Prologue: The Beginning

Callie

Callie stepped out of the cab and put her umbrella up as she tossed a handful of bills at the taxi driver and ran up the walk of Seattle Grace, dodging puddles all along the way. She opened the door and shook out her umbrella as she pulled the door open. Closing the umbrella, she looked up and got her first look at the hospital where she had just transferred. She would be finishing up her fourth year of residency here. Six months here, in Seattle, to finish her fourth year and six months in Afghanistan where she would be part of a group of doctors joining forces with the military. Her six months in Afghanistan would count as her fifth year and then when she returned, the Chief had alluded to there being an attending position in orthopedic surgery here for her or as a fellowship in a more specialized part of ortho if she chose to take that route. She was here to sign paperwork today and then in a month, she would be officially moving to Seattle. She was excited to leave New York behind with all of her mistakes. She needed a fresh start, away from disastrous relationships and being the gossip of the hospital after her cheating fiance was caught with his pants down, literally, with another surgeon. Blake had been her life for the past two years. He was everything she thought she wanted. He was from a good family, he was smart, good looking, and could charm the pants off of anyone; which in hindsight was not as good of a quality as she originally thought when he started shagging every female surgeon at the hospital starting with her and ending with pretty perfect Penny, the bubbly redhead she caught him with. She shook her head and pushed back the tears that were always on the verge of spilling these days and passed through the hospital lobby.

Walking up to the elevators that would lead to the Chief's office, she gave herself a little pep talk and swallowed down the bile that threatened to come up. 'Torres, it's not public speaking, it's not even an interview. You already have this in the bag because you're a badass. The Chief came to New York and sought you out.' Callie thought to herself as she pushed the button for the elevator. She turned her head from side to side and cracked her neck, relieving a bit of tension. When the elevator opened, she was nearly knocked over as a blur of blonde hair and a white coat collided with her, knocking her off balance for a moment. She was about to yell "Watch it" to the blur when the person turned and spoke.

"I'm so sorry. Emergency in the pit, tiny humans need saving. Are you alright?" a petite blonde asked as she turned to address Callie but not slowing down as she did so.

"Fine." Callie replied, straightening her coat and stepping into the elevator.

She watched blonde curls as they bounced down the hallway. Was she skating? Callie wondered and shook her head as the door closed and the blonde disappeared. The giant face of a dark haired doctor with a thick head of wavy hair and dark blue eyes covered the inside of the elevator doors.

"Ahh." Callie said in alarm. He was handsome but the full face on the length of the elevator doors took her by surprise and was a bit creepy if she was honest. Definitely too much, someone was trying way too hard. As the doors opened, Callie looked around to get her bearings. She looked at the piece of paper in her hands and saw the sky walk. Nodding her head in silent confirmation that she was in the right place, she made her way across the sky walk and to the door that read:

Chief of Surgery

Dr. Richard Webber, M.D.

Callie raised her right hand and knocked loudly on the wooden door. She heard some shuffling of papers and a chair scrapping the floor from inside and a skinny dark blonde haired woman came storming out of the room in tears just as Callie raised her hand to knock again.

"Meredith, wait." She heard a male voice from inside shout but the woman kept walking.

"I'm not sure she heard you, Chief Webber." Callie said from the doorway, unsure of what to say.

"Dr. Torres, right on time. I'm sorry about that. Dr. Grey has had a rough day." Richard apologized as he stood. He gestured for Callie to come in and sit at the desk. He walked over and shut the door behind her before returning and sitting behind his desk once more. "I'm so happy you could make it."

"Me too. Thank you so much for this opportunity. I'm really looking forward to working here at Seattle Grace."

"And we are lucky to have you. I have spoken with some of the attendings that you have worked with in New York and the praise is outstanding. I think you will be quite an asset to Seattle Grace."

"Thank you sir. I look forward to getting started."

"Do you have any questions, Dr. Torres?"

"Could you tell me some more about the Surgical Humanitarian Effort? I understand we are going to be in Afghanistan working closely with the military for roughly six months but can you elaborate?"

"Yes, well. I have about thirty to thirty five doctors ranging from first year interns to attending as well as two anesthesiologists who will be among the first group to do this through Seattle Grace. A surgeon from Johns Hopkins started this program five years ago and up until this year, only Johns Hopkins surgeons have been invited to participate. While there will be doctors from Johns Hopkins joining us this year, it is largely a group of doctors from Seattle Grace and everyone who is going was selected by myself and must be currently working at Seattle Grace, has in the past, or will be in the future." Chief Webber cleared his throat and looked at Callie to gauge her interest before continuing, "Another bright surgeon, a fourth year resident from Johns Hopkins, won the Carter Madison to open a pediatric and women's center in Malawi. She has been in Malawi for six months working in that clinic and did her training in Afghanistan six months before she went to Malawi. She will be joining us in Afghanistan and then as an attending here once she has completed her time in Malawi. It's a much bigger group than they previously had and may or may not be something the hospital continues over the years. We will be working with the Army to help run the hospital that was set up by the Carter Madison foundation to provide assistance to people who are unable to get medical care because of the destruction of their hospital. We will stay on the army base and be transported by the army. Accommodations, while not exactly the Ritz, are much better than they would be if we were not staying on base. While it's not without risk, we are trying to keep our doctors safe, that is our first priority. There are three doctors there who are service members that will round with us at the hospital and assist with the treatment of patients. They have been assigned to us as part of their detail since they are surgeons in the army. I have a packet for you to look through and you can contact me anytime with questions. I do have the names of the other doctors attending but until everyone has signed paperwork and a release form, I can't divulge that information quite yet."

"Will you be coming with us?"

"I would like to, yes, and am planning to. The board has to find a replacement for me while I am gone so it will be up to them. We have quite a few attendings that I already must get temporary contracts to replace for the six month period."

"Sounds like a lot of work for you sir."

"It is, it is, but well worth it in the end, I think." the man replied as if he were lost in his own thoughts before turning to Callie once again, "So, Dr. Torres, if there's nothing else, I will have Dottie get you set up in the conference room with your paperwork. There may be another doctor or two joining you as they are also meeting with me today to fill out their forms."

"Thank you Chief Webber."

"No problem, I look forward to seeing you next month in Seattle Grace scrubs." Richard shook Callie's hand and then placed a gentle hand on her shoulder blades as he led her out to the desk where Dottie sat.

"What can I do for you Chief?" Dottie asked with a smile.

"This is Dr. Torres, one of the doctors that will be starting here next month and she is also going to be part of the Surgical Humanitarian Effort. Can you grab her file and get her started on the paperwork in the conference room for me please?"

