
“Sucking up must have taken all of my energy yesterday. It kinda feels like I got hit by a bus,” Arizona admitted, running her fingers through her hair and getting them tangled. She glanced down at herself and grimaced at the sweaty tank top that was clinging to her body. She really, really needed a shower. “To what do I owe this pleasure? I didn’t think I’d hear back from you until this afternoon.”
Callie listened carefully to the sounds of discomfort Arizona was subconsciously making under her breath. Despite the attempts to sound normal, there was a quake in her voice that Callie caught on to right away - it had happened before when Arizona was still in the hospital, after she’d had a rough night. The next morning she was usually shaken up but refused to talk about what was on her mind.
“Are you sure you’re okay? Callie asked, concerned. “I can call back later if you need a minute to wake up first.”
“No, please, don’t hang up,” Arizona said quickly, shaking her head. “It’s good to hear your voice. You’re a welcomed distraction from the fire ants gnawing on my leg.”
“That bad, huh?” Callie winced. “I’m sorry. I feel kind of responsible.”
“Don’t be a dummy,” Arizona chastised playfully. “You’re a rockstar. Now please, keep me distracted. What’s up?”
Callie was still hesitant but she decided to proceed cautiously, listening for any indication that Arizona wasn’t doing well. “Truthfully? You may or may not have made an appearance in my dreams last night.”
That made Arizona perk up. “Really?” she asked, a sly smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth. “Was it a naughty appearance?”
The low husk to her voice did all kinds of things to Callie’s insides. “Oh, I don’t know you well enough to divulge that information, Dr. Robbins,” she mused, keen on playing coy and sexy herself.
Arizona released that cute laugh of hers, the one Callie had come to know every time the blonde was in a playful mood.
“I woke up and thought of you all alone over there, so I decided to call early. Even if that makes me pathetic,” she added after a moment, smiling. “By the way, your morning sleepy voice? It’s all kinds of adorable. I like it.”
Arizona grinned. “If it’s anything like what I imagine your sleepy voice will sound like against my ear after a busy night of extracurricular activities, I think I can live with that.”
Callie’s rich laughter came through the other end of the line. “You’re very, very flirty when you first wake up. I didn’t think I’d end up liking you that much more than I already do.”
Arizona shrugged even though Callie couldn’t see her. “I’m just happy you still like me, period. That’s good to hear.”
Callie snuggled further under the covers. “So, did you dream about me last night, too?”
Arizona could all but see the smirk plastered to Callie’s sexy face. However, her own smile faltered for the first time since hearing the brunette’s voice. She tensed up as she fought to keep away the images that haunted her in her sleep, preferring to keep them tucked carefully away in the furthest corner of her mind. If she thought too hard about it, the searing pain as the flesh on her leg peeled away would come rushing back.
“I, uh, I-I never remember my dreams,” Arizona fumbled, shifting uncomfortably. “But I’m sure you were in there somewhere. Probably naked,” she added, trying to make up for the few seconds of silence that elapsed before her answer.
A beat passed, then: “How bad was it this time?”
It never ceased to amaze Arizona how intuitive Callie could be sometimes.
“You can tell me, you know,” Callie continued when she received nothing but heavy silence in return. “If you want. If it’ll help you feel safe again.” She remembered all too well how terrified Arizona had been that night in intensive care when she’d practically had to pin her to the bed to keep her from hurting herself.
Arizona swallowed back the lump in her throat. “Hearing your voice makes me feel safe again,” she admitted, blushing even though she was alone. “You seem to have a knack for pulling me out of it at the right time.”
It was the first time either of them had acknowledged what happened that day out loud. Callie had been too afraid of Arizona getting defensive if she asked about the nightmares, so she’d been refraining from doing so.
“Are you okay?” she asked softly.
Arizona shrugged. “Yeah, I’m okay.”
“I wish I could help. That I had been there for you again.”
Arizona’s heart constricted and she couldn’t believe how grateful she was that Callie had called her when she did. She blinked against the stinging sensation behind her eyes and took a deep breath to steady herself.
“You were,” she pointed out. “You are. You’re the only thing that seems to be keeping me grounded these days.” Arizona paused and allowed herself to smile a little. “But no pressure or anything.”
“Honestly? I haven’t felt any since I met you,” Callie said, twirling a strand of dark hair around one of her fingers. “It’s been surprisingly easy. We fit together well, y’know?”
“We do,” Arizona confirmed with a light chuckle. “We really do.”
Callie hesitated, contemplating saying what she wanted to say or leaving it for another time. But she never had been one to turn away from a conversation that needed to be addressed. “I want to be there whenever you have one of those nightmares. It might’ve been one of the reasons I suggested moving in, so I’d never be very far away if it happened again.”
“You sure you don’t want to go screaming in the other direction?” Arizona mused. “It would probably be saner.”
Callie recognized the blonde’s defensive patterns from a mile away. “You deserve to have someone take care of you for once, Arizona. Someone that’s always got your back. So yeah, I might’ve had a tiny ulterior motive by asking you to take the extra room.”
She paused before her tone shifted back to coy. “That, and trying to catch you naked in my bathroom at some point.”
Arizona snorted into the phone. Her head was starting to clear the more she listened to Callie’s voice and the tension she hadn’t even realized she’d been carrying around slowly began to fade away. She grabbed one of the crutches and tucked it under her right arm, pulling herself up and hobbling over to the window. Pulling back the curtains, she recoiled at the bright sunlight, momentarily blinding herself.
This place was like a bat cave. She needed to get out of it more often.
She made her way over to the small table in the corner of the room, pulling out a chair and sliding into it. “You don’t have to ‘catch’ me naked in the shower, Calliope. All you have to do is ask.”
It was Callie’s turn to blush. She’d be lying if she didn’t admit to herself how much she was enjoying flirting back and forth with Arizona; it came so easily between them.
“I want you to know that I meant what I said about a fresh start. I don’t want to hold anything over your head or make you feel guilty anymore, but...I’m a little scared. I’ve been left like that before; I’m not so keen on reliving the experience.”
Arizona’s heart ached at the uncertainty she heard in Callie’s voice. “We’re on the same page, Calliope. I promise.”
Callie laughed nervously. “At least that’s a good starting point.”
Arizona hummed softly under her breath. “Can’t argue with you there.”
She cast a glance down at herself and grimaced at her messy sleeping attire. She pulled the front of her tank top to her nose and took a whiff, recoiling and making a face. Stupid, sweaty nightmares.
“I really need to clean myself up first, and I know you said we do things on your terms from here on out, but if you’re open to suggestions...”
“I might be. What’s on your mind?”
Arizona mentally kicked herself into gear and surged forward before she lost her nerve. “Do you have time to fit in our date today? It’s killing me not knowing how long I’ll have to wait until I see you again.”
“Lucky for you I happen to have the day off,” Callie replied. “I could maybe be persuaded to take you out this afternoon.”
“Maybe?” Arizona couldn’t hide her dismay. “Just maybe? Really?” She pouted, sagging back into her chair. “But what if I don’t want to settle for a maybe? Don’t make me hobble all the way down there just to see you, Torres. I’m clumsy on these crutches and might fall into traffic along the way.”
“You don’t even know where I live,” Callie pointed out.
“You live right across from the hospital,” Arizona countered. “There are only so many apartment buildings in that area. I’ll find you sooner or later.”
“I supposed I have a few ideas about where to take you this afternoon,” Callie relented. “And maybe later tonight we could order pizza and you could see the apartment; see if you like the room and all that.”
“That sounds like a distinct possibility.”
