Something Old, Something New
Something Old, Something New (1 of ?)
Authors: Roughian and ForeverLeyton
Rating: PG-13 for now. Who are we kidding? NC-17, eventually.
Fandom: Crossover: Rizzoli and Isles/Callie and Arizona
Summary: Callie and Arizona head to Boston for the wedding of Arizona's long time best friend. But Bean Town is not as receptive as they expected: Callie meets Arizona’s favorite ex; Maura’s got an itch Jane wants to scratch. Oh, and there’s a murder, too.
______________________________
Callie flipped through the Sky Magazine catalogue, smiling at each brand new gizmo with an enthralled little 'ooh'. Sure, maybe they didn't particularly need a massaging recliner that doubled as a cooler and day bed, but damn if she wasn't happy with the ability to actually sit down and look through a magazine uninterrupted. Granted, they were 36,000 miles above land, but still.
Arizona, on the other hand, hadn't given her iPad a moment's rest since they'd been given the go ahead to connect to the plane's wireless and was now nervously using her fingers to pinch, drag, and occasionally type on the touch screen. Callie quirked an eyebrow. "Arizona," she warned. "She's fine."
“Who’s fine?” Arizona hedged, her eyes shifting to glance at her wife before streaking back to the iPad screen. When she giggled at the picture in front of her, Arizona could feel her wife roll her eyes.
“I know you are using that stupid thing to freak out about Sofia. I don’t know how but…” Leaning over the blonde’s shoulder, Callie peeked at the iPad before reeling back and smacking Arizona with the magazine. “Arizona Robbins! You did not put a nanny cam in Mr. Teddy!"
“What? Um. Calliope! It’s the first time she’s with Mark by herself! A whole weekend!"
“What do you mean the first time?” Callie asked, charmed despite herself by the image of Mark and Sofia sprawled on the ground in his apartment, diligently assembling a castle of pink and purple blocks. “He has her every other weekend, Arizona."
“Sure, he has her,” Arizona agreed. “But we are never more than ten minutes away. We’re always there. Now he has her alone. Aren’t you the least bit worried about that?”
Closing her magazine, Callie sighed and rubbed her eyes. "First, as inept as that man is with most things in his personal life, I think he's proven himself as a great dad for Sof. Second, this whole trip," she gestured wildly with her hand, "was your idea."
Arizona bristled and cast one more glance at the iPad's screen, catching Sofia demolish their topsy-turvy castle with a muted giggle, then shifted her gaze to her wife. "I know, I'm sorry. I just miss her I guess."
Callie smiled, threading her fingers with the blonde's. "It's only a few days. And besides, when do we get time like this, really? I miss Sofia too, but I also miss you a little."
Catching the tone change, Arizona dimpled. "Well, we do have a luxury suite for the weekend."
"Exactly," Callie encouraged with a sultry little giggle.
Arizona reached over to rest their joined hands on Callie’s leg, using her fingertip to draw circles along the inside of Callie’s knee. “No crying in the middle of the night. No dinners interrupted by spilled milk. No-“
“No scrubs covered in snot,” Callie easily picked up Arizona’s game. “No sexy time interrupted by Mark Sloan.”
“Yes!” Arizona enthusiastically agreed with that sentiment.
“Just you and me,” Callie grinned.
“You and me,” Arizona nodded. “And Becca!” She squealed, more excited that she expected about the impending marriage of her long-time best friend. “I can’t wait for you to meet everyone. For everyone to meet you.”
“Uh huh,” Callie agreed, less giddy about that part. Not that badass Calliope Torres worried about such things. But still.
“Mike will be there, Becca’s brother. And Susan, my lab partner in Gross Anatomy. She’s got a kid about Sof’s age now, I think. Oh! I wonder if Maura will be there,” Arizona mused.
Instantly recognizing her wife’s tone, Callie turned to face Arizona. “Maura?”
"Oh. Callie, I'm sure I've mentioned her before." Arizona smiled as she rubbed her thumb over Callie's knuckles. "Maura Isles. My med. school girlfriend?"
"Oh, she's going to be there?" Callie said, voice cracking some. "The fancy crime scene doctor?"
"Medical Examiner, yes. She's very nice, Calliope. You'll like her, I promise."
"Sure, what's not to like about the girl you dated for two years in medical school and only broke up with because she stayed in Baltimore for a while and you moved back to Boston. So comforting."
Arizona tightened her grip on Callie's hand. "Hey, if I didn't take that rotation at Mass Gen I wouldn't have ended up in Seattle, meeting the most beautiful girl I know and then marrying her."
"Cheesy, Robbins," Callie smirked, softening at the sweetness of her wife. "But effective. What's she like?"
“Well…” Arizona drawled, tongue tucked firmly in cheek. “She’s just my type. Blonde. Brainy. Kind of reserved but in a really sweet, sensitive way.”
