10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: This is AU. I do not own any of the characters from Grey's Anatomy. I just manipulate them to my will. Also, any line or phrase or setting that seems remotely familiar from any other show, movie or book, also not mine. I borrow…

AN: Ok so I know this chapter has been a long time coming but I've been messing with it for days, trying to get the right tone. Some have commented on my 'slow updating' of this story when the ones before have been like rapid fire. But I can't promise any faster, sorry. I will try, but don't promise anything. Anyways, here is the next installment. The fire continues to roll, will it spill over? Read on to find out.

Chapter 10

Arizona Robbins sits at apartment 26's worn down and beat up breakfast bar. It's nothing fancy, a lot like you would find in a college dorm. In fact, that's what this apartment complex was until the local university deemed them too old. The numerous stains on the two bar stools are like a road map of the apartments history. Each college inhabitant contributing just a little bit of themselves to the rattiness of the furniture. Initials are tattooed and carved into the cheap covering of the breakfast bar, door jams, and wall plaster. The original color of the thin carpet lost years and years ago, and there is no counting how many drunken nights their dorm style bed frames have seen.

But that is not what newest player of Team USA is staring at. The pitcher has brought out her laptop because the wireless signal in her room was complete crap, and it's only faintly better in the common area. And the web page staring back at the blonde hasn't changed in months. But still… she can't look away. It's like a car wreck. Scary and horrible, brings tears to your eyes. And it sucks you in, slowing everything around you and making you wonder what the hell is wrong with this world.

"What the hell are you doing up already?" The groggy voice of her roommate makes Arizona jump, and instinctively slam the screen of her computer down. Blue eyes find Teddy Altman, hair in disarray and her lounge pants halfway down her ass from the tossing and turning in her twin bed.

"We have practice in an hour." Arizona states, not really answering the question but giving some form of explanation.

"Which means we get to sleep for another 45 minutes." Teddy growls. Without a second glance, the first base man stumbles into the bathroom and shuts the door behind her. Half a minute later, Arizona hears the toilet flush, then witnesses Teddy literally sleepwalk back to her bed, not even bothering to shutt her bedroom door before collapsing back in the sheets.

A panting and sweating Callie Torres pulls her ear buds out of her ears as she strides through the unlocked front door of apartment 16. Another good run has given her plenty of time to think, but the Latina couldn't because she couldn't figure out what the hell is going on. She's thought about the issue so much that she can't think about it anymore. It's like saying the same word over and over and over. Eventually it loses all meaning. Arizona's shortness with her yesterday in the training room has stuck with her and has gotten under her skin. A night of tossing and turning provided little relief, so when brown eyes were still wide awake before her morning alarm went off, the only thing she could do was throw on her running clothes and hit the pavement.

As she opens the door, Callie nearly runs into a half dressed Derek Shepard. The man barely has his jeans slung over his ass while grasping a rumpled, and probably buttonless, shirt in his hands.

"Woah!" Callie yelps, taking a quick side step and avoiding a face full of Shepard sex hair. Not that she needed another reason, but on top of the weirdness with Robbins, her roommate was engaged in a heated round of post break up sex with her soon to be ex-husband, a contributing cause in the Latina's sleepless night.

"Sorry Torres." Derek murmurs, then runs a hand through wavy hair which only makes it more untamed. "I'll see you at practice." He says quickly before slipping out the door.

"Right…" The Latina whispers, and locks the door behind him. One of the rules on Team USA is no romances. None. No coach-player. Coach-coach. Trainer-player. Or player-player. But the team plays it loose. As long as it doesn't cause drama, it's don't ask don't tell. And Callie doesn't really care about it, she's not a huge stickler for rules. But this little thing going on between Addison and Derek could really blow up, and end up taking the rest of the team with them.

The catcher just lets out a strangled breath, then heads towards her closed bedroom. She is just slipping around the corner when the resident redhead steps out of the bathroom, tiptoeing in efforts to stay quiet and not wake the woman she thinks is still behind the closed door. But Addison stops in her tracks when she finds Callie very much awake, standing right in front of her, and not sleeping soundly in bed.