Callie hesitated. “I really don’t like the idea of you being in that dump. Seriously, it’s run-down and disgusting. And if you need someone to cover your rent for a while if you agree to move in, I’d be happy to until you get back on your feet.”
Arizona blushed. “You’re sweet, but that won’t be necessary. I have benefits and disability pay, as lame as that sounds. Rent won’t be an issue. And I’d hate for you to think you’re just my sugar mama.”
Callie snickered. “Oh don’t worry, I’m nobody’s sugar mama.” She bit her lip, feeling silly for how much she was grinning right now. “We could spend the night on the couch, just hanging out and watching movies? After I take you out on the town, of course. I think Cristina works the day shift and might show up at some point, so you’ll get to meet her and I’ll be able to keep her from scaring you away. And when she leaves we can be alone and talk some more and - God, I’m rambling, I’m so sorry.” She picked up her pillow and smothered herself with it, her whole body practically turning bright red.
Arizona smirked. “What if I told you it was adorable?”
“I don’t want adorable. I’m supposed to be hardcore, remember?” Callie whined, hating herself for turning into such a sap sometimes. “It’s just…I miss hanging out with you. We had lunch every day and watched stupid movies and made fun of people - I miss that.”
Arizona was giggling before Callie even finished her sentence. “Yes, I would love to spend the entire day making fun of people with you, you have no idea. I was afraid I wouldn’t even get to see you for a while, so that all sounds perfect.”
“Awesome.” Callie chewed on her thumbnail, feeling like a pathetic teenager all over again but not caring in the least. She didn’t want this conversation to end yet. “So.”
“So.” Arizona smiled, staring idly down at her toes as she wiggled them.
“Um...” Callie grasped at straws. “What made you want to go into Peds all those years ago? What made you want to work with kids?”
She was nervous about throwing a loaded question at Arizona like that, but she couldn’t restrain her curiosity. She wanted to know more about who she was beyond all of the baggage that her time in Iraq had left her with. She wanted Arizona to open up more than anything so she could get through the defenses that the blonde had put up over the years.
Arizona blinked at the totally unexpected question. “Uh, I-I don’t know,” she started, furrowing her brow in thought. “I just liked being around them, I guess. Kids have good energy, even when they’re sick or hurt. They have this way of looking at things differently than adults. They heal faster and they survive worse because they believe. Most patients are pessimists, but children...” She trailed off.
“I can see you being good with kids,” Callie said with a smile. “You’ll totally be the overprotective mom type some day.”
Arizona cocked an eyebrow, amused. “Are you asking me to have babies with you before we even go on our first date?”
Callie was slightly mortified at her own inference but to her credit she covered it up well. “Yes, that was totally where I was going with that. We’re already U-Hauling, so what’s one more over-played cliché? Trying to knock you up could be kinda fun.”
Arizona let out a snort of laughter, ducking her head and biting her bottom lip as she grinned. “Honestly? I don’t know. Maybe. I like kids, but the idea of having my own is completely terrifying. I think I would need to be in a completely different place in my life.”
“As your surgeon, I definitely don’t recommend carting a human around inside your body until you’ve sorted out your leg issues,” Callie teased.
Arizona smiled. “I doubt I’d ever be the kind of stable, normal parent that a child would need. I’d be the crazy neurotic one that locks them in their room or makes them grow up in some kind of plastic bubble. Being a surgeon has made me see things with kids that I’d rather forget.”
“At the risk of overtepping a line, I think you’d be a great mom,” Callie countered. “You’re soft and comfy when you let your guard down, and protective and fierce when it’s up. That’s a perfect combination.”
Arizona released a small sigh. “I don’t know. That’s a way off, if ever.” She knew without a doubt that she couldn’t be who she was right now and think about having kids. Her life was too unbalanced; she felt too unbalanced.
“For the record, I wasn’t interrogating you for future broodmare services,” Callie added after a brief pause. “I was just curious. Peds and trauma are just such polar opposites, it’s had me wondering for a while now.”
“What about you? What made you decide to work in ortho?” Arizona countered, finding herself equally as curious. “You’re a hardcore Goddess that breaks bones for a living. When did you decide that’s what you wanted to do with your life?”
Callie frowned in thought, taking a moment to organize her thoughts. “I grew up with money, y’know? Even though my dad gave us everything we wanted, that lifestyle just never really fit how I felt about myself. My sister Aria was annoyingly perfect at being the rich girl, but I was always different than everyone else in my family.”
Arizona fell into a comfortable silence, enjoying the flow of conversation.
“When I graduated, everyone expected me to go to business school and follow in my dad’s footsteps or whatever. It just wasn’t me, so I decided to get away from all the pressure. I joined the Peace Corps to do good things with my hands instead of my wallet for once. What I saw down there was...it changed me. The polio was so bad and there were so many other issues that could be fixed if only they had access to the medicine.
“When I came home, I decided I wanted to be a doctor and eventually a surgeon. Ortho just turned into my thing after a while and I never looked back.”
Callie blushed a deep, crimson red, slightly embarrassed by her ramblings. “So I did my residency at Seattle Grace, became an Attending there, and was forced to treat this crazy Marine punk that was a huge pain in my ass, and now here I am.”
Arizona felt like she could listen to Callie talk all day and never get tired of hearing her voice. “I’m a punk, huh?”
“You ran away and smoked a cigarette your first day under my care,” Callie said flatly. “That constitutes me using the word ‘punk’.”
Arizona giggled again. “Fair enough. But at least I’m a cute punk that knows how to show a gal like you a good time.” She twirled a strand of hair around her finger and pulled her good leg up onto the chair, resting her chin on her knee.
“Even though you were a pain in my ass, you made things interesting, I’ll give you that,” Callie mused. “It was pretty damn distracting to have you checking me out while I was trying to be professional. Thanks for making me feel like a total perv.”
“I wasn’t that bad,” Arizona whined.
“I caught you looking down my shirt once or twice.”
“You have a nice rack,” Arizona said bluntly. “What was I supposed to do? I’ve been surrounded by men for three years in a homophobic military, I’ve gotta get my jollies in somewhere.” She fought back a grin.
“You’re thinking about me naked again, aren’t you? Knock it off,” Callie pouted.
“Naw,” Arizona replied coyly. “It’s either freaky nightmares or your boobs. I choose to think about your boobs.”
Callie grinned crookedly. “Which brings me to my next question-”
“Do I like boobs?”
“Yes, Arizona, I was going to ask you if you liked boobs,” Callie deadpanned.
Arizona couldn’t stop laughing. She hadn’t had this much fun in years.
Callie loved the sound of her laughter. It was so rich and full when she let go and fully relaxed. It had been a rare occurrence before today. “What else do you like about a woman, aside from boobs? You’ve always struck me as less shallow than most men.”
Arizona licked her lips. “That depends on what context you mean it in.”
Callie raised an eyebrow. “Context?”
“Yeah,” Arizona replied smoothly, switching gears in the blink of an eye. “For example, I love looking into a woman’s eyes. They’re so much more expressive than a man’s. Especially someone like you - I feel like every time I look into yours I can tell exactly what you’re thinking and feeling. I can tell if you’re worried or if you’re happy. Or if you’re angry at me for driving you crazy.”
Callie could already feel herself getting sucked in.
“But there’s something about the feel of my hands on a woman’s stomach that I just can’t get enough of,” Arizona continued. “I love to feel every curve and how smooth her skin is, and how her breath hitches when I kiss her in just the right places. How her abdomen tenses up and releases when I make love to her.”
Arizona heard Callie expel a soft breath and knew she had her right where she wanted her.