“Huh. Blonde, sweet and sensitive,” Callie scoffed, involuntarily squeezing their hands tighter together. “That’s your type?”
“It is,” Arizona agreed, nodding solemnly but unable to stop her tell-all dimple from peeking. “I like my girls…demure.”
Now Callie laughed out loud. “Sure you do. Demure, that’s how most people describe me. Our toddler, too, she’s a demure girl.”
Arizona giggled and acquiesced. “Turns out, maybe I do prefer a bad ass brunette. Fiery Latinas with bad tempers and big hearts.”
“You better,” Callie demanded.
______________________________
Maura Isles stood at the entryway to Jane Rizzoli's office, heeled foot tapping gently as she crossed her arms across the chest of her little black dress. "This is your last chance, Jane. There will be filet mignon at this rehearsal dinner. And those miniature crab cakes you like."
Jane looked up from her desk at the mention of food options, momentarily taken aback by the sight of Maura even more dolled up than usual. "And where is this? The Ritz? You look damn fancy."
"It's at the Onyx downtown. It's a four star hotel, and they've brought in catering... Anyway, are you coming or not?" Maura persisted, checking the time on her phone which she deposited daintily back into the small purse. “There’s just enough time for you to change into something that isn’t,” she paused, gesturing to the detective’s familiar slacks and-v-neck combination, “that.”
"No, Maura. Ask Frost or Korsak. I'm sure they'd love to eat steaks and be merry with your snobby"
"Snobby? Jane, Becca is my friend from medical school. She is by no means snobby. She's marrying her college sweetheart, an algebra teacher at a high school in Dorchester. They are the picture of modesty. Well, except for her extremely decorated reputation as one of the best cardio thoracic surgeons in the Boston area." Maura explained, ignoring Jane's eye roll.
"Did someone say filet mignon?" Frost asked as he peeked his head in the doorway, smiling some.
"And crab cakes?" Korsak added, tucking a file folder against his chest as he joined the small gathering.
“She wasn’t talking to you two morons,” Jane huffed, ignoring the fact that she had suggested Frost or Korsack as Maura’s date moments before. “We’ve got a wit waiting to tell us who killed Vickie Manigo, remember?”
“Oh,” Maura perked up, “you have a witness to the Manigo homicide? Do I need to stay? After all-“
“No, doc, you go to your modest rehearsal with the Cardio-whatnot doctor. The three of us can catch a killer all by ourselves. Besides,” Jane ran a finger through the air to take in the whole of Maura’s outfit, “I’m pretty sure a get up like that will, uh, distract our witness. He is a 23 year old Harvard boy, after all.”
“Well…” Maura hesitated. “Ok. You’re right. I really shouldn’t miss this evening. You know,” she continued, perching herself comfortably on the corner of Jane’s desk, “Johns Hopkins was probably the first time I met any real friends. Of course, most people were…disturbed when they learned I planned to become an ME. But at least everyone there shared my fascination with the human body.”
Jane grinned throughout Maura’s introspective rambling, enjoying the vision of a young Dr. Isles, finally finding comfort among cadavers and science nerds. She was so caught up in her imagination of a twenty-something Maura that she lost track of the sandy blonde’s story until-
“-And of course, Arizona will be there. Probably the maid of honor. I wonder if she will bring her new wife?”
"What the heck kind of name is Arizona?" Jane asked, watching as Korsak and Frost loomed in the doorway, all of their ears perked at the words her wife.
"Arizona Robbins. She's a very well respected pediatric surgery attending in Seattle. Have I honestly not mentioned her prior to this?" Maura smiled wistfully.
Jane recognized that look. I usually appeared after the ME had seen a particularly "healthy specimen" of a man's naked torso or something. "No, you haven't," she replied definitively.
"Oh, well. I've known her a good portion of my life. She was my medical school girlfriend." Maura gave another goofy smile, looking off into the distance.
"You just mentioned tons of girlfriends at medical school, what makes her so special?" Jane asked flatly, wondering if that prickle at the back of her neck was simple instinct or something more.
"She was my girlfriend. As in, my partner. Um, in the Sapphic sense," Maura explained. "For about two years actually. Quite interesting."
Korsak dropped the file folder he'd been holding, papers fluttering to the floor, as Frost coughed into his hand to hide the lewd smile spreading across his cherubic face.
Jane stared silently at Maura, realization slamming into her like one of those slow-motion cartoon anvils. “You mean…” She began, trailing off when one corner of Maura’s perfect lips lifted in a smile of gentle accord.
“I mean,” Maura agreed softly.
______________________________
“Hey, Arizona,” Callie called out across the expansive suite, her voice reaching the elaborate bathroom where Arizona showered. “Your dad’s on the phone.”
“What? Calliope, I can’t hear you. Who’s on the phone?”
Callie groaned and lifted herself off the hotel’s sumptuous king-size bed. Striding into the steamy bathroom, she waved Arizona’s cell phone in front of the shower stall door. “Your dad, he’s on the phone.”