"Sure thing." Dottie replied with a smile as she opened and closed file cabinets, gathering what she needed.

"Thanks." Dr. Webber smiled before heading back to his office.

"Ok, Dr. Torres, follow me." the short, round woman replied as she headed down the hall to the conference room. "I believe the room is empty for now, Dr. Robbins had to leave her stuff in a hurry as she's here for a consult and was paged 911. She might be back before you finish but I'm not sure."

"No problem, thank you."

"Help yourself to coffee, tea, or water. I just made them fresh. There's also some scones and maybe some doughnuts if Dr. Robbins didn't eat them all. She sure likes doughnuts." the older woman giggled, raising a wrinkled hand to cover her mouth. Callie smiled at her in return before she left, leaving the door ajar behind her.

Callie sat down at the desk and started reading over the paperwork and signing all the right spots. She was careful about signing paperwork without thoroughly reading it as her mother was a lawyer and her father a successful businessman. It was her concentration on the paperwork that kept her from realizing she had company.

"Oh, doughnuts, oh my God, I haven't had doughnuts in over a year. I just can't stop eating them."

Callie jumped at the unexpected sound of a singsong voice coming from the room. Her eyes met with a familiar head of blonde curls that she couldn't immediately place. Then she realized it was the woman who had nearly knocked her over in the elevator. She was so not in the mood for small talk. But as she heard the blonde giggle in delight over the doughnuts, she felt mesmerized by the smaller woman.

"Oh sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. They had an emergency and asked me for a quick consult and I just ran and left all my paperwork in here. Let me just gather it up and I'll be out of your hair." The blonde said as she held a half eaten doughnut in one hand and began shuffling the papers on the other side of the table.

"No problem." Callie smiled before returning her attention back to her own paperwork. She couldn't help but smile though as she continued with her signatures, the blonde was awfully adorable, humming happily with powder on her lips and a half eaten doughnut clutched tightly in her hand.

"Dr…"

"Torres." Callie responded looking up once again.

"Well, Dr. Torres, it's a pleasure to meet you. And seriously, have a doughnut, they are amazing. I've eaten half of them seriously." the blonde surgeon smiled. Callie's heart rate picked up with the brilliance of the blue eyes and the pop of the dimples when she smiled.

"And you are?" Callie asked.

"Oh sorry, Robbins, Dr. Robbins." Arizona stuck out her doughnut free hand. She flinched slightly as the contact with the brunette sent electricity through her body.

"Well, Dr. Robbins, I hope to see you around. And next time, hopefully you're not in a hurry and nearly knocking me over."

"Oh, that was you!" Arizona said with a grimace as recognition appeared on her face, "I'm so sorry Dr. Torres. Maybe I can make it up to you sometime."

"Maybe." Callie said with a wide smile.

With that the blonde collected her bag and the rest of her paperwork before sending one last smile over her shoulder and leaving the room. She could feel the brunette's gaze on her ass the whole way so she added a little swing to her hips.

Arizona

Arizona left the room and dropped her paperwork off at the Chief's office, feeling slightly flushed at the way the brunette's eyes had intensely studied her. She pulled out her phone and checked her messages before she left the building to head to her hotel room for the night in an attempt to calm her nerves. She was a woman that was good with women, she was usually the one in control and she liked it that way. She was not used to a woman making her feel flustered. Turning her attention back to her phone, she scrolled through her messages as she walked to her hotel not far from the hospital.

Amelia Shepherd would be in town later that day and the two women had plans to go to Joe's for a drink this evening. Arizona had never been to Joe's but Amelia insisted that her brother, who was a neurosurgeon at Seattle Grace, and all of his coworkers frequented the bar. In fact, Amelia's brother and many of the other doctors might even be there tonight for a drink and it would give her an opportunity to meet her future coworkers. She couldn't help but hope a certain brunette might show up and with just the memory of the woman's gaze, Arizona felt herself flush again.

"Oh Robbins, you're hopeless." Arizona said aloud to herself.

She plopped her stuff down onto the bed of the hotel room she was calling home for the three days she was in Seattle. Her first full day and night she had spent sleeping after her long twenty-eight hour trip from Malawi. She had flown from Lilongwe to Johannesburg then from Johannesburg to JFK and finally from JFK to Tacoma where she took the forty-five minute cab ride to Seattle. She had given herself a full twenty-four hour cushion before her appointment with the Chief of Seattle Grace, allowing for possible delays and plenty of sleep. Having a father in the Marine Corp, a brother in the army, and two close friends in the Army, Arizona was not one to ever chance being late for anything remotely important. What she wanted more than anything after six months in Afghanistan followed by six months in Malawi was a long hot bath. Feeling happy that she had splurged on a suite with a jacuzzi tub, Arizona ran the hot water and poured in some fruity smelling complimentary bubbles and bath salts.

She had gotten a good deal on this room. It was a hotel chain owned by some hot shot business man. Lucky for her, it turned out she her consult was the child or grandchild of a friend of a friend and they had offered her this suite for free. She had insisted on paying for it though and they had compromised on a hefty discount. She had only spoken on the phone with the man after he called her personally to thank her and he drove a hard bargain. He was difficult to argue with and intimidating even on the phone under good circumstances, she would hate to have to argue with him in person especially under bad circumstances. But the consult had gone well.

She checked her phone to see that Amelia had messaged to say she had landed and they were on for dinner in the hotel restaurant at seven followed by some drinking at Joe's afterward. She also had a message from her mom about her itinerary. She had the next twenty-eight days off before she would return to Malawi and she would spend the last twenty five of them in Boston with her parents. Her brother and Teddy were unable to come home for the holidays this year. She couldn't make it for Thanksgiving but she had promised her parents this year she would be home for Christmas as well as their annual New Year's Eve bash in which she would get to see Sara for the first time in two years.

Sending a quick response to her mom to let her know she would be flying into Boston in two days time, she tossed her phone back on the charger and stripped out of her clothes before climbing into the giant jacuzzi tub. Arizona moaned as the hot water covered her body and she laid her head back on the headrest and closed her eyes, a heavy sigh leaving her tired body in absolute contentment. Yea, splurging on the suite and accepting the discount had both been brilliant ideas.

What felt like moments later, Arizona awoke to her phone buzzing. She looked around, taking in her surroundings and realized her water had turned cold and it was now dark outside. She grabbed a towel, wrapped herself up in it, and headed to the main room where her phone was plugged in.

"Hello?" Arizona asked, picking up the phone without checking the caller ID.