"Hey Cal…" Addison breathes out.

"Addison." The Latina counters, giving the woman a raised eyebrow that speaks volumes.

"It's nothing." Her friend says, knowing exactly what that look was implying. "Just angry, break up sex. Not going to screw anything up."

"Mmhmm." Callie hums. "Since when does sex NOT screw things up? Especially when it's your vagina doing the screwing?" The Latina opens her bedroom door, exposing the mess that makes up her room. Addison contemplates on whether now is the time to bring up the 'kissing two team mates in one night thing', since the redhead was too busy screwing her husband last night to even think about broaching that subject.

"About that…" Addison starts, leaning against the door jam of the Latina's bedroom. "What's going on with you?"

"What do you mean?" Callie asks while stripping out of her sweat laddened shirt and pulling on a fresh one. Usually she would take a quick shower but with practice in just under a half hour, there is no reason to shower now just to shower again later.

"Sunday night?" The redhead chances. Dark eyes looking quizzically at her friend, trying to figure out what the woman is asking. "Anything you want to tell me?"

"Uhh… no?" The catcher answers, having no clue what Addison is getting at.

The two are interrupted by a very disorientated Naomi stumbling towards them. "Hey… Amelia's not feeling well. She says she's going to skip practice." With that, the utility player heads back to the other side of the apartment to get ready. Addison also leaves her friends room to get dressed, leaving a very confused Latina. Of all the time she and Amelia have been working together, the brunette has never missed a practice save for the time Shepard broke a finger. Something is going on with her pitcher, and Callie has suspected it for a while. But this is the first real proof she's had. And it's not sitting well with her.

So with a nagging feeling, Callie Torres suits up for another long day of training in hopes of reaching Olympic Gold. All the while, she tries to push the image of a hurt and dejected Arizona Robbins to the back of her mind. She has enough on her plate right now, and dating a woman… a teammate no less… would only add to it. So maybe it's for the best right now. But still… Callie can't help but think something is up with the blonde.

"Come on ladies. You're moving like chilled molasses!" Coach Webber yells as he watches his team work situationals. A handful of players are wearing helmets and lined up behind home plate while the rest take positions around the field. Hunt is standing in the batter's box, a bat in one hand and a ball in the other, hitting the ball into play after Richard yells out a situation for the team to play out.

The girls are sweating, salt burning their eyes and the sun blinding them. It's been a long hard practice, and the only saving grace for Arizona Robbins is that she didn't have to pitch during it. As in shape as the blonde is, she's done more pitching in the past two and a half weeks than she has in the past two and a half years, and her shoulder is starting to get back at her. So instead of being on the rubber, the newcomer takes her position at shortstop, ready to show her team just how much of a threat she really is.

"One out! Runner on second!" Richard hollers, kicking the teams mind into gear. Callie takes her spot behind home plate like she usually would while she witnesses the rest of her team in front of her rise up on the balls of their feet. Erica inches up towards the batter's box ever so slightly, and Arizona takes a couple half steps to her right to cover the area Hahn won't be able to. Cristina Yang, the runner on second, digs her cleat into the bag as she prepares to jump off at full force.

But Hunt surprises them, and instead of hitting away, he tosses it lightly into play, making most of the infield yell "BUNT!" In a second, Callie is out of her squat and ripping her mask off. At the same time, Arizona is sprinting to cover third base while Lexie at second is sprinting to cover first. Teddy, playing first, rushes forward, trying to cover the bunt. And Erica should be fielding the bunt as well, but steel blue eyes see the catcher already on the move and therefore backtracks.

A tanned hand scoops up the dribbler and seeing the runner on second taking off, the Latina chances it and fires the ball to third in hopes of a tag. Just as Arizona gets to third, a larger body backs into her at full force. An elbow hits a cheek, and feet trip over feet, causing two blondes to fall to the ground. The balls sails past both downed shortstop and third base men, ending up in left field for Meredith Grey to field. And leaving a red carpet for Cristina Yang to truck around third base and fly on through home.

"What the hell!" Arizona yelps, holding the side of her face with her ungloved hand. She's not exactly sure what hit her, but the throbbing in her cheek tells her it was hard.