“Oh. Well, uh, I’m a little busy here.”
“I can see that,” Callie grinned, enjoying the distorted silhouette of her naked wife behind the beveled glass. “Need any help?”
“Calliope!” Arizona hissed. “My father. The phone. Hello!”
“What? Oh! Right. Um,” Callie pulled the phone back to her ear, desperately relieved neither her wife nor the Colonel could see her blush. “Colonel, Arizona’s, ah, in the shower and…Yes, sir, Mark’s got Sofia. Oh,” Callie’s voice softened into pure mush, “you were calling for Sofia. No, we didn’t bring her. It’s Mark’s weekend and…yes, we wanted a bit of a vacation.” After a brief pause, Callie grinned. “Yes, sir, I’ll tell her. Uh, Colonel,” Callie added, “Mark wouldn’t mind, if you wanted to call. He wouldn’t mind if you called to talk to Sofia, maybe, um, check on her a bit. Great, thanks. Goodbye, sir.”
She hung up with a smile on her face, one that slipped into a grin when the shower door swung open to reveal a dripping, naked Arizona with her hands perched arrogantly on her hips. “Sic’ing the Colonel on Mark, huh? Looks like I’m not the only one who’s a little nervous?”
“Whatever,” Callie responded, waving the accusation off as though ridiculous. “Your dad wanted to talk to Sofia. I’m simply making that happen.”
“Uh huh,” Arizona laughed, bending over to swirl her hair into a white hotel towel. “What else did he say?”
“Just that he and your mom are sorry they missed us. He had to leave for the Academy today. Something about a speech or…”
“Yeah,” Arizona breathed. “Welcome to the U.S. Marine Corps. Semper Fi.”
"Intense," Callie murmured, absentmindedly watching Arizona wrap her naked form up in a towel.
"He's always doing things like this. A speech here, a ribbon-cutting thing there. They love him over at the Academy. And they loved Tim, too." Arizona explained as she pumped a few squirts of lotion into her palms, working the moisturizing cream in circles against the toned leg she propped against the sink counter.
"I'm kinda sad we won't get to see them," Callie added as she dropped her robe, heading into the still steamy shower herself.
Arizona watched her wife's retreating form in the mirror, sad when the frosted glass door closed and obscured her view. "Same. We'll have to have them stay at our place for a long weekend soon."
Callie was grateful for the loud screech of the taps and then the sound of steady water running so she didn't have to answer that. She loved Arizona's parents, but their apartment in Seattle was cramped as it stood. Adding the grandparents to that mix was always chaotic.
“Anyway,” Arizona continued, ignoring her wife’s hesitation, “Becca’s going to be upset my parents won’t be there tomorrow. Maura, too,” she added thoughtfully. “Maura and my dad adored each other.”
“They, uh, they did?” Callie tried to keep her voice level at that bit of news but it was difficult. What with the shampoo suds she had accidently let drip into her mouth and all.
Arizona, glancing at her wife’s wavy form through the mirror, grinned and spoke around her toothbrush. “Yep. Maura’s…proper. Full of sir’s and ma’am’s and protocol. Dad loves her.”
“Hey!” Callie popped the door open and stuck her head out. “I said sir! Did you hear me, on the phone just now? I said sir!”
Arizona giggled and stepped over to drop a quick kiss to her wife’s pouting lips, droplets of water clinging to pink flesh. “Did you?” She teased. “Must be why my father loves you, too. Now hurry up and finish in there. I wanna show off my wife.”
Callie narrowed her eyes but she ducked back into the shower. Calling out to her wife through the stream of water she said, “If you’re trying to make me hate this Examiner chick, it’s working!”
Smiling to herself, Arizona whispered, “’Bout time.” Out loud she said two words as she sauntered into the bedroom: “Mark. Sloan.”
______________________________
Maura decided to go stag to the dinner, leaving Frost, Korsak and Jane to process her recent confession. She found people’s fascination with sexuality to be flummoxing and always adhered to the policy of sexual fluidity. Regardless of the players, sex was all the same.
When the ME arrived at the Onyx, she slipped into the room marked Parsons-Miller rehearsal dinner and found a healthy crowd already mingling through the dinning area. Immediately she spotted Becca and her husband-to-be, Ray, chatting animatedly with Becca's mother and father as they all clinked their glasses. Maura sauntered to the barkeep and ordered a glass of Viognette, craving the sweet, cool white wine for a night like tonight.
Unable to stop herself, she did a quick scan of the room for Arizona, but caught neither blonde curls nor dimples. Maura wondered what Dr. Robbins' wife would be like, maybe something like the ME? Or something totally different? Either way she was thrilled for her long time friend. If she'd read her last e-mail correctly (which she was sure she had), the pediatric surgeon even mentioned something about a baby. That sounded absolutely nothing like the Arizona Robbins that Maura had known, but people were, in fact, capable of changing.