"Hey, it's Amelia. Just calling to let you know I'm leaving Derek's and heading to the hotel to meet you. Be there in twenty."

"Oh crap, what time is it?"

"6:25. You ok?"

"Yea, yea fine, just fell asleep in the bath. Still jet lagged. I'll get dressed and meet you downstairs in twenty...maybe thirty minutes." Arizona said as she heard Amelia's laughter on the other end.

"Ok see ya in thirty sleeping beauty."

Arizona hustled around her room in search of something to wear. She wanted to look hot. It had been a long time since she had been able to get dolled up and enjoy a night out. Finding a grey scoop neck top and a dark gray three quarter length jacket, Arizona threw them on with a pair of dark skinny jeans and a pair of knee high black boots. Grateful that her shoulder length hair had a natural curl, Arizona spent only a few minutes curling and styling her hair before applying a light eye shadow, some subtle mascara, and her favorite light pink lip gloss. She looked at the clock. 6:53. She was just in time to meet Amelia downstairs. She grabbed her purse and room key and headed down to the lobby.

Dinner with Amelia was great. The two friends talked and laughed as if they hadn't been separated for the past year. Amelia was constantly impressed by the blonde peds surgeon. She had finished high school two years before most kids, completed pre-med courses a year before most, started med school three years before most, finished med school a year before most, and did her fellowship in half the time as most after winning the Carter Madison as a resident. Amelia herself had been a success story but Arizona had a determination and work ethic like no one she had ever met.

"Arizona, I have missed you."

"Me too. How have ya been?"

"Really good actually. I know the last time you saw me I was all sad and mopey about Ryan dumping me but I'm focused on me now. And I am honestly doing so much better."

"I'm really glad to hear that. God, I've missed you. Remember how much trouble we used to get into." Arizona laughed. The two had raised hell in med school and residency together.

"How could I forget. Remember how you were supposed to be keeping the professor occupied while I seduced the TA and then you ended up banging the professor in her office instead." Amelia laughed.

"Oh my goodness, you told me to keep her busy! I think she is the oldest person I've slept with. She taught me a few things though."

"Oh gross." Amelia made a face that caused Arizona to giggle and before they knew it they were both in a fit of giggles. It took a few moments for them to recover. "Truthfully though, Riz, I was impressed. Half the boys in our class tried to get in Professor Spencer's panties and they were so jealous of you. Shoot, even I would have went there."

With this, the giggles resumed. Arizona's cheeks and belly were both beginning to hurt from the laughter and genuine smiling. Not that she wasn't enjoying her life, she was immensely and the work she was doing was important and rewarding, but she hadn't had fun in a very, very long time. She had thrown herself into college at sixteen after graduating high school. She completed her pre-med courses in three years by not taking the summers off. She completed medical school a year early as well, once again, forgoing summer breaks, which put her a full three years ahead of most surgical interns. She completed a two year general surgery residency, a year pediatric residency, immediately followed by a pediatric fellowship. And then she won the Carter Madison and before she knew it, she was on her way to Afghanistan and Malawi, all before her 27th birthday. And all of that made her a very young success but left very little time for fun.

After the two petite women had eaten as much as men twice their size could and knocking back a couple of shots at the hotel bar, the duo made their way on foot to Joe's. The perky blonde was happy and feeling warm from the alcohol. She wasn't a big drinker anyway and she rarely drank the hard stuff, that mixed with not having a drink in a year, and the blonde was feeling pretty tipsy. And tipsy meant handsy.

The two entered the bar and quickly made their way to a table where Amelia introduced Arizona to her brother's girlfriend, Meredith and some of her friends. George, Izzie, Alex, and Lexie introduced themselves to Arizona who they seemed to already know because her coming to Seattle Grace after winning a Carter Madison was apparently very big gossip among them. They sat at the table discussing recent events at Seattle Grace as they did a few rounds of shots together. All of them would be joining the Surgical Humanitarian Effort group out of Seattle in Afghanistan in July. Arizona would meet them there, flying in from Malawi. The residents were generous with the gossip and Arizona was able to slyly sneak in a casual question about Dr. Torres. None of them had actually met her but they knew of her and the work she was doing on cartilage.

After another round of shots, the group hit the dance floor, giggling and smiling as they danced shamelessly with each other. Arizona went to the bar after a while and ordered another round of drinks for herself and Amelia. Seeing the brunette she had been thinking about sitting at the bar with the woman she knew as Lexie, she could see she looked visibly upset and she was a bit concerned. She couldn't help but notice the form fitting green shirt that showed a bit of cleavage and the sexy leather jacket the brunette wore. Her straight edge bangs shielded her eyes a bit but Arizona could tell she was fighting back tears. Watching her walk to the bathroom, Arizona asked the bartender for a shot. She threw back the tequila to get a little liquid courage and followed the brunette into the bathroom.

"Torres, right?" Arizona asked as she took a good look at the ass that was bent slightly over the sink while the brunette leaned in closer to the mirror. She licked her lips subconsciously.

"Umm yea."

"Robbins. We met earlier, the girl with the doughnut." Arizona smiled as Callie turned around and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Yea, I remember you." Callie replied with a sad smile, "You nearly bowled me over when you exited the elevator."

Ok, not how she wanted to be remembered but the fuzziness from the alcohol kept her from feeling too embarrassed and so she continued, "You seem upset and well, I just wanted to see if you're ok. I've been dancing with some interns and some residents and they talk, they talk a lot. And I asked them about you."

"Oh…" Callie said, a small frown starting to form on her face as realization hit. She knew her and Blake's drama could potentially follow her here as he had friends in the program at Seattle Grace, "Terrific."

"It is, actually. The talk is good. They respect you. They like you. They know all about you even though you haven't even started at Seattle Grace yet. The talk is good. Some of them reeeaaally like you."

"Well that's great, I guess."

"It is." Arizona said, nodding as she turned her head to the side slightly and smiled. "And when you're ready, when you're done being upset, people will be lining up for you."

"Oh really." Callie said with a sarcastic laugh in complete disbelief. Arizona only deepened her smile and nodded again. Callie looked back up at Arizona, her long hair falling over her shoulder and asked, "Care to give me any names?"

Arizona closed the distance between them quickly, grabbed the lapels of Callie's jacket boldly, and pulled her in for a heated but chaste kiss on the lips. "I could but I don't want you to get any ideas about anyone else. But I think you'll know."

Callie looked up into bright blue eyes and smiled. Arizona returned the smile before she turned and left the bathroom. She felt an electricity buzzing through her body and for the first time, she regretted that she must return to Malawi.