“And then I love to bury my nose in the crook of her neck. It’s the only place you can really smell her, y’know? Not just her perfume, but a mixture of everything; the shampoo she uses, laundry detergent. And most of all how she smells naturally, which I always find so incredibly sexy. Her neck is the perfect blend of everything about her.”
A smile ghosted across Arizona’s lips. “I love the way you smell, by the way. You smell…unbelievable. Even if you’ve just come out of surgery and you’re not wearing perfume or anything scented, you smell so good it makes my head spin.”
Callie found herself fumbling for words. She was flustered and her heart was pounding away rather quickly. She had to swallow hard just to try and untangle her tongue from the sudden knot it was tied in.
Damn, Arizona was good.
“I remember when we were lying there after your surgery. I was awake the whole time while you were just...it felt like you were absorbing me or something, memorizing me. All of those things you just mentioned. It was kind of perfect holding you like that. I tried really hard not to kiss you.”
Arizona smiled against her cellphone, glancing down and playing with the material of her shirt. She remembered that pretty clearly, too.
“Is that too much to say over the phone?” Callie asked tentatively.
“Not at all,” Arizona said softly. “I was trying to memorize you, for lack of a better word. That was the first time I’d felt close to anyone in years, and I was in such a bad place that it saved me. You’re the only reason I survived that night in one piece.”
Callie thought back to the blonde’s nightmare and shivered. It made her all the more curious to know what Arizona saw when she closed her eyes, though something told her she really didn’t want to.
Arizona took in a small breath and released it. “Aren’t you glad I made you cut me open and rip me to shreds all in one go? Otherwise I’d still be in the hospital and we’d still be doing our little song and dance of not saying what we want to be saying.”
“We were kinda stupid, weren’t we?” Callie smirked. “God, when you were being all cute and flirty with me I was so pissed at you. You were this hardcore Marine chick, you weren’t supposed to be that gorgeous or hitting on me. I was having inappropriate thoughts about ripping a patient’s clothes off and I didn’t know what to do with myself.”
“You weren’t alone there,” Arizona said smugly.
“You were such a bitch to the nurses at first, and I had to be professional but it was the funniest thing I’d ever seen. I loved hating every second of making sure you behaved like an adult. You were ridiculous, you know that, right?”
Arizona grinned sheepishly. “I think you know me pretty well by now. I don’t like to follow other peoples rules.”
“How did you not get your ass kicked in the Marines?”
“I know my boundaries and limitations, Calliope. And I was usually the one in charge so I never had to worry about it.”
Arizona stood up again and hobbled across the room, her right leg dangling uselessly as she supported her weight on the crutch. She collapsed back into bed and shifted so she was sprawled across the middle.
“So, answer me this, Miss Torres. What is your favourite thing about the female form? What made you realize that you were into women?”
“You’re gonna laugh at me, but I have a thing for bones. And I can hear you smirking, so stop it.”
Arizona pursed her lips and stared at the ceiling.
“Not in a weird way, either. Running my hands over her hips, her ribcage, her back. Feeling her fingers in my hair...” Callie blushed, unable to keep herself from imagining doing those things to Arizona.
“I also love freckles or scars, because every one has got a story. I love tracing them with my fingers and following up with my tongue. Taking note which ones get the best response from her body. Any excuse to run my hands everywhere they want to go.”
Arizona made a small, weak noise.
“And when I think about doing those things to you?” Callie groaned under her breath, getting her confidence back. “All I can think about is pressing you against a wall and forgetting everything else going on around us. That’s exactly what I wanted to do to you the first time we met.”
Lips parting, Arizona found it hard to argue with that. “Wow. Yeah, that’s...” She tried to ignore the fact that she was more than a little turned on. “You just enjoy torturing me, don’t you? Because it’s over the phone and you know I can’t pick you up, toss you down on the bed and have my way with you.”
“You’re kind of a gimp right now, Arizona. You couldn’t pick me up even if I was there.”
“I wish you were here, even though we agreed to take things slow,” Arizona sighed. “We’ve been ‘slow’ for three months and I only have so much willpower left. I’m sure I’d be awfully good at breaking yours.”
Callie tried to hide the shiver that sent right down her spine. “I break bones for a living. Don’t underestimate my willpower.”
“I’m willing to take my chances,” Arizona husked, her voice dropping another octave. “I’m picturing you naked again, by the way.”
“I wouldn’t expect anything less,” Callie snickered. “And it’s not much of a stretch, considering I’ve been naked this entire time.” She felt a swell of triumph when she heard Arizona’s breath catch. “I get claustrophobic when I sleep, so I tend not to wear anything. There’s a little ‘Twenty Questions’ factoid for you, Miss ‘I want to know everything about you’.”
In truth, she was wearing underwear - but Arizona didn’t need to know that.
The blonde whimpered into the phone, squeezing her eyes shut. “That’s just...mean.”
Callie chuckled into her end of the line. “You should probably go take that shower now, Arizona.”
“Yeah, a freaking cold shower,” the blonde mumbled under her breath.
“I have an awesome day planned for us,” Callie continued smoothly. “As much as I never want this conversation to end, we both need to get ready. I want to start off by taking you around the city that you have yet to see. It’s a gorgeous place to live.”
Arizona released a happy sigh. “If it means I get to see you sooner rather than later, count me in.”
“That’s not an invitation for you to jump my bones when you answer the door, by the way,” Callie said sternly. “This is strictly a PG-rated date.”
“Aww,” Arizona whined, pouting. “So I don’t even get a ‘hello’ kiss?”
“Maybe I’ll give you a hug or something,” Callie relented, “but nothing else. Keep your hands to yourself, got it?”
Arizona closed her eyes and shook her head. “You’re going to be the death of me, woman.”
She gathered what little willpower she had left to sit up. “Better go put some clothes on, you nudist. I’m gonna go take mine off in the shower.” A slow, sexy smirk of her own reappeared. “I’ll be...thinking of you the whole time.”
“Mean,” Callie laughed, blushing profusely.
Arizona shook her head, knowing they were being ridiculous but loving it. “I look forward to your visit.”
“I’ll pick you up in--” Callie glanced at her alarm clock. “Two hours? Three?”
“Three?” Arizona echoed. “Screw that, I’ll be ready in one.”
“Even better,” Callie said. “I like a girl that doesn’t take four-hundred hours in the bathroom. I’ll be there on time, so hurry up.”
Arizona felt more awake and perky right now than she had in ages. “Then I’ll see you soon, clean and shiny for our PG-13 date.”
“I said PG.”
Arizona smirked again. “We’ll see about that.”
Callie’s husky chuckle reached her ear. “Yeah, I bet we will.”
Arizona rolled her eyes and grinned at Callie’s need to have the last word. “Okay, goodbye. Really.” She pulled the phone away from her ear, hesitated for a moment, then finally clicked it off. Immediately she almost re-broke her leg in an attempt to dive off of the bed and rush into the bathroom.
She needed a shower, stat.
***
Callie’s calm and collected demeanor vanished the instant she hung up the phone. She showered and dashed around her bedroom trying to look for the perfect casual outfit, settling for a black shirt that was low cut enough to give Arizona a good ‘view’ while leaving just enough to the imagination. It hugged her curves in all the right ways and made her look damn sexy, if she did say so herself. It paired up with her best pair of jeans, some sexy boots and her signature leather jacket. She kept her hair long and wavy, letting it settle in naturally around her face and down her back.
The whole ensemble looked pretty damn good.
Callie emerged from her bedroom and blew at warp-speed around the apartment, picking up after Cristina and trying to make it look somewhat presentable for when they got back later that night. She left Cristina a note saying as much and to keep her shit clean if she wanted to impress the new potential roommate.
