That kiss

That night

Eliza loves it when Arizona rambles, it reminds her of their conversation, when times were better, before all the job stealing and back stabbing started. That conversation at the elevator when she was trying to find Baileys office. The very first time they met.

"Arizona..." Eliza says trying to stop Arizona talking.

"Because you're nice and you're smart and you're funny. You care about the students, maybe even more than I do. And you have this brilliant way of making your victories, their victories, and you're good for them and you're good for this place, and they should know that." Arizona continues.

"Arizona stop" Eliza tries again.

" I just think it's not...." Arizona still keeps going until Eliza makes sure she can't continue.

"Arizona I need you to stop, so I can kiss you." This stops Arizona talking, Eliza waits to see what Arizona's response might be but she doesn't pull back or run away she simply just says, "Oh."

Eliza takes this as confirmation that it's ok for her to kiss Arizona so she steps forward, reaches up and hold the lapel of Arizonas coat pulling her slightly closer, leans in and kisses her. It's a slow simple kiss, almost a peck but with so much feeling and meaning put into it. They pull back but Arizona leans back in so their lips meet for a second time, the third time they lean into each other they both pull each other closer, deepening the kiss just a little until Arizona pulls back, coming to her senses, realising exactly where they are.

"Eliza, we are stood right by the exit to the hospital, anyone could see us. Can we get a drink and talk about this please?"

That's the only invitation Eliza needs to take Arizona away from there and to somewhere else so they can sort this out for good.

"Come on, we'll take my car, it's just there, lets go get a drink at the wine bar in the harbour, we should be able to talk there away from prying eyes of the hospital."

They walk in silence to Eliza's car, she unlocks it and opens the passenger side door for Arizona to get in. "Thank you" is all Arizona manages, her mind is still doing a million to one over the kiss that just happened. Once Arizona is in the car Eliza walks around the back of the car to the drivers side and climbs in.

Eliza puts the key in the ignition, very aware that Arizona hasn't said very much and seems extremely nervous. Eliza turns to Arizona, "are you ok?" She asks. Arizona thinks for a second, "yes, no, umm I'm awesome." Is all she says before she turns away to look out the window. At that Eliza starts the car and pulls out of the parking lot.

The 10 minute drive to the wine bar is quiet and uneventful. Arizona just looks out the window thinking, whilst Eliza concentrates on driving lost in her own thoughts. They arrive at the wine bar and Eliza parks the car and turns off the ignition. Eliza is just about the get out of the car when Arizona turns to her.

"Eliza?"

"Yeah Arizona?"

"What does this mean?" Arizona looks scared, suddenly Eliza realises that Arizona isn't the kind of person to do simple one night stands and that's fine with Eliza, she really likes this woman.

"I don't know. I mean, I like you, a lot, you should know that? We have chemistry, I've been flirting with you since my very first visit to the hospital, and I can't stop thinking about you." Eliza rambles.

Something about Arizona makes Eliza nervous and so completely different from the confident and cocky woman everyone in the hospital has got to know over the last few weeks. Arizona realises in that moment that she feels exactly the same about Eliza.

"Eliza, we should go get that drink, because if we stay here and talk we will just end up kissing again, and as much as I'd like that, we need to talk about this."

"Ok" is all Eliza says before getting out of the car and moving to open the door for Arizona again.

They walk side by side into the fairly busy wine bar and up to the bar, Eliza orders a glass of red wine for herself and a glass of white wine for Arizona paying for them both. They find a small table out of the way of other customers so they can talk privately. Sitting down across from each other both women shift in their seats uncomfortably.

Suddenly Arizona speaks. "I like you too, a lot. There's something about your confidence that worries me, you could have anyone you wanted with confidence like that, yet you went after me, why?"

Eliza thinks for a minute, sipping her wine, "you're only asking that because you don't see what other people see, you're kind of amazing you know?" Arizona blushes at that. She knows she's amazing, she's an amazing surgeon, a good teacher and an amazing parent. But she doesn't see that she's a generally amazing woman.

"I'm a good man in a storm" Arizona says, Eliza looks at her as if to ask what she's on about, Arizona notices this so explains, "my father, Colonel Daniel Robbins, he raised me to be a good man in a storm, someone people could rely on, an amazing person, so I became an amazing surgeon but I didn't," Eliza interrupts her.

"You are amazing, you're smart, beautiful, caring, hard working and you put everyone else before yourself, even if that means you have to be unhappy. So what's the problem here with us?"

Arizona knows exactly what the problem is. It's her loyalty to Richard. She really likes Eliza but she doesn't want to hurt Richard. She doesn't want everyone to hate her for siding with Eliza.

"Honestly, I'm scared. I like you, I want this, but I don't want to hurt my friends either. Richard is like some weird brother to me and the others at the hospital, we have all been through so much together, a shooting, a plane crash, buying the hospital, they're my family."

"But surely they would want you to be happy, regardless of who you are seeing?" Eliza has a good point. Arizona is looking down, nervously playing with her wine glass at this point.

"Yeah, I suppose." Eliza reaches across the table and grasps Arizona's hand, forcing Arizona to look up and right into Eliza's blue eyes. Arizona realises in that moment just how beautiful Eliza's eyes are, just how beautiful Eliza is.