"You don't even know her and you kissed her, once, in a dirty bar bathroom, get it together Arizona." She whispered to herself as she leaned against the wall outside the bathroom, collecting herself before returning to Amelia.

"Ready to leave?" Arizona asked as she walked over to Amelia.

"Yea. You ok?"

"Yep, I just kissed a super hot crying chick in a dirty bar bathroom and I swear, Amelia, I felt more in those thirty seconds than I have in twenty seven years."

"You're drunk, Robbins." Amelia laughed.

"Yes I am!" Arizona exclaimed with a giggle, "But that doesn't mean it isn't true."

"What's her name?" Amelia asked.

"Torres." Arizona replied with a goofy smile on her numb lips.

"Is that the same Torres you were asking the residents about? That's an odd first name by the way."

"My name is Arizona." Arizona deadpanned causing Amelia to giggle. "Oh God, I didn't tell her my first name. And I don't even know hers! She's Dr. Torres and Dr. Torres is super sexy."

"You kissed her and you don't even know her name? Robbins, I think that's a first even for you with that giant little black book of yours."

"Amy?"

"Yea?"

"I wish I didn't have to go back to Malawi. I think I could really like Torres." Arizona replied with a smile.

"Oh God, you're like a fairy tale princess right now. You really are sleeping beauty! What happened to the super hot, sexy, I don't do relationships, one night stand, shag em and bag em, Riz that I know and love?"

"Maybe the kids in Africa are making me grow up." Arizona said with a shrug.

"Come on, let's go get a bottle of wine and we will un-grow up in your hotel room while you tell me all about this amazing clinic in Africa."

The two friends skipped off to the curb to hail a taxi just as a very confused but smiling Latina emerged from the bar and followed them with her dark brown eyes. Arizona glanced back over her shoulder as she entered the taxi and spotted Callie. She smiled sweetly and blew her a kiss before she disappeared into the taxi and Callie watched it until the tail lights disappeared.

In the taxi, the delighted squeals of the two friends could be heard as Amelia teased Arizona relentlessly over the massive crush she had on the woman she kissed in the dirty bathroom. Of all the women Amelia had witnessed swoon over Arizona, she had never seen Arizona swoon in return. This side of Arizona was different and equally refreshing and disturbing. Yes un-growing up was exactly what they would be doing tonight. The taxi ride was short and really not necessary but as both women were fairly intoxicated they had decided it was a safer option. They stopped at the front desk and ordered room service on the way up to Arizona's room and the two friends spent the rest of the night un-growing up as they told each other tales about the things they had recently missed in each other's lives.

*** Seven Months Later ***

Chapter One

Callie

"Calliope Torres!"

"Here! Present!" Callie replied, awkwardly raising her hand as she made her way to the sea of people to join the small group in front of a blonde haired, blue-eyed man in uniform. She continued her "pee-pee" dance, shuffling her feet back and forth nervously. She was beyond nervous and normally she would ramble or laugh inappropriately by now but the seriousness of the situation kept her from doing either.

"It's Callie, just Callie." She said quietly as the man placed a check mark next to her name. A pair of brilliant blue eyes met her own dark orbs and her nervousness increased tenfold. The man smiled and said, "Well just Callie, you're with us."

Blue eyes gave her a cocky grin before his attention went back to the sheet of paper in his hands and he continued to call out the names of the people in his group. Callie lost track of the names but a young man with green eyes who she recognized joined her and the blue eyed army ranger. While Callie was off in her own little world admiring the man in uniform, and boy did she love a man in uniform, she didn't notice the last five people join their group until the tall ginger started reading names from his own list. Callie noted only two other women in her group neither of which she recognized. The taller one had dirty blonde hair and a giant smile while the shorter one she could only describe as sourpuss. 'Damn, and I thought I was moody. Could be worse, she could be perky' Callie thought to herself with a smirk. Ole blue eyes who was conversing with another man in uniform must have thought the smirk was for him and he returned a smile popping dimples on his cheeks. Something about him seemed vaguely familiar. Sourpuss on the other hand glared at her.

"Yo, I think I got the hottest girl on my team, Nick." Blue eyes whispered loudly to his friend who was also in uniform. The brunette friend named, Nick, playfully shoved blue eyes as he eyed the girl with dark blonde hair in Callie's group. Callie's attention also turned to her as she silently sized her up. Figures he would go for blondes, how boring. She certainly was attractive with a slender build, dark blue eyes, long legs, and perky breasts. She definitely was pretty but there was something so ordinary about her, Callie had definitely seen far more interesting and beautiful women. The dark haired Asian woman to her right whom she had deemed sourpuss earlier whispered with an eye roll, "If you want to appease me, compliment my brain."

Callie glanced at her as she crossed her arms over her small chest. Callie had automatically assumed the two uniformed friends were referring to the slender girl next door type; and clearly the blonde thought so too as she smiled widely and batted her long lashes. But, as Callie took in sourpuss's appearance, she realized she was quite beautiful, even with a look like she smelled rotting flesh permanently plastered to her face. She had defined cheekbones, silky black curls, and beautiful dark almond eyes with lashes that were much more luscious than the overrated blonde. Add the petite build and dark full lips and she was quite beautiful, almost stunning even; maybe, in a different setting.

"I don't think I did too badly myself. Of course, I was hoping to get my wife on my team this year." The dark haired friend named Nick teased blue eyes with another shove.

"Nick, if you want to keep your head, stay away from my sister!" Blue eyes shoved back in a playful manner but she could sense a protective tension in his tone.

"Gilbert! Robbins! Do I need to separate you two? Pay attention!"A tall slender woman in army fatigues shouted. She waited until they both nodded and stood facing her before she continued calling names off her own list, ending with Alexander Karev, who joined her group.

"If I haven't called off your name, you are with Captain Nathan Riggs and are the last of the five groups." The woman replied as the seven remaining people joined a dark haired man in army fatigues. 'Dang, the gorgeous uniformed men just doesn't end' Callie thought to herself.

"Alright people, now that you have all been assigned to one of five teams, we will give a short tour of the base before splitting off into those teams to go over rules and bunk assignments. As there are only are only fifteen bunks in each of the barracks, Chief Weber will join Hunt, Riggs, Robbins, and Gilbert in their quarters and Dr. Catherine Avery, Dr. Hahn, Dr. Herman, and Dr. Montgomery will join me in my quarters. The rest of you will be assigned a bunk number and a cubby in the barracks. Now, if you will kindly follow me, staying with your groups, we will get this tour started, " the green eyed service woman ordered then turned around and added, "I'm Teddy by the way, Dr. Teddy Altman."