Grabbing her jacket and checking her make-up one last time in the mirror, Callie steadied herself and walked out the door.
***
Arizona barely managed to shower, shave her legs, and shape her hair into something that was half decent on time. She let it fall around her shoulders, half way between straight and wavy. It was the best she could do with the piece of crap hair dryer that came with the bathroom.
Looking at herself in the mirror, she tugged at her jacket, smoothed both hands down the front of her jeans, and yanked on the hemline of her merino wool sweater. She loved wearing it because it was extremely comfortable and the royal blue also made her eyes pop.
The aim here was to make Callie swoon so she would be distracted from the clumsiness of the crutches.
Nervous butterflies filled her stomach and she tried a couple of deep, calming breaths to vanquish them. She was partially succeeding when a knock sounded at her front door.
Cue the butterflies return.
Casting one last glance in the bathroom mirror, Arizona hobbled on two crutches to grab her purse from the bed, slinging it over one shoulder before heading to the door. After pulling in a steadying breath, she yanked it open.
A bright smile instantly broke free at the sight of Callie standing there, looking as sexy as ever. “Hey there, stranger,” she said, trying and failing not to grin like an idiot.
Callie had to bite her lip to keep from doing the same. “You look gorgeous.” She had to stuff her hands in her pockets to keep from reaching out and tucking a stray curl behind Arizona’s ear.
Arizona’s heart pounded and she stepped closer, gazing up at Callie from under her lashes. She watched the brunette raise a wary eyebrow and smiled. “Relax, I’m keeping it PG, just like you asked.”
She moved in as close as she could and tugged Callie into an easy embrace, the crutches making it a little hard to do properly. She managed to hold onto her jacket, bunching her fists around the sleeves.
Callie put up no protest as she circled Arizona’s waist with her arms. “Oh, I see. You’re cashing in on the promise of a hug already. Sneaky.”
Arizona closed her eyes and buried her face into the crook of Callie’s neck, inhaling her scent deeply. “Mmm. See? You smell amazing.”
Callie’s eyes drifted shut. “You smell good, too,” she murmured.
Arizona relaxed into the embrace, any residual tension she’d been holding onto fading away. “I missed you.”
Callie shivered. “Me too.” She smiled into Arizona’s shoulder before doing exactly what she knew the other woman was restraining from - she turned her face in and placed a kiss right in the middle of her neck, followed by another one at the apex of her jaw.
Callie could get used to this - just because Arizona was supposed to behave didn’t mean that she had to. These were her rules, after all.
Arizona was barely able to stifle a groan at the feeling of Callie’s lips against her skin. Getting fed up with her crutches, she squirmed without breaking their hug, managing to wedge them out from under her arms and dump them off to the side with an unceremonious shove. They clattered to the ground and she grinned triumphantly, using her newfound freedom to circle Callie’s shoulders with her arms. “Mmm. Much better.”
“I’m onto your ploy, Robbins,” Callie murmured slyly. “You just want to watch me bend over to pick them up.”
“I plead the fifth,” Arizona chuckled. Her good knee started to weaken and she felt Callie tighten her hold even more. This was the first time in ages that she had craved physical contact of any kind and she couldn’t get enough of it.
“I missed you too, by the way,” Callie said, smiling warmly into the side of Arizona’s neck. “This is really nice. I can hug you standing up for once.” She paused. “You’re kind of short.”
Arizona scoffed in mock-offense. “I’m like an inch or two smaller than you.” Her fingers stroked through the soft, fine hairs at the base of the Callie’s neck.
The brunette’s resolve broke, but just a little.
Fuck the rules.
She turned her head and kissed the corner of Arizona’s mouth, making sure to hit one of those adorable dimples that she loved so much. Before Arizona could reciprocate, Callie pulled head her back just enough to smirk confidentially at her.
Arizona beamed like an excited six-year-old on Christmas morning. “Now there is something I think is deemed okay for a PG-13 date.”
“PG,” Callie deadpanned.
“Whatever.”
“Your listening skills need improvement.”
Wrinkling her nose, Arizona squirmed, the arms around her waist tightening to keep her there.
She tugged on the lapels of Callie’s jacket, gazing into her eyes. “We should probably get going.”
There was a long, drawn out pause in which Callie fought really hard not to kiss the other woman again. It took everything she had to reluctantly nod and slowly drop her arms away. “Yeah, you’re right. We should head out.”
Arizona sighed and cast a look around for her crutches. Blue puppy-dog-eyes turned up to meet Callie’s deep brown and a firm pout appeared. “Help a girl out?”
Callie rolled her eyes dramatically but stooped down to gather the discarded crutches. She strategically bent with her knees and kept her butt aimed in the other direction.
Damn it, Arizona thought, returning the smirk sent her way.
When Callie stood up and handed back the crutches, the blonde leaned into them and stood up on the toes of her left foot, planting a sweet kiss against her cheek. “Thank you.”
“Any time,” Callie grinned lopsidedly.
Arizona blushed, feeling shy all of a sudden. “Okay, Captain. Where to first?”
“The car,” Callie replied matter-of-factly. “Duh.”
“You are such a smartass,” Arizona pointed out. She locked her room before starting into the parking lot where the blue Thunderbird was waiting.
Callie pulled the door open and held it. “Get in, you goof.”
Arizona accepted the hand that helped ease her into the passenger seat. Callie grabbed the crutches and tossed them into the back before closing both doors and making her way around to the other side.
She slid into the driver’s seat and flashed a confident smile towards Arizona. They hadn’t even left the parking lot yet and this was already looking like it would be a day to remember. Still, Callie didn’t want to put too much pressure on them this early. Despite the bravado and the unashamed flirting, there was a large part of her that was still nervous. For all the time they had spent together, they had never been on an actual date before - or done anything outside of Seattle Grace, for that matter.
Arizona had a lot of walls built up, Callie had known that since the beginning. But the letter, their conversation, the moment they had just shared - they were all steps in the right direction. She would keep chipping away until she knew everything there was to know about the incredible woman sitting to her right.
With thoughts of what lay ahead running through her mind, Callie started the car and pulled onto the main street.
She had a woman to woo, and she knew just where to start.
---
Scar Tissue (Part Two)
Chapter 15
Authors: kennedysbitch & livelovelearneg
Beta'd by englishstrawbie
Rating: NC-17 [Depictions of violence, PTSD, Language, Sexual Content]
Pairing: Callie/Arizona
Disclaimer
Scar Tissue [masterpost]
Summary: When Arizona Robbins’ brother dies in Iraq, her life takes off in a completely different direction. Now a highly-rated trauma surgeon with the United States Marine Corps, she spends the three years following his death serving their country overseas - until an insurgent attack leaves her with debilitating injuries. Traveling to Seattle at her father’s request, she falls under the care of orthopedic surgeon Dr. Calliope Torres. Damaged emotionally and physically, Arizona tries to start the healing process with the help of a headstrong woman she never saw coming.
Part Two: Now free from the confines of a hospital bed for the first time
in almost five months, Arizona begins her physical and emotional recovery while
navigating a budding yet rocky relationship with Callie Torres.
Warnings: Depictions of violence, PTSD, Language, Sexual Content
Trailer:
Click to view---
May 2nd, 2009
Arizona awoke from a dead sleep, disoriented and out of breath. She had no idea what time it was, where she was or what she was doing there. Wherever ‘there’ was.
Vivid images and flashes from her dream were still dancing around her head, taunting her as they gradually faded into the background. She sat up and tried to vanquish them by blinking rapidly, steering her mind back towards consciousness. It felt like trying to claw her way out of a quicksand pit and she was on the verge of a losing battle.