"Damn it Robbins!" Hahn shouts out of frustration while untangling herself from her pitcher. "What were you doing? !"

The newcomer finally finds her way to her feet and yells back "My job. What were you doing? It was a bunt! You move up on a bunt! You field, I cover third!" The rest of the team looks on as the two blondes go at it. Callie watches from behind the plate with a helmeted Addison Montgomery standing right next to her. The two blondes go back and forth for a couple more seconds, each calling the other out for being at the wrong place and doing the wrong thing. But when Arizona steps a little too close for Erica's liking, the veteran places her hands on the shorter woman's chest and pushes her away.

Sky blue eyes go wide, and the anger of the past two and a half weeks, and the pain of having her heart stomped on, quickly comes to life. "You did NOT just-" She lunges forward, intent on sending Hahn to the ground again when another body manages to come between them.

"Stop!" Callie yells, pushing her co-captain and newest teammates in opposite direction. "Enough. You don't act like that on my field." She growls, turning an angry eye to Hahn. She of all people should know how to act, even if Erica is angry. There is a reason she and Callie were named captains. They should lead by example and not get caught up in the pettiness and bullshit that usually comes with a group of women spending so much time together.

"You should know better, Hahn. Calm down." Callie says, meeting her friends gaze but the two are still struggling to get at each other. And the Latina doesn't miss how strongly the shortstop is putting up a fight.

"Yeah, take a walk." Arizona says through grinding teeth while fighting the hold Callie has on her shirt.

"Why don't you make me, bitch?" Erica sneers, making Arizona lunge at her again.

"I don't make trash!" Robbins bites back, which gets more than one of the other players, all much closer to the scene than before, laugh and snicker.

"Both of you off my field!" Richard hollers, bringing Erica and Arizona aware of where they are and the audience around them. The dueling duo just stand there, shocked by how pissed off their head coach looks. But Webber isn't playing, in fact he's serious and it only pisses him off more as he watches two of his best players just standing there, gawking at him.

"Off. My. Field. NOW!" He yells, making everyone jump. Arizona immediately crosses the chalk line while Erica drags her feet. "Everyone. Off. Go. I can't… I just… GO!" He barks and unceremoniously ends practice.

Callie tries to catch the gaze of her head coach, but Webber is not in the mood and just storms off. In fact, none of the four coaches are interested in sticking around as they all head back towards their offices. The Latina runs a hard hand over her face and praying for some calmness to find her. But the sounds of bickering make dark eyes open again and she finds Arizona and Erica going at it… again. This time it's Teddy holding the newcomer back while Naomi stands firmly in front of Hahn, her arms stretched out to keep the captain contained. And just as Callie is about to haul them both away by their ears, Altman finds a strong grip on Arizona and pulls the shorter blonde back across the street and towards their apartment.

"What the hell is going on with those two?" Torres mumbles to herself, then follows the rest of her team off the field, but instead of going to her apartment she decides to have a much needed conversation with her coaches. And not just about the Arizona-Erica problem that's brewing.

"What the hell is going on with you two?" Teddy exclaims as she shoves Arizona into their apartment and slamming the door behind them. The first base man is all for a little butting of heads, but when it starts to interfere with practice and the way the team functions as a whole… that a very different story. After all, Teddy didn't just stumble onto Team USA. Like the rest of them, she's worked hard for years and years and years. Playing college ball, practicing day in and day out. Bleeding, crying, and cussing. …And it was all for the love of the game. A love that she hopes will, very soon, end in a gold medal.

"Nothing." Arizona snaps back and tries to avoid her friends gaze my straightening out her wrinkled shirt.

"Arizona." Teddy growls, but the blonde just turns on her heel and high tails it to her room. But her attempt to shut Altman out is blocked, and the door swings back and hits the stop. "Robbins! What the hell? !"

"Outta my room, Altman." The pitcher says and tries to close the discussion by opening her laptop and typing furiously on the keyboard. But Teddy just stands there, staring daggers at her newest teammate. One she thought was a good addition to the team, but now she's not so certain.