"Maura!" Becca called as she caught sight of the newly-arrived woman, rushing over to wrap her friend in a warm hug.
“Oh, Maura, I’m so glad you’re here.” Still holding onto Maura’s arm, Becca tugged her fiancé towards her friend. “Ray, you remember Dr. Maura Isles?”
“Ah,” Ray stuck out his hand, both the light sheen of palm sweat and his goofy smile relaying an adorable anxiety. “Sure, Maura. Hi. You’re the, ah, the cop doc, right?”
“Cop doc,” Maura repeated with a laugh. Jane would love that. “Yes, I work with the Boston Police Department.”
“Maura catches murderers,” Becca announced, her eyes wide and her voice intrigued, even after all these years. “It’s…crazy. I saw you, you know, on the news. A while ago. It was right after we met in Back Bay for lunch, remember? You were on the news two days later. Something about a dirty cop? And a shooting?”
Maura shivered, instantly recalling the vision of Jane turning a murderer’s gun into her own belly. Clearing her throat, Maura nodded and quickly changed the subject. “Has it really been that long since we’ve met for lunch? Three months?”
“Almost four,” Becca agreed, squeezing Maura’s arm. “That might be my second favorite thing about getting married-it’s like my own personal reunion! For you, too.” She pointed to the corner where a small woman flirted with an attractive man in his mid-thirties. “That’s Susan, over there, chatting with…” Becca squinted at the man before groaning. “Oh, God, chatting with Jason.” Glancing at her fiancée she added, “We’ll have to put a stop to that, Ray. Soon. But Maura,” the always-infectious Becca continued, spinning towards another corner of the room, “over there’s…Oh my God.”
“What?” Maura asked, her friendship with Jane putting her foolishly on edge when surprise dripped in Becca’s tone.
Following Becca’s point towards the doorway, Maura saw a stunning brunette, all feminine curves and broad smiles, sweeping into the dining room. “Is that-”
“Arizona’s wife,” Becca finished for her.
Becca and Maura looked on at the couple, smiling at one another as they shared an obviously hilarious anecdote and both doubled over laughing before catching themselves and straightening up, glancing around to make sure no one had caught them being goofy. When they noticed the small gathering that was staring at them for an entirely different reason, Arizona's smile widened.
"Wow, is that really Arizona Robbins?" Ray asked. "She looks great. And her wife is hot," he blurted, blushing when he realized that thought was spoken out loud.
Maura and Becca glared playfully at the man. "Sorry, I meant... beautiful and she's probably got an interesting personality?"
When neither woman softened their glare, he cleared his throat and started toward the bar. "Well, I need a refill."
"She is very beautiful," Maura observed as Ray walked away. "She looks Cuban, but I'd also say there might be parentage from Spain as well."
Becca giggled. "Oh, Maura. Shush. They're coming this way."
"Arizona Robbins," Becca gushed. "You look fabulous. And this must be-"
"Callie," the brunette smiled as she held out a hand. "Congratulations on your wedding!"
Becca forewent the handshake and, instead, hugged the Latina who was more than receptive. "Thank you. I was so sorry I had to miss your wedding. Stupid surgeries.”
Callie laughed. Becca sounded like someone who would be best friends with her wife. “Trust me, we both understood.”
Grinning, Becca nodded. “I know you do. And later, you're going to show me all the pictures of your pretty little baby girl, right?"
This left Arizona and Maura standing there, grinning at each other. Arizona closed the gap between them and chastely hugged her ex-girlfriend. "Maura, it's really good to see you."
Maura had forgotten how free both Arizona and Becca were with physical affections. She was grateful she didn’t freeze up inside Arizona’s casual embrace. Fleetingly, Maura guessed that the exuberant Rizzoli’s were rubbing off on her.
“It’s wonderful to see you, too, Arizona. You look wonderful. And your dress!” Maura stepped back to eye Arizona’s purple cocktail dress. “Eileen Fisher’s summer line?”
Arizona threw her head back and laughed, a sound that delighted Callie, whatever the cause. “Oh, Maura,” she crooned. “You always did have a good eye. I’ve missed you.”
“You, too,” Maura responded softly, realizing how much she had, in fact, missed this woman. Turning to Callie, and surprised by her sudden case of anxiety, Maura fell back on years of social training. “Dr. Torres, correct? I’ve read of your cartilage research. It’s very impressive.”
“Thanks,” Callie responded, taking Maura’s offered hand, instantly relaxed by Maura’s own obvious nerves. “And it’s Callie.”
“Or Calliope,” Arizona chirped, nudging her wife.
“Callie,” the brunette repeated, even as she twined her hand with Arizona’s. “You help catch killers, right? Must be very rewarding.”
“It is,” Maura agreed, intrigued by the note of sincerity she heard in Callie’s voice. “It is rewarding. Every time.”
“Hey!” Becca chimed in, pulling Maura and Callie into the throng. “No dead people at my wedding!”