The curtains across the room were drawn, blotting out most of the morning sunlight. Her eyes started to adjust in the darkness and her heartbeat gradually began to slow down, the steady ‘thump-thump’ resounding loudly in her ears.
Arizona’s cellphone buzzed across the bedside table, bringing her back to reality. It must have been what woke her up. She fumbled to turn on the lamp and squinted as soon as it lit up the room. Her eyes were puffy with sleep and barely open as she swiped a hand through her hair, taking a moment before reaching for the device.
She answered without looking at the call display, her voice husky with sleep. “‘llo?”
“Arizona?”
The blonde instantly recognized the person on the other end of the line and it caught her by surprise. She thought Callie was going to call her after sleeping in, not at-
A glance at the clock told her it was eleven o’clock in the morning. When the hell did that happen?
Her leg gave a sharp throb of protest and she grimaced, digging her fingers into her thigh. “Callie, hey.”
“What happened to picking up before the first ring was over? I was about half a second away from getting your voicemail.” A pause. “Is everything okay?”
Arizona pinched the bridge of her nose. “I’m good, I was just - you woke me up is all. Guess I slept later than I thought.” She forced herself to sit up and dangled her legs over the edge of the bed, groaning at the stiffness in her knee.
Callie hummed softly on the other end of the line, not convinced.
“Sucking up must have taken all of my energy yesterday. It kinda feels like I got hit by a bus,” Arizona admitted, running her fingers through her hair and getting them tangled. She glanced down at herself and grimaced at the sweaty tank top that was clinging to her body. She really, really needed a shower. “To what do I owe this pleasure? I didn’t think I’d hear back from you until this afternoon.”
Callie listened carefully to the sounds of discomfort Arizona was subconsciously making under her breath. Despite the attempts to sound normal, there was a quake in her voice that Callie caught on to right away - it had happened before when Arizona was still in the hospital, after she’d had a rough night. The next morning she was usually shaken up but refused to talk about what was on her mind.
“Are you sure you’re okay? Callie asked, concerned. “I can call back later if you need a minute to wake up first.”
“No, please, don’t hang up,” Arizona said quickly, shaking her head. “It’s good to hear your voice. You’re a welcomed distraction from the fire ants gnawing on my leg.”
“That bad, huh?” Callie winced. “I’m sorry. I feel kind of responsible.”
“Don’t be a dummy,” Arizona chastised playfully. “You’re a rockstar. Now please, keep me distracted. What’s up?”
Callie was still hesitant but she decided to proceed cautiously, listening for any indication that Arizona wasn’t doing well. “Truthfully? You may or may not have made an appearance in my dreams last night.”
That made Arizona perk up. “Really?” she asked, a sly smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth. “Was it a naughty appearance?”
The low husk to her voice did all kinds of things to Callie’s insides. “Oh, I don’t know you well enough to divulge that information, Dr. Robbins,” she mused, keen on playing coy and sexy herself.
Arizona released that cute laugh of hers, the one Callie had come to know every time the blonde was in a playful mood.
“I woke up and thought of you all alone over there, so I decided to call early. Even if that makes me pathetic,” she added after a moment, smiling. “By the way, your morning sleepy voice? It’s all kinds of adorable. I like it.”
Arizona grinned. “If it’s anything like what I imagine your sleepy voice will sound like against my ear after a busy night of extracurricular activities, I think I can live with that.”
Callie’s rich laughter came through the other end of the line. “You’re very, very flirty when you first wake up. I didn’t think I’d end up liking you that much more than I already do.”
Arizona shrugged even though Callie couldn’t see her. “I’m just happy you still like me, period. That’s good to hear.”
Callie snuggled further under the covers. “So, did you dream about me last night, too?”
Arizona could all but see the smirk plastered to Callie’s sexy face. However, her own smile faltered for the first time since hearing the brunette’s voice. She tensed up as she fought to keep away the images that haunted her in her sleep, preferring to keep them tucked carefully away in the furthest corner of her mind. If she thought too hard about it, the searing pain as the flesh on her leg peeled away would come rushing back.
“I, uh, I-I never remember my dreams,” Arizona fumbled, shifting uncomfortably. “But I’m sure you were in there somewhere. Probably naked,” she added, trying to make up for the few seconds of silence that elapsed before her answer.
A beat passed, then: “How bad was it this time?”
It never ceased to amaze Arizona how intuitive Callie could be sometimes.
“You can tell me, you know,” Callie continued when she received nothing but heavy silence in return. “If you want. If it’ll help you feel safe again.” She remembered all too well how terrified Arizona had been that night in intensive care when she’d practically had to pin her to the bed to keep her from hurting herself.
Arizona swallowed back the lump in her throat. “Hearing your voice makes me feel safe again,” she admitted, blushing even though she was alone. “You seem to have a knack for pulling me out of it at the right time.”
It was the first time either of them had acknowledged what happened that day out loud. Callie had been too afraid of Arizona getting defensive if she asked about the nightmares, so she’d been refraining from doing so.
“Are you okay?” she asked softly.
Arizona shrugged. “Yeah, I’m okay.”
“I wish I could help. That I had been there for you again.”
Arizona’s heart constricted and she couldn’t believe how grateful she was that Callie had called her when she did. She blinked against the stinging sensation behind her eyes and took a deep breath to steady herself.
“You were,” she pointed out. “You are. You’re the only thing that seems to be keeping me grounded these days.” Arizona paused and allowed herself to smile a little. “But no pressure or anything.”
“Honestly? I haven’t felt any since I met you,” Callie said, twirling a strand of dark hair around one of her fingers. “It’s been surprisingly easy. We fit together well, y’know?”
“We do,” Arizona confirmed with a light chuckle. “We really do.”
Callie hesitated, contemplating saying what she wanted to say or leaving it for another time. But she never had been one to turn away from a conversation that needed to be addressed. “I want to be there whenever you have one of those nightmares. It might’ve been one of the reasons I suggested moving in, so I’d never be very far away if it happened again.”
“You sure you don’t want to go screaming in the other direction?” Arizona mused. “It would probably be saner.”
Callie recognized the blonde’s defensive patterns from a mile away. “You deserve to have someone take care of you for once, Arizona. Someone that’s always got your back. So yeah, I might’ve had a tiny ulterior motive by asking you to take the extra room.”
She paused before her tone shifted back to coy. “That, and trying to catch you naked in my bathroom at some point.”
Arizona snorted into the phone. Her head was starting to clear the more she listened to Callie’s voice and the tension she hadn’t even realized she’d been carrying around slowly began to fade away. She grabbed one of the crutches and tucked it under her right arm, pulling herself up and hobbling over to the window. Pulling back the curtains, she recoiled at the bright sunlight, momentarily blinding herself.
This place was like a bat cave. She needed to get out of it more often.
She made her way over to the small table in the corner of the room, pulling out a chair and sliding into it. “You don’t have to ‘catch’ me naked in the shower, Calliope. All you have to do is ask.”
It was Callie’s turn to blush. She’d be lying if she didn’t admit to herself how much she was enjoying flirting back and forth with Arizona; it came so easily between them.
“I want you to know that I meant what I said about a fresh start. I don’t want to hold anything over your head or make you feel guilty anymore, but...I’m a little scared. I’ve been left like that before; I’m not so keen on reliving the experience.”
Arizona’s heart ached at the uncertainty she heard in Callie’s voice. “We’re on the same page, Calliope. I promise.”
Callie laughed nervously. “At least that’s a good starting point.”