"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's crawled up your ass lately. It's like you're a completely different person. …A week ago, you were pranking Shepard. THAT was hilarious. But flat out fighting on the field? NO. That is not what goes down on this team." Altman chastises, talking to the profile of a very heated Arizona Robbins. The pitcher remains silent, because she doesn't trust herself to speak. One wrong word could ruin everything, so she's going take what her roommate has to give her on the chin and let that be it.

"I like you, Arizona. I do. But I swear that if you keep causing problems on this team, you won't be a member for much longer." That catches the newcomer's attention, and sky blue eyes whip around to find those of the veteran player. "Because if it comes down to it, I'd rather vote your ass off the island than watch it crumble around you. Do you understand me? Are you understanding the words that are coming out of my mouth?"

"I can't work with her!" Arizona shouts, realizing she is sounding very much like a six year having a tantrum but she can't help it.

"News flash! This is a team, which means you need to put your big girl panties on and suck it up!" Altman rebuttals, words flying out of her mouth without remorse. "You can bitch and complain about it, or you can adjust your expectations. Because at the end of the day, it doesn't matter what others think. What matters if what you think! If you think you belong on this team, you do. And if you think you don't, you're right."

Arizona just sits at her desk, staring at her computer screen hoping for it to open up and give her a way out of this mess. An exit plan or a life raft. But it doesn't. The only way out of it would mean walking away from the entire team and showing them her greatest fault, her greatest weakness. And Arizona Robbins doesn't show weakness.

Teddy's anger softens as she witnesses her roommate battle herself. The first base man hates playing the leader. Sure, she can do it. She was a captain for most of her teams in the past, but she never really enjoyed it. Teddy liked being the ones people looked up to, but the other stuff? The hard stuff? Keeping players in line and making sure expectations where kept up? That wasn't for her. Altman would rather go out on the field, play hard and then be able to leave it at that. She wouldn't take Torres's or Hahn's position even if begged to.

The taller blonde lets out a strangled sigh and takes a seat on the edge of Arizona's military standard made up bed, a small smile crossing her face as she remembers having to do the exact same thing growing up under her parents' house. The pitcher doesn't turn around, doesn't blink, and doesn't look away from the glowing screen in front of her because she's too close to crying. And Arizona Robbins doesn't do crying. There's no crying in softball.

"You know… They take pictures of mountain climbers at the top of the mountain. They are smiling, ecstatic, triumphant. They don't take pictures along the way 'cause who wants to remember the rest of it. We push ourselves because we have to, not because we like it." Teddy states, not knowing where these words of wisdom are coming from and not really thinking about it because it just feels right. She wants Arizona on her team, and if the newcomer needs a little pep talk then well… Teddy can do pep for a few minutes. "The relentless climb, the pain and anguish of taking it to the next level… nobody takes pictures of that, nobody wants to remember. We just want to remember the view from the top, the breathtaking moment at the edge of the world. That's what keeps us climbing, Robbins. …And it's worth the pain, that's the crazy part. …It's worth anything."

Arizona sits silenced and shocked, feeling about the size of an ant. Here Team USA is gearing up for a historic trek across the globe, hoping to bring honor and glory to their country and all she has done is bicker with two of the best players, the veterans, on the team. How shallow is she being? Taking the hurt of being turned down by a girl out on others? Why is she even thinking about dating or… kissing or… whatever it could have been with Callie? She's just one girl, in a whole world full of girls. But this chance Arizona has been presented, this chance to claim victory is a once in a lifetime shot. And Teddy is right. …It's worth anything.

Sensing that she has finally gotten through to the pitcher, Teddy stands and places a hand on the shorter woman's shoulder. "Have some fire. Be unstoppable. Be a force of nature. Be better than anyone here, and don't give a damn what anyone thinks." With that, the first base man walks out the door and leaves Arizona Robbins alone.

The slamming of the front door of apartment 16 makes Amelia jump from her cocoon of warmth. Sometime during the one practice she has ever missed, she moved from her bed to the couch in attempts to appear somewhat normal. Amelia Shepard has never skipped a practice before, but the brunette could hardly hold her head up this morning, let alone stand out in the sun for three hours and sweat her ass off. So she called in sick. She's allowed to do that just once, right? The woman has done nothing but pour her heart and soul into this team for going on three years. She can call in sick just once.

