Day 23 — A fanfiction

ARIZONA'S STORY

by Xam

Arizona - Callie (Grey's Anatomy)

"She has been staring at her drink for the past 30 minutes..."

I heard a voice beside me say "Huh" and I vaguely realized I have said it out loud. Margaret gave me a quizzical look and I brushed her inquiries aside with a smile. Fortunately, she dropped the subject and continued discussing a gathering she is planning this coming week. I tried to listen the best I could but my eyes seem to keep wandering to that lone figure across the bar who is still staring at her drink for almost an hour now!

Dr. Calliope Torres, Senior Resident Orthopedic Surgeon. I've heard them call her Callie. She doesn't look like a Callie; Callie doesn't suit her at all. Callie is a name I would call a 4 year old girl with ponytails. Nope, she is all woman; strong, capable and confident; at least when I see her at the hospital...

I smile and tried to focus on Margaret. She seems all excited about this party and has been a very good friend to me since I arrived here in Seattle. The least I could do is try to be positive and enthusiastic, since she is throwing this party largely for my sake. For me to meet new people, probably somebody interesting. I'm not really that crazy about being set up but I really appreciated the gesture especially since I am relatively new in town.

I stole a glance to my right and was surprised to see somebody sitting beside her. Damn! I only averted my eyes for a minute and somebody discovered her already! No, wait... that girl looks familiar... I've seen her with Dr. Sloan from Plastics and they seem to be a couple. Hmm, in fact I think I have actually heard from one of my scrub nurses that they are indeed an item, eventhough she is just an intern and he is the attending surgeon of Plastic Surgery. Geez! The gossip from the nurses' station is sure all encompassing. But then again, if not for that, I wouldn't have known about her and Dr. Erica Hahn...

Uh-oh, where is she going? Was that tears I saw? Is she leaving already?

She hasn't paid yet though.

I didn't think anymore; I told Margaret I need to go to the ladies room and excused myself. I don't know what I am doing or what am I going say to say to her, but there is something about her that makes me want to take a leap of faith, even if I end up making an ass of myself.

Oh God! Please don't let me make me make a fool of myself with this girl!

I took a deep breath and turned the doorknob of the bar bathroom; it was unlocked.

She hurriedly tried to wipe traces of tears away but I know better.

Her reflection on the mirror says it all.

"Hey! Ortho, right?", I heard myself say out loud.

"Yeah". She is trying hard to be composed despite everything; I think I admired her a thousandfold more upon hearing that.

I want to just keep staring at her gorgeous brown eyes, but I am still a stranger in a bathroom to her. I decided to introduce myself to try and put her more at ease.

"I'm Arizona. Robbins. Peds Surgery. I've seen you at the hospital."

She still seems surprised but I felt her relax a little with that knowledge. It made me feel braver to inquire more about her.

"Are you okay?"

I felt the walls slowly go up, "You know I'm fine. Fine"

I chastised myself for moving too soon. I started babbling; I didn't mean to, but she looks almost ready to flee and that is the last thing I want. I want to reach out to her, want to comfort her, let her know that I know where she is coming from and that I understand...

"People talk. Where we work. They talk. A lot. So for the sake of being honest, I just want you to know that I know things about you... Because people talk"; I laughed nervously, hoping she is getting what I'm driving at.

She had a moment of confusion and it dawned on her. "Oh, you mean...?" I nodded in the affirmative. They are right about this woman being sharp and quick-witted and I am loving

it more by the minute.

"Terrific!" A curtain of devastation fell on her beautiful features. Damn, not the reaction

that I was hoping for. I started babbling again. I cringed inwardly and chastised myself;

Arizona Robbins, fix this now!

"It is actually! The talk People really like you over there. They respect you and they're

concerned, and interested..They really like you" I emphasized interested but the walls

seems to be going up higher and higher. She didn't notice the interested part.

I tried once more, "Some of them REALLY like you", to no avail.

I was going to elaborate further but the sad look on her eyes and the way her shoulders slumped dejectedly by her side made me stop. "You just.. you look upset" Suddenly I realized that what she needs right now, what is more important is to let her know, reassure her that there are people who care about her and who would want a chance to be with her.

"And I just thought that you should know... that the talk is good.” She still looks so sad;

I raced to get my point across. “And when you are not upset; when you are over being upset, there will be people lining up for you". I am one of them, but I kept that last bit to myself,

for fear of scaring her away again.

She relaxed a little and gave a half-hearted laugh. Her walls seems to stop growing for a moment. "You wanna give me some names?"

Ah Woman! Haven't you been listening all this time?

I looked at her. REALLY looked at her. She was trying to avert her eyes from me. But she was so vulnerable, hopeful and beautiful and I wanted her to know that I am right here but I don't know how to without scaring her and her walls seem to stop growing for a while and maybe if I could just get through to her and make her understand...

next thing I knew, I was kissing her...

Time froze for a minute; even my brain who can't stop babbling halted in its tracks when her soft lips met mine. All I know was that it felt right. She felt right in my arms...

When I broke the kiss and looked at her, I find her looking at me. REALLY looking at me; I am glad to not to see that sadness in her eyes; she is more beautiful without it.

I said to her ,“I think you'll know” And for the first time, I knew that she heard me.

I walked out the bar bathroom thinking to myself, Nope, definitely not a Callie.

And then I smiled, Nice meeting you Calliope.