Arizona hummed softly under her breath. “Can’t argue with you there.”
She cast a glance down at herself and grimaced at her messy sleeping attire. She pulled the front of her tank top to her nose and took a whiff, recoiling and making a face. Stupid, sweaty nightmares.
“I really need to clean myself up first, and I know you said we do things on your terms from here on out, but if you’re open to suggestions...”
“I might be. What’s on your mind?”
Arizona mentally kicked herself into gear and surged forward before she lost her nerve. “Do you have time to fit in our date today? It’s killing me not knowing how long I’ll have to wait until I see you again.”
“Lucky for you I happen to have the day off,” Callie replied. “I could maybe be persuaded to take you out this afternoon.”
“Maybe?” Arizona couldn’t hide her dismay. “Just maybe? Really?” She pouted, sagging back into her chair. “But what if I don’t want to settle for a maybe? Don’t make me hobble all the way down there just to see you, Torres. I’m clumsy on these crutches and might fall into traffic along the way.”
“You don’t even know where I live,” Callie pointed out.
“You live right across from the hospital,” Arizona countered. “There are only so many apartment buildings in that area. I’ll find you sooner or later.”
“I supposed I have a few ideas about where to take you this afternoon,” Callie relented. “And maybe later tonight we could order pizza and you could see the apartment; see if you like the room and all that.”
“That sounds like a distinct possibility.”
Callie hesitated. “I really don’t like the idea of you being in that dump. Seriously, it’s run-down and disgusting. And if you need someone to cover your rent for a while if you agree to move in, I’d be happy to until you get back on your feet.”
Arizona blushed. “You’re sweet, but that won’t be necessary. I have benefits and disability pay, as lame as that sounds. Rent won’t be an issue. And I’d hate for you to think you’re just my sugar mama.”
Callie snickered. “Oh don’t worry, I’m nobody’s sugar mama.” She bit her lip, feeling silly for how much she was grinning right now. “We could spend the night on the couch, just hanging out and watching movies? After I take you out on the town, of course. I think Cristina works the day shift and might show up at some point, so you’ll get to meet her and I’ll be able to keep her from scaring you away. And when she leaves we can be alone and talk some more and - God, I’m rambling, I’m so sorry.” She picked up her pillow and smothered herself with it, her whole body practically turning bright red.
Arizona smirked. “What if I told you it was adorable?”
“I don’t want adorable. I’m supposed to be hardcore, remember?” Callie whined, hating herself for turning into such a sap sometimes. “It’s just…I miss hanging out with you. We had lunch every day and watched stupid movies and made fun of people - I miss that.”
Arizona was giggling before Callie even finished her sentence. “Yes, I would love to spend the entire day making fun of people with you, you have no idea. I was afraid I wouldn’t even get to see you for a while, so that all sounds perfect.”
“Awesome.” Callie chewed on her thumbnail, feeling like a pathetic teenager all over again but not caring in the least. She didn’t want this conversation to end yet. “So.”
“So.” Arizona smiled, staring idly down at her toes as she wiggled them.
“Um...” Callie grasped at straws. “What made you want to go into Peds all those years ago? What made you want to work with kids?”
She was nervous about throwing a loaded question at Arizona like that, but she couldn’t restrain her curiosity. She wanted to know more about who she was beyond all of the baggage that her time in Iraq had left her with. She wanted Arizona to open up more than anything so she could get through the defenses that the blonde had put up over the years.
Arizona blinked at the totally unexpected question. “Uh, I-I don’t know,” she started, furrowing her brow in thought. “I just liked being around them, I guess. Kids have good energy, even when they’re sick or hurt. They have this way of looking at things differently than adults. They heal faster and they survive worse because they believe. Most patients are pessimists, but children...” She trailed off.
“I can see you being good with kids,” Callie said with a smile. “You’ll totally be the overprotective mom type some day.”
Arizona cocked an eyebrow, amused. “Are you asking me to have babies with you before we even go on our first date?”
Callie was slightly mortified at her own inference but to her credit she covered it up well. “Yes, that was totally where I was going with that. We’re already U-Hauling, so what’s one more over-played cliché? Trying to knock you up could be kinda fun.”
Arizona let out a snort of laughter, ducking her head and biting her bottom lip as she grinned. “Honestly? I don’t know. Maybe. I like kids, but the idea of having my own is completely terrifying. I think I would need to be in a completely different place in my life.”
“As your surgeon, I definitely don’t recommend carting a human around inside your body until you’ve sorted out your leg issues,” Callie teased.
Arizona smiled. “I doubt I’d ever be the kind of stable, normal parent that a child would need. I’d be the crazy neurotic one that locks them in their room or makes them grow up in some kind of plastic bubble. Being a surgeon has made me see things with kids that I’d rather forget.”
“At the risk of overtepping a line, I think you’d be a great mom,” Callie countered. “You’re soft and comfy when you let your guard down, and protective and fierce when it’s up. That’s a perfect combination.”
Arizona released a small sigh. “I don’t know. That’s a way off, if ever.” She knew without a doubt that she couldn’t be who she was right now and think about having kids. Her life was too unbalanced; she felt too unbalanced.
“For the record, I wasn’t interrogating you for future broodmare services,” Callie added after a brief pause. “I was just curious. Peds and trauma are just such polar opposites, it’s had me wondering for a while now.”
“What about you? What made you decide to work in ortho?” Arizona countered, finding herself equally as curious. “You’re a hardcore Goddess that breaks bones for a living. When did you decide that’s what you wanted to do with your life?”
Callie frowned in thought, taking a moment to organize her thoughts. “I grew up with money, y’know? Even though my dad gave us everything we wanted, that lifestyle just never really fit how I felt about myself. My sister Aria was annoyingly perfect at being the rich girl, but I was always different than everyone else in my family.”
Arizona fell into a comfortable silence, enjoying the flow of conversation.
“When I graduated, everyone expected me to go to business school and follow in my dad’s footsteps or whatever. It just wasn’t me, so I decided to get away from all the pressure. I joined the Peace Corps to do good things with my hands instead of my wallet for once. What I saw down there was...it changed me. The polio was so bad and there were so many other issues that could be fixed if only they had access to the medicine.
“When I came home, I decided I wanted to be a doctor and eventually a surgeon. Ortho just turned into my thing after a while and I never looked back.”
Callie blushed a deep, crimson red, slightly embarrassed by her ramblings. “So I did my residency at Seattle Grace, became an Attending there, and was forced to treat this crazy Marine punk that was a huge pain in my ass, and now here I am.”
Arizona felt like she could listen to Callie talk all day and never get tired of hearing her voice. “I’m a punk, huh?”
“You ran away and smoked a cigarette your first day under my care,” Callie said flatly. “That constitutes me using the word ‘punk’.”
Arizona giggled again. “Fair enough. But at least I’m a cute punk that knows how to show a gal like you a good time.” She twirled a strand of hair around her finger and pulled her good leg up onto the chair, resting her chin on her knee.
“Even though you were a pain in my ass, you made things interesting, I’ll give you that,” Callie mused. “It was pretty damn distracting to have you checking me out while I was trying to be professional. Thanks for making me feel like a total perv.”
“I wasn’t that bad,” Arizona whined.
“I caught you looking down my shirt once or twice.”
“You have a nice rack,” Arizona said bluntly. “What was I supposed to do? I’ve been surrounded by men for three years in a homophobic military, I’ve gotta get my jollies in somewhere.” She fought back a grin.
“You’re thinking about me naked again, aren’t you? Knock it off,” Callie pouted.
“Naw,” Arizona replied coyly. “It’s either freaky nightmares or your boobs. I choose to think about your boobs.”