At least, that's what she thought before Callie Torres heard the news. If there is one thing that will wake you out of a dead sleep is an angry Latina barging her way through your door, hair afire. It took some convincing, but all fight was lost from Callie when she barely avoided getting thrown up on when Amelia's stomach just couldn't hold it anymore. So with instructions to sleep and drink lots of fluids, her catcher left her and went on to practice one man down.

But now, practice is done and a different raging woman is roaring through the apartment. And it's one that doesn't live here. Naomi had already reappeared and is currently in the shower, but her friend didn't say much but mumble as she passed. So Shepard has no idea what has gotten the blonde so worked up this early in the day.

"I am a SENIOR member of this team. Who the hell does she think she is?" Erica growls, throwing her ball bag into the corner and plopping down in a vacant arm chair. "Is Cal back yet?" She asks, peeking over her shoulder towards the Latina's bedroom but only finding a closed door.

"No, she's not." Amelia answers off handedly. "Wait, who does who think she is?" The pitcher asks, still trying to clue into as why their front door nearly lost its hinges.

"New Girl." The blonde replies. "She had the balls to start something on the field. If it weren't for Torres…" Erica's words fade out as her teeth grind, just thinking about the many pleasant ways the older woman would like to crush Arizona.

But Amelia takes this a little differently, and chances "She broke you two up?" Erica nods tightly, trying to calm her breathing and focus her mind. Very rarely does Hahn ever get this worked up, but there is just something about Arizona that rubs her the wrong way. "Well… I guess that makes sense." Shepard muses, burrowing deeper into the blanket wrapped around her, a low throbbing pulsing right behind her eyes. "I mean, she wouldn't want her girlfriends pretty face all busted up." The pitcher sighs.

"Wait, what?" Erica snaps, immediately sitting up straight and turning steel blue eyes to that of her sickly friend on the couch.

"What? You didn't know?" Amelia asks, one eye peeking open and finding a shocked Hahn. But just as Shepard is about to explain, the front door opens and in walks a very tousled looking Addison Montgomery. Her clothes are wrinkled and her hair looks like she was standing in front of a very large and powerful fan. Mix that with the slight blush still present over her cheeks and down her neck, it doesn't take a mind reader to figure out what the redhead has been doing.

But Erica isn't concerned about her teammate's sex life, at least not THIS teammate's sex life, and immediately pounces on the unsuspecting woman. "Did you know about this?"

"Excuse me?" Addison asks, still recovering from her post coital haze.

"Montana shoving her tongue down Cal's throat while Torres groped at her… northern mountains." Amelia plays, a devilish grin on her face. But green eyes remain locked on the blonde, and Addison watches Erica's color drain.

"Who else knows?" Erica asks, trying with all her might to keep a composed look about her. Hahn is many things, but one thing she is NOT is emotional. At least around her teammates, she remains steadfast. "Have you told anyone else?"

"Just Addy… why?" Amelia counters, then looks between a hurt Erica Hahn and a sympathetic Addison Montgomery. Obviously she is missing something, but what? Amelia doesn't know. "What am I missing?"

"Nothing. Just… don't tell anyone else, Shep." Erica says, finding her way to her feet and grabbing her ball bag.

Amelia doesn't necessarily like being told what to do. After all, she too is a veteran player on this team. "But-"

"But nothing." Hahn snaps. "I am your captain and I am telling you to keep your trap shut about this." Steel blue eyes dart from the brunette on the couch to the redhead still hovering near the front door. "Neither of you, alright? I will talk to Torres about this… mess. Until then, just keep it to yourselves." A hand runs through blonde hair as Erica can't help but get a little angry… and jealous. SHE kissed Callie. She took a chance and kissed her. And now she finds out that someone else did as well… on HER night. What makes it even worse is that it's Arizona Robbins.