Authors: Roughian and ForeverLeyton
Rating: PG-13 for now. Who are we kidding? NC-17, eventually.
Fandom: Crossover: Rizzoli and Isles/Callie and Arizona
Summary: Callie and Arizona head to Boston for the wedding of Arizona's long time best friend. But Bean Town is not as receptive as they expected: Callie meets Arizona’s favorite ex; Maura’s got an itch Jane wants to scratch. Oh, and there’s a murder, too.
______________________________
Callie flipped through the Sky Magazine catalogue, smiling at each brand new gizmo with an enthralled little 'ooh'. Sure, maybe they didn't particularly need a massaging recliner that doubled as a cooler and day bed, but damn if she wasn't happy with the ability to actually sit down and look through a magazine uninterrupted. Granted, they were 36,000 miles above land, but still.
Arizona, on the other hand, hadn't given her iPad a moment's rest since they'd been given the go ahead to connect to the plane's wireless and was now nervously using her fingers to pinch, drag, and occasionally type on the touch screen. Callie quirked an eyebrow. "Arizona," she warned. "She's fine."
“Who’s fine?” Arizona hedged, her eyes shifting to glance at her wife before streaking back to the iPad screen. When she giggled at the picture in front of her, Arizona could feel her wife roll her eyes.
“I know you are using that stupid thing to freak out about Sofia. I don’t know how but…” Leaning over the blonde’s shoulder, Callie peeked at the iPad before reeling back and smacking Arizona with the magazine. “Arizona Robbins! You did not put a nanny cam in Mr. Teddy!"
“What? Um. Calliope! It’s the first time she’s with Mark by herself! A whole weekend!"
“What do you mean the first time?” Callie asked, charmed despite herself by the image of Mark and Sofia sprawled on the ground in his apartment, diligently assembling a castle of pink and purple blocks. “He has her every other weekend, Arizona."
“Sure, he has her,” Arizona agreed. “But we are never more than ten minutes away. We’re always there. Now he has her alone. Aren’t you the least bit worried about that?”
Closing her magazine, Callie sighed and rubbed her eyes. "First, as inept as that man is with most things in his personal life, I think he's proven himself as a great dad for Sof. Second, this whole trip," she gestured wildly with her hand, "was your idea."
Arizona bristled and cast one more glance at the iPad's screen, catching Sofia demolish their topsy-turvy castle with a muted giggle, then shifted her gaze to her wife. "I know, I'm sorry. I just miss her I guess."
Callie smiled, threading her fingers with the blonde's. "It's only a few days. And besides, when do we get time like this, really? I miss Sofia too, but I also miss you a little."
Catching the tone change, Arizona dimpled. "Well, we do have a luxury suite for the weekend."
"Exactly," Callie encouraged with a sultry little giggle.
Arizona reached over to rest their joined hands on Callie’s leg, using her fingertip to draw circles along the inside of Callie’s knee. “No crying in the middle of the night. No dinners interrupted by spilled milk. No-“
“No scrubs covered in snot,” Callie easily picked up Arizona’s game. “No sexy time interrupted by Mark Sloan.”
“Yes!” Arizona enthusiastically agreed with that sentiment.
“Just you and me,” Callie grinned.
“You and me,” Arizona nodded. “And Becca!” She squealed, more excited that she expected about the impending marriage of her long-time best friend. “I can’t wait for you to meet everyone. For everyone to meet you.”
“Uh huh,” Callie agreed, less giddy about that part. Not that badass Calliope Torres worried about such things. But still.
“Mike will be there, Becca’s brother. And Susan, my lab partner in Gross Anatomy. She’s got a kid about Sof’s age now, I think. Oh! I wonder if Maura will be there,” Arizona mused.
Instantly recognizing her wife’s tone, Callie turned to face Arizona. “Maura?”
"Oh. Callie, I'm sure I've mentioned her before." Arizona smiled as she rubbed her thumb over Callie's knuckles. "Maura Isles. My med. school girlfriend?"
"Oh, she's going to be there?" Callie said, voice cracking some. "The fancy crime scene doctor?"
"Medical Examiner, yes. She's very nice, Calliope. You'll like her, I promise."
"Sure, what's not to like about the girl you dated for two years in medical school and only broke up with because she stayed in Baltimore for a while and you moved back to Boston. So comforting."
Arizona tightened her grip on Callie's hand. "Hey, if I didn't take that rotation at Mass Gen I wouldn't have ended up in Seattle, meeting the most beautiful girl I know and then marrying her."
"Cheesy, Robbins," Callie smirked, softening at the sweetness of her wife. "But effective. What's she like?"
“Well…” Arizona drawled, tongue tucked firmly in cheek. “She’s just my type. Blonde. Brainy. Kind of reserved but in a really sweet, sensitive way.”
“Huh. Blonde, sweet and sensitive,” Callie scoffed, involuntarily squeezing their hands tighter together. “That’s your type?”