Callie grinned crookedly. “Which brings me to my next question-”
“Do I like boobs?”
“Yes, Arizona, I was going to ask you if you liked boobs,” Callie deadpanned.
Arizona couldn’t stop laughing. She hadn’t had this much fun in years.
Callie loved the sound of her laughter. It was so rich and full when she let go and fully relaxed. It had been a rare occurrence before today. “What else do you like about a woman, aside from boobs? You’ve always struck me as less shallow than most men.”
Arizona licked her lips. “That depends on what context you mean it in.”
Callie raised an eyebrow. “Context?”
“Yeah,” Arizona replied smoothly, switching gears in the blink of an eye. “For example, I love looking into a woman’s eyes. They’re so much more expressive than a man’s. Especially someone like you - I feel like every time I look into yours I can tell exactly what you’re thinking and feeling. I can tell if you’re worried or if you’re happy. Or if you’re angry at me for driving you crazy.”
Callie could already feel herself getting sucked in.
“But there’s something about the feel of my hands on a woman’s stomach that I just can’t get enough of,” Arizona continued. “I love to feel every curve and how smooth her skin is, and how her breath hitches when I kiss her in just the right places. How her abdomen tenses up and releases when I make love to her.”
Arizona heard Callie expel a soft breath and knew she had her right where she wanted her.
“And then I love to bury my nose in the crook of her neck. It’s the only place you can really smell her, y’know? Not just her perfume, but a mixture of everything; the shampoo she uses, laundry detergent. And most of all how she smells naturally, which I always find so incredibly sexy. Her neck is the perfect blend of everything about her.”
A smile ghosted across Arizona’s lips. “I love the way you smell, by the way. You smell…unbelievable. Even if you’ve just come out of surgery and you’re not wearing perfume or anything scented, you smell so good it makes my head spin.”
Callie found herself fumbling for words. She was flustered and her heart was pounding away rather quickly. She had to swallow hard just to try and untangle her tongue from the sudden knot it was tied in.
Damn, Arizona was good.
“I remember when we were lying there after your surgery. I was awake the whole time while you were just...it felt like you were absorbing me or something, memorizing me. All of those things you just mentioned. It was kind of perfect holding you like that. I tried really hard not to kiss you.”
Arizona smiled against her cellphone, glancing down and playing with the material of her shirt. She remembered that pretty clearly, too.
“Is that too much to say over the phone?” Callie asked tentatively.
“Not at all,” Arizona said softly. “I was trying to memorize you, for lack of a better word. That was the first time I’d felt close to anyone in years, and I was in such a bad place that it saved me. You’re the only reason I survived that night in one piece.”
Callie thought back to the blonde’s nightmare and shivered. It made her all the more curious to know what Arizona saw when she closed her eyes, though something told her she really didn’t want to.
Arizona took in a small breath and released it. “Aren’t you glad I made you cut me open and rip me to shreds all in one go? Otherwise I’d still be in the hospital and we’d still be doing our little song and dance of not saying what we want to be saying.”
“We were kinda stupid, weren’t we?” Callie smirked. “God, when you were being all cute and flirty with me I was so pissed at you. You were this hardcore Marine chick, you weren’t supposed to be that gorgeous or hitting on me. I was having inappropriate thoughts about ripping a patient’s clothes off and I didn’t know what to do with myself.”
“You weren’t alone there,” Arizona said smugly.
“You were such a bitch to the nurses at first, and I had to be professional but it was the funniest thing I’d ever seen. I loved hating every second of making sure you behaved like an adult. You were ridiculous, you know that, right?”
Arizona grinned sheepishly. “I think you know me pretty well by now. I don’t like to follow other peoples rules.”
“How did you not get your ass kicked in the Marines?”
“I know my boundaries and limitations, Calliope. And I was usually the one in charge so I never had to worry about it.”
Arizona stood up again and hobbled across the room, her right leg dangling uselessly as she supported her weight on the crutch. She collapsed back into bed and shifted so she was sprawled across the middle.
“So, answer me this, Miss Torres. What is your favourite thing about the female form? What made you realize that you were into women?”
“You’re gonna laugh at me, but I have a thing for bones. And I can hear you smirking, so stop it.”
Arizona pursed her lips and stared at the ceiling.
“Not in a weird way, either. Running my hands over her hips, her ribcage, her back. Feeling her fingers in my hair...” Callie blushed, unable to keep herself from imagining doing those things to Arizona.
“I also love freckles or scars, because every one has got a story. I love tracing them with my fingers and following up with my tongue. Taking note which ones get the best response from her body. Any excuse to run my hands everywhere they want to go.”
Arizona made a small, weak noise.
“And when I think about doing those things to you?” Callie groaned under her breath, getting her confidence back. “All I can think about is pressing you against a wall and forgetting everything else going on around us. That’s exactly what I wanted to do to you the first time we met.”
Lips parting, Arizona found it hard to argue with that. “Wow. Yeah, that’s...” She tried to ignore the fact that she was more than a little turned on. “You just enjoy torturing me, don’t you? Because it’s over the phone and you know I can’t pick you up, toss you down on the bed and have my way with you.”
“You’re kind of a gimp right now, Arizona. You couldn’t pick me up even if I was there.”
“I wish you were here, even though we agreed to take things slow,” Arizona sighed. “We’ve been ‘slow’ for three months and I only have so much willpower left. I’m sure I’d be awfully good at breaking yours.”
Callie tried to hide the shiver that sent right down her spine. “I break bones for a living. Don’t underestimate my willpower.”
“I’m willing to take my chances,” Arizona husked, her voice dropping another octave. “I’m picturing you naked again, by the way.”
“I wouldn’t expect anything less,” Callie snickered. “And it’s not much of a stretch, considering I’ve been naked this entire time.” She felt a swell of triumph when she heard Arizona’s breath catch. “I get claustrophobic when I sleep, so I tend not to wear anything. There’s a little ‘Twenty Questions’ factoid for you, Miss ‘I want to know everything about you’.”
In truth, she was wearing underwear - but Arizona didn’t need to know that.
The blonde whimpered into the phone, squeezing her eyes shut. “That’s just...mean.”
Callie chuckled into her end of the line. “You should probably go take that shower now, Arizona.”
“Yeah, a freaking cold shower,” the blonde mumbled under her breath.
“I have an awesome day planned for us,” Callie continued smoothly. “As much as I never want this conversation to end, we both need to get ready. I want to start off by taking you around the city that you have yet to see. It’s a gorgeous place to live.”
Arizona released a happy sigh. “If it means I get to see you sooner rather than later, count me in.”
“That’s not an invitation for you to jump my bones when you answer the door, by the way,” Callie said sternly. “This is strictly a PG-rated date.”
“Aww,” Arizona whined, pouting. “So I don’t even get a ‘hello’ kiss?”
“Maybe I’ll give you a hug or something,” Callie relented, “but nothing else. Keep your hands to yourself, got it?”
Arizona closed her eyes and shook her head. “You’re going to be the death of me, woman.”
She gathered what little willpower she had left to sit up. “Better go put some clothes on, you nudist. I’m gonna go take mine off in the shower.” A slow, sexy smirk of her own reappeared. “I’ll be...thinking of you the whole time.”
“Mean,” Callie laughed, blushing profusely.
Arizona shook her head, knowing they were being ridiculous but loving it. “I look forward to your visit.”
“I’ll pick you up in--” Callie glanced at her alarm clock. “Two hours? Three?”
“Three?” Arizona echoed. “Screw that, I’ll be ready in one.”
