Two Way Street
Two Way Street
Chapter 5- The Cherry on Top
Callie/Arizona
PG-13
Standard Disclaimer: Don't own, Don't profit
There are two sides to every story. This story just happens to be about a first date.
A/N- unbetad, all spelling/grammar goofs are my own
A/N2- thank you guys sooooo much for all your comments!! seriously ridiculous. Thanks to unemployment and illness, I've been bored at home all day, hence the speedy 3 ch update. I get what you were all saying about the staggering thing but I couldn't figure out how to write it to where i was happy with it. I'm not an idiot, I get the idea, I just couldn't put it into action without it feeling very choppy and awkward. So yeah, now that my a/n is basically a chapter all on its own, I give you chapter 5 with a slight attempt at staggering lol. thanks again every one.
Callie---
Ok, if I didn't trust her with my life, I would seriously be turning back right about now. Does she even know where she's going? This area says anything but after-date-romantic-destination. I shiver and am gratefull she thought of our jackets. Street lights are now few and far between and seem to be replaced by dark shadowy alleys. She must feel my rising anxiety because she snakes her arm around my shoulders and it is instantly calming. I wrap my arm around her and feel a kiss pressed against my hair. Could she be any more perfect? My internal question is dissolved as she turns us down an inky alley sliced between two towering brick industrial buildings. She senses my hesitation before I even do it and squeezes me tighter.
The alley spills out into an empty lot that has been converted into what appears to be a small park. The grass is vibrant in the moonlight and soft below my feet, and the dozen or so maples frame the space making it very private. The park is simple, no swings or playground equipment, the only man-made object seems to be a simple wooden bench up ahead of us. She pulls me along next to her towards that bench. There is a steep down-hill right in front of the bench and as we get closer the hill drops away showing me the view below us. It literally stops me mid-step.
I hadn't noticed during our walk here but obviously we were slowly going up hill because now the view of the skyline is even more amazing than it was at dinner. She paused next to me when I stopped moving and with a quick jerk of her head she signals me to sit on the bench with her. I do as I'm told and plop down next to her with my mouth slightly open and my gaze still locked on the city ahead of us. The sky is clear despite the light shower during dinner. Mt. Ranier and the Cascades are visible only by their sillouettes and they create the perfect backdrop for the city I've grown to love. I inhale deeply and pull myself from my revery to look at her.
Our eyes lock and the feeling I get from her gaze warms my entire being. It's not lustful or filled with passion, it's simply adorring. As if she's looking at me like I'm a priceless work of art. I try to find words to fit this perfect of a moment, "I uhh, Arizona this is am-amazing. How did you...where are...wow." Is what I come up with. Always good with words in moments of tenderness. Her dimples appear and my nerves are suddenly calmed.
She hugs her arm around my back and I lean my head onto her shoulder. Her thumb draws lazy circles on my jacket for a few moments before she speaks. "This is my favorite place in the whole city." She explains. I turn my head to look up into her eyes, eyes that stare straight ahead taking in the sleeping city. "I come here sometimes, when I've had a rough day. I've never seen anyone else here before, it kinda reminds me of my own Secret Garden." Her shoulders shrug with a single quite laugh. She's silent for a few beats before lowering her gaze to meet mine. "I've never shown anyone this place before. You're the first. I just...I saw the way your face lit up at the restarant and...well, I figured you would like it here." Her voice is hypnotic to me in a way I've never known.
I sigh into her neck and pull myself closer to her side, wrapping both of my arms around her waist. We sit this way for a long time, just absorbing the feel of one another and the slow, steady rhythm of the other's breathing. She inhales deepply signaling she's about to speek but she catches herself at the last second. I nod into her embrace, encouraging her to say whatever she was about to say. "You...you can, umm...you can come here if you want. You know, if you've had a bad day or are stressed or something. You can use this place if you want. I wouldn't mind, umm sharring it with you." Her voice sounds nervous as she stammers her way through that open invitation.
I lean up and break our hold on each other to turn and face her full on, curling a leg underneath my body and holding her hand between both of mine. I smile warmly at her, "Why were you so nervous to say that?" I ask, genuinely curious. That statment didn't warrent the kind of nerves she displayed.
Her eyes linger on our joined hands before she speeks, "Well, I mean this is only our first date. I didn't know if that would be wierd. I know it's not like I'm asking you to move in or anything huge but..." She drags her eyes up my body, not in a hungry way, just taking me in, until they meet mine. "This place means something to me. It's kinda special and bringing you here was a big thing for me. Telling you we can share was even bigger and I didn't know if it was ok to say that yet." Her teeth gnaw on her bottom lip and her free hand is tapping nervously on the wood below us. "You think it's totally wierd that I have such an attatchment to a park huh? And a park out in the boondocks nonetheless."