"Robbins...Robbins...Where have I heard that name before?" Callie wondered to herself but her sleep deprived brain couldn't multitask and her attention was pulled back to the group as they began to tour the base.

Teddy lead the group through the base that would be their home for the next six months.

The large mass of bodies followed Teddy as she spat off facts about the base while they all huddled in their smaller five groups. Teddy pointed out the mess hall, followed by the male and female barracks. Connected to the backside of the building were the male and female latrines. The barracks looked like large pole barns from the outside, though not quite as tall. Callie silently prayed that the barracks resembled nothing close to a pole barn on the inside. The army hanger and garage where the army housed all modes of transportation were next, followed by a building of small offices, a large banquet center, and a few board rooms where various gatherings and meetings would be held. This was also where they would be allotted time to use phones and computers to contact their families. Many more buildings were pointed out including some guard towers but Callie quickly lost interest despite trying desperately to pay close attention. She was tired. She had survived four years of med school, a year of intern hell, and three years of residency; still, she didn't know she could be this tired. They had spent two days traveling by air, hopping airplanes and sleeping in airports. Then they had spent another night traveling by army vehicles and a military plane which had been freezing and very uncomfortable. The excitement was wearing off and exhaustion was consuming her.

Callie's attention was brought back as they came to a stop in front of a medic tent. "Before we split off into our assigned smaller groups, I'd like to point out the medic tent. Not only is this where you should go if you require medical attention but each group will also be assigned times to man the tent. The supplies that are there and the ones in which you brought with you today are what we have. Supplies are scarce. We get them replenished semi-regularly with a bi weekly drop off of fresh supplies, but they are not always able to make it on time and they aren't always able to bring everything we need. So get creative with your supplies and use them sparingly."

Teddy made sure she had everyone's attention before she continued, "Tonight your teams will get your schedules. One group will stay at the base every day of the week with the exception of tomorrow. During those days the group will have different responsibilities around the base, manning the medic tent and if it requires it, fetching the supplies that are delivered is part of that responsibility." Teddy ended in a shout to be heard as Callie and some of the other group members noticed Nick and blue eyes playfully shoving each other and giggling more loudly than they must realize. "Robbins, Gilbert! Do not make us regret giving you teams this year!"

"No ma'am!" They responded in unison, instantly serious once again.

"You two will do the midnight perimeter check in addition to your assigned perimeter check this week, is that understood?" The tall ginger man asked.

"Yes sir." They said in unison.

"Ok then, a few more things to add", the ginger continued, "I am Dr. Owen Hunt, trauma and orthopedic surgeon as well as a captain in the army. I would just like to remind you all that events, meals, and training that is on your group schedules are mandatory unless excused by myself, Dr. Altman, or one of the two lead surgeons on your team. Lead surgeons, please raise your hands."

Callie looked around at the ten surgeons raising their hands. Some she recognized and she was secretly fan girling over the potential of working with and learning from them. The two surgeons that were in her group were both male, one she recognized and one she did not; but they both looked like the typical cocky surgeon. Cocky wasn't her thing, or so she kept telling herself, but hey, they would be stuck here in this war zone together for six months. Her options were limited and she really did love sex, like really really loves it. And Dr. Sloan had been a good sexual release for her back in New York and again even a few times while they were both in Seattle for a few months prior to their departure before their falling out that is.

"In addition, tardiness will not be tolerated. We run a tight schedule here because it could mean life or death. Any tardiness, absences, or behavior that requires reprimanding will result in extra duties and will reflect on your entire group. If one of you get extra duties, the whole group gets extra duties. We fairly assign duties to each group so no group is stuck with scut and grunt work all the time but if your team gets punished you will most likely earn more of the undesirable duties. You are a cohesive unit, you will do well to remember that." Dr. Hunt added.

"Alright, in a few minutes we are going to separate into our five teams so that you can all get introduced to one another and go over some safety regulations. After that, your team leaders will dismiss you and you will have the rest of the afternoon to yourselves. I suggest unpacking and getting some shut eye. Dinner is at 17:00 sharp. If you aren't there by 16:59, consider yourself tardy." Teddy replied.

"Ok, team Robbins, follow me." Blue eyes shouted. He took a quick look at Teddy before he flicked Nick in the ear as they passed by. Nick turned to retaliate but blue eyes had already gotten too far out of reach with far too many people in the line of fire between them.

"Hey, Teds, don't let Nick near my sister, ok?" Blue eyes said as he and his team passed Teddy and hers.

"Timothy, I can take care of myself." replied the sweetest voice Callie had ever heard. Her head shot up in search of its owner and her stomach erupted into butterflies as their eyes met briefly. That's where she knew the name Robbins. Her eyes, if possible, were even more brilliantly blue than her brothers. 'Cerulean' Callie thought as a memory of her favorite crayola crayon color as a child popped into her head. Blonde curls bounced as they cascaded over pale shoulders looking as if she were in a commercial for expensive hair products rather than in the desert heat, it was longer than Callie remembered it. Her eyes sparkled in the sun, tiny freckles scattered her bare shoulders. But the killer, the thing that was threatening to send Callie straight over the edge were the dimples that popped as she threw her head back in a breathtaking smile, laughter echoing in the air at something her brother whispered in her ear as he passed by. Callie was smitten. She was not one for Disney movies, mainly because Bambi and Dumbo had been her first experiences and she bawled her eyes out. So, she had never understood the love at first sight, whole Bambi twitterpated thing until she was crying in a dirty bar bathroom seven months ago back in Seattle. Not realizing she had been staring at the blonde beauty this whole time, Callie didn't notice her group come to a sudden stop as she plowed right into the back of sourpuss.

"Hey!" Sourpuss yelled.

"Oh my God, sourpuss, I'm so sorry." Callie stumbled as her own chocolate orbs met a set of dark brown eyes now set with a steely stare.

"Did you just call me sourpuss?"

"Oh my God, I so said that aloud. I just didn't know anyone's names and you are really pretty but you just have this scowl plastered to your face all the time like you've been in the anatomy lab with the dead bodies for far too long and I just, I'm so sorry…" Callie rambled a pink flush visible on her tan cheeks.

"Ortho right?"

"Yeah...I am."

"You're a funny girl, carpenter." Sourpuss said, genuinely smiling for the first time. "You're going to want to watch out for Minnick, ole killer gray eyes over there, she's your ortho competition." Callie followed the shorter woman's line of sight to long dark hair.