“It is,” Arizona agreed, nodding solemnly but unable to stop her tell-all dimple from peeking. “I like my girls…demure.”
Now Callie laughed out loud. “Sure you do. Demure, that’s how most people describe me. Our toddler, too, she’s a demure girl.”
Arizona giggled and acquiesced. “Turns out, maybe I do prefer a bad ass brunette. Fiery Latinas with bad tempers and big hearts.”
“You better,” Callie demanded.
______________________________
Maura Isles stood at the entryway to Jane Rizzoli's office, heeled foot tapping gently as she crossed her arms across the chest of her little black dress. "This is your last chance, Jane. There will be filet mignon at this rehearsal dinner. And those miniature crab cakes you like."
Jane looked up from her desk at the mention of food options, momentarily taken aback by the sight of Maura even more dolled up than usual. "And where is this? The Ritz? You look damn fancy."
"It's at the Onyx downtown. It's a four star hotel, and they've brought in catering... Anyway, are you coming or not?" Maura persisted, checking the time on her phone which she deposited daintily back into the small purse. “There’s just enough time for you to change into something that isn’t,” she paused, gesturing to the detective’s familiar slacks and-v-neck combination, “that.”
"No, Maura. Ask Frost or Korsak. I'm sure they'd love to eat steaks and be merry with your snobby"
"Snobby? Jane, Becca is my friend from medical school. She is by no means snobby. She's marrying her college sweetheart, an algebra teacher at a high school in Dorchester. They are the picture of modesty. Well, except for her extremely decorated reputation as one of the best cardio thoracic surgeons in the Boston area." Maura explained, ignoring Jane's eye roll.
"Did someone say filet mignon?" Frost asked as he peeked his head in the doorway, smiling some.
"And crab cakes?" Korsak added, tucking a file folder against his chest as he joined the small gathering.
“She wasn’t talking to you two morons,” Jane huffed, ignoring the fact that she had suggested Frost or Korsack as Maura’s date moments before. “We’ve got a wit waiting to tell us who killed Vickie Manigo, remember?”
“Oh,” Maura perked up, “you have a witness to the Manigo homicide? Do I need to stay? After all-“
“No, doc, you go to your modest rehearsal with the Cardio-whatnot doctor. The three of us can catch a killer all by ourselves. Besides,” Jane ran a finger through the air to take in the whole of Maura’s outfit, “I’m pretty sure a get up like that will, uh, distract our witness. He is a 23 year old Harvard boy, after all.”
“Well…” Maura hesitated. “Ok. You’re right. I really shouldn’t miss this evening. You know,” she continued, perching herself comfortably on the corner of Jane’s desk, “Johns Hopkins was probably the first time I met any real friends. Of course, most people were…disturbed when they learned I planned to become an ME. But at least everyone there shared my fascination with the human body.”
Jane grinned throughout Maura’s introspective rambling, enjoying the vision of a young Dr. Isles, finally finding comfort among cadavers and science nerds. She was so caught up in her imagination of a twenty-something Maura that she lost track of the sandy blonde’s story until-
“-And of course, Arizona will be there. Probably the maid of honor. I wonder if she will bring her new wife?”
"What the heck kind of name is Arizona?" Jane asked, watching as Korsak and Frost loomed in the doorway, all of their ears perked at the words her wife.
"Arizona Robbins. She's a very well respected pediatric surgery attending in Seattle. Have I honestly not mentioned her prior to this?" Maura smiled wistfully.
Jane recognized that look. I usually appeared after the ME had seen a particularly "healthy specimen" of a man's naked torso or something. "No, you haven't," she replied definitively.
"Oh, well. I've known her a good portion of my life. She was my medical school girlfriend." Maura gave another goofy smile, looking off into the distance.
"You just mentioned tons of girlfriends at medical school, what makes her so special?" Jane asked flatly, wondering if that prickle at the back of her neck was simple instinct or something more.
"She was my girlfriend. As in, my partner. Um, in the Sapphic sense," Maura explained. "For about two years actually. Quite interesting."
Korsak dropped the file folder he'd been holding, papers fluttering to the floor, as Frost coughed into his hand to hide the lewd smile spreading across his cherubic face.
Jane stared silently at Maura, realization slamming into her like one of those slow-motion cartoon anvils. “You mean…” She began, trailing off when one corner of Maura’s perfect lips lifted in a smile of gentle accord.
“I mean,” Maura agreed softly.
______________________________
“Hey, Arizona,” Callie called out across the expansive suite, her voice reaching the elaborate bathroom where Arizona showered. “Your dad’s on the phone.”
“What? Calliope, I can’t hear you. Who’s on the phone?”
Callie groaned and lifted herself off the hotel’s sumptuous king-size bed. Striding into the steamy bathroom, she waved Arizona’s cell phone in front of the shower stall door. “Your dad, he’s on the phone.”
