For the love of softball. ( Calzonia story)

Chapter 15: The pool

Much to their displeasure, as soon as Mark left Callie and Arizona in the training room alone, a Texan player was brought in after having tripped and sprained her ankle while running the bases. The two USA players remained a safe distance away from one another, Torres relaxing and trying to get over the pounding in her head while Arizona tried to calm the pounding in her chest. They had nearly kissed, their first kiss. And it was going to be awesome, the blonde knew it was going to be awesome. ...And then Mark. And the news that she and Callie were now a team within the team. Callie was her catcher. She was the Latina's pitcher. And that complicated things. ...A lot.

Which is what a certain Peds surgeon is thinking about as Team USA's tour bus turns north on its way up to Illinois. It's been two days since their almost first kiss, and since then Arizona has been avoiding the captain. That voice in her head is screaming at her to stop, to keep it professional. After all, it's not personal, it's business. That is her mantra, that is what she swore to herself. But now... now it's quickly becoming very very personal. And Robbins is starting to panic.

From the back seat, her bench raised up allowing her to gaze upon her team spread out before her, brown eyes find long, toned legs propped up just a few benches in front of her. Arizona has her feet propped up on a seat across the aisle and her body laid out over her bench. Callie can't see the blonde's face, but she's felt that chill that has settled between them. Just when Torres thought she made a break through, just when she thought she got Arizona to open up... the blonde retreated back into the protective shell of hers. Two days of dancing around each other, not talking, barely even seeing one another. And it's killing Callie. Because the memory of that kiss, that almost kiss still lingers in her mind and on her lips. She craves the taste of Arizona, the feel of fair skin against hers. But the catcher is afraid to push her teammate, because that would do no one any good.

Cerulean blue stares up at the ceiling of the bus, her head resting on a pillow as she lays down across her bench. The steady beat of the music playing in her ears mixes with the calming movement of the passing ground below her. It should be enough to relax her, pull her into sleep. But it's not. Not when she has Callie on her mind, as well as the rest of Team USA. Their goal is plastered in the forefront of her vision, seeing those five interloping rings and all they represent. It's really happening, she is really on an Olympic team. A dream she never even knew she had is coming true. Then why is she risking putting it all on the line for one woman. One woman who she doesn't even know... not really. She doesn't know anything about Callie, besides the fact she's the best catcher Arizona has ever seen. And she can cook. Has a smile that could melt an iceberg. And her eyes... it's like staring into the entire universe, that's how deep they are.

Team USA makes their pit stop of this leg of their road trip, players spilling out of the bus in search of real bathrooms, food, drinks, or just a place to stretch out their legs. Eyes of the truckers light up when they see more than a dozen good looking, in shape woman fill the homey truck stop, everyone breaking off into groups of two or three. They've been driving for eight hours, and have just as long to go before making it to Chicago, so everyone agreed that they needed to get out of the bus for a while.

Amelia watches from around a corner as Arizona meanders through aisle after aisle of the small convenience store. It's been two days since the younger Shepard was told the news that Torres was now Robbins catcher, and since then the short brunette has been simmering in anger and jealousy. Callie is HER catcher, Amelia's. They have been working together for years. Amelia can read Callie's mind, Callie can read hers. They know each other's moves before either of them can make them. And then little miss Blondie comes marching onto the team and screws everything up. Why shouldn't Amelia be pissed off?

The veteran pitcher nearly jumps out of her skin when someone behind her whispers "What are you doing?" Dark eyes snap around, only to find those of steel blue ones looking down at her.