"How do you know this?"

"We are in a war zone, together, for six months, I looked up everything I could about everyone going on this trip. I'm cardio and there are three cardio gods on this tour plus Teddy Altman and Nathan Riggs. Somehow I ended up in a group with the neuro nerd and plastics the ken doll." the Korean explained.

"Wow, well, I'm glad you're on my team since you're basically the walking encyclopedia of surgeons on this trip. I know some of the doctors here but I only officially started at Seattle Grace six months ago. I'm Callie by the way."

"I know. Cristina Yang." the woman responded as they continued to walk a little behind their group.

"So, Cristina, what do you know about our team leader, Army Ranger Robbins?"

"Comes from a marine family but went rogue by joining the army instead. Young but good, doesn't depend on his family's name to get ahead. Joined at the age of twenty-two after graduating from West Point at his parent's insistence. He apparently wanted to join straight out of high school but his parents strongly encouraged him to get an education first. He has one sister, Arizona, who is also on this tour and has done the tour once before. She is kind of a rock star, actually. She's been in Malawi for a year, I think, maybe a little longer. She won the Carter Madison in her fourth year as a resident which is pretty impressive even if she is the queen of the cabbage patch. Rumor at Johns Hopkins is that she's super smart and super perky. I hate perky. They call her Dr. Sweetheart." Cristina finished dramatically as she stuck her finger in her mouth to mimic vomiting.

"Oh God, I can't do perky either but damn, that is impressive. She has to be one of the youngest people to ever receive that grant. No one receives a Carter Madison, especially a resident."

"Yes, well Dr. Sweetheart did. She is only twenty-seven and has already completed her fellowship. She's a pediatric surgeon so you know, who can say no to that? She saves dying kids." Cristina replied. Callie noticed the only other female in their group had started walking nearer to them and seemed to be listening intently.

"She's been in Malawi for a year?" Callie asked in bewilderment. That can't be right, she kissed me in a bar bathroom then disappeared only seven months ago. Cristina only nodded before another voice interrupted their conversation.

"Ok, listen up. We are going to go over some brief introductions and some safety regulations and then I will release you until chow time." Robbins shouted as he abruptly stopped and turned to face the group. Callie was annoyed that she and Cristina had to pause their conversation, her mind still very much on the pediatric sweetheart.

"I'll introduce myself quickly. I'm Army Ranger Timothy Robbins. I've been in the army now for seven years. This is my third and will be my last tour. You can refer to me as Tim or Robbins, if you like. Just know that my little sister is also here and is a Robbins as well so that may get confusing, though I am by far the better looking of the two Robbins." Tim joked. "On a more serious note, I like to joke around and have fun but we have a job to do. When we are off base or on duty we will be nothing but professional. The hospital and villages that we will be visiting and working in are deemed "safe" (Callie noted the use of the air quotes around the word safe and swallowed the lump in her throat). This is a war zone, so we will take every precaution we are able to in order to get to and from the base safely. We also take any and all threats very seriously." Tim took a moment to look around at his group so he could take in the faces he would be working with.

"Ok, we will move on to introductions and then I will finish up with a few more safety protocols before I release you. Dr. Koracick and Dr. Sloan, as the two lead surgeons would you please start?"

"Sure. Dr. Tom Koracick here," the shorter of the two men stepped forward with a smile and a wave of his left hand, "neuro is my specialty. I'm head of neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins but I do consult at several other institutes, including Seattle Grace. I've had the opportunity to mentor Dr. Amelia Shepherd as well as work with Dr. Arizona Robbins, who are both on this tour with Dr. Altman's group. Dr. Robbins has accepted a position at Seattle Grace as an attending when she returns from Malawi next year where she has been performing surgeries on children who have otherwise had no access to medical care. I, along with Dr. Robbins have done this tour once before. My colleague and friend won the Carter Madison five years ago that funded the hospital we will be working at. I was among the first group to work at the hospital and much has changed since then. Although Dr. Robbins is not a lead surgeon on this tour, she is our pediatric expert as far as this group goes and you will be learning a lot from her. There are many children in these hospitals and villages that need medical care. If none of you have any questions, I will allow Dr. Sloan to introduce himself."

"I do have one question, Tim. Is your sister single?" Dr. Sloan asked with a cocky smirk.

"I don't think you are her type, Dr. Sloan."

"Oh, so she doesn't go for the pretty faces then, huh?" Dr. Sloan teased. Callie rolled her eyes. Mark never changes, he just can't help himself, still the man whore. But Callie smiled at this, it was nice to know some things never do change, besides, Callie was interested to know Tim's answer as well.

"Dr. Sloan, we are on a tight schedule, I'd appreciate it if you stayed on task and away from my sister." Tim replied coolly. Sloan nodded awkwardly and folded his hands together, pinching the bridge of his nose before he looked up at the group.

"Alright then, I am Dr. Mark Sloan. I work at Seattle Grace as head of plastics. I also specialize in ENT. Many of the patients you encounter will be burn victims. We will team with other groups and their lead surgeons to cover as many specialties as possible. You may also be asked to join another group or team of doctors on a case by case basis, depending on your level of education and specialty. Any questions at this time?" Mark asked.

Only Cristina raised her hand. Mark pointed at her, "Yes, Dr…"

"Yang." Cristina replied.

"Ok, Dr. Yang, what is your question?"

"How much cardio will we get to experience? I mean, we will get to work with cardio, right?"

"Yes, you will get a rotation with each specialty at least once. Most of you are assigned to a group based on where you have the least amount of experience or hours logged in the OR. You are here to do a job but more importantly you are here to learn. As we have three cardiothoracic surgeons that we brought with us plus two double board certified cardiothoracic and trauma surgeons here in the army working with us, you will likely get plenty of cardio experience. Any other questions?"

Callie had a million questions burning a hole in her brain but she knew most of her questions would most likely be answered at dinner tonight or on their first day at the hospital tomorrow so she decided to just be patient so she might have time to catch a nap before dinner time.

"No? Ok then, I'd like each of you to introduce yourselves. Tell us your declared specialty if you know, or your areas of interest if not. I also want to know where you are in your education, for example, intern or year of residency. Dr. Yang, please start us off." Dr. Sloan said as he stood back and raised his arm slightly, gesturing for Christina to step forward.

"Oh, one thing I forgot." Tim said, stepping forward with a polaroid camera around his neck and a digital in his hand. "After our introductions and safety protocols, I will need to take two photos of each of you. One will be for your badge and personnel file and the polaroids will get placed on a board tonight at the mixer for everyone to be able to read a little bio about you as there are forty of us for everyone to get to know. Some people have already had photos taken for photo ops and publicity for this event so we will use those photos in place of the polaroids. Unfortunately, none of you had photos taken for for that so I will need to get a polaroid of each of you. The attendings will most likely be formally introduced so you can identify them and their specialty but you will go to the board to get to know the members of the other four groups. Your picture will have the info you are about to share written at the bottom for everyone to read. Ok, that's all, please proceed Dr. Yang."

"Dr. Cristina Yang here. I am a third year resident at Seattle Grace. I am interested in cardiothoracic surgery. I just transferred in from Mayo clinic to attend this program."

"Thank you, Dr. Yang. Let's keep up with ladies first." Dr. Sloan said gesturing for Callie to take Christina's spot, "Torres."

"Callie Torres, fifth year resident at Seattle Grace this year. I matched into Ortho and have been very passionate in my work there. I'm considering a fellowship to become more specialized. I started my internship a year late because I joined the peace corps after med school and was in Botswana for eight months. I'm really looking forward to working and learning from everyone."

"Torres as in the Torres hotel chain?" The last girl in the group asked.

"I'm here as a doctor, I'd rather not discuss my personal life here." Callie responded. She didn't want her parent's success or her family privilege to affect the work she is doing here or to interfere with the work she plans to do back in Seattle. She worked hard to be independent, although her trust fund made sure she never wanted for anything, she really tried hard to live off of only the money she made herself.

"You're up next nosey rosey." Sloan pointed to the girl with dirty blonde hair that Callie was quickly becoming annoyed with.

"Dr. Leah Murphy. I'm an intern at Seattle Grace. I haven't had much time to explore specialties yet but if I will be learning from Dr. Robbins, then maybe peds." Callie rolled her eyes. Ok, she seriously liked this girl less and less.

"Pretty boy, you're up." Sloan pointed to a male doctor with minty green eyes. They were striking against his darker complexion.

"Dr. Jackson Avery. Third year resident at Mercy West but I will of course be finishing up my residency at Seattle Grace when we return. I haven't declared a specialty yet but I am interested in cardio as well."

"Avery as in the Harper Avery?" Leah asked. 'Boy this girl just doesn't know when to keep her mouth shut, does she?' Callie thought to herself, only growing more annoyed by the intern.

"I'm here as a doctor, I'd rather not discuss my personal life here." Jackson quoted Callie's earlier words.

"Ok, that just leaves you, son. Last but not least." Mark gestured toward the shortest male doctor standing at the back of the group.

"I'm George, Dr. George O'Malley. I'm a second year resident at Seattle Grace and I am interested in trauma surgery."

"Ok, it's nice to meet all of you. Sounds like we have a few celebrities in our group. Don't let it go to your head, status means nothing out here. With that being said, I'll let Robbins here finish up with the safety protocols and photos." Dr. Koracick replied.

"As always, safety first. Your job here is to be doctors, surgeons. You are here working closely with the army, we all have the same goal, but you are not trained in the army. We do not want anyone trying to be a hero. You will receive some necessary training and you will be expected to physically train with us to some extent but our number one goal is to keep you safe so you can save lives. You stay in your group unless you are otherwise instructed to join another. You wear your helmet and vest with your name visible at all times outside of this base or the hospital. You do not, under any circumstances, give your helmet or your vest to anyone else."

"Well that would just be dumb." Cristina whispered quietly to Callie who nodded in agreement.

"You do not for any reason let anyone onto the base or into a military vehicle. You do not ever leave base without an assigned escort. When we are all traveling you do not leave the vehicle if we are driving. There may be rare instances where we travel on foot, you do not leave the cleared path if we are on foot for any reason. Privileges to leave the base can and will be revoked if you break any of these rules. These rules are implemented to keep you safe and the base secure. Understood?"

"Sir, yes sir!" George shouted, saluting Tim. His cheeks flushed bright pink with embarrassment as laughter from the group rang out.

"Alright, photo time. You will get the polaroid for the wall, followed by a digital for the badge and your record. I will call you over alphabetically, please take your polaroid after it has been taken and legibly write your first and last name, year, and declared specialty or one you are highly interested in. Once all photos are taken, you are all free to leave. Avery, you're up." Tim said.

The rest of the group hung back while they waited their turns. Callie was eager to quiz Cristina some more about Arizona as they both would be at the end of the alphabet but she was too busy talking with the attendings in their group. Callie used the spare time and her sleepy state to daydream about the blonde.

"Earth to Callie, did you fall asleep? You're up ortho goddess." Christina said, snapping her fingers in front of Callie's face.

"Oh." Callie said with blushing cheeks once again. She stepped forward to get her photo taken.

"Callie, right?" Tim asked as he gestured for Callie to stand against the wall with the plain beige backdrop.

"Yea." Callie replied.

"I was talking about you, ya know."

"What?" Callie asked, completely confused about what he was referring to as he adjusted her and the lighting.

"When I said I had the hottest girl on my team." He said quietly, leaning in slightly on the pretense of adjusting the lighting further. " I was talking about you."

"Oh." Callie replied blushing for the second time in as many minutes.

"I noticed you turned and looked at Leah when I said that so you must not have noticed that I was looking at you. Just thought you should know." Tim replied with a smile not unlike his sisters but without the deep dimples. He had small dimples on his cheeks that were completely endearing but it was nothing compared to hers. Callie retreated quickly once her photos were snapped and her polaroid filled out. Yang took her place and she waited impatiently for her to finish so they could get back to their bunks.

"Ok, it's 14:26, you have until 16:59, do not be late! 17:00 is considered late. You have until that time to get settled. You have an assigned bunk in your barracks, your luggage and name will be on your assigned bunk. You will also have an assigned cubby that will have your name on it. You can hang things in your cubby, stack your shoes, and use the drawer for any under garments you have. I recommend using this time to unpack and rest. Wrinkled scrubs and clothing are not acceptable and are things that can cause reprimanding and extra duties assigned to our group. Do not make me look bad. Be on time and look professional. You will get your vest, helmet, and medical bag after supper tonight. There will be time to mingle at the mixer, which is mandatory after supper. You are dismissed." Tim announced.