I chuckle at her nervous tirade and bring my right hand up to gently craddle her cheek. I push it back untill my fingers reach into her hair and I caress her high cheek bone with my thumb. She closes her eyes and leans into my touch. "I don't think it's wierd, Arizona." Her blue eyes meet my brown ones when I say her name. "I think it's cute and endearing and I'm blown away that you trust me enough to bring me here and open up like that. Thank you."
My hand slides back behind her neck and I pull her slowly foward until we're just a breath away from each other. She brings one hand up to rest at the side of my neck and the other lays on my knee. Her eyes have been observing my lips and she looks up to ask permission in my eyes. I nod my approval and she finishes closing the gap between us.
Arizona-----
This park has a special place in my heart, I know it might seem odd to care so deeply for a simple patch of grass but I can't help it. I had gone on a jog at a nearby waterfront trail and somehow gotten lost and ended up here. Ever since that day I've come here at least once a week. When I loose a particularly tough case, when I get lost in memories of my brother, after I leave a random girls bedroom in the morning before she wakes. This park has helped me through it all. It's rare to find such a serene hiding place in a big bustling city, and that's why I've kept it a secret. But as she snuggles closer into my side I can't help but want to share this with her.
"This is my favorite place in the whole city." I explain and I feel her look up to me but I continue looking ahead. "I come here sometimes, when I've had a rough day. I've never seen anyone else here before, it kinda reminds me of my own Secret Garden." I smirk to myself knowing how childish that sounded, but it really is how I picture it. A place where all the horrors of the world can't reach me. I drop my gaze to meet hers and continue "I've never shown anyone this place before. You're the first. I just...I saw the way your face lit up at the restarant and...well, I figured you would like it here."
She pulls herself tighter into my embrace and nuzzles into my neck with a content sigh. My heart swells at the simple gesture. It's because of how easy it is to be with her, how comfortable and effortless, that I know what I need to do. I just don't know how to do this without sounding weird or not making sense. Sure this park has an amazing view but it's more than just that for me. I take a deep breath but pause, I feel her nod her head against me. Telling me to say whatever it is I'm thinking about. "You...you can, umm...you can come here if you want. You know, if you've had a bad day or are stressed or something. You can use this place if you want. I wouldn't mind, umm sharring it with you." That couldn't have come out any worse. I mumbled through it and now I look like a shy little girl. great.
Now she's pulling out of my arms and sitting up straight. Turning to face me properly I know I've blown it. Why did I have to even bring that up? I rambled like an idiot and now she doesn't even want to touch me. My internal hate-fest is broken when I feel her sandwich my hand between hers and lean down to meet my downcast eyes. "Why were you so nervous to say that?" she asks. She's smiling and I feel my heart melt just a little.
Ok, now you can redeem yourself Arizona. Don't be a babbling idiot, speak like and adult here. "Well, I mean this is only our first date. I didn't know if that would be wierd. I know it's not like I'm asking you to move in or anything huge but..." I slowly bring my eyes up until they lock onto her deep russet orbs. "This place means something to me. It's kinda special and bringing you here was a big thing for me. Telling you we can share was even bigger and I didn't know if it was ok to say that yet." I can't help my nervous tiks as I bite my lip and begin to furiously tap my fingers on the bench. While this was much better than the last statement, I'm still worried she doesn't quite get it. "You think it's totally wierd that I have such an attatchment to a park huh? And a park out in the boondocks nonetheless."
She laughs at me, but not in a mocking way, in a way saying she gets it, gets me. Her hand comes up and holds my cheek gently, I marvel at the renewed contact and close my eyes to just feel here. "I don't think it's wierd, Arizona." Hearing her say my name is like hearing my favorite song on the radio. It makes me open my eyes and meet hers. "I think it's cute and endearing and I'm blown away that you trust me enough to bring me here and open up like that. Thank you." Her hand trails back to my neck and she's pulling me closer. I can't seem to tear my eyes away from her full lips. When we're as close as can be without touching I look up to get her permission. A subtle nod is all I need before I close the gap.
My lips graze her gently, barely making contact but I feel the jolt of electricity anyways. The hand on the back of my neck pulls me closer and our mouths begin a slow dance. She nibles at my bottom lip and the sensation of her tongue soothing it has me sighing into her mouth and parting my lips. My invitation is immediately taken and her tongue enters to glide along my own. I feel her moan before it reaches my ears and the idea that she is just as lost in this kiss as I am spurs me on. I slowly begin roaming my hand farther up her thigh and she matches my action by wrapping her free arm around my waist and pulling me closer. We kiss, and we kiss, and we kiss some more. Never has just kissing ever had this kind of effect on me. I let myself drown in the feeling of her lips on mine and wish for this moment to last forever.