“Even better,” Callie said. “I like a girl that doesn’t take four-hundred hours in the bathroom. I’ll be there on time, so hurry up.”
Arizona felt more awake and perky right now than she had in ages. “Then I’ll see you soon, clean and shiny for our PG-13 date.”
“I said PG.”
Arizona smirked again. “We’ll see about that.”
Callie’s husky chuckle reached her ear. “Yeah, I bet we will.”
Arizona rolled her eyes and grinned at Callie’s need to have the last word. “Okay, goodbye. Really.” She pulled the phone away from her ear, hesitated for a moment, then finally clicked it off. Immediately she almost re-broke her leg in an attempt to dive off of the bed and rush into the bathroom.
She needed a shower, stat.
***
Callie’s calm and collected demeanor vanished the instant she hung up the phone. She showered and dashed around her bedroom trying to look for the perfect casual outfit, settling for a black shirt that was low cut enough to give Arizona a good ‘view’ while leaving just enough to the imagination. It hugged her curves in all the right ways and made her look damn sexy, if she did say so herself. It paired up with her best pair of jeans, some sexy boots and her signature leather jacket. She kept her hair long and wavy, letting it settle in naturally around her face and down her back.
The whole ensemble looked pretty damn good.
Callie emerged from her bedroom and blew at warp-speed around the apartment, picking up after Cristina and trying to make it look somewhat presentable for when they got back later that night. She left Cristina a note saying as much and to keep her shit clean if she wanted to impress the new potential roommate.
Grabbing her jacket and checking her make-up one last time in the mirror, Callie steadied herself and walked out the door.
***
Arizona barely managed to shower, shave her legs, and shape her hair into something that was half decent on time. She let it fall around her shoulders, half way between straight and wavy. It was the best she could do with the piece of crap hair dryer that came with the bathroom.
Looking at herself in the mirror, she tugged at her jacket, smoothed both hands down the front of her jeans, and yanked on the hemline of her merino wool sweater. She loved wearing it because it was extremely comfortable and the royal blue also made her eyes pop.
The aim here was to make Callie swoon so she would be distracted from the clumsiness of the crutches.
Nervous butterflies filled her stomach and she tried a couple of deep, calming breaths to vanquish them. She was partially succeeding when a knock sounded at her front door.
Cue the butterflies return.
Casting one last glance in the bathroom mirror, Arizona hobbled on two crutches to grab her purse from the bed, slinging it over one shoulder before heading to the door. After pulling in a steadying breath, she yanked it open.
A bright smile instantly broke free at the sight of Callie standing there, looking as sexy as ever. “Hey there, stranger,” she said, trying and failing not to grin like an idiot.
Callie had to bite her lip to keep from doing the same. “You look gorgeous.” She had to stuff her hands in her pockets to keep from reaching out and tucking a stray curl behind Arizona’s ear.
Arizona’s heart pounded and she stepped closer, gazing up at Callie from under her lashes. She watched the brunette raise a wary eyebrow and smiled. “Relax, I’m keeping it PG, just like you asked.”
She moved in as close as she could and tugged Callie into an easy embrace, the crutches making it a little hard to do properly. She managed to hold onto her jacket, bunching her fists around the sleeves.
Callie put up no protest as she circled Arizona’s waist with her arms. “Oh, I see. You’re cashing in on the promise of a hug already. Sneaky.”
Arizona closed her eyes and buried her face into the crook of Callie’s neck, inhaling her scent deeply. “Mmm. See? You smell amazing.”
Callie’s eyes drifted shut. “You smell good, too,” she murmured.
Arizona relaxed into the embrace, any residual tension she’d been holding onto fading away. “I missed you.”
Callie shivered. “Me too.” She smiled into Arizona’s shoulder before doing exactly what she knew the other woman was restraining from - she turned her face in and placed a kiss right in the middle of her neck, followed by another one at the apex of her jaw.
Callie could get used to this - just because Arizona was supposed to behave didn’t mean that she had to. These were her rules, after all.
Arizona was barely able to stifle a groan at the feeling of Callie’s lips against her skin. Getting fed up with her crutches, she squirmed without breaking their hug, managing to wedge them out from under her arms and dump them off to the side with an unceremonious shove. They clattered to the ground and she grinned triumphantly, using her newfound freedom to circle Callie’s shoulders with her arms. “Mmm. Much better.”
“I’m onto your ploy, Robbins,” Callie murmured slyly. “You just want to watch me bend over to pick them up.”
“I plead the fifth,” Arizona chuckled. Her good knee started to weaken and she felt Callie tighten her hold even more. This was the first time in ages that she had craved physical contact of any kind and she couldn’t get enough of it.
“I missed you too, by the way,” Callie said, smiling warmly into the side of Arizona’s neck. “This is really nice. I can hug you standing up for once.” She paused. “You’re kind of short.”
Arizona scoffed in mock-offense. “I’m like an inch or two smaller than you.” Her fingers stroked through the soft, fine hairs at the base of the Callie’s neck.
The brunette’s resolve broke, but just a little.
Fuck the rules.
She turned her head and kissed the corner of Arizona’s mouth, making sure to hit one of those adorable dimples that she loved so much. Before Arizona could reciprocate, Callie pulled head her back just enough to smirk confidentially at her.
Arizona beamed like an excited six-year-old on Christmas morning. “Now there is something I think is deemed okay for a PG-13 date.”
“PG,” Callie deadpanned.
“Whatever.”
“Your listening skills need improvement.”
Wrinkling her nose, Arizona squirmed, the arms around her waist tightening to keep her there.
She tugged on the lapels of Callie’s jacket, gazing into her eyes. “We should probably get going.”
There was a long, drawn out pause in which Callie fought really hard not to kiss the other woman again. It took everything she had to reluctantly nod and slowly drop her arms away. “Yeah, you’re right. We should head out.”
Arizona sighed and cast a look around for her crutches. Blue puppy-dog-eyes turned up to meet Callie’s deep brown and a firm pout appeared. “Help a girl out?”
Callie rolled her eyes dramatically but stooped down to gather the discarded crutches. She strategically bent with her knees and kept her butt aimed in the other direction.
Damn it, Arizona thought, returning the smirk sent her way.
When Callie stood up and handed back the crutches, the blonde leaned into them and stood up on the toes of her left foot, planting a sweet kiss against her cheek. “Thank you.”
“Any time,” Callie grinned lopsidedly.
Arizona blushed, feeling shy all of a sudden. “Okay, Captain. Where to first?”
“The car,” Callie replied matter-of-factly. “Duh.”
“You are such a smartass,” Arizona pointed out. She locked her room before starting into the parking lot where the blue Thunderbird was waiting.
Callie pulled the door open and held it. “Get in, you goof.”
Arizona accepted the hand that helped ease her into the passenger seat. Callie grabbed the crutches and tossed them into the back before closing both doors and making her way around to the other side.
She slid into the driver’s seat and flashed a confident smile towards Arizona. They hadn’t even left the parking lot yet and this was already looking like it would be a day to remember. Still, Callie didn’t want to put too much pressure on them this early. Despite the bravado and the unashamed flirting, there was a large part of her that was still nervous. For all the time they had spent together, they had never been on an actual date before - or done anything outside of Seattle Grace, for that matter.
Arizona had a lot of walls built up, Callie had known that since the beginning. But the letter, their conversation, the moment they had just shared - they were all steps in the right direction. She would keep chipping away until she knew everything there was to know about the incredible woman sitting to her right.
With thoughts of what lay ahead running through her mind, Callie started the car and pulled onto the main street.
She had a woman to woo, and she knew just where to start.
---