Callie and Cristina walked out together and headed straight for the women's barracks. Callie was still thinking about what Tim had said and it made her already tired brain hurt more. They entered the barracks just as Leah caught up to them. They knew some of the attendings had separate sleeping quarters based on space but they themselves would be sleeping in bunks. Despite knowing that, the sight caught Callie off guard. There were five stacks of bunks, three high along the left side of the wall. Callie found her bunk on the top most bunk of the fifth rack. Yang was in the same stack but on the bottom. The name J. Wilson was attached to the bunk in the middle between Callie and Cristina. Callie turned to see Leah on the middle bunk of the third stack.

"Must be in alphabetical order." Leah shrugged as Callie's eyes met hers.

"Callie turned to the stack of bunks between hers and Leah's. The bunks read A. Robbins, A. Shepherd, I. Stevens. The blonde haired, blue eyed bombshell that had interrupted her thoughts all day would be sleeping five feet away from her. Callie's heart raced and butterflies returned to her already queasy stomach. "Oh Lord, I'm in trouble." Callie whispered aloud to herself.

A row of cupboards with no doors attached to them created an L shape around the left side of Callie's bunk and all along the wall opposite. Callie saw her name on the third of five on the shorter wall. The other ten cubbies were opposite the bunks. A. Robbins was labeled on the cubby directly across from Callie's bunk. Callie pulled her luggage off her bed and approached her cubby. A bench ran the entire length about a foot in front of the cubbies. It reminded her of a locker room. Not that she ever really was in to team sports but she did work with athletes. Callie sat her bag on the bench, opening it as she inspected her cubby. The top of the cubby had an open area for stacking items. Below that was a bar to hang clothing on. Level with the bench was a drawer and below that were three additional cubby spaces. Callie glanced over her shoulder to see that Christina and Leah were already fast asleep. Callie hoped to join them in slumber soon but first she wanted to unpack. She was not about to be the girl in wrinkled clothes. Callie noticed there was already a pair of khaki scrubs hanging in each cubby.

As she unpacked her things, Callie began singing to herself. She grabbed her Ipod and placed one headphone in her ear and left the other one dangling on her chest. She placed her ipod into her shirt safely tucked into the top of her bra. She was completely absorbed in the music and the task at hand, she didn't immediately notice an audience until she felt a presence and looked up, once again meeting brilliant blue eyes.

"Oh…."Callie startled, fumbling for her ipod and pausing her music. She pulled the headphone from her ear and sat the ipod down on the bench.

"Umm, I am so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you or stare at you. I just...umm...you umm...you have a beautiful voice." Arizona smiled, a slight blush visible on her pale cheeks as she fumbled for her words.

Callie returned the smile, finding the flustered blonde even more adorable. Callie blushed in return at the compliment and having been caught singing. Public singing and public speaking generally ended in her vomiting. However, she tended to sing to herself while doing chores or studying. Sometimes she had even caught herself singing aloud during surgery and would abruptly stop, embarrassed that she was caught singing.

"Sorry, I didn't realize I was singing out loud. I do that sometimes when I'm alone but not in front of people, at least not if I can help it."

"Don't be sorry, I really enjoyed it. It's a shame you don't like singing in front of people, your voice is absolutely stunning. People will be lining up for you." Arizona smiled mischievously, then added, "On second thought, I'm glad you don't."

Callie laughed lightly. The choice of wording was not lost on her as she remembered back seven months ago. Was Arizona flirting with her? She couldn't be, she was so out of her league. What are you even saying Cal, you're not even in to girls. Am I? All day, I've been feeling some sort of way for this woman, actually I've felt something for her for seven months if I'm being honest. I mean there was that one time in med school but she had blamed that on too much tequila and she didn't even make it to third base. I mean, I've never really been into girls, have I? I suppose I'm not against the idea. And even if I were, I think these butterflies have a mind of their own.

"Are you alright?" Arizona asked, squinting her eyes a bit in concern.

"Yea...yes...fine...just tired." Callie replied, snapping out of her thoughts.

"I hear ya. April, Amelia, and I came back here to rest as well." Arizona said waving a hand behind her. Callie peaked around the foot of her own bunk to see a redhead pulling luggage off the bottom bunk of the second rack of bunks and a brunette sprawled out in the bunk beneath Arizona's. Callie hadn't even noticed them as she had been completely wrapped up in everything Arizona.

"Hi." Callie waved with a smile plastered to her face. They both returned her lame smile and wave.

"Arizona...Robbins." Arizona replied with a dimpled smile as she extended her hand, "I know we've sorta already met before but tequila was involved and it wasn't official. We didn't even exchange first names."

"Callie Torres." Callie replied, accepting Arizona's offered right hand into her own slightly larger one. As their hands connected, Callie had to concentrate on not jumping or pulling her hand away in shock as she felt electricity coarse through her body the same way it had in the bar bathroom.

"Calliope, I remember. You're with my brother right? I mean in his group, not with him, with him." Arizona rambled, then added, "Well, the name suits you, it's as beautiful as your voice and almost as beautiful as you."

"Oh barf." Cristina mumbled from the bottom bunk. Callie narrowed her eyes at her new friend, though it was pointless to glare as Cristina had her left elbow thrown over her eyes. "Some of us are trying to sleep if you're done flirting with Dr. Sweetheart, Calliooooooppppeeee." Yang said sarcastically without removing her arm from her face.

"Sorry about that. Apparently Miss Sourpuss down there clearly needs her beauty sleep." Callie apologized to Arizona.

"Oh, it's ok. She's right, we only have about two hours left to unpack and rest." Arizona replied, casting her own glare at the form on the bottom bunk before she turned and headed to her own bunk to retrieve her luggage that needed to be unpacked.

"Here, let me help you." Callie said as she watched the petite blonde trying to grab her luggage from the top bunk. Arizona's shirt rose up in her struggle, revealing the creamy white skin of her lower back. She turned to reply to Callie as she spoke just as Callie reached her. Callie caught sight of toned abs that brushed up against her as she reached to retrieve the luggage from the top of Arizona's bunk. Callie licked her lips unconsciously at the sight of Arizona's bare mid drift. Her breasts crashed into Arizona's upper chest as she clumsily tugged the luggage from the top bunk. Both women flushed at their compromising positions before Arizona stepped back and mumbled a "thank you".

"No problem." Callie replied with a full smile. The image of Arizona's abs permanently seared into her retinas for later retrieval.

"You know, they should assign these bunks based on height, not alphabetically. Of course, then I'd be on bottom and I've always been more of a top girl." Arizona said with a wink as she removed her luggage from Callie's hands.

Callie stood frozen, mouth slightly agape for a few seconds before she climbed up onto her bunk to rest. She shook her head with a small bewildered smile on her face. "Oh sweet Jesus, this girl is gonna be the death of me." she whispered to herself.