“Oh. Well, uh, I’m a little busy here.”
“I can see that,” Callie grinned, enjoying the distorted silhouette of her naked wife behind the beveled glass. “Need any help?”
“Calliope!” Arizona hissed. “My father. The phone. Hello!”
“What? Oh! Right. Um,” Callie pulled the phone back to her ear, desperately relieved neither her wife nor the Colonel could see her blush. “Colonel, Arizona’s, ah, in the shower and…Yes, sir, Mark’s got Sofia. Oh,” Callie’s voice softened into pure mush, “you were calling for Sofia. No, we didn’t bring her. It’s Mark’s weekend and…yes, we wanted a bit of a vacation.” After a brief pause, Callie grinned. “Yes, sir, I’ll tell her. Uh, Colonel,” Callie added, “Mark wouldn’t mind, if you wanted to call. He wouldn’t mind if you called to talk to Sofia, maybe, um, check on her a bit. Great, thanks. Goodbye, sir.”
She hung up with a smile on her face, one that slipped into a grin when the shower door swung open to reveal a dripping, naked Arizona with her hands perched arrogantly on her hips. “Sic’ing the Colonel on Mark, huh? Looks like I’m not the only one who’s a little nervous?”
“Whatever,” Callie responded, waving the accusation off as though ridiculous. “Your dad wanted to talk to Sofia. I’m simply making that happen.”
“Uh huh,” Arizona laughed, bending over to swirl her hair into a white hotel towel. “What else did he say?”
“Just that he and your mom are sorry they missed us. He had to leave for the Academy today. Something about a speech or…”
“Yeah,” Arizona breathed. “Welcome to the U.S. Marine Corps. Semper Fi.”
"Intense," Callie murmured, absentmindedly watching Arizona wrap her naked form up in a towel.
"He's always doing things like this. A speech here, a ribbon-cutting thing there. They love him over at the Academy. And they loved Tim, too." Arizona explained as she pumped a few squirts of lotion into her palms, working the moisturizing cream in circles against the toned leg she propped against the sink counter.
"I'm kinda sad we won't get to see them," Callie added as she dropped her robe, heading into the still steamy shower herself.
Arizona watched her wife's retreating form in the mirror, sad when the frosted glass door closed and obscured her view. "Same. We'll have to have them stay at our place for a long weekend soon."
Callie was grateful for the loud screech of the taps and then the sound of steady water running so she didn't have to answer that. She loved Arizona's parents, but their apartment in Seattle was cramped as it stood. Adding the grandparents to that mix was always chaotic.
“Anyway,” Arizona continued, ignoring her wife’s hesitation, “Becca’s going to be upset my parents won’t be there tomorrow. Maura, too,” she added thoughtfully. “Maura and my dad adored each other.”
“They, uh, they did?” Callie tried to keep her voice level at that bit of news but it was difficult. What with the shampoo suds she had accidently let drip into her mouth and all.
Arizona, glancing at her wife’s wavy form through the mirror, grinned and spoke around her toothbrush. “Yep. Maura’s…proper. Full of sir’s and ma’am’s and protocol. Dad loves her.”
“Hey!” Callie popped the door open and stuck her head out. “I said sir! Did you hear me, on the phone just now? I said sir!”
Arizona giggled and stepped over to drop a quick kiss to her wife’s pouting lips, droplets of water clinging to pink flesh. “Did you?” She teased. “Must be why my father loves you, too. Now hurry up and finish in there. I wanna show off my wife.”
Callie narrowed her eyes but she ducked back into the shower. Calling out to her wife through the stream of water she said, “If you’re trying to make me hate this Examiner chick, it’s working!”
Smiling to herself, Arizona whispered, “’Bout time.” Out loud she said two words as she sauntered into the bedroom: “Mark. Sloan.”
______________________________
Maura decided to go stag to the dinner, leaving Frost, Korsak and Jane to process her recent confession. She found people’s fascination with sexuality to be flummoxing and always adhered to the policy of sexual fluidity. Regardless of the players, sex was all the same.
When the ME arrived at the Onyx, she slipped into the room marked Parsons-Miller rehearsal dinner and found a healthy crowd already mingling through the dinning area. Immediately she spotted Becca and her husband-to-be, Ray, chatting animatedly with Becca's mother and father as they all clinked their glasses. Maura sauntered to the barkeep and ordered a glass of Viognette, craving the sweet, cool white wine for a night like tonight.
Unable to stop herself, she did a quick scan of the room for Arizona, but caught neither blonde curls nor dimples. Maura wondered what Dr. Robbins' wife would be like, maybe something like the ME? Or something totally different? Either way she was thrilled for her long time friend. If she'd read her last e-mail correctly (which she was sure she had), the pediatric surgeon even mentioned something about a baby. That sounded absolutely nothing like the Arizona Robbins that Maura had known, but people were, in fact, capable of changing.