The redhead can't help but feel sorry for the woman. She likes Erica, she really does. And Hahn has been a great friend to Callie. Plus Addison was the one who even pushed Erica to go out on the dance floor after the Latina. And now Hahn is hurting. How can Addison not feel bad for her?

The catcher looks between two of her closest friends on the team and each give her a small nod in agreement. Neither Addison nor Amelia will speak of this incident again, because for as much as Erica can be cold and distant, she is their captain. Their leader. And that still means something. So without so much as another word, Hahn turns on her heel and leaves apartment 16, slight broken hearted which only makes her want to fight harder.

"Robbins!" Webber yells, and all fourteen faces in the warm up circle look over. Callie and Erica are in the center, using each other's shoulder to balance while they lead the team in stretching their legs. "Come here." The head coach adds, waving the newcomer over.

Blue eyes glance at the rest of her team, all of them giving her the 'you've stepped in it now' look before jogging the short distance to the far dugout. "Yes, sir?" She asks. Her stomach is in knots because she has a very good idea what all this is about. After Teddy's little chat with her this morning, the blonde realizes she stepped out of line big time.

Richard opens his mouth, ready to let his pitcher have it good but Arizona cuts him off. "I know sir. I was out of line. Hahn is my superior and… nothing should have warranted my outburst. It won't happen again, and I promise to uphold the high standards you have set for this team." The older man just stares down into blue eyes as the woman rambles. "I realize that my personal quarrels with Erica are mine, and therefore should remain off the field. And I swear that I will not disappoint you again. I want nothing more than to join this team in London, and stand beside my teammates on that medal podium. Please… just give me another chance. Please sir. Please."

Webber stares at her for a moment longer, making the blonde suffer for just a few more seconds, then finally says "I don't want to have to say it again."

"No, sir." Arizona replies, a dimpled grin crossing her face that breaks even the hardest of glares. "Thank you. You won't regret it." With that, the blonde turns and rejoins her team, intent on keeping it professional from here on out. It's not personal. It's business. It's not PERSONAL. It's BUSINESS. At least, that's what she keeps telling herself. But with one look from soft brown eyes, Arizona Robbins wishes for nothing more than to be able to get personal with her. …Very personal.

After a three count, a loud "USA!" pierces the air.

Quickly followed by thirteen other voices yelling "All the way!" With that, the second practice of the day concludes, and players start to filter back to their bags to pack up and leave.

Arizona searches the group for a certain woman, and finds her with another certain woman. Screwing up her will power, repeating her mantra of 'it's not personal, it's business', the blonde pitcher steps up and interrupts them. "Uhh… Hahn?"

Erica stops mid word as she looks from Callie and sees who the intruder is. It's been a couple hours since she had found out that not only had she and the Latina shared a kiss a couple nights ago, but Robbins also got a little something something. And that just adds to the dislike she has against the newcomer.

"Robbins." Erica growls. Arizona tries to pull out her dimpled grin, one she notices that makes those around her just a little happier. But it does little to soften this woman in front of her.

Then sky blue eyes look away from Erica and glance at Callie, those warm brown eyes and plump lips making her stomach jump with both desire and sadness. "Boss." She greets the other catcher, and just gets a larger, more breathtaking smile in return.

"Robbins." Erica states again, her agitation growing as she witnessed Arizona gawking at HER woman right in front of her.

Shaking herself, Arizona immediately looks back at the blonde co-captain. "Umm, I was wondering if you had a couple minutes. I think that uhh… I think we should have a little talk."

Erica is about to turn her down because one less minute spent around this woman the better. But just as she is about to speak, Callie cuts in with "I think that is a GREAT idea." Perfect white teeth make a showing, the Latina pulling out her megawatt smile and unleashing it upon both smitten blondes in front of her.

"Fine." Hahn sighs, then turns back to Callie, continuing their discussion before Arizona interrupted them. "So… tonight?" She chances, having asked the Latina if she was interested in coming over to her place for the night, getting some take out and vegging on the couch to watch a movie. It's nothing out of the ordinary, they've done it a couple nights a week for months and months now.

"Yeah, of course." Callie replies, thinking that this is nothing more than two good friends getting together and spending time together. She grabs her bag and flings it over her shoulder, backing away towards the apartment complex across the street. "It's a date." The Latina adds with a wink and a smile that makes Erica's heart flutter, and Arizona's heart sink.

Taking a seat on the bleachers behind her, Erica starts to peel off her dirty cleats and says "So New Girl, what did you want to talk about?"

Shaking herself, again replaying her mantra, Arizona takes a seat next to her catcher and says "This…" Motioning between them. "Us. I don't know why… we're like we are. Usually I get along great with everyone. And maybe it's my fault, I don't know. I mean… I didn't think I was a high maintenance pitcher or anything but I'm willing to try and-"

"Don't get emotional, Robbins. Nobody likes a girl that gets emotional." Erica cuts her off, not really one to let someone ramble on and on. After all, she does have a date tonight.

Arizona scoffs, rubbing dirty hands over her dirt and sweat crusted face. "You know what Hahn, how about you go fu-"

"Look." The catcher cuts her off again, knowing that the two of them could bicker back and forth until midnight. "We don't have to be friends. Actually, I think I'd prefer it because when I look at you… I want to say some not nice things. …So you kissed Callie…." Arizona's mind immediately stops, all thoughts about playing or Hahn or anything going right out the window. It feels like the pitcher has just been punched in the gut, all oxygen rushing from her body and leaving her speechless.

"And I kissed Callie." Erica adds, sending a knockout jab into Arizona's stomach. "I can see how that may bring up some… hard feelings. But I will not allow you to make a mockery of myself or the team on my field again." Hahn pauses, turning on the bench and finding a very stunned Robbins. "Are we in agreement?" She asks, rising to her feet and throwing her bag over her shoulder.

"What?" Arizona breathes out, completely lost. She only knows two things at this moment. One, Callie kissed Erica. And two, Erica thinks Arizona kissed Callie. "Uh… yeah." The blonde mumbles, not really sure what the hell is happening. Her brain is synapsing all over the place and Arizona can only assume that this is what a stroke feels like. Her entire body going numb and the ability to process information at all is completely lost.

"Great. Now, have a good night. …I have a date to get to." Erica says, practically giddy with excitement. And with that, she turns and leaves the field intent on making tonight a night that Callie will never forget.

Arizona sits on the bleachers as the hot Oklahoma evening sun starts to dip. She can't pin point the exact moment where everything started to spiral out of control. It happened well before Sunday night. Hell, her life was a mess before stepping foot onto the ball diamonds for tryouts. But even now, after all the pain she has been through throughout her life, the one thing that hurts the most… packs the hardest punch is that woman. That woman with raven hair and megawatt smile. The blonde doesn't know a thing about Callie Torres, other than her full name is Calliope. And she can cook. And drink like a sailor on leave. …And has the most amazing smile. Did she mention that already? And eyes that you can get lost in.

Should she have corrected Erica? Told the woman that she did not kiss the Latina? Even though every fiber of Arizona's being screams to kiss the girl. To take her in her arms and never let go. But that's preposterous. Callie is their leader. Their Boss. This is a team, a team on the path to gold. And Callie is just one girl. Arizona is just one girl. What are the chances they are the ONE for each other? Highly unlikely, and the pitcher isn't about to chance fourteen women's hopes and life long dreams on the infinitely small odds that Callie Torres might be the one worth risking it all for.

So, Arizona decides. She decides it's not personal. It's business. Let the rumor spread, and let it die. It's easier than proving otherwise. Because it's not always easy to speak your mind. Sometimes you need to be forced to do it. Sometimes it's better to just keep things to yourself though. Play dumb. Even when your whole body is aching to come clean. So you shut your mouth. Keep the secret. And find other ways to make yourself happy.

AN2: So the secrets are out… but not to Callie, who is still in the dark. Who will dish to the Latina first, Erica or Arizona? And will Amelia actually keep her word about the secret, or will the pitcher decide to spread some more rumors around the team. And is the battle between Arizona and Erica on the field over, or has it only begun? Lots of possibilities, lots of fun to be had. So strap on your seatbelts, folks. And enjoy the ride.