"Maura!" Becca called as she caught sight of the newly-arrived woman, rushing over to wrap her friend in a warm hug.
“Oh, Maura, I’m so glad you’re here.” Still holding onto Maura’s arm, Becca tugged her fiancé towards her friend. “Ray, you remember Dr. Maura Isles?”
“Ah,” Ray stuck out his hand, both the light sheen of palm sweat and his goofy smile relaying an adorable anxiety. “Sure, Maura. Hi. You’re the, ah, the cop doc, right?”
“Cop doc,” Maura repeated with a laugh. Jane would love that. “Yes, I work with the Boston Police Department.”
“Maura catches murderers,” Becca announced, her eyes wide and her voice intrigued, even after all these years. “It’s…crazy. I saw you, you know, on the news. A while ago. It was right after we met in Back Bay for lunch, remember? You were on the news two days later. Something about a dirty cop? And a shooting?”
Maura shivered, instantly recalling the vision of Jane turning a murderer’s gun into her own belly. Clearing her throat, Maura nodded and quickly changed the subject. “Has it really been that long since we’ve met for lunch? Three months?”
“Almost four,” Becca agreed, squeezing Maura’s arm. “That might be my second favorite thing about getting married-it’s like my own personal reunion! For you, too.” She pointed to the corner where a small woman flirted with an attractive man in his mid-thirties. “That’s Susan, over there, chatting with…” Becca squinted at the man before groaning. “Oh, God, chatting with Jason.” Glancing at her fiancée she added, “We’ll have to put a stop to that, Ray. Soon. But Maura,” the always-infectious Becca continued, spinning towards another corner of the room, “over there’s…Oh my God.”
“What?” Maura asked, her friendship with Jane putting her foolishly on edge when surprise dripped in Becca’s tone.
Following Becca’s point towards the doorway, Maura saw a stunning brunette, all feminine curves and broad smiles, sweeping into the dining room. “Is that-”
“Arizona’s wife,” Becca finished for her.
Becca and Maura looked on at the couple, smiling at one another as they shared an obviously hilarious anecdote and both doubled over laughing before catching themselves and straightening up, glancing around to make sure no one had caught them being goofy. When they noticed the small gathering that was staring at them for an entirely different reason, Arizona's smile widened.
"Wow, is that really Arizona Robbins?" Ray asked. "She looks great. And her wife is hot," he blurted, blushing when he realized that thought was spoken out loud.
Maura and Becca glared playfully at the man. "Sorry, I meant... beautiful and she's probably got an interesting personality?"
When neither woman softened their glare, he cleared his throat and started toward the bar. "Well, I need a refill."
"She is very beautiful," Maura observed as Ray walked away. "She looks Cuban, but I'd also say there might be parentage from Spain as well."
Becca giggled. "Oh, Maura. Shush. They're coming this way."
"Arizona Robbins," Becca gushed. "You look fabulous. And this must be-"
"Callie," the brunette smiled as she held out a hand. "Congratulations on your wedding!"
Becca forewent the handshake and, instead, hugged the Latina who was more than receptive. "Thank you. I was so sorry I had to miss your wedding. Stupid surgeries.”
Callie laughed. Becca sounded like someone who would be best friends with her wife. “Trust me, we both understood.”
Grinning, Becca nodded. “I know you do. And later, you're going to show me all the pictures of your pretty little baby girl, right?"
This left Arizona and Maura standing there, grinning at each other. Arizona closed the gap between them and chastely hugged her ex-girlfriend. "Maura, it's really good to see you."
Maura had forgotten how free both Arizona and Becca were with physical affections. She was grateful she didn’t freeze up inside Arizona’s casual embrace. Fleetingly, Maura guessed that the exuberant Rizzoli’s were rubbing off on her.
“It’s wonderful to see you, too, Arizona. You look wonderful. And your dress!” Maura stepped back to eye Arizona’s purple cocktail dress. “Eileen Fisher’s summer line?”
Arizona threw her head back and laughed, a sound that delighted Callie, whatever the cause. “Oh, Maura,” she crooned. “You always did have a good eye. I’ve missed you.”
“You, too,” Maura responded softly, realizing how much she had, in fact, missed this woman. Turning to Callie, and surprised by her sudden case of anxiety, Maura fell back on years of social training. “Dr. Torres, correct? I’ve read of your cartilage research. It’s very impressive.”
“Thanks,” Callie responded, taking Maura’s offered hand, instantly relaxed by Maura’s own obvious nerves. “And it’s Callie.”
“Or Calliope,” Arizona chirped, nudging her wife.
“Callie,” the brunette repeated, even as she twined her hand with Arizona’s. “You help catch killers, right? Must be very rewarding.”
“It is,” Maura agreed, intrigued by the note of sincerity she heard in Callie’s voice. “It is rewarding. Every time.”
“Hey!” Becca chimed in, pulling Maura and Callie into the throng. “No dead people